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A review by perilous1
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
2.0
I went into this hopeful. It's a great concept, and despite the "Game of Thrones meets Hunger Games" advertising promise, I didn't set my expectations too high.
The prose is serviceable, aside from the abundance of telling rather than showing. And this reader didn’t actually mind the alternating 4 POV, third-person limited (told from the perspectives of 15-16 year old Quin and her distant cousin Shinobu, 16 year old John, and the “Young Dread” of indeterminate age called Maud.) Unfortunately, the characterization is a bit thin, and the genre is… unclear. I’m going to go with Urban Fantasy until otherwise corrected. While it is claimed that this book “defies classification,” I’m more inclined to say it befuddles classification.
Me, trying to discern the genre: "Okay, so we're in rural medieval Scottland... wait, no, there's a sword that turns into a whip--possible alien tech? And...now there are flying cars and inter-dimensional portals. Is this sci-fi? I guess it could still be urban fantasy. What year is it?! Wait...nope...there's an airship mansion in the middle of London visible to all. Alternate reality? And now we’re in Hong Kong. WHAT IS GOING ON???
We are introduced to the three young Seekers-in-training, just before their initiation into what they’ve always been told is a good and honorable collective—complete with catchy motto: “Tyrants and evildoers beware!” Only two of them make it to their oath-taking night, which is preceded by their first mission. It’s on this mission they apparently realize that being a Seeker isn’t at all what they’ve been told (despite weak hints from John, Quin’s mother, and Shinobu’s father in attempt to warn them—though it’s never explained why they didn’t just tell them outright.) It’s from John’s slightly better informed perspective we glean the impression that the status of “Seeker” has degenerated over time to nothing more than a power-hungry, magical(?)dimension-splitting dagger carrying, assassins-for-hire.
Readers are never let in on exactly what happened the night of their initiation…only that it involved the murder of an entire family. Yet, despite their apparent horror and disillusionment, neither Quin nor Shinobu have the gumption to leave. That is, not until John comes calling with a posse of thugs-for-hire in an effort to take back the birthright he believes is the only way to salvage the power and wealth his family once held.
Other things readers aren’t let in on: Any definitive Seeker lore, or theories as to their origins; An explanation as to how their magical(?) dagger, the Athame, is able to slice through the fabric of time and space; Some idea of why Briac (Quin’s one-dimensionally evil father) thought he could maintain any control on trainee Seekers once they figured out what was really going on; Why Shinobu’s good-natured father wouldn’t tell his son exactly what he was about to jump ignorantly into; How the heck a “Disruptor” works, and why its effects are apparently incurable; Why everyone seems to consider a Seeker’s oath binding, when the consequences to breaking their word is never mentioned…
Unfortunately, this sums up my feelings for most of the book:
The biggest downfall, in this reader’s mind, is the frustrating lack of worldbuilding. While some of it does finally start to unfold toward the end, by that point I suspect many readers will have either quit or withdrawn emotional investment. The book gives the impression of needlessly withholding information from readers in the hopes that it will equate to suspense. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. And in the end, readers are left with more questions than answers.
The love triangle came across as unnecessarily awkward (or perhaps an attempt to capitalize on the emerging trend of toeing the taboo line?) We’re at first introduced to Shinobu as Quin’s “beautiful cousin”—although not a close relative, indisputably related on some biologic level. When we get his perspective, we quickly find that he’s got a clear and unrequited infatuation with his distant cousin. It’s an understandable but uncomfortable predicament, yet easily brushed aside, as Quin is evidently in love with John. But as the second half of the book comes together 18 months after the inciting incidents (and John’s banishment/betrayal), the whole kissing-cousins things comes back around—with an added layer of downplaying their actual degree of blood-relation.
Which begs the question… why leave so much open confusion? Couldn’t Shinobu have been an adopted cousin or step-cousin, without the added discomfiture that makes it hard to get on board with the two of them as romantic prospects?
John was also exceedingly off-putting from almost the very beginning. His motives were nebulous for far too long, and unconvincing even when finally somewhat elaborated on. Despite allegedly loving Quin, his methodology in persuading her to help him (using his largely incompetent thugs to abuse her) was ridiculous at best. Why he never bothers sitting her down and explaining what happened to his mother or what he’s got at stake is beyond perplexing.
