Blindsighted Wanderer
By E.C. Hibbs
Published November 20th, 2012 by Darkest Night Publishing
The Wall has long kept Elitland Valley safe from the demons on the other side. For centuries the villagers have avoided speaking of the Wall or the creatures it protects them from.
Upon their return from the annual Country Fayre, the older Atego brothers learn of their father's passing. When fifteen year old Silas Atego learns the mysterious illness that took his father might have been a curse from a demon, his need for answers draws him to the one place he must not go. The far side of the Wall.
When Silas is still missing days later, his older brother Raphael sets out on his own to bring him home. On his journey, Raphael learns how it was his ancestor who was cursed by a demon creature from the Lake and had the Wall built to keep them out. More desperate than ever to find his brother, his search draws Raphael to the same terrifying barrier.
Along with the brothers' individual travels they face their greatest fears, make lifelong friends, and more importantly, learn the truth of what happened centuries ago.
Blindsighted Wanderer is a book I snatched off of Mel when we were passing around the tours, and I am so very thrilled I took it. While I am sick to death of anything supernatural, lately, this book grabbed my attention from the prolog and didn't let go.
While I am a little obsessed with Raphael and Merrin, I adored all the other characters and each other their arcs (ESPECIALLY Merrin's... I can't explain why, for I shall not give you all spoilers, but it is very great to see how much she is effected and how she matures). The novel is filled with twists I never saw coming, with enough action and romance to keep anyone interested!
The only thing that makes this a four-star rather than five, for me, is that it took me a little while to get into it... I found the beginning to be a bit slow and overly-descriptive, but otherwise, this is probably one of my favorite books this year!
I will definitely be following Hibbs for more wonderful stories!
My Rating:
And now, our interview with E.C. Hibbs!
*Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m 21 years old, and I live in Cheshire: a county in north-west England sort-of sandwiched between the sea and two sets of hills. I studied animals at university; I graduated as a Bachelor of Science last year and now I’m doing my master’s degree. Aside from working on assignments and making up stories, I enjoy artwork, practicing Shotokan karate and archery, and generally being outside!
*When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Writing is something I’ve done since I was quite young. It feels like a natural progression really. I started off with short stories and then moved onto novels as I got older. It became an activity that I relied on more and more, as something I just had to do. It didn’t enter my head to really think about being an author until I was in my early teens, and my dad asked if I’d ever want to get published. I thought about it, and realized how amazing it would be: I would have a reason to always live inside my imagination! When I eventually decided to have a go at submitting manuscripts, it took a while, as well as a few different novels and too many rejections to count! But I didn’t let it dishearten me, so I tried again with Blindsighted Wanderer. I was so happy when it turned out to be “the one”!
*Do you like to listen to music while you write, or do you prefer the quiet?
I always have music playing when I’m working, but on a low volume. I find it quite difficult to concentrate in complete silence. Usually for each of my novels, I’ll have a list of songs that I think mirror the story, and I’ll listen to them sometimes – then after I finish the book, I’ll trim them all down to the ones that fit best! But for general background sound, I tend to put on film soundtracks or classical music. There aren’t many genres I won’t listen to!
*It seems like authors break down into two groups, plotters (authors who outline and are extremely detail oriented) and pantsers (authors who are more ‘go with the flow’ and kind of fly by the seat of their pants)-which group do you fit into?
I’m definitely a plotter. I used to be more of a pantser; as soon as I had an idea, I’d dive headfirst into the story and just let it take me wherever it wanted. But I soon found out it wasn’t doing me any favours. Parts seemed rushed or too dragged out, there were plot holes galore, and I’d get so swept up in everything that I wouldn’t know how to move it forward. So my last few novels have all been planned, and since I tried that technique, it’s less messy, and I’ve really nailed down the way I can work best. I’ll spend more time preparing for the story, and I’ll write down a synopsis beforehand, to act as a basic walkthrough. That way, I know where all the important points need to be brought up to let everything flow right; but I still have enough freedom to explore and live the story as though it’s reality. I think being a plotter means there’s a lot more work that needs to be done in advance, but for me, that’s all part of the fun. And I’ve had much less writer’s block since I started planning things out, so I definitely prefer it!
*What authors have influenced you & your writing?
One of my biggest influences is Philip Pullman. I first picked up His Dark Materials when I was about eleven, and I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve re-read them. I’m also quite inspired by Neil Gaiman; and Marcus Sedgwick, because of the way he can merge history and fantasy but still keep a sinister undertone to his work. Another huge influence on me is Christopher Paolini. I wasn’t just blown away by the descriptions and world he’d created, but also because he’d done it all at the same age I was when I read them. That was a big push for me, in hoping that my writing dreams could come true while I was young, too.
*What was your favorite book as a child?
Without a doubt, the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver (I can’t narrow it down to just one book!). Those are the stories I would take with me to a desert island. When it comes to following a big series and buying every new book on the day it comes out, Michelle Paver’s, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Harry Potter were the defining ones of my adolescence/teenage years. But I really had a huge love for Oliver Twist as well!
*If you could spend one day with any literary character, who would you choose and what would you do together?
I’d love to have a day with Torak, Renn and Wolf from the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. I think spending time in a stone-age forest, among all the animals, would be incredible. Plus it would give me good reason to walk around with a bow and arrows all day! Another who I think would be quite interesting to meet would be Valerian from the Book of Dead Days. He’s not the most welcoming of characters, but since I first read it, I’ve been fascinated by the way he’s written. I’d probably run a mile depending on which day I ended up meeting him, though!
*Mel and I both have an unending love for really good cheesecake; is there a dessert you can’t say no to?
My favourite desserts are ice cream or chocolate fudge cake. But I love cheesecake as well; if it’s strawberry or chocolate-topped then I definitely can’t leave it alone. One day when I was in Florida, I even went to the Cheesecake Factory for breakfast!
*Can you tell us what’s next for you?
I’d love to! I’m currently working on a handful of new novels, including a fantasy/action-adventure trilogy. So I’m doing research and editing for them, getting to know the characters before I write down what they have to say. And my second novel is due out soon, a vampire thriller called My Tragic Silence, so I’m looking forward to that!
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E. C. Hibbs has lived all her life in Cheshire, north-west England. A lover of stories from an early age, she wrote her first 'book' when she was five, and throughout school was a frequent visitor to the younger classes to read her tales to the children.
Living so near the coast, she loves anything to do with the sea. She studied Animal Behaviour at university and longs to work with marine mammals in the future. As well as nature and animals, she also has a soft spot for history, and loves paying visits to castles, cathedrals and museums.
There are many things she could be without, but writing isn't one of them. She carries a pen everywhere, in case an idea appears, and takes pride in still seeing the world as brimming with magic. Besides writing, she reads obsessively, her favourite genres being the classics and all kinds of fantasy. She also enjoys Disney and horror films, practising Shotokan karate, drawing, archery, and playing with her very cheeky kitten.
*We receive NO payment of any kind for our reviews-we review books we've bought, or books that are provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
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