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The Ankuan Trilogy #1
City of the Seventh Moon
When he is hired as the champion of the noble Urwilar family, Verhan knows that his main job is to fight the other families' champions to settle political disputes. What he doesn't count on is the beautiful Mistress Morani, his sponsor's daughter, as she puts him up against the most formidable opponents to prove his worth. As he struggles to win her favour, he lands in the middle of a secret war between the nobility and the criminal underground of a very dangerous city. Caught between these two opposing conspiracies, he finds that winning duels as a champion is the least of his problems.
City of the Seventh Moon is an epic fantasy story blending mystery and court intrigue elements. It is over 330 pages long.
City of the Seventh Moon is an epic fantasy story blending mystery and court intrigue elements. It is over 330 pages long.
- GenresFantasy
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2023
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Antano Sparreboom
4 books17 followersMy name is Antano Sparreboom and I’m the author of the Ankuan Trilogy, a high-fantasy series set in a Persian-inspired world. I write fantasy books set in exotic locations, and specialise in writing fast-paced action sequences and complex political intrigue.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 25, 2023
The City of the Seventh Moon is an epic fantasy by Antano Sparreboom depicting power and politics in the real world.
Verhan is one of the young soldiers who fought and survived in the Lydaran War. No wonder he is being hired to fight for the Urwilar family. The ship then goes to the city of Nektos to meet with Lord Gunwar Urwilar. Colonel Rane, Master Tentar and Mistress Morani are with him on his mission. But along the way, they are beginning to doubt that there are hidden agendas. Who are allies and who are not? Will they be able to claim victory, and know what victory is in the first place?
This epic fantasy shows the good and bad in power and politics. It teaches us loyalty, honor, and standing up to one's principle. This is not actually my cup of tea but I enjoyed my reading on such unique names and be mindful of the story's themes. I therefore give this a five-star rate for the positive aspects mentioned above. Another is for the book cover that is appealing to the mystic lovers alike.
I recommend this book to readers of all ages as it is free from profanity that can affect the young minds negatively.
Verhan is one of the young soldiers who fought and survived in the Lydaran War. No wonder he is being hired to fight for the Urwilar family. The ship then goes to the city of Nektos to meet with Lord Gunwar Urwilar. Colonel Rane, Master Tentar and Mistress Morani are with him on his mission. But along the way, they are beginning to doubt that there are hidden agendas. Who are allies and who are not? Will they be able to claim victory, and know what victory is in the first place?
This epic fantasy shows the good and bad in power and politics. It teaches us loyalty, honor, and standing up to one's principle. This is not actually my cup of tea but I enjoyed my reading on such unique names and be mindful of the story's themes. I therefore give this a five-star rate for the positive aspects mentioned above. Another is for the book cover that is appealing to the mystic lovers alike.
I recommend this book to readers of all ages as it is free from profanity that can affect the young minds negatively.
March 17, 2024
Full disclosure: I read this as part of a review exchange with the author. That in no way affects the quality of my review.
There were some odd formatting issues throughout the book. By about halfway through, I had a decent handle on what was an accident and what was deliberate. The author mentioned that the book uses British formatting. I don't see it often, but I've seen it enough to recognize it, but I appreciated the heads up. The manuscript could have used another round of proofreading, but it didn't affect the overall tone and quality of the story. I also can't turn my proofreader brain off and just enjoy a book.
With that out of the way...
If you're a fan of political intrigue and fight scenes, this is definitely a book you should pick up as it's loaded with both. Unfortunately for me, I'm not the biggest fan of fight scenes. I get bored and tend to skip them, even in movies.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but that's not unusual for me. I was glad that there wasn't a romance between Verhan and Morani. I think it would have ruined the tone. I appreciated the growth the characters experienced. Their motives were clear.
I enjoy political intrigue even if I, in general, hate politics. I can almost never see the twists in these kinds of stories, so I can't guess at the ending. Morani's betrayal caught me off guard.
I know this is part of a series, but it feels very much like a standalone. The narrative is complete while still leaving enough open for additional books.
There were some odd formatting issues throughout the book. By about halfway through, I had a decent handle on what was an accident and what was deliberate. The author mentioned that the book uses British formatting. I don't see it often, but I've seen it enough to recognize it, but I appreciated the heads up. The manuscript could have used another round of proofreading, but it didn't affect the overall tone and quality of the story. I also can't turn my proofreader brain off and just enjoy a book.
With that out of the way...
