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The Chronicles of Altaica #1
Altaica
“Look at her – she’s Hill Clan. Even the Matyrani don’t like them …”
Isaura – little is known about her race, but much is whispered. Born to refugees, she grows up enduring racism and superstition within a community that fears her. She has few friends, and those she treasures. Trapped, she longs for escape to a different life.
Escape is only the beginning of her troubles. Having fled an invading army with her friends, Isaura is faced with heinous choices in order to survive. Secrets from her past emerge to torment her and threaten to destroy all she holds dear. Her struggles forge a bond with an ancient power – a power which may transform or consume her. Old hatreds and superstitions are renewed and at her most vulnerable she learns the true nature of those around her.
Her only hope lies in a foreign land – a land rich in tradition; ruled by three powerful clans. A land with a history marked by warfare; where magic as we know it does not exist. Instead what is here, in abundance, is a more primal power.
Survival carries a high price.
Welcome to Altaica.
Isaura – little is known about her race, but much is whispered. Born to refugees, she grows up enduring racism and superstition within a community that fears her. She has few friends, and those she treasures. Trapped, she longs for escape to a different life.
Escape is only the beginning of her troubles. Having fled an invading army with her friends, Isaura is faced with heinous choices in order to survive. Secrets from her past emerge to torment her and threaten to destroy all she holds dear. Her struggles forge a bond with an ancient power – a power which may transform or consume her. Old hatreds and superstitions are renewed and at her most vulnerable she learns the true nature of those around her.
Her only hope lies in a foreign land – a land rich in tradition; ruled by three powerful clans. A land with a history marked by warfare; where magic as we know it does not exist. Instead what is here, in abundance, is a more primal power.
Survival carries a high price.
Welcome to Altaica.
300 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2014
22 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Tracy M. Joyce
5 books514 followersTracy writes epic fantasy for teens through to adults. Her stories are gritty, a little dark and morality is like quicksand. You won’t find any unicorns or fairies here…
Although her stories include romantic elements, they are not romance driven novels. Do not buy these books if you’re after a fairytale….
Consider this a warning: Expect kickass heroines, battles (big ones, small ones - let’s face it, if she’d put gunpowder in this world then there’d be explosions too!) gore, political scheming, horses, archery and a touch of magic, but NO fairies, elves, pixies, orcs and definitely NO unicorns. (Unless, of course, its a combat trained unicorn with stealth capabilities …. then…maybe…)
She grew up on a farm in rural Victoria, in a picturesque dot on the map known as Glenburn. She spent half of her childhood riding horses and the other half trying to stay out of trouble - the only way she did that was by reading books and writing stories. She now lives in Melbourne with her husband, one cat and one (very) lazy greyhound and a manic puppy.
Tracy loves to hear from her readers.
Although her stories include romantic elements, they are not romance driven novels. Do not buy these books if you’re after a fairytale….
Consider this a warning: Expect kickass heroines, battles (big ones, small ones - let’s face it, if she’d put gunpowder in this world then there’d be explosions too!) gore, political scheming, horses, archery and a touch of magic, but NO fairies, elves, pixies, orcs and definitely NO unicorns. (Unless, of course, its a combat trained unicorn with stealth capabilities …. then…maybe…)
She grew up on a farm in rural Victoria, in a picturesque dot on the map known as Glenburn. She spent half of her childhood riding horses and the other half trying to stay out of trouble - the only way she did that was by reading books and writing stories. She now lives in Melbourne with her husband, one cat and one (very) lazy greyhound and a manic puppy.
Tracy loves to hear from her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
September 28, 2016
I struggled a little with this one. The world building was great and I should have enjoyed it more. However the main character who was delightful, was introduced, allowed to feature strongly for about 25% of the book and then barely appeared at all until the final chapter. I found I was not sufficiently interested in the new characters who popped up and did not really enjoy the rest of the book. I am undecided about reading the sequel.
dnf
October 17, 2015I have Altaica on my currently-reading shelf since September, a month and 3-4 books later, it's still there, unfinished, not for the lack of trying really, because I did try, multiple times.. until I just couldn't do it anymore.
The story was sadly uneventful. Well, I couldn't be sure since I only read 30% of the book, I know it's too early to give up on the book, but I've tried reading this book for a month and still failed to hold my interest. After the heroic escape that happen on the first part of the book, nothing much happened except for the drama that each characters had, it's incredibly boring, the story drags.
I think it's good that the book is trying to show us the POV of each and every thought of the character, but it just didn't work out for me. I don't usually mind this kind of writing, but the way I'm suddenly reading other characters(and believe me there are a lot of them) thought is just way too confusing. Plus, it's really hard to connect with the characters when there aren't any depth and complexity in them, since the book's trying to share the limelight with everyone. I actually stopped reading when I reached the part, where there are a new set of characters introduced. I'm so done with this shit.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you*
"They're not used to seeing women fight, that's all. It's one thing for them to know you carry a bow to hunt, but another to see it used like that."Seeing the cover for the very first time, I thought this was going to be a very interesting and kick-ass high fantasy read... I couldn't have been more wrong.
The story was sadly uneventful. Well, I couldn't be sure since I only read 30% of the book, I know it's too early to give up on the book, but I've tried reading this book for a month and still failed to hold my interest. After the heroic escape that happen on the first part of the book, nothing much happened except for the drama that each characters had, it's incredibly boring, the story drags.
I think it's good that the book is trying to show us the POV of each and every thought of the character, but it just didn't work out for me. I don't usually mind this kind of writing, but the way I'm suddenly reading other characters(and believe me there are a lot of them) thought is just way too confusing. Plus, it's really hard to connect with the characters when there aren't any depth and complexity in them, since the book's trying to share the limelight with everyone. I actually stopped reading when I reached the part, where there are a new set of characters introduced. I'm so done with this shit.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you*
August 25, 2015
3.5 stars
I enjoyed reading this Young Adult fantasy however nothing jumped out at me to say “this is amazing”. The blurb focuses on Isaura which led me to think she is going to do great things. That she was the main protagonist. When in fact, apart from killing one person with an arrow, . While the blurb isn’t incorrect it is a little misleading.
It was very hard to get attached to any of the characters as the author tried to develop all characters, jumping from one to the other. There was too much telling where the backstory was concerned whereas I like to be in amongst the action.
What I did like:
Asha, a young kenati, feisty and brave! The true protagonist of this book! It will be interesting to see how she and Isaura get along in book 2.
Ratilal, totally evil through and through! His actions will shock you and a past deed will be revealed that will have the reader reeling. I love to have a character I can hate.
The fighting between the clans and the treacherous escape had me on edge.
Altaica is full of lure and politics, clans fighting clans, honour and deceit.
The groundwork has now been set with book 1 and I’m looking forward to much more action, adventure and romance in book 2.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my eCopy to read and review.
I enjoyed reading this Young Adult fantasy however nothing jumped out at me to say “this is amazing”. The blurb focuses on Isaura which led me to think she is going to do great things. That she was the main protagonist. When in fact, apart from killing one person with an arrow, . While the blurb isn’t incorrect it is a little misleading.
It was very hard to get attached to any of the characters as the author tried to develop all characters, jumping from one to the other. There was too much telling where the backstory was concerned whereas I like to be in amongst the action.
What I did like:
Asha, a young kenati, feisty and brave! The true protagonist of this book! It will be interesting to see how she and Isaura get along in book 2.
Ratilal, totally evil through and through! His actions will shock you and a past deed will be revealed that will have the reader reeling. I love to have a character I can hate.
The fighting between the clans and the treacherous escape had me on edge.
Altaica is full of lure and politics, clans fighting clans, honour and deceit.
The groundwork has now been set with book 1 and I’m looking forward to much more action, adventure and romance in book 2.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my eCopy to read and review.
March 14, 2019
Only got to 34%. Tried to finish it multiple times. Wanted to like it but didn't. I agree with the other two and one star reviews of book one.
Note: I got this in eARC from NetGalley because book two sounded good. I didn't post anything on me blog cause I have nothing more to say other than I won't be requesting book two.
Note: I got this in eARC from NetGalley because book two sounded good. I didn't post anything on me blog cause I have nothing more to say other than I won't be requesting book two.
June 27, 2015
With its deliberately broad age appeal and its exploration of deep and confronting themes, Altaica makes a strong addition to the speculative fiction genre. The novel fills numerous gaps I have been sorry to come across in the fantasy genre, particularly in its complex characters, strong female lead and its refusal to pander to audience sensibilities. Joyce unapologetically pushes her readers to the edges of moral complexities, leaving you thinking about this book long after you put it down.
The novel follows the journey of the irrepressible and tempestuous Isaura. Cast out by most of her village her whole life, due to her racial differences, she nevertheless joins with a motley crew of friends to escape the pillaging of her village by warmongering Zaragarians. The result is a perilous boat journey that brings her and her companions to the very edge, both physically and mentally. Desperately injured, Isaura and her friends are rescued by the warring clans of Altaica. The leaders of the Horse and Bear clans recognise something special in Isaura and her young friend Pio, and contrive to rescue and train them for their cause. The resulting adventures and trials spawn a thrilling and action packed journey of discovery and growth.
