I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I actually finished reading it quite some time ago.

It is a great continuation of the story about Helen Andros and the many other characters. So much happens in this book. I will include a summary at the end of my review.

I still find the characters hard to follow. I need to visit the website again to get a better handle on them. I find that there are too many names for the characters that I can't get them all straight. Last time I found this to be true I went to the website and I was straightened out.

I can't wait to read book 4 which is called - Outcast.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me by the author for my honest review.

**********************

Surviving the total destruction of her nation and worldwide conflagration, Lady Mary Atlas, former Consort of Azgard, has taken refuge in a submarine with a band of followers.

Lady Mary's personal secretary, Martin Fletcher, discovers that food is being hoarded despite explicit orders to the contrary by Lady Rachel Poseidon, the former queen's granddaughter and leader of the survivors.

To maintain order and her hold on power, Lady Rachel makes a brutal decision that her grandmother knows will cause her much grief. Knowing also that her granddaughter will speak about it only when she is ready, Lady Mary returns to her cabin and her story-telling, more determined than ever to make sure the history of Azgard is not forgotten.

-------------

After a trial in which a surprise document aids in his defense, Lord James Mordecai is acquitted of the adultery charge. He still, however, endures harsh punishment for lesser offenses against the Temple of Kronos that are related to his relationship with Miriam Andros, the Turanian mother of the series' first-generation heroine, Helen Andros.

While Lord James is unconscious from his punishment, the Temple's Supreme Lord, Ezekiel Malachi, injures Helen while putting a death mark on her and revoking the medical credentials she earned at the Sacred Academy of Kronos. Helen escapes Kindred House with the help of her secret love, Colonel Jackson Orlando, who is acting as Lord Protector during Lord James' incapacity.

Aided by Maguari the Mist-Weaver and Isaac Sudras, the Academy's Grand Master and her longtime mentor, Helen finds and removes a lethal agent hidden in her father's welts, foiling one attempt to assassinate him even as another plot from a different source moves forward.

For safety, Helen moves north to her father's manor in Alta Province, guarded by Orlando and a special detail of soldiers. She encounters a member of her father's household staff who threatens her, but says nothing about the cook's hostility out of shame and embarrassment.

Lord James, resuming his duties as Lord Protector, punishes those in the military and their civilian accomplices who stole from the 163rd Regiment's medical and other supplies. At the order of the Exalted Lord, Kefren, Malachi reluctantly investigates those members of the priest-healers who conspired to kill Lord James. The Temple's scheming second in command, Lucan Silenas, suborns the investigation, resulting in the wrong priests being put to death and the murders of the mistress of one of the executed priests and three of their four children. Their eldest child, a boy named Martin Fletcher, manages to escape.

Meanwhile, Helen deeply misses the father to whom she is finally reconciled. Maguari materializes very early one morning to teach her the first steps of kura manipulation, instructing her in how to use energy to be with her parent in spirit. Helen immediately has a vision of being attacked the Temple warrior monks who are tracking her down to slay her, but she remains silent about it as well because she is uncertain whether it is valid or just imaginary.

Once fully recovered from his wounds, Lord James marries Lady Samantha Poseidon, Kefren's niece. He and his new duchess head north to Alta and put on a Turanian wedding ceremony so that Helen may attend and participate.

Lady Samantha soon becomes pregnant. Judith Altair, the best friend of Helen's mother and counselor to the wealthy and powerful, recognizes the energy of the soul to be born anew into the body of Lord James' and lady Samantha's child. It is the spirit of her dear friend, Miriam. The confirmation of Miriam's death leaves Judith distressed despite Maguari's efforts to comfort her.

Lord James' political enemies continue to hound him relentlessly, seizing on the Turanian wedding as presumed evidence of some new offense against the Temple. The Toltecs' legislative body, the Kinshazen, becomes even more polarized. Kefren's nephew and heir once removed, Lord Sargon Poseidon, launches a campaign to seduce Lady Elza Palladin, the Consort's niece, which could have disastrous political consequences if Lady Elza should become pregnant out of wedlock.

Thanks to more of Silenas' schemes, the Temple almost succeeds in slaying Helen, with Lady Samantha nearly suffering a miscarriage due to the attack. Helen uses the green stone to save mother and child and is devastated by the consequences of failing to speak up about the antagonistic cook and her premonition of the assault.

The Temple attempts to use the birth of his son to compel Lord James to surrender his daughter to death. Judith, however, has foreseen this outcome and persuaded Orlando to prepare for the eventuality of hiding Helen. As Book Three ends, Helen again must part with a parent and flee into the unknown to avoid danger and, this time, to avert civil war.

Fallout by C. L. Talmadge is the second in the mystic (I think that's the correct word) series Green Stone of Healing. I reviewed the first book, called The Vision, here. I loved them both! I lost sleep; I had quit taking books to bed because I was so tired that I was falling asleep before I'd even read a page. Well, C. L. Talmadge has changed this for me. Or at least these books kept my attention well enough that my tired eyes were able to stay open to read "just one more page". One night, my hubby got called out and was gone all night (he's a fire fighter); I read and read and read thinking he would be home "any minute" so I might as well stay up until he got home. Well, I ended up having to go to sleep because he didn't come home for 19 hours! I couldn't read that long, even if I wanted to!

