Last of the Firedrakes by Farah
Oomerbhoy
A fantastic adventure story that will transport you to
a dazzling world of myth and magic.
16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an
orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of
running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a
portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.
Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by
powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all
seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong
into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that
threaten to destroy all she holds dear.
With the help of a young fae, a magical
pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the
truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as
a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to
unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.
Excerpt from Chapter 11: Lessons in Magic
Today you will start lessons with me and learn to
access your mage powers,” said Uncle Gabriel. “There are a few training
exercises I want to start with, which will help you to access and channel your
magic. I want you to have an open mind, and follow my instructions very
carefully.”
I listened intently, breathlessly awaiting the secret
I was so anxious to discover—how magic worked.
“You are still young and so far your powers have been
diminished by the amulet, but if you have tapped into your fae magic already by
mind bonding with the pegasus, that means that your powers are already
manifesting,” Uncle Gabriel said.
He lit a candle and put it in front of me on the
table.
“Now, our first lesson is going to be on
concentration,” said Uncle Gabriel. “I want you to focus on this candle. Remove
all other thoughts from your mind.”
I stared at the candle, my thoughts drifting in and
out. Uncle Gabriel had said he was going to teach me to do magic. This was not
magic; this was torture. My thoughts flickered back and forth like the flame on
the tip of the candle. Finally I looked up.
“This is silly. Nothing is happening,” I said, getting
frustrated.
“You are not concentrating,” Uncle Gabriel said, glancing
up briefly up from his work. “Block out all other thoughts. If they come, push
them away and keep focusing on the candle. Nothing else is of importance; your
whole mind and concentration is on that candle.”
I tried again, but my thoughts wouldn’t leave me
alone. Every time I looked up, Uncle Gabriel made me try again. He even changed
the object of my concentration, from the candle to a smoothly polished stone,
to a vase and back. I tried again and again, and every time it was the same, my
thoughts came and went, flitting about in my mind, and my concentration was
broken.
“Same time tomorrow, Aurora, and please practice. I
expect you to concentrate on an object for measurably longer. Holding your
concentration is one of the key aspects to working with your magic. You have to
learn to channel your powers properly. If you can’t control your mind and will,
then when you release your powers, they will be all over the place, and we
don’t want that,” he said seriously.
Some more excerpts:
Praise for the Book
“The world building is beautiful…That really made the book more complex for me…it is the journey of discovery for Aurora and the reader that makes this an interesting story.”– Janelle Fila for Readers’ Favorite
“…the narrative components echo the
classics; the Academy of Magic at Evolon could be Hogwarts, while the Shadow
Guards are reminiscent of Tolkien’s Ring Wraiths or Rowling’s Dementors…a
beautifully drawn fantasy world.” – Kirkus Reviews
“THE LAST OF THE FIREDRAKES is a
magic-filled romp that carries you back to the fantasy stories of
childhood…Lovers of classic fantasy will likewise gobble down Oomerbhoy’s
scrumptious story.” – Dr Vic James, author of the
SLAVEDAYS trilogy
“The Last of the Firedrakes has all the elements of popular
fantasy – an orphaned princess, Magical powers, an alternate sphere with seven
kingdoms, a young girl with a destiny to fulfil. They are all elements of the
Narnia Chronicles, The Faraway tree, The Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings
and a bit of Enid Blyton fun.” – Mitali
Parekh for Mid-Day newspaper
Author Farah Oomerbhoy
Farah
Oomerbhoy is a young adult writer with a master’s degree in English literature
from the University of Mumbai. Farah loves the fantastical and magical and
often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest. Her debut
novel, The
Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of The Avalonia Chronicles started on
Wattpad where it received a Watty Award in 2015 and over 1.5 million reads.
Since publication, The Last of the Firedrakes has gone on to win a silver medal in IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin
Awards, become a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards and become an
international bestseller. Farah lives with her family in Mumbai, India where
she can be found checking for magical portals in every closet.
Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal CashEnds 7/29/16
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