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He will make me a killer. Or he will have me killed. That is my destiny.
Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.
But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.
He's the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne's father.
She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves - and perhaps even her life?
Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.
But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.
He's the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne's father.
She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves - and perhaps even her life?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
March 7, 2019
When I read the blurb for Viper, I got real Game of Thrones Iron Island vibes. After reading, you need to mix in a whole heap of Pirates of the Caribbean, a splash of Hunger Games and a big old dollop of originality, and you arrive at Viper.
I love Bex Hogan's debut novel and the adventure it took me on. The world she has created was interesting and well crafted, each island with its own personality, and landscape. The story itself took enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, and there was plenty of piratey gore to add a bit of horror to the read.
The Viper himself was as villainous as they come. I found him equal parts terrifying and fascinating, a pirate captain to rival Blackbeard himself. There were plenty of good guys too, but I'm not going to mention any of them by name, because its much more fun not knowing whose a double crosser, and whose genuinely good ;)
I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing where Marianne goes next on her journey. I hope its as fun an adventure as this one!!
*** Thank you so much to the publisher for a review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review ***
I love Bex Hogan's debut novel and the adventure it took me on. The world she has created was interesting and well crafted, each island with its own personality, and landscape. The story itself took enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, and there was plenty of piratey gore to add a bit of horror to the read.
The Viper himself was as villainous as they come. I found him equal parts terrifying and fascinating, a pirate captain to rival Blackbeard himself. There were plenty of good guys too, but I'm not going to mention any of them by name, because its much more fun not knowing whose a double crosser, and whose genuinely good ;)
I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing where Marianne goes next on her journey. I hope its as fun an adventure as this one!!
*** Thank you so much to the publisher for a review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review ***
May 24, 2019
Spoiler free!
I really enjoyed this book. Overall it is a very solid read. I liked the main character, she is strong, determined and makes right decisions. I liked the plot which was full of pirates, murder and action, and constantly moving. The setting and world were phenomenal and very interesting. The side characters were all well developed and entertaining. There was a great villain and I loved the Sea Serpents! The book is written good and the romance was also ok (though not my favorite part). So overall I didn’t really have any main complaints or annoyances.
Why this book didn’t get five stars though, was because it wasn’t the most original book I have ever read and thus it is a bit predictable. Furthermore I wished I got a little more of everything: more world, characters, magic, information of the western islands (but that is probably because I liked the book so much).
I really enjoyed this book. Overall it is a very solid read. I liked the main character, she is strong, determined and makes right decisions. I liked the plot which was full of pirates, murder and action, and constantly moving. The setting and world were phenomenal and very interesting. The side characters were all well developed and entertaining. There was a great villain and I loved the Sea Serpents! The book is written good and the romance was also ok (though not my favorite part). So overall I didn’t really have any main complaints or annoyances.
Why this book didn’t get five stars though, was because it wasn’t the most original book I have ever read and thus it is a bit predictable. Furthermore I wished I got a little more of everything: more world, characters, magic, information of the western islands (but that is probably because I liked the book so much).
August 16, 2021
Headlines:
Fast-paced pirate-y high jinks
YA with brutal events, descriptive gore
Trust issues on trust issues
Hooked from the first few pages, Viper plunged me into the world of Marianne, daughter of a brutal sea captain, dictator and killer. Her life was pretty miserable but she'd learnt the art of survival, mistrust and battle skills. A lot happened in these pages, plenty of twists and turns and it was the kind of book that didn't break pace but it didn't make me exhausted by that fact.
There was brutality and heartbreak within these pages. For YA, this was pretty graphic on the battle stakes, killing and torture on the agenda. However, it fitted in well with the story, the characters and plot. There was a time where Marianne found a family who became hers, all the feels gushed over this.
The friends/found family built over the story, connections and trust were interesting to read. I am completely invested in more of this story, where the magic takes the crew of the Viper and Marianne herself. Roll on book two!
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
Fast-paced pirate-y high jinks
YA with brutal events, descriptive gore
Trust issues on trust issues
Hooked from the first few pages, Viper plunged me into the world of Marianne, daughter of a brutal sea captain, dictator and killer. Her life was pretty miserable but she'd learnt the art of survival, mistrust and battle skills. A lot happened in these pages, plenty of twists and turns and it was the kind of book that didn't break pace but it didn't make me exhausted by that fact.
There was brutality and heartbreak within these pages. For YA, this was pretty graphic on the battle stakes, killing and torture on the agenda. However, it fitted in well with the story, the characters and plot. There was a time where Marianne found a family who became hers, all the feels gushed over this.
The friends/found family built over the story, connections and trust were interesting to read. I am completely invested in more of this story, where the magic takes the crew of the Viper and Marianne herself. Roll on book two!
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
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March 31, 2019Second Book In March Fairyloot Box. Click under picture to see the goodies link
THE GOODIES
THE GOODIES
August 31, 2020
"Darkness has me in its unrelenting grip. Revenge is my mistress and I will be obedient. "
If you're looking for a book with 90% of the typical ya tropes and with zero characterisation, this gem if for you.
If you're looking for a book with 90% of the typical ya tropes and with zero characterisation, this gem if for you.
April 8, 2020
This was definitely much darker than I was expecting, and I wasn't super into that. It was pretty average for the most part, and the few torture/murder scenes didn't quite seem to fit the rest of the story. As well, first person present tense is probably my least favourite thing in fantasy books, and it definitely took me out of the story. It was a good premise, but just feel short for me.
May 20, 2019
Darkness has me in its unrelenting grip. Revenge is my mistress and I will be obedient.
This quote sums up everything I thought this book would be. Marianne is the daughter of the Viper, a fearless and merciless captain known for his brutality and unforgiving nature. And if she is going to succeed him and claim her birthright as the next Viper, she must kill him. I expected her to be fierce and fearless, I thought this would be a thrilling and brutal battle between the two. It was not. In fact, it was almost the opposite.
