Absence of Color

Spectrum of Color #1

by S.K. Wee

Librarian's Note: An alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Are our destinies preordained? Darby and Wagner are hired mercenaries employed by an organization called The Black Rose, led by a woman sometimes known as Lil Red. Their newest mission is to rescue two children and then escort them across the country while posing as peddlers. Join the adventure of this Coming of Age Fantasy. Magic, friendship, and romance abound.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

317 pages, Paperback

Published September 23, 2016

About the author

S K Wee lives in West-Central Wisconsin with her husband. She is retired from the Postal Service and spends most of her time reading and writing but loves to travel. Her first novel, Absence of Color, is the beginning of a four-book fantasy series, Spectrum of Color, which is available through Amazon. She also has written a follow-up trilogy centered on the children of the main characters we grew to love in the Spectrum of Color Series. The Whispers From Beyond Trilogy is now available in its entirety.
Since then, she had ventured into a few other genres: Contemporary Fiction with Larkin’s Landing and Lonely Hearts Complex. They are romance/mysteries set in the fictional small town of Tombora Springs in northern Wisconsin. If you enjoy paranormal fantasy check out Nun Worth Keeping where a young Catholic teaching nun is forced to make life-changing decisions. If you enjoy time travel, she has published a romance called Halwyn’s Portrait set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan along the shores of Lake Superior.
More recently, she created a portal fantasy adventure, The World of Vallis series. Three stand-alone stories will soon be offered set in that universe.

Reviews

[Gordon Bickerstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic struggle of good vs evil

This is a Coming of Age/Dark Fantasy conspiracy adventure story involving three teenagers. They are engaging and likeable and bound together by dark and disturbing circumstance. The author builds a complex and conflicted, harsh world where opposing kingdoms verge on a path of self-destruction. There is a huge amount going on in this story and at times I struggled to keep up and had to re-read some parts to get back on track. The author's writing does jar from time to time but the story did keep me turning the pages. The characters and the situation they find themselves in are well drawn, rounded and believable. The conflict is palpable and engaging. Recommended.

[Christina McMullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I admit, there are dark elements here that I wasn't expecting, this was a fun read. The standard adventure quest of much fantasy is done a little differently this time around, but not so much that fans of traditional fantasy wouldn't also enjoy reading.

[Tabi Slick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine a world filled with conspiracy, where the true ruler has been overthrown and every kingdom seems to be run by those with less than noble causes. This is the world of Absence of Color which follows the lives of two spies, known as Darby and Wagner, and a couple of children who all fall into an undercover mission to bring down the powers that be.

The Characters:
Let’s start with the spies, since the story begins with their story. Darby is more of the Sherlock Holmes character of the story. He seems to be gifted in everything that he does and Wagner envies him for that. Darby even seems to have a weird ability to communicate telepathically with some animals. I’m not sure how this gift will help in the grand scheme of everything, but I’m sure there’s a reason for this ability.
Wagner is a good sidekick, but has skills of his own that make him a likable character. He works well with a bow and has a strong desire to help others. This is a quality that not very many men in the story seem to have.
Lil Red is a character that appears a little bit later, but she runs the entire operation take-down from the inside out. She is one of my favorite characters because her cause is noble. The main villain, the Amir Mohana, is a terrible man with a taste for little boys and a dislike of women. Lile Red put an intricate network together in the hopes of bringing him and others like him down.
Frankie is the daughter of the Amir Mohana and knows first hand the wickedness that has ingrained itself within him. He had a hand in her mother dying and the abuse of one of her friends named Twig, a boy who was kidnapped to be his play thing. Conny and Frankie don’t realize this until it’s too late. Twig is thought to be dead, but Conny uses his magic that he’s been trying to develop to help revive him and get him away from that terrible place.

