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The High and Faraway #1
Reign of the Departed, The
Errol Greyson hadn’t intended to commit suicide. Or so he told himself. But waking up after his “cry for help” in the body of a wood-and-metal construct magically animated by Aster―the strange girl from school―was not a result he could have imagined.
Aster’s wild explanations of a quest to find the water of health that would cure her father seemed as unreal as her description of Errol’s own half-dead existence, his consciousness stuck in an enchanted automaton while his real body was in a coma from which it might never wake. And of course, they would need to recruit a girl―a virgin, no less―who had been dead for thirty years, to lead them through something called the Pale, beyond which a bunch of magical kingdoms existed. Plus, the threat that Aster could turn him off like a light switch, sending him into a hellish oblivion, was a convincing incentive to cooperate.
It all seemed quite mad: Either Aster was nuts, or Errol was hallucinating. But if it meant a new chance at life, he reckoned it was worth playing along.
Aster’s wild explanations of a quest to find the water of health that would cure her father seemed as unreal as her description of Errol’s own half-dead existence, his consciousness stuck in an enchanted automaton while his real body was in a coma from which it might never wake. And of course, they would need to recruit a girl―a virgin, no less―who had been dead for thirty years, to lead them through something called the Pale, beyond which a bunch of magical kingdoms existed. Plus, the threat that Aster could turn him off like a light switch, sending him into a hellish oblivion, was a convincing incentive to cooperate.
It all seemed quite mad: Either Aster was nuts, or Errol was hallucinating. But if it meant a new chance at life, he reckoned it was worth playing along.
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Published June 19, 2018
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About the author
Greg Keyes
85 books655 followersGregory Keyes is a writer of science fiction and fantasy who has written both original and media-related novels under both the names J. Gregory Keyes and "Greg Keyes".
Greg Keyes was born in to a large, diverse, storytelling family. He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of Georgia before becoming a fulltime writer.
He lives in Savannah, Georgia.
Greg Keyes was born in to a large, diverse, storytelling family. He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of Georgia before becoming a fulltime writer.
He lives in Savannah, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 7, 2019
I will confess I'm a bit of a loss to review this book. It was awkward in places and stranger than strange in others; but not necessarily bad. I'm going to try and break it down to see if that helps with my 'meh' 3 star rating.
Characters
We have a wide cast of characters but certainly one of the most important is our 'Pinocchio' wooden boy, Errol. He is a really odd character as most of the time it's easy to forget that he is wooden. That said his evolution from boy to (more or less) dead to wooden to his final end state is actually one of the better parts of the story. No none of those things are spoilers. I would have liked a bit more focus or time spent on his choices as a living boy but at the same time there is a lot of plot and characters so maybe it doesn't really matter.
The lead gal, Aster, is a whole other confusing mess. What's most important about her is she is the catalyst for the whole book. While Errol is the main character; without Aster there is no story to tell.
My personal favourite character however is the 'nov', a virgin ghost. Yes that's right 'virgin' is very important for some reason. And it amused me greatly that there was even a word for a virgin ghost that Greg Keyes didn't make-up!
Other characters come and go in the story as our fierce some three travel together. One is amazing, but I can't tell you anything about them as it would ruin the surprise.
Plot
The Reign of the Departed is a quest story. With three clear goals that Aster needs to accomplish in order to succeed with her quest. It starts to feel a little like The NeverEnding Story in places as each piece of area of the quest has it's own little interaction and story line. This would be a great book to turn into a role-playing game (RPG) like Zelda as it's broken-up in such a distinct and obvious way. Clearly this allows children to follow the story easier and feel like there are 'parts' to it.
Strange, strange settings
I'll confess I'm a goth girl. Was a full-goth in the 90's as a teen and still definitely lean towards darker elements. I like my fantasy dark and broody. Add in some violence, a tough of romance and a lot of character building and you've likely got me hooked. So when authors go off on odd tangents where the world has just become ridiculous I have a hard time. Points in Keyes series starter felt like City of Golden Shadow Otherland by Tad Williams. I did not like Otherland (although I did read it 20 years ago... I suppose it may be time to give it another try) as it had moments that just seemed outrageous. Those types of moments Keyes presents here are equally ridiculous but given this is a middle age/teen book I accepted the ridiculousness and carried on. It also wasn't the entire setting that was in these weird places and so I was able to quickly 'read my way out' into other better settings.
