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Doppelganger #1
Warrior
When a witch is born, a doppelganger is created. For the witch to master her powers, the twin must be killed. But what happens when the doppelganger survives?
Mirage, a bounty hunter, lives by her wits and lethal fighting skills. She always gets her mark. But her new mission will take her into the shadowy world of witches, where her strength may not be a match against powerful magic.
Miryo is a witch who has just failed her initiation test. She now knows that there is someone in the world who looks like her, who is her: Mirage. To control her powers and become a full witch, Miryo has only one choice: to hunt the hunter and destroy her.
Mirage, a bounty hunter, lives by her wits and lethal fighting skills. She always gets her mark. But her new mission will take her into the shadowy world of witches, where her strength may not be a match against powerful magic.
Miryo is a witch who has just failed her initiation test. She now knows that there is someone in the world who looks like her, who is her: Mirage. To control her powers and become a full witch, Miryo has only one choice: to hunt the hunter and destroy her.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2006
73 people are currently reading
4280 people want to read
About the author
Marie Brennan
174 books3,263 followersMarie Brennan a.k.a. M.A. Carrick
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
June 10, 2007
In brief: This is a good book. An original world, interesting protagonists, a fun story, and a satisfying conclusion.
The book jumps back and forth between two points of view. Miryo is a young witch who must kill her doppelganger before she can control her own magic. Mirage is the doppelganger, a particularly gifted warrior and Hunter. Both characters are strong, independent, determined, and likable. Naturally, Miryo's mission to kill her double soon becomes far more complicated and messier than expected, drawing them into the middle of a conspiracy with the potential to destroy them both.
The doppelganger issue originally made me stumble a little. When a witch is born, a spell is cast to help her channel her magic, and to block that channel until she's ready. The side effect is a doppelganger, who must be killed if the witch is to survive and come into her power. To me, it felt a little forced. It's a wonderful setup for the novel, but I never understood why the doppelganger was a natural side effect of the magic, for instance. And for me, the ritual murder of infants is too drastic a thing to be glossed over by saying the infants don't have souls until they're five days old, so it's not really murder.
The story gets stronger as it goes. I like the relationship between Miryo and Mirage. In many ways, they truly are the same person, and it's fun to watch Brennan explore their similarities and differences, and the connection between them. They complement one another, and the book reflects that; the parts where the characters come together really do feel more complete than the earlier chapters.
Bonus points to Brennan for avoiding the typical medieval European fantasyland world. This is a world of Brennan's own creation, but its roots appear to be more Eastern in origin, which is refreshing. Yes, we have swords and magic and horses and witchcraft. But while some aspects were familiar, the book doesn't feel like something I've read a thousand times before. Brennan also incorporates religion and prayer into the story, not in an evangelistic, preachy way, but as a natural part of the world and the characters. Fantasy and SF sometimes tends to ignore or simplify religion, but Brennan presents a rich, honest faith, and shows both the good and the evil that can come of it.
The book includes a short preview of the sequel, Warrior and Witch. I rarely glance at these excerpts, but in this case, I immediately read it and wanted more. Happily, Warrior and Witch will be out in less than two months. Sooner would be better, but I suppose I can wait that long.
The book jumps back and forth between two points of view. Miryo is a young witch who must kill her doppelganger before she can control her own magic. Mirage is the doppelganger, a particularly gifted warrior and Hunter. Both characters are strong, independent, determined, and likable. Naturally, Miryo's mission to kill her double soon becomes far more complicated and messier than expected, drawing them into the middle of a conspiracy with the potential to destroy them both.
The doppelganger issue originally made me stumble a little. When a witch is born, a spell is cast to help her channel her magic, and to block that channel until she's ready. The side effect is a doppelganger, who must be killed if the witch is to survive and come into her power. To me, it felt a little forced. It's a wonderful setup for the novel, but I never understood why the doppelganger was a natural side effect of the magic, for instance. And for me, the ritual murder of infants is too drastic a thing to be glossed over by saying the infants don't have souls until they're five days old, so it's not really murder.
The story gets stronger as it goes. I like the relationship between Miryo and Mirage. In many ways, they truly are the same person, and it's fun to watch Brennan explore their similarities and differences, and the connection between them. They complement one another, and the book reflects that; the parts where the characters come together really do feel more complete than the earlier chapters.
