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Chronicles of Charanthe #1
Rebellion
When her dreams are smashed by an assignment which would leave her trapped in a job far beneath her abilities, Eleanor has nowhere to turn. The Imperial system prides itself on perfection, leaving no space for complaints. In desperation she rejects her assignment and the quality of life she would have been guaranteed - then, suddenly free for the first time in her life, finds her imagination captured by legends which tell of a secret society of elite assassins.
Rebellion is the first of three novels in the Chronicles of Charanthe series.
Rebellion is the first of three novels in the Chronicles of Charanthe series.
418 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2010
About the author
Rachel Cotterill
8 books103 followersRachel lives in the Cotswolds. When she's not writing, she can probably be found wandering in the hills.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 30, 2012
In spite of the shared surname, Rachel Cotterill is not a relative. I was attracted to her work by the novelty of seeing my own (rare here in Canada) name on a published fantasy. My curiosity overcame my aversion to the book’s horrible cover. Yes, I know it looks like some dreary leftist literary novel about Hispanic poverty in the American South-West, but the book is actually a lively fantasy adventure with a mythical setting, an interesting female main character (named simply Eleanor), and a strong martial-arts theme.
Much of the novel’s abundant action takes place at a kind of Hogwarts for assassins. These assassins resemble medieval knife-wielding poison-toting secret agents who venture out on dangerous missions in defence of a shadowy Empire that straddles a forested archipelago. Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice comes to mind. If you liked Hobb’s book you will probably enjoy Rebellion as well. The story moves along quickly and fight scenes are abundant. The knife fights are especially good, as are the tense climbing episodes where Eleanor – never short on courage and endurance - scales prison towers or castle walls with only the scantiest of toe and finger holds. Weaponry includes throwing stars and these add a pleasing ninja touch to the young assassins. There are imaginative puzzles to be solved, unusual competitions to be won, occasional glances at Eleanor’s ambiguous feelings towards a certain young man, and for good measure, some deep-seated grudges among the students, which mean scores to be settled. These elements provide more than enough variety to ensure a good read.
The novel does have some shortcomings. The plot is so vaguely presented that, at times, I had trouble understanding what was going on – or why it was going on. In the early chapters Cotterill seems too focussed on showing us how her main characters try to avoid offending one another - the result of long exposure to political correctness, no doubt – but she does get over this. Then it’s on to flogging the tired old feminist horse. This may be a plus for some, but personally, I think we’re past all that. At one point, the story dwells somewhat morbidly, but not unrealistically, on torture and being cut. This seems needlessly extended at the time, but turns out to be important in shaping Eleanor’s character and affecting her responses to critical situations later on. There are exceptions, but Cotterill’s depiction of minor characters exhibits an odd juxtaposing of those who are wantonly cruel and those who are ridiculously obliging. What seaside innkeeper, to choose one incident, would loan his boat to a total stranger, for an indefinite period, without asking for a deposit or some surety? The book needs more characters with the typically human – and far more interesting - mix of virtue and vice. Motivation should arise from the realities of basic self-interest (money, sex, prestige) rather than the desire to be unspeakably cruel or super nice.
Some might question the novel’s implied morality. Eleanor’s values range from astonishingly shallow to dubious in the extreme. The young woman unswervingly assumes that personal need justifies stealing so long as you keep the thefts small and spread them around (with the occasional grand theft when things get dire). It seldom occurs to her that she might barter or offer to work for what she wants. I was amused when Eleanor conscientiously pays the bill at an inn – with money that she has just stolen by the fistful from a jewellery merchant in the marketplace. Why not simply stiff the innkeeper? Presumably, in Eleanor’s eyes, said innkeeper was a nice obliging fellow of modest means while the prosperous merchant was – well – a nasty grasping greedy capitalist oinker, a veritable corporatist in the bud. Perhaps; but on the other hand he just might be an honest lover of beautiful, and beautifully-crafted, things who, through hard work and ingenuity, has found a way to earn his living from the very objects he so admires.
Other problems include poor handling of time and distance. I was startled to discover that Eleanor’s attempts to find her way to the assassin’s school had taken up an entire year, and at one point, she seems to consider recovering some stored possessions in a quick visit to a cave, which is actually many days travel away. These minor quibbles and the plot difficulties alluded to earlier could have been avoided with a bit more authorial narrative aimed at clarifying situations and knitting together story elements into a more cohesive whole.
No work of fiction is perfect. This novel’s flaws impede neither the story’s strong forward momentum nor its ability to sustain the reader’s interest. As they should in a good adventure novel, things start happening right away and they keep on happening. Whether on land or at sea, in foreign parts or at home in the Empire, the story laid out in this engrossing novel is often exciting and never boring. The writing is sound with none of the dreadful spelling, grammar, and English usage gaffs so prevalent in indie novels. Cotterill has real talent. Reading Rebellion will get you in on the ground floor with a writer who has the potential to become a major player in the fantasy genre.
Much of the novel’s abundant action takes place at a kind of Hogwarts for assassins. These assassins resemble medieval knife-wielding poison-toting secret agents who venture out on dangerous missions in defence of a shadowy Empire that straddles a forested archipelago. Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice comes to mind. If you liked Hobb’s book you will probably enjoy Rebellion as well. The story moves along quickly and fight scenes are abundant. The knife fights are especially good, as are the tense climbing episodes where Eleanor – never short on courage and endurance - scales prison towers or castle walls with only the scantiest of toe and finger holds. Weaponry includes throwing stars and these add a pleasing ninja touch to the young assassins. There are imaginative puzzles to be solved, unusual competitions to be won, occasional glances at Eleanor’s ambiguous feelings towards a certain young man, and for good measure, some deep-seated grudges among the students, which mean scores to be settled. These elements provide more than enough variety to ensure a good read.
The novel does have some shortcomings. The plot is so vaguely presented that, at times, I had trouble understanding what was going on – or why it was going on. In the early chapters Cotterill seems too focussed on showing us how her main characters try to avoid offending one another - the result of long exposure to political correctness, no doubt – but she does get over this. Then it’s on to flogging the tired old feminist horse. This may be a plus for some, but personally, I think we’re past all that. At one point, the story dwells somewhat morbidly, but not unrealistically, on torture and being cut. This seems needlessly extended at the time, but turns out to be important in shaping Eleanor’s character and affecting her responses to critical situations later on. There are exceptions, but Cotterill’s depiction of minor characters exhibits an odd juxtaposing of those who are wantonly cruel and those who are ridiculously obliging. What seaside innkeeper, to choose one incident, would loan his boat to a total stranger, for an indefinite period, without asking for a deposit or some surety? The book needs more characters with the typically human – and far more interesting - mix of virtue and vice. Motivation should arise from the realities of basic self-interest (money, sex, prestige) rather than the desire to be unspeakably cruel or super nice.
Some might question the novel’s implied morality. Eleanor’s values range from astonishingly shallow to dubious in the extreme. The young woman unswervingly assumes that personal need justifies stealing so long as you keep the thefts small and spread them around (with the occasional grand theft when things get dire). It seldom occurs to her that she might barter or offer to work for what she wants. I was amused when Eleanor conscientiously pays the bill at an inn – with money that she has just stolen by the fistful from a jewellery merchant in the marketplace. Why not simply stiff the innkeeper? Presumably, in Eleanor’s eyes, said innkeeper was a nice obliging fellow of modest means while the prosperous merchant was – well – a nasty grasping greedy capitalist oinker, a veritable corporatist in the bud. Perhaps; but on the other hand he just might be an honest lover of beautiful, and beautifully-crafted, things who, through hard work and ingenuity, has found a way to earn his living from the very objects he so admires.
Other problems include poor handling of time and distance. I was startled to discover that Eleanor’s attempts to find her way to the assassin’s school had taken up an entire year, and at one point, she seems to consider recovering some stored possessions in a quick visit to a cave, which is actually many days travel away. These minor quibbles and the plot difficulties alluded to earlier could have been avoided with a bit more authorial narrative aimed at clarifying situations and knitting together story elements into a more cohesive whole.
No work of fiction is perfect. This novel’s flaws impede neither the story’s strong forward momentum nor its ability to sustain the reader’s interest. As they should in a good adventure novel, things start happening right away and they keep on happening. Whether on land or at sea, in foreign parts or at home in the Empire, the story laid out in this engrossing novel is often exciting and never boring. The writing is sound with none of the dreadful spelling, grammar, and English usage gaffs so prevalent in indie novels. Cotterill has real talent. Reading Rebellion will get you in on the ground floor with a writer who has the potential to become a major player in the fantasy genre.
April 26, 2011
Although fantasy is not my usual genre of choice, I enjoyed this book a lot. For one thing, unlike most fantasy books, this book contained no magic or magical and mythical beings. Just a lot of humans who had to rely on solely on their wits and intelligence to survive. Other than the lack of magic, though, it followed the classical fantasy set up. For one thing, the story takes place in an alternate world where swords and knives are the weapons of choice, and horses, carts and ships are the methods of transportation. In addition, the plot centers around a girl, who is the first female to be allowed into the secret assassins academy. She must compete against a number of males, some of which have been raised with the whole purpose of becoming assassins. How she uses her intelligence and her totally human skills to survive is a great story.
