Book Review: The Forever Watch by David Ramirez

The Forever Watch by David Ramirez

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Thomas Dunne (April 22, 2014)

Author Information: Website

Mogsy's Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


I don’t DNF books. I’m sure that is in large part due to my obsessive completionist nature. I’m still trying to learn to let go, because as everyone so wisely says, life is too short for books you don’t enjoy. But I just can’t help it. And here’s what I think is another reason for my perseverance: Hope. HOPE that the book will get better, HOPE that the story will eventually pick up, HOPE that I’ll finally be able to connect with the characters. After all, it’s happened before. There’s a good handful of books in my 4 or 5 star pile including a couple on my Favorites shelf that I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of experiencing, if I’d gone with the instinct to put them down. Sometimes, my stubbornness pays off.

A lot of the times though, it doesn’t. The Forever Watch was one such book. I had high hopes for it, because even though it got off to a slow start, the ideas and world building it in were phenomenal and when the story started picking up around the 10% mark I thought to myself, “Helloooo, now we’re cooking with gas!”

But just as suddenly as things picked up, they slowed way down again. It happened again around the halfway point. And again around 75%. Every time I thought I was finally getting somewhere with this book, the story would plunge me right back into the usual meandering, aimless pace.

It was disappointing. And even more so because of the incredible foundation laid out for us in the first part of the novel. The planet Earth has died and been abandoned, so our story takes place on a generational ship called the Noah, traveling on a centuries-long journey towards Canaan, humanity’s new hope for a home. The society on the Noah is strictly regulated with highly advanced technology, with programs like forced retirements, mandatory breeding duty for women, and designated Keepers to raise children. Everyone is highly specialized for their roles on the ship, and certain individuals are gifted with powers or implants, giving them abilities like telekinesis or super strength. Every angle of this highly intriguing dystopian society felt impressively detailed and well thought out.

But even though the world building was simply amazing, The Forever Watch faltered for me in other areas. Hana Dempsey, the novel’s main character has just completed her breeding duties, waking up from a nine-months-long induced sleep. Breeders are placed in this state for the whole duration of their pregnancy and never get to see their babies, but while Hana was aware of this, what she did not expect is the secret loss she feels now, yearning for the child she would never know. At first, I thought the narrative would continue exploring this heartbreaking thread, but then it switches tack, introducing Leonard Barrens, with whom Hana has a very special relationship. A police officer running an investigation into the violent death of his mentor, Barrens turns to her for help, and just like that the matter of her baby was relegated to the background, and doesn’t come back again until much later in the book. It was a bit maddening.

Still, I can never resist a good murder mystery and a hunt for a serial killer, in this case dubbed “Mincemeat”. But The Forever Watch isn’t your usual murder mystery either, since it doesn’t have that same dramatic tension. Granted, the book had a few surprises that hooked me in, but otherwise the plot could barely hold my attention from all the scientific jargon and unnecessary exposition which was all white noise distracting me from the main story. I felt no connection to either Hana or Barrens whose personalities were as sterile and rigid as their social environment – which might have been by design, but either way it did nothing for me. Consequently, I also didn’t care much for their romantic relationship.

The Forever Watch therefore gets high marks from me for innovation and world building, but unfortunately I am not too fond of the story or its execution. There were some great moments, but they were few and far between, not enough to generate any sustained momentum. Admittedly, the revelation at the end about Mincemeat and how everything was linked together was pretty mind-blowing, but because I place so much importance on storytelling and character development, the inconsistent pacing and my ambivalence towards Hana and Barrens ultimately made me less excited about the final outcome. I think other readers may find lots to like about this book, but in the end it just wasn’t for me.

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas Dunne Books!

Waiting on Wednesday 03/19/14

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy's Pick

Golden Son by Pierce Brown: January 13, 2015 (Del Rey)

I don't usually do books for Waiting on Wednedays that are so far out in terms of release date, but I LOVED the book Red Rising and so when I saw that the sequel got a cover reveal from Entertainment Weekly I just couldn't help myself! Of course this would have been featured earlier but it took me a while to find an image without the EW logo plastered all over it. Much thanks to Tammy at Books Bones & Buffy and her super Google-fu for finding an unblemished cover. The book was also her WoW last week!

"With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices."

Book Review: Seoul Survivors by Naomi Foyle

Seoul Survivors by Naomi Foyle (Jo Fletcher)

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publication Date: February 6, 2014 (Paperback)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's only January, but already I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the more "out there" books I'll read this year. As usual, Jo Fletcher Books continues to push the envelope and explore beyond the boundaries of traditional adult speculative fiction with novels like Seoul Survivor.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first read the description. With the impending destruction of earth by a meteor called Lucifer's Hammer providing the backdrop for the story, I wouldn't have been surprised to find something along the lines of an apocalyptic science fiction thriller. What I actually got, however, was something all together different. Strange, too -- but in a good way.

The book follows the lives of four characters: Sydney Travers, a former escort from Canada who hopes to start over with a modeling career in a new country; her boyfriend Johnny Sandman, a vicious, sociopathic and just all around disgusting corporate executive and a sorry excuse of a human being; Damien Meadows, so down on his luck and desperate to leave England that he reluctantly agrees to be a drug mule; and finally Lee Mee Hee, a North Korean peasant woman who is smuggled away from death and famine in the false bottom of a foreign aid truck. Their separate paths all lead them to Seoul, Korea where the brilliant Korean-American scientist Dr. Kim Da Mi is the mastermind behind a plan to redesign humanity with genetic engineering and social experiments, in spite of the killer asteroid hurtling earth's way. 

Beyond these basics, the book gets more complex and difficult to describe. At times it falls into seriously outrageous and bizarre territory. It also may not be for everyone, and indeed it's not for the faint of heart; there are parts that made me feel downright queasy while reading, especially some of the scenes that depicted acts of a deviant nature as well as the few instances which involved graphic descriptions of sexual violence. I didn't expect it from its cover or description, but this novel is dark and at times twisted, containing some disturbing themes. 

