All the complexity and nuance and emotional turmoil as ASOIAF in just ONE book. I was completely swept away each time I picked it up, although I was d...moreAll the complexity and nuance and emotional turmoil as ASOIAF in just ONE book. I was completely swept away each time I picked it up, although I was dreading the ending. It was bittersweet, as expected. I found the themes of loss, grief, and torn hearts fantastically human and very moving. I cried. Thank you, GGK.(less)
Action filled and character driven, this heroic fantasy has a dark and gritty beginning in the underbelly of society where violence is the key to powe...more Action filled and character driven, this heroic fantasy has a dark and gritty beginning in the underbelly of society where violence is the key to power. Complex characters with shades-of-gray morals give depth to a dynamic plot while undertones of love, redemption and hope keep the series from feeling like an exercise in futility. This one actually made me cry. Graphic at times. Rated "M" for mature.(less)
A quiet and lovely retelling of the Aeneid from the point of view of a priestess that accompanies Aeneas' fleet throughout the long journey from Troy...moreA quiet and lovely retelling of the Aeneid from the point of view of a priestess that accompanies Aeneas' fleet throughout the long journey from Troy to Italy.
The author has taken pains (and some liberties) to keep both the setting and technology historically accurate, and therefore is not particularly faithful to Vergil's original. However, this in no way detracts from the compelling story she has written, nor does is diminish the wonderful sense of mystery that pervades it.
That numinous feeling was such an unexpected delight. I loved how the goddess spoke through her priestess in a way that was obvious and yet never understood. To me, it really captured the essence of the Mystery experience that humans have struggled to rationalize since before we can remember.
Other story elements were similarly handled with delicate attention. The priestess of Death is fearsome and yet always compassionate. The contrast between life and death is stark but never untenable. And even though Aeneas' crew are an ancient and foreign people, they make sense as characters (and protagonists) without having to be modernized.
I wasn't expecting any of that, so it was pleasantly surprising. For further cultural delving, and another interpretation of the Aeneas legend, try Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin.
4 stars for being beautiful, tragic, romantic and unassuming all at once. (less)
An interesting twist on the urban fantasy tropes. With flawed and struggling characters, a dystopian (but not evil?) church-state, and an awesome Down...moreAn interesting twist on the urban fantasy tropes. With flawed and struggling characters, a dystopian (but not evil?) church-state, and an awesome Downside dialect that isnt too hard to pick up, this series would be worth a look even if it didnt pack a punch with lots of action and a bit of romance on the side. Good pacing and a nice story arc. Characters that are uneducated but not stupid. Spirits that can never find closure because they are dead. (No such thing as 'putting them to rest' or bringing them peace by finishing their unfinished business). Nope, the ghosties are bad and stay bad, so they must be banished. *rolls eyes*. But this book/series has so many other cool things going for it that I can overlook the whole witchy ghostbusters thing.
Some might be adverse to the portrayal of drug addiction and/or the depiction of the 'Church' as decidedly athiest.(less)
Fantastic first novel. Definitely not the flippant or fluffy type of YA (although still a girly kind of book). This one has dark undertones and seriou...moreFantastic first novel. Definitely not the flippant or fluffy type of YA (although still a girly kind of book). This one has dark undertones and serious stakes that pulled me in. Loved the fact that the heroine is trying to rescue her family. Love the fact that their conditions make it so much harder for her to do that. (The more tortures the author can heap on the protagonist's shoulders, the better, imo.) I wasn't at all sure where the plot was going until near the end (another thumbs up) and even then it took a turn in a direction I wasn't expecting.
Minus 1 star because of a few little things that annoyed me: two scenes in particular that screamed "naked public speaking nightmare" kind of corny and elicited an eye-rolling moment. And also Raffe's nickname. Seriously, he's a million-yr-old ass-kicking warrior angel, and his nickname is 'raf-fie'? Like, a dog? Or something. He deserved a more manly name I think.
Definitely going to read the next one when it comes out.(less)
Light reading that's cute and funny, with an adorable dog companion, and a sh*t-ton of lines quoted from an eclectic assortment of people (Shakespeare...moreLight reading that's cute and funny, with an adorable dog companion, and a sh*t-ton of lines quoted from an eclectic assortment of people (Shakespeare, Revelations, Eric Cartman!). He even managed to use "pwned" - (gamer, much?). Not exciting in the dire-threat-to-mankind kind of way, and the element of suspense wasn't there for me, but I was still laughing in spite of myself all the way through. Easy fun.(less)
Fun fun fun! Continuing in the adorable, laugh-out-loud, action and excitement thread. Began to like Atticus more in this one, but dude, like, when ar...moreFun fun fun! Continuing in the adorable, laugh-out-loud, action and excitement thread. Began to like Atticus more in this one, but dude, like, when are you gonna hook up with Granuaile?(less)
**spoiler alert** I appreciate it when the author has the balls to kill off some of the important characters. It raises the stakes and my suspicions a...more**spoiler alert** I appreciate it when the author has the balls to kill off some of the important characters. It raises the stakes and my suspicions about the MC living through the end. Much more interesting this way. Although I wish we'd been present for the funeral. Might've made a nice counterpoint to the deliberately blithe humor Atticus presents throughout the rest of the book.(less)
Fast-paced and adventuresome, in the vein of Poison Study. If you liked the study series, you'll probably enjoy this, although for me it was a little...moreFast-paced and adventuresome, in the vein of Poison Study. If you liked the study series, you'll probably enjoy this, although for me it was a little too similar, if you know what I mean.
