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Drifter
Coral is on the run, again. But who can catch a changer—a girl who can be anything? Home at last and loaded with contraband, Coral reunites with Elias, an old flame, now the Academy’s youngest surgeon.
But Coral’s perfect night is ruined when Rahu, a fanatical killer, tracks her down and tricks her into unleashing a vindictive goddess.
With her world threatened, Coral turns to Cyrus, a battle poet sworn to protect the multiverse. But learning dangerous magic takes time, and Rahu is out for blood.
But Coral’s perfect night is ruined when Rahu, a fanatical killer, tracks her down and tricks her into unleashing a vindictive goddess.
With her world threatened, Coral turns to Cyrus, a battle poet sworn to protect the multiverse. But learning dangerous magic takes time, and Rahu is out for blood.
- GenresAmazon
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2022
31 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Brian Toups
7 books5 followersBrian Toups lives part-time on Earth, part-time in the multiverse of fantasy. With the stars as his muse, Brian seeks to take you on an adventure into the depths of space and time . . . and deeper, into the heart of humanity.
When not crafting worlds, he enjoys gymnastics, astrophotography, and ultimate frisbee. His short stories have been featured in Zetetic and Every Day Fiction. His debut novel Star Kin was released in 2019.
When not crafting worlds, he enjoys gymnastics, astrophotography, and ultimate frisbee. His short stories have been featured in Zetetic and Every Day Fiction. His debut novel Star Kin was released in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 5, 2023
Drifter is a fantasy story that takes place in a multiverse, its characters from across the Nine Realms. Different races can tap into anima, your box-standard reservoir of arcane life energy, with certain people harnessing it to perform various kinds of magic. The novel has a deep world history, and I came to appreciate the cool details that make up this inter-dimensional story.
Coral, the main protagonist, can be described as a wild child who is capable of shapeshifting into different animals while sometimes letting her primal instincts take over. Her name is a bit on the nose, considering her previous career as a mariner, but she’s likable enough, even though I didn’t connect with her all that well.
I instead found myself especially drawn to Cyrus, the deuteragonist. Known as the Inkweaver, he is a “battle poet” who uses pen and paper as if wielding a wand or sword. He represents some of the most creative elements of this story, acting as a mentor figure who knows the intricate details about the Fade, a world between worlds. After finishing the book, I wish he had more time in the spotlight, especially since the chapters dedicated to him were oftentimes shorter than Coral’s.
The writing is mostly good. It only becomes hit-or-miss when sentences drag on or feel altogether unnecessary. What struck me as odd was the appearance of both first-person and third-person chapters, each focusing on different characters. It was a jarring experience at first, and I’m left wondering if the entire story should have had a third-person POV instead. Then again, that might be my personal preference.
I can forgive some instances of telling rather than showing, but I did not appreciate the fourth wall breaks. Sometimes, Coral would explain her abilities or other things directly to the reader, quickly breaking my suspension of belief. But this doesn’t happen too often, thankfully.
Drifter is a solid fantasy story by an indie author who shows good talent. My true rating for this book would probably be closer to 3.5 stars because I found myself rushing through parts due to fatigue or meandering prose. The book is not quite perfect, as I think extra editing could have phased out some errors and kept the prose concise, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving this book a shot.
I’ll leave you with this epic quote from my favorite character Cyrus: "Your power is the shadow of a shadow, existing only because of the light I serve."
Coral, the main protagonist, can be described as a wild child who is capable of shapeshifting into different animals while sometimes letting her primal instincts take over. Her name is a bit on the nose, considering her previous career as a mariner, but she’s likable enough, even though I didn’t connect with her all that well.
I instead found myself especially drawn to Cyrus, the deuteragonist. Known as the Inkweaver, he is a “battle poet” who uses pen and paper as if wielding a wand or sword. He represents some of the most creative elements of this story, acting as a mentor figure who knows the intricate details about the Fade, a world between worlds. After finishing the book, I wish he had more time in the spotlight, especially since the chapters dedicated to him were oftentimes shorter than Coral’s.
The writing is mostly good. It only becomes hit-or-miss when sentences drag on or feel altogether unnecessary. What struck me as odd was the appearance of both first-person and third-person chapters, each focusing on different characters. It was a jarring experience at first, and I’m left wondering if the entire story should have had a third-person POV instead. Then again, that might be my personal preference.
I can forgive some instances of telling rather than showing, but I did not appreciate the fourth wall breaks. Sometimes, Coral would explain her abilities or other things directly to the reader, quickly breaking my suspension of belief. But this doesn’t happen too often, thankfully.
Drifter is a solid fantasy story by an indie author who shows good talent. My true rating for this book would probably be closer to 3.5 stars because I found myself rushing through parts due to fatigue or meandering prose. The book is not quite perfect, as I think extra editing could have phased out some errors and kept the prose concise, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving this book a shot.
I’ll leave you with this epic quote from my favorite character Cyrus: "Your power is the shadow of a shadow, existing only because of the light I serve."
August 27, 2023
Once again author Brian Toups has awakened my imagination bringing this reader into the world of Alta that he masterfully created in his book, Star Kin. The visual images created through his descriptive writing style has developed a new set of characters that are quickly both intriguing and relatable. Sometimes the conflicts got very intense and I just couldn't stop reading until the battle's end. I highly recommend reading Star Kin but if you don't you can start with this book as it is a separate story and opens up the world of Alta and the universe in which it resides with clarity and imagination that I long for in a fantasy novel. Very highly recommend!!!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews