Fantasy readers will find much to enjoy.
Schonberger (The First Harmony, 2010) returns to the fantasy realm with a warrior who battles mystic creatures as he searches unknown parts of the world.
The people of Fortress City have hidden themselves from the world of Draconia. But Bladeborn, an orphan living as a thieving urchin, finds his means of escape with Nightslayer, the Sword of the Ancients; this powerful weapon can unlock the gates of the city. Within Draconia’s sprawling mass live many creatures with a common enemy: the Rhinolon, vicious, larger-than-human beasts that sport horned snouts. Bladeborn’s journey takes him to the Six Realms, where he falls in love with a queen and wages war against the Rhinolon. But what of the land on the other side of Draconia, where the sun shines yellow instead of red? Is this Bladeborn’s place of origin, as he’s been told? Will he find more humans there? Schonberger’s novel is expansive: Readers follow Bladeborn as he grows from a young child saved from a ritual sacrifice into a skilled swordsman capable of magic. His initial goal is freedom; once he’s achieved this outside of Fortress City, his purpose becomes less clear. The story seems to work best if considered as a series of vignettes: traveling the unknown territory; helping the local Drommu revolt against the Rhinolon; leading humans in battles as a general. The author fittingly keeps the protagonist in a constant state of peril, and the book nimbly delivers a motley assortment of creatures—ogres, elves, demons, serpents, a monster that resembles a spider, and beasts with tentacles, aptly named “tentaslimes.” At times, the dialogue slips into the contemporary, with lines like “don’t look me up” and a snide reference to “that marriage stuff,” but the otherwise sober narrative is effectively suitable in tone for a fantasy. The wide-open ending may leave readers disappointed that they never encounter the Lizardmen, but there’s plenty of room for a second book.
Fantasy readers will find much to enjoy.Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-1466373761
Page Count: 444
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.
A young Navarrian woman faces even greater challenges in her second year at dragon-riding school.
Violet Sorrengail did all the normal things one would do as a first-year student at Basgiath War College: made new friends, fell in love, and survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also the first rider to ever bond with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon with a distinguished battle history, and Andarna, a baby dragon too young to carry a rider. At the end of Fourth Wing (2023), Violet and her lover, Xaden Riorson, discovered that Navarre is under attack from wyvern, evil two-legged dragons, and venin, soulless monsters that harvest energy from the ground. Navarrians had always been told that these were monsters of legend and myth, not real creatures dangerously close to breaking through Navarre’s wards and attacking civilian populations. In this overly long sequel, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons are determined to find a way to protect Navarre, despite the fact that the army and government hid the truth about these creatures. Due to the machinations of several traitorous instructors at Basgiath, Xaden and Violet are separated for most of the book—he’s stationed at a distant outpost, leaving her to handle the treacherous, cutthroat world of the war college on her own. Violet is repeatedly threatened by her new vice commandant, a brutal man who wants to silence her. Although Violet and her dragons continue to model extreme bravery, the novel feels repetitive and more than a little sloppy, leaving obvious questions about the world unanswered. The book is full of action and just as full of plot holes, including scenes that are illogical or disconnected from the main narrative. Secondary characters are ignored until a scene requires them to assist Violet or to be killed in the endless violence that plagues their school.
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374172
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
Fast-moving fun and a highly creative plot.
Bloody murder spoils folks’ fun while megafauna return from extinction.
What a glorious way to spend a honeymoon: Mark and Olivia Gunnerson go backpacking through the vast Erebus Resort in the mountains of Colorado, where scientists have “de-extincted” species like the woolly mammoth and other Pleistocene megafauna. Just watch the peaceful beasts at their watering holes. Behold the giant armadillos, and the indricothere that make mammoths look like dwarfs. The scientists have removed genes for aggression in these re-creations, so humans will be safe unless they’re accidentally stepped on. And yet, someone doesn’t want the newlyweds camping there, made evident by their disappearance without a trace, save only a copious amount of blood outside their tent. Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent in Charge Frankie Cash takes the case. What happened to Mark and Olivia, and why? The park has no predators, so humans must be responsible. But where are the bodies? A doctor suggests that due to the amount of blood found, the victims may have—gasp!—been decapitated. The matter gathers national attention, and things only get worse as more people die. The late groom’s aggrieved billionaire father demands immediate answers, and of course he interferes with the investigation: “You’ll see me now, you son of a bitch, and tell me what the fuck you’re doing to find my son!” And speaking of F-bombs, surely it is possible to write a thriller with fewer—maybe use one or two to establish a character and then move on to more creative language? Anyway, the investigators are doing a lot. The action seldom lets up, and readers will feel the mounting tension and excitement. The setting itself is a scientific wonder, and it must tie into the murders somehow. Meanwhile, Hollywood is filming an action movie in the park, and the pièce de résistance will be the spectacular explosion of a train. But wouldn’t you know, Preston has other plans. Imagine Jurassic Park with the timeline brought forward to the Pleistocene, and you have the Erebus Resort. Science, imagination, storytelling, and action are all here.
Fast-moving fun and a highly creative plot.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780765317704
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Forge
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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