What do you think?
Rate this book
Chronicles of Ankoku #1
The Last Chronomancer
The tale of two, cursed for destruction.
One with the strength to kill and the other, the courage to resist.
Kou just wanted to be normal. After tragically losing his twin brother, he turned his back on a world of enchantment. One that caused him nothing but loss and pain. He found a home in the small mundane town of Clay, West Virginia with a surrogate father and a secretive best friend. Nearly a decade later, the opportunity arises to step foot back into that magical world he desperately tried to forget. Haunted by the curse that follows his bloodline, Kou is forced to make a decision: confront the horrific memories of his past or leave it all behind him once and for all.
One with the strength to kill and the other, the courage to resist.
Kou just wanted to be normal. After tragically losing his twin brother, he turned his back on a world of enchantment. One that caused him nothing but loss and pain. He found a home in the small mundane town of Clay, West Virginia with a surrogate father and a secretive best friend. Nearly a decade later, the opportunity arises to step foot back into that magical world he desperately tried to forget. Haunted by the curse that follows his bloodline, Kou is forced to make a decision: confront the horrific memories of his past or leave it all behind him once and for all.
434 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2016
170 people want to read
About the author
Ralynn Kimie
15 books173 followersINSTAGRAM: rayekimie
Ralynn Kimie is an independent author with her own publishing imprint known as Steely Co. Publishing. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, she is a mixing pot of different ethnic backgrounds, but primarily Japanese and Irish.
She’s autistic and has ODD, ADHD, and Depression.
Ralynn Kimie is an advocate for Suicide Prevention, Asexual Awareness, Body Positivity, and Operation Santa.
Ralynn Kimie is an independent author with her own publishing imprint known as Steely Co. Publishing. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, she is a mixing pot of different ethnic backgrounds, but primarily Japanese and Irish.
She’s autistic and has ODD, ADHD, and Depression.
Ralynn Kimie is an advocate for Suicide Prevention, Asexual Awareness, Body Positivity, and Operation Santa.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
February 7, 2023
(English below)
Es una historia con mucho potencial, pero un poco mal llevada.
Muchas de las situaciones son realmente creativas y te impulsan a seguir leyendo y descubrir más de el mundo que la autora ha creado, el funcionamiento de sus criaturas (que, por dios, que gran variedad, es asombroso!) y el proceso de Kou para ser más fuerte.
Me encanta que MC sea un chico que a penas está aprendiendo a ver y utilizar sus poderes, porque creo que la evolución a lo largo de todos los libros será encantadora. En este, es sobretodo un chico asustado que nunca sabe que hacer. Y, eso, en lugar de enojarme por su falta de iniciativa, en realidad me pareció perfecto. Nada de protagonistas super fuertes a la primera de cambio, me gusta eso.
Otra cosa positiva es la representación LGBTQ+ . Creo que estuvo bien integrada y que no se convirtió en la personalidad de los personajes.
Ahora, hay muchas cosas que no tienen sentido.
Algunos diálogos, sobre todo entre Jace y Kou carecían de naturalidad.
Las relaciones con los demás personajes no se desarrollan del todo, sin embargo, vemos como Kou los considera amigos por hablar una o dos veces. No sé si eso hace parte de su inocencia como personaje, o realmente se quiere que los sintamos como amigos, pero no se logra.
Hay personajes que aparecen y desaparecen de escena un poco si sentido. Y situaciones que se arreglan como por arte de magia.
Esto último me molestó un poco, porque viendo el potencial de las escenas como tal, que me digan que un enemigo simplemente se cansó de esperar a que Kou saliera, y terminó por marcharse simplemente me parece un desacierto.
En general, me gustó la historia. Creo que tiene plots muy interesantes y un mundo muy rico del que se puede sacar bastante ventaja. Kou es muy lindo y me encantaría seguir viendo su aventura y el crecimiento que tiene tanto como persona, como con lo relacionado a su poder.
pd. Diosito, aquí había dragones que tomaban forma humana y yo estaba babeando.
.
It is a story with a lot of potential, but a little poorly carried out.
Many of the situations are really creative and encourage you to keep reading and discover more about the world that the author has created, the functioning of her creatures (which, by God, what a variety, it's amazing!) and Kou's process to be stronger.
I love that MC is a guy who is just learning to see and use his powers, because I think the evolution throughout all the books will be lovely. In this one, he is mostly a scared guy who never knows what to do. And, that, instead of getting me mad at his lack of initiative, it actually seemed perfect to me. No a super strong protagonists at the first change, I like that.
Another positive thing is the LGBTQ+ representation. I think it was well integrated and it didn't become the personality of the characters.
Now, there are many things that don't make sense.
Some dialogues, especially between Jace and Kou, lacked naturalness.
The relationships with the other characters are not fully developed, however, we see how Kou considers them friends for speaking once or twice. I don't know if that is part of his innocence as a character, or if the author really wants us to feel them like friends, but it is not achieved.
There are characters that appear and disappear from the scene a little without sense. And situations that are fixed as if by magic.
This last bothered me a bit, because seeing the potential of the scenes as such, being told that an enemy simply got tired of waiting for Kou to come out, and ended up leaving just seems wrong to me.
In general, I liked the story. I think it has very interesting plots and a very rich world that the author can take advantage of. Kou is very cute and I would love to continue seeing his adventure and the growth that he has both as a person and in relation to his power.
I received an ARC for free through NetGalley.
Es una historia con mucho potencial, pero un poco mal llevada.
Muchas de las situaciones son realmente creativas y te impulsan a seguir leyendo y descubrir más de el mundo que la autora ha creado, el funcionamiento de sus criaturas (que, por dios, que gran variedad, es asombroso!) y el proceso de Kou para ser más fuerte.
Me encanta que MC sea un chico que a penas está aprendiendo a ver y utilizar sus poderes, porque creo que la evolución a lo largo de todos los libros será encantadora. En este, es sobretodo un chico asustado que nunca sabe que hacer. Y, eso, en lugar de enojarme por su falta de iniciativa, en realidad me pareció perfecto. Nada de protagonistas super fuertes a la primera de cambio, me gusta eso.
Otra cosa positiva es la representación LGBTQ+ . Creo que estuvo bien integrada y que no se convirtió en la personalidad de los personajes.
Ahora, hay muchas cosas que no tienen sentido.
Algunos diálogos, sobre todo entre Jace y Kou carecían de naturalidad.
