A Flight of Broken Wings

The Aeriel Trilogy #1

by Nupur Chowdhury

Action, mystery, and bromance!

Saving the world has never been so much fun!!

Six hundred years ago, humanity rose up in revolt against the Aeriels. They were driven from earth — and back to their homeworld — after a bloody and glorious war.

Eight years ago, Ruban’s home was destroyed and his family murdered by an Aeriel.

When a new Aeriel threat looms over Ragah, the capital city of Vandram, Ruban Kinoh must do everything in his power to avenge his family's past and protect the future of his country.

Which is hard enough without being saddled with a pretty and pompous aristocrat, who seems as useless as he is vain.

Faced with a conspiracy that might cost humanity its hard-won freedom, and accompanied by the bejeweled and glitter-clad Ashwin Kwan, Ruban begins his journey into a land where the past and the future intertwine.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller, Supernatural

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 17, 2018

About the author

Nupur Chowdhury is the author of The Aeriel Chronicles and The Brightest Trilogy. Apart from novels, she enjoys writing poetry and the occasional short story. She was four when she started writing. Now, over 20 years later, it’s more an addiction than a hobby.

Nupur likes coffee, street food, fanfiction, and sleep. She dislikes yogurt, slow internet, unnecessary cliffhangers, and being woken up in the morning.

You can find her on Wattpad, Facebook, and Amazon. And if you can’t, it’s probably because she’s busy sleeping.

For the latest bookish news, offers, and updates, you can join her mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/gHkO2j

Reviews

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for thinking of me, Nupur!!**

”The world is rarely as neatly segmented, as black and white as we would like it to be. There is as much variety amongst Aeriels as there is among men.”

When I started to read this I was promised some sort of “Supernatural” meets “White Collar” kind of book and even though this description fits somehow, it still doesn’t truly nail what this book is about. XD In fact I’d even go as far as to say that I think that this is just some sort of “makeshift explanation”, because damn this book was unlike anything I ever read before and I was enjoying it immensely. =)

“It is a folly to be tricked by one’s own prejudices.”

With “A Flight of Broken Wings” Nupur created her own kind of brand and I was so there for it. There’s political intrigue, there’s a lot of action (boy, those fighting scenes were amazing!!! I swear some of the best authors could still learn from Nupur Chowdhury!), there’s the development of a friendship that turns into a strong bromance and there is a puzzle that needs to be solved. Plus I loved the dynamics between our two MCs! *lol*

”You’ve discovered my deep, dark secret. I was a super-secret badass all along. Whatever shall I do with myself now?”
“Stop being an annoying piece of shit and let me get some sleep, for starters,” Ruban said, walking to his bed and withdrawing a toothbrush from his backpack.

Ashwin and Ruban’s banter gave me life and even though Ruban was a very serious and grumpy character, Ashwin certainly was a good counterweight to his stubborn sense of duty. ;-) They might be very different but they worked because they balanced each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Whilst Ashwin was a thinker and only acted when necessary, Ruban was the doer, always on the move and trying to get things done. XD I’m totally convinced that the world needs more bromances like the one in this book! <33

”Vaan is in dire need of mortal chefs.”
“What for? Aeriels don’t need to eat.”
“And you don’t need to knife my mother. Life’s not just about the needs, my friend. It’s about the pleasures.”

Their enemy, Tauheen, was quite an interesting character as well and I really wish we would have gotten more of her background story. I’m always intrigued by the motives of the villains and I’m sure there was an entire story behind her actions we never got to see. XD Which is a shame! I’m sure it’s all in Nupur’s head though. *lol*

”He’d be proud of you. Your father. If he could see you now, if he was half the man you say he was, he would be proud.”

All told this book was a pleasant surprise! I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did and I never had the feeling that it dragged. Every chapter had its purpose and was necessary for the development of the story line! Plus the world building was amazing! If there was one thing I didn’t like then it was the fact that we never got a map! I really would have liked to follow their journey and to see where they were heading! Maybe you can see that as a suggestion for your next book, Nupur. ;-P Because I genuinely hope there will be more to come. =))
____________________________

As a huge “Supernatural” fan this review copy offer already had me at “Supernatural meets White Collar”. *lol*

I love both shows and I can’t wait to read this!
Especially because I’m a huge fan of awesome bromances as well. XD

In short: I’m so ready to be swept away by a book like that and I’m really looking forward to read this.
If “A Flight of Broken Wings” is only half as good as I expect it to be I’ll be in heaven!
(pun totally intended of course. ;-P)

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I have no connection to Nupur Chowdhury.

I very good book. An excellent story, it started a bit slow but this changed in the second half of the book. I wish there was a bit more action in the book, but I do see that Nupur chose story over action and I believe this was the correct choice.

The main character Ruban is not so much likable but I do like his development through out the book. I think giving characters their own issues to deal with and overcome makes the more of a hero.

The side characters are there for support and do their jobs, but do not add a great deal to the story. One thing I did really like about Nupur's writing was the way she added her own cultural references to the book. I always like when an author does this, it adds a bit authenticity to the book.

The story. 600 years ago humanity defeated an immortal race called the Aeriels. Now to them the only good Aeriel is a dead Aeriel. However the Aeriels have not been idle, and with their immortality they are in for the long haul. Though are all the Aeriels the same?

This is a great story, a little slow to begin with, but that is more to do with empire building. I would be interested to see what happens next or more of Nupur's writings.

[Dana Ilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Let me tell you this: This book is so f*cking good (Excuse my French), I did not sleep, I did not want to be at work, and when my 11 years daughter ask me to help her with a powerpoint project I wanted to sabotage the PC.
So, I was hooked from the first chapter. I'm not going to relate the book, I don't like to give or receive Spoilers.
The author's talent is clear in all the aspects of the Fantasy story. Can't wait to read the next book.

My recommendation is to start the book, after this, you will not have a life till you finish the story.

My advice to the author is: "Dear Nupur, the necessity of sleep is unfashionable, quit your day job to have more time to write; so put those magic fingers at work because I need book 2 yesterday!!!! Keep writing because you are good at this and us, the readers need authors like you. Thank you for trusting me with your work!"

[MischaS_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I did not see this coming. I expected many things, but this book left me speechless. I liked the whole worldbuilding; characters were believable (can I already say that I love Ashwin Well, Ashwin 😉), it was amazing that it had the feel you get from YA books but the characters were actually older. That was absolutely great and very nice and refreshing change!

I loved the whole worldbuilding, different nations/cultures and I wanted more of it. The one thing this book is begging for is a map! Because I was sometimes lost, trying to imagine the location and I think the visual would really benefit this book.

I was really intrigued by the Aeriels; I wanted to know more!

Also, the fighting scenes? Awesome!

But unfortunately for me, the book was a bit up and down for me. Sometimes I could not wait for the next line, basically wanting to drown myself in the story but then on other times I had a feeling like it was dragging a bit and I found myself skimming through once or twice. But then "snap", and it's amazing once again. I am not sure if the pacing was a bit off for me. I kept thinking that maybe some chapters should be separated into two.
Then, I was not really convinced by some dialogues, which did not always feel... believable? But it is not anything that cannot be repaired by more editing.

I kept thinking about a book I could compare this to and I came up short. This was one of the most original stories I've read in a very long time. So, great job!

[peachygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It did take me a while to get interested in the world of Hunters and Aerials, but once I understood the background I got hooked to the story.
A flight of broken wings was ingenious, finely paced and extremely well written. The characters could have been better stencilled though. As industrious and efficient the hero was portrayed, he was rather forgettable. A little more insight into his past would have been helpful. The deaths of his dad and girlfriend (or friend?? it was really ambiguous) are repeatedly talked about, but I couldn't feel his grief since there was nothing about their relationship dynamics, other than the fragments of his nightmare.
Other than Ashwin/Shwaan, no one made a lasting impression. His quips and wit made the boring hunting business, a little less tedious.
I'm not really into mythology, but surprisingly I liked this book. For a debut novel, this was pretty great!

[Sumit RK · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Flight of Broken Wings is an amazing fantasy story with intricate worldbuilding, beautifully crafted characters and an engaging storyline. It is one of those books, which you start reading without really knowing what to expect and then the story totally blows you away.

