Worlds Unseen (Seventh World Trilogy)

Just when you think you have this book figured out they have a twist waiting for you right around the corner.

The author bio captured me before any description of this book did. Magic, ancient parchments, visions, monsters, otherworldly villains, treachery, battles, evil overlords, governments to overthrow, good citizens dying for the cause: nothing new here, but as the author of Ecclesiastes said thousands of years ago, there is nothing new under the sun. Stories and tropes get repeated all the time; what sets one apart from another is how well the story is told. This is a well-told story. Thomsons voice is lyrical, with a rhythm and a poetry that sound almost Biblical. And that brings me back to the author bio. She addresses the reader with a personal message. Excerpts here: - Hey, my name is Rachel Starr Thomson. - I believe wholeheartedly in the power of fiction to change our lives. - I want my readers to discover depths of truth about themselves, about the world... - Whoever you are, I believe in you. I believe your life has immeasurable worth. I believe you were personally handcrafted by a loving Creator with a vision and purpose for your life. I believe your struggles, your dreams, and your hurts matter. I believe you walk a path no one else does, one that is intended to benefit the world. Theres more, but the timing of her words won me over. I tend to think there is no such thing as a loving Creator God, much less that I was planned and formed by this God, and that this God notices or cares what I think or do. Worlds Unseen opens with a populace that no longer believes in God, but a few prophets and poets speak of a God of light and love, and some dare to anticipate a Return of the King. The powers that be have purged all records of such a King ever having lived on earth, but those who know better start sharing what they know, and a revolution is launched. A man on a mission dies before he can deliver the ultimate weapon against the regime, and an orphan takes up his cause, risking her life to carry an old scroll to one man who might know what to do with it. Along the way she meets a boy with a bear, an encampment of Gypsies (someone didnt get the message that the Romani people regard Gypsy as an ethnic slur), a rebel leader (the charismatic Ploughman), a princess, and a scholar who inspires the revolutionaries. Summarizing the plot does not convey in the least the myth and the magic of it. While Worlds Unseen has a C.S. Lewis vibe, it is much more 21st Century in the prose style. Fast paced to the point that each scene is very short, the way Poldark the TV series is compared to Poldark the novel. It may not be a bad thing, but it does leave the reader feeling a little cheated when Maggie meets her true love. Well, that happened fast! Now, will it last...? Good people die in this story, and its heart-rending. Good thing we didnt spend all that much time with them, getting attached--so thats one perk of the swift narrative. I hope to see more of the blind girl and more of Pat in the next installment. More Bear! More Nicholas! The demonic elements, I am in no hurry to meet again. For a fast-paced fantasy with the richness (but quite the depth) of Tolkien and Lewis, Thomsons Worlds Unseen is a pleasing place to begin.

I loved it! Started reading, put on hold and forgot to get back to it for several books. When I got back to it, I wondered why I put it on hold in the first place. This is a Christian-based fantasy novel, but it is not in your face as it focuses more on the good vs. evil than a lot of scripture quoting in this book. The characters are well developed and engaging. Once hooked, you keep reading because you have to know how things turn out. The author provided a satisfactory ending in the event you dont want to go on to the next book. I plan to purchase the next book, as I need to see how things eventually turn out. I did find myself going back to the beginning and other sections to review what happened as the story unfolds. I like that because it means I have to pay attention to fully follow the story.

I enjoyed reading this story. I will consider continuing to follow this author. He knows how to keep up the suspense of the story line

Listen, I cant say enough good things about this series. A very interesting series. Set your theories about religion and God aside and enjoy this wonderful tale of magic and faith! Now, dont misunderstand me, this is a wonderful fantasy series with some overtones of the Omnipotent One, but still a wonderful book. Envelope yourself in the story and enjoy!

This christian science fiction (aka steampunk or speculative fiction) is very well done! The seventh world waits for the coming King, but the darkness appears to be overcoming the light. Sound familiar? Maggie Sheffield is an insignificant twice-orphaned young woman. Her real parents die, then the ones who raised her, Mary and John, are killed in a fire. Now she lives with kindly old Eva Cook. Old Dan shows up, sick and dying, to warn them of something and to give them a scroll that he took from Evelyn and said it must not ever fall back into the evil womans hands. It must go instead to Jarin Huss, another member of the council, who might be able to read the foreign script. Old Dans illness is not a natural one. In a matter of three days hed gone from healthy to this--bleeding lungs and weakness that would claim him before the day was gone. Someone must take the scroll to Pravik, where Jarin Huss lives. Maggie takes on that challenge and finds on the way to Pravik that something is trying to kill her, and the High Police have issued a warrant for her arrest. Nicolas Fisher, a strange and somehow wild man, helps her find the way when the darkness threatens. Virginia is blind most of the time but sees far more than anyone knows. Lord Robert means well but has a weakness when it comes to Evelyn. Jordan (Husss assistant) and the Plowman try to protect Maggie and the Princess, but their lives could be forfeited in the process. You just have to get this one. Maggies life and several others stand in the balance. I received this book free from the author in return for an honest review.

Compeling story that echos Gods eternal involvement in redemption. The struggle that each character faces when shown truth , to believe and act accordingly or reject and see truth fade is thought provoking on a personal level.

I am so very impressed by Thomsons Seventh World series. I loved the imagery and the beautiful characters. I highly recommend this book for those wanting to believe in something, the human heart.

Great story! Well written with only a lost me spot in a couple of places. Rachel is an engaging writer who knows how to make a story come alive. I highly recommend Worlds Unseen. I am now reading the second book in the trilogy. Superb!

Looking forward to reading more in this series. It is a clean fantasy about a world ruled by an evil family who get their power from the Darkness on the other side of the Veil. The Gifted are beginning to come forth ...