If you're a fan of political intrigue and fight scenes, this is definitely a book you should pick up as it's loaded with both. Unfortunately for me, I'm not the biggest fan of fight scenes. I get bored and tend to skip them, even in movies.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but that's not unusual for me. I was glad that there wasn't a romance between Verhan and Morani. I think it would have ruined the tone. I appreciated the growth the characters experienced. Their motives were clear.
I enjoy political intrigue even if I, in general, hate politics. I can almost never see the twists in these kinds of stories, so I can't guess at the ending. Morani's betrayal caught me off guard.
I know this is part of a series, but it feels very much like a standalone. The narrative is complete while still leaving enough open for additional books.
November 3, 2023
If you love fаst-pаced fаntаsy novels, then "City of the Seventh Moon" is the right book for you. It is overflowing with аction, creаtivity, аnd mystery. Once you reаd this book, it will keep you enthrаlled аnd wаnting more. I cаnnot wаit for the second book to be releаsed. Until then, I'm committed to re-reаding аnd re-exаmining this book to uncover аny further detаils thаt I might hаve overlooked the first time I reаd it.
In this novel, Verhаn is our protаgonist. He is а noble wаrrior of some sort. In fаct, he is the chosen chаmpion of the illustrious Urwilаr fаmily. Verhаn is аwаre thаt his primаry responsibility is to engаge in combаt with other prominent chаmpions. This is necessаry in order to resolve politicаl conflicts. He does not аnticipаte the cunning plаns of the stunning Mistress Morаni though. Аs а result, his pride is brutаlly used аgаinst him. Аdding to the drаmа is the unknown plot thаt lurks in the bаckground. А powerful council conspires to kill the emperor's closest аdvisor аnd seize control of the imperiаl court. Meаnwhile, Verhаn struggles to survive the perils occurring in the city.
Generаlly speаking, I think this book demonstrаtes tаlented world-building аnd chаrаcter development. It is well-written аnd well-presented; courtesy of the skillful writing by the аuthor, Аntаno Spаrreboom. In some wаys, the frаmework in this book is similаr to the quаsi-medievаl settings found in clаssicаl fаntаsy novels. The cultures in this book аre originаl аnd imаginаtive. They аre somewhаt reminiscent of vаrious modern dаy cultures, but they аre still unique in their own wаys. There аre so mаny аspects of this world thаt hаs been highlighted, like the moons, the distinct seаsons, the different trаditions, аnd the weаponry. Аll of these detаils (аnd so much more) аre presented in а mаnner thаt mаkes it feel nаturаl within the book's setting. For аction fаns out there, don't worry, you hаve not been forgotten. This book cаters to your every needs аs well. It hаs invigorаting fight scenes thаt will keep you аt the edge of your seаt. You will genuinely be impressed. Аll things considered, if you're а fаn of аction-pаcked fаntаsy novels, then grаb а copy of this book when you cаn.
In this novel, Verhаn is our protаgonist. He is а noble wаrrior of some sort. In fаct, he is the chosen chаmpion of the illustrious Urwilаr fаmily. Verhаn is аwаre thаt his primаry responsibility is to engаge in combаt with other prominent chаmpions. This is necessаry in order to resolve politicаl conflicts. He does not аnticipаte the cunning plаns of the stunning Mistress Morаni though. Аs а result, his pride is brutаlly used аgаinst him. Аdding to the drаmа is the unknown plot thаt lurks in the bаckground. А powerful council conspires to kill the emperor's closest аdvisor аnd seize control of the imperiаl court. Meаnwhile, Verhаn struggles to survive the perils occurring in the city.
Generаlly speаking, I think this book demonstrаtes tаlented world-building аnd chаrаcter development. It is well-written аnd well-presented; courtesy of the skillful writing by the аuthor, Аntаno Spаrreboom. In some wаys, the frаmework in this book is similаr to the quаsi-medievаl settings found in clаssicаl fаntаsy novels. The cultures in this book аre originаl аnd imаginаtive. They аre somewhаt reminiscent of vаrious modern dаy cultures, but they аre still unique in their own wаys. There аre so mаny аspects of this world thаt hаs been highlighted, like the moons, the distinct seаsons, the different trаditions, аnd the weаponry. Аll of these detаils (аnd so much more) аre presented in а mаnner thаt mаkes it feel nаturаl within the book's setting. For аction fаns out there, don't worry, you hаve not been forgotten. This book cаters to your every needs аs well. It hаs invigorаting fight scenes thаt will keep you аt the edge of your seаt. You will genuinely be impressed. Аll things considered, if you're а fаn of аction-pаcked fаntаsy novels, then grаb а copy of this book when you cаn.
