Vita. (The Wind of Life series, Bk. 3). Oliver Neubert. Vancouver, BC: Purple Branch Publishing, 2012. 147 pp., trade pbk. & e-Book, $8.50 (pbk.). ISBN 978-0-9868525-4-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-9868525-5-8 (e-Book). Grades 8-11 / Ages 13-16. Review by Chris Laurie. ***½ /4

excerpt:

The time has come, my son. Today you will meet your Ancestors and learn about the Spirit Knowledge. Listen and you will understand.

Then Timo heard only the howl of the wind singing the forgotten song of peace and freedom. He quickly reached the Old Mountain and landed softly on its eastern edge, near the top. He rested for just a moment to let the sun that was engulfing the snowfields warm his body with its embrace. He felt as though he had finally returned home after a long, dark journey. The wind died down. All was calm.

As the colors in the sky slowly shifted, Timo was enveloped in rippling shades of green and red. A friendly, female voice murmured, “Welcome, Timo, Child of the Sky. Welcome to my home.” Timo stood in the midst of spirits dancing as waves of colored light – green, red, violet, blue. Wave after wave of light swayed about, washing across Timo’s relaxed face and encircling him until his body was strong and his heart was full of joy!

And so begins Vita, the climactic final volume in Oliver Neubert’s epic fantasy trilogy, “The Wind of Life”. Qui Natch Ndee has brought Timo before the Ancestors to hear the Truth. Timo, The Child of the Sky, is destined to be united with his brother Rider, the Child of the Land, and obtain the Star of Vita. This ancient relic of the One People holds the power to reunite the now disparate people. In the beginning, all people lived together in harmony with their surroundings. But some became greedy, and their desire for power drove the people apart. Timo’s friend, Dino, has found a map with a cryptic note that may lead them to the Star of Vita’s location. As Timo and Rider set out on their journey, Wardor, Lord of the War Flyers, and Thorn, Rider’s father and former leader of the Flatland’s warriors, combine forces. They will stop at nothing to get to the Star of Vita first, believing that whoever possesses it can control the forces of nature.

      The huge cast that readers have begun to know in the first two novels is further developed as readers are swept ever closer to an inevitable confrontation between good and evil. Romances develop; relationships are revealed; allegiances shift. And a subplot that has been threaded throughout the saga is brought to the forefront, bringing a shocking twist that will leave readers completely guessing until the last page.

     It is a delight to see how effectively Neubert uses spare language and tight plotting to create such a fascinating page-turner. The complex and sweeping plot is briskly told in this 147-page novel. Mild violence and language are ideal for young teen readers.

     BC author Oliver Neubert has previous published two titles: Chantel’s Quest for the Golden Sword and Chantel’s Quest for the Enchanted Medallion.

Highly Recommended.

Chris Laurie is an Outreach Librarian at Winnipeg Public Library.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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