In addition, this book is the first of a trilogy. I am looking forward to the next installment to see how the story progresses and the characters develop.
In addition, this book is the first of a trilogy. I am looking forward to the next installment to see how the story progresses and the characters develop.
August 15, 2012
In "Rebellion", Rachel Cotterill creates a world where children are raised in schools, ignorant of their parentage, and assessors assign professions to students upon graduation. So, what does a girl do when she believes she deserves more than the assignment she was given? "Rebellion" follows the Eleanor's story as she rebels against her assigned fate and searches for the elusive Assassin's guild. The first half of the story covers ~ a year and focuses on Eleanor's search for the guild. The second half echoes Harry Potter and focuses on her two years at the school for assassins.
The first half of the book was great. Eleanor is gutsy and curious, a fantastic heroine. She tumbles in and out of scrapes, surviving on her wits, her desire to find the guild, and some measure of luck. When she finds the guild, however, the action slows down significantly. We see her in potions class, projectile class, getting outfitted for clothes and daggers, reluctantly hanging out in bars with her classmates. There is a competition at the end of the book--a series of three trials that she must go through in order to compete for a seat on the council. (Does it sound like Harry Potter yet?) The tension leaked out of the second half of the book and it just didn't end with the same bang as which it started.
The descriptions in the book are detailed. For the most part, it works because it paints a detailed picture of Eleanor's surroundings. After awhile, however, it felt repetitive. I started skipping over sections where she describes the tiles on the pavement and the mosaic patterns on the floor. There are also many scenes that focus just on what Eleanor is doing, i.e., moving through the environment with little interaction with other characters. (Admittedly, it could be a function of the story, i.e., a woman's solitary search for a mysterious organization.) It's a shame because the dialogue in the book is tight and snappy. I found myself skipping through Eleanor-only scenes to find the next scene where others are brought in to interact with her.
Still, this book was definitely worth reading and I will be picking up the sequel.
The first half of the book was great. Eleanor is gutsy and curious, a fantastic heroine. She tumbles in and out of scrapes, surviving on her wits, her desire to find the guild, and some measure of luck. When she finds the guild, however, the action slows down significantly. We see her in potions class, projectile class, getting outfitted for clothes and daggers, reluctantly hanging out in bars with her classmates. There is a competition at the end of the book--a series of three trials that she must go through in order to compete for a seat on the council. (Does it sound like Harry Potter yet?) The tension leaked out of the second half of the book and it just didn't end with the same bang as which it started.
The descriptions in the book are detailed. For the most part, it works because it paints a detailed picture of Eleanor's surroundings. After awhile, however, it felt repetitive. I started skipping over sections where she describes the tiles on the pavement and the mosaic patterns on the floor. There are also many scenes that focus just on what Eleanor is doing, i.e., moving through the environment with little interaction with other characters. (Admittedly, it could be a function of the story, i.e., a woman's solitary search for a mysterious organization.) It's a shame because the dialogue in the book is tight and snappy. I found myself skipping through Eleanor-only scenes to find the next scene where others are brought in to interact with her.
Still, this book was definitely worth reading and I will be picking up the sequel.
January 16, 2015
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this book to read for review.
Eleanor attends a school where the girls are trained for their future jobs. When she receives a job much lower than what she expected she must decide whether to take that job or to leave everything behind and search out the secret assassin school. Choosing the latter option she runs into adventure and danger a long the way.
This book has a really interesting premise and I am a sucker for assassins so I was pretty excited to read this book. I liked the aspects of this book when Eleanor leaves the academy and sets out on her own. The times she was travelling and were some of the more interesting and entertaining parts of the book. I liked the parts that followed but as the book went a long I started to have issues with Eleanor. One minute she would be strong and confident and the next minute she would be whiny and petty. The way she reacted to situations and people also seemed to be inconsistent and I often felt like she behaved much younger and immature than she was supposed to be. Unfortunately, I disliked her more and more as the book went on. There were also several parts of the story that were inconsistent, Eleanor being one of those things. The pacing was also a little strange. It was interesting and exciting at the beginning but then the last part of the book kind of dragged on. I also never really grasped the politics behind what was happening and how the events on the island were an attack on the school.
The writing was good and I also liked the world building. Eleanor seems to live in a fully realized world with and I also like when a book is setup with that. Even if we don't see anything outside of what the character does, I like knowing there is a world out there. I also really liked her chapters at sea and the way she would throw herself into her work.
I think this book had potential, it just didn't quite get there. Unfortunately because I disliked Eleanor so much by the end of the book, I probably won't pick up the next book.
Eleanor attends a school where the girls are trained for their future jobs. When she receives a job much lower than what she expected she must decide whether to take that job or to leave everything behind and search out the secret assassin school. Choosing the latter option she runs into adventure and danger a long the way.
This book has a really interesting premise and I am a sucker for assassins so I was pretty excited to read this book. I liked the aspects of this book when Eleanor leaves the academy and sets out on her own. The times she was travelling and were some of the more interesting and entertaining parts of the book. I liked the parts that followed but as the book went a long I started to have issues with Eleanor. One minute she would be strong and confident and the next minute she would be whiny and petty. The way she reacted to situations and people also seemed to be inconsistent and I often felt like she behaved much younger and immature than she was supposed to be. Unfortunately, I disliked her more and more as the book went on. There were also several parts of the story that were inconsistent, Eleanor being one of those things. The pacing was also a little strange. It was interesting and exciting at the beginning but then the last part of the book kind of dragged on. I also never really grasped the politics behind what was happening and how the events on the island were an attack on the school.
The writing was good and I also liked the world building. Eleanor seems to live in a fully realized world with and I also like when a book is setup with that. Even if we don't see anything outside of what the character does, I like knowing there is a world out there. I also really liked her chapters at sea and the way she would throw herself into her work.
I think this book had potential, it just didn't quite get there. Unfortunately because I disliked Eleanor so much by the end of the book, I probably won't pick up the next book.
June 14, 2014
I was a little unsure of this book to start with, but once it hit it's stride I really enjoyed it.
This is essentially a dystopian story. The Empire has decided that to make sure everyone reaches their full potential babies are taken from their parents and brought up in gender-specific schools. Tested through their entire lives, upon leaving school they are assigned their perfect role in society, guaranteed work, housing and income for the rest of their life. But what if they don't want the job offered to them? Eleanor is insulted by the role offered to her of police officer and so decides to go on a hunt for a secret organisation who accept only the best of the best. And she finds herself caught up in more trouble than she could ever imagine.
Rebellion is a fun story, though there is only really one act of rebellion so the title may be a little misleading. I never found it difficult to read, even if the timelines didn't quite flow right. The book is set over three years, but because of all the vague skipping ahead it feels like it could actually be set over a matter of months - a year tops.
There's some mystery and intrigue and places where I wasn't sure which of the characters to trust. Foreshadowing of things to come of just my paranoid mind, we'll have to wait and see. Eleanor wasn't a good leading lady and generally reacted believably to the situations she finds herself in, facing doubts which she has to try to overcome and the dislike of others for nothing other than her gender. She was a little bit too good at everything. There was the obligatory thing-she-couldn't-do-and-actually-really-struggled-with to bring her down to a regular level and she made "mistakes" (which she very quickly learned from) but for the most part I liked her.
With plenty of scope for the follow-up book this is a series I will definitely be continuing with.
This is essentially a dystopian story. The Empire has decided that to make sure everyone reaches their full potential babies are taken from their parents and brought up in gender-specific schools. Tested through their entire lives, upon leaving school they are assigned their perfect role in society, guaranteed work, housing and income for the rest of their life. But what if they don't want the job offered to them? Eleanor is insulted by the role offered to her of police officer and so decides to go on a hunt for a secret organisation who accept only the best of the best. And she finds herself caught up in more trouble than she could ever imagine.
Rebellion is a fun story, though there is only really one act of rebellion so the title may be a little misleading. I never found it difficult to read, even if the timelines didn't quite flow right. The book is set over three years, but because of all the vague skipping ahead it feels like it could actually be set over a matter of months - a year tops.
There's some mystery and intrigue and places where I wasn't sure which of the characters to trust. Foreshadowing of things to come of just my paranoid mind, we'll have to wait and see. Eleanor wasn't a good leading lady and generally reacted believably to the situations she finds herself in, facing doubts which she has to try to overcome and the dislike of others for nothing other than her gender. She was a little bit too good at everything. There was the obligatory thing-she-couldn't-do-and-actually-really-struggled-with to bring her down to a regular level and she made "mistakes" (which she very quickly learned from) but for the most part I liked her.
With plenty of scope for the follow-up book this is a series I will definitely be continuing with.
July 1, 2012
The writing is good, the characters are well drawn, and the scenes are amazing. Much of the book has to do with the training of assassins and the fight scenes of their (individual and small group) exercises and competitions are as well drawn as any I have read.
