Title: Samuil and the Legendary Snow Owl
Author: Randall Stephens
Publisher: Ink Start Media
ISBN: 978-1961254893
Pages: 326
Genre: Teen & Young Adult /Fantasy
Reviewed by: Liz Konkel
Hollywood Book Reviews
P’etro Fedorchak barely manages to evade death as a soldier in the Shadow War but that doesn’t mean he returns unscathed. A parade is thrown to celebrate their return but not every soldier has made it home, including P’etro’s best friend Samuil. During the parade, he saves a lovely woman named Ilia and never could have predicted that this moment would change his life. He and Ilia eventually marry and start their lives together close to the Black Sea. When Ilia gives birth to their son, they name him in honor of his fallen friend. As young Samuil grows, he is surrounded by dangerous forces that wish to prevent him from fulfilling his destiny. Since birth, the child has been hunted by shadow creatures and soon finds comfort in the forest with his friends. But as his destiny comes to pass, Samuil will need all the help he can get to fight a rising danger.
Samuil and the Legendary Snow Owl, by author Randall Stephens, has an interesting structure, beginning with P’etro in mid-battle which occurs well before the birth of his son. By opening directly into the chaos of war, the tone is set with this conception of destruction and a literal gloomy predawn carried throughout, primarily through P’etro even when he has returned home. The war scenes are rather grim, staying truthful to the concept of war but with a few fantastical twists that include fog and shadows mixed with imagery of gunpowder, smoke, dead warriors, and blood. These are scenes which are important to understanding P’etro’s character and to see what remnants carry with him as he works to protect his son. The writing does a good job of capturing the essence of the world and setting the undertones of what to expect right from the beginning, only to steadily progress as we see the arrival and growth of Samuil.
The concept of friendship is a crucial part of the story with the opening dynamic between P’etro and Samuil setting the stage for young Samuil’s journey. The depth of their friendship added to the reality and loss of war, but the memory is carried onward through young Samuil whose own friendships are reflections of this. His main ally is that of Teddy who is a unique friend with the ability to communicate through his mind and is described as a living breathing soul. This character has multiple functions in the story from being a source of comfort for Samuil to being an ally in a fight against evil to representing the creative fantasy elements that the world provides. He’s reminiscent of an imaginary friend which makes his presence wholesome and adds to the childlike nature of Samuil.
Significant jumps propel the plot forward from war to Samuil’s impending birth to Samuil as a twelve-year-old. Though the majority of events are from P’etro’s perspective, the importance of his son is at the heart of the story. Events are dangerous for Samuil even as a newborn with his parents doing all they can to protect him which helps to ramp up the significance of his destiny and creates suspense for what to expect. The writing has an interesting bend where while the story progresses forward through time, the past is never left forgotten and P’etro always maintains the memories of those he lost in the opening. The world feels grounded, however, does contain plenty of magical elements such as an appearance from a Pegasus, a haunted forest, Teddy, shadow creatures, and even demons. These elements are intricately woven into the premise in a way that never feels forced or takes you out of the world that has been created.
Samuil and the Legendary Snow Owl is an epic fantasy that spans the life of a child whose destiny is set into motion before his birth and whose journey is filled with danger, battle, magic, and friendship. Readers who enjoy fantasy books with a historical twist will find themselves immersed in this tale of good versus evil.