About the Book
Lark’s End (The Fall of Gadaie Series)
by Christina Leigh Pritchard
Genre: Intermediate Fantasy
From the author of the C I N Series, comes an epic fantasy world filled with nothing but constant action and adventure. A new world, new life forms, and another twisted and complex story from author Christina Leigh Pritchard!
Summary : Mary wants to kill them. But, someone stands in her way...
Tahmi has nightmares, of an old man in a sailor's suit, dropping her off on her doorstep. When she tells her parents about him they look sick. Could her dream have some truth to it? Is that old man the reason they won't allow her in the woods behind her house?
What are they hiding from her? Who is she?
TAHMI: She's just an ordinary girl, right?
Lark's End, the first of nine books in the epic fantasy series The Fall of Gadaie. For extras, (characters, illustrations, book trailers, maps) please visit the blog dedicated to the series:
gadaie.com
BONUS MATERIAL INCLUDED AFTER STORY (kindle version only)
66+ Illustrated photos created by Omaik Digital Art
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What Readers Are Saying
The world of Lark's End is topsy-turvy...I admit that I was prepared to be confused and disappointed when I started reading this story. Shifts of location left me feeling lost and for a YA book the language seemed too simplistic. After the first couple of chapters I was comfortable feeling lost. And very grateful for the language. By the middle of the book I was breathless keeping up with the journey of the companions. Far from being simplistic, Lark's End requires your full attention to follow the dream-like transformations and fast-paced movement...After reading Lark's End, I don't think there would be any trouble getting your YA to read Kafka or Borges.
-Speculative Salon Reviews
Lark's End: Whoa, I knew you had a good imagination but Lark's End was outrageously creative. At first I wasn't sure that I would like it, it seemed a bit far out there but I loved it. It reminded me of worlds created like Alice in Wonderland or C.S. Lewis's Narnia. You are a great author/story teller. The world you created with all the wonderful creatures (my favorite being the stars) was so captivating. I can't wait to find this book and buy it for my kids. I really do have such respect for your talent as a writer. C I N was a book for me... Lark's End is a book for everyone, children and adults can both enjoy it. I was amazed and I can't wait to find out what happens next.. People that love to get lost in a book that can transport them to a fabulous new world are going to cherish Lark's End.
-Goodreads Member -- Dione Sage
Here is another series by Pritchard that is filled with twists and turns as the plot races along. Tahmi is trying to figure out who she really is, as well as many other secrets. Pay close attention along the ride, so that you can keep up with what is going on!
-Andi's Young Adult Reviews
Book Excerpts
Excerpt 1
Father set the young boy on a metal table. He held him down with leather hand and leg cuffs. “Father, please!” Alex jerked about. “It hurts, the changes always hurt.”
He held a long needle in his hand. Father flicked the instrument and a light green liquid seeped out. Alex thrashed about, his heart pounding. “No!”
Father jabbed the needle into Alex’s ten year old hip. “This batch will work. Alex, you will be amazing!”
“Let him go!”
“Father, please!”
“Alex is the perfect test subject. His DNA is easy to alter. He adapts best to changes. He’s nearly perfect in every way.” Father frowned when his eyes set on Lily. “Lily, I always thought so much of you. But, that child you gave me is not working out. I’m afraid I’ll have to trash her.”
“You will not!” Lily twitched. Her body convulsed. She stood on her knees and rested against her palms. What was happening to her?
“What’s happening to my mom?” Mary cried. She recoiled into the corner of her cell.
Lily’s skin ripped. Long legs protruded out of her hip bone and shoulders. A thorax burst its way through her back. She screamed. “What’s happening to me?”
Mary covered her ears. “MOMMY!” She rocked back and forth. “Mom, not my mom. Don’t die, don’t die.”
“It’s happening!” Father exclaimed. He hurried over to Lily’s cage. “The experiment worked. My girl is changing! They thought I was mad. MAD! But, I knew all along that I could do it. If this one works then all of my experiments will work.” He turned into Mary’s direction and pointed at the little girl. “That means you get to live.”
Excerpt 2
Charles stood in the bathroom searching the medicine cabinet for his back patches. “Pharmacy, back restoration patches, quantity one.” Was Tahmi going to turn into a juvenile delinquent?
“Dispensing one back restoration patch.” The medicine cabinet opened.
“Found them!” He snatched the exposed product.
“What’s going on out there?” Donna shouted from the bedroom.
“Our daughter has broken her door, window and our staircase.”
“She’s what?” Donna sat up. “Charles, why aren’t you disciplining her?”
“Tahmi hurt her back. I’m more interested in that, right now.”
He took the steps two at a time. She was probably at the table eating jello. “Tahmi, here’s the patches. Once you’re feeling better we’re going to have a talk.”
Charles stopped.
The front door was ajar.
The kitchen—empty, dining room—no one and the living room was so quiet that he could hear his heart pounding.
“Tahmi?”
“Charles!” Peg screamed. She was in a fluffy pink robe and curlers. Her face was green with some sort of mask and she wore dirty slippers.
“What’s the matter, Peg?”
“Andy—he’s, he’s gone.”
Excerpt 3
“TRUSTY!”
They turned abruptly.
Tahmi scrambled to her feet. “Where’s the firelight? Someone’s blown it out.”
Jerry sat, rubbing his eyes. “It probably went out on its own.”
“No.” She panicked. “I felt it grow cold instantly. Someone is out there.”
Andy and Teri woke. “What do you mean?” Andy mumbled, still half asleep. “Are you sure you’re not just paranoid? You can get a little wacky when you’re tired.”
“No,” Tahmi stood now, “Something is watching us. I can feel it.”
Sandy and Trusty circled, trying to catch every shadow that danced about. Was one of them a threat?
“Teri, get up. We need you.” Andy shook her.
“I’m awake. Who could sleep with all that noise?”
“Up, up.” Andy grabbed her underneath the shoulders. “Something is going to attack us. I’m not in the mood to die right now.”
“And I suppose you expect me to save you?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
“I’m too weak.” She collapsed against the wall. “I’ve tried to emit acid so that maybe I could burn this oil off my skin but I can’t seem to do it. I tried—”
Andy covered her mouth with his hand. “Shh.”
Tahmi and Jerry stuck close. He squinted. Was there really something watching them? “I’ll relight the fire.”
He tossed in dried branches, watching the flames light the cave.
Jerry couldn’t believe his eyes.
Tahmi took his hand, trembling. “Please tell me this is just a nightmare.”
“This is just a nightmare,” Jerry said.
“Not funny.” She backed into him. Her body nestled with his.
They looked at the cave walls.
Thousands of black shadows stared at them with glowing green eyes.
“Run,” Jerry whispered. He took her hand and dragged her towards the opening of the cave.
About the Author
Christina Leigh Pritchard
Christina Leigh Pritchard was born and raised in South Florida. Her first stories were written at the age of nine in $0.15 wide ruled spiral notebooks (which were supposed to be used for class) ;o)~ and in the various diaries she kept. Stories she wrote from age nine to twelve fill about four storage boxes!
Since she's upgraded to a computer, she's completed over fifty books and still going strong. Her genre's include dark fantasy, young adult, drama, suspense, historical romance, multicultural, comedy, poetry and many more.
Stalking Links
Giveaway
Cephrael's Hand (A Pattern of Shadow & Light #1)
Melissa McPhail is a classically trained pianist, violinist and composer, a Vinyasa yoga instructor, and an avid Fantasy reader. A long-time student of philosophy, she is passionate about the Fantasy genre because of its inherent philosophical explorations.