At the same time, I couldn't help but be drawn to the characters, and be enthralled by the way their individual dramas unfolded. Confoundingly, none of them are even all that likeable as people, but for some reason their lives are like a car wreck I can't seem to tear my eyes away from. Take the shallow and insecure Sydney who so easily gets manipulated, for example, or timid Mee Hee with the personality meeker than a lamb. Neither of them possess particularly admirable traits, but all the same, their fears and desires make them feel very human. Even megalomaniac Johnny whom I consider to be more monster than man has his part to play, and then of course there is the geneticist Dr. Kim and her eerie charisma worthy of a cult leader.

The setting itself feels like a world in a not-too-distant future, one that feels familiar but also exotic in part due to some of the advanced technology but also because of the foreign culture. From her author's bio, Naomi Foyle spent many years in Asia and it is clear that she drew upon her experiences in Korea to paint a clear picture of the people and places of Seoul. As a reader, you can easily become completely immersed in this milieu.

I also thought the crisis and spectacle of Lucifer's Hammer would feature more prominently in this novel, but aside from Damien no other character takes the meteor all that seriously, and as such it is always in the background but not discussed to a great extent. I wish there had been more; though nonetheless, the all-pervasive undertones of worldwide tension are so strong they are practically palpable. It's interesting because while I wouldn't technically classify this book as apocalyptic fiction, so few novels actually take this "countdown to doomsday" angle. 

To put it simply, Seoul Survivors is a book that defies all expectations. Just sitting back and letting the story be what it is can lead to some pleasant surprises amidst the dark twists and turns. The true nature of it can take a while to unravel, but the never-seen-before ideas and diverse cast of characters make this one an intriguing read. It touched me, and it also shook me to my core.

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Jo Fletcher Books.

Book Review: Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction  

Series: Book 1 of Red Rising

Publisher: Del Rey

Date of Publication: January 28, 2014

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 5 of 5 stars - "Not your typical novel featuring a dystopian society and a young protagonist; this book is in a league of its own, an intensely addicting read filled with emotion, beauty and darkness"

Whoa, where do I start? My head is still reeling with all the things I have to say about Red Rising. Now let's just hope I can consolidate them all into a coherent review without having it devolve into unrestrained, mindless gushing. In any case, I expect this book will be wildly popular -- though only time will tell, of course. Nonetheless, 2014 appears to be off to a great start with debuts like this one from Pierce Brown.

Meet Darrow, a miner on Mars. His people, the Reds, occupy the lowest rungs of society. And like all Reds, Darrow is resigned to a life of hard labor, of digging under the planet's surface for the rest of his days. He thought it was for a noble cause, that his hard work will provide future generations a safe place to call home. Except, as it turns out, it was all a lie. Mars had been habitable for generations, and the decadent Golds have been maintaining this charade all along to uphold their hierarchical system of castes and slaves.

Let me just get it out of the way now and say that comparisons to The Hunger Games will be inevitable. You have a dystopian society featuring a main protagonist who rises from the poorest, most downtrodden and oppressed section of it, hoping to destroy the system from within. But before that can happen, he has to go through a transformation to help him fit in with his enemies. You have a competition in which the hero must come out on top at all costs. The war games involved are observed by many, in this case the Proctors of the Institute as well as thousands of Aureates and important Golds who follow the results eagerly, hoping to find their future apprentices amongst the competitors.

But now that that's taken care of, I can also tell you all the ways it was different. First and foremost, the world of Red Rising is hands down in a league of its own. The descriptions of the society and its people and its cultures all overwhelmed me. I credit much of this to Pierce Brown's writing, which is just gorgeous. How does he do it? How does he paint the picture of a life as a Red with so much suffering, hardship, and horrors and yet still manages to fill it with so much beauty? The first chapters were simply astounding, introducing you to Darrow, who comes across as much older than his sixteen years thanks to the experiences he's had as Helldiver, the most dangerous position on a drilling team. His people value song and dance, because even in the darkness there is a kind of hope in expression through music. It's all so lovely, just absolutely surprising and heart-breaking.

Oops, I'm treading dangerously into gushing-territory now, aren't I? Thing is, so much of my thoughts for what I read is tied up in emotion, and no question about it, this one gave me all the feels. There's a keen bite to the story, which will rub your emotions raw if you're not expecting it. Even knowing beforehand that some terrible event is going to set Darrow off on his mission for justice, I was not prepared for the number Red Rising did on my poor, battered emotions. I'm not typically one to give in to tears while reading, but when I saw that we weren't even fifty pages in yet and I felt like bawling my eyes out, I knew at that very moment I was holding a truly remarkable book in my hands.

It only gets better. That darkness and poignancy lasts for the whole book, even when the focus shifts to the games at the Institute. Saying that all hell breaks loose at this point would be a gross understatement -- but in a good way. Oh, in the best way. I expect this is where most people will draw parallels to The Hunger Games, but interestingly enough, my own mind went straight to Age of Empires. No doubt it's the gamer side of me coming through, for I could not read about the characters gathering resources, dividing their forces up for different tasks, commanding armies and conquering other Houses' bases and their Fog of War maps without reminiscing about some of my favorite real-time strategy games with fondness.

Seeing as how the game at the Institute makes up the bulk of this novel, this book would have been anywhere near as addicting or intense for me if not for the descriptions of the tactics and strategies involved. And yet, it is still a very human story; Pierce Brown takes the reader straight down to the trenches where we experience everything from terror and triumph as the competitors fight tooth and nail to try and conquer each other. One could hardly miss the symbolism behind it, a decadent pantheon watching on with amusement as the puny mortals below go at each other like depraved animals.

Ultimately, comparisons will probably abound no matter what. But none of them will change the fact that Red Rising is a very special book, filled with beautiful and terrible things in equal measure. It definitely has what it takes to shine on its own, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

 

5 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

YA Weekend:The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard

The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult

Publisher: Strange Chemistry (Angry Robot)

Publication Date: January 7, 2013

Author Info: www.amaliehoward.com

Wendy's Rating - 3 of 5 stars:

Riven is a military general in command of technologically advanced undead soldiers called Vectors. When we first meet her, she has defected and is being hunted by her former charges before she “everts” to our planet to follow through on her mission: find a boy named Caden.