The Good:
S.K. Wee has a way of grabbing your attention with her writing that it instantly draws you into this world filled with strife, danger, hope, and a passion to overcome all obstacles. I really enjoyed the unique opening scene where Darby and Wagner are at the monastery undercover. It’s that kind of action scene that you’re not expecting to read first thing when you open a book, but it’s the very thing that keeps you turning the page.
I’ve previously mentioned that there aren’t a lot of of men in this world that desire to do what’s right for the good of others, but Conny is definitely not one of these men. I really fell in love with Conny’s personality and all of the risks he takes to help those around him. It’s an admirable quality that I hope doesn’t change. I know he’s bound to be a great mage in future entries and I hope he doesn’t lose what is good within him. The tension in this book is evident in many of the situations he’s involved in that will keep you on the edge of your seat, so be warned!
It was such a small part of the story, but I really enjoyed the Academy. I would’ve loved to have read more about this place and maybe experienced a class through the character’s perspective. We did get to learn about some of the different species in this world as well as meet new students, but what happens at the Academy is left somewhat of a secret that I hope gets revealed in the next book.

The Not So Good:
Warning: This book does mention drugs, rape, and the villain is involved in sexual assault on minors.
I put the warning above because I wasn’t prepared for these things going into this book and I kind of wish I had. They’re hard things to read about when you don’t know they’re coming, but rest assured the good guys do not think that this is right and do what they can to prevent these things from happening. There’s a lot of evil in this world, which is not a bad thing. It gives the few good people many opportunities to be great. I must say that for so much evil, the ending wasn’t as satisfying for me. I wasn’t sure how it was going to end and when it did I couldn’t believe it. It seemed to happen so quickly!
I would’ve loved to see Frankie express what she wants out of life, for her to have desires and wants of her own. Goals for her to work towards, but her story seems yet to be developed. I look forward to reading more about her and I really hope she grows up to be like Darby, a Whisper and a fighter. I hope that one day she thinks more highly of herself and gains confidence in her strength.

The Conclusion:
There are so many plot twists and high stake situations that you’ll be sweating half the time. The characters really grabbed my attention and made me invested in their lives. I cheered when the protagonists succeeded and I cringed when the villains seemed to be holding all the cards. This story made me feel everything. I laughed, I cried, I was frustrated at times, but well worth the journey. I would highly recommend Absence of Color: Spectrum of Color Book 1 for all who enjoy coming of age fantasies.

Star Rating Report Card:
4.5 Stars out of 5
1) Character development:
★★★ - 3 stars
2) Overall pace:
★★★★★ - 5 stars
3) Plot:
★★★★★ - 5 stars
4) Conflict
★★★★★ - 5 stars
5) Consistency:
★★★★★ - 5 stars
6) Dialogue
★★★★ - 4 stars

[William Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry I’ve been away, but I had to take a few days to visit Universal Orlando with my grandchildren and my lovely bride. I didn’t neglect my reading, though I had to wait to write this review. Today, I want to share my thoughts on Absence of Color (Spectrum of Color #1) by S. K. Wee.

Synopsis (from the author): "Secret orders and brotherhoods, wizened sages and mages, stealthy assassins and spies …" Shared misery forges an unlikely friendship between three young adventurers...

Frankie the daughter of Bhaelor’s Ruler and her father’s servant. Only it gets worse. He’s going to trade her into slavery.

Twig, kidnapped after his mother’s death, is used and abused by Bhaelor’s ruler. Since Twig is believed to be dead, there’s no one looking for him.

Conny, a young mage, is tricked into coming to Bhaelor. His magic may give his master the true power he desires.

Rescued by an underground spy network, Frankie and Twig realize they have a chance to right some wrongs. Frankie is optimistic and believes in a good future. Twig is bitter and ruled by his past. He wants revenge. Conny is left behind to learn the full extent of his magic but he will not be easily tricked again. Each must play a part in pretending to be something they are not. They share a destiny, a converging path but can they overcome the horrors they’ve lived to discover their true abilities? Who can they trust? Appearances can be deceiving and no one is who they first appear to be.

What I liked: First, Absence of Color was a great story. Our three heroes are coming of age and face many different challenges. For Frankie, becoming a woman brings new abilities. Conny has to deceive his master and hone his magical talents. Twig battles inner demons from his time with the Amir and tries to prove himself a man in Darby’s eyes. Darby and Wagner are excellent as Frankie and Twig’s mentors, and Lil Red, with her fingers in many pies, plays a crucial role. The Academy is cool, and the intrigue woven through the story makes it an enjoyable read!

What I didn’t like: Although an integral part of the story, the abuse children face at the Amir’s hands was disturbing. Other than that, not much to dislike in the book!

