neilsef's reviews
248 reviews

Blackwing by Ed McDonald

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This has to be one of the darkest themed books that I have read, whilst also containing a set of characters, that while being fascinating, are almost exclusively unredeemable except for their loyalty to each other, and even that has its limits.

The tale is relentless in it's steady pace, that sets a scene of impending doom, that has just a flicker of hope to stop it, which itself requires the solution to a seemingly impossible problem.

This is a gritty tale, that I found to have both fascinating and horrifying aspects to it, with characters that are of a similar nature, but one that is, nonetheless, a satisfying and engaging read.

Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Having read Lightblade, a novel by the same author, a few months ago, and finding it a bit lacking, I was worried this might suffer from the same problems, however, I'm pleased to say that this novel was an improvement with both the plot and characters being much more interesting and engaging.

The story unfolds around a conflict between two religions for control of a city which is holy to them both, so similar overtones to the Crusades, though in this world the Gods, Angels, Djinn and Magic have a physical presence and can actively influence events. It's also a story that looks at how religions and the power they bestow on individuals can corrupt and influence them to commit horrific acts.

The tale moves along at a brisk pace, swapping from one character's point of view to another's with each chapter, with the characters themselves being varied and well-written. There are also several interesting plot twists, none of which I saw coming and all of which enhanced the story.

My only disappointment, and it's a minor one, is that most of the large-scale battles that take place were skipped over, which at the time of reading was disappointing, but this was so that the story could concentrate on the effects these battles had on the individuals, especially the commanders of the various forces.

This shows great promise, so I am looking forward to reading the next book. 

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This took me a bit by surprise with how dark the tone of the story is as it follows Jorge, a boy who at thirteen years of age is the leader of a band of blood thirsty mercenaries, and who comes across as a bit of a homicidal maniac, which is the result of a traumatic event in his past.

The tale is brutal and doesn't pull any punches in it's depiction of the life the mercenaries lead, but because of this it exerts a compelling fascination, which is only increased by the characters and their interactions with each other.

There are several nice twists and slow reveals that pulled me up short, and which also made previous events make more sense.

If you like dark fantasy, with interesting characters and a fascinating plot, then this could be worth a read.

Hall of Bones by Tim Hardie

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I was initially drawn to this book by its stunning cover art as I scrolled through the Kindle site, which caused me to read the synopsis and promptly purchase it.

The story is set in a Norse-inspired world and is told from the perspective of Rothgar, the second son of the Chieftain of the Reavesburg Clan, and follows his life and the events that shape it, from just before he started his warrior training at age ten.

The story was instantly engaging, being written in a style that both describes and invokes the setting, and is full of characters who are instantly relatable and who are also brimming with personality.

The plot has some wonderful twists that I didn't see coming, aswellas having several scenes which brought to mind events from other books I've read, Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire being the main ones.

Overall, this is an outstanding first book, with the series having the potential to be on a par with George R R Martins "A Song of Ice and Fire" and John Gwynne's "Faithful and the Fallen" series. Needless to say I will now be on the lookout for the other books in this series.

Lion by Conn Iggulden

adventurous emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Historical fiction is not a genre I read a lot of, but when I do I invariably enjoy it, and this is no exception.

I appreciate how an author can take historical figures and events and weave a story that is enjoyable, fascinating and educational, which this does to great effect.

The story is set around twenty years after the events at Themopoly and mostly follows two Athenian figures and their involvement in historical events which I was unaware of.

There is a good mix of characters, with many of the names being ones I recognised from other books, documentaries or films I have read or seen.

On reading the historical notes at the end of the book I realised that this is not the first novel in this series, though the blurb on the Amazon site said it was, I also realised that the title of the book refers to one of the character, but it wasn't the one I thought it would be.

This is an interesting story set in a fascinating period that has me hooked, so I will be reading both the preceding and following books in the series.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is a beautifully written book, the Prowse of which has a cadence to it that makes it a joy to read and that causes the pages to fly by.

Both the characters and plot are wonderfully engaging and enchanting in this story that follows Xingyin, the daughter of the Moon Goddess, whose existence is unknown by the Celestial Kingdom, and who has to flee from the moon when her mother fears her existence might be revealed.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Xingyin ends up in The Celestial Kingdom as a companion to the Crowned Prince, who along with everyone else is unaware of who she is.
Her life takes many turns over the following years, and she is involved in several dangerous and exciting adventures, all of which she tries to use to her advantage to help her gain her mother's freedom.

All the events flow naturally, with nothing seeming to be forced to suit the plot. The interaction of the characters is also very natural and the various personalities develop in a believable and engaging manner.

The whole book is just wonderfully crafted and delivers an amazing story that is engaging from start to finish. 

Tree of Ages by Sara C. Roethle

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 On the whole, this was an enjoyable read with interesting characters and a fairly intriguing plot, that being of a tree that turns into a young woman, Finn, who after being found and taken in by Aed, an old hermit, decides after a few weeks she would like to be a tree again, so sets off to search for a way of achieving this aim.

Unfortunately, she crosses paths with other characters, which together with events that transpire, cause her plans to change, and this is where, for me, the plot gets a little muddled, as some of the things that happen seem a bit contrived at times, which ultimately spoilt my overall engagement with the story. 

Colossus by Colin Falconer

adventurous reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I found this to be an interesting story that assumes that Alexander the Great did not die as recorded in Babylon, but survived and decided to return to Macedonia by way of Carthage and Sicily.

With the returning armies is a new squadron composed of Elephants, one of whom is Colossus, and Gajendra, a Water boy who catches Alexander's attention when he stops Colossus from rampaging out of control.

The characters and events, both fictional and real, are nicely combined to give an exciting and believable alternative history that didn't disappoint in it's assumptions and conclusion.

The only minor negative aspect of this book was the righting style, which to me came across as a bit stillted until I had gotten used to it.

Overall, this is a fascinating story that has peaked my interest in reading the other books in this series.

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

adventurous challenging lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is one of those strange books that I found interesting but not engaging, which in this case is purely down to the prose, which describes items, locations, people and events in beautiful detail, but as one of my old science teachers would say "it is verbal cotton wool", meaning the same could be written more succinctly while still conveying the same information and thus be much more engaging. 

Because of the prose, the pace of the story is fairly slow, but fortunately, both the characters and the plot are developed and delivered in a manner that holds your interest. The main character is Simon, a lowly scullery boy, who is drawn into the events unfolding. A character who I found engaging is Binabik, who befriends Simon after finding him on the run, alone in the woods. Binabik is a Troll, but he's not like any Troll I have come across before.

There are numerous other characters introduced during the story, who come from many different cultures and races, all of whom are mostly well-developed, though I didn't feel emotionally invested in any of them.

This is in the same style as The Lord of the Rings, or the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, slow and richly detailed, making it a book that you need to take your time with, at least in my opinion. 

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is an enthralling read that has a wonderfully rich and diverse cast of characters that inhabit a world that is beautifully realised and brought to life. 

Initially set in Cario during the Napoleonic period the story follows Nahri, a street thief come con artist, who accidentally summons not one, but two Djinni, so changing the course of her life forever. 

Forced to leave Cario,  she sets off on a journey, including a trip on a flying carpet, that sees her eventually end up in Daevabad, The City of Brass, home to  Djinnis. 

As the story progresses, there are a fair few revelations concerning the various characters, along with a number of mysteries and intrigues, most of which I am happy to say wrongfooted me and didn't work out how I was assuming. 

There are action sequences also, both magical and mundane, which are well written and manage to build a fair bit of tension and suspense, and most include some level of emotional hit as well. 

This is a great start to a new series which promises to be highly engaging.