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Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
“The brethren triad, with hearts of gold, will fight to regain what the evil ones hold. With tools from the north and a shell from the line, paths guided and guarded by nature divine.” Venom Wars of the Desert Realm by Michael C. Baumann starts with a rather grim chapter, as the eagle king Aridin and his wife Sparra are attacked by Eelion the snake and his minions. They take the couple’s unborn prince, the Oonakestree, to fulfill the Venomous Ones’ dark prophecy. If not rescued, the Oonakestree will be corrupted and will reign in the Desert Realm with cruelty. However, all is not lost, as the Old Poem has spoken of three hare siblings who can save the prince; Nick, Cade, and Sam.
The story concept slightly reminds me of The Jungle Book’s Law of the Jungle and the premise has the prerequisites to offer young readers a solid epic fantasy; good versus evil, prophesied young heroes and an epic quest to save the world from evil times. Great world-building is not easy to create, particularly in the fantasy genre, but Baumann deftly incorporates elements that we are already acquainted with in the real world. As a result, navigating through the intricate law and system of the Desert Realm, the landscapes, the magic and the history is flawless as familiarization comes easily. The eye-catching illustrations by Keira Negali enliven the story even more and the characters are highly memorable. Nick, Cade, and Sam portray the strong bond between brothers. Honu the great tortoise is depicted as the wise mentor against the evil ancient lizard Hillmaken, who wants nothing more than to change the Desert Realm according to the Venom ways. Olivia the owl, a mother figure to the orphaned young heroes, shows tremendous courage during hard times and is my favorite character. Overall, Baumann’s highly engaging Venom Wars of the Desert Realm is a wonderful adventure for young readers.