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see_sadie_read's review against another edition
I'm not going to write individual reviews for each of these books, because though I understand they are split up to avoid a 900 page epic and each does come to a relatively natural stopping point, it is undeniably one single story and any individual book would be most unsatisfactory on its own. So, they are not stand-alones! But since I read them as a bundle I'll rate/review them as one. Even as I acknowledge that if I'd only had the first I likely wouldn't rate it so high, considering its lack of conclusion.
But as a single story I really enjoyed it. It's tragic and complex and redemptive all at the same time. I loved Fen and Kamen, as well as Kamen's whole team and Fen's family. The world is complex and multi-demential and the peoples are varied.
I did occasionally, especially in climactic scenes, wonder how things that happened happened. I often knew what was happening, but felt I missed the explanation of how it was happening. How someone suddenly had control of another or caused a certain something to occur, etc. Similarly, sometimes things that were meant to be cryptic to the characters were also a little too cryptic to the reader. But all in all I loved it.
But as a single story I really enjoyed it. It's tragic and complex and redemptive all at the same time. I loved Fen and Kamen, as well as Kamen's whole team and Fen's family. The world is complex and multi-demential and the peoples are varied.
I did occasionally, especially in climactic scenes, wonder how things that happened happened. I often knew what was happening, but felt I missed the explanation of how it was happening. How someone suddenly had control of another or caused a certain something to occur, etc. Similarly, sometimes things that were meant to be cryptic to the characters were also a little too cryptic to the reader. But all in all I loved it.
rebecca_3's review against another edition
4.0
This review can also be found on my blog: A Match Made in Heaven
I picked up this book because I was in the mood to try something new. M/M romance was something I hadn't tried yet and this one was recommended to me. But I ended up enjoying it for mostly different reasons. Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres so it was pretty easy for me to get into this. I love stories that introduce new worlds to me, and especially worlds with their own mythology and forms of magic.
“Giving his life for another means nothing to him, because he can always have more, but for you, he'll give up his soul.”
I enjoyed the idea and the story, but it wasn't as good as it could have been. There are so many things that I still don't understand about what was going on. Who some of the characters were, what their involvement is, what the magic means, who is supposed to have it, and several other things. I just let it slide for the most part because I assume that it will make more and more sense as I continue to read. Some things I didn't understand at the beginning of this book made sense by the end, and I still have three more books to grasp the rest. But I would have been able to enjoy this more if it had been introduced to us more smoothly. The characters never paused in their narration to explain things to us. Its the complete opposite to info dumping.
I also didn't enjoy the alternating POVs. The POV alternated between the two leads and the villain, and those all make sense, but also three supporting characters which were unnecessary, and their input didn't really add anything to the story. It wasn't just a little bit either. There may have been a bit more of Malick than the others, but the three supporting characters were featured nearly as much. The flashback chapters, however, were more useful and necessary, and I felt like I learned a lot from those. But I was still annoyed that they were so frequent and so long. The information that we got from them could have been given to us in brief flashbacks rather than 20 page segments.
But I was still very interested in the story. Even if I am not entirely sure what it is that Malick and Fen are fighting for, besides saving Fen's mother, I felt invested in their success and I am excited to read the next book. The most important factor in any book for me is the characters, and I really loved Malick and Fen. Most of the book was from Malick's POV so we really got to see Fen through his eyes and it was really amazing and sometimes heartbreakingly beautiful. The way Malick would just stare at him as if he was a paragon in everything he did. And knowing what Fen had been through and how unworthy he felt made it all very sad at the same time. Malick was a more complex character than you may at first think, and I long for him to help Fen and be what he needs, but Fen is the one that really won my heart.
“Have it your way, then. Pretend that your deepest, most secret wish isn't that someone would love you like you know Malick can, if you let him.”
The romantic elements of this story really just skimmed the surface and introduced the possibility, so I ended up enjoying this for the characters and the world more than anything else, which are what I have always looked for most in a book. It was easy to enjoy, although maybe not easy to understand. But I look forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more not only about the story and world, but the characters and what they are capable of and what they will be able to do for each other and their world.
I picked up this book because I was in the mood to try something new. M/M romance was something I hadn't tried yet and this one was recommended to me. But I ended up enjoying it for mostly different reasons. Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres so it was pretty easy for me to get into this. I love stories that introduce new worlds to me, and especially worlds with their own mythology and forms of magic.
“Giving his life for another means nothing to him, because he can always have more, but for you, he'll give up his soul.”
I enjoyed the idea and the story, but it wasn't as good as it could have been. There are so many things that I still don't understand about what was going on. Who some of the characters were, what their involvement is, what the magic means, who is supposed to have it, and several other things. I just let it slide for the most part because I assume that it will make more and more sense as I continue to read. Some things I didn't understand at the beginning of this book made sense by the end, and I still have three more books to grasp the rest. But I would have been able to enjoy this more if it had been introduced to us more smoothly. The characters never paused in their narration to explain things to us. Its the complete opposite to info dumping.
