Alex James's Blog: AlexJamesNovels Blog - Posts Tagged "fantasy"

The Queen of Knights by David Wind - 5/5 stars

Queen of Knights

Much of the focus of this story seems to be in England, and is based on the love between the Lady Gwendolyn and the Knight Miles Delong, whose fates are determined by mystical powers. However there is a lot of stimulating rivalry later on...

This novel is woven with many myths and fantasy elements, which I enjoyed. Much of the beginning is like a romantic dream, with vibrant colours and beautiful settings combined to create a scene that is memorable both to the characters and the reader.

It starts at a steady pace, but it picks up in style when we are introduced to the hulking cruel bull of a Knight Morgan of Guildswood, who is prepared to kill anybody who stands in the way of his marriage to Gwendolyn. When Gwendolyn falls in love with Miles Delong a rivalry begins. Expect very well-described and exciting battles in melees; and classic confrontations between good and evil. These battles were the highlights for me, and the author provided plenty of this type of excitement, which continued throughout.

The last third is concerned with the Crusades. The scene the author paints is vivid and yet again proves his descriptive skill. Is it Richard the Lionheart versus Saladin? Yes, to an extent. However, the overarching conflict in this section seems to be between Gwendolyn and Saladin, the latter who is depicted as a magnanimous ruler whose oath restricts his moral choices.

Overall this was a magnificent well-rounded read, interspersed with battles, excitement, love, history, myth, and fantasy. I respect the author for a lengthy novel that never disappointed.

The Magician’s Guild is the first book in the Black Magician trilogy. It’s about Sonea, a young girl who feels angry at magicians and how they have made life difficult for the lower-class dwells. She sees other people casting stones at them, only for the stones to bounce back from the magical barrier. She picks up a stone and casts it with the full force of her anger ... and it breaks through, colliding with a magician’s head and sending him to the ground unconscious.

From that moment onward there is a manhunt through slums to find this girl with latent magical ability. I liked the idea of the guild hunting through the twisted and dirty slums to capture somebody. The portrayal of Magicians as elitist, robed, and predominantly male enforcers of society made them appear untouchable and terrifying. I must say that although I was interested in the magicians, I didn’t connect well with Sonea, her friends, or even have much of an interest in the thieves. The storyline was reasonably interesting until about half way through when...

It became incredibly exciting! I really liked the magicians Rothen and Dannyl. Their banter kept the story alive before, but Rothen’s knowledge of the Guild and his mission to make the reader see it as a force for good as much as evil was very interesting, and I became engrossed in the character interaction. Could it have been better? I thought the prose was very careful throughout, perhaps if there were more risky events or happenstances that leaped out then it would have put it a few notches higher in my estimation. Furthermore the truth about the High Lord seemed obvious much earlier to me. However, having said that, the conclusion was a proper conclusion, and the story was consistently well-structured.

Overall, if you like serious stories about magicians, interesting characters, and an exciting plot then I recommend this. Reading the second book is not out of the question for me!

"Prelude to Nevaeh is an incredible short story that is so much more than backstory. It’s the science-fiction of the future meeting the post-apocalyptic fantasy of the far future..."

See more: http://blog.alexjamesnovels.com/revie...

Second Born is a sci-fi/fantasy mix adventure novel that starts with vicious mercenaries hunting Princess Sasha. Dragon-riders are then dispatched by the King and Queen to rescue her. This event underpins growing disaffection between Sasha’s parents (the King and Queen) and the dragon-riders, who the reader will learn much of in the course of the novel.

I was quite taken with the descriptions of planets, dragon lore, and especially the character background scenes. The writing style was unique, and not overly descriptive. I enjoyed reading about the characters so much that it didn’t bother me that the main plot only started to develop at about 50% through. Thereafter, the peril made the characters yet more distinctive and I became completely absorbed with dragon-riders Jet, Vik, Damyil, and their culture. Sasha, Kaa’ln, and Larsom had complementary perspectives that added much. The author was adept at weaving interaction and situations with her characters to construct sub-plots that kept me happily reading.