Bonus points to Brennan for avoiding the typical medieval European fantasyland world. This is a world of Brennan's own creation, but its roots appear to be more Eastern in origin, which is refreshing. Yes, we have swords and magic and horses and witchcraft. But while some aspects were familiar, the book doesn't feel like something I've read a thousand times before. Brennan also incorporates religion and prayer into the story, not in an evangelistic, preachy way, but as a natural part of the world and the characters. Fantasy and SF sometimes tends to ignore or simplify religion, but Brennan presents a rich, honest faith, and shows both the good and the evil that can come of it.
The book includes a short preview of the sequel, Warrior and Witch. I rarely glance at these excerpts, but in this case, I immediately read it and wanted more. Happily, Warrior and Witch will be out in less than two months. Sooner would be better, but I suppose I can wait that long.
May 23, 2020
An entertaining and well written novel, that I'm surprised isn't more popular. We have interesting characters, a fast and engaging plot, and a satisfying conclusion. I mean, what more could you ask for in an easy read?
I loved the concept of the witch and doppelganger, feel like I've heard something similar before but don't know enough about witch lore to say for certain. It worked very well here, and I'm curious as to how things will play out in the next novel.
Both of our POV characters were likable and given good depth. Several side characters were also well written and easy to relate to.
This is a fun book. It's not meant to have any philosophical hammers dropped on you or to make you gasp at the twists and turns, but it's a very solid novel, better than a lot of other books I've read of a similar genre.
I loved the concept of the witch and doppelganger, feel like I've heard something similar before but don't know enough about witch lore to say for certain. It worked very well here, and I'm curious as to how things will play out in the next novel.
Both of our POV characters were likable and given good depth. Several side characters were also well written and easy to relate to.
This is a fun book. It's not meant to have any philosophical hammers dropped on you or to make you gasp at the twists and turns, but it's a very solid novel, better than a lot of other books I've read of a similar genre.
September 2, 2021
Decent genre fiction by Brennan, especially for her first novel. Warrior is set in an alternative universe (perhaps-- the names and places suggest the society may have originally come from Earth...), a largely feudal one, but one also populated by witches. As the cover blurb states, when a witch is born, a doppelganger is created, and for the witch to master her powers (at age 25 or so), the twin must be killed. What happens when a doppelganger survives? Warrior tells the tale.
The first part of the novel tracks two people (the two doppelgangers), Mirage, a bounty hunter, and Miryo, a witch in training. Mirage is a fierce warrior to be sure, the product of the most elite school of 'hunters'. Miryo is a very promising witch, soon to undergo her trials for initiation into full witchhood and magic. One day Mirage, via her sometimes partner Eclipse, get a contract to find the assassin of a high level witch. Mirage finds this exciting if a little scary-- witches have powers no warrior can counter after all. Meanwhile, Miryo fails her test, and is told she must track down and kill her doppelganger...
Brennan does a decent job world building here, but like the characters involved, it is a little thin. The magic system is interesting (based on the four elements and the 'goddess') and is evoked via song. We really do not learn the full extent of the magic, but spells can set up wards, levitate objects, hurl fire and so forth, as well as heal. The witches are based in five different groups, representing each of the four elements plus the 'Void', which is basically outer space. The witches are attended by 'Cousins', who are either failed witches or their offspring. Also, all the witches have flaming red hair.
What is it about redheads and fantasy (and science fiction for that matter)? I have lost track of how many stories feature a redhead. Make no mistake- I am not anti-ginger or anything-- but this is a motif I have never really understood.
Overall, this reads nicely, but could have been more fleshed out. We have a world that has been basically static for centuries, with witches occupying important 'advisor' roles to the various lords and ladies (from the flame branch). Perhaps Brennan tried to pack a little too much in here; it felt like it anyway. Still, I can forgive a rookie writer and I know she has become much more widely known with later works. 2.5 stars, rounding up.
