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Darkworld #0.5
Season of Wind
After her stint saving humanity with the God of Mischief, Janet Redstone now has a host of other problems on her mind, namely saving her friend Sylvia while avoiding the fast approaching godly war. Now travelling the desert realm of Kabila with her two surviving teammates, she just wants to kill as many wendigos as possible to get Sylvia’s soul back.
But then strange things start happening. Janet begins healing faster than normal. She dreams of Itazura imprisoned in a dark room, even though he’s a god and that’s impossible. Oh, and when she touches locks, they just open. That’s a midlly concerning development.
Turns out Itazura really is in danger. Captive of the Elder Gods, he’s sent the majority of his powers to Janet for safe keeping. Said powers exhaust her every time she uses them and make her a target for all sorts of new enemies if she doesn’t get rid of them soon. Now she must team up with a god she loves, a god she hates and a god she fears to save him, and avoid getting smote by the Elder Gods in the process.
But then strange things start happening. Janet begins healing faster than normal. She dreams of Itazura imprisoned in a dark room, even though he’s a god and that’s impossible. Oh, and when she touches locks, they just open. That’s a midlly concerning development.
Turns out Itazura really is in danger. Captive of the Elder Gods, he’s sent the majority of his powers to Janet for safe keeping. Said powers exhaust her every time she uses them and make her a target for all sorts of new enemies if she doesn’t get rid of them soon. Now she must team up with a god she loves, a god she hates and a god she fears to save him, and avoid getting smote by the Elder Gods in the process.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2017
8 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
Aimee Hyndman
6 books50 followersAimee Hyndman has been writing ever since her toddler fingers could grasp a pencil. A lover of all things speculative fiction, she spent many a night penning the beginnings of novels that would never see the light of day. Now attending college in Iowa, double majoring in Creative writing and English, she has clearly never lost her love of the craft.
When not writing and avoiding her school work, Aimee enjoys reading, singing, and acting at her school’s theater department. She is also a lover of anime and all things Disney.
Her area of specialty is fantasy of all sorts but she dabbles in many genres— whatever she feels compelled to write at the moment. The plot bunnies are never ending but, luckily, so are the words!
When not writing and avoiding her school work, Aimee enjoys reading, singing, and acting at her school’s theater department. She is also a lover of anime and all things Disney.
Her area of specialty is fantasy of all sorts but she dabbles in many genres— whatever she feels compelled to write at the moment. The plot bunnies are never ending but, luckily, so are the words!
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July 13, 2016
So I'm having this reading slump and my friend Figgy mentioned today that I should read some short books or graphic novels and I thought... well I'm going to go over and look at some novella's etc on kindle unlimited and I found this little gem :-)
The book had me at:
I saw my first demon at a Halloween party.
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Claudia is at this Halloween party and after the power goes off some yahoo thinks it's a great idea to get out the Ouija board! Yeah! Right?
I forgot to mention Claudia is a sorceress. She's the only one that sees a demon that appears while the board stupidity is going on and she takes a tumble off the balcony. Fun times!
Claudia's parents decide she needs to go to the University of Blackstone to be more protected from demons etc. This is also home to the Venantium, they supposedly watch the magic users to make sure they are not summoning demons and to take out demons that come into the world. You can join them but then they rule your life and bleh. Claudia's parents were with them but they left at one point.
Anyway, Claudia meets Berenice at the bus stop to the school when a dark shadow is after her and Claudia is going to try to help her.
Okay. Time for action.
I mentally called the shadows toward me--one thing I'd got the knack of pretty quickly, even if it had freaked me out almost as much as the demon had, the sight of every shadow in the room zooming over to me as though I'd activated some kind of shadow-sucking hoover. Right now, thought, I felt a spasm of relief when the dark, swirling shadows came out from under cars and people, swarming over me in one motion. I flicked my hand up, still holding the fan, and the shadows complied, forming a wall between us and the shadow-beast.
Claudia and Berenice end up being flat mates and make some cool friends, Cyrus and Howard. They are forming their own Scooby crew and keeping away from the Venators. That's what you become when you join the Venantium, you have to be a guard. They all have powers of course.
I had a fun time with this book and look forward to reading more of the ones in this series!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
The book had me at:
I saw my first demon at a Halloween party.
">
Claudia is at this Halloween party and after the power goes off some yahoo thinks it's a great idea to get out the Ouija board! Yeah! Right?
I forgot to mention Claudia is a sorceress. She's the only one that sees a demon that appears while the board stupidity is going on and she takes a tumble off the balcony. Fun times!
Claudia's parents decide she needs to go to the University of Blackstone to be more protected from demons etc. This is also home to the Venantium, they supposedly watch the magic users to make sure they are not summoning demons and to take out demons that come into the world. You can join them but then they rule your life and bleh. Claudia's parents were with them but they left at one point.
Anyway, Claudia meets Berenice at the bus stop to the school when a dark shadow is after her and Claudia is going to try to help her.
Okay. Time for action.
I mentally called the shadows toward me--one thing I'd got the knack of pretty quickly, even if it had freaked me out almost as much as the demon had, the sight of every shadow in the room zooming over to me as though I'd activated some kind of shadow-sucking hoover. Right now, thought, I felt a spasm of relief when the dark, swirling shadows came out from under cars and people, swarming over me in one motion. I flicked my hand up, still holding the fan, and the shadows complied, forming a wall between us and the shadow-beast.
Claudia and Berenice end up being flat mates and make some cool friends, Cyrus and Howard. They are forming their own Scooby crew and keeping away from the Venators. That's what you become when you join the Venantium, you have to be a guard. They all have powers of course.
