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Talon
Could you survive as a fugitive in a world where tyranny rules, not even knowing why they're hunting you?
May 2492
It's been years since democracy died. America is no more, each state broken up into their own separate countries ruled mostly by cruelty and oppression. New York City is at the summit, having crushed those who opposed them, destroyed those who resisted.
Fifteen-year-old Talon lives alone in a sector known as Drudgen, just another place in what used to be The Bronx. He wants to keep it that way. Any family he's ever had... it's all led to grief... tragedy... torment. He can't let it happen again.
But his reclusive life is shattered when the tyrannical governor of New York sends his most dangerous assassin to kill Talon for unknown reasons.
Just when all seems lost, he is rescued by two kids his Castor and Amber, who live on an aircraft dubbed The Independence. They explain that they believe the reason behind his attempted assassination might have ties to his lineage... that his parents could've been a part of something dangerous to the government... something bigger than themselves.
They set out to crack the clues, to discover what his parents were involved in, what they might have kept secret from Talon all along. But, when they finally solve the mystery, he knows they can't stay silent. He knows they must continue what his parents started, even if it means death.
But... when Talon discovers newfound care for Castor and Amber... when he realizes he's forming a bond... he understands he has to make a risk losing them or overcome his fear of loss.
May 2492
It's been years since democracy died. America is no more, each state broken up into their own separate countries ruled mostly by cruelty and oppression. New York City is at the summit, having crushed those who opposed them, destroyed those who resisted.
Fifteen-year-old Talon lives alone in a sector known as Drudgen, just another place in what used to be The Bronx. He wants to keep it that way. Any family he's ever had... it's all led to grief... tragedy... torment. He can't let it happen again.
But his reclusive life is shattered when the tyrannical governor of New York sends his most dangerous assassin to kill Talon for unknown reasons.
Just when all seems lost, he is rescued by two kids his Castor and Amber, who live on an aircraft dubbed The Independence. They explain that they believe the reason behind his attempted assassination might have ties to his lineage... that his parents could've been a part of something dangerous to the government... something bigger than themselves.
They set out to crack the clues, to discover what his parents were involved in, what they might have kept secret from Talon all along. But, when they finally solve the mystery, he knows they can't stay silent. He knows they must continue what his parents started, even if it means death.
But... when Talon discovers newfound care for Castor and Amber... when he realizes he's forming a bond... he understands he has to make a risk losing them or overcome his fear of loss.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2023
84 people are currently reading
2573 people want to read
About the author
Jayden Jelso
3 books373 followersJayden Jelso is an author, screenwriter, and filmmaker. His love of storytelling first stemmed from an obsession with the Star Wars franchise, The Lord of the Rings series, and all eight Harry Potter films. He began making short films at eight-years-old, and still has a passion for it. He started writing his debut novel, Talon, when he was only sixteen and published it at eighteen.
Outside of writing, you may be able to spot him making a film, watching The Office, laughing at inside jokes, or posting about his current work in progress on his Instagram feed @authorjaydenjelso.
Outside of writing, you may be able to spot him making a film, watching The Office, laughing at inside jokes, or posting about his current work in progress on his Instagram feed @authorjaydenjelso.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
December 11, 2023
I know I've updated my review for my own book many times, but this is hopefully the last. Haha! Obviously, I'm biased toward my own work, but I just wanted to say that Talon was an incredible learning process for me. I'd attempted to write a book many times before this one, but none of them got past the twenty-page mark. They were all too drab, or too lifeless, or too lacking of that signature element that makes an author go: "Yes! I'm proud of this story!"
This one is different. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's the characters, maybe it's the worldbuilding, maybe it's the message. But, all I know is that I am very happy with this story, and it turned out much better than I thought it would. I hope you find yourself cheering for Talon, Castor, and Amber as they fight through the highs and lows of their dystopic home, the mysteries of the past, and their own internal battles. Thank you for choosing Talon. Cheers!
--------------------
This is the Content Warning for Talon. I'd recommend this book for ages 13 and up, but that doesn't mean people younger can't read it. For anyone younger than 13, I would ask you to consult your parents and ask them to read through this Content Guide. Keep in mind that this book is 95% clean; it is the themes I am primarly warning about.
I've avoided spoilers as best I can, and I've blurred out anything that might cross the line into potential spoiler territory. You can choose to view it if you would like.
Violence:
Swords, knives, spears, and guns are used, all involving teens. People are stabbed, slashed, struck, and beaten. Torture is suggested. There are descriptions of blood, but nothing gory. Aircrafts crash and buildings are destroyed. Robots are dismembered/blown up. POTENTIAL BIG SPOILER:
Language:
Nothing worse than the phrase "pissed off." It is mentioned a few times that a character curses, but the words aren't spelled out.
Sexual Content:
Nothing worse than an obvious crush, handholding, and a couple of kisses on the cheek.
Drinking, Drugs, and Smoking:
A minor character smokes a cigarette and attempts to drunkenly extort someone. In a lawless city, the main characters pass through a bar with strobe lights, loud music, and crazed drunkards. A character says, "we didn't come here to watch a bunch of stoners lose it.”
Thematic Material:
There is a heavy theme of loss throughout the story, being essential to the main character's journey, PTSD isn't mentioned, but it's clear that some characters have a form of it. SPOILER:
These are the main pieces of content that might be of concern to some people. I hope this helps!