Fallout is the continuing story of Helen Andros and her developing relationship with her new found father. Their relationship is tumultuous at best. It was near disastrous for more than just the two of them! The community and government system in this work of fiction is intricate and fascinating. I won't give you too many details; you'll have to read the book. However, be sure to read The Vision first and explore the website, Green Stone of Healing. On the website you will find more details about the characters, their connections to each other and about the little mysteries that might not quite make sense when reading the books.

You can purchase The Green Stone of Healing books from here and from Amazon.

A copy of this work was given to me in return for my honest opinion.

I received, to review, the first three books of the Green Stone Healing series from the author, C L Talmadge. I have admitted to her and to others that I do not generally read fantasy or sci-fi. I am a non-fiction, self-help, Christian romance type reader. So one might ask why I decided to even accept the books to review. Well, I honestly must say that I wondered too when I first started! I struggled through the first few chapters. I put the book down over and over again. I would say to my husband, "I don't know why I said I would read these." But I was committed to giving the books an honest review.

About The Vision, a bits and pieces summary from the author's press package:

Lt. Helen Andros is an illegitimate, presumed orphaned physician with a gift for healing. She always wears about her neck a green gemstone from her mother with hidden potentials that Helen does not yet know about, although she frequently touches the stone for reassurance and comfort. Helen is also a despised half-breed: unusually tall, black-haired like the dominant Toltecs, the race of her unknown father, pale-skinned and blue-eyed like the conquered and oppressed Turanians, her mother’s people.

.......

While Helen manages to save Prince Harnak’s life, the Lord Protector, angered by her insolence, reviews her service record. At first he is appalled to find out how many times Lieutenant Andros has been put on report and is determined to discipline her for unsatisfactory performance as an officer. When he sees an image of Helen wearing the green stone, Lord James is shocked, and immediately suspects that she is his daughter. He gave that very same stone and necklace more than thirty years ago to his secret love: a Turanian woman named Miriam Andros.

.......

Lord James’ tough decision to acknowledge a daughter he never knew he had touches off a political firestorm between warring factions striving for power and dominance during the mental incapacity of the Exalted Lord, Kefren Poseidon. It also leaves Lord James extremely vulnerable to his political enemies, who include the heir to the Kingship, Prince Seti Poseidon, and the prince’s primary supporter, Ezekiel Malachi, Supreme Lord of the Temple of Kronos.

.......

Nor is Helen happy. She and her father both have been profoundly wounded by her mother’s secretive behavior. Not even wise counsel from Judith Altair, best friend of Helen’s mother and a much sought-after advisor to the powerful, can keep the two from clashing out of pain and fear instead of coming together in love and friendship.

And that's not even the half of it; there are so many neat and intricate details to sort through and that intrigue the reader.  I am really enjoying the process and seeing the pieces fall into place while others lay the groundwork for the next "puzzle".  I could say it this way - the foreshadowing is very very well done!

What were my issues with the book and series?  Well, the genre was a huge hurtle but there were other things.  A new language was thrown in from time to time.  The characters were numerous and have titles I'm not used to reading or talking about.  Our apparent differences in religion and beliefs (reincarnation vs. Christianity) caused me some concern as well.  Lastly, each character could be referred to by any number of names - their job title, their given names, or other titles of royalty and such.  I just can't keep them all straight even at the end of the first book, I don't know who belongs to which title or titles.

What do I love about the book and series?  I love that the new language that I had trouble figuring out at first is easy once you get into the mind-set.  For example, the characters have a drink called caf.  Well, that's coffee.  They have this thing called a link; to me that's a form of the internet or a network of computers.  There are other words that aren't as easy to follow, but I think I'm getting there. I love the parallels I see between my world and the world of Helen Andros.

I love the detailed descriptions of both the people and the landscapes.  I don't know about you but the idea of royalty - princes and princesses, lords and ladies, and their servants - has always intrigued me!  The author tells of and explains rituals in such a way that I can see each step and bend and nod and bow.  I wanted to be a princess when I grew up; I wanted to do and see those rituals when I grew up.

I went exploring the Green Stone of Healing website and found a wealth of information that will help with reading the other two books.  I found family trees including titles and who belongs to what and whom!  I love the family trees.  Here's a link to the Andros Family Tree.  There is also some pre-information given about some of the characters; I found that here and here.

I don't know what it was or when even (sometime after chapter seven of The Vision which is the first book) that got me hooked but now I have trouble putting it down.  The other titles in the series so far are: Fallout, The Scorpions Strike, and Outcast (due out October 1, 2009).  Look for reviews of Fallout and The Scorpions Strike here on Simply Sensational Divas Review in the future.

An excellent work of fiction!  I think I may have found a new genre to add to my joy of reading.  Thank you, C. L. Talmadge for the opportunity to review this wonderful book!