The first part of the novel tracks two people (the two doppelgangers), Mirage, a bounty hunter, and Miryo, a witch in training. Mirage is a fierce warrior to be sure, the product of the most elite school of 'hunters'. Miryo is a very promising witch, soon to undergo her trials for initiation into full witchhood and magic. One day Mirage, via her sometimes partner Eclipse, get a contract to find the assassin of a high level witch. Mirage finds this exciting if a little scary-- witches have powers no warrior can counter after all. Meanwhile, Miryo fails her test, and is told she must track down and kill her doppelganger...
Brennan does a decent job world building here, but like the characters involved, it is a little thin. The magic system is interesting (based on the four elements and the 'goddess') and is evoked via song. We really do not learn the full extent of the magic, but spells can set up wards, levitate objects, hurl fire and so forth, as well as heal. The witches are based in five different groups, representing each of the four elements plus the 'Void', which is basically outer space. The witches are attended by 'Cousins', who are either failed witches or their offspring. Also, all the witches have flaming red hair.
What is it about redheads and fantasy (and science fiction for that matter)? I have lost track of how many stories feature a redhead. Make no mistake- I am not anti-ginger or anything-- but this is a motif I have never really understood.
Overall, this reads nicely, but could have been more fleshed out. We have a world that has been basically static for centuries, with witches occupying important 'advisor' roles to the various lords and ladies (from the flame branch). Perhaps Brennan tried to pack a little too much in here; it felt like it anyway. Still, I can forgive a rookie writer and I know she has become much more widely known with later works. 2.5 stars, rounding up.
October 28, 2014
Rebuilding of world's off the chart
You have to be patient with this book. It begins slowly building two separate worlds that in truth are entwined so much they cannot exist without each other. Too give details would spoil the plot but two women discover their hatred of each other's way of life was engineered through fear. To overcome it is the journey of the book. The characters are rich and complex.
You have to be patient with this book. It begins slowly building two separate worlds that in truth are entwined so much they cannot exist without each other. Too give details would spoil the plot but two women discover their hatred of each other's way of life was engineered through fear. To overcome it is the journey of the book. The characters are rich and complex.
January 27, 2010
I randomly picked up this book at the library because I liked the cover. I thought it was really good! I liked the original ideas, I liked the characters, the setting was interesting. I'm interested to read the second one.
January 18, 2010
Mirage is a bounty hunter, one of the best there is. Miryo is a witch, studying for her initiation tests. When Miryo fails, her teachers tell her that it's because she has a double -- Mirage -- whom Miryo must kill in order to control her powers and pass her initiation. It's a captivating premise, and the books live up to it. The worldbuilding is excellent, particularly in the second book, when we learn more about the witches' community and organization, and the magical system is intriguing and original. The characters are complex and their interactions, decisions, and motivations equally so.
Originally, I incautiously bought Doppelganger but not Warrior and Witch; just before I finished Doppelganger, I had to make an emergency evening run to our local bookstore, which happily had Warrior and Witch on the shelf, so that I could gobble it up as soon I finished the first book.
Originally, I incautiously bought Doppelganger but not Warrior and Witch; just before I finished Doppelganger, I had to make an emergency evening run to our local bookstore, which happily had Warrior and Witch on the shelf, so that I could gobble it up as soon I finished the first book.
Read
January 12, 2018DNF page 163 of 405
I tried to read this author before, her Memoirs of Lady Trent series (I know it has many fans), but it didn’t work for me. I decided to try this one, but it didn’t work for me either. I’m not saying it is a bad book, but I couldn’t read it anymore. I wasn’t interested enough about the characters to continue with their journeys, and the writing scratched me as a little off. Too many named characters are confusing. The author has at least three monikers for everyone in the plot, sometimes more, and I had to wade through all those names and titles to make connections and guess who was who. I didn’t understand and didn’t like the strange world of the story. And the problems the protagonists faced were not personal but political and theological. Not my favorites at all. So DNF.
I tried to read this author before, her Memoirs of Lady Trent series (I know it has many fans), but it didn’t work for me. I decided to try this one, but it didn’t work for me either. I’m not saying it is a bad book, but I couldn’t read it anymore. I wasn’t interested enough about the characters to continue with their journeys, and the writing scratched me as a little off. Too many named characters are confusing. The author has at least three monikers for everyone in the plot, sometimes more, and I had to wade through all those names and titles to make connections and guess who was who. I didn’t understand and didn’t like the strange world of the story. And the problems the protagonists faced were not personal but political and theological. Not my favorites at all. So DNF.