Las relaciones con los demás personajes no se desarrollan del todo, sin embargo, vemos como Kou los considera amigos por hablar una o dos veces. No sé si eso hace parte de su inocencia como personaje, o realmente se quiere que los sintamos como amigos, pero no se logra.
Hay personajes que aparecen y desaparecen de escena un poco si sentido. Y situaciones que se arreglan como por arte de magia.
Esto último me molestó un poco, porque viendo el potencial de las escenas como tal, que me digan que un enemigo simplemente se cansó de esperar a que Kou saliera, y terminó por marcharse simplemente me parece un desacierto.
En general, me gustó la historia. Creo que tiene plots muy interesantes y un mundo muy rico del que se puede sacar bastante ventaja. Kou es muy lindo y me encantaría seguir viendo su aventura y el crecimiento que tiene tanto como persona, como con lo relacionado a su poder.
pd. Diosito, aquí había dragones que tomaban forma humana y yo estaba babeando.
.
It is a story with a lot of potential, but a little poorly carried out.
Many of the situations are really creative and encourage you to keep reading and discover more about the world that the author has created, the functioning of her creatures (which, by God, what a variety, it's amazing!) and Kou's process to be stronger.
I love that MC is a guy who is just learning to see and use his powers, because I think the evolution throughout all the books will be lovely. In this one, he is mostly a scared guy who never knows what to do. And, that, instead of getting me mad at his lack of initiative, it actually seemed perfect to me. No a super strong protagonists at the first change, I like that.
Another positive thing is the LGBTQ+ representation. I think it was well integrated and it didn't become the personality of the characters.
Now, there are many things that don't make sense.
Some dialogues, especially between Jace and Kou, lacked naturalness.
The relationships with the other characters are not fully developed, however, we see how Kou considers them friends for speaking once or twice. I don't know if that is part of his innocence as a character, or if the author really wants us to feel them like friends, but it is not achieved.
There are characters that appear and disappear from the scene a little without sense. And situations that are fixed as if by magic.
This last bothered me a bit, because seeing the potential of the scenes as such, being told that an enemy simply got tired of waiting for Kou to come out, and ended up leaving just seems wrong to me.
In general, I liked the story. I think it has very interesting plots and a very rich world that the author can take advantage of. Kou is very cute and I would love to continue seeing his adventure and the growth that he has both as a person and in relation to his power.
I received an ARC for free through NetGalley.
February 15, 2023
I received an e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own!
An incredibly original and fast-paced urban fantasy about a young man acknowledging his identity and coming to terms with his magical abilities.
The mythology of this story is very unique, drawing on creatures and concepts from multiple mythologies. I really loved that the author drew on her own heritage for an intricate set of Own Voices characters and she has my respect for that.
I really loved the diversity of this story, with a primarily non-white and mixed race cast and lots of LGBT inclusion - even an asexual main character! (Being both ace-spec and a minority ethnicity, I loved that aspect of the story.) I think the inclusion is genuinely one of the most stand-out aspects of this story. It all feels both natural and important: most of these characters experience alienation from their magical cultures, mimicking alienation they experience as mixed-race individuals.
Early on in this novel, the writing felt more geared towards a middle grade audience, though the violence would certainly put it in the upper YA range. The narration did find its footing after a few chapters, but it was never as descriptive as I would have hoped.
There were some really great instances of fight scenes - I especially enjoyed the Witchfen Worm as an exciting creature to see in this kind of fantasy - that had the right balance of pace to description, but overall I found the writing sacrificed scene-setting for pacing. It made for an engaging story, but not necessarily because I was drawn intimately into the world.
I also thought the timeline of the story was very drawn out. There is a lot of waiting around - for characters to heal, for an equinox to come... I don't necessarily think it needed the eight-month time span, and it possibly could have been collapsed into just a few weeks of setting.
I have to admit, using 9/11 as a plot device for a magical war is the MOST urban fantasy thing I can imagine happening. (I promise, this is a compliment. Very good use of modern history!) But I found it at odds with some of the language used. More than once, places and characters are described as villages/villagers, and it was just a bit jarring. Somehow I don't feel like that's quite the right wording for a story taking place in the 2020s. I think language is very important for scene-setting, especially in more genre specific pieces. I love it when the language telegraphs time period.
Anyway, unrelated, but I'm such a sucker for vampires (lmao puns 😎) so the inclusion was a very exciting and welcome surprise!
An incredibly original and fast-paced urban fantasy about a young man acknowledging his identity and coming to terms with his magical abilities.
The mythology of this story is very unique, drawing on creatures and concepts from multiple mythologies. I really loved that the author drew on her own heritage for an intricate set of Own Voices characters and she has my respect for that.
I really loved the diversity of this story, with a primarily non-white and mixed race cast and lots of LGBT inclusion - even an asexual main character! (Being both ace-spec and a minority ethnicity, I loved that aspect of the story.) I think the inclusion is genuinely one of the most stand-out aspects of this story. It all feels both natural and important: most of these characters experience alienation from their magical cultures, mimicking alienation they experience as mixed-race individuals.
Early on in this novel, the writing felt more geared towards a middle grade audience, though the violence would certainly put it in the upper YA range. The narration did find its footing after a few chapters, but it was never as descriptive as I would have hoped.
There were some really great instances of fight scenes - I especially enjoyed the Witchfen Worm as an exciting creature to see in this kind of fantasy - that had the right balance of pace to description, but overall I found the writing sacrificed scene-setting for pacing. It made for an engaging story, but not necessarily because I was drawn intimately into the world.
I also thought the timeline of the story was very drawn out. There is a lot of waiting around - for characters to heal, for an equinox to come... I don't necessarily think it needed the eight-month time span, and it possibly could have been collapsed into just a few weeks of setting.
I have to admit, using 9/11 as a plot device for a magical war is the MOST urban fantasy thing I can imagine happening. (I promise, this is a compliment. Very good use of modern history!) But I found it at odds with some of the language used. More than once, places and characters are described as villages/villagers, and it was just a bit jarring. Somehow I don't feel like that's quite the right wording for a story taking place in the 2020s. I think language is very important for scene-setting, especially in more genre specific pieces. I love it when the language telegraphs time period.
Anyway, unrelated, but I'm such a sucker for vampires (lmao puns 😎) so the inclusion was a very exciting and welcome surprise!