October 3, 2023
A very refreshing world in the fantasy genre for me!
Very comfortable to read through, once you start there's almost no stopping!
Loved to see the amount of research/interest in Ancient Persia, as well as the great character development in the main character.
Fighting scenes are very fast-paced, with a good mix of political points woven into the story. Sometimes it can be slightly hard to follow, so I had to reread a few chapters every now and then to fully focus!
Looking forward to seeing the next step in Verhan his life as well as the next books in this trilogy!
Very comfortable to read through, once you start there's almost no stopping!
Loved to see the amount of research/interest in Ancient Persia, as well as the great character development in the main character.
Fighting scenes are very fast-paced, with a good mix of political points woven into the story. Sometimes it can be slightly hard to follow, so I had to reread a few chapters every now and then to fully focus!
Looking forward to seeing the next step in Verhan his life as well as the next books in this trilogy!
September 5, 2023
For full transparency, I read this book and left this view in exchange for the author reading and reviewing my own book. I don't think that has coloured my opinions, but I think it's relevant regardless.
The setting is interesting and unique, a sort of Renaissance-era Persia with strange hairy mounts, trained hyenas, and vicious toothed salamanders at the city outskirts. The political intrigue which the plot largely focuses on is engaging, with a less-than-straightforward resolution. Going forward, I think the author would do well to show more of this world, and in more detail.
However, some of the less favourable aspects, in my opinion, arose mainly in the prose and the characterisation. The book's protagonist is named Verhan, and he's initially presented as this very gruff, serious, hyper-competent warrior with a sort of 'feng shui' type fighting style focused on balance and non-lethal incapacitation. The other main character is a noble heir named Tentar, an unserious, brash man, and by far the best character in the book. I initially gravitated towards Tentar more because I enjoyed seeing a character with more obvious flaws (though Verhan proves to be more human himself as time goes on), and he made some genuinely interesting choices over the course of the book.
Unfortunately, the rest of the characters in this book tended to blend together. I couldn't really tell you any identifying character traits of any of the characters aside from the two I've mentioned, with the exception of Verhan's uncle, a character that could have done with more page time. The politicians and lords, as different as they're obviously meant to be, come across as interchangeable. I believe this may be in part due to the book's low page count, running at only a bit over 300 pages -.
The prose is probably the part that I struggled with the most, and I wonder if this is, in part, due to the author's obvious inspiration from Brandon Sanderson - the 'Seventh Moon' that the title refers to is one of seven multicoloured moons that alternate in this world's sky, exactly like they do in the world of The Stormlight Archives - an author whose prose style has often read to me as sanded down to the point of sterility. Sparreboom's writing isn't so sterile as that, but it doesn't always come together, with a lot of roundabout phrasing and odd word choice that made reading a little 'bumpy,' so to speak.
This book shows potential - it's far from unreadable, with several great ideas - but I would say that, as it stands, those good ideas are not conveyed in a way I personally enjoyed, and I don't think I could recommend it.
The setting is interesting and unique, a sort of Renaissance-era Persia with strange hairy mounts, trained hyenas, and vicious toothed salamanders at the city outskirts. The political intrigue which the plot largely focuses on is engaging, with a less-than-straightforward resolution. Going forward, I think the author would do well to show more of this world, and in more detail.
However, some of the less favourable aspects, in my opinion, arose mainly in the prose and the characterisation. The book's protagonist is named Verhan, and he's initially presented as this very gruff, serious, hyper-competent warrior with a sort of 'feng shui' type fighting style focused on balance and non-lethal incapacitation. The other main character is a noble heir named Tentar, an unserious, brash man, and by far the best character in the book. I initially gravitated towards Tentar more because I enjoyed seeing a character with more obvious flaws (though Verhan proves to be more human himself as time goes on), and he made some genuinely interesting choices over the course of the book.
Unfortunately, the rest of the characters in this book tended to blend together. I couldn't really tell you any identifying character traits of any of the characters aside from the two I've mentioned, with the exception of Verhan's uncle, a character that could have done with more page time. The politicians and lords, as different as they're obviously meant to be, come across as interchangeable. I believe this may be in part due to the book's low page count, running at only a bit over 300 pages -.
