THE EYE OF THE WORLD
Book 1 in the Wheel Of Time series
Narrated by Rosamund Pike
Genre: high fantasy
Format: paperback, ebook & audiobook
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One, a malicious entity sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction. When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the village seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
The first time I’ve read this book was donkey’s years ago. I have forgotten most, if not all, of the things that happened in this book. Back then, I stopped reading about halfway through Knife Of Dreams though I couldn’t quite remember why. Maybe because the author died and I got discouraged thinking that there would not be a finale or a continuation of the series, then. Luckily, Brandon Sanderson came along. And now I can continue reading this series. But first a re-read.
I started remembering the wonderful world building as I read on! I also remembered the too stupid to live (tstl) elements in the book.
Like you are running from danger. You are told (repeatedly) to trust no one and of the dangers. To keep your head down because of the danger. So what do you do? You tell somebody where you are staying and when you are leaving so that the enemy can find you. You laugh out loud in the middle of a crowded street that includes your enemies among the audience so that you get their attention. At which point, I want to cheer for the bad guys to get our heroes seeing that they are jumping over obstacles to get dead! **sigh** Perrin is the only sensible one among the lot, it seems… And those are not the only times that the tstl element showed in this book.
You are running for your lives with evil pursuing you and your companions. The man who saved your life and still trying to save your life screamed at you to douse the fire. So you just look at him. No, you do not douse the fire because you are waiting for the bad guys to catch you first…
One thing I appreciate about an audiobook is that I can speed it up so that I can whizz through the tstl episodes. Makes it a whole lot less painful!
This is my first Rosamund Pike listen and I like the way she portrayed different characters with various voices. I would buy audiobooks by her again.
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 3.5
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (32 hrs and 55 mins listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 5
Robert Jordan was born in 1948 in Charleston. He was a graduate of the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, with a degree in physics, and served two tours in Vietnam. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool and pipe collecting. He died in September 2007.
Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike is regarded as a contemporary and multifaceted actress who has earned international acclaim for both her stage and film roles.
Rosamund recently starred in A United Kingdom opposite David Oyelowo which tells the true story of Seretse Khama, a member of the royal family in South Africa. Khama sparked international outrage when he married a white woman in 1948, and was exiled from his home country by the British Government in 1951. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2016 and opened the London Film Festival in October 2016. In the coming year, she will star in HHHH with director Cedric Jimenez and co-starring Jason Clarke, Jack O’Connell and Jack Reynor. The film tells the story of Heydrich (Clarke), the highest-ranked Nazi officer who was considered to be the mastermind of the “Final Solution” and was assassinated by two resistance paratroopers in 1942. Rosamund will play Lina Heydrich, an aristocrat who was married to Heydrich and reportedly introduced her husband to the Nazi ideology. Rosamund recently wrapped production on the film Entebbe, directed by José Padhila, about the Entebbe hostage crisis of 1976 where two Palestinians and two Germans hijacked an Air France plane en route from Tel Aviv and held 246 passengers and crew hostage at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. Rosamund plays Brigitte Kuhlmann, a German revolutionary who was one of the hijackers. Just before that, Rosamund finished production on Hostiles, directed by Scott Cooper, which tells the story of a legendary Army captain who reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory. She co-stars with Christian Bale.
One further film is completed that will also come out in 2017: Radar Pictures’ political thriller High Wire Act, in which Rosamund starts opposite Jon Hamm. Brad Anderson directs, in a script from Tony Gilroy, about a retired U.S. diplomat and CIA operative attempting a rescue mission in 1980s’ Beirut. Rosamund plays the field agent responsible for Mason Skiles’ (Hamm) safety, as he is called back into service to save a former colleague.
Rosamund recently starred in David Fincher’s film, Gone Girl, in which she played ‘Amy Dunne’, opposite Ben Affleck. Gone Girl was adapted for the screen by the best-selling book’s original author, Gillian Flynn. The film emerged as a box office hit in October 2014, earning over $215 million in global ticket sales. The movie and Rosamund’s performance both earned widespread critical acclaim. Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair wrote that the film is “Smartly shot, detailed … and performed” and called Rosamund’s portrayal as “a star-makingly good performance, spellbinding in its operatic mix of tones and temperatures.” Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter reviewed that Rosamund “is powerful and commanding … Physically and emotionally, Rosamund looks to have immersed herself in this profoundly calculating character, and the results are impressive.”
