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A review by kitvaria_sarene
Black Cross by J.P. Ashman
5.0
I have waited quite a long time to finally read this awesome debut, as I didn't want to buy the kindle version.
So, when I finally got the book, I delved right in and had a really hard time putting it down again!
I absolutely loved this story. The interesting plot and the pacing held me caught up in the story all the way through. The different POVs provide variety and let us see more of the world.
I clicked quickly with the main characters and was quite afraid for them in dangerous situations. Ashman actually knows that you will be far more engaged in the story, if some important characters die along the way, so you can't feel too safe. That worked perfect on me. I was completely freaked out at one point in the story, about how he could do that to me.
I especially loved how different the characters were. There is not only the scheme of "good guy/hero" and "bad guy/villain". Instead characters can change over time, or have both sides within them.
He played on my emotions perfectly and had me holding my breath, squinting at the book with only one eye, cheering loudly (when someone was brutally mutilated -very deservedly) and sigh in relief at other parts.
In the second half it gets quite brutal and bloody in some parts, so it isn't for the faint of heart or squeamish readers ;)
Yes, it had some flaws, but nothing major that would have spoiled my enjoyment.
Sometimes I felt it a bit unrealistic, under what conditions people could fight on, and on. But as the fight scenes were written very well and especially the weapons very realistically described, I can overlook that few moments easily.
Overall It was an incredible debut, that could easily have been published by one of the big publishing houses. I couldn't put it down amd was sucked completely into the story - so it gets a wholehearted recommendation from me! Definitely worth the money and the time spend - I can't wait for the next one!
So, when I finally got the book, I delved right in and had a really hard time putting it down again!
I absolutely loved this story. The interesting plot and the pacing held me caught up in the story all the way through. The different POVs provide variety and let us see more of the world.
I clicked quickly with the main characters and was quite afraid for them in dangerous situations. Ashman actually knows that you will be far more engaged in the story, if some important characters die along the way, so you can't feel too safe. That worked perfect on me. I was completely freaked out at one point in the story, about how he could do that to me.
I especially loved how different the characters were. There is not only the scheme of "good guy/hero" and "bad guy/villain". Instead characters can change over time, or have both sides within them.
He played on my emotions perfectly and had me holding my breath, squinting at the book with only one eye, cheering loudly (when someone was brutally mutilated -very deservedly) and sigh in relief at other parts.
In the second half it gets quite brutal and bloody in some parts, so it isn't for the faint of heart or squeamish readers ;)
Yes, it had some flaws, but nothing major that would have spoiled my enjoyment.
Sometimes I felt it a bit unrealistic, under what conditions people could fight on, and on. But as the fight scenes were written very well and especially the weapons very realistically described, I can overlook that few moments easily.
Overall It was an incredible debut, that could easily have been published by one of the big publishing houses. I couldn't put it down amd was sucked completely into the story - so it gets a wholehearted recommendation from me! Definitely worth the money and the time spend - I can't wait for the next one!