Again, it was a good premise and the writing had a lot of potential. I suspect it would have benefited greatly from a few more content editing sweeps.
The prose is serviceable, aside from the abundance of telling rather than showing. And this reader didn’t actually mind the alternating 4 POV, third-person limited (told from the perspectives of 15-16 year old Quin and her distant cousin Shinobu, 16 year old John, and the “Young Dread” of indeterminate age called Maud.) Unfortunately, the characterization is a bit thin, and the genre is… unclear. I’m going to go with Urban Fantasy until otherwise corrected. While it is claimed that this book “defies classification,” I’m more inclined to say it befuddles classification.
Me, trying to discern the genre: "Okay, so we're in rural medieval Scottland... wait, no, there's a sword that turns into a whip--possible alien tech? And...now there are flying cars and inter-dimensional portals. Is this sci-fi? I guess it could still be urban fantasy. What year is it?! Wait...nope...there's an airship mansion in the middle of London visible to all. Alternate reality? And now we’re in Hong Kong. WHAT IS GOING ON???
We are introduced to the three young Seekers-in-training, just before their initiation into what they’ve always been told is a good and honorable collective—complete with catchy motto: “Tyrants and evildoers beware!” Only two of them make it to their oath-taking night, which is preceded by their first mission. It’s on this mission they apparently realize that being a Seeker isn’t at all what they’ve been told (despite weak hints from John, Quin’s mother, and Shinobu’s father in attempt to warn them—though it’s never explained why they didn’t just tell them outright.) It’s from John’s slightly better informed perspective we glean the impression that the status of “Seeker” has degenerated over time to nothing more than a power-hungry, magical(?)dimension-splitting dagger carrying, assassins-for-hire.
Readers are never let in on exactly what happened the night of their initiation…only that it involved the murder of an entire family. Yet, despite their apparent horror and disillusionment, neither Quin nor Shinobu have the gumption to leave. That is, not until John comes calling with a posse of thugs-for-hire in an effort to take back the birthright he believes is the only way to salvage the power and wealth his family once held.
Other things readers aren’t let in on: Any definitive Seeker lore, or theories as to their origins; An explanation as to how their magical(?) dagger, the Athame, is able to slice through the fabric of time and space; Some idea of why Briac (Quin’s one-dimensionally evil father) thought he could maintain any control on trainee Seekers once they figured out what was really going on; Why Shinobu’s good-natured father wouldn’t tell his son exactly what he was about to jump ignorantly into; How the heck a “Disruptor” works, and why its effects are apparently incurable; Why everyone seems to consider a Seeker’s oath binding, when the consequences to breaking their word is never mentioned…
Unfortunately, this sums up my feelings for most of the book:
The biggest downfall, in this reader’s mind, is the frustrating lack of worldbuilding. While some of it does finally start to unfold toward the end, by that point I suspect many readers will have either quit or withdrawn emotional investment. The book gives the impression of needlessly withholding information from readers in the hopes that it will equate to suspense. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. And in the end, readers are left with more questions than answers.
The love triangle came across as unnecessarily awkward (or perhaps an attempt to capitalize on the emerging trend of toeing the taboo line?) We’re at first introduced to Shinobu as Quin’s “beautiful cousin”—although not a close relative, indisputably related on some biologic level. When we get his perspective, we quickly find that he’s got a clear and unrequited infatuation with his distant cousin. It’s an understandable but uncomfortable predicament, yet easily brushed aside, as Quin is evidently in love with John. But as the second half of the book comes together 18 months after the inciting incidents (and John’s banishment/betrayal), the whole kissing-cousins things comes back around—with an added layer of downplaying their actual degree of blood-relation.
Which begs the question… why leave so much open confusion? Couldn’t Shinobu have been an adopted cousin or step-cousin, without the added discomfiture that makes it hard to get on board with the two of them as romantic prospects?
John was also exceedingly off-putting from almost the very beginning. His motives were nebulous for far too long, and unconvincing even when finally somewhat elaborated on. Despite allegedly loving Quin, his methodology in persuading her to help him (using his largely incompetent thugs to abuse her) was ridiculous at best. Why he never bothers sitting her down and explaining what happened to his mother or what he’s got at stake is beyond perplexing.
Again, it was a good premise and the writing had a lot of potential. I suspect it would have benefited greatly from a few more content editing sweeps.