Age Appropriateness
My library has this book filed as Young Adult/Teen and I think that is the right place for it. However, there are a lot of juvenile things that happen in this book, and the set-up feels like it's more for the middle aged group range. That is until you get to some parts. There are deaths of characters, a implied (but not described) rape or two and some intense (but non-sexual) romance scenes. And so because of these elements I suppose it's a teen novel. I feel like the deaths could remain and the rape toned down to a kiss that wasn't invited and you could easily adapt this novel for the middle grade audience where it would likely be better suited. Or it's a good transition novel for a kid just moving into the teen world. The aspects and writing will be familiar but the teen themes will maybe help transition them into more intense teen books. No matter how you look at this the weird age mixture of elements threw me off a lot. I just felt confused at times about who the target market was.
Overall
This is just an okay book. I liked most of the characters well enough and there are some thoughts and progressions of characters that are very well done. However some of the settings and situations were just silly to me and I found myself wondering when it would end. I would definitely consider reading the next book if it was put in front of me but am not sure I would search it out. Shortly after I finished reading this book I felt like I had already forgotten most of it as it didn't really make an impression or mark on me. So not a bad book but not a great book either. I'm really stuck in the 'meh' space on this one.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Characters
We have a wide cast of characters but certainly one of the most important is our 'Pinocchio' wooden boy, Errol. He is a really odd character as most of the time it's easy to forget that he is wooden. That said his evolution from boy to (more or less) dead to wooden to his final end state is actually one of the better parts of the story. No none of those things are spoilers. I would have liked a bit more focus or time spent on his choices as a living boy but at the same time there is a lot of plot and characters so maybe it doesn't really matter.
The lead gal, Aster, is a whole other confusing mess. What's most important about her is she is the catalyst for the whole book. While Errol is the main character; without Aster there is no story to tell.
My personal favourite character however is the 'nov', a virgin ghost. Yes that's right 'virgin' is very important for some reason. And it amused me greatly that there was even a word for a virgin ghost that Greg Keyes didn't make-up!
Other characters come and go in the story as our fierce some three travel together. One is amazing, but I can't tell you anything about them as it would ruin the surprise.
Plot
The Reign of the Departed is a quest story. With three clear goals that Aster needs to accomplish in order to succeed with her quest. It starts to feel a little like The NeverEnding Story in places as each piece of area of the quest has it's own little interaction and story line. This would be a great book to turn into a role-playing game (RPG) like Zelda as it's broken-up in such a distinct and obvious way. Clearly this allows children to follow the story easier and feel like there are 'parts' to it.
Strange, strange settings
I'll confess I'm a goth girl. Was a full-goth in the 90's as a teen and still definitely lean towards darker elements. I like my fantasy dark and broody. Add in some violence, a tough of romance and a lot of character building and you've likely got me hooked. So when authors go off on odd tangents where the world has just become ridiculous I have a hard time. Points in Keyes series starter felt like City of Golden Shadow Otherland by Tad Williams. I did not like Otherland (although I did read it 20 years ago... I suppose it may be time to give it another try) as it had moments that just seemed outrageous. Those types of moments Keyes presents here are equally ridiculous but given this is a middle age/teen book I accepted the ridiculousness and carried on. It also wasn't the entire setting that was in these weird places and so I was able to quickly 'read my way out' into other better settings.
Age Appropriateness
My library has this book filed as Young Adult/Teen and I think that is the right place for it. However, there are a lot of juvenile things that happen in this book, and the set-up feels like it's more for the middle aged group range. That is until you get to some parts. There are deaths of characters, a implied (but not described) rape or two and some intense (but non-sexual) romance scenes. And so because of these elements I suppose it's a teen novel. I feel like the deaths could remain and the rape toned down to a kiss that wasn't invited and you could easily adapt this novel for the middle grade audience where it would likely be better suited. Or it's a good transition novel for a kid just moving into the teen world. The aspects and writing will be familiar but the teen themes will maybe help transition them into more intense teen books. No matter how you look at this the weird age mixture of elements threw me off a lot. I just felt confused at times about who the target market was.
