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Rogue Elegance #1
The Changing Tide
Emerala the Rogue spent the idle days of her youth dreaming of a life at sea. Now, suffocated by worsening cultural persecution in the tiny port of Chancey, she feels that she is destined for something greater.
In the wake of his wife’s mysterious death, the king that sits the throne has strengthened his iron grip like a vise. Suddenly, Emerala’s people are being subjected to swift and unwarranted executions. Emerala and her razor sharp tongue find it increasingly difficult to stay safely out of the hands of the golden soldiers that case the cobbled streets of her hometown.
It is not until a mysterious pirate corners her in a shadowed alleyway that things begin to change. Leaving her armed with a stolen dagger and a dangerous choice, the stranger sends Emerala stumbling headfirst into danger. Emerala’s small act of rebellion is the catalyst that awakens a long buried prophecy, setting into motion a series of events that will alter the course of history.
She must quickly learn to keep her enemies close or pay the ultimate price.
In the wake of his wife’s mysterious death, the king that sits the throne has strengthened his iron grip like a vise. Suddenly, Emerala’s people are being subjected to swift and unwarranted executions. Emerala and her razor sharp tongue find it increasingly difficult to stay safely out of the hands of the golden soldiers that case the cobbled streets of her hometown.
It is not until a mysterious pirate corners her in a shadowed alleyway that things begin to change. Leaving her armed with a stolen dagger and a dangerous choice, the stranger sends Emerala stumbling headfirst into danger. Emerala’s small act of rebellion is the catalyst that awakens a long buried prophecy, setting into motion a series of events that will alter the course of history.
She must quickly learn to keep her enemies close or pay the ultimate price.
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 29, 2016
8 people are currently reading
435 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Dowling
5 books48 followersI am a writer and procrastinator harboring an unhealthy obsession with Star Wars and the zombie apocalypse.
Once upon a time I wrote a thing about pirates, and it's become a decade-long passion project. Book One of The Rogue Elegance trilogy was published in 2016, with Book Two hitting shelves in fall of 2017. If you're a fan of pirates, murder, magic, and all around manipulation, The Rogue Elegance series is definitely for you.
The third and final book of the Rogue Elegance Trilogy will be released in late spring of 2018. It feels a bit like my last little baby bird will be leaving the nest. I can't promise not to cry about it.
I'm currently working on a New Adult Peter Pan retelling that deals heavily with mental health, and I couldn't be more excited to bring that story to life.
Once upon a time I wrote a thing about pirates, and it's become a decade-long passion project. Book One of The Rogue Elegance trilogy was published in 2016, with Book Two hitting shelves in fall of 2017. If you're a fan of pirates, murder, magic, and all around manipulation, The Rogue Elegance series is definitely for you.
The third and final book of the Rogue Elegance Trilogy will be released in late spring of 2018. It feels a bit like my last little baby bird will be leaving the nest. I can't promise not to cry about it.
I'm currently working on a New Adult Peter Pan retelling that deals heavily with mental health, and I couldn't be more excited to bring that story to life.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 29, 2016
If you enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean, you'll love this.
January 17, 2018
"She recalls the endless summers—recalls standing waist deep in the waves and waiting for a ship that never came. She has spent her entire life dreaming of escape."
Emerala the Rouge has spent her life dreaming of the sea and escaping her life in Chancey. For in Chancey, her Cairan people are persecuted by the king and his Gold Cloaks. As the years have gone by, things have only grown worse for the Cairans. A city balancing on the edge of a sword, a girl with the power to set an ancient prophecy in motion, and newly arrived pirates set the stage for the beginning of an epic adventure.
"He is a man of the law, and justice is his duty. He thinks of the body that hung limp in the square. He thinks of his father wringing his cap in his hands, turning away. He thinks of the bear king—of the man who would-be-god—kneeling on the floor and praying for luck. Pulling up his dead wife's flowers by the roots.
What is justice?"
Told from multiple perspectives, The Changing Tide offers a wide cast of characters, all of whom have faced their own struggles that have made them the people they are today. All with their own motives, these characters get entangled in a story that is larger than each of them individually and are forced to reevaluate everything they thought they were taught to believe and determine for themselves who they want to be.
