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Spotlight
Tee Morris
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LEGACY OF MOREVI
Book one of the Arathellean Wars
“Askana Moldarin had thought her lover’s acclimation to Morevi would be easier. After all, he had rallied the people to her side, helped repel the Eyrieners at the gates of Songkusai, and rescued Morevi’s Queen from a revenge that spawned the darkest of magic. As a result her nation was still rejoicing in a “new dawn” of prosperity that, some prayed to the Great Mother, would know no end.”
Rafe Rafton, admired, feared Captain of the Defiant, did not regret his choice to cross the Rift to this strange world of magic, creatures of nightmare, and female rule. Most of the time. His contributions to their victory, their freedoms, their lives meant little to the Ladies of the Blood who did not hide their disdain and animosity toward the consort of the First Queen. For Askana, Rafe put up with it, but that disdain and animosity spilled over to and influenced his own daughter, Ahstari. Even Askana’s love could not thaw the cold of dejection caused by his daughter’s continued refusal to accept him. And now her defiance and refusal, and a dark secret from Askana’s past will test them, their relationship, and all of Rafe’s and Askana’s skills and strength.
An invitation from Morevi’s allies, the Elves of Arathelle, dark secrets, a conspiracy spanning worlds, and revenge, cast Rafe and Askana into a battle against the creatures of the Southern Wood, back onto the decks of the Defiant to brave another Rift crossing, and against the magic of the Elves, at its most dark and primitive, in both worlds, to save their child, themselves and Morevi.
In our modern world, tales of sorcery and magic, the mystical and powerful, ancient religions and legends passed down through the ages of every culture have shifted to the shelves of children’s fairytales. Author Tee Morris blends these legends and stories and shifts them back to adult adventure across time and space and genre. Legacy of Morevi sails through the “Rift” of imagination and fantasy to become for the reader an alternate reality of swashbuckling, magical adventure. True to code of honor of the Arthurian Legends, Morris gives his readers characters of the same dimensional reality that have fueled the long search and debate of literary and historical scholars: Are those legends truth or fiction?
Tee Morris has the gift of the storyteller and maybe just a bit of sorcery. For a few entertaining suspense filled hours, under his spell, Morevi, Arathelle, the Defiant, and the reign Henry VIII became my reality. I crossed the “Rift” of disbelief without feeling the ripple of suspension. The plot hums beneath the surface of rich characterization, dialogue, and action. The timeline straddles time and worlds, with the same balance Rafe strides the decks of a storm tossed ship. The magic tingles the spine and terrifies. The story pulled me into the very human emotional struggles of Rafe and Askana’s life, and yanked me into battles against inhuman creatures and magic.
Cross the Rift of imagination. Step onto the decks of the Defiant. Escape into the world of Naruihm with Tee Morris’ Legacy of Morevi: Book One of the Arathellean Wars. It’s magic time!
BILLIBUB BADDINGS AND THE CASE OF THE SINGING SWORD
An E-ticket adventure for any fan of the hard-boiled mystery, fantasy, or action packed thriller.
“The name is Billibub Baddings. I’m a private eye. I know you’re probably scratching your noggin right now wondering how the hell did a dwarf of the Highlands of Gryfennos get to be a detective walking the asphalt jungles of the Windy City?”
The plan was simple; take the Talisman’s of Acryonis and toss them through the Portal of Kraketia. And despite the Black Orc’s on their tail and the battle raging around him, Captian Billibub Baddings of the “Stormin’ Scrappies” is doing a fine job of it, until he gets too close and finds himself being sucked in, out, through, to another time and world.
Chicago. Gangland. Capone’s world. The underworld of speakeasy’s during prohibition.The wild “Roaring Twenty’s.” Where is a four-foot-one dwarf going to fit in this world? Well it ain’t hiding out in the library living off the lunches of the staff. And if you are a Highland Warrior it is not playing Waldorf, protector of Munchkinkind, though the money helps. Billi “hocks a few tools of the soldiers trade” and Badding’s Investigations opens for business.
It’s a slow month. His secretary, Miranda, deserves a raise, but if he is even going to make expenses and pay her current salary, he figures he might just have to ring up Harv at the talent agency and pull out Waldorf again. He is contemplating just that when in walks “Lady Trouble.” Julia Lesinger is the daughter of one of Chicago’s elite families. Billi knows she, and this crazy case, is trouble with a capital T. But “Lady Trouble” isn’t asking him to finger Capone for the hit on her boyfriend, “Pretty Boy DeMayo,” just find out why he took the hit. The five C-notes tossed on the desk, and the discovery he has tossed one of those Acryonis talisman’s into the middle of Chicago: Gangland; Capone’s world; make it his trouble.
Does Billi have the “humbrimaz (Dwarven word for chutzpah)” to go against Capone, Malone, the Lesinger’s and Rothchilds, Chicago’s not so finest, the Department of Treasury, the Department of War, and save his new home from destructive powers of the Singing Sword?
“It’s an easy story to tell.” That sentence follows the initial quote used in this review, but this reviewer takes her hat off to author Tee Morris for pulling off the rich blend of cross genre adventure in “Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword.” Using an amazing talent for metaphor, Morris blends the fantasy of Tolkien with the mystery of Spillane, spicing it up with the humor of Gary K. Wolf. He brings to life with amazing visual clarity the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien-like home of his hero, while keeping the reader and Billi firmly planted on the path of cleverly crafted clues in “the asphalt jungle of the Windy City.” Billi blows into reality with a gusty, gutsy, humor that dares you to maintain your balance in this edge-of-your-seat, mystery, fantasy, thrill ride.
If you like mystery, fantasy, thrillers or, like me, enjoy them all, if you have the “humbrimaz,” and love those E-ticket thrill rides, you’ll enjoy taking the plunge with Billi from the Highlands of Gryfennos on Acryonis to the streets of Chicago. Join Billi and pit your wits against Capone, the cops, the men in suits, troublesome dames, and the magic in this “untouchable” daring adventure into imagination from author Tee Morris.
Visit Tee at www.teemorris.com
Review © Charlene Austin