This one is different. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's the characters, maybe it's the worldbuilding, maybe it's the message. But, all I know is that I am very happy with this story, and it turned out much better than I thought it would. I hope you find yourself cheering for Talon, Castor, and Amber as they fight through the highs and lows of their dystopic home, the mysteries of the past, and their own internal battles. Thank you for choosing Talon. Cheers!
--------------------
This is the Content Warning for Talon. I'd recommend this book for ages 13 and up, but that doesn't mean people younger can't read it. For anyone younger than 13, I would ask you to consult your parents and ask them to read through this Content Guide. Keep in mind that this book is 95% clean; it is the themes I am primarly warning about.
I've avoided spoilers as best I can, and I've blurred out anything that might cross the line into potential spoiler territory. You can choose to view it if you would like.
Violence:
Swords, knives, spears, and guns are used, all involving teens. People are stabbed, slashed, struck, and beaten. Torture is suggested. There are descriptions of blood, but nothing gory. Aircrafts crash and buildings are destroyed. Robots are dismembered/blown up. POTENTIAL BIG SPOILER:
Language:
Nothing worse than the phrase "pissed off." It is mentioned a few times that a character curses, but the words aren't spelled out.
Sexual Content:
Nothing worse than an obvious crush, handholding, and a couple of kisses on the cheek.
Drinking, Drugs, and Smoking:
A minor character smokes a cigarette and attempts to drunkenly extort someone. In a lawless city, the main characters pass through a bar with strobe lights, loud music, and crazed drunkards. A character says, "we didn't come here to watch a bunch of stoners lose it.”
Thematic Material:
There is a heavy theme of loss throughout the story, being essential to the main character's journey, PTSD isn't mentioned, but it's clear that some characters have a form of it. SPOILER:
These are the main pieces of content that might be of concern to some people. I hope this helps!
January 28, 2023
The author did an amazing job on this debut novel. Writing a book is never an easy feat, and it’s both an exciting and nerve-wrecking experience to watch the first draft become the last, and that last one became a printed, published book. All that to say, I’m honored the author asked me to read an advanced copy of Talon!
I think what sold me the most was the themes in this book, especially closer to the end of the story as the characters go from point A to point B, realizing that the painful things they went through in life shapes them into the person God called them to be. Also, I’m a sucker for friends who have a tight-knit family bond, which this story does! This book has the tiniest hint of romance in it, and it honestly fit the story so well—and I really enjoyed how it wasn’t the main focus of the story and that this was both plot and character driven instead of focused on romance!
The only complaints I have are minor. I felt that the story would really have benefited from multiple POVs, possibly one for each Talon, Castor, and Amber. I would have loved to see the events through their lens and get an inside look at their thoughts and their character arcs. And possibly more distinct verbiage for the three of them, as their way of talking felt very similar to each other and not very distinct. Again, these are just minor complaints rooted in my personal opinion 😊
Thank you again to the author of Talon for an arc, and I’m looking forward to reading any future novels he releases!
I think what sold me the most was the themes in this book, especially closer to the end of the story as the characters go from point A to point B, realizing that the painful things they went through in life shapes them into the person God called them to be. Also, I’m a sucker for friends who have a tight-knit family bond, which this story does! This book has the tiniest hint of romance in it, and it honestly fit the story so well—and I really enjoyed how it wasn’t the main focus of the story and that this was both plot and character driven instead of focused on romance!
The only complaints I have are minor. I felt that the story would really have benefited from multiple POVs, possibly one for each Talon, Castor, and Amber. I would have loved to see the events through their lens and get an inside look at their thoughts and their character arcs. And possibly more distinct verbiage for the three of them, as their way of talking felt very similar to each other and not very distinct. Again, these are just minor complaints rooted in my personal opinion 😊
Thank you again to the author of Talon for an arc, and I’m looking forward to reading any future novels he releases!
November 19, 2023
First off I just want to thank Jayden for gifting me an eARC of his book, and putting up with me and my inability to get a pdf sent to my kindle (for literally months) and then finally, only after my friend Anna showed me how, I was able to successfully send it to my kindle.
Anywho, on with the actual review.
I think this is a pretty darn impressive debut novel. Not many people can start writing a novel at 16, publish at 18 and come out with a clean well thought out book- but Jayden did!
I ADORED the found family in this. Talon himself wasn’t my favorite character, but I LOVED Castor and Amber, and the three of them together was just so fun to read.
I read Talon during the span of a months long reading slump (not because of Talon) but hopefully this book helps end the slump, the thrilling ride of a book this was definitely had my turning pages rather quickly.
But besides characters and plot, what really separated this book from others was the themes. In modern literature it’s not very often that the themes presented in books align with my own beliefs and it was so refreshing. I am looking forward to the rest of the series and to see how Jayden continue’s Talon, Castor, and Amber’s story…(do I remember him mentioning *something* about some extra romance…???)
Anywho, on with the actual review.
I think this is a pretty darn impressive debut novel. Not many people can start writing a novel at 16, publish at 18 and come out with a clean well thought out book- but Jayden did!
I ADORED the found family in this. Talon himself wasn’t my favorite character, but I LOVED Castor and Amber, and the three of them together was just so fun to read.