Marianne was not what I expected. She was soft and weak, hating all forms of cruelty and often put her own life at risk because of her unwillingness to cause someone else harm - even if they were trying to kill her. And honestly it just got annoying. I probably wouldn’t have minded so much if she wasn’t always saying that she was going to stop her father and his crew, to put and end to his violence - she talked a good game, but when it came to delivering, she would choke and almost get killed. And honestly I was just bored of her by the end.
I did love the concept of the book and I think the whole setting with the different isles had the potential to be absolutely stunning. Unfortunately it was quite rushed. We see glimpses of each isle and are told about them in little pockets of info dumping but not enough time was spent on any of them for the beauty of the details and history to take form. In fact, by the end I couldn’t remember what each isle was known for.
I also loved the piracy aspects and the sheer brutality of some parts of the story. Unfortunately those moments of brutality were only from Marianne’s father, and given that he’s the fearless Viper it was nothing short of what I expected. And I will give the author props for that. If you’re going write about a murderous, evil captain then he needs to behave as such and there was no shortage of death and violence here which was very fitting for the theme.
One of the main issues I had with this book though was that I just didn’t care for the characters at all. Marianne was quite annoying with her constant moping over how terrible her father was and her inability to commit to anything. The love interest Bronn was dull as dishwater and had a predictable “I had to betray you to save you” storyline. The Prince she is betrothed to is, of course, squeaky clean and kind as a button. His faultless personality was boring and predictable. And I can’t even remember anyone else. There were a few other characters scattered around but they just filled stereotypical fantasy roles. Like the cruel father who was hiding a secret of her heritage (a secret that was made very obvious so it wasn’t much of a plot twist when it was finally revealed).
The storyline was quite rushed and jumped around a lot. There are a few time skips and it went in a new direction every few chapters which just meant I struggled to really get into it. There was so much travel and so many new places introduced that I couldn’t really absorb them all before we’d moved on to a new one.
The magic system was also incredibly poorly explained. I couldn’t tell you how it works in the slightest. It seems like it just popped up whenever it suited the storyline with virtually no explanation, which is a shame because it could’ve been one of the most interesting things about the story.
Sadly this one wasn’t for me, and I have no desire to read the next books in the series but I’m sure it’ll be a big hit with a lot of readers.
This quote sums up everything I thought this book would be. Marianne is the daughter of the Viper, a fearless and merciless captain known for his brutality and unforgiving nature. And if she is going to succeed him and claim her birthright as the next Viper, she must kill him. I expected her to be fierce and fearless, I thought this would be a thrilling and brutal battle between the two. It was not. In fact, it was almost the opposite.
Marianne was not what I expected. She was soft and weak, hating all forms of cruelty and often put her own life at risk because of her unwillingness to cause someone else harm - even if they were trying to kill her. And honestly it just got annoying. I probably wouldn’t have minded so much if she wasn’t always saying that she was going to stop her father and his crew, to put and end to his violence - she talked a good game, but when it came to delivering, she would choke and almost get killed. And honestly I was just bored of her by the end.
I did love the concept of the book and I think the whole setting with the different isles had the potential to be absolutely stunning. Unfortunately it was quite rushed. We see glimpses of each isle and are told about them in little pockets of info dumping but not enough time was spent on any of them for the beauty of the details and history to take form. In fact, by the end I couldn’t remember what each isle was known for.
I also loved the piracy aspects and the sheer brutality of some parts of the story. Unfortunately those moments of brutality were only from Marianne’s father, and given that he’s the fearless Viper it was nothing short of what I expected. And I will give the author props for that. If you’re going write about a murderous, evil captain then he needs to behave as such and there was no shortage of death and violence here which was very fitting for the theme.
One of the main issues I had with this book though was that I just didn’t care for the characters at all. Marianne was quite annoying with her constant moping over how terrible her father was and her inability to commit to anything. The love interest Bronn was dull as dishwater and had a predictable “I had to betray you to save you” storyline. The Prince she is betrothed to is, of course, squeaky clean and kind as a button. His faultless personality was boring and predictable. And I can’t even remember anyone else. There were a few other characters scattered around but they just filled stereotypical fantasy roles. Like the cruel father who was hiding a secret of her heritage (a secret that was made very obvious so it wasn’t much of a plot twist when it was finally revealed).
The storyline was quite rushed and jumped around a lot. There are a few time skips and it went in a new direction every few chapters which just meant I struggled to really get into it. There was so much travel and so many new places introduced that I couldn’t really absorb them all before we’d moved on to a new one.
The magic system was also incredibly poorly explained. I couldn’t tell you how it works in the slightest. It seems like it just popped up whenever it suited the storyline with virtually no explanation, which is a shame because it could’ve been one of the most interesting things about the story.
Sadly this one wasn’t for me, and I have no desire to read the next books in the series but I’m sure it’ll be a big hit with a lot of readers.
May 27, 2019
This book was AMAZING. It was so, so good and I really hope a sequel is in the works.
I could write a huge review, but I think I'll leave it with this: it surpassed my expectations and I really enjoyed reading it.
I could write a huge review, but I think I'll leave it with this: it surpassed my expectations and I really enjoyed reading it.
April 26, 2021
Охохонюшки.
Нє, якби мені хтось скоромовкою переповів синопсис - вийшло б значно краще. "Ксеню, - сказали б мені ці хтосі, - уяви, там на піратському кораблі, майже ніколи не сходячи на землю, росте дівчинка, а батько в неї - піратський... кгхм... король, а з неї ростять убивашку, а вона не хоче вбивати, бо хоче бути цілителькою, кароч, все таке бах-бах, шабелькою махнули, сліди прадавньої магії розшукали, політики додали, на незнані береги ступили, вжух, хряць... емансипація, самовизначення, боротьба за справедливість, все на місці, ну, то й що, що Обрана, ну то й що, що любовний трикутник, хто в нас без гріха, га?".
