Book Review Ramblings

December 8, 2012 D.A. Adams 5 Comments

As part of the Worlds of Wonder blog hop, here is a collection of book review blurbs about The Brotherhood of Dwarves series:

“If you love intricate world-building, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book. If you like action and adventure, swords and arrows and more, you’ll love it too. And if you’re eager to see those working-class dwarves take a stand, this has to be the series for you. It’s even got great illustrations that really do complement the story!” Sheila Deeth – 4 Star Amazon Review, December 5, 2012

“Loved the series , where is book 4 ? I need it !! One of the best reads I have read in awhile and I read a lot!” Vicki Scott – 5 Star Amazon Review, October 27, 2012

“The Brotherhood of Dwarves is the first fantasy I have read that is not from the more popular authors like Terry Brooks, Raymond Feist, Robert Jordan, and the list goes on and on. I picked this book after reading the reviews from others. Let me say, D. A. Adams writes a book that hooks you at the very beginning, and keeps you wanting more, all the way through. This book was a good length, giving you time to enjoy it, but leaving you wanting more when you arrived at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and story line. I would highly recommend the book and the author. I will be looking at other books written by D. A. Adams.” Paul from LA – 5 Star Amazon Review, September 4, 2012

“The novel is short and sharp but always entertaining even if it does end rather abruptly. The main purpose of this entry seems to be in setting the scene: introducing characters as well as the history and geography that I am sure we will get to know much better. It’s a good opening effort and I will be looking out for the sequels and hope they will give us a little more depth to what is a promising start.” Daniel Cann, Fantasy Book Review

“The Brotherhood of Dwarves is good, old-fashioned fantasy. Strong character development and well written dialogue go a long way to help restore my faith in a genre that’s become full of cookie cutter characters and poorly written dialogue. Mr. Adams’ use of unique plot elements was refreshing and MUCH appreciated, after suffering through numerous rehashes of classic fantasy. In short, this was a well written, thoroughly enjoyable book and I look forward to further installments.” Steven – 4 Star Amazon Review, May 1, 2012

“I have to tell you, its been awhile since I’ve enjoyed books with so much character depth. Normally I enjoy the basic spy thriller or piece of historical fiction, but I haven’t read a fantasy novel as good as this since Lord of the Rings so many years ago.” Chad Johnstone – 5 star Amazon Review, August 11, 2012

“Brotherhood is a fast-paced, story driven adventure that avoids a lot of the pitfalls of fantasy writing. It’s done in the modern style, with contemporary-sounding dialogue that’s easy to read and flows well. Grabbed me by the end of the first chapter and wouldn’t let me go until I was done with it.” Jim Gavin, Hard Boiled Jim Book Review

“Truly a wonderful read! Adams cleverly introduces the physical features, customs, and locations of three clans of dwarves in the first two pages! Still leaving room to learn about the humans, elves, orcs, and ogres of his world, it is truly a remarkable achievement. Alot of action, so there is no drawing out of scenes. Once you pick it up, do not be surprised if you are several chapters in before you realize how much time has gone by. Definitely recommend for any action reader – fantasy or not.” Herika R. Raymer – 5 Star Amazon Review, April 24, 2009

To read all Amazon reviews, please visit: http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B0076OCAKG/

General Posts

Character Interview Ramblings

December 8, 2012 D.A. Adams 3 Comments

I’m playing a little catch up today. As part of The Worlds of Wonder blog hop, here is a character interview with Roskin from The Brotherhood of Dwarves series:

Dianne from Washington – Roskin, tell us about your home and what made you leave?

My kingdom is a wonderful place, full of talented, intelligent dwarves. We have some of the finest poets, musicians, artists, jewelers, and masons you could hope to meet, but for me, I always felt there was more out there, above ground, and I needed to see for myself what the bigger world was like. Maybe it was the elf in me calling me to the forest. Maybe it was youthful curiosity, but the drive to experience the upper world was incessant, so I had to follow it.