As such, Rosamund was nominated for an Academy Award, a SAG Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics’ Choice Movie Award and was honored in February 2015 at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. She was also honored with the ‘Breakthrough Performance Award’ at the 26th Annual Palm Springs Film Festival for her role in Gone Girl as well as honored for her performance at the Women in Film & TV (UK) Awards. Additionally, Rosamund won many film critics’ awards for her portrayal including the Austin Film Critics Association Award, Utah Film Critics Association Award, and Oklahoma Film Critics’ Circle Award in addition to being nominated for a London Critics’ Circle Film Award, St. Louis Film Critics Award, Phoenix Film Critics Society, International Press Academy Satellite Award, Women’s Image Network Award, Georgia Film Critics Association Award, Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award and the Washington DC Area Film Critics Award.
Earlier in 2014, Rosamund starred opposite Simon Pegg, Stellen Skarsgard and Toni Collette in Peter Chelsom’s Hector and the Search for Happiness. Additionally, she starred in Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s part improvised BBC comedy What We Did on Our Holiday alongside Billy Connolly and David Tennant. Prior to that Rosamund starred in Barney’s Version opposite Paul Giamatti. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and went on to receive rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, is a love story poignantly captures the life of the politically incorrect, irascible and fearlessly blunt Barney Panofsky (Giamatti) and the women he has loved in his life. Rosamund’s work in the film earned her a London Critics’ Circle Award for “British Actress of the Year” and a Genie Award nomination for best actress.
Rosamund received critical acclaim for her work as Helen in Lone Scherfig’s Academy Award Nominated Film An Education, opposite Peter Sarsgaard and Carey Mulligan. Received well at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009, An Education continued to garner critical acclaim with Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Film Critics nominations, and a win for Best Foreign Film at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Rosamund’s past film credits include A Long Way Down, Edgar Wright’s The World’s End opposite Simon Pegg, Jack Reacher opposite Tom Cruise, and Wrath Of The Titans, directed by Jonathan Liebesman. In 2010, Rosamund played Lisa Hopkins in the dramatic film Made in Dagenham with Sally Hawkins, Miranda Richardson and Bob Hoskins. She was later nominated for a 2011 London Critics’ Circle Award for “British Actress in a Supporting Role” for her role in the film. Others include, Johnny English Reborn, The Big Year, Women in Love, The Libertine, Pride and Prejudice, Fracture, Fugitive Pieces, Surrogates, Burning Palms, and Die Another Day.
Aside from her cinematic roles, Rosamund has continued to return to her roots in theatre on the London stage. She has starred in Gaslight, Patrick Hamilton’s Victorian thriller, at the Old Vic Theater, The Donmar Warehouse Production of Madame de Sade in The West End, opposite Judi Dench, and The Royal Court Theatre production of Hitchcock Blonde, directed by Terry Johnson. With its enormous success, the play was moved to the Lyric Theater in London’s West End. In 2010 Rosamund played the title role in Hedda Gabler, a performance for which she received rave reviews.
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.
SHATTERED GODS
Book 1 in the Shattered Gods series
Narrated by Ryan Burke
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
Fated to destroy the world. Determined to save it.
My name is Xal and I live in the dims, a walled prison where my people are kept by our cruel masters, until we are needed to fight once more. One member of every family must answer The Call, for our blood bears the magic of a demonic god, and all the terrible power that brings.
We march to war against the Fomori, an unstoppable army of giants, and their behemoths. If we do not, then our families are put to death. The Hasrans use us as cannon fodder, and worse. They used up my father, and he never came home. Die resisting. Die fighting. My choice isn’t if it happens, but rather how I sell my life.
If by some miracle I survive I will be granted entrance to the Imperial Academy, where every noble house will vie to architect my end. They cannot allow the void-blooded to live. They cannot allow us to thrive, or to gain more magic from the bodies of other dead gods. They cannot allow us to win. They fear the rise of another dreadlord. And they are right to fear. I will pull down an empire, and that is just the beginning.
