When I was a younger teen I used to devour Tamora Pierce’s young adult fantasy series. Ms. Colt’s debut novel likens to Ms. Pierce’s novels with the slow build-up of a young heroine in unique circumstances set in a troubled kingdom. Adenine, through no fault of her own but genetics, is kept isolated the total of her life except for small, secret outings. After experiencing a damaging attack, death of her father, and blindness, I seriously wondered if this poor girl would ever get a break!
Like Ms. Pierce’s novels, the first in this series is a bit slow in the action, but the whole purpose is to start to involve the reader in the world of Adenine, her family and friend, and their small town.As the story progresses and Adenine is finally freed, the action starts kicking. Adenine is completely clueless due to her family and friends’ choices to keep her “safe” and is constantly running into enemies and troubles she has no idea existed. Coming into her undiscovered powers, Adenine quickly comes to terms with her new fate. With more losses, gains in friendship, and personal maturity, Adenine’s story goes through a whirl of huge changes packed in a few chapters.
This book provokes a lot of great emotions and totally involved me in the story. I was angry but compassionate toward her parents and friends for their role in her isolation, and my heart ached for all the horrors that Adenine has to endure just because of her genetics. I look forward to reading the following novels as she grows into a woman and her tale continues.
From the Author
The idea for the Healers of Meligna series came to me while I was at the doctor's office for my annual check-up. An impression imprinted on my mind, and I realised I wanted to write something controversial, yet still in the genre of Epic Fantasy. I wanted to build a world full of loveable characters, and interesting societies, that when forced together, create conflict and tension based on differences of beliefs, rather than alluding to cliches of good and evil.
I knew I would write this story from a first-person perspective. I'm a very heady/analytical type of person, and have a keen interest in psychology, so I like to bring my readers really close to the main character. I want you to feel my protagonist's highs and lows. In Concealed Power, when Adenine is perplexed, I want you, my readers, to care as much as she does about finding a resolution. I want your eyes to be glued to the pages until you've discovered, through her, the answers to all enigmas.
As I was writing the story I found myself playing games with my readers. When a book lacks swordfight and fire breathing dragons (although you might find aspects of this in the future books in the series), the author must create intrigue and mystery like a Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple novel. The reader should be guessing ahead, thinking about the future and sorting through the clues to answer the book's questions.
This series has changed me as a writer. It's helped me discover my strengths and weaknesses as an author, while constantly challenging my tenacity (I spend a great deal of time scratching my head over the plot).
While I've written stories before, none of them have seen the light of day, but this story wanted to be published. It has its own life force that on rare occasion, has moved me to tears (especially towards the end of the second book that I'm writing right now). This story wanted to be written and I hope that you get something from reading it.
