"Wonderful fantasy tale with a surprise ending!"
Talwyn is the only one born while her people are in the
mist. This is the only lifestyle she knows, where all the
people share a oneness. She has never been a separate
individual, never known her own thoughts. She can feel a
change coming, can sense it. There is an excitement among
her people now. Never having known any other life, Talwyn
has no idea what to expect, but is caught up in the
excitement of the others. She begins to notice changes—a
light is now penetrating the mist; she can feel a warmth;
the mist is beginning is dissipate. Then her people find
what they have been searching for, a new planet. For the first time, Talwyn is no longer a part of the
others. Her people are no longer a part of the mist and
are all individuals now. And so begins her life on this
planet among her people, the Golden. One day while her
mother is occupied with The Old One, Talwyn goes outside
and hears voices. She follows them since her mother told
her to stay out from under foot. Finally, tired and lost,
Talwyn sinks down to the ground and the voices entice her
just a bit further. When she continues, she finds a
beautiful clearing, ringed by trees. This place becomes
Talwyn's favorite to spend time in. Since she is the only
one of her people who can hear them, the spirits of the
trees become Talwyn's confidants. Time passes and Talwyn
has carved her likeness in a tree. Now sensing that her
people are getting ready to go into the mist again, Talwyn
goes to her special place and is shown something she finds
very disturbing. The spirits show her what is to happen in
a clear pool. What Talwyn sees is the destruction of the
trees by two winged creatures. When the spirits tell
Talwyn they need her there, she is forced to decide if she
will accompany her people into the mist, or if she will
stay in one of the trees, sleeping until she is needed to
stay this fate. Will Talwyn stay with her friends? Will she leave to join
her people in the mist? Exactly what role does Talwyn have
in the destruction of the trees? Will she be able to stop
that from happening? THE ANCIENT ONE is a very unique fantasy story. Sheri L.
McGathy once again weaves her magic in this tale. As the
story unfolds, Sheri McGathy once again reveals a moral to
the story - One which we need to learn in this day and
age. And when Sheri McGathy finally reveals what the
Golden are, it adds quite a twist to this story. This
highly unique and beautifully written story is one which
will remain with me for a long, long time. I highly
recommend anything written by Sheri McGathy to lovers of
fantasy, and this tale is no exception!
Reviewed by Chere Gruver
Posted January 12, 2007
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When Talwyn followed her people, the Golden, from the mist, she found herself reborn into a wondrous world of greens and blues and light and warmth. When she heard the spirits within the trees call out to her, she found again the oneness she thought lost to her forever. When the spirits showed her a future that would see her beloved trees destroyed, Talwyn vowed to protect them, even if it meant never returning to the mist again. Within the swirling mists of time, fanciful whispers give birth to wonders beyond any known reality and shape a single moment into legend. This is one such tale... The Ancient One
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