September 18, 2021
Mirage and Eclipse are still two of my favourite characters to read about. Great world building, too.
November 7, 2015
I have had this book around to read forever. I was excited to finally get to read it. I originally thought this was an urban fantasy but it is actually more of a swords and sorcery type fantasy. I ended up really loving the world and the characters. This book was also published under the title Warrior. There is sequel to this book which was published both as Warrior and Witch, and as Witch.
Mirage is a bounty hunter who has always survived by her wits and strength. Her and Eclipse get a job to hunt down a man who assassinated a witch. Mirage tries to stay away from any job involving the witches but the money and notoriety for this job is just too much to pass up.
Miryo is a 25 year old witch who was supposed to graduate into her powers but didn’t. Ends up when a witch is born a doppelganger is also born; this doppelganger has no soul and must be killed at birth in order for a witch to come into her full powers. Miryo’s doppelganger was never killed and so Miryo is tasked with finding that doppleganger and hunting it down. Unfortunately for Miryo and Mirage, Mirage is that doppleganger and she isn’t going to go down easily.
The first part of this book is quite a bit of setup, but after you get through that the story really picks up and gets engaging. I really enjoyed the world-building and the detailed religion the witches follow. The whole idea behind how the witches come into their power is intriguing.
Watching Miryo and Mirage and seeing how they are the same yet different was also intriguing. I also really enjoyed Eclipse as a character, he is in a supporting role and he is awesome at it. He is supportive, smart, and respectful and just generally helpful. There is absolutely no romance in this story; so if you are looking for romanc....look elsewhere.
The action scenes are really well written and full of lots of great detail. I will admit at some points there was a bit too much detail and I found myself skimming a bit. However, most of it was well done. The story ties up nicely, but there is still more to be resolved in the sequel.
This was a very well done fantasy with some great world building, interesting magic, and engaging characters. I ended up enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. I would recommend to fans of classic swords and sorcery type of fantasy. I plan on picking up the second book in the series to read.
August 24, 2021
It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I did, I found it a really fun read. It’s very different from the other Marie Brennan I’ve read (I’m part of the way through the Natural History of Dragons series), but I’m happy to say that she shines in this classic-fantasy setting, if not as much as she does in the low fantasy Victorian world of NHOD.
Things I loved:
- It was fun to be in a world where overarching patriarchy is basically nonexistent. Think of this book as a fun escape from all the gender-hierarchy stuff. (Which I sometimes need a mental break from!) It’s nice to just see women in jobs like warrior/steward/priest/shopkeeper etc, without any questioning or judgement from society.
- Brennan doesn’t hand hold the reader when it comes to the complicated hierarchies in her world of Witches and Hunters, which I appreciated.
- In the same vein, however, I also *really* appreciated the glossary, which kept me from getting lost amongst all the titles and Rays and Hunter schools!
- the elemental magic system + neo-pagan esque Goddess religion was really fun— I’m a sucker for those sorts of things.
- The Doppelgänger concept was way more thoroughly explored than I expected.
“Meh” things:
- I wish the character of Eclipse had been explored a bit more. At times he just seemed to exist so that the main two had “NPC” support.
- the solution to the doppelgänger situation felt a little rushed and jarring. I would have liked to see the mental issues made by joining be as deeply explored as the mental issues created by being apart. Hopefully this will be dealt with more in the next book, which I plan to start soon.
Despite any meh moments, I’m still so happy to have found Marie Brennan, and would totally recommend this book!
Things I loved:
- It was fun to be in a world where overarching patriarchy is basically nonexistent. Think of this book as a fun escape from all the gender-hierarchy stuff. (Which I sometimes need a mental break from!) It’s nice to just see women in jobs like warrior/steward/priest/shopkeeper etc, without any questioning or judgement from society.
- Brennan doesn’t hand hold the reader when it comes to the complicated hierarchies in her world of Witches and Hunters, which I appreciated.
- In the same vein, however, I also *really* appreciated the glossary, which kept me from getting lost amongst all the titles and Rays and Hunter schools!
