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Wyld Magic #1
A Flight of Marewings
Marewings: part horse, part demon, all monster. Only the bravest riders dare to catch and tame them, and most die in the attempt. Not the best choice for a young woman who only knows how to run a farm.
But Korinna is running out of options. Her father, the duke of Kyratia City, danced himself to death in a strange madness. He wanted her to marry his warlord, Galenos, and inherit his titles. But the power-hungry Council seized control of the city and left her with nothing. Her father’s ghost haunts her, demanding more.
The duke’s mage warns that the dancing madness is spreading while the usurping Council does nothing. Galenos promises to take the city back by force, but then he won’t need Korinna. She’s not strong enough to fight alongside him—unless she becomes a marewing rider.
One chance to catch a marewing and learn to fly. Or her father’s spirit could haunt her forever.
But Korinna is running out of options. Her father, the duke of Kyratia City, danced himself to death in a strange madness. He wanted her to marry his warlord, Galenos, and inherit his titles. But the power-hungry Council seized control of the city and left her with nothing. Her father’s ghost haunts her, demanding more.
The duke’s mage warns that the dancing madness is spreading while the usurping Council does nothing. Galenos promises to take the city back by force, but then he won’t need Korinna. She’s not strong enough to fight alongside him—unless she becomes a marewing rider.
One chance to catch a marewing and learn to fly. Or her father’s spirit could haunt her forever.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2014
6 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
Kristen S. Walker
50 books125 followersKristen S. Walker is a fantasy writer, blogger, and geek from California.
She grew up in small towns in Northern California, running around barefoot in the woods and climbing trees with a notebook to write down stories. She lives with her family, including one rescued cat, in a house full of books.
She writes and self-publishes fantasy novels for teens and adults.
She grew up in small towns in Northern California, running around barefoot in the woods and climbing trees with a notebook to write down stories. She lives with her family, including one rescued cat, in a house full of books.
She writes and self-publishes fantasy novels for teens and adults.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 28, 2014
Note: I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A Flight of Marewings is a solid fantasy with interesting ideas and a fleshed-out world. Its namesake, the marewing, is a flying demon horse, created by a mysterious magical force called “the Wyld.”
The book follows several people’s points of view, but the story centers on Korinna, the illegitimate daughter of the newly deceased duke of Kyratia. In this world, mercenaries are used instead of a city’s own military force because being a soldier carries a stigma to these religious people. Korinna has been targeted for marriage by the leader of one of these mercenary forces, Galenos, who was never able to convince her father to solidify a marriage contract before he died.
I was a little bit nervous upon seeing the table of contents and how many points of view are actually used, but it worked well. Ms. Walker introduces the characters logically, and we got to know them and their quirks gradually.
Because the story is told from both Korinna’s and Galenos’ points of view, I was sympathetic toward them both. First toward Korinna, the poor peasant woman who is simply trying to hold together the farm for the small village she oversees; next toward Galenos, who simply wants to wrest control of Kyratia from an evil, scheming Council so that it may thrive.
The romance between Korinna and Galenos seemed a bit forced. Of course they’re going to end up together, but I would have liked to see some sparks fly.
I loved the magic in the book: A parasitic bug that burrows into humans to cause them to dance to death, a killer vine that strangles anyone who struggles against it too much, and the magestone underlying the city that should protect the citizen from Wyld magic… until one of the evil Councilors brings the Wyld into the city on purpose.
A few typos exist, but because it’s an ARC, those will likely be gone in the final copy. Even if they’re not, there weren’t a lot: The grammar itself was clean and any “oopsies” were definitely typos.
While I liked the marewings, their relationship with the rider-that-tamed-them reminded me of Anne McCaffrey’s dragon/rider relationship. The dragonlings introduced briefly follow all of her rules and are described identically. Whirling eyes, starving when they’re born, imprinting on the first person who throws meat down their gullets. However, enough new and interesting concepts exist that it only perturbed grumpy old me slightly.
If you enjoy fantasy and are looking for a new world to sink your teeth into, I would recommend A Flight of Marewings. Ms. Walker also has several other books out, so if you find her storytelling engaging, you can dig into more. This book is the first in a series, and I eagerly anticipate more of the Wyld magic that winds through her world.
Also posted to my blog, Magic & Mayhem Book Reviews.
A Flight of Marewings is a solid fantasy with interesting ideas and a fleshed-out world. Its namesake, the marewing, is a flying demon horse, created by a mysterious magical force called “the Wyld.”
