The Book: One Is Come

The Author: C. H. MacLean

The Story: This spellbinding Young Adult fantasy series will plunge you into a world where fantasy and reality collide.

One is Come is the first installment in a YA fantasy saga full of hidden plot twists and turns. The centuries-old prophesy of the One is being fulfilled, and the ancient dragon clans are coming out of hiding to remake the world. The king of the magic users will stop at nothing to be sure the prophecy is fulfilled the right way–with his oppressive government ruling. As they struggle for power, Haylwen (14) and her brother Cadarn (16) just happen to be caught dead center.

How can you save the world when you don’t know it needs saving?

In this first book, meet fourteen-year-old Haylwen Rightad. She doesn’t think “crazy” runs in her family, but she might be wrong. Fish seem to listen when she talks. She finds herself wearing jewelry she can’t remember putting on. And then there was the explosion at school…and her ex-principal trying to kidnap her…and her brother? Don’t even ask. All she wants is to be an ordinary teenager. Live a normal life. Go to school, make friends, and not have to move a zillion times. Oh, and getting the bullies off her back? That’d be nice, too.

What Haylwen doesn’t know is WHY all this crazy stuff is happening to her. But she’s about to find out. The bad news? Things aren’t going to be “normal” any time soon!

With a mysterious prophecy, magical secrets and more than a few dragons, ONE IS COME is the first book in the adventures of siblings Haylwen and Cadarn as they come to discover they have powers they never dreamt of — and a destiny only they can fulfill.

It’s not easy to be “normal” when nothing is at it seems, and no one is who they appear to be.

About C. H. MacLean:

To young C. H. MacLean, books were everything: mind-food, friends, and fun. They gave the shy middle child’s life color and energy. Amazingly, not everyone saw them that way. Seeing a laundry hamper full of books approach her, the librarian scolded C. H. for trying to check them all out. “You’ll never read that many before they expire!”

C. H. was surprised, having shown great restraint only by keeping a list of books to check out next time. Thoroughly abashed, C. H. waited three whole days after finishing that lot before going back for more. With an internal world more vivid than the real one, C. H. was chastised for reading in the library instead of going to class. “Neurotic, needs medical help,” the teacher diagnosed.

C. H.’s father, a psychologist, just laughed when he heard. “She’s just upset because those books are more challenging than her class.” C. H. realized making up stories was just as fun as reading, and harder to get caught doing. So for a while, C. H. crafted stories and characters out of wisps and trinkets, with every toy growing an elaborate personality. But toys were not mature, and stories weren’t respectable for a family of doctors.

So C. H. grew up and learned to read serious books and study hard, shelving foolish fantasies for serious work. Years passed in a black and white blur. Then, unpredictably falling in love all the way to a magical marriage rattled C. H.’s orderly world. A crazy idea slipped in a resulting crack and wouldn’t leave.

“Write the book you want to read,” it said. “Write? As in, a fantasy novel? But I’m not creative,” C. H. protested. The idea, and C. H.’s spouse, rolled their eyes. So one day, C. H. started writing. Just to try it, not that it would go anywhere. Big mistake. Decades of pent-up passion started pouring out, making a mess of an orderly life. It only got worse.

Soon, stories popped up everywhere- in dreams, while exercising, or out of spite, in the middle of a work meeting. “But it’s not important work,” C. H. pleaded weakly. “They are not food, or friends, or…” But it was too late. C. H. had re-discovered that, like books, life should be fun too. Now, writing is a compulsion, and a calling.

C. H. lives in a Pacific Northwest forest with five cats, two kids, one spouse, and absolutely no dragons or elves, faeries, or demons… that are willing to be named, at least. Overcome Reality. Invigorate Dreams.

Review by Carol Thompson for Reader’s Favorite: C.H. MacLean’s One is Come is an engaging and often riveting fantasy novel that mixes the modern with magic….The book is a page-turner and one that is sure to please both young adults and adults. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read. MacLean doesn’t disappoint.

Review by Ronnie293:

One is Come is book one in the Five in Circle Series.

Abrennin is charged with treason to the crown and although he denied the charge was sentenced to death. Crystyn, in love with Abrennin, begged the King for mercy. The King decided to spare his life if they both swore never to use or teach magic again. They were both sent into exile.

Little do they know that their daughter, Haylwen, is “the one” destined to save the world. As she starts to awaken, her parents are determined to save her from the King. However, they can do little to stop destiny.

C.H. MacLean has drawn a marvelous picture of the world of Abrennin and Crystyn and their teenage children Cadarn and Haylwen.

Haylwen comes across perfectly as the moody teen reluctantly embroiled in the plot to save the world. I fell straight into this story and loved it immediately. I think as soon as I read the poem at the beginning I was hooked. The introduction of dragons into this fascinating fantasy just topped it off.

The story had a lot of unique twists and ideas. I liked how the powers that be had their sights on the wrong person, which made them a little less superior and whole controlling.

One is Come had me spellbound until the very last word.