A Flight of Broken Wings is a story of Humans & Aeriels. The Aerials (a race of immortal beings sustained by the energy of the Sun and far superior to humans) had ruled the earth for an eternity. But, Six hundred years ago, humanity rose up in revolt against the Aeriels and drove them back to their home planet of Vaan after a bloody war. A rebel group of Aeriels is still waging a war against the humans and a group of humans called Hunters are tasked with hunting and killing them. Now a new threat looms large over the humans and Ruban Kinoh, the top hunter of the force, is assigned with a secret mission to uncover the Aerial conspiracy and protect his country before the time runs out.

The first thing that strikes you about the book is the story. Having read many fantasy stories about mythical lands, wizards and magic, this story felt unique and refreshing. Set in a modern age, this story is about hunters & aeriels, foiling terror plots, spies, counter spies and espionage. Apart from fantasy, it has elements of thriller, drama, suspense, action and science fiction all in a perfect mix. Above all, there is a heart to the story, to each and every facet of this world and it’s inhabitants.


The writing was free flowing and the story was fast paced right till the end. The plot has several twists and turns which will keep you engaged. I loved the slow unravelling mystery of the story. The story is realistic and relies on relatable emotions. Every character in the story is very well scripted with it’s own backstory which is revealed gradually. The story clearly revolves around Ruban but other characters too play an important role. The Aeriels had some interesting characters (though I wish we could have had learnt more about the ‘rebel’ Aeriels). I am expecting a sequel to carry forward the story but there is great scope for a prequel as well. A special mention for the action sequences in this book which were one of the best I have read in a fantasy novel.

Overall, A Flight of Broken Wings is an entertaining and captivating story which will leave you wanting for more.

Many thanks to the author for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those books that surprises you because you didn't expect to love it so much. Then, I wonder why more people aren't reading it. It's soooo good!

I guess it's fantasy because the names of all of the places and people are different, and the lands are different, but it feels like maybe an alternate earth story. Everything is the same, if we had some evil angel-race that we had gone to war with and won. And, now we still get the occasional terrorist-angel that needs to be killed.



They aren't actually angels, but their description reminds me of it. They are these winged beings that are beautiful and need light and energy. They are called Aerials.

Our main guy, Ruban, is an angel-killer. Really, he's not as evil as that sounds. He's the good guy. He finds out that a new weapon is being developed that will kill the angels really well. Just a touch and it kills the crap out of them. Yay!
I mean, should we root for the angel-killing? I , for one, kinda need my guardian angel. I keep her working overtime.



The problem is that the evil angel guys are trying to steal the secret formula for the new weapons. This seems to be a common problem. Stealing secret formulas. It's always happening in movies, books, and tv.


Hey, this is the first time I noticed that this little bastard has wings. WTF? Also, why does this seem kinda dirty now?
Childhood tainted.

Ruben ends up getting help from a foreign diplomat named Ashwin. He doesn't realize just how foreign Ashwin really is, but you will totally LOVE Ashwin. He's so adorable! Ruben, on the other hand, is a grumpy bastard who only cares about killing angels. So, it becomes somewhat of a buddy-cop kind of partnership and it is an awesome pairing.


Best buddy-cop movie ever!

I would say that this book is nearly perfect. I was thoroughly engrossed and there wasn't even any sex, vampires, or werewolves involved. Yes, I wanted the two guys to kiss, but that's just because I'm a pervert. Other than that, there were only a couple of times where I found the conversation a little slow, but it quickly bounced back. So, overall, I highly recommend this and see great potential for future stories in this world.

[Ms. Smartarse · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has been peace in Vandram for several hundred years now: ever since the tyrannical Aerials had been driven back to their dimension. Admittedly, violent encounters with the few remaining ones did warrant the continued existence of a dedicated Aeriel Hunting department. Then again, the situation was definitely a far cry from those long gone days of oppression.

When rumours of an Aeriel uprising reach the government, it falls to Aeriel hunter Ruban Kinoh, to investigate the problem. Armed with a hefty dose of doubt, and an unnecessarily gorgeous eye-candy of a pompous aristocrat, our hot-headed hero finds himself in a number of sticky situations.



When it comes to world building, I have zero criticism for the book. As a matter of fact, I would often wish I could just reach for an atlas to locate the contemporary and ancient places described. If only I could get to see the amazing Aeriel architecture, and wander through the back alleys of Vandram's small towns; even with the looming threat of a supernatural terrorist attack.

I enjoyed learning about the various little tidbits regarding the nature of Aeriels together with Ruban, especially when they contradicted the hero's rather black-and-white view of history. I especially liked the subsequent changes that he was forced to undergo, due to these revelations.



And now we get to the most confusing aspect of this story. Ruban had a distinct tendency of ignoring key pieces of information, that he would overhear either casually, or in the midst of battle. At first, I went along with his doubts of possibly mishearing things, but when he'd go as far as ignoring Aeriels literally screaming out state secrets, things veered into frustrating territory. There must be a limit to the guy's denseness, given his hunting proficiency.

Score 3.8/5 stars

Unlike other reviewers who got through the book in one night, it took me quite some time until I warmed to the story. And even then I never really felt completely hooked. A big part of this was due to my erratic reading schedule, but there was also something odd about the writing style. I didn't dislike it, quite the contrary, but it did feel like some of the more important scene changes took place way too abruptly.

All in all, I'm looking forward to reading the next installment(s) in the story, not to mention seeing more of Ruban and Ashwin in action. Especially if my suspicions regarding their more-than-friendly relationship prove to be true.

Many thanks to Nupur Chowdhury for granting me a free copy, in exchange for an honest review.

[Aakanksha Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating - 4.5 Stars

A Flight of Broken Wings by Nupur Chowdhury is the first book in the series of three. It is author's debut book. The plot of the story based on a war between humans and Aeriels. The cover page is simple. I like the wings which indicate to Aeriels, but the sword makes me confused because there is a mention of sif blades, not actual swords. So the cover page gives me mixed feelings.

The main character of the story is Ruban Kinoh. He is the best Aeriel hunter in all of Vandram (a fictional place on the Earth). Simani, she is one of the best IAW agents and a partner of Ruban. Tauheen, Aeriel queen and the villain of this story. Apart from them, there is Subhas, chief director of IAW (Intelligence and Analysis Wing) and Ruban's uncle. Ashwin Kwan, a Zainian nobleman.

Aeriels live in Vaan and humans on the Earth. They both hate each other. The humans developed a formula which kills an Aeriel in a single shot. But it was stolen by Aeriel Queen Tauheen for her own devilish plan. The story revolves around Ruban and his teammates how they stop her and save the Earth. In their conquest, Ruban confronts his loved ones and torn apart when he knows the truth about his life.

Ruban's father and lover Miki died in an accident. He always thought that his past was only black and white and tries to make peace with the ugly truth. But soon he realizes that there are other shades too which he never thought about. The people around him were not the one he thinks they were. Ashwin helped Ruban in discovering the truth about his life as well about the Ariels. Soon they became an ally. But Ashwin has his own hidden agenda. During a fight, Ruban knows his secret. It changes their whole relationship.

Every human is not bad some are good too. Ruban experiences the same thing on his journey about the Aeriels. He learned Aeriels history and understands the facts or myths before the Rebellion. This new conclusion helped him to make peace between Aeriels and humans. But can he kill Aeriel Queen? What is the truth he finds out about Ashwin and his own life? What happened when Ruban know that all the things were a big fat lie? For all the answers you need to read the book. This story is about grief, betrayal, and revenge.

There are few grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. The name of the characters confused me. I really don't like them. That's why I cut .5 stars. The story is firm, but it is slow-paced.

All the characters were planted properly by the author. I am impressed by her writing and detailed description of every sequence. The story has its twist and turn. Nupur Chowdhury was able to create suspense in the story. It hooks readers from start to the end. The author gives a proper ending which I really like. The language and word choice are striking.

The Aeriel Queen Tauheen character is one of my favorite. She is a manipulating psychopath, and the author describes her in a proficient way. The characters grow with the story. If you love reading fantasy, this book is perfect for you. I really enjoy reading it. I recommend it to all fantasy lovers, and a newbie so they know what a debut work looks like.

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[Maryam Rz. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.33 STARS! I was generously provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I was surprised!