I hear you’ve had a difficult time along the way. Did you ever lose sight of your goal?

It’s not so much that I lost sight of the goal as the goal changed. At first, I wanted to find the statue. Then, after I was taken into bondage, I simply wanted to escape. Once Crushaw and the other liberated the plantation, my goal became to return home and make things right in my kingdom. I learned that my original goal was selfish and superficial, so that goal became insignificant to me as I realized that my kingdom, the Kiredurk people, and my friends were far more important.

What was the biggest hardship you faced and why?

Being beaten by the overseer for trying to escape. I was helpless to do anything, and the pain was indescribable. These scars on my back are a reminder each day of the orcs’ cruelty and of the reality of slavery. It was also the first time in my adult life I “met” my mother, so in a way, something good did come out of it.

Tell us about the most interesting person you met, and why he/she was valuable to you.

I can’t narrow it down to one, so I’ll give you the top four in no particular order. Molgheon because she taught me what real courage and loyalty mean. Crushaw because he taught me about leadership. Kwarck because he taught me to embrace my elven gifts. And Rewokog because he taught me a better system of government and economics for my kingdom.

Andi from Georgia – What was the one moment that you would say has changed you the most?

Being captured by Torkdohn and sold into slavery. Up to that point, I was spoiled and pampered. Then, everything was stripped from me, and I was reduced to scrounging for rotten scraps on bare earth. While I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, it was the best experience that could have happened to me because it forced me to appreciate the blessings of my life. I needed humility to see clearly and learn the lessons Kwarck and Crushaw were trying to teach me.

If you could go back to the beginning, before anything had happened, would you still have made the same choices?

Yes, because all of my choices, even the worst ones, have led me to who I am now, and the person I am today is much better than who I was then. I’ve learned valuable lessons along the way and am smarter, wiser, and stronger for them.

Scott from Tennessee – Who do you consider to be the most dangerous threat to your existence?

Without a doubt, Torkdohn. He is a traitor to all dwarves and doesn’t deserve to be called one. Some day, he will pay for all his treachery.

Carolyn from Georgia – When you become King, what is the one thing you would change or do?

I hope to encourage a system of commerce like the Marshwoggs employ, one where each Kiredurk is more than just a subject to the king, but an active, free member of society with tangible ownership of his or her trade and skills. That is my goal for the kingdom.

Alicia from Texas – Being a poet, You would probably have your own opinions, observations, philosophies of life and the world around you, what are some of those?

Life is either pain and sorrow or triumph and joy, and the only difference is attitude. Everyone gets knocked down. Everyone suffers. Some choose to wallow in misery, but others choose to rise and overcome. I hope at the end of my time for others to see me as a beacon of light and hope, as one who has learned and grown from mistakes, as one who overcomes turmoil, as one who leads by example.

You were once looking for a legendary statue that represented the brotherhood of the dwarves. Do you think it would help stop Master Sondious and return your father to the throne?

I can only say Master Sondious is bound by his oaths. By Kiredurk law, if he violates his promises, his claim to the throne is gone, so if my father awakens, he reclaims the throne. If Master Sondious denies him treatment or causes him harm, the throne reverts to me. The statue is a symbol of kinship and camaraderie among all dwarves, but a symbol is not as powerful to a Kiredurk as the rule of law. To us, laws are what separate us from cave trolls and rock wolves, beasts that live off base instincts. Laws are higher reasoning, tried and tested through ages to be fair and impartial. The rule of just law will restore my kingdom to its proper balance, not a material object.

Kristie from Tennessee – So I get to page fifty, barely into chapter three and I’m thinking to myself, “Holy crap, what is this guy thinking?” I know you seriously considered turning back early in your adventure. Did you ever take a moment sitting in that cave and asked yourself, “What have I done?”

