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Ahoy there me mateys! This here be a combined review of the last two books in the Eternal Sky trilogy. While I try to post no spoilers, ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
I have to review these books together because I read them back to back and thus they have blended into one whole. The books follow Temur and Samarkar and friends as they try to destroy a cult and save the world. This series continues to be odd in that the plot sort of plods along. The pacing is uneven and the action is varied and doesn’t always make sense in terms of storytelling and flow.
This is one of those tales where book two is all the various players traveling about. I normally hate those. However, the imagery of 12th and 13 century Asia and the character growth kept me reading. I still absolutely love Hrahima, Temur, Samarkar, and Brother Hsiung. However I also fell in love with Saadet, Hong-la, and Tsering. I very much enjoyed the newer perspectives. Saadet was on the “bad” side and yet I sympathized with her more than I expected. And as in the first book, the pacing picked up in the second half and I liked it much better than the beginning.
In book three the sides have hunkered down to prepare for the grand battle. I was not as excited about the battle plan parts. Most of what I thought would happen during the battle did even if all the details weren’t guessed correctly. In fact the entire battle was lacklustre and there never seemed to be any urgency to it. Most of the planning happened off the page. And yet I was immersed once again in the characters and was mostly content reading along. One of the best parts about these two books was Edene. Her role was the one where there were multiple surprises in store. Actually, the females in this book win hands down.
The ending of the book was kinda weird and didn’t tie up lots of loose ends. A small sampling – Namri Songstan, Lady Dio, the dragons, Woman-King Tzitzik and the artifact, the glass demons, the blood ghosts, etc. There is no real closure. I mean I didn’t hate what happened. I just need to know what comes after the great battle has ended. I mean it was plain that women were going to set the future in motion. But how!?!
All the criticism of pacing and plot aside, I really did enjoy the story for the setting and characters. I love watching women gain and keep agency. I have no regrets. One series down! Arrr!
Side note: I think Ümmühan would make a great wizard in the future.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
I have to review these books together because I read them back to back and thus they have blended into one whole. The books follow Temur and Samarkar and friends as they try to destroy a cult and save the world. This series continues to be odd in that the plot sort of plods along. The pacing is uneven and the action is varied and doesn’t always make sense in terms of storytelling and flow.
This is one of those tales where book two is all the various players traveling about. I normally hate those. However, the imagery of 12th and 13 century Asia and the character growth kept me reading. I still absolutely love Hrahima, Temur, Samarkar, and Brother Hsiung. However I also fell in love with Saadet, Hong-la, and Tsering. I very much enjoyed the newer perspectives. Saadet was on the “bad” side and yet I sympathized with her more than I expected. And as in the first book, the pacing picked up in the second half and I liked it much better than the beginning.
In book three the sides have hunkered down to prepare for the grand battle. I was not as excited about the battle plan parts. Most of what I thought would happen during the battle did even if all the details weren’t guessed correctly. In fact the entire battle was lacklustre and there never seemed to be any urgency to it. Most of the planning happened off the page. And yet I was immersed once again in the characters and was mostly content reading along. One of the best parts about these two books was Edene. Her role was the one where there were multiple surprises in store. Actually, the females in this book win hands down.
The ending of the book was kinda weird and didn’t tie up lots of loose ends. A small sampling – Namri Songstan, Lady Dio, the dragons, Woman-King Tzitzik and the artifact, the glass demons, the blood ghosts, etc. There is no real closure. I mean I didn’t hate what happened. I just need to know what comes after the great battle has ended. I mean it was plain that women were going to set the future in motion. But how!?!
All the criticism of pacing and plot aside, I really did enjoy the story for the setting and characters. I love watching women gain and keep agency. I have no regrets. One series down! Arrr!
Side note: I think Ümmühan would make a great wizard in the future.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
While I enjoyed this book, it didn't completely float me boat. I think that this stems from me misconception that this was a standalone novel. After finishing this, I really do wish it was and I even know what the ending could have been. But I can hardly fault the author for writing a series can I?
I absolutely did love the main character, Sal the Cacophony. She is sarcastic, fierce, intelligent, stubborn, destructive, obnoxious, full of self-preservation, and kinda insane. I dig it. Sal is out for revenge. She is basically an outlaw who hunts down outlaw magicians for money and said revenge. With an AWESOME gun that might not be completely inert and a sword named Jeff! So why does Sal want revenge? I am not going to tell ye wretches that!
