Meet a new character in this Journey of Dead of Winter. She is a Deae Matres whose encounter with Gethin Gwilym has an unexpected result. Next in Pergesca, we get better acquainted with a noblewoman or “HaDritak,” who is an old friend of Zasha. She has a few tricks up her sleeves. . Emlyn sees and experiences places, customs, and foods that are foreign to her. One of her gifts is growing. . As the conclusion of Emlyn’s “Journeys” draws near, we see that our heroes are underdogs. They are out-manned, “out-spirited,” and under-powered — physically, magically, and politically. With no other recourse, they make use of deception and manipulation. Although, how can that possibly be enough?
Our Review
You tend to forget that Emlyn is so young and that this complicated and confusing journey must have terrified her at times.
So far, she has managed to face every crisis head-on, calmly, with a wisdom far beyond her years. Secret inner knowledge has guided her every step of the way.
A knowledge that I sincerely hope will stay with her until the end of the story, as I have a feeling it will become far more powerful as it draws to a close.
Powerful in ways only Emlyn will be able to control, and I hope she finds peace and happiness when the dust finally settles…
In this ninth installment Emlyn, Osabide, and Fotia (in Zasha’s body) traveled to a third world, so little known that it is only called the Other Realm. They hope to restore Zasha. Will Fotia willingly relinquish her new life in a young body? There the trio meet unpredictable, but vastly powerful beings known as the Listeners. One of them is a new enemy. Another might be friend or foe. Either way, he is dangerous. . Arawn has grown stronger. An army of the dead gathers near the Lost Library. Hallgeir faces one of the biggest decisions of his life. . Journey with our travelers. Adventure awaits.
Our Thoughts
In the Other Realm, Emlyn and her friends are faced with three doors, all very different, but none inviting. It would seem they must choose one, but should they be opened? Taking an enormous risk, they choose to open the second door and meet a strange creature who warns them of the risks they face. But is he telling the truth?
So many questions in this journey, so many dangerous decisions to make. Emlyn begins to lead the way, her newfound confidence and trust in her own instincts shining like a beacon.
I loved the part when Emlyn is drawn to the mysterious staircase. Something compels her to climb the crumbling steps that seem to lead nowhere and discovers more about this world and her powers.
Was she right to trust her instincts, or is she being beguiled by Arawn?
With each journey, this story gets more and more delightfully complicated. I take my hat off to the author’s incredible imagination for creating this amazing world!
Dead of Winter: Journey 7, Revenant Pass begins with the ancient watcher’s memory of the Library of the Society of Deae Matres — and its fall. We also get a look into the thought process of treacherous Arawn. Then the story picks up where we left Emlyn and company, trapped in the Realm of the Dead. . This Journey is shorter than some, but adventure abounds. Some characters go missing. You’ll have to read to learn more. . Come, be a part of the Journeys.
Our Thoughts
This journey opens with Haldis, the ancient Deae Matres. She is constantly watching, hoping for clarity, struggling to put the pieces of her old life together.
Until one disturbing memory becomes clear.
The Library of the Deae Matres is under attack, and in her efforts to protect it from destruction, she manages to re locate it, blending her magic with the other members. Somehow, the magic malfunctions and the library is lost forever. This catastrophe triggers the need to enact the Binding, to protect them all from Arawn in the future.
It was good to become acquainted with Arawn, always a good idea to know the enemy.
The pace increases, as this journey ends with the ongoing search for the library ruins.
Emlyn finds a break in a wall and squeezes through into a mysterious place. As her companions try to follow her, one by one they vanish. Has she stumbled upon a portal to a magical place? Is this the Library, or somewhere more sinister?
Biography
Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene lives in a “high desert” town in the Southwest of the USA.
Teagan had always devoured fantasy novels of every type. Then one day there was no new book readily at hand for reading — so she decided to write one. And she hasn’t stopped writing since.
Her work is colored by her experiences from living in the southern states and the desert southwest. Teagan most often writes in the fantasy genre, but she also writes cozy mysteries. Whether it’s a 1920s mystery, a steampunk adventure, or urban fantasy, her stories have a strong element of whimsy.
Founder of the Three Things method of storytelling, her blog “Teagan’s Books” contains serial stories written according to “things” from viewers. http://www.teagansbooks.com
Major influences include Agatha Christie, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and Charlaine Harris.
Emlyn’s story continues in Journey 6, The Fluting Fell. She gains tragic insight into Boabhan… horrifying things that she is too young to know. This event also shows an unexpected softer side to another character. The travelers reach an abandoned estate, Wych Elm Manor, although it is not completely unoccupied. It yields answers as well as questions. Emlyn finds clues that lead them farther into their journey. She also meets the silvery-haired young man again. The travelers have put some distance between themselves and the Brethren of Un’Naf, but do even worse dangers await them? Danger deepens when they take refuge in a mysterious structure. Come, be a part of the Journeys of “Dead of Winter.”