Joyce’s ability to construct a rich and complex world without losing her reader in intricate and minute details is first class. The characters she presents us with are masterfully constructed, and her ability to perfectly capture the internal wars between jealousy, fear, yearning and the desire to be good provides her reader with character development that would rival those of many best-selling authors. Joyce utilises an excellent display of internal monologue to deepen her characters yet further. Snapshots of insight into the thoughts of certain characters add yet another layer of complexity to these highly developed individuals. And yet more importantly, it makes them real. In Isaura she crafts a character we all want to be – strong, independent, almost fearless. But in allowing her to reveal the other side of herself internally, her fears, her failure, she becomes a character we can all identify with a little more deeply. In resisting the all too common urge to adorn her female protagonist with a love interest, Joyce allows Isaura to seize her own destiny, and provides a strong and truly independent character that has been sadly missing from fiction in general lately.
In addition to her rich and skilful character development, Joyce sets a cracking pace. Action pervades the text from start to finish, providing a ride you never want to get off. Unfortunately, this does have its downsides. Particularly at the beginning, Joyce relies a little too heavily on telling her reader exactly what is going on. Whilst this does allow the action to push along much more rapidly, the repetition that this facilitates at times comes off as simplistic. However, the novel quickly finds its stride, and as it moves deeper into the intricacies of the world it builds, this problem largely disappears. Altaica’s perspective switches will not be for everyone, with Isaura sometimes disappearing from the action in favour of other characters. However, having experienced many iterations of the perspective shift, I feel this is something Joyce pulls off well. The use of a third person omniscient narration takes away much of the jarring potential. The switches allow Joyce to construct her world with much more detail than would otherwise be possible, and Altaica benefits from it. Action and intrigue propel the reader throughout a novel rich with well-researched detail and enough mystery to keep you thinking to the end.
Supposedly targeted to a Young Adult, coming of age audience, Altaica has a much broader appeal. Joyce’s exploration of mature themes, and a refusal to censor the more realistic aspects of war and life makes for a thrilling escape into a brilliantly constructed speculative fiction world. I cannot sing its praises enough. Altaica is badass from start to finish.
The novel follows the journey of the irrepressible and tempestuous Isaura. Cast out by most of her village her whole life, due to her racial differences, she nevertheless joins with a motley crew of friends to escape the pillaging of her village by warmongering Zaragarians. The result is a perilous boat journey that brings her and her companions to the very edge, both physically and mentally. Desperately injured, Isaura and her friends are rescued by the warring clans of Altaica. The leaders of the Horse and Bear clans recognise something special in Isaura and her young friend Pio, and contrive to rescue and train them for their cause. The resulting adventures and trials spawn a thrilling and action packed journey of discovery and growth.
Joyce’s ability to construct a rich and complex world without losing her reader in intricate and minute details is first class. The characters she presents us with are masterfully constructed, and her ability to perfectly capture the internal wars between jealousy, fear, yearning and the desire to be good provides her reader with character development that would rival those of many best-selling authors. Joyce utilises an excellent display of internal monologue to deepen her characters yet further. Snapshots of insight into the thoughts of certain characters add yet another layer of complexity to these highly developed individuals. And yet more importantly, it makes them real. In Isaura she crafts a character we all want to be – strong, independent, almost fearless. But in allowing her to reveal the other side of herself internally, her fears, her failure, she becomes a character we can all identify with a little more deeply. In resisting the all too common urge to adorn her female protagonist with a love interest, Joyce allows Isaura to seize her own destiny, and provides a strong and truly independent character that has been sadly missing from fiction in general lately.
In addition to her rich and skilful character development, Joyce sets a cracking pace. Action pervades the text from start to finish, providing a ride you never want to get off. Unfortunately, this does have its downsides. Particularly at the beginning, Joyce relies a little too heavily on telling her reader exactly what is going on. Whilst this does allow the action to push along much more rapidly, the repetition that this facilitates at times comes off as simplistic. However, the novel quickly finds its stride, and as it moves deeper into the intricacies of the world it builds, this problem largely disappears. Altaica’s perspective switches will not be for everyone, with Isaura sometimes disappearing from the action in favour of other characters. However, having experienced many iterations of the perspective shift, I feel this is something Joyce pulls off well. The use of a third person omniscient narration takes away much of the jarring potential. The switches allow Joyce to construct her world with much more detail than would otherwise be possible, and Altaica benefits from it. Action and intrigue propel the reader throughout a novel rich with well-researched detail and enough mystery to keep you thinking to the end.
Supposedly targeted to a Young Adult, coming of age audience, Altaica has a much broader appeal. Joyce’s exploration of mature themes, and a refusal to censor the more realistic aspects of war and life makes for a thrilling escape into a brilliantly constructed speculative fiction world. I cannot sing its praises enough. Altaica is badass from start to finish.
July 31, 2014
Great covers sometimes only tell part of the story. The cover of Tracy M. Joyce's "Altaica" is especially misleading because it overplays one character's presence in the novel, which is more about a group of refugees struggles on a barge while fleeing a war and their arrival into the new land of Altaica, which is facing a war of its own. There are well written characters on both the barge and in Altaica, but the cover seems to imply the novel will be about one character in particular. It is not.
Escaping the warlike Zaragaria, the people of a small village make their way by barge down the river looking for safety. Led by Nicanor, the carpenter, his wife Lucia, and Pio, his flute playing son, his brother Curro and Isaura, a skilled huntress and healer, but an outsider to the rest of the village. Although Isaura will help the villagers, some of the people are jealous of her influence. After every pitfall that befalls the ship, the whispers will start about her. The voyage will be tough and the ship will soon run into problems when the food and water start to run out.
When the barge and its crew are at their weakest, they will be rescued by Umniga, a warrior mage Kenati. Umniga has seen that Isaura and Pio have magic, and she is willing to convince a fisherman to rescue all of the refugees merely to save Isaura and Pio.
At this point, Tracy Joyce, the author, makes the bold decision to shift the focus of the novel from the refugees to the rescuers - Umniga and her apprentice Asha, and the war between the three rulers of the land - instead of continuing the story from the refugee's perspective. Joyce also elects to carve out Isaura from this part of the story. So after one reads over 30% of the novel, the main female character takes a nap.
Two of the princes in Altaica have joined forces and defeated the third prince, who has kept his kingdom, but lost his way. He has been grieving over the death of his daughter. His son, however, attacks and brutalizes Asha without provocation, when she comes to his kingdom to tell them about the refugees. Its easy to see who the villain will be in this story.
When the three princes eventually sit down to parlay and discuss the fate of the ship borne refugees, its very predictable that there will be strife caused by the evil son of the third prince. Soon there is a war and a lot of action. Some of the refugees end up protected by the good princes. Others end up in the hands of the evil prince.
In the end, it will be up to Umniga and Asha, their goddess and various magical animals to try to wake Isaura from her unnatural nap.
On the upside, Joyce's fantasy has a good bit of action, some well developed characters, well crafted scenes, medieval war, magic and Isaura, who is shaping up to be a great character. However, its predictable and one of the main characters sleeps through two thirds of the book.
Hopefully, Joyce will focus more on Isaura's life and her developing magical skill in this new land in the second book in this series.
Escaping the warlike Zaragaria, the people of a small village make their way by barge down the river looking for safety. Led by Nicanor, the carpenter, his wife Lucia, and Pio, his flute playing son, his brother Curro and Isaura, a skilled huntress and healer, but an outsider to the rest of the village. Although Isaura will help the villagers, some of the people are jealous of her influence. After every pitfall that befalls the ship, the whispers will start about her. The voyage will be tough and the ship will soon run into problems when the food and water start to run out.
When the barge and its crew are at their weakest, they will be rescued by Umniga, a warrior mage Kenati. Umniga has seen that Isaura and Pio have magic, and she is willing to convince a fisherman to rescue all of the refugees merely to save Isaura and Pio.
At this point, Tracy Joyce, the author, makes the bold decision to shift the focus of the novel from the refugees to the rescuers - Umniga and her apprentice Asha, and the war between the three rulers of the land - instead of continuing the story from the refugee's perspective. Joyce also elects to carve out Isaura from this part of the story. So after one reads over 30% of the novel, the main female character takes a nap.
Two of the princes in Altaica have joined forces and defeated the third prince, who has kept his kingdom, but lost his way. He has been grieving over the death of his daughter. His son, however, attacks and brutalizes Asha without provocation, when she comes to his kingdom to tell them about the refugees. Its easy to see who the villain will be in this story.
When the three princes eventually sit down to parlay and discuss the fate of the ship borne refugees, its very predictable that there will be strife caused by the evil son of the third prince. Soon there is a war and a lot of action. Some of the refugees end up protected by the good princes. Others end up in the hands of the evil prince.
In the end, it will be up to Umniga and Asha, their goddess and various magical animals to try to wake Isaura from her unnatural nap.
On the upside, Joyce's fantasy has a good bit of action, some well developed characters, well crafted scenes, medieval war, magic and Isaura, who is shaping up to be a great character. However, its predictable and one of the main characters sleeps through two thirds of the book.
