Very clear and lucid, yet completely fantastical, Sought After Blood Lines by Eva Xanthopoulos captures the reader’s attention from the very first page with an especially special, unique young woman bandaging her wounded left arm. From here the smoothly-flowing narrative moves at a clip, so one is not bogged down at any point in a slough of confusion or, for that matter, caught in a web of intricate, complexly-spun detail. SABL is an intriguing fantasy novel set within a world of magic, where good versus evil in an action-adventure that keeps the reader reading, especially, perhaps, the younger reader of adolescence and early teen years. While the level of quality — good in and of itself — may not meet that of, say, A Wind in the Door; nevertheless, the tone and tenor reminded me of the late, great Madeleine L’Engle. Certainly, SABL is as well-written as Dragon Quest, by Donita K. Paul … if not better.
Eva Xanthopoulos provides just enough to draw her readers into the main characters of the novel, yet not so much information is given that one’s imagination is left no room to wander, wonder and creatively flesh out the players as the narrative runs quickly and actively. The reader is also left at the end of SABL almost hungrily anticipating the next installment. (Yes, this is but the first in what might very well end up being a series. At the very least, one more volume is anticipated.)
All in all, Sought After Blood Lines is finely crafted and sure to please the fan of fantasy or, better still, the family-fans of fantasy. After all, it certainly is a story fully capable of providing fun, family reading, say, right before bedtime. Such is the measure of the author’s creative abilities, which shine through this, her first novel, quite brightly, indeed. Therefore, it is with utmost pleasure that this reader recommends Sought After Blood Lines as an exceptional purchase for one’s own pleasure, or as an appropriate gift for another, or both!
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