I had a fun time with this book and look forward to reading more of the ones in this series!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
January 24, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Intended as a prequel set before the events of the first book in the series, Darkness Watching, I decided to read this one first. However, even though it doesn't spoil the first book, in hindsight I'd recommend reading the first book before this one, since everything will make more sense that way.
It was kind of a short novella focussing on Claudia, the year before the real story starts. Basically it bottles down to her experiencing a lot of the same things as Ash in the first book.
I think it was a nice addition to the series for those who like to know a bit more about the background of some of the characters. Not having read, at that point, anything else from the series I felt a bit lost at times, but it didn't bother me that much. The story was interesting enough and I was looking forward to reading the rest of the series (which I'm reading as we speak).
Fears Touch is the prequel novella to the Darkworld Series, the first book is Darkness Watching.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Intended as a prequel set before the events of the first book in the series, Darkness Watching, I decided to read this one first. However, even though it doesn't spoil the first book, in hindsight I'd recommend reading the first book before this one, since everything will make more sense that way.
It was kind of a short novella focussing on Claudia, the year before the real story starts. Basically it bottles down to her experiencing a lot of the same things as Ash in the first book.
I think it was a nice addition to the series for those who like to know a bit more about the background of some of the characters. Not having read, at that point, anything else from the series I felt a bit lost at times, but it didn't bother me that much. The story was interesting enough and I was looking forward to reading the rest of the series (which I'm reading as we speak).
Fears Touch is the prequel novella to the Darkworld Series, the first book is Darkness Watching.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
October 20, 2017
Hyndman combines the complexity of epic fantasy with the character focus of young adult fantasy, providing a sense of depth and scope without sacrificing accessibility or the reader’s wrists.
This is the second volume in The Clockwork Gods Chronicles. So, spoilers ahead.
Having completed the deal she made with Itazura, the god of mischief, Janet Redstone wants to focus on her own concerns and avoid the fast-approaching war between the current gods and the Elder Gods they replaced. Unfortunately, with her friend Sylvia’s soul stolen by one of the wendigo that serve the Elder Gods, Janet’s search leads through the deserts of Kabila where many have readopted the old religion. Between the threat of ravaging wendigo packs and the chance that any of the people she meets could be an informant, things are tricky enough; then Janet starts displaying odd advantages, such as locks just opening for her, and dreaming of Itazura imprisoned in darkness.
The novel opens in the middle of events a short while after the previous volume. As such, readers coming to it with only a short break will not find their momentum slowed by prologues or reprises; however, Hyndman does include an amount of framing and explanation where it fits naturally into thoughts or conversations, so readers less immediately familiar with the previous volume have the reminders they need.
While this balance is likely to work well for any continuing reader, and makes for more plausible conversations, the reminders are designed to trigger recall of rather than replace matters from the first volume. As such, large areas of cosmology, metaphysics, politics, and other matters are assumed, making this book less appropriate as a stand-alone or entry-point into the series.
Continuing the time associations, Hyndman expands on the idea of the previous gods, defeated but not destroyed, being seasonal rather than hourly. While there is less focus on the impact this correlation with have on performing tasks at particular times, there is an underlying flavour of the seasons to each encounter with an Elder God’s base of power. In addition, the twelve hours of the clock are compared to the four quarters of the year, making each Elder God a gestalt of three of the current gods; but not necessarily the three one might immediately suspect.
Hyndman adopts the same re-framing rather than radically expanding approach to the steampunk elements: the technology still forms a large part of both the world and the narrative, but appears more as a new application of things already present than as the result of radical concepts.
With Janet having interacted extensively with gods in the previous volume, the presence of a high-powered metaphysical thread is almost inevitable. However, Hyndman resists the temptation to escalate dramatically, instead displaying a world that is changing but keeping the immediate impact on the protagonists at a level similar to that of the previous book. Hyndman additionally makes full use of the disparate obsessions inherent in any pantheon to grant the gods a plausible amount of power but limit the application through disputes and lack of broader awareness.
Janet remains a complex and sympathetic character. Experience and a greater purpose have made her less naïve, but her upbringing as one of the disadvantaged still colours her perspectives on the ultimate 1%: the gods. The interplay between having seen a few gods as more than embodiments of privilege and years of being on the losing end of the system makes her at turns more able to demand they work for the greater good and less able to set her own feelings aside.
While there are a few stereotypes among those characters with the least page time, the supporting cast are similarly nuanced.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking fantasy with the immense scale of epic fantasy but without the immense length and convolution.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for the fair review.
This is the second volume in The Clockwork Gods Chronicles. So, spoilers ahead.
Having completed the deal she made with Itazura, the god of mischief, Janet Redstone wants to focus on her own concerns and avoid the fast-approaching war between the current gods and the Elder Gods they replaced. Unfortunately, with her friend Sylvia’s soul stolen by one of the wendigo that serve the Elder Gods, Janet’s search leads through the deserts of Kabila where many have readopted the old religion. Between the threat of ravaging wendigo packs and the chance that any of the people she meets could be an informant, things are tricky enough; then Janet starts displaying odd advantages, such as locks just opening for her, and dreaming of Itazura imprisoned in darkness.
The novel opens in the middle of events a short while after the previous volume. As such, readers coming to it with only a short break will not find their momentum slowed by prologues or reprises; however, Hyndman does include an amount of framing and explanation where it fits naturally into thoughts or conversations, so readers less immediately familiar with the previous volume have the reminders they need.
While this balance is likely to work well for any continuing reader, and makes for more plausible conversations, the reminders are designed to trigger recall of rather than replace matters from the first volume. As such, large areas of cosmology, metaphysics, politics, and other matters are assumed, making this book less appropriate as a stand-alone or entry-point into the series.