Most fantasy formulaic route starts with a farm boy who went on to become great and saves the world. This story puts a little twist on that by starting with a prison community instead of a poor farm. So there is a tiny bit of originality in it at least.
The kindle ebook and the audible audiobook are whispersynced. However, there are parts where the two do not match. Like for example, in location 334 of 710 of the ebook, the line reads, “…but the one next to that was Zaro, I thought, a fierce warrior with a weapon in either hand.” But the audiobook says, “…but the man next to that was Dalanthar, the very same steward emblazoned where I trained under Caw.” No, some parts are not the same and some parts are inconsistent. The book sometimes call a god by different names, i.e., as Dalanthus and sometimes as Zaro, and/or used the names of two gods interchangeably. WTF!?! Consequently, the gods, temples, and characters are kinda confusing. On top of that there are clerical errors, i.e., “processor” instead of “professor” (loc 490 of 710 of the kindle ebook). Annoying! This kind of errors are peppered all throughout the book. The editor needs his/her pay docked.
Luiz, a GoodReads reviewer, said that the Academy ways do not make a lot of sense and I agree with him! That put a lot of holes in the plot/story building. In fact the story has so many plot holes in it that if it were a sheet, it would look like it had been striped with a machine gun!
Circle of EightI like that the ebook has some art in it, like the sigil of the Circle of Eight and the Hasra City map. It substantiate the imagination. Adds a dimension to the reading experience that wouldn’t be there if the images were not there. Or maybe it is just me because I have the type of brain that is a visual learner.
I like Ryan Kennard Burke‘s voice. It is not aggravating to the ears. And I like the way he gives life to some characters!
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (19 hrs and 51 mins listening time)
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 4.5
By day I am an iPhone developer architecting the app used to scope Stephen Colbert’s ear. By night I am Batman. Ok maybe not. One can dream though, right?
I’ve been writing since I was six years old and started inflicting my work on others at age 18. By age 24 people stopped running away when I approached them with a new story and shortly thereafter I published my first one in the Rifter.
Wait you’re still reading?
Ok, the facts I’m supposed to list in a bio. As of this writing I’m 38 years old and live just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the beautiful town of Mill Valley. If you’re unsure how to find it just follow the smell of self-entitlement. Once you see the teens driving Teslas you’ll know you’re in the right place.
I live in a tiny studio that I can cross in (literally) five steps and don’t own an oven. But you know what? It’s worth it. I love developing iPhone apps and if you want to work in San Francisco you accept that rent for a tiny place costs more than most people’s mortgage.
If you and about 2 million other people start buying my books I promise to move out of Marin to a house in the redwoods up in Guerneville. No pressure. Wait that’s a lie. Pressure.
Ryan Kennard Burke is a narrator/voice-over artist, audiobook director, and a Canadian. His parents and extended family are Australian and he lives in America pursuing a career in entertainment. His eclectic background is reflected by his career. Having worked in both Canada and the US as an actor, producer and stuntman he is now working in VO and Audiobooks. During his years of study abroad he has earned both a BFA from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and an MBA from Argosy University. Ryan is an award winning producer, actor and is a current top seller for Audiobooks. You can find his titles by simply browsing his name on Audible.
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.
THE SKULL THRONE
The Skull Throne by Peter Brett
Book 4 in The Demon Cycle series
Read by Colin Mace
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About The Skull Throne:
The first three novels in New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett’s groundbreaking Demon Cycle series — The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, and The Daylight War — set a new standard for heroic fantasy. The powerful saga of humans winnowed to the brink of extinction by night-stalking demons, and the survivors who fight back, has kept readers breathless as they eagerly turned the pages. Now the thrilling fourth volume, The Skull Throne, raises the stakes as it carries the action in shocking new directions.
The Skull Throne of Krasia stands empty.
Built from the skulls of fallen generals and demon princes, it is a seat of honor and ancient, powerful magic, keeping the demon corelings at bay. From atop the throne, Ahmann Jardir was meant to conquer the known world, forging its isolated peoples into a unified army to rise up and end the demon war once and for all.
But Arlen Bales, the Warded Man, stood against this course, challenging Jardir to a duel he could not in honor refuse. Rather than risk defeat, Arlen cast them both from a precipice, leaving the world without a savior, and opening a struggle for succession that threatens to tear the Free Cities of Thesa apart.