The prologue gives you a taste of what’s to come with a strong, resourceful and deadly main character and a lot of action, but once we hit earth, things stagger. First of all, there’s the problem of this crack soldier who fails to notice that her target is actually in the science class she’s been attending for some time. Fortunately, she has an accident that leads her to his doorstep. From there, there are some interludes where more time is is inexplicably spent in highschool, rather than Riven dealing with the delivery of her package. Then there is a lot of time spent running away from and/or fighting the Vectors that have been sent to retrieve him, with the help of several other people from her planet, including Riven's sister, Shae. While each encounter includes some very well-scripted fight sequences, the quantity of said encounters becomes tedious and the information that results from each one could have been delivered more quickly, rather than dragged out through the first half of the book.

Fortunately, once the story gets to Riven’s planet of Neospes, things pick up significantly. The descriptions of the technology and the dystopian alternate sort of earth are great and I was intrigued by some of the politics, however, the pay off that we’ve been promised kind of fizzles out. Still, on Neospes, we meet a lot of potentially interesting characters and the intricate political plots involving Caden, his ruthless father and his brother Cale whom Riven is trying to save, and Riven’s father, the heartless creator of the Vectors.

Riven is a hard and fast soldier, intent on her mission, but Caden brings out another side of her that she doesn’t quite know how to deal with. Riven’s character growth, from a truly unlikeable character to, well, an almost girl, is very well done. Because of her involvement with Cale, it’s not surprising that she falls for Caden’s tenderness, skill and his handsome face. Unfortunately, there’s very little to make Caden likable, or to explain why he’s interested in her, or ultimately, why he actually would be worthy of the role Riven expects of him.

With thanks to NetGalley and Strange Chemistry for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Series: Unwind Dystology #1

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: June 2009

Author Info: www.storyman.com

Wendy's Rating: 5 of 5 stars:  Every time I thought I knew what was going on, Shusterman yanked the carpet out from under me so damn fast that it left my head spinning.

There are many stories about clones used for their body parts to save their original counterparts. We go along their horrendous journey with them as they learn the truth about their purpose and prove their humanity to the reader. Unwind twists all of that around by making the organ donors very human. Not grown in a vat. Not stored in a special facility. Real kids who live and breathe and grow up next door to you. All thanks to the Bill of Life that resulted from the pro-choice/pro-life war that tore the country apart. The Bill of Life tabled as a solution to the war permits the retroactive abortion of unwanted children between the age of 13 and 18. With revolutionary technology that allows their body parts to be used in all manner of ways, this is bill is hailed as a triumph and unwinding becomes the ideal solution for dealing with unwanted children and for saving lives. Win-win, right?

Unsurprisingly, few unwinds agree.

The moral of this story isn’t the answer to the pro-life/pro-choice debate. The overriding theme is organ donation. If more people donated their organs rather than letting the rot with their dead bodies, there would be no need for unwinds.

The unwinds tend to come in three forms: wards of the state, like Risa, for whom there just aren’t enough resources to take care of, delinquents, like Conner, whose parents willingly sign the unwind contract, and tithes, like Lev, who lovingly raise their tenth child as the the blessed ten percent that they will return to God.

As expected, these three are literally thrown together. Their lives become intertwined as they come to terms with their fate and try to survive. But after the soon-to-be legendary highway crash and hostage taking that results in their meet up and escape, nothing else goes as expected. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, Shusterman yanked the carpet out from under me so damn fast that it left my head spinning.

With two hours left on my audiobook, I met up with some friends and sang the praises of the book which had already leapt from four to five stars. One friend who had already read it in her book club warned me that I still had one very harrowing scene to go, which I ended up listening to on my drive back home. Um. Yeah. Bookflail happened as soon as I got off the road and Songza decided to play creepy tricks on me by offering the following themes for my listening pleasure:

This is a YA novel, but one I would recommend to any reader. I prefer my YA without obnoxious, petulent teenagers, and this one served me well. The three characters are still very much teens, making impetuous decisions and revealing their immaturity and emotions at times, but they are also intuitive and even wise. Shusterman presents teenagers respectfully, giving them credit for their status as young adults. Yes, they have their negatives, but they also have their positives, which for me, means the characters can be appreciated by both adults and teenagers alike.

Shusterman wastes nothing in this story and ensures that even the smallest detail will come back and haunt you later in the story. And I do mean haunt you. There are some really disturbing situations and concepts presented, such as the afterlife of an unwound child, the “storking” process and, of course, the unwinding itself, which my visual mind pictured in its chilling, clinical entirety.

Audiobook Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of The Bone Season

Publisher: Audible for Bloomsbury

Date of Publication: August 20, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "The main character is a smart, capable 

heroine whose strength and poise is wonderfully conveyed by 

the narrator. A strong protagonist along with an amazingly 

detailed world gives this book wide appeal."

I've heard so much about The Bone Season, which was quite possibly one of this summer's most talked about debuts by author Samantha Shannon. Though I'm the kind of person who's generally wary of the hype machine, I won't deny I was quite curious to see for myself what all the fuss was about! And now that I've had the chance to finish the audiobook, I can certainly understand why readers have been so impressed by it.

Though not officially marketed as a Young Adult novel, I'm also not surprised to see so many categorize The Bone Season as such. The nature of its story, main character and dystopian setting all mingle to give it that distinctive YA vibe, yet that's not to say that adults won't be able to enjoy this too. The book's crossover appeal probably has a lot to do its protagonist and narrator, 19-year-old Paige Mahoney who is a strong, mature and level-headed heroine with whom a wide audience can relate.

Paige is also known as a "Dreamwalker", in this alternate world set in the future where individuals like her who possess supernatural abilities are called "Voyants". The book takes place in London, 2059 where the security force Scion holds authority, declaring all voyants criminals simply by existing. Paige is forced to live a secret life, working for the underworld organization where she gathers information by using her rare powers to breaking into other people's minds.

