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A review by skiman10
Malarkoi by Alex Pheby
challenging
medium-paced
Malarkoi is such a different book than the previous entry - Mordew. I adored Mordew, it was a quick-paced but lore filled world with intriguing characters and a fun writing style that kept me engaged.
Malarkoi is... decisive to my mind. The first 30% of the book is almost like fast forwarding through a VHS tape and reading the subtitles to get caught up to where the story is going to take place. The book skips around to a lot of the former character's perspectives, which is jarring in my opinion. I don't feel like the writing flows well. Take for example Dune, a similarly dense book with a free flowing perspective.
I struggled to read through the first part of the book, but after finishing the book and ruminating on it, I did enjoy it. Pheby created such an intricate and fascinating world, one that I do enjoy being in and learning about. It's truly a unique place with so much lore and fascinating character motivations. He writes characters that are flawed but relatable. Characters that fail and struggle and lose and win and it is a mess. Mixed in this is a world brimming with creatures and "magic" that feel unique. It blends together in a way that keeps me going back and thinking about it.
Can't wait to read the third book.
Malarkoi is... decisive to my mind. The first 30% of the book is almost like fast forwarding through a VHS tape and reading the subtitles to get caught up to where the story is going to take place. The book skips around to a lot of the former character's perspectives, which is jarring in my opinion. I don't feel like the writing flows well. Take for example Dune, a similarly dense book with a free flowing perspective.
I struggled to read through the first part of the book, but after finishing the book and ruminating on it, I did enjoy it. Pheby created such an intricate and fascinating world, one that I do enjoy being in and learning about. It's truly a unique place with so much lore and fascinating character motivations. He writes characters that are flawed but relatable. Characters that fail and struggle and lose and win and it is a mess. Mixed in this is a world brimming with creatures and "magic" that feel unique. It blends together in a way that keeps me going back and thinking about it.
Can't wait to read the third book.