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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Earthbound is a superb mix of magic and sci-fi, action and intrigue, romance and brotherhood. The writing is flawless and immersive, the world-building meticulous and fascinating. But the book’s primary hook is its characters. They drew me in early on, and I couldn’t stop reading! There’s plenty of gripping action, but the plot is mainly character-driven, with moral and relational choices center-stage. I could say so much more, but I don’t want to give anything away.
I’d recommend this book for older teens and adults. There are some minor curse words, closed door romance, and the characters grapple with moral questions. It’s overall a very clean read, with themes of community, devotion (to your word and to other people), and self-sacrificial love. I can’t wait to read Skysworn, its sequel, which debuts in September and completes the duology. I have a feeling it will delve even deeper into these themes and how they relate to spiritual and relational realities in our own world.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Earthbound has been on my radar for a while now. With threads of The Stormlight Archive in its words of power, Dune with its gargantuan subterranean monsters, and even Empire of the Vampire in terms of certain relationship dynamics and quasi-religious political machinations, this sounded like an incredibly promising science fantasy that would harken back to powerful stories I’ve loved in the past while still being a tale wholly its own. And that’s exactly what Stein delivered in this first installment in the Of Earth and Sky duology. What I didn’t anticipate was just how tense and heart wrenching a story it would be. Earthbound is nothing if not intensely unique and totally unforgettable.
This story is told from three perspectives. We follow Knox, the disavowed Overseer who laid down his oaths and his power for love; Tehran, Knox’s partner Overseer and brother in all but blood, who now shoulders the weight of protecting their cluster on his own; and Emilia, Knox’s wife. All three of these characters are compelling on their own, but it’s the relationship interplay that grabbed me the hardest. I loved the found family element, and I especially loved the brotherhood vibes between two of our perspective characters. I’m a sucker for these types of tight relationship dynamics, and they were so well done here.
I love the tone Stein sets from the very first chapter. The fact we have such a strong action scene so early in the book instantly gains and maintains interest and intensity. And the prose worked for me immediately. It feels very mature and incredibly solid. There were no writing quirks that threw me out of the story. I love the decision to go with 3rd person narration, as I find it so much more immersive. And the blend of science fiction and fantasy in terms of genre was absolutely perfect, and worked so well for the story being told. Impeccably balanced.
The highlights for me were definitely the characters. I fell for them and felt for them immediately. While I enjoyed all three perspective characters and many of the secondary characters, Knox has a special place in my heart. I was also really impressed with the pacing. There was never a dull moment in this book. Even scenes that were less action-packed were still laced with tension and intensity.
Which brings me to an element of the story that I generally hate, but was very impressed with in Earthbound. Something I’ve voiced a multitude of times in the past is my disdain for love triangles. They’re one of my least favorite tropes, and I’ve been known to abandon books that lean too heavily into one. But the love triangle in this book is incredible. It’s one of the very few I’ve come across that made sense to me. I was sympathetic to all parties involved, and I never had any idea how it would resolve. It was interesting for me to experience a trope that I dislike so strongly in a way that had me so invested. There were moments when some of the relationship tensions or dynamics got to be so much that I had to step away, because reading it was causing my heart physical pain. I was so incredibly stressed out while reading this book, and those relationship tensions were largely to blame.
The worldbuilding Stein crafted here fascinates me. The idea of oaths carrying such tangible weight is a concept I found intriguing in The Stormlight Archive, but I feel like it’s explored in a completely different way in Earthbound. There is so much food for thought woven into the mythos of this world, and I hope that it’s explored more and expounded upon in more depth in the sequel. I’m anxiously counting down the days until the publication of Skysworn, the second half of this duology. I can’t remember the last time I was so desperate for a next installment.
This story is told from three perspectives. We follow Knox, the disavowed Overseer who laid down his oaths and his power for love; Tehran, Knox’s partner Overseer and brother in all but blood, who now shoulders the weight of protecting their cluster on his own; and Emilia, Knox’s wife. All three of these characters are compelling on their own, but it’s the relationship interplay that grabbed me the hardest. I loved the found family element, and I especially loved the brotherhood vibes between two of our perspective characters. I’m a sucker for these types of tight relationship dynamics, and they were so well done here.