Overall impression: Absence of Color (Spectrum of Color #1) has all the elements for a great read! Good characters, lots of intrigue, a touch of romance, and the trials of coming of age make it a fun read. I recommend this one to all fantasy readers, though I’d say it is definitely PG-13!

My rating: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

[D. Peach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I think a story can have so much going on that the impact of each element gets diluted. That may be why I struggled with this book. The story focuses on three youngsters aged 10 to their mid-teens. The children are discovering their powers, magical and otherwise, as well as learning their family origins, and working to bring the powerful bad guys to their knees. This might suggest a YA audience, but there are some mature themes including the rape and sodomizing of children.

The book’s multiple points of view begin with the children, and I thought they were the main characters. But they disappear for large chunks of text when the narrative switches to focus on the stories/backstories of the adults. This made it difficult to connect with many of the characters. I liked Frankie and Conny, particularly Conny because he faced the greatest danger. Twig’s character is well-drawn with emotional depth, but his story of rape and its psychological impact seemed out of place with an otherwise YA story.

The traditional fantasy elements are plentiful and fun. Various magical talents come into play, including spells, potions, teleporting, healing powers, foretelling, reading auras, and communicating with animals. There are a number of fantastical creatures and beings, including the late entrance of elves and dwarves into the story. I was most intrigued by the magical ability called “stitching,” a fresh concept that I haven’t read before.

There are numerous plots/subplots at play. Not only are the children on a quest to deal with the corruption of the government and church, discover their origins, save their families, navigate school and relationships, and hone their magic and martial skills, but they’re also dealing with the result of brutal rape, figuring out why the river is producing giant lizards, saving people from harm, and combating slavery. Though the stakes are often high, the characters are rarely in danger, and when they are, their enemies are easily overcome, dampening the tension.

Tangents and extraneous details complicated a story already spread very thin, and most of the tangents were left hanging without resolution. I applaud the author for taking on such a multi-faceted story, but it seemed to lack focus. I believe it would benefit from some developmental editing as well as some fine-tuning to address redundancy and other smaller challenges with the prose.

[J C Steel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absence of Color had, at heart, an interesting premise. The deposed and scattered royal family of Mandalay can be recognised by a distinctive birthmark; and by their unique magical abilities. Violet/Frankie is an empath, able to see emotions as shades of colour. Darby can communicate with animals. Sophia can see the future. According to legend, these gifts are bestowed as necessary to help the kingdom. Author S. K. Wee demonstrates an imaginative twist on a classic fantasy plot, and it was definitely the redeeming point of the novel.

Unfortunately, beyond that, I found that the writing got repeatedly in the way of the story. Verb form errors and word repetition in sentences were the points that caught my attention out of the plot most often, but beyond the technical side, I found the incredible series of coincidences stretched my credulity, not least the renegade sea captain able to capture all the necessary resources to gather, arm, feed, and hide, an army and a navy—and then accidentally capture the one ship carrying his long-lost prince to lead them.

There is also an interesting dichotomy in character reactions. One of our teenaged heroes is raped by the bad guys in the opening chapters of the book, and he goes off on a mission of revenge. Multiple women are raped throughout the story, but they're able to brush it off and don't even need the services of a healer - their reaction, approximately, can be summarised as 'after all, it happens a lot'. It seemed like a consistently implausible reaction that nagged at me through the book.

Overall, I came out of this story feeling that a strong developmental and copy edit, and a little more work on character depth, could really transform this book and allow it to live up to its full potential.

[Jim Neville · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magical-mystical world created by S.K. Wee is woven with silk and gold. There's even a map of her world in the beginning of the book. It's a bit sketchy, but it gets the idea across. Maybe someday someone will draw a better one for her in exchange for an honorable mention (hint hint). The characters are well designed. You can easily love them or hate them. Although not worthy of a pure 5-star rating, it is definitely greater than a 4-star. I rarely give a 5-star rating to a series-type book with so many lose ends, but there is some closure at the end of this first book.

It's not perfect (what novel is), however I found myself looking forward to picking up where I left off. It starts off slow with difficult names, but it didn't take long to capture my interest. The conversations are a bit awkward. Maybe that's how they speak in this world - a world of flibbertigibbets that don't stop talking till they cover many topics - and people who wait till all thoughts are expressed before they reply. Although not normal for the world we live in, it sort of works in S.K. Wee's world once you get used to it.