“If you are raised in a prison, my boy, you will grow up thinking all men are criminals. That does not mean that that is the truth, however. Not everything that seems apparent is really so.”

If I was to summarize how I felt right now in one word, I'd say that I'm “impressed”

For the amazing and mythical world building, SHWAAN (😍), the story, and the themes the author beautifully undertook, this could have been easily a solid 4-star!

“Perhaps more important than his numerous talents and achievements, however, were his intentions. Gifts are easy. After all, they are given. It is our choices that make us who we are.”

It's only because I saw the major plottwists coming from the beginning that I had to lower the rating a little.

I won't say it's predictable, because it's not. It's mostly my problem that I forsee things (something that frustrates me repeatedly, as I rarely find books that surprise me. I mean, I predicted most of the main plot of King of Scars months before it came out *hits head*)

But based on what I've seen around, it's actually surprising, and you probably won't see it coming! It was an awesome twist, really!!

And besides, there's so much more to this than the thrill (which is there). Nupur Chowdhury amazingly tackles subjects like judgement, hate, freedom of speech, justice, trust, family, and the sense of belonging :)

It was a great read, and I realize many won't pick it up with the first look because maybe the cover isn't enchanting enough. They say “don't judge a book by its cover” but we do. And I think if the cover is later edited a little (maybe a different font?) more readers would read it and it would get the great audience it deserves!


Storyline

You cannot fight what you do not understand.

Six hundred years ago, humanity rose up in revolt against the Aeriels, the winged immortals who were driven from earth and back into their homeland of Vaan after a bloody and glorious war.

Eight years ago, Ruban’s home was destroyed and his family murdered by an Aeriel.

“We have a long way to go yet, it’s true. But we won’t get there by being afraid of the journey. We took one step today. Tomorrow, we’ll take another. It’s not much, but it’s all that I can promise you.”

When a new Aeriel threat looms over Ragah, the capital city of Vandram, Ruban Kinoh must do everything in his power to avenge his family's past and protect the future of his country.


Storytelling

“Can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, my friend,”

Ms. Chowdhury writes preciously and smoothly, making the story easy to follow, with hilarious laugh-out-loud moments, sweet scenes that provide well-placed comic relief, and strong reveals and thoughtful themes and conversations!

Whoever was going to write the new story didn’t need him for an epilogue to the last one. They could write their own bloody prologue.

It's also well-researched, and I can tell that the author knows much and more about the media and reporters; all which she truly manages masterfully! Well done!


Characterization

Ruban:

He was Ruban Kinoh, Chief Hunter, South Ragah Division. He was a soldier, an officer of the state of Vandram, a servant to her people. There were interests greater than his own at stake here, and he had a duty to see them through.

Maybe not my favourite character and not the brightest, but loyal, dedicated, and compassionate nonetheless! He is filled with hate and blind at the beginning, but his character development is perfectly written and one I totally loved.

Too selfish to forgive the man he was too weak to condemn.

He still has ways to go, and I really have high hopes for him in the next book of the series!

Shwaan:

*swoooons* An spectacular genius, unpredictable chaos, precious and witty gem of a man, he is undoubtedly the best thing that has happened to all these people, and the best thing that has happened to this book, really!

I think bringing him into the picture instead of Safaa was one of the author's most effective and unique choices. Choosing Safaa would have been too easily following the trope. This was different. This was better! This was awesome!

Simani:

I honestly loved her, she was the brains of the duo, and I was sad that she kind of disappeared from the story. She was so promising, such a strong female character that commanded attention, and I was a little disappointed that she didn't suspect anything at the end and was so easily convinced by Ruban's hasty story. I mean, everyone else would by it, but not her. Maybe she did get it and acted like she didn't to not force Ruban and respect his wishes. I don't know, she didn't act like she suspected anything, but if she really didn't get it, then it would be kind of not how you'd really expect such a detective to act, you know?

Dawad:

“It’s the truth, though,” Ruban said simply.
“It is, but an inconvenient one.”

A scholar with revolutionary and unbelievable ideas that digs deep where he shouldn't and suffers for it? Yes PLEASE. Another promising, interesting, and amazing character that needed more page time! That history lesson chapter was honestly one of my favourites of the whole book!

Casia:

“If there’s anybody that deserves to know about the threats facing this country, it is the people of this country.”

I'm all for awesome sidekicks that take the story to another level! And I loved how she connected to the story. With her, we explored the world of news and reporters and journalists.
That hunger for information was one of the highlights of AFoBW!

Biskut:

“God does give all the money to all the idiots in the world, doesn’t he though?”

You're probably wondering what he's doing here, included in this list when so many other main characters aren't. We only get two scenes with him! You're right to wonder!
So wonder at the talent of Nupur Chowdhury that had this little biscuit make such an impact on me, the unassuming reader!


Relationships

“I’d forgotten how good the food was on earth. And it’s only gotten better in the time I was gone. Vaan is in dire need of mortal chefs.”
“What for? Aeriels don’t need to eat.”
“And you don’t need to knife my mother. Life’s not just about the needs, my friend. It’s about the pleasures.”

Um, do I even need to say that this is one of those ships I'll be sailing 100%? No? I thought so. I NEED THIS TO WORK WHERE IS THE NEXT BOOK. Such a slow and precious friendship that builds up, and builds up, and builds up... *wicked grin*

“My mother can be very persuasive. Which is a nice way of saying that she’s a lying, manipulative psychopath who wouldn’t know a conscience if it was sitting on her shoulder clawing at her frozen heart.”

😂 Also the family bond is magnificent. Truly. With all ups and downs, between mother and son, uncle and nephew, cousins and siblings and more. The friendships were golden and the nonexistent romance adorable.


Worldbuilding

“Ambition. Drive, passion, desire—whatever you choose to call it. The motivation to better ourselves, to improve our lot in life. The thing that drives all innovation, all technological and social development, and all conflict. The want for more: more than what we were given, the hand we were dealt by nature.”

At first, I was hesitant about the world building. Like I liked it, but didn't love it and wasn't sure really.
Then halfway through, there was a chapter that just made me be like “WOWWWWW”
I hail you, Ms. Chowdhury, for this awe-inspiring world!
The nature of the Aeriels and the humans, and how each would drive that species to making different choices and following varied desires ... It was—I don't have words for it. “One of a kind” would do the job.


My Struggle Rating

When first I read that Ruban was the best “hunter” I imagined a kind of detective. Someone smart, sneaky, and observant. I didn't know this:

The Hunter Corps might have been a subsidiary of an intelligence organisation, but Hunters were by no means trained to be intelligence executives. They were primarily a paramilitary force; more soldiers than spies.

And I wish I had. Because I spent a huge amount of the book kind of annoyed that he didn't see it. If I'd known this, I'd have gotten over it sooner and realized that Ruban is the best Hunter in the sense that he is the best and most willing in killing Aeriels. Not the best in tracking them.

The brains of his team was Simani and her husband Vikram, they figured things out, Ruban did most of the fighting (Simani did a lot of the fighting, too, not to forget. The reason I loved her)

Which brings us to the other thing that I felt wasn't perfectly done: Simani just disappearing and not suspecting Shwaan at all. She was so smart and so observant one second, and clueless when it was convenient.

Each of these two took away half an star for me, and the fact that—despite it being unpredictable for many and most readers—I saw it coming from the start, took a 0.6 of a star.
So that leaves us with 3.4, an awesome rating nevertheless. I'd love to see what happens next; it promises to be fabulous :)


Companions

Book playlist:
(with author's recommendation)
• “Cradled in Love” by Poets of the Fall
• “War” by Poets of the Fall
• “Carnival of Rust” by Poets of the Fall

[Miranda Reads (back from hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop talking in circles, prof. You know that analogy doesn’t mean a thing. Aeriels aren’t…people. They don’t feel things like human beings.

Aeriels are creatures of legend - incredibly pale skin, immortal, perfect bodies and (above all) wings.

Some may be tempted to relate Aeriels to angels but that would be a mistake that they wouldn't make twice.

Aeriels were a threat to the human race itself and needed to be eliminated by any means possible...

Six hundred years ago, humans revolted and Aeriels were banished from earth and sent back to their ancestral lands.