Our Review
I always look forward to the stunning new cover images and reading the next fascinating journey of the Dead of Winter. This time we are warned of a very disturbing chapter in Emlyn’s life, and we follow Emlyn as she searches for the truth. Gradually, the mysteries in this story are being uncovered, beginning to explain why Emlyn has always been different and special in some disturbing ways.
Like why Emlyn has such vivid dreams. Are they trying to tell her about her past, or is it the future they forewarn about? Nasty, vivid dreams that remind her of a terrible time in her past, something so awful she cannot remember it or believe it is to be true.
Emlyn learns the reason for this dream, of a disturbing secret, the memory of something she seems to share with a member of the Deae Matres. It happened at the time of the Binding, the time when the nightwalkers were driven into the Realm of the Dead.
This was a surprise for me too but was sensitively handled by the author.
Finally, Emlyn begins to understand the reason she is on this journey.
There are powerfully written events in this story, and such lovely moments too. I loved that Emlyn gets over her fear of horses, and that she finds some wonderful clothes to wear! There is another visit from the mysterious young silver haired man too, so many things to remember and experience, but all leading her further into danger.
All the while, the Realm of the Dead grows ever closer.
The titular dead of Winter begin this Journey in a collection of vignettes. The Veil separating the world of the living and the Realm of the Dead has indeed become thin. As feared the dead begin to enter the Realm of the Living. Small outbreaks of chaos are scattered across the world as spirits try to resume their old lives.
Also in those shorts, two characters are introduced who will come back into the story in future Journeys — Gregorios, and Mairead who recalls the circumstance that brought Zasha and Tajín together. The spirits also visit some characters from past Journeys.
Emlyn and company encounter the King of Hell, and this time, Arawn is not in a dream-like netherworld.
Biography
Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene lives in a “high desert” town in the Southwest of the USA.
Teagan had always devoured fantasy novels of every type. Then one day there was no new book readily at hand for reading — so she decided to write one. And she hasn’t stopped writing since.
Her work is colored by her experiences from living in the southern states and the desert southwest. Teagan most often writes in the fantasy genre, but she also writes cozy mysteries. Whether it’s a 1920s mystery, a steampunk adventure, or urban fantasy, her stories have a strong element of whimsy.
Founder of the Three Things method of storytelling, her blog “Teagan’s Books” contains serial stories written according to “things” from viewers. http://www.teagansbooks.com
Major influences include Agatha Christie, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and Charlaine Harris.
In this journey, we discover Lyn Pistyll, a beautiful waterfall, and in Emlyn’s dreams, Arawn, the king of the dead lives there.
Legend has it that when the Great Wall was healed, this waterfall was created, sealing the dead away from the living.
Dead of Winter is a story with ghosts, but not your average ghost story.
The veil that was meant to keep the realms apart has been ripped apart by the untimely and brutal arrival of Arawn and the spirits can now more between the worlds, where, of course, Emlyn can see them.
But these ghosts are not here to cause trouble, they just want to pick up where they were before they died.
Dead of Winter gets better with every journey, but some serious co-operation by all concerned will be needed to sort this mess out!
This is a mysterious, yet terrifying instalment of the Dead of Winter as the story really starts to heat up.
Emlyn’s life is being pulled in so many directions, none of them easy to understand. Something is happening, something she doesn’t understand.
Emlyn is unsure of her safety. She is to accompany the Deae Matres on a journey, one they are not telling her about, or what is to happen to her when they get there. She discovers that The Binding happened during a time when the night walkers were driven to the Realm of the Dead. Emlyn’s strange powers are growing stronger, leading to some weird journeys between the worlds. The white wolf becomes a friend, something she welcomes.
Will she ever return to the life and world that she loves?
The Fever Field is burial ground that is far older than the inhabitants of the Flowing Lands realize. We first saw it in the prologue of Journey 1, Forlorn Peak. Now we learn more about the place where ancient evil was buried and forgotten, until that moment in the prologue when it broke free. On the cover of Journey 3, The Fever Field, Emlyn has turned to look toward Zasha. Much of this third installment is told from Zasha’s point of view. We’ll get better acquainted with the sisters in the Society of Deae Matres who traveled with Zasha. Also, we meet a tall, intriguing north-man and the most mysterious adherent of the Deae Matres. The youngest of all the Society, Zasha encounters some resistance from the other sisters traveling with her. She also runs into trouble of her own. Meanwhile, Emlyn’s uncertain situation with her family combines with the threat posed by the Brethren of Un’Naf. What is the greater danger, her loved ones, or the fanatics? In Journey 3, Emlyn’s circumstances reach a tipping point. There seems to be no good choice for her. How can she survive?
Worry is a terrible thing, it steals the quality of life from right under your nose, reducing your world into a place of doom and gloom. We have been sitting on a massive worry these past six months and have refused to start the new year until we had good news.
