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Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert

Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert is the story of love, passion, martial arts, a Keeper and a Thief who is searching for immortality.

My book review rating: 5 stars – an enjoyable read and an insight into the world of ancient mysticism.

Take a look at this book cover and tell me it’s not just asking to be picked up and read? I love books with covers that call to me, especially when they turn out to be a really good read! The Keeper of Light and Dust is a novel based around martial arts – not something I’ve ever been interested in before, but Mostert does an excellent job of making the characters believable and pulling you head first into what is an amazing story.

Mia Lockhart is a martial artist and a tattooist by day – but by night she is a protector, a Keeper, whose role it is to keep fighters safe as they head into the ring. When her charges begin to die in mysterious circumstances days after their fights Mia begins to realise that something is not quite right. Before long she comes face to face with a modern-day vampire, a Thief who is not looking for blood but immortality – and when her childhood friend Nick is next up in the ring Mia does what she has to in order to keep him safe.

This is a fast paced thriller with an intricate plot full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing right up until the last page. I can highly recommend it and will definitely be seeking out a copy of Mostert’s previous novel Season of the Witch.

Amazon.com Price: $1.70 (as of 2010-07-30 07:33:01 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Product Description
A highly original supernatural thriller blending magic, science, martial arts, and the greatest desire of all: to live forever Mia Lockheart has a secret. Her mother was a Keeper, as was her grandmother—women who were warriors, healers, and protectors. As Mia practices her craft among the boxers and martial artists of South London, and begins a romance with her childhood friend, the fighter Nick Duffy, she has no idea that a man who calls himself “Dragonfly” is watching from the shadows. Adrian Ashton is a brilliant scientist, an expert in the breaking field of biophoton emissions from cells within the human body. He is also a skilled martial artist—and a modern-day vampire. With the aid of the enigmatic Book of Life and Death, written in the thirteenth century by the legendary Chinese physician Zhang Sanfeng, he preys on other martial artists and drains them of their chi—the vital energy that flows through the body. Mia finds herself drawn to his dark genius, but when he targets Nick as his next victim, she is forced to choose between the two men. It becomes a fight to the death in which love is both the greatest weakness and the biggest prize.
Product Details
ISBN13: 9780525951001 Condition: New Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Customer Reviews
Meh.   Review Date: April 16, 2010 Reviewer: Megan, Austin, TX I will admit, this might have been a halfway interesting piece of reading material if I knew anything about martial arts. I don't, so instead I urge you to go find your nearest thesaurus and look up synonyms for "predictable" and "tedious." String those words together in a sentence somehow and there's your review. Excellent in every way   Review Date: March 20, 2010 Reviewer: Julie A. Stahnke, Mitchell, SD USA The book ended faster then what I expected. But when you have something that is a good read, you don't want it to end. Great deal on a gift!   Review Date: November 16, 2009 Reviewer: Linda Dolan, San Francisco, CA I already own this book but needed it as a gift. The pricing was fabulous and I was able to give my friend a great book to read! Thanks! Lovers and Warriors   Review Date: October 23, 2009 Reviewer: Christina Paige, Tucson, AZ I did not want to put down Keeper of Light and Dust, and I did not want it to end. Well-written - British writers usually have a good command of Queen's English and irony - masterful, here is a story about one man's hunt for eternal life crossed with the lives of professional fighters, plus the presence of a young woman who is a hereditary Keeper: one with the esoteric power to safeguard the warriors under her protection. The man whose avatar goes by the name of Dragonfly has used many names as he travels and befriends pugilists, each of whom dies mysteriously several days after a major fight. To keep himself young and powerful, Dragonfly steals their energy, their heart, their chi, using techniques developed centuries ago by a Chinese physician, Zhang Sanfeng. Nick is a 30 year old kickboxer training for a fight, when he isn't running his popular network site with the assistance of a young techno-wizard named Flash. He is also trying to transition from the friend category to lover with Mia. Mia owns