Нууу... Продано. Якби не кілька але.
Фабульність. Варто собі уявити найбанальніший сценарій розвитку подальших подій і - бінго.
Прямолінійність. Внутрішній голос героїні просто не дає читачам шансів про щось здогадатися самим, ну там два і два приплюсовати - це надто велике навантаження, зараз ми вам все розжуємо, проковтнемо ще й животика помасажуємо, а то раптом за п'ять хвилин не перетравиться.
Невмотивована жорстокість. Я вже змирилася з тим, що янг-адалтом нипає перевертень more-dark-more-realistic і срібної кулі на нього нема. Але їйбо, герої, які отаке, як тут городять, зазвичай так довго не живуть.
Феєрична тупість дорослих персонажів. Навіть якщо робити поправку на жанр, така кількість фейспалмів може спричинити струс мозку.
Дуже невиразний стиль. Це банально погано написано. І несміливо відредагований переклад, що дбайливо береже деякі артефакти оригіналу (скажімо, манеру писати все, що можна й не можна з Дуже Великої Літери), відправляє і без того захмарний пафос прямісінько в космос. Пардон, в Космос, аякже.
Але пірати були, так. На те й купилася.
Нє, якби мені хтось скоромовкою переповів синопсис - вийшло б значно краще. "Ксеню, - сказали б мені ці хтосі, - уяви, там на піратському кораблі, майже ніколи не сходячи на землю, росте дівчинка, а батько в неї - піратський... кгхм... король, а з неї ростять убивашку, а вона не хоче вбивати, бо хоче бути цілителькою, кароч, все таке бах-бах, шабелькою махнули, сліди прадавньої магії розшукали, політики додали, на незнані береги ступили, вжух, хряць... емансипація, самовизначення, боротьба за справедливість, все на місці, ну, то й що, що Обрана, ну то й що, що любовний трикутник, хто в нас без гріха, га?".
Нууу... Продано. Якби не кілька але.
Фабульність. Варто собі уявити найбанальніший сценарій розвитку подальших подій і - бінго.
Прямолінійність. Внутрішній голос героїні просто не дає читачам шансів про щось здогадатися самим, ну там два і два приплюсовати - це надто велике навантаження, зараз ми вам все розжуємо, проковтнемо ще й животика помасажуємо, а то раптом за п'ять хвилин не перетравиться.
Невмотивована жорстокість. Я вже змирилася з тим, що янг-адалтом нипає перевертень more-dark-more-realistic і срібної кулі на нього нема. Але їйбо, герої, які отаке, як тут городять, зазвичай так довго не живуть.
Феєрична тупість дорослих персонажів. Навіть якщо робити поправку на жанр, така кількість фейспалмів може спричинити струс мозку.
Дуже невиразний стиль. Це банально погано написано. І несміливо відредагований переклад, що дбайливо береже деякі артефакти оригіналу (скажімо, манеру писати все, що можна й не можна з Дуже Великої Літери), відправляє і без того захмарний пафос прямісінько в космос. Пардон, в Космос, аякже.
Але пірати були, так. На те й купилася.
January 27, 2022
It was the first time that I didn't feel a thing. Actually scrats that, I felt gross in a medical scene.
What I meant was that it was the first time that not even one character made me like her/him. Every last one of them were indifferent. So as the plot.
It was a wonderful -and unique- idea which didn't go well. I mean pirates mate! What more do I possibly could want?
A brave heroine.
An impossible dilemma.
An epic new fantasy trilogy.
These three was at the back cover, but I needed the Magic and to see the West Islands. I wanted to see the Sea Creatures and the Monsters and more about the East Islands. I needed more!
What I meant was that it was the first time that not even one character made me like her/him. Every last one of them were indifferent. So as the plot.
It was a wonderful -and unique- idea which didn't go well. I mean pirates mate! What more do I possibly could want?
A brave heroine.
An impossible dilemma.
An epic new fantasy trilogy.
These three was at the back cover, but I needed the Magic and to see the West Islands. I wanted to see the Sea Creatures and the Monsters and more about the East Islands. I needed more!
March 18, 2019
Pirates are my catnip and this was one heck of an adventure.
Review to come.
Review to come.
April 1, 2021
1.5 stars
This was garbage. G-A-R-B-A-G-E.
Marianne is the daughter of the most dangerous pirate sailing the Eastern Isles. His crew call themselves “Vipers”, and they are all merciless killers. Marianne has been trained to join them since she was a little girl, but, in her heart, she knows she isn’t a killer. She doesn’t want to join her father’s crew. She’d rather learn to hone her healing skills and help people instead of murdering them.
Upon the day of her initiation, she makes her choice and runs away. Leaving behind her life spent on board a ship and her once-trusted friend and companion Bronn. But she knows she can’t run forever because her father will have his revenge.
First of all: the writing.
I felt like I was reading a badly-written fanfic most of the time. Here are just a few examples that made me cringe:
“Across the meadow, using the height of the flowers for cover, a she-wolf is prowling towards us, her intent clear. We’re lunch.”
“Hunger I hadn’t realised I had roars to take over.”
“… beady of sweat trickle down my forehead to hang like diamonds from my lashes.”
And one of my personal favourites:
“Darkness has me in its unrelenting grip. Revenge is my mistress and I will be obedient.”
To top this, sometimes an incredibly graphic death would follow a cheesy and cringe-worthy paragraph and vice versa. I do love a bit of gore, but it felt like characters were killed for shock factor? Just for the hell of it? One character got their eyes gouged out by Marianne’s father towards the end of the book. Like we needed a reminder that he is the ultimate baddie.
Second: world-building, which was non-existent.