The inclusion of spaceships and planets, not dragons, initially made me want to read Second Born. There were a few notable sci-fi ideas as I continued to read: mirrors that acted as instant messaging systems, and a system of identity numbers. More could have been made of the sci-fi and technology, but perhaps not without detracting from the storyline and the rich world of dragons.

The major criticisms I have of Second Born are the sheer number of spelling and grammar mistakes, incomplete sentences, and wrong words used. I had to distance myself from the incorrect text, which did affect how immersed I was in it. I had to read through obstructing webs to decipher the author’s message. As a result, these issues need to be resolved. I might have rated Second Born even more highly if the main plot didn’t break off as often into minor sub-plots before returning; sometimes it seemed to have been forgotten about. Also, it would have been nice if the dragons had a more active role than as telepathic reassuring presences, for the dragons lounged about a lot.

Second Born had a profound writing style, author voice, and plotline. EA Stokes is certainly an author I would consider reading again. She has proved she can conjure worlds and characters with ease, and make it a thoroughly enjoyable experience at the same time.

Dark Masters is an epic fantasy adventure sequel set in Nevaeh, the future of Earth’s western civilisation. It’s about young psychic-warriors Areenna and Mikaal, whose quest to save Nevaeh can only be achieved by a perilous passage to the Frozen Mountains to learn of an ancient secret. Much of Dark Masters followed a similar formula to its prequel Born to Magic, where Areenna and Mikaal are hunted by unseen or not easily perceived dark forces. These forces test their magical and physical defences, attempting to delay their quest long enough for the Dark Masters to invade. On their adventure, doubts about their abilities and purpose will surface, the most remarkable being why Mikaal has the psychic abilities of women.

In comparison with Born to Magic: David Wind has an increasingly strong grasp of Areena and Mikaal, their emotional and psychic connection, as well their role. High King Roth and High Queen Enaid were included, which was comfortingly familiar and also pleasingly different because they were thrust more often into the plot and action. I liked the greater focus on aouteums, which are like animals that have magical bonds with psychics and are telepathically communicated to, sometimes with an ‘asking’ for requests. It was a clever idea, and warmed them to me. There were some stylish sword-fighting scenes and skirmishes against enemy pawns. I especially liked the magical clashes between good and evil, which were visually atmospheric and convincing. Yet, I would have liked a bit more of this action throughout. Perhaps more so than Born to Magic, I found Dark Masters to have more emphasis on symbolism, with actual symbols and prophetic fore-tellings. In a way, I interpreted it as being that while religious extremism can be a pervasive force of evil, belief systems can unite the ‘good’ Nevaens through ancestry, common purpose, and tradition. Sometimes the storyline captured me so fully, that I forgot of its link to modern-day terrorism and extremism. The author must be applauded for a series of tales that read like they actually happened; they’re that believable!

When the reader learns more about the Dark Masters and of the origins of Nevaeh, the writing and adventure becomes absolutely sensational. As a reader, I was swept into the battle, and there was magic galore. David Wind sets a spectacular final scene, tying the characters, plot, battle, and the greater truth of Nevaeh into a solid, pulse-pounding finale.

I found reading What’s in a Name? to be a surprising, dark, and not-too-short fantasy short-story that packs a punch.

An intrepid company of elves led by Commander Vondrall must venture towards the volcanic Thunderer peak, where a dragon lies, to make good the King’s wedding commitment to his blushing bride. There are riches, treasure, and secrets there, but what exactly are they after? Armed with a dragon scale and a spell, they fancy their chances, but a rival company of men is similarly equipped and is covetously intent on securing the treasure. For Vondrall and his elves, the quest will not be as easy or simple as he foolishly assumes.

Good descriptive imagery that brought the action to life, especially in the dragon’s lair, but equally with the dark monstrous elements that surface later. It was juicy and chilling darkness that really shows the author’s strength in this area, and had me transfixed. I liked the way a set of old ideas was reshaped into something that read new as well: a dragon cursed by his own name by an ancient elven warrior. I would compare it to Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Beowulf.

