Short review: Fun, mysterious, good character development, lots of action and adventure, well set up for a good series. Smart and likable main character. Look forward to reading a sequel and spending more time in this world.
Long review: **warning-spoilers** The book jumps right into the storyline and then doles out backstory as we go along. The setting seems very Renaissance in the beginning but then we get references to glass containers, elevators, computers and sliding doors that seem very 21st century or beyond. A fallen civilization is hinted at. I like to explore new worlds and uncover mysteries when I read fantasy and the author seems to be setting up a series where we can do both. This character seems intelligent and independent but more respectful of authority than the main character in Shadow Messenger. There is less acting out with her and more action. I enjoyed the character but I had some issues with how long it took her to unleash her ‘superpower’ and how hobbled she seemed to be despite very dire circumstances. There was a slight romance here but it seems like the hero is more into it than she is. She seems to be hung up on someone from her past and most of the ‘romance’ is the hero’s concern over her possible demise. Their relationship could easily be a non-starter. I thought it odd that she was supposed to be the only surviving female dragon (which is a big deal?) but that very little was made of that except one passing reference about why she couldn’t possibly be a dragon. Sometimes the characters react in certain ways (look sad for instance) and you aren’t quite sure why this is a sad moment. I think some motivations and emotions could have been explored more. Also sometimes characters get lost. There are a lot of them, which I find interesting, but I think it may make it a bit difficult to keep all of their threads going throughout the book. For instance, Night is supposed to be a father (where is mom??) to two young cubs but his concern for them and their wherabaouts comes and goes. Very concerned in the tunnels, not at all once we get to the apartments. There is an attack at the apartments at one point and we have no idea where the cubs went of if they were there at all. As a parent my first thoughts are always of my children’s safety, so this really stood out to me. Then at the end of the story the Fulcrum and Dewdrop are mentioned but we don’t see them again, which is bothersome and feels unsatisfying since we don’t really get to see a tie up with Kairi and the war either. Overall though I enjoyed the character development and look forward to meeting them again in future books. I noticed the typos but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story or my immersion in it. That said, there were a few slang phrases that DID throw me out of the world, although I found this to be more of an issue in Pathfinder. One thing I’ve noticed with all three of the author’s main characters is that they are underdogs who have to get established in their world. The men are alpha types who are already established and very much in charge. I’m assuming that this gives our heroines somewhere to go in terms of growth and lets us root for them as they discover who they are. In Tate’s case, literally. One last thought, and this may just be my thing, but I generally have a problem with people enduring torture and serious bodily damage and then being up for action and adventure right after. I will say that the author seems to go there a lot in each of her books. I’ve noticed that this is a problem with the fantasy genre as a whole though. She isn’t any worse about it than many other popular authors. Altogether a promising new series and a promising new author.
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One of my favourites but a little inappropriate.
Reviewed in India on November 20, 2023
