Title: Creedor (The Reglon Empire Series #1)
Author: Gail Morgan McRae
Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy
Release date: March 6th, 2014
Release by: Moon and Stars Press
Blurb: Dr. Simon Slogar and Commander Michael Camdus have been given the task of stopping an epidemic on Creedor. It is only after they arrive on the windswept planet that they discover there’s a much greater threat.
Creedorians are being snatched from their homes, leaving survivors to fend for themselves. One brave woman, Mara Tonlin, decides to find her husband and rescue him or die trying. Her story intertwines with the original mission, leading Camdus and his men into even greater danger.
Intruders, wizards, changelings, and a subspace particle Rider all intersect with Slogar, Camdus and his men in Creedor, the first book of the Reglon Empire Series.
REVIEW
I was gripped by Gail Morgan McRae’s Creedor, the first book of The Reglon Empire series. The pace throughout was perfect, with plenty going on and many characters to get to know. I must admit that the story description/blurb does not come into light until a little further into the book, however as this is the first book of the series I imagine the author is beginning her story with an introduction to the world of Creedor, how it is ruled and by whom, and what changes make it become so dangerous.
I really came to love the early characters, especially the original ruler’s (Elder Horatio Borm’s) wife, Andria, and their wizard friend, Vandalen. After the Emperor was killed and Vandalen was imprisoned I was just hoping for a happier ending where he would eventually be released and at least come home to Andria, since his own wife had passed away and couldn’t go on with out him. Nothing more was mentioned of these characters which left me wondering whether the author was finished with them, or will come back to them (at least in hindsight) later in the series.
After making himself Emperor, the story moves on under the rule of Commander Jarlod. Nobody had attacked his taking over as he already had in place his military men to guard over him and Creedor, and so people simply had to accept it or accept punishment.
“Now most men would try to hide their crime, but not Jarlod. He had already spread his military throughout the Empire assuring there’d be no reprisal once news got out.”
Overtime, all disease and viruses became no longer a threat to the population. This leads to Jarlod ending all medical education and preventing doctors and anyone with medical knowledge to pursue their work. It is assumed there is no need for it, and anyone who carries on any work will be punished. But, there is one man who doesn’t allow this rule to own him…
Dr. Simon Slogar has studied medicine from a very early age, realising that it is usually the under-privileged that are more susceptible to health problems and therefore he finds the need to help – after all, we are all people. These views oppose his own families to a certain degree as he comes from a more privileged class but has always been more open-minded and aware of other social classes.
Therefore, Slogar continues to practice medicine in hiding, in the hope that he can help. As the years wear on he turns to drink, and gives up on medicine as there is no one who needs his help. During this time he has not gone unheard of and Jarlod had sent people to find him and punish him for his research. Only, people start to become diseased again and it isn’t too long before an epidemic will rise on Creedor. Now Dr. Slogar is needed to help the people before it is too late. Commander Camdus is sent to bring back Slogar from another planet, be that willingly or not.
Now, as the book description suggests, there is more happening in Creedor than meets the eye – certainly more than an epidemic of disease, with unidentified militants seemingly ready to attack, and some people going missing. It is here that we are introduced to Mara Tonlin, who is left with absolutely nothing, and feels she has no option than to look for her husband. As her path crosses with Slogar’s and Camdus’ it is set up brilliantly for the next instalment.
Creedor certainly does have plenty happening, making for a quick and exciting read, even if it did wrap up a little too quickly at the end. It is a great start to a new sci-fi fantasy series. Although there are many great characters, they are all written in such a way that the reader can get to know them well and like many of them. Many of the events are fairly easy to follow, with some not so clear cut, but the reader can still get the gist of what is going on from the reactions of the characters and the whole feeling of the situation.
I was a little disappointed that the earlier characters were not mentioned later, particularly Vandalen and Andria. I wanted to know what became of them very badly as I grew to love them. For secondary, supporting characters (if that’s what they were) the author has gone into far too much detail about them than to just leave it where she has. My hope is that they will be revisited in subsequent books of the series, or at the very least, be mentioned so we can find out what became of them. This is a series I would like to read more of. I’d like to know what became of Slogar and Camdus once they reached Creedor, and if Mara will find her husband before it’s too late.
A copy of Creedor was provided by the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.
Creedor (The Reglon Empire Series #1) by Gail Morgan McRae is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.
Reviewed by Caroline Barker
