Rising From the Ashes: The Chronicles of Caymin by Caren J. Werlinger

Rising From the Ashes: The Chronicles of Caymin
by Caren J. Werlinger
Pages: 306
Date: February 1 2016
Publisher: Corgyn Publishing, LLC
Series: The Dragonmage Saga (1st book)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: March 3 2016


My first book by this author.

I’ve been kind of reading a lot of romances of one kind or another this year, and wanted a break. So, a fantasy book. Starring a young girl who was raised by badgers (yes, badgers).

So, this book stars one ‘Ash’ (I suppose it isn’t a spoiler to note that she is also known as Caymin, since the book itself has ‘The Chronicles of Caymin’ on the cover). When Ash was around 2 or so, her village was attacked, and she was tossed into a fire. She squealed and cried for help. Help came in the form of badgers. Oddly enough, Ash had been calling out to in the badgers their own, mental, language.

Ash, as the badgers call her, spends the next bit of time growing older with these badgers. Being, more or less, a badger. Sure, she didn’t seem to want to eat the worms her badger mother attempted to offer her, but she ate other things, and a bond of love developed between Broc, Cuan, and Ash.

One day, while out doing whatever it was she was doing (gathering food? Hunting?), Ash hears a fight break out. The squeals of badgers. The growls of wolves. She hurries over and drives away the wolves, but not before they grievously injured one of her badger parents. And in a move of instinct, Ash moved in to help her parent. Laid hands on the furry critter, and more or less glowed (well, at least her hands, if I recall correctly). She then slumped over very very tired. Next to the now healed badger.

The point of mentioning all that, the attack and healing, was to get to the next part wherein I mention that her use of magic sent out a very powerful vibration, which was felt very far away. A magical vibration. Felt by an older woman named Enat. Who lived in a magical forest. Enat travels around looking for who sent out this vibration, and eventually finds Ash. An offer is made to train Ash, - said offer being one made to Ash, and to be answered by Ash. With sadness at leaving her clan, the badgers, Ash reluctantly agrees. And is taken to the magical forest area.

This is a deep, detailed, rather riveting book that pulled me from beginning to end. There were certain plot points whereupon the author could have gone a different direction, and the vast majority of the time I was quite happy with the direction the author choose.

The ending both somewhat dragged, and ended abruptly. I cannot really say exactly what I mean, since I’m referring directly to the end of the book, and there is no real way of expressing with more detail what I’m referring to. Let’s just leave it as what I’ve said, plus the part wherein the book ended setting up a sequel. A sequel that I wish to read, oh, now.

As I had mentioned at the start of this review, this is the first book I’ve read by this author. I had been examining the shelves of friends, looking for authors that I had not yet read, though they had read and rated at least one book 5 stars. Looking for those lesbian fiction authors that I had, as of yet, not tried. I mention all of this to note that I had not gone into this attempting to find a good solid coming of age fantasy book. I went into it to find authors to add at least one of their books to my maybe pile. Came away from that examination with a book to read. And eventually read.

It should be noted, as at least one other reviewer has noted, this is not a lesbian fiction book. At least it isn’t currently. Maybe the series will get there as Ash/Caymin ages. At the moment, all I can say is that the concept of people ‘mating’ with those of the same gender is mentioned in this book (Enat being one who had had, at some point, a female partner – this is mentioned in passing). Ash, though, is of an age where in the concept of finding a ‘mate’ isn’t exactly something she is interested in; though she thought enough about it to believe that she wouldn’t be one who ended up with a mate. What with her being a ‘two-leg’ in a clan of badgers.

On one level I’m vaguely sad that I read this book now. Because it was released February 1 2016. I like gobbling series as soon as I find them. Yet now I’ll have to wait. I’m not very patient.

I recommend this book to one and all – though with the understanding that this is a book that has, as a main character, a young girl, involves magic, and is open to the idea of same sex relationships (at least it’s mentioned in passing). Oh, and open to the idea that those who follow the Christian God might not always and in every situation be on the side of good. I mean, the book is set in ancient Ireland at the time when ‘the monks’ were ‘invading’ and strenuously attempting to convert everyone around them, and suppress everything that would stand as an obstacle to their power.

March 4 2016