The Excursion – Ruth Davis Hays

Our last Fantastic Blog Hop stop is once more in sultry Florida where we visit the home of Ruth Davis Hays for a final time. Ms. Hays has another special guest visiting and this one makes us all a wee bit nervous. He's behaving (for now) and agreed to sit down and chat. Welcome, sir. Tell us about yourself.

I am Dharromar Weiss. Some may call me the anti-hero from The Translations from Jorthus series.

What is your biggest fear?

If this is confession time, I will admit to having an intense dread of a certain underground creature known as a Rokworm.

What would you give up everything to have? 

Haven’t I already given up everything? Wait, perhaps the answer to that would be - vindication. That would be a worthy last request.

What is the biggest mistake you've ever made and are you going to be able to rectify it?

Betraying someone who trusted me. That remains to be seen.

What food would you never eat? 

I think I already ate it. One does do strange things in order to survive.

You've dressed to impress. What are you wearing? 

The garments typical of Culetan, a human city on the western side of the continent Verdaillia.  A loose sleeved tunic, jerkin, and leggings. I prefer riding boots, and my cape is a necessity. Of course, I keep my sword close at hand. One never knows what will happen. 

What one thing have you found unattainable thus far in your life? 

Validation for being alive.

What is about to change for you? 

I may loose my freedom or my life at any moment. Circumstances have ripped me from a well plotted life, and I smell chaos on the wind.

Where do you live? 

I reside, for the most part, in a transdimensional manor house with an anchored door on Jorthus, in Byton Grove. It is my area of safety; untouchable by the uninvited.

Who are you?

That’s a tricky question. I could say that I am a lord. Or I could say that I am a bastard. Both would be accurate. Some call me daemon. Others call me changeling. I am fae. That is all I will attest to at this time. 

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I see what I was taught to see by “loved ones”:  unworthiness and disappointment. 

Who do you hate and why? 

Everyone. Not all for the same reasons.

Gods below, this conversation took a turn for the morose, didn’t it? Forgive me. Questions about myself inevitably lead to dark places.

The Excursion - A Review

Book three of Ruth Davis Hays' 'Translations of Jorthus' series is even more exciting than the first two – which I totally loved. Well, I fell in love with this one too.

Picking up where Book Two, The Convergence, left off, Hays follows her wonderful characters through this fast paced fantasy.

In the seeming safety of Calder, in the heart of a volcano caldera, Lilith and Keinigan once more find themselves facing great danger. This time, they have some new friends:

Trevalin – an honorable knight with an intricately crafted silver hand, fights by their side.

Rachel – a girl from Earth, has somehow traveled to Jorthus.

Hamlin – a simple peasant has found his way to Calder, running away from his home after committing a crime.

The only one missing from their number is Dharromar, Lilith's former lover and mysterious, dark assassin.

As the planet Quorrelles draws near, life on Jorthus is threatened. Nightmare creatures of unknown origin have overrun much of the country, slaughtering all in their path. It is up to the companions to fight these creatures and find a way to open a portal to distant and dangerous Quorrelles in hope of finding a way to save Jorthus from disaster.

Hays has woven a wonderful tale rich with beautiful imagery, creating a fantasy tapestry for the reader. Her characters are wonderfully well rounded and endear themselves to the reader. One can even find sympathy for the dark and chaotic Dharromar. Although he's the baddest of the bad boys, there's something about him that makes us cheer his successes.

I must say, my favorite character is Keinigan, the faerlin thief. He's come a long way from the wayward pickpocket of book one, The Dawnstone Tale. Though he's grown a lot, he has more to go.

I highly recommend all three of Ruth Davis Hays' books: The Dawnstone Tale, The Convergence and The Excursion. I can't wait for the next book so I can once more travel in the world of Jorthus.

Five Golden Acorns

© Dellani Oakes