In particular, I loved the characters of Emerala the Rouge and Captain James Byron. Emerala is brave, stubborn, passionate, and has a strong obligation to do what is right, even if it gets her into trouble—and this girl has a penchant for attracting trouble. James had such great character development throughout the book. Watching his internal struggle between what he was taught to believe in and what he knew deep down was morally right was incredibly powerful and I cannot wait to see the rest of his character arc in the later installments of this series.
"You cannot change the hearts of men."
Beautifully told, this story was fast paced and I found myself flipping through each page to learn what would happen next. Throughout the novel Dowling uses vivid descriptions to create a rich world I felt as though I were a part of while reading.
"Gold blood bleeds red."
The Changing Tide is the beginning of a grand adventure that tackles issues of identity, prejudice, and hate that is passed down through the centuries. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series,
The Forbidden City!
Emerala the Rouge has spent her life dreaming of the sea and escaping her life in Chancey. For in Chancey, her Cairan people are persecuted by the king and his Gold Cloaks. As the years have gone by, things have only grown worse for the Cairans. A city balancing on the edge of a sword, a girl with the power to set an ancient prophecy in motion, and newly arrived pirates set the stage for the beginning of an epic adventure.
"He is a man of the law, and justice is his duty. He thinks of the body that hung limp in the square. He thinks of his father wringing his cap in his hands, turning away. He thinks of the bear king—of the man who would-be-god—kneeling on the floor and praying for luck. Pulling up his dead wife's flowers by the roots.
What is justice?"
Told from multiple perspectives, The Changing Tide offers a wide cast of characters, all of whom have faced their own struggles that have made them the people they are today. All with their own motives, these characters get entangled in a story that is larger than each of them individually and are forced to reevaluate everything they thought they were taught to believe and determine for themselves who they want to be.
In particular, I loved the characters of Emerala the Rouge and Captain James Byron. Emerala is brave, stubborn, passionate, and has a strong obligation to do what is right, even if it gets her into trouble—and this girl has a penchant for attracting trouble. James had such great character development throughout the book. Watching his internal struggle between what he was taught to believe in and what he knew deep down was morally right was incredibly powerful and I cannot wait to see the rest of his character arc in the later installments of this series.
"You cannot change the hearts of men."
Beautifully told, this story was fast paced and I found myself flipping through each page to learn what would happen next. Throughout the novel Dowling uses vivid descriptions to create a rich world I felt as though I were a part of while reading.
"Gold blood bleeds red."
The Changing Tide is the beginning of a grand adventure that tackles issues of identity, prejudice, and hate that is passed down through the centuries. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series,
The Forbidden City!
May 27, 2018
3.5 stars
The writing is excellent. This book is full of beautiful lines and rich description.
I am not a fan of third person perspective with present tense. It took till 30% into the story for me to mostly get used to it. It also took that long (or longer?) to meet all the POV characters. There is a ton of lurking in shadows, and we're expected to know who the lurker is merely by their hair and eye color. I couldn't keep everyone straight. To be fair, I was reading two other books at the time and had to set this one down a lot at the beginning. By 40% I was able to read it with more consistency through to the end. STILL. I relied heavily on some bonus content from the author to remind myself who was who. Three of the main characters, I had no real problem with. Three other main characters gave me pause every time I started their chapters (remembering their names without context). The others (two?) confused me for at least a few paragraphs at the beginning of all of their chapters.
Most of the story is conversation. There is a really exciting event at 50% and then a few at the climax. Otherwise, it's a lot of characters thinking about their pasts, contemplating the present, walking around, having conversations, and even rehashing past conversations in their minds. I was definitely hoping for more excitement. And I think part of why I was disappointed in this aspect was because of how WELL the 50% incident comes together. Dowling leaves all these threads on the ground and then BOOM! She pulls them together to create this stellar crash. Strings...boom...crash. It makes sense, I promise lol.
But the story is written REALLY WELL. It wasn't slow, exactly, just not a lot happens. I will definitely continue with the series! Knowing this is Dowling's first book just gets me more excited to read what else she's got. This book was a great introduction to the world and the characters, and I look forward to seeing where Dowling takes everything!
The writing is excellent. This book is full of beautiful lines and rich description.