The world building in this one be fun. It has the feel of both a western and a fantasy. Basically there are four crazy factions - 1) the Empire with its magicians; 2) the Revolutionaries with their machines; 3) the Scar with its independent "neutral" city-states; and 4) the Vagrants who be renegade magicians with allegiance to nobody but themselves. I loved the magic in this world and how the trade for power works. This was one of the best aspects of the novel. I also very much enjoyed the other characters of Cavric, the proud, honorable soldier and Liette, the anti-social, book-loving scientist. I loved the ridiculously long and poetic names given to people of a certain standing. I even really enjoyed the framing of the story as Sal is in jail about to be shot for treason with the reader receiving her "confession."
But this did have problems. The book really moved up until the 50% mark and then the plot and pace slowed down substantially. Seriously, several large portions of the section from 50 - 75% could have been removed with no real change to the story. There was a large reveal that I thought was coming (it was) and it irked me. But then the author did some interesting things after that which drew me back into the story. And there was Sal. I loved her for the most part but she got repetitive A LOT in terms of both bravado and self-loathing after the half-way point. That could have been toned down a whole bunch for the sake of flow. And I was confused when the story didn't end like the writing led ye to believe it would.
I am glad I got to read this as I really did love the magic systems and Sal. While I would have preferred a standalone story, I be interested in reading the next book in the series. Just be forewarned should ye pick this up and go into it with the correct expectations. Cause the magic and Sal be worth it
.So lastly . . .Thank ye Orbit Books!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
While I enjoyed this book, it didn't completely float me boat. I think that this stems from me misconception that this was a standalone novel. After finishing this, I really do wish it was and I even know what the ending could have been. But I can hardly fault the author for writing a series can I?
I absolutely did love the main character, Sal the Cacophony. She is sarcastic, fierce, intelligent, stubborn, destructive, obnoxious, full of self-preservation, and kinda insane. I dig it. Sal is out for revenge. She is basically an outlaw who hunts down outlaw magicians for money and said revenge. With an AWESOME gun that might not be completely inert and a sword named Jeff! So why does Sal want revenge? I am not going to tell ye wretches that!
The world building in this one be fun. It has the feel of both a western and a fantasy. Basically there are four crazy factions - 1) the Empire with its magicians; 2) the Revolutionaries with their machines; 3) the Scar with its independent "neutral" city-states; and 4) the Vagrants who be renegade magicians with allegiance to nobody but themselves. I loved the magic in this world and how the trade for power works. This was one of the best aspects of the novel. I also very much enjoyed the other characters of Cavric, the proud, honorable soldier and Liette, the anti-social, book-loving scientist. I loved the ridiculously long and poetic names given to people of a certain standing. I even really enjoyed the framing of the story as Sal is in jail about to be shot for treason with the reader receiving her "confession."
But this did have problems. The book really moved up until the 50% mark and then the plot and pace slowed down substantially. Seriously, several large portions of the section from 50 - 75% could have been removed with no real change to the story. There was a large reveal that I thought was coming (it was) and it irked me. But then the author did some interesting things after that which drew me back into the story. And there was Sal. I loved her for the most part but she got repetitive A LOT in terms of both bravado and self-loathing after the half-way point. That could have been toned down a whole bunch for the sake of flow. And I was confused when the story didn't end like the writing led ye to believe it would.
I am glad I got to read this as I really did love the magic systems and Sal. While I would have preferred a standalone story, I be interested in reading the next book in the series. Just be forewarned should ye pick this up and go into it with the correct expectations. Cause the magic and Sal be worth it
.So lastly . . .Thank ye Orbit Books!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! This book is the second of The Sacred Throne trilogy. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the armored saint then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
While I liked book one, time had passed and I thought I was okay with not continuing the series. But then I saw book two at the local library and realized I did in fact want to know what happened next. So I scooped it up.
I was extremely glad I did. The annoyance of the first book was the main character, Heloise. As I said then “She is young, feels like she is seeing the world better and clearer then everyone else, and acts like a spoiled brat. In general much of the plot was driven by her selfishness and stupidity. She made horrible decisions over and over again even when she knew she was in the wrong. So many people went out of the way to protect her and she did what she wanted – consequences be damned.”
