Review: The Crystal Facade by Debra L. Martin and David W. Small

Synopsis:
Royal Otharian twins Darius and Dyla Telkur have a big problem: they know too much about a secret sect of their countrymen living on the forbidden planet Earth. During a previous trip to Earth they traced the sect's lineage back to the Arthurian legends of Merlin and Lady of the Lake, but a run-in with a local crime boss forced them back to Otharia before they could unravel the mystery.

Now Dyla is dreaming again. Her dreams of the London crime boss portend an imminent threat to her family and she has no choice but to secretly return to Earth to find out what they mean. What’s the crime boss' connection to Otharia and why does he bear a striking resemblance to the Otharian Grand Duke?

What the twins don't realize is they're walking into a conspiracy involving a centuries old interplanetary smuggling operation. Will they be able to capitalize on their superior PSI powers to get the answers they need before they fall victim to a telekinetic assassin that has followed them across the galaxy?

Review:
After reading the first book in the 'Rule of Otharia' series, I was looking forward to reading this book. The end of book one ties the whole storyline into the myths of King Arthur. I've never really explored all the tales of King Arthur, but this series shines new light on them.

The story picks back up with the Telkur twins, Dyla and Darius. Darius is finally the ruling Duke of Telkur, but this hasn't solved all their problems. While on Earth, they uncovered some disturbing mysteries that have them questioning who they can trust back on their own planet.

I was really impressed by some of the twists and outright surprises in this book. There was more than one occasion where I thought I knew what was going to happen and ended up being totally wrong . . . which I like! Sometimes terrible things happen to innocent people, and sometimes the bad guys will win. It was nice to see that truth played out in the storyline.

Grand Duke, Janus Vogdo, reprises his role as Master Manipulator in this book. He's pretty snakey and pretty slimey and he hides it all behind a benevolent smile. All in all, a great bad guy. His go-to assassin, Nils, is a character I really enjoy reading. He adds a lot of flavor. As for romance, Dyla and Eclair are getting pretty cozy. I like how clueless Eclair can be at times, but he can always be counted on when things get tough. His angry, protective side was a nice development. I find that very appealing in the right situations.

I am really looking forward to The King's Last Word. I can't really say what I'm looking forward to because I don't like putting in spoilers . . . but I'm very interested to find out how everything goes down in the final book.

Publication Date: March 28, 2010
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Sci-fi
Source: Thanks to author Debra L. Martin for my review copy!

Review: Quest for Nobility by Debra L. Martin and David W. Small

Synopsis:
The idyllic life of royal twins, Darius and Dyla Telkur, from the planet Otharia takes a horrifying turn when their parents are murdered. With their cousin appointed as Regent until Darius comes of age, it doesn’t take the twins long to figure out that he’s bent on stealing their throne one way or another. To escape their cousin’s wrath and a trumped up murder charge, they flee to the only safe place they know – the forbidden and quarantined planet Earth.

...Everything is connected, but time is running out for the royal pair. They must find the traveling crystal and open a portal home soon before their cousin is crowned the next Duke of Telkur and their lives are forfeited.

Review:
Quest for Nobility is a fun read with alot of interesting plot twists along the way. The origins of the tale of King Arthur get a makeover in this story.

The book starts on the planet of Otharia. This planet is divided into duchies and the Dukes on the Ruling Council keep things running smoothly, but one Duke has his sights set on being King. He will stop at nothing to gain the crown. Darius and Dyla Telkur are unknowingly thrust into the center of this plot. Framed for murder, they must flee to the planet Earth to find a way to clear their names.

I would describe Otharia as a version of Earth with elements of medieval times with some crude technology and PSI powers thrown in. In the second part of the story Dyla, Darius, and their friend travel to a modern day Earth. It was fun to see them thrust into a strange(to them) landscape. As the twins try to find a way back to their home planet, we get a new view of King Arthur, Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake.

An interplanetary Amazing Race with some very high stakes.

Publication Date: March 28, 2010
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Thank you to author, Debra L. Martin for my review copy! For more from the author check out her Blog, Facebook or Twitter.