I am not a fan of third person perspective with present tense. It took till 30% into the story for me to mostly get used to it. It also took that long (or longer?) to meet all the POV characters. There is a ton of lurking in shadows, and we're expected to know who the lurker is merely by their hair and eye color. I couldn't keep everyone straight. To be fair, I was reading two other books at the time and had to set this one down a lot at the beginning. By 40% I was able to read it with more consistency through to the end. STILL. I relied heavily on some bonus content from the author to remind myself who was who. Three of the main characters, I had no real problem with. Three other main characters gave me pause every time I started their chapters (remembering their names without context). The others (two?) confused me for at least a few paragraphs at the beginning of all of their chapters.
Most of the story is conversation. There is a really exciting event at 50% and then a few at the climax. Otherwise, it's a lot of characters thinking about their pasts, contemplating the present, walking around, having conversations, and even rehashing past conversations in their minds. I was definitely hoping for more excitement. And I think part of why I was disappointed in this aspect was because of how WELL the 50% incident comes together. Dowling leaves all these threads on the ground and then BOOM! She pulls them together to create this stellar crash. Strings...boom...crash. It makes sense, I promise lol.
But the story is written REALLY WELL. It wasn't slow, exactly, just not a lot happens. I will definitely continue with the series! Knowing this is Dowling's first book just gets me more excited to read what else she's got. This book was a great introduction to the world and the characters, and I look forward to seeing where Dowling takes everything!
November 30, 2017
The Story:
Gypsies, pirates, a secret king, bigotry, and the promise of adventure on the high seas. What’s not to like? The story follows Emerala, a gypsy with a knack for getting into trouble, and her brother Roberts who does his best to keep his sister safe. I admire his efforts, but her name is Emerala the Rogue. That’s a hint, right? You can’t keep a rogue out of trouble. Roberts full name is Roberts the Valiant. He is Valiant, but Sisyphus the Valiant would suit him just as well.
It's not just that she is the Rogue. His task is impossible. The King and the Chancian people hate gypsies and blame them for all of life’s woes. The hatred is growing. Being a gypsy is practically a crime, and being a gypsy alone on the streets at night, is likely to result in a beating or worse. Emerala can't keep her head down and ignore the injustice around her. She takes action that draws the attention of the King. It will take more than her brother's efforts to save her this time.
It’s a great set up for a story. The interaction between siblings is good, and there’s even the classic guy on the wrong side of the struggle who must decide if he will stand with the law or with justice. I love those guys. They can go either way and at the last second save the day or ruin everything. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and the last 10%-15% was gripping. I stayed up late to finish and delayed watching the new episode of The Marvelous Ms. Maisel, which I’ve been waiting to see for about a year now.
One note about the story. If you pick up this book, you are getting into a series, not a standalone. The Changing Tide is a book one. It has a good story with lots of hints and foreshadowing. (I suggest paying attention to eye color, especially in the Forbidden City chapter. I have theories.) My point is, this is not a high seas pirate adventure, not yet. I'm expecting more of that from the next book. The Changing Tide is more a tale of alchemy. How do you transmute a gypsy into a pirate? Read The Changing Tide to find out
The Characters:
The sea has its call. I don’t feel it, but I suspect Dowling does. She does an excellent job of depicting characters who do. Both Emerala and the Hawk remind me of a Melville/Rory Gilmore quote.
“Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.”
This sums up Emerala's and the Hawk's relationship to the sea except for moral principle bit. Emerala is going to knock some hats off. She knows it’s a bad idea, she knows it’s going to cause trouble, and she will hold herself back as long as she can, but sooner or later the hats will fall. Hawk, I think he’d skip the hats and lop off some heads instead, but when the hats and heads have fallen, both will flee to the sea.
Not everyone wants to take to the sea. Roberts is a land lover. He despises pirates in a way similar to how the Chancians despise the gypsies. There is more justification for his feeling. Pirates are thieves, murders, rapist. They make great characters in books, but I would fear for my sister if she joined them. What his rational concern turns to bigotry is in assuming that all pirates have the same motives and are incapable of loving even their own families. There were times I wanted to shake him and yell, "This guy's just like you, doing what he can for his family. Quit being a Chancian!"