Overall
This is just an okay book. I liked most of the characters well enough and there are some thoughts and progressions of characters that are very well done. However some of the settings and situations were just silly to me and I found myself wondering when it would end. I would definitely consider reading the next book if it was put in front of me but am not sure I would search it out. Shortly after I finished reading this book I felt like I had already forgotten most of it as it didn't really make an impression or mark on me. So not a bad book but not a great book either. I'm really stuck in the 'meh' space on this one.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
June 4, 2018
4 Stars
Review:
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This book was strange, but I liked its strangeness, and these flawed characters managed to capture my heart as they traveled through magical realms, formed bonds with one another, and struggled with their own inner turmoil and growth while on their quest to find the water of health.
This was a plot-driven book, and while that's normally not my thing, I enjoyed getting to see all the weird stuff in the Kingdoms (the other realms) and going along for the ride. There was some randomness, things that happened because of fate or that didn't get explained, but I was able to roll with it. It fit with the strangeness of the book overall, and magic and fate and those sorts of things were just a part of the setting where the story took place.
But, despite the book's plot-driven nature, it was the characters that really reeled me in, especially Errol and Aster, who seemed to be the two main ones.
I felt for Errol immediately. Reading about his attempted suicide, the fear he felt when it didn't go as planned, the grief he felt when he found out his body was lying in a hospital---I nearly shed a tear despite not even knowing his reason for trying to commit suicide. As I learned more about him, I could see he wasn't perfect, but he wasn't a bad guy either. He was dealing with some tough stuff, he cared about people, he just wanted to feel like he wasn't so useless to everyone, and he realized some of his faults over the course of the book.
Aster was markedly less likeable to start off with---callous and selfish---but I could understand why she was that way, and I sympathized with her too. She was basically on her own with no one to turn to, and she just wanted to save her father from the curse he was under and not feel like such an outsider. As the book went on, well, she turned out to not be so selfish after all, and I felt for her.
One of my only complaints is that there were a few too many POVs for my taste, and the book sometimes jumped between them in short bursts. But the POVs were always clearly separated, the short bursts kept the book feeling like it was moving quickly, and clearly I found the main characters believable, likeable, and interesting regardless. The characters even cracked me up sometimes.
Altogether, the characters had an interesting dynamic. Friendships. Mutual crushes. Unrequited crushes. Animosity. All these things developing, getting tangled up, and changing throughout the book. It was kind of like teenage drama, high fantasy style. Some of the feelings were a bit sudden or not as believable as they could've been, but I suppose it might be realistic for some teens to feel things strongly and quickly, and it was all subdued rather than over-the-top and added another layer to the story, so I liked it. And the friendships that formed were really touching and sweet.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story with a swift plot, an interesting magical world, touching friendships, and believable characters that I look forward to reading more about in the next book!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes quests through fantasy realms, sweet friendships, character growth, a lot of magic, and just a bit of strangeness.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
--------------------
Initial Thoughts:
This book was strange, but I liked its strangeness, and these flawed characters managed to capture my heart. Full review closer to release date!
Review:
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review.*
This book was strange, but I liked its strangeness, and these flawed characters managed to capture my heart as they traveled through magical realms, formed bonds with one another, and struggled with their own inner turmoil and growth while on their quest to find the water of health.
This was a plot-driven book, and while that's normally not my thing, I enjoyed getting to see all the weird stuff in the Kingdoms (the other realms) and going along for the ride. There was some randomness, things that happened because of fate or that didn't get explained, but I was able to roll with it. It fit with the strangeness of the book overall, and magic and fate and those sorts of things were just a part of the setting where the story took place.
But, despite the book's plot-driven nature, it was the characters that really reeled me in, especially Errol and Aster, who seemed to be the two main ones.
I felt for Errol immediately. Reading about his attempted suicide, the fear he felt when it didn't go as planned, the grief he felt when he found out his body was lying in a hospital---I nearly shed a tear despite not even knowing his reason for trying to commit suicide. As I learned more about him, I could see he wasn't perfect, but he wasn't a bad guy either. He was dealing with some tough stuff, he cared about people, he just wanted to feel like he wasn't so useless to everyone, and he realized some of his faults over the course of the book.
