Short Story Review: The Lost Eyes

Title: The Lost Eyes: A Prequel to Forecast 

Author: Elise Stephens

Genre: Fantasy, Short Story

 

Summary

They were called Los Ojos--the eyes--men and women granted long life and mystical abilities. When
a couple of clay-diggers discover their lost doorway, will their power be reclaimed or lost forever?

Review

"The Lost Eyes" serves as a prequel to Forecast and introduces hero Tobias Randolph. I never read Forecast, but I didn't have any trouble with it. The short but helpful introduction goes a long way in explaining who the main character is.
 

The story has a nice Indiana Jones feel to it. Mysterious artifacts, mystical powers, and a love interest entangle in the story. The story is set in Cuzco, Peru in 1889 and Elise Stephens makes good use of its lush setting. Spices in the market, colorful skirts and parrots, and ceviche create captivating images for all the senses.

I was slightly confused in the opening chapter. Two peripheral characters are introduced, and I had trouble distinguishing which one was the point of view character. But once Tobias entered, he anchored the story with his strong perspective. There was a lot of good stuff crammed into this little package. A fun read on the whole.