a small tattoo studio in London, in the neighborhood where she and Nick grew up as childhood pals. They both train at Scorpio's, he with the hard-hitting grunts, she with the vogues, attaining perfection of form with the katas of martial arts. A triangle forms with the arrival of the enigmatic Ash. During the day Ash helps Nick get into the best fighting shape of his life; at night he is getting an elaborate tattoo and making seductive moves on an intrigued Mia. This is one of those books in which a heroine who is presented with a choice between the best friend as potential lover and an alluring, dangerous, worldly paramour. Interestingly enough, Mia makes a dual choice on different levels, rather like the protagonist in The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley. There's this life, and then there is the life to come. If you already know something about Chinese medicine, martial arts, and quantum physics, you will recognize some of the territory; if you don't, you will get quite an education embedded in engrossing story-telling. Strongly recommended. The Ancient Arts, Science and Immortality All Combined   Review Date: September 22, 2009 Reviewer: Coll B, An intriguing novel which combines martial arts and the presence of warriors, integrating science in the threads of the plot, to leave the reader reflecting on how the redemptive power of love can produce a racy and entertaining thriller of the 21st Century which combines themes going back to the beginning of time. The Strongest Desire is to Live Forever   Review Date: July 16, 2009 Reviewer: Gregg Eldred, Avon Lake, OH USA As you decide on what to read next, I would strongly recommend Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert. It is at an intersection of ancient arts, the world of fighters, dreams, and the supernatural. In short, it is a very original, highly entertaining novel. Mia is a Keeper, a woman that protects warriors and fighters using long distance healing. It is a practice that traces it roots back to early Chinese history. But this aspect of her life is hidden from those that she protects, as today's fighters (boxers, kickboxers, and mixed martial artists), a superstitious bunch, probably could not handle this knowledge. However, as a tattoo artist, Mia applies her "sign" to the fighters that she protects. To them, it is simply a curious and interesting tattoo. She is a very effective Keeper. However, one of her fighters dies days after a match, after his heart simply stops beating. A close childhood friend, Nick Duffy, unaware of Mia's secret, discovers that this fighter is not the only one to have died days after a match; there are several more. He investigates. However, into their lives arrives Adrian Ashton, a scientist, martial artist, and expert in chi, that becomes Nick's training buddy and Mia's love interest. "Ash" has a secret as well, one that will pit Mia in a battle for her life and the life of Nick. A battle that is much physical as it is in the dream world of the Keeper. At times gritty, beautiful, mysterious, Mostert has created one of the most unique reading experiences of the year. Infused with actual knowledge of the martial arts, chi, and the spartan training facilities of men who fight, Mostert has created characters that are well developed and believable, and a plot that dares the reader to stop reading. Beginning select chapters with passages from The Book of Light and Dust adds a sense of mystery to the story. What is this other book and what does it signify? Why are there apparent directions coded "Blacklight" and "Whitelight?" Very mystical and yet fascinating. Dividing the dojo into "grunts" and "vogues" adds lightness to the novel, as the "grunts" are those that practice the physical martial arts who can't understand Mia and the "vogues," those that practice perfection of technique and strengthening of the mind. But it is Mia, a slight female vogue that is protecting a couple of grunts. Gritty as she wanders the world of fighters, Mostert brings the sights and smells of training and fighting to life. Balanced with the lightness of Mia and her role as a Keeper, you enter a world of beauty and protection, handed down through the ages. A different kind of killer, one that requires the chi of certain fighters, Mostert opens another world, an ancient one tied to the life force of a person and the teachings of Eastern philosophies. And as you progress through the book, you are held captivated by Mostert's excellent writing and characters. This is a novel that is thoroughly engaging and an author that is imaginative. A combination that results in one of the best books of the year. From Steve at J. Kaye's Book Blog   Review Date: July 12, 2009 Reviewer: J. Kaye, "Keeper of Light and Dust" by Natasha Mostert is a well-written and well-researched psychological thriller. It is Oriental mysticism explained with western science in an action packed