When an unfortunate incident leads to her arrest, however, Paige finds herself imprisoned at a penal colony in Oxford, a city long forgotten. She finds out that Scion has been sending captured voyants here to become slaves and soldiers to an otherworldly race called the Rephaim. She is assigned to Warden, her Rephaim keeper in charge of her care and training. Now all Paige wants to do is to escape and find her way home, but as the days goes by she discovers there is a lot more at stake than just her freedom.

First, the good stuff: I really liked Paige, a smart and capable young woman who is also not infallible. Her history is well-developed and written in such a way that her past details are revealed gradually throughout the course of the novel, keeping things interesting for those curious about her story. My Audible version of The Bone Season is narrated by Irish actress Alana Kerr, who brings Paige to life with her performance. This was the first experience I've had with her work, and I could be wrong but I believe she's new to reading audiobooks. Generally, I prefer narrators who can do a broader range of voices (because sometimes it was hard to tell which character was speaking) but I probably wouldn't be averse to checking out her future audiobook performances if she does any. Overall I was happy with her reading, because she did such a wonderful job conveying Paige's strength and poise.

The world Samantha Shannon has created is also amazingly detailed, but this also means an almost overwhelming amount of information to take in. This does cause some hitches in the pacing,  especially during the first half of the novel which didn't flow as well as the second half. I also had to go back several times at the beginning to learn and familiarize myself with all the different names and terms of people, places, organizations, voyant types, and slang. Doing so wasn't easy with an audiobook, but it was also absolutely worth it in order to get the full impact of the setting, and I got to appreciate just how rich it is.

In the end, I felt The Bone Season was an incredibly impressive debut novel from a 21-year-old new author. Hype can be a dangerous thing sometimes, and though it was impossible to ignore the comparisons calling this book the next Hunger Games or Samantha Shannon the next J.K. Rowling, I think going into this book with realistic expectations helped me a lot. I came out of this one pleasantly surprised, and I'm definitely open to reading more from this author and series.

Story

 4 of 5 stars

Performance

3.5 of 5 stars

Overall

4 of 5 stars

A review copy of this audiobook was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 2 by Hajime Isayama

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), Volume 2 by Hajime Isayama

Genre: Dystopia, Horror

Publisher: Kodansha

Date of Publication: September 11, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Tiara's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "Eren may be at the center of it all, but a win won't be possible without the people rallying around him and the strength and trust they're placing in him [...] To quote Aristotle: 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.' They group is beginning to understand this to be a fundamental truth for them as they begin to rely on one another and work together in Trost."

In the previous volume, the walls that separated humanity from the titan were breached by a colossal titan standing more than 50 meters in height. Five years after that breach, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin have just graduated training to become full-fledged soldiers. During that time, Eren is even more resolved to join the scouting team, especially after the huge loss he suffered with the attack. Humans now live within two of the three walls after abandoning Wall Maria (Wall Rose and Wall Sina are the two remaining walls standing) to the titans. Humans lost 20% of their population and a massive amount of land in that attack, but they are still packed together behind the smaller walls.

Not even a full day past their graduation, Wall Rose is breached by the colossal titan. When faced with this threat again, Eren responds in kind, trying to stay true to his vow to kill all the titans. While his companions are taken aback by the reappearance of the colossal titan, Eren takes the helm and attacks, hoping to end the aberrant once and for all. However, things can't go that easily, and just as Eren is about to make his fatal strike, the titan vanishes--just as it did five years earlier.

The fight isn't over, though, as titans once again begin to terrorize the people within the walls. Here we witness an astounding transformation in Eren as the energy he's fueled with all his anger and desperation come back to aid him and his comrades in an astonishing way. Even though these books and the anime pretty much mirror one another (with the anime adding just a bit more padding, naturally), I was just as caught up in the story and the plight of Eren and his comrades, even though I already knew the outcome of this particular battle.

Mikasa Ackerman, Queen of Everything

Eren may be at the center of it all, but a win won't be possible without the people rallying around him and the strength and trust they're placing in him. Part of me believes, and I could be wrong since this is on-going, that even once this is all said and done another character will probably have a bigger impact on the outcome. Even though this is largely Eren's story, there seems to be another important story playing along beneath it in more subtle ways. More characters are coming into play who display characteristics that will be necessary for humans to win this fight.

Isayama seems to be setting up the story in a way that Eren will need the support of these characters to be successful.They're not given these talents just for show. Their talents round them out for sure, but they also play an integral part in the story, as well. Eren will need Mikasa's strength and faith in him. He'll need Armin's strategic intelligence. He'll need Jean's ability to command, even if Jean still isn't sure of himself. This has already been proven. I know all these characters will not make it out of this alive, but they will still contribute in their own way.

Many of these characters are coming into their strengths during this battle. They're learning things about themselves in the urgency of the moment that they might not have been aware of before the latest attack. Many of them joined the military to live a comfortable life, especially those who were refugees. They were tired of doing without and being treated like second class citizens because their arrival behind Wall Rose made things more difficult for everyone due to things like food shortages. However, they're more capable and resourceful than they could've ever imagined despite their youth and inexperience.

They understand that they're going to have to rely on unconventional methods to get through that hell. To quote Aristotle: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." They group is beginning to understand this to be a fundamental truth for them as they begin to rely on one another and work together in Trost. I really like that brute strength and Eren screaming he'll kill all the titans will not be the only thing to win this war. This volume stirred up all the proud feelings that I remember having the first time I watched the anime as these characters start to evolve.

4 of 5 stars

How to Train Your Kickstarter

Following the success (and by success, we mean the current top funded project in the Publishing: Fiction category with $35,353 in pledges and 948 backers!) of her first Kickstarter, Arena Mode author Blake Northcott has the perfect brain to pick for Kickstarter advice. The Toronto-based, self-publishing author very kindly took time out of her busy schedule, which includes work on her new Kickstarter, Assault or Attrition, and regular comic book and pop culture contributions to CBS Man Cave Daily, to share her Kickstarter experience with us.

Q: Your ebook Vs. Reality series was a success. What prompted you to up the game for Arena Mode?

A: I had an idea for about a year surrounding superhumans in a dystopian, slightly futuristic setting, but I really hadn't sat down to write it out until September of 2012. That's when I was in Los Angeles for Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo, and someone introduced me to the concept of 'crowdsourcing'.

