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Children of Sun and Moon (Skyfall #1)

by Matt Larkin (Goodreads Author)

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 · rating details · 24 ratings · 11 reviews

The Lunar King bargained his daughter away in marriage to end generations of war between the two dynasties of the Skyfall Isles. The King sends his niece Chandi along as handmaid to his daughter. Chandi has two tasks: watch over her cousin, and spy on the Solars. The Solars cost her everything she cares about, and now she wants nothing more than proof of their treachery so...more

Kindle Edition, 256 pages

Published January 31st 2012 by Matt Larkin

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Jun 10, 2013 Jennifer Bielman (Reading and Writing UF and PNR) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, self-published, reviewed, not-recommended

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At A Glance
I just think Children of Sun and Moon wasn't for me. Some parts I enjoyed, but the rest left me unsatisfied.

The Good
Chandi was a very interesting character in the beginning. She was both strong and determined. She often put herself in danger to protect her people. I couldn't imagine having to live with the "enemy" for years and not be a big ball of nerves. But Chandi handles her job as protector and spy very well.

Naresh had a very interes...more

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Jul 07, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

I must warn you. If you are a fan of mythical creatures like vampires and werewolves, this is not a book for you, yet you can give it a try. If you are a fan of books like Little Sister or Goa by Kara Dalkey, then you’ll definitely find Children of the Sun and Moon attractive.
The story starts off introducing the readers to two of the key characters of the book. Two girls, Chandi and Ratna, waiting for the ships that are coming back from war, with great anticipa...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

I must warn you. If you are a fan of mythical creatures like vampires and werewolves, this is not a book for you, yet you can give it a try. If you are a fan of books like Little Sister or Goa by Kara Dalkey, then you’ll definitely find Children of the Sun and Moon attractive.
The story starts off introducing the readers to two of the key characters of the book. Two girls, Chandi and Ratna, waiting for the ships that are coming back from war, with great anticipation especially if in one of them comes your fiancée. We soon find out that these two girls belong to the Lunars, whom have been in war with the Solars for years. Chandi is happy to know that Anusapati returned well from the war and they can finally get married, but she finds out that her fiancée has been using too much of the Moon Blessings and now is turning into a lunatic.

Chandi, with all the pain of her heat, is ordered by her uncle, the War King, to eliminate him, to later find out that Anusapati killed the Solar Emperor and now her cousin, Ratna, has to marry the new emperor to bring the nations peace. The wedding takes place and Chandi has to stay with her cousin to protect her and spy for the Lunars, while she hides who she really is.

I really liked the title of this book; it caught my attention immediately and I had to find out what the story was about. The first chapter is very detailed letting the reader know where the story is heading to, who our main characters are and what their abilities let them do. But then words start to pop up and I’m stuck wondering what they mean and from what language they’re from. I have to admit that I googled some and found very interesting facts, now I have a little more knowledge. Thankfully, I was glad to hear that the author was planning on adding a glossary to help the readers better understand some of the words they have never come across before. And just like the glossary, the author also includes a map that lets you know the location of the Skyfall Isles.

The author had a great imagination describing the fight scenes; they were detailed to the point where I could see it all happen inside my mind, just like a Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon scene, except that it was Chandi vs every guy she cared for. And you could also get different characters’ perspectives, since the book wasn’t just focusing on Chandi. One of the things that bothered me was that the story was just going at a calm pace, I had no rush in getting to the next chapter soon yet they were easy enough to keep reading.

When it was time to calmly tell the story, it was rushed so that I didn’t notice that four days had passed. I would have liked a better description of the Ignis rebellion. At the end of the story it looked like everyone was going to rebel; the weretigers are thinking of it, the Ignis, Lunars and Solars. It makes it sound like the inevitable is coming, a confusion of mixed battle feelings, everyone trying to kill everyone.

One thing I really liked was the characters being true to themselves, they rarely denied anything they had to say or their feelings. It had been a while since I had seen that sincerity in a character. They usually are like “no, that wasn’t me, what are you talking about?”, that it gets monotonous in a story, but not in Children of the Sun and Moon. Direct questions got direct answers and the characters even fought against honor to be with the ones they loved.

