Book Review: The Legend of Huma by Richard A. Knaak (Three Stars)

Book Review: The Legend of Huma: Heroes Book 1 by Richard A. Knaak (Three Stars)

“You are every part the knight that Bennett and his lapdogs are. More so. You’ve not lost sight of the true world.”

A Chosen One tale about a hero who doesn’t see himself as one. Well-written, if pedestrian and linear. No matter how big the obstacle or opponent, the hero muddles through.

“I was lucky.” “Luck is a skill. Were you to live much longer, you might learn that.”

Refreshing to read epic fantasy which takes itself seriously. Owes a lot to Tolkien. The only surprise is telegraphed so vividly that only Huma doesn’t know.

“My head tells me that you are wrong, but my heart listens to you. I think, in this matter, I will go with my heart, for that is where belief begins.”

Not familiar with Dragonlance universe, but I suspect this is an origin tale added later. It has a filling-in-the-blanks feel. Not bad, just not original.

“You understand honor. We say—say ‘Est Sularis Oth Mithas’ in the old tongue. ‘My Honor is My Life.’

Fairy Tales as Life

It’s amazing how story types and forms pop up in the strangest places. It helps us look at our world differently, as I’ve always felt that each of us is the hero/heroine (and sometimes villain) of our particular tale. In determining our role we must not only decide our alignment (good versus evil) but our role: are we pawns, knights, or maybe even kings and queens in disguise?

Two years ago, I wrote a young “fairy tale” aimed at young adult readers titled The Dragon and the Dove. It was well received by my local reading friends and won First Place among YA novels at the 2013 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, but . . .

But I couldn’t find a publisher interested, partly because I called it a fairy tale. It certainly wasn’t a myth or legend. It was about