However, not all of the Aeriels left.

Ruban looked down curiously at the thin brown folder in his hand. It was bare except for the word ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ stamped in large black letters across the top.

Ruben is a Hunter - tasked with using special blades to eliminate the remaining Aeriels.

A new threat looms over his country.

The government developed a new weapon that promises to completely revolutionize the war effort and the Aeriels are none too happy.

Many of the remaining Aeriels will do anything, and I mean anything, to keep humans afraid of them.

“I really could, you know,” the woman said, her tone amused. “And I would too. Snap her little neck like a twig....She’s a pretty little girl, isn’t she? Would make a pretty little corpse.”

Rueben, a government agent, is unfortunate to be at the forefront of this movement. He will have to keep the weapon a secret, manage several very angry Aeriels and on top of it all, Ruben needs to babysit Ashwin - a spoiled aristocrat who may be more than he seems.

Will he be able to handle everything? Will he even be able to survive?

...the creature – the Aeriel – held her hostage in its arms, predatory wings surrounding the child like a huntsman’s cage closing down around his prey.

All in all - I enjoyed this one.

The plot took a little bit to get going but once it did - I was hooked!

The intricate world-building was a serious bonus. I was so invested in the lore!

In the beginning, the abject hatred of the Aeriels seemed like a little bit much and it was explained (eventually) however, I wish that explanation happened earlier so I would have a bit more context.

But then again, the grand reveal was wonderfully done...so maybe all that wait was worth it...?

In addition, I really liked the main characters. Ruben and Ashwin were well done and enjoyable to boot.

Overall, this was a fun read - quite a unique storyline!

With thanks to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

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[Alan Cotterell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I have no connection to Nupur Chowdhury.

Not my usual genre, but a very good story. Bit of a slow start, although it picked up later on.
Personally, I would have preferred more action and less chat. I found that I needed to go back and reread some parts as I thought I had miss read part of the text, or missed a point. The fight scenes were very dark and intense almost ethereal. It is these scenes that I could see better in my head.
I would like to thank Nupur Chowdhury, for the opportunity to read a nd review this book. I will be looking out for more books.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh gosh this was a good read and so nearly 5 stars. Full review to follow tomorrow

And tomorrow is here already, so what can I say. Great storyline, 2 enjoyable (even loveable) main characters, one a little roguish (without giving too much away), plenty of action and an interesting world (s) set up. A well thought out fantasy world with a few sci-fi undertones, great !!

All in all it was a really enjoyable read, so I'd like to thank Nupur for giving me the opportunity to read her first fantasy novel, I look forward with a lot of anticipation to the follow up to see where Ruban and Ashwin end up next.

[Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charismatic and suspenseful page turner. Unputdownable!

Emancipation Day! The day that celebrates 600 years of independence. A day that marks the end of a bloody revolt and war between humans and Aeriels. The day that drove the Aeriels, a species superior to humans, back to their home on the planet Vaan. Remaining is but a rebel group of these creatures, still visiting earth and waging targeted attacks here and there. It takes a special task force of humans, the Hunters, to take them out.

“He was Ruban Kinoh, Chief Hunter, South Ragah Division. He was a soldier, an officer of the state of Vandram and a servant to her people.”

Ruban receives a call to see the Senior Secretary of Defence at the Intelligence and Analysis Wing headquarters (IAW), asap. He is to investigate a leak of information regarding the most powerful weapon against Aeriels, a sifblade that has been secretly developed and is highly sought after. Aeriels sustain themselves primarily on energy derived directly from the sun and the sifblade only needs to touch an Aeriel’s skin and can suck out every last drop of engery from their veins, leaving nothing more than a wrung out carcass.

“Because their energy consume is more direct in nature, it grants them greater physical prowess and accelerated powers of healing.”

Sif is the world’s greatest and fastest conductor of energy. It’s the only substance on earth that can sap an Aeriel’s energy fastest and its’ formula is stored in fragments in various locations and systems across the country.

After an attack on humans at the SifCo facility, surveillance video from SifCo was leaked to the media and it wasn’t just any old Aeriel that attacked SifCo. It was Tauheen, the Aeriel Queen. She is the bearer of the scarlet markings that distinguish her of her monarchy and this is bad news.

Now the whole country is buzzing with talk of Aeriel plots and conspiracies. As far as Ruban can tell, the IAW has been compromised. Someone on the inside is feeding information to the Aeriels.

Can Ruban and his team end these attacks, find the perpetrator, save humanity and restore peace?
You will have to find out!

***

This book was amazing. So different from any other urban fantasy that I have read before. A breath of fresh air. I loved the whole concept and was swept away in the streets battling it out right next to Ruban.

The idea of beings deriving their energy differently from us, their appearance of wings and the description of their world was such a brilliant idea. The characters seemed exotic, yet rooted in their own systems.

There was plenty of characterization, wit and fun in the novel as well as some heartache and suspense. A clean urban fantasy that delivers fast paced and action packed.

A few moments in the middle were a bit long for me, but from what I can tell, this novel will hold its water with other well-known urban or paranormal fantasies. In my opinion it fits well in the Young Adult or adult fantasy market and I mean that as a compliment.

This is book one of The Aeriel Chronicles and I have a feeling it was just a warm up. Another talented writer, don’t miss out…it’s too good to be missed.

I received a digital copy of A Flight of Broken Wings by Nupur Chowdhury in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

More reviews can be found here:
https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

I must say that this was a pleasant surprise!

While reading it reminded me of several very good fantasy books I've previously read, but not exactly the same, just similar in a very good way!

What surprised me most was the idea of a separate race of beings that are pure energy made flesh: Aerials. They reminded me of fairies, but not exactly. Pure Aerials are uniterested in anything beyond themselves. They don't drink blood.

Another very nice thing here was they way it was written, the tone of voice. There's a good balance between what is shown and was is told. I also noticed that the sentences were correct with correctly placed commas, points, ecc. It is not very often that books are correct that way, these days...

The characters were also likable, most of all the Aerial, Shwaan (aka Ashwin)! I loved him! He had a dry humour that I found very appealing!

I must confess, and here you have every right to slap me, that I loved the book even if it does have a ... *drums* NEW ADULT feeling!!! O_O

But, I must give Ms. Chowdhury her due: even if the MCs, bad guys and girls give a NA vibe, they never act like idiots!

Ruban, the human MC, hates Aerials with a vengeance, and he has avery right to that hate. But, when his mentor provides more information, Ruban accepts that he was working with wrong imput. Ruban does not refuse the truth, he accepts it, but not without struggle. After all he cannot change in few moments a lifetime convinction.

This is a story of enemy to reclutant friends. It's lovely!

I was also intrigued by Aerials and their history. How Ruban's mentor explains it was excellent!

A very nice and very well written book! I hope the author will write a sequel!

[Tina Rafii➹ lives in Fandoms · Rating 4 out of 5]

"ARC Provided By Author in Exchange for An Honest Review"
Thank you

3.5 Silver Stars
With Golden sparks
(rounding up because of Ashwin & of course, the second half)

I liked this very much, maybe I read it slowly or I had two 2-weeks pause. but it was totally worth reading. I'm totally glad I read this & I met Ashwin & Ruban.
an excellent story, with exciting plot & well-designed & lovable characters & interesting world building.
I actually would love to watch its tv shows or something, that would be awesome.