Well in book two, Heloise has grown up. The timeframe between books one and two are only days but Heloise has had time enough to process and take ownership of what she did wrong. I very much enjoyed that Heloise continues to have trouble knowing the correct next step to take but her confused thoughts are based on wanting to make the right choice and thinking before she acts.
One of the other awesome things about this book was that the disabilities that Heloise has from book one along with her new injuries are not taken lightly. She actually has to learn to adapt to her new circumstances. I also enjoyed that Heloise has been given an elevated status and yet she doesn’t feel like she is special. I enjoyed the variation in how people perceive her. I also enjoyed watching her parents have to come to terms with her growth and how Heloise has to take initiative to solve her own problems.
The character interactions were what made this book a fun read. I did love the introduction of the Traveling People. The plot itself was fine (a seige) but nothing really new or particularly clever. That said, it was a fast read and I did finish it in one setting.
The good news is that I be caught up on another series! And book three is scheduled to come out on 10/1/19. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
While I liked book one, time had passed and I thought I was okay with not continuing the series. But then I saw book two at the local library and realized I did in fact want to know what happened next. So I scooped it up.
I was extremely glad I did. The annoyance of the first book was the main character, Heloise. As I said then “She is young, feels like she is seeing the world better and clearer then everyone else, and acts like a spoiled brat. In general much of the plot was driven by her selfishness and stupidity. She made horrible decisions over and over again even when she knew she was in the wrong. So many people went out of the way to protect her and she did what she wanted – consequences be damned.”
Well in book two, Heloise has grown up. The timeframe between books one and two are only days but Heloise has had time enough to process and take ownership of what she did wrong. I very much enjoyed that Heloise continues to have trouble knowing the correct next step to take but her confused thoughts are based on wanting to make the right choice and thinking before she acts.
One of the other awesome things about this book was that the disabilities that Heloise has from book one along with her new injuries are not taken lightly. She actually has to learn to adapt to her new circumstances. I also enjoyed that Heloise has been given an elevated status and yet she doesn’t feel like she is special. I enjoyed the variation in how people perceive her. I also enjoyed watching her parents have to come to terms with her growth and how Heloise has to take initiative to solve her own problems.
The character interactions were what made this book a fun read. I did love the introduction of the Traveling People. The plot itself was fine (a seige) but nothing really new or particularly clever. That said, it was a fast read and I did finish it in one setting.
The good news is that I be caught up on another series! And book three is scheduled to come out on 10/1/19. Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Yeah when the love interest waited for the protagonist to get old enough to have sex it creeps me out. And I couldn't get into the writing. Not for me. Arrrr!
Ahoy there mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings. While the other three books in the series can be read in any order, this book follows events in after atlas. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven't read that one and keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . . .
I read these books in publishing order and I do recommend that a person new to the series do so as well even though the first three books be companion standalones. But like I said, this fourth book should be read last.
A brief recap. Book one, planetfall showed the story of a human colony on a remote alien planet far, far from Earth. Book two, after atlas, is a sci-fi murder mystery novel set on Earth forty years after the colony ship Atlas has left the planet. Book three, after mars, is about the an employee of a corporation based on Mars who has to solve a wicked bad case of déjà vu. And then we come to the fourth book.
Now I didn't read the blurb for this one and jumped in with blind faith that the author would give me an excellent story. She did. This installment involves the colony ship, Atlas 2 and picks up from where book two left off. It showcases the familiar Dee, a dedicated gamer struggling to deal with the consequences of leaving Earth behind. Dee's anger is making her want someone to blame. She just has to figure out who and then get revenge.
And that's all yer gonna get from me about the plot because of spoilers. I think some readers will be surprised that this book did not take place on the colony planet. I was. But after a small mental adjustment, I was drawn right into this tale. Like the previous three books, this is another character study where the plot (while fun) takes a backseat to the portrayal of the inner workings of a person and what makes them tick. I read this in one sitting.
The nice part about this book is that we already know so much about the other two main characters (Carl and Travis) and ye get to see them from the perspective of Dee who previously was a minor character. I actually found Dee to be extremely sympathetic and wanted her to succeed and get out of the mess she's in. I did guess one of the major plot points of Dee's troubles and also an aspect of the overall ending but it didn't bother me too much. There were small issues about character development and the bad guys. But I should have known the reasons would be revealed. I just had to wait for it all to unfold.