I also didn't enjoy the alternating POVs. The POV alternated between the two leads and the villain, and those all make sense, but also three supporting characters which were unnecessary, and their input didn't really add anything to the story. It wasn't just a little bit either. There may have been a bit more of Malick than the others, but the three supporting characters were featured nearly as much. The flashback chapters, however, were more useful and necessary, and I felt like I learned a lot from those. But I was still annoyed that they were so frequent and so long. The information that we got from them could have been given to us in brief flashbacks rather than 20 page segments.
But I was still very interested in the story. Even if I am not entirely sure what it is that Malick and Fen are fighting for, besides saving Fen's mother, I felt invested in their success and I am excited to read the next book. The most important factor in any book for me is the characters, and I really loved Malick and Fen. Most of the book was from Malick's POV so we really got to see Fen through his eyes and it was really amazing and sometimes heartbreakingly beautiful. The way Malick would just stare at him as if he was a paragon in everything he did. And knowing what Fen had been through and how unworthy he felt made it all very sad at the same time. Malick was a more complex character than you may at first think, and I long for him to help Fen and be what he needs, but Fen is the one that really won my heart.
“Have it your way, then. Pretend that your deepest, most secret wish isn't that someone would love you like you know Malick can, if you let him.”
The romantic elements of this story really just skimmed the surface and introduced the possibility, so I ended up enjoying this for the characters and the world more than anything else, which are what I have always looked for most in a book. It was easy to enjoy, although maybe not easy to understand. But I look forward to reading the rest of the series and learning more not only about the story and world, but the characters and what they are capable of and what they will be able to do for each other and their world.
niidz's review against another edition
3.0
it took me a while to get into this book at first i thought it tedious and the sudden back and forth annoyed me at times but by the end i was hooked.
draconicrose's review
2.0
Ghost is the story of a man born in a strange population ruled by magic and a strange cult of ancestors. He's an Untouchable which means he hears the voices of the ancestors, who have gone mad and so, supposedly, have the Untouchables that hear them.
As for the main plot, this reader wasn't able to make much sense to it. The author relies heavily on the glossary present at the beginning of the book, but it feels like there's an overreliance on the glossary, while the reader is left to otherwise deduce terms and concepts from the little information given. It truly features ls like there ought to have been a big prologue detailing the background if the world, as well as its politics. This reader was left feeling lost on the overarching plot.
Not all is bad. The relationships between characters are quite well established and the romance is nice enough, creating a few memorable and endearing moments that never feel cheap.
All in all, if you're willing to make sense of the myriad terms and lore that are unexplained, Ghost might be a title for you. I, however, won't be picking up the second volume.
As for the main plot, this reader wasn't able to make much sense to it. The author relies heavily on the glossary present at the beginning of the book, but it feels like there's an overreliance on the glossary, while the reader is left to otherwise deduce terms and concepts from the little information given. It truly features ls like there ought to have been a big prologue detailing the background if the world, as well as its politics. This reader was left feeling lost on the overarching plot.
Not all is bad. The relationships between characters are quite well established and the romance is nice enough, creating a few memorable and endearing moments that never feel cheap.
All in all, if you're willing to make sense of the myriad terms and lore that are unexplained, Ghost might be a title for you. I, however, won't be picking up the second volume.
nightcolors's review
3.0
I liked the story. And when I reached the end, I was extra glad I'd already bought books 2 & 3, because really, the story wasn't finished when the book ended.
eloiseinparis's review
2.0
I could have given it three stars but I am so over books the have this many flashbacks. Editor's please, please, please tell your writer's to tell a linear story. No not because people are stupid, or because when it comes to time we are a linear species, but because when you are reading a story that constantly goes back, it never feels like the story is moving forward.
Also I understand that you the author have lived in this world with the character's for days on end. Me, not so much. The writing was as if this was the seventh book in a series and readers would be on board. Well, no its the first book. With countries, language, God's, and even a calendar that were not explained.
The silliest thing about this book, the main character hear's the voices of the ancestor's in his head. 344 pages not once do we hear what they say or see him take action based on their directions. And of course we were left with a cliffhanger, so no action, no resolution.
I will say that it was written in a lyrical style that was nice, but if I just wanted to read pretty words that don't mean anything to me I could just hangout in the greeting card aisle.
Also I understand that you the author have lived in this world with the character's for days on end. Me, not so much. The writing was as if this was the seventh book in a series and readers would be on board. Well, no its the first book. With countries, language, God's, and even a calendar that were not explained.
The silliest thing about this book, the main character hear's the voices of the ancestor's in his head. 344 pages not once do we hear what they say or see him take action based on their directions. And of course we were left with a cliffhanger, so no action, no resolution.
I will say that it was written in a lyrical style that was nice, but if I just wanted to read pretty words that don't mean anything to me I could just hangout in the greeting card aisle.
poultrymunitions's review
1.0
the genesis of a nap.
here's an idea—let's read an enormous novel comprised almost entirely of a series of tedious discussions!
infested by interminable fugues of introspection regarding these discussions as they are occurring!
occasionally interrupted by flashbacks to discussions that occurred in the past!
here's an idea—let's read an enormous novel comprised almost entirely of a series of tedious discussions!
infested by interminable fugues of introspection regarding these discussions as they are occurring!
occasionally interrupted by flashbacks to discussions that occurred in the past!
More...