The prose is probably the part that I struggled with the most, and I wonder if this is, in part, due to the author's obvious inspiration from Brandon Sanderson - the 'Seventh Moon' that the title refers to is one of seven multicoloured moons that alternate in this world's sky, exactly like they do in the world of The Stormlight Archives - an author whose prose style has often read to me as sanded down to the point of sterility. Sparreboom's writing isn't so sterile as that, but it doesn't always come together, with a lot of roundabout phrasing and odd word choice that made reading a little 'bumpy,' so to speak.
This book shows potential - it's far from unreadable, with several great ideas - but I would say that, as it stands, those good ideas are not conveyed in a way I personally enjoyed, and I don't think I could recommend it.
Read
August 4, 2023This book was more action-oriented than I usually prefer, but I know a lot of people prefer more action than I do. If you'd like something with a bit of the feel of a classic medieval-inspired epic fantasy, but that's not really all that epic, and that's definitely not medieval, instead showing original societies with varied inspirations and cultural customs - as well as unusual weapons; there are hardly any swords in the book at all! - I'd say take a good look into this book. Especially if you'd like it a little bit low on the magic, more than a touch of political intrigue, and occasional cozy vibes, with detailed, but not gory, fight scenes.
Full review here: https://enthralledbylove.com/2023/08/...
Full review here: https://enthralledbylove.com/2023/08/...
August 27, 2024
Rating has been rounded up because it's a debut indie novel. I believe some leniency can be shown to works that simply don't have the same kind of backing as traditionally published novels.
Now... where to start on talking about this?
City of the Seventh Moon is a novel I was asked to review honestly.
It is also a novel that's frustrated me for all the ways in which I could glimpse the undertones of a good story in it, buried under faults of inexperience and a clear lack of editing. Which... understandable. A good editor, while worth their weight in gold, can get pricey and it's expected that most indie authors will simply not afford one.
I wanted to like this novel. I really did. It has one of the more interesting fantasy worlds - on the surface - out there, complete with a promising MC and some good early action to whet the appetite.
Unfortunately, that's about the extent of the promise kept. The world remains a fun read, complete with a nice Middle Eastern sheen that keeps the action fresh. And the MC - Verhan - remains... promising. Maybe his promises are to be fulfilled in a different novel.
If I were to point a finger at the biggest issue I had with this, it's Verhan himself. He is an MC that has no want, no need, and no purpose in the story. Literally any other character introduced would make a better MAIN character than he. Verhan shows up in a certain city for reasons that are never disclosed, challenges their champion, wins, and becomes champion. DONE! Character arc complete... except that it's all in the first chapter and there's plenty more book left over.
Verhan spends most of the novel simply being a camera on legs. The story, such as it is, would have happened with or without him, and his contributions to the end result are nearly null. He fights, wins, sets fire to a garden for... reasons, loses a fight, mops for a while, then goes on a two-man assault against an army of criminals with no planning and no strategy, trusting to pure luck.
He ends the novel being about as interesting as white bread topped with shaved ice as he doesn't undergo any development arc, doesn't learn any lessons, and doesn’t achieve any goals. His big, secret past gets solved by him... protecting a random noble woman from being assassinated. Not only is there no narrative reason for us to care if said woman lives or dies, he doesn’t have a reason to care either. He simply states that saving her is, in some way, redemption for his past… and I was purely confused.
And this aimlessness carries over into the rest of the novel. The main plot involves some noble shenanigans, an evil crime overlord, and some vague threat to the safety of the Empire and the fate of a particular city.
But... we spend no time in said city, we know nothing about life in the Empire, and have zero reasons to care for the nobles and their fates. Most of them appear once or twice and then fuck off to wherever they've spawned, with no contributions to the plot. The little people, the common citizens? They may as well not exist.
I mean that last part very literally. While we spend a lot of time with the noble society, we get nothing about the people keeping them wealthy. The most we see is a tavern girl at one point during the MC's mopping around in the villages after getting his ass whooped in a fight. There is an unfortunate undertone of classism present in the story, never acknowledged in any way, which I'm certain was not intentional.
The most galling thing? The author spends a long, long, long time worldbuilding. Every building is described in painful detail - something a line editor would've bloodied if I were to guess. There's an entire chapter that's an extended history lesson disguised as a play. There's even some mention of a plague - of which the author forgot by the end of the novel - and even a recent war - that was never actually made clear or detailed in any way.
We get a tonne of worldbuilding on the page and yet almost none at all. At the same time. Because we never spend any time outside of the nobles and their childish ploys, we also have no idea of what's happening out of said areas. It's just all blank canvas so anyone can insert their own interpretation.
