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There are few online surprises quite as delightful as popping onto WP in the morning and finding an unexpected review of your book.

Or better yet, that your creation has earned a little limelight. I was grinning on Monday morning when I discovered Catling’s Bane was selected as Book of the Month on Kevin Cooper’s – KC Books and Music.

He wrote a lovely review earlier in July:

Already a great fan of D. Wallace Peach’s work it came as no surprise to find myself fully engrossed in each chapter as I read through this first installment of The Rose Shield. Any story that starts with hanging day is bound to bait the reader to some extent, but with her usual storytelling skills, Peach completely hooks and reels you in. The story is complex, the characters are strong, and the creatures are fantastic. The powers wielded for good and evil are unique. There seems to be no limitations to D. Wallace Peach’s ability to write gripping fantasy. I cannot even imagine what the next great installment will bring.

Thanks, Kevin!

A couple other bloggers have added to the smiles:

D. Wallace Peach creates an utterly original, lush and cohesive world inhabited by well-developed and multi-dimensional characters we instantly care about (even the minor ones), all the more so as the plot unfolds. And what a plot it is — no copycat fiction or cliche devices here. The concept of “influence” as an accepted part of life is not only entertaining but thought provoking; and the author’s attention to detail on how influence works grabs hold and will thrill true high fantasy readers who value intelligent rationale for magic. All I can say is … prepare to lose some sleep over this one. And the final chapter leads to a cliffhanger that will leave readers desperate for Book II.

I am a lifelong reader of fantasy, and out of what I’d guess to be nearly 1,000 books read to date, this book series is in my top five. Catling’s Bane is easily on par with the likes of Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle series), Karen Miller (the “Mage” series) and Glenda Larke (Stormlord series). I’m confident that many readers will, like me, add this one to their top shelf.

Kevin reviewed Erik’s book: The Best Advice So Far (also a book of the month feature).

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In D. Wallace Peach’s Catling’s Bane, the first installment in the Rose Shield trilogy, the young Catlin lives in a world of poverty, repression, and inhumanity. When still a toddler, her mother sells her for whatever she can get, which is where Catling’s life looks up. Her new family is loving, caring, humane, with a family pig business that requires working children to run. They sell their piglets at a weekly market which coincides with hanging days–when the overflow residents of the prison are hanged to make room for others. To make this acceptable to the population, the ruling class uses ‘influencers’ to throw a web of happiness and contentment out over everyone in the crowd. People–even family members–gleefully watch their friends and neighbors killed. But Catling has the power to break that web, penetrate it, and allow others to see the horror of murder lurking below the pleasant emotions. When stakeholders on both sides of this system find out she has this ability, her life changes forever.

What an excellent start to this trilogy. The characters are strong. The passion obvious. The plot addicting. Peach’s ability to weave words into glorious pictures of events and places is perfectly matched to the fantasy world she has created. The details of this environment are exquisite and believable:

“Riverfolk moored up at the docks with skiffs bearing buckets of silver eels and glass bottles dense with luminescence. Ferries plied their way up from Ava-Grea delivering merchants and travelers from distant tiers. Pulled by waterdragons, the vessels bucked the swift current. The creatures’ green-scaled heads reared through the surface, tapered snouts sprayed clouds of mist, and fins stroked the water like wings. The voyage complete, tall rivermasters with white hair flowing like waterfalls beckoned the creatures in. They slipped off tethering ropes, and the waterdragons dove.”

Highly recommended to anyone who loves fantasy adventure and big dreams.

Kevin reviewed Jacqui’s book: Twenty-four Days just this week.

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If you’re intrigued…

Catling’s Bane will be free this weekend.  ❤