The War of Words by Amy Neftzger : A Review

BOOK TITLE: The War of Words

AUTHOR: Amy Neftzger

GENRE: Fiction / YA

NUMBER OF PAGES: 330

FORMAT: Digital

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank Laura Fabiani of iRead Book Tours for this review copy

SUMMARY:

Sometimes there's no better way to understand reality than through fantasy, and the best way to find truth may be in a book - if you can find the right one.

Battles against darkness, a quest for truth, and a search for the book that no one can read are all part of the fantasy adventure in The War of Words. As an evil sorcerer wages war by using mysterious shadows and seeks to gain control by confusing the residents as to what's real and what isn't, the fate of the kingdom rests in the hands of Kelsey and Nicholas.

As the youngest officer in the king's army, Kelsey fights the evil sorcerer s shadows on the battlefield as she explores the kingdom searching for the key to winning the war. Nicholas, a young sorcerer in training who is mastering his craft, discovers how the right words can change the course of the future.

Explore an enchanted maze, uncover the power of words, and learn about friendship in this whimsical tale.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

The Summary was enough to pique my curiosity. It has been some time since I read a quality fan fiction and this seemed like it would fit the bill. The first two lines attracted me enough to sound like one of those quotes that people saved and read over and over again. Books and friends are always a winning combination. 

REVIEW:

Kelsey is a young soldier who fights in the army. She fights 'the sorcerer' and reports to her general. But then she sees some oddities - some things that foretell a shift from her reality - her truth. From then she realises that things are not what they seem. Her quest for truth, with an odd assortment of aids and foes takes her through interesting and often revealing wonderous things. The evil sorcerer who wants power and to overthrow the king, does so by devious means. The good protagonist and her oddball team of friends understand the intention of the villain and fight him to end the war.

The author has taken all the main elements of the fantasy genre, and has built up a wonderful story around it. No review would do actual justice to what the story is about. Talking about it vaguely makes the story seem generic, and being too detailed ruins the fun of the story. War of words. Armies, generals, evil sorcerers, fantasy, non human characters - this book was a riot from start to finish. The book combined magic and reality so beautifully that it put the message across without actually seeming like it was a story. The author gets special points for doing it in a fun and humorous way. The writing style is something that made me read some parts of the book more than once. I loved how the characters spoke, reacted and thought - in the way the author has penned them.

I had no idea that the story was part of a series and some moments did confuse me. But the book works well as a standalone, clearly written for an age group lesser than me. I really have to thank the author for writing a book of spells, illusions, adventures, words, and everything a teen must read. This remains one of my favorite books.

I loved the language, the writing style. It has never been easy to construct a make believe world so realistically. Thanks to Amy for writing a beautiful book, and I will surely read the other books in the series.

VERDICT:

I am glad I got this as a review copy! Not to be disregarded as 'yet another fantasy novel'.

RATING: 4.5/5

I received the copy in exchange for an honest review!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Neftzger is the author of fiction books for both adults and children. She has also been published in business and academic journals, as well as literary publications.

A few of her favorite things include traveling, books, movies, art, the Oxford comma, and gargoyles.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: kindle hardcover paperback

PRICE $4.02 for kindle, $29.99 for Hardcover, $19.39 for Paperback

BOOK LINKS: Amazon