Aster was markedly less likeable to start off with---callous and selfish---but I could understand why she was that way, and I sympathized with her too. She was basically on her own with no one to turn to, and she just wanted to save her father from the curse he was under and not feel like such an outsider. As the book went on, well, she turned out to not be so selfish after all, and I felt for her.
One of my only complaints is that there were a few too many POVs for my taste, and the book sometimes jumped between them in short bursts. But the POVs were always clearly separated, the short bursts kept the book feeling like it was moving quickly, and clearly I found the main characters believable, likeable, and interesting regardless. The characters even cracked me up sometimes.
Altogether, the characters had an interesting dynamic. Friendships. Mutual crushes. Unrequited crushes. Animosity. All these things developing, getting tangled up, and changing throughout the book. It was kind of like teenage drama, high fantasy style. Some of the feelings were a bit sudden or not as believable as they could've been, but I suppose it might be realistic for some teens to feel things strongly and quickly, and it was all subdued rather than over-the-top and added another layer to the story, so I liked it. And the friendships that formed were really touching and sweet.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story with a swift plot, an interesting magical world, touching friendships, and believable characters that I look forward to reading more about in the next book!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes quests through fantasy realms, sweet friendships, character growth, a lot of magic, and just a bit of strangeness.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
--------------------
Initial Thoughts:
This book was strange, but I liked its strangeness, and these flawed characters managed to capture my heart. Full review closer to release date!
July 1, 2018
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
This was definitely an interesting book. I liked the main characters and thought that it had a unique blend of different kinds of magic that helped it to stand out from some of the other more standard portal fantasy books I've read. There was a definite blend of magic and technology and I like the idea of all the different magical kingdoms that are separate but still kind of connected as well. I thought that the characters played well off of each other for the most part, although the inclusion of the dreaded YA love triangle in the later part of the book was a definite letdown. Still, it didn't take up a lot of the page time so I hope it's not going to be something that will be focused on too heavily in the next book.
This book was probably more of a 3.5 for me but I rounded it down for one pretty big reason - there is a LOT of implied / attempted rape in this book. It never happens 'on screen' and it's definitely never presented as something that is acceptable, but it still took me right out of the story and made me pretty uncomfortable on a lot of occasions. There's several instances of teen boys raping other teen girls and also one of an adult man raping a teen girl [and attempted rape of another] so if that is something you would rather avoid then I would say you might want to skip this one. Like I said before, it is by no means explicit and it's definitely not condoned by the narrative, but it's still there and I know a lot of people would rather not have to deal with it all.
This was definitely an interesting book. I liked the main characters and thought that it had a unique blend of different kinds of magic that helped it to stand out from some of the other more standard portal fantasy books I've read. There was a definite blend of magic and technology and I like the idea of all the different magical kingdoms that are separate but still kind of connected as well. I thought that the characters played well off of each other for the most part, although the inclusion of the dreaded YA love triangle in the later part of the book was a definite letdown. Still, it didn't take up a lot of the page time so I hope it's not going to be something that will be focused on too heavily in the next book.
This book was probably more of a 3.5 for me but I rounded it down for one pretty big reason - there is a LOT of implied / attempted rape in this book. It never happens 'on screen' and it's definitely never presented as something that is acceptable, but it still took me right out of the story and made me pretty uncomfortable on a lot of occasions. There's several instances of teen boys raping other teen girls and also one of an adult man raping a teen girl [and attempted rape of another] so if that is something you would rather avoid then I would say you might want to skip this one. Like I said before, it is by no means explicit and it's definitely not condoned by the narrative, but it's still there and I know a lot of people would rather not have to deal with it all.
April 9, 2018
Publishing Date: June 2018
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
ISBN:9781597809375
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.4/5
Publisher’s Description: Errol Greyson hadn’t intended to commit suicide. Or so he told himself. But waking up after his “cry for help” trapped in the body of a wood-and-metal construct magically animated by Aster—the strange girl from school—was not a result he could have imagined.
Review: What a surprising find…in a good way. This novel starts in the realm of normalcy and quickly descends into the favorably bizarre and surprising. Errol is definitely emo (not the punk/rock music genre) in that he is depressingly inverted. He is recovering from a first love disaster and his Father’s death. His mother is dis-interested in well, mothering and traipses around with her drunk boyfriend. Things come to a head when Errol takes sleeping pills and whisky and wakes up as an automaton.