Continuing the time associations, Hyndman expands on the idea of the previous gods, defeated but not destroyed, being seasonal rather than hourly. While there is less focus on the impact this correlation with have on performing tasks at particular times, there is an underlying flavour of the seasons to each encounter with an Elder God’s base of power. In addition, the twelve hours of the clock are compared to the four quarters of the year, making each Elder God a gestalt of three of the current gods; but not necessarily the three one might immediately suspect.
Hyndman adopts the same re-framing rather than radically expanding approach to the steampunk elements: the technology still forms a large part of both the world and the narrative, but appears more as a new application of things already present than as the result of radical concepts.
With Janet having interacted extensively with gods in the previous volume, the presence of a high-powered metaphysical thread is almost inevitable. However, Hyndman resists the temptation to escalate dramatically, instead displaying a world that is changing but keeping the immediate impact on the protagonists at a level similar to that of the previous book. Hyndman additionally makes full use of the disparate obsessions inherent in any pantheon to grant the gods a plausible amount of power but limit the application through disputes and lack of broader awareness.
Janet remains a complex and sympathetic character. Experience and a greater purpose have made her less naïve, but her upbringing as one of the disadvantaged still colours her perspectives on the ultimate 1%: the gods. The interplay between having seen a few gods as more than embodiments of privilege and years of being on the losing end of the system makes her at turns more able to demand they work for the greater good and less able to set her own feelings aside.
While there are a few stereotypes among those characters with the least page time, the supporting cast are similarly nuanced.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking fantasy with the immense scale of epic fantasy but without the immense length and convolution.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for the fair review.
November 5, 2017
3.5 Stars
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
May 23, 2018
Solid second entry in steampunk fantasy The Clockwork God Chronicles! There's more of everything I loved from the first book (witty banter, character development, displays of Godly powers) and even more adventure. Diving into the next book now!
September 4, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book :) I absolutely adored this story :) it's a phenomenal sequel in a fantasy / steampunk-ish series, and you really have to read the first book to understand everything that's happening, as well as appreciate all of the interations between different characters :) since this sequel is so much connected to the first book, I will have the next paragraph completely spoiler free, even if you are brand new to the series, where I will talk a bit more about the world and the plot in general, as well as some of the characters :) and then the third and last paragraph will be filled with my thoughts and opinions about this particular installment, which means I will be talking about people and events, including spoilers from the first installment, so read at your own risk ;) that way everyone can find something for themselves in my review :)
Like I said, this is a fantasy series with some serious steampunk vibes :) which is only just like my favourite mix ever ;) Janet, the main character, is a leader of a teenage band of thieves, with a prosthetic arm :) she's clever and sarcastic and is willing to do whatever it takes to help her friends :) so when they are all caught during one of their heists and thrown to jail, she agrees to a pact with Itazura, god of mischief, to save them :) soon after she finds herself in the middle of a godly conflict that trails back a long, long time... :) I'm not gonna say much more about the events, cause I want you guys to be surprised by all the twists and turns as I was :) but what I can say is that the writing style is amazing :) highly entertaining, with witty dialogue and interesting characters, it's a fast paced story that you are not gonna want to stop :) within the pages of the first story we get to meet a few gods and they are as interesting as you think... maybe even more :) not only that, but we get more acquainted with Janet's friends :) all of them have their own distinctive personalities, and I cannot wait to have some more backstories and informations about them... especially after already hearing some stories ;) now that we have this little explanation out of the way, let me tell you more about the sequel :)
Ok, last warning for all of you guys who are completely new to the series, avert your eyes, cause I am gonna spoil some major things from that first book :) SPOILERS AHEAD ;) ok, so we pick up when Janet, along with Sid and Parker, are looking for wendigos... at least trying to kill as many of them as they can, hoping that one of them will have their friend Sylvia's soul... that is until they discover that Itazura was kidnapped and no one knows where he is... dun dun duuuunnnn... ;) since he is still connected to Janet, certain gods want her help to find him :) this story was a fantastic sequel... again, full of action and surprising twists and turns... although I predicted some of them ;) we meet new characters, but can we trust all of them? :) we also get to know more people, and gods, we've met before... and some of them may surprise us... :) I loved the writing style again, which made this story such an entertaining read... I already cannot wait for the next installment... especially after *that* ending :) I can't really say anything else about the actual events in the sequel, because it would be too spoilerific, but it was a phenomenal read :) 5 stars all the way :) I definitely highly recommend you all this amazing gem :) if you haven't already, be sure to check out this book, and the first one as well :)
XOXO
A
Like I said, this is a fantasy series with some serious steampunk vibes :) which is only just like my favourite mix ever ;) Janet, the main character, is a leader of a teenage band of thieves, with a prosthetic arm :) she's clever and sarcastic and is willing to do whatever it takes to help her friends :) so when they are all caught during one of their heists and thrown to jail, she agrees to a pact with Itazura, god of mischief, to save them :) soon after she finds herself in the middle of a godly conflict that trails back a long, long time... :) I'm not gonna say much more about the events, cause I want you guys to be surprised by all the twists and turns as I was :) but what I can say is that the writing style is amazing :) highly entertaining, with witty dialogue and interesting characters, it's a fast paced story that you are not gonna want to stop :) within the pages of the first story we get to meet a few gods and they are as interesting as you think... maybe even more :) not only that, but we get more acquainted with Janet's friends :) all of them have their own distinctive personalities, and I cannot wait to have some more backstories and informations about them... especially after already hearing some stories ;) now that we have this little explanation out of the way, let me tell you more about the sequel :)
Ok, last warning for all of you guys who are completely new to the series, avert your eyes, cause I am gonna spoil some major things from that first book :) SPOILERS AHEAD ;) ok, so we pick up when Janet, along with Sid and Parker, are looking for wendigos... at least trying to kill as many of them as they can, hoping that one of them will have their friend Sylvia's soul... that is until they discover that Itazura was kidnapped and no one knows where he is... dun dun duuuunnnn... ;) since he is still connected to Janet, certain gods want her help to find him :) this story was a fantastic sequel... again, full of action and surprising twists and turns... although I predicted some of them ;) we meet new characters, but can we trust all of them? :) we also get to know more people, and gods, we've met before... and some of them may surprise us... :) I loved the writing style again, which made this story such an entertaining read... I already cannot wait for the next installment... especially after *that* ending :) I can't really say anything else about the actual events in the sequel, because it would be too spoilerific, but it was a phenomenal read :) 5 stars all the way :) I definitely highly recommend you all this amazing gem :) if you haven't already, be sure to check out this book, and the first one as well :)
XOXO
A
January 8, 2015
What I Thought:
I absolutely loved this little novella! It gives a great insight into the fresher year of Claudia and Berenice. We also learn about the beginning of of the group Cyrus started.
