A different approach to telling a fantasy story…..  ***

Normally, I do not read fantasy. After all once you have read all of J. R. Tolkien, what could ever measure up to his standard? However, when I received a request to review this book, I was intrigued.

The fantasy part of the story is straight forward. Thirteen skulls brought to Earth by aliens to be used by us to gain the knowledge they have acquired.  The skulls were brought years ago and as mankind becomes aware of the power they hold, there are some who try to steal them for their own purposes. Eventually the skulls are scattered and hidden in various parts of the Earth as the story reaches modern day.

Here is where the approach is different, at least in my experience.  As Henderson tells the  history of the skulls, she mixes in the modern day story of Gemma Mason who begins having dreams about the skulls. Gemma eventually decides to write a book about her dreams. This switching from the fantasy story to what is happening with Gemma kept me reading.

The writing is above average, and the philosophy that Henderson imparts is not only worth reading, but worth a pause for reflection. The novel suffers from more telling than showing but moves at a good pace.

This was a hard book to rate for me.  I give it three stars as a fantasy novel, but the writing style deserves four.  But since this is for fantasy fans, three it is.