The movement is non-stop and walks hand in hand with the ALL of the characters development. Even characters firmly established, like the Sheriff and Dusk, have their pasts come to the fore in a sudden reveal. Really, there was not one character that was uninteresting. The world building is epic. A magical realm that mirrors earth while residing under a curse was not only inventive but enthralling.
“So why you no give 4 stars!?”. The sudden inclusion of love triangles, sudden love interests with a YA bent derailed this novel for a bit. It settles out and moves on in glorious form but the after-taste lingers.
I will say that the story line takes you to a place you want to go…….another novel in the series!
You can check out my other reviews,HERE.
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
ISBN:9781597809375
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.4/5
Publisher’s Description: Errol Greyson hadn’t intended to commit suicide. Or so he told himself. But waking up after his “cry for help” trapped in the body of a wood-and-metal construct magically animated by Aster—the strange girl from school—was not a result he could have imagined.
Review: What a surprising find…in a good way. This novel starts in the realm of normalcy and quickly descends into the favorably bizarre and surprising. Errol is definitely emo (not the punk/rock music genre) in that he is depressingly inverted. He is recovering from a first love disaster and his Father’s death. His mother is dis-interested in well, mothering and traipses around with her drunk boyfriend. Things come to a head when Errol takes sleeping pills and whisky and wakes up as an automaton.
The movement is non-stop and walks hand in hand with the ALL of the characters development. Even characters firmly established, like the Sheriff and Dusk, have their pasts come to the fore in a sudden reveal. Really, there was not one character that was uninteresting. The world building is epic. A magical realm that mirrors earth while residing under a curse was not only inventive but enthralling.
“So why you no give 4 stars!?”. The sudden inclusion of love triangles, sudden love interests with a YA bent derailed this novel for a bit. It settles out and moves on in glorious form but the after-taste lingers.
I will say that the story line takes you to a place you want to go…….another novel in the series!
You can check out my other reviews,HERE.
August 6, 2018
Well, that was a pleasant surprise and a lesson in not judging a book by its cover! I knew of Greg Keyes by name from the tie-in books he's written, but I've never read anything by him before. I was really skeptical to this book because of the cover, but I got it as an ARC and wanted to see if he could write (and what his style is like). That he definitely can.
This wasn't marketed as a young adult book as far as l remember, but I think that's how I would recommend it. Although I would suggest it for older teens, as it does have themes and elements that are a bit dark. I really enjoyed it but I wish it came out in a format and with a cover that was a bit more appealing (sorry that cover is horrendous...) and easier to sell / recommend.
This wasn't marketed as a young adult book as far as l remember, but I think that's how I would recommend it. Although I would suggest it for older teens, as it does have themes and elements that are a bit dark. I really enjoyed it but I wish it came out in a format and with a cover that was a bit more appealing (sorry that cover is horrendous...) and easier to sell / recommend.
September 15, 2018
I enjoyed the story and felt like it was refreshing and different from others I’ve read in the past. I knew getting into it that it would be a series but I like how this book has an ending to its portion of the story. The characters were interesting and strange at the same time. The only downside is that I found it difficult to keep all the characters apart at times because the story jumps from different perspectives throughout a chapter without much indication.
April 20, 2018
Thank you for the arc netgalley.
Well this was an.... interesting read. I found it to be boring in my opinion. I just couldn't get into this book. It was a DNF for me
Well this was an.... interesting read. I found it to be boring in my opinion. I just couldn't get into this book. It was a DNF for me
October 30, 2020
Spam, Spam, Rape, Spam, Rape, Rape
So, how often do you read a middle grade/YA book where reader comments can run along the lines of "could the rape be toned down"?
This book starts off as an imaginative and entertaining "Wizard of Oz" knockoff, with a spunky/magicky/conflicted heroine and an extremely odd assortment of companions. We're off through some veil to a magical Kingdom in search of the Water of Life that will cure the heroine's Dad and also cure each of the odd companions of their individual oddities. The opener is fast paced, with some witty dialogue and a lot of clever flourishes in the oddness and magic departments. The story even seems to be dripping with metaphorical and allegorical possibilities. It all gets a bit silly and random toward the end, but meanwhile there are plenty of interesting bits.