We don’t even know how big the world/continent/country the plot takes place in is. All we know is: there is the sea (it doesn’t have a name, okay) and twelves isles. Those twelves isles were once united under one banner, but a war tore them apart. The six Eastern Isles are ruled by a King, but no one really knows what happened to the six Western Isles. No one dares to venture too deep into the Western Isles’ waters. The Isles themselves have different names like “Mist Isle” or “Rock Isle” (you see where this is going, don’t you?). We are told about the different isles in little paragraphs of info-dumping, but they are often only described by one characteristic. Like hey, King’s Isle is where the King lives, the Third Isles grows flowers, the Rock Isles is where they mine for minerals. YAWN, YAWN.
Oh, magic also exists in this world/realm/whatever, but it has supposedly disappeared alongside those who know how to wield it. But being the special snowflake Marianne is, of course, she can wield it (which she does by having read a few books and afterwards mumbling a few words). BAM! Of course, the magic system and how it works wasn’t explained.
Third: the plot. Bro, where do I start?
The storyline jumped around a lot. Six months go by within a single chapter. Characters are introduced and killed within a dozen pages, broken relationships are repaired, and love is rekindled. The book still felt too long! The ending was very predictable, so when I’d finished the book, I was like: “so?” I simply didn’t care.
Fourth: the characters.
They were so flat, haha; it was almost ridiculous. Marianne was very soft and weak, and her “I can’t kill another human being, uwuuu, please don’t make me” attitude annoyed the hell out of me. But then she went on and on about how she had to stop her father and that she would do what she must. All tell, now show. She was a very generic YA characters (lost princess to another kingdom, dead mother, arranged marriage to save the kingdom, in love with her best friend etc.).
The rest of the characters were so one-sided as well. How do you recognise a baddie? Easy: when they are either ugly (missing teeth, eye-patch) or want to rape Marianne within the first few minutes of meeting her, you know exactly who they are. Well done, now you know what all baddies in this book have in common!
Fifth: the love story.
There was zero tension between Marianne and her former best friend “who only betrayed her to save her” Bronn. Zill. Null. Nada. At the beginning of the book, Marianne’s father forces her into an arranged marriage with Prince Torin. This, of course, makes Bronn jealous, but Marianne doesn’t yet know he is in love with her. The only relief to this situation was that it wasn’t really a love-triangle, for the prince is in love with his bodyguard (called “Sharpe” damn, that name sucks), which means…
… THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT THIS BOOK WERE THE TWO GAY SIDE CHARACTERS.
This was garbage. G-A-R-B-A-G-E.
Marianne is the daughter of the most dangerous pirate sailing the Eastern Isles. His crew call themselves “Vipers”, and they are all merciless killers. Marianne has been trained to join them since she was a little girl, but, in her heart, she knows she isn’t a killer. She doesn’t want to join her father’s crew. She’d rather learn to hone her healing skills and help people instead of murdering them.
Upon the day of her initiation, she makes her choice and runs away. Leaving behind her life spent on board a ship and her once-trusted friend and companion Bronn. But she knows she can’t run forever because her father will have his revenge.
First of all: the writing.
I felt like I was reading a badly-written fanfic most of the time. Here are just a few examples that made me cringe:
“Across the meadow, using the height of the flowers for cover, a she-wolf is prowling towards us, her intent clear. We’re lunch.”
“Hunger I hadn’t realised I had roars to take over.”
“… beady of sweat trickle down my forehead to hang like diamonds from my lashes.”
And one of my personal favourites:
“Darkness has me in its unrelenting grip. Revenge is my mistress and I will be obedient.”
To top this, sometimes an incredibly graphic death would follow a cheesy and cringe-worthy paragraph and vice versa. I do love a bit of gore, but it felt like characters were killed for shock factor? Just for the hell of it? One character got their eyes gouged out by Marianne’s father towards the end of the book. Like we needed a reminder that he is the ultimate baddie.
Second: world-building, which was non-existent.
We don’t even know how big the world/continent/country the plot takes place in is. All we know is: there is the sea (it doesn’t have a name, okay) and twelves isles. Those twelves isles were once united under one banner, but a war tore them apart. The six Eastern Isles are ruled by a King, but no one really knows what happened to the six Western Isles. No one dares to venture too deep into the Western Isles’ waters. The Isles themselves have different names like “Mist Isle” or “Rock Isle” (you see where this is going, don’t you?). We are told about the different isles in little paragraphs of info-dumping, but they are often only described by one characteristic. Like hey, King’s Isle is where the King lives, the Third Isles grows flowers, the Rock Isles is where they mine for minerals. YAWN, YAWN.
Oh, magic also exists in this world/realm/whatever, but it has supposedly disappeared alongside those who know how to wield it. But being the special snowflake Marianne is, of course, she can wield it (which she does by having read a few books and afterwards mumbling a few words). BAM! Of course, the magic system and how it works wasn’t explained.
Third: the plot. Bro, where do I start?
The storyline jumped around a lot. Six months go by within a single chapter. Characters are introduced and killed within a dozen pages, broken relationships are repaired, and love is rekindled. The book still felt too long! The ending was very predictable, so when I’d finished the book, I was like: “so?” I simply didn’t care.
Fourth: the characters.
They were so flat, haha; it was almost ridiculous. Marianne was very soft and weak, and her “I can’t kill another human being, uwuuu, please don’t make me” attitude annoyed the hell out of me. But then she went on and on about how she had to stop her father and that she would do what she must. All tell, now show. She was a very generic YA characters (lost princess to another kingdom, dead mother, arranged marriage to save the kingdom, in love with her best friend etc.).
The rest of the characters were so one-sided as well. How do you recognise a baddie? Easy: when they are either ugly (missing teeth, eye-patch) or want to rape Marianne within the first few minutes of meeting her, you know exactly who they are. Well done, now you know what all baddies in this book have in common!
Fifth: the love story.