- the elemental magic system + neo-pagan esque Goddess religion was really fun— I’m a sucker for those sorts of things.
- The Doppelgänger concept was way more thoroughly explored than I expected.
“Meh” things:
- I wish the character of Eclipse had been explored a bit more. At times he just seemed to exist so that the main two had “NPC” support.
- the solution to the doppelgänger situation felt a little rushed and jarring. I would have liked to see the mental issues made by joining be as deeply explored as the mental issues created by being apart. Hopefully this will be dealt with more in the next book, which I plan to start soon.
Despite any meh moments, I’m still so happy to have found Marie Brennan, and would totally recommend this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2011
When a witch is born, a doppelganger is created. Witches are supposed to kill these doppelgangers to be able to practice magic. The jacket tells us this, yet the main witch character is not aware of it until pretty far in. I read the beginning thinking that the character knew that information, and that's not the case. It wasn't too big of an issue because there is a pretty interesting murder mystery to read about. The mystery solving became my main interest after I realized that I didn't love the characters, and the main plot was weak. I enjoyed following the trail with the hunters and eventually solving the mystery, but after that my interest was gone, and there were 200 pages left. I don't want to mention some of the other things I didn't enjoy for fear of spoilers, but one thing I can say is that everything seems to end too nicely and people become friends too quickly. Immense trust is put into people that the characters barely know, and it just didn't make sense to me. Overall, I really expected so much more from Doppelganger. Parts of the novel were good, while others seemed to really drag. The characters were a bit one dimensional and unremarkable. I didn't get a feel for society as a whole, and I wanted to know more about the different schools and factions of the warriors and witches. I really wanted to like this, but in the end I'm glad I got it at the library and didn't buy it.
May 8, 2018
Pros: This novel has a really interesting take on magic: by song and dance, a witch can communicate with the five pentacles and "The Void", summoning The Goddess. On an unnamed continent unless I'm mistaken, witches and warriors with no magic live among each other. A witch named Miryo fails her magic final exam, and discovers that she has a doppleganger - a warrior with no magic that is her perfect twin. In order to rescue her powers and herself from certain destruction, she has been given one choice: kill her twin. But can she? Or does she even want to? The author has created an elaborate world with its own rules and pecking order for people, which really does set the story for a much longer series than just two books.
Cons: Warrior progresses REALLY slowly, and the reader has to have patience for it. Although I found this book easy to get through, I really wasn't pulled in until the last forty pages, and felt that it could have been shorter. I did not feel strongly compelled to finish this book, and may still be reading it right now if I hadn't gone on vacation with it. I'm actually annoyed by the presence of Eclipse, and while he is a supporting character, I don't understand why no men like him have any magic in this world. It's not misandry - I understand that it's likely part of the plot, and has some explanation (it was gone over that there are no sons of witches after all, and they don't know why).
Cons: Warrior progresses REALLY slowly, and the reader has to have patience for it. Although I found this book easy to get through, I really wasn't pulled in until the last forty pages, and felt that it could have been shorter. I did not feel strongly compelled to finish this book, and may still be reading it right now if I hadn't gone on vacation with it. I'm actually annoyed by the presence of Eclipse, and while he is a supporting character, I don't understand why no men like him have any magic in this world. It's not misandry - I understand that it's likely part of the plot, and has some explanation (it was gone over that there are no sons of witches after all, and they don't know why).
January 20, 2018
C'est dommage de devoir attendre le milieu du roman pour avoir un peu d'action. C'est pourtant une histoire intéressante et un univers complexe. Je suis quand même curieuse de découvrir la suite.
February 19, 2019
Tecnicamente è un 4,5.
dnf
January 18, 2025DNF at page 166
I don't now if it's the writing style or the German translation I'm reading, but it absolutely fails to hold my attention. My mind glides right off of the page and I'm involuntarily skimming. So, since I am trudging through this at a snail's pace without even taking much in (I've been trying to read this for four months now)...I decided to DNF
Which is really a shame because I really liked the initial premise and the conflict the set-up promised. It just didn't translate to my reading experience.