February 21, 2023
“You need to be you, Ankoku. You need to accept that you are a Chronomancer. It's your destiny.”
the concept of this book is interesting. i have always liked reading books with magical creatures, so it was a delight to see a new interpretation of werewolves, vampires, elves and dragons in the story.
the pacing started out well, but certain parts of this book felt slow and unnecessary. it took quite some time for the actual storyline to progress. nonetheless, the characters in this book helped me to go along with the story even when i didn't quite know what was happening.
kou was an interesting main character. he learned more about himself towards the end, and was not afraid to be strong. i enjoyed learning about his past, but i really wanted to see more action of kou actually fighting and using his power.
kou's friendship with jace seemed really fun too. the teasing they did to one another was so cute. the other characters were interesting as well. rhiannon is by far my favourite character. i think jace and rhiannon's relationship was one of the best parts. i liked the dynamic of their relationship and how they both had a silent understanding for one another. it would have been cooler if we actually got to read more of their backstory.
overall, this is a very character driven story and a great book for urban fantasy lovers. it has the found family trope and fascinating adventures with a bit of action and gore—definitely worth checking out!
the last chronomancer comes out february 25th! thank you ralynn kimie for sending me a copy in exchange for a review 🖤
the concept of this book is interesting. i have always liked reading books with magical creatures, so it was a delight to see a new interpretation of werewolves, vampires, elves and dragons in the story.
the pacing started out well, but certain parts of this book felt slow and unnecessary. it took quite some time for the actual storyline to progress. nonetheless, the characters in this book helped me to go along with the story even when i didn't quite know what was happening.
kou was an interesting main character. he learned more about himself towards the end, and was not afraid to be strong. i enjoyed learning about his past, but i really wanted to see more action of kou actually fighting and using his power.
kou's friendship with jace seemed really fun too. the teasing they did to one another was so cute. the other characters were interesting as well. rhiannon is by far my favourite character. i think jace and rhiannon's relationship was one of the best parts. i liked the dynamic of their relationship and how they both had a silent understanding for one another. it would have been cooler if we actually got to read more of their backstory.
overall, this is a very character driven story and a great book for urban fantasy lovers. it has the found family trope and fascinating adventures with a bit of action and gore—definitely worth checking out!
the last chronomancer comes out february 25th! thank you ralynn kimie for sending me a copy in exchange for a review 🖤
February 6, 2023
I had the opportunity of reading this as an ARC, thank you Netgalley !
The author create a unique and captivating world. The story is completely unique. However, I found it lacking in detail. Some events follow one another without explanation. I felt like I was missing information on a few occasions.
I feel it has great LGBTQIA+ representation without it being the characters whole personality ! I got attached to the characters. They all have their own likeable personalities.
I can't wait to see the sequel !
The author create a unique and captivating world. The story is completely unique. However, I found it lacking in detail. Some events follow one another without explanation. I felt like I was missing information on a few occasions.
I feel it has great LGBTQIA+ representation without it being the characters whole personality ! I got attached to the characters. They all have their own likeable personalities.
I can't wait to see the sequel !
Read
June 13, 2023I recently had the honor of beta reading this story. It's the second book by Ralynn Kimie that I've read, and I'm increasingly impressed by the author's ability to create unique and captivating worlds. From the very first chapter, I was sucked into the story, and spent multiple late nights reading in the dark, laughing about something a character said or did.
In addition to its creative setting, magic system, and nuanced character dynamics, this book provides plentiful and respectful representations of minority groups.
Bottom line: Perfect for YA fantasy lovers who are looking for something a bit unique.
In addition to its creative setting, magic system, and nuanced character dynamics, this book provides plentiful and respectful representations of minority groups.
Bottom line: Perfect for YA fantasy lovers who are looking for something a bit unique.
February 8, 2023
What a wonderful, fulfilling YA Urban Fantasy story about a LGBTQ character, Kou, and the trials he must endure.
Filled with a unique world, just enough details, and a wonderful cast of characters, The Last Chronomancer takes the reader on a clean, fun, feel good ride about overcoming a wealth of problems and building a found family of supportive friends.
I could honestly go on and on about this story but I don’t want to ruin even a moment of it. I feel like both teens and adults alike will enjoy this story.
I received a copy of this story from the author and NetGalley. This is an honest review I voluntarily made.
Filled with a unique world, just enough details, and a wonderful cast of characters, The Last Chronomancer takes the reader on a clean, fun, feel good ride about overcoming a wealth of problems and building a found family of supportive friends.
I could honestly go on and on about this story but I don’t want to ruin even a moment of it. I feel like both teens and adults alike will enjoy this story.
I received a copy of this story from the author and NetGalley. This is an honest review I voluntarily made.
February 11, 2023
This book was given to me by the author but all opinions are my own.
Kou is such a great character I thought. He was abandoned at a young age by his father and taken in by Weylon to be raised. He befriends Jace, whom he knows to be someone who will turn into a werewolf at the age of 21. Kou has to be in hiding for fear of his fate turning out like his twin brother.
I like the adventure that Kou and Jace go on. Filled with mythical creatures, interesting world building, and some great side characters This is a great fantasy. The end was so special for me.. To see Kou come into his powers and I can't wait for book two because we'll get to explore those powers a lot more, I'm sure. I did appreciate the LGBTQ rep too.
Kou is such a great character I thought. He was abandoned at a young age by his father and taken in by Weylon to be raised. He befriends Jace, whom he knows to be someone who will turn into a werewolf at the age of 21. Kou has to be in hiding for fear of his fate turning out like his twin brother.
I like the adventure that Kou and Jace go on. Filled with mythical creatures, interesting world building, and some great side characters This is a great fantasy. The end was so special for me.. To see Kou come into his powers and I can't wait for book two because we'll get to explore those powers a lot more, I'm sure. I did appreciate the LGBTQ rep too.
February 27, 2023
I may be a little biased because I read this book when it first came out in 2016 as a high fantasy. I loved it back then so much that I actually had a fan blog on Tumblr dedicated to it for a little bit and shipped Jace and Rhiannon SO MUCH. As someone who is aro-ace like the main character, there is a huge lack of representation in novels and a lot of depictions are super robotic I was sad when it seemed like the author disappeared and didn't intend to finish the series. I wasn't sure what to think when I found out they were being revised and rebranded but I am happy to say that even with all of the revisions Ralynn Kimie made to the series, I STILL LOVE THIS BOOK. I am so freaking relieved and happy. I was so nervous when I found out that she was going to revise it because I had no idea what to expect as I had no idea what she was going to change.