But I don't know that "Rebellion" is the right title even if this is the first in a series. There is a minor scene with some "rebels" mentioned, but mostly we learn that Charanthe, the Empire, is threatened by Tarasanka. The Empire has a lot of rules and seems to believe that its individual citizens must be controlled and manipulated. Tarasanka has an "anything goes" approach to governance but that includes much thievery and torture. What seems to be the point is that there is mayhem in both societies but it is Methodical in Charanthe; I suspect that this is not the author's intention.
Given such over-arching choices, Ellie's sense of aggrievement at the lack of respect she gets as a woman seems to exist in a totally unrelated universe.
But I don't know that "Rebellion" is the right title even if this is the first in a series. There is a minor scene with some "rebels" mentioned, but mostly we learn that Charanthe, the Empire, is threatened by Tarasanka. The Empire has a lot of rules and seems to believe that its individual citizens must be controlled and manipulated. Tarasanka has an "anything goes" approach to governance but that includes much thievery and torture. What seems to be the point is that there is mayhem in both societies but it is Methodical in Charanthe; I suspect that this is not the author's intention.
Given such over-arching choices, Ellie's sense of aggrievement at the lack of respect she gets as a woman seems to exist in a totally unrelated universe.
February 11, 2012
Read the full review at http://sciyourfi.blogspot.com.au/2012...
October 17, 2012
The short review: This is a decent bit of fantasy. It would certainly be remiss not to openly acknowledge that fact for various reasons. I think it's essentially a fast-paced action movie in novel form; the way it's written seems almost script-like. Exhausting at times. YMMV on that - it's not my bag, really, but I understood that it was put together in a way which works, and it so happened that I read it with brio, bought the next one, and am awaiting the final installment. However, there are things which made me frown regarding treatment of imperialism and gender - though not enough to stop reading, obviously! I wish more attention was paid regarding the socio-political aspect of worldbuilding when it plays such a prominent part of the plot.
And now the excruciatingly long and rambly version. Reviewers have covered plot summary and other issues; I will try to bring out other aspects which interested me.
The prose is workmanlike: clear and competent, eschewing the showy - no elaborate imagery or pointed wittiness, but it's not so dry and beige that I couldn't be bothered with it. I adore my verbose, aesthetic authors and got on with this just fine. Conversations are handled very naturally and convincingly - except for when characters speak Charanthe (or what is effectively English) as an additional language, of which more later. Also, it's clear that the author has done in-depth research on weapons and combat, which is excellent; however, the fight scenes felt too clunky at times. There's a difference between conveying the precise action of a fight qua fight and describing the pace and thrill of the fight that's interesting in novel-form, I think. Again, I think this may be an issue which comes with this movie-novel; it's tempting to describe everything in as much detail as possible as if you were choreographing a fight scene with words. I don't necessarily think it's more evocative and effective, though.
This approach to writing also affects the world-building. It's pretty much like a mainstream action movie in this regard; you've got big ideas going on which make for thrilling plot, but they don't hold up quite so well if you think about it in depth. While there are certainly politics and social structures in this world, I feel they could have been further developed with at least a little more nuance. This is not socially conscious spec-fic on the same scale as, say, Le Guin or Mieville; possibly I am being unfair, my perception skewed by reading those particularly meaty, deeply-worked books in tandem with this text, but I say this only because I honestly felt the whole set-up had so much more potential. Brain and brawn are not mutually exclusive qualities to have in anything or anyone, despite the easy binary we're commonly presented with--I'm sure one can have action and weave in nuanced world-building!
What especially stood out to me was the representation of uncolonised people. It could certainly be argued that we are seeing these people through an Empire-nurtured gaze, and this is indeed touched upon. However, the Tarasankan people are observed as behaving in despicable and largely mysterious ways (weird food, snake-worship, slavery, random torture); the only thing that is clear to the reader about their culture is that they won't horribly murder you if you pay them enough. I'm not going to deny that they're terrible; what I take issue with is how this is not given any kind of context.
The thing is, though, that the Empire also has trouble maintaining absolute law and is not above using shady, mysterious, violent, money-motivated means (the whole existence of the Association, anyone?--hell, the Empire itself!). The crucial difference is that the Empire's corruption is portrayed as bad, but also rooted in reason; you can sympathise with the people who have to live with that system. Their plight is human. In contrast, the Tarasankans - from torturers to townspeople - seemed to just be almost entirely evil, mysterious and contemptible for the sake of drama. I think all this business a bit suspect when the apparently inscrutable and "lawless" land is contrasted against the "normality" of the Empire, where people eat roast chicken and have "normal" (western) names like Daniel, Raf(faelo?), Eleanor, etc. The simplistic treatment of imperialism and the Unfortunate Implications made me uncomfortable for several reasons, but your mileage may indeed vary.
Another aspect which made me wonder is the treatment of gender and relationships. The novel, joyfully, passes the Bechdel Test. Unfortunately, this does not save it from basically running on Exceptional Woman Narrative, where Eleanor is more clever, competent, and skilled than any other woman. She disdains the company of her own gender, preferring to go it alone or be amongst men; this is obviously necessary in the second part of the book where she's in assassin school, but even in the first chapter of the book we are shown that her lifelong girlfriends are too conventional and prim for her, and she prefers to sit in a cave with who is effectively a random dodgy bloke. The only point where she specifically longs to generally have women in her life again is when she starts to have boy-related feelings. (based on the information given, I'm assuming Eleanor is attracted to men.) If there's going to be an arse-kicking, hyper-competent female protagonist, I always hope the author might continue on the path to writing an awesome character by dispensing with/carefully looking at those all-too-easy gender stereotypes. Eleanor just falls short of this, I'm afraid.
I'm not sure whether we're supposed to import our own assumptions regarding gendered behaviour, or whether we're being presented with the particular gender dynamics of the Empire. There is some indication that the Empire is not completely egalitarian - there are some career limitations according to gender, Eleanor thinks a woman showing her breasts off is an "immodest hussy" (y halo thar slut-shaming), some men make disparaging comments about womens' abilities, and although the mother's identity is generally not important one Association man hopes that Eleanor will fulfil her "duty" and produce a super-assassin-child with her good stock (erk!). Otherwise, the general shape of in-universe gender-based structural oppression is not especially well-described. Without some kind of system and history in place, there is no context in which any kind of oppression can be convincingly depicted. You don't have to go into massive detail about everything ever in your world with Tolkien-esque appendices, but sexism is something which the text explicitly brings up. It's therefore important that it be substantial enough to hold itself up as a theme. Eleanor succeeds for herself and herself only, explicitly rejecting the idea that she should be used as an example (by a man) to other women. However, I think there's a difference between rejecting a man's attempt use your body and your life for the sake of proving a theoretical point that he is largely unaffected by, and for an individual to have full agency over how they use their real, right-now life to reach out to and support others, especially other people belonging to their particular marginalised class and have shared experiences with you. It is possible that here a point is being made regarding women being pressured to speak for all women, and also establishing Eleanor as being a selfish character. I am not sure what the point is. (I acknowledge that much of this changes in the second book, but still with mixed results.)
Because of the insistence on individuality, the nasty comments made to Eleanor regarding her ability to work remain just that - tiresome and rude on a purely individual level. Without any sense of where and how the ideas and words weigh up, comments which could carry the bite of oppression (and its material/emotional consequences) is reduced to gassing from male fuddy-duddies--who eventually give in and let Eleanor have what she wants anyway, because she is just that awesome. No-one can really say 'no' to her; after a certain point, I just stopped worrying about what was going to happen to her. Yes, it is because she can take care of herself, but also... well--
You know, I am completely in favour of strong female protagonists being brave, awesome and skilled. I like that Eleanor plays dirty and is rewarded, that she drinks what she likes, snogs who she wants, and brawls as she pleases. My absolute favourite part of the novel is where she observes her scarred face in the mirror and accepts herself. If it weren't for the (imo) mostly pointless torture-porn scene, I'd be quite glad that Eleanor isn't gratuitously broken in for daring to be her gutsy self. But I also feel that her rebellion and achievements don't really have quite as much dimension because there's really not much for her to, on a personal and political level, rise against and overcome. In fact, what I took away from the whole job issue was that Eleanor mostly feared being doomed to a life of boredom. That's what's important to Eleanor: the right to adventure.
Notice that I'm just like 'Eleanor, Eleanor, Eleanor' throughout this review. That's basically because no other characters have that much depth and interiority to them. You get roughly sketched portraits which are just enough to populate the novel - the housewife, the friendly foreign shopkeeper, the near-emotionless scientist, the honourable puppydog, the violent and incompetent douchebag, the two-faced tutor. You don't really get to care quite as much about any agenda, dreams, or desires other than that of Eleanor; most characters can basically be divided into the following categories: people who want to kill Eleanor, people who do not want to kill Eleanor, people who want to stop Eleanor fulfilling her life of adventure, people who want to enable Eleanor's life of adventure. I'm glad there are no byzantine affairs going on, but I wish there were deeper relationships rather than Eleanor vs. The World. Again, this develops somewhat in the second novel.