As Claudia starts to see the Darkworld, she goes from well-liked to headaches. Within one evening, she has dropped off the social ladder and even lost her best friend. Previously, she wasn't that interested in uni, and well...she still isn't, but she has to get away from her first demon sighting. She aims for other universities, though her parents push her toward the uni near the small town of Blackstone. It's not that she didn't want it, just she wanted an option, but she tried to push away all ideas of attending Blackstone, just like any child would when their parents want something! After she is rejected time and again, she finds herself in the pouring rain, at a bus stop, waiting to get to the uni her parents wanted. With her demon tragedy at the party, this god-awful weather and a world she didn't want any part in, life couldn't get worse...or so she thought.
Enter Berenice, well, at this moment she's squealing, running, save me I'm being chased by a shadow creature girl, but soon she'll be Berenice. With an attitude that spits knives and a tough outer shell, we instantly take an odd dislike yet like affection to her. We watch as the encounter between the two escalates.
Soon we are thrown into a blundered up mess of secret magic gatherings, demons, shadow creatures a fortune teller and the 'organisation.'
From the first page I found this novella grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I couldn't stop reading. It was like a page-turning addiction.
Personally, I would read it as the second part to the series (i.e. 1.5). Yes, it is a prequel and takes place the year before Darkness Watching, but I love feeling as though I know the future and am getting a rare moment to look back and see what led to now. I also think it helps you to understand Berenice more and actually opens up a thousand more questions about both girls and the organisation. If it were read first, I think you'd miss out.
I found that, once again, the writing style of Emma Adams was perfection. I had a fast-paced fantasy adventure, with enough detail to make me feel as though I was art of their world. There were slower moments, where you felt caught in that exact moment, only to be whisked away into the next part of the adventure.
The character depth was brilliant. You didn't get too much, as this was only a novella and an insight into those we already know, but you did get enough to make the novella an important read.
What can I say? I loved every page and highly recommend this novella. I would suggest (very much so) that you purchase the entire series (book 4 is out this year!) and dive in. You won't be able to put them down.
I absolutely loved this little novella! It gives a great insight into the fresher year of Claudia and Berenice. We also learn about the beginning of of the group Cyrus started.
As Claudia starts to see the Darkworld, she goes from well-liked to headaches. Within one evening, she has dropped off the social ladder and even lost her best friend. Previously, she wasn't that interested in uni, and well...she still isn't, but she has to get away from her first demon sighting. She aims for other universities, though her parents push her toward the uni near the small town of Blackstone. It's not that she didn't want it, just she wanted an option, but she tried to push away all ideas of attending Blackstone, just like any child would when their parents want something! After she is rejected time and again, she finds herself in the pouring rain, at a bus stop, waiting to get to the uni her parents wanted. With her demon tragedy at the party, this god-awful weather and a world she didn't want any part in, life couldn't get worse...or so she thought.
Enter Berenice, well, at this moment she's squealing, running, save me I'm being chased by a shadow creature girl, but soon she'll be Berenice. With an attitude that spits knives and a tough outer shell, we instantly take an odd dislike yet like affection to her. We watch as the encounter between the two escalates.
Soon we are thrown into a blundered up mess of secret magic gatherings, demons, shadow creatures a fortune teller and the 'organisation.'
From the first page I found this novella grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I couldn't stop reading. It was like a page-turning addiction.
Personally, I would read it as the second part to the series (i.e. 1.5). Yes, it is a prequel and takes place the year before Darkness Watching, but I love feeling as though I know the future and am getting a rare moment to look back and see what led to now. I also think it helps you to understand Berenice more and actually opens up a thousand more questions about both girls and the organisation. If it were read first, I think you'd miss out.
I found that, once again, the writing style of Emma Adams was perfection. I had a fast-paced fantasy adventure, with enough detail to make me feel as though I was art of their world. There were slower moments, where you felt caught in that exact moment, only to be whisked away into the next part of the adventure.
The character depth was brilliant. You didn't get too much, as this was only a novella and an insight into those we already know, but you did get enough to make the novella an important read.
What can I say? I loved every page and highly recommend this novella. I would suggest (very much so) that you purchase the entire series (book 4 is out this year!) and dive in. You won't be able to put them down.
January 13, 2015
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
I got both this one and the second book in the series for review, so I decided to start this one first to get back into the world of the Darkworld. It's been awhile since I read the first book, so I really liked getting back into the series with this novella. I couldn't really remember Claudia and which exact role she had in the first book, but that didn't matter and this book was easy to follow and understand and as the book progressed I remember more about the first book. It was fun to read about Claudia her introduction to the dark World and how she deals with it and how that's different from Ash. This novella takes place one year before the first book.