The two main "villains" of the novel are both, like the MC, mainly cutouts to serve a purpose. One is supposed to be a master politician that manipulates their way into greatness, but acts like a scared child the very first moment something doesn't run to plan, and as a cartoon villain by the end.
The second villain, the main one, is someone brought out of left field after being teased for the entirety of the novel. They finally make the page in a very "I am your father" kind of twist, only for the reaction to be "Who?", followed by a whole bunch of "Why?!"s.
I'll also add to my list of grievances the rather video game-like action where one man seems to take on an inordinate amount of enemies like a leveled up character fighting fodder. It's further exacerbated by the insistence of all enemies being a "type" - Twin Fangs, Executioners, Red Scarab, Yellow Something-or-another, Marines, and so on - that makes them all completely interchangeable and devoid of any real personality.
It all ends on a disappointingly tone deaf note. I don't want to spoil the ending, but... no. Just no.
A good editor would've cleaned this up handsomely. Because there are a lot of ideas in here that would make for excellent reading once polished and refined. There is a story beneath the chaos that would be exceptional if brought to the light.
As is, I really wanted to like the novel more. And that's the best I can say.
Now... where to start on talking about this?
City of the Seventh Moon is a novel I was asked to review honestly.
It is also a novel that's frustrated me for all the ways in which I could glimpse the undertones of a good story in it, buried under faults of inexperience and a clear lack of editing. Which... understandable. A good editor, while worth their weight in gold, can get pricey and it's expected that most indie authors will simply not afford one.
I wanted to like this novel. I really did. It has one of the more interesting fantasy worlds - on the surface - out there, complete with a promising MC and some good early action to whet the appetite.
Unfortunately, that's about the extent of the promise kept. The world remains a fun read, complete with a nice Middle Eastern sheen that keeps the action fresh. And the MC - Verhan - remains... promising. Maybe his promises are to be fulfilled in a different novel.
If I were to point a finger at the biggest issue I had with this, it's Verhan himself. He is an MC that has no want, no need, and no purpose in the story. Literally any other character introduced would make a better MAIN character than he. Verhan shows up in a certain city for reasons that are never disclosed, challenges their champion, wins, and becomes champion. DONE! Character arc complete... except that it's all in the first chapter and there's plenty more book left over.
Verhan spends most of the novel simply being a camera on legs. The story, such as it is, would have happened with or without him, and his contributions to the end result are nearly null. He fights, wins, sets fire to a garden for... reasons, loses a fight, mops for a while, then goes on a two-man assault against an army of criminals with no planning and no strategy, trusting to pure luck.
He ends the novel being about as interesting as white bread topped with shaved ice as he doesn't undergo any development arc, doesn't learn any lessons, and doesn’t achieve any goals. His big, secret past gets solved by him... protecting a random noble woman from being assassinated. Not only is there no narrative reason for us to care if said woman lives or dies, he doesn’t have a reason to care either. He simply states that saving her is, in some way, redemption for his past… and I was purely confused.
And this aimlessness carries over into the rest of the novel. The main plot involves some noble shenanigans, an evil crime overlord, and some vague threat to the safety of the Empire and the fate of a particular city.
But... we spend no time in said city, we know nothing about life in the Empire, and have zero reasons to care for the nobles and their fates. Most of them appear once or twice and then fuck off to wherever they've spawned, with no contributions to the plot. The little people, the common citizens? They may as well not exist.
I mean that last part very literally. While we spend a lot of time with the noble society, we get nothing about the people keeping them wealthy. The most we see is a tavern girl at one point during the MC's mopping around in the villages after getting his ass whooped in a fight. There is an unfortunate undertone of classism present in the story, never acknowledged in any way, which I'm certain was not intentional.
The most galling thing? The author spends a long, long, long time worldbuilding. Every building is described in painful detail - something a line editor would've bloodied if I were to guess. There's an entire chapter that's an extended history lesson disguised as a play. There's even some mention of a plague - of which the author forgot by the end of the novel - and even a recent war - that was never actually made clear or detailed in any way.
We get a tonne of worldbuilding on the page and yet almost none at all. At the same time. Because we never spend any time outside of the nobles and their childish ploys, we also have no idea of what's happening out of said areas. It's just all blank canvas so anyone can insert their own interpretation.
