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booknchaoswithmarz's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
vailynst's review
3.0
Notes:
Kate Reading did a fantastic job! Great narration.
I think there's a misunderstanding about what makes a story an epic. It's not about having a lot of characters in play, backstabbing being part of the norm or several portions at war with one another. It's not about having a foretold destiny and lines drawn to state where you stand.
It doesn't matter how many pieces are on the board if they are not drawn together, shaken and redrawn into intriguing patterns. That's the underlying part of what makes a story epic. Everyone has a preference on whether or not a plot is character or event driven. I actually like it best when it's a balanced mix.
This book was not an epic. It is an interesting YA and fun fantasy adventure story.
Kate Reading did a fantastic job! Great narration.
I think there's a misunderstanding about what makes a story an epic. It's not about having a lot of characters in play, backstabbing being part of the norm or several portions at war with one another. It's not about having a foretold destiny and lines drawn to state where you stand.
It doesn't matter how many pieces are on the board if they are not drawn together, shaken and redrawn into intriguing patterns. That's the underlying part of what makes a story epic. Everyone has a preference on whether or not a plot is character or event driven. I actually like it best when it's a balanced mix.
This book was not an epic. It is an interesting YA and fun fantasy adventure story.
kittyg's review
4.0
I listened to this book on audible as a kind of spur of the moment 'I want some good fantasy' read and this certainly ticked all the 'good fantasy' boxes I had in mind. I would class this as an epic or classic fantasy crossover, becuase it's a longish read and it has some slower more political moments, but this one is DEFINITELY way better with lady characters than a lot of the more 'traditional' classic/epic fantasies I have read. What I love about this story is that although we do get a fair few fantasy 'tropes' being pandered to e.g. two rival religions and forces, a looming war, a chosen one, an heir killed off and a kind of useless king - We also have an amazing and wonderful female lead character who really does a lot to subvert all the damsel in distress tropes and promote ladies taking more of a leading and exciting role.
Sasha is a Princess who has given up her title in order to train as a warrior. She's from a long line of kings and she's got many other siblings who could take the throne, so she's fairly estranged from her father the King and her mother is dead. Instead Sasha is raised mostly by her teacher, Kessleigh, who is not only a very awesome teacher, but also a strict and very famous leader in battle, ware-fare and strategy. He comes from the Goeren-yai practises and he trains Sasha in their beliefs and ways, but Sasha also upholds her own Lenayin Verenthane heritage and she longs for a day when both peoples that she loves will see peace.
The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and they believe Sasha is a great spirit—the Synnich—who will unite them, but they also believe that the ways of the Verenthane rulers are outdated and they need to shake things up. When a strong threat is posed to the neighbouring Udalyn people—the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage—Sasha has to step into a role she's been prepared for but never wanted...
What I really liked about this book was the characters and the world. I feel as though the plot was fairly standard for an adult fantasy, but the characters and the division of the two ways of life and religions/regions really helped to elevate this to a really exciting and intriguing story. Sasha and Sofy were by far my two favourite characters (for different reasons) as they both represented something very different and yet equally as valuable about women in wartime. I really feel like both overcame a lot and both made the story a lot more dimensional than it otherwise would have been.
Overall, this was a great read and I was inspired to move right onto book #2 which I am also really liking :) 4*s for this one :D
Sasha is a Princess who has given up her title in order to train as a warrior. She's from a long line of kings and she's got many other siblings who could take the throne, so she's fairly estranged from her father the King and her mother is dead. Instead Sasha is raised mostly by her teacher, Kessleigh, who is not only a very awesome teacher, but also a strict and very famous leader in battle, ware-fare and strategy. He comes from the Goeren-yai practises and he trains Sasha in their beliefs and ways, but Sasha also upholds her own Lenayin Verenthane heritage and she longs for a day when both peoples that she loves will see peace.
The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and they believe Sasha is a great spirit—the Synnich—who will unite them, but they also believe that the ways of the Verenthane rulers are outdated and they need to shake things up. When a strong threat is posed to the neighbouring Udalyn people—the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage—Sasha has to step into a role she's been prepared for but never wanted...
What I really liked about this book was the characters and the world. I feel as though the plot was fairly standard for an adult fantasy, but the characters and the division of the two ways of life and religions/regions really helped to elevate this to a really exciting and intriguing story. Sasha and Sofy were by far my two favourite characters (for different reasons) as they both represented something very different and yet equally as valuable about women in wartime. I really feel like both overcame a lot and both made the story a lot more dimensional than it otherwise would have been.
Overall, this was a great read and I was inspired to move right onto book #2 which I am also really liking :) 4*s for this one :D
pearwaldorf's review
3.0
The first 200 pages are a terrible slog. WHY DOES EVERYBODY TALK SO MUCH OH GOD. In every fantasy setting there's a lot of exposition and world-building to do at the beginning, but it can be accomplished much mroe elegantly without giant blocks of dialogue. Tt gets a lot better after that though. Sashandra turns into a much more interesting and nuanced character throughout the rest of the book, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series as long as the beginnings aren't as terrible as the first book.
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