I read Talon during the span of a months long reading slump (not because of Talon) but hopefully this book helps end the slump, the thrilling ride of a book this was definitely had my turning pages rather quickly.
But besides characters and plot, what really separated this book from others was the themes. In modern literature it’s not very often that the themes presented in books align with my own beliefs and it was so refreshing. I am looking forward to the rest of the series and to see how Jayden continue’s Talon, Castor, and Amber’s story…(do I remember him mentioning *something* about some extra romance…???)
March 28, 2024
I was not moved by this book in any way. Feels harsh to rate a debut so low, but I have to be honest. The cliche story and repetitive writing were just not doing it for me. Despite the good enough characters, none of them were good enough for me to care. It's still entertaining at face value to read through, but if you're someone who's clearly not the target audience (middlegrade), you'll probably have a hard time like I did. (I also have a bad habit to read like a writer instead of a reader, but that's another thing.) Seeing debuts regardless is an immensely happy thing. It inspires me to publish—so it's not all bad.
March 19, 2025
DNF. I tried.
I decided to pick this book up out of morbid curiosity, and because I’m not against reading work that are against my personal political views. However, most problems about it were impossible to ignore and thrust me right out of the story. The world-building was very terrible. I have a hard time buying that powerful autonomous robots can be defeated with knives, and a post-apocalyptic America is a place where guns are rare.
Additionally, the political commentary was incredibly forced rather than being integrated into subtext like a lot of actually good novels. Mundane scenes were described in too much detail, while scenes and objects that seem like they should be important are glossed over and/or never mentioned again. It was very tell-not-show which made it incredibly boring. Super dumb and completely unthreatening villains.
Your marketing push for “art” and “intellectualism” is all bark and no bite with how terrible this novel is. Sure, it’s a debut by a 16-18 year old, but at the end of the day, it’s poorly-written conservative slop.
That’s it.
I decided to pick this book up out of morbid curiosity, and because I’m not against reading work that are against my personal political views. However, most problems about it were impossible to ignore and thrust me right out of the story. The world-building was very terrible. I have a hard time buying that powerful autonomous robots can be defeated with knives, and a post-apocalyptic America is a place where guns are rare.
Additionally, the political commentary was incredibly forced rather than being integrated into subtext like a lot of actually good novels. Mundane scenes were described in too much detail, while scenes and objects that seem like they should be important are glossed over and/or never mentioned again. It was very tell-not-show which made it incredibly boring. Super dumb and completely unthreatening villains.
Your marketing push for “art” and “intellectualism” is all bark and no bite with how terrible this novel is. Sure, it’s a debut by a 16-18 year old, but at the end of the day, it’s poorly-written conservative slop.
That’s it.
January 12, 2024
Talon was a fun book! Not one to really read dystopian or sci-fi for that matter, it was a refreshing break from my normal reads.
The host of characters were compelling and well developed, the plot was a mixture of heists and epic quests which I love, and the redemption arcs were authentically done.
I really enjoyed this story, and I’m excited to see what Jelso comes up with next.
Content:
Pet death 😭
Battle sequences & some blood
Subtle wholesome budding romance
Some favorite quotes:
“Thank you, Castor,” she said.
“For what?” he asked.
“For helping me trust again. For everything you’ve done for me.”
“It’s never the end…as long as you have hope…and as long as you maintain your love for others…”
*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy of this book! A review was not required, and all opinions expressed are my own.*
The host of characters were compelling and well developed, the plot was a mixture of heists and epic quests which I love, and the redemption arcs were authentically done.
I really enjoyed this story, and I’m excited to see what Jelso comes up with next.
Content:
Pet death 😭
Battle sequences & some blood
Subtle wholesome budding romance
Some favorite quotes:
“Thank you, Castor,” she said.
“For what?” he asked.
“For helping me trust again. For everything you’ve done for me.”
“It’s never the end…as long as you have hope…and as long as you maintain your love for others…”
*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy of this book! A review was not required, and all opinions expressed are my own.*
May 31, 2023
4.5/5
I greatly enjoyed reading Talon. Jelso had an amazing adventure-esk plot line that followed main character, Talon as he learned to navigate an almost post-apocalyptic world ruled by tyranny set by rules inside a little blue book.
I won’t spoil too much of the plot, but I will say that I loved the characters so much! At first, I had a hard time connecting with the main character since his thought processes were not always choices I quite understood, but became valid as the story continued.
Sometimes, this made the pacing feel a bit sluggish at times. But the incredible world building and Jelso’s gift in subtle prose and description drew me back into the book time and time again, and left me wanting to know more and more about the world Jelso created for Talon.
I loved the dynamics among the characters and I will say that Zedah is my favorite.
I greatly enjoyed reading Talon. Jelso had an amazing adventure-esk plot line that followed main character, Talon as he learned to navigate an almost post-apocalyptic world ruled by tyranny set by rules inside a little blue book.
I won’t spoil too much of the plot, but I will say that I loved the characters so much! At first, I had a hard time connecting with the main character since his thought processes were not always choices I quite understood, but became valid as the story continued.
Sometimes, this made the pacing feel a bit sluggish at times. But the incredible world building and Jelso’s gift in subtle prose and description drew me back into the book time and time again, and left me wanting to know more and more about the world Jelso created for Talon.