The book follows several people’s points of view, but the story centers on Korinna, the illegitimate daughter of the newly deceased duke of Kyratia. In this world, mercenaries are used instead of a city’s own military force because being a soldier carries a stigma to these religious people. Korinna has been targeted for marriage by the leader of one of these mercenary forces, Galenos, who was never able to convince her father to solidify a marriage contract before he died.
I was a little bit nervous upon seeing the table of contents and how many points of view are actually used, but it worked well. Ms. Walker introduces the characters logically, and we got to know them and their quirks gradually.
Because the story is told from both Korinna’s and Galenos’ points of view, I was sympathetic toward them both. First toward Korinna, the poor peasant woman who is simply trying to hold together the farm for the small village she oversees; next toward Galenos, who simply wants to wrest control of Kyratia from an evil, scheming Council so that it may thrive.
The romance between Korinna and Galenos seemed a bit forced. Of course they’re going to end up together, but I would have liked to see some sparks fly.
I loved the magic in the book: A parasitic bug that burrows into humans to cause them to dance to death, a killer vine that strangles anyone who struggles against it too much, and the magestone underlying the city that should protect the citizen from Wyld magic… until one of the evil Councilors brings the Wyld into the city on purpose.
A few typos exist, but because it’s an ARC, those will likely be gone in the final copy. Even if they’re not, there weren’t a lot: The grammar itself was clean and any “oopsies” were definitely typos.
While I liked the marewings, their relationship with the rider-that-tamed-them reminded me of Anne McCaffrey’s dragon/rider relationship. The dragonlings introduced briefly follow all of her rules and are described identically. Whirling eyes, starving when they’re born, imprinting on the first person who throws meat down their gullets. However, enough new and interesting concepts exist that it only perturbed grumpy old me slightly.
If you enjoy fantasy and are looking for a new world to sink your teeth into, I would recommend A Flight of Marewings. Ms. Walker also has several other books out, so if you find her storytelling engaging, you can dig into more. This book is the first in a series, and I eagerly anticipate more of the Wyld magic that winds through her world.
Also posted to my blog, Magic & Mayhem Book Reviews.
January 15, 2014
Nicely imagined full-length YA fantasy novel here, with some really good world-building and some of the most realistic political machinations I've ever read, every cunning step explained. The main characters are strong and believable from the start and the novel stands alone while starting the series out with a bang. Overall a good read.
My only nitpick with this book is the construction of the climactic scenes. [MAJOR SPOILER ALERT] The fight for the city is too easy by half. The main characters, on their half-demon marewings, fly around the place but never really have to fight for it; the bad guys fall through their own mistakes and schemes (things they've turned loose on the city) rather than through any action of the good guys. And the turned-loose things never seem to endanger the good guys to the same extent. As well, there's some dangerous-character tension creep; the author sets up the marewings as vicious and untrustworthy with an excellent scene, but by the story's end, the good guys can dismount and leave the marewings unsupervised while they run around and take care of business. Finally, the climax has a really high body count although it's glossed over; was that the only way to solve the epidemic?? [END SPOILER ALERT]
Now, here's something seriously cute. [small SPOILER alert, nothing serious] One marewing rider is named Tsukaro, and his mount is named Firefly. This pair love aerial acrobatics, and the guy is described as having "light brown skin and curiously slanted eyes, and he spoke with an accent that she'd never heard before." This sounds like a great sideways bow to Hikaru Sulu, the pilot of the USS Enterprise in the original Star Trek, with a nod to the Firefly series, as well. If so, nicely done, Ms Walker.
A refreshing read. We'll call it four stars.
Note that I received a free copy of this ebook from the LibraryThing Member Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.
My only nitpick with this book is the construction of the climactic scenes. [MAJOR SPOILER ALERT] The fight for the city is too easy by half. The main characters, on their half-demon marewings, fly around the place but never really have to fight for it; the bad guys fall through their own mistakes and schemes (things they've turned loose on the city) rather than through any action of the good guys. And the turned-loose things never seem to endanger the good guys to the same extent. As well, there's some dangerous-character tension creep; the author sets up the marewings as vicious and untrustworthy with an excellent scene, but by the story's end, the good guys can dismount and leave the marewings unsupervised while they run around and take care of business. Finally, the climax has a really high body count although it's glossed over; was that the only way to solve the epidemic?? [END SPOILER ALERT]
Now, here's something seriously cute. [small SPOILER alert, nothing serious] One marewing rider is named Tsukaro, and his mount is named Firefly. This pair love aerial acrobatics, and the guy is described as having "light brown skin and curiously slanted eyes, and he spoke with an accent that she'd never heard before." This sounds like a great sideways bow to Hikaru Sulu, the pilot of the USS Enterprise in the original Star Trek, with a nod to the Firefly series, as well. If so, nicely done, Ms Walker.