Except. Somewhere along the way our heroes end up being trailed by an immoral evil Sheriff. He is using a bespelled former teacher of the teenage heroine's in order to track her. The teacher is a psychotic pedophile whose entire internal monologue consists of ravings about his sexual desire for the heroine, and for any other young girls he comes across. He proves this to us by raping a random teenage girl and trying to rape the heroine. But apparently this is O.K., because while the teenage victim only has her jaw broken and teeth knocked out, on the page, the actual rape is only hinted at and is accomplished off-page. What? Why is this here? We knew we weren't in Kansas anymore, but we aren't in Oz anymore either. None of this is at all "necessary" to the plot.
But don't worry. Our Sheriff takes up with a weird posse of teenage pseudo-redneck quasi-cowboy sociopaths, and those fellas do plenty of raping of teenage girls. We burn down two different villages, spend our nights raping two different sets of teenage girls, and then "...watch the girls straggle back toward town, wondering what they were going back to. Had all of the boys in the town been killed? Would they starve when winter came? It wasn't the Sheriff's business." And this is all totally irrelevant to the main storyline, which is developing in a different direction as a dopey teen romance.
I've read a number of reviews that hmmm and hah over whether this book is middle grade or YA? Really? Are you kidding me? Someone wondered if the rape could be "toned down"? That's your question? How about - why do we have rape and a raving pedophile in a book that is otherwise a light teen juvenile romance Wizard of Oz knockoff? And why would one possibly want to read it?
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
So, how often do you read a middle grade/YA book where reader comments can run along the lines of "could the rape be toned down"?
This book starts off as an imaginative and entertaining "Wizard of Oz" knockoff, with a spunky/magicky/conflicted heroine and an extremely odd assortment of companions. We're off through some veil to a magical Kingdom in search of the Water of Life that will cure the heroine's Dad and also cure each of the odd companions of their individual oddities. The opener is fast paced, with some witty dialogue and a lot of clever flourishes in the oddness and magic departments. The story even seems to be dripping with metaphorical and allegorical possibilities. It all gets a bit silly and random toward the end, but meanwhile there are plenty of interesting bits.
Except. Somewhere along the way our heroes end up being trailed by an immoral evil Sheriff. He is using a bespelled former teacher of the teenage heroine's in order to track her. The teacher is a psychotic pedophile whose entire internal monologue consists of ravings about his sexual desire for the heroine, and for any other young girls he comes across. He proves this to us by raping a random teenage girl and trying to rape the heroine. But apparently this is O.K., because while the teenage victim only has her jaw broken and teeth knocked out, on the page, the actual rape is only hinted at and is accomplished off-page. What? Why is this here? We knew we weren't in Kansas anymore, but we aren't in Oz anymore either. None of this is at all "necessary" to the plot.
But don't worry. Our Sheriff takes up with a weird posse of teenage pseudo-redneck quasi-cowboy sociopaths, and those fellas do plenty of raping of teenage girls. We burn down two different villages, spend our nights raping two different sets of teenage girls, and then "...watch the girls straggle back toward town, wondering what they were going back to. Had all of the boys in the town been killed? Would they starve when winter came? It wasn't the Sheriff's business." And this is all totally irrelevant to the main storyline, which is developing in a different direction as a dopey teen romance.
I've read a number of reviews that hmmm and hah over whether this book is middle grade or YA? Really? Are you kidding me? Someone wondered if the rape could be "toned down"? That's your question? How about - why do we have rape and a raving pedophile in a book that is otherwise a light teen juvenile romance Wizard of Oz knockoff? And why would one possibly want to read it?
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
September 14, 2018
Errol made a mistake when he tried to kill himself. He realized it when he found himself in a coma, trapped in a hellish nighmare netherwold, and his situation is only marginally better when he awakes back in the world, but in a man-sized wooden puppet while his living body remains comatose in the hospital.
He learns that Aster, the strange, quiet girl from school, is a refugee from a perilous fay kingdom, along with her father, a sorcerer under a curse that is slowly dissolving his mind. Aster needs help on a quest to return to the otherworldly kingdom she hasn't seen since she was a young child, and Errol is the first companion she gathers. The party will include the unquiet spirit of a long-dead girl with a penchent for sucking the life from the living, a female Paladin of deadly skill, and a giant. And should Errol object, Aster can 'turn him off' with a word.
