- ASIN: B0B5PY73GV
- Publisher: The Conrad Press (2 July 2022)
- Language: English
- Print length: 285 pages
- Genre: Contemporary Teen Fantasy
The BookViral Review:
A totally enthralling introduction to the fantasy genre, ‘Dylan Dover: Into the Vortex,’ represents the very best of teen fiction. In book 1 of a series, Lynne Howard has created a fabulous magical parallel world that exists only for the immortal.
With a plethora of novel ideas alongside strange and wonderful creatures, Howard draws her readers in as they discover the enchantment of this supernatural domain. With strong characters which blend seamlessly together across the corresponding universes, she takes mythologies and legends and twists them cleverly to create unique representations of mystical creatures, tempering them with human characteristics and emotions.
The layers on which her world is built cleverly interact as Dylan, a Warlock adopted unknowingly by human parents, finds himself crossing over to the world in which he was birthed; and from this moment begins a struggle of control motivated by an ancient prophecy which could ultimately mean the destruction of the immortal world.
With meticulous planning, Howard plays with her reader’s emotions, as creatures who appear at first evil show evidence of virtue, whilst the motives of those who hold power are questioned.
With delightful detail and unique notions, one cannot but be reminded of other well-received children’s fantasies which have captured the imaginations of young and old alike. However, Howard’s conceptions are firmly her own and interact to build a fantastically enjoyable journey into an imaginary universe.
Despite this, there is plenty that is recognisable among her pages. Weaving concepts such as human astrology and scriptural prophesy into her narrative, she makes this world somehow believable, echoing the skill of every great fantasy writer.
What is more, despite maintaining structural integrity, she gives just enough to whet the appetite, whilst leaving room for the expansion and further interaction of both worlds within one universe.
Any reader will find themselves eagerly awaiting the next instalment of this brilliantly planned series.