Criticism: the pacing in the first half was a touch too fast for me and it was difficult to decipher which group was doing what and for what reason, and even who the main elven character was. Upon reaching the dragon’s lair, it redeemed itself and showed some exceptionable writing.

Prelude to Nevaeh Part Two of David Wind’s fascinating medieval fantasy adventure Tales of Nevaeh is an elegantly and beautifully written piece that places the reader into a nostalgic world of honour, with superb fighting scenes. This part focuses on Roth’s fighting skills, profound history, and rising status amongst the powerful women and men of his age, and even delves into his unusual intuitive abilities. Roth’s abilities will be in dire need when what appears to be a series of unconnected attacks may represent something far more sinister for Nevaeh.

I recommend reading this part immediately after reading Part One because then Roth’s background will still be fresh in the mind and the short stories do chronologically follow on, even though they have different themes. It is my hope that more of these preludes will be released and perhaps they will eventually connect to create a larger prequel to the first book Born to Magic.

Criticism: Roth’s alliances with countrymen were sometimes made too easily or conveniently, though I understand this may have been done for the purpose of highlighting the threat posed by the real enemies. Circumstances rendered citizens of Nevaeh innocent for their dark impulses, instead attributing these to enemy sorcery, but it might have been nice if the source of human conflict were not so quickly discovered. There weren’t too many typographical errors, but there were at the onset of the story and at its culmination.

Overall Part Two had amazing fighting scenes, and I enjoyed reading about Roth’s growing importance to Kings and Queens when he had not been long on Nevaeh, before he became High King. Extremely well-written, and I wouldn’t hesitate to read Prelude to Nevaeh Part Three.

Freshmen is the first book in new urban fantasy series The Felix Chronicles, which combines magic and mystery with American teen culture and modern devices such as phones and tablets. Evil “sourcerers” called Drestianites typically hunt and “test” teenagers for magical ability. If they pass then the teenagers will join them, and if they don’t they’ll be brutally killed. However, there is hope for mankind in the form of the Belus, the one whose special purpose resembles unity and a defence against the cynical ideology of the Drestianites. RT Lowe provides an invaluable background to his magical world early and told in a letter within Freshmen, which reminded me a bit about how the Knights Templar were defeated and hunted down and also because this conflict is linked to the present through family name.

RT Lowe has an exceptional professional writing ability to craft characters, backgrounds, and environments, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the author has been writing for a long time. He delivers captivating dialogue between Felix and his peers, which made for exciting chapters. Reading it was a guilty pleasure because I wouldn’t usually be interested in the subject matter of teenagers and their social lives. Freshmen is well-presented with a good book cover and blurb, flawless interior formatting, editing, and proofreading. RT Lowe and Freshmen certainly leave a great impression on prospective readers. Freshmen improves from CH.45/P346 (70%), at a point where I became much more immersed in the plot and the action and the final fifty pages (10%) did make for an enthralling conclusion.

Criticism: My main criticism was the often uncomfortable similarities between Freshmen and the Harry Potter series. When the main characters were introduced, each had likenesses. Felix was like Harry in that he lost his parents, is innocent, and tries to lock his grief away. Felix’s distorted nightmares, which he believed were real to some extent, and his subsequent actions seemed to make him secretly crave attention-seeking and some form of celebrity attention. From p168 (34%) Felix develops a set of experiences that are unique to him. Allison strongly reminded me of Hermione Granger. The Groundskeeper, whose demeanour reminded me of Filch, uses knowledge of Felix’s parents as an excuse to invite him into a magical world fought between Sourcerers and Drestianties; the latter who wish to enslave non-Sourcerers (muggles?). Secret rooms acted like doorways into more mysterious truths or dimensions.