Hopefully, Joyce will focus more on Isaura's life and her developing magical skill in this new land in the second book in this series.
August 3, 2014
Read this review on my blog
*I received an eARC of this book on Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
"Altaica" is the story of the inhabitants of a small village, who are forced to flee their homeland to save their lives. Their fates become intertwined with those of the clans of Altaica, a far-off land.
Do you think this will be an exciting and interesting journey? Think again.
In this novel, the plot happens in three separate moments: there’s the beginning of the book, with the escape scene, then the story disappears completely until roughly forty percent of “Altaica”, where things start happening again for a couple of chapters. Then the plot disappears again, rearing his head back out only during the last chapters of the novel.
For the rest of the time, the book drags.
Here’s the thing: it’s okay to write a character-driven book, even a character-driven fantasy book. But if you do, you’ve got to write compelling, three-dimensional characters.
There are no compelling, three-dimensional characters in this book. The only two characters that attempt to approach complexity are Elena and Vikram. Vikram is seen so little that he hardly even is a secondary character, so there's not much to say about him, other than I wish he'd been explored more, as he might have been a saving grace.
Elena is the wife of Curro. Curro is the best friend of our main character (I use the term loosely, as she is unconscious for a good chunk of the book) Isaura.
Elena is jealous of Isaura, because she thinks that she’s going to take Curro away from her. That makes her an awful, awful person, apparently. Despite the fact that she is not completely wrong. Curro does treat Elena and Isaura differently. Isaura is someone he cares about, but she’s first and foremost someone he trusts. He asks her for help, for advice, he’s taught her to defend herself in spite of that being forbidden. Curro treats Elena like a child, like someone he has to take care of. Not only does he never ask her for advice or for help, he’s the one calling all the shots in their relationship, he’s the one making all the choices, uncaring of what she thinks. And to make matters worse, Elena’s not stupid. In fact, she’s right a lot of the time, but does anyone listen to her? No. Caring first and foremost about herself and her loved ones an wanting to survive the journey apparently makes her an heartless bitch.
Elena is not allowed to be complex. She is constantly being relegated to the mean girl role. Almost none of the characters appear to be able to stand her, and they all treat her like an idiot. At one point they even say something along the lines of her having a dark aura.
Her storyline is supposed to show how jealousy corrupts her soul, but the way it’s handled lacks any kind of finesse, because too much emphasis is put on her faults, while her virtues are swept under the rug.
Isaura, our (kinda) main character is the biggest Mary Sue I have read about in years. Let's do a list of all the things she does, shall we? She is the only female who can handle weapons in her society, and the only one to have an active role in the plans for the escape of the villagers. She’s a skilled healer, which obviously implies training. But she also has the potential to wield huge magical powers and she can do things that ought to have been impossible. And she’s not even a grown woman yet, she’s described as a girl. I shudder at the thought of what she'll be capable of when she hits her thirties.
Also, of course, she never makes mistakes. And when she blames herself for something, someone else is always ready to point out that it’s really not her fault. She does make a controversial decision at one point in the book, which I appreciated as a brave move from the part of an author who has been playing things pretty safe, but it’s neither morally gray or a mistake. It’s either nothing wrong or something awful, depending on the point of view of the reader.
Lucia and Pio, while not exactly interesting, where not unlikable. I didn’t mind it when the story focused on them. Additionally, Nicanor and Lucia were the only couple whose romance I found believable. In general, the romances are not well-developped, and the characters who are not already together in the beginning of the novel fall madly in love with no transition whatsoever.
I think that some time must be spared to talk about the villain, since he was so cartoonishly evil that all he lacked was a mustache to twirl while he cackled.
He is introduced by entering a room and randomly attempting to rape a main character and it’s all downhill from there. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, no complexity. And that makes him uninteresting.
Almost all the characters could be summed up in a couple of words, and some of them are even completely devoid of character traits. For example, I wouldn't be able to name one personality aspect of Daniel, who is a character for a huge part of the novel and is part of one of the main romances.
The inclusion of the Asena, the deus-est-machina (not) wolves, was quite clumsy, as they only appear when they are needed by the story, they are never even mentioned beforehand, despite supposedly being a huge part of the culture of Altaica. If they had been built up better, I might have liked the Asena. I have no complains regarding the rest of world-building, which was alright if nothing particularly special and original.
Additionally, the POV keeps shifting from a character to another, without rhyme of reason (we even get the point of view of a horse at one point), which is annoying at best and confusing at worst.
To sum it up, this is not a good book. In fact, it’s a bad book, and it’s not even memorably bad, it’s boring bad. The kind of bad that means I’m already forgetting what the characters are called, the morning after I finished reading it. The positive aspects are few and far between.
*I received an eARC of this book on Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
"Altaica" is the story of the inhabitants of a small village, who are forced to flee their homeland to save their lives. Their fates become intertwined with those of the clans of Altaica, a far-off land.
Do you think this will be an exciting and interesting journey? Think again.
In this novel, the plot happens in three separate moments: there’s the beginning of the book, with the escape scene, then the story disappears completely until roughly forty percent of “Altaica”, where things start happening again for a couple of chapters. Then the plot disappears again, rearing his head back out only during the last chapters of the novel.
For the rest of the time, the book drags.
Here’s the thing: it’s okay to write a character-driven book, even a character-driven fantasy book. But if you do, you’ve got to write compelling, three-dimensional characters.
There are no compelling, three-dimensional characters in this book. The only two characters that attempt to approach complexity are Elena and Vikram. Vikram is seen so little that he hardly even is a secondary character, so there's not much to say about him, other than I wish he'd been explored more, as he might have been a saving grace.
Elena is the wife of Curro. Curro is the best friend of our main character (I use the term loosely, as she is unconscious for a good chunk of the book) Isaura.
Elena is jealous of Isaura, because she thinks that she’s going to take Curro away from her. That makes her an awful, awful person, apparently. Despite the fact that she is not completely wrong. Curro does treat Elena and Isaura differently. Isaura is someone he cares about, but she’s first and foremost someone he trusts. He asks her for help, for advice, he’s taught her to defend herself in spite of that being forbidden. Curro treats Elena like a child, like someone he has to take care of. Not only does he never ask her for advice or for help, he’s the one calling all the shots in their relationship, he’s the one making all the choices, uncaring of what she thinks. And to make matters worse, Elena’s not stupid. In fact, she’s right a lot of the time, but does anyone listen to her? No. Caring first and foremost about herself and her loved ones an wanting to survive the journey apparently makes her an heartless bitch.
Elena is not allowed to be complex. She is constantly being relegated to the mean girl role. Almost none of the characters appear to be able to stand her, and they all treat her like an idiot. At one point they even say something along the lines of her having a dark aura.
Her storyline is supposed to show how jealousy corrupts her soul, but the way it’s handled lacks any kind of finesse, because too much emphasis is put on her faults, while her virtues are swept under the rug.
Isaura, our (kinda) main character is the biggest Mary Sue I have read about in years. Let's do a list of all the things she does, shall we? She is the only female who can handle weapons in her society, and the only one to have an active role in the plans for the escape of the villagers. She’s a skilled healer, which obviously implies training. But she also has the potential to wield huge magical powers and she can do things that ought to have been impossible. And she’s not even a grown woman yet, she’s described as a girl. I shudder at the thought of what she'll be capable of when she hits her thirties.
Also, of course, she never makes mistakes. And when she blames herself for something, someone else is always ready to point out that it’s really not her fault. She does make a controversial decision at one point in the book, which I appreciated as a brave move from the part of an author who has been playing things pretty safe, but it’s neither morally gray or a mistake. It’s either nothing wrong or something awful, depending on the point of view of the reader.
Lucia and Pio, while not exactly interesting, where not unlikable. I didn’t mind it when the story focused on them. Additionally, Nicanor and Lucia were the only couple whose romance I found believable. In general, the romances are not well-developped, and the characters who are not already together in the beginning of the novel fall madly in love with no transition whatsoever.
I think that some time must be spared to talk about the villain, since he was so cartoonishly evil that all he lacked was a mustache to twirl while he cackled.
He is introduced by entering a room and randomly attempting to rape a main character and it’s all downhill from there. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, no complexity. And that makes him uninteresting.
Almost all the characters could be summed up in a couple of words, and some of them are even completely devoid of character traits. For example, I wouldn't be able to name one personality aspect of Daniel, who is a character for a huge part of the novel and is part of one of the main romances.
The inclusion of the Asena, the deus-est-machina (not) wolves, was quite clumsy, as they only appear when they are needed by the story, they are never even mentioned beforehand, despite supposedly being a huge part of the culture of Altaica. If they had been built up better, I might have liked the Asena. I have no complains regarding the rest of world-building, which was alright if nothing particularly special and original.
Additionally, the POV keeps shifting from a character to another, without rhyme of reason (we even get the point of view of a horse at one point), which is annoying at best and confusing at worst.
