Title: Miranda Queen of Argyll: Past Sins
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: One Level Higher Publishing (June 15, 2006)
Amazon LinkI meet the author of this book, Julia Phillips at the Denver Starfest this last April. She happened to be sitting with an author that I had reviewed previously and he liked my review very much. After talking to Julia she gave me a signed copy of her book to review for the website.
Well this was kind of a pickle; she was very nice and gave me a signed copy of the book to review. But what if I didn’t like the book? I would feel bad giving the book a bad review because Julie was such a nice person.
Thankfully after reading the book, I am in no such dilemma. Miranda Queen of Argyll was a very fun story to read and kept my interest through the entire 464 pages. The story centers around Miranda, the worlds last sorceress. She is living in a modern world keeping her magic abilities a secret from the world of mortal men. I say mortal men because Miranda is immortal. She was born in the year 1169.
The story is a contemporary piece and takes great pains to explain how various creatures of magic still exist in today’s world and how these various creatures work very hard to keep themselves hidden from view of modern day man. Fairies, Dragons, etc all still exist, but their world has fallen way side to the advance of technology and mankind. So they keep themselves hidden.
All these creatures are led by the Council of Magicks. This is a council representing every kind of magical creature good and evil. Together they vote on issues and work at keeping their kind safe and hidden from modern day mankind.
Miranda long thought to be the worlds last sorceress finds herself in charge of a child who also seems to have sorceress abilities and is the child of an evil rival of hers and it sought out by evil forces for evil purposes that I wont go into as it will spoil the book for you.
Miranda along with at least half of the council are fighting to keep this child safe, but little do they realize the magnitude of the force of evil that is seeking out the child or why.
The character of Miranda is a little different than what most people think of when it comes to a protagonists that wields powerful magic. She is not the typical do gooder happily smiting evil and delivering justice. She has been worn down by time; she is cynical and tired having lived for so long. She has suffered great losses in her lifetime. She has seen it all and experienced it all and now life and love is something that she wishes she could be done with.
Her character is fleshed out throughout the book ala Highlander: The Series flashback style giving you details of the various events of her life that has shaped her view of the world. But its done in a very interesting way. I don’t think the reader is ever left not wanting to flash back to these detailed events because they are relevant to the story. In fact these flashbacks make the main story that much more interesting because it becomes clear that Miranda’s past is coming back to haunt her and is playing a very big role in current events, Thus the name Past Sins.
Very well written and easy to read with only a couple of minor complaints that I can see. There are times that the characters jump from one place to another in confusing manners. As one example, one moment the character will be in one part of a castle and the next page they will be in another part entirely. It confused me a couple of times and I had to go back and re-read the last sentence or two to see what I had missed. It could be just the way the book was printed, but its really the only flaw that stood out in my mind. Its not a major problem at all, just a minor annoyance.
Other than that the book is a very entertaining read and I would recommend to anyone of any age to pick it up and give it a try with the warning that the book is not finished. Its merely part 1, the story will be continued in Miranda Queen of Argyll: Unlikely Saints to be published soon hopefully, so unless you’re the type that hates waiting for the next part of a story to come out, go get this book and enjoy.
And I say any age because the book can be enjoyed by younger folk as well, there are no swear words, steamy sex or graphic violence. Its fantasy book done in the tradition of say a C.S. Lewis or perhaps Stephen Kings: The Eyes of the Dragon which was a very family friendly book and one his best books by the way if you have never read it.
Some of the relationship/romance bits might be a bit boring for the very young, but if they can get past that; I think they will find the story entertaining.
I will rate Miranda Queen of Argyll a solid 4 out 5 possible quick trips to Scotland.
If your looking for something new to read, give Miranda a shot, I dont think you will be dissapointed.
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