Scan barcode
A review by novoaust
A Drowned Kingdom by P.L. Stuart
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A Drowned Kingdom is a story that follows Othrun, second prince of Atalantyx. This is a book filled with detailed world building, interesting characters, rich prose, great battle scenes, and it touches on some issues that are very relevant today.
The world building in this one shines. Between the histories of ancient cities, genelogies, multiple cultures and religion, this world is incredibly well fleshed out. The more I read, the more immersed I became into this world.
The writing felt quite unique to me. It had an old fashioned feel, but once I got used to it, it read smooth and easily. I felt that the rich writing style felt the slow burn of the story and it is a style that is rarely seen in modern fantasy.
Othrun as a character was quite fun to read. I found myself struggling to know whether I should be cheering for him or wishing for his demise. He is a flawed character. Egotistical, self centered, and while he is often times naive, he is not a bad man. Throughout the book, I found myself strongly disliking him, but there would always be a scene where I found myself cheering for him.
This is not just a fantasy book where a prince loses his homeland and goes on a journey to find a new one. Stuart does not shy away from highlighting issues. Cultural differences, various races, religions, and traditions all challenge the main character's status quo in a very natural way.
This was a slow story, and often times, I did find some of it to be a slog to get through. Some trimming and editing could have cut the info dumping down.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to seeing where the story goes.
The world building in this one shines. Between the histories of ancient cities, genelogies, multiple cultures and religion, this world is incredibly well fleshed out. The more I read, the more immersed I became into this world.
The writing felt quite unique to me. It had an old fashioned feel, but once I got used to it, it read smooth and easily. I felt that the rich writing style felt the slow burn of the story and it is a style that is rarely seen in modern fantasy.
Othrun as a character was quite fun to read. I found myself struggling to know whether I should be cheering for him or wishing for his demise. He is a flawed character. Egotistical, self centered, and while he is often times naive, he is not a bad man. Throughout the book, I found myself strongly disliking him, but there would always be a scene where I found myself cheering for him.
This is not just a fantasy book where a prince loses his homeland and goes on a journey to find a new one. Stuart does not shy away from highlighting issues. Cultural differences, various races, religions, and traditions all challenge the main character's status quo in a very natural way.
This was a slow story, and often times, I did find some of it to be a slog to get through. Some trimming and editing could have cut the info dumping down.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to seeing where the story goes.