To sum it up, this is not a good book. In fact, it’s a bad book, and it’s not even memorably bad, it’s boring bad. The kind of bad that means I’m already forgetting what the characters are called, the morning after I finished reading it. The positive aspects are few and far between.
November 11, 2014
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love the cover of this book. It is what first attracted me, but the premise is what sealed the deal. Isaura looks different than the others in her village, which has lead to suspicion and hatred. She does have a group of loyal friends, who treat her like family, but Isaura yearns for a new life. Together, Isaura, her friends and others from her village will make a perilous journey across the sea to escape an advancing army. On this journey, friendships will be tested and true natures revealed as they struggle to survive. Will they find land before it is too late?
Altaica is a fascinating story that leads us on an exploration of friendship, bigotry, legends, traditions, different cultures and warfare. Tracy M. Joyce has created a well written, action-packed adventure with strong well developed characters. Isaura has endured discrimination since childhood, but she has not allowed that to make her bitter. She is determined to help her friends and to find a new life for herself. Despite their differences Isaura's friends were extremely devoted and protective of her. I really enjoyed this story, and I found myself not wanting to put it down. I look forward to the next installment.
I absolutely love the cover of this book. It is what first attracted me, but the premise is what sealed the deal. Isaura looks different than the others in her village, which has lead to suspicion and hatred. She does have a group of loyal friends, who treat her like family, but Isaura yearns for a new life. Together, Isaura, her friends and others from her village will make a perilous journey across the sea to escape an advancing army. On this journey, friendships will be tested and true natures revealed as they struggle to survive. Will they find land before it is too late?
Altaica is a fascinating story that leads us on an exploration of friendship, bigotry, legends, traditions, different cultures and warfare. Tracy M. Joyce has created a well written, action-packed adventure with strong well developed characters. Isaura has endured discrimination since childhood, but she has not allowed that to make her bitter. She is determined to help her friends and to find a new life for herself. Despite their differences Isaura's friends were extremely devoted and protective of her. I really enjoyed this story, and I found myself not wanting to put it down. I look forward to the next installment.
April 8, 2014
A fantastic read, with a compelling storyline. Isaura proves to be a strong protagonist, a role model for all. With a variety of rich and complex characters, this novel leaves you breathless as you are taken on their journey of survival. Altaica is a novel I would highly recommend to anyone, particularly young adults.
April 22, 2017
Books like this a few and far between. I feel the cover is a tease of whats to come in the series as we were introduce to Isaura in the the first part of the book, where she made a very memorable entrance but then she is secondary to the story as it builds around her in an effort to save her life. I loved that we were given insight to so many character and that they were easy to comprehend and enhanced to over all story. I did however have to look up the names of some of the weapons as they were unfamiliar to me which translates to, I was invested in the story enough to know exactly how they worked. This was a very easy to read book which I didn't want to put down. Looking forward to reading more books by Tracy M. Joyce.
July 8, 2017
This was a great start for a new fantasy series, with a well thought out and designed world and memorable characters. I love Isaura and Pio and their family and friends and was thinking about the story long after I read the last page. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series and finding out what happens next
May 22, 2015
Altaica by Tracy M. Joyce begins with Isaura discovering the arrival of the Zaragarian troops marching forward after devastating a market town. I won’t recite the plot here as other reviewers have already done this. The first part starts slow, for me, but that’s not unusual for fantasy as most books of this genre use a particular style of writing to slow the pace. The story soon picks up pace. I particularly liked the cultural aspects, the politics, warfare and the magical elements.
The story takes us through this adventure not merely through the eyes of one main character but several. I found each character to be engaging, and most importantly, believable. I would have liked some more time with each one so I could truly connect with them.
I personally like strong female characters in fantasy, women who can influence and inspire others even against serious adversity. I was pleased this book had that element. Of course, there is the harsh reality of a changing world and the characters are pushed to what is necessary to survive. It’s clear that Tracy M. Joyce has spent considerable time researching for the elements explored in this book. I appreciated the aspect of attention to detail because this enhances the storytelling.
Overall, a great read for lovers of fantasy.
The story takes us through this adventure not merely through the eyes of one main character but several. I found each character to be engaging, and most importantly, believable. I would have liked some more time with each one so I could truly connect with them.
I personally like strong female characters in fantasy, women who can influence and inspire others even against serious adversity. I was pleased this book had that element. Of course, there is the harsh reality of a changing world and the characters are pushed to what is necessary to survive. It’s clear that Tracy M. Joyce has spent considerable time researching for the elements explored in this book. I appreciated the aspect of attention to detail because this enhances the storytelling.
Overall, a great read for lovers of fantasy.
June 28, 2016
Altaica is the fantasy adventure of a group of villagers fleeing their homeland and the murderous invaders descending upon them. The main character, Isaura, was a healer from the village but was never made to feel like anything but an outcast. We get to see her bravery as she valiantly defends the others from scouts sent by the invading force as they push off into the main channel of the river. Before long, however, they reach the ocean. But instead of following the coastline as planned, the current relentlessly tugs them farther and farther out to sea. Across the endless waves they travel. Will their wandering feet ever again touch land?
I would first like to state that I received this free through NetGalley for an honest review. This book was well written with an engaging storyline - full of plot twists and written in such a way as to garner genuine empathy for the characters through their myriad of tribulations. The author is quite skilled at portraying the vast range of human emotions, even at their ugliest. I did truly enjoy this action-packed adventure and would definitely like to read the next book in the series to see how Isaura grows through her experiences.
I would first like to state that I received this free through NetGalley for an honest review. This book was well written with an engaging storyline - full of plot twists and written in such a way as to garner genuine empathy for the characters through their myriad of tribulations. The author is quite skilled at portraying the vast range of human emotions, even at their ugliest. I did truly enjoy this action-packed adventure and would definitely like to read the next book in the series to see how Isaura grows through her experiences.
May 28, 2017
I had so much fun reading this. It is full of adventure and strong female characters - the women drive much of the story. The world the author has built is suitably unfamiliar for a fantasy novel - but also familiar, the distrust of people who are different and the need to flee your home because of war and the vulnerability of 'boat people' when they are in a new place. The ending left me wanting more of this world and its mysteries.
July 2, 2014
Some of us just start out in the wrong place. It’s like the stork, or the baby-angel makes a mistake and drops us down where we shouldn’t have been. As one of those who spent 2/3rds of her life wandering America and then Europe, before finding a place I could really call home, this story of a group of ordinary people escaping from a rapacious invading army, resonated strongly with me. Isaura, one of the book’s main protagonists is a healer and purveyor of magic in an insular village of ‘salt of the earth’, farmers, builders, weavers, fisher-folk and carpenters, replete with all the biases and fears common to such groups; moreover she is dark-skinned while they are light and blond.
We first meet her when she is scouting the progress of the brutal Zaragarian army. Although never a believer in gods, “There were too many religions with so many gods, each claiming theirs was the true way, that she thought them all ridiculous.” in an act that would have far reaching consequences, she begs Majula and Araceli, the oldest gods, to give her the skills to protect her community.
Isaura and her close friends, which include, Necanor, a carpenter and wood-carver, Lucia his wife and their charismatic, flute playing son, Pio, have been preparing for this invasion by repairing a creaky old barge, intending to use this to escape down river. She returns to her village to find the evacuation already underway. And so the problems begin. These include her decision to drug her reluctant father in order to bring him along. But finally they are underway, headed downstream. After that, very little goes according to plan. When the river on which they are travelling reaches the bay, unusually strong currents pull the barge far out to sea. Now this squabbling, mean-spirited company must survive on small rations and almost no water.
Worse is to come. A combination of storms and vindictive behaviour causes Isaura to be severely injured. The barge moves at its own pace; the exhausted and dehydrated passengers growing ever weaker. Here the POV shifts, introducing several more characters. Chief among these is an old Kenati, Umniga, warrior priestess of the Boar clan. Kenati are very interesting creatures; although human they possess formidable magical powers including the ability to see others’ auras and to merge their spirits with an animal guide. Umniga’s guide and friend is Devi the owl, while Asha, her acolyte, is guarded and helped by Fihr an enormous sea eagle. Their home is the land of Altaica, a country also troubled by dissension and war.
Helpless and unaware, the refugees’ barge has been drifting in the direction of this country. Altaica, has recently been divided into regions governed by clans represented by animal totems: boar, horse and bear. A fragile peace had been carved out between the leaders of the three clans. But Shajahan, the leader of the Boar clan is aging, and Ratilal, his son and heir is a restless, unprincipled sadist.
So, a variety of groups with a variety of needs and goals, some conflicting some harmonious. How these are advanced or not, make up the rest of this tightly plotted, first book of what promises to be an interesting series. Did I mention that there are wolves – enormous magical wolves? There are many wonderful moments here. Very few characters are all bad or all good. The author gives the reader insights into the feelings and motivations of even the most reprehensible acts. There is a substantial amount of vividly described violence, and a brutal, almost rape that is, however, a necessary element in the plot advancement.
