Heirs of Destiny series by Carolyn L. Beck

Author Carolyn Beck graciously offered to send me the first two novels in her young adult space opera series to review.

Star Twins tells of royal siblings Jason and Kayla who were stolen away as newborns and raised on different planets. Now as teens, they've been discovered and taken to a world they know nothing about. Can they bring peace to chaos in Iaitha by fulfilling an ancient prophecy?

Generations later in Destinies Collide, Iaitha's women are plagued by barrenness. Another world's overpopulation offers a solution, but it comes with one little hitch - the Chancellor's son, Dillan, must marry the princess of Metplex to seal the contract. In a bizarre series of events, Dillan, the princess's maid Andra, and two youngsters from Metplex's streets, end up on a runaway shuttle-craft and on distant Keetor.

Aimed at younger teens, the Heirs of Destiny series offers fast action and a moderately engaging plot. Its drawbacks come in the form of two-dimensional characters, telling rather than showing, poor editing, a few confusing sequences, and lackluster prose. The author presents the gospel in an interesting format for younger teens, though it may be too blatant for some unbelievers. As a Star Wars fan, I'm intrigued by the idea behind the series, and look forward to seeing how this author's craft improves.

Also, this week the CFBA has been featuring The Longing Season by Christine Schaub. I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, but be sure to visit the other blogs in the Alliance to find out more!