I loved this installment and highly recommend it. I do hope we get at least one more story of life back on the colony planet. While waiting to find out if the author is going to have one, do pick up any of the Planetfall books and treat yerself to a delightful story.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
I read these books in publishing order and I do recommend that a person new to the series do so as well even though the first three books be companion standalones. But like I said, this fourth book should be read last.
A brief recap. Book one, planetfall showed the story of a human colony on a remote alien planet far, far from Earth. Book two, after atlas, is a sci-fi murder mystery novel set on Earth forty years after the colony ship Atlas has left the planet. Book three, after mars, is about the an employee of a corporation based on Mars who has to solve a wicked bad case of déjà vu. And then we come to the fourth book.
Now I didn't read the blurb for this one and jumped in with blind faith that the author would give me an excellent story. She did. This installment involves the colony ship, Atlas 2 and picks up from where book two left off. It showcases the familiar Dee, a dedicated gamer struggling to deal with the consequences of leaving Earth behind. Dee's anger is making her want someone to blame. She just has to figure out who and then get revenge.
And that's all yer gonna get from me about the plot because of spoilers. I think some readers will be surprised that this book did not take place on the colony planet. I was. But after a small mental adjustment, I was drawn right into this tale. Like the previous three books, this is another character study where the plot (while fun) takes a backseat to the portrayal of the inner workings of a person and what makes them tick. I read this in one sitting.
The nice part about this book is that we already know so much about the other two main characters (Carl and Travis) and ye get to see them from the perspective of Dee who previously was a minor character. I actually found Dee to be extremely sympathetic and wanted her to succeed and get out of the mess she's in. I did guess one of the major plot points of Dee's troubles and also an aspect of the overall ending but it didn't bother me too much. There were small issues about character development and the bad guys. But I should have known the reasons would be revealed. I just had to wait for it all to unfold.
I loved this installment and highly recommend it. I do hope we get at least one more story of life back on the colony planet. While waiting to find out if the author is going to have one, do pick up any of the Planetfall books and treat yerself to a delightful story.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! This book is the second of the Akata Witch duology. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the akata witch then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
This story continues the adventures of Sunny, a girl born in the U.S. but who currently lives with her family in Nigeria. A year has passed. Sunny is still dealing with the revelation that she has the magical powers of the Leopard People and with the effort of keeping that secret from her family. She has changed so much in a relatively brief time and is struggling with how those changes are reflecting across all aspects of her life.
It took me so long to pick up this second book that I was afraid I wouldn’t remember enough of the first book. Well the author does an excellent recap in the beginning in the form of a warning letter. I loved it. Plus I shouldn’t have really worried. The magic of the tale soon picked me right back up and transported me back into Sunny’s world.
I absolutely loved getting back there. I know that the book has magic and another fight to save the world. But really the highlight of this story for me was the coming-of-age portions of the tale. I loved watching Sunny grow, change, and learn. I loved watching her relationships with her family evolve especially where her brothers were involved. It was so nice to see caring and maturing sibling relationships. I continued to enjoy the friendships between Sunny, Orlu, Chichi, and Sasha. I loved the new character (and transport) added in this yarn. I continue to love the wasp artist.
That said, the plot and magic involved are also very exciting. I read this in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. It just proves that I love this author’s work. Lagoon is waiting for me to pick it up. While Sunny’s adventure finished nicely in this book, there was a set-up for a potential next adventure. I do hope we get another story in this fabulous world. Arrrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This story continues the adventures of Sunny, a girl born in the U.S. but who currently lives with her family in Nigeria. A year has passed. Sunny is still dealing with the revelation that she has the magical powers of the Leopard People and with the effort of keeping that secret from her family. She has changed so much in a relatively brief time and is struggling with how those changes are reflecting across all aspects of her life.
It took me so long to pick up this second book that I was afraid I wouldn’t remember enough of the first book. Well the author does an excellent recap in the beginning in the form of a warning letter. I loved it. Plus I shouldn’t have really worried. The magic of the tale soon picked me right back up and transported me back into Sunny’s world.
I absolutely loved getting back there. I know that the book has magic and another fight to save the world. But really the highlight of this story for me was the coming-of-age portions of the tale. I loved watching Sunny grow, change, and learn. I loved watching her relationships with her family evolve especially where her brothers were involved. It was so nice to see caring and maturing sibling relationships. I continued to enjoy the friendships between Sunny, Orlu, Chichi, and Sasha. I loved the new character (and transport) added in this yarn. I continue to love the wasp artist.