Roberts is a hard role to write well. He has a shadow of the bigotry he faces, his desire to protect his sister can be controlling. At times she feels imprisoned. It would be easy to make him an unlikable but well-meaning figure. Instead, he is very likable. He skirts the line with being controlling, but he doesn't want to control. He is desperate to save his sister and cousin, the only family he has left. Their relationships are realistically contradictory. He wants her to be happy, but he wants her safe. Keeping her safe makes her unhappy. She loves her brother and how much he has done for her. She respects him and appreciates his efforts to protect her. At the same time, she can't stand how he stifles her. The mix of love, anger, and exasperation between the siblings is excellent and makes Roberts feel real and loving instead of creepy and controlling.
Picking Nits:
There's not much to criticise. The story is good. I found the characters likable, interesting, and easy to connect with. The pace is excellent. There wasn't any point where it dragged, and when the feces mets the propeller, everything happened at once in a wonderful cacophony of blood, action, and deceit. So what can I criticise?
One, an indie author is only as good as their editor. I've read some great indie stories that were ruined by poor editing. The Changing Tide is well edited, but I'm nitpicking here. There is the occasional thing like using disinterested when meaning uninterested. It was nothing that detracted from my enjoyment, and on the whole Dowling’s way of describing things was one of my favorite things in the book.
Two, I am firmly of the belief that pirate ships should fly. What is the point of fantasy if we don't get flying pirate ships?
Three, there is magic, but it's not prominent. I think it is being saved for later in the series. I'd have liked to learn more about the old, gypsy magic. It would have been hard to include without feeling forced, but a preface, a scene from before the gypsy migration could have shown off some magic while raising more questions than it answered.
The fourth and final one is more of a personal struggle. I'm dyslexic and names can be difficult. The gypsies are the Cairan people. In my head, they are the “C random syllables people.” Generally, this kind of thing isn't confusing, but the people who oppressed the gypsies are “the other C random syllables people,” better known as the Chancian. I was always confusing the two. I had to go back a couple of pages to straighten things out in my mind more than once. It's not a weakness of writing. I doubt it will be an issue for many readers, but for someone like me, a glossary with phonetic pronunciations is helpful.
Final Thoughts:
I haven't talked about the map, the romance, the secret king, the general, the mysterious motivations of the golden-eyed pirate, or what is so special about Emerald. There is a lot going on. Most of it is just starting. There is a lot promise and a lot of things I want to know more about. I don't know what is planned for this series. I know there is one more book already out, but I hope there a more to come. There is too much to wrap up in one more book.
March 19, 2024
"For fans of Pirates of the Caribbean"
No, it isn't.
No, it isn't.
February 8, 2018
I just LOVE this book!!
June 28, 2018
Captivated from the beginning, The Changing Tide by K.A. Dowling quickly became a page turner I didn’t want to put down. The story centers on a young Cairan gypsy girl, who rebels against the stalwart rules and laws of the king who governs the island of Chancey. A historical tale that immerses the reader into a world of pirates, rebels, and kings, and emphasizes class structures, oppression of a people, and the authoritarian tendencies of a man in power.
The language Dowling uses and the formation of her prose create the perfect atmosphere for her historical novel pulling the reader into the fantasy world and creating a reality far from our own. Her talent for the written word adds depth to her storytelling, enhances her world-building, and crafts characters that are well-rounded and interesting as they weave fluidly in and out of each other’s storylines. The reader is surrounded by the island of Chauncey through visual representation, decisive character portrayal, and in-depth historical accuracy. Dowling has created a fantastical world that is both vivid and imaginative.
Just as her world pulled me in so too did her characters. The depth and dimensions of each was engaging, and I found myself drawn to many of them. Emerala is bold, engaging, and interesting. Her carefree attitude, rebel spirit, and inner strength, a lethal combination for a female protagonist. Nerani, level-headed yet fearful of the outside world, battles an inner desire that could betray her self-worth and her people.