Plot: ★★★★/5
Supernatural, action, mystery & fantasy, all in one story! Great, right?
Good & interesting start, at first half, slow, explaining the history & the society & many talking, but still intriguing.
when we reached the peak (or I reached my high peak of Adrenaline!) wow, that part was amazing! I still have chillings remembering that. I can say that was the turning point & after that story entered a new line of events, much more thrilling, much more fun, & of course much more fast-pace.
& that breathtaking, hair-raising ending! (or near the end) Wow! Brilliant! Magnificent! I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding during the whole chapter.
I didn't know what to expect & reading every chapter reveals another aspect of their lives & secrets & a new thread in the story totally blew me away.
-
Characters: ★★★★(★)/5
Wow! These characters! So great! So amazing!
I loved Ashwin! He’s awesome! Intelligent, funny, cool & most importantly, caring! Though I still can’t imagine him with that long braid.
I liked Ruban! Funny & serious, that kind of character I like. But he is a hot-head.
I want to ship them! Can I ship them?
I really liked the moments they worked together. their bromance, their relationship, their caring for each other.
in general, All of the characters & their backstories were clearly well-scripted & well-created. each one of them has their own story, their own motives, their own purpose. Their manner, their decisions, their answers, their emotions seemed so realistic. I really admire that aspect in stories. One of the important factor for me.
-
World building: ★★★(★)/5
Very advanced & technological, somewhat like our own reality it has its culture. At some points it was a bit complicated.
-
Written style: ★★★/5
The only problem & my slow pace in reading was the heavy writing style, hard choices of words, for me I should stop sometimes to remember (or lookup) the meaning of some words. At the end I was used to it, but it took longer than usual.
But the world, the Aeriels, Vaan, everything was beautifully described, magnificent. I actually could feel the sun over my skin in some descriptions. (& that spectacular time I’ve remembered the sense was midnight & all the lights off) also there was a car chasing scene, very well described, I loved because it actually reminded me of those action police series I watch & I love.
-
general idea: ★★★★★/5
I like to read about winged angel-like creatures.
a war between human & Aeriels was such a great & interesting idea. & totally unique.

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up A Flight of Broken Winga, but WOW, what a ride! 🌟 I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, and let me tell you, this book turned out to be such a pleasant surprise! The world-building? Absolutely chef's kiss—there’s so much depth, political drama, and a dystopian setting that felt totally fresh and action-packed. But, seriously, where’s the map?! 🗺️ I needed one to fully immerse myself in this beautifully intricate world!

✧ Urban Fantasy 🏙️
✧ Dystopia
✧ Sci-Fi
✧ Aliens (Aeriels) 👽
✧ Bromance 🫂
✧ Action-packed 🎬

Ruban is our classic grumpy hero with a tragic backstory, and while he didn’t completely sweep me off my feet, his character development was so satisfying. But let’s talk about Ashwin—OMG, he stole the show! 😍 His witty, flashy personality was everything, and the banter between him and Ruban? Perfection. 🙌 Their bromance added the perfect balance to all the gritty action, with Ruban’s no-nonsense attitude clashing perfectly with Ashwin’s sass and smarts. The dynamic between them was probably my fave part of the book!

And can we talk about the fight scenes? 🔥 They were so intense, I was practically holding my breath. Nupur Chowdhury knows how to write action! Each battle had me glued to the page, but... the pacing was a little uneven. Some parts had me racing through, while others dragged a bit, and I found myself skimming through a few slower chapters. Still, the action made up for it, and the plot twists were fun—even if I saw a couple of them coming.

The Aeriels? So intriguing! I wanted so much more background on them, especially Tauheen—talk about a mysterious villain. 👀 I’m hoping we get way more details in the sequel because I need more of that alien drama in my life!

Overall, this book was a solid read with an intriguing world, great characters, and a fun bromance that balanced out the darker elements. Even though it started slow, the second half really delivered, and I’m officially excited for the sequel! Bring on more Ruban, Ashwin, and those mysterious Aeriels! 💥📖

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

3.5 stars

Most of the Angels fled to their homeland, above the clouds, over 600 years ago, when the humans revolted and pushed them out.  Since then, humans and the Angels have mostly lived apart except for a rogue faction that stayed on earth. With the discovery of a formula to make a weapon that can kill any angel, the time clock is ticking and everyone is vying to get their hands on it

Ruben is an angel hunter, one of the best.  He lost his family to an attack by Angels on his home and has carried an even bigger vendetta against them since that day.  Ashwin is an Aeriel Prince sent by his sister to infiltrate the humans and make sure no one gets their hands on this new weapon.  Ashwin needs to team up with Ruben in order to thwart the plot by the rogue angels to take the formula for the weapon for themselves.  The best way to do this is to pretend and be a human Aristocrat from a foreign land and have Ruben assigned to babysit him pretty much.

I enjoyed most of this story, which was a little surprising, since there was no sex really, or love story, or kissing or a hint of a possibly relationship besides the bromance between Ashwin and Ruben.  I tend to stay away from books with Angels as well because they have a tendency to have religious connotations throughout which really isn’t my thing either. But the Aeriels in this are another race made mostly of energy so all religious connotations are avoided.  

There was a smidge of a pacing problem for me a few times in the book during some of the dialogue but usually that was short lived and then we were back on track.  Ashwin and Ruben are both pretty likeable and I like what they each brought to the duo. The mystery of who could possibly be the human mole helping the Aeriel Queen living in exile, was a nice addition and while I had my suspicions, they weren’t confirmed until the very end.

Overall a solid read, A Flight of Broken Wings is one of those flying a bit under everyone’s radars. So if you are looking for a good book with no kissing, then this one could be for you.

Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Sad Sunday (Books? Me?!? NEVER!!!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a copy from the author in exchange for a honest review.

Urban fantasy with an Indian flair!



First of all - it's amazing to see a female writer from India writing urban fantasy. I think the genre is dominated by male writers (with male protagonists) or books that emphasis woman sexuality too much - "I-will-choose-my-blouse-and-a-maching-short-skirt-and-go-kill-some-monsters" type of stuff. It's so widely popular that it becomes an annoying cliche of the genre. Or a hole so many authors fall into. Finding other ideas and ways to look into the genre is always welcome. So, you rock, Nupur!

"- Did you like it?
- I seen worse.
- No shit."

I might not be a big fan of urban fantasy, but AFOBW stands out. It might not be 100% solid plot wise (I would have preferred more unexpected plot twists that remained a mystery for a longer period of time or something that was revealed really unexpectedly), but it's original and genuine. And I loved that it was funny. Not forced funny as often happens when author tries to be extra super funny in every sentence, but real, heartfelt humor like, "I'd shoot the son of a bitch, of course".

It's amazing that book has it's own style and it doesn't take much time to get into it. It's flowing, engaging and there is not a boring moment in the whole book. Action might by typical for urban fantasy genre, but a harmony between description, background, character development must be taken into account when telling roller-coaster from a snooze fest. I also liked that media world, journalism had a part to play in the plot. Can you imagine urban world without the influence and inclusion of media? I think its a very well thoughtful and interesting idea.

I highly recommend this to all urban fantasy fans. A gem indeed.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science fiction, action and adventure, and fantasy lovers! There’s a new author to add to your list of “must check outs!” Nupur Chowdhury blew me away with A FLIGHT OF BROKEN WINGS!

It all started six hundred years before when humanity rose up against their alien rulers. Now a new Aeriel threatens Ragah and one young warrior is determined to avenge his family’s murder and the world he calls home. With a pretty-boy aristocrat by his side, Ruban WILL get his revenge, but is there more to Ashwin Kwan than his flashy style? No matter how hard Ruban tries, he cannot deny that Ashwin is growing on him and just may have more substance than he thinks.

A world fighting for survival against superior beings? Secret weapons? Political machinations and a deadly alien family feud? Nupur Chowdhury may not be the first author to create a world with these plot lines, but I can tell you, what she brings to the reading table is fresh, rich in detail and rich in characters that feel alive!

Who are the Aerials? Ms. Chowdhury will make you feel you completely understand, then she shakes things up with a few twists you just couldn’t see coming!

Moments of brutality, moments of humor and two strangers coming together as a powerful team. But are they both being honest about who and what they are or does one of them have a secret agenda that will be a complete game changer for humanity?

Brilliant dialogue flows smoothly without the artifice of “fantasy talk.” These characters feel natural, and this story had me from page one to an ending that kept me on the edge of my seat, sometimes flinching a little!

I highly recommend adding A FLIGHT OF BROKEN WINGS to your TBR list, this one’s a winner and I hope to be seeing more from Nupur Chowdhury!

I received a complimentary copy from Nupur Chowdhury!

Series: The Aerial Chronicles - Book 1
Publication Date: August 17, 2018
Publisher: Nupur Chowdhury
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 434 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Rachel Aranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Big thanks to the author for allowing me the chance to read their book.

This book took me way too long to read than it should have... The truth is if the author hadn’t provided me a copy then I would have DNFed this book. I started and stopped this book so many times since I received it with the purpose of picking it back up. Somehow I would only get so far before I picked up other books. A moment came when the author messaged me and I became determined to read this book for #FantasyAThon since it hit a lot of the marks for that readathon, and I knew I would start anew and finish this book.