A refreshing read. We'll call it four stars.
Note that I received a free copy of this ebook from the LibraryThing Member Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2026
Thanks to goodreads First Reads program for a free copy of this novel.
Several reviewers have already summarized the plot, so I'll skip that here. What I would like to say is that I enjoyed A Flight of Marewings. The setting and story struck me as the same vein Tamora Pierce, who is one of my personal favorites. The fantasy world was reasonably well thought out, interesting, and leaves a lot of room for future stories.
That said, I didn't love the main character. I didn't dislike her, but I want to love my protagonist, and Korinna didn't do a ton for me. She was okay. I also didn't really get the relationships between Korinna and most of the other characters, particularly her potential spouse Galenos and his brother Varranor; I felt a bit like the author wasn't sure who Korinna was going to end up with, and didn't decide until the end. I would have liked to be happy when Korinna finally settled on a man, and I found I really didn't care either way.
From a technical stand point, there were half a dozen or so errors that looked like the author had started a rewrite but didn't finish editing the entire sentence. Also one or two small plot inconsistencies, but nothing major on that front.
Overall, I am still looking forward to the next installment. I'm curious to see how Walker will treat Korinna's newest adventure, or if she'll switch gears and we'll see a different part of the world.
Several reviewers have already summarized the plot, so I'll skip that here. What I would like to say is that I enjoyed A Flight of Marewings. The setting and story struck me as the same vein Tamora Pierce, who is one of my personal favorites. The fantasy world was reasonably well thought out, interesting, and leaves a lot of room for future stories.
That said, I didn't love the main character. I didn't dislike her, but I want to love my protagonist, and Korinna didn't do a ton for me. She was okay. I also didn't really get the relationships between Korinna and most of the other characters, particularly her potential spouse Galenos and his brother Varranor; I felt a bit like the author wasn't sure who Korinna was going to end up with, and didn't decide until the end. I would have liked to be happy when Korinna finally settled on a man, and I found I really didn't care either way.
From a technical stand point, there were half a dozen or so errors that looked like the author had started a rewrite but didn't finish editing the entire sentence. Also one or two small plot inconsistencies, but nothing major on that front.
Overall, I am still looking forward to the next installment. I'm curious to see how Walker will treat Korinna's newest adventure, or if she'll switch gears and we'll see a different part of the world.
April 5, 2014
I received this book from Story Cartel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The first thing that I will say about this book is that both the places, the names and even the artwork for the cover remind me of Greece. The artwork in particular remind me of the flying Pegasi from Disney's Fantasia but then that may just be me.
Onto the story itself - This is the story of Korinna and how her life changes upon the death of her father. There is a very gentle love story wrapped up in here, together with political machinations and mystery. Korinna does come across as quite naive to start with. She has knowledge and experience but it is within a limited sphere as she just doesn't have the life experience to go with it. Galenos has life experience but has also become a bit cynical due to his dealings with the Council. Together, they balance each other out nicely.
This book leads up to a dramatic ending that somehow just failed slightly. It just seemed a bit too... easy, for want of a better word. Everything fell neatly into the boxes and all done.
On the whole, I really enjoyed this book and found it to be refreshing story within the Fantasy genre. I would definitely like to read more about the Marewings and Wyld Magic so I'm hoping that there will be more to follow. Recommended for all Young Adult and Fantasy fans.
The first thing that I will say about this book is that both the places, the names and even the artwork for the cover remind me of Greece. The artwork in particular remind me of the flying Pegasi from Disney's Fantasia but then that may just be me.
Onto the story itself - This is the story of Korinna and how her life changes upon the death of her father. There is a very gentle love story wrapped up in here, together with political machinations and mystery. Korinna does come across as quite naive to start with. She has knowledge and experience but it is within a limited sphere as she just doesn't have the life experience to go with it. Galenos has life experience but has also become a bit cynical due to his dealings with the Council. Together, they balance each other out nicely.