I have desperately tried to keep everything normal, finish my WIP and keep the website going, but have to admit it was a poor imitation of the real thing, and I apologise for that.
I have not been sharing much of this with our friends and followers and this may seem strange after all your incredible support when Anita had that massive heart attack in 2020. Your love and good wishes pulled us through that terrible time, but when disaster struck again last year, it seemed far more serious, and we really felt that talking about it might make it worse.
Anita’s heart is still severely damaged, and despite having two stents and a pacemaker fitted, it only barely functions. When a series of lumps started to appear around her neck last year, the alarm bells started ringing again.
Because of the raging virus and all the hospital delays, it took months to have the lumps investigated. The consultant mentioned cancer and after deliberation, they finally decided to remove part of her thyroid. Surgery was a problem as they didn’t think her heart was strong enough, but they said that delaying it was not an option.
A nightmare time for all the family, especially Anita for she can’t abide hospitals at the best of times. My sister has never been ill and to be struck down by two life threatening illnesses almost at the same time seems very unfair. She made it through the surgery without incident, but we had to wait two agonising weeks to get the results of the tests.
By this time, we were all terrified and sick with worry, dreading the news.
The day of the appointment, I felt sick to my stomach but somehow kept a smile on my face. I think I held my breath when she was called into the consultants office, but five minutes later the door opened and she rushed out of the room, a massive smile on her face. We watched in amazement as she ran out of the ENT department to a standing ovation from the nurses.
By this time, we knew the news must be good, but I wanted to know how good. Just before we all reached the lifts, I caught her arm and made her stop walking. ‘Well,’, I said and waited.
She stood there and laughed at me, and I didn’t think she was going to say anything.
‘THERE IS NO CANCER,’ she shouted.
All the way home in the car, she kept saying those words, and her relief was wonderful to see. Despite the odds, her poor old ticker had survived the surgery and she was cancer free.
But four days later, we had to rush back to the hospital, as Anita was having trouble breathing. She is now back home, but it seems that worrying isn’t going anywhere after all.
She is looking better, although still very weak and breathless much of the time. The list of her medications grows ever longer, but … and you may have noticed this, none of what happened has stopped her writing her poetry.
Now all I have to do, is get my own head back together!
This stage of the story continues with the ancient watcher, the mysterious old woman, who still cannot remember anything clearly. The past is slowly beginning to filter into her mind, and she remembers that her name is Haldis, but who is she exactly and what bearing will she have on the story?
The mysteries abound in this developing story with the shock arrival of the Brethren to arrest Emlyn for consorting with evil spirits.
She runs away, only to be chased and almost captured, but the strange young man from her dreams appears and saves her.
Emlyn needs to find the Society of Women, the Deae Matres, as she is convinced they are the only ones who can help her…
This review is not very long, as all hell broke loose in our house last week. This fascinating story deserved better and I am looking forward to enjoying the next part of the journey in Dead of Winter…
Journey 2, Penllyn picks up where the first installment, Dead of Winter: Journey 1, Forlorn Peak stopped. The supernatural warning, “Winter is coming!” continues to haunt Emlyn. Her father has heard her utter those words, and he is displeased to say the least. In fact, her family situation in general is becoming more perilous.
As if visitations from ghosts weren’t enough, another entity has started coming to her. She isn’t sure whether he is a spirit or something else, but he gives her the same prophetic warning.
Now Emlyn’s father has begun to behave strangely.
Join Emlyn on this strange journey to the neighboring village of Penllyn. Try not to look over your shoulder…
About the Author
Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene lives in a “high desert” town in the Southwest of the USA.
Teagan had always devoured fantasy novels of every type. Then one day there was no new book readily at hand for reading — so she decided to write one. And she hasn’t stopped writing since.
Her work is colored by her experiences from living in the southern states and the desert southwest. Teagan most often writes in the fantasy genre, but she also writes cozy mysteries. Whether it’s a 1920s mystery, a steampunk adventure, or urban fantasy, her stories have a strong element of whimsy.
Founder of the Three Things method of storytelling, her blog “Teagan’s Books” contains serial stories written according to “things” from viewers. http://www.teagansbooks.com
Major influences include Agatha Christie, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and Charlaine Harris.
The second part of Dead of Winter begins with a mysterious old woman, trying desperately to remember something.
Something important.
I immediately wanted to know who she was, for the warning from the first journey echoes in her confused mind too, but she is unable to remember why.
Emlyn is having disturbing dreams, where a strange man whispers the warning in her ear. When she wakes, it would seem the man had been real, sitting on her bed. She is well used to spirits turning up and doesn’t think this visit strange, but the warning is becoming all too terrifying real.
As this complex story gets under way, there are many questions and mysteries, but the major one for me is, why is Emlyn’s father so disturbed at the mention of winter?
Emlyn has much to keep secret, so is this why her father is planning to send her away with the Deae Matres, the Society of women who travel the world searching out and collecting knowledge?
Anita Dawes and Jaye Marie 