There was zero tension between Marianne and her former best friend “who only betrayed her to save her” Bronn. Zill. Null. Nada. At the beginning of the book, Marianne’s father forces her into an arranged marriage with Prince Torin. This, of course, makes Bronn jealous, but Marianne doesn’t yet know he is in love with her. The only relief to this situation was that it wasn’t really a love-triangle, for the prince is in love with his bodyguard (called “Sharpe” damn, that name sucks), which means…
… THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT THIS BOOK WERE THE TWO GAY SIDE CHARACTERS.
August 7, 2020
This book could have been one of my favorites, if only everything didn’t happen that fast. This book being so short, but with a lot happening within 300 pages, I felt like on a rollercoaster, without a moment to take a breath.
We follow Marianne trying to find her path of life, changing her vision of her father and his behavior. And in no more than 300 pages we actually see her maturing, finding her path and finally finding who she really is. Unfortunately I can only speak well about Marianne, since I found the other characters bland, hidden behind Marianne’s strength. She was the only one who had a psychological development, one of my favorite ever, the only one who I found to be flawed, strong and human while the others seemed to try to reach something, never achieving it, being there not really knowing what to do.
The most awaited plot twist, that you can see since it is mentioned a particular of the isles, was bland and disappointed me a lot. I was expecting something never seen and I was given the same as always. Yes, It works in a book like this, but could have been better. The style was really good, I read it fast (maybe a bit too fast) and the world building, the strong point of this book, was simply phenomenal. All the isles, each with something that differ, the sea, the forests, everything was put in the perfect place and sometimes it seemed I was there with the protagonist.
The finale was the best part, in my opinion, I didn’t find it too fast, but with all the right choices and things in the right place and time. I’ll keep reading the series just to see what Marianne is going to go and maybe to know more about Torin, who seems a interesting character.
Final vote: 3,5/5
We follow Marianne trying to find her path of life, changing her vision of her father and his behavior. And in no more than 300 pages we actually see her maturing, finding her path and finally finding who she really is. Unfortunately I can only speak well about Marianne, since I found the other characters bland, hidden behind Marianne’s strength. She was the only one who had a psychological development, one of my favorite ever, the only one who I found to be flawed, strong and human while the others seemed to try to reach something, never achieving it, being there not really knowing what to do.
The most awaited plot twist, that you can see since it is mentioned a particular of the isles, was bland and disappointed me a lot. I was expecting something never seen and I was given the same as always. Yes, It works in a book like this, but could have been better. The style was really good, I read it fast (maybe a bit too fast) and the world building, the strong point of this book, was simply phenomenal. All the isles, each with something that differ, the sea, the forests, everything was put in the perfect place and sometimes it seemed I was there with the protagonist.
The finale was the best part, in my opinion, I didn’t find it too fast, but with all the right choices and things in the right place and time. I’ll keep reading the series just to see what Marianne is going to go and maybe to know more about Torin, who seems a interesting character.
Final vote: 3,5/5
February 27, 2020
Konečně příběh s piráty a já si říkala “jo, tohle bude sakra dobrý”.. no trošku jsem se sekla. Bylo to dobrý, ale ne sakra dobrý. Nemilosrdní piráti, kteří vládnou moři je skvělé badass téma, kterého autorka bohužel nevyužila tak, jak bych si přála. Hlavní hrdinka má úžasný potenciál se kterým autorka skvěle pracovala a její charakter se mi opravdu líbí. Vražedná zmije, vycvičená k zabíjení, ale není schopna zabít? První třetina knihy byla naprosto skvělá a totálně mě nadchla, že to bude bude skvělý příběh. Bohužel jsem se zmýlila. V další chvíli tam začala autorka sázet jedno klišé za druhým a bohužel děj se tím pádem stal naprosto předvídatelný a už ne tolik poutavým. Ze skvělé YA, která konečně měla velmi zajímavé téma a báječný rozjezd se během poloviny příběhu stala tuctová kniha s naprosto odhadnutelným dějem. Ale musím uznat, že kniha byla drsná a krutá skvěle! A já mám kruté knihy ráda! Nicméně konec byl zas o něco lépe zpracovaný a docela mě i překvapil. Jsem zvědavá jak bude příběh dále pokračovat.
June 7, 2019
This book kind of feels like what would happen if you took a typical YA series and then condensed the whole story arc into one book, not by speeding up the pace, but by removing every character moment, emotional scene, world-building detail or original twists that would have made it even remotely interesting. What we end up with is a book in which a lot happens but nothing actually feels important.
Characters are introduced and killed within chapters, people are separated and reunited, identities are revealed, magic is discovered, old relationships are severed and rekindled, villains are introduced and defeated and despite all of that, the 400 pages of the book seem too long.
And to make matters worse, all of that is written in an incredibly simplistic unsophisticated writing. The best use for this writing is as an example of what "telling" means in telling vs showing of creative writing classes. The writing just made me sad, because more than anything it showed the ultimate lack of trust the writer had in her reader's intelligence. If only I could highlight every sentence that went something like "I did this because I was afraid because of that thing that happened to me 2 chapters ago and also the traumatic incident in my childhood that I'm now going to show in a flashback, just in case"
So here you go, a whole bunch of stuff happens to characters you don't care about, without enough time for either the story, the relationships or the world-building to become important to you and all of that is described in second-rate writing. If you want to read it, be my guest.
Characters are introduced and killed within chapters, people are separated and reunited, identities are revealed, magic is discovered, old relationships are severed and rekindled, villains are introduced and defeated and despite all of that, the 400 pages of the book seem too long.
And to make matters worse, all of that is written in an incredibly simplistic unsophisticated writing. The best use for this writing is as an example of what "telling" means in telling vs showing of creative writing classes. The writing just made me sad, because more than anything it showed the ultimate lack of trust the writer had in her reader's intelligence. If only I could highlight every sentence that went something like "I did this because I was afraid because of that thing that happened to me 2 chapters ago and also the traumatic incident in my childhood that I'm now going to show in a flashback, just in case"
So here you go, a whole bunch of stuff happens to characters you don't care about, without enough time for either the story, the relationships or the world-building to become important to you and all of that is described in second-rate writing. If you want to read it, be my guest.