I think I've rambled long enough about this novel. Gosh, it makes me look like loathed it - I don't! Truly, I don't. I think it's good that it was substantial enough for me to gnaw at it like this, and I'm looking forward to the completion of the trilogy and the author's future work.
And now the excruciatingly long and rambly version. Reviewers have covered plot summary and other issues; I will try to bring out other aspects which interested me.
The prose is workmanlike: clear and competent, eschewing the showy - no elaborate imagery or pointed wittiness, but it's not so dry and beige that I couldn't be bothered with it. I adore my verbose, aesthetic authors and got on with this just fine. Conversations are handled very naturally and convincingly - except for when characters speak Charanthe (or what is effectively English) as an additional language, of which more later. Also, it's clear that the author has done in-depth research on weapons and combat, which is excellent; however, the fight scenes felt too clunky at times. There's a difference between conveying the precise action of a fight qua fight and describing the pace and thrill of the fight that's interesting in novel-form, I think. Again, I think this may be an issue which comes with this movie-novel; it's tempting to describe everything in as much detail as possible as if you were choreographing a fight scene with words. I don't necessarily think it's more evocative and effective, though.
This approach to writing also affects the world-building. It's pretty much like a mainstream action movie in this regard; you've got big ideas going on which make for thrilling plot, but they don't hold up quite so well if you think about it in depth. While there are certainly politics and social structures in this world, I feel they could have been further developed with at least a little more nuance. This is not socially conscious spec-fic on the same scale as, say, Le Guin or Mieville; possibly I am being unfair, my perception skewed by reading those particularly meaty, deeply-worked books in tandem with this text, but I say this only because I honestly felt the whole set-up had so much more potential. Brain and brawn are not mutually exclusive qualities to have in anything or anyone, despite the easy binary we're commonly presented with--I'm sure one can have action and weave in nuanced world-building!
What especially stood out to me was the representation of uncolonised people. It could certainly be argued that we are seeing these people through an Empire-nurtured gaze, and this is indeed touched upon. However, the Tarasankan people are observed as behaving in despicable and largely mysterious ways (weird food, snake-worship, slavery, random torture); the only thing that is clear to the reader about their culture is that they won't horribly murder you if you pay them enough. I'm not going to deny that they're terrible; what I take issue with is how this is not given any kind of context.
The thing is, though, that the Empire also has trouble maintaining absolute law and is not above using shady, mysterious, violent, money-motivated means (the whole existence of the Association, anyone?--hell, the Empire itself!). The crucial difference is that the Empire's corruption is portrayed as bad, but also rooted in reason; you can sympathise with the people who have to live with that system. Their plight is human. In contrast, the Tarasankans - from torturers to townspeople - seemed to just be almost entirely evil, mysterious and contemptible for the sake of drama. I think all this business a bit suspect when the apparently inscrutable and "lawless" land is contrasted against the "normality" of the Empire, where people eat roast chicken and have "normal" (western) names like Daniel, Raf(faelo?), Eleanor, etc. The simplistic treatment of imperialism and the Unfortunate Implications made me uncomfortable for several reasons, but your mileage may indeed vary.
Another aspect which made me wonder is the treatment of gender and relationships. The novel, joyfully, passes the Bechdel Test. Unfortunately, this does not save it from basically running on Exceptional Woman Narrative, where Eleanor is more clever, competent, and skilled than any other woman. She disdains the company of her own gender, preferring to go it alone or be amongst men; this is obviously necessary in the second part of the book where she's in assassin school, but even in the first chapter of the book we are shown that her lifelong girlfriends are too conventional and prim for her, and she prefers to sit in a cave with who is effectively a random dodgy bloke. The only point where she specifically longs to generally have women in her life again is when she starts to have boy-related feelings. (based on the information given, I'm assuming Eleanor is attracted to men.) If there's going to be an arse-kicking, hyper-competent female protagonist, I always hope the author might continue on the path to writing an awesome character by dispensing with/carefully looking at those all-too-easy gender stereotypes. Eleanor just falls short of this, I'm afraid.
I'm not sure whether we're supposed to import our own assumptions regarding gendered behaviour, or whether we're being presented with the particular gender dynamics of the Empire. There is some indication that the Empire is not completely egalitarian - there are some career limitations according to gender, Eleanor thinks a woman showing her breasts off is an "immodest hussy" (y halo thar slut-shaming), some men make disparaging comments about womens' abilities, and although the mother's identity is generally not important one Association man hopes that Eleanor will fulfil her "duty" and produce a super-assassin-child with her good stock (erk!). Otherwise, the general shape of in-universe gender-based structural oppression is not especially well-described. Without some kind of system and history in place, there is no context in which any kind of oppression can be convincingly depicted. You don't have to go into massive detail about everything ever in your world with Tolkien-esque appendices, but sexism is something which the text explicitly brings up. It's therefore important that it be substantial enough to hold itself up as a theme. Eleanor succeeds for herself and herself only, explicitly rejecting the idea that she should be used as an example (by a man) to other women. However, I think there's a difference between rejecting a man's attempt use your body and your life for the sake of proving a theoretical point that he is largely unaffected by, and for an individual to have full agency over how they use their real, right-now life to reach out to and support others, especially other people belonging to their particular marginalised class and have shared experiences with you. It is possible that here a point is being made regarding women being pressured to speak for all women, and also establishing Eleanor as being a selfish character. I am not sure what the point is. (I acknowledge that much of this changes in the second book, but still with mixed results.)
Because of the insistence on individuality, the nasty comments made to Eleanor regarding her ability to work remain just that - tiresome and rude on a purely individual level. Without any sense of where and how the ideas and words weigh up, comments which could carry the bite of oppression (and its material/emotional consequences) is reduced to gassing from male fuddy-duddies--who eventually give in and let Eleanor have what she wants anyway, because she is just that awesome. No-one can really say 'no' to her; after a certain point, I just stopped worrying about what was going to happen to her. Yes, it is because she can take care of herself, but also... well--
You know, I am completely in favour of strong female protagonists being brave, awesome and skilled. I like that Eleanor plays dirty and is rewarded, that she drinks what she likes, snogs who she wants, and brawls as she pleases. My absolute favourite part of the novel is where she observes her scarred face in the mirror and accepts herself. If it weren't for the (imo) mostly pointless torture-porn scene, I'd be quite glad that Eleanor isn't gratuitously broken in for daring to be her gutsy self. But I also feel that her rebellion and achievements don't really have quite as much dimension because there's really not much for her to, on a personal and political level, rise against and overcome. In fact, what I took away from the whole job issue was that Eleanor mostly feared being doomed to a life of boredom. That's what's important to Eleanor: the right to adventure.
Notice that I'm just like 'Eleanor, Eleanor, Eleanor' throughout this review. That's basically because no other characters have that much depth and interiority to them. You get roughly sketched portraits which are just enough to populate the novel - the housewife, the friendly foreign shopkeeper, the near-emotionless scientist, the honourable puppydog, the violent and incompetent douchebag, the two-faced tutor. You don't really get to care quite as much about any agenda, dreams, or desires other than that of Eleanor; most characters can basically be divided into the following categories: people who want to kill Eleanor, people who do not want to kill Eleanor, people who want to stop Eleanor fulfilling her life of adventure, people who want to enable Eleanor's life of adventure. I'm glad there are no byzantine affairs going on, but I wish there were deeper relationships rather than Eleanor vs. The World. Again, this develops somewhat in the second novel.
I think I've rambled long enough about this novel. Gosh, it makes me look like loathed it - I don't! Truly, I don't. I think it's good that it was substantial enough for me to gnaw at it like this, and I'm looking forward to the completion of the trilogy and the author's future work.
December 17, 2014
(Spoilers inside)
Having read this book, I can say it did suck me in for a good portion of it. It took me awhile to get into it, especially because I didn't know where it was going, but it made enough sense in the end why Eleanor was picked and for what. Some parts may have been overly long, but overall it was a fairly fastpaced adventure with a lot going on.
There were a few common writing problems this book suffered from that struck me immediately and made it harder for me to get into at the start. One is the "protagonist centered universe". Eleanor, for example, wasn't given the job she wanted because of her attitude. I believe we're supposed to take her side because she's worked so hard, but no one wants to work with someone who has a bad attitude, so I don't really take her side. The only reason we would take her side on that is because she's the protagonist. The exact same character from a different point of view could easily be painted as a villain: "She works so hard and is talented, but her personality..."
My initial impression in this book was not just that Eleanor didn't agree with the system, but that of the people she lived with her entire life she didn't trust any of them enough to speak in private. It's one thing to put on a face in front of officials, but it's another when the main character can't have a real, private conversation with anyone she's lived with her entire life. Surely she's not the only one who ever has different thoughts? Little things like that left me feeling like she almost had disdain for the people she grew up with.
I had several little issues at the beginning, but I think the biggest was Eleanor's sudden fame. After she leaves the school she starts pick-pocketing, and eventually gets caught. In a panic, she pulls a knife on a guy then immediately runs away. This seemingly makes her incredibly famous across cities (note: she doesn't use the knife, she just got scared and pulled it out). I had some issues with that.