This book leads up to a dramatic ending that somehow just failed slightly. It just seemed a bit too... easy, for want of a better word. Everything fell neatly into the boxes and all done.
On the whole, I really enjoyed this book and found it to be refreshing story within the Fantasy genre. I would definitely like to read more about the Marewings and Wyld Magic so I'm hoping that there will be more to follow. Recommended for all Young Adult and Fantasy fans.
January 29, 2014
The book was an interesting tale of a young bastard heiress who has been promised to a warlord. She goes with him willingly enough to fulfill her dead father’s wishes and finds herself in a situation where the Council who now rules denounces those wishes and she and the warlord must now make other plans.
The story, over all, was extremely enjoyable and I really liked the manner in which the POV chapters were laid out. My largest complaint, however, was that the characters seemed to contradict themselves often and without much explanation. Also, some of the timeline wasn't quite in sync, causing a little bit of confusion.
That being said, I do look forward to the next installment in the series. Therefore, I give Kristen S. Walker a solid four stars for her efforts with A Flight of Marewings.
Note: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for a review on Librarything.com. This in no way influenced my opinion.
The story, over all, was extremely enjoyable and I really liked the manner in which the POV chapters were laid out. My largest complaint, however, was that the characters seemed to contradict themselves often and without much explanation. Also, some of the timeline wasn't quite in sync, causing a little bit of confusion.
That being said, I do look forward to the next installment in the series. Therefore, I give Kristen S. Walker a solid four stars for her efforts with A Flight of Marewings.
Note: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for a review on Librarything.com. This in no way influenced my opinion.
February 3, 2014
This may be a book for young adults but it is I found intriguing and well worth the read. I have always loved fairy tales and this book had a bit of that with adventure and romance and mythical demon horses that can fly and so much more. Korinna, a duke’s bastard daughter, and Galenos, the mercenary she was betrothed to, are thwarted in their quest to rule the country as they had thought they would. Korinna decides to become a mercenary and shows just how strong and what great leadership potential she has while Galenos tries to get things in order to take the country back from those who are ruling it. Religious turmoil, magic, machinations, disease, politicking, friendships, losses, war and romance – what more could one ask for in a story? I wish this author well and hope she continues to write books of this caliber in the future.
March 28, 2014
The world in this book is quite well thought out, with well developed characters. I think Kristen Walker did a great job making it enteresting, with a good storyline. I like her Marewings very much, and definitely want more. This is definitely a world I'd like to read more tales of! Good job.
I recieved a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
I recieved a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
February 1, 2024
The Wyld Magic is key to this story, yet it's not really obvious until later. Kyratia is carved out of the wyld to give the people a place to live, to farm, to just be. The wyld is held back by magic - mentioned throughout the story but just how necessary is driven home as the story winds up.
Against this backdrop is a young woman, Korinna, who suffers from remoteness from her father. Yet her mother brings her up well to understand the role she will have in life. As the story progresses this vision is trashed and she must rely on herself to be the person she wants to be. She is a strong woman with a will and desire to succeed that will not let these hardships overcome her.
A strong female protagonist, yet human with the frailties that implies. Definitely a good fantasy read.
Against this backdrop is a young woman, Korinna, who suffers from remoteness from her father. Yet her mother brings her up well to understand the role she will have in life. As the story progresses this vision is trashed and she must rely on herself to be the person she wants to be. She is a strong woman with a will and desire to succeed that will not let these hardships overcome her.
A strong female protagonist, yet human with the frailties that implies. Definitely a good fantasy read.
May 7, 2021
This is an intriguing story of love, strength, right and wrong. Power is misused by some of the ruling class causing a huge problem for those who care about their country and peoples. I enjoyed all of this book except the concluding line. It left me going ‘What?!?’the story is very enjoyable other than that one line. You’ll understand when you read it. LOL!
June 9, 2019
War!!
I have read the sample given to me by the author.
I could not stop there
I had to buy the book. This is so well written. I feel the emotion of each of the characters. See through their eyes of what is to come.
This is a MUST READ!
I have read the sample given to me by the author.
I could not stop there
I had to buy the book. This is so well written. I feel the emotion of each of the characters. See through their eyes of what is to come.
This is a MUST READ!
October 26, 2023
Worth reading.
It has some surprises in the storyline!
It has some surprises in the storyline!