The characters and readers are swept up into this strange and perilous land where magic is very real, and as deadly as a two edged sword and spells have reprecussions that no one can predicts. Aster herself is a stranger to the land of her birth that she hasn't seen since childhood. What is the nature of the curse that hangs over the kingdom? What role did her father play in it? Why did he flee? The questions and mysteries continue to haunt the reader.
This was one of those rare books that I wanted to devour, since every chapter made me want to read the next, and simultaniously I tried to make the book last longer. I'm eager to know what happens next.
He learns that Aster, the strange, quiet girl from school, is a refugee from a perilous fay kingdom, along with her father, a sorcerer under a curse that is slowly dissolving his mind. Aster needs help on a quest to return to the otherworldly kingdom she hasn't seen since she was a young child, and Errol is the first companion she gathers. The party will include the unquiet spirit of a long-dead girl with a penchent for sucking the life from the living, a female Paladin of deadly skill, and a giant. And should Errol object, Aster can 'turn him off' with a word.
The characters and readers are swept up into this strange and perilous land where magic is very real, and as deadly as a two edged sword and spells have reprecussions that no one can predicts. Aster herself is a stranger to the land of her birth that she hasn't seen since childhood. What is the nature of the curse that hangs over the kingdom? What role did her father play in it? Why did he flee? The questions and mysteries continue to haunt the reader.
This was one of those rare books that I wanted to devour, since every chapter made me want to read the next, and simultaniously I tried to make the book last longer. I'm eager to know what happens next.
March 31, 2018
If I wanted to get highfalutin' about it I'd say that each character in this book represents a masculine or feminine archetype. Errol is the Nice Guy (interestingly, effectively emasculated through much of the book, since he's in an artificial body that lacks genitalia); Aster, who put him in that situation, is the Witch, and also the Weird Nerd Girl; Dusk is the Warrior Princess; Veronica is the Man-Eating Seductress Monster, though she's mostly trying not to be; the dog-boys represent one kind of toxic masculinity, the creepy teacher another; there's a Controlling Father and a Monster Mother, and all in all it's the collective unconscious up in here.
With all that going on, it could easily have failed to be a successful adventure story, but it didn't. It's a fetch quest, but a well-motivated one with plenty of twists and strong sensawunda, even if some of the setting is a bit sketchy in terms of practicalities. Nor are the characters simply archetypes; they're people with complicated relationships among themselves, which shift and change throughout.
For me it was solid, but didn't quite achieve greatness, despite more than the usual amount of depth to the relationships. The characters are fleshed out, but could be more so, and there were moments when I felt the narrative drive faltered.
Lots of potential, though, and it ends in a way that, while completing this story, leads clearly into a sequel.
With all that going on, it could easily have failed to be a successful adventure story, but it didn't. It's a fetch quest, but a well-motivated one with plenty of twists and strong sensawunda, even if some of the setting is a bit sketchy in terms of practicalities. Nor are the characters simply archetypes; they're people with complicated relationships among themselves, which shift and change throughout.
For me it was solid, but didn't quite achieve greatness, despite more than the usual amount of depth to the relationships. The characters are fleshed out, but could be more so, and there were moments when I felt the narrative drive faltered.
Lots of potential, though, and it ends in a way that, while completing this story, leads clearly into a sequel.
June 3, 2024
There's an interesting story here, mired in dramatic teenage tropes.
It starts with a dark, tantalizing edge, but loses it quickly. Sure, it covers all teenage fears, from not fitting in, to rape, to puberty, to sexual predation, to dealing with parents, to sexual assault, to school, incest, relationships, paedophilia, break-ups, to mass rape... oh, but the characters' outrage is reserved primarily for the indecency of seeing a woman in their bra.
The book motors along at a high pace as well. I never got to enjoy any particular scene. Some of them are torn down before the setup is even finished. It makes me feel disconnected from the world.
It starts with a dark, tantalizing edge, but loses it quickly. Sure, it covers all teenage fears, from not fitting in, to rape, to puberty, to sexual predation, to dealing with parents, to sexual assault, to school, incest, relationships, paedophilia, break-ups, to mass rape... oh, but the characters' outrage is reserved primarily for the indecency of seeing a woman in their bra.