The end leaves a door opened to different possibilities for a sequel. I would really like to see or learn more about characters like Ratna, the Stranger, Mahesa, Anusapati, Revati (who I would ask for an interesting turn in the plot). This book was definitely a good read, if you’re interested in this kind of fantasy or for those who really like mythology. And you’ll be glad to know that here is a second on its way, Legacy of Moon and Fire.

http://openbooksociety.com/article/ch...(less)

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Apr 22, 2012 Shannon Morton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Truly, I had no idea what to expect from Children of Sun and Moon when I first downloaded it onto my Kindle. Author Matt Larkin asked me to check it out and, while I'm always up for a new adventure, I had to be honest and tell him that this didn't seem like my usual reading material. Let's be realistic...no vamps, wolves, angels, demons, witches, mages, or other known-to-me supernaturals in the description. I gotta say...I essentially got my ass and expectations handed to me by this book...it wa...more Truly, I had no idea what to expect from Children of Sun and Moon when I first downloaded it onto my Kindle. Author Matt Larkin asked me to check it out and, while I'm always up for a new adventure, I had to be honest and tell him that this didn't seem like my usual reading material. Let's be realistic...no vamps, wolves, angels, demons, witches, mages, or other known-to-me supernaturals in the description. I gotta say...I essentially got my ass and expectations handed to me by this book...it was that good...

I'll start with the characters, since I do love a strong female lead. Chandi was kickass!! A true fighter, this lunar knows what she wants and goes after it. I love her. She is sassy and takes crap from no one, yet protects her family above herself. Ratna, her spoiled cousin who I nicknamed Bratty early in the story, was incredibly well written in her annoyingness and Larkin did a great job of making me want to slap her entitled face. Naresh...ahhh, Naresh. I'll admit that I had preconceived notions about the kind of character he was going to be. This was one of those rare moments in life when I'm glad I'm not always right. Naresh is a soldier...but so much more than that...

So the beginning of the book was a bit of a culture shock for me. The names, places, and even food are all Indian (not Native American) sounding, and I found myself stumbling over them just a little. I got used to them a few pages in, though, and they added richness to the story that I really appreciated. It was unlike any other world I'd ever read for so many reasons. Total originality points. A couple editing issues in the book caught my eye, but nothing so detrimental as to cause alarm--I just always like to mention them for those who are sticklers about those things. There were also a few fight scenes in the book which were a little too blow-by-blow for my personal taste. I generally prefer an overview to the "he ducked this punch while swinging his right arm in a hook and kicking so-and-so in the cojones" thing. Some people are into that, though, and that's cool too. If you are, there's a smidge of it in there--though not a ton.

Now, on to the true genius of Children of Sun and Moon: Larkin is an amazing storyteller. His writing is descriptive, yet keeps a quick pace with no wasted information clogging my already at capacity synapses. Maybe storyteller isn't descriptive enough. Maybe I should say that Larkin is a storyweaver. His universe is chaos and brilliance and honor and destruction and love in one amazing place. I was completely captivated by the world that he crafted with the Solars and Lunars and cannot wait for the next book!!

I give this book a shining 4.5 stars.
(less)

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Nov 26, 2012 Justine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
At first I didn't know what to expect from this book. I thought that it might have been YA, but now I'm thinking its more New Adult or Adult. At the beginning I wasn't really feeling this book, but the more I read the more I got into it and began to enjoy the book. The story isn't one like anything I have ever read before. It's about two groups fighting for supremacy, the Lunars and the Solars. Finally they want to call a...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Naiya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Two-and-a-half stars:

For generations, the children of the moon have been at war with the children of the sun. So when the Lunar King sues for peace and offers his daughter, Ratna, to a marriage with the young Solar King, the two war-torn civilizations are faced with the prospect of peace–or imminent treachery.

Chandi, Ratna’s handmaiden and a powerful Moon warrior in her own right, is sent to protect her cousin and spy on the Solars. But the years go by and the Solars seem sincere in their peace...more Two-and-a-half stars:

For generations, the children of the moon have been at war with the children of the sun. So when the Lunar King sues for peace and offers his daughter, Ratna, to a marriage with the young Solar King, the two war-torn civilizations are faced with the prospect of peace–or imminent treachery.