Altaica is author, Tracy M. Joyce’s first published novel. She, “has long been a fan of the fantasy genre, but particularly likes novels that deal with deep characterisations and that don’t flinch from the gritty realities of life. This and her fascination with the notions of “moral greyness”, that “good people can do bad things” and that we cannot escape our past provide the inspiration for her writing.” This quote is a very good explanation of what is going on here.
As many of you know, I am well beyond the target age of YA Fantasy but I can honestly say I enjoyed this book as much as any fantasy novel labelled as, adult fiction. It seems to me that the line between the two sectors has become very, very thin – especially in the case of well-written stories.
If I have any criticisms, they are that there seem to me to be too many shifts of POV, often within the same chapter. Not only is this confusing but diminishes the impact of the events on the main and most important characters. Otherwise ……this was a very enjoyable antidote to an egregiously cold and wet holiday weekend. 4**** I am also happy to note that the second in the series, Asena Blessed will be coming in 2015
While I’m on the subject, last week, Joanne Harris – she of Chocolate and The Gospel of Loki – posted a list on Twitter of 10 Reasons to Read YA. …regardless of your age group. They included:
1. Because you’re reading a story, not a target demographic.
2. Because you’re old enough to decide for yourself what books you should read.
7. Because YA fiction experiences the world with maximum intensity.
10. Because you remember what it was like to be wholly consumed by a book,
The link to the entire list is: http://joannechocolat.tumblr.com/post.... It’s well worth taking a look as the post raises some interesting issues about who is reading what these days and why.
Slight disclaimer, I received the ARC of this book from Odyssy Books, Australia, a small press which has a growing line of interesting fantasy and other titles. This is the 2nd of their books that I have reviewed (see my review of Sannah and the Pilgrim from a few weeks ago.) I am impressed by what I see, especially the numbers of women writers they are publishing. Their books are available in the US and UK as well as Australia. I want to make it clear that I am not being paid for my reviews or for these comments. I simply think that in the age of the Amazon-monsters, we need to support the small presses that are taking a chance on new, younger and older authors.
We first meet her when she is scouting the progress of the brutal Zaragarian army. Although never a believer in gods, “There were too many religions with so many gods, each claiming theirs was the true way, that she thought them all ridiculous.” in an act that would have far reaching consequences, she begs Majula and Araceli, the oldest gods, to give her the skills to protect her community.
Isaura and her close friends, which include, Necanor, a carpenter and wood-carver, Lucia his wife and their charismatic, flute playing son, Pio, have been preparing for this invasion by repairing a creaky old barge, intending to use this to escape down river. She returns to her village to find the evacuation already underway. And so the problems begin. These include her decision to drug her reluctant father in order to bring him along. But finally they are underway, headed downstream. After that, very little goes according to plan. When the river on which they are travelling reaches the bay, unusually strong currents pull the barge far out to sea. Now this squabbling, mean-spirited company must survive on small rations and almost no water.
Worse is to come. A combination of storms and vindictive behaviour causes Isaura to be severely injured. The barge moves at its own pace; the exhausted and dehydrated passengers growing ever weaker. Here the POV shifts, introducing several more characters. Chief among these is an old Kenati, Umniga, warrior priestess of the Boar clan. Kenati are very interesting creatures; although human they possess formidable magical powers including the ability to see others’ auras and to merge their spirits with an animal guide. Umniga’s guide and friend is Devi the owl, while Asha, her acolyte, is guarded and helped by Fihr an enormous sea eagle. Their home is the land of Altaica, a country also troubled by dissension and war.
Helpless and unaware, the refugees’ barge has been drifting in the direction of this country. Altaica, has recently been divided into regions governed by clans represented by animal totems: boar, horse and bear. A fragile peace had been carved out between the leaders of the three clans. But Shajahan, the leader of the Boar clan is aging, and Ratilal, his son and heir is a restless, unprincipled sadist.
So, a variety of groups with a variety of needs and goals, some conflicting some harmonious. How these are advanced or not, make up the rest of this tightly plotted, first book of what promises to be an interesting series. Did I mention that there are wolves – enormous magical wolves? There are many wonderful moments here. Very few characters are all bad or all good. The author gives the reader insights into the feelings and motivations of even the most reprehensible acts. There is a substantial amount of vividly described violence, and a brutal, almost rape that is, however, a necessary element in the plot advancement.
Altaica is author, Tracy M. Joyce’s first published novel. She, “has long been a fan of the fantasy genre, but particularly likes novels that deal with deep characterisations and that don’t flinch from the gritty realities of life. This and her fascination with the notions of “moral greyness”, that “good people can do bad things” and that we cannot escape our past provide the inspiration for her writing.” This quote is a very good explanation of what is going on here.
As many of you know, I am well beyond the target age of YA Fantasy but I can honestly say I enjoyed this book as much as any fantasy novel labelled as, adult fiction. It seems to me that the line between the two sectors has become very, very thin – especially in the case of well-written stories.
If I have any criticisms, they are that there seem to me to be too many shifts of POV, often within the same chapter. Not only is this confusing but diminishes the impact of the events on the main and most important characters. Otherwise ……this was a very enjoyable antidote to an egregiously cold and wet holiday weekend. 4**** I am also happy to note that the second in the series, Asena Blessed will be coming in 2015
While I’m on the subject, last week, Joanne Harris – she of Chocolate and The Gospel of Loki – posted a list on Twitter of 10 Reasons to Read YA. …regardless of your age group. They included:
1. Because you’re reading a story, not a target demographic.
2. Because you’re old enough to decide for yourself what books you should read.
7. Because YA fiction experiences the world with maximum intensity.
10. Because you remember what it was like to be wholly consumed by a book,
The link to the entire list is: http://joannechocolat.tumblr.com/post.... It’s well worth taking a look as the post raises some interesting issues about who is reading what these days and why.
Slight disclaimer, I received the ARC of this book from Odyssy Books, Australia, a small press which has a growing line of interesting fantasy and other titles. This is the 2nd of their books that I have reviewed (see my review of Sannah and the Pilgrim from a few weeks ago.) I am impressed by what I see, especially the numbers of women writers they are publishing. Their books are available in the US and UK as well as Australia. I want to make it clear that I am not being paid for my reviews or for these comments. I simply think that in the age of the Amazon-monsters, we need to support the small presses that are taking a chance on new, younger and older authors.
November 8, 2018
A wonderful and truthful book about things people don’t understand. Dealing with someone that is different. Perfectly written. Couldn’t put it down.
August 2, 2014
As a newcomer to the fantasy genre, I was unsure about what to expect when reading Altaica. From the very beginning, Altaica immersed me into a world far removed from my everyday life and introduced some of the many complex characters around whom the story is centred. The level of detail required to set the scene and embark on the journey was, at times, quite overwhelming. Nevertheless, perseverance paid off and the pace picked up about one third of the way into the book.
The action is centred on the main character Isaura, but she is asleep and not an active participant for much of it. This was an interesting choice and shows that Tracy M. Joyce is unafraid to take a risk in crafting a story. This is a welcome change from the pervasive cookie cutter approach to writing.
The story develops through the eyes of the other characters and we learn about their attitudes and motivations first-hand. Character development is a highlight of Tracy M. Joyce’s writing. With few exceptions, the characters are well developed and believable.
I was expecting magic to be far more prominent than it is, but in holding back, Tracy M. Joyce takes the reader on a journey of discovery, not only of the physical world, but also of the supernatural world. The sense of mystery surrounding magic sat well with the book as a whole and it is well placed to develop further.
Despite the fantasy setting, Altaica’s themes have some important real-world parallels. We learn about the plight of those displaced by war and seeking refuge in another land. We learn about the mistrust directed towards individuals from a different background. We learn that the line between right and wrong, or between good and bad, is very much blurred.
With the frequent changes in point of view, this is not a book that can be read among distractions. It requires concentration to keep track of the characters and the settings, but it is well worth the effort. This is the first in a series of books, and Tracy M. Joyce has created a solid foundation upon which the world of Altaica and those that inhabit it can be developed and explored.
Odyssey Books provided me with a review copy of Altaica through NetGalley.
The action is centred on the main character Isaura, but she is asleep and not an active participant for much of it. This was an interesting choice and shows that Tracy M. Joyce is unafraid to take a risk in crafting a story. This is a welcome change from the pervasive cookie cutter approach to writing.
The story develops through the eyes of the other characters and we learn about their attitudes and motivations first-hand. Character development is a highlight of Tracy M. Joyce’s writing. With few exceptions, the characters are well developed and believable.
I was expecting magic to be far more prominent than it is, but in holding back, Tracy M. Joyce takes the reader on a journey of discovery, not only of the physical world, but also of the supernatural world. The sense of mystery surrounding magic sat well with the book as a whole and it is well placed to develop further.
Despite the fantasy setting, Altaica’s themes have some important real-world parallels. We learn about the plight of those displaced by war and seeking refuge in another land. We learn about the mistrust directed towards individuals from a different background. We learn that the line between right and wrong, or between good and bad, is very much blurred.
With the frequent changes in point of view, this is not a book that can be read among distractions. It requires concentration to keep track of the characters and the settings, but it is well worth the effort. This is the first in a series of books, and Tracy M. Joyce has created a solid foundation upon which the world of Altaica and those that inhabit it can be developed and explored.