I really enjoyed it. Be warned, this is not a fairy-tale world. Atrocities and death surround the characters. More than I would wish upon anyone. The characters work well together due to some sort of cosmic interweaving of their lives. It seems to be much more than coincidental. It is a magical world, after all.

[Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and intriguing story.

'Absence of Colour' is an engaging and intriguing tale of escaping the past and searching for identity and justice.

The band of characters in this book are quite well developed, and the reader is drawn into a strong feeling of empathy with Conny, Frankie and Twig in particular. The villain is well-drawn and distinctly odious: there are times when his actions do make the reader uncomfortable and quite angry. This sets the action of the story in motion: each of the main characters and a number of the minor characters must work together to achieve justice and to reclaim that which has been taken from them.

The book brings some resolution to the conflicts faced by Twig and Conny, along with a sense of relief in the immediate circumstances, but the reader is also very aware that there are still questions and problems that remain unsolved. In this way, the reader is strongly motivated to read the second book in the series - 'The Colour of Evil'. The title itself is both enticing and ominous, leaving the reader intrigued and eager to know more.

[Sophia Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the development of this book. There has been a good bit of thought about the world building and storyline. However, it does take some getting into given the number of characters to be followed, for those who enjoy following the storylines of several characters this would be a good fit.

The writing flows well, I would only say that the dialogue can sometimes feel somewhat wooden. Apart from that I didn't have issue with the writing itself. However I would like to see some more tension, I feel that in certain places I should feel really alarmed at the circumstances but I didn't.
Overall a good effort.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has many of the traditional things we all love about fantasy novels: castles, nobility fighting for their realms, some dwarfs and elves, magic. But it's the magic that adds something new. "Stitch" magic that comes from the giants. I liked the concept of what it did, and it's a key element to the story.

There's a lot of tragedy to the story: rape, assassination, murder. But there are funny moments as well. Plenty of emotional events to keep you turning the pages.

I liked the characters. They had a varied range of strengths and weaknesses--both the men and women. I think Wager was my favorite because he seemed the most human with his faults and feelings.

This is a nice beginning to the series. There's enough history of the land woven throughout the story at appropriate moments to get readers oriented without it all being lumped together at the beginning.

[Louise Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't quite believe how this author has delt with such harsh, adult themes within such a wonderful, almost young adult adventure.

So many twists to the tale that it's hard to know where to begin. The characters grow within every chapter. I particularly liked how all the intrigue is woven through the tale, the people who appear to be on one side, but are in reality on the other. Almost everything is a deception to begin with, not even Frankie, Twig, or Conny know who is a friend or an enemy. Frankie only knows that her mother told her to trust one man only.

Great scenery descriptions and fabulous tension throughout kept me turning the pages of this super book.

[Tom Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

great world building and character development

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world the author has created is complex and intriguing, and yet the information needed for such a vivid world rarely overloads the read. The characters are flawed, but in the right way! This makes the story that much more believable, and grabbed me from the start.

Other reviews refer to the occasionally clunky writing style, but although I spotted a little of this it did not detract from the general feel of the story for me - 'horses for courses' I guess!

All in all an enjoyable and highly recommended read. Bring on book 2...

[S.E. Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambitious Fantasy.

This is an ambitious, fast paced fantasy that had me riveted from the first page. It really does have a bit of everything in it, and as a long time lover of fantasy, I was easily absorbed into the plot. Twig, Connie, and Frankie are tied together by tragic circumstances, and Wee’s character building and word building creates a strong interest for the reader. Although I was championing for the characters - I found the sexual scenes and violence a bit of a struggle, but the story was captivating.

[Trudie Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has done a good job of building a world and filling it with diverse and interesting characters. What stands out for me about this book is the little things, the attention to detail, like when one of the younger main characters picks their nose so the guards don’t pay them much attention.
If you like this genre but don’t want anything too heavy, you will enjoy this one.

[Grady Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite some dark elements, this was a fun story to read. It possesses some of the basic aspects of a fantasy quest yet it takes it on a unique direction. Even though it slightly deviates from classic fantasy, I think it would still entertain fans of traditional fantasy. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!!

[Janice Smith-gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story.

