The Sorcerer’s Garden by D. Wallace Peach

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by Karen DeMers Dowdall

In the story of The Sorcerer’s Garden by D. Wallace Peach, we see the overall story as fascinating and rich in details that excite our need for fantasy and storytelling.  At first glimpse, it is a story about dragons, courage, adventure, war, soul-thieves, and the good verses the bad in people.

The story is really two stories, that in the end, become one where fantasy and reality merge.  The main characters, Madlyn, Cody, Dustin, and Lillian, each have different world views that conflict with each other, but all are necessary for everyone to cope with the approaching sense of loss that is meaningful to each one, a natural human response to things out of our control.

Yet, if one draws back the curtain of this story, it is a unique telling of how fantasy interplays with tragedy, grief, and loss, in the real world.  We are often changed by the realization that we live both in the real world and our perceptions of that world are often a fantasy from a deep psychological need to believe that things are better or worse, than they are.

The author, in my opinion, is telling us something about ourselves and that makes this story so much more than what it first appears to be.  The Sorcerer’s Garden is a study of human behavior and how to fight human urges of greed, scarcity, power, war, and cruelty that must be continually fought to create a more caring world through the realization that there is no need for greed, power, and cruelty, because there is no scarcity. There is only a perception of scarcity that steals our souls, formed out of our human fears. In the end, it is fear itself that leads to all the pain and suffering in the world.  I highly recommend this truly unique and powerful story. 5 stars

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Karen DeMers Dowdall

Karen DeMers Dowdall was born in West Hartford, Connecticut. She has lived in Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and England. Karen has a PhD, MSN, BSN, RN in Nursing from Florida Atlantic University. “Books of every genre teach us about life, how we think, and view the world." She has written poems and little short stories since she was a child. Karen loves art, she enjoys drawing, painting in oils, pastels, colored pencils, and doing portraiture. She has also taken ballet, Jazz, and modern dance since she was three years old and owned her own dance studio.

62 thoughts on “The Sorcerer’s Garden by D. Wallace Peach”

  2. Thank you so much for the wonderful review, Karen. What a treat! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story and that you delved into the layers beneath pure fantasy. You hit the mark perfectly. ❤ I'll reblog on Saturday. I'm delighted to share. Hugs.

    Liked by 3 people

      1. Diana, I know my review was personal for me, but I can still write a review that relates to how great the writing was, the tapestry of lives the story told, so beautiful woven together, the well-developed characters, each a primary protagonist or antagonist that was essential to the story with each word carefully chosen. I can write it this way too. Let me know. Karen 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Brad, I am over joyed by your wonderful compliment. For me, that story said so much, that I could not help but tell the true meaning behind this incredibly intriguing fantasy and beautifully written story that had so much to say beyond the obvious. Thank you so much, Karen 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    1. Thank you Teagan, for the wonderful compliment, Yes, I think Diana does something really important, because she weaves a moral imperative through her stories and that takes the story to a deeper level and wraps it beautifully in a great fantasy story, add to that the great writing and it makes the story so special. I think that is what moved me so much. Thank you again,
      Karen 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Tina. I so agree about reviews that share a personal reaction. And I’m much more apt as a reader to pick up a book after reading a review that seemed to invite some reflection. 🙂 Kudos to Karen for taking the time to put her thoughts in words. I couldn’t be happier. ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  12. A good author tells a captivating story while subtly revealing truths about ourselves, and the world we live in. That’s exactly what D. Wallace Peach does in this book. I read it about a year ago, and it’s still on my ‘best books read recently’ list. Wonderful review, Karen.

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Hi, thank you for the wonderful compliment and I appreciate it so much. I had my doubts about revealing so much about the real underlying philosophy and message behind the story, but I was so moved by it that I had to write it. The writing of the fantasy story is wonderful too. She is a master at fantasy world building and storytelling. Karen 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi L. T., thank you for the lovely compliment and greatly appreciated. And, yes, Diana is a gifted storyteller and she handles with finesse, underlying philosophies that I find intriguing and important. Wonderful. Karen 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Thanks, Lana, for the wonderful and kind comment. 🙂 This book is probably the closest I’ve come to self-insertion in a book, and it was kind of fun. I’m so grateful to Karen for the lovely review. Have an awesome week. It’s almost vacation! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  15. What a brilliant review Karen on Diana’s book. I am now so intrigued to venture into reading this captivating book 🙂
    Congratulations Diana on this very obvious fantastic book and of course this great review. Have a wonderful week. 🙂 x

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lynne, thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. I always look for the meaning behind every book, if there is one and of course, Diana, always layers her novels with truths of whatever topic in the fantasy novel she is writing, calls for, as many other writers do as well and she does it with finesse. I love writing like this. Karen 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  16. A charming and insightful review that goes straight to the heart of what every good book, fantasy or not, is really about: how by facing adversity and injustice characters grow to become more than they ever thought they could be and how we realise, through reading about their adventures, we can also aspire to be more than we thought we could.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Paula, that is so true and believing it now, is more important than ever. Writers have the opportunity now to help make America and the world to be a better, kinder, more caring home where our hearts can offer the gifts we have been given by the words we write. All of us must use are words to fight adversity and injustice that it is happening now in America and in the world. we cannot stay silent and hope someone else will stand in our stead. There are some who fearlessly stand up and write the truth, but we need many more writers to write on twitter, their blogs, and their books, like Diana did, and speak to power that has been corrupted by greed. Karen

      Liked by 2 people

      3. Karen Please don’t worry about it it is having the two names run into each other it’s hard to know where one ends and the other begins! So please please don’t worry about it. Best regards Paul

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Thanks so much for stopping by to read Karen’s wonderful review, Paul. Aside from a crazy magic adventure, this book is my only one that takes place in modern times (sort of) and I couldn’t help but let the characters offer some commentary on the troubles of the day, all happening within the context of loss and the mystery of the soul. Karen was so sweet to share that in her review. I was delighted. Happy Writing, my friend. ❤

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Debbie, thank for the lovely compliment. Diana writes great fantasy novels and each with an underlying message for a better, kinder world, and writers can and do change minds and hearts through writing on their blog, twitter, Facebook and books they write that do the same. We cannot assume that others will stand in our stead, each of us, as writers, must speak to truth to power that is corrupted by greed, because if we don’t, the book, “The Late, Great Plant Earth” will come true. Karen

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Thanks, Debby. I just love how this community of writers is so dedicated to “kindness and compassion.” It’s so heartening. I think I’d be in a much darker place without connections like you and Karen and other blogger/writers who are trying to make a difference with your words. Have a wonderful day, my friend. ❤

      Liked by 2 people

  18. Karen, this is a superb review of Diana’s book – this book drew me in from the very first page and the interplay and merging of the real world with the fantasy was inspired. I love how you reach beneath the main story to its deeper levels and how it reflects us all. Fantastic post and a lovely to see the well-deserved praise and five stars! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Annika, for the wonderful comment. I’m delighted with the review and so pleased with your kind words. This little book got a bit of a recharge, which it needed. 🙂 Have a wonderful week and Happy Writing! ❤

      Liked by 2 people

  19. Thank you Annika, for the wonderful comment and I feel so overwhelmed by all the caring comments and that we are all kindred spirits, wanting only to see where we can make a difference in the world with books like Diana’s. Writers and bloggers have a unique place in society and can change hearts and minds. Thank so much, Karen

    Liked by 1 person

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