ZAN-GAH and the Beautiful Country-Book Review

ZAN-GAH AND THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

By Allan Richard Shickman

2009

151 pages

From Back Cover:
Well past the middle of the night Zan felt a shaking of his shoulder as he slept, and then an impatient foot kicking at him. Instinctively grabbing for his spear, he looked up and saw the orange glow of a torch, and as his eyes adjusted to the invading light he recognized his brother's ghastly face. Dael's dangerous brow was furrowed, and the vein of his forehead bulged under the old scar.His teeth were clenched, and his eyes darted nervously back and forth. His every motion expressed a profound agitation, and Zan knew that what he had been dreading had come.
"It is time, Zan. Let us go!"
"Where? It's dark!"
"I want to find where the river comes from."
The volcanic turbulence that shakes Dael's mind carries him to vicious extremes. It is Zan's task to calm his brother and lead him away from thought both destructive and self-destructive. But even the paradise of the Beautiful Country will not erase them.
My thoughts:
This book is the second in a trilogy by author Shickman. The first one being Zan-Gah A Prehistoric Adventure which introduces us to Zan and his troubled brother Dael. Twin brothers born in prehistoric times where life comes down to surviving the elements and finding food. Zan is raised with his tribe and becomes a like and well respected member. Dael on the other hand is kidnapped by a warring tribe and raised with abuse and hatred. At the end of Zan-Gah A Prehistoric Adventure Zan rescues Dael and brings him back to his family and tribe. And this is where Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country picks up.
Right away I was swept back into the tale of Zan and Dael. These characters are ones that stay with you long after you have finished the book.
Even though Dael is now back with his tribe and family all is not right with him. He finds love and marries but his wife dies in childbirth. More tragedy for Dael to deal with. The years of captivity have taken a toll on his heart and mind. He is unable to let go of the hatred he feels for the tribe that stole his life from him. He wants revenge more then anything and is determined that his brother Zan should go with him back to The Beautiful Country and that the lives of his tormentors and their land also.
Reluctantly Zan who is now the leader of the tribe agrees to move his people to the Beautiful Land in hopes of finding a better life for them and Dael.
Throughout the story Dael continues to wrestle the demons inside himself. As a reader you pity him but struggle to like him despite his hardships. Such a complicated, complex character!
Zan is a good man who puts his tribe and brothers needs ahead of his own. He wants Dael to find happiness but not at the cost of the tribe and their well being.
This story has adventure and heart.
I donated Zan Gah A Prehistorical Adventure to my local middle school library. I plan to do the same with this book. It's my hope that it finds its way into the hands of kids wanting a story that is action packed and memorable.
I can't wait to pick the next title in the series Dael and the Painted People.
Thank you to Bonnie at Earthshaker Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country.

Book Review-RESTORING HARMONY

RESTORING HARMONY

By Joelle Anthony
2010
Pages:306
From Inside Cover:
Sixteen year old Molly McClure has only ever known a life where she grow her own food, depends on solar panels for electricity, and relies on horse drawn wagons and bicycles for transportation. Since the Collapse of 2031, her family has fared better than most, thriving on their isolated farming island in Canada-but Molly knows worldwide devastation lurks just beyond the shores of her home. And when calamities strike all at once, Molly is forced to leave the comfort of the island for the very first time, embarking on an impossible rescue mission in the U.S.
The year is 2041. The oil as almost run out, poverty and crime are rampant, and food is in short supply. Armed with only her ingenuity and sheer farming know how, Molly braves a chaotic world where people are hungry and desperate, and no one is as they seem. But if she ever hopes to get home alive she'll have to make some tough, fast choices about whom to trust, especially after a crime organization sets their sights on Molly. Her only way out may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there's a handsome stranger who's willing to help. 

My Thoughts:
Author Joelle Anthony has created a different dystopian novel. Main character, Molly is not from a dark, bleak, and hopeless world. In fact, she lives a pretty good life on a tiny Canadian Island with her family that has created an independent, thriving community. The year is 2041 and unfortunately the rest of the world hasn't fared as well. Oil is almost a thing of the past and crime rules the streets. People have to fight for food, fuel and medicine.
Molly is forced to leave the security of the island and her family and travel to the United States to rescue her grandparents. Due to circumstances the responsibility falls on her young shoulders. This desolate, crime ridden world is new and frightening to Molly who to this point has lived a very sheltered life. Luckily she is a strong, determined girl set on finding her grandparents and returning home to the place she loves.
This book is part dystopian and adventure with a pinch of romance thrown in. Restoring Harmony is a great story that will have you rooting for Molly from start to finish. A very enjoyable read.
I will be donating this book to my local Middle School Library.