Sometimes the description was a bit lengthy, taking up two whole pages at a time. New characters, scenes and situations kept arising but the existing ones developed at a tedious speed, and distracted from the progression of the novel with what I saw as pointless antics. From Ch.45/p346 (70%) the Felix/Faceman plot overlaps and becomes the main plot at a late but vital stage. Most of the Faceman chapters are put into context at this stage and the broken sub-plots resemble something coherent and “whole”. There wasn’t much build up regarding the threat posed by the Drestianites besides the Faceman, and this seemed an inadequate explanation for the action-filled encounters in the last fifty pages (10%).

Overall, Freshmen was a great read with exceptional writing, captivating dialogue, and quality presentation. It was easy to get lost into the magical world, and I would strongly recommend it to teenagers, young adults, and fans of the urban fantasy genre because I think they will be impressed.

ON: Thursday 28th January 2016, between 18.45 – 21.00 pm.

I'll again have the pleasure of attending the Waterstones Leeds Mini-con, and will be sharing a stall with brother-author Nathan Anton. We'll have our sci-fi/fantasy books. Please come along and say hi to us.

https://www.facebook.com/events/16653...

(The Sword of Idis – Book 2)


‘After all this time, all she wanted was revenge’. Awaken is an epic fantasy adventure, with a traditional fantasy magical realm and urban human realm, set in a post-apocalyptic world after the Pulse, a weapon used in a past war which caused catastrophe and revealed the magical realm. Awaken mainly focuses on the point-of-view of half-breed Esa as she comes to terms with how she feels about Thomas when he left her to her fate after the Battle of the Realms, which was when the Council (of Elves?) took Esa and then let her go. The reader is deliberately kept in the dark about what exactly happened, and discovering the truth was one of the intriguing mysteries for the characters around Esa.

Esa has to contend with her risen status as somebody of consequence, but still struggles to receive the respect she by no means expects. The elves are superior, arrogant, and disdainful of “inferior” races. They think they can act in the best interests of all, and are happy to use any means to achieve their goals. However, for Esa, fighting off Thomas and the strong feelings she has for him is as much of a challenge as her relations with elves. It’s easy to see how Esa has matured in the second book. She’s strong enough to cast Thomas aside to protect her feelings. All she needs is to stop letting her falls get the better of her willpower, and to be careful her growing independence doesn’t alienate her friends.

At only 10% through, I could see terrific flowing writing and interesting character dynamics, such as when Rootu wished to find juicy bugs and show them at inappropriate times like at dinner, which made me laugh out loud a few times. Indeed, Rootu’s inappropriate behaviour was his one discernible flaw, though I found it funny most of the time. Rootu was the most captivating character for me, being the adorable insect-catching Spinner. Apart from the dark humour he brought, as a companion he is Esa’s most pleasant constant, willing to sacrifice himself for her happiness even though he is sad and lonely himself.

The first fight scene at 20% through was brief, well described visually, and exciting. I soon came to the conclusion that Awaken had quality writing. HJ Daly has a focus and control over her characters, more so than in the first book Pulse. The reader is brought clearly and progressively into the world at the right pace that made it easy to comprehend. When situations were repeated, like when all the characters looked at Esa, they were perceived differently: ‘pity parted starting again’, which made the same things appear new and interesting. I became completely invested in the characters’ lives, so much so that I found myself cross when they weren’t able to find happiness. Impossibly, the writing turned up a notch in the last 10%, and the scenes flowed visually and cinematically at very exciting pace and I read much more than I intended to. It was a reminder that the author can spin an immersive fight when she wants to, and at this point I found myself needing to know how Awaken would end.

Criticism: Sometimes the point-of-view switches felt too sudden and produced a jarring effect, and the scene breaks marking the passage of time or events might have been clearer. Also, I got confused who exactly Marcus was; a character from the first book?

Awaken was a vast improvement, well put-together, and with emotionally driven characters that brought out humour, sadness, conflict, and pain. I was brought into the story through the characters’ differences, and their adventures never bored me. Yes, prepared to be stunned with this sequel.