I love the tone Stein sets from the very first chapter. The fact we have such a strong action scene so early in the book instantly gains and maintains interest and intensity. And the prose worked for me immediately. It feels very mature and incredibly solid. There were no writing quirks that threw me out of the story. I love the decision to go with 3rd person narration, as I find it so much more immersive. And the blend of science fiction and fantasy in terms of genre was absolutely perfect, and worked so well for the story being told. Impeccably balanced.
The highlights for me were definitely the characters. I fell for them and felt for them immediately. While I enjoyed all three perspective characters and many of the secondary characters, Knox has a special place in my heart. I was also really impressed with the pacing. There was never a dull moment in this book. Even scenes that were less action-packed were still laced with tension and intensity.
Which brings me to an element of the story that I generally hate, but was very impressed with in Earthbound. Something I’ve voiced a multitude of times in the past is my disdain for love triangles. They’re one of my least favorite tropes, and I’ve been known to abandon books that lean too heavily into one. But the love triangle in this book is incredible. It’s one of the very few I’ve come across that made sense to me. I was sympathetic to all parties involved, and I never had any idea how it would resolve. It was interesting for me to experience a trope that I dislike so strongly in a way that had me so invested. There were moments when some of the relationship tensions or dynamics got to be so much that I had to step away, because reading it was causing my heart physical pain. I was so incredibly stressed out while reading this book, and those relationship tensions were largely to blame.
The worldbuilding Stein crafted here fascinates me. The idea of oaths carrying such tangible weight is a concept I found intriguing in The Stormlight Archive, but I feel like it’s explored in a completely different way in Earthbound. There is so much food for thought woven into the mythos of this world, and I hope that it’s explored more and expounded upon in more depth in the sequel. I’m anxiously counting down the days until the publication of Skysworn, the second half of this duology. I can’t remember the last time I was so desperate for a next installment.
I have a feeling this is another one true loves situation and I am not loving it. Interesting premise and surprising twists, just not feeling it.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Earthbound is a multiPOV epic fantasy following Emilia, Tehran, and Knox as their cluster comes under attack by earthbound, creatures of the earth able to move through earth like a fish through water disrupting the land. With an attack from an earthbound of unprecedented size to their cluster, a more sinister threat begins to reveal itself to their land, people, and way of life. This is an epic fantasy with a messy love triangle, religious and political undertones, and action that will keep you interested and invested for the entire story.
I found this to be a refreshing take on an epic fantasy that has a romance consistently in view but not the sole spotlight. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the 3 characters as well as the overarching story progressed. The author creates a detail world complete with an interesting social and political structure that deals heavily with religion and plays a major role in the unique magic system. I loved how the story progressed and all the twists that came along with it. I would recommend this book and am definitely looking forward to the sequel!
I found this to be a refreshing take on an epic fantasy that has a romance consistently in view but not the sole spotlight. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the 3 characters as well as the overarching story progressed. The author creates a detail world complete with an interesting social and political structure that deals heavily with religion and plays a major role in the unique magic system. I loved how the story progressed and all the twists that came along with it. I would recommend this book and am definitely looking forward to the sequel!
adventurous
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
4.5 stars
In Earthbound, Katee Stein blends all the best elements of The Stormlight Archive and Dune to create an utterly unique sci-fantasy tale where magic and science clash as the mystical and mythical collide. It’s epic yet intimate, heart wrenching yet hopeful, and it’s as complex in its politics as it is in its emotions; this truly is an earth-shattering story in every sense of the word.
Through the eyes of Overseer Tehran and expecting parents Knox and Emilia, who have all been best friends since childhood, we are transported into a technologically advanced epic fantasy world where terrifying creatures live beneath the Earth and powerful oaths bind men to the Sky. When terrible tragedy strikes their home, they are all pulled into a whirlwind of deadly conspiracies, conflicting loyalties, and dangerous promises; torn between duty and desire, they will stop at nothing to honour their loved ones and protect their homeland, even if that means putting their own heart, soul and life at risk.