*inhale* I didn’t like this book. *exhale* I can now say with certainty that it’s more than “I wasn’t in the right mood or frame of mind to read this book” as I thought it was for so long. There were parts I liked in this story, but they were limited mostly to the Aerial Prince and fight scenes. (This is why I’m giving it a 2 instead of a 1 star rating.) Everything else was either making me go “meh” or seriously concerned for the safety of this book’s country/world.

The main character, Ruban, is the best Hunter in his country and his world. He’s killed more Aerials than anybody else on record, including his uncle that he works for. He also heads up a team of Hunters whose main job is to investigate and track down Aerials. Yet they don’t realize for the majority of the book that they’re working with one!?!? There are numerous signs that this Prince isn’t human or bare minimum is hiding something. *counts on fingers* His knowledge on Aerials, Silver sightings in eye, his memory of a statue that hasn’t existed in 600 years, his fight skills, seemingly super human strength, ability to fly at an Aerial.... Humans don’t just fly into the air, dude! Yet all is either forgotten or just ignored out of sheer laziness. I’d seriously worry for these people putting so much faith in this man as he can’t even focus enough to put pieces together that a child did.

The rest of the book has a mystery of why the Aerial group on Earth is after a secret formula for a weapon that Humans can use to fight and kill Aerials easier than ever before. ...I’ve got to be honest and say I still have no idea what these Aerial creatures are. (Best guess is they seem to be aliens mixed with solar energy loving gargoyles?) Their abilities range from flight, energy blasts, immortality, super strength, and beauty among more individual talents. Somehow Humans can kill them off with a weapon called a sif as its material has ability to weaken an Aerial’s energy. We’re given examples of why the material can’t be used in certain forms but not enough as to what makes this material truly able to take energy from Aerials. A sentence saying “we’ve never been able to figure out the scientific facts on how it works but know it’s effective.” would have explained enough away but it was never done. Oh well.

There were a lot of coincidences in this story that were supposed to explain issues away. This would be fine if this was a YA Fantasy but that isn’t what this book is so I kept expecting more details. I’m not a fan of plot holes and sadly this book is full of them. My experience with this book can be described in an easy scenario. I’m a student in a class whose lesson has me confused and full of questions but the teacher isn’t explaining things more than the bare basic answer I could find in a textbook. I know I’m not going to get a full understanding of the subject, so I’m left trying to connect what I do understand to what I don’t understand while waiting for class to end.

[Mitticus · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 winged stars

In Vandran, Ruban Kinoh is the best Hunter of Aeriels, the murderous winged monsters that murderered his family and terrorize the country. Now, there are talks about a new formula that perfected the best weapon against them -Sif- and is his duty to protect it. Nevermind he has to endure Ashwing, some annoying young lordling that is babbling to much to the press and apparently knows too much .

.....................
“Sif, as you know, is the world’s greatest and fastest conductor of energy. It’s the only substance on earth that can sap an Aeriel’s energy faster than its body can replenish it. Sifblades kill Aeriels not by means of any physical wounds, but simply by drawing the energy – their life-source – out of their bodies faster than they can recharge their batteries.
.........

This is a bit of confusing literary gender to put in, because there are jeeps, taxis, facebook, Jack Sparrow, and cellphones, but not planes so far in 2017. And the Aeriels -winged beings made of energy- are from another dimension . So, kind of alternate reality/urban fantasy with aliens?

Ruban is a character with many faults, and is an unreliable narrator. Stubborn, prejudiced, but what I find strange is that he is so impulsive because I do not think he would have survived as many years as a hunter in that way, especially when he continues to forget to walk armed to the teeth.

..........
In his profession, he could not help but feel a perpetual sense of being under siege. It was why he was so good at his job. Emancipation, to him, was the stuff of history books and political speeches, not the reality in which he lived and breathed every day.
.........

Ashwin is also a non-reliable narrator; and that makes them more believable in my opinion.

On the other hand, there is a lot, much to need to know about worldbuilding. The information regarding the government, the country. And about Vaan and where the Aeriels came from, not much is known apart from the hundreds of years, and the reproduction by feathers? is quite confusing....

Besides dealing with winged beings, I would install sentinel guards in high places and I am also intrigued that there are no helicopters, drones, or machine guns. Another thing that catches my attention is how obtuse Ruban is never imagining that with the information he has, he does not suspect or be more paranoid about the presence of more enemy spies than it is to be human.

And about Aeriels: if they are made of energy, how is during the fight with the queen there is blood and gore??

To sum up - Is entertaining, have few weird phrases, nice idea, need some work, will read the sequel.

---------------
Romance? Nop.
Sex? Some scenes of implicit sex.
Languages? f-bombs.

----------------

+Complementary e-book copy gently provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. +

[AziaMinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Rating: B

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review



This is my second ARC from an author and so far it's stayed at around the 3 to a 3.5 rating for me.

The world building made this for me personally. What great lore and the building of the Aeriels and their build was truly spectacular. This book was/felt 100% unique to me and that made me happy inside.

I did have some trouble with the dialog and pacing of this book. Each time they interacted felt like a forced conversation with stilted words, and in some areas things happened all at once, and then it would be barely moving anywhere and that messed me up progress wise and where the plot was going next. And I couldn't get in my mind all the places they were visiting it was so frustrating lol. But that's all on me. Books with maps have seriously spoiled me ;)

Loved the characters (Ashwin for the win!) and all their quirks and gimmicks, it was lovely book to read. Book 2 will be a delight to read when it comes out!

[Zainab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Do yourself a favour and read this book. It's a proper fantasy with some really good twists as well as humour. The story is GREAT and it kind of reminded me of The Raven Boys although both are pretty different.
Anyways the only downside to this book is that it's a bit too descriptive but still, it doesn't ruin the whole mood or anything. It's great. I loved it.

[Terence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angel like Aeriels ruled earth until humanity revolted against them. Hundreds of years later Aeriels still present a threat to humanity. When a new Aeriel threat is revealed by a foreign dignitary, hunter Ruban Kinoh will do anything to end the threat.

A Flight of Broken Wings was truly an enjoyable story. It started slowly and I did wonder what I was getting myself into, but I came to like Ruban, Ashwin, and the world building.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the Aeriels themselves. Aeriels are immortal creatures that physically resemble angels. They also pack an extra punch as they can blast energy. They are far more physically powerful than humans and with the ability of flight it's amazing humanity ever overthrew them. They are only vulnerable to a substance known as sif which humanity formed into blades called sifblades. The story revolves around the fact that the ancient Queen of the Aeriels wants to steal a new formula to reinforce sifblades.

I appreciate an author who can poke fun at her character. "How was it that he never had more than one sifblade on him whenever he was being attacked by some of the most powerful Aeriels in creation? What use was a whole arsenal full of top-of-the-line ammunition when all he ever actually had to work with was an old standard-issue sifblade..." I've repeatedly wondered why Ruban isn't armed to teeth with sifblades especially since he throws his sifblade in seemingly every fight.

I was a little disappointed in the mystery aspect of the story. I figured out the biggest mystery in the story the first moment it was introduced. There was just a significant lack of potential suspects so the guilty party felt obvious to me.

A Flight of Broken Wings was a good story and a pleasant surprise.

3.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Anish Kohli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Free copy from the Author in exchange of an Honest review.

Well, yeah. Ahem. We finally got this done. Another BR that was delayed bcz of the crazyass woman!! It got delayed for a plenty of reasons and for that I would like to apologize to the author. Sorry to have kept you waiting for so damn long. Such was not the plan or intent *looks ashamed and guilty*

Anyway so since I am done reading it, I should now try to talk about it and give out a review for it, yeah?


Well I honestly don’t know where to start and how to go about this review bcz I am pretty confused on how to rate/review this book. But let me try to structure the review into sections so that it can have the semblance of a coherent line of thought.