June 21, 2016
This book reminded me of a cross between Othello and The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. The warlord, Galenos, is a very dark-skinned man of war who must deal with cultural ostracization while dreaming of leading the city he loves into a new, better era...and while falling in love with the much fairer-skinned, natural daughter of the duke.
And then, there are small, flying dragons and large, winged mares which, while they lack the sense of humor of McCaffrey's great dragons, made life less complicated in other ways (since they are all mares, there is no mating issues to deal with, and thus no human-dragon sexual assault/encounters).
Overall, it was a very fun, intriguing book, laced with political intrigue, and I'm very glad the author introduced me to the world of Wyld Magic. Here's a closer look at the Narration, Content, Characters, Artwork, World Building, and my Overall Response.
Narration: Three out of Five. There was enough descriptive details for me to get an idea of the setting, but given the richness of the world of Kyratia, I really felt like we could've gotten so much more. When Galenos takes Korinna to a market, we should've had the tastes, the sounds, the feels, the smells, and a much richer cultural experience. Admittedly, the narration is consistent, and about on par with Anne McCaffrey's in this respect, but I felt like, given the multicultural flavor of the story, we were missing out a bit.
Content: Four out of Five. The content was very effective and unobjectionable, I thought, making this book a great choice for the Young Adult market. There is a romance, but it's of the "fade-to-black" variety. The novel also explores men's and women's roles in life, what it means to be free, and the inadvertent narrow-mindedness one can have when one doesn't grow up around people of other ethnicities and backgrounds. And, while the beginning of a series, you aren't left hanging. The major plot threads are all wrapped up by the end.
The only downside, for me, was how much time was spent with the political intriguers, the villains of the story. They got their own point-of-view scenes and, while it added to the richness of the world, felt like it didn't really advance the plot. Everything that happened in that story thread got explored, in turn, in Galenos and Korinna's threads, and so it felt like it was a bit redundant. (But then, since I'm not a fan of political intrigue, it could just be me.)
Characters: Three out of Five. Again, because of the looser version of third person narration we have in this novel, it feels like we only get to know the characters to a certain point. We come to understand Korrinna and Galenos quite a bit, but some of the other supporting characters--like a mage who helps investigate the cause of the late duke's death--get only periphery emotional treatment. Given the amount of page-time and plot significance these characters have, I felt that they should've been fleshed out more. (And, if the extra time given to exploring the political intrigue had been given to them, I think it would've made the novel that much stronger.)
Artwork: Subjective. The cover art felt a little too cartoon or graphic art-esque for me, and I didn't feel like it matched the world of the story. With the ancient city-states, the almost Greek flavor of the novel, I felt like there should've been more majesty in the horses. more rock and sand, more of the grapes that play a significant symbolic place in the plot, and that the Wyld should've been represented by something other than a stately tree. Also, the font looks very medieval, to me (with the "t" in "Flight" looking like a cross, almost), and this might suggest the wrong tone, entirely.
World-Building: Four out of Five. This was undeniably one of the strongest parts of the book. Even while it seemed to borrow heavily from other books, it was inventive and felt consistent--similar but not stolen.
We got to see a wide range of the land, from the farms to the mercenaries training ground, but we didn't dwell on the minutiae. Everything was painted in fairly broad strokes, with details smuggled in that supported the world without belaboring the story, and it made me eager to go back and explore more, to learn more about the other city-states, the religions, and the culture.
Overall Response: Fourteen out of Twenty, or 3.5 overall. I definitely wouldn't judge this book by its cover, or by its description, as there is much more inside than the blurb suggests.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Dragonriders of Pern (provided they aren't expecting the same level of humor). Its version of a fantasy world, while sharing factors with others that have come before, was still unique enough to be interesting, and its execution, while not amazing or astounding, was solid enough to be enjoyable.
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And then, there are small, flying dragons and large, winged mares which, while they lack the sense of humor of McCaffrey's great dragons, made life less complicated in other ways (since they are all mares, there is no mating issues to deal with, and thus no human-dragon sexual assault/encounters).
Overall, it was a very fun, intriguing book, laced with political intrigue, and I'm very glad the author introduced me to the world of Wyld Magic. Here's a closer look at the Narration, Content, Characters, Artwork, World Building, and my Overall Response.
Narration: Three out of Five. There was enough descriptive details for me to get an idea of the setting, but given the richness of the world of Kyratia, I really felt like we could've gotten so much more. When Galenos takes Korinna to a market, we should've had the tastes, the sounds, the feels, the smells, and a much richer cultural experience. Admittedly, the narration is consistent, and about on par with Anne McCaffrey's in this respect, but I felt like, given the multicultural flavor of the story, we were missing out a bit.
