Customer Reviews

Covenants

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Covenants is a fascinating, stellar fantasy novel that will have many readers scrambling to find all of Lorna Freeman's previous novels - but there are no previous Lorna Freeman novels. The book reads as if it is the work of a master craftsman in the genre, but Covenants is in fact the author's first published work. This novel is so engaging that I actually read it twice. The action takes place in a world divided into two kingdoms, one human and the other Faena. The Border kingdom is made up of "magical" creatures of all shapes and sizes - dragons, fairies, sprites, elves, and the like. They once called the land of Iversterre home, and they trounced the human army of Iversterre once before in the not too distant past. Mysterious forces at work threaten to bring war to the land once again.

Rabbit is a regular soldier in the Royal Army of Iversterre, a self-described farmer's son who left the Border in order to see the world; when we meet him, he and his entire troop are lost, right on the outskirts of their base in Freston. Up in the hills, Rabbit encounters a Fae cat named Laurel, and a meal covenant between the two sets the stage for a grand adventure that takes the reader to the heart of the royal palace in Iversterre and then all the way to Elanwryfindyll, a coastal city deep within the Border kingdom itself. Laurel has come from the Borderlands on a mission of peace, and Rabbit soon finds himself playing a crucial role in preventing another war between Iversterre and the land of his birth. A number of secrets are revealed as Rabbit and his fellow troopers accompany Laurel to Iversterre, including the fact that Rabbit is actually a cousin to King Jusson of Iversterre and family to many of the leading members of the human aristocracy. Rabbit holds an even deeper secret than that, though - one that has everything to do with why he left the Border kingdom in the first place.

War appears to be imminent; raiders have plundered the Borderland, killing significant numbers of its sacred residents and turning them into staffs, furniture, armor, and the like. It turns out that significant conspiracies - against both King Jusson of Iversterre and the High Council of the Borderlands - are afoot. The novel takes a number of twists and turns, staying ever fresh, exciting, and unpredictable. Even Rabbit's commanding officers are much more than they seem. The whole novel is in fact filled with all manner of fascinating characters, human as well as "magical," and the complexity of the interpersonal and professional relationships keeps this story zooming along in a highly addictive manner. Things can be confusing a bit early on, especially when Rabbit begins seeing men in their translated (magical) form, but all is made clear when the reader learns just who and what Rabbit actually is. For his part, Rabbit is a remarkably normal, likeable character who wants nothing more than to be an anonymous soldier but is compelled to become a hero by the remarkable circumstances of his heritage.

Covenants easily secures a spot on my list of "must read" fantasy novels. Freeman has written a highly entertaining, refreshingly original story that proceeds at a fast pace, introduces us to dozens of unforgettable characters (not to mention spirits), and takes us to a world brimming with fantastical possibilities and intrigues. There is also a lot of humor to be found in these pages. The plot itself is rather complex, but Freeman's writing is so polished and well-nigh perfect that few readers should have any problems keeping up. The story is told in the first person, from Rabbit's viewpoint, so the reader feels as if he is right there each and every step (and surprise) of the way. It takes a special kind of writer to make a first-person fantasy novel work, and Lorna Freeman shows herself to be more than up to the challenge. Covenants is an extraordinary debut by a rising star in the fantasy genre.

Honored Lorna Freeman, if you are reading this review, you are a fantastic writer.

I loved this book and it's sequel. Rabbit and his world are so compelling and imaginative. This is a book of fascinating characters in a complex and multi-faceted world, where just when you think you know what's going on, another layer is revealed, and everything changes. Then you get your bearings within what you now know, and again, another dimension is added and everything changes again.

I read a lot of fantasy, and this is one of the best new series I've read in years. It's also one of those books that stays with you. You find yourself thinking of the characters and their world long after you've put it down.

I would just warn people not to read it when they have to get up early the next day. It's the kind of book you just can't put down even if it is 4 in the morning.

Having read the first 2 books in this series, I can hardly wait for the third.

It is so much more, which is wonderful!