Great characters. I have really enjoyed this story since it is seen through the eyes.of different characters. The twists and turns of the plot are great. I like how everything starts come together towards the end of the book. Cant wait to read the next book.

[Aliya DalRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

SK Wee’s Absence of Color is a fantasy thrill ride that is not for the faint of heart. Centered around three young teens, Frankie, Conny and Twig, this story takes you on a journey filled with unimaginable horrors, political intrigue and religious corruption that will have you turning page after page. The three main characters will worm their way into your heart, and you won’t be able to resist their compelling stories, as their paths twist, turn, and intersect one another throughout this blood pumping tale. Though the book does have some editing issues, do not let that stop you from enjoying what is ultimately a fantastic story. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

[E.M. Swift-Hook · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Eddings-esque Dark Fantasy

‘They all needed a bath and clean clothes. All but Darby, Darby never smelled and he never got dirty.’

Wagner and Derby work for The Black Rose, a spy network run by Lil Red, who is also known as Rosaline, a recognised member of Drevan society and often attending events at the palace. Drevan is ruled by Amir Mohana, who abuses and oppresses a lot of people and women most of all. Even to the point of oppressing his own daughter into servitude. Lil Red, for reasons of her own, wants to see things changed so sends Wagner and Derby to free Princess Violet (aka Frankie) and another missing youngster called Twig. Conny was training to be a monk of Sar when he was chosen to be the apprentice of Kelgar - who is the chief advisor to the Amir - and learn magic. But none of these three youngsters are who they think they are and as things progress they become more involved in a world of duplicity and danger.

‘Absence of Color’ (the title referring to a character who can perceive coloured aurae in everyone except those who have been bound into a secret fraternity called the Whispers) is a sweeping story with incredible complexity and some great characters. It reminded me of the kind of David Eddings school of fantasy and has many of the same kind of elements and approaches -with things like the characters learning to communicate by hand signals and Derby is incredibly similar to a Silk character in many ways, IMO - even down to his mysterious heritage and academy training. But this is much more brutal, dark and violent than an Eddings fantasy. There is blood, guts, gore, homosexual rape, hetrosexual rape, child rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse and grimness throughout.

“They ruined my life here, Conny. You know what they did to me; I can’t just walk away from that. I tried to put it behind me, but it never leaves me. I have to get rid of them Conny, they have to die.”

The book has three outstanding strengths, in my opinion. Firstly, the characters are all fully rounded and are people you can relate to and come to care about a lot. Even the antagonists come over as real people, trapped in their own ambitions and blind to the horror that means they are inflicting on those around them. Secondly, the story is rich and complex, weaving together a vast tangle of different threads which the author skillfully maintains on the loom of the narrative, so each plot thread is beautifully woven into the whole. Thirdly, the worldbuilding is so well done it is almost invisible.Info-dumps are few and far between and usually managed in a way that does not weigh down on the reader.

I liked that the author does not shy away from the messy reality of life, like the onset of one character's menstrual cycle is explored in some detail and the issues that causes and another young character being psychologically damaged through being sexually abused by the Amir so becoming unable to form normal relationships. The emotional tangles of the adults are ones many people will relate to.

‘The mother sat in the back with a lyre, the younger daughter sat in front with a lute, the son stood in back next to his mother, he had some chimes. The older daughter sat in front, almost directly in front of Twig, she did not have any instrument. The father stood up front.’

So what is not to like? Sadly, tragically in my opinion as this is a book with such potential, it is let down by the writing. It is very poor and painfully simplistic in places, such as in the quote above. The pace is patchy - for example, when we find a couple of the young protagonists in a school setting and the details of it are relayed excessively. There are a lot of irrelevant details included in the story which slow it down painfully at times and many awkward phrasings making the narrative very clunky. Dialogue is frequently so wooden it is immersion breaking. Almost every time one character addresses another they use the name of the character they are addressing, even on those occasions there are only the two present and this happens repeatedly in the same conversation. The end of the book is also poorly managed. there is not even an attempt to bring the story to any kind of rounded off point - it just stops mid flow as if at random.

This is a book that needs someone to take a chainsaw to the strangling ivy of superfluous and awkward elements, then it would be a truly magnificent read. That said, if that kind of writing is not an issue to you, dive in right now - you will find the journey incredibly worthwhile.