1. Is there no other crime going on at all that's more worthy of note? Really? Why are people being assigned as police in different places if this is the most noteworthy crime happening? So much so that word of her spreads to other cities in a flash about the "assassin".
2. Everyone will recognize her because she has red hair. Are there really no other women with red hair in the world? How did she end up with red hair if no one else has red hair? I know some hair colors are more common than others, but even if only 1% of the population has red hair, that still means that there would be a few dozen others running around that city. Not to mention there are simple ways to disguise hair color.
Now, I know the guy recognized the knife she had, but the amount of fame she got for this seemed ridiculous, and it also seemed weird how fast word spread of the non-incident. They sail for weeks/months and they're still worried about her being recognized in some far away land. She didn't do anything worthy of note. It felt too forced.
Now, beyond that, there's a lot that happens in this story and it's a pretty decent read. At times I was lost on what the characters were supposed to be accomplishing (for example, when she's at the Academy, I have no idea what they were trying to accomplish by drugging her and holding her hostage. I was never clear on that, especially when they're upset that she escaped). When I set it aside and just assumed that they must have been trying to do something productive, the story moved along fine.
I found the relationship between her and Raf fairly believable. They went through a lot together, so it made sense. I predicted he would come back the next year, but that was all right.
At times Eleanor could be frustrating. At one point she wondered Raf might be hiding from her and why. At the same time, she was hiding information from him, so it was hypocritical, and she didn't even think of this when she was wishing he would trust her. She wasn't trusting him, either.
There were also other points that felt forced. For example, at the Academy another student, Jorge, goes out of his way to try and kill her more than once. In front of people. For some reason Eleanor gets labeled as the crazy one, though. Why? Other people are there to witness what happened, so why would she be written off as crazy? Do they really find it acceptable for another student to attempt to choke her in the middle of lessons? Or for that same student to stalk her with a pair of knives and demand a fight? They would also have seen her try to walk away several times before scaring him off. There was absolutely no reason why they held these things against her instead of him. It was like she needed to feel left out for drama, and that was the only reason for them to be against her instead of him.
There's also a point when she overhears Ivan scheming with Jorge, and she goes through a list of people and reasons why she can't talk to them. She completely forgets Laban. During the second half of the book, after a certain point, he mostly disappears, and she never tries to bring any of these things to his attention even though she knows him and he's on the council.
I actually liked that she laughed off her wounds and focused on more important things. At one point she looks at a mirror and wonders when "her changed features had stopped horrifying her", but this is a case of being told and not shown. She worried about how she looked about once in the book, and otherwise laughed it off.
There were also times when I was waiting for her to fix things but instead they just fell in place for her. For example, towards the end, she beat one of her other classmates on a test by essentially cheating off of him. When she tells this to them, they're understandably upset at her. Instead of trying to do anything to sort things out with them, she mostly mopes or hangs out with the other boys (that they don't like). I know she's had an experience with Raf that would make her close to him, but there's no reason why she should snub the people she's been with for a year, especially when they have reason to be upset. I was waiting for her to tell Laban or someone else on the council, and then bring it back to them and inform them that she had told the council in order to at least try to make things right with them. Instead, she let's them be mad at her without any attempts to fix the situation, and things just sort of fall in place for her and they forgive her. I wanted her to be more proactive about things like that. I would have loved to see her work more on getting along with people. Joke about the way Daniel is a "smug bastard" or something.
And one last thing that I noticed that bothered me: at the end of the book she distances herself from Raf and thinks that he's "just like the others from Venncastle". It's fine for her to argue with him and disagree with him, and get mad about the things she got mad about, but this made no sense. She had previously overheard Ivan and Jorge talking, and she heard them talk about how Raf was rooting for her instead of him. She knows already that they believe Raf is on her side. I didn't see any reason why she suddenly lumped him in with the rest of them. It made sense to be awkward around him or try to avoid him, but not to suddenly act like "all people from Venncastle are scum" or something.
There were very minor errors in this book. First paragraphs weren't indented, and once in awhile there would be a missing word or quote:
Even now they were older, most of the girls wouldn't venture beyond the first few trees.
"And thank you all for coming.
...the girl can make good on her promise to drive all your custom away.
Overall it was written well, though, and errors were few and far between.
I think Daniel actually ended up being my favorite character. Although he was smug and stubborn, he stuck to his beliefs. I was glad he ended up on the council as well. A lot of the other students I didn't get too much from beyond "they're from Venncastle" or "they're not from Venncastle".
I really wasn't sure what rating to give this, because for a good portion of it I was reading quite happily, but there were definitely parts that frustrated me, and it took awhile for me to get into it. I saw another reviewer thought it slowed down when they got to the Academy. I can see what they mean, but it still read fine for me at that point. I didn't think it slowed down too much, and I at least liked reading about Daniel and the way he interpretted things differently. It was only awhile after they got to the Academy that it slowed down a lot for me.
So I think it is an enjoyable read, but I settled on my score because there were a lot of things that bothered me and it did take up a good portion of the book.
Having read this book, I can say it did suck me in for a good portion of it. It took me awhile to get into it, especially because I didn't know where it was going, but it made enough sense in the end why Eleanor was picked and for what. Some parts may have been overly long, but overall it was a fairly fastpaced adventure with a lot going on.
There were a few common writing problems this book suffered from that struck me immediately and made it harder for me to get into at the start. One is the "protagonist centered universe". Eleanor, for example, wasn't given the job she wanted because of her attitude. I believe we're supposed to take her side because she's worked so hard, but no one wants to work with someone who has a bad attitude, so I don't really take her side. The only reason we would take her side on that is because she's the protagonist. The exact same character from a different point of view could easily be painted as a villain: "She works so hard and is talented, but her personality..."
My initial impression in this book was not just that Eleanor didn't agree with the system, but that of the people she lived with her entire life she didn't trust any of them enough to speak in private. It's one thing to put on a face in front of officials, but it's another when the main character can't have a real, private conversation with anyone she's lived with her entire life. Surely she's not the only one who ever has different thoughts? Little things like that left me feeling like she almost had disdain for the people she grew up with.
I had several little issues at the beginning, but I think the biggest was Eleanor's sudden fame. After she leaves the school she starts pick-pocketing, and eventually gets caught. In a panic, she pulls a knife on a guy then immediately runs away. This seemingly makes her incredibly famous across cities (note: she doesn't use the knife, she just got scared and pulled it out). I had some issues with that.
1. Is there no other crime going on at all that's more worthy of note? Really? Why are people being assigned as police in different places if this is the most noteworthy crime happening? So much so that word of her spreads to other cities in a flash about the "assassin".
2. Everyone will recognize her because she has red hair. Are there really no other women with red hair in the world? How did she end up with red hair if no one else has red hair? I know some hair colors are more common than others, but even if only 1% of the population has red hair, that still means that there would be a few dozen others running around that city. Not to mention there are simple ways to disguise hair color.
Now, I know the guy recognized the knife she had, but the amount of fame she got for this seemed ridiculous, and it also seemed weird how fast word spread of the non-incident. They sail for weeks/months and they're still worried about her being recognized in some far away land. She didn't do anything worthy of note. It felt too forced.
Now, beyond that, there's a lot that happens in this story and it's a pretty decent read. At times I was lost on what the characters were supposed to be accomplishing (for example, when she's at the Academy, I have no idea what they were trying to accomplish by drugging her and holding her hostage. I was never clear on that, especially when they're upset that she escaped). When I set it aside and just assumed that they must have been trying to do something productive, the story moved along fine.
I found the relationship between her and Raf fairly believable. They went through a lot together, so it made sense. I predicted he would come back the next year, but that was all right.
At times Eleanor could be frustrating. At one point she wondered Raf might be hiding from her and why. At the same time, she was hiding information from him, so it was hypocritical, and she didn't even think of this when she was wishing he would trust her. She wasn't trusting him, either.
There were also other points that felt forced. For example, at the Academy another student, Jorge, goes out of his way to try and kill her more than once. In front of people. For some reason Eleanor gets labeled as the crazy one, though. Why? Other people are there to witness what happened, so why would she be written off as crazy? Do they really find it acceptable for another student to attempt to choke her in the middle of lessons? Or for that same student to stalk her with a pair of knives and demand a fight? They would also have seen her try to walk away several times before scaring him off. There was absolutely no reason why they held these things against her instead of him. It was like she needed to feel left out for drama, and that was the only reason for them to be against her instead of him.
There's also a point when she overhears Ivan scheming with Jorge, and she goes through a list of people and reasons why she can't talk to them. She completely forgets Laban. During the second half of the book, after a certain point, he mostly disappears, and she never tries to bring any of these things to his attention even though she knows him and he's on the council.
I actually liked that she laughed off her wounds and focused on more important things. At one point she looks at a mirror and wonders when "her changed features had stopped horrifying her", but this is a case of being told and not shown. She worried about how she looked about once in the book, and otherwise laughed it off.