From start to finish it was like watching a flower bloom. I uncovered layer upon layer of new details and plot turns and knowledge about the characters involved in this wonderful tale. I laughed AND I cried AND I was SURPRISED by plot turns (this does not happen often). The world is rich, the characters tangible and the story beautiful and satisfying. For a 'first book' this is remarkable and I am very much looking forward to Lorna Freeman's next journey into the Borderlands. Waiting, ready to POUNCE! I would so love to be translated. (You'll have to read it to know what I mean by THAT ;)

Rabbit doesn't seem the sort to have great adventures--and in fact, he doesn't really want them. He doesn't want to be a mage of amazing strength, or related to the king of Iversterre, or even noticed at all. But when he tries to blend into the Iversterre army, the Border where he grew up comes back to haunt him--literally. The spirits of Borderfolk murdered by "poachers" from Iversterre choose Rabbit to avenge them, and events beyond his control make him the Borderlands ambassador to Iversterre -- and the target of assassins.

This story is fast-paced fantasy adventure liberally sprinkled with humor. It's also a subtle examination of fear and racism, the backlash of conquering a country. When Rabbit confronts conspiracies and counter-conspiracies, he must decide who he can trust, and where his own loyalty lies.

I finally picked up this book willing to at least give it a try (I don't like fantasy). I finished it 48 hours later. What a great story; I had feelings for all of the characters, either good or bad. The story kept my attention all the way through the book, and that is unusual these days.
I will be looking forward to the next book from Borderland; hurry please.

If I had any Idea how good this was it would have been read as soon as I got my hands on it. I like to try novels from first time authors, and ROC is wise enough to publish them in paperback so you can afford to try books by their new authors. So when I saw this on the shelves I picked it up and put it onto my pile of first time writers to be read when I had finished off some books by favorite authors. And there it sat until last weekend.

Once I started I was drawn into the charaters, the world the author has created and the story she has spun and pulled along until I had finished the book. All these parts were so polished that it is still hard to believe that ( as far as I know) this is a first novel. One of the real strengths is that the central character - Rabbit - is surrounded by such interesting/strong characters that it is more as if the story revolves around him than that he is the "hero".

So if you are looking for a Fantasy read, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. And know that when the next Borderlands novel comes out ( we are promised the author is working on that), that it will be going straight to the top of my "To Read List".

Want to go where you've never gone before? Try Covenants, an original, immaginative, intelligent story that reels you in and keeps you going to the last page. This is reading at its best -a new and carefully drawn world filled with compelling characters struggling against the forces of evil. From Rabbit, a supposedly low-level foot soldier, to Laurel, his mountain cat Faena, each player is colorful,unique and laden with fists full of magic. While fraught with tension, there are wonderful moments of humor and light. Don't miss this one. It's a great diversion - a great read!

This is, without a doubt, one of the best fantasy novels I've read in quite some time. The action and suspense are once it starts almost nonstop and makes the book almost impossible to put down. And reading how a young man named ,Rabbit, may be the most powerful mage in an entire kingdom will be highly entertaining.

I picked this up to kill some time and it did. Lost quite a few hours reading an enjoyable, quick paced story that begs for a sequel. New and different concepts in magic and human/animal relations in an enjoyable world. I can't wait for a follow up by this author.

Covenants is a wonderful book by a new author - with twists and turns of plot, a glowing backdrop of politics and fantasy, and a likeable, flawed main character with a dozen or more strong secondary characters behind him. This is, I think, one of the best new fantasy novels to be printed in several years. The book was immediately engaging, had a fast, labrynthine plot, and the characters are all incredibly intriguing. This is the kind of book where each new main character seems to deserve an entire novel in his or her own right, and they come together for a story that is unpredictable, enthralling, and gorgeously told. Obviously, I cannot reccomend it enough, or indeed, stop babbling about it.
If you are fond of fantasy, you must read this book. If you're not a fan of the fantasy genre, read Covenants anyway and then see if you like fantasy.