Love this book! Don't walk, RUN to the bookstore and buy it. Better yet, get it for your Kindle so you can start reading it immediately. Thomas Locke has it all in this book. A well written plot, fleshed-out characters that you can identify with, realism, suspense, intrigue drama, action -- everything is in this story. It is so good, I don't know how I am going to wait for the next installment. You will be hooked within the first 25 pages and it's a book you can't put down. I have to add the disclaimer that I received a free, courtesy copy of this book but I would have paid for it. It's that good. This book is on the order of a Lord of the Rings type adventure so if you like that type of book, you will love this. Even if you don't like a book like that, I'm sure you will en joy this book. The writing is superlative! I read (a lot, probably 4 books a week at least) and this book is one of the best books I have ever read. No hyperbole, speaking the truth. This was such a good read, I am going to read it again....and probably once more in anticipation of the next installment.

This was an adventure fantasy with beautiful prose. The cover is stunning! Hyam is a very strong character and I enjoyed the hero aspect. I really loved learning about the symbols and languages throughout the telling of this adventure.It was an intriguing fantasy and should make an interesting series.

This was a difficult read for me that I had a hard time getting into. Emissary felt at the same time too long and missing details about the characters, mainly the main character Hyam, who for some reason only at 21 finds out he has magical powers, after first enjoying his simple life as a farmer.

The rest is a pretty standard fantasy story, where Hyam will prove everyone rather quickly why he is such a special boy and fights some battles. The problem is that even though Hyam is really at the core of the story, I didn't feel like I got to know him at all. Also, the romantic angle I didn't care for.

I won't be continuing this series, it was not for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Epic fantasy meets futuristic magic as Locke delivers a beautiful blend of mystery, drama, and medieval myths and legends. From the beginning, I was trapped in it's spell, unable to tear myself away for even a moment. I fell in love with the characters, feeling each moment with them as they went through them.

There is something about a trio of warriors, off on a quest to save the world, that appeals to everyone's sense of adventure, and this was no different. The only thing I felt needed improvement was expressing the character's emotions more. There were a few scenes where I needed to guess what the characters were feeling and thinking.

But all in all, a great book, I would recommend it to everyone, young and old. If you need an adventurous, suspenseful story, with a few surprising twists and turns, with promises of great sequels, this is the book for you.

Thomas Locke -- a pseudonym for author Davis Bunn -- pens a fantasy series for adults featuring a reluctant hero on a journey to discover his destiny and use his special abilities in the fight against evil.

In Emissary, twenty-one year old Hyam has a gift for mastering languages, even ones not spoken in recent history. As his mother lies dying, she begs him to return to Long Hall where he studied as a child. A revelation from the Mistress of Long Hall reveals the truth about his parentage and starts him off on his journey, earning him an appointment as emissary to the Ashanta people. Hyam discovers his powers are feared and misunderstood by others, yet they are vital to the outcome of the upcoming war.

Locke creates the Realm -- a fantasy world for Hyam’s story -- where good and evil face off while unusual creatures face adventures along the way. Like most epic fantasies, the story features an orphaned (and reluctant) hero who must face inner demons to undertake a dangerous quest. In Hyam’s case, he discovers that he has magical powers he must learn to control.

Although Emissary is excels in its plot development and world-building, the book starts out slowly. The reader’s interest isn’t fully engaged until about halfway into the book. There is no evidence of a Christian theme in the book, except in the eternal fight between good and evil. Elves, wizards, magic, and strange creatures abound in Emissary, making it more fantasy than inspirational fantasy or Christian allegory.