book with martial arts fighting as a theme. Mia Lockert, tattooist, martial artist, and descendant of a long line of Keepers meets Adrian Ashton, a brilliant scientist who solved the secret of eternal life - by taking life force. After 5 unexplained deaths of martial art fighters, Nick, Mia's childhood friend, uncovers the true Adrian. And it's up to Mia to save them all. Tattoos, quantum physics, chi, Reiki, Fa gung, Dim-Mak, biophotonics, kickboxing, Zero Point field, dojo, fight training, remote-viewing, are some of the various subjects Mostert interweaves in her story. I stopped at various parts in the book and googled some of the subjects. Wow! Tai chi Sci-fi. "Keeper of Light and Dust" is a great read. However, the background is martial arts and fighting - not blood and guts, but the struggles and psychological aspect, so this might not be everyone's cup of tea. It is descriptive, very plausible, and well-paced with the action building up to the end. If you are one of those interested in any of the subjects above, this could be well worth reading. It is one of those I like, a fiction that sounds true and you learn something also! Book Review: Keeper of Light & Dust   Review Date: June 28, 2009 Reviewer: A Novel Menagerie, Huntington Beach The Review Last year, a friend gave me a copy of Season of the Witch. It was one of the very first books that I read and reviewed on A Novel Menagerie. Naturally, I was excited to read Natasha Mostert's next novel, the KEEPER of LIGHT and DUST. As today is its official release day, I'm pleased to be able to provide my review on this book. I enjoyed Keeper's mythical flavor and dangerous plot. I would best compare this type of book to The Gargoyle or the DarkFever series. This story is set in South England and tells the story of our heroine, Mia a "Keeper" of the martial artists she surrounds herself within the dojo. Mia is a "Keeper" like her mother and grandmother before her as well as a tattoo artist and a martial artist. Of the fighters she is tied to, the one closest to her heart is Nick, a fighter that she has known since she was a girl. They maintain a close bond of friendship, but it becomes clear to the reader that Nick and Mia should take their relationship to the next level. Mysteriously, two of Mia's fighters under her "Keep" die days after their fights in the ring. Yet, there is no link between their death and any injuries sustained during the fights. As the story unfolds, the reader is introduced to Adrian "Ash" Ashton, a martial artist with a past as intriguing as his present. Ash befriends Nick and becomes his sparring partner. Through Nick, Mia is introduced to Ash. Although Mia is not one to mix romantic feelings with the fighters, she is inexplicably drawn to Ash. He hires her to tattoo his body with a series of Chinese symbols on his body symbolizing his spirit and his chi. Despite being drawn to him, Mia recognizes that there is something there to be feared, as well. As a Keeper, Mia prepares for each of her fighter's fights by conducting an conducting a protection exercise during an "out of body" experience in her sleep. It is in one of these travels that she encounters a force that is after the chi of her fighters. This force is willing to fight her for their lives. This force also materializes in the real world and communicates danger to Mia while her fighter is in the ring. Suspicion arises about who is involved in this Mia and Nick eventually forge together to discover what and who this life-sucking force is and ensure the safety of the fighters within Mia's keep. The KEEPER of LIGHT and DUST definitely had a different "feel" from Season of the Witch. This book did take me a bit longer to understand the characters, their relationships, and the dynamics associated with the martial arts aspect of this story. But, Mostert has a polished and unique way of drawing the reader to the heart of her characters and I was most assuredly connected by mid-book. On Sher's "Out of Ten Scale:" This book has both light and dark and gives you some concepts to consider. It's a fantasy book that allowed me to insert myself into Mia's role and desire to be that strong Keeper for those I love. For the genre Fiction:Fantasy, I award this book an 8 out of 10. Mildly entertaining but nothing special   Review Date: June 1, 2009 Reviewer: chocolate cello, This was an entertaining summer read with some original concepts, such as the tattoo ideas and the martial arts connection. However, a lot of the ideas in this book have been done before, and this is by no means the best rendition I've come across. Granted, I did finish it because I didn't have much else to do, but it was overall just an "okay" book. The writing is not anything special, and some specific lines were kind of cliche. Enlightening   Review Date: May 2, 2009 Reviewer: Avid Reader, At first this book was hard to get into. Once realizing Reiki and the healing