I thought Kickstarter might be a good way to get my work noticed by a larger audience, so I set a goal for myself to get it funded, and release it that way. While my books were doing well on Amazon Kindle, without a publisher I was kind of spinning my wheels - this newfangled Kickstarter thingy sounded interesting. Apparently I was the last person on the internet to have heard of it!

Q: Arena Mode ended up being the #1 most funded fiction book of 2013 to date. How long did it take to reach your first goal? How did it feel? Were you expecting to get as much funding as you did?

A: I was originally asking for $6,500 USD to pay for the printing costs, packaging, artists, cover and logo - plus all my additional expenses. I figured that, worst-case scenario, I'd get funded and break even. Then at
the very least I'd get my name out there.

My campaign was scheduled for thirty days, and I hit my target on the second day. The feeling was indescribable. The closest word I can think of is "Whooooaaa!" That's what I was screaming inside of my own head for nearly a month non-stop. Needless to say I didn't sleep very much last February!

Q: We've heard that putting together a Kickstarter can be quite a task. What challenges did you face? What did you learn about the process and how do you feel about the end result?

A: I knew it would be a battle, but I had no idea just how insane the process would be. Figuring out packaging, shipping, organizing the rewards, issues with international labels...it was completely nuts.

And since I'm Canadian I had to drive down to the US and do all of my shipping from there, because it would have literally cost me thousands of dollars more to do it here. In America they have 'Media Mail', which allows domestic shipping of books for a ridiculously low price, so it saved me a bundle. I had to get everything packed up in a hotel in Buffalo, New York, and the process took nearly a week straight, 14 hours a day. The word 'exhausting' doesn't even cover it!

I learned a lot my first time around, and hopefully my new campaign will go a little smoother.

'Brynja & Melvin the Manticore' - by Jon 'Roc' Upchurch
Character design for the novel 'Arena Mode'
by Blake Northcott © 2013, Digital Vanguard Inc. 

Q: What are your plans for the Assault or Attrition Kickstarter launching this fall? Will you be doing things differently for this Arena Mode sequel?

A: The plans are to do pretty much the same thing - deliver the best possible reading experience I can, and deliver it on time. I've got more artists from Marvel, DC and Image Comics lending their talents, so I think this will be even better than Arena Mode. At least I hope it is!

The campaign is running right now at AssaultorAttrition.com. (and is already the hottest book on Kickster with 100% funding in a mere 9 hours! Congrats Blake!)

Q: Any advice to writers looking to use Kickstarter to give them a jump on publishing?

A: Figure out a great reason to write your book. Something you're passionate about and in love with. Once you have all the basics: an outline, sample chapters, a title, a summary and a great cover, then figure out the Kickstarter part.

I think the biggest mistake people make is doing it backwards. At least once a week someone asks me, "I want to make money on Kickstarter or Amazon - how do I do it?" You're asking the wrong questions. If you already have a great concept and something to work with, getting it out to the world will be a lot easier.

But once you have something that you want to share with readers, make sure it's as attractive and professional-looking as possible. Check out some of the most-funded projects on Kickstarter, and pull them apart. Find out what makes them appealing - from the video, rewards, description, etc. Anything that catches your eye, make a note of it. I researched relentlessly before I launched my campaign back in February, and I think that's what made it a success.

For more details on the lovely and amusing Blake Northcott, visit her website, www.blakenorthcott.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Check out the Kickstarter for Assault or Attrition at www.assaultorattrition.com and stay tuned for our review of Arena Mode next month!

Thanks Blake!

Manga Review: Attack on Titan, Volume 1 by Hajime Isayama

Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), Volume 1 by Hajime Isayama

Genre: Dystopia, Horror

Publisher: Kodansha

Date of Publication: June 19, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Tiara's Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars - "It feels hopeless, and the powerlessness of the characters in that situation is very tangible to the readers. However, as human nature goes, you want them to fight and win."

Nearly a century before the start of this story, humanity is attacked by a group of humanoid beings dubbed "titans" who push them almost to the brink of extinction. Titans are much larger than their human counterparts (with most standing between 3 to 15 meters) and immensely strong. They seem to possess no intellect as they can't communicate and show no signs of understanding. Even though they look characteristically male or female, they lack reproductive organs, making many question their origins.

They mindlessly graze on human beings, ignoring all other forms of life in favor of only devouring people. Titans have lived 100 years without feeding on people which seems to indicate that they don't feed on humans to satisfy hunger. Many believe their goal is to exterminate humankind, but the reasoning for that is a mystery. In response to the threat, three 50 meter walls were built, which effectively keep the titans out while keeping the people inside. Talk of the outside world is considered taboo and information about the outside world has been outlawed and destroyed.

Our story begins with Eren Jäeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert. Eren dreams of joining the scouting team and seeing the outside world. The scouting team's primary goal is to find whatever information they can about the titans with the hope of learning their origins and how they can be eradicated for good. Eren hopes to contribute to that effort. He equates the people within the wall to "cattle" waiting for the slaughter and becomes increasingly disillusioned with the complacency of everyone inside the wall--especially after Armin shows him a book that talks about the outside world and all the beauty humans have had to relinquish.

Mikasa, Eren's adopted sister and one of the most awesome people in the manga and anime, feels she owes Eren a great deal, and she's resolved to be by his side to protect him even if it costs her own life in the process. Even though she doesn't agree with Eren's decision to join the scouting team, she's willing to travel that road with him when that time comes.

After 100 years of relative safety, the walls are breached by an aberrant titan--aberrant because it exhibits behavior unusual for a titan and because it's huge--standing more than 50 meters in height. In the beginning, before the breach, the world that these people live in isn't exactly bleak inside the walls. They seem to live relatively normal lives, but they're happily corralled and confident as long as their walls are up. They know the titans are out there and there's fear of them in the back of their minds, but it doesn't seem to truly touch the illusion of safety they have behind the wall. The only time the mood shifts is when the scouting team, who always suffers losses when scouting, returns to remind them just how dangerous things are beyond their walls.

Read from right to left.