October 17, 2019
Disclaimer: I receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“The man by my side is my opposite and my reflection. The dark to my light. The light to my dark. And everything in between.
But I'm not sure either of us could survive the heartbreak of being together yet being apart.
Love is not enough.”
I love pirates and I don't understand how have I not have a list of pirates books to read.
This gave me pirates vibes, game of thrones and a bit of King Arthur but I guess female version.
The story line is great. So many secrets to dug out, things to know of, enemies to kill and I love it.
Although the story line was set in a very slow pace, the action of the book was fast and I love it.
In the beginning I was thinking why they were rushing to solve the problem in one book, but the ending and everything made me understand and even more excited on whats to come in the next book.
The main character is a badass. Although most of her life she is being kept in a cage and being control. When she went out of that cage and showed her true potential. She is crazy.
I love the concept of the fights happening in the sea. Giving me all the pirate vibes. And the magic that is happening in the sea is amazing. I want more of those creatures.
I feel like we don't see much side character action but I am fine with it. I want to know more about Bronn and Grace though.
I don't know about Torin though, I don't know if we should trust him.
The secret we all know of the main character, I want to see where that goes.
This cannot be a duology. We need more.
I hope in the next book we see more of the magic system and also more attention of the crew.
“The man by my side is my opposite and my reflection. The dark to my light. The light to my dark. And everything in between.
But I'm not sure either of us could survive the heartbreak of being together yet being apart.
Love is not enough.”
I love pirates and I don't understand how have I not have a list of pirates books to read.
This gave me pirates vibes, game of thrones and a bit of King Arthur but I guess female version.
The story line is great. So many secrets to dug out, things to know of, enemies to kill and I love it.
Although the story line was set in a very slow pace, the action of the book was fast and I love it.
In the beginning I was thinking why they were rushing to solve the problem in one book, but the ending and everything made me understand and even more excited on whats to come in the next book.
The main character is a badass. Although most of her life she is being kept in a cage and being control. When she went out of that cage and showed her true potential. She is crazy.
I love the concept of the fights happening in the sea. Giving me all the pirate vibes. And the magic that is happening in the sea is amazing. I want more of those creatures.
I feel like we don't see much side character action but I am fine with it. I want to know more about Bronn and Grace though.
I don't know about Torin though, I don't know if we should trust him.
The secret we all know of the main character, I want to see where that goes.
This cannot be a duology. We need more.
I hope in the next book we see more of the magic system and also more attention of the crew.
July 21, 2021
I received an eARC of this book through the publisher.
I'm a sucker for pirate books, and this one started off so great: really atmospheric and with interesting world building. The plot was a little messy at times, and the story lacked some originality, but it was such an entertaining read, and it posed a lot of interesting questions to be explored further in the sequel.
I'm a sucker for pirate books, and this one started off so great: really atmospheric and with interesting world building. The plot was a little messy at times, and the story lacked some originality, but it was such an entertaining read, and it posed a lot of interesting questions to be explored further in the sequel.
April 3, 2020
YES. What a book!
Action-packed, thrilling, violent and oh, so satisfying. I've only ever read one pirate novel (Treasure Island) and it certainly wont be my last. SO GOOD. Characters were interesting, the story was constantly gripping and I was thoroughly impressed with Hogan's writing and storytelling.
Fantastic. Excellent work, Bex!
10/10 would recommend. I would love Venom, please!
sidenote: this might not be suitable for younger readers. When I say it's violent, it's violent. Like, children dying, throats being slit, eyes being gouged out, heads almost falling off. So I wouldn't recommend to sensitive readers or anyone too young. Just thought I'd throw this out there considering it's YA.
Action-packed, thrilling, violent and oh, so satisfying. I've only ever read one pirate novel (Treasure Island) and it certainly wont be my last. SO GOOD. Characters were interesting, the story was constantly gripping and I was thoroughly impressed with Hogan's writing and storytelling.
Fantastic. Excellent work, Bex!
10/10 would recommend. I would love Venom, please!
sidenote: this might not be suitable for younger readers. When I say it's violent, it's violent. Like, children dying, throats being slit, eyes being gouged out, heads almost falling off. So I wouldn't recommend to sensitive readers or anyone too young. Just thought I'd throw this out there considering it's YA.
February 23, 2020
Na začátku jsem dost umírala nudou, ale pak se to rozjelo. Část zápletky jsem uhodla, ale to nevadilo.. Spíš mi přišlo, že autorka všechno vysvětluje a málo ukazuje. V knize je velké množství popisů a hoodně málo dialogů. Ale pirátské prostředí i mapa jsou na jedničku, to zas jo :D
3,5/5*
Recenzi v deseti slovech najdete na blogu.
3,5/5*
Recenzi v deseti slovech najdete na blogu.
August 4, 2020
3.5 ⭐️
August 19, 2019
Zmije má velice slibný úvod, kdy se čtenáři představuje silná a sympatická hrdinka, stejně tak se ukazuje, že se bude jednat o příběh plný nemilosrdných pirátů, kteří se vskutku nebojí tu a tam někoho zabít. Kniha je i pěkně napsaná, popisy jsou nápadité a svěží, zkrátka jsem se k mému překvapení při té první čtvrtině vážně bavila.
Problém nastává v momentě, kdy autorka začne na čtenáře házet jedno klišé za druhým. Sice se to snaží trochu překroutit, nějakým jiným způsobem z toho vybruslit, ale výsledek zůstává pořád stejný. Po té první čtvrtině to bylo jako na houpačce - chvilku mi ta knížka přišla skvělá, povedeně svá, jenže pak přišel zase moment, kdy tam autorka práskla další neoriginální zvrat. Takže z neotřelé young adult fantasy to sklouzávalo k dosti tuctové záležitosti, což mě osobně velmi mrzelo.
