Adventures of Andreux
In the far distant past three good wizards operating in league destroyed the evil wizard Levitor—well almost. When he was killed Levitor was standing on a magical pedestal which encapsulated his soul in a hideous granite statue so that he could in time come back to life. The Adventures of Andreux by Srinivas Pabbaraju is the first book in a series full of legend magic and adventure.
As time draws near for Levitor’s revival Andreux son of the deposed King discovers his heritage. With three friends he journeys to the city to contact those who will aid his return to power. But an enemy and magical elements in the forest make the journey more difficult than expected.
The companions are overheard talking by two “lumen-drobs” fairy-like creatures with magical powers who take offense. “‘Us mischief mongers they called!’” said one to another. “‘If mischief is what they want cause mischief we will’” said the other… Waving the wand it sang thus: The cat is out of the bag. This trip comes to a snag. Into foes turn these friends and that’s how it ends.” This spell is only one of several problems the friends encounter on their journey.
When Andreux enters the temple he discovers the statue of Levitor. “The statue stood on a pedestal which was cracked on all sides due to the efflux of time. Yet the pedestal held a polished mirror that was shining like new. The mirror had words engraved on it in gold. Andreux paused to read them. ‘Hail the Mighty Lord; Hail Levitor! Hail the Great Master the one for us all…’” A wizard awaiting the revival of Levitor finds Andreux there and tries to kill him. He escapes and the book ends as he reaches the outskirts of the city. The story will be continued in the next book.
The Adventures of Andreux is a mixture of clever imagination and poor writing. While the story is inventive and sometimes original the dialogue comes across as stiff and emotion seems insincere. The pace lags in the beginning and too much happens for adventure’s sake without advancing the plot. Decisions seem abrupt and characters state the obvious and overreact. The lumen-drobs which appear to have no relation the plot are cute mischievous and add interest. Without them the story would be only mediocre. This tale of adventure for lovers of legend might be worth the rewrite it needs.
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
