Title: Axel: The Mysterious Tapestry
Author: Adelphi L. DeGuzman
Publisher: Adelpha L. Deguzman
ISBN: 979-8349257858
Pages: 240
Genre: Fantasy / Fiction
Reviewer: Susan Brown
Hollywood Book Reviews
A prophesy. A magical tapestry. A call to adventure. A mystical world. A young boy growing up in a run-of-the-mill family, unbeknownst to him or his parents, he is chosen to leave his ordinary world for a challenging adventure in an out-of-the-ordinary world. This fantasy novel captures all the elements of the quintessential hero’s journey.
The young man is Axel. His origin story is intertwined with a prophecy that said, “Through generations of female offspring, one descendant would bear the prophesied son.” He is “the first male heir of Mitron’s lineage on earth and the son of that prophesy.” As usual in a hero’s journey, Axel didn’t choose it. So, he must go, whether he wants to or not, to a world he doesn’t understand, where he’ll have powers he doesn’t know how to use, to save a kingdom he’s never heard of. All accessed through a “mysterious tapestry.”
The tapestry was originally given to 11-year-old Axel by a peculiar looking old man. Axel tucks it away in his closet and forgets about it until the old man returns three years later. It is time for Axel to begin his adventure. Under emotional duress, he does, indeed, step through the magic tapestry, landing in the kingdom of Zycodian. He meets the Queen who explains that her realm is in danger from an evil enemy. She wants his help retrieving 12 celestial gems from the 12 tribes that make up her sovereign state. Each, when retrieved, will be used to create a weapon that will defeat her nemesis.
Axel, being the Chosen One, is put through many tests, trials and challenges. He must use all his wiles in partnership with an eccentric group of characters from the different tribes, while in unfamiliar and exotic settings, all as an inexperienced 14-year-old boy being asked to take on something that he didn’t ask for.
This is a charming story. Axel as a hero is a convincing mix of a young boy and courageous hero. The author has successfully created a captivating fantasy world; an inventive and humorous blend of real and imaginary. The writing is funny and clever. Author Adelphi DeGuzman spins a believable tale that keeps my attention to the last page, and what a last page! An ending I didn’t anticipate, but one filled me with anticipation of what might come next from the author.
I really enjoy the fantasy genre. It’s escapism at its best. When it’s done well, and Axel: The Mysterious Tapestry is done well, it tickles my imagination, stimulating a desire to immerse myself in another world. If you’ve never read a fantasy book, this one is a fascinating one to begin with.