Words
from our Wizard:
Lord Kveldulf Speaks!
KINGDOM
& FAIRE OF THE MONTH
THE SECRET OF SHABAZ
KINGDOM & FAIRE OF THE MONTH: SHIABRUCK
Greetings, fellow Champions of the Imagination, and hello to you all
as well, Barbarian lovers in general.
Lord Kveldulf here, once more answering the summons of our Principal
Barbarians, Thor and Muninn, that I may share my tidings for this issue
with those so consider themselves to be interested in a Renaissance
Faire or Renaissance Group that is worthy of their notice. By some curious
chance, our Faire of the Month is also our Kingdom of the Month. This
is because they share the same name --- Shiabruck!
The Shiabruck Medieval Re-enactment Association, to give our Faire and
Kingdom of the Month their full name, is made up of men, women and children
from all walks of life --- in this instance, the lands of Owosso, Michigan
--- who are dedicated to the historical preservation and reenactment
of medieval times. This they do by interacting with commoners in an
educational, informative, and, at times, occasionally silly way. Indeed,
as their Mission Statement suggests, these Good People are committed
to educating and infroming the public about the life and times of a
typical everyday medieval community.
Central to this particular community is the Kingdom of Shiabruck's jolly,
benevolent ruler, His Majesty, King Henry the Red (mundanely known as
Ken McGhee). King Henry's primary base of operations is the fabulous
Curwood Castle, overlooking the wonderful Shiawassee River, far above
which one may find Curwood Castle Park. Each year, His Majesty and his
Royal entourage honor the memory of the Castle's namesake, noble author
and adventurer James Oliver Curwood (born 12 June 1878; died 13 August
1927), who was an intense lover of Mother Nature, by marching in the
annual Curwood Festival Parade, and spending a week on the Castle grounds,
welcoming any and all who would seek to know more about the Kingdom.
In recent years, however, the Castle has not been adequate or large
enough to suit King Henry's needs for the expansion of his dominion;
to that end, this year's Shaibruck Medieval Festival, proceeds from
whence will support the continued upkeep of the uniforms, equipment,
props, etc. of the Kingdom, has moved from Curwood Castle to the nearby
Gerald Collamer Memorial Park in downtown Owosso, which will take place
on the weekend of August 6th and 7th.
As for the Curwood Festival itself, that is scheduled for June 2nd through
the 5th. Would ye know more? Well, you can contact His Majesty of Shiabruck
at either kinghenrythered2000@yahoo.com
or kinghenrythered@charter.net.
Or, better still, log
onto http://www.shiabruck.org/index.html
--- you can even give the Royal Palace a buzz or two, at either 1-989-723-1395
or 1-989-723-1704. Ye may also contact the Kingdom of Shiabruck by writing
to: Shiabruck Medieval Re-enactment Association, 120 South Oak Street,
Owosso, MI 48867-3143.
Those interested in knowing more of the Curwood Castle Festival may
visit http://curwoodfestival.com/
--- or phone 1-989-723-2161; or e-mail curwood.festivalinc@verizon.net;
or write to Post Office Box 461, Owosso, MI 48867.
Oh yes, one other thing: King Henry expects everyone he meets to always
be on their best behaviour. As His Majesty's RoyalAmbassador (yes, I
must admit to having been bestowed a few months agone with that distinction!),
I too would request that expectation. One should always know how to
properly deal with Royals, especially when they're busy with matters
of state --- like babysitting! (Know ye, in case ye be confused, that
the Shiabruck Royal
Photo Gallery has a delicious little portrait of His Majesty bouncing
the tiny Prince Luke on his Royal Lap! 'Tis not an easy trick, being
both King and Royal Babysitter; but King Henry succeeds with the same
delightful demeanor one would expect of a Monarch such as he!)
And on that jolly note, m'friends, I'm outta
here.
Until next issue, fellow warriors --- Lord Kveldulf, Mage and Emissary
to the Barbarian Court, hath spoken!
THE SECRET OF SHABAZ
Medallion Press: Young Adult
The honor and courage of making a sacrifice in the name of those we
love has always been a remarkably wonderful subject for many a good
romantic science fiction-fantasy novel. Over the years, many such books
have graced book stores of every description, offering readers a powerful,
riveting adventure packed with compelling characters, lovably faithful
sidekicks, nasty villains, sinister plots to control the balance of
power --- and Merlin knows what else.
So when I was presented with the task of reviewing Jennifer Macaire's
romantic fantasy adventure The Secret of Shabaz, at first I was prepare
to say: Oh twaddle! Same romantic nonsense, different synopsis. Little
did I realize what I was in store for me when I started reading the
first chapter.
Shabaz was in days of yore a noble-hearted
unicorn who faithfully served his mistress in a land where peace and
truth were supreme over all else. But that reign of happiness was to
be short-lived, for an evil Necromancer laid waste to the region, determined
to destroy anything that stood in his way. Shabaz, not willing to see
his mistress --- or her infant daughter --- perish in the wake of such
destruction, sacrificed his horn, and then journeyed far into time and
space to cast a powerful spell that could send them and their elven
companion, the knight errant Wander Birchspring (who, it should be noted,
also willingly sacrificed his youth) into a place where, or so they
hoped, they would find safety and hopefully peace.
Two centuries later, Tania has grown into
a fine, wonderful 17 1/2-year-old maiden, content to work as a servant
girl in the inner sanctums of the once proud Castle Storm. Birchspring,
to whom she now often refers as "Grandfather," is now ancient,
long-bearded, and occasionally grumpy beyond measure. But rumors are
spreading across the region, telling tales of the coming of a new Dark
Lord, a new Necromancer, whose power threatens the stability of the
land. When Tania asks her Grandfather if the rumors are true, he reveals
to her an unprecedented secret: that the evil force that the Necromacer's
far ancestor once wielded has returned in an apparent attempt to finish
what said ancestor had begun.
And so, armed only with a ring which grants
her the power to speak the language of beasts, and an unlikely maze
of mind games in her future, Tania, joined by Shabaz and her Grandfather,
set out on a Quest to understand the truth while trying to stop a war
that began with the death of Tania's own mother. Along the way, we are
introduced to remarkably hilarious elves (who nonetheless are burdened
by the horror of making war); the pompous force captain who commands
their platoon; and tribes of races who eventually band together to destroy
the new Necromancer .... who might or might not be using them all to
destroy each other.
Jennifer Macaire has written a sensible romance
story, where the real and the unreal collide into a thousand pieces,
and are torn asunder again. With every turn of each page, you discover
the reality behind Shabaz' powerful secret: Will this lovable and mighty
steed once more sacrifice himself for Tania's honor with his last, precious
gift? Or will the Free Peoples tremble beneath the weight of this horrifyingly
new Necromancer, who would seek to revenge himself upon them all and
begin a new reign of terror?
The Secret of Shabaz, published
by Medallion Press, is also featured on the author's homepage, http://www.jennifermacaire.com.
Here visitors can learn more about the author, her published stories
and illustrations, and discover why romantic horse stories have long
served her as an unceasing source of inspiration.
So come, hop aboard, if thou wouldst! Shabaz
is a steed worth riding upon; and to discover his secret ..... that
is an adventure I would heartily recommend!
So swears Lord Kveldulf, Mage and Emissary
to the Barbarian Court!
NEXT MONTH: Our Mage
& Emissary interviews Jennifer Macaire, author of The Secret of
Shabaz!
