Review by Frank Plowright
Lorraine Adalet is a Sheriff’s Deputy in Montana, yet she’s able to see traces of magic in the world. This isn’t generally known, but being able to use it sure helps the job. Perhaps it’s a balance against many residents who don’t co-operate with the police, even when their children go missing. We see Lorraine’s investigations contrasted with a couple of teenage girls, one of whom can also do some magic, yet they’re also about to be among the missing. Erica Schultz drops the bombshell at the end of the first chapter for those who’ve not figured it out: Joanna is Lorraine’s daughter.
The opening chapter isn’t representative of Forgotten Home, as despite the magical intrusions, it’s set in a recognisable world of today, whereas the remainder is set in Jannada, where magic is not universal, but hardly uncommon. Lorraine fled to Earth in order that Joanna need not serve under a malign queen who deliberately sparked a race war.
Schultz sets up two different relationships between mothers and daughters extremely well. The attraction for Joanna of what’s largely been kept from her is obvious, yet readers also know there are good reasons, and the manipulative Queen may appear one way to Joanna, yet her true character is shown elsewhere. A complex emotional stew is heightened by the attentiveness of Marika Cresta’s art, as it’s her visuals that ensure Lorraine and Joanna are people to care for, but she’s not as comprehensive with her backgrounds. The first chapter is fully detailed, but once the action moves to Jannada, a rich and magical palace is shown with barely any decoration or ornamentation.
It’s not fatal negligence as people form the heart of Forgotten Home, ensuring it transcends the stitching together of common fantasy moments. Schultz cranks up the tensions, constantly having both Joanna and Lorraine forced into decisions they may regret, and while the path is generally predictable, Schultz saves some surprises for the finale. It means Forgotten Home is a readable slice of fantasy.
