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psyckers's review
4.0
An enjoyable read where the story modernises some Maori myth and legend with science and other modern concepts. The book starts slowly with multiple facets, which as you progress, links and relationships between characters become clearer. The pace truly is racing nearing the end with a satisfying conclusion.
evavroslin's review
5.0
Review copy received from authors for review consideration
Before launching into things, the authors, both New Zealanders, recognize and call attention to the senseless terrorist attacks that occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand in March of last year. They also mention the 2011 earthquake and call on New Zealanders to stand strong during these dark times. This was written before the Australian wildfire outbreak that affected neighbouring countries, including New Zealand, as well as the on-going global pandemic that has turned the world on its ear, when perhaps the most compassion and resilience have been needed. It is important for readers to reflect on this before they start reading the story.
"Blood of the Sun" is a rich, well-developed #ownvoices take incorporating the unique mythology of New Zealand and of the indigenous Maori people, Chinese and New Zealander cultures, and creating an epic fusion. The world Rabarts and Murray plunge the reader into is a memorable dive like no other. This supernatural thriller is a roller coaster of a reading experience. Urban fantasy novels have been diversifying over the past few decades with such titles as the Inspector Chen series and the novels of Daniel Jose Older as well as Max Gladstone to name a few, all featuring people of colour as the leading characters. Rabarts and Murray add to this growing canon and their take is both innovative and fresh.
This series should be a Netflix show yesterday. It's fast-paced, exciting, and engaging. Some of the technical jargon can get a bit confusing at times for some readers, but the amazing characters and lively story make up for it.
It takes many factors for collaborations to work and for there to be a certain synergy, or a flow for lack of a better term. If the prose comes off as obvious that two different people have written it, this can impact the reading experience negatively. Rabarts and Murray weave their writing together so seamlessly, it's like witnessing a majestic acrobatic feat from Cirque du Soleil. I think that deserves a lot of attention and praise, because they manage to pull it off in a phenomenal way and it's much, much harder than it looks.
Some readers are clambering for more apocalyptic disaster stories while others are running for the hills from them. With this story, there's also a healthy dollop of humour in the mix, including compromising situations and nagging from parents that change up the pace. So often in thrillers, there's not really a sense of a connected family unit, or authors gloss over that to focus on more salacious elements, but in this series, I enjoyed the inclusion of the unique cultural aspects that are woven into the main action and what's at stake.
The action is pulse-pounding and will have you on the edge of your seat, clambering to find out what happens to the protagonists, Penny and her brother, Matiu. If, like most folks, you missed out on the summer movie blockbuster season and didn't get that rush of adrenaline, this novel will quickly change that and kick your senses into high gear as you race toward the finish.
Before launching into things, the authors, both New Zealanders, recognize and call attention to the senseless terrorist attacks that occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand in March of last year. They also mention the 2011 earthquake and call on New Zealanders to stand strong during these dark times. This was written before the Australian wildfire outbreak that affected neighbouring countries, including New Zealand, as well as the on-going global pandemic that has turned the world on its ear, when perhaps the most compassion and resilience have been needed. It is important for readers to reflect on this before they start reading the story.
"Blood of the Sun" is a rich, well-developed #ownvoices take incorporating the unique mythology of New Zealand and of the indigenous Maori people, Chinese and New Zealander cultures, and creating an epic fusion. The world Rabarts and Murray plunge the reader into is a memorable dive like no other. This supernatural thriller is a roller coaster of a reading experience. Urban fantasy novels have been diversifying over the past few decades with such titles as the Inspector Chen series and the novels of Daniel Jose Older as well as Max Gladstone to name a few, all featuring people of colour as the leading characters. Rabarts and Murray add to this growing canon and their take is both innovative and fresh.
This series should be a Netflix show yesterday. It's fast-paced, exciting, and engaging. Some of the technical jargon can get a bit confusing at times for some readers, but the amazing characters and lively story make up for it.
It takes many factors for collaborations to work and for there to be a certain synergy, or a flow for lack of a better term. If the prose comes off as obvious that two different people have written it, this can impact the reading experience negatively. Rabarts and Murray weave their writing together so seamlessly, it's like witnessing a majestic acrobatic feat from Cirque du Soleil. I think that deserves a lot of attention and praise, because they manage to pull it off in a phenomenal way and it's much, much harder than it looks.
Some readers are clambering for more apocalyptic disaster stories while others are running for the hills from them. With this story, there's also a healthy dollop of humour in the mix, including compromising situations and nagging from parents that change up the pace. So often in thrillers, there's not really a sense of a connected family unit, or authors gloss over that to focus on more salacious elements, but in this series, I enjoyed the inclusion of the unique cultural aspects that are woven into the main action and what's at stake.
The action is pulse-pounding and will have you on the edge of your seat, clambering to find out what happens to the protagonists, Penny and her brother, Matiu. If, like most folks, you missed out on the summer movie blockbuster season and didn't get that rush of adrenaline, this novel will quickly change that and kick your senses into high gear as you race toward the finish.
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