The main antagonist, the king, and General Byron represent the ability for an antagonist to be more than a caricature of evil or one-dimensional. Byron is both frustrating and likable and I often found myself understanding his predicament and respecting his commitment to the crown even though his actions were just wrong. He is a sympathetic character, with many-dimensions and I was drawn to him the most. The king was easy to hate; his lack of empathy and his absurdly overt sense of entitlement all played into this well-rounded villain, but Dowling also managed to make him human. With inner demons of his own and an illogical fear of the people he persecuted and the myth they represented he became a fear-mongering ideologue. I enjoyed Dowling’s antagonists as much as I enjoyed her protagonists as there was a balance between their morals, worldview, and resulting actions that created engaging interactions and heightened the tension or the story.
Dark and edgy, The Changing Tide is a tale lost in time, fraught with intrigue, suspense, and biting prose and guaranteed to transport the reader fully into the make-believe world of Chancey. Book one of the Rogue Elegance series did not disappoint and I look forward to immersing myself in Dowling’s fantasy world once again with the remaining books in the series.
The language Dowling uses and the formation of her prose create the perfect atmosphere for her historical novel pulling the reader into the fantasy world and creating a reality far from our own. Her talent for the written word adds depth to her storytelling, enhances her world-building, and crafts characters that are well-rounded and interesting as they weave fluidly in and out of each other’s storylines. The reader is surrounded by the island of Chauncey through visual representation, decisive character portrayal, and in-depth historical accuracy. Dowling has created a fantastical world that is both vivid and imaginative.
Just as her world pulled me in so too did her characters. The depth and dimensions of each was engaging, and I found myself drawn to many of them. Emerala is bold, engaging, and interesting. Her carefree attitude, rebel spirit, and inner strength, a lethal combination for a female protagonist. Nerani, level-headed yet fearful of the outside world, battles an inner desire that could betray her self-worth and her people.
The main antagonist, the king, and General Byron represent the ability for an antagonist to be more than a caricature of evil or one-dimensional. Byron is both frustrating and likable and I often found myself understanding his predicament and respecting his commitment to the crown even though his actions were just wrong. He is a sympathetic character, with many-dimensions and I was drawn to him the most. The king was easy to hate; his lack of empathy and his absurdly overt sense of entitlement all played into this well-rounded villain, but Dowling also managed to make him human. With inner demons of his own and an illogical fear of the people he persecuted and the myth they represented he became a fear-mongering ideologue. I enjoyed Dowling’s antagonists as much as I enjoyed her protagonists as there was a balance between their morals, worldview, and resulting actions that created engaging interactions and heightened the tension or the story.
Dark and edgy, The Changing Tide is a tale lost in time, fraught with intrigue, suspense, and biting prose and guaranteed to transport the reader fully into the make-believe world of Chancey. Book one of the Rogue Elegance series did not disappoint and I look forward to immersing myself in Dowling’s fantasy world once again with the remaining books in the series.
September 9, 2018
The changing Tide by K A Dowling
4⭐️
- slow beginning but sets up sooo much for the sequels
- *chanting* pirates pirates pirates
- EVANDER MY PROBLEM SON
- EMERALA MY RECKLESS QWEEN
- how are there so many distinctive voices/POVs???
4⭐️
- slow beginning but sets up sooo much for the sequels
- *chanting* pirates pirates pirates
- EVANDER MY PROBLEM SON
- EMERALA MY RECKLESS QWEEN
- how are there so many distinctive voices/POVs???
February 27, 2019
Dowling's way with words is phenomenal to say the least. I love how she effortlessly tells a story. Because of my ADD I found it hard to keep up with the POV switch, however once I got used to it, I really enjoyed the book. Evander is my new book boyfriend. Kinda crushing on Roberts as well! I'm so ready to read the next in the series. This was a great foundation to a story and I have no doubt that Dowling will deliver in book two.
December 2, 2017
The Changing Tides was a fun story with some surprising turns and clever back stories that I really enjoyed. It moved quickly and is a bit of a low-fantasy adventure with plenty of history to back it up; it felt at times a bit like Lloyd Alexander's Illyrian Adventure or the Westmark books in that regard.
I'm not normally a huge fan of present tense, and it took me a while to get past that when reading this. The writing was engaging enough that each time as I started reading and sank into the story, I eventually stopped noticing it; same thing with the multiple points of view. After I got to know the various characters, that wasn't an issue either and I actually think the overall epic nature of what seems to be building requires the multiple POV.