The book motors along at a high pace as well. I never got to enjoy any particular scene. Some of them are torn down before the setup is even finished. It makes me feel disconnected from the world.
March 3, 2020
I bought this book super cheap on Bookoutlet, I'd read a sample chapter and mostly liked his other works so I figured I'd give it a try.
I'm giving it two stars because I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm a little tired of the idea that all the characters have to pair off and that there has to be a completely unnecessary love triangle.
I liked the concept but the execution was somewhat lacking.
I'm giving it two stars because I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm a little tired of the idea that all the characters have to pair off and that there has to be a completely unnecessary love triangle.
I liked the concept but the execution was somewhat lacking.
May 17, 2023
I don't think it's a bad book, but it feels really messily put-together. Some of the concepts are good, but the pacing is very questionable. There's a whole love quadrangle thing going on that really disrupts the flow of events. Not terrible, but certainly below average in terms of constructing a story.
June 29, 2019
I enjoyed the characters of this book - though I had mixed feelings about this being the first in a series. That's mainly annoying when you think you have a self-contained story and you don't realize that you do not until the book has ended. But it's well worth the read.
December 5, 2019
It seemed to be a bit bland for me. It wasn't adult fiction nor was it teen fiction it was kind of a weird mid-point. Half the book in each category. Because of this, it emitted the same feeling of the storm in the beginning of the book extremely choppy.
August 30, 2018
I enjoyed this book. It was fun, interesting, and fast-paced. I loved that new and interesting characters were added along the way. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 27, 2019
I think that I just may not be the one to read this title. It felt very weird for me and very hard to follow. I didn't care about the characters and the story again just felt odd.
did-not-finish-or-start
July 16, 2021DNS 7/15/2021
October 20, 2019
Such a unique feeling and tone... sorta like modern day Alice in Wonderland, except darker. Much darker.
Great Book!
Great Book!
dnf
May 31, 2018See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
I would like to thank the people at Night Shade Books and the people at Edelweiss+ for allowing me to have an advance copy in exchange for a review.
I'm sorry, I just can't do it. I have no idea what is going on in this book, as there is barely any world building. Or, for that matter, any development at all. The characters were cardboard, the writing was bland, and, as I said before, I honestly couldn't understand the world. I think it was supposed to be urban fantasy, but other references made it seem like it was more fabulism or paranormal.
I found nothing of value in this book, nor anything to keep me reading. I didn't find the stakes interesting, or for that matter even that intense. There was no point in continuing reading, besides to finish it. And I had better things to do.
I would like to thank the people at Night Shade Books and the people at Edelweiss+ for allowing me to have an advance copy in exchange for a review.
I'm sorry, I just can't do it. I have no idea what is going on in this book, as there is barely any world building. Or, for that matter, any development at all. The characters were cardboard, the writing was bland, and, as I said before, I honestly couldn't understand the world. I think it was supposed to be urban fantasy, but other references made it seem like it was more fabulism or paranormal.
I found nothing of value in this book, nor anything to keep me reading. I didn't find the stakes interesting, or for that matter even that intense. There was no point in continuing reading, besides to finish it. And I had better things to do.
April 29, 2018
Your Father is the only one who knows the true you...until his memory fades. He doesn't even recognise you. What lengths would you go to in order for thing to get back to “normal”. With a group more powerful than she can imagine and magic on the tip of her tongue Aster knows she can make things right again...maybe. The Reign Of The Departed is full of adventure, magic, worlds unfound and darkness (like evil darkness...original Grimm fairytale style...probably don’t let young kids read it). I fully expect this to be the beginning of a series, because it hooks you in and leaves you hanging.
June 8, 2018
I hope that this book is the beginning of a series because it ends keeping you guessing what's next.
I love the complex world building, the fantastic cast of characters and the enthralling plot.
The characters were well developed, real human being and not simple archetypes.
There's some awkwardness but it can be expected in the first book in a series.
I cannot wait to read the next instalment as I really liked this one.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Skyhorse and Netgalley for this ARC
I love the complex world building, the fantastic cast of characters and the enthralling plot.
The characters were well developed, real human being and not simple archetypes.
There's some awkwardness but it can be expected in the first book in a series.
I cannot wait to read the next instalment as I really liked this one.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Skyhorse and Netgalley for this ARC
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