[J.B. Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like most fantasy novels that take place in a foreign environment—where the reader must become accustomed to new terms for people, places, and things, I underwent a slight adjustment period getting familiarized with Wee’s highly-complex world. But I savored the author’s descriptive passages, colorful dialogue, and larger-than-life characters, and by the middle of the first chapter, I was already fully committed to devouring “Absence of Color” as quickly as I could. Here was a read not only to be enjoyed but experienced—just as one would any heart-pounding, once-in-a-lifetime, hold-onto-your-hat adventure.


Wee’s ambitious, fast-paced, medieval-styled fantasy thriller captures the imagination as much as it holds the heart hostage to the plights of a number of protagonists who are as well developed in character as any real, living person. Secret orders and brotherhoods, wizened sages and mages, stealthy assassins and spies … All are convincingly real. Likewise, each is impacted and influenced by a plethora of royal schemes and clerical plots turned upside-down! Like any conglomeration of kingdoms that is on the brink of war and great upheaval—think “Game of Thrones”, Wee’s world is affected by mad kings, scheming sorcerers, a religious community gone amok, pillaging pirates, and unassuming but wizened women who seem to hold all the cards.


In the midst of all this adventure, stand three teens whom one can’t help but feel a close connection to; Twig, Connie, and Frankie who are all intimately tied together by a single horrifying circumstance. The reader develops a vested interest in these three fast-friends, and as they escape the bounds of their wretched lives and search for their true places in the world, Wee provides glimpses of their dark and mysterious pasts, as well as their possible futures. All of their fates depend on an enigmatic man called Darby—who seems to be a person with much more influence than he lets on, and his sidekick, Wagner. One can’t help but press their knuckles to the saddle-horn as we ride along with Darby and Wagner. As they assume responsibility for two of the wayward teens, they swashbuckle their way through each other’s homelands collecting intel, saving innocents, turning up long-lost kin, and—above all—protecting the future of the realm.


Technically, Wee’s sentence structure is a bit fractured, but her brilliance shines through as she weaves a complex tale of espionage and intrigue in which the original identities of the characters are in constant flux—swapping out as quickly as one can wave down a dwarfish server in the pirate hideout known as “Stronghold” to order a pint of ale! Throughout Wee’s saga, no one is who they seem to be, and the anticipation of resolving a major conflict between good and evil will have you sitting on the edge of your seat biting your nails. This is a glorious ride, and I simply cannot wait to read the next chapter of this exceptional novel series!


Note: I must warn the reader that some situations in this novel are violent, and there is strong sexual content that may trigger unwanted reactions in survivors of sexual and/or physical abuse. I recommend that the reader be of an appropriate age (over 17) in order to deal with these types of situations.

[Noor Al-Shanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absence of Color by S. K. Wee follows the paths of three children as they go through extremely harsh circumstances and become involved in the politics and troubles of their kingdoms. This is one of those stories that has a lot potential and was clearly well-planned, but a few little things about the writing bugged me and prevented it from getting a higher rating. First of all, it's a lot darker than you might imagine given the writing style and the youth of the characters.

This darkness mainly revolves around the character of Amir Mohana who is portrayed as a completely sadistic ruler that enjoys torturing and molesting children. And it's not just strangers that he abuses. He even turns his own daughter into a servant in the castle and then plans to sell her into slavery. I found his portrayal both cartoonish and disturbing at the same time. It was just way too much. Maybe if you enjoy darker stories this won't bother you too much, but I found it off-putting. Also, there are other instances of rape or attempted rape in this story as well as drug use, etc.

The other couple of little things that annoyed me were the unnatural sounding dialogue and the over-load of descriptions. The characters didn't sound real when they had conversations and it didn't seem realistic that these 12 year-olds were talking like this. Something about it wasn't natural. It's as if the author decided that this information was going to be revealed in this conversation and just forced it out of the character's mouths which made it sound unrealistic.The conversations just didn't flow naturally.

Also, I love world-building and the author clearly took a lot of time to build a detailed and pretty interesting world, but there was paragraph after paragraph of details about each town they walked through, each thing they saw along the way, that bogged the story down. World-building is important, but you have to portray it smoothly so that the reader doesn't feel like they're being bombarded with unnecessary details at every opportunity.