With the breach of the wall comes the all too shocking realization of how fragile their safety is in this new world they live in (a world they have largely ignored for the past century), how much arrogance has been placed on those walls to keep the titans out. The situation becomes dire quickly since they have nothing that is truly effective against the titans. After a hundred years, they still know very little about them. The titans, and how nigh unstoppable they are, quickly add apprehension to the story, making readers wonder how the people in this book will ever hope to survive. Making the titans themselves more human-like in appearance rather than some fantastic monsters makes the story even more unsettling and grim. It feels hopeless, and the powerlessness of the characters in that situation is very tangible to the readers. However, as human nature goes, you want them to fight and win.

I'm not sure if this was Isayama's intent, but this manga (and its anime) seem to be an extreme reflection on life now and how those who live in relative comfort sometimes choose to ignore the monsters outside that threaten their comfort until that comfort is actually attacked.

Now, I do like the manga, but I am partial to the anime a bit more because it adds a bit more detail to some of the scenes. Some of the art is sort of awkward in places and distracted me from the story a little bit. Eren is obviously the most important of the three main characters we've encountered, but he can grate on your nerves, especially with how hotheaded he can be. I try to chalk this up to him initially having a very black and white view of life. Things are either good or they're either evil to him. Evil things must be eliminated no matter the cost in his eyes, and he's very passionate about that. He's now having to adjust to gray areas in his life, and it's leaving him a bit off balance right now.

If you're not a fan of violence, you probably don't want to read this. If bleak situations where sudden, violent death is the norm rather than the exception, you probably don't want to read this. The situation is depressing, but you have to hope that, despite whatever frailties and foibles humans possess, their indomitable will to survive will prevail.

3.5 of 5 stars

YA Weekend: Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Mogsy's Rating: 5 of 5 stars 

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Reckoners

Publisher: Delacorte

Date of Publication: September 24, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Everyone I know has been saying such great things about this book, so I'm afraid I can do little more than to add to the praise that's already out there. In the interest of full disclosure though, I'm a big fan of Brandon Sanderson and he's one of the handful of writers whose books I will insta-buy without a second thought. On the other hand, it's also true that I often approach my favorite authors' work with higher-than-average expectations.

Admittedly, this has also somewhat affected the way I looked at Steelheart, in that I went into it perceiving it as not so much a Young Adult novel, but rather as any other Sanderson novel. As a result, I confess that my expectations for this were at through-the-roof levels even before I started, and yet what's amazing to me is that even those were met and in some cases exceeded. It also makes me feel more confident in reporting that despite its YA designation, Steelheart can probably be enjoyed and appreciated by a much wider audience.

So even if you have an interest in this book but don't think you're a "YA person", please don't let that be the only thing stopping you from checking it out! Because while Steelheart has many of the elements common in YA fantasy, Sanderson also brings his own brand of storytelling and amazing ideas to this superhero novel, making it special and stand out. And perhaps, it would actually be more accurate to call this one a "super-villain" novel, given how the people who manifest special powers in Steelheart -- the book refers to them as Epics -- turn out to be evil.

As such, there are no heroes in David's world. Ten years ago, his father along with thousands of others died when the Epics took over, with the most powerful one of all who calls himself Steelheart declaring himself Emperor. Now Epics rule regular humans and kill them with impunity, but no one fights back. No one CAN fight back. Steelheart is near-invincible, and nobody can touch him unless his weakness is discovered somehow. David, however, seeks to do just that with the help of an underground group of rebels called the Reckoners. Together, they are determined to see the Epics' reign end.

Once again, I'm reminded that Brandon Sanderson is a master-builder of worlds for a reason. One of the first things I noticed about the setting of Steelheart is how robust and "complete" it feels. As someone who reads quite a lot of YA, I notice that while books in this genre often present great ideas and feature highly imaginative worlds, many also tend to ignore or gloss over the infrastructure of their post-apocalyptic or dystopian societies. And in extreme cases, there is hardly an adult presence at all, which might make a lot of sense for a novel targeted at young adults, but this also makes a story much less realistic. Sanderson on the other hand seems to realize that even in a messed-up world where Epics have taken over, what's left of civilization needs a system and a workforce in place to function. He's included a lot of groundwork for his world that makes it more detailed and conceivable.

What's more, it's the same for the characters, who are all distinctive and have memorable personalities. I'm not so used to reading Sanderson books narrated in the first person, so it's quite the new and refreshing experience to be right in the head of his main protagonist. And David is certainly...interesting. I like him, though I can't say the same about his hopeless metaphors! Megan also gives me pause. I suppose if there's one tiny itty-bitty thing I didn't like too much about this book is how David falls for her. Though, it's important to note that protagonists being attracted to love interests who treat them like crap is a long-held pet peeve of mine, and not even Sanderson could budge that.

Still, overall I loved Steelheart! I honestly cannot identify any "slow parts" in this novel, as it kept me interested the whole way through with its tension and foreshadowing. The level of suspense is kept at a constant high with the Reckoners racing against time to unravel the mystery of Steelheart's weakness so that they can assassinate him. The action scenes are also phenomenal, and the many twists and surprises in the plot will definitely keep you guessing. This was the most fun I've had with a book in ages.

 5 of 5 stars

"Phenomenal action, high suspense, great world-building and characters

 in this YA fantasy that can be enjoyed and appreciated by a wide audience"

Graphic Novel Review: Lazarus vol.1 Family by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark

Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark

Genre: Dystopian Future, Science Fiction
Series: Collecting Lazarus #1-4 and the Preview
Publisher: Image Comics
Expected Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Author Info: gregrucka.com
Artist Info:  Goodreads Profile

...a gritty, tantalizing story, brought to life by the dark, confident lines of Michael Lark.

4 of 5 stars

In Greg Rucka's dystopian future, money is power and those without it are Waste. The Families are the ones with power and Forever Carlyle is a Lazarus, a Family member trained and augmented to serve and protect the family’s needs. As the codename implies, there is a lot of death involved in her life, but we quickly learn that, because of how much she understands physical death, there are a lot of unresolved emotions connected to killing that Forever should not be having. For now, she does her job to protect the Family, but her increasing empathy is probably going to be problematic.