If you like adventure stories with tinges of fantasy but enjoy something that's not all about the magic, this book is great for a fun weekend read. And it has pirates in it - believable pirates who are neither perfect swashbuckling heroes or totally evil scheming creeps. I enjoyed that Dowling walked the link with those characters well.
I'm not normally a huge fan of present tense, and it took me a while to get past that when reading this. The writing was engaging enough that each time as I started reading and sank into the story, I eventually stopped noticing it; same thing with the multiple points of view. After I got to know the various characters, that wasn't an issue either and I actually think the overall epic nature of what seems to be building requires the multiple POV.
If you like adventure stories with tinges of fantasy but enjoy something that's not all about the magic, this book is great for a fun weekend read. And it has pirates in it - believable pirates who are neither perfect swashbuckling heroes or totally evil scheming creeps. I enjoyed that Dowling walked the link with those characters well.
December 3, 2017
A solid read with intrigue, multiple engaging points of view, unique voices, moral dilemmas, picturesque descriptions of everything from interiors to exteriors, and even a bit of action and swashbuckling thrown in for good measure. TCT is a slow-burn type of novel, with some of the tension not readily apparent, and a number of layers rightly being revealed bit by bit rather than all at once.
Emerala the Rogue makes for a plucky heroine, "the Hawk" is a gleefully lawful-neutral character who has some of the best lines, and James Byron plays the role of morally-conflicted servant of the throne well. The supporting cast are drawn up well too, and the scene progression is cohesive, with good pacing.
The only real complaint I have is this book could have used a good line edit as grammatical errors and typos abound, otherwise this really is a page-turner and I am excited to read the next one!
Emerala the Rogue makes for a plucky heroine, "the Hawk" is a gleefully lawful-neutral character who has some of the best lines, and James Byron plays the role of morally-conflicted servant of the throne well. The supporting cast are drawn up well too, and the scene progression is cohesive, with good pacing.
The only real complaint I have is this book could have used a good line edit as grammatical errors and typos abound, otherwise this really is a page-turner and I am excited to read the next one!
May 29, 2018
KA Dowling builds a relatively contemporary world where two races compete for dominance on an island where few leave, and only pirates visit. Readers learn the history of the enmity in book one, The Changing Tide. We are also introduced to Emerala the Rogue, whose value to her people is obviously significant based on the intrigue around her, but deliberately unclear heading into the second book.
The cast of supporting characters includes Emerala's family members, the rival Chancey king and military guardsman, and pirates, one of whom was born in Chancey.
Dowling's strongest talent lies in creating colorful scenes with a vivid vocabulary, capturing and placing the reader alongside Emerala and her allies and enemies. The story line and flow are also very good. The interactions between characters are well-written, and the ending of the first book is solid. Overall, this is an enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to the second one in the series.
The cast of supporting characters includes Emerala's family members, the rival Chancey king and military guardsman, and pirates, one of whom was born in Chancey.
Dowling's strongest talent lies in creating colorful scenes with a vivid vocabulary, capturing and placing the reader alongside Emerala and her allies and enemies. The story line and flow are also very good. The interactions between characters are well-written, and the ending of the first book is solid. Overall, this is an enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to the second one in the series.
March 9, 2019
I really wanted to love this! I adore K. A. Dowling and follow her on Twitter and she's wonderful! But The Changing Tide was very slow to get into the heart of the story. By the time I really felt invested in the story, it was almost over, and the ending left me unsatisfied. I understand that this is book 1 of a trilogy, but I felt a bit cheated when I got to the end of the book and didn't learn any of the secrets Dowling hinted at all throughout the book.
Dowling is a master painter when it comes to words, though. She is excellent at painting a picture and making sure the reader really visualizes the story coming to life. I'll pick up works by her in the future for sure, but I have to give this particular book 3 - 3.5 stars. It was good. I liked it. But I didn't love it.
Dowling is a master painter when it comes to words, though. She is excellent at painting a picture and making sure the reader really visualizes the story coming to life. I'll pick up works by her in the future for sure, but I have to give this particular book 3 - 3.5 stars. It was good. I liked it. But I didn't love it.