Plot & Pacing
While I keep reading from Indian authors every now and then, most of them being review copies, I haven’t quite read a plot like this from any of them so far. Sure, most people would argue that mythology based books are essentially fantasy too and they aren’t wrong but I haven’t ever read a book from an Indian author that is an Urban Fantasy. Kudos to Nupur for that.
Now, the story itself revolves around the race of Aeriels, who were driven away from Earth 600 years ago during a huge rebellion of humans. And ever since then, the world has lived in a state of turmoil between the two races. But now, more than ever, conflict is escalating and Ruban Kinoh, our protag and the fabled Aeriel Hunter, needs to gear up for something big in order to prevent an all-out war between the two races.

The blurb is interesting enough and so is the story, atleast on the surface. The potential in the plot is great and it could have been much more than what it turned out to be. The thing is, the initial chapters were very well placed and bcz of that my expectations rose a bit higher than they ought to have been, I guess. I personally felt that something got lost somewhere in the decision of making this book a fantasy or simply a thriller or inducing the espionage and suspense part in the fantasy. Bcz if I am to be completely honest, the book doesn’t completely utilize either of the genres and hence the end of the book is not a satisfying one for me. The fantasy elements is strictly restricted to the Aeriel’s existence. The other elements, be it Sif, be it the world around them or the fact how the different people interact with the world around them is all a big disappointment.
The pacing of the book is pretty much hit and a miss. It’s not consistent. There are parts that are page turners (very few and rare) and then there are parts that are pretty much a drag, which is most of the book.

Writing
I liked the flow of writing and it actually kept me reading through the dragging sections of the book. There are quite a bit of grammatical errors in the book but that is more due to the lack of proper editing. I know how the words can start to swim once you read them enough times and the mistakes allude you. Even so, the mistakes don’t take anything away from the writing and neither do they really hinder the readability. However, writing style only goes so far when everything else is crumbling around it.

Characters
Well tbh there aren’t many. Ruban the protag. Ashwin the sidekick. And that’s all. I mean sure there are other characters supporting the story but in all honesty none of them make any mark at all. Now you can chalk it up to the fact that none of them are devoted much ink and thus they couldn’t be well fleshed out. But then again that is a mistake bcz some pages to major characters are very important. For instance, the big bad wolf of the book: Tauheen is given absolutely no time and development. Most of the book is with Ruban and Ashwin. And that kinda makes it boring for me, personally. I normally like having a few characters but when there aren’t, then it all falls on the shoulders of the protag to make it really interesting for the reader and here, Ruban falls short by a huge margin. While there is a lot of detail imbued about him in the book, his past and his drive but it doesn’t really hit home. I don’t find myself aching or rooting for Ruban and what he really comes off as is grumpy. A sour kinda guy who is good at what he does and is probably good at what he does bcz he doesn’t care about much else. Ruban made for a very non-interesting lead character and I wasn’t invested enough in him to care about if he lived or died or lost or whatever.
I mean I found Ashwin a more engaging character than the protag and that is something that doesn’t sit well with me.

World building
Now, this is the most important part for me. If I am going to be reading/reviewing fantasy, I want a good and decent world building and hence I will be very blunt here bcz this is where this book is completely flat! I don’t see any world building done, as in at all. There are, widely talking, two worlds here. Vaan, the homeland of Aeriels and Earth. There are like 4-5 pages based in Vaan itself and thus not much world building could be done, to be fair. But then again, why was only so little time spared for Vaan? While on Earth, and I do get that this is Urban Fantasy, where the book is playing out, not much ink is devoted to painting a picture of what Vandram is like. It’s a city. It has the same dynamics as Earth but what else? What does it look like? What is different that makes it Vandram and not Earth? Isn’t there anything except the Aeriels that sets it apart? Anything at all? I found this book wanting for details in this section. It was a major let down. Where are the descriptions of the literally 2 cultures mentioned in the book? Zainians and Vaandarians (I hope that’s what they’re called)?

Problem Areas

>> My first and the least irksome issue is with Ruban visiting Vaan. How did that add to the story? What was the point of it? What was achieved through it?

>> Intentions. None of the characters seem to be even close to being able to justify their intentions behind their actions. The why of it all is completely missing.

>> History of the world seemed barely believable and the way it was delivered in one chapter came across as a total info dump. There is no buildup of the dynamics of the world we’re set in. there is also no real stakes at work here. What are they really fighting for? What was there to lose? Or to gain?

>> I was annoyed by Ashwin’s capability to conceal his wings while he is in disguise. How come he can hide his wings completely? Isn’t that tantamount to shape shifting if he can wish the wings away and take the physical form of a Human?

>> The previous issue kinda bleeds into this issue. Aeriels are immortal beings, for all practical intents and purposes with a penchant for disguise, right? Then why would they even bother with an open warfare? Why would they not simply blend in as humans and take charge of the world by being in key positions and slowly eliminate people like Ruban?

>> A huge problem was the conduct of the Aeriels. It’s like on one hand Nupur crafts these super powerful beings that are immortals but then she brings the bar low by making them vulnerable to even a single slash of Sif blades? They were so damn easy to kill. It may be that she was trying to portray that Ruban was just that good of a hunter but it comes across as Aeriels being easy to kill. They use no protection of any sort against Sif blades. They don’t use any weapons to attack either. And they won’t blend in either. Their only weapon, the energy balls, seem to have limited number of shots. And if they were so vulnerable to Sif, why won’t they use any protection? They literally lost their dominion over Earth bcz of Sif and despite that, even 600 years down the line, they never developed anything to counter their Kryptonite?

>> I also found our world-like mentions VERY off putting. Like in the middle of the book, the mention of Cadbury’s dairy milk? Why? Why not just say chocolate? Like IAW, aka the Intelligence and Analysis Wing. RAW? Research and Analysis Wing? Sound similar? The mention of NCR? National Capital region? I can point out a few others but I think this points out my issue. Essentially my problem boils down to this: The author created a different world and so I wanted it to be different from the Earth and I wanted the difference to be pointed out. Instead I got the opposite where the new world seems like ours with the inconvenient reminders in the form of the above mentioned examples. I mean, if you created a different world, then make it different. And focus on the differences so that we can be transported to that world. Otherwise just use the world we have and so many things become normal.

>> One huge issue is, why the f*ck was the new Sif formula stored in ONE single external storage media for someone to take? Why not on an encrypted file on a secure server? Why not on multiple servers? And then later on we find that the new formula was fragmented and stored in different locations and that it will take years to reassemble the formula. Years? Why?

>> The biggest issues I have can only be explained if I consider the worst case scenario. Let’s say that the latest formula for Sif was stolen by the Aeriels and was lost to Humans. What then? What would be really at stake? Aeriels can’t actually use Sif against humans. So what then? The only reason they would steal it would mean a pre-emptive move to save themselves even more devastation. While humans, even in light of the new formula being lost, they still have enough Sif ores and mines to keep fighting in the regular way that they have been. So what is the fight really based on? What’s the importance of the formula, really? In effect, the biggest plot device itself loses its importance. And thus making the book very vulnerable to being questioned.

Overall Impact
Overall, the book is thoroughly unconvincing and I have a lot of issues with it even thought I have pointed out only a few of them in order to keep the review short. The whole premise of the book becomes questionable due to lack of details. There are quite a few plot conveniences that need to be taken into account as well. Like Subas being seduced by Tauheen for so many years. I mean come on, no offence but pure lust for a woman’s body, no matter how beautiful, will wear thin after Subas has had her so many times in so many years. Another plot convenience is how easily Ruban finds everything he needs in one spot, waiting for him to come and claim it. Also, I can’t ignore or forgive the very slow pace of the book.

And it is something I personally believe that it reflects on the quality of a book when at the end of hundreds of pages, you're not left with even a single memorable and meaningful quote. I didn't find any good quotes in this book and that is another source of disappointment for me.

I still do think it could have been a good book but fell short. It’s not as engrossing as it could have been if it was properly edited and beta read, I guess? Although I won’t go actively recommending this book to anyone. I think the potential was definitely on the higher side with this kinda story and while Nupur can write decently, I feel the book got lost somewhere between the need to make it a thriller with suspense. The book ended up neither here nor there with the fantasy elements limited to just the presence of Aeriels and the suspense being pretty obvious from the opening. The writing itself, taken out of context, is fluent and surely Nupur has a flair for storytelling. I think with much more focus on the world building and fleshing out character will really lift her next book.

I think you should keep writing, Nupur. All the best!