There were also times when I was waiting for her to fix things but instead they just fell in place for her. For example, towards the end, she beat one of her other classmates on a test by essentially cheating off of him. When she tells this to them, they're understandably upset at her. Instead of trying to do anything to sort things out with them, she mostly mopes or hangs out with the other boys (that they don't like). I know she's had an experience with Raf that would make her close to him, but there's no reason why she should snub the people she's been with for a year, especially when they have reason to be upset. I was waiting for her to tell Laban or someone else on the council, and then bring it back to them and inform them that she had told the council in order to at least try to make things right with them. Instead, she let's them be mad at her without any attempts to fix the situation, and things just sort of fall in place for her and they forgive her. I wanted her to be more proactive about things like that. I would have loved to see her work more on getting along with people. Joke about the way Daniel is a "smug bastard" or something.
And one last thing that I noticed that bothered me: at the end of the book she distances herself from Raf and thinks that he's "just like the others from Venncastle". It's fine for her to argue with him and disagree with him, and get mad about the things she got mad about, but this made no sense. She had previously overheard Ivan and Jorge talking, and she heard them talk about how Raf was rooting for her instead of him. She knows already that they believe Raf is on her side. I didn't see any reason why she suddenly lumped him in with the rest of them. It made sense to be awkward around him or try to avoid him, but not to suddenly act like "all people from Venncastle are scum" or something.
There were very minor errors in this book. First paragraphs weren't indented, and once in awhile there would be a missing word or quote:
Even now they were older, most of the girls wouldn't venture beyond the first few trees.
"And thank you all for coming.
...the girl can make good on her promise to drive all your custom away.
Overall it was written well, though, and errors were few and far between.
I think Daniel actually ended up being my favorite character. Although he was smug and stubborn, he stuck to his beliefs. I was glad he ended up on the council as well. A lot of the other students I didn't get too much from beyond "they're from Venncastle" or "they're not from Venncastle".
I really wasn't sure what rating to give this, because for a good portion of it I was reading quite happily, but there were definitely parts that frustrated me, and it took awhile for me to get into it. I saw another reviewer thought it slowed down when they got to the Academy. I can see what they mean, but it still read fine for me at that point. I didn't think it slowed down too much, and I at least liked reading about Daniel and the way he interpretted things differently. It was only awhile after they got to the Academy that it slowed down a lot for me.
So I think it is an enjoyable read, but I settled on my score because there were a lot of things that bothered me and it did take up a good portion of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2016
This book was an unexpected pleasure. Unexpected, because it’s something that I picked up cheaply more than two years ago, when I was less careful about my purchases than I am now, and after a few disasters I’m a bit wary of anything that’s been lurking in a dusty corner of my Kindle for any length of time. And pleasure, because this was just a hugely enjoyable read. It started slowly and built very gradually, but it never sagged or got boring. Instead it wormed its way under my skin to become one of the best reads I’ve found this year.
In many ways, it’s a conventional fantasy, a coming of age with a quest, an unusual sort of school, an Empire and exotic countries beyond it, and swords and daggers and horse-drawn carts and market squares. And pirates! Bonus points for the pirates. And the young girl fighting to make her way in a male world isn’t particularly unusual. Even her chosen path of official assassin isn’t uncommon in fantasy.
But in other ways this is very different. There’s no magic, for one thing, and no fantastical animals or races. And main character Eleanor is both smart and independent, thinking her way out of trouble rather than resorting to fights. But she isn’t sickly sweet, either. She is, in many ways, quite an unlikeable character, ambitious and totally focused on her career, to the detriment, perhaps, of other elements of her life. She’s quite prepared to do what it takes to get to the top, and doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of other people. Her ruthlessness is what makes her so outstanding as a trainee assassin. So much fantasy tries to square the circle: to make the heroine the best at whatever she does, without ever losing her femininity and innocence. Here the author has addressed this issue head on, and doesn’t shy from the obvious truth: to be the best, you have to do a little trampling of rivals along the way.
One aspect I particularly liked was the world the story was set in. The Empire has some unusual policies. In particular, children are removed from their parents at birth and placed into single-sex schools. At seventeen, they are assigned a role in the Empire’s administration, their suitability determined by some obscure means. They will occupy that role for their whole lives, and there is no right of appeal. The idea of a society without families is an interesting one, and the author touches on the implications only lightly, but it’s refreshing to see a work of fantasy which doesn’t subscribe to the conventional social structures. Unfortunately, very little was done with the idea. Perhaps it becomes more significant in later books.
The book falls naturally into two halves, and the first part is, to my mind, a more cohesive story. Eleanor is offered a derisory position on graduation, which she chooses to reject, instead seeking out the almost legendary Academy where assassins are trained. Her journey becomes a classical quest, seeking clues both to the location of the Academy itself and also the secret of entering it. It’s not a place where applicants simply open a door and walk in. Along the way, Eleanor is forced to take work on a ship, is attacked by pirates, pursued by a vengeful victim of an early theft, and eventually is captured by foreign agents and tortured. This is rather a gruesome section of the book, which made me wonder about the age of intended readers. In many ways this is a classic YA coming of age story, but I wouldn’t recommend it for early teens. However, the puzzles she has to solve to gain admittance to the Academy are rather good, and I enjoyed these greatly.
The second part of the book is spottier. Some elements are drawn out to great length - Eleanor’s choosing of designs for her weapons, for instance, which seems to have no significance and could have been summarised in a sentence or two - while some of the challenges she undertakes were skipped over quite quickly, and I would have preferred a bit more detail. This section also focuses less on Eleanor’s individual problem-solving, and more on her interactions with others and this was (for me) the weakest aspect of the book. The budding romance from the first part is never addressed in any depth, and I found some implausibility in this. Eleanor is the only girl in the establishment, yet there’s no mention at all of sex, which would surely have been an issue, and the putative boyfriend is remarkably low-key throughout. Their given ages were late teens/early twenties, yet they both acted like early teenagers, happy with a platonic relationship. I don’t even recall a proper kiss. This may be the result of separating the sexes at birth and the lack of a family upbringing, but I would have thought that sex was enough of a biological imperative to overcome that handicap.
Another problem I had was with the rather vague sense of ethics. At one point, a contest is won in a way that I, at least, regarded as outright cheating, and although this is discussed, nothing ever comes of it. And then in the climactic challenge, there’s the opposite: an accusation of cheating that I couldn’t understand at all. It would have helped if the rules were made clearer: either contestants are allowed to do whatever it takes to win, or there need to be clearly defined limitations.
The ending, after all the build-up, felt oddly rushed, despite the great length of the book, and then it was straight into the setup for the second book. I would have liked a more resonant finale and some emotional resolution, especially with the boyfriend and the rivals in the contests. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable book which kept me turning the pages, with only a few jarring moments along the way and Eleanor is an unusual and intriguing character. A good four stars.
In many ways, it’s a conventional fantasy, a coming of age with a quest, an unusual sort of school, an Empire and exotic countries beyond it, and swords and daggers and horse-drawn carts and market squares. And pirates! Bonus points for the pirates. And the young girl fighting to make her way in a male world isn’t particularly unusual. Even her chosen path of official assassin isn’t uncommon in fantasy.
But in other ways this is very different. There’s no magic, for one thing, and no fantastical animals or races. And main character Eleanor is both smart and independent, thinking her way out of trouble rather than resorting to fights. But she isn’t sickly sweet, either. She is, in many ways, quite an unlikeable character, ambitious and totally focused on her career, to the detriment, perhaps, of other elements of her life. She’s quite prepared to do what it takes to get to the top, and doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of other people. Her ruthlessness is what makes her so outstanding as a trainee assassin. So much fantasy tries to square the circle: to make the heroine the best at whatever she does, without ever losing her femininity and innocence. Here the author has addressed this issue head on, and doesn’t shy from the obvious truth: to be the best, you have to do a little trampling of rivals along the way.
One aspect I particularly liked was the world the story was set in. The Empire has some unusual policies. In particular, children are removed from their parents at birth and placed into single-sex schools. At seventeen, they are assigned a role in the Empire’s administration, their suitability determined by some obscure means. They will occupy that role for their whole lives, and there is no right of appeal. The idea of a society without families is an interesting one, and the author touches on the implications only lightly, but it’s refreshing to see a work of fantasy which doesn’t subscribe to the conventional social structures. Unfortunately, very little was done with the idea. Perhaps it becomes more significant in later books.
The book falls naturally into two halves, and the first part is, to my mind, a more cohesive story. Eleanor is offered a derisory position on graduation, which she chooses to reject, instead seeking out the almost legendary Academy where assassins are trained. Her journey becomes a classical quest, seeking clues both to the location of the Academy itself and also the secret of entering it. It’s not a place where applicants simply open a door and walk in. Along the way, Eleanor is forced to take work on a ship, is attacked by pirates, pursued by a vengeful victim of an early theft, and eventually is captured by foreign agents and tortured. This is rather a gruesome section of the book, which made me wonder about the age of intended readers. In many ways this is a classic YA coming of age story, but I wouldn’t recommend it for early teens. However, the puzzles she has to solve to gain admittance to the Academy are rather good, and I enjoyed these greatly.