The the start of the book felt a bit off, like there was a recap of past events and only then the story starts about how she goes to university and it got better. While the recap was nice, it felt a bit too much like a recap. The pace didn't feel rushed though and I felt like a novella was the right length for this story.
I thought Claudia was a fun character to read about and I liked how she did her best to become friends with Berenice even though she wasn't always pleasant to be around. She also was a helpful person who got way more involved with the magic aspect then she hoped, but it fit her. We also meet some characters from the first novel here as well. And there was a character named Lola, it's always fun and a bit weird when a character in a book has the same name as you, especially when you're nothing alike. Although I do have a four poster bed just like her, lol.
There not much that this novella adds in terms of world building, but it does add some background and gives a new insight into Claudia as a character and her past. It's a nice addition to the series and it was a fun read.
To conclude: This was a fun and short novella and a nice addition to the series. The first part of the book felt a bit like a recap, but after that it got better. I liked seeing more from Claudia and her part of the story.
I got both this one and the second book in the series for review, so I decided to start this one first to get back into the world of the Darkworld. It's been awhile since I read the first book, so I really liked getting back into the series with this novella. I couldn't really remember Claudia and which exact role she had in the first book, but that didn't matter and this book was easy to follow and understand and as the book progressed I remember more about the first book. It was fun to read about Claudia her introduction to the dark World and how she deals with it and how that's different from Ash. This novella takes place one year before the first book.
The the start of the book felt a bit off, like there was a recap of past events and only then the story starts about how she goes to university and it got better. While the recap was nice, it felt a bit too much like a recap. The pace didn't feel rushed though and I felt like a novella was the right length for this story.
I thought Claudia was a fun character to read about and I liked how she did her best to become friends with Berenice even though she wasn't always pleasant to be around. She also was a helpful person who got way more involved with the magic aspect then she hoped, but it fit her. We also meet some characters from the first novel here as well. And there was a character named Lola, it's always fun and a bit weird when a character in a book has the same name as you, especially when you're nothing alike. Although I do have a four poster bed just like her, lol.
There not much that this novella adds in terms of world building, but it does add some background and gives a new insight into Claudia as a character and her past. It's a nice addition to the series and it was a fun read.
To conclude: This was a fun and short novella and a nice addition to the series. The first part of the book felt a bit like a recap, but after that it got better. I liked seeing more from Claudia and her part of the story.
October 14, 2015
Check this and other reviews at: https://maginibooks.wordpress.com/
Eh, prequels. How is it that some of them are so good! Let’s take this one – if I haven’t intended reading the other books in series before I’d surely want to read them now.
This story was written after the first books in series came out. It shows us how Claudia learned about her powers, the Darkworld, the Venantium and how she joined Blackstone college. And I even liked the opening line: "I saw my first demon on a Halloween party."
It simply fits here. It means the beginning of the new life for Claudia.
On her way to new school Claudia protects Beatrice from a shadow beast attack. Even though she’s not allowed to use magic, she has to do something to protect the two of them. Unfortunately, Claudia’s actions don’t go unnoticed. Two members of Venantium save the girls, but also warn them never to use magic again or they will be arrested.
I admit, few times I had this kind of Harry Potter vibe. It was a good vibe, but kind of “been there, done that” feeling. But it was good, I liked it. The author made a good job of keeping the tension. Action just kept on going.
And can I just mention my favorite scene? The flaming fan fights! Got it? Claudia uses fans to help her channel her skills to blast the hell out of those monsters. AWESOME! Yes, I totally pictured it in my head.
What else can I tell you other than: Go, read it! I’m not going to convince you any further. I’m too busy reading book 1 of the series ;)
I received this copy from the publisher via Curiosity Quills in exchange for an honest review.
Eh, prequels. How is it that some of them are so good! Let’s take this one – if I haven’t intended reading the other books in series before I’d surely want to read them now.
This story was written after the first books in series came out. It shows us how Claudia learned about her powers, the Darkworld, the Venantium and how she joined Blackstone college. And I even liked the opening line: "I saw my first demon on a Halloween party."
It simply fits here. It means the beginning of the new life for Claudia.
On her way to new school Claudia protects Beatrice from a shadow beast attack. Even though she’s not allowed to use magic, she has to do something to protect the two of them. Unfortunately, Claudia’s actions don’t go unnoticed. Two members of Venantium save the girls, but also warn them never to use magic again or they will be arrested.
I admit, few times I had this kind of Harry Potter vibe. It was a good vibe, but kind of “been there, done that” feeling. But it was good, I liked it. The author made a good job of keeping the tension. Action just kept on going.
And can I just mention my favorite scene? The flaming fan fights! Got it? Claudia uses fans to help her channel her skills to blast the hell out of those monsters. AWESOME! Yes, I totally pictured it in my head.
What else can I tell you other than: Go, read it! I’m not going to convince you any further. I’m too busy reading book 1 of the series ;)
I received this copy from the publisher via Curiosity Quills in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for giving me this book to review.
Season of Wind is the second book in the Clockwork Gods Chronicles and I really enjoyed it. It was very fast paced, and full of action and deception. While I guessed the main plot twist it was still a fun light book and I enjoyed reading about all of the characters.
Janet is determined to protect her friends and save Silvia but also feels way over her head as she gets more involved in the Gods war. I wish Itazura was in this book more as he was my favourite character from the first book and the story seemed to be lacking something with him not in it. However, the other gods made up for it was I really liked the bander and family feeling between Laetatia, Meroquio, and Kova.
This is a very fun story and I am looking forward to reading the next book in The Clockwork Gods Chronicles. I would recommend Season of Wind to fans of the first book Hour of Mischief.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
Season of Wind is the second book in the Clockwork Gods Chronicles and I really enjoyed it. It was very fast paced, and full of action and deception. While I guessed the main plot twist it was still a fun light book and I enjoyed reading about all of the characters.