I loved the dynamics among the characters and I will say that Zedah is my favorite.
December 12, 2023
This book was amazing! The storyline and the characters were great! It was suspenseful, and I couldn’t stop turning the page! I was hooked by the first chapter! I loved the slow romance, and the friendship between the characters. I only wish there were more POV for the other characters. Other than that, it was amazing! I can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy!
Also, this book rekindled my love for reading and I found my new favorite genre!
-Nottingham ;)
Also, this book rekindled my love for reading and I found my new favorite genre!
-Nottingham ;)
January 28, 2024
THIS BOOK!!! I loved it so much and I’m going to think about these characters on a regular basis. The redemption arc in this story for one of the characters revealed such beautiful Christian themes and it impacted me greatly. Also, I’m a sucker for the found family trope and this book represents it so well. I will be recommending this book on my Bookstagram and via word-of-mouth!
May 20, 2023
A thrilling dystopian sci-fi adventure!
While this story was outside of my usual reading habits, it was also splendid!
The world building was fascinating without being too complex. (My brain was so happy about that, haha!) The balance between suspense & character growth was well executed, and the top notch banter set me snickering. It was a nice breath of levity that kept the story from being too heavy.
Found family / the ragtag group of unlikely friends trope is always a favourite of mine, and I quickly fell in love with Talon, Castor, and Amber. Plus, the super light & sweet thread of romance added a lovely dimension to the story.
I love multiple POVs and would have loved to have seen part of the story through Amber & Castor’s eyes. But that’s a minor thing. :)
And the themes… that ending… ahhh, so beautiful! Yes, this book is a suspenseful adventure, but it’s so much more than that—it’s a heartfelt story about how we aren’t meant to walk through life alone!
Can’t wait for the rest of the series!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
While this story was outside of my usual reading habits, it was also splendid!
The world building was fascinating without being too complex. (My brain was so happy about that, haha!) The balance between suspense & character growth was well executed, and the top notch banter set me snickering. It was a nice breath of levity that kept the story from being too heavy.
Found family / the ragtag group of unlikely friends trope is always a favourite of mine, and I quickly fell in love with Talon, Castor, and Amber. Plus, the super light & sweet thread of romance added a lovely dimension to the story.
I love multiple POVs and would have loved to have seen part of the story through Amber & Castor’s eyes. But that’s a minor thing. :)
And the themes… that ending… ahhh, so beautiful! Yes, this book is a suspenseful adventure, but it’s so much more than that—it’s a heartfelt story about how we aren’t meant to walk through life alone!
Can’t wait for the rest of the series!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
April 12, 2023
Talon is a fresh approach to its intended genre; it has a clearly dystopian feel even without incorporating many of the (annoying) cliches that tend to pop up in dystopian lit.
The characters are distinct from each other and for the most part interesting, although for some reason I had trouble connecting to them. Might just be a me problem lol. I liked their arcs, and watching Talon grow closer to his new friends. I did feel like his internal struggle was a little overemphasized at times, though. Still, he was easy to sympathize with, which is always good in an MC.
I really like the overall plot. Like I said before, it’s clearly dystopian, but also unique. The plot twists are pretty well foreshadowed, although the big one near the end (don’t wanna specify cuz ✨spoilers✨) actually felt too obvious to me. Again, that’s just my personal opinion.
I’m fairly certain it is completely clean (there is some violence but I don’t count that) but it has been days (weeks?) since I read it so I can’t confirm 100%. More like 99.9%.
All in all, solid plot, good characters, enjoyable book!
The characters are distinct from each other and for the most part interesting, although for some reason I had trouble connecting to them. Might just be a me problem lol. I liked their arcs, and watching Talon grow closer to his new friends. I did feel like his internal struggle was a little overemphasized at times, though. Still, he was easy to sympathize with, which is always good in an MC.
I really like the overall plot. Like I said before, it’s clearly dystopian, but also unique. The plot twists are pretty well foreshadowed, although the big one near the end (don’t wanna specify cuz ✨spoilers✨) actually felt too obvious to me. Again, that’s just my personal opinion.
I’m fairly certain it is completely clean (there is some violence but I don’t count that) but it has been days (weeks?) since I read it so I can’t confirm 100%. More like 99.9%.
All in all, solid plot, good characters, enjoyable book!
April 14, 2024
2.5
Liked characters and storyline, and enjoyed the allegorical elements.
Disliked how we were told the morals of the story throughout the book, instead of some of it being left to subtext. Writing was also very tell-not-show for a lot of it, especially with the MC’s emotions.
Liked characters and storyline, and enjoyed the allegorical elements.
Disliked how we were told the morals of the story throughout the book, instead of some of it being left to subtext. Writing was also very tell-not-show for a lot of it, especially with the MC’s emotions.
December 4, 2024
Next time you discover a random Christian indie author, my advice is GO FOR IT! Their book might be really good!!! I actually really enjoyed this story. I think the writing could be a bit better but seeing as it was written at 16 published at 18 I have huge hopes for when the second book comes out, and I’m sure his writing will have only improved. Loved the characters, the setting, the storyline. It reminded me of Star Wars mixed with Indiana jones. Y’all, this is probably one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time.
February 14, 2025
Reading this book felt like biting into a Nature Valley granola bar: incredibly dry with a plot that crumbles under the slightest amount of pressure. Talon is not a good book. There’s really no better way to say it.