That said, the plot and magic involved are also very exciting. I read this in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. It just proves that I love this author’s work. Lagoon is waiting for me to pick it up. While Sunny’s adventure finished nicely in this book, there was a set-up for a potential next adventure. I do hope we get another story in this fabulous world. Arrrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there mateys! I don’t read many thrillers and I seem to be in the minority (again!) with this. The crew was talking about how great this novel was and I admit that the premise of a wife shooting a husband and then never speaking again appealed. Why did she stop? What would she have to say? I wanted answers.
I had misgivings early on in the book. Basically the main character, Theo, seemed both unreliable and a bit of an egotistical jerk. He was utterly convinced that he could get Alicia to speak again. And yet the question of what Alicia would say when she finally spoke made me ignore the quibbles and keep reading. I loved the premise. I thought the writing was excellent and I didn’t get bored. So what was the problem?
I completely guessed the twist. This isn’t something that happens often or usually bothers me when it does. However, in this case, I did not like how the story resolved at all. I did very much enjoy watching Theo’s relationship with Alicia in the therapy sessions. I thought the various characters were kinda fun and enjoyed how the author tied the relationships together. But I did not buy the whys and wherefores of the reasons for Alicia shooting her husband. I really didn’t like any of the resolutions regarding the twist and how it panned out. I can’t really get into more specifics because it would spoil the entire plot for those who haven’t read it.
This does seem to be a case of it not working for me personally and not the writer. Thrillers are really hit or miss for me. I keep telling meself after every bad experience to stop reading them but end up getting another for a change of pace once enough time goes by. And this read, while quick, irked me and wasn’t to me taste. So it hereby walks the plank! Arrrrr!!
Check out me other reveiws at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
I had misgivings early on in the book. Basically the main character, Theo, seemed both unreliable and a bit of an egotistical jerk. He was utterly convinced that he could get Alicia to speak again. And yet the question of what Alicia would say when she finally spoke made me ignore the quibbles and keep reading. I loved the premise. I thought the writing was excellent and I didn’t get bored. So what was the problem?
I completely guessed the twist. This isn’t something that happens often or usually bothers me when it does. However, in this case, I did not like how the story resolved at all. I did very much enjoy watching Theo’s relationship with Alicia in the therapy sessions. I thought the various characters were kinda fun and enjoyed how the author tied the relationships together. But I did not buy the whys and wherefores of the reasons for Alicia shooting her husband. I really didn’t like any of the resolutions regarding the twist and how it panned out. I can’t really get into more specifics because it would spoil the entire plot for those who haven’t read it.
This does seem to be a case of it not working for me personally and not the writer. Thrillers are really hit or miss for me. I keep telling meself after every bad experience to stop reading them but end up getting another for a change of pace once enough time goes by. And this read, while quick, irked me and wasn’t to me taste. So it hereby walks the plank! Arrrrr!!
Check out me other reveiws at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
The title, cover, and dystopian nature is what made me want to read this book. I love end-of-the-world stories. While I enjoyed many parts of this book, it didn't completely float me boat. It ended up being only an okay read due to me personal preferences.
I really did find the premise to be interesting. The end of the world has come and gone and humans are headed for extinction. There are only about 7000 of them left scattered across the globe. Griz lives on an island in Scotland with his mother, father, two siblings, ponies, and dogs. Their closest and only neighbors are on another island quite a bit away.
The family is seemingly content in life but one day another ship with red sails is spotted on the horizon. The trader comes to swap tales but uses trickery to steal from the family. Only one of the stolen items is Griz's dog, Jess. Griz is determined to follow and get his dog back.
The introduction to the world was lovely and unusual. The book is written in the style of a journal where the intended reader is a long-dead person Griz only knows via a photograph. It sounds odd but it does work. I was interested in how the world worked and the explanations of how the apocalypse happened. Getting into the novel took a minute because of the unique structure but I was engaged up until the moment Griz decides to go after the trader and his dog.