No? I'll tell you what I mean. Plucky orphan heroine with rare gift who is imprisoned kidnapped and forced to use that gift to save the life of The Commander a prince... Yelena. No? Oh, right, Avry.
Sinister, roguish jailor captor with mysterious past who eventually (view spoiler)[ falls in love with Yelena Avry (hide spoiler)] and suffers in order to save the heroine... Valek- no wait, his name is ... well, better not spoil it for you. You'll guess easily enough after the first few chapters anyway.
It wasn't really as bad as all that. The storyline was superficially different. There's a journey, and a quest, and a plucky band of heroes doing amusing things. But it all just felt like a re-write. Like Snyder dropped a few characters she'd written previously into a slightly different setting and said "voila! Character development? Oh, I took care of that in the last book!" The intensity of their relationships was just not there, and I didn't fall in love with any of them.
Romance with a fair chunk of plot that threatens to get in the way sometimes. At least that's how I imagine the author felt. Every time the story got...moreRomance with a fair chunk of plot that threatens to get in the way sometimes. At least that's how I imagine the author felt. Every time the story got going, the main character would pull away from the narrative to rehash her feelings for the love interest.
Liked: ~The voice - old fashioned court language that suffused the narrative and the dialogue and (mostly) stayed in character. The little French mots that may or may not be actually French. I couldn't tell. But it was fun reading. ~The beginning - the first chapter was awesome and really geared me up for a good story. ~Most of the characters - they were interesting, likable, and had their own agendas.
Didn't like: ~The rambling in the middle. It's not like we didn't know where the story was going. But boy it took a long time to get there. ~The confusion. Was this book trying to be an epic save-the-world adventure or a melodramatic romance? It couldn't decide. I wanted more plot and less jaw-dropping at every slight revelation. And fewer weak-knees, at least by the end. ~The non sequiturs. Was it just me, or did some of those dialogues go off in crazy unpredictable directions? I found it difficult to follow in a lot of places.(less)
Picks up quickly but I skipped through whole paragraphs reiterating the significance of certain spells/objects/relationships.
Fast paced again, with m...morePicks up quickly but I skipped through whole paragraphs reiterating the significance of certain spells/objects/relationships.
Fast paced again, with more insights into the character's histories etc.
There was a part for me where I felt things took a nose-dive. Page 281(nook), to be exact, with Trent saying "I've never forgiven you for making me cry in front of my father." umm... okay... lame.(less)
Intense and raunchy in places. This one veers off in a decidedly darker/grittier direction. IMO, much better than the previous two installments. Lots...moreIntense and raunchy in places. This one veers off in a decidedly darker/grittier direction. IMO, much better than the previous two installments. Lots of action, drama, exploding things etc. From what I hear, this is the best one, so I might not keep reading.
On a side note, I'm getting a bit annoyed that the editor/author keeps mixing up 'then'&'than'.(less)
Genre: fantastical. Orphan and sword. Wizard in tower and hundred-year war. Underground fighters, utopian school. Evil kings, ghost soldiers, dragons (so...moreGenre: fantastical. Orphan and sword. Wizard in tower and hundred-year war. Underground fighters, utopian school. Evil kings, ghost soldiers, dragons (so kewl!) Daring escapes in the depths of the night. Mermaid and fairy and fox-man, unite! Pop-up protagonist, no show - just tell. Action on action, until the falls swell. Then it's a case of 'Myranda Sublime' - She bests the masters in just 4 months' time!
Overall, entertaining.
However, like many self-published works (including the above), I found it to be suffering from First-Draft Syndrome. The whole thing read like the author gave it a once-over and that was it. Sometimes clunky; flat dialogue; wrong words in places. The world building was ok, the descriptions were tight and illustrative, but the characterization was almost non-existent. When it came to how the characters were feeling, it was "tell, not show" on an epic scale. Because of this, I never really got invested in any of the characters, and although I was entertained, I never once forgot that I was reading a book.
A fast-moving epic full of spicy humor and Arabian magic. This book is not like other fantasy. It's something different, and for that, I loved it.
The...moreA fast-moving epic full of spicy humor and Arabian magic. This book is not like other fantasy. It's something different, and for that, I loved it.
The story unfolds through a variety of viewpoint characters. The constant switching of viewpoints could have been annoying, but it worked in the end. After all, we're talking about 365 concubines and their children, a prince, their camel-handlers, servants and other hangers-on etc. That's a lot of people. A city in itself (as the book tells it), and the city is the main character.
Because of all these viewpioints, the story also took its time unfolding - meandering and circling back sometimes to flesh out characters or fill in holes. I didn't mind this, because it all seemed to have a purpose and (for me at least) the story wasn't prose-heavy so it was easy enough to sit back and enjoy the ride.