August 21, 2018
Honestly, I haven't read about pirates since 8th grade when we had to read "Treasure Island." This story is so much more than pirates. It's about three distinct groups of people: royalty, commoners, and pirates. Each group has its own struggles and loyalties, so it's extremely fascinating when they all get thrown together in a rebellion that could start a war in their lands. This story was well-written, exciting and engaging. The characters were described so vividly that I could imagine them on stage or screen playing out this story of Emerala The Rogue and the people who surround her. I can't wait to read the sequel.
February 21, 2018
This book is very well done and has an excellent story line. I will say it felt a bit like a prequel to the actual story to come, but it was a well done prequel that had nice action and danger. The characters are all well developed and I will admit to getting confused between the two pirates. I thought Hawk was a nickname and was a bit jarred when the Hawk and Alexander had a conversation. After I realized my mistake all was well. Worth the read and I've already purchased the second one. I have a thing for pirates.
August 18, 2017
Book One of Rogue Elegance was fast-paced, action-packed, and full of delightful characters! There's a touch of romance, mystery, adventure, gypsies and pirates all wrapped around an intriguing plot that kept me turning the pages. I can't wait to see how the characters continue to develop into Book Two. I highly recommend this book to my fellow adventurers out there!
April 13, 2018
Colorful and descriptive
Dowling does an amazing job with her description and colors for the characters and location. Each person literally jump out of the pages as they are each given their own characteristics and color. I can picture a dingy city with bright characters interacting within it.
Dowling does an amazing job with her description and colors for the characters and location. Each person literally jump out of the pages as they are each given their own characteristics and color. I can picture a dingy city with bright characters interacting within it.
March 29, 2018
Fantastic immersive world. The characters were fascinating and engaging. The ending made me want to read on to the next book without feeling like this one lost any satisfaction. All around fabulous! Can't wait to get started on the next one.
December 1, 2018
Great story, love the twists at the end and can't wait to get started on the sequel!
October 1, 2018
It seems to me that the job of the first book in a series is to make you want to read the others. Its needs to introduce you to fascinating characters, define an engaging problem to which you care about the solution, and seduce you with its prose.
Not every story will accomplish all three of these, especially within a debut novel, but I think it must achieve at least two in order to encourage the reader on. Reading is, of course, subjective. There have been many who read this book and had to grab the next right away.
Unfortunately, Book One of Rogue Elegance simply did not tick these boxes for me. There was nothing *technically* wrong with it. However I found myself annoyed by the characters, uninterested in the problem, and constantly distracted by the prose. I thought perhaps I just don't like present tense, but then read a novel soon after in present that didn't faze me in the slightest.
I'm not sure what it was, but I just experienced a disconnect with this novel from the beginning.
Not every story will accomplish all three of these, especially within a debut novel, but I think it must achieve at least two in order to encourage the reader on. Reading is, of course, subjective. There have been many who read this book and had to grab the next right away.
Unfortunately, Book One of Rogue Elegance simply did not tick these boxes for me. There was nothing *technically* wrong with it. However I found myself annoyed by the characters, uninterested in the problem, and constantly distracted by the prose. I thought perhaps I just don't like present tense, but then read a novel soon after in present that didn't faze me in the slightest.
I'm not sure what it was, but I just experienced a disconnect with this novel from the beginning.
March 8, 2018
Loved the writing style and how Dowling switched between POVs with each chapter. Characters all felt like unique individuals. The naming style of the Cairans was really cool and interesting.
My only dislike is how short this book was. When it ended, I didn’t really feel like I’d started the story yet, but thankfully there are more books to go so perhaps they’ll be longer in the future. All-in-all it felt like a prequel to the actual story. But a very well developed one!
Definitely recommend!!!
My only dislike is how short this book was. When it ended, I didn’t really feel like I’d started the story yet, but thankfully there are more books to go so perhaps they’ll be longer in the future. All-in-all it felt like a prequel to the actual story. But a very well developed one!
Definitely recommend!!!
February 5, 2017
Well developed characters. Suspenseful Plot. Continual Action.
I enjoyed the writing style of Dowling, being able to completely see the characters and action in my mind's eye.
