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goodkingmooglemog's review against another edition
4.0
Evan Burl and the Falling was an unexpected read. The summary of the book that I found online didn't reveal anything of the plot, but I understand why! You have to read the book to be able to see the complexities of the plot.
The plot was fresh! The author created this world that is extremely unique. And the characters aren't like any other characters. Sapience and the effects of it presented a different view of "magic".
The story kept me guessing the entire time! I didn't know why the fallings were dying or if it was Henri or Mazol who did it half the time! The book really keeps you on your toes! For anyone looking for a read that will keep you guessing this book is perfect.
The characters are nicely developed and the switch between POVs gives a lot of detail about the characters. I hated Terisma though, or when the girl became Terisma. She was a good antagonist. The characters had real conflicts within themselves and they all had a reason for doing what they did (other than Terisma). Evan seemed like a true person. He still had fears about himself and for his friends even when he became powerful.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the fact that some things were unexplained at the end of the book. What was the spider and what does it do??? What about Evan? The ending will definitely bring readers back, but everything felt unresolved.
The plot was fresh! The author created this world that is extremely unique. And the characters aren't like any other characters. Sapience and the effects of it presented a different view of "magic".
The story kept me guessing the entire time! I didn't know why the fallings were dying or if it was Henri or Mazol who did it half the time! The book really keeps you on your toes! For anyone looking for a read that will keep you guessing this book is perfect.
The characters are nicely developed and the switch between POVs gives a lot of detail about the characters. I hated Terisma though, or when the girl became Terisma. She was a good antagonist. The characters had real conflicts within themselves and they all had a reason for doing what they did (other than Terisma). Evan seemed like a true person. He still had fears about himself and for his friends even when he became powerful.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the fact that some things were unexplained at the end of the book. What was the spider and what does it do??? What about Evan? The ending will definitely bring readers back, but everything felt unresolved.
napqueeniereads's review against another edition
4.0
What a fantastic book! An original storyline to go with the very strange doings. I will admit it took me a few chapters to really get into it because I had no idea what was going on. It didn't take very long for me to get it, though. After that I just fell into it. There's some really freaky stuff going down (in a good way) and it was so interesting. The idea of "fallings" is really neat. Although, you don't really find out what fallings are until the end, they play a central part to this story. Evan Burl is a great character to read about. This kid has so much going on in his life that he just does not understand. It's almost like your learning about him at the same time he's learning about himself. It makes for a very interesting read. There are some really dark parts in the story but they just add to the amazingness that is Evan Burl and the Falling. There are some great villains and great heroes. There were so many surprises happening all of the time and it got to be a little much to keep up with but it definitely kept me interesting. The writing was really well done aside from some errors, but they really weren't big ones and they didn't take away from the story at all. They were mostly spelling errors.
I can't wait to read more about Evan Burl!
I can't wait to read more about Evan Burl!
jmorr290's review against another edition
I am apparently in the minority with this book, but I could not finish it. It was slooooow moving and not grabbing my attention- also did it like the alternating POVs.
vera_ann's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this book as a download from the author. The synopsis seemed interesting, but I still wasn't sure what to expect from this new author. I ended up liking it. The characters were interesting and the switching of perspectives created an interesting flow. If switching character perspectives confuses you this is probably not the book to read for you. It is also a young adult book since it follows the life of children/teens. I enjoyed the mystery of the book and trying to figure out what everything was. I like the unique take on magic in the books universe. While the end of the book kind of answered the questions that were brought up it left things semi open ended to the point of you are not sure if what you think is actually what is true.
bcinkoske's review against another edition
3.0
I realize that the book provided several parallel story lines that finally came together. However, I had a problem following the story line. I felt the book jumped around and it took me some time to figure out where I was.
akwardoctopus's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyable, quick read. The characters are interesting, though the switch between first and third person narratives was a little strange for me.
Ends on quite a cliffhanger, so be prepared!
Ends on quite a cliffhanger, so be prepared!
szdfan's review against another edition
4.0
Evan Burl and the Falling is an ambitious steam punk fantasy and psychological thriller (Full disclosure: I received a free e-book version of this book to review). Young orphaned Evan Burl works the "clanker" machines in his uncle's sweatshop at Daemanhur castle, along with the Roslings, a group of mysterious, invincible young girls. One day, Evan discovers mysterious book that predicts a "falling" that will turn him into a monster and instructs his uncle Mazol to terminate him. As a mysterious force wanders the castle and systematically murders the Roslings one by one, Evan discovers latent magical powers (called sapience). Can Evan Burl avoid his fate? Will his emerging powers transform him into a monster?
Blaney's novel jumps between first-person perspectives, whose perceptions are not always reliable, as sapience blurs the line between reality and fantasy. This ambitious approach works for the most parts, but at points can also feel disorientating and difficult to understand what is going on.
Overall, Blaney creates an intriguing world with well-rounded characters and a complex magical system. I look forward to exploring this world further in the sequels.
Blaney's novel jumps between first-person perspectives, whose perceptions are not always reliable, as sapience blurs the line between reality and fantasy. This ambitious approach works for the most parts, but at points can also feel disorientating and difficult to understand what is going on.
Overall, Blaney creates an intriguing world with well-rounded characters and a complex magical system. I look forward to exploring this world further in the sequels.
amandajinut's review against another edition
4.0
This story is a dark fairy tale that tells the story of an orphaned boy who handicaps himself, yet manages to not become what he is destined to become. I enjoyed the story, but would caution readers to wait for the final edited version for the most enjoyment.