Hey Folks!

I don’t normally gush about my writing. But recently, someone posted their review of Book 1 of my Mapmaker Trilogy.

Since they didn’t put it on Amazon or GoodReads, I can’t easily point at it, nor can I expect folks to see it when they purchase my book. But it was a huge confidence booster so I wanted to note it somewhere. If not my own website, where else?

So, here it is. Almost in its entirety. And here’s the link to the original post.

Book Review*: Mapmaker (Book 1)

“Mapmaker” by N.E. White is a self-pubbed fantasy novel that has been on my TBR ever since I read about it here last April. In the meantime she’s also been featured on the AuthorAlly podcast with our very own Jonathan Writer. WOW was I impressed with her book! The writing is very well executed, the story world immersive, and the plot intriguing.

The story takes place in a fantasy world populated by wingmen, beings somewhat like humans only endowed with batwings complete with wingclaws that can fly. Aleeya is an Eastern Wild variety of wingperson, a slave in the Western Helacon city of Ka’ai. The Western Helacons have a Roman-style republic that is intent on conquering other nations, although this does not figure hugely into the plot. Aleeya was seized as a slave as a young child, and yearns to escape to her Eastern Wild homeland of Gwich’an.

This is not a cozy fantasy! Aleeya suffers indignities as a slave, she is discriminated against over and over due to her race, and she is to be sold as a sex-slave. Fortunately Aleeya is resilient and persistent in following her dreams. With the help of her adopted brother Gallus and a pair of not-so-helpful smuggler siblings, Aleeya attempts to make a break for it. She is pursued over mountains and across seas due to an ability which she had long suppressed – as a mapmaker, she apparently has the ability to map new realities physically into the world!

Highlights for me were the alien seeming Xianit, a race of wingless humanoids that seem disturbingly … human. The conspiracy surrounding Aleeya’s escape is also well done – it is hard to tell who she can trust in a complicated web of ambitious plans surrounding her abilities. The best part for me was the writing style – so clean and descriptive, with I think only one typo in the whole book. I heartily recommend reading this book to see the potential of a self-pubbed author – N.E. White sets the bar high!

I struggle to mention anything that I disliked about the book. For me, the romance sub-plot was a bit tedious, but I fully recognize that I do not like romance in general and am certainly not the target market for such. I think what rubbed the most was Aleeya’s complete infatuation – while understandable given her age and lack of experience with love, it was a little cringy for an old goat like me. But, given that romance is by far the most popular genre out there, I’m sure most readers would feel otherwise!

There you have it. While the reviewer may not have liked all aspects of the story, it seems they were impressed with the world-building and plot. Yay!

Have you read Mapmaker? If you liked it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Independent authors live and die by their reviews!

Humbly grateful,

Nila