The writing is straight-forward and even a bit cheeky in places:
"The name of the city was Bessa, and its ruler, the sultan Bokhari Al-Bokhari was a man of no account at all.[...] Bessa had had its share of tyrants, and most people who had an opinion on such things felt that a lazy hedonist was a comparatively light burden to bear.[...] There is more to tell about the sultan, which might be of some trifling interest, but I will forbear to tell it because he's going to be dead very shortly, and thereafter plays no part whatsoever in our story."
(I didn't /spoiler that because it's in the very first chapter)
On a personal note, this story also managed to push all my girl-power buttons. Yay! When I first picked it up I wasn't sure what kind of story I was going to get: the down-trodden rising up for revenge? the flighty harem rescued by the knight in shining armor? the balance of power shifted by the seductive prostitutes? No. This book is not so cynical or trite. The women want freedom, but they're not willing to steam-roll the men in order to get it. They work hard for themselves, use their brains, and achieve what they want through good sense and strategy (mostly). They don't have to become men in order to do this. Neither do they have to seduce men into giving them anything. They act as women for their own sake and don't apologize for it. I really liked this form of empowerment that doesn't feed on the subjugation of others.
In the end, I only have two small quibbles: I wanted more from certain characters that I didn't get. I also liked Book the First (part 1) better than the Second, because I thought it was more fleshed out.(less)
YA in terms of adult content (or lack thereof) but no different from Snyder's other work in terms of its fast-paced, mystery adventure. Although it's...moreYA in terms of adult content (or lack thereof) but no different from Snyder's other work in terms of its fast-paced, mystery adventure. Although it's not particularly convoluted, the story unfolds with so much drama and action that you might forget about the puzzle you're supposed to be solving until the end.
To be honest, I was expecting another plucky-orphan-heroine routine, and I got it, but unlike Touch of Power, the sameness of all Snyder's heroines didn't bother me so much in this one. I got sucked into the story regardless and before I knew it I was in the middle of another page-turning frenzy.
Yes, it was good. It was fun. A little dark in places, but of course you don't get much time to dwell on all of that. It's also in a futuristic, dystopian setting, so that made a nice change and I think the smaller setting suits the author.
This is not a challenging read, but it is fast and engaging and good for summer.(less)
An interesting take on the life of an assassin that I can't help comparing to the Assassin's Apprentice trilogy. It's high/epic fantasy without the sw...moreAn interesting take on the life of an assassin that I can't help comparing to the Assassin's Apprentice trilogy. It's high/epic fantasy without the sweeping battle scenes, but many obstacles for the main character to overcome before the prophecy has been fulfilled.
The story is straightforward: Queen Minna-Satu wants to end the centuries-old war between her kingdom and its neighbor, and hires an assassin to kill the enemy King. She spends the rest of the story dodging the bullets (or daggers) of her disgruntled courtiers as she tries to engineer a lasting peace with the new King. But the story isn't really about her. It's about her assassin, Blade.
Like Fitz, Blade is run through the wringer trying to dispose of all the bad guys and do the Queen's bidding, even though he says he owes allegiance to no man and does as he pleases. Blade is perhaps the best-drawn character in the series. He is complicated, stubborn, and cold-hearted. He professes to love no-one and have no redeeming qualities, yet the Queen and a few others seem determined to keep banging their heads against his heart of stone and don't give in to his sneering.
I want to say this is a good book/series, and if you like high fantasy with a gritty wash then you'll probably like it. I keep swinging between "it wasn't that bad" and "why did I keep reading this?" I admit, I stopped after book 3 (out of 6), so perhaps I missed the payoff of redemption at the end... I don't know. I stopped reading because things seemed to be getting more melodramatic and torturous and after the second near-death experience (view spoiler)[one drop of magical life blood wasn't good enough? Ok. Here, have another. And another. Our precious Blade will never die! (hide spoiler)] I couldn't go on.
I also felt confused several times where Blade did things that seemed out of character. E.g., for someone who is private and unattached and part of a secretive guild of assassins, he doesn't seem to have a problem spilling his guts to anyone who asks. I sense this was a way to fill in some back-story and even do some world-building, but it felt incongruous.
There were some other small things that annoyed me (the dreaded "as you know, my Queen, ... ") but these didn't ruin the book. Although the storytelling is shaky on occasion, the writing is flawless from a grammatical point of view and I find that one fact very redeeming. It gives me confidence that the author knows what he/she is doing.
Anyway, on the list of self-pub'ed books, this one is near the top in terms of quality, and for the cut-rate price of FREE, you can't do much better. Be prepared to buy the next one though, since it ends with a cliff-hanger.(less)
Book 5 and still going strong. I'm liking the more drawn-out story arc and the will-they-wont-they romance that began with book 4. I wish we'd seen Ma...moreBook 5 and still going strong. I'm liking the more drawn-out story arc and the will-they-wont-they romance that began with book 4. I wish we'd seen Maldynado pushed a little further. I didn't feel like I learned anything new about him, and I was really looking forward to his view-point book because he's such a fun character. Ah well. (less)
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