As readers make their way through Talon, they will be left with many questions. Questions like: How did the world get like this? Why is this happening? Why should I care about any of these characters? Why do the characters put so much trust in people they’ve known for approximately two entire seconds? Why is Greek used on the cover of the Bluebooks only to never appear again? Why would the author describe Kansas as breathtaking? These questions will never be answered.
The main plot is convoluted and confusing. It’s very difficult to grasp why any of the characters act the way they do or what their motives are. Instead of weaving these motives into the narrative in a compelling way, the author resorts to clumsily bashing the reader over the head with what he believes the character’s motivations are. The problem is I don’t believe the author. The author can tell me why a character acts the way they do all they want, but if I can’t see that as a solid through-theme, the stated motivation is meaningless. Don’t tell me. Show me. But we aren’t shown. So, every story beat feels shallow and lifeless.
An example to illustrate this problem is the emotional distance Talon keeps between himself and his companions, Amber and Castor. Through Talon’s internal monologue, we are told repeatedly that he can’t allow himself to care for anyone. Why? Well, he can’t allow himself to dwell on that, of course, so we have no idea! Eventually, we’re told that love is “exactly what had caused his once happy life to end.” This doesn’t make sense. This would imply that love is directly responsible for the deaths of his parents. But that obviously isn’t true. They’re dead because they were acting against the government. There’s no good reason for him to connect loving his parents to their deaths.
Talon also repeatedly emphasizes that there’s no way that Amber and Castor can relate to him or possibly understand what he’s going through. This comes up a lot, but the problem is that it’s painfully obvious to the audience that they can and do relate to him. On top of that, it’s plainly stated that Talon knows this but can’t allow himself to believe it. Why can’t he allow himself to believe Amber and Castor can relate to him? We don’t know, because a reasonable explanation is never presented.
I’m sure the intention here is to portray how emotionally broken Talon is. Unfortunately, it’s done so poorly that when he finally admits the truth to himself it doesn’t feel like genuinely earned character development and is more irritating than anything else. It only reinforced my deep dislike for Talon as a character and protagonist.
All of the above aside, the greatest sin committed by this book isn’t the convoluted plot and lack of realistic character development. It’s the writing itself. Part of the joy of reading comes from the beauty of wordplay and the rhythm of the prose. There is none of that here. There is no originality. No tasty similes or delectable analogies to bring the characters and story to life. Instead, the prose is stilted and awkward. It feels like it was cobbled together from a menagerie of tired old cliches.
You know the ones. “Stiff as a board,” “broke like a pane of glass,” words that “cut like a knife,” emotions described as “waves,” etc. On the rare occasion the prose breaks away from these old cliches, the word choices are baffling, to say the least. The reader is treated to descriptions like:
• The hallway reeked with intimidation
• The building oozed a lost elegance
• His eyes rimmed with gloss
• His lungs catching in his chest as if they would never work again
• Trying to quench the whirlwind of his mind
• The following hours showed a hard laboriousness
None of these sentences make any sense. None of these words belong together. How many whirlwinds have you “quenched” in your time? I cannot fully describe what a jarring experience stumbling over each of these lines was. They immediately pulled me out of the narrative, and had I not felt so irritated about the amount of time I had already sunk into this book, I probably would have DNFed at any one of those lines.
You can couple the clunky prose with numerous grammatical mistakes and an abuse of ellipses points so extreme that it had me crying for an em dash or a semicolon. Anything else.
Suffice to say I will not be continuing the series.
As readers make their way through Talon, they will be left with many questions. Questions like: How did the world get like this? Why is this happening? Why should I care about any of these characters? Why do the characters put so much trust in people they’ve known for approximately two entire seconds? Why is Greek used on the cover of the Bluebooks only to never appear again? Why would the author describe Kansas as breathtaking? These questions will never be answered.
The main plot is convoluted and confusing. It’s very difficult to grasp why any of the characters act the way they do or what their motives are. Instead of weaving these motives into the narrative in a compelling way, the author resorts to clumsily bashing the reader over the head with what he believes the character’s motivations are. The problem is I don’t believe the author. The author can tell me why a character acts the way they do all they want, but if I can’t see that as a solid through-theme, the stated motivation is meaningless. Don’t tell me. Show me. But we aren’t shown. So, every story beat feels shallow and lifeless.
An example to illustrate this problem is the emotional distance Talon keeps between himself and his companions, Amber and Castor. Through Talon’s internal monologue, we are told repeatedly that he can’t allow himself to care for anyone. Why? Well, he can’t allow himself to dwell on that, of course, so we have no idea! Eventually, we’re told that love is “exactly what had caused his once happy life to end.” This doesn’t make sense. This would imply that love is directly responsible for the deaths of his parents. But that obviously isn’t true. They’re dead because they were acting against the government. There’s no good reason for him to connect loving his parents to their deaths.
Talon also repeatedly emphasizes that there’s no way that Amber and Castor can relate to him or possibly understand what he’s going through. This comes up a lot, but the problem is that it’s painfully obvious to the audience that they can and do relate to him. On top of that, it’s plainly stated that Talon knows this but can’t allow himself to believe it. Why can’t he allow himself to believe Amber and Castor can relate to him? We don’t know, because a reasonable explanation is never presented.