powers it does truly exist I was more interested. Its a slow moving novel, only because it's jam packed with historical facts and healing through science evidence and workings. It made me want to follow up with my own research of Reiki healing. It was a good book, I was expecting fiction, supernatural story line. What i got was a well researched and explanatory workings of healing though science with a side of romance =) It was a well, well written novel. Enchanting Review: Keeper of Light and Dust   Review Date: April 23, 2009 Reviewer: Enchanting Reviews, THE KEEPER OF LIGHT AND DUST NATASHA MOSTERT Paranormal Thriller Dutton Adult Sensuality Level: Medium ISBN# 978-0525951001 400 Pages $25.95 Hardcover - Available April 2009 Rating: 4.5 Enchantments I can safely say THE KEEPER OF LIGHT AND DUST is like nothing I've read before. Ms. Mostert takes the reader deep into the unusual world of Mia Lockheart, a tattoo artist, part time trainer and a keeper. The last is hidden from most of the world, private, yet she's marked by the beautiful tattoo that covers the entire left side of her torso. The tattoo is something only keepers can wear. As a keeper, it is her duty to keep her fighters safe from harm. A practice that none of them fully understand, they bare the keeper's mark on their body, identifying them as protected. Nick Duffy has been in love with Mia since they were children. Only recently has he returned to their London neighborhood to find nothing much has changed - Mia still trains at Scorpio, and Nick is still in love with her. With a championship match ahead of him, he hopes that he can finally succeed in the fighting world, and find the courage to tell Mia just how he feels about her. Mia's kept her keeper side hidden, even from her lifelong friend Nick. With one of her fighters soon to fight, she's about to step out in a ritual as old as time and protect him from harm. But suddenly fighters are dying. One of them was one of Mia's former protected, Valentine. Mia can't believe a sudden heart attack would take one of her fighters. Even Nick can't understand how a fighter as healthy as Valentine died and starts to look into his death. The appearance online and in the real world of someone who calls himself `Dragonfly' not only puts Nick in danger, but Mia as well. The Dragonfly is after her secrets and her power, and will stop at nothing to possess it. Just what is he really and how is he going about taking out the fighters? Ms. Mostert does a wonderful job weaving together the paranormal, the fighters and the unfolding attraction between Nick and Mia. Long after finishing THE KEEPER OF LIGHT AND DUST, the book stays with you and things you may not have gotten during the first read start to make sense. THE KEEPER OF LIGHT AND DUST is a story that pulls the reader deep into this unique world, bringing them into the fighting realm, training alongside Nick and Mia, and waiting desperately for the truth about the Dragonfly to be uncovered before its too late and another fighter--or Mia--loses her life to the man. The author holds graduate degrees in lexicography and applied linguistics, and is the author of SEASON OF THE WITCH, a lushly-written, beautiful novel. Ms. Mostert is an author to watch! Lisa Enchanting Reviews March 2009 enthralling supernatural thriller   Review Date: April 11, 2009 Reviewer: Harriet Klausner, Like her mother and grandmother before her, Mia Lockheart is a Keeper; a person who uses Chi life energy to heal and protect others. She also knows that practitioners of the Book of Life and Death can drain the Chi from a victim. In her case only South London fighters belong to her keep, but she makes them safe just before they enter the ring. One of her fighters failed to tell her he was entering the ring; he died from unknown causes a few days after his bout. A fighter Nick Duffy is someone Mia could easily love, so she has not marked him as hers. When she asks him about her fighter who died, Patrick mentions other battlers have also died in the same way in the past five years. Patrick hires Adrian Ashton as his trainer for a championship match. Adrian gets his new fighter prepared, but hides his real agenda from Patrick. Mia knows what it is and plans to stop him anyway she can, but can you stop someone who does not comes out of the shadows to reveal what he truly is. Natasha Mostert has written an enthralling supernatural thriller that combines science, metaphysics, and Asian martial arts to forge a system that can either heal or kill. Mia is a strong woman who comes a from a long line of strong women; she is a warrior and healer. Adrian is the enigma who brings the freshness to the tale as Mia wonders if her attraction to him is because he may be her yang even as she is falling in love with Nick. KEEPER OF LIGHT AND DUST is a magical metaphysical Mostert masterpiece. Harriet Klausner
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