Return to Exile, by E. J. Patten

This is an interesting book for me to be writing about, since the version I read was not published. Abby should really be the one writing about it, as she read a previous version as well as the version that was finally published last fall. But I'm going to write about it anyway.

The story is that the author is in our ward. As he was writing the book, I had my aneurysm and was so sick that his wife printed out the book (it had been accepted for publication by Simon and Schusters) and brought it over for us to read. It is fantasy -- sort of like Brandon Mull and Harry Potter -- and has lots of very cool elements. It was fun to read but sometimes we got a little lost. Eric, the author, fixed those parts before it was published and it has been selling well enough that a sequel is planned for release on September 18, 2012. He has a series of six books planned.

It's very fun to know someone who is really writing books. And last week we had a book group at his house, which was so interesting. He told us all about the process of becoming published, what it's like to do the writing, where his inspiration comes from, etc. The amazing thing to me is how he keeps track of all the characters and all their character traits. He said he has a big spreadsheet. (The same thing amazes me in Harry Potter. How did she do it???)

Anyway, it's a good read for all you fantasy lovers out there -- it has an interesting plot and cool characters! I'm planning to read this version shortly before the sequel comes out this summer.

Happy reading!