"A breathtaking world and an excellent epic fantasy series! This wonderful adventure reminds me of a cross between J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Tad Williams, and C. S. Lewis.""Stanek's [has] a penchant for clear and simple prose. He also prefers swift, action-oriented scenes. Solidly built. Stanek moves among his main characters with ease, always switching at a climactic moment to maintain suspense. The accessible, brisk language keeps things moving." --Foreword Magazine"Sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike. Stanek will likely draw a cult following. This guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment." -- VOYA - the leading magazine for YA librarians.If you thought these floating mountains from Avatar were cool, the Magic Lands books may be for you. The world of the characters is filled with floating islands, floating mountains, extensive "deeps" and endless "falling offs."The first Magic Lands book, "Journey Beyond the Beyond," tells the story of Ray's rite of passage--the vision quest he must go on to become a man in the eyes of his people. Ray's slice of Doamanse is divided between two peoples: those of the In, Ray's people (indigenous/aboriginals), and those of the Out (foreigners/outsiders) who steal the wealth of Ray's home without regard to the damage it causes. Ray's people have found a balance between their needs and that of the environment. They gather only what they need, and always ensure the cycle of growth and renewal continues. The outsiders have no regard for anything; they kill, take and destroy.In Ray's world each village has its great tree. The tree is the center of life and all things spread out from the life-giving tree. Not only have Ray and his people adapted to their environment, they've also learned to live with the many dangerous creatures that inhabit it. The alligator-like "bulls" and the snake-like "slithers" are revered rather than hunted and killed. Part of Ray's vision quest takes him to the sacred place "lost and deep" where he must choose a companion for his life's journey. Typically, that companion is a "bull" or "slither" but for some a "flyer" as well.One of the most interesting characters in the book is Old Bull, a monstrous man-like crocodile. Old Bull and Ray play a cat and mouse game for most of the book.The follow up to "Journey Beyond the Beyond: Magic Lands #1" is "Into the Stone Land: Magic Lands #2".
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