In the south, Inevera, Jardir’s first wife, must find a way to keep their sons from killing each other and plunging their people into civil war as they strive for glory enough to make a claim on the throne.
In the north, Leesha Paper and Rojer Inn struggle to forge an alliance between the duchies of Angiers and Miln against the Krasians before it is too late.
Caught in the crossfire is the duchy of Lakton — rich and unprotected, ripe for conquest.
All the while, the corelings have been growing stronger, and without Arlen and Jardir there may be none strong enough to stop them. Only Renna Bales may know more about the fate of the missing men, but she, too, has disappeared…
Source: Info in the About The Skull Throne was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13630171-the-skull-throne on 20/03/2016.
My Thoughts:
The world building is nice, but that is not it’s most prominent feature. It is woven in such a way that it hooks into your brain sneaky-like and you find yourself craving to read more of the world in odd moments. It encroaches into your real life. It is addictive. So if you are masochistic like that, just plod through Book 2 and Book 3 and you’ll get here.
The writing style still has multiple threads but now the author writes them in bigger chunks and therefore is a whole lot less annoying. And I like that very much!
The Skull Throne still ends with a cliffhanger, but then, we already knew that going in. What makes it insidious is that, it seemingly ends in mid-chapter and The Core starts straight where it ends. Starts mid-chapter. Same sentence. Real stealthy! So my advise is, don’t start reading The Skull Throne until you have The Core in your hands too.
I actually bought The Skull Throne when it first came out, like a year before The Core, and stopped reading about three quarters into the book because I knew it was going to end in a cliffie. Another incentive for me to stop reading there was that a favourite character died and it took me a good year to grieve him before I could continue on reading in this world again. It was that much of a shock.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
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The copies of these books were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
FALLEN EMPIRE
Fallen Empire by K.N. Lee
Book 1 of the Empire of Dragons Chronicles
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook
About Fallen Empire:
They say the Age of Dragons ended after the War on Magic, but hiding in the forgotten lands remains one clan.
While Kylan hunts firedrakes by day, he prepares for a journey across the Sea of Dreams where mermaids thrive and the key to his people’s survival is prophecized to be hidden.
Amalia, a Mage, escaped The Brotherhood, a sect of monks who seek the descendants of the gods once. Now, unable to return to neutral territory where magic-users are safe, she finds herself fighting for survival amongst men who can turn into wolves, firedrakes, and a relentless monk who believes she can restore balance to the entire world.
For Amalia, the gods are not just a memory. They are her ancestors, and before she can learn to control her newfound gift, she will face the keeper of a forgotten empire.
A dragon.
In this sprawling epic fantasy novel with shifting wolf hybrids, dragons, and mermaids, Amalia’s first battle is for more than her life. It’s for the souls of every being born with magic. Join New York Times bestselling author, K.N. Lee on an adventure perfect for fans of Vikings and Game of Thrones.
Source: Info in the About Fallen Empire was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36560333-fallen-empire on 19/06/2018.
My Thoughts:
What drew me to this book is the fantastic book cover! Now that, I bought without even reading the book synopsis. I know, I’m superficial that way. Book covers matter to me. I have to say, that when it comes to sales pitch, the cover art department or whoever did the cover design, aced it! It sold the book to me! The other thing that got this book read is the fact that it got dragons in it! All hail the dragons!!! And then the world building is just fantastic!! The dragons are good, the elves are distant, the forest is dense, the rivers are cool, there is rugged terrain, violent seas, etc., etc., wonderful!! Additionally, I really like the voice of this author! It has a compelling quality. The character development though is a tinee, tiny effy… as in, the heroine has a tendency to be “too stupid to live” (TSTL). I’m kinda hoping that this will not bloom into a full TSTL in the subsequent books in the series. Now that, would be a real shame… However, it ends in a whooping, huge cliffhanger!! And here’s the real kicker, I have a feeling that this author is a cliffie kind of author. So am not sure I’m buying anymore of her books… such a shame though, with that wonderful voice…
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 0.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3.5
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Empire of Dragons Chronicles:
About KN Lee:
K.N. Lee is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. When she is not writing twisted tales, fantasy novels, and dark poetry, she does a great deal of traveling and promotes other authors. Wannabe rockstar, foreign language enthusiast, and anime geek, K.N. Lee also enjoys helping others reach their writing and publishing goals. She is a winner of the Elevate Lifestyle Top 30 Under 30 “Future Leaders of Charlotte” award for her success as a writer, business owner, and for community service.
