"Song of the Mountain" by Michelle Isenhoff (Review & e-Book World-Wide Giveaway)

About the book: Orphaned at a young age, thirteen-year-old Wei Song has grown up listening to his grandfather recite legends of the distant past. But it is his own history Song seeks to uncover to guide him toward the future, particularly the events surrounding his parents’ deaths. But that is a secret closely guarded by his grandfather. Then Song discovers an heirloom that links him to an ancient prophecy. His destiny lies within the old tales he has scorned. Song must follow the path that killed his father.  
Mud and mire shall birth a tree,
A sprout shall grow of ancient seed.
The five unite to break the one,
The curse of man shall be undone.
But brothers rise ere dragon’s bane.
The last shall smite the first again

My thoughts: With her beautiful use of words, Michelle Isenhoff has created a story whose text flows with imagery and words that incite the mind to create a picture of a world in a time long ago when the world was young, man lived harsh lives, evil abounded, and dragons lurked.

In Song of the Mountain one might think this is a story of a mountain and the song-story about it. Not so. This is a story set in a long ago oriental world. Song is a boy growing up in primitive surroundings and being raised by his grandfather, who is not who he seems to be. They live on the mountain and in the valley is a village. Nearby is the land the "Lord" who is over them all. 

But there is evil and that is in the form of a dragon who seeks to destroy.

This is a short middle-reader book that even adults can enjoy.  I do not typically read fantasy which this is somewhat akin to. But I thoroughly enjoyed this little book. The story of "beginnings" and of conquest over evil is timeless. I recommend this and other books by Michelle Isenhoff heartily for classroom use as well as personal reading enjoyment.

GIVEAWAY: Michelle Isenhoff will give away a digital copy of her Worlds of Magic collection, which includes Song of the Mountain, The Quill Pen, and her brand new one, Taylor Davis and the Flame of Findul. Winner can choose it in mobi, epub, or pdf format.  Begins May 29 & ENDS June 12  @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open world wide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary paperback copy of Song of the Mountain  was provided by Michelle Isenhoff to facilitate my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.