While the author mentions she made a lot of mistakes with the original publication, a lot of aro-ace people on Tumblr still loved the books and as someone who belongs to that minority, I'm thrilled she decided to revisit this series. I think it will mean a lot to those who fell in love with the original publication, that we'll finally get to see how it ends and what becomes of the last Chronomancer. I can't wait to see where she takes the sequel and what's to come!!
I still have my fingers crossed for a Jace and Rhiannon side story because I need it in my life, thank you very much. SIDE NOTE ABOUT JACE AND RHIANNON! I love that there's no love triangle. My favorite part about Kou as a protagonist is his lack of sexual or romantic interest. While I do love reading romances at times, I hate when the characters are constantly sexually angsty all the time. Distracted by each other, all the time? Is that what it feels like to be heteronormative? Cause it's annoying in books. I feel like having a little romance plot is nice on the side, though I would definitely be interested in reading a full book about them. Anyway, I'm getting distracted.
Basically I will read everything Ralynn ever writes and publishes. Her imagination never fails to wow me.
Thank you to Steely Co. Publishing for my copy! I will absolutely be purchasing one once it becomes available!
While the author mentions she made a lot of mistakes with the original publication, a lot of aro-ace people on Tumblr still loved the books and as someone who belongs to that minority, I'm thrilled she decided to revisit this series. I think it will mean a lot to those who fell in love with the original publication, that we'll finally get to see how it ends and what becomes of the last Chronomancer. I can't wait to see where she takes the sequel and what's to come!!
I still have my fingers crossed for a Jace and Rhiannon side story because I need it in my life, thank you very much. SIDE NOTE ABOUT JACE AND RHIANNON! I love that there's no love triangle. My favorite part about Kou as a protagonist is his lack of sexual or romantic interest. While I do love reading romances at times, I hate when the characters are constantly sexually angsty all the time. Distracted by each other, all the time? Is that what it feels like to be heteronormative? Cause it's annoying in books. I feel like having a little romance plot is nice on the side, though I would definitely be interested in reading a full book about them. Anyway, I'm getting distracted.
Basically I will read everything Ralynn ever writes and publishes. Her imagination never fails to wow me.
Thank you to Steely Co. Publishing for my copy! I will absolutely be purchasing one once it becomes available!
February 12, 2023
“No one can torture us worse than the way we torture ourselves.”
This book blew me away. We follow Kou, a boy with many secrets and a dark past who decided to leave his small town to correct his past wrongdoings. Also sprinkle in some awesome magic and supernatural creatures and mythical creatures along the way and you get this awesome book. The characters were amazing. Throughout the book there were always enough challenges to help the characters grow and push the plot forward. Not to mention the main character is AroAce! It’s really hard to find AroAce characters in the fantasy genre and Kou was like a breath of fresh air. The magic system was very nice and the range of different types of magical beings encountered was very unique. The author wonderfully took different creatures that already existed in other stories, but instead of just throwing them into the story, they provided an in-text reasoning for why they existed in that world. Everything had a reason.
Before reading this book I had no further knowledge about it other than the synopsis. I find it very cool that the author has gone back to the series to remake it to more match the way they actually first envisioned it. The experience with these characters really shines through. None of them felt bland or just thrown in there to be used for plot progression purposes. Everyone plays an important role.
Overall I have this book a ⅘ stars. The reasons I couldn’t give it a full five stars comes down to the plot. While I overall enjoyed it there were a lot of moments where I felt as though we’d skipped over something and I was a bit lost. There were also many scenes where I felt how the problem was dealt with was a bit confusing. Then in the scenes where I better understood how the problem was overcome, there were a few points where I felt as though the character won too easily. That last part is more of a personal preference for more complex fight scenes so I didn’t count it against the book. Overall this book was an amazing journey and showcased some hard to find representation.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book blew me away. We follow Kou, a boy with many secrets and a dark past who decided to leave his small town to correct his past wrongdoings. Also sprinkle in some awesome magic and supernatural creatures and mythical creatures along the way and you get this awesome book. The characters were amazing. Throughout the book there were always enough challenges to help the characters grow and push the plot forward. Not to mention the main character is AroAce! It’s really hard to find AroAce characters in the fantasy genre and Kou was like a breath of fresh air. The magic system was very nice and the range of different types of magical beings encountered was very unique. The author wonderfully took different creatures that already existed in other stories, but instead of just throwing them into the story, they provided an in-text reasoning for why they existed in that world. Everything had a reason.
Before reading this book I had no further knowledge about it other than the synopsis. I find it very cool that the author has gone back to the series to remake it to more match the way they actually first envisioned it. The experience with these characters really shines through. None of them felt bland or just thrown in there to be used for plot progression purposes. Everyone plays an important role.
Overall I have this book a ⅘ stars. The reasons I couldn’t give it a full five stars comes down to the plot. While I overall enjoyed it there were a lot of moments where I felt as though we’d skipped over something and I was a bit lost. There were also many scenes where I felt how the problem was dealt with was a bit confusing. Then in the scenes where I better understood how the problem was overcome, there were a few points where I felt as though the character won too easily. That last part is more of a personal preference for more complex fight scenes so I didn’t count it against the book. Overall this book was an amazing journey and showcased some hard to find representation.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2023
This is the most fascinating world building I have read this year so far. Full of surprising combinations of paranormal creatures and absolutely nothing was predictable. It's also wonderful to find a major character who is asexual and aromantic, and this being seen as something positive by other characters (as demi/grey ace and aromantic myself it is definitely much harder to explain these than sexuality). Really looking forward to the next part.
March 6, 2023
✨He clicked his tongue absentmindedly and looked around in the darkness, unsure of where to start. There were so many places he could begin. As his eyes darted around the dungeon, he felt like he was searching the ceiling for an answer—a starting point—something. Anything. “You’re right,” the prisoner said finally. “My name isn’t Koukan and I’m not really... human.”✨
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: YA urban fantasy
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼♀️: moderate
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🚫
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: Percy Jackson
𝙏𝙒 ⚠️: none identified
🪄large cast of characters
🪄magic + modern world
🪄sensitive MC
Holy cow that prologue really hooked me! I love when a book starts with action.
I enjoyed the authors creativity in combining a modern American world with elements of fantasy and fantastical creatures - dragons, werewolves, vampires, elves….You definitely need to pay attention to keep up with the different characters.
I always love a book with the found family theme. These two boys are loyal, loving, and brave. As they continue on their quest, their friendship is challenged over and over again. The loyalty and friendship themes are strong throughout the story which was very heartwarming.