I don't now if it's the writing style or the German translation I'm reading, but it absolutely fails to hold my attention. My mind glides right off of the page and I'm involuntarily skimming. So, since I am trudging through this at a snail's pace without even taking much in (I've been trying to read this for four months now)...I decided to DNF
Which is really a shame because I really liked the initial premise and the conflict the set-up promised. It just didn't translate to my reading experience.
May 17, 2025
[YA book, Adult Reviewer]
YA VERDICT: 3 to 4 spells (among this YA genre). I'm going with 4, since I'm not a YA.
ADULT VERDICT: 2.8 spells. Pretty good.
The main characters are likeable enough, though some feel generic. Things get more interesting after the halfway mark.
RECOMMENDED? Yes, if you enjoy light fantasy/quest/magic YA novels that are not super fast-paced.
NITPICKS:
YA VERDICT: 3 to 4 spells (among this YA genre). I'm going with 4, since I'm not a YA.
ADULT VERDICT: 2.8 spells. Pretty good.
The main characters are likeable enough, though some feel generic. Things get more interesting after the halfway mark.
RECOMMENDED? Yes, if you enjoy light fantasy/quest/magic YA novels that are not super fast-paced.
NITPICKS:
March 31, 2009
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
I picked up this book because Marie Brennan is a graduate student at Indiana University where I also went to grad school, so I felt a connection there. Overall, Doppelganger is a good debut.
At first the story follows the separate lives of Mirage, a kick-butt warrior who has recently graduated from warrior school and makes her living by being commissioned for various dangerous tasks, and Miryo, a witch who has been in school and has just failed her "final exam" because of the existence of Mirage, the doppelganger. Every witch has a doppelganger who is supposed to be killed while they are babies so that the magic power can be controlled by the witch. Because Mirage was not killed, Miryo must hunt her down and kill her.
Meanwhile, Mirage and her friend Eclipse (he's also a warrior), have just taken on a murder investigation that ends up uncovering the plot of some rogue witches to let the doppelgangers live. Eventually, Mirage's and Miryo's paths cross as each woman sets out to meet her own goals which end up colliding with the other's.
Doppelganger was well-written and Marie Brennan has a good ear for dialogue. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of both Mirage and Miryo in their respective school programs. It was obvious to me that Ms Brennan is using her own grad school experience because I've been through the exact same thing. The way she talked about Mirage and Eclipse, as year mates, being like brother and sister was right on; I likewise had a male year mate who was like a brother to me during that ordeal. I could totally relate to that, and to the other aspects of school (advisors, qualifying exams, studying) that she described.
The story was interesting, but I had some issues. First of all, it annoyed me when characters didn't ask some obvious questions of their advisors or the people they worked for. As one example, why didn't Miryo ask her advisors why she had to kill the doppelganger herself? She had no travel or fighting experience and the witches had the resources to hire others to do this sort of job. At first I thought this was a plot hole and was surprised at what seemed like a graduate student's lack of logic. But, later this question was answered logically and reasonably, but I still wondered why Miryo didn't think to ask it at the beginning.
One other thing that I felt needed improvement was the description of the major characters. I had been assuming, based on the cover of the book, that Mirage had long hair, but I was surprised to find out half way through that she had "cropped" hair. Also, Eclipse was never well-described which disappointed me because, as the only "good" male character in the novel, I would have liked to have been able to visualize him. The villains (Ice, the bad witches, Wraith) could have been deeper and more impressive characters with a bit more description of their looks and mannerisms.
Lastly, the issues between Mirage and Miryo were too quickly overcome. I would have liked to have seen them hunt each other for a while (or at least distrust each other more), but nearly as soon as they met they decided to work things out. That was a bit anti-climatic. And though I did like the ending, it all seemed a bit too easy.
Despite these issues, I think Marie Brennan writes well (which is more than half the battle won) and therefore, this is a good debut from a promising new author.
Read more Marie Brennan reviews at Fantasy Literature
I picked up this book because Marie Brennan is a graduate student at Indiana University where I also went to grad school, so I felt a connection there. Overall, Doppelganger is a good debut.