Despite these issues there were interesting things. They weren't handled very well - for example one character's father was revealed, but it was made so obvious that I, as a reader, knew it for a fact many chapters before the characters found out and it seemed like a wasted opportunity to create interesting tension. There were plots, rebellions being formed, adventures, and most interestingly a character was exploring his magical potential and discovering how to work it. If you're willing to overlook the weaknesses in writing I mentioned above then you might be able to enjoy all these interesting twists and turns and plots that the characters concoct.

Overall, I'd give it 2.5 or 3 stars. Check out the sample and see if the writing style works for you, if so then there is a lot of interesting stuff in this story you might enjoy.

[Angela Panayotopulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that begins with a (btw, beautiful!) map usually bodes well for me. It promises a story of epic proportions, packed with adventure, and exciting travels to exotic lands that no other writer has taken you before. Wee delivers on her promise to an extent, transporting us to another world entirely. It's a relateable world, for there are many elements reminiscent of our world -- nunneries, cowboys, relationships, abuse, and much more.



For me personally, it was a very intensive and difficult read. The writing tripped me up frequently, in terms of spelling errors, sentence structure, and a clunky writing style, and this didn't help me slip into the world as effortlessly as I desired. Despite the length of the book itself, far more things seem to be said than shown (e.g. don't simply tell me "he sounded like someone used to getting his own way"; describe the flatness of his tone, the unblinking stare of his eyes, the contemptuous curl of his lip), with too much of narration devoted to meandering through characters' internal trains of thought, while even those seem shared by a detached narrator.



This is a tale brimming with potential. The scope of the vast cast of characters and diverse situations is excellent, with a built-in complexity already stemming from many brutal and poignant scenes and themes. The imagination is here -- the author's knack for world-building and plotting is unquestionable and laudable. And that is good, for that is a very strong foundation. The craft is what needs work. Of course, mine is as subjective an opinion as the next person's; writing style simply matters to me a lot, for I'm the sort of person who will place as much (if not more) emphasis on the manner in which you convey something to me as on what you say. Rewritten differently -- more evocatively, lyrically, smoothly -- I believe this book could reach new heights and become an epic first in its series. I'd love to see Wee elevate this narrative so that the telling of it aligns with the power of its content.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

[Thomas O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absence of Color – Spectrum of Color is a book full of lively, creative characters. It follows the adventures of three adolescents, Conny, Twig and Frankie, who, at the start of the book, are all living in the castle of the evil Amir. Though each of them is there for a different reason, all three are in danger. Soon, Twig and Frankie are rescued by the adventurers Darby and Wagner and whisked away on a journey, while Conny remains behind, protected by a network of spies within the castle. As the book unfolds, the three adolescents discover and hone their unique talents and skills.

The book is grand in its scope, with a fully realized world filled in which the motivations and actions of the characters are all meticulously planned out. Compelling new characters are added to the mix every couple of chapters, resulting in a story that starts off as a rescue mission and ends as a tale of two kingdoms whose fates are left in the balance.

Though there’s much to like about this book, a couple of issues hold it back from being truly phenomenal. There are parts, especially in the beginning, where the author falls into the trap of over-explaining, rather than letting the action and dialogue tell the story. Sometimes this works out okay, but other times it gets a little distracting. Another thing I noticed is that, despite how fully-realized the characters are, they nearly all have a tendency to be either wholly good or completely evil, with very few middle-ground characters. Some readers might not mind this, but I think that the addition of a major gray-area character could have taken what is already a complex world and added an additional layer to it.

[James Maxstadt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absence of Color is a good story, with a few problems in the execution.

I found the writing a bit rough in places. Not with mistakes in grammar or spelling. More in things like believability of dialogue, and in some of the description. Often times, the characters were talking about important matters and then the conversation would simple end. "Ok, we're done here," type of thing. Also, they use each others names all the time, which people don't do when speaking to one another. It made the dialogue very stilted.

Also, I didn't find the motivation behind some of the characters to be believable, based on their actions. For instance, one of the main characters is raped early on in the book, and although he says several times that this was a devastating event in his life, (as it would be), he never really seems to show it. It's just told to us.

Having said that however, there are some very clever ideas here, and a good story behind it. It feels like there's more history here, which I like in books. It makes them feel that they didn't just suddenly come into being, but that you are visiting a new world, with a long history behind it. The interactions behind the two different kingdoms, the slavery aspect and the threat of the Stitcher mage are all good.

