Blog Tour Stop: Review - The Loved and the Lost by Lory S. Kaufman

A QUEST FOR LOST LOVE.

AN ADVENTURE OF MANY LIFETIMES.

They are three 24th-century time travelers desperate to return to 14th-century Verona and reclaim their medieval family’s shattered lives. It is a mission fraught with danger and the risk of unexpected consequences for themselves and their worlds. For all three, it is a matter of the heart. For one, though, it is truly the only thing that matters, as the fate of his eternal love and the life of their unborn child is the prize to be won – or lost forever.

In this, the final book of The Verona Trilogy, Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln go on the boldest adventure of their lives. They will face hardship, tragedy, and threats from sources they couldn’t have imagined – all in an effort to wrestle a future from the steely grip of an unforgiving past.

The Loved and the Lost is the final book in the Verona Trilogy by Lory S. Kaufman. This one shows Hansum and co. back in 24th century trying desperately to find a way to travel back to 14th century Italy and save Guilietta. They run in to obstacle after obstacle and you just want to scream at the people and the things that are standing in their way.

The trio are now part of the History Camp time traveling academy. Each one in their own special field. Shamira and Licoln seem to have found love but Hansum is still without the one who holds the key to his heart. With every minute that passes his need to try and rescue her grows greater and the readers frustration with the fact that it doesn't seem to be working grows right along with it.

It's funny. Parts of this book actually made me mad. I wanted to yell out at the characters "What are you DOING!?!" in certain parts of the story and then I remembered that it was a book... and they couldn't hear me. I really wish this series could be made in to a movie so I could see how everything unfolds on the big screen.

There are some interesting new characters introduced in this story. Like Pedang and Sideways. Pedang is a sword that can fight on his own and Sideways is a cloak that can transport the crew through time and back again, among other interesting things. I loved the trip to Haudenosaunee and the Onandoga people. Deganawida, their spiritual leader, was a favorite character of mine this go around. He aided Hansum in overcoming his grief and fears to the point where he was able to feel like his normal self again. The Onandoga people were an interesting mix of centuries before and modern day technology and customs. A peaceful community that was nice to read about.

Aside from that, there were definitely some heartbreaks in this story. For Hansum, for Shamira. Even for Arimus. This was, like the other 2 in this series, a book I couldn't put down. I sprained my ankle going for a run in the battlefield and came home to ice it and elevate it, and picked up book 3. By midnight of the next day I had finished it.

Lincoln has become one of my favorite characters of the series and unfortunately, I never did find a way to make myself like Ugilino. Despite the hardships he'd been through and the sad things he'd endured. He was reason for much of the pain and suffering for the group and I did not like him. Kingsley, another of the new characters in the series grew on me pretty quickly though. Ever the heroic protector.

I love the concept of time travel, and the way Kaufman portrays it in this particular series is interesting and thought provoking. The society he has set up is magnificent and the glimpse of the past that he shows us through the eyes of the three teens is wonderfully educational. I love the thought of the History Camps themselves and wish that we had things like that around now for all of the "hard cases" there seem to be these days.

This series is full of plot twists and turns and surprises and disappointments. It's full of on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense and hope and frustration in spades. If you come away from this series without having felt like it was one of the most wonderful things you've read... you should go back and read it again. It was a perfect end to a story I wish could have gone on forever.

“I write Post-Dystopian fiction. After society’s collapse, which is imagined in so many great dystopian stories, humans will either fade into history, with the dinosaurs, or, if it learns the right lessons, society will go on to construct a civilization to last tens of thousands of years. History Camp stories are the exciting adventures of young people doing the latter.” -Lory Kaufman

On the artistic side of Lory’s career, he’s written, acted and directed children’s theatre and musical theatre. He enjoys art, especially sculpture. He loves science fiction and historical fiction and he has been deeply involved in the green movement all across North America. All this shows through when you read his work. Lory has three grown children and works and lives in Kingston, Canada.

To find out more about Lory visit www.lorykaufman.com

Blog Tour Stop: Review - The Bronze and the Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman

What could go wrong in the 14th-century
for three time-traveling teens?
How about – EVERYTHING!

Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, three teens from the 24th-century, are trapped in 14th-century Verona, Italy. They’ve survived many deadly experiences by keeping their wits about them and by introducing futuristic technology into the past. Principal among these inventions is the telescope, which brought them to the attention to the rich and powerful.

But standing out can get you into unexpected and dangerous situations. The nobles of Verona now believe Hansum is a savant, a genius inventor, especially after he brings them plans for advanced cannons and black powder. Being the center of attention is great, but the potential for trouble is now exponentially greater because people are watching Hansum’s every move.

Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disasterous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.

Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone.

Do they have a future in this past?

