“Amoran: Book One of the Amoran Chronicles,” by Debra Koehler, reviewed by Jessica Fahey
Debra Koehler’s Amoran: Book One of the Amoran Chronicles is a richly layered blend of domestic realism and metaphysical fantasy, a story that begins in a perfectly ordinary New England household and expands into an extraordinary multiverse. It’s a novel about rediscovery of self, of purpose, and of unseen worlds that lie just beyond the veil of perception. What begins as the story of a harried mother juggling family, work, and forgotten dreams evolves into an odyssey across dimensions, infused with wonder, humor, and emotional truth.
Amoran explores the tension between the mundane and the mystical. Kerrin’s life in Glenwood Falls, marked by school runs, marital banter, and afternoon tea, embodies the small comforts and quiet frustrations of midlife. Yet Koehler uses that ordinariness as fertile ground for transformation. The novel poses the question: what if the life we consider ordinary is only one version of reality? The “vortex” connecting Earth and Amoran becomes a potent metaphor for midlife awakening, the recognition that there are dimensions within us we’ve yet to explore.
Koehler weaves in classic fantasy motifs, guardians, portals, and ancient prophecies, but grounds them in modern emotional realism. It’s this juxtaposition, heroism amid domestic practicality, that makes Amoran stand out in a crowded genre.
The novel’s prose balances light humor with moments of lyrical description. Underneath the fantasy, Koehler explores universal themes: the rediscovery of purpose, the interplay of science and spirituality, and the enduring power of choice.
Amoran is both comforting and exhilarating. It’s a story of awakening told with humor, compassion, and a touch of cosmic mystery.
It’s the rare fantasy novel that not only whisks you away to another world but leaves you more deeply rooted in your own.
Debra Koehler will share her writing journey at Writers Forum, from believing she couldn’t possibly be imaginative enough to write fiction to producing a four-book fantasy series.
She will share tips on how to keep going with your writing project even when you get so fed up you want to throw it away. Which she did. Multiple times. Only to pull it out of the recycling bin, smooth out the pages, and keep going.
Debra will also cover how using intuition to trust her story, as well as her writing process, helped her move beyond the setbacks and blocks that can be part of any writer’s journey.
I hope you can join us at Writers Forum, February 2026.
