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fantasy

reviews August 11, 2013

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms 1) by Morgan Rhodes

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword…

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed? (Goodreads)

The story is about 3 kingdoms that were once united: Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia. There’s been peace between the countries for centuries but then a wine-maker’s son was killed by Auranian noble from the princess’s entourage. The victim’s brother vows revenge and sets in motion a war that’s been long brewing.

Cleo is Auranian princess, spoiled, stubborn and childish. She was probably my least favourite character. She does grow as a person towards the end but unfortunately it comes after so much has happened. She’s also carrying this secret and let me tell you, that was the lamest secret. Ever.

I liked Magnus before he turned this bloodthirsty idiot and turns into his father who he despises. And he’s in love with his (adoptive) sister.

Jonas is a pheasant who harbors hatred for all things royal and when his brother is killed in princess Cleo’s presence he basically wants to start a war. And he seemed to blame Cleo more for the murder than Aron who actually killed him, just because she was royal.

I haven’t read much YA fantasy and this wasn’t in no way bad but I thought it lacked that something. Maybe things pick up in the next book.

3,5/5
Published: Razorbill (2013)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 432
Source: library

reviews August 10, 2013

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina (Seraphina 1) by Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. (Goodreads)

Seraphina is half-dragon, a thing that is supposed to be a myth. She’s able to recall her birth, remembers her time as a baby and has her late mother’s memories. She has always loved music but her father doesn’t let her play it. After Seraphina finally convinces her father into letting her get lessons, Phina soon starts to get attention for her skill.

Seraphina is drawn into court politics after Prince Rufus is found dead supposedly by dragon attack. While working with Prince Lucian Kiggs to resolve the murder, she finds that secrets are getting harder to keep.

What a great start for the year! I loved this book and I’m happy I chose this for the first book of the year.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a book where dragons play such a big role so can’t compare to anything but I loved the idea. It was interesting to see how dragons could have view humans.

I loved Seraphina and Kiggs and I so hope they end up together! And yey for no-insta-love! Even after realizing she loves Kiggs, she could use her brain and think rationally.

Oh why writing reviews for books you love is so much harder? So I’ll just say I loved the book and I’m surely reading the next one too!

4,5/5
Published: Random House (2012)
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 451
Source: library

reviews August 8, 2013

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called “Le Cirque des Reves,” and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway–a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love–a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. (Goodreads)

Celia and Marco are bound to a duel from childhood by their mentors, to a duel from which only one of them will survive. The venue is a circus that arrives without notice and opens only after sun goes down. But what their mentors did not take into account was that they might fall in love.

I’m so happy I finally decided to read this because I loved it! Before I started it I wasn’t sure about the whole circus thing but it worked here.

This isn’t action packed but it still managed to be not boring. The time changes were little confusing at first but I got used to them,

I loved Marco’s and Celia’s relationship but it could have felt more closer if they would haven spent more time together. There were years when they had no contact with each other which meant many chapters with no contact. I loved seeing them growing closer and learning more about their magic and what they’re capable doing with it. It was interesting to see Celia building some kind of relationship with her father and what kind of person it made her.

I have to say I never really got the meaning of this duel. I mean there was never any real confrontation between the players and it seemed like they never really did anything besides creating a new tent. Yes those were some special and cool tents but still. And how does that kind of duel really end? What makes the winner a winner? But that would be my biggest complain that the world would have been better explained.

But I really loved the book and it was a great debut. Can’t wait to read more of her books!

5/5
Published: Doubleday (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 387
Source: library

reviews August 8, 2013

Shadow Blizzard by Alexey Pehov

Shadow Blizzard (Chronicles of Siala 3) by Alexey Pehov

Shadow Harold, master thief, and his band of companions have reached the deep catacombs of Hrad Spein, where Harold must go in alone to face unknown horrors and retrieve the Horn that will save Siala. He is magically bound to the Key with which the dark elves sealed Hrad Spein, and the Master’s servant, the sorceress Lafresa, is close behind him.
Harold and his companions must face H’san’kors, evil magic and the agents of the Nameless One, but unless they find the long-lost Horn darkness will overrun the realm of Valiostr. Harold’s destiny is tied to the fate of the kingdom… (publisher)

Large part of the book is about Harold and his quest through Hrad Spein. It’s also called as Palaces of Bones and it’s very describing name… Creepy place!

I like Harold as the hero because he’s not your typical hero. Thieves are rarely called heroes but Harold is very likeable. And then there’s Kli-Kli, who wouldn’t like the jester? And speaking of jester, I totally didn’t see that coming! Even though I liked Harold my fav people were the elves. I wish there would have been more of them and I would have liked to learn more about their world and history.

As it is in war, we lose more characters and I understand that it belongs to war but how could you do that! And it was evil to do it so soon in the book! But we meet few people who I had totally forgotten about which was nice. I should have reread the first 2 books before this…

My only complaint is that the part in Hrad Spein could have been tiny bit shorter and the battle scenes in the end less jumpy. There were too many perspectives to the battle and from people we hadn’t meet before.

I enjoyed these books so much and I’m gonna miss this world. I hope more of his books gets translated because I’m reading those for sure!

4,5/5
Published: Simon & Schuster UK (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 464
Source: my own

reviews August 7, 2013

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Prince of Thorns (The Broken Empire 1) by Mark Lawrence

When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. At thirteen, he led a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…
It’s time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what’s rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar’s men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him–and he has nothing left to lose. But treachery awaits him in his father’s castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining? (Goodreads)

9 year old Jorg Ancrath sees his mother and brother killed. Soon after he leaves his father and becomes consummated with rage, and guilt for not being able to save them. He flees with group of men freed from the dungeons and 4 years later he is the leader. At the age of 15 he vows to be king.

Although the main character is a teen, this is not a book for kids and Jorg is not very likeable character. And his actions are even less likeable. But I loved it!

The book starts when the gang is torching a village and it sets the pace for the book from the start. There’s no hero to root in this book for sure. At first I thought it weird that he’s so young and still the leader of them and how he grew up to be so cold. There’s flashback’s from the past that explains some of the things and while I’m not usually fan of too many flashbacks, I think it worked here.

I liked the relationship between Jorg and Makin. Makin used to be the king’s guard and he knew Jorg before he flees from home and he’s the one who really knows him. Or at least as much as anyone is able. But it makes Jorg more humane anyway.

My only complain will be the references to “our world”. Like at some point someone mentioned Shakespeare and stuff like that. I prefer my fantasy to be totally in other world. But it only happened few times so it wasn’t that big of a deal.

I really enjoyed this book and it was truly wonderful debut book. I can’t wait for the next book to come out and I hope I get my hands on it! But this may not be for everyone so be warned…

4,5/5
Published: Harper Voyager (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 399
Source: publisher