I think I would like to see some more explanation of the magic system in book two! Since this book starts in the middle of an adventure, the reader is tossed right into the action. With a unique concept of world building between modern America and ancient magic, the reader may need a little more handholding to keep up.
This series has fantastic potential - there are lots of different ways the characters’ stories can play out.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: YA urban fantasy
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼♀️: moderate
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🚫
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: Percy Jackson
𝙏𝙒 ⚠️: none identified
🪄large cast of characters
🪄magic + modern world
🪄sensitive MC
Holy cow that prologue really hooked me! I love when a book starts with action.
I enjoyed the authors creativity in combining a modern American world with elements of fantasy and fantastical creatures - dragons, werewolves, vampires, elves….You definitely need to pay attention to keep up with the different characters.
I always love a book with the found family theme. These two boys are loyal, loving, and brave. As they continue on their quest, their friendship is challenged over and over again. The loyalty and friendship themes are strong throughout the story which was very heartwarming.
I think I would like to see some more explanation of the magic system in book two! Since this book starts in the middle of an adventure, the reader is tossed right into the action. With a unique concept of world building between modern America and ancient magic, the reader may need a little more handholding to keep up.
This series has fantastic potential - there are lots of different ways the characters’ stories can play out.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
March 2, 2023
Thank you to netgalley and steely co. publishing for the advanced reading copy of The Last Chronomancer by Ralynn Kimie. I felt as if this story was way to hard to read. the world building was a good attempt but left so many holes. the magic was just not quite there. the mistakes were incredible. they chapters felt to drag on I had to put this one down and couldn't finish it. I had high hopes because i like to jump to the back and read author notes and the not made me excited but I think it just fell flat for me sorry to say
March 8, 2023
Oh my goodness, I was blown away by this book! The storytelling and seamless world building are so well done. Fantasy novels, even urban fantasy, sometimes feel tedious in the setup, making me impatient to get to the storyline, but I never had that feeling reading this novel. I was invested in and intrigued by Kou’s story right from the start. The adventure pacing and character development struck just the right balance to hold my interest straight through to the very end. And the characters! Each character has such an intricate back story. Several could easily carry their own novels. I didn’t want to put this down. So good, with fantastic representation for LGBTQIA+ and underrepresented minorities to boot. You can count me in for auto-buy on book two.
March 7, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC of the Last Chronomancer.
First off, I want to say I absolutely adored the LGBTQ+ representation in this book! The fact there's an MC that is aro/acespec is astounding, and am always so happy when I get to see them represented. This world is very unique and enchanting. However there were a lot of gaps that didn't make sense, I found myself missing information at times.
This book is a fast-paced urban fantasy, when I started this book I felt as if it was geared towards a younger/middle grade audience, but the violence definitely put it upper YA. The narrating found itself a few chapters in, but I just felt the description lacking.
Overall this was a nice book, I enjoyed it.
First off, I want to say I absolutely adored the LGBTQ+ representation in this book! The fact there's an MC that is aro/acespec is astounding, and am always so happy when I get to see them represented. This world is very unique and enchanting. However there were a lot of gaps that didn't make sense, I found myself missing information at times.
This book is a fast-paced urban fantasy, when I started this book I felt as if it was geared towards a younger/middle grade audience, but the violence definitely put it upper YA. The narrating found itself a few chapters in, but I just felt the description lacking.
Overall this was a nice book, I enjoyed it.
February 27, 2023
The Last Chronomancer by Ralynn Kimie is a wonderful urban fantasy filled with a myriad of mythical creatures. From vampires to werewolves to dragons, this book has it all! I loved the aro-ace representation in this novel and also appreciated the fact that the main character wasn't sexually driven, as is the case in most fantasy type novels. This allowed me to be able to focus on the crazy adventure Kou was on rather than wondering when he was going to make his move.
I thought the characters were so likeable and had me coming back for more. The world building was also very solid and descriptive. I can't wait to follow these characters on their next adventure!
Thank you to NetGalley and Steely Co Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the characters were so likeable and had me coming back for more. The world building was also very solid and descriptive. I can't wait to follow these characters on their next adventure!
Thank you to NetGalley and Steely Co Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2023
Immerse yourself in a spellbinding world of magic and enchantment. Follow the journey of Kou, who is rescued from tragedy by Weylan, a man who will fill the role of a surrogate father to him. Just as Kou is living a “normal” life, he finds Jace, an orphaned werewolf, who quickly becomes his best friend. As Kou tries to leave his dark past behind, he is thrown back into the world of magic and must team up with Jace and newfound allies to right the wrongs of his family’s past. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions, as this tale of bravery, friendship, love, and adventure unfolds. With captivating world-building and relatable characters, you'll quickly find yourself rooting for Kou and his journey to survive. The author expertly weaves together grief, romance, and friendship elements to create a multi-layered narrative that will leave you breathless. The secondary characters are just as integral to the story, adding depth and complexity to the relationships. This is a must-read for YA fantasy fans and anyone who appreciates compelling character development and imaginative storytelling. Having read two books by the author, I can confidently say that she is a very talented writer and I eagerly await her future works.
December 6, 2022
This book was AMAZING! I think that introductions are so important in setting the scene and pulling the reader in, and this one certainly did not disappoint. From the moment I started reading, I became entranced with this magical and creative story and invested in the characters' well-being. This book really has everything a reader could want: fantasy, mystery, magic, love, loss, adventure, etc. The writing is mesmerizing. I was on the edge of my seat as the characters maneuvered their way through a series of dangerous circumstances. I laughed, I cried, and also breathed a few sighs of relief as the plot thickened and the characters were still prevailing against the challenges they faced. The author is incredibly talented. There were truly no boring or dull moments in this story, and it is well worth the read!!
December 21, 2022
Ralynn Kimie’s The Last Chronomancer (Chronicles of Ankoku #1) is such a cool story!
This was quite the journey. Getting to know the boys and other beings along the way was its own adventure, that really made The Last Chronomancer quite a page-turner with the potential for so much more in hopeful sequels to come.
This story is perfect for YA readers with an imagination! Fourteen year old me would have eaten this up, especially some of the quotes like “Friends can break your heart too, and it stings just as much. Sometimes more.”
Note to those who wish to read The Last Chronomancer, this is a coming of age story involving different realms, and the supernatural so please do note that there is mention of violence.
Special thanks to the author for providing an ARC of the book to read and leave an honest review.
