Warrior Quest
Search for the Ifa Sceptor
by Jason McCammon
GENRE: Fantasy/young adult
PAGES: 239
The Ancient Lands: Warrior Quest, Search for the Ifa Sceptor is not only the first volume in a young adult fantasy series by newcomer Jason McCammon, but is the author's first published work as well. For a first time author, McCammon does well in keeping an interesting plot flowing, with nonstop action for the young cast of characters in this highly imaginative story.
McCammon's story takes place in the fictional realm of Madunia, a world not wholly unlike those of Middle Earth or Narnia. It is a place full of warriors, sorcerers, ogres and the like. It is home to many nations, some tribal, others more civilized. McCammon's descriptions of the land, with its unique flora and fauna, paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind. His talent for description is well utilized in this work.
As far as characterization goes, however, McCammon tends to play towards stereotypes. The protagonist, Bomani, is a young price-warrior who is growing up in the shadow of his older brother Mongo. Bitter and arrogant, Bomani desperately tries to surpass Mongo by constantly honing his warrior skills. He wants to prove himself worthy to succeed his father as ruler of the kingdom of Ufalme. It is inevitable that he will have a total attitude change by the end of the book.
Of course, young Bomani finds a quest that, if completed, would grant him instant glory and all but secure his ascension to the throne. Oh, and yes, it will save the lives of the people of Ufalme, but that is only secondary in the young warrior's mind. He eagerly sets out on the quest alone, sneaking away so that no one can stop him. This is something he must do alone.
But, as fate would have it, he soon meets Farra, a sorceress from the Animen, (or, rather, Anifem in Farra's case) a race of magical people who find their lives intertwined with wolves, who are their constant companions. Farra, younger than Bomani and very inexperienced in her powers, decides that she and her wolf pup Pupa must accompany the boy in his quest. She believes that going on such a journey will complete the "sacred union" between her and Pupa.
Bomani does not want the company of Farra or her pup. But, the girl manages to tag along and soon the two (three if you include the wolf) begin a trek of epic proportions. Rest assured, there is hardly ever a dull moment for them. They soon find themselves running from ogres, being spewed out of volcanoes and riding mystical beasts to accomplish their purposes.
McCammon has definitely used a formula here, one that is as old as the world of Madunia itself, I'm sure. But, I believe that these formula stories end up being successful in the world of literature. McCammon's target audience is younger readers. I have worked in the educational field for many years, and know that tweens and teens love a good adventure, especially the boys. I have no doubt that the readers at whom this work is aimed will gladly devour its contents. I must admit, I found myself eagerly turning pages to find out what would happen next.
Why, you may ask, did I find myself so drawn to a story that I found so predictable? The answer is simple. McCammon is a wonderful storyteller. He disperses the action with brief background stories just long enough to let the reader catch his breath. He doesn't pause for too long or make the back story sound like a history lesson. His literary pauses are just long enough to make the reader eager to continue on with the story.
McCammon has a superb imagination. He creates a world that, although somewhat familiar to fantasy readers, is unique in its own right. He masterfully describes the terrain and conjures up extraordinary beasts that the reader only wishes could exist in our world. I did, however, think that he played a bit too heavily into the "dumb oaf" dialogue of the ogres. I truly expected an author of his talent to use a more clever device to show the readers the lack of intelligence of the beastly creatures.
Overall, The Ancient Lands: Warrior Quest, Search for the Ifa Sceptor deserves a three-star rating. I would have preferred to see McCammon break away form the warrior-formula just a little. But, thus said, he has imaginatively written the first in what I hope will be a widely read series.
