Book Review: Eye of the Crystal Ball

Kindle Edition

Published June 23rd 2011

When Sara was newborn her parents left her at the doorstep at Mr. and Mrs. Schneider's house.

When Sara was ten she discovered she was telekinetic. She began to move stuff around when she got angry just by her will alone.

When Sara was twelve her real parents came for her and took her with them to live like the Gypsy that she was - or Romani as they like to call themselves. They told her she was going to fulfill a prophesy. That it was once said that out of the Romani people the greatest sorceress who had ever lived would be born.
When Sara was thirteen she had a baby brother and when she was fourteen he got very sick with a strange illness.
To save her baby-brother Sara sets off on a quest to find his cure - well knowing that it will cost her dearly.
Soon Sara finds herself going through the Singing Cave, crossing Wild Witches Valley, talking to a ten foot giant snail, rescuing the Beads of Souls from the Hell-hounds, escaping a spell in Vamila, the Forest of Vanity, visiting the king at the City of Lights before she finally reaches the Black Castle where she is told the Eye of the Crystal Ball can tell her how to cure her brother's strange illness.

But nothing is free in this world - and as Sara soon will know - everything has a price.

The protagonist of our story is young Sara. As a baby, Sara was left on the doorstep of a kind couple, only to be reclaimed by her paternal family at age twelve. Sara’s real family are gypsies, and Sara had to get used to a whole new way of life. Not to mention come to terms with the fact that she is a part of a huge gypsy prophecy.

When Sara’s baby brother becomes ill, Sara sets off on an epic quest to find his cure. She encounters giant fast-talking snails, Hell Hounds…even a unicorn. As with all quests, our hero goes through tests of endurance and will…but will Sara make it in time to save her brother?

The author keeps the reader guessing throughout the story, plenty of twists and turns to keep the action up. This story would be suited to younger readers, possibly fans of Harry Potter. The fantasy at times was reminiscent of Tolkien’s Middle Earth, but for younger readers.

But even with the best of stories, one thing is guaranteed to distract me – grammar. The Eye of the Crystal Ball would benefit hugely from a thorough edit – it would make the story and the characters shine beautifully without the reader being distracted by something unrelated to the story.