Janet is determined to protect her friends and save Silvia but also feels way over her head as she gets more involved in the Gods war. I wish Itazura was in this book more as he was my favourite character from the first book and the story seemed to be lacking something with him not in it. However, the other gods made up for it was I really liked the bander and family feeling between Laetatia, Meroquio, and Kova.
This is a very fun story and I am looking forward to reading the next book in The Clockwork Gods Chronicles. I would recommend Season of Wind to fans of the first book Hour of Mischief.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
December 30, 2014
FEAR'S TOUCH is part of the DARKWORLD series that exposes the back story of a secondary character the reader meets in DARKNESS WATCHING, the first book of the series. I'd really liked this character, Claudia, in the first book, and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her better in this novella which takes place not long before the main story of book 1 starts.
I recommend FEAR'S TOUCH to anyone who enjoyed DARKNESS WATCHING, but it definitely should be read after book 1. You don't want it to spoil the experience.
And then on to book 2, WAKLING SHADOW.
I recommend FEAR'S TOUCH to anyone who enjoyed DARKNESS WATCHING, but it definitely should be read after book 1. You don't want it to spoil the experience.
And then on to book 2, WAKLING SHADOW.
January 12, 2015
Received a complimentary copy to read and review. Great read for anyone new to the Darkworld series. I couldn’t put it down. Love the characters and the world Emma has created. Although short it gives a great introduction to the series. Readers who love YA urban fantasy will want to add the series to their TBR list. I look forward to reading more of Emma’s books.
October 18, 2017
This is the second book in the Clockwork Gods chronicles. I read it back to back with the first (Hour of Mischief), and have to say, these are a decent pair of stories.
In an nutshell, the setting is a steampunk / godpunk world where there are 12 Clockwork Gods - not clockwork as in gears and such, but they each control an hour of the day, along with various other aspects of life. Think the usual smattering of war, lust, drinking, theft, knowledge, and whatnot, but also tied to a section of the day. It is an interesting setup, and one that is beginning to be explored here in a bit more depth than the first book. Admittedly, the exploration is still playing second fiddle to the plot, which is good in most respects (except for the whole 'need more background' thing I do), and the background serves the story. In fact, everything serves the story - there is a lack of extraneous elements, which is refreshing. Nothing is shoehorned into the book, or if it is, it is done well enough that it isn't obvious in the least.
The plot follows our crew from the first book as they continue to work to save the world. This time, in another city altogether, and without the aid of her patron, Itazura. The stakes are bigger, as one of the elder seasonal gods has Itazura captive, and may plan to kill him to disrupt the power of the pantheon. To add to the drama, Janet is changing. And not in the way one expects at her age. No, she is healing, can open locks at a touch, and seems to be having prophetic dreams as well. Almost like she has Itazura's powers or something.
So, in order to save the pantheon, herself, and hopefully her wendigo-imprisoned friend Sylvia, it's off to rescue Itazura - with the aid of some Clockwork Gods. Sadly, there isn't a god of rescue missions.
The story is well done, with good pacing, new information about the conflict and world, and properly introduced new characters (properly - they are introduced in a natural way, treated realistically, and have their own stories). The expansion of the world is well-done, with elements drawn from a good array of sources, without being the exact source. Little changes are nice, and it makes the informed reader feel they saw behind the curtain, without leaving the uninformed reader wondering what they missed. There is only one real issue I had with the expanded world.
It feels too much like a post-apocalyptic Earth. Way too much. And it didn't in the first book.
While I have nothing specific against the far-future fantasy, it always feels like the creator is thinking themselves so very clever when the inevitable reveal occurs. Dispensing with it early (Son of the Black Sword, for example) doesn't mitigate the bad taste this leaves. In Ms. Hyndman's defense, there has been no such reveal, and the feeling could be just an artefact of the 'drawn from' method of world building that has already occurred (see wendigo above...).
But that is all there is to really complain about. Like a good sequel, it is light on 'last episode' stuff, and heads right into the action, with some gaps in time, but they are explained in the narrative, so no long blocks of explaining how we got from there to here.
This is a good series, and worth the time to pick up and read. Well done.
In an nutshell, the setting is a steampunk / godpunk world where there are 12 Clockwork Gods - not clockwork as in gears and such, but they each control an hour of the day, along with various other aspects of life. Think the usual smattering of war, lust, drinking, theft, knowledge, and whatnot, but also tied to a section of the day. It is an interesting setup, and one that is beginning to be explored here in a bit more depth than the first book. Admittedly, the exploration is still playing second fiddle to the plot, which is good in most respects (except for the whole 'need more background' thing I do), and the background serves the story. In fact, everything serves the story - there is a lack of extraneous elements, which is refreshing. Nothing is shoehorned into the book, or if it is, it is done well enough that it isn't obvious in the least.
The plot follows our crew from the first book as they continue to work to save the world. This time, in another city altogether, and without the aid of her patron, Itazura. The stakes are bigger, as one of the elder seasonal gods has Itazura captive, and may plan to kill him to disrupt the power of the pantheon. To add to the drama, Janet is changing. And not in the way one expects at her age. No, she is healing, can open locks at a touch, and seems to be having prophetic dreams as well. Almost like she has Itazura's powers or something.
So, in order to save the pantheon, herself, and hopefully her wendigo-imprisoned friend Sylvia, it's off to rescue Itazura - with the aid of some Clockwork Gods. Sadly, there isn't a god of rescue missions.
