Book Review: The Ryn and The Remedy by Serena Chase

After reading some rave reviews, I decided to give The Eyes of E'veria a shot. And boy, am I glad I did. I really loved them! Here are the summaries of the first two books. Scroll down to find my review.


The Ryn

Secreted away and called “Rose” for the first nineteen years of her life, Rynnaia E'veri has no idea of her true identity until a chance meeting with an injured knight reveals not only her parentage and true name, but the task assigned her by the oracle: discover the Remedy that will destroy the Cobelds' power.

Now, her time has come.

Offered the assistance of pirates, scribes, storytellers, a young woman who died centuries ago, and the knight who is quickly working his way into her heart, Rynnaia is fortified with friends. But if the Ryn is to complete her task, she must come to terms with not only who she is, but for whom she must be willing to die. For the kingdom’s survival depends on her.

The Remedy
 

Having come to terms with her long-hidden identity, Princess Rynnaia E’veri is ready to take her rightful place. But before she can join her father at Castle Rynwyk, she must endeavor to fulfill a 200-year-old prophecy and defeat the Kingdom’s ancient enemy, the Cobelds. Joined by her faithful knight, Sir Julien de Gladiel, and a gifted group of friends, Rynnaia must trek a dangerous path through canyons, forests, and into the very depths of a mountain where, if the prophetic scrolls prove correct, she will face an unknown foe, alone. Treacheries will be discovered, sacrifices will be made, friends will be lost, and love will be tested, but if even one line of the riddled prophecy is misinterpreted, Rynnaia will fail . . . and the Kingdom will fall.

Through My Window

 The first two books of the Eyes of E'veria series are really just part 1 and 2 of the same story. You can't read one without the other.

Serena Chase's voice and writing immediately drew me into her world, breathing life into the characters. I was greatly reminded of the style of Robin McKinley. The story moves along at its own pace, and if you find yourself wanting to go faster, perhaps you should wait until you have time to sit back and enjoy the beauty of the writing.

What you should know before reading this book is that it is a romance. Our Rynnaia falls deeply in love with a knight, Sir Julien, and their love is one of the major plots of the book. However, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to find that this romance was very chaste. This is a story set back in the Medieval days, and the honor code is held in high respect (wish we still had it). They don't even kiss until the end of book 2. Sir Julien is a perfect gentleman and treats Rynnaia with the highest regard. Their love is a showcase of what God intended it to be and intentionally reflects the relationship that we should have with God. Still, I felt a bit snoopy and invasive at times, when Rynnaia would reflect about Julien. It was like I was in a friend's head, spying on their feelings. That's why romance isn't my genre of choice. But this was all very clean and sweet.

Happily, romance is not the only point of this tale. It's also an epic, full of brilliant characters, complex relationships, and dire peril.

Violence Content: People are shot and slit, but there is no graphic or gory description. :)

Language Content: None. :)

Spiritual Content: I had heard that Serena Chase was a Christian, but I didn't know how much she'd incorporate her beliefs into the story. At first, I didn't see much, but it entered at the end of Book 1 and was the driving force in Book 2. And it was MAGNIFICENT. Serena Chase captured the power and, most of all, the love of God in her allegorical representation. :D

I'm thrilled to discover another wonderful author, whose stories can edify and encourage, while entertain at the same time!

And I am even more thrilled that this series will continue, focusing on the most intriguing character by far, Captain Cazien de Polis, and his mysterious connection to the feisty, newly-knighted, Lady Erielle. It's going to be awesome!