The second part of the book is spottier. Some elements are drawn out to great length - Eleanor’s choosing of designs for her weapons, for instance, which seems to have no significance and could have been summarised in a sentence or two - while some of the challenges she undertakes were skipped over quite quickly, and I would have preferred a bit more detail. This section also focuses less on Eleanor’s individual problem-solving, and more on her interactions with others and this was (for me) the weakest aspect of the book. The budding romance from the first part is never addressed in any depth, and I found some implausibility in this. Eleanor is the only girl in the establishment, yet there’s no mention at all of sex, which would surely have been an issue, and the putative boyfriend is remarkably low-key throughout. Their given ages were late teens/early twenties, yet they both acted like early teenagers, happy with a platonic relationship. I don’t even recall a proper kiss. This may be the result of separating the sexes at birth and the lack of a family upbringing, but I would have thought that sex was enough of a biological imperative to overcome that handicap.
Another problem I had was with the rather vague sense of ethics. At one point, a contest is won in a way that I, at least, regarded as outright cheating, and although this is discussed, nothing ever comes of it. And then in the climactic challenge, there’s the opposite: an accusation of cheating that I couldn’t understand at all. It would have helped if the rules were made clearer: either contestants are allowed to do whatever it takes to win, or there need to be clearly defined limitations.
The ending, after all the build-up, felt oddly rushed, despite the great length of the book, and then it was straight into the setup for the second book. I would have liked a more resonant finale and some emotional resolution, especially with the boyfriend and the rivals in the contests. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable book which kept me turning the pages, with only a few jarring moments along the way and Eleanor is an unusual and intriguing character. A good four stars.
July 10, 2022
I loved this book. Recently discovered the series doesn’t go past book 2 and I’m super bummed but am going to read it because I love the characters, their stories, and the way the author writes. I couldn’t put this book down and that hasn’t happened for me in a while.
November 11, 2011
Although Fantasy is not a genre I am fond of I was impressed with the writing and the way that Rachel has created a whole fantasy world in this first novel in the trilogy the Chronicles of Charanthe. It is a strange world but through the protagonist Eleanor you will be able to step into this world where children are taken away from their parents at birth to be educated. Upon graduation the students are awarded lifetime job assignments, but Eleanor’s posting is not the dream job she had always hoped for. The job offered to her is one she feels far below her abilities so she decides to reject the offer. This is where her problems begin as suddenly free for the first time in her life, she recalls the legends which tell of a secret society of elite assassins, who live outside the laws of the Empire and who may or may not truly exist. As she seeks out the truth she has many adventures, of which if you are not a fan of this genre may seem incredibly far fetched, as she cheats, steals and kills her way to succeed. I coped as I liked the way the author portrayed her characters and it was a fast paced read. I did however find the descriptions of weaponry, fighting and even torture a little too much at times, but this was a personal issue and other readers probably love all this fast paced action.
If you are a fan of this genre or someone that likes to stretch their comfort reading zone from time to time than I recommend you try the work of this talented young author. I will also admit that I am looking forward to reading Revolution, which is published today 11.11.11, to see how the story progresses and the characters develop.
For more details about the author and her writing please visit LindyLouMac's Book Reviews
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
If you are a fan of this genre or someone that likes to stretch their comfort reading zone from time to time than I recommend you try the work of this talented young author. I will also admit that I am looking forward to reading Revolution, which is published today 11.11.11, to see how the story progresses and the characters develop.
For more details about the author and her writing please visit LindyLouMac's Book Reviews
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
May 10, 2011
If not for a reading group that I am in, I never would have picked up this book and it would have been a big mistake. This is definitely not the type of book I would normally read, however, I loved every second of the book.
In a world where children do not live with parents, but are schooled and then assigned a position within the "Empire", Eleanor, a strong-willed, spirited young girl goes in search of her destiny after being assigned a position in the Empire for which she feels is beneath her. During her time at school, Eleanor honed her skills, improperly assuming they would be used by the Empire and that she would use them in a highly qualified position.
Eleanor's journey takes her on adventure upon adventure she searches for clues to a “mythical” place where assassins are trained. She feels that this is her destiny. Along the way Eleanor encounters many different types of individuals. Some are willing to give her a little help and others seek to use her to their advantage. Eleanor does find an ally as she is captured, but ultimately has to leave him behind as she attempts to fulfill her destiny.
Eleanor unlocks all the requirements necessary and stumbles upon the Assassin School only to find out that it was a fluke that she was able to find the School and that no female has ever been permitted prior to this. And the adventures begin………………..
I was truly enchanted by this book and can’t wait until the next book in the Trilogy is released.
In a world where children do not live with parents, but are schooled and then assigned a position within the "Empire", Eleanor, a strong-willed, spirited young girl goes in search of her destiny after being assigned a position in the Empire for which she feels is beneath her. During her time at school, Eleanor honed her skills, improperly assuming they would be used by the Empire and that she would use them in a highly qualified position.
Eleanor's journey takes her on adventure upon adventure she searches for clues to a “mythical” place where assassins are trained. She feels that this is her destiny. Along the way Eleanor encounters many different types of individuals. Some are willing to give her a little help and others seek to use her to their advantage. Eleanor does find an ally as she is captured, but ultimately has to leave him behind as she attempts to fulfill her destiny.
Eleanor unlocks all the requirements necessary and stumbles upon the Assassin School only to find out that it was a fluke that she was able to find the School and that no female has ever been permitted prior to this. And the adventures begin………………..
I was truly enchanted by this book and can’t wait until the next book in the Trilogy is released.
January 3, 2011
I enjoyed this book enormously. I've read the print edition and also have it on my Kindle. The principal character (Eleanor) is interesting to follow: she's on a journey - and you're right there with her. Getting the "wrong" job assigned to her as she leaves school, she's out to get to where she feels she should be ...
This is set in a fictional world which seems broadly equivalent to 16th century Europe or so in terms of technology and is very self-consistent. There's no huge made up language / deliberate archaisms to contend with and the story is fast paced enough that if you enjoy it you really won't want to put it down. I read the whole thing in a day at one point.
This came originally from two NaNoWriMo novels though it's been expertly written, expanded and redrafted such that little of the typical NaNoWriMo sketchiness remains and some of the NaNoWriMo urgency to tell a story still remains as raw high energy: occasionally, though, I cried out for more information on the interesting peripheral characters and a few throwaway remarks which were tantalising in extent.
It is predicated as the first in a series of three novels set in the same fictional world: there is a lot more to come from Rachel Cotterill's pen and I'm really looking forward to it.
This is set in a fictional world which seems broadly equivalent to 16th century Europe or so in terms of technology and is very self-consistent. There's no huge made up language / deliberate archaisms to contend with and the story is fast paced enough that if you enjoy it you really won't want to put it down. I read the whole thing in a day at one point.
This came originally from two NaNoWriMo novels though it's been expertly written, expanded and redrafted such that little of the typical NaNoWriMo sketchiness remains and some of the NaNoWriMo urgency to tell a story still remains as raw high energy: occasionally, though, I cried out for more information on the interesting peripheral characters and a few throwaway remarks which were tantalising in extent.
It is predicated as the first in a series of three novels set in the same fictional world: there is a lot more to come from Rachel Cotterill's pen and I'm really looking forward to it.
February 3, 2011
I have just finished reading Rachel Cotterill first book in the series: Chronicles of Charanthe and the First Book is REBELLION .
I have been waiting to read this book for several years after I knew Rachel was writing it, and it was everything I had hoped for and far more!
The author was able to build up a real working world that you feel there. Fully in her world, it is not just the descriptions of the world around her character Eleanor but details as types of food and cultures that she has created a living world for the reader to step into and join Eleanor as she leaves school to start on a life full of adventure.
Wanting to leave the comforts of a government school and a job already selected for her, Eleanor has her hart set upon becoming an Assassin which is not the sort of thing a nice young girl should even know about let alone dream of becoming!
As the book progresses you feel that you grow up with Eleanor as she makes her way through life.
So without giving any more away all I can say is that this is a must read, and I am personally looking forward to the next in the series.
I have been waiting to read this book for several years after I knew Rachel was writing it, and it was everything I had hoped for and far more!
The author was able to build up a real working world that you feel there. Fully in her world, it is not just the descriptions of the world around her character Eleanor but details as types of food and cultures that she has created a living world for the reader to step into and join Eleanor as she leaves school to start on a life full of adventure.
Wanting to leave the comforts of a government school and a job already selected for her, Eleanor has her hart set upon becoming an Assassin which is not the sort of thing a nice young girl should even know about let alone dream of becoming!
As the book progresses you feel that you grow up with Eleanor as she makes her way through life.
So without giving any more away all I can say is that this is a must read, and I am personally looking forward to the next in the series.
February 3, 2011
I have just finished reading Rachel Cotterill first book in the series: Chronicles of Charanthe and the First Book is REBELLION .