That is when the book began to lose its me. The boy decides to sail after the trader with very little preparation or thinking. Stupid choices are made over and over again and seemed unrealistic. The mainland is a dangerous place and yet those dangers seemed muted so that Griz could survive. It seems like 150 years would not have been enough time for the environmental damages to have been mitigated. Plus structures have been breaking down and are strewn across the landscape and yet Griz climbs on and around them with very little problem. I just didn't really feel that Griz was in actual danger.
Because this journal has been written after the events they portray, there are some foreshadowing moments that perk interest. But there is also a lot of attempted philosophizing about what the world used to be like and how long-dead-reader would have felt about things in both the past and present. A lot of it was repetitive. So the action stalled and very little distance was actually travelled. I got a bit bored.
It got better when Griz meets his first person on the mainland. Even though they don't speak a common language, the bond they form is wonderful. I loved almost the whole section The only downside is when wolves attack Griz and his companion. This was completely unrealistic and silly. Griz talks continuously about how plentiful game is. Rabbits, deer, wild boar, etc. are everywhere. The wolves would have had absolutely no reason to attack people and a horse. Especially when fire was present. Wolves don't do that and I get tired of these animals being used as a convenient plot point.
Once the two humans split up, the book took another turn that was not to me taste. I thought Griz was going to track down the trader and have a reckoning. But other spoilery things happen that seemed too ridiculous and I didn't buy it. There were just too many arbitrary coincidences and the resolution just seemed too perfect. The happy ending seems to have warmed the hearts of the crew though. I am in the minority about not liking the twist.
I have no regrets about reading this book and it has lovely characters, thoughts, and ideas. I would have just preferred a different take on the whole situation. But I do think that most readers will love it just as it is. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .Thank ye Orbit Books!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
The title, cover, and dystopian nature is what made me want to read this book. I love end-of-the-world stories. While I enjoyed many parts of this book, it didn't completely float me boat. It ended up being only an okay read due to me personal preferences.
I really did find the premise to be interesting. The end of the world has come and gone and humans are headed for extinction. There are only about 7000 of them left scattered across the globe. Griz lives on an island in Scotland with his mother, father, two siblings, ponies, and dogs. Their closest and only neighbors are on another island quite a bit away.
The family is seemingly content in life but one day another ship with red sails is spotted on the horizon. The trader comes to swap tales but uses trickery to steal from the family. Only one of the stolen items is Griz's dog, Jess. Griz is determined to follow and get his dog back.
The introduction to the world was lovely and unusual. The book is written in the style of a journal where the intended reader is a long-dead person Griz only knows via a photograph. It sounds odd but it does work. I was interested in how the world worked and the explanations of how the apocalypse happened. Getting into the novel took a minute because of the unique structure but I was engaged up until the moment Griz decides to go after the trader and his dog.
That is when the book began to lose its me. The boy decides to sail after the trader with very little preparation or thinking. Stupid choices are made over and over again and seemed unrealistic. The mainland is a dangerous place and yet those dangers seemed muted so that Griz could survive. It seems like 150 years would not have been enough time for the environmental damages to have been mitigated. Plus structures have been breaking down and are strewn across the landscape and yet Griz climbs on and around them with very little problem. I just didn't really feel that Griz was in actual danger.
Because this journal has been written after the events they portray, there are some foreshadowing moments that perk interest. But there is also a lot of attempted philosophizing about what the world used to be like and how long-dead-reader would have felt about things in both the past and present. A lot of it was repetitive. So the action stalled and very little distance was actually travelled. I got a bit bored.
It got better when Griz meets his first person on the mainland. Even though they don't speak a common language, the bond they form is wonderful. I loved almost the whole section The only downside is when wolves attack Griz and his companion. This was completely unrealistic and silly. Griz talks continuously about how plentiful game is. Rabbits, deer, wild boar, etc. are everywhere. The wolves would have had absolutely no reason to attack people and a horse. Especially when fire was present. Wolves don't do that and I get tired of these animals being used as a convenient plot point.
Once the two humans split up, the book took another turn that was not to me taste. I thought Griz was going to track down the trader and have a reckoning. But other spoilery things happen that seemed too ridiculous and I didn't buy it. There were just too many arbitrary coincidences and the resolution just seemed too perfect. The happy ending seems to have warmed the hearts of the crew though. I am in the minority about not liking the twist.
I have no regrets about reading this book and it has lovely characters, thoughts, and ideas. I would have just preferred a different take on the whole situation. But I do think that most readers will love it just as it is. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .Thank ye Orbit Books!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
