Raver the Horsecaller: Book One

The familiar framework of this epic fantasy novel%E2%80%94a person suffering a midlife crisis suddenly transported to an otherworldly realm where she finds meaning%E2%80%94isn't enhanced by unexceptional prose, plotting, and character development. New Englander Lauren Gallagher has a quiet life caring for horses, but also a lonely one because of her painful divorce from a cheating husband. But when a stranger appears, looking to buy not just a horse, but a rider, too, Gallagher and her favorite equine, Pindar, are transported through a portal to another planet. It will surprise few readers that her transportation is part of a desperate plan to save a kingdom under attack%E2%80%94in this case Cirq, which needs a horsecaller to help fight an evil king. The paint-by-numbers storyline unfolds like most readers would expect: Gallagher meets a hunk and must contend with attacks by strange creatures. While fans of genre may find aspects of this story appealing, they will be less forgiving of the author's failure to make Gallagher's acceptance of her new life%E2%80%94and the radically changed circumstances she finds herself in%E2%80%94psychologically plausible.