At first the story follows the separate lives of Mirage, a kick-butt warrior who has recently graduated from warrior school and makes her living by being commissioned for various dangerous tasks, and Miryo, a witch who has been in school and has just failed her "final exam" because of the existence of Mirage, the doppelganger. Every witch has a doppelganger who is supposed to be killed while they are babies so that the magic power can be controlled by the witch. Because Mirage was not killed, Miryo must hunt her down and kill her.
Meanwhile, Mirage and her friend Eclipse (he's also a warrior), have just taken on a murder investigation that ends up uncovering the plot of some rogue witches to let the doppelgangers live. Eventually, Mirage's and Miryo's paths cross as each woman sets out to meet her own goals which end up colliding with the other's.
Doppelganger was well-written and Marie Brennan has a good ear for dialogue. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of both Mirage and Miryo in their respective school programs. It was obvious to me that Ms Brennan is using her own grad school experience because I've been through the exact same thing. The way she talked about Mirage and Eclipse, as year mates, being like brother and sister was right on; I likewise had a male year mate who was like a brother to me during that ordeal. I could totally relate to that, and to the other aspects of school (advisors, qualifying exams, studying) that she described.
The story was interesting, but I had some issues. First of all, it annoyed me when characters didn't ask some obvious questions of their advisors or the people they worked for. As one example, why didn't Miryo ask her advisors why she had to kill the doppelganger herself? She had no travel or fighting experience and the witches had the resources to hire others to do this sort of job. At first I thought this was a plot hole and was surprised at what seemed like a graduate student's lack of logic. But, later this question was answered logically and reasonably, but I still wondered why Miryo didn't think to ask it at the beginning.
One other thing that I felt needed improvement was the description of the major characters. I had been assuming, based on the cover of the book, that Mirage had long hair, but I was surprised to find out half way through that she had "cropped" hair. Also, Eclipse was never well-described which disappointed me because, as the only "good" male character in the novel, I would have liked to have been able to visualize him. The villains (Ice, the bad witches, Wraith) could have been deeper and more impressive characters with a bit more description of their looks and mannerisms.
Lastly, the issues between Mirage and Miryo were too quickly overcome. I would have liked to have seen them hunt each other for a while (or at least distrust each other more), but nearly as soon as they met they decided to work things out. That was a bit anti-climatic. And though I did like the ending, it all seemed a bit too easy.
Despite these issues, I think Marie Brennan writes well (which is more than half the battle won) and therefore, this is a good debut from a promising new author.
Read more Marie Brennan reviews at Fantasy Literature
April 22, 2014
I always hesitated when I saw this book because the cover always seemed way too close to the teen vampire romance books, and with the second in the series being called Witch I was very wary. But, I saw it in a used bookshop for just a few dollars and thought to give it a try.
My god am I glad I did.
The writing style is very nice, it flows very well through action sequences and down time. It never feels rushed, or too slow, the pace is always just right. It was easy to visualize all that happened as it was happening, and everything was well explained as things went along.
The characters are very unique and I love them. Mirage is a strong woman, with a chip on her shoulder and something to prove. Miryo is smart, but unsure of herself and seems to battle her own mind more than anything else. The main male, Eclipse, is also a delight to read about because for someone of his profession he's fairly laid-back and ready to take things on as they come. I loved reading about them all, they were all very fun and interesting.
A big plus in my book was that the pair of Hunters didn't end up shacking up. In a lot of fantasy books with a female lead, the moment a guy comes in she becomes weak and needs his help and they just have to be together. No, they work as a team to get a job done and, while it's hinted that they might have a small bit of romantic tension, it's never in the way of the story.
I also really like some of the messages in the story. The main conflict, so to say, is the witch doppelganger has to kill her other half to be able to control her powers. And for a while, she seems alright with the idea. But as she thinks about it more and more, she questions it all. And when the two finally meet she just can't do it, so they vow to work it out together. They promise to find a better way, to not just take the standard accepted way and find a way they both can live. I really enjoyed how they tried to work on it, and how much effort they put into trying to figure it out.
If you find it, give it a chance. It's a good fantasy book with a pretty good lesson.
My god am I glad I did.
The writing style is very nice, it flows very well through action sequences and down time. It never feels rushed, or too slow, the pace is always just right. It was easy to visualize all that happened as it was happening, and everything was well explained as things went along.
The characters