She is signed with Captive Quill Press and Patchwork Press.
K.N. Lee loves hearing from fans and readers. Connect with her!
BEHEMOTH
Behemoth by Trevor H. Cooley
Book 11 of The Bowl Of Souls series
Read by James Foster
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Behemoth:
THE FINALE OF THE JHARRO GROVE SAGA
The Behemoth was created a thousand years ago, its body stretching for miles under Malaroo’s swamplands turning them into a dangerous and uninhabitable place. Now it has learned to swallow the peoples of Malaroo and transform them into its own army; a twisted mix of troll and man known as the Trollkin. It hungers to consume the power of the Jharro Grove and if it succeeds the world will be plunged into darkness.
Justan and Jhonate, forced to hold off their wedding until the threat is over, find themselves stuck between the two rival factions that are the only hope of defeating the Behemoth and its everlasting hunger.
A Bowl of Souls novel.
Source: Info in the About Behemoth was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34623320-behemoth on 05/08/2017.
My Thoughts:
Reading this book after waiting for so long after the last book was like meeting old friends again! And I am particularly happy to see Fist again, being his lovable ogre self! By now I am an old die hard fan of this series. And this book was a wonderful 5 star read! The down side is, that you have to trudge through previous books first to get here! And that is not an arduous task as it may sound. It has its down sides and upsides. You just have to roll with the bad as with the good. And the series has lots and lots of good reading times!
Sure, some would say that the plot is kind of formulaic, so what? It is the pleasure of reading it that matters! And it is a pleasurable read! At first I was kinda reluctant to read through the book so I only listened to it halfway through. I was reluctant because I knew this book is going to be a cliffhanger simply because every single book in this series is a cliffie. And it is kind of one, but only if you read the epilogue. Even then, it is still kind of not… This book closes 12 books worth of story and it is satisfying! Of course I want more! So the epilogue tells me what to expect next and I very much like that, so those of you who is thinking of following this series, read the epilogue! 🙂 Needless to say that this is the best book in the series!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Bowl Of Souls Series:
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BREATH OF FIRE
Breath Of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Book 2 in The Kingmaker Chronicles
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: paperback & ebook
About Breath Of Fire:
SHE’S DESTINED TO DESTROY THE WORLD…
“Cat” Catalia Fisa has been running from her destiny since she could crawl. But now, her newfound loved ones are caught between the shadow of Cat’s tortured past and the threat of her world-shattering future. So what’s a girl to do when she knows it’s her fate to be the harbinger of doom? Everything in her power.BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT
Griffin knows Cat is destined to change the world-for the better. As the realms are descending into all-out war, Cat and Griffin must embrace their fate together. Gods willing, they will emerge side-by-side in the heart of their future kingdom…or not at all.
Source: Info in the About Breath Of Fire was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29895106-breath-of-fire on 08/08/2017.
My Thoughts:
“Heavy on Greek mythology, other pantheon not included.”How does one, “slice my head to the side“, indicates a final word? Looks like Sourcebooks needs a more robust editing service.
Who the heck decided that Cat should become Xena?? The cover art on A Promise Of Fire was amazing!! Why couldn’t they use the same design team or the same model?? I’m talking about the US versions of this series, here. It’s kind of a let-down.
I have a hard time wrapping my head around olive-skinned race from the cold, ice-covered north. Humans living for generations in snowy weather would loose all color. It’s a simple fact of evolution. Humans living for generations in hot weather would gain color. They would become dark-skinned. It’s an adaptation mechanism. But then again, this is a post-apocalyptic world born from the ashes of the old world. So maybe they were evolutionarily correct at the start and then got all mixed up in the process of breaking the old world and the rebirth of the new, current one. Maybe. But it still takes a bit of a will power on my part to suspend disbelief.