Content: Four out of Five. The content was very effective and unobjectionable, I thought, making this book a great choice for the Young Adult market. There is a romance, but it's of the "fade-to-black" variety. The novel also explores men's and women's roles in life, what it means to be free, and the inadvertent narrow-mindedness one can have when one doesn't grow up around people of other ethnicities and backgrounds. And, while the beginning of a series, you aren't left hanging. The major plot threads are all wrapped up by the end.
The only downside, for me, was how much time was spent with the political intriguers, the villains of the story. They got their own point-of-view scenes and, while it added to the richness of the world, felt like it didn't really advance the plot. Everything that happened in that story thread got explored, in turn, in Galenos and Korinna's threads, and so it felt like it was a bit redundant. (But then, since I'm not a fan of political intrigue, it could just be me.)
Characters: Three out of Five. Again, because of the looser version of third person narration we have in this novel, it feels like we only get to know the characters to a certain point. We come to understand Korrinna and Galenos quite a bit, but some of the other supporting characters--like a mage who helps investigate the cause of the late duke's death--get only periphery emotional treatment. Given the amount of page-time and plot significance these characters have, I felt that they should've been fleshed out more. (And, if the extra time given to exploring the political intrigue had been given to them, I think it would've made the novel that much stronger.)
Artwork: Subjective. The cover art felt a little too cartoon or graphic art-esque for me, and I didn't feel like it matched the world of the story. With the ancient city-states, the almost Greek flavor of the novel, I felt like there should've been more majesty in the horses. more rock and sand, more of the grapes that play a significant symbolic place in the plot, and that the Wyld should've been represented by something other than a stately tree. Also, the font looks very medieval, to me (with the "t" in "Flight" looking like a cross, almost), and this might suggest the wrong tone, entirely.
World-Building: Four out of Five. This was undeniably one of the strongest parts of the book. Even while it seemed to borrow heavily from other books, it was inventive and felt consistent--similar but not stolen.
We got to see a wide range of the land, from the farms to the mercenaries training ground, but we didn't dwell on the minutiae. Everything was painted in fairly broad strokes, with details smuggled in that supported the world without belaboring the story, and it made me eager to go back and explore more, to learn more about the other city-states, the religions, and the culture.
Overall Response: Fourteen out of Twenty, or 3.5 overall. I definitely wouldn't judge this book by its cover, or by its description, as there is much more inside than the blurb suggests.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Dragonriders of Pern (provided they aren't expecting the same level of humor). Its version of a fantasy world, while sharing factors with others that have come before, was still unique enough to be interesting, and its execution, while not amazing or astounding, was solid enough to be enjoyable.
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November 3, 2016
I received a copy of the book after I volunteered to review it. This facts did not influence my opinion declared in this review.
Korinna is a bastard daughter of Duke of Kyratia city. After his death, she is supposed to marry the warlord Galenos, but the council plan's are different. So she joins her efforts with Galenos and takes off on a mission to tame a wild marewing and conquer the city.
The story is told from the point of view of several characters, which might be confusing, but in this case, it worked well. The changing storyteller keeps the book interesting, it goes in logical order and builds the plot nicely.
The most admirable part of the story is the world establishment. Full of magic, with the incredible and imaginative beasts called marewings, the world is very complex, detailed and totally believable. It has the feel of reality even.
On the other side, I did not like the characters as much as I expected at the beginning. Korinna earned my compassion and pity in the beginning, when she was destined to marry Galenos and rule, but the council denied her this right and forced ger to go on rogue path. But after her interactions with Galenos and Varranor, I got slightly confused by her behavior and couldn't quite understand her motives. Also the romantic relationship between Korinna and Galenos feels a bit unnatural. I miss the natural flow of chemistry between them.
I also recall struggling to get fully and deeply in the story in the beginning. It went better with each chapter, since they were quite short and tend to speed up the overall pace, but then, some of the scenes appeared rushed. Also, the battle for the city felt a bit unrealistic.
Nevertheless, the political intrigues are written probably in the best way I have ever seen. The story is full of twists, many of them surprising, keeping the atmosphere of the book adventurous and suspenseful. And what I maybe lacked in Korinna, was more than compensated in the beasts. They are so complex, detailed, individual and well-thought-over I was amazed. The author must have put some real effort in their creation.