[Yeg · Rating 4 out of 5]

" thanks to the publisher for providing the book free in an exchange of honest review! "
~3.5 stars~

When I started to read this I didn’t know what exactly I am dealing with to be honest but I knew my favorite genre (S) are involved , and when I think about it , last time I enjoyed this type of stories was house of earth and blood by "Sara j mass" and boy I love that book so much and when I compare this book to that, you better understand how much I enjoyed it. In fact I’d even go as far as to say that I think that this is just some sort of unique story because damn this book was unlike anything I ever read before and I enjoyed it immensely.

With “A Flight of Broken Wings” Nupur created her own kind of brand and I was so there for it. Coming from such a new author, I have to say that the universe she created for this book has a lot of promise. It also has enough depth to churn out more in the future. The plot has several twists and turns which will keep you engaged. I loved the slow unravelling mystery of the story.

▪world building and atmosphere :

The book deals with a world having two types of beings, Humans, and Aeriels. The Aeriels are quite unlike humans in a lot of respects. They are energy beings and thrive on solar energy. Unlike humans, they don’t need food to survive. Another huge distinctive physical feature being the presence of wings. They have a much higher life span, usually in the order of centuries. The only chink in the armor for such a powerful species is a metal called sif.

For the fans of DC Comics, sif is akin to kryptonite, the metal which is the bane of Superman. Six hundred years from the present day, the human race rose up in revolt against the Aeriels and most of them were driven back into their homeland of Vaan after a bloody and glorious war. However, a few remaining Aeriels on the Earth, led by their evil queen Tauheen, have been a constant menace to the humans since then. The post-rebellion era saw three independent countries, Kanbar, Zaini, and Vandram, come into existence.

I love the concept of modern world and fantasy mixed with thriller , I love creatures like malakims or angels and boy this has all of them. Where crescent city had a heavy romance plot, this book was all about thriller part and the depth of world and what is going on between the humans and aeriels. There’s political intrigue, there’s a lot of action (and while I have difficult time understanding the political plot in books ) this one was very interesting. The author has created such in depth and fantastic world and history that put Awe next to some.

Writing and pacing:

This book is heavy in plot. Yes . I have to say the pacing really was off for me for quite a while specially toward the beginning. and I was reading this book not with my average usual reading pace because it constantly was showing and describing the scene and actions . However , I did take my time and read it with my slower reading pace , because the story has something to tell and I wasn’t bothered a lot by that. I love when a author shows the way through the story and not straight up tell you everything. There were a lot of time that the author took her time and wrote paragraphs after paragraphs detailing about everything and, I preferred it a little shorter but like I said I don’t have complain about that.

I really liked the characters here are some reasons why:

Ruban Kinoh
The book focuses on the adventures of the protagonist, Ruban Kinoh. He stays in Ragah, the capital city of Vandram. He is a hunter by profession and a very good one by reputation. He works for the hunter corps and is the Cheif Hunter of South Ragah Division. Ruban is very string and brave, but he can be sometimes hot_head and sometimes act without thinking. Usually books have female main charactres and I prefer the narrative that way, but I loved ruban’s voice in here.

“you know, you’re good. Better than most , even but not nearly as good as you think you are. You know what they say about fooling some people all the time and all people some of the time…”

I don’t know how their actual age is but he is mature and he has clear mind to decide which is amazing. One thing I love about him is his relationship with hiya (his cousin , like a little sister though) and I loved that the author wrote such a diverse relationship. Also he is smart and observing and I loved that he didn’t buy shwann’s acting and disguise (if you read it you know what I’m saying!) although there were more depth to who shwann actually is.

“ I don’t know what your story is , my lord, or what you’re really doing here. And I’m kinda busy with all the aerials and their formulas right now to spare much thought to it. But after this is all over, I will find out what you really up to. So don’t think you’re going to be able to fool me forever.”

Ashwin kwan/ shwaan
First of all. He has wings😇! He is the aerial prince , brother to safaa and very handsome. He is the funny and cuter version of ruban. Whilst Ashwin was a thinker and only acted when necessary, Ruban was the doer( as i mentioned in earlier), always on the move and trying to get things done I really enjoyed the banter between ruban and Ashwin(I like this name better 😉) and I see a high potential relationship here(OMG I totally ship them but let’s keep it secret for now shall we?). there was a scene were he literally saved ruban ass and that was when their friendship started to develop and OMG I’m so here for it.

“And what was he really risking by leaving, really? Ruban would die, yes but then he was human…”
“There wasn’t any. It would be a stupid thing to do. A reckless thing. And yet, shwaan knew with a certainty that surprised even him, that he was going to do it. Ruban had lost his father, his friend, his aunt and now his uncle – and In a way shwaan was responsible for all of it. All of those death’s almost every tragedy in the hunters’s life, had been caused , directly or otherwise , by tauheen. By his own mother.”

This is still the first book, and to be honest, there wasn’t much time for other character to develop and I’m sure they all have a good potential for the next book (s) to get their arc as well as this two main characters. One thing I have to admit, I love a good sub_plot romance that is slow burn. And I prefer a book to have zero romance instead of a trashy one. I’m not sure what the story brings us , but I’m totally okay that this book doesn’t have romance or love interest. But it would be amazing if for next book it happens.

The villain was okay. I hated tauheen and her schemes and the way she manipulated everyone, but as far as the ending, though I have to trust the author for her decision on story, I though it went too easy and rushed. I don’t what that will bring us in future but the ending was a little flat. Something I preferred it other way. ).

Also, there were some time that I was left confused about the events before and more about the aerial itself, and I am expecting a sequel to carry forward the story Also special mention for the action sequences in this book which were one of the best I have read in a fantasy.very clear and engaging.

One thing that I absolutely love about a book is to challenge the beliefs and truthiness of the world and some facts. In chapter 9 we learn so many history about aerals and humans and what actually caused the war. And Through the narration, the author touches upon the following important aspects,
▫ History is an important tool, because it can help us understand why something is the way it is.
▫ There is no pure good or pure evil, everyone is a mixture of both.
▫ The history of humans and aerals the war and all can be equally shown in our real world.

"Whoever was going to write the new story didn’t need him for an epilogue to the last one. they could write their own bloody prologue."

So to make it short while, do yourself a favor and read this book instead of plot-less books. This book is in another level for a novice author and it has modern society, fantasy, action, bromance , twist and turns and what could possibly be a great series. I am surprised of how much I enjoyed this one and can’t wait to read the sequel asap!

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Flight of Broken Wings
(The Aeriel Chronicles #1)
by Nupur Chowdhury
This is a book offered to me to read and the review is voluntary.
I love fantasy but normally not this kind of fantasy but I found myself enjoying it. It is a young adult book, some mystery, humor, adventure,and action thrown in too! The world building was excellent and well developed characters. I think those that like Angel-like creatures and young adult fantasy of that kind will enjoy this book.

[Adah Udechukwu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Flight of Broken Wings is a great novel. I loved the plot and the action scenes.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I have the right words to describe this book? I'm blown away.

The reason I gave it four stars and not five, is the start. It's extremely slow and I wasn't sure if I would like the story. Then after about a third in, it started to pick up and got better and better.

There's two main characters, and the foreign one grabbed my attention immediately. He's just so cool, and protective and funny. I love him.

Before his first interesting little twist was revealed, I was scared his part would be a smaller one and I'm glad it wasn't. You'll see what I mean when you read it.

As for Ruban, I didn't like him much. Especially during that knife-to-wing incident. YOU HURT MY FAV RUBAN, I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU. But you know, he did grow by the end. Doesn't mean I have to start liking him though.

I wanted more of Safaa, she's a little less awesome than her brother, but still one of my favourites.

Now the other tidbits, like the writing style which was different, but quite nice, and the world building which is the truly amazing part.

I can confidently say that I've never read a book like this one before. It's that unique.

The setting is sometimes similar to our world, and other times clearly not, but both feel natural.

And ohh, the fight scenes! A certain character has such a graceful fighting scene in the beginning and I'm still in awe. Normally, I'm not a big fan of fighting scenes, but the way they were done here...they just glue your eyes to the page and you can't stop reading.

This book is a true hidden gem, and I wish it so much success. So do your part to help A Flight of Broken Wings blow up and read it now!!!

*Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*