The story is well done, with good pacing, new information about the conflict and world, and properly introduced new characters (properly - they are introduced in a natural way, treated realistically, and have their own stories). The expansion of the world is well-done, with elements drawn from a good array of sources, without being the exact source. Little changes are nice, and it makes the informed reader feel they saw behind the curtain, without leaving the uninformed reader wondering what they missed. There is only one real issue I had with the expanded world.
It feels too much like a post-apocalyptic Earth. Way too much. And it didn't in the first book.
While I have nothing specific against the far-future fantasy, it always feels like the creator is thinking themselves so very clever when the inevitable reveal occurs. Dispensing with it early (Son of the Black Sword, for example) doesn't mitigate the bad taste this leaves. In Ms. Hyndman's defense, there has been no such reveal, and the feeling could be just an artefact of the 'drawn from' method of world building that has already occurred (see wendigo above...).
But that is all there is to really complain about. Like a good sequel, it is light on 'last episode' stuff, and heads right into the action, with some gaps in time, but they are explained in the narrative, so no long blocks of explaining how we got from there to here.
This is a good series, and worth the time to pick up and read. Well done.
September 20, 2017
Once again, Janet is in way over her head; not that it's any surprise. On top of having a friend to save and trying to protect what's left of her little gang, she is entangled in yet another of gods' schemes. Speaking of gods, have I mentioned that Itazura is kidnapped? Oh, no. Guess who's going to have to save him.
The story starts off in the desert. Their search for Sylvia has brought the gang all the way to desert realms, seemingly a great distance from Fortuna. Their journey from there consists of several cities with unique qualities as well as an array of closed areas that were no less interesting. If I had to choose one thing to commend, it would be the worldbuilding. Season of Wind made a good job of solidifying the world.
However, my favorites were, once again, the characterization and the dialogue; more the latter than the former. We have both returning characters and entirely new ones, which made for a diverse cast that made up for, with all due respect, the dryness of the narrative. In the first book, Janet had shone, but in Season of Wind, I felt like she was underdeveloped. Then again, it might be that she spent far more time among gods, characters that were naturally interesting, than her gang of normal human beings this time around.
I had a real issue with the plot, though. It seemed to follow a 'think of the worst thing that can happen, then make it happen' rule, which made it predictable, overwelmingly so at times. I still enjoyed the story, but it wasn't gripping. Besides that, I think the story could do without the seemingly romantic whatever between Itazura and Janet. I was unable to see any sort of spark of attraction that brought them together or Janet reacting to him in that way, apart from words. I just felt like a romance subplot was being forced upon the main character.
Overall, Season of Wind didn't leave a lasting effect like Hour of Mischief, but it was still an enjoyable read. It was good to see Laetatia and Meroquio again, among others and the banter was fun to read. 3.5/5.
The story starts off in the desert. Their search for Sylvia has brought the gang all the way to desert realms, seemingly a great distance from Fortuna. Their journey from there consists of several cities with unique qualities as well as an array of closed areas that were no less interesting. If I had to choose one thing to commend, it would be the worldbuilding. Season of Wind made a good job of solidifying the world.
However, my favorites were, once again, the characterization and the dialogue; more the latter than the former. We have both returning characters and entirely new ones, which made for a diverse cast that made up for, with all due respect, the dryness of the narrative. In the first book, Janet had shone, but in Season of Wind, I felt like she was underdeveloped. Then again, it might be that she spent far more time among gods, characters that were naturally interesting, than her gang of normal human beings this time around.
I had a real issue with the plot, though. It seemed to follow a 'think of the worst thing that can happen, then make it happen' rule, which made it predictable, overwelmingly so at times. I still enjoyed the story, but it wasn't gripping. Besides that, I think the story could do without the seemingly romantic whatever between Itazura and Janet. I was unable to see any sort of spark of attraction that brought them together or Janet reacting to him in that way, apart from words. I just felt like a romance subplot was being forced upon the main character.
Overall, Season of Wind didn't leave a lasting effect like Hour of Mischief, but it was still an enjoyable read. It was good to see Laetatia and Meroquio again, among others and the banter was fun to read. 3.5/5.
December 8, 2017
I loved the first book and was so ready to read this! The book starts out weeks after the first one left off. Janet, Sid and Parker are in the desert realm of Kabila trying to rescue Sylvia's soul. However, before they can do that, Janet starts having dreams of Itazura held captive by Autumn, an Elder God, and she starts to heal faster than she should. Janet must make the choice to try and rescue Itazura with three other Gods and Sid and Parker go after Sylvia. Will they be able to save him in time and stop the Elder Gods? What will Janet find out about herself along the way?
This book did not disappoint! When I finished reading it, I immediately looked to see when the next book was being released (I wasn't able to find anything). Cannot wait for the next book - please hurry!
This book did not disappoint! When I finished reading it, I immediately looked to see when the next book was being released (I wasn't able to find anything). Cannot wait for the next book - please hurry!
October 7, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I'd give this novella 3.5 stars. Although I found the plot fairly intriguing, I did think that too much of the story's events were summarised at the beginning of the story. It would have been nice to see more of Claudia's interactions with her parents and some of her learning about her abilities.
I did find Berenicia to be an intriguing character, even though I couldn't understand why she was so hostile most of the time. Even by the end of the book, it didn't make it clear why the demons were after only her.
It was interesting to see Claudia also trying to learn about the history of the society, though I was really confused about why they had the registry in the first place. I really didn't like Jude as a character and I felt he fell really easily into the trap of a two-dimensional villain.
I liked the hints of the society and it would have been good to learn more about the world. It was nice to see Claudia's interactions with the other students and I was a bit amused by one of the guys she met. Although he came across as a thug to begin with, I thought he was shown to be a character with more depth than he first appeared to have. And I did find him to be a bit amusing at times.
I would have liked a bit more detail about the university and how the students end up joining. I also would have liked to see more of Claudia's flatmates. I do have to say... Claudia has a lot more patience than I would have with certain characters.
