WIN a copy of Witch Ember by John Lawson!

Win a copy of Witch Ember by John Lawson! Here is a reposting of my original review of this great novel. I'd love to pass my copy on to someone who'll enjoy it as much as I did. If you are interested, make a comment to this post by midnight EST, September 30, 2007, and I'll draw one winner from the lot. Keep in mind this book has been registered on Bookcrossing, though you are in no way obligated to journal it just because you win it. Please make sure to include a way to contact you on your comment if you don't have a Blogger profile I can look up. And don't forget to keep checking back for my review of the sequel to Witch Ember, The Raven.

Fantasy
Witch Ember
By John Lawson
ISBN-10: 1591290384
ISBN-13: 978-1591290384
Trade Paperback
Publication Date May 2002
PublishAmerica

John Lawson has created an intellectually stimulating challenge to the senses in his first novel, Witch Ember. Modern readers may find themselves increasingly desensitized to violence and atrocities propagated relentlessly by the media, making the novel with true shock value a rare commodity. Look no further; the stimulation desired is practically overflowing from between the covers of Witch Ember.

As the life of Esmeree progresses from an orphaned street child into a hardened young witch with powers beyond even her own comprehension, the reader is introduced to a medieval universe where warring territorial factions enslave, rape, dismember, and murder anyone who strays within their grasp. Homicidal species terrorize the general population and magical warlords create a constant state of chaos. Esmeree's greatest ambition is to become a rich noble's sellâria: basically a paid mistress. It is a dark world with little hope and populated with individuals following the most primal of instincts.

This is a comprehensive fantasy world created by a very talented technical writer. Witch Ember is the first in the series, with The Raven as a sequel. A prequel and concurrent release are in the works, according to the author's blog. While The Raven is in my "to be read" queue, I'm interested to see how it compares to Witch Ember, as it will be a chronicle of the adventures of the knight Guiromélans, and I have become quite attached to fiery Esmeree. The novels are not compact light reading. At over 480 pages, Witch Ember may seem daunting to the casual reader, but once absorbed into the story, it is difficult to put aside. The author provides a glossary at the back of the book for defining his own invented terms, which is very helpful in correlating relationships.

Of course, the subject matter will be offensive to more sensitive readers. Lawson's characters are put through incredible amounts of torture and humiliation, and children are no exception. Because of the anarchic state of the civilizations, moral lines are blurred in areas and completely erased in others. The only hard rule is to do whatever is needed for survival. Prepare to be jolted.