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The Complete History of Kastelir (Dragonoak, #1)

Sam Farren

Start date: March 1, 2017

Finish date: March 31, 2017

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Sep 04, 2017 Jem rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-2017-reads

Imagine Lord of the Rings, with Frodo, Aragorn and Treebeard-on-steroids going on a quest. Except that they're all female (yey!).

Dragonoak is set in a time when dragons go around razing whole towns. And knights in dragon bone armor go around trying to stop them. But don't go looking for dragon slaying action here. At least not in the first book. Or at least, not in 97% of the first book. This is first and foremost about the journey of a young woman cursed with a special ability so terrifying an Imagine Lord of the Rings, with Frodo, Aragorn and Treebeard-on-steroids going on a quest. Except that they're all female (yey!).

Dragonoak is set in a time when dragons go around razing whole towns. And knights in dragon bone armor go around trying to stop them. But don't go looking for dragon slaying action here. At least not in the first book. Or at least, not in 97% of the first book. This is first and foremost about the journey of a young woman cursed with a special ability so terrifying and diabolical, people would burn her at the stake if they knew. It's a journey of self-discovery (the book is entirely from her first person perspective) as she goes from a simple, country girl and unwanted village pariah to being a valued member of a "family", as she comes face to face with the prejudices, hatred, fears and superstitions of the outside world, as she experiences love and betrayal for the first time, and as she is forced to make hard and dubious choices for the "greater good".

Probably the most frustrating thing about the book is that the purpose of the quest is not made known to the lead character (and therefore, the reader) until late in the book. So it takes quite a bit of patience (and a lot of trust in friend reviews ;)) to get through the many chapters where the main characters travel from one town to another with no seeming end or purpose. It occasionally got disorienting as well. More than once I had to try to recall where I was in this world. I think it would have helped if there was a map of some sort in the book. And a glossary for the different peoples/races mentioned. Fortunately, the same limited perspective that made the read so frustrating also made it so incredibly addicting (and powerful when the truth hits). Everything is seen from the country girl's innocent yet not-so-innocent eyes. It's a truly immersive and emotional experience.

All that travelling around allowed the author to draw such detailed and in-depth characterizations of the three main protagonists---Rowan the country girl, Igtham, the knight/dragonslayer and Kouris, the amazingly badass but also motherly creature called "pane" that it was impossible not to fall in love with them (despite how hideous the book's description made the "pane" seem like). By the time the true purpose of the quest was revealed, I was completely hooked.

The book is trying for the epic fantasy look and feel obviously, and succeeding mostly. Though it could probably use a bit of trimming here and there. Like jettison that annoying Michael character and his entire storyline. I won't miss him one bit. Akela's accent. I don't know what to make of it. It's funnier than it's supposed to be. Distracting, at best. I had a hard time trying not to imagine her as a gag character, which she obviously isn't. Occasionally, something seemingly out of place, or rather, out of time slips in--modernish concoctions like ice or chocolate, or modern terms like "processing" an emotion, or "dietary choices" or "operative word". Nothing big but they were enough to pull me back to the present like that coin from "Somewhere in Time". Tolkien this ain't. But it's still entertaining as hell.

4.5 stars

...more

23 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2017 Geo (rain) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, read-in-english, love, fa, fantasy

How did I not read this sooner? This book is fantastic! The world, the story, the characters, the romance... everything. It was entertaining and engaging from the beginning and it had my undivided attention.

I frequently find myself criticizing/disliking at least one aspect of a book (something related to the characters, a flaw in the plot, or maybe the pacing), even if I'm really liking it overall, but that's not the case here. In every aspect it was pretty much perfect for me! I think the world ...more

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