This was quite the journey. Getting to know the boys and other beings along the way was its own adventure, that really made The Last Chronomancer quite a page-turner with the potential for so much more in hopeful sequels to come.
This story is perfect for YA readers with an imagination! Fourteen year old me would have eaten this up, especially some of the quotes like “Friends can break your heart too, and it stings just as much. Sometimes more.”
Note to those who wish to read The Last Chronomancer, this is a coming of age story involving different realms, and the supernatural so please do note that there is mention of violence.
Special thanks to the author for providing an ARC of the book to read and leave an honest review.
February 4, 2023
5/5 stars! This book would be great for fans of "So This is Ever After." I really enjoyed the fantasy and the queer representation. This story has romance and magic but also is gently introspective to healing from grieving a loved one. This is one of those special books that you somehow stumble upon and wonder how you've missed it.
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
February 22, 2023
DNF at 42%
I just want to start of by saying that I really wanted to like this book. I really did. It just has a few issues I couldn’t look past and either ended up distracting me or I just didn’t care anymore. I put this book down after 42% but as far as I can tell, the synopsis is accurate.
My big frustration is that the author wanted to create a big world with a rich history but only gives hints to that history that you’re trying to piece together to then realize you have pieces that are on different sides of your puzzle. (It’s a puzzles metaphor, you see?) This book needed a prologue in my opinion. Wait, let me backtrack for a second. This book has a prologue, but not the one that was needed. It needed a fairytale/history/legend type prologue where the author goes into detail what happened, how it happened and why. As of 42% into the book, I know 9/11 was involved (which I don’t know how to feel about in general), that technology does exist and that a lot of people think certain people are dead and gone.
The technology aspect is one that ended up bothering me a lot because the main character talks about how he needs to charge his phone and that’s difficult, and then they have no hot water etc. Basically everything changed after 9/11, however bands like Imagine Dragons are still a thing? A band that gained major popularity in 2012 after It’s Time was featured on Glee – Imagine Dragons? I’m trying to wrap my head around the logistics of this world and I cannot. I try to visualize the books that I read and I couldn’t even visualize Kou’s phone. Is it an iPhone? Is it a flip-phone? Like did technology stop suddenly? Was it a slow process and the resources are just running out? I had a lot of questions and very little answers that I needed.
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
I just want to start of by saying that I really wanted to like this book. I really did. It just has a few issues I couldn’t look past and either ended up distracting me or I just didn’t care anymore. I put this book down after 42% but as far as I can tell, the synopsis is accurate.
My big frustration is that the author wanted to create a big world with a rich history but only gives hints to that history that you’re trying to piece together to then realize you have pieces that are on different sides of your puzzle. (It’s a puzzles metaphor, you see?) This book needed a prologue in my opinion. Wait, let me backtrack for a second. This book has a prologue, but not the one that was needed. It needed a fairytale/history/legend type prologue where the author goes into detail what happened, how it happened and why. As of 42% into the book, I know 9/11 was involved (which I don’t know how to feel about in general), that technology does exist and that a lot of people think certain people are dead and gone.
The technology aspect is one that ended up bothering me a lot because the main character talks about how he needs to charge his phone and that’s difficult, and then they have no hot water etc. Basically everything changed after 9/11, however bands like Imagine Dragons are still a thing? A band that gained major popularity in 2012 after It’s Time was featured on Glee – Imagine Dragons? I’m trying to wrap my head around the logistics of this world and I cannot. I try to visualize the books that I read and I couldn’t even visualize Kou’s phone. Is it an iPhone? Is it a flip-phone? Like did technology stop suddenly? Was it a slow process and the resources are just running out? I had a lot of questions and very little answers that I needed.
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
February 15, 2023
DNF - 46% - 3 stars so an not to mess with the Star Rating.
This book has a wonderful core and a MC that would be able to be fleshed out over a few books. There is too much going on and what is going on isn't amazing writing. There are too many creatures, characters, curses, locations, plot points. I feel like this is trying to set up all five books in the series without establishing this book as its own narrative.
I didn't feel engaged with any of the characters to be honest. I didn't believe that these MC's were even friends.
The concept of having this high fantasy world also based in our own universe was jarring - things like mobile phones existing but candles being the preferred means of lighting.
I probably could have held out to read the entire book but with a 2 year last TBR stack the pin had to be pulled..
This book has a wonderful core and a MC that would be able to be fleshed out over a few books. There is too much going on and what is going on isn't amazing writing. There are too many creatures, characters, curses, locations, plot points. I feel like this is trying to set up all five books in the series without establishing this book as its own narrative.
I didn't feel engaged with any of the characters to be honest. I didn't believe that these MC's were even friends.
The concept of having this high fantasy world also based in our own universe was jarring - things like mobile phones existing but candles being the preferred means of lighting.
I probably could have held out to read the entire book but with a 2 year last TBR stack the pin had to be pulled..
April 10, 2023
This novel was one of those fun, sweet novels you just want to pass around to everyone. The characters and world building were excellent. A book like this shows urban fantasy at its finest. It's very character driven, which is something I love in novels. It explored grief, romance and friendship in a very engaging way. This is a must-read. Thanks as always to NetGally for the ARC!
April 5, 2023
This was a really wild read with so many cool characters!
Magic, werewolves, vampires, and dragons. A cast of characters diverse in ethnicity, gender and orientation. Reps for BIPOC, Ace, Aro, and LGBTQ.
This was a really exciting story with great world building. Our MC is Kou, who has tried to live his life as normally as possible, hiding who he is from everyone in his life. Lou’s destiny is to be a Chronomamcer, who’s power all revolves around time. But Kou doesn’t want that life. He lives in a quiet town with his surrogate dad and his best friend, and he doesn’t need more than that. But when his best friend Jace comes up with a crazy plan leading them across the world, Kou can’t let him go alone.
There’s a lot going on in this world; different magical creatures and danger around every turn. Kou and Jace never know who they can trust, at moments that includes each other.
There’s also a lot of mystery surrounding Kou’s origins, and I’m excited to learn more about him in the next one!
Magic, werewolves, vampires, and dragons. A cast of characters diverse in ethnicity, gender and orientation. Reps for BIPOC, Ace, Aro, and LGBTQ.
