Worlds Unseen (The Seventh World Trilogy Book 1)

The author bio captured me before any description of this book did. Magic, ancient parchments, visions, monsters, otherworldly villains, treachery, battles, evil overlords, governments to overthrow, good citizens dying for the cause: nothing new here, but as the author of Ecclesiastes said thousands of years ago, there is nothing new under the sun. Stories and tropes get repeated all the time; what sets one apart from another is how well the story is told. This is a well-told story.Thomson's voice is lyrical, with a rhythm and a poetry that sound almost Biblical.And that brings me back to the author bio. She addresses the reader with a personal message. Excerpts here:- Hey, my name is Rachel Starr Thomson.- I believe wholeheartedly in the power of fiction to change our lives.- I want my readers to discover depths of truth about themselves, about the world...- Whoever you are, I believe in you. I believe your life has immeasurable worth. I believe you were personally handcrafted by a loving Creator with a vision and purpose for your life. I believe your struggles, your dreams, and your hurts matter. I believe you walk a path no one else does, one that is intended to benefit the world.There's more, but the timing of her words won me over. I tend to think there is no such thing as a loving Creator God, much less that I was planned and formed by this God, and that this God notices or cares what I think or do. "Worlds Unseen" opens with a populace that no longer believes in God, but a few prophets and poets speak of a God of light and love, and some dare to anticipate a Return of the King.The powers that be have purged all records of such a King ever having lived on earth, but those who know better start sharing what they know, and a revolution is launched.A man on a mission dies before he can deliver the ultimate weapon against the regime, and an orphan takes up his cause, risking her life to carry an old scroll to one man who might know what to do with it. Along the way she meets a boy with a bear, an encampment of "Gypsies" (someone didn't get the message that the Romani people regard Gypsy as an ethnic slur), a rebel leader (the charismatic Ploughman), a princess, and a scholar who inspires the revolutionaries.Summarizing the plot does not convey in the least the myth and the magic of it.While "Worlds Unseen" has a C.S. Lewis vibe, it is much more 21st Century in the prose style. Fast paced to the point that each scene is very short, the way Poldark the TV series is compared to Poldark the novel. It may not be a bad thing, but it does leave the reader feeling a little cheated when Maggie meets her true love. Well, that happened fast! Now, will it last...?Good people die in this story, and it's heart-rending. Good thing we didn't spend all that much time with them, getting attached--so that's one perk of the swift narrative. I hope to see more of the blind girl and more of Pat in the next installment. More Bear! More Nicholas!The demonic elements, I am in no hurry to meet again.For a fast-paced fantasy with the richness (but quite the depth) of Tolkien and Lewis, Thomson's "Worlds Unseen" is a pleasing place to begin.

This is a story that grabs your attention and won't let go. I read it in one day, because I could not put it down!The prologue opens with the scene of an assassin coming for her intended victims and reluctantly leaving one member of the household alive. Then the author fast-forwards, and we meet the girl that wasn't slain that fateful day.Maggie is an orphan entrusted first to the care of the kindly Mrs. Cook, and then to John and Mary, the couple whose house was burned to the ground. When she rescues a sweet old man who used to being the children at the orphanage presents, she learns there is more to her story than she could have imagined. The dying man entrusts to Maggie's care an ancient scroll, which she promises to take to a scholar in a distant city. Not long after she begins her journey Maggie meets a delightful young man, who can hear and understand what others don't, and he helps her escape fearful dark creatures who will stop at nothing short of their destruction to recover the scroll.Meanwhile, a nobleman who was also once involved with the secret group that Maggie's guardians were a part of, rescues a blind girl with the power to see what others can't. Evil forces are pursuing her, as well. But she has had an encounter with the King of the universe, and He has claimed and empowered her to fight. When the nobleman shows up with the girl at Mrs. Cook's doorstep, she finds herself involved in this but of intrigue, too.All roads lead to Pravik, the capital of the Eastern kingdom, and a showdown between the forces of good and evil. There are casualties and triumphs, both physical and spiritual along the way, as well as many discoveries about themselves and the unseen world for the travelers.Set in a fantasy world not unlike medieval Europe, Worlds Unseen has it all--princesses and paupers, rebels and gypsies, magic, romance, mystical writings, good and evil, terrifying creatures and valiant battles fought for the fate of the kingdom. Once you connect with the characters and plot, it's hard to disengage!If you liked C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia or J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books, then you should find this one intriguing, as well. Allow yourself a substantial block of time to read it, because, once you start, you may not want to stop until it's done! If you're like me, you'll be hungry to read the other two books in the trilogy, too.

I was curious to read this novel as it's billed as a Christian fantasy.The story is fine, if derivative, the characters are believable, and the dialogue mostly OK, so that's all good. For me, though, the faith allusions and parallels were written with an air of purport - but were actually rather shallow, overly deliberate and a bit clunky. It read as if the spiritual was included because the author wanted it there rather than because the story demanded it - which makes me disinclined to read further novels in the series.I note that "Worlds Unseen" tops various Kindle categories - I guess that reflects its price rather than its quality.

This book was exciting uplifting and inspiring I found nothing to dislikeOnce again I read of good concurring evil .it reminded my of the struggles of those who had know Jesus they died for believing in someone who would bring hope to every one and this book does the same

I can't get it to open. Every time I try it goes to a blank screen and either freezes the app or says that kindle has stopped. It might be free but it's inconvenient as I can't delete it either.

Enjoyed characters and plot. Will read sequel.

Excellent book. Really enjoyed it. Good Christian literature with an easy to follow story line.