The Elixir of Freedom: Wise Tales for a Happy Healthy Life is Volume 1 in a series written by M.R. Neer. It is a mythical story about a young man who seeks the secret of the Heart of the Sun. In the land of Gaia, state of Bengalia, there lived a couple who raised their twins, Vik and Ravi, in the mountains and taught them to observe and trust nature. They left the fishing town of Twining to live peacefully on crops like fruits and vegetables. But when Vik is kidnapped and taken to the coal mine ruled by the Mine Master, Ravi sets out to rescue him as inspired by the legend of Raam who used the Heart of the Sun to defeat the 10-headed Ravan. The Mine Master operates the mines that pollute the air and he is a formidable enemy. Can Ravi find the Heart of the Sun and save his brother?

M.R. Neer’s The Elixir of Freedom: Wise Tales for a Happy Healthy Life is a visionary fiction work that should appeal to all kinds of readers. When Ravi sets out to find the Heart of the Sun and save his brother, he goes on an adventure where he meets a friendly peddler, the forest guardians, and a dwarf. Without any tangible plan of how he is going to rescue his brother, except for the inspiration of an old legend, he meets Verda, one of the forest guardians who will accompany him on his quest. This is a story that warms the heart and, at the same time, it reminds us of the need to appreciate nature. Author M.R. Neer has a vision of the future and it is a beautiful picture. As Ravi goes on a quest to find the light that will transform his world, we are reminded of all the quests that we have to go on throughout our very own lives.

The Elixir of Freedom by M.R. Neer is a mythological fantasy. Ravi's twin brother, Vik, is captured by the Mine Master's men and taken to work in the coal mines. Ravi needs to save him, but how can he do this without getting trapped in the mine himself? He wants to talk to the Master, but his father, Kristof, convinces him that’s a bad idea. He suggests seeking help from the old legends of Raam instead. As Ravi learns about the secret of the Heart of the Sun, he goes on a journey that takes him deep into the forest where he discovers a powerful potion made of sap and sunlight. The potion is believed to be the answer to his brother’s freedom and possibly more.

The Elixir of Freedom by M.R. Neer is a captivating tale of intrigue, love, and danger in a world where fantasy is woven into reality. Gripping, clean, and character-driven, with a unique premise and skilled writing, the story draws you in from the first page and takes you on a magical journey. I liked the idea of fighting the darkness with the light. Deep down we all know that is the only possible way to overcome our fears, doubts, and bigotry. I especially liked Ravi and Verda’s journey to find the light. Through their determination and powerful love for Vik, Ravi and Verda inspire us to examine our own lives and try to find our own internal light that could lead us to a better existence.

The Elixir of Freedom by M.R. Neer is full of the stuff legends are made of. The author has written a story of goodness born at a time when the last traces of goodness are being wiped out in a little coastal village of fishermen. In a small home on a hillside lives Kristof, a keeper of legends, whose occupation is to keep stories of legends alive. His wife and sons are all imbued with what one can call the goodness of things. One son, Ravi, lives close to his home where he is near nature, while the other son, of a slightly more impulsive and questioning temperament, is the one who goes to the village marketplace to sell the farm produce. The times are changing. A pall of gloom and darkness has fallen over the land, bringing with it deteriorating health, despondency, and flaring tempers. And then Vik is kidnapped in broad daylight by bad people with guns, right before the eyes of a helpless crowd of villagers.

The book is about the main protagonist Ravi’s search for the symbolic ‘Heart of the Sun,’ which is said by legends to imbue a person who has found it with great power and ability, enabling him to overcome every kind of adversity and emerge unscathed. Having no idea of what the Heart of the Sun is, or where it can be found, except the conviction that it lies a long distance away over the hills, Ravi sets out in search of it so that he can rescue his brother Vik from the kidnappers who carry away people to work deep in the dark coal mines of the Mine Master. In his search he meets amazing people like the Peddler, the Guardians of the Forest, a gracious Boat Master, and many others who guide him.

Well thought out and a fine book - the author has really delved into family values, bonding with nature, and the goodness of things. With great finesse, excellent flow of words, simple lucid language, and exceptional expression, M.R. Neer has started another legend in this incredibly charming tale, and added another valuable brick to the castle of dreams for people across society. This book is a classic literary effort and fully deserves a bouquet of 5 stars.

MR Neer’s Elixir of Freedom is a journey of discovery for young Ravi. His brother is kidnapped and forced to work for the Mine Master, digging coal. Following the guidance of old legends, Ravi sets out to find the ‘Heart of the Sun’, and free his brother from the mines. His goal is to hopefully talk sense into the Mine Master, getting him to free the people captured to work in the mines, and to do something about the smoke polluting the towns close to the mine. Along the way, Ravi gets help from several people, from the peddler Gleme, to the Forest Guardians, to a dwarf named Nuri.

I loved that this story uses the Indian saga of the Ramayana for its inspiration. So many books like this use Christian themes, which become tired after a while. All spiritualities and religions have valuable lessons to impart, usually along a very similar vein. One of the biggest lessons in this novel is the notion of living and working in harmony with nature. I also learned something I didn’t know, namely that a substance called coke is made from coal, and is used for heating homes and efficiently running steam engines. The word ‘coke’ kept coming up in odd contexts, so of course I had to go look it up.

I read this story to my cubs, ranging in age from 6-14. They all enjoyed it, but it was the youngest who most adored it, suggesting to me it is best geared towards ‘tweens’. A seven to twelve age range. Their favourite parts were when Ravi and Verda had to confront illusions while traveling in the misty swamp, and finding the Heart of the Sun. The kids made the rather astute observation that people need the strength of others in order to best overcome adversity. Alone, Ravi and Verda could not overcome their illusions, but they helped one another do so.

Elixir is a fun read, especially for the kids. Seeing their enjoyment as we read the story, well, that’s something priceless. If you or your kids like movies like Warriors of Virtue, or The Neverending Story, or the books of CS Lewis, be sure to check out MR Neer’s Elixir of Freedom!

Reading this story was beyond enjoyable. It's like the words flowed through me like the elixir of freedom as described in the book. So positive and peaceful.. Like you were right there with the characters. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

To write a book about something and when reading the book you actually feel that something is a power that can not compare. Read this book and feel the light.

The Elixir of Freedom, by M.R. Neer, is a wonderful adventure. It presents the reality of the importance of friends, new and old, and leads imagination through perilous situations which challenges ones faith to know everything will work out.