Chandi, Ratna’s handmaiden and a powerful Moon warrior in her own right, is sent to protect her cousin and spy on the Solars. But the years go by and the Solars seem sincere in their peace efforts. But peace is a fragile thing, and when Chandi is asked to sacrifice everything–her new, reluctantly-accepted home, her blossoming romance with a Solar warrior, and her life–for her country, she finds herself forced to choose between her past and her future, her duty and her heart.

In Children of the Sun and Moon, Larkin creates a sweeping fantasy based on a kind of merging of magic (spirituality, religion, ritual, and meditation) and science. He crafts an eastern feel to it, remniscent of movies like House of Flying Daggers or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon–with bright and dramatic exchanges and larger-than-life fight scenes. To that end, I appreciated the way the book sought to develop its theme of individual happiness versus duty, and the price characters paid for looking beyond their prescribed roles. Chandi, Ratna, Naresh, and Landarundun all find themselves in an untenable position of caring for someone they cannot have–not without destroying their lives–and in seeking to break free of the roles they’ve been molded into.

However--and this is a huge HOWEVER--this novel has the scope of an epic fantasy without the requisite attention to detail. Children of the Sun and Moon attempts to bring together too many actors and too many subplots for its 257 pages. The enormous scope of the story forces the narrative to time-skip and leap between events and characters. Even the pivotal events near the end of the story get only a passing mention.

All in all, this novel is a cheetah stuffed in a cat carrier. I see its spots and its need to run–all carried uneasily through airport security and sent off to the lands of two-and-a-half inedible stars.

You can read my full review here.(less)

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Oct 04, 2012 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

3 1/2 stars....

I had high hopes for this book. Other people have given it really good reviews, and I was eagerly expecting a great book. I've read alot worse, but there was just so much going on in the book, it was just too much for one book. Main plot, subplot, 5 main characters, side characters plus their backstories, a culture and terminology that wasn't well explained....it all led to a rather confusing book. Passages of time seemed to be dumped on the reader without much explanation.

The st...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Children of Sun and Moon is a must-read fantasy adventure. The unique Indonesian-based setting was a refreshing change from the norm, and the dynamic characters drew me into the plot immediately. (I mean, really, who doesn’t love a weretiger these days?) Just about the time I thought I knew where the story was heading, I was surprised by twists that impressed me with their originality and creativity. It has the perfect mix of action, romance, and fantasy. The magic system was one of the most inn...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Al Gritten rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a book I received free in exchange for a review. Larkin's book is an interesting fantasy adventure set in a pan-pacific style culture in a South Seas locale. The Children of the Moon worship Chandra the moon god and the Children of the Sun worship the Sun God. They are at war with each other to control the Astral Temple, a site that is sacred to both. But it is more than sacred, and there is more to this dispute than meets the eye. Chandi and Naresh are children of the moon and sun, res...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Ginny Lurcock rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who loves fantasy

Shelves: genre-fantasy, ft-shapeshifters, ft-mythological-figures, review-copy, read-in-2012

This novel not only knocked the socks that I was wearing off, but when I got home my entire sock drawer had been moved over a foot...

See my full review at Pure Textuality, and then come talk to me about since I'm dying to talk about it without spoiling the surprises.

http://puretextuality.com/2012/03/21/...

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May 12, 2013 Elizabeth Baxter rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those books I'm glad I persevered with. I almost gave up at the start because there were so many characters (many with unprounouncable names) and so much going on that I was completely lost. But I stuck with it and I'm pleased I did because it's actually a very good story.

It tells the tale of two opposing peoples, the Lunars and the Solars, who follow a different gods, both considering themselves the chosen ones, as they try to make peace to end years of war. There are two main c...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Eryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amazing read that I would highly suggest for those that enjoy science fiction.

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Fantasy Aficionados: Children of Sun and Moon is free through 10/21	6	47	Oct 19, 2012 12:41pm
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About Matt Larkin

Matt was born and raised in Virginia, and graduated from the College of William and Mary there. His lifelong love of fantasy began with The Hobbit. This led him to start writing his own stories at a young age. His primary influences are mythology and history. He now lives in Florida with his wife.

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