Scan barcode
A review by amybraunauthor
Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler
5.0
This book was insane. I'm still processing everything about it, and I have to say... WOW. I was a huge fan of Django Wexler's SHADOW CAMPAIGN novels, so I was looking forward to action, adventure, and great characters, all of whom are diverse and many of whom are part of the LGBT community, including the bisexual main character! I got all of those things... I just didn't expect them to be so brutal.
Make no mistake: this is not for the faint of heart. There is violence and gore abound, and while there's no explicit sex scenes, you better believe they are heavily implied. And this is all before we get to a whole host of betrayals, secret agendas, twists, and battles.
All of these and more are done by the main character, Isoka. Oh man... talk about a force to be reckoned with. I can't exactly say she's "good." With one or two exceptions, there are no good guys in this story (another big shocker for me!). But she is definitely memorable in her tenacity, determination, grit, and ruthless battle skills. I found the side characters and villain to be fun and exciting, but the main standouts next to Isoka were of course Meroe, who I just want to bundle up and protect forever, and Zarun, who was born to cause trouble. They are an eclectic cast of misfits in an unfair and harsh world.
Speaking of the world... I have no words. Not only is the primary setting unique and adds to the adventure, but the magic system is wholly unique to the fantasy genre. It adds to an awesome twist near the end, and I honestly cannot wait to find out more about it.
I want this book to succeed. It's so much fun, exciting, and unique. It deserves to be experienced and enjoyed by all fans of dark fantasy, strong, LGBT characters, and high seas adventure. If you love the NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLES, this is the book for you. Heck, even if you don't, you need to pick this one up anyway! Seriously, do not skip this adventure!
Make no mistake: this is not for the faint of heart. There is violence and gore abound, and while there's no explicit sex scenes, you better believe they are heavily implied. And this is all before we get to a whole host of betrayals, secret agendas, twists, and battles.
All of these and more are done by the main character, Isoka. Oh man... talk about a force to be reckoned with. I can't exactly say she's "good." With one or two exceptions, there are no good guys in this story (another big shocker for me!). But she is definitely memorable in her tenacity, determination, grit, and ruthless battle skills. I found the side characters and villain to be fun and exciting, but the main standouts next to Isoka were of course Meroe, who I just want to bundle up and protect forever, and Zarun, who was born to cause trouble. They are an eclectic cast of misfits in an unfair and harsh world.
Speaking of the world... I have no words. Not only is the primary setting unique and adds to the adventure, but the magic system is wholly unique to the fantasy genre. It adds to an awesome twist near the end, and I honestly cannot wait to find out more about it.
I want this book to succeed. It's so much fun, exciting, and unique. It deserves to be experienced and enjoyed by all fans of dark fantasy, strong, LGBT characters, and high seas adventure. If you love the NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLES, this is the book for you. Heck, even if you don't, you need to pick this one up anyway! Seriously, do not skip this adventure!