This was a really exciting story with great world building. Our MC is Kou, who has tried to live his life as normally as possible, hiding who he is from everyone in his life. Lou’s destiny is to be a Chronomamcer, who’s power all revolves around time. But Kou doesn’t want that life. He lives in a quiet town with his surrogate dad and his best friend, and he doesn’t need more than that. But when his best friend Jace comes up with a crazy plan leading them across the world, Kou can’t let him go alone.
There’s a lot going on in this world; different magical creatures and danger around every turn. Kou and Jace never know who they can trust, at moments that includes each other.
There’s also a lot of mystery surrounding Kou’s origins, and I’m excited to learn more about him in the next one!
March 1, 2023
This book is loaded with adventure! It is uniquely written and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I enjoyed all of the characters and mythical creatures. There is a lot of diversity in this book which is always great to see! The mix between modern technology and the lack of today's amenities (hot water, properly running electricity) plus the mythical realms was a perfect blending of the worlds. Lots of twists and turns, lots of emotions reading this book!
There was great character development. I really enjoyed watching Kou's personal journey to accept his destiny as Chronomancer. He is such a kind, compassionate young man who was all about doing the right thing. I loved all of the side characters and their relationships that continued to grow throughout the book. The banter between Jace/Kou and Jace/Rhiannon was so enjoyable. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley, Steely Co.Publishing and Ralynn Kimie for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
There was great character development. I really enjoyed watching Kou's personal journey to accept his destiny as Chronomancer. He is such a kind, compassionate young man who was all about doing the right thing. I loved all of the side characters and their relationships that continued to grow throughout the book. The banter between Jace/Kou and Jace/Rhiannon was so enjoyable. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley, Steely Co.Publishing and Ralynn Kimie for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
February 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was such an interesting world that I was drawn in from the first page with lots of adventure and trials for the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 19, 2023
The book sets out as a coming of age story where protagonist Ankoku/Koukan is dragged into an adventure by his childhood friend Jace. They set course to Scotland but due to drastic turn of events they are forced to change destinations to the magical Dragon kingdom(Mithlonde).
Kou is actively avoiding his destiny to be the last chronomancer while simultaneously propelling himself towards an adventure which inevitably will result in him confronting his true self. This books will give you a fill of various magical creatures Elves, Ogres, Vampires, Werewolves, what have you. The author has cleverly navigated the delicate nature and raw truths of adulthood of supernatural beings. It was well worth the read.
Kou is actively avoiding his destiny to be the last chronomancer while simultaneously propelling himself towards an adventure which inevitably will result in him confronting his true self. This books will give you a fill of various magical creatures Elves, Ogres, Vampires, Werewolves, what have you. The author has cleverly navigated the delicate nature and raw truths of adulthood of supernatural beings. It was well worth the read.
February 22, 2023
‘The Last Chronomancer’ is a deeply emotional magical coming of age story. I cried reading it. Beautiful themes of grief and coming into your own.
Thank you to NetGalley and BookBuzz.net/Steely Co. Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and BookBuzz.net/Steely Co. Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2025
3.5
Enjoyed the second part more than the first one, that at times felt a little rushed.
There are things that feel a little unbelievable or forced but either I got used to it by the second half or it got better because I found myself enjoying the read more. It went from a 2/3 and me thinking about just finishing it but not being really interested in the continuation to a 3.5 in terms of enjoyment and the possibility of taking a look at the next part.
The main character is aroace, something that while it doesn't take a big part in the book and it's not explored very deeply it's brought up at some points (mostly casual comments or thoughts) and it's what made me interested in reading the book in the first place. liked how it was handled it, I think it was done decently well and there's also more subtle representation (genderfluid and lesbian characters, mixed races) which I think it was cool.
The prose felt a little stiff but english isn't my first language anyway so it could be due to that, it was readable. Characters could have been fleshed out better but you can get them with what you are given, Kou is probably the one who suffers less from this since the whole book is from his pov and we can see his thoughts.
Worldbuilding was interesting but felt a little rushed at times or confusing since it's mostly characters dropping tidbits of info in the conversations so you know 11s is somehow connected to magic events (that was, uh, certainly a choice lol) and stuff like that but they never really get into details of what exactly happened or the exact consequences, a lot of it ends up feeling somewhat random at the start (like werewolves and vampires apparently being originally japanese in this world, mixing different mythologies or the first time an elf makes an appearance). There were also times when info was dropped but they never made use of it even when it seemed relevant (at some point they can teleport and they explain you have to say the name of the place and the number of people that you want to allow or else anyone can use the portal for a while and they never use the person limitation, which seemed like taking unnecessary risks just for not saying an extra sentence when a character made the explicit effort to explain you usually want to say both things).
Special mention to Miko's introduction because for a moment I could not take it seriously, basically she says
Enjoyed the second part more than the first one, that at times felt a little rushed.
There are things that feel a little unbelievable or forced but either I got used to it by the second half or it got better because I found myself enjoying the read more. It went from a 2/3 and me thinking about just finishing it but not being really interested in the continuation to a 3.5 in terms of enjoyment and the possibility of taking a look at the next part.
The main character is aroace, something that while it doesn't take a big part in the book and it's not explored very deeply it's brought up at some points (mostly casual comments or thoughts) and it's what made me interested in reading the book in the first place. liked how it was handled it, I think it was done decently well and there's also more subtle representation (genderfluid and lesbian characters, mixed races) which I think it was cool.
The prose felt a little stiff but english isn't my first language anyway so it could be due to that, it was readable. Characters could have been fleshed out better but you can get them with what you are given, Kou is probably the one who suffers less from this since the whole book is from his pov and we can see his thoughts.
Worldbuilding was interesting but felt a little rushed at times or confusing since it's mostly characters dropping tidbits of info in the conversations so you know 11s is somehow connected to magic events (that was, uh, certainly a choice lol) and stuff like that but they never really get into details of what exactly happened or the exact consequences, a lot of it ends up feeling somewhat random at the start (like werewolves and vampires apparently being originally japanese in this world, mixing different mythologies or the first time an elf makes an appearance). There were also times when info was dropped but they never made use of it even when it seemed relevant (at some point they can teleport and they explain you have to say the name of the place and the number of people that you want to allow or else anyone can use the portal for a while and they never use the person limitation, which seemed like taking unnecessary risks just for not saying an extra sentence when a character made the explicit effort to explain you usually want to say both things).
Special mention to Miko's introduction because for a moment I could not take it seriously, basically she says
dnf
March 2, 2023So... here's the deal: I havent finished this book yet but I already have a quite a bit to say about it.
