Debut author Keely Brooke Keith and The Land Uncharted

Book review for The Land Uncharted

By Keely Brooke Keith

Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land, a landmass in the South Atlantic Ocean undetectable to the outside world. When injured fighter pilot Connor Bradshaw’s parachute carries him from the war engulfing the 2025 world to her hidden land, his presence threatens her plans, her family, and the survival of her preindustrial society. As Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland, and Lydia’s attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated. Written like a historical, set like a scifi, and filled with romance, The Land Uncharted weaves adventure and love in this suspenseful story of a hidden land.

As a young physician, Lydia Colburn is dedicated to serving her village in the Land. Day and night, she rushes by horseback to treat the ill and injured, establishing a heroic reputation as the village's new doctor.

Naval Aviator Connor Bradshaw is flying over the South Atlantic Ocean on a mission to secure any remaining sources of fresh water in a 2025 world torn apart by war. A malfunction activates his aircraft's ejection system, parachuting his unconscious body to the shore of a hidden land.

Lydia risks her safety to help the injured outsider despite the shock of his mysterious arrival and the disastrous implications his presence could have for her peaceful society, which has gone undetected for seven generations.

Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, but his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland. And while Lydia's attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated, it also pushes an unwanted admirer to stage a dangerous attempt to win her affection.

As Connor tries to keep the Land off the radar, he learns the biggest threat to Lydia lurks in her village. But when Lydia's greatest passion and darkest fear collide, will she look to the past or the future to find the strength to survive?

About the Author:

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving '80s kid. She grew up in a family who frequently relocated. By graduation, Keely lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. Keely's many adventures include: being an exchange student, recording with a former Beatles producer, being chased through the New Mexico desert by a rattlesnake, jumping out of an airplane at 14,500 feet, and sleeping under the open sky in the Australian outback.

Keely is a bass guitarist and plays on worship teams and for solo artists. She is married to singer/songwriter John Martin Keith, and they frequently perform and tour together. When she isn't writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antique stores. Keely resides on a hilltop south of Nashville with her husband and their daughter, Rachel.

Paperback: 308 pages
Publisher: Edenbrooke Press; 1 edition (October 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0692267516

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E-book version releases October 21 - today 

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My review:

I never know what to expect when I pick up a new book by a new author. The Land Uncharted about knocked my socks off. So much so that I had to email the author to ask her about it, like, why she didn’t try the traditional publishing route. There were a few things I wish she’d had some different advice on, but truly, those who like to read or watch stories the likes of M. Night Shyamalan will love Keith’s eventual series.

That said, there are many things I’d like to explore, but that would give away the story. As with all good tales of introspection and growth, the love interests, Connor and Lydia, have some decisions to make, some threats to overcome, and some realizations to come to. Set in the near future, as mentioned on the back of the book, the reader is unaware of time as a mysterious uniformed man washes ashore on an island populated with people living as though time stood still one hundred and fifty years ago. Did he travel back in time, or had time simply stopped in this place?

The Land is not exactly the Paradise it may seem to outsiders, should any be allowed to enter. Connor learns that he must make the best of things, though that doesn’t mean allowing Lydia to be victimized. This strange society has a culture that makes it difficult to protect the innocent, or mete justice according to contemporary views. Right and wrong, good and evil don’t mix…at least not very well. Connor overcomes prejudice to earn a place in this society, but how long can it last?

Intended as the first book in a series, The Land Uncharted is sure to raise many more questions than it answers. While not completely left hanging, the reader will find this unique adventure satisfying, yet wanting more. I have to say the author’s method of resolving conflict was slightly flat, yet served the purpose. I will nevertheless be on the watch for the sequel.