I have been waiting to read this book for several years after I knew Rachel was writing it, and it was everything I had hoped for and far more!
The author was able to build up a real working world that you feel there. Fully in her world, it is not just the descriptions of the world around her character Eleanor but details as types of food and cultures that she has created a living world for the reader to step into and join Eleanor as she leaves school to start on a life full of adventure.
Wanting to leave the comforts of a government school and a job already selected for her, Eleanor has her hart set upon becoming an Assassin which is not the sort of thing a nice young girl should even know about let alone dream of becoming!
As the book progresses you feel that you grow up with Eleanor as she makes her way through life.
So without giving any more away all I can say is that this is a must read, and I am personally looking forward to the next in the series.
I have been waiting to read this book for several years after I knew Rachel was writing it, and it was everything I had hoped for and far more!
The author was able to build up a real working world that you feel there. Fully in her world, it is not just the descriptions of the world around her character Eleanor but details as types of food and cultures that she has created a living world for the reader to step into and join Eleanor as she leaves school to start on a life full of adventure.
Wanting to leave the comforts of a government school and a job already selected for her, Eleanor has her hart set upon becoming an Assassin which is not the sort of thing a nice young girl should even know about let alone dream of becoming!
As the book progresses you feel that you grow up with Eleanor as she makes her way through life.
So without giving any more away all I can say is that this is a must read, and I am personally looking forward to the next in the series.
February 3, 2011
I have just finished reading Rachel Cotterill first book in the series: Chronicles of Charanthe and the First Book is REBELLION .
I have been waiting to read this book for several years after I knew Rachel was writing it, and it was everything I had hoped for and far more!
The author was able to build up a real working world that you feel there. Fully in her world, it is not just the descriptions of the world around her character Eleanor but details as types of food and cultures that she has created a living world for the reader to step into and join Eleanor as she leaves school to start on a life full of adventure.
Wanting to leave the comforts of a government school and a job already selected for her, Eleanor has her hart set upon becoming an Assassin which is not the sort of thing a nice young girl should even know about let alone dream of becoming!
As the book progresses you feel that you grow up with Eleanor as she makes her way through life.
So without giving any more away all I can say is that this is a must read, and I am personally looking forward to the next in the series.
I have been waiting to read this book for several years after I knew Rachel was writing it, and it was everything I had hoped for and far more!
The author was able to build up a real working world that you feel there. Fully in her world, it is not just the descriptions of the world around her character Eleanor but details as types of food and cultures that she has created a living world for the reader to step into and join Eleanor as she leaves school to start on a life full of adventure.
Wanting to leave the comforts of a government school and a job already selected for her, Eleanor has her hart set upon becoming an Assassin which is not the sort of thing a nice young girl should even know about let alone dream of becoming!
As the book progresses you feel that you grow up with Eleanor as she makes her way through life.
So without giving any more away all I can say is that this is a must read, and I am personally looking forward to the next in the series.
July 10, 2011
While this is not one of my frequently read genres, I was drawn in immediately by the story as well as the well-crafted sentences. I found myself re-reading entire paragraphs periodically simply to enjoy the cadence and clarity of the writing.
A few pages in, I was very much engaged with the main character Eleanor, and by the end of the novel I was engaged with all the characters, who ended up seeming like people I met and know.
The clean and clear writing style, the story of Eleanor's journey to a job that calls to her, and her spirit and persistence, as well as the finely-honed details of Eleanor's world are all parts of what make this a very satisfying whole.
As I neared the final quarter of the novel I found myself slowing down, not wanting to finish the book, not quite ready to leave the world Cotterill has created. The fact that this is book one of a series is comforting, and I'm eager to see where Eleanor goes next.
Overall, a compelling and satisfying read! I highly recommend.
A few pages in, I was very much engaged with the main character Eleanor, and by the end of the novel I was engaged with all the characters, who ended up seeming like people I met and know.
The clean and clear writing style, the story of Eleanor's journey to a job that calls to her, and her spirit and persistence, as well as the finely-honed details of Eleanor's world are all parts of what make this a very satisfying whole.
As I neared the final quarter of the novel I found myself slowing down, not wanting to finish the book, not quite ready to leave the world Cotterill has created. The fact that this is book one of a series is comforting, and I'm eager to see where Eleanor goes next.
Overall, a compelling and satisfying read! I highly recommend.
January 11, 2015
New lands, filled with new adventures and fresh new characters make the first installment of Rachel Cotterill’s Chronicles of Charanthe an exciting and captivating read. Rebellion introduces a new world, a new type of government and culture, and a brave young woman who is destined to change her destiny. Cotterill has painted a vibrant setting and landscape filled with delicious little nuances that add depth to this great story line. Rebellion, the first book of the Chronicles of Charanthe is full of action and mystery as two young would be assassins fight their way to grasp the future they would have for themselves. Escaping captivity, solving puzzles and capturing clues set the brazen Eleanor and her partner in crime Raf right in the middle of a clash between empires. If that isn’t enough to get you into this book, then Cotterill’s creative writing style and acute attention to detail will.
Read the rest of the review here: www.blackdogspeaks.com/rebellion
Read the rest of the review here: www.blackdogspeaks.com/rebellion
March 8, 2011
Rebellion is the first in a new fantasy triliogy set on Charanthe.
Eleanor is raised in a boarding school, as is every other child on Charanthe. Her fellow boarders are her only family.
The Imperial system assesses each child as he/she matures, and allocates them a role in society when it is time to leave school. Unbeknownst to her schoolfellows, Eleanor has received some training in unarmed combat from a strange man called Laban in a nearby cave which she escapes to whenever she can.
Rumours of a group of assassins inspire her to rebel when she receives her notification of a lowly post.
If you join her on her travels to try to find the assassins school, you will not be disappointed. This is a novel of friendships, trials, horrors, achievements, but above all, one girl's determination to succeed in forging her own destiny.
Eleanor is raised in a boarding school, as is every other child on Charanthe. Her fellow boarders are her only family.
The Imperial system assesses each child as he/she matures, and allocates them a role in society when it is time to leave school. Unbeknownst to her schoolfellows, Eleanor has received some training in unarmed combat from a strange man called Laban in a nearby cave which she escapes to whenever she can.
Rumours of a group of assassins inspire her to rebel when she receives her notification of a lowly post.
If you join her on her travels to try to find the assassins school, you will not be disappointed. This is a novel of friendships, trials, horrors, achievements, but above all, one girl's determination to succeed in forging her own destiny.
March 27, 2015
After reading Watersmeet by this author I had to get my hands on some of her other work! And I have to say I wasn't disappointed with what I found. The story follows Eleanor's search for the Assassin Academy and also her quest to be accepted into that world. Some of the reveals were easy to work out but that didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of this book. I found it a little slow to start but once the scene had been set I was hooked! This was another book that kept me way past my bedtime and into the early hours. I reckon that this will end up with its own review on my blog pretty soon.
May 28, 2011
I didn't love it...I really wanted to, but I didn't. I felt like halfway through the book, so much had already happened and gone on that I was completely exhausted. I was thinking "how much more can go on?" Oh but let me tell you, LOTS of stuff went on, some scenes were good, I didn't love the main character and I don't think I'll be picking up the next installment. Maybe it was just me, I found myself almost skimming through the last 20% of the book just to get to the point...and then I didn't even feel satisfied...ugh. oh well, they can't all be winners!
November 30, 2011
Easily one of the most addictive coming-of-age fantasy books I've taken a look at in a while. Well-written, set in a realm that has more order than your typical fantasy world, the story talks of an environment where children are raised from babyhood and have their career paths chosen for them at an early age. Eleanor, a sharp-witted redhead, wants nothing to do with her assignment, and has to leave the school and decode the legend of a completely different sort of education.
And there it begins...and the adventure takes you along on quite the ride.
And there it begins...and the adventure takes you along on quite the ride.
February 18, 2011
I am shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. I normally steer clear of Sci-Fi books but there was something that made me want to give this book a try and I am so happy I did. It really doesn't come off as Sci-Fi, but a great adventure story with a young, strong heroine in a very fast paced story that really kept my interest from the beginning to the end. I will definitely be looking for the rest of the series!
January 2, 2015
This was a far better book than I expected. I got it because I met the author, and started reading it. It kept my interest. There was a rather grisly part in the middle that turned me off. I stopped reading it after that, but it stuck with me and I came back to it after a few months, which is really a testament to the book's power. I finished it and would recommend it to others. Well done, Rachel!
November 17, 2011
This is a really interesting book. It reads like fantasy genre, but with a unique social setup. I was drawn in by Eleanor's situation and found this very difficult to put down. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking for the next book.
January 30, 2011
Read my review at http://heidiashworth.blogspot.com/201...
February 5, 2011
Review to be posted after it appears on my blog :) But let me tell you, it is definitely worth your time to read.
February 19, 2011
I really enjoyed this book - well written, an intriguing premise, believable characters - I romped through it and am really looking forward to the next 2 in the series.
July 21, 2012
Good book! Elements of Harry Potter (no magic, though) and The Hunger Games.
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