SWORD QUEST

The prequel to SWORD BIRD is here! In this series, the characters are birds. As the story starts, the bird kingdoms are in conflict, and Hero's Day is approaching--albeit several years away. It becomes the quest of Wind-voice, a half-dove, to counter the archaeopteryxes' tyranny, assemble the missing gemstones, and find the true owner of the Hero's Sword. Janellen Steininger has her work cut out for her as she seeks to differentiate the story's bird characters as Fan's plot zooms along. With careful listening, one comes to appreciate her nuances. While Steininger's narrative voice can flow into her characters at times, at other times, her animation of the characters is distinct and appealing. A.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2008]