Odyssey Books provided me with a review copy of Altaica through NetGalley.
April 9, 2014
Altaica Book 1 is a fast-moving, constant action fantasy. The heroine is a young girl who finds herself in an impossible situation. Although she is resolute in her dealing with this situation she is by no means sure of herself. She is surrounded by characters who love her initially, but as the story evolves her circle of companions enlarges and not all are what they seem. The newcomers in her life have their own political, social and emotional agendas and Isaura's plight and her future become entangled with these agendas.
Very carefully crafted and full of authentic details, such as the descriptions of accoutrements and armoury, of scenery and relationships, and of the structures of the castles and cities, this tale keeps one wanting to read further to find out what happens next. It is not a story for the faint-hearted as the author does not shun the descriptions of the less savoury events. Her poignant and heart-warming treatment of the horses in one section gives relief to some of the more distressing narrative which comes earlier. However, always her descriptions and narrative are well thought out and full of colourful expression that displays an excellent command of the English language.
In short, this is a story about life and apart from the more magical and mystical aspects of it the story could relate to our own life experiences, especially those who find themselves caught up in a war not of their own making. This is not to say that the magical happenings are incidental either. They serve to entwine the narrative in a shroud of virtuality which heightens the reader's concern for Isaura's welfare.
Probably the most important thing that I can say about this story is that when I reached the end I had developed a thirst for the Book 2 which is to come. I look forward to its publication.
Very carefully crafted and full of authentic details, such as the descriptions of accoutrements and armoury, of scenery and relationships, and of the structures of the castles and cities, this tale keeps one wanting to read further to find out what happens next. It is not a story for the faint-hearted as the author does not shun the descriptions of the less savoury events. Her poignant and heart-warming treatment of the horses in one section gives relief to some of the more distressing narrative which comes earlier. However, always her descriptions and narrative are well thought out and full of colourful expression that displays an excellent command of the English language.
In short, this is a story about life and apart from the more magical and mystical aspects of it the story could relate to our own life experiences, especially those who find themselves caught up in a war not of their own making. This is not to say that the magical happenings are incidental either. They serve to entwine the narrative in a shroud of virtuality which heightens the reader's concern for Isaura's welfare.
Probably the most important thing that I can say about this story is that when I reached the end I had developed a thirst for the Book 2 which is to come. I look forward to its publication.
October 5, 2024
I made a classic blunder with this first book of the Chronicles of Altaica by having 'just a quick look' during my lunch break. By the time I looked up I had escaped rampaging armies, got embroiled in village jealousies and tensions, fought off invading scouts, got swept out to sea on a raft .. And was late to get back to work!
As the refugees on the raft drift at the mercy of ocean currents they become suspicious of one another, and particularly of healer Isaura, even though her skills with a bow had saved their lives. Ah, but in their codes of behaviour women ought not to fight at all, let alone kill.
Umniga, a wise woman, discovers the strangers and, with her acolyte Asha, persuades the ruling clan chiefs to help. Now begins a canny play of brutal politics between the clans of Atlaica. The refugees have not arrived at a peaceful land! Ambushes, plots, murder, hard rides, sieges .. the pace doesn't let up. A great read about people responding to the shock of having to make a new life among strangers. Plenty of battles too.
It was months before I obtained the sequel, Asena Blessed. Before touching it, I read the first book again. I enjoyed it even more this time, absorbing more of the interplay of the characters, the skill of the world building, and quite simply the story.
A great read, and be sure to read the sequels!
As the refugees on the raft drift at the mercy of ocean currents they become suspicious of one another, and particularly of healer Isaura, even though her skills with a bow had saved their lives. Ah, but in their codes of behaviour women ought not to fight at all, let alone kill.
Umniga, a wise woman, discovers the strangers and, with her acolyte Asha, persuades the ruling clan chiefs to help. Now begins a canny play of brutal politics between the clans of Atlaica. The refugees have not arrived at a peaceful land! Ambushes, plots, murder, hard rides, sieges .. the pace doesn't let up. A great read about people responding to the shock of having to make a new life among strangers. Plenty of battles too.
It was months before I obtained the sequel, Asena Blessed. Before touching it, I read the first book again. I enjoyed it even more this time, absorbing more of the interplay of the characters, the skill of the world building, and quite simply the story.
A great read, and be sure to read the sequels!
September 24, 2014
I'd been hanging out to read Altaica ever since I saw the cover art (yes, I know, I'm shallow) and once I had my hands on it, I devoured it (in the literary sense). The storyline was engaging, the plot kept rolling along and there was never a moment when I was bored or tempted to put the book down.
At the start, I did have a little trouble with the frequent changes in point of view – which sometimes happened three or four times within the same scene – but I quickly became used to the head jumping.
My only quibble was, because there were so many characters to keep up with, I didn't have the chance to connect with any of them. There were a few scenes (the one with the horses and the river springs to mind – you'll know it when you read it) that weren't as heart-stopping as they could have been because I hadn't REALLY connected to the characters and didn't care enough about their plight. Maybe if one or two of the minor characters hadn't had their own point of view, I'd have had more time to get to know the others and those moments would have been as gut wrenching as I know they could have been.
Will I buy the sequel? YES! Despite my quibble, I enjoyed Altaica and I'm looking forward to what Ms Joyce springs on us next.
At the start, I did have a little trouble with the frequent changes in point of view – which sometimes happened three or four times within the same scene – but I quickly became used to the head jumping.
My only quibble was, because there were so many characters to keep up with, I didn't have the chance to connect with any of them. There were a few scenes (the one with the horses and the river springs to mind – you'll know it when you read it) that weren't as heart-stopping as they could have been because I hadn't REALLY connected to the characters and didn't care enough about their plight. Maybe if one or two of the minor characters hadn't had their own point of view, I'd have had more time to get to know the others and those moments would have been as gut wrenching as I know they could have been.
Will I buy the sequel? YES! Despite my quibble, I enjoyed Altaica and I'm looking forward to what Ms Joyce springs on us next.
May 15, 2016
I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Netgalley
I had to think a lot about this one before I could write a review and give it a valutation. I was expecting more but, in the end, it was quite a good reading.
The plot is good, the characters are well done (but they all have unpronounceable names, and I cannot remember them. I just remember some of them as might as I try. And I think Isaura is not a good name) and the book is fast paced and intersting. I like it!
But one of the main character lay asleep for half of the book, and this is a peculiar thing, for sure. And the world builind is a little bit lacking in some parts.
But it was good, really good and now I need to read the second one!!!!!
It was a little bit annoying in some part, but it was not him, it was me. I really hate stupid or hypocrite people and we have a lot of them in this book and I was maybe a little more susceptible toward them than the usual, so... really it was me, not him.
And the Asena was really intersting!!!!! I need to know what would happen.
I really liked Asha and Pio, and even the clanlords, and I really disliked Elena and the Boar clan lord's son.
I had to think a lot about this one before I could write a review and give it a valutation. I was expecting more but, in the end, it was quite a good reading.
The plot is good, the characters are well done (but they all have unpronounceable names, and I cannot remember them. I just remember some of them as might as I try. And I think Isaura is not a good name) and the book is fast paced and intersting. I like it!
But one of the main character lay asleep for half of the book, and this is a peculiar thing, for sure. And the world builind is a little bit lacking in some parts.
But it was good, really good and now I need to read the second one!!!!!
It was a little bit annoying in some part, but it was not him, it was me. I really hate stupid or hypocrite people and we have a lot of them in this book and I was maybe a little more susceptible toward them than the usual, so... really it was me, not him.
And the Asena was really intersting!!!!! I need to know what would happen.
I really liked Asha and Pio, and even the clanlords, and I really disliked Elena and the Boar clan lord's son.
October 3, 2016
Altaica is a story about Isaura, a young woman who despite living her whole life in her village and helping people alongside her mother as a healer, is treated as an outsider. Isa has some loyal friends in Jaime, Daniel, Curro, Nicanor and his family, but everyone else dislikes her. Even her father. Isa is an unusual girl with skin a darker shade than the natives due to her mother’s clan, which everyone distrusts. Isa is very skilled in the art of healing, and hunting with no fear or hesitation in turning her prowess in this area to defend herself. A woman being able to defend herself with any weapon seems to be taboo, though which makes people distrust her even more.
This book’s cover drew me, as well as the description. This story really shows some of the worst traits of human beings against another person who has done nothing to them. Jealousy, fear of the unknown, rage, contempt, and desperation. A really good book actually that is easy to read and flows together very well.
This book’s cover drew me, as well as the description. This story really shows some of the worst traits of human beings against another person who has done nothing to them. Jealousy, fear of the unknown, rage, contempt, and desperation. A really good book actually that is easy to read and flows together very well.
October 23, 2016
This story has a rich cast of characters and beautifully detailed world. It somehow manages to skate just close enough to some typical tropes to make you feel you got your money's worth from a real fantasy story without it feeling in the least bit, well, tropey. The pace picks up nicely just at that 2/3 point where most stories get a bit sluggish, and I swallowed the last third almost in one sitting. Looking forward to seeing how Isaura copes with everything that has happened while she was busy being a...well, I'm not one for spoilers!