This novella was really easy to read, but I felt the storyline and characters weren't expanded upon. While this could be because I haven't yet read the other books in this series, I do think the world could have been explored more than it actually was, especially in regards to the other characters' families and the fortune-teller. I found her really interesting and would have liked a bit more detail about her.
I do have the other books on my Kindle... and I am hoping that the next books will have more details on the world and the characters.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I'd give this novella 3.5 stars. Although I found the plot fairly intriguing, I did think that too much of the story's events were summarised at the beginning of the story. It would have been nice to see more of Claudia's interactions with her parents and some of her learning about her abilities.
I did find Berenicia to be an intriguing character, even though I couldn't understand why she was so hostile most of the time. Even by the end of the book, it didn't make it clear why the demons were after only her.
It was interesting to see Claudia also trying to learn about the history of the society, though I was really confused about why they had the registry in the first place. I really didn't like Jude as a character and I felt he fell really easily into the trap of a two-dimensional villain.
I liked the hints of the society and it would have been good to learn more about the world. It was nice to see Claudia's interactions with the other students and I was a bit amused by one of the guys she met. Although he came across as a thug to begin with, I thought he was shown to be a character with more depth than he first appeared to have. And I did find him to be a bit amusing at times.
I would have liked a bit more detail about the university and how the students end up joining. I also would have liked to see more of Claudia's flatmates. I do have to say... Claudia has a lot more patience than I would have with certain characters.
This novella was really easy to read, but I felt the storyline and characters weren't expanded upon. While this could be because I haven't yet read the other books in this series, I do think the world could have been explored more than it actually was, especially in regards to the other characters' families and the fortune-teller. I found her really interesting and would have liked a bit more detail about her.
I do have the other books on my Kindle... and I am hoping that the next books will have more details on the world and the characters.
June 4, 2018
I don't tend to read a lot of prequels, despite my love for them. One of my favourite things in reading is falling in love with a story and a set of characters, and then being able to pick up their prequel and being able to backtrack their journey to see how their progress how they've changed. Reflecting on their development and their progress always gives the story an extra sense of depth. It usually makes the reader (or at least me) fall in even more in love with the characters and story.
Fear's Touch was a "standalone" prequel so it didn't actually follow Ash directly in any way, but that isn't a bad thing. This story was the 'origin story' of Claudia, Ash's friend from Blackstone who we met in Darkness Watching... and I'm happy to say that I think I actually enjoyed reading about her even more than I did Ash. We got to see how Claudia discovered her heritage (and her powers), and how she got to Blackstone. We follow her in her first few weeks of university and meet Brianne, Howard and Clyde for the first time. I liked seeing more of these characters. Howard wasn't nearly as annoying as he was in Darkness Watching and I loved Clyde.
While it didn't think this story was exactly necessary to the series, I still really enjoyed it. I would have to recommend picking it up after reading Darkness Watching though. The world-building is a little lacking. I think you're almost expected to have a little knowledge of the Darkworld, which you wouldn't have if you hadn't read the first book yet. You could probably pick this book up and be fine, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Review copy provided by Curiosity Quills Publishing for an honest review.
Fear's Touch was a "standalone" prequel so it didn't actually follow Ash directly in any way, but that isn't a bad thing. This story was the 'origin story' of Claudia, Ash's friend from Blackstone who we met in Darkness Watching... and I'm happy to say that I think I actually enjoyed reading about her even more than I did Ash. We got to see how Claudia discovered her heritage (and her powers), and how she got to Blackstone. We follow her in her first few weeks of university and meet Brianne, Howard and Clyde for the first time. I liked seeing more of these characters. Howard wasn't nearly as annoying as he was in Darkness Watching and I loved Clyde.
While it didn't think this story was exactly necessary to the series, I still really enjoyed it. I would have to recommend picking it up after reading Darkness Watching though. The world-building is a little lacking. I think you're almost expected to have a little knowledge of the Darkworld, which you wouldn't have if you hadn't read the first book yet. You could probably pick this book up and be fine, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Review copy provided by Curiosity Quills Publishing for an honest review.
April 22, 2016
I received a copy for review from the publishing company.
Wow this was an awesome novella to the Darkworld series. I mean I really enjoyed the ten chapters I read in about 100 pages. For a novella, this was a very in depth and detailed story about Claudia's life as a new magic-user. I absolutely loved Claudia because even though she wanted no part in the magic world, she dealt with it to the best of her abilities. Claudia is definitely the kickass kind of character to beat down doors and save those around her.
I found Bernice to be a little weird. I wonder what her deal is. Jude was a true douchebag, abusing his powers was just ridiculous. Howard was just your typical alpha male jerk -- he just wanted to enjoy the college life. The fortune teller seemed cool, but creepy at the same time. Cyrus was really cool. I think he would be a perfect love interest for Claudia. Biker Guy was cool too.
Really great novella for the series.
Wow this was an awesome novella to the Darkworld series. I mean I really enjoyed the ten chapters I read in about 100 pages. For a novella, this was a very in depth and detailed story about Claudia's life as a new magic-user. I absolutely loved Claudia because even though she wanted no part in the magic world, she dealt with it to the best of her abilities. Claudia is definitely the kickass kind of character to beat down doors and save those around her.
I found Bernice to be a little weird. I wonder what her deal is. Jude was a true douchebag, abusing his powers was just ridiculous. Howard was just your typical alpha male jerk -- he just wanted to enjoy the college life. The fortune teller seemed cool, but creepy at the same time. Cyrus was really cool. I think he would be a perfect love interest for Claudia. Biker Guy was cool too.
Really great novella for the series.
October 23, 2017
Book 67 complete.
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