The Living Waters (The Weirdwater Confluence Book 1)

Oh…that delicious feeling when a book wraps you into its world. So that even when you surface, you feel the characters tugging at you to draw you back to their ‘lives’. This ticks all my star boxes and more, so much more.There are lovingly-crafted main characters to care deeply about: 'Painted Faces', Temi and Sylvan; 'minder and meditator', Gilea; 'free spirit' Leo (who owns the most heart-breaking moment of the book) - with point of view segueing seamlessly between them, so that you can learn of their hearts and minds. Fitzgerald's other characters, too, are convincingly and intricately imagined, whether from different races, such as the ipsis, or even other forms of being, such as the sitri.There is truly amazing world-building - Fitzgerald’s imagination in creating the living waters and their world is unique and irresistible - and all of this told in evocative prose which is a real joy to read.Another essential ingredient for me is the reading-pleasure afforded by the forward momentum of a story which may be “sword-free”, but is certainly not danger-free. Last, but very far from least on my list, is the fact that The Living Waters puts forward a world view filled with painful moral dilemmas which reflect those of our own.Please don’t miss this! I can’t wait for the second part… and not only have I bought the ebook, I'm going to treat myself to the printed book, drawn in by that enticing cover and the knowledge that I will want to re-read and re-read this super-special book.

I really loved this one! The world building is fantastic. I absolutely loved everything about the river, the swirls and the cultures we meet.I adored Leo and wouldn't mind an entire book just with his and Sea Wolf's shenanigans when paddling around and talking to all walks of life along the river.It's a 4 only because there were a couple of quips that are entirely due to my personal preferences regarding POV's, timelines and a specific type of magic. I much prefer very close POV and it got a bit too distanced sometimes, I think maybe it's just the writer's voice -- which overall was so lovely and relaxing to read I breezed through while I've had trouble concentrating most of this year.It's an easy recommend from me, light on the romance, amazing world, loveable characters. A perfect comfort read imo!

At some point, I'm going to go back and study the way this author handles action beats (descriptions of character gestures). He shows the ancillary actions surrounding dialogue so vividly. Examples: "...her face crinkling into a warm smile." and "She unstoppered her vial and drank the tincture in time with Amini, scrunching her face against the metallic tang." This book is jam-packed with images just like this.I like the premise of companions on a journey away from their privileged lives as part of a custom like Rumspringa. And as a world building fanatic, I reveled in the rich details of the biology and geography of this world. There was so much realism and attention to detail with how they sustained themselves on the river journey. I didn't know what a trotline was until I'd read this book :) Here's some of the attention to detail I really appreciated: "Sylvan's hands burned with every stroke of the paddle, even through the gloves. His palms were raw from the morning's work sawing and hauling wood for the raft..." and "A brazier in the center of the room gave off thin streams of purplish-gray smoke, which rose into the high, arched ceiling, merging to form a nebulous haze."And then there are touching interactions like this: "She pulled out her handkerchief and dabbed around her eyes, breathing a small laugh as she saw the yellow on the cloth where some of her paint had come off. Her laughter grew into a snort when she looked up and saw the yellow smudge on Gilea's forehead."My favorite lines were: "Leo had promised safer travels and greater wonders on this trip, but he was ever one to paint the sky with the colors of his heart." and "She wondered if this is what everyone referred to when they spoke of love." and "Gilea felt something release inside her, and a space opened like a bubble surrounding them, and Gilea's awareness filled the bubble." Writing like this is beautiful without being overly flowery.The brief mention of the Maer makes me want to try out the Maer trilogy now. I love how this series ties in with the other.

The Living Waters travels at a different pace to The Maer Cycle, exploring a different region and different people in that world. The growth the main characters go through doesn’t revolve around battles but knowledge and for some, delving into meditation. You can’t help but share the wonder of the cast as they work through experiences they never expected to encounter.

I initially picked up this book because it was promoted as “sword-free” fantasy, which sounded intriguing. It’s an adventure-based fantasy, and though there are no swords, it isn’t completely free of conflict. There are a few tense situations, but they’re resolved in ways that don’t involve conventional fantasy weaponry (it isn’t completely nonviolent, as there is some violence toward the end.)There are four main characters in the book. Temi, a young noblewoman from a struggling family who is also a gifted illustrator; Sylvan, another noble who has just earned his doctorate in life sciences; Gilea, who is something of a guardian for the nobles’ trip down the river; and Leo, their guide.Sylvan’s character made my biologist’s heart very happy. I loved his curiosity, his fascination with the fish and other creatures they encountered, and his desire to explore and learn more about his environment. I love stories that feature an expedition, and when there is some form of science involved…well, I’m a happy reader. And while the science isn’t central to the story, it’s always a bit refreshing to see it referenced—particularly in a fantasy novel.Gilea was interesting, in that she was a practitioner of a meditative art and could often sense things about people or her surroundings. She was also determined to do her job and do it well; she was very protective of Temi and Sylvan, as she’d been hired to watch over.I didn’t connect as much with Temi or Leo, but they were both interesting characters in their own ways.As the story progresses, Leo and Sylvan are intrigued by some of the creatures and phenomena they encounter along the river, which prompts them to make the decision to seek the area known as the Living Waters.Without going into spoilers for this book, I can say I enjoyed the metaphysical nature of the magic in this world, as well as the creatures and people encountered in the Living Waters. It was a unique story set in a fascinating world that felt complete, but with much more to explore. (The author has a few other books set in this world, but as I understand it, they’re more romance-heavy than this one was.)If you’re looking for a different sort of fantasy, definitely check out The Living Waters.

The Living Waters is the first of Dan Fitzgerald's work I have read, and I am very pleased with it. He gives us a story quite unlike the standard fare one thinks of when thinking about fantasy stories. It is full of diverse characters who we learn have some important things in common. The desire to see dreams come true. I'm not quite sure who I'd recommend this story to specifically, but I think anyone with the ability to see beyond the apparent will take something they can use from learning about and from the wonderful characters presented to us. Give yourself the opportunity to explore a world you never knew you wanted to visit.