BIRTH
Donna Russo Morin
(Once, Upon a New Time, #1)
Publication date: February 15th 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
New worlds don’t appear. They are born from the labor of those who envision them.
Count Witon has grown weary of the constant war between the races. Together with his wife Belamay, and Persky – first of a rare Human / Elf breed – Witon plans to create a new society: a utopia for anyone who longs for peaceful coexistence.
They recruit pilgrims from every city and species; most to success, some to failure. Together, they set off to a small, yet promising island, found by chance in the middle of the churning ocean.
But the journey there is fraught with challenges, and none of them is as dire as the one they face once they reach their destination. Will they have the strength and determination to give Birth to this New Time?
Once, Upon A New Time is a medieval fantasy with a double-edged sword: one of blood, the other of lust.
Author Bio:
Donna Russo Morin is an award-winning historical fiction author. Donna has dabbled as a model and actor, working on Showtime’s Brotherhood and Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Branching out with her storytelling skills, Donna is now a screenwriter. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Donna lives on the south shore of Rhode Island close to the ocean she loves so very much. She is the proud mother of two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.
My Review
Birth is a strange little tale about hope for a better future filled with peace and prosperity and faith in one man’s vision to escape a world of constant conflict and bring a diverse mix of beings together to live in harmony.
Birth is similar to many Utopian stories throughout the ages. How wonderful it would be to create and live in a society where everyone is equal, respected, and appreciated, despite their differences! What is unique about Birth is that it almost feels like a fairy tale, filled with humans, centaurs, dwarfs, trolls, brownies, and faeries, all working together to build a life that has no room for hate, prejudice, or malice.
But this adult fantasy isn’t for children, even if it does have a dream-like quality to it. While the small portion of violence can be gruesome, and the sexual encounters between Witon and Belamay are somewhat explicit in the beginning, they don’t dominate the story overly much.
The overall tone of Birth is one of peace and hope. Can this group of mixed species band together and actually create such an ideal society that is not based on greed and war? History tells us not really, but Birth might just hold the secret to a successful Utopia. After all, an abundance of magic fills the air, and the island itself is almost too good to be true in its offerings of food and other rather odd resources.
One thing that leads me to believe that this society might be doomed to failure (I hope not) is that the inhabitants of this lovely island are intent on repeating the practices of building separate villages (albeit based on their unique needs), erecting a wall to keep out predators, anointing a King to rule over them all, and populating an island that may one day become too small. But perhaps not. Did I mention all the magic and the quest for peace and goodwill? We will have to wait for the next book to find out if this group can thrive where so many other Utopian societies have failed.
Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a signed copy of Birth with a print of the original painting of the map of the fantasy land. How fun!
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Great review! This sounds like a really unique and well written story! Glad you liked it! 🙂
Thanks! Yes, it was definitely an intriguing story!
Thank you for this wonderful review. It’s so satisfying, as the author, when a reader/reviewer really understand the authorial intent and is able to see the foreshadows of what may or may not be. And it’s is so well written; I’m very grateful.
You are quite welcome, and it is entirely my pleasure. Birth is definitely interesting and unique. I look forward to more!