Don’t you just love it when you open a book and it completely hooks you from the very first page? See, I’ve always said that I don’t like it when the first chapter just throws you straight into the action, but Stein absolutely made it work for me in Earthbound. The horrifying invasion of the earthbound creatures combined with the unexpected introduction of clashing magic and technology not only immediately set the stakes sky-high, but also sparked a sense of awe, intrigue, wonder and terror that kept me glued to the page the entire way through.
Moreover, these characters very quickly pulled me in on an emotional level, and I loved how Stein balanced and interwove their gut wrenching inner conflicts with the ominous external conflicts. Through Tehran and Knox, we get such a deep and disturbing look into the tense political landscape and the religious and magical aspects of this world, while Emilia provides some fascinating insights into the technology and science elements, which created such a deeply immersive reading experience as a whole.
Not to mention, Earthbound absolutely shines in its depiction of realistically complex interpersonal relationships, and I loved getting sucked into all the intense emotional turmoil. See, when you have a magic system that subtly manipulates emotions, things can get very messy very quickly, and I was so here for it all. Stein is not afraid to explore some very heavy, sensitive and even contentious subjects, all without ever devolving into a dramatic trauma fest, and I loved how some actions and relationships made me feel so conflicted that I started to question my own sense of morality at times. Oh and don’t get me started on the found family vibes in Knox’s POV, my heart was not ready for that!
All that said, I do have to admit that there were a few moments in Earthbound where some very disturbing and life-altering personal tragedies were brushed over slightly too quickly to be believable for me, which lessened some of the emotional impact for me. Still, I think Stein is up there with Robin Hobb and Krystle Matar in terms of how she captures raw human emotion on the page, doing a terrifyingly brilliant job of exploring themes of loss, grief, corruption, culture clashing, hope, friendship, sacrifice, and love in all its devastating beauty.
On the surface, Earthbound might seem like just another political fantasy with some mystery and (unconventional) romance thrown in, but when you dig a little deeper, it’s a tragically beautiful story about the power of words and promises, and the consequences of breaking them. The stakes are extremely high on both a world scale and a personal level, and I loved how seemingly small actions were shown to have serious rippling effects across lands and throughout everyone’s lives, for better or for worse.
With the devastatingly brutal and dreadfully ominous way we leave our characters at the end of this first instalment in the Of Earth & Sky duology, I am equally nervous and excited for the heartache and emotional turmoil that is sure to come in the finale. This story truly surprised me in all the best ways, and if you are looking for a fantastically wondrous and intriguingly mysterious sci-fantasy tale that is rooted in raw human emotion, then I can’t recommend Earthbound highly enough.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Earthbound is scheduled for release on September 18th, 2024.
4.5 stars
In Earthbound, Katee Stein blends all the best elements of The Stormlight Archive and Dune to create an utterly unique sci-fantasy tale where magic and science clash as the mystical and mythical collide. It’s epic yet intimate, heart wrenching yet hopeful, and it’s as complex in its politics as it is in its emotions; this truly is an earth-shattering story in every sense of the word.
Through the eyes of Overseer Tehran and expecting parents Knox and Emilia, who have all been best friends since childhood, we are transported into a technologically advanced epic fantasy world where terrifying creatures live beneath the Earth and powerful oaths bind men to the Sky. When terrible tragedy strikes their home, they are all pulled into a whirlwind of deadly conspiracies, conflicting loyalties, and dangerous promises; torn between duty and desire, they will stop at nothing to honour their loved ones and protect their homeland, even if that means putting their own heart, soul and life at risk.
Don’t you just love it when you open a book and it completely hooks you from the very first page? See, I’ve always said that I don’t like it when the first chapter just throws you straight into the action, but Stein absolutely made it work for me in Earthbound. The horrifying invasion of the earthbound creatures combined with the unexpected introduction of clashing magic and technology not only immediately set the stakes sky-high, but also sparked a sense of awe, intrigue, wonder and terror that kept me glued to the page the entire way through.
