Wisdom of the Centaurs' Reason (Andy Smithson #6) by L.R.W. LeeFormat: Ebook
Publisher: Woodgate Publishing
Number of Pages: 250
Published: November 23, 2016
Source: Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Opening line:
"Six weeks had shuffled by like a hunched old man, and the ache in Andy's chest over losing Yara hadn't dulled in the slightest."
Andy has been taking the loss of Yara pretty hard, often questioning what he should've done differently or just "if only". His father has his own regrets and wants very much to set things right too. Since Andy has been back in our world, Abaddon has intensified his creation of his army made of zolts, citizens who've been turned into these winged beasts. Abaddon is also holding Andy's father in Castle Avalon and is making the King and his citizens suffer. Meanwhile, Andy has been tasked with a new quest, a treasure hunt of sorts to gather three peices or gears, and a letter needed to fix the center or heart of his land's power. In so doing, he will protect the land from Abaddon. It wont be so easy though, the items were scattered by Merlin in Andy's world and he must complete a task before he can recover each item. Andy must also rescue his father from Abaddon's control, and then take each of the items he's collected to Mount Mur Eyah, home of the Centaurs, in order to break the curse.
Wisdom of the Centaurs Reason includes memories from past books in the series, or highlights moments where Andy struggled and how he prevailed. In many ways, it had the feeling that the series is coming toward its conclusion. Which made me very sad. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the Andy Smithson books and watching the events unfold for Andy. Breaking the curse has always been a bittersweet moment for Andy, and well for me too. Once the curse is broken, so too will the magic that has been keeping the three closest people to him immortal and Andy risks loosing them forever. It's what the series has been building toward, but still it's also why like Andy it's been a struggle of emotions. I'm just happy that we have our little moments of Andy's inneru (inside voice that talks to him), MiniMe, who brings in some humorous lines like, " I feel amazing! I spent the last seven months vacationing in the Principal Islands off the coast of Compunction and Scruples. Their morel mushrooms are To. Die. For."
As I've said before, I love how Andy has aged and matured across the series through the many "life values" or principles that Lee encorporates into the story. Andy reflects on how he has demonstrated diligence, loyalty, honor and dignity. Skills that he will use to be a successful King and he also acquires the knowledge that sometimes we have to put the needs of others above our own. There was a scene in which Andy is inside of a burial crypt with past kings and queens of Avalon, and it felt very much like the movie Mulan where she is with Mushu in her ancestors crypt. There is just so much creativity in these stories and I particularly enjoyed how this time Lee tied in the lore of Merlin and King Arthur's knights in this book. Stories centering on Sir Lancelot and the Copper Knight, Sir Kay and the Sword in the Stone, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. How Andy needed to prove his worth in order to gain each item, with riddles that he needed to unravel. How there were Centaur's guarding the location of each item, which took Andy to places like University of Texas, Stanford, and to the Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina. There's even refrences to DaVinci and his Codex Leicester. Like the other books in Lee's series, Wisdom of the Centaurs' Reason includes layers of symbolism, where daisies represent "new beginnings and true love" (Lee even includes a handy guide at the end of the book). Despite Andy's path having been set out for him long ago, and the difficulties in reconciling the eventual loss of those important to him, I still will be eagerly awaiting the release of Book Seven.
Favorite lines:
Wisdom of the Centaurs Reason includes memories from past books in the series, or highlights moments where Andy struggled and how he prevailed. In many ways, it had the feeling that the series is coming toward its conclusion. Which made me very sad. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the Andy Smithson books and watching the events unfold for Andy. Breaking the curse has always been a bittersweet moment for Andy, and well for me too. Once the curse is broken, so too will the magic that has been keeping the three closest people to him immortal and Andy risks loosing them forever. It's what the series has been building toward, but still it's also why like Andy it's been a struggle of emotions. I'm just happy that we have our little moments of Andy's inneru (inside voice that talks to him), MiniMe, who brings in some humorous lines like, " I feel amazing! I spent the last seven months vacationing in the Principal Islands off the coast of Compunction and Scruples. Their morel mushrooms are To. Die. For."
As I've said before, I love how Andy has aged and matured across the series through the many "life values" or principles that Lee encorporates into the story. Andy reflects on how he has demonstrated diligence, loyalty, honor and dignity. Skills that he will use to be a successful King and he also acquires the knowledge that sometimes we have to put the needs of others above our own. There was a scene in which Andy is inside of a burial crypt with past kings and queens of Avalon, and it felt very much like the movie Mulan where she is with Mushu in her ancestors crypt. There is just so much creativity in these stories and I particularly enjoyed how this time Lee tied in the lore of Merlin and King Arthur's knights in this book. Stories centering on Sir Lancelot and the Copper Knight, Sir Kay and the Sword in the Stone, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. How Andy needed to prove his worth in order to gain each item, with riddles that he needed to unravel. How there were Centaur's guarding the location of each item, which took Andy to places like University of Texas, Stanford, and to the Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina. There's even refrences to DaVinci and his Codex Leicester. Like the other books in Lee's series, Wisdom of the Centaurs' Reason includes layers of symbolism, where daisies represent "new beginnings and true love" (Lee even includes a handy guide at the end of the book). Despite Andy's path having been set out for him long ago, and the difficulties in reconciling the eventual loss of those important to him, I still will be eagerly awaiting the release of Book Seven.
Favorite lines:
"We cherish the moments we have with others. Each and every day. Rather than focusing on her loss and the meaninglessness of her death, treasure the gift of knowing and loving her. Yara will never completely leave you."
"We all fail from time to time, but it's the lessons we learn in the process that truly matter."
From reading your review, it's clear you enjoyed the book and I'm thrilled. It was the most emotional book I've yet written and it sounds like you were right "there" as events unfolded. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Linda. I can tell you've put a lot into this book and I had all the feels too. Can't wait to see what you've got next.
DeleteSounds like a great book and series. Wonderful to learn more about it and I wish Linda the best of luck. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Love your favorite line. It has a message for everybody. Great review.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and commenting
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