For readers who find George R.R. Martin’s epic too much, here’s considerably less. Sequels are certain.
Lips meet, hearts blaze, blood gushes and kingdoms clash in this thoroughly predictable Song of Ice and Fire wannabe.
Chucking in requisite elements—a magic ring, crystals with “ultimate power,” a vague prophecy about a chosen one, hidden Watchers, societies frozen at a medieval level—“Rhodes,” otherwise known as paranormal romance author Michelle Rowen (Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide, 2011), centers her tale on teen characters in three adjacent lands who are swept into savage conflicts of both hearts and politics. Showing particular fondness for cut throats the author splashes both opening chapters and climactic battle with sprays of gore as, in between, impulsive Princess Cleo of Westeros Auranos falls in love with her hunky bodyguard before setting out incognito (in courtly dress) to wander impoverished villages in search of magical healing for her dying older sister; merchant’s son Jonas of Paelsia turns revenge seeker burning with hatred for the royals who murder his brother; and Prince Magnus of Limeros wrestles with “forbidden feelings” for his sister Lucia—whose growing magical powers make her the centerpiece of their bloody minded father’s schemes of conquest. Several of the sympathetic characters in the teeming cast suffer sudden death or at least inner strife that settles out in different ways, but all are recognizable types and any secrets they harbor are either telegraphed or clumsily manipulated to heighten romantic tension. The sex is all implicit or offstage, and even the hint of incest turns out to be illusory.
For readers who find George R.R. Martin’s epic too much, here’s considerably less. Sequels are certain. (Fantasy. 13-17)Pub Date: Dec. 11, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59514-584-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2012
A fresh and compelling voice.
A second chance prompts a deadly game of wits.
Lu Mingshin is about to be executed. Her fiance, Prince Ren, has ordered her death after using her family’s wealth to vie for the position of crown prince from his half brothers, each of them born to one of the widower king’s Royal Ladies. If that wasn’t enough, Mingshin learns that her Uncle Yi arranged her mother’s murder, and Aylin, her two-faced noblewoman cousin, will be marrying Ren instead. On the verge of death, Mingshin desperately wishes for another chance—only to see flashes of light and wake up two years in the past. With her memories of the future intact, Mingshin intends to not become a victim again, training in combat and vowing to endear herself to King Reifeng to secure her family’s safety. Strange dreams reveal the source of the magic that allowed her to jump back in time. A powerful mage is also on Mingshin’s tail, along with the ruthless enemies she’s already aware of. As Mingshin starts to rewrite her life’s story, new individuals come into play: a visiting Elder with questionable motives; Princess Yunle, who becomes a new best friend; and Prince Jieh, one of Ren’s rivals for the throne. Set in a fantasy world reminiscent of imperial China, this debut novel’s structure has a few oddities, but the clever premise and intriguing and suspenseful plot will keep readers engaged.
A fresh and compelling voice. (Fantasy. 14-17)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2023
ISBN: 9781454949923
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
The shelves are already crowded with teens-training-for-space stories; there’s no need to make room for this one.
Teens become astronauts in record time for an inaugural space mission.
After losing his family to “the greatest flood Rome has ever known,” skilled white Italian swimmer Leo Danieli would never have expected that in his darkest moment he would be drafted by the European Space Agency to attend the International Space Training Camp, where teens will train to terraform and colonize Jupiter’s moon Europa for human settlement. California native Naomi Ardalan, a second-generation Iranian-American, has also been chosen for her expertise in science and technology. During a period of violent climate change worldwide, Earth’s governments are desperate to draft teens for a space mission for which they have only a few weeks in which to prepare. Twenty-four teen finalists, many orphaned by cataclysmic natural disasters, have been chosen from all over the world to compete for this space colonization mission. Warnings come to Leo and Naomi that there is a more sinister aspect to this mission, especially after things go tragically awry with other candidates during the training. The relationship that develops between Naomi and Leo feels forced, as if their meeting necessitates speedy deployment of a romantic cliché. The use of predictable plot devices, along with the fundamentally ludicrous premise, undermines any believability that would make a reader invest in such an elaborate space journey.
The shelves are already crowded with teens-training-for-space stories; there’s no need to make room for this one. (Science fiction. 14-17)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-265894-4
Page Count: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
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