The change of narrator from each chapter brought a fresh change and kept me reading. The story had the right amount of tension and suspense. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
I enjoyed the writing style of Dowling, being able to completely see the characters and action in my mind's eye.
The change of narrator from each chapter brought a fresh change and kept me reading. The story had the right amount of tension and suspense. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
December 1, 2016
Simply stunning... The characters are complex and the change of narrator from one chapter to the next works perfectly. The novel is action packed, certain to keep you on your toes yet it's the prose that really make the novel stand so. Poetic, rich, flawlessly executed, the descriptions create an intricate tapestry for the story to unfold. Can't wait for the sequel!!!
July 2, 2018
This book is everything I want in a read--fun-filled adventure with characters I can root for. It starts with action and doesn't let up. I never would have guessed I'd like a pirate story, but this had my mind changed from the start.
December 14, 2017
So let me start by saying that pirates are not usually my thing and I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book.
However, Dowling is an amazing job at creating a world filled with colorful characters that held your attention and left you wanting more. Before I was done with the first chapter, I was already suckered in and I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to put the book down.
The Changing Tide is told from multiple perspectives, but completely in the third person. However, I was able to tell who was speaking because on the "voice" in my head as I was reading. I never had to go back and double check who was telling the story because each character was distinct and interesting. This is something that I have found to be very hard for authors to do successfully, but Dowling did!
Dowling has a very interesting writing style that I have never read before and I am looking forward to reading more from her. This book has a sequel already out and I know that Dowling is already working on a third one. I do not know if the series will end with the third one or continue, but I am in love with this world and cannot wait to start the sequel.
This book starts with a letter and a prologue, which was a little confusion at first, but as I pushed through it, I started to understand more and more what was happening. Now looking back at that letter and scene, it makes me question everything that I thought I knew while I was reading the book. It makes me want to read the next one even more!
Emerala the Rogue is a very interesting main character, and from the first chapter, I knew I was going to like her. The fact that her name is the Rogue proves my point for me. She was willing to do what needed to be done and for that I admire her. Dowling wrote a very lovable, but strong character. There are still missing pieces of the puzzle that is Emerala, but once again that just makes me want to read the next book.
Chaney is such an interesting place to escape to. It is so realistic, but still has that touch of fantasy that I love. Pirates and Gypsies! While I hate some of the characters already, it just makes the world even better!
The only downside to this book was that at times the timeline between characters was a little confusion when it first switched. However, within just a few paragraphs, the timeline normally got straightened out.
I really loved this book and I think that Dowling is an amazing author. I am excited to continue reading her work!
I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone and their brother!
However, Dowling is an amazing job at creating a world filled with colorful characters that held your attention and left you wanting more. Before I was done with the first chapter, I was already suckered in and I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to put the book down.
The Changing Tide is told from multiple perspectives, but completely in the third person. However, I was able to tell who was speaking because on the "voice" in my head as I was reading. I never had to go back and double check who was telling the story because each character was distinct and interesting. This is something that I have found to be very hard for authors to do successfully, but Dowling did!
Dowling has a very interesting writing style that I have never read before and I am looking forward to reading more from her. This book has a sequel already out and I know that Dowling is already working on a third one. I do not know if the series will end with the third one or continue, but I am in love with this world and cannot wait to start the sequel.
This book starts with a letter and a prologue, which was a little confusion at first, but as I pushed through it, I started to understand more and more what was happening. Now looking back at that letter and scene, it makes me question everything that I thought I knew while I was reading the book. It makes me want to read the next one even more!
Emerala the Rogue is a very interesting main character, and from the first chapter, I knew I was going to like her. The fact that her name is the Rogue proves my point for me. She was willing to do what needed to be done and for that I admire her. Dowling wrote a very lovable, but strong character. There are still missing pieces of the puzzle that is Emerala, but once again that just makes me want to read the next book.
Chaney is such an interesting place to escape to. It is so realistic, but still has that touch of fantasy that I love. Pirates and Gypsies! While I hate some of the characters already, it just makes the world even better!
The only downside to this book was that at times the timeline between characters was a little confusion when it first switched. However, within just a few paragraphs, the timeline normally got straightened out.
I really loved this book and I think that Dowling is an amazing author. I am excited to continue reading her work!
I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone and their brother!
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