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sean31's review
5.0
Taken from my Amazon review:
Full disclosure: I was sent a presskit containing a free copy of the book by Rhemalda Publishing to be considered for review.
I am often wary of free books, warier still when they are brand new, have few reviews, and arrive in my inbox confessedly unsolicited. For mostly that reason, it remained unexamined on my hard drive for several days, as I reviewed other works. However, when I finally opened The Astrologer, I found I had made a serious mistake - I couldn't bring myself to close it again.
I don't usually like to say things like this, since they don't really tell the customer much, but The Astrologer is one of the finest pieces of fiction I've read in some time. Those that are familiar with my reviews know that such gushing praise is unusual for me, and I hope that in of itself says something of the book's worthiness. But, on with the review, to the more technical and informative.
I can (and will) pay due compliments to The Astrologer's plot and characters, but what truly drew me in was Mr. Bailey's language. It is certainly like nothing I have heard before, present day readability combined with the wrought, flowing language of the novel's setting. Because the novel is narrated in the first person, both dialogue and action consist of this highly emotive, descriptive, and affluent language, making the text an absolute pleasure to read.
Of course, the best-written language cannot cover a poorly-conceived story, but fortunately The Astrologer succeeds on every front. The world is carefully constructed and described, I could see and feel the settings, and the moods were palpable. Additionally, though I profess no knowledge of Denmark, the surrounding area, or indeed of the 17th century, I can say that I got the impression of a very thoroughly-researched work. (There was, however, one flaw: An allusion was made to one of Shakespeare's sonnets, which were not published until eight years after the setting of the story. I am no Shakespeare scholar either, however, and invite any commenter to set me right.)
The plot was easy to follow and yet sufficiently twisting and turning to keep me deeply involved, as subplots grew and resolved and contributed more and more to the story. Though I will not go into detail to keep this review spoiler-free, it can be said that every detail was vitally important to the overall experience of the story, but it moved at such a pace that it was no trouble at all to soak up every bit.
The characters were strong, the main character and Prince Christian most of all - detailed, layered, and intriguing, they occasionally hovered on the edge of traditional archetypes, but more often than not felt quite real. The supporting cast was strong as well, and their influence on the main characters and the direction of the story was well-considered by the author, something that this reviewer considers to be a distinction between a good novel and a great one.
I laughed, I didn't quite cry, but I was certainly drawn in. One particularly poignant scene between Soren and Christian on a beach will stay with me for some time, such was its power and depth. After reading the astrologer, I made sure I stayed on Rhemalda Publishing's mailing list - this is an author to watch and follow for years to come.
Bottom line: The Astrologer is an outstandingly strong work. High reading level and non-traditional (but beautiful) language, as well as some mature themes, leads me to recommend this for adults, as well as fans of historical fiction, especially in the 16th/17th century conflict between the Catholic church and the philosophy of rationalism. This review may not be seen as "trustworthy", since it's yet another five-star review, and I got the book for free. I want it known, however, that I stand by every word here... Except for the bit about Shakespeare, I'm never sure with him. As usual, if you've any questions or need anything clarified, feel free to contact me via the comment section below.
Full disclosure: I was sent a presskit containing a free copy of the book by Rhemalda Publishing to be considered for review.
I am often wary of free books, warier still when they are brand new, have few reviews, and arrive in my inbox confessedly unsolicited. For mostly that reason, it remained unexamined on my hard drive for several days, as I reviewed other works. However, when I finally opened The Astrologer, I found I had made a serious mistake - I couldn't bring myself to close it again.
I don't usually like to say things like this, since they don't really tell the customer much, but The Astrologer is one of the finest pieces of fiction I've read in some time. Those that are familiar with my reviews know that such gushing praise is unusual for me, and I hope that in of itself says something of the book's worthiness. But, on with the review, to the more technical and informative.
I can (and will) pay due compliments to The Astrologer's plot and characters, but what truly drew me in was Mr. Bailey's language. It is certainly like nothing I have heard before, present day readability combined with the wrought, flowing language of the novel's setting. Because the novel is narrated in the first person, both dialogue and action consist of this highly emotive, descriptive, and affluent language, making the text an absolute pleasure to read.
Of course, the best-written language cannot cover a poorly-conceived story, but fortunately The Astrologer succeeds on every front. The world is carefully constructed and described, I could see and feel the settings, and the moods were palpable. Additionally, though I profess no knowledge of Denmark, the surrounding area, or indeed of the 17th century, I can say that I got the impression of a very thoroughly-researched work. (There was, however, one flaw: An allusion was made to one of Shakespeare's sonnets, which were not published until eight years after the setting of the story. I am no Shakespeare scholar either, however, and invite any commenter to set me right.)
The plot was easy to follow and yet sufficiently twisting and turning to keep me deeply involved, as subplots grew and resolved and contributed more and more to the story. Though I will not go into detail to keep this review spoiler-free, it can be said that every detail was vitally important to the overall experience of the story, but it moved at such a pace that it was no trouble at all to soak up every bit.
The characters were strong, the main character and Prince Christian most of all - detailed, layered, and intriguing, they occasionally hovered on the edge of traditional archetypes, but more often than not felt quite real. The supporting cast was strong as well, and their influence on the main characters and the direction of the story was well-considered by the author, something that this reviewer considers to be a distinction between a good novel and a great one.
I laughed, I didn't quite cry, but I was certainly drawn in. One particularly poignant scene between Soren and Christian on a beach will stay with me for some time, such was its power and depth. After reading the astrologer, I made sure I stayed on Rhemalda Publishing's mailing list - this is an author to watch and follow for years to come.
Bottom line: The Astrologer is an outstandingly strong work. High reading level and non-traditional (but beautiful) language, as well as some mature themes, leads me to recommend this for adults, as well as fans of historical fiction, especially in the 16th/17th century conflict between the Catholic church and the philosophy of rationalism. This review may not be seen as "trustworthy", since it's yet another five-star review, and I got the book for free. I want it known, however, that I stand by every word here... Except for the bit about Shakespeare, I'm never sure with him. As usual, if you've any questions or need anything clarified, feel free to contact me via the comment section below.
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