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A review by jester_reviews
Swift Wings Shadowed Heart by Ingrid Seymour
3.0
I'm writing my review first before rating this book, because I feel conflicted on the end score. On the one hand, this book expanded on how dragon riders work in really interesting ways. On the other hand….romantasy tropes.
Let's start with the good I previously mentioned. The way the dragon riders exist and have been set up is fantastic and unique. Cogwings??? Mechanical dragons that are used for training??? Love that. The way that dragon riders are chosen also feels way more logical than whatever Fourth Wing has done. They're the best of the best, and if you can't get in, you just become an infantry person. There are stakes!!! Not to mention, there really is no reason for the cadets to be against each other at that stage, so no murder is nice! That doesn't mean there's no murder within the story, but we'll get back to that. The elements are also a fun and nice touch, though that's the extent of the ATLA comparison.
I found the plot to be...fine. The beginning kicked off with a bang, starting with a murder that looms over the entire plot and a pretty decent introduction of our main players. The middle was solid as well, nothing too special but it was the premise I was promised. A lot of training and a bit of character development. My one complaint was that certain events got brushed over way too quickly, likethe death of Gilbert at the claws of Zephyros and Vaylen almost leaving Rhea for dead . I nearly didn't realize they happened because of how quickly the narrative brushed over them! I have mixed feelings on the end, primarily because of the cheap cliffhanger. It's a rookie move among many authors who aren't confident that their story is good enough to warrant people continuing to read it. Which is kind of bullshit, because I found plenty to keep me reading onward. Oh well.
I don't have anything bad to say about the characters. Rhea was appropriately badass, yet still had significant flaws that impacted the story. Vaylen charmed me 90% of the time, but there were still moments that had me rolling my eyes. Though his kindness and chivalry impressed me, he still fell victim to many of the romantasy tropes that plague MMCs. I loved the fact that the FMC prioritized her relationships with her women comrades as well, even if there were rocky moments. Phoebe was a nice contrast, and I wish we had gotten more time with Adelaide and Omari. Oh well. Maybe next book. At least Silas and the king were formidable antagonists, although we will most likely see the latter in a more antagonistic role within the next books.
The writing was fine. Nothing to write home about, but there were a few things that gave me pause. Like, as a woman who has hair, there is no way you can make a ponytail tight enough to make your eyes look slanted. I tried this multiple times. What the hell.
While this book isn't anything special, I'd say to give it a shot if you're looking for something slightly different when it comes to dragon riders. If you're looking for a meaty fantasy book to sink your teeth into, give this one a pass.
I found the plot to be...fine. The beginning kicked off with a bang, starting with a murder that looms over the entire plot and a pretty decent introduction of our main players. The middle was solid as well, nothing too special but it was the premise I was promised. A lot of training and a bit of character development. My one complaint was that certain events got brushed over way too quickly, like
I don't have anything bad to say about the characters. Rhea was appropriately badass, yet still had significant flaws that impacted the story. Vaylen charmed me 90% of the time, but there were still moments that had me rolling my eyes. Though his kindness and chivalry impressed me, he still fell victim to many of the romantasy tropes that plague MMCs. I loved the fact that the FMC prioritized her relationships with her women comrades as well, even if there were rocky moments. Phoebe was a nice contrast, and I wish we had gotten more time with Adelaide and Omari. Oh well. Maybe next book. At least Silas and the king were formidable antagonists, although we will most likely see the latter in a more antagonistic role within the next books.
The writing was fine. Nothing to write home about, but there were a few things that gave me pause. Like, as a woman who has hair, there is no way you can make a ponytail tight enough to make your eyes look slanted. I tried this multiple times. What the hell.
While this book isn't anything special, I'd say to give it a shot if you're looking for something slightly different when it comes to dragon riders. If you're looking for a meaty fantasy book to sink your teeth into, give this one a pass.