Normally I don't read books that are in a series one right after the other. Sometimes I find that I get over-saturated with the characters and the story line so I have to take a break and read a couple other books before I come back to the rest of the series. That is NOT the case with the Verona Trilogy. Not in the slightest. The Bronze and the Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman is an amazing story. I couldn't get enough of it.

It's suspenseful and thrilling and completely action-packed. The only thing I disliked was poor Gina (the donkey, not the cannon). Hansum is now the Podesta's man much to his (and Guilietta's) dismay. He's doing a good job keeping his head above water amidst all the nobility that surrounds him, but at the same time he keeps digging himself a deeper hole that he may not be able to get out of.

I did find the explanation of creating salt peter and the process of making everything to do with the cannons a bit tedious and hard to stay interested in (much like the process of making the "discs for the eyes" in book 1) but if that was the worst thing about this book, I'll take it.

Lincoln is no longer a teenage jerk, but a productive member of the medieval Italian society and an important role in the story. And I love the relationship between Shamira and Guilietta. I find it weird that Shamira was ever considered a "hard case" and sentenced to History Camp to begin with, but I suppose if she wasn't we would have had an entirely different story on our hands.

I was extremely frustrated with the way things were playing out (in a good way though) but the end of the story just brought more twists and turns and loose ends that needed to be resolved in the third book or I'd have thrown the whole series across the room. It was sad but hopeful and I couldn't help but immediately grab book 3 to find out what happened.

Again, I would absolutely recommend this novel to anybody. Especially if you're interested in Post-Dystopian fiction (or you've already read book 1). It was a phenomenal read and I just didn't want to put it down.

Blog Tour Stop: Review - The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman

BOOK #1 of The Verona Trilogy:

Young Adult, Post-Dystopian Fiction

It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences (A.I.s), have finally created the perfect post-dystopian society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan.

In this first of a trilogy, we meet three spoiled teens in the year 2347. Hansum almost 17, is good looking and athletic. Shamira, 15, is sassy, independent and an artistic genius. Lincoln, 14, is the smart-aleck. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find his insecurities.

These three “hard cases” refuse the valuable lessons History Camps teach. But when they are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy, they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die. The dangers are many, their enemies are powerful, and safety is a long way away. It’s hardly the ideal environment to fall in love – but that’s exactly what happens. In an attempt to survive, the trio risks introducing technology from the future. It could save them – or it could change history.

I was hoping to win a copy of The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman in a Goodreads giveaway some time ago, but was not so lucky. So when I saw the chance to participate in a blog tour for the Verona Trilogy I jumped on it.

Hansum is what they call a "hard case". He's incredibly bright but he just doesn't.... get it. Know what I mean? He takes for granted the things that he has and the life that he lives because he never knew the struggles and the hardships of centuries before. So he, along with 2 other "hard cases" are sent to History Camp to learn to appreciate the way that they live.

Only... Hansum brings along something that influences the trio to more or less kick the beehive and cause trouble to the enactors at the camp. Shortly after they are spirited away to ACTUAL 1347 Verona, Italy and are forced to apprectice with someone who is DEFINITELY not an employee in a History Camp. Scared and left on their own they have to figure out how to assimilate and get along with Medieval times and do what they can to get by until it's time for them to go home.

The book was exciting. It got right in to the swing of things from the very beginning when Hansum is sentenced to 2 weeks of History Camp. No time is wasted on getting him there and then the fun begins.

Hansum is a very likeable character. That may be because he knows how to charm the pants off of anyone he comes in contact with... or the fact that he's quick witted and good in a pinch. He may be a hard case, but no worse than a lot of teens in the days we live in now who take advantage of the things that are given to them. Shamira also doesn't seem like much of a hard case. She's quiet and reserved and a brilliant artist. She's a quick learner and eager to help those around her. Lincoln irritated me at first. Immature and rude, but what 14 year old isn't? He certainly proved himself later on in the story and actually became quite likeable. And an invaluable apprentice to the Master the trio was serving under.

The secondary characters in the story are very endearing and you can't help but smile at Master della Cappa. You can't help but hope that Hansum and Guilietta get to be together despite the fact that Hansum is a servant and Guilietta is the Master's daughter.

Honestly, I never thought I'd enjoy reading about a lensmaker as much as I did. Granted, at the beginning while they were describing the process I kind of skimmed over that. I'm not good at reading lengthy directions (personal flaw, what can I say) or instructions. But other than that the book was a very fast read. It was an interesting look in to Medieval Verona and it was fun to imagine what life was like for the teens in that time. I'm very excited to really get in to book two, The Bronze and the Brimstone to see what happens to our "hard cases".

I'd recommend this book to absolutely anyone. Once you get pulled in to the story you'll find it hard to make your way back out until the book is over.