The Place of Voices: TimeDrifter Series Book I
By Lauren Lynch
The official first book in the series, I enjoyed this read just as much as the short prequel, you can find my review for that book by clicking here. The characters were once again lively and enjoyable and the story flowed well.
Lynch has vivid descriptions of everything in her books which makes it all the more enjoyable. I love an author who uses their words correctly, you’ll definitely find that with the TimeDrifter series. As a Christian, this series is dear to my heart because Lynch includes clear references to her faith. But she does it in a way that blurs the line between faith and fiction. I’d say this is a series that will definitely tear down barriers between Christian fiction and secular fiction. Lynch’s writing is proof that religious authors can be just as imaginative as secular authors.
Whether you’re religious or not, you will love this book. There’s talking animals, time travel, and age old wisdom. There’s something to love about this book for every reader of every age.
My favorite part of The Place of Voices was the opening featuring a majestic elk. I don’t know if Lynch chose an elk for this part because she knows its history as a creature of mythology, or maybe she just wanted to highlight the beauty of such a grand creature. Either way, she does it justice in the great detail included in the first part of the series. I was mesmerized by the scenery and the picture she was able to paint for the readers to see.
Aside from giving us great details, Lynch ties in the emotions of her characters very well. I felt what each person felt and I saw what they saw. Readers will be intrigued as they’re pulled into her world and reeled by the high emotion of the story. Its easy to get lost in this high fantasy realm.
I enjoy fantasy but high fantasy is something I usually have to take my time to read. Chronicles of Narnia was probably the last thing I read with this much detail and relation to the Christian faith. I can proudly say that Lynch’s series has given me just as much enjoyment as CS Lewis’ famous novels. I won’t hesitate to make a comparison between the two series. I’m not talking about the talking animals and the children making pivotal decisions. I’m talking about the world building, the influence she has on your imagination, the craftiness in her wording and even the flow of her story. Everything pieces together so well, I would have a hard time believing that someone truly didn’t enjoy this story.
My last compliment to this series, Lynch is a good writer. Plain and simple. I can tell she put a lot of planning and a lot of time into her work. The editing is top notch and the characterization is very good. Each event marks a crucial point in the book which indicates careful planning. Each character maintains their personality which indicates planning as well as attention to detail. I always appreciate an author that plays close attention to their work like this because it means they’re also paying close attention to their readers.
Even though this book was high fantasy it wasn’t difficult to follow along. It wasn’t too hard to keep up with everything and it wasn’t hard to envision any animal, location, or character she described. A child could enjoy this just as much as an adult.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an imagination. It will strike you at your heart and challenge you to dream of new worlds and possibilities. Anyone who loves time travel, animals, and awesome adventures will enjoy this read. Christians and others alike will love this book.