I have since suffered self-doubt and questioned my own decisions. But at that point, no, I was too blinded by my own ambitions to second guess myself. It took the humility I mentioned before for me to accept my foolishness and learn from my mistakes. Sitting in that cave, I would’ve sacrificed all of my friends’ lives to fulfill my quest because I was fixated on external possessions and personal glory. I had to learn the value of what’s inside and accept the fact that the good of others is greater than the good of self before I could see beyond my own desires.

I’m curious about something. I mean no offense, but seeing as your father is Kiredurk and your mother Loorish, did knowing this exacerbate your fear of sitting on the council and eventually the throne? It seemed interesting to me that you have this taste for adventure, but was hesitant about leaving the kingdom? Or, was it the simple thought of filling the boots of the great leaders before you? I can see how the Kiredurk part of you would want to stay and be duty bound, but I can also see how the Loorish part of you colored your perspective of responsibility.

I’m a living paradox of duality. The dwarf in me yearns for the stone and darkness of underground, but the elf craves sunlight and greenery. I’m bound by a sense of duty to law yet enticed by freedom. It’s an exhausting tug between two poles that I struggle with daily. I’m not sure what the future holds or if I’ll ever find balance between these two halves of myself, but I promise that I will strive to make sure the choices I make are always what’s best for the people who depend on me. In that manner, I search for wisdom first and hope for the clarity of thought to see beyond my own desires into the larger scope of what will benefit both my kingdom and my elven kin. There are many hardships left to overcome, but I will face them all with the courage and dignity of my ancestors.

This character interview first appeared on Bunny’s Reviews, May 5, 2012.

General Posts

Wednesday Afternoon Ramblings

December 5, 2012 D.A. Adams 3 Comments

I’ve been an educator for 14 years, over a third of my life. When I first began, even as a lowly graduate assistant, I had near autonomy in the classroom. There were basic course guidelines, but virtually all of the design was left to my discretion, from day to day instruction to essay prompts. The rationale was that in the marketplace of ideas, effective educators would thrive and the rest would weed themselves out.

For the first couple of years, I struggled to find my stride. Like most young teachers, I thought my job was to cover as much ground as I could. Then, I figured out on my own that students learned much more if I focused on essential fundamentals and strove for quality in those basics. My real job, as I learned, was to teach people how to teach themselves.

I hope it doesn’t come across as too arrogant to say that for many years, I was a great teacher. Dozens of students came back long after my class was over, when there was no incentive to do so, and thanked me for helping them succeed in college. I’m deeply proud of the work I did and the lives I touched.

Today, I’m a shell of that person. The system has burned me out and used me up. I still try to give my best, but I simply have little left. I feel it when I try to lecture, when I grade, when I trudge out the door dreading each day. There are numerous reasons for my burn out, and I’ve written about them quite often. One of the biggest, however, is the slow erosion of autonomy.

Each semester, the state dictates more and more of what we do in the classroom. Each semester, we have less authority over what and how we teach. The trend is toward homogeneous curriculum. In theory and on the surface that sounds reasonable, but anyone who knows anything substantive about education should be able to tell you that the key to effectiveness is adaptation to specific student needs based off specific instructor strengths.

I hate hating a job I once loved. I miss leaving the house each day thrilled that I get paid to share my knowledge and passion for a subject I adore. I miss getting to work one on one with students, knowing not only their names but their specific writing deficiencies, too. I miss feeling like what I do actually matters.

Today, we as educators are stuck between bureaucracies that see us as disposable, replaceable commodities and students who see us as obstacles to success. There simply aren’t words to convey the sadness, frustration, anger, and sense of betrayal I feel over what has been done to my profession.

Part of me wants to hang on for one more year to have my retirement vested. It’s not much money, but it’s enough that I’d like to have it. Part of me wants to walk away today. All of me recognizes that I have to get out soon. My primary goal and focus has always been to write, and somehow I have to make that happen now. I’m not sure how I’ll break through the locked gate, but somehow, I must. There simply isn’t any way I can continue in this system under these conditions.