Initially, this seemed like a cold-hearted killer with a warming heart story, but as I suspected, Rucka quickly brought in the heavy emotional content. With four other questionably loyal children to his name, Frank Carlyle increasingly turns to the one the siblings think the least of to handle conflicts. Forever serves willingly and with a smile, certain of her father's love. This is where Forever's Pinocchio story really struck me. How far will a child willingly go when she believes the commands are given out of love?

Forever is at the heart of this story, and surrounding her are the politics of the Families, the plight of the Wastes, the treachery and conflict between the Carlyle siblings and the technology of the Lazaruses and their connection to each other. All together, it makes for a gritty, tantalizing story, brought to life by the dark, confident lines of Michael Lark.

With thanks to Netgalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Diamond Deep by Brenda Cooper

The Diamond Deep by Brenda Cooper

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 2 of Ruby's Song

Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: October 8, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "Very compelling social science 
fiction with elements of action and suspense, featuring an 
interesting protagonist"

The Diamond Deep was a very pleasant surprise, one of those books that I have a feeling should deserve a lot more attention than it gets. Nevertheless, I'll admit I knew very little about the book when it first came into my possession, and for that reason, I almost relegated it to the "save-for-later" pile. Boy, am I so very glad I didn't.

It was reading the first page containing the Author's Note that first transformed my mild curiosity into awed interest. There, Brenda Cooper writes that Evita, the musical about Eva Perón, was the main inspiration for the book's story. Something about this struck me, made me want to know more and read the book right away. Cooper further writes, though, that The Diamond Deep is simply the story Evita's legend teased out of her. And knowing what I do about Eva Perón, I could definitely see how her life and legacy inspired this novel, but the story is also a very fascinating piece of social-science-fiction, a class-oriented space opera with elements of action and suspense.

The book's main protagonist, Ruby Martin, is a very strong and complex character, much like the historical figure she was based on. She and the inhabitants of their discovery ship are heading home from a multi-generational journey, and from the sound of it, things haven't been easy. I have not read the first book of the Ruby's Song series, The Creative Fire, but it is clear that there'd been a rigidly divided social structure on the ship, before a movement spearheaded by Ruby and others brought a change.

Just as Evita had been an actress before becoming First Lady of Argentina and a political leader in her own right, Ruby started off as a robot repair assistant and a singer before becoming partners with the ship's leader Joel North. And just like Evita during her short life, Ruby's character is controversial, as adored as she is hated by her crew. When they finally reach their destination, her leadership is further tested when it turns out their new home is nothing like any of them expected.

After being away for so long, they are immediately dismissed as primitive and naive, given no status, voice or power. Having just rid their own society of inequality, they arrive at The Diamond Deep space station only to be treated like beggars and slaves, the lowest of the low. They are used and manipulated by parties who deliberately and shamelessly keep them in the dark, knowing that there's nothing they can do about it. As with most fiction concerning sociological speculation, this book is a reflection of some of the current issues in our own contemporary societies, and it can be quite upsetting and infuriating to read about Ruby and her crew's situation.

Ruby herself is an interesting protagonist. She has a very dominant and energetic personality, but her love for her people is boundless. She can also be a tad vain and wrapped up in her own self-importance, but perhaps that's the point the author is trying to make about Ruby and her leadership -- that even strong characters are flawed and fallible, and that they can make mistakes and cause pain unwittingly even when they have good intentions or think they are doing the best for others. Ruby cares too much, perhaps, unwilling to accept that she can't be everywhere at once and do everything for everyone at the same time.

I think my appreciation for her character also increased after I finished this book and began researching more into the life of Eva Perón, which opened my eyes to more parallels made by the author. Moreover, though, I liked this book for its themes, which explore matters such as power, poverty, and the responsibilities of a society to its members. It is a very compelling story of revolution, and one woman's journey to fight for her people's voices to be heard.

4 of 5 stars 

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

YA Weekend Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Penryn and the End of Days

Publisher: Skyscape

Date of Publication: August 28, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter


I tend to go into young adult novels of this type with a fair amount of wariness and trepidation, so color me surprised when this turned out to be a book I really enjoyed. Then I discovered it was actually first released as a self-published indie, and that just completely floored me. I am beyond impressed.

Anyway, at first glance, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. It's got all the makings of a Young Adult, paranormal, post-apocalyptic-dystopian-type novel starring a teenage female protagonist narrating in the first person present tense, and of course, there's always the promise of some romance. Though, I suppose there's something to be said of its "End of Days" scenario with the invasion of warrior angels coming to destroy the world. Even early on, when I barely knew anything about this book, the subject was what made it stand out for me.

The book starts six weeks after the angels of the apocalypse have descended, demolishing civilization as we know it. Penryn carries the responsibility of taking care of her mother, who has schizophrenia, as well as her little sister Paige whose legs are paralyzed and she needs a wheelchair to get around. When an angel steals Paige and carries her off, Penryn will do anything to get her back, including allying herself with the enemy. She forms a tentative agreement with Raffe, a warrior angel whom she rescues after finding him bloodied and lying in the street, beaten and broken with his wings cut off.

I'll admit that I started this book with a skeptical mindset, unconvinced it would win me over, even with all the great stuff being said about it. I love reading YA novels, but I also can't help but hold them to a higher standard, mostly because the genre is so over-saturated and it takes a lot for one to really stand out for me. And at first, I found that I liked Penryn, liked the introduction of Raffe, and liked the direction of the story...but still nothing made me truly love it.

That changed somewhere along the way, and I don't even know when it happened. Maybe it's because at no point did I find this book boring; the plot is constantly driving forward, and even when there's no action happening on the page, there's still plenty of tension to keep you interested in the story.

Penryn, too, sets herself apart as a strong heroine, who takes the weight of the world upon her underfed shoulders. Having your troubled mother and disabled sister depend on you when the world is crumbling before your eyes can't be easy, but she handles it with grace and maturity and none of the angst or dramatics. She's quick-witted and thinks on her feet, even if her plans don't always work out perfectly. My favorite scene is when she decks a chauvinist meathead for making lewd comments at her, with the expectation that potential allies would come to her aid, only to find herself fighting alone. But she ends up winning! Nice job, Penryn.