I’m sure the intention here is to portray how emotionally broken Talon is. Unfortunately, it’s done so poorly that when he finally admits the truth to himself it doesn’t feel like genuinely earned character development and is more irritating than anything else. It only reinforced my deep dislike for Talon as a character and protagonist.
All of the above aside, the greatest sin committed by this book isn’t the convoluted plot and lack of realistic character development. It’s the writing itself. Part of the joy of reading comes from the beauty of wordplay and the rhythm of the prose. There is none of that here. There is no originality. No tasty similes or delectable analogies to bring the characters and story to life. Instead, the prose is stilted and awkward. It feels like it was cobbled together from a menagerie of tired old cliches.
You know the ones. “Stiff as a board,” “broke like a pane of glass,” words that “cut like a knife,” emotions described as “waves,” etc. On the rare occasion the prose breaks away from these old cliches, the word choices are baffling, to say the least. The reader is treated to descriptions like:
• The hallway reeked with intimidation
• The building oozed a lost elegance
• His eyes rimmed with gloss
• His lungs catching in his chest as if they would never work again
• Trying to quench the whirlwind of his mind
• The following hours showed a hard laboriousness
None of these sentences make any sense. None of these words belong together. How many whirlwinds have you “quenched” in your time? I cannot fully describe what a jarring experience stumbling over each of these lines was. They immediately pulled me out of the narrative, and had I not felt so irritated about the amount of time I had already sunk into this book, I probably would have DNFed at any one of those lines.
You can couple the clunky prose with numerous grammatical mistakes and an abuse of ellipses points so extreme that it had me crying for an em dash or a semicolon. Anything else.
Suffice to say I will not be continuing the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2023
Just finished reading Talon. It took me a tad bit longer than usual because if school and sleep and all, but it was wonderful. I found I was much more critical reading it than I was normally, as this is a small author. But I soon realized if this had been written by one of my favorite authors I would've adored the book.
I'm not going to pretend I'm good at reviewing books- I'm not. But I do have to say that I genuinely enjoyed reading this if that counts for anything. I love the mini is-it-or-is-it-not-a-love-triangle thing. I loved the strong themes of redemption and forgiveness, and my heart warmed when I read the acknowledgements. Overall, wonderful book. I don't have very many complaints.
From one teen who wants to publish a book, to a teen that DID publish a book, good job. I'm excited for more books to come!!
I'm not going to pretend I'm good at reviewing books- I'm not. But I do have to say that I genuinely enjoyed reading this if that counts for anything. I love the mini is-it-or-is-it-not-a-love-triangle thing. I loved the strong themes of redemption and forgiveness, and my heart warmed when I read the acknowledgements. Overall, wonderful book. I don't have very many complaints.
From one teen who wants to publish a book, to a teen that DID publish a book, good job. I'm excited for more books to come!!
January 20, 2025
I read this book over the weekend and from the beginning of the book I had several issues with it.
The author, especially in the beginning of the book, had a tendency do describe even the most basic things with unnecessary detail. While this made for well described settings, it also lead to a lot of fluff in the writing.
The story itself also followed some very basic and predictable tropes. The ending of the book was basically ruined in the first third of the book for how predictable it was.
The antagonists in this book were as flimsy as sheets of paper. One would assume that futuristic fighting androids would put up enough force that a 14 year old with a knife wouldn't be able to finish it off with ease, but that simply wasn't the case.
Behind all of the plot holes, unnecessary detail, and poor antagonists, I did appreciate the dystopian setting that the author created so I will give it an extra star, but I do not have any interest in continuing this trilogy.
The author, especially in the beginning of the book, had a tendency do describe even the most basic things with unnecessary detail. While this made for well described settings, it also lead to a lot of fluff in the writing.
The story itself also followed some very basic and predictable tropes. The ending of the book was basically ruined in the first third of the book for how predictable it was.
The antagonists in this book were as flimsy as sheets of paper. One would assume that futuristic fighting androids would put up enough force that a 14 year old with a knife wouldn't be able to finish it off with ease, but that simply wasn't the case.
Behind all of the plot holes, unnecessary detail, and poor antagonists, I did appreciate the dystopian setting that the author created so I will give it an extra star, but I do not have any interest in continuing this trilogy.
December 31, 2023
4.5/5
I never got onto the YA dystopian fiction train when I was younger, so I figured now was the time to start in support of a young author who has great values.
The story is energetic, engaging, and full of rich descriptive imagery. Jayden Jelso has in him the substance to write great fiction, and this debut book, which he started at age 16, shows a glimpse of that. Talon is age appropriate for teens, and advanced reading level tweens. The author specifically chose to not use any bad language, sexual themes, or cliche invincible/independent female lead stereotypes. He also chose to have a strong moral undertone rather than glorifying morally ambiguous or immoral characters and degeneracy. The author is particularly skilled with conveying emotions in writing, and inspiring suspense. I was genuinely spooked at some points, but in an exciting way. I look forward to seeing how Jayden steps out of his creative comfort zone more as his career as an author progresses. This book had a classic action, adventure, hero's journey storyline, which is entirely appropriate given that it is intended for young readers. I think he could push the ticket slightly more with the young audience and incorporate more twists, turns, and more polished plot elements. Overall, a solidly entertaining book that I would allow my children to read.