The two main "villains" of the novel are both, like the MC, mainly cutouts to serve a purpose. One is supposed to be a master politician that manipulates their way into greatness, but acts like a scared child the very first moment something doesn't run to plan, and as a cartoon villain by the end.
The second villain, the main one, is someone brought out of left field after being teased for the entirety of the novel. They finally make the page in a very "I am your father" kind of twist, only for the reaction to be "Who?", followed by a whole bunch of "Why?!"s.
I'll also add to my list of grievances the rather video game-like action where one man seems to take on an inordinate amount of enemies like a leveled up character fighting fodder. It's further exacerbated by the insistence of all enemies being a "type" - Twin Fangs, Executioners, Red Scarab, Yellow Something-or-another, Marines, and so on - that makes them all completely interchangeable and devoid of any real personality.
It all ends on a disappointingly tone deaf note. I don't want to spoil the ending, but... no. Just no.
A good editor would've cleaned this up handsomely. Because there are a lot of ideas in here that would make for excellent reading once polished and refined. There is a story beneath the chaos that would be exceptional if brought to the light.
As is, I really wanted to like the novel more. And that's the best I can say.
August 1, 2024
This novel is entertaining and a must-read for lovers of complex and fun fight scenes, as this book is filled with them. It is impressive for a debut, especially the world-building, which is intricate and enjoyable.
February 9, 2024
I'm going to give this two stars instead of one because this is an obvious self-published book; however, just because something is self-published doesn't mean it doesn't require professional line editing--which this book desperately needs.
I've been on a bit of a fantasy kick lately, and decided to try an indie book because lately I was surprised with the quality of some of them. The blurb sounded interesting, because I'm always a sucker for political drama in fantasy, but from the start there were problems that made this very tough to get through.
Note to the author: use double quotes please. Learn when to use single quotes and double quotes. This style choice made the dialogue text jarring. Single quotes should be used when the there's a quote within a quote. For example: "When I was in her class, she said, 'you need to pay better attention.'" There are other times when single quotes are used, but none of them apply to this story. In fact, you reversed it, putting the quote within quotes in double quotes while the main quote was in singles. I'm not sure where the author learned this, but he needs to unlearn it. A line editor using any manual of style would have corrected this right away.
The dialogue started to meld together at one point, and it was hard sometimes to know who was speaking because the voices all sound so similar. Speaking of dialogue, there was very little introspective narration between dialogue, which got on my nerves, and action tags seemed to be limited to "so and so snorted, panted, sweated and so on..." Too much back and forth with dialogue with no breaks in narration can drag the pacing to a screeching halt and it got pretty boring. Also remember action tags do not get punctuated like dialogue tags. "'Wow,' breathed Tentar," does not count as a dialogue tag.
There were a lot of incorrect style choices, lack of unique character voices, and amateurish back-and-forth's in the first few chapters of this novel that made the $4.50 price tag of the ebook an unreasonable price. While the prose wasn't the most awful thing I've read, and the story had been spell-checked, it still wasn't worth me continuing to read.
I've been on a bit of a fantasy kick lately, and decided to try an indie book because lately I was surprised with the quality of some of them. The blurb sounded interesting, because I'm always a sucker for political drama in fantasy, but from the start there were problems that made this very tough to get through.
Note to the author: use double quotes please. Learn when to use single quotes and double quotes. This style choice made the dialogue text jarring. Single quotes should be used when the there's a quote within a quote. For example: "When I was in her class, she said, 'you need to pay better attention.'" There are other times when single quotes are used, but none of them apply to this story. In fact, you reversed it, putting the quote within quotes in double quotes while the main quote was in singles. I'm not sure where the author learned this, but he needs to unlearn it. A line editor using any manual of style would have corrected this right away.
The dialogue started to meld together at one point, and it was hard sometimes to know who was speaking because the voices all sound so similar. Speaking of dialogue, there was very little introspective narration between dialogue, which got on my nerves, and action tags seemed to be limited to "so and so snorted, panted, sweated and so on..." Too much back and forth with dialogue with no breaks in narration can drag the pacing to a screeching halt and it got pretty boring. Also remember action tags do not get punctuated like dialogue tags. "'Wow,' breathed Tentar," does not count as a dialogue tag.
There were a lot of incorrect style choices, lack of unique character voices, and amateurish back-and-forth's in the first few chapters of this novel that made the $4.50 price tag of the ebook an unreasonable price. While the prose wasn't the most awful thing I've read, and the story had been spell-checked, it still wasn't worth me continuing to read.