To sum up, this book is a solid fantasy with enchanting world and fairly interesting characters. I am curious about the next installment.
Korinna is a bastard daughter of Duke of Kyratia city. After his death, she is supposed to marry the warlord Galenos, but the council plan's are different. So she joins her efforts with Galenos and takes off on a mission to tame a wild marewing and conquer the city.
The story is told from the point of view of several characters, which might be confusing, but in this case, it worked well. The changing storyteller keeps the book interesting, it goes in logical order and builds the plot nicely.
The most admirable part of the story is the world establishment. Full of magic, with the incredible and imaginative beasts called marewings, the world is very complex, detailed and totally believable. It has the feel of reality even.
On the other side, I did not like the characters as much as I expected at the beginning. Korinna earned my compassion and pity in the beginning, when she was destined to marry Galenos and rule, but the council denied her this right and forced ger to go on rogue path. But after her interactions with Galenos and Varranor, I got slightly confused by her behavior and couldn't quite understand her motives. Also the romantic relationship between Korinna and Galenos feels a bit unnatural. I miss the natural flow of chemistry between them.
I also recall struggling to get fully and deeply in the story in the beginning. It went better with each chapter, since they were quite short and tend to speed up the overall pace, but then, some of the scenes appeared rushed. Also, the battle for the city felt a bit unrealistic.
Nevertheless, the political intrigues are written probably in the best way I have ever seen. The story is full of twists, many of them surprising, keeping the atmosphere of the book adventurous and suspenseful. And what I maybe lacked in Korinna, was more than compensated in the beasts. They are so complex, detailed, individual and well-thought-over I was amazed. The author must have put some real effort in their creation.
To sum up, this book is a solid fantasy with enchanting world and fairly interesting characters. I am curious about the next installment.
July 8, 2014
In A Flight of Marewings, Walker creates a magical hybrid: part horse, part demon. The result? Dangerous horses with sharp teeth and wings reminiscent of those on a bat. The creatures are intelligent, strong, graceful, and deadly. Few can tame one, and a marewing will never accept another rider. They're fierce, distrusting and quick to anger.Nothing like the pegasus of legend.
Walker did a fabulous job of creating realistic and fascinating creatures. I fell in love with the marewings, as well as some of the other creatures she dreamed up.
But! There were others that I saw as vicious and cruel. The wyld was a dangerous place, and protection from it, through the grace of the allfather, Deyos, was essential.
These creatures - all of them - breathe.
They come alive for the reader in all of their glory. It's quite obvious that the author spent a great deal of time researching each individual quality that these beasts displayed. They were highly believable, and when picking them apart, I was able to see, in many cases, which real-life plants and animals they were based on.
And the characters? Yep. They were realistic, as well. Especially Korinna, the protagonist. I found myself bound to her, needing to know that everything would work out. She wasn't just a character, she was real. Her worries were mine. Her fears, her joys, her frustrations, her achievements. All of it.
Unfortunately, that last chapter made me feel there was no need to go back for more. There were no questions I wanted answered. Don't let that last chapter stop you from reading this, however. I mean, seriously... the rest was fantastic. The energy levels in A Flight of Marewings were great, emotions ran high, and the world breathed. I may even read it again, someday, this time stopping before the last chapter... because I think it deserves that.
(This is a truncation of my full review on Undiscovered Tomes.)
Walker did a fabulous job of creating realistic and fascinating creatures. I fell in love with the marewings, as well as some of the other creatures she dreamed up.
But! There were others that I saw as vicious and cruel. The wyld was a dangerous place, and protection from it, through the grace of the allfather, Deyos, was essential.
These creatures - all of them - breathe.
They come alive for the reader in all of their glory. It's quite obvious that the author spent a great deal of time researching each individual quality that these beasts displayed. They were highly believable, and when picking them apart, I was able to see, in many cases, which real-life plants and animals they were based on.
And the characters? Yep. They were realistic, as well. Especially Korinna, the protagonist. I found myself bound to her, needing to know that everything would work out. She wasn't just a character, she was real. Her worries were mine. Her fears, her joys, her frustrations, her achievements. All of it.
Unfortunately, that last chapter made me feel there was no need to go back for more. There were no questions I wanted answered. Don't let that last chapter stop you from reading this, however. I mean, seriously... the rest was fantastic. The energy levels in A Flight of Marewings were great, emotions ran high, and the world breathed. I may even read it again, someday, this time stopping before the last chapter... because I think it deserves that.