I never got onto the YA dystopian fiction train when I was younger, so I figured now was the time to start in support of a young author who has great values.
The story is energetic, engaging, and full of rich descriptive imagery. Jayden Jelso has in him the substance to write great fiction, and this debut book, which he started at age 16, shows a glimpse of that. Talon is age appropriate for teens, and advanced reading level tweens. The author specifically chose to not use any bad language, sexual themes, or cliche invincible/independent female lead stereotypes. He also chose to have a strong moral undertone rather than glorifying morally ambiguous or immoral characters and degeneracy. The author is particularly skilled with conveying emotions in writing, and inspiring suspense. I was genuinely spooked at some points, but in an exciting way. I look forward to seeing how Jayden steps out of his creative comfort zone more as his career as an author progresses. This book had a classic action, adventure, hero's journey storyline, which is entirely appropriate given that it is intended for young readers. I think he could push the ticket slightly more with the young audience and incorporate more twists, turns, and more polished plot elements. Overall, a solidly entertaining book that I would allow my children to read.
October 9, 2023
Talon was such an enjoyable and intriguing read. I really enjoyed the writing style because the descriptions really painted a picture of the world and the characters. I loved how quickly I got attached to the characters.I enjoyed the quests the characters went on and the friendship they shared. Talon was my favorite character from the beginning of the book and I loved seeing the glimpses into his past and how that affected his present. I really love Castor, Talon and Amber’s friendship🥹 and how they helped each other cope with their trauma. I also have to say I love the creativity that went into creating this world and the characters and concepts!! I’m excited to see what is going to happen in the next book.😆
I highly recommend this book !!
I highly recommend this book !!
January 6, 2023
Intriguing, mysterious, and suspenseful, this exciting dystopian debut is quite the page-burner. It's refreshingly different and feels rather Orwellian in its keen insight into the dangers of our age. As a lover of the Hunger Games and the Divergent series, I highly recommend this book to my fellow fantasy/dystopian fans (and anyone who simply enjoys a good read)!
December 6, 2023
Okay, I actually really enjoyed this! I loved the themes of family, forgiveness, etc! The story was pretty good, easy to read and fast paced. The characters were all interesting and had backstories, and the whole idea was really cool. Now of course, there were moments that weren’t GREAT, but considering this author is only 18 is insane!
January 11, 2023
this is the revitalization ya dystopia needs! talon has the hallmarks of the genre without the overdone feeling seen in most recent dystopia. the novel is rooted in genuine feeling and criticism which lends an air of sincerity to the whole book. jelso has created complex, likable characters in a grim world reminiscent of our own. a must read for fans of dystopia!
April 16, 2024
3.75 rounded up*
This is an amazing debut novel and very fun to read!
The world is set almost 500 years into the future. We have airships just easily accessible and hovercrafts to rent. The world building was very well written which made the world really come to life inside my mind.
Let's talk about the plot. The story follows Talon, who is an orphan living in the streets with his dog Alger. Things go awry when the government starts hunting him and he doesn't know why. It's fast paced and filled with action. I really liked the quest aspect that the characters went on. I loved the fact that we got the villains perspective and with that, their back story as well.
The 3 main characters kinda blended together. Castor was the only one who really had a different personality to me. Their backstories were all different though, so that gave them some differences. The biggest thing I truly enjoyed about the 3 main characters was the fact that they acted their age. They're 15 years old and they act like it. They don't make the most rational decisions sometimes. They act like kids. Which they are! Sometimes, in dystopian especially, the main characters are children but act like they're 25 years old. (Maze Runner and Hunger Games come to mind.) It was very refreshing to read a book where the characters act their age.
The writing was surprisingly good. You see a debut indie authors book (especially a young one) and maybe set your expectations low. I can say (sorry Jayden) that I did. I was so shocked and blown away with how he managed to keep the writing simple, but sucked you in with beautiful descriptions of the scenery and what was going on. The one gripe I had with the writing was that some dialogue was a little bland. Sometimes it was very good and then other times I'd ask myself "would someone talk like that?". That's not to say the dialogue was all bad. Most of it was really good and witty. It was just those few times I got a little sucked out of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to any dystopian fans that want a compelling story that's fast paced, easy to read and action packed!
This is an amazing debut novel and very fun to read!
The world is set almost 500 years into the future. We have airships just easily accessible and hovercrafts to rent. The world building was very well written which made the world really come to life inside my mind.
Let's talk about the plot. The story follows Talon, who is an orphan living in the streets with his dog Alger. Things go awry when the government starts hunting him and he doesn't know why. It's fast paced and filled with action. I really liked the quest aspect that the characters went on. I loved the fact that we got the villains perspective and with that, their back story as well.
The 3 main characters kinda blended together. Castor was the only one who really had a different personality to me. Their backstories were all different though, so that gave them some differences. The biggest thing I truly enjoyed about the 3 main characters was the fact that they acted their age. They're 15 years old and they act like it. They don't make the most rational decisions sometimes. They act like kids. Which they are! Sometimes, in dystopian especially, the main characters are children but act like they're 25 years old. (Maze Runner and Hunger Games come to mind.) It was very refreshing to read a book where the characters act their age.