The climax and ending were also really well done. I'm amazed at how everything came together, since very often at this point of a book I will find myself spotting plot holes or picking apart illogical points in the story, ultimately just resigning myself to go with the flow. And yet, I really don't recall doing a lot of that here, but maybe it's because I was just so completely focused on the twists and surprising developments that I wasn't concentrating on thinking about much else.

And finally, how I really know this book made an impression on me? The fact that as soon as I finished, I quickly went online to find the next book...only to discover it's not coming out until November. Hey, well, something to look forward to.

4.5 of 5 stars

"The strong heroine sets herself apart in this story that is 

constantly driving forward. I am beyond impressed"

Book Review: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Steampunk

Series: Book 2 of The Lotus War

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Date of Publication: September 17, 2013

Author Information:  Website | Twitter


It's going to be extremely difficult to talk about the sheer awesomeness of this book without giving spoilers, but darn it, I'm going to try! In general I tend not to do spoilers in reviews, but more important is the fact that I simply don't think anything will compare to the emotional roller coaster of experiencing all the ups-and-downs of this book yourself.

Like the first book, though, it took me a while to get into the story. However, it's significant to note that some of the best books I've ever read start off slow in the first 100 pages, and this has been the case with both books in this series so far. Part of this also has to do with the writing style, which I still find over-encumbered and hard to get used to.

But none of that mattered in the end; as soon as this book got its arashitora claws and talons in me, I was pretty much putty in its clutches! After the events of Stormdancer, I was on pins and needles wondering what Yukiko, Buruu, and the Kagen rebels would do now with the entire Shima Imperium in turmoil. My first shock was discovering the Lotus Guild's choice for the new Shogun. That just can't end well.

Now the Kagen are in a frenzy of planning, hoping to sabotage the Shogun-to-be's wedding and foil the Guild's aim to put him at the head of this new tyrannical dynasty. The enemy, however, are also plotting something of their own, something that would have the power to end the Kagen and destroy their forest home. Meanwhile, Yukiko flies off across the oceans on Buruu to learn more about the Kenning, her mysterious power that has been unstable as of late.

There's definitely an epic feel to this series now, especially with the addition of more characters, their points-of-view, and multiple plot threads occurring in different places all at once. For the first time, we also get a brief glimpse of the world happening outside Shima, finally giving some context to this "gaijin war" we've been hearing about for the whole of the first book and a part of this one, but so far have seen none of the fighting or battles.

And if I thought the first 100 pages were slow, the last 100 pages certainly made up for them and more besides. I know "unputdownable" sounds cliched, but it was almost literally the truth when the book was practically glued to my fingers with the nervous sweat coming off of my hands, I kid you not. I don't often like making comparisons to A Song of Ice and Fire when I talk about books (because truly, I have never come across anything quite like George R.R. Martin's series) but there were definitely times where I felt this one was "Game of Thrones-ing" me. It was just shock after shock in the last quarter of the book, some which were expected, some not.

Of course, I had some issues, especially with some parts of the plot (like, what a nice convenient way to get Yukiko out of the picture for a while), and the prose with its excessive use of metaphors often made me want to tear my hair out, but overall these were overshadowed by the climax and finale, as well as an insane revelation about Yukiko. I cannot believe I didn't see that one coming!

In the end, I think I liked this book even more than the first one because it was darker, more visceral, violent. I love books which are unpredictable and that keep me guessing, whose direction can change like the wind without warning. I liked how this was not a happy story. It has evolved a lot in this book, and its characters as well. Considering how Jay Kristoff left things off here in total chaos, I'm already looking forward to the next book which I have no doubt will be explosive.

Note: My copy was an advance reader edition from the publisher provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 of 5 stars

"Epic feel and insane revelations!"

For BiblioSanctum reviews of previous book(s) in the series:

Book 1 of The Lotus War - Stormdancer

Book Review: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Steampunk

Series: Book 1 of The Lotus War

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Date of Publication: September 18, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter


This was a refreshing read that stood out from all the steampunk I've been chomping through lately. I used to think this sub-genre and setting wasn't for me, but that was probably before I realized how few steampunk books I've read actually incorporate that "steampunkness" so fully and completely as this book does. And it's not just about the cool airships and armor and the wicked chainsaw katanas either (though all those things are indeed cool and wicked). The steampunk aspect is ubiquitous and feels like a living, breathing part of the story, going beyond descriptions of the mechanisms to actually touch upon the relationship it has with the whole society and industry.

But enough about the steampunk, because as brilliant as that is, it's only one of the many reasons why I loved this book. I think the kicker is the feudal Japanese-inspired world as well as the author's version on its myths and legends. In the center stage of Stormdancer is the arashitora, a "storm tiger" or griffin, which the characters Yukiko and the members of her father's hunting team are tasked to capture for Shima's megalomaniacal Shogun. However, the expedition is disrupted by a great tempest before they could bring one home, leaving Yukiko stranded and alone with one of the mythological creatures, and a furious one at that.

At is heart, the story is mainly about the friendship that develops between Yukiko and the arashitora Buruu, an unlikely pair who learns to trust and love one another after facing challenges together. While that's not exactly breaking new ground, I still have to say there were a few surprises in the plot that kept things interesting. Once again, it's the world that really pulled me in, and along with that the anticipation of seeing how the characters will prevail against the Shogun and his Lotus Guild. For a novel targeted at young adults, I am more than impressed with the whole package.

I suppose the only thing that gave me pause was the prose. I am torn when it comes to this, because so much of the writing was given to the world building, and surely no one can accuse the author of skimping on the descriptive details. In general, however, I found the prose needed getting used to, and also could have done with less embellishment.

Still, the book's penchant to expound on everything was also both its strongest and weakest point. It may be the reason for its slow-ish start, but also gave life to in my opinion the best and most amazing scene in the whole book, which was the initial hunt in the storm at about a quarter of the way in. There's pretty much no way you can read those vivid chapters and not be hooked afterward! All in all, a great book, and nothing's going to keep me away from the next one.

4 of 5 stars

"More than impressed!"