Jinak jsem pořád u Zmije měla pocit, že mi to v některých aspektech připomíná jinou konkrétní knížku, a pak mi to došlo - Kletbu vítězů od Marie Rutkoski. A upřímně si myslím, že pokud se vám líbila Kestrel, nadchne vás i Marianne. Obě knížky mají i podobnou atmosféru. Tak to zkuste a uvidíte sami.
Něco málo víc na blogu: https://kristiecte.blogspot.com/2019/...
Problém nastává v momentě, kdy autorka začne na čtenáře házet jedno klišé za druhým. Sice se to snaží trochu překroutit, nějakým jiným způsobem z toho vybruslit, ale výsledek zůstává pořád stejný. Po té první čtvrtině to bylo jako na houpačce - chvilku mi ta knížka přišla skvělá, povedeně svá, jenže pak přišel zase moment, kdy tam autorka práskla další neoriginální zvrat. Takže z neotřelé young adult fantasy to sklouzávalo k dosti tuctové záležitosti, což mě osobně velmi mrzelo.
Jinak jsem pořád u Zmije měla pocit, že mi to v některých aspektech připomíná jinou konkrétní knížku, a pak mi to došlo - Kletbu vítězů od Marie Rutkoski. A upřímně si myslím, že pokud se vám líbila Kestrel, nadchne vás i Marianne. Obě knížky mají i podobnou atmosféru. Tak to zkuste a uvidíte sami.
Něco málo víc na blogu: https://kristiecte.blogspot.com/2019/...
February 22, 2022
Do 5 stelle a sentimento.
Sarebbero 4.5/5
La protagonista che l ho amata tantissimo! Non la solita scema , che non capisce niente ecc.. finalmente una che usa il cervello.!
La storia presenta qualche ingenuità e alcune cose potrebbero essere prevedibili.
L'ambientazione , nonostante si parli di purati ecc.. non è ben descritta , è lasciata in secondo piano.
Nonostante tutto consigliatissimo.
Livello d inglese?
Onestamente non saprei.. io l ho trovato fattibile
Sarebbero 4.5/5
La protagonista che l ho amata tantissimo! Non la solita scema , che non capisce niente ecc.. finalmente una che usa il cervello.!
La storia presenta qualche ingenuità e alcune cose potrebbero essere prevedibili.
L'ambientazione , nonostante si parli di purati ecc.. non è ben descritta , è lasciata in secondo piano.
Nonostante tutto consigliatissimo.
Livello d inglese?
Onestamente non saprei.. io l ho trovato fattibile
September 19, 2022
What an incredible book, I was intrigued from the first chapter and instantly teleported to this fantasy world. Full review to come soon, can't wait to dive into book 2!
April 1, 2019
Respect has to be earned among Snakes, and I have done nothing to gain theirs yet
Marianne is next in line to become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles. But the deadly and most dangerous man, the current Viper, stands in her way...and he's her father. She was born to protect, but in order to save her home, the boy she loves and her family she may have to risk destroying it all, including herself.
I love me some pirates in YA! I tried really hard to not read anything about this book before hand because I really didn't want to start having an opinion on it before I'd red it. I'm so glad I did! Because Viper is amazing.
Bex Hogan sets an incredible atmosphere and tone right from the first pages. It has the perfect flow. I read over 70% of this book in one sitting whilst travelling on my kindle and it wasn't until I looked did I realise how much I'd read at once, because it really didn't feel like I'd read that much. Nothing feels useless or like a filler. Every part has a meaning, but it ins't all intense or break-neck. It's an immensely readable pace and story.
I love the characters! Marianne is definitely the type of character that, go too far one way and they become annoying, too far in another direction and they become very stereotypical. Hogan is definitely toeing a thin line but she's doing it so well. Marianne is a great character and I'm very invested in her story. Another thing Hogan has done so well is avoid the basic love-triangle that we see so many times nowadays and it's perfect. Bronn is amazing and never gets annoying. He has a purpose and strengths so he isn't just there to be a love interest and it really shows. Torin and Grace were also amazing and I love them both dearly. It's rare that I read something and don't find anyone annoying. Adler was a great villain and he never softened once. He was a continuously brutal antagonist.
I loved the story line. Yes there are a few aspects that are a bit unoriginal but Hogan does great things with it making it interesting and exciting throughout. All the action scenes are very well written and I don't have to go back and reread things to try and understand what's happening. I love the world Hogan has started to create. I can't wait to see what else Hogan has in store for the rest of the trilogy. I'm hoping to see more of the Western Isles and Hogan has only just started to explore the magic within it and it's making me very intrigued.
In all, Viper was readable and intriguing.Hogan does an amazing job introducing the world and characters and giving many possibilities for the rest of the trilogy. I hadn't realised it was going to be a trilogy, duology yes, but not a trilogy so I'm even more curious as to what Hogan will do. I hope we're going to get more political and go even deeper into the magic. Whatever happens I am 100% here for it.
I received a digital copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.
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May 12, 2019
Thank you to the publisher and the ever amazing Tori for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!
High 3.5-4 stars.
It took a while to read this one. I picked it up probably a month or so ago, read a few pages and got distracted by adulting.
Literally me trying to pay attention to a book right now.
But I managed to pick it back up the other day and really get into it.. and quite enjoyed it.
Loved loved loved the blood thirsty pirates. YAAS STAB EVERYONE.
I blame Game of Thrones for this enjoyment. The Viper was fabulously villainous and I enjoyed every bloody moment of his page time and I really enjoyed how his character progressed and murdered throughout the book.
As much as I loved how diverse the other characters were.. I just wasn't quite sold on Marianne as a MC. She did bore me at times and
Oh and this book is really good at skipping time. I think at one point 6 months suddenly passed. Which worked for what needed to happen during the book but left me not caring at all about the characters that were introduced. It was rushed in that aspect (for me personally).
