Review: Guardian by Carole Cummings

Title: Guardian

Series: Aisling Trilogy: Book One

Author: Carole Cummings

Length: 270 Pages

Category: Fantasy

At a Glance: So many unanswered questions surrounded by a lush story that is action-packed and unrelenting in its pacing made for an exciting first installment.

Reviewed By: Sammy

Blurb: As he pursues a man who is not what he seems, Constable Dallin Brayden learns the lines between enemy and ally, truth and deception, and conscience and obedience are not only blurred, but malleable.

Constable Dallin Brayden knows who he is, what he’s about, and he doesn’t believe in Fate. “Wilfred Calder” has no idea who he is or what he’s about, and he’s been running from Fate for as long as he can remember. When Wil flees after witnessing a murder, it’s Dallin’s job to pursue him. Along the way, he’s pulled into a maelstrom of ancient myth, fanatical religion, and the delicate politics of a shaky truce between two perpetually warring countries—all of which rests on the slender shoulders of the man he knows is not Wilfred Calder.

Even Dallin’s success proves a hollow victory. Wil is vengeful, rebellious, and lethal, and his tale of magic and betrayal rocks the carefully constructed foundations of Dallin’s world. Suspicious and only half believing, Dallin must question not only his own integrity and his half-forgotten past, but the morality and motives of everyone around him—including those who hold his own country’s fate in their hands.

Review: Golly, where to begin. First, an important caution to future readers: this is the first book in a trilogy that was previously published several years ago. Unlike some novels, Guardian has stood the test of time, and then some. With painstaking detail and almost snail-like pacing, the story of Wil and Dallin is meticulously laid out and incrementally revealed with sometimes more questions than answers in the end. Author Carole Cummings has created a world with fascinating and mysterious characters that run the gamut from mind-raping ambassadors to religious zealots all bent on owning the soul of the Aisling, Wil Calder.

The one who controls him has the power to do more than just steal the dreams of others; it allows some to control fate and manipulate others to do their will. But the Guardian is also an ever-present character who will either be the death of the Aisling—or his savior. Which it will be still remains to be seen. Dallin is the Guardian, Wil is the Dream Weaver, and both are running for their lives.

I would be lying if I told you this was either a romance or an easy read. You must watch over this story carefully for little clues as to who and what both Wil and Dallin are and how their fates intertwine. These morsels are meted out so slowly and in such a twisted way. The brilliant move by the author to have Dallin in the dark throughout much of this first novel is perhaps the cleverest way to further her plot and keep the reader fully invested. As the lawman unravels the mystery of why not one but two warring factions both want Wil, we learn, as Dallin does, about who or what Wil actually is and how his gift impacts the tenuous political negotiations between two main territories.

Just as Dallin grapples with the half-truths Wil grudgingly reveals, we, the reader, also wrestle with how exactly Wil was used and abused from the age of six on to the present day. We discover his resilience and understand his fears. We watch as he explores his own powers and begin to get a small sense of just why everyone seems to be hunting him. But when Wil reveals to Dallin just why he should loathe and despise him, it is stunning to see Dallin grapple with his anger, his betrayal, and his own code of ethics. He must choose just as Wil must to accept the role fate has carved out for him, if the two men are to survive the oncoming storm.

By the end of this novel I had more questions than answers, and I was absolutely hooked. I wanted to both throttle Wil and wrap him in cotton, and Dallin was perhaps the best example of a humble hero I have read to date. We are privy to every thought and emotion Dallin has, and as he unravels the web of half-truths and betrayals that cling to Wil, we begin to understand that there is danger surrounding these two the likes of which we have yet to fully comprehend. This story ends on a cliffhanger and a promise. A whisper of potential attraction between Wil and Dallin is carefully set in motion, but it will take a back seat to the mystery surrounding just what Wil and Dallin must do to remain free from capture and harm. Plus, what is it that the elusive Mother demands they embrace? What is their destiny? All these questions surrounded by a lush story that is action-packed and unrelenting in its pacing made for an exciting first installment. I cannot wait to dive into the next novel. Happily, since the entire trilogy has been reissued, I will not have to wait.

You can buy Guardian here:
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