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narratricenessa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley courtesy of the publisher Quercus Books
The caliph asked me today why history matters. It was no idle question (...) What he was really asking me, his history tutor, was, 'What are you for?'
The Burning Land by New Zealander author David Hair is the 1st book in his new fantasy adventure series The Talmont Trilogy. This is the 1st work by Hair that I've read and I was pleasantly surprised by the author's imagination and skill with the storytelling craft.
From the synopsis and the very first passage (as can be seen from the quote I chose) of The Burning Land, I expected a Veris Serios Epic Fantasy Adventure with Political Scheming and It's the End of the World as We know it Drama. The book does deliver on everything I just mentioned, however, The Burning Land brings its reader(s) more than can be divined from the synopsis.
Hair's latest book has all the ingredients that make a superb read: superb worldbuilding, an intriguing story followed by interesting, diverse, complex, well-developed characters and a pace to match. Through a diverse and fascinating cast of characters, The Burning Land explores the complex political and environmental issues and realities that plague the world of Talmond. However, political scheming and other seriously epic events are not the only things that Hair's book brings to the table. In addition to the scenes where the characters must make hard choices, there are plenty of humorous and silly scenes. The serious and the humorous situations create an excellent contrast in character development, highlighting the sides of the characters that we might not usually see.
Characters and character development were among the highlights of The Burning Land, especially the attention devoted to female characters and their development. Hair's female characters are nuanced, complex and diverse. Their thoughts, emotions and actions instantly capture the reader(s) attention. None of what I mentioned is at the expense of the male characters in the book, on the contrary, their development is equally superb and all of this complements and enhances the characters and their interwoven stories.
The Burning Land was a surprise, both story and character-wise and by the end I was invested in the characters and the world and will eagerly pick up the sequel when it comes out.
ashybear02's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
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