7.11.2014

Fantastic Speculative Fiction - This is Worth Reading: TALLAS by Cathrina Constantine #specfic

Can't decide what to read next? Untethered Realms is sharing what we loved reading the first Friday of every month. Since the Fourth of July holiday fell on the first Friday this month, I'm posting July's selection a week late. 

TALLAS
by Cathrina Constantine


The cover alone makes you want to read this book, doesn't it? I'm happy to say that the story inside is as fantastic as the cover. 

Here is the blurb from Amazon:
In a decimated world, setting foot outside the protected village of Tallas is certain death—or so they say. Mutations caused by those in the wilderness have plagued Tallas’s citizens—or so they say… For Doogan and Keeyla their belief in a Free Tallas has lost its glimmer. And when their young son, Fabal, is given a very dangerous assignment, they risk everything to protect him. Fleeing Tallas, they head for the wilderness. But when they are ambushed by cruel Mediators, Doogan is recaptured, and while Keeyla and Fabal escape, she is severely injured. Can the two of them survive in the wilderness? Will Doogan getaway from the clutches of the Mediators? And are the terrible legends about the monsters beyond the walls of Tallas true?
 And my review: 
I am not usually drawn to dystopian stories but that may change after reading Tallas. Constantine's world building is both fascinating and eerie, especially as the chemically-induced mutations and post-apocalyptic landscapes are unfortunately not that hard to imagine.
The story starts with a bang and the suspense builds to a nail-biting conclusion. I honestly stayed up much later than I intended to as I truly could not stop reading the book until I finished it.
The people who inhabit the world of Tallas are all fully realized and well-developed characters. While they live in a world very different from our own, they are all very human and illustrate both the best and the worst of human nature. In addition, Constantine adds touches of humor that are most welcome, particularly in the form of the mutated animals who have become pets. After reading Tallas, I really wanted a gigantic blue-tinged bear of my own.
Tallas is another great read from a very talented author.
Find TALLAS on Amazon here



Twitter Line:
Check out  Books Worth Reading feature! TALLAS by    

20 comments:

  1. Drat you. I should never, ever read posts devoted to books. And I have, and will succumb. Just the gigantic blue tinged bear was enough...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Julie - love the ethereal quality the cover directs us into the book itself .. your review sounds so good - and dystopian societies are definitely not ones I want to be around ... great summary here .. cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm a huge fan of dystopian worlds and post-apocalyptic stories. Another for my TBR list!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I do enjoy a good dystopian story. This sounds very good. I, too, will have to add this to my TBR list. Thanks for the great review :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. @EC, the blue tinged bear got me too! Cathrina is an animal lover like me and that was obvious from this bear character LOL

    @Hilary, the cover is stunning, isn't it? Ethereal is a great word for it.

    @Ellie, I think you will like it!

    @Angela, I hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. LOVE that cover. And you know I like dystopian stories. :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is AWESOME to see my book on Untethered Realms!! So exciting! Thank you for the glowing review, Julie!
    Elephants Child- The bear was my favorite part to write!
    Hilary-Julie wrote a wonderful review!
    Angela-Hoping you like Tallas, and I'm going on vacation this week and hoping to get into Neverlove.
    Ellie-Thank You!



    ReplyDelete
  8. I do love Cathrina's cover! Sounds like a great book! Thanks for the review, Julie!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Fantastic review! This one is on my TBR list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry I'm late in returning everyone's comments but I'd been on vacation and then forgot. BUT, I thank everyone for their good wishes!!!

      Delete
  10. Very nice review. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Also, I should have added special congratulations for Cathrina as well!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Blue Tinged bear?? That caught my eye and so did the front cover

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sounds fascinating and you're right about the cover. It begs you to step into that world.

    ReplyDelete
  14. That IS a gorgeous cover, and the story sounds excellent!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Spectacular cover! Thanks for sharing this with us. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I LOVE this cover! It is beautiful! It drew me in and after reading the blurb I think this is a book I will really enjoy. :) Thanks for sharing!
    ~Jess

    ReplyDelete
  17. Again, I thank everyone for their wonderful comments!! I absolutely love the cover which I can only take credit for want I was looking for, Melissa Steven's of Illustrated Author make it spectacular!!

    ReplyDelete

What's happening in your dimension?