The
Sword of Demelza,
by J.E. Rogers. Copyright ©2012 Acadia Publishing Group LLC, 328 pages.
Illustrated by Guy Atherfold and William Hulbert. Cover and Back Plate by Guy
Atherfold. Available in paperback, Kindle and Nook editions.
“In the shadow of Fortress Demelza, the
lives of three friends collide, forging an unlikely friendship. Devon, a young
red fox, along with Erik and Emma, two young marsupials, learn that an evil
king has gained control of a powerful sword. Under the king’s command, a demon
thylacine and dragon lizards are burning villages and threatening the peaceful
creatures of the countryside. In an act of desperation, the three friends
realize they must put everything aside and join a rebel army whose main purpose
is to end the reign of the king!”
—
from the back cover of The Sword of
Demelza.
And so it begins, this magical story —
which was a ForeWard Clarion Reviews Book of the Year Finalist for 2013, and also
received Honorable Mention in the 2013 Writer’s Digest eBook Awards.
It has been many a year since I read a
fantasy written for middle graders, but this one was first brought to my
attention during a comment “thread” in a Facebook group for indie authors. A
few days later, it was highly recommended to me by an adult friend who found
herself caught up in the characters, action and adventure when reading some
chapters to her young son, who was bedridden with the flu at the time. So I
bought a copy for myself, stretched out on the couch the day it arrived, and
got lost inside the story, just as my friend had. Like any good novel, whether
it’s written for children, teens, or adults of any age, The Sword of Demelza picks you up, pulls you in and takes you on a
grand adventure.
J. E. Rogers first novel is driven by
its characters, with the perfect balance of plot to keep the reader entranced
by and invested in the overall story. Unlike so many novels, where formula and
tired old clichés drive the story, The
Sword of Demelza is something new and fun — partly because the setting, a
fully-realized, alternate version of Australia, is so masterfully handled by
Rogers. But it isn’t just the setting that draws you into this novel, like so
many deeply woven fantasy stories, although the author has certainly done her
homework — this wonderful novel is filled with great detail and research. What
makes The Sword of Demelza work so
well are the characters that are so lovingly written, and from which children,
teens, and adults of every age can learn something from, as well as learn something about. You see, these are not humans we are reading about, but the
unique animals that populate the Outback, animals that are graced with human
characteristics, emotions, motives, and traits that make each one come alive in
the mind’s eye. While reading this, I was reminded of such novels I enjoyed,
like Watership Down, the Redwall novels, The Wind in the Willows, and the works of Roald Dahl, as well as those
classic, old-school-animated Walt Disney films, like The Jungle Book, The
Adventures of Ichabod and Mister Toad, Robin
Hood, and my own personal favorite, The
Rescuers.
The
Sword of Demelza
is firmly rooted in the realm of Heroic Fantasy, for the characters strive
against forces greater than themselves; they are not anti-heroes, but are unselfish,
caring, ordinary “people” who rise to the occasion, who are brave in the face
of fear and danger, and are willing to make the sacrifices to save friends,
family and their homeland. Heroic characters such as the siblings, Erik and
Emma, the two young marsupials (called kowaris)
who set out to pick berries one fine day, and Devon, the red fox that takes to
the road of vengeance against the evil Australian water dragons, will capture
your imagination. There is also a gang-gang cockatoo named Hector, who saves
Erik and Emma from a large Brown Snake while they are out picking berries. And
then there are the puggles (baby
echidnas), Ackley and Amber, whose mother was bitten by that very same Brown
Snake. They join with, and are looked after by Erik and Emma when Aldon, Keeper
of the Forest, sends them out into the forest on a quest to find the items he
need to make a potion to save her.
This novel is sublime, and Rogers
captures and harnesses the perfect balance of description, dialogue and action.
She knows how to keep a plot moving from the first page to the very last in
this epic Australian adventure that will surely be considered a classic. It has
already scored numerous awards and chalked up many great reviews. Much has already
been written about the plot and characters of The Sword of Demelza. There are detailed descriptions of what this
book is about and who the characters are in the many reviews it has garnered. But
allow me to quote from Roger’s Author’s Note, and you’ll get a sense of what
she hopes to accomplish — and which I feel she has, and successfully, too —
with this fantastical yarn of hers:
“The
Sword of Demelza introduces middle graders to a number of animals. Some of
these animals are unheard of by children here in the USA (including this
child). Most of the animals in the book are indigenous to Australia. The more
important fact is that many of them are endangered. Many species of animal and
plant life as well, are gone from the planet forever. They have become extinct
for many reasons, some natural. Sadly, man has played his role via
encroachment, greed, and negligence. If a young person reads my book and is
inspired to learn more about the animals who roam the pages, then I have
accomplished a worthwhile goal. Maybe, just maybe, they will be the generation
dedicated to making a change. If they enjoy it while they are learning, well,
what more can I ask?”
That being said, all I can add is that
you really have to read this heroic fantasy adventure in order to truly
comprehend the depth of setting, story and character that the author so well brings
to life. Words best brought to my mind in regards to this story are: engaging,
surprising, epic, adventuresome and enthralling. If your children enjoy fantasy
of any kind, I think they will enjoy this book, and so will you.
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