Agon Games, a theme that has been popular lately, i.e., The Hunger Games, etc. That’s not what’s annoying. What’s annoying is our femme fatale goes too stupid to live (TSTL) during the fights. Royally annoying!! So everybody is fighting for their lives and it’s not going well for our heroes, and she just stands there, and watch!?! WTF!! Cat has never been this dumb before, why the sudden TSTL now??… Then as if that wasn’t enough, the plot depended on the characters who are otherwise level-headed to be TSTL to create drama in the story lines… What was that all about?? That brought the rating of this book down a notch or two.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 2.5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Kingmaker Chronicles:
| About Amanda Bouchet | |
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A PROMISE OF FIRE
A Promise Of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Book 1 of The Kingmaker Chronicles
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: paperback
About A Promise Of Fire:
Catalia “Cat” Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…
Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he’s ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.
Source: Info in the About A Promise Of Fire was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27015399-a-promise-of-fire on 06/08/2017.
My Thoughts:
For a minute there I thought I was reading a Harlequin Romance! But no, just a fantastic epic fantasy with a strong romantic bent. This book anyway. I’m not sure if there would be another couple in the next installment. Might or might not be. From the impression I got in this book, this series is about our leading couple and their epic journeys with magic and dragons and evil villains. And, oh… a prophecy. Don’t forget the prophecy! Formulaic… eh?! Its not the formula, it’s how the tale is told, that wins the game! And this one did! Win, I mean. So why not a five, then? That’s because it ended in a cliffhanger. Although I expected that, I was still sour about it. Though the book did end the plotline in the book, it also left a tantalizing beginning of the next book which continues on the main story arc for this series. Which of course how serieses goes. But that don’t mean it’s still not irritating!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 5
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Kingmaker Chronicles:
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PRIESTESS OF WAR
Priestess Of War by Trevor H. Cooley
Book 10 of The Bowl Of Souls series
Read by James Foster
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Priestess Of War:
BOOK FIVE OF THE JHARRO GROVE SAGA
Born of war and kept young only by the darkest of magic, the Dark Prophet’s most powerful priestess has returned to the Trafalgan Mountains to take control of the Black Lake’s mindless evil. Now, with a growing army of the infested and dead under her power, she turns her gaze on Dremaldria.
Fist’s chances of helping his former tribe destroy the Black Lake are bleak at best. The combined help of the Academy and the Mage School may not be enough to help him defeat The Priestess of War.
Source: Info in the About Priestess Of War was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33561710-priestess-of-war on 05/08/2017.
My Thoughts:
I’ve had a copy of this book in my phone for the longest time and resisting reading because I did not want to read it before Behemoth is released because I would want to dive into the next book as soon as I hit the cliffhanger ending of this book. Ten instalments down the line, I know how the ending of the books in this series goes. But this time around we actually get some sort of a closure! Hurrah!! Some threads in the story arc are still hanging, of course, but we got an ending on one of the major plot lines! And I like that a lot. And the fact that I got to read on with the next book as soon as I hit the cliffhanger ending negated the cliffhanger-ending-syndrome depression. This is the best book yet in the series. But to get here you have to read through the previous books first because it would make more sense than jumping straight into this book without reading the previous books first. Do I love this book? Oh, yeah!! And I got to read a lot about my favourite ogre too! Kudos to this book!! So why does the book still not get a 5 out of 5 then? Because it still ended in a cliffhanger ending.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 3.5
Pace = 3
Plot = 4
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Bowl Of Souls Series:
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THE BATTLEMAGE (Summoner Book 3)
The Battlemage by Taran Matharu
Book 3 of the Summoner series
Read by Dominic Thorburn
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About The Battlemage:
One boy’s ability to summon demons will change the fate of an empire … The epic conclusion to the fantasy trilogy described as ‘Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings meets Pokemon’.
After the thrilling cliffhanger at the end of book two, we rejoin Fletcher and his friends in the ether, where they must undertake a mortally dangerous quest, all the while avoiding capture by enemies and facing foes more terrifying than anything they have yet encountered.
But this is nothing compared to what truly lies ahead for Fletcher, as his nemesis, albino orc Khan, is on a mission to destroy Hominum and everything and everyone that Fletcher loves.
Epic battles, dramatic revelations and breathtaking drama await in the third and final book in the New York Times bestselling Summoner series.