The writing was surprisingly good. You see a debut indie authors book (especially a young one) and maybe set your expectations low. I can say (sorry Jayden) that I did. I was so shocked and blown away with how he managed to keep the writing simple, but sucked you in with beautiful descriptions of the scenery and what was going on. The one gripe I had with the writing was that some dialogue was a little bland. Sometimes it was very good and then other times I'd ask myself "would someone talk like that?". That's not to say the dialogue was all bad. Most of it was really good and witty. It was just those few times I got a little sucked out of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to any dystopian fans that want a compelling story that's fast paced, easy to read and action packed!
December 16, 2023
Officially 4.5 stars but since you can’t do halves, I just marked it as 5. Also, I don’t normally do actual reviews of books, but since the author is just getting started and from the same state as me, I feel the need to support him and give an actual review🫡
Although I am not the target audience for this book, I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was fast-paced and full of intrigue, and I loved the characters. It’s always refreshing to read a dystopian book that features a new plot instead of the same recycled plot with slightly different characters, and I applaud the writer for being more original. I also loved the whole key idea even though I knew it was in the sword, and I loved watching how all three main characters slowly became more
close-knit (because I am a sucker for found family and friends who love wholeheartedly).
Overall, I think Talon is the perfect story for 12-15 year olds because the story offers such a healthy influence. It’s starting to become difficult to find clean books that are healthy for younger kids to read, but I am so glad that Talon is an option and I will happily recommend it!
Disclaimer: The only issue I really had was Alger being killed SO EARLY ON. I was really hoping he would survive :(
Although I am not the target audience for this book, I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was fast-paced and full of intrigue, and I loved the characters. It’s always refreshing to read a dystopian book that features a new plot instead of the same recycled plot with slightly different characters, and I applaud the writer for being more original. I also loved the whole key idea even though I knew it was in the sword, and I loved watching how all three main characters slowly became more
close-knit (because I am a sucker for found family and friends who love wholeheartedly).
Overall, I think Talon is the perfect story for 12-15 year olds because the story offers such a healthy influence. It’s starting to become difficult to find clean books that are healthy for younger kids to read, but I am so glad that Talon is an option and I will happily recommend it!
Disclaimer: The only issue I really had was Alger being killed SO EARLY ON. I was really hoping he would survive :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2023
Talon was a fun and exciting romp that hits all the notes of a YA dystopia. The world is deep with so much left to explore, painting a vivid picture of what happens to society when fear and complacency rule supreme. There were points where the exposition was a bit heavy and some of the plot twists were a tad predictable, but the character arcs were where the story really sticks the landing. The chemistry between Talon and his friends brings out each of their struggles in a unique and sympathetic way. Having a relatable villain was a great boon as well. I liked seeing the duality in her motives and would've enjoyed exploring them even further. All in all, it was promising for a debut novel and I look forward to seeing where Jelso goes from here.
December 27, 2023
This book was amazing! My friend found it on TikTok and got it for me as a Christmas present. Usually I ready YA fantasy or YA dystopian novels, so I was excited to read a dystopian novel from an up and coming author.
This novel has everything you would desire when reading dystopian. Corrupted government, unlikely friendships, crazy adventures, action scenes, and more! Some of those action scenes truly had me on the edge of my seat!!
Overall, I felt like this book read out like a movie (in a good way). I could easily imagine the journey as I read along.
Of course there are room for improvements, but overall this book was great! I would recommend it to primarily teens or even young adults looking for a clean/ wholesome dystopian novel.
This novel has everything you would desire when reading dystopian. Corrupted government, unlikely friendships, crazy adventures, action scenes, and more! Some of those action scenes truly had me on the edge of my seat!!
Overall, I felt like this book read out like a movie (in a good way). I could easily imagine the journey as I read along.
Of course there are room for improvements, but overall this book was great! I would recommend it to primarily teens or even young adults looking for a clean/ wholesome dystopian novel.
January 19, 2024
I was thrilled to purchase this book! I had been following Jayden on Instagram for a couple months and all of his content about Talon made me more and more interested in reading his first novel. As well as Jayden's values that are very evident in the Biblical themes of Talon.
I don't typically read dystopian or young/new authors but I was so intrigued by the themes of the book. I was not disappointed! I really liked the arc of the plot and think Jayden has a great foundation in this world for future stories. I plan on letting my son read this when he's a teenager.
I don't typically read dystopian or young/new authors but I was so intrigued by the themes of the book. I was not disappointed! I really liked the arc of the plot and think Jayden has a great foundation in this world for future stories. I plan on letting my son read this when he's a teenager.
June 5, 2023
This book is beautifully written, emotionally impactful, and so entertaining! It’s one of those books that you infinitely wish you could read for the first time again. The main character is well fleshed out and it’s easy to get a sense for what he’s thinking. Some of the side characters don’t get too much time in the spotlight but with two more books to be had, I’m sure we’ll get more of them. Overall i don’t have any complaints, I’m just excited for the rest of the series!
October 20, 2024
Wow, that was a fun one! I’ve been hearing quite a bit about this book lately so I thought it was time to give it a go. What a refreshing take on the dystopian genre.
I have some more thoughts on this one that I’ll add here later, but just wanted to say really quick I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next installment.
I have some more thoughts on this one that I’ll add here later, but just wanted to say really quick I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next installment.
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