Overall, I think this book has a great deal of potential. It needs some editing, and some work on characterization and dialogue, but it's not a bad read.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absence of Color is the first book in S.K. Wee's Spectrum of Color series. A fantasy tale set in two fictional lands, Wee introduces three young protagonists -- Frankie, Conny, and Twig -- as well as a host of adult characters that each have their own parts to play. Though we're first introduced to Wagner and Darby, two members of the spy network working to fix the corruption of the perverted Amir and the evil King Felix of Mandalay, once we meet the young teens who've already formed a fast friendship, the story really takes off.

And it does. This first book has a little bit of everything: the beginnings of romance, magic, faith & religion, and political intrigue. While Conny stays behind, Frankie and Twig join Darby and Wagner on a journey that illustrates Wee's world building as they travel from one country to the next. Between the palace, to the monastery, to the Academy, there are plenty of places to explore -- and quite a few subplots interwoven to keep a reader intrigued. I wanted to see what was happening to each of the characters, especially after Twig left the Academy (and Frankie) behind.

Each of the three young protagonists show a major growth as tragic and life-changing events happen through the course of the first book. With three more to follow, I look forward to seeing what happens to them next!

[Florian Armas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Absence of Color gives an experience similar to playing chess. You have the opening, one move, the next one. Everything is meticulously planned: a new character, new information about a previous character which change the course of the ‘game’. It’s also fantasy and coming of age story of three young protagonists: Vi/Frankie, Conny and Twig. They share a history of being abused by the ruler of their land. As in case of Frankie, the abuser is her own father, Amir, who wanted a son, not a daughter, things are even more cruel. After her mother dies, everything is planned to sell Frankie as a slave to her own uncle. She is rescued by an underground movement, apparently ruled by some commoners. From all personages, Lil Red is the one who feels like a full character, from a long list in which we have the bad, the good, and nothing in-between.

[Darrell Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can definitely see why some people like this.
The characters are well defined. To me, and this is totally subjective, the author spent too long filling them in. But I prefer having characters slammed into the action and have to figure out who they are after, so take that with a grain of salt. And there were a lot of characters.
The scenery was well described and you got a good sense of what the author saw. Same with the world building.
The many sub-plots got me lost.
One thing that I personally liked is the author didn't whitewash history, it was set in mid-evil type times and those times were brutal. This is reflected in the book.
So this book didn't mesh with me, but in a way that a lot of popular books don't. I do think the book could lose ten percent and be better, but can see why people will like it.

[Christy Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a plethora of characters in this dark YA fantasy. At first, they were a bit confusing, but eventually the personalities fell into place and I got better at following the three storylines. The dialogue is a bit strange now and then, but that’s not completely out of place in a fantasy novel. I loved the interesting names. They were intriguing without being punishing, avoiding the gratuitous punctuation and unpronounceable bits some other fantasy novelists love. Lots of violence and intrigue, as well as good magic and back-stabbing politics. I enjoyed the read and look forward to the others.

[Jasmin Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start to an epic fantasy series!

Absence of Color: Spectrum of Color Book 1 is an engaging fantasy novel about a world where kingdoms are ruled by corrupt leaders, slaves are commonplace and danger is around every corner.

This novel had many of the elements of a good fantasy novel including wizards, magic, kingdoms, wars, giants, dwarves and so on. I rather enjoyed the journey’s of the main characters, particularly Twig, Conny and Frankie, but was intrigued by Darby and Wagner as well.

This book has lots of different story lines, but the author does a good job weaving them together in a way that keeps the reader from getting confused. I am looking forward to reading book 2.

[India Kells · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true coming of age
The three main characters are coming of age as we follow them through an adventure full of obstacles and challenges. In this fantastic world, they are linked as they overcome incredible difficulties and conspiracies. I enjoyed the story although at some point there are so many twists, I was almost lost. However, we bond with the characters and want them to succeed. I enjoyed it very much!

[Mihir · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very intriguing title and even though this seemed like a YA book, the author certainly has managed to infuse a certain amount of darkness into the story. This was a story that I certainly enjoyed and in the end it was a contest between this title and another dark debut.