July 31, 2015
I didn't think I would like this book as it is not a genre I read much of, but I loved it!! In the beginning it was a little hard to follow all the different characters, especially with all the different points of view. But the more I read, the more involved I got, and I couldn’t put it down!! I can’t wait for the next in the series!
Read
October 27, 2020If you like a cast of strong female characters, gritty battle sequences, wild magic and companion animals, then this may be the story for you.
https://books2read.com/altaica
https://books2read.com/altaica
September 12, 2017
A review of Altacia by Tracy M Joyce
Altacia: The title of this book grabs the readers in, the mystery of what it means instantly hooking the audience. Is it a place? Could it be a person? The questions this title brings intrigues the audience to pick up the book and find out. Although the title gives nothing away, the beautiful cover shows this book is going to be an action packed thriller, filled with magic and adventure.
The blurb also hints at a dark fantasy type book. With a direct quote about the hill clan and the Maturani, these strange words entice a reader to find out what they could mean. The blurb also forges a kind of respect and sympathy for Isaura, later needed through some of the hard but necessary things she has to do.
The book is written in the 3rd person, though mostly centred on the protagonist character, Isaura. Tracy M Joyce uses this really well to cycle through the different characters, adding viewpoints along the way. Normally I prefer books written in the 1st person, but this actually works really well with the writing style.
The plot lines are well thought out, with plenty of twists, turns and tumbles. Personally I would prefer it if there was more backstory for the characters, especially Isaura; this could be where she isn't ‘awake’ through most of the book. She has obviously had a troubled past- that much is hinted- but I really want to know more about the fabled hill clans.
In regards to the characters, I find them to be well rounded and thought out really well. However, I would enjoy the classic grumpy, unoptimistic character, as everyone seems to be quite accepting and happy, even close to death. Yes, there are minor arguments and rebellions, but you just don't have that moody, stroppy character that rounds out all the sides of the story.
Overall, I think this is a good book with a compelling storyline. I'd recommend the book to teens and young adults, but really to anyone who enjoys magic and fantasy. I'd rate this book 8.4/10
Altacia: The title of this book grabs the readers in, the mystery of what it means instantly hooking the audience. Is it a place? Could it be a person? The questions this title brings intrigues the audience to pick up the book and find out. Although the title gives nothing away, the beautiful cover shows this book is going to be an action packed thriller, filled with magic and adventure.
The blurb also hints at a dark fantasy type book. With a direct quote about the hill clan and the Maturani, these strange words entice a reader to find out what they could mean. The blurb also forges a kind of respect and sympathy for Isaura, later needed through some of the hard but necessary things she has to do.
The book is written in the 3rd person, though mostly centred on the protagonist character, Isaura. Tracy M Joyce uses this really well to cycle through the different characters, adding viewpoints along the way. Normally I prefer books written in the 1st person, but this actually works really well with the writing style.
The plot lines are well thought out, with plenty of twists, turns and tumbles. Personally I would prefer it if there was more backstory for the characters, especially Isaura; this could be where she isn't ‘awake’ through most of the book. She has obviously had a troubled past- that much is hinted- but I really want to know more about the fabled hill clans.
In regards to the characters, I find them to be well rounded and thought out really well. However, I would enjoy the classic grumpy, unoptimistic character, as everyone seems to be quite accepting and happy, even close to death. Yes, there are minor arguments and rebellions, but you just don't have that moody, stroppy character that rounds out all the sides of the story.
Overall, I think this is a good book with a compelling storyline. I'd recommend the book to teens and young adults, but really to anyone who enjoys magic and fantasy. I'd rate this book 8.4/10
November 20, 2017
3 Stars
I picked up my copy of Altaica at Supernova 2017 along with its sequel Asena Blessed. After meeting the author and letting her explain the synopsis to me I was sold! It’s wonderful to meet authors who are proud of their work and speak passionately about it.
The story ‘sort of’ follows a girl named Isaura who along with a group of other villagers decide to flee their homeland in search of new lands to call home. They are given no choice as the approaching Zaragarian soldiers offer nothing but death and destruction. However, their journey is not an easy one and the new land they are brought to has a war of its own about to begin. Inhabitants of Altaica are cautious of the strangers, except the wise old woman, Umniga, she sees something in Isaura, something special.
I loved the characters, especially Asha and Umniga. It is refreshing to read a novel that features a wide array of strong female characters. I must admit, the book wasn’t what I thought it would be. I was led to believe that the story would follow the ‘main’ character Isaura when, in reality, she appeared for the first quarter of the book and then didn’t really appear until the last few pages. Another aspect I found annoying was that the book kept jumping from character to character without any real warning, it left me feeling a bit lost at times. Some new characters weren’t introduced at all, they just kind of appeared suddenly which was pesty because it made me feel like I was misreading something, and I started looking back on previous pages to see if I had missed part of the story. Although these issues were annoying, the book was still interesting enough to keep me reading and I look forward to seeing how the story pans out.
I picked up my copy of Altaica at Supernova 2017 along with its sequel Asena Blessed. After meeting the author and letting her explain the synopsis to me I was sold! It’s wonderful to meet authors who are proud of their work and speak passionately about it.
The story ‘sort of’ follows a girl named Isaura who along with a group of other villagers decide to flee their homeland in search of new lands to call home. They are given no choice as the approaching Zaragarian soldiers offer nothing but death and destruction. However, their journey is not an easy one and the new land they are brought to has a war of its own about to begin. Inhabitants of Altaica are cautious of the strangers, except the wise old woman, Umniga, she sees something in Isaura, something special.
I loved the characters, especially Asha and Umniga. It is refreshing to read a novel that features a wide array of strong female characters. I must admit, the book wasn’t what I thought it would be. I was led to believe that the story would follow the ‘main’ character Isaura when, in reality, she appeared for the first quarter of the book and then didn’t really appear until the last few pages. Another aspect I found annoying was that the book kept jumping from character to character without any real warning, it left me feeling a bit lost at times. Some new characters weren’t introduced at all, they just kind of appeared suddenly which was pesty because it made me feel like I was misreading something, and I started looking back on previous pages to see if I had missed part of the story. Although these issues were annoying, the book was still interesting enough to keep me reading and I look forward to seeing how the story pans out.
August 9, 2019
The first in a high-stakes fantasy series, Altaica introduces Isaura, the child of refugees who have joined the outskirts of a community now under threat of invasion.
Danger, conflicting loyalties, young people needing to take charge, magic's promise, the wisdom of the elders, and spirit wolves: all my happy reading boxes are full of ticks.
Fleeing the advancing army, Isaura and her friends organise the villagers to sail to safety.
It's unfortunate then that their boat is helplessly lost far out at sea, and that the villagers don't trust young Isaura.
With perceptive insights into characters and culture, Altaica (which is the name of the land the survivors eventually reach) is a book that demands attention and investment. A particular strength of this novel is the foregrounding of human issues that resonate today: refugees, racism, selfishness, power-struggles, weak leadership, jealousy of 'the other', and in fact 'othering' of those we don't like or who exceed our own abilities.
I strongly engaged with Isaura, no mean feat when for a lengthy period of the novel, she has lost consciousness in a magical trance. The spiritual wolf-creatures promised on the cover (the Asena) don't make an appearance for quite a while, but the wait is very well worth it.
I raced through this wonderful novel as I couldn't put it down.
For lovers of engaging, intelligent YA with strong female characters and hope for a better future.
Now for Book 2!
Danger, conflicting loyalties, young people needing to take charge, magic's promise, the wisdom of the elders, and spirit wolves: all my happy reading boxes are full of ticks.
Fleeing the advancing army, Isaura and her friends organise the villagers to sail to safety.
It's unfortunate then that their boat is helplessly lost far out at sea, and that the villagers don't trust young Isaura.
With perceptive insights into characters and culture, Altaica (which is the name of the land the survivors eventually reach) is a book that demands attention and investment. A particular strength of this novel is the foregrounding of human issues that resonate today: refugees, racism, selfishness, power-struggles, weak leadership, jealousy of 'the other', and in fact 'othering' of those we don't like or who exceed our own abilities.
I strongly engaged with Isaura, no mean feat when for a lengthy period of the novel, she has lost consciousness in a magical trance. The spiritual wolf-creatures promised on the cover (the Asena) don't make an appearance for quite a while, but the wait is very well worth it.
I raced through this wonderful novel as I couldn't put it down.
For lovers of engaging, intelligent YA with strong female characters and hope for a better future.
Now for Book 2!
July 20, 2015
Altaica is essentially the story of the meeting between two civilisations, one fleeing from war and destruction, while the other heads for it. The Arunabejarians have fled their homeland from the murders and raids of the Zaragarian tribe, journeying across vast waters with limited supplies on an old barge. Emotions are tightly strung between friends and lovers and the questions of ethical actions for survival are tried by many and hope dwindles as conditions worsen.