But despite that, I really enjoyed the world she had created. The different islands sounded divine and I really hope we get to see more of them in the next book. From what I understand, each island had a different purpose and I would definitely love to see that explored more in book 2. How each island contributes and how they might suffer if something happened.
Finally I'm very interested to see how this kinda magical fantasy element will expand in the next book though. The ending was quite exciting and had me start to foam at the mouth for more. Although I would love to see the fight scenes be a little more.. detailed? Planned out?
Definitely a series to keep your eye on!
High 3.5-4 stars.
It took a while to read this one. I picked it up probably a month or so ago, read a few pages and got distracted by adulting.
Literally me trying to pay attention to a book right now.
But I managed to pick it back up the other day and really get into it.. and quite enjoyed it.
Loved loved loved the blood thirsty pirates. YAAS STAB EVERYONE.
I blame Game of Thrones for this enjoyment. The Viper was fabulously villainous and I enjoyed every bloody moment of his page time and I really enjoyed how his character progressed and murdered throughout the book.
As much as I loved how diverse the other characters were.. I just wasn't quite sold on Marianne as a MC. She did bore me at times and
Oh and this book is really good at skipping time. I think at one point 6 months suddenly passed. Which worked for what needed to happen during the book but left me not caring at all about the characters that were introduced. It was rushed in that aspect (for me personally).
But despite that, I really enjoyed the world she had created. The different islands sounded divine and I really hope we get to see more of them in the next book. From what I understand, each island had a different purpose and I would definitely love to see that explored more in book 2. How each island contributes and how they might suffer if something happened.
Finally I'm very interested to see how this kinda magical fantasy element will expand in the next book though. The ending was quite exciting and had me start to foam at the mouth for more. Although I would love to see the fight scenes be a little more.. detailed? Planned out?
Definitely a series to keep your eye on!
April 17, 2019
*4.25 Stars*
I got an early copy of this book thanks to Fairyloot
Marianne has spent her entire life on a ship. See, her father is the Viper, which is the Captain of the Maiden, a ship meant to protect the Eastern islands except this role has turned and now he is just a vicious, terrible person who does nothing but harm and steal. Marianne can't take it anymore and decided it has to end but it's a lot more complicated than that, not only would she have to escape but she'd have to go against her father and his entire crew, made of ruthless assassins.
This was pretty awesome. It had been a while since I had read a pirate story and that sure was a good one. I really felt for Marianne from the very beginning, she was so layered and captivating. The plot was really great. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. I was really enthralled by the whole thing. The only thing I didn't love was the romance, and still it was okay. Anyway, I also loved the side characters, especially Grace.
Mostly, I just can't wait for the next book, I think it's gonna be even better.
I got an early copy of this book thanks to Fairyloot
Marianne has spent her entire life on a ship. See, her father is the Viper, which is the Captain of the Maiden, a ship meant to protect the Eastern islands except this role has turned and now he is just a vicious, terrible person who does nothing but harm and steal. Marianne can't take it anymore and decided it has to end but it's a lot more complicated than that, not only would she have to escape but she'd have to go against her father and his entire crew, made of ruthless assassins.
This was pretty awesome. It had been a while since I had read a pirate story and that sure was a good one. I really felt for Marianne from the very beginning, she was so layered and captivating. The plot was really great. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. I was really enthralled by the whole thing. The only thing I didn't love was the romance, and still it was okay. Anyway, I also loved the side characters, especially Grace.
Mostly, I just can't wait for the next book, I think it's gonna be even better.
November 22, 2021
I've read a few Pirate books at this point, and all of them felt more like fantasy. Viper offered what I was looking for - that slimy, disgusting, violently brutal, sand-in-uncomfortable-places feel that the Pirates Of The Caribbean series gave us, and I loved every moment.
I'm so happy that this isn't a romance focused book. It sets up the idea of a strong romance between Marianne and Bronn, but puts it to once side for a future book, and instead concentrates on the more important aspect of the story - Marianne finding out the truth about her past, and finally breaking free of the stronghold her physically and emotionally abusive father has on her.
This story never let me get comfortable. It was clear early on that this book was not afraid to get dark, and just when I started getting comfortable it violently tore that away, changing Marianne forever. That particular chapter is one I'll be constantly reminded of as I read the future books, and I'm not sure anyone is safe.
I'm so happy that this isn't a romance focused book. It sets up the idea of a strong romance between Marianne and Bronn, but puts it to once side for a future book, and instead concentrates on the more important aspect of the story - Marianne finding out the truth about her past, and finally breaking free of the stronghold her physically and emotionally abusive father has on her.
This story never let me get comfortable. It was clear early on that this book was not afraid to get dark, and just when I started getting comfortable it violently tore that away, changing Marianne forever. That particular chapter is one I'll be constantly reminded of as I read the future books, and I'm not sure anyone is safe.
June 17, 2019
I wasn't sure if I was going to love this book for the first few pages/chapters and then I was going headlong into it and couldn't stop. I need more.
September 16, 2021
I would give this 10 stars if I could
October 4, 2019
Yet another victim to my dreaded reading slump, I knew that once I could settle in and actually read this book that I would enjoy it. And I did! It was a fantastic pirate book, YA but still very gory and bloody from start to finish. It has a magical element as well, and I can't wait to see where more of that goes because it only really appears late in the book. the characters are absolutely fantastic, and are really brought to life with some fantastic writing and plot devices. There is romance, but it's not a major thread to the story; I'm more impressed with the friendships and other relationships forming.
This is just the beginning of what promises to be a fantastic series, and I personally can't wait for more! Definitely five stars, if this is on your radar check it out sooner rather than later.
This is just the beginning of what promises to be a fantastic series, and I personally can't wait for more! Definitely five stars, if this is on your radar check it out sooner rather than later.
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