Moreover, these characters very quickly pulled me in on an emotional level, and I loved how Stein balanced and interwove their gut wrenching inner conflicts with the ominous external conflicts. Through Tehran and Knox, we get such a deep and disturbing look into the tense political landscape and the religious and magical aspects of this world, while Emilia provides some fascinating insights into the technology and science elements, which created such a deeply immersive reading experience as a whole.
Not to mention, Earthbound absolutely shines in its depiction of realistically complex interpersonal relationships, and I loved getting sucked into all the intense emotional turmoil. See, when you have a magic system that subtly manipulates emotions, things can get very messy very quickly, and I was so here for it all. Stein is not afraid to explore some very heavy, sensitive and even contentious subjects, all without ever devolving into a dramatic trauma fest, and I loved how some actions and relationships made me feel so conflicted that I started to question my own sense of morality at times. Oh and don’t get me started on the found family vibes in Knox’s POV, my heart was not ready for that!
All that said, I do have to admit that there were a few moments in Earthbound where some very disturbing and life-altering personal tragedies were brushed over slightly too quickly to be believable for me, which lessened some of the emotional impact for me. Still, I think Stein is up there with Robin Hobb and Krystle Matar in terms of how she captures raw human emotion on the page, doing a terrifyingly brilliant job of exploring themes of loss, grief, corruption, culture clashing, hope, friendship, sacrifice, and love in all its devastating beauty.
On the surface, Earthbound might seem like just another political fantasy with some mystery and (unconventional) romance thrown in, but when you dig a little deeper, it’s a tragically beautiful story about the power of words and promises, and the consequences of breaking them. The stakes are extremely high on both a world scale and a personal level, and I loved how seemingly small actions were shown to have serious rippling effects across lands and throughout everyone’s lives, for better or for worse.
With the devastatingly brutal and dreadfully ominous way we leave our characters at the end of this first instalment in the Of Earth & Sky duology, I am equally nervous and excited for the heartache and emotional turmoil that is sure to come in the finale. This story truly surprised me in all the best ways, and if you are looking for a fantastically wondrous and intriguingly mysterious sci-fantasy tale that is rooted in raw human emotion, then I can’t recommend Earthbound highly enough.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Earthbound is scheduled for release on September 18th, 2024.
Earthbound was an unexpected gem—one of the best sci-fi reads I've had in a while! Katee Stein delivers a character-driven narrative, expertly balancing profound character development with immersive world-building and compelling plotlines.
The story centers on three lifelong friends—Knox, Tahren, and Emilia—who must confront unimaginable trauma and upheaval. While the book features a trope I usually dislike, Stein somehow made it work in a way I genuinely enjoyed, thanks to her skillful writing and unique character development.
The sci-fi world Stein creates in Earthbound is both fascinating and rich, with a magical system tied to the sky that adds a layer of intrigue to the story. She excels at showing, not just telling, especially when it comes to world-building. The political dynamics within the book seamlessly draw readers into the magic system, making it feel both natural and compelling.
Although it took me a little time to fully immerse myself, I was completely hooked by the half-way point. The ending was a thrilling payoff, with everything coming together in a satisfying and action-packed conclusion. I can't wait for the next book!
The story centers on three lifelong friends—Knox, Tahren, and Emilia—who must confront unimaginable trauma and upheaval. While the book features a trope I usually dislike, Stein somehow made it work in a way I genuinely enjoyed, thanks to her skillful writing and unique character development.
The sci-fi world Stein creates in Earthbound is both fascinating and rich, with a magical system tied to the sky that adds a layer of intrigue to the story. She excels at showing, not just telling, especially when it comes to world-building. The political dynamics within the book seamlessly draw readers into the magic system, making it feel both natural and compelling.
Although it took me a little time to fully immerse myself, I was completely hooked by the half-way point. The ending was a thrilling payoff, with everything coming together in a satisfying and action-packed conclusion. I can't wait for the next book!
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No