Meanwhile in the land of Altaica, the feuds between the Boar, Horse and Bear clans are resting an an uneasy peace. Through spirit travelling, the rumour of the strangers coming from across the sea soon reaches the ears of the clan lords, Shajahan, Baldev and Karan. Suspicion rises up, but there are people on this barge who could potentially be of great use to them. As each clan vies for power and the fates of the off shore strangers become intertwined with their own, they all must choose which side they are on, and decide if what they're fighting for is right.
As a fantasy adventure novel, I loved the new and refreshing definition of the 'fantasy' in this novel. Choosing instead to base the world of the book, the religion, cultural traditions and instruments on a more Turkish based mythology (rather than the mainstream celtic/gaelic/nordic mythology that seems to be in so many fantasy novels these days) the novel had a very unique and raw quality to it. The whole book is a much more earthy and tribal rather than mountainous with dragons and fairies.
While the story begins and centres around the character Isaura (who was an outsider back in the land of Arunebejar already), I really liked the characters Pio and Asha. Pio is the son of Isaura's friends Nicanor and Lucia. He was so energetic and trusting and had an insightful matter-of-fact innocence about him which was endearing and also commendable and sobering at some points as he showed wisdom beyond his age. His role really helped the two cultures connect simply by putting himself out there and trying to connect with strangers. He is brave, yet respectful and obedient and I was admiring his character all the way through the novel. I love his care of Isaura and I can't wait for them to work together more in the second book.
Asha was a strong, yet cool-headed character and regardless of her situations, she remained strong and resilient. She broke the stereotypes and in general I just loved that she was a fighter, for both what she thought was right ethically and morally and what was right strategically. I also really admired how she was written as equal among the many men. I think it is so important to have characters who do break those stereotypes, especially in fantasy novels which are generally very male driven.
However, particularly at the beginning of the book, I felt the pace was so slow. And not only that, but it was slow without being descriptive. I think it took me a good ten chapters before I started to get into the book. The whole escape from Arunabejar felt like it was too quick without enough description to impact the reader emotionally and therefore unable to connect with what was happening. However in all this, their culture, their back stories were skimmed over or only mentioned briefly which made it quite confusing and while I appreciate the idea of being thrust into the world of the novel, I felt like I still needed support and more description.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the omniscient third person switching between different people's point of views without breaks. It was quite confusing to sometimes switch between one person's third person inner discourse to the next moment, another person's inner discourse. I found it really jumpy, which also disrupted the speed and engagement with the novel. This occurring in the first ten chapters, confused me as whose story was being told and who the characters were. I felt that things were shown rather than told, which is usually okay, except that everything was shown and addressing character relationships got dragged out a lot. This was understandable since the group was fleeing and everything was happening quickly, but it felt too quick at times, like the action was being skimmed over as well. I felt at times there was almost unnecessary information being described, which could have been used to quickly unpack different characters earlier on in order to create a relationship with the reader. Things like the history and relationships between different people and friends could have been explained through inner discourse, flashbacks, references or character discussions in a much more succinct and engaging way rather than displayed and played out for ten chapters on the boat. This unfortunately did drag the book down a lot for me, although I do understand the need for world building, I just felt it could have been done better.
This isn't to say that the second half wasn't brilliant. I really enjoyed the build up of tension in Altaica between the clans and thought the description of the land was a lot more solid and thought out than the Arunabejar land. I loved the characterisation of Lord Shahjahan and Ratilal, and the character motivations were very strong for these two which gave the book energy and passion. The passion and loyalty that the Kenati warriors had in representing their clans and their moral choices also gave a very raw and traditional air to the Altaica half of the novel.
As for the mythology, I was very impressed by the originality the use of Turkish folklore and history gave the magic use and cultural and religious traditions. I can't wait to learn a bit more about Altaica and hopefully be exposed to more Turkish based mythology. The world of the book is evidently well researched and you can tell Joyce loves the world she writes in.
3 out of 5 stars to Altaica for a refreshing spin on fantasy and a wonderfully cultural, tense and exciting second half!
Meanwhile in the land of Altaica, the feuds between the Boar, Horse and Bear clans are resting an an uneasy peace. Through spirit travelling, the rumour of the strangers coming from across the sea soon reaches the ears of the clan lords, Shajahan, Baldev and Karan. Suspicion rises up, but there are people on this barge who could potentially be of great use to them. As each clan vies for power and the fates of the off shore strangers become intertwined with their own, they all must choose which side they are on, and decide if what they're fighting for is right.
As a fantasy adventure novel, I loved the new and refreshing definition of the 'fantasy' in this novel. Choosing instead to base the world of the book, the religion, cultural traditions and instruments on a more Turkish based mythology (rather than the mainstream celtic/gaelic/nordic mythology that seems to be in so many fantasy novels these days) the novel had a very unique and raw quality to it. The whole book is a much more earthy and tribal rather than mountainous with dragons and fairies.
While the story begins and centres around the character Isaura (who was an outsider back in the land of Arunebejar already), I really liked the characters Pio and Asha. Pio is the son of Isaura's friends Nicanor and Lucia. He was so energetic and trusting and had an insightful matter-of-fact innocence about him which was endearing and also commendable and sobering at some points as he showed wisdom beyond his age. His role really helped the two cultures connect simply by putting himself out there and trying to connect with strangers. He is brave, yet respectful and obedient and I was admiring his character all the way through the novel. I love his care of Isaura and I can't wait for them to work together more in the second book.
Asha was a strong, yet cool-headed character and regardless of her situations, she remained strong and resilient. She broke the stereotypes and in general I just loved that she was a fighter, for both what she thought was right ethically and morally and what was right strategically. I also really admired how she was written as equal among the many men. I think it is so important to have characters who do break those stereotypes, especially in fantasy novels which are generally very male driven.
However, particularly at the beginning of the book, I felt the pace was so slow. And not only that, but it was slow without being descriptive. I think it took me a good ten chapters before I started to get into the book. The whole escape from Arunabejar felt like it was too quick without enough description to impact the reader emotionally and therefore unable to connect with what was happening. However in all this, their culture, their back stories were skimmed over or only mentioned briefly which made it quite confusing and while I appreciate the idea of being thrust into the world of the novel, I felt like I still needed support and more description.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the omniscient third person switching between different people's point of views without breaks. It was quite confusing to sometimes switch between one person's third person inner discourse to the next moment, another person's inner discourse. I found it really jumpy, which also disrupted the speed and engagement with the novel. This occurring in the first ten chapters, confused me as whose story was being told and who the characters were. I felt that things were shown rather than told, which is usually okay, except that everything was shown and addressing character relationships got dragged out a lot. This was understandable since the group was fleeing and everything was happening quickly, but it felt too quick at times, like the action was being skimmed over as well. I felt at times there was almost unnecessary information being described, which could have been used to quickly unpack different characters earlier on in order to create a relationship with the reader. Things like the history and relationships between different people and friends could have been explained through inner discourse, flashbacks, references or character discussions in a much more succinct and engaging way rather than displayed and played out for ten chapters on the boat. This unfortunately did drag the book down a lot for me, although I do understand the need for world building, I just felt it could have been done better.
This isn't to say that the second half wasn't brilliant. I really enjoyed the build up of tension in Altaica between the clans and thought the description of the land was a lot more solid and thought out than the Arunabejar land. I loved the characterisation of Lord Shahjahan and Ratilal, and the character motivations were very strong for these two which gave the book energy and passion. The passion and loyalty that the Kenati warriors had in representing their clans and their moral choices also gave a very raw and traditional air to the Altaica half of the novel.
As for the mythology, I was very impressed by the originality the use of Turkish folklore and history gave the magic use and cultural and religious traditions. I can't wait to learn a bit more about Altaica and hopefully be exposed to more Turkish based mythology. The world of the book is evidently well researched and you can tell Joyce loves the world she writes in.
3 out of 5 stars to Altaica for a refreshing spin on fantasy and a wonderfully cultural, tense and exciting second half!
September 17, 2024
Book one of the Chronicles of Altaica takes you on a mesmerising story flush with a variety of fascinating characters woven into deep cultures and traditions.
I really enjoyed Tracy's creative ability to create a brand new world with ancient magic and gods that feels very believable for those who love their history and delving into different myths.
I was instantly hooked from the beginning and deeply invested in Isaura. The middle felt a bit slow, but I attribute this to my wanting to see more Isaura. I'm very glad that Tracy dedicated much time to the rest of the cast during that bit as it allowed me to really get to know and fall in love with other characters.
I eagerly look forward to reading more from this series (also, I must admit I was inwardly squealing over Karan and Isa 👀).
I really enjoyed Tracy's creative ability to create a brand new world with ancient magic and gods that feels very believable for those who love their history and delving into different myths.
I was instantly hooked from the beginning and deeply invested in Isaura. The middle felt a bit slow, but I attribute this to my wanting to see more Isaura. I'm very glad that Tracy dedicated much time to the rest of the cast during that bit as it allowed me to really get to know and fall in love with other characters.
I eagerly look forward to reading more from this series (also, I must admit I was inwardly squealing over Karan and Isa 👀).
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