October 21, 2023
City of the Seventh Moon brings up many different thoughts and feelings following its flawed protagonist. Highlighting that even great warriors are not infallible, nor invincible. Especially when they are unable or unwilling to acknowledge their faults, or pride.
The descriptions of the characters and their attire brings the world around the characters to life setting the scene and battle sequences, especially the battle sequences. Each action and set piece is detailed and great to follow within the mind placing you alongside the main character's inner and outer struggles as though you are living them as well.
This was a great read and I can't wait for the world to be expanded and explored further. I only hope that future books can expound upon the world and elements established here.
The descriptions of the characters and their attire brings the world around the characters to life setting the scene and battle sequences, especially the battle sequences. Each action and set piece is detailed and great to follow within the mind placing you alongside the main character's inner and outer struggles as though you are living them as well.
This was a great read and I can't wait for the world to be expanded and explored further. I only hope that future books can expound upon the world and elements established here.
February 5, 2024
Good stuff.
11/10
11/10
Read
December 17, 2024*Because this book is part of the SPFBOX contest in the same judging group as my book, I will not give a star rating because I think that would be unfair, but I want to give support to the other SPFBOX books I read!*
City of the Seventh Moon by Antano Sparreboom is a quickly paced tale full of action, a bunch of political intrigue, and a smattering of mysteries. In such a short tome (around 300ish pages) there are plenty of things going on. I found the crux of this plot to be interesting and that’s not because of the political intrigue and constant backstabbing that we usually see in these types of stories, but rather in that the main character (and predominate POV) is a duelist/champion, not the stabber of said backs.
Verhan, the duelist, is an enigma for most of the story. He’s a badass fighter (who fights with a quarterstaff no less, I mean who doesn’t love a good quarterstaff whipping major butt?), fairly intelligent to the greater nobility game of betrayals, and an astute, albeit grudging mentor. I found Verhan to be both compelling and perplexing because of how close to the vest he plays his cards, aka his past. But when his past is finally revealed, it all made sense. I thoroughly enjoyed following his arc.
The other two main characters to discuss are siblings Tentar and Morani Urwilar. Tentar is the sterotypical (at least for most of the book) male heir who thinks he is better than he really is, smarter than he really is, and cooler than he really is. In reality, he is brash (he starts a fight countless times), an unwanted problem for his family (his sister basically shuns his help), and is nothing but a strong arm (fights like an uncouth barbarian in the ring). Until he befriends Verhan. Once Tentar comes down from his own lofty beliefs, he is actually a really fun character and his growth was my favorite of the story. Morani is quite the opposite. She is calculating, manipulative, and single-minded in her goal to make the Urwilar family strong. You never truly knew where Morani stood as the plot progressed and I liked that.
This book is chock full of action and fight scenes, and this is where Antano Sparreboom shines. Which is a good thing because a story about a duelist needs to have the fight scenes be top notch. Because there are so many fight scenes, the possibility of them becoming repetitive and rote can be high. Luckily, each duel is different than the last, especially as Verhan is pitted against better and better opponents. I really enjoyed the very martial art style of fighting Verhan uses, it is far more interesting than a regular sword v sword fight. It made the feints and parries far more visceral. Also, I need to shout out the fact that Verhan loses in this story and that is a smart choice because we get a lot of character moments post loss. That type of stuff is far more interesting than someone winning time after time.
The prose of this story is quite strong, not flowery with purpleness. As mentioned, the pace is really quick but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a number of quiet/intimate scenes between characters, which is very important for this type of story. The plot is very focused and never lulls or deviates, which, again, is a plus. If I had any gripes, it would be to have more scenes of Morani, maybe even as a POV because I thought she was very interesting and I’d like to see more (maybe this will happen in the sequels).
All in all, City of the Seventh Moon was a great read. One that is sure to ratchet up the action and tension in book 2. CotSM is also a contestant in the SPFBOX competition, so give this story some love and check it out!
City of the Seventh Moon by Antano Sparreboom is a quickly paced tale full of action, a bunch of political intrigue, and a smattering of mysteries. In such a short tome (around 300ish pages) there are plenty of things going on. I found the crux of this plot to be interesting and that’s not because of the political intrigue and constant backstabbing that we usually see in these types of stories, but rather in that the main character (and predominate POV) is a duelist/champion, not the stabber of said backs.