(This is a truncation of my full review on Undiscovered Tomes.)
November 17, 2019
A Flight of Marewings
Half horse, half demon... All monster. To capture and tame one is the epitome of bravery and cunning... And Korinna needs all the power she can gather. The illegitimate daughter of the duke, Korinna finds herself in a state of limbo after her father's sudden death. Being a woman, she has no power, no rights... And the man her father had intended for her to marry, seems disinterested at best.
In an effort to level the playing field, Korinna joins the local mercenary troop with the goal of becoming a Marewing rider to prove her worthiness to rule. But the hidden machinations of corrupt city officials, as well as those of her "betrothed", create obstacles that Korinna must overcome to fulfill her destiny...
Intense, haunting... A young woman's struggle to find her way in a world that discounts her as less than a second class citizen; fighting to prove to others what she knows soul deep: she is worthy. Betrayals and deceit, plots within plots, all combine to create a tale that will enthrall and entertain, and perhaps leave you uneasy....
Half horse, half demon... All monster. To capture and tame one is the epitome of bravery and cunning... And Korinna needs all the power she can gather. The illegitimate daughter of the duke, Korinna finds herself in a state of limbo after her father's sudden death. Being a woman, she has no power, no rights... And the man her father had intended for her to marry, seems disinterested at best.
In an effort to level the playing field, Korinna joins the local mercenary troop with the goal of becoming a Marewing rider to prove her worthiness to rule. But the hidden machinations of corrupt city officials, as well as those of her "betrothed", create obstacles that Korinna must overcome to fulfill her destiny...
Intense, haunting... A young woman's struggle to find her way in a world that discounts her as less than a second class citizen; fighting to prove to others what she knows soul deep: she is worthy. Betrayals and deceit, plots within plots, all combine to create a tale that will enthrall and entertain, and perhaps leave you uneasy....
May 14, 2016
I loved this story and the of the idea of the Marewings. It is an epic saga of power and duty. I enjoyed the understated way that Ms. Walker wrote and her voice and style. Once I started reading I could not put it down till the end. I stayed up way past bedtime just to finish it. It was a very well told story with excellent world-building. I really like the idea of the Wyld magic and monsters. I have heard the idea of Wyld magic before, but I really enjoyed the way it worked in this author's world. It is a well-paced and satisfying read.
I would love to see more in this world, or even a sequel. The character relationships were understated at the times, but it is story of duty more so than love, but worked well and believable, that through it all the relationship would endure. I will read this author again.
I would love to see more in this world, or even a sequel. The character relationships were understated at the times, but it is story of duty more so than love, but worked well and believable, that through it all the relationship would endure. I will read this author again.
September 11, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I gave the book 4 STARS. Very easy, enjoyable read. It was good, maybe very good, but not great. In so many ways I just felt it was almost there, but not quite. Characters, especially our heroine; Korinna, were nicely developed, but I wanted more. The magic was good, but I wanted more, especially in understanding "Wyld" magic. We had the build-up to what could have been an epic finale, but it kind of just was over. All that being said, it was a fun read and I will definitely read the next in series. There was an excellent storyline, political intrigue, romance and a good flow to the story, everything felt cohesive, nothing out of place or inconsistent. I really believe Ms. Walker has the talent to create a novel that will just blow me away!!! And this is a very good start. HAPPY READING!!!!
Tim
Tim
November 16, 2016
What a wonderful high action and intrigue read. This has it all in wonderful fashion. I love the world that has been created and the imagery. The characters are so real it makes the story come to life. I really love the magic, and monsters and story. All was put together so well you can imagine yourself there. The characters are strong and I love that Korinna wasn't a wimpy female and wouldn't settle for a life she had no interest in. It was also fun watching her unsettle the Warlord and make him hers. Great story and so well written it is one I highly recommend.
November 23, 2016
this is an interesting book, however the story seems to long winded in parts and not detailed much in some. it has political corruption, magic, flying horses, soldiers, religion all rolled up into one book. it has romance betrayals murder promises made and broken. it was an easy read but on the whole i would have started this from training and done flash backs.
September 21, 2016
Take a journey to a land of mythical creatures, magic and political intrigue. The characters are well defined and the author shows a wonderful talent for magical names and conveying a sense of surroundings. A very enjoyable read.
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September 7, 2016Read for #SPFBO
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