Source: Info in the About The Battlemage was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31687423-the-battlemage on 09/05/2017.
My Thoughts:
I like the story telling quality of this author, the world building is beautiful and the character development is solid. What I do not like is the author’s tendency to have a cliffhanger ending and the good guys don’t necessarily win. However, this being the third in a trilogy, we got a nice ending. Hurray!! Having said that, there is another book in this series, I presume to be the first in another trilogy or so, in this world. I like the thought that this book is not the end of it because I came to like this world so I am very happy to see more books coming out for this series and got an ending with this book at the same time! Kudos for this book!
There are a few issues in the story that I find a little too unrealistic, I had to force myself to turn a blind eye on them so as not to mar the beauty of the book… I mean, like, Zacharrias Forsyth and Inquisitor Rook are not stupid, and they could not immediately see that the staff could broadcast them to the entire nation?! So they condemn themselves and confess to boot, within earshot of the staff!! I mean… WTF! That is not just a weak plot, that is ridiculous! And that is the main reason that this book did not get a 5 out of 5. But despite that, this book did give an enjoyable reading time… you just have to be good at “selective inattention” and ignore weakness in the plot like that. Besides, Ignatious took a front and center role in the story! Who could begrudge that!!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Summoner Series
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THE INQUISITION (Summoner Book 2)
The Inquisition by Taran Matharu
Book 2 of the Summoner series
Read by Dominic Thorburn
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About The Inquisition:
A year has passed since the Tournament.
Fletcher and Ignatius have been locked away in Pelt’s dungeons, but now they must face a trial at the hands of the Inquisition, a powerful institution controlled by those who would delight in Fletcher’s downfall.
The trial is haunted by ghosts from the past with shocking revelations about Fletcher’s origins, but he has little time to dwell on them; the graduating students of Vocans are to be sent deep into the orc jungles to complete a dangerous mission for the king and his council. If they fail, the orcish armies will rise to power beyond anything the Empire has ever seen.
With loyal friends Othello and Sylva by his side, Fletcher must battle his way to the heart of Orcdom and save Hominum from destruction… or die trying.
Source: Info in the About The Inquisition was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25689056-the-inquisition on 14/02/2017.
My Thoughts:
I like the story telling quality of this author, the world building is beautiful and the character development is solid. What I do not like is the author’s tendency to have a cliffhanger ending and the good guys don’t necessarily win. What a bummer!
Annnd… I have a new favourite… Athena! Apparently she’s a Gryphowl.
The down side of reading the second part of the story after a year of reading the first part, is that I have forgotten most of the characters and/or the plot. I struggled to recall who is who for the first two-thirds of the book to keep up with the story. Consequently the flow was not very fast at all.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 1
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 5
Pace = 2.5
Plot = 4
Narration = 4
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Summoner Series
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About
This blog is a sister site of www.cherrymischievous.com. Content on both sites is more or less the same.
ABOUT US
Cherry Mischievous (CM) started out as a personal blog of Cherry. It still is, sort of, among other things. But now, we have evolved into a kind of blog where friends who share the same love of books also blog… to know more about us, click on our names to go to our profiles:
Please note that not all reviews here are positive, but then we do not expect the entire wide world to agree and have the same tastes as us. It would be an incredibly boring and monotonous world! Besides, even among ourselves we don’t agree! One would rate a book 4.5 while the other would rate the same exact book with only 3 or less… So have a look and see, especially if it is your genre of books, even though it garnered a low rating with us, you might find it interesting 🙂
Now, let me tell you about Cherry… I am an avid reader of SciFi/Fantasy/Romance books and always on the look out for a good book to read. I dabble in the black arts of light and shadow… err mmm… photography, I mean. I am also in great excess of 18 years old. I am a nurse and constantly getting in trouble because I refuse to live in a box of preconceptions of other people of how things are suppose to be. And let me tell you, nursing is dominated with “tradition” and “sacred cows“, as any nurse and nursing student will tell you. I love spaghetti, chocolate ice cream, coffee and of course, books! I positively abhor stories with cliffhanger endings and driving in London! I am slightly insane, sometimes sarcastic, can be obnoxious, and totally honest. And oh yeah, people call me tactless too 🙂 Welcome to my corner of the world!
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