Verhan, the duelist, is an enigma for most of the story. He’s a badass fighter (who fights with a quarterstaff no less, I mean who doesn’t love a good quarterstaff whipping major butt?), fairly intelligent to the greater nobility game of betrayals, and an astute, albeit grudging mentor. I found Verhan to be both compelling and perplexing because of how close to the vest he plays his cards, aka his past. But when his past is finally revealed, it all made sense. I thoroughly enjoyed following his arc.
The other two main characters to discuss are siblings Tentar and Morani Urwilar. Tentar is the sterotypical (at least for most of the book) male heir who thinks he is better than he really is, smarter than he really is, and cooler than he really is. In reality, he is brash (he starts a fight countless times), an unwanted problem for his family (his sister basically shuns his help), and is nothing but a strong arm (fights like an uncouth barbarian in the ring). Until he befriends Verhan. Once Tentar comes down from his own lofty beliefs, he is actually a really fun character and his growth was my favorite of the story. Morani is quite the opposite. She is calculating, manipulative, and single-minded in her goal to make the Urwilar family strong. You never truly knew where Morani stood as the plot progressed and I liked that.
This book is chock full of action and fight scenes, and this is where Antano Sparreboom shines. Which is a good thing because a story about a duelist needs to have the fight scenes be top notch. Because there are so many fight scenes, the possibility of them becoming repetitive and rote can be high. Luckily, each duel is different than the last, especially as Verhan is pitted against better and better opponents. I really enjoyed the very martial art style of fighting Verhan uses, it is far more interesting than a regular sword v sword fight. It made the feints and parries far more visceral. Also, I need to shout out the fact that Verhan loses in this story and that is a smart choice because we get a lot of character moments post loss. That type of stuff is far more interesting than someone winning time after time.
The prose of this story is quite strong, not flowery with purpleness. As mentioned, the pace is really quick but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a number of quiet/intimate scenes between characters, which is very important for this type of story. The plot is very focused and never lulls or deviates, which, again, is a plus. If I had any gripes, it would be to have more scenes of Morani, maybe even as a POV because I thought she was very interesting and I’d like to see more (maybe this will happen in the sequels).
All in all, City of the Seventh Moon was a great read. One that is sure to ratchet up the action and tension in book 2. CotSM is also a contestant in the SPFBOX competition, so give this story some love and check it out!
July 27, 2023
A Lunar Symphony: Antone Sparreboom's "City of the Seventh Moon"
City of the Seventh Moon by Antano Sparreboom is a fantasy novel that transports the reader to a world where political disputes are settled by duels between champions of noble families. The novel follows the story of Verhan, a young and skilled fighter who is chosen as the champion of the Urwilar family, and his involvement in the complex and dangerous intrigues of the city of Ankua. The novel also introduces the character of Lady Morani, a beautiful and cunning noblewoman who manipulates Verhan for her own agenda.
The novel is well-written and engaging, with a rich and original setting that draws inspiration from Asian cultures and mythology. The novel is also fast-paced and action-packed, with many exciting and suspenseful scenes of combat and magic, as well as some twists and turns that keep the reader hooked. The novel explores the themes of honor, loyalty, and love, as Verhan struggles to balance his duty to his family, his feelings for Lady Morani, and his own sense of justice.
The novel is suitable for adults who enjoy adventure and romance stories with a fantasy twist. The novel has some violence and sex, but nothing too graphic or explicit. The novel is the first book in the Ankuan Quartet, a series that promises to deliver more thrilling and captivating stories in this fascinating world.
City of the Seventh Moon by Antano Sparreboom is a fantasy novel that transports the reader to a world where political disputes are settled by duels between champions of noble families. The novel follows the story of Verhan, a young and skilled fighter who is chosen as the champion of the Urwilar family, and his involvement in the complex and dangerous intrigues of the city of Ankua. The novel also introduces the character of Lady Morani, a beautiful and cunning noblewoman who manipulates Verhan for her own agenda.
The novel is well-written and engaging, with a rich and original setting that draws inspiration from Asian cultures and mythology. The novel is also fast-paced and action-packed, with many exciting and suspenseful scenes of combat and magic, as well as some twists and turns that keep the reader hooked. The novel explores the themes of honor, loyalty, and love, as Verhan struggles to balance his duty to his family, his feelings for Lady Morani, and his own sense of justice.
The novel is suitable for adults who enjoy adventure and romance stories with a fantasy twist. The novel has some violence and sex, but nothing too graphic or explicit. The novel is the first book in the Ankuan Quartet, a series that promises to deliver more thrilling and captivating stories in this fascinating world.
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