A little side note though, I'm currently in a bit of a reading slump and this book has definitely suffered from it. Yet that is not the only reason why it's hard to get through this book (for me)
So what I'd like to say first, I will actually be trying to finish this. In other words what I've read so far has piqued my interest enough that I want to know what happens. I do like the characters so far so I'm interested to see where they'll go, especially since this is a triology.
The world built in this book is certainly something but personally I felt like it was all over the place as well. Still that's probably just me. After the first few pages what I was prepared for was finding out what the chronomancer part is about and dragons... and then a bunch of mythical creatures basically ambushed me. I'm not opposed to the idea of basically taking everything out there and throwing it into a mixing pot but like I said, to me it felt too random.
Now if nothing has caused me to instantly dnf this book, what's taking me so long to read it?
The editing. I received an e-ARC, meaning that there's a chance that it's been revised again in the final version and I really hope that's the case. This has been published before, I've never read the original and can't say what was changed or why, but half my notes on this are just grammar things or random stuff happening that doesnt make sense. Adjective repeating in the same sentence, same action being explained several times, unnecessary parts of sentences that should just have been cut, certain wording that just threw me off or didnt flow well, one paragraph having the same noun appear far too many times... and so on. I saw someone else describe it as "literally unreadable" in their review and well, I get what they meant. Also the chapters feel like they're way too long. I calculated an average length of 20 pages (kindle is being mean and not showing me the page numbers so I couldnt check there) but I think that some chapters were more towards the 10 pages while others drifted to 30. For reference, most of my owned books have an average chapter length of 10 pages. I dont think that there's some sort of rule how long a chapter should be and it's very possible that I was just bothered by it since I'm not used to it. The biggest issue around this was that there were several times where I thought "This would've been a good point to start a new chapter" but alas.
Like I said, I'm hooked enough to continue this but I also wouldnt be surprised if I do end up dnf-ing it.
A little side note though, I'm currently in a bit of a reading slump and this book has definitely suffered from it. Yet that is not the only reason why it's hard to get through this book (for me)
So what I'd like to say first, I will actually be trying to finish this. In other words what I've read so far has piqued my interest enough that I want to know what happens. I do like the characters so far so I'm interested to see where they'll go, especially since this is a triology.
The world built in this book is certainly something but personally I felt like it was all over the place as well. Still that's probably just me. After the first few pages what I was prepared for was finding out what the chronomancer part is about and dragons... and then a bunch of mythical creatures basically ambushed me. I'm not opposed to the idea of basically taking everything out there and throwing it into a mixing pot but like I said, to me it felt too random.
Now if nothing has caused me to instantly dnf this book, what's taking me so long to read it?
The editing. I received an e-ARC, meaning that there's a chance that it's been revised again in the final version and I really hope that's the case. This has been published before, I've never read the original and can't say what was changed or why, but half my notes on this are just grammar things or random stuff happening that doesnt make sense. Adjective repeating in the same sentence, same action being explained several times, unnecessary parts of sentences that should just have been cut, certain wording that just threw me off or didnt flow well, one paragraph having the same noun appear far too many times... and so on. I saw someone else describe it as "literally unreadable" in their review and well, I get what they meant. Also the chapters feel like they're way too long. I calculated an average length of 20 pages (kindle is being mean and not showing me the page numbers so I couldnt check there) but I think that some chapters were more towards the 10 pages while others drifted to 30. For reference, most of my owned books have an average chapter length of 10 pages. I dont think that there's some sort of rule how long a chapter should be and it's very possible that I was just bothered by it since I'm not used to it. The biggest issue around this was that there were several times where I thought "This would've been a good point to start a new chapter" but alas.
Like I said, I'm hooked enough to continue this but I also wouldnt be surprised if I do end up dnf-ing it.
February 16, 2023
*I was given an ARC of this book for free, but all reviews and opinions are my own.*
The Last Chronomancer follows the adventure of Kou, who is doing his best to save his friends and the world, while also struggling with accepting who he really is. This world is magical and fun -- the lore and creatures Kimie brings in to play is absolutely the best part of this book (vampires! werewolves! dragons! and more!).
Kimie wrote in the back of the book that she wrote this story when she was a teenager, accepting that she would never get a letter to go to Hogwarts. These elements definitely shine through in the story and writing - it's fun to play out what it would be like to be called to action, to stand tall in your true destiny. I love that she saw an idea through after so many years and continued to write these characters and stories; I think that speaks volumes to who Kimie is as a person and author.
However, this was not my favorite Kimie read. Unfortunately, I think this book could have used another round or two of heavy edits. There were a few times the tenses changed (from "his book" to "my book"), and I was confused throughout on characters. We seemed to have characters drop in out of nowhere and we were expected to know who they were. I was especially confused on this in the end, as it seemed two character names were used interchangeably. It took me out of the story, which was a bummer because the ending is definitely the climax.
I would still recommend this to fans of urban fantasy and to those who want to support a wonderful indie author. I think you can read this while looking past some of the errors/confusion and still strongly enjoy the storyline. My favorite part was the inclusivity -- creating a main character who is asexual without actually saying the word "asexual" was fun and different. We definitely need more of that in the writing world!
The Last Chronomancer follows the adventure of Kou, who is doing his best to save his friends and the world, while also struggling with accepting who he really is. This world is magical and fun -- the lore and creatures Kimie brings in to play is absolutely the best part of this book (vampires! werewolves! dragons! and more!).
Kimie wrote in the back of the book that she wrote this story when she was a teenager, accepting that she would never get a letter to go to Hogwarts. These elements definitely shine through in the story and writing - it's fun to play out what it would be like to be called to action, to stand tall in your true destiny. I love that she saw an idea through after so many years and continued to write these characters and stories; I think that speaks volumes to who Kimie is as a person and author.
However, this was not my favorite Kimie read. Unfortunately, I think this book could have used another round or two of heavy edits. There were a few times the tenses changed (from "his book" to "my book"), and I was confused throughout on characters. We seemed to have characters drop in out of nowhere and we were expected to know who they were. I was especially confused on this in the end, as it seemed two character names were used interchangeably. It took me out of the story, which was a bummer because the ending is definitely the climax.
I would still recommend this to fans of urban fantasy and to those who want to support a wonderful indie author. I think you can read this while looking past some of the errors/confusion and still strongly enjoy the storyline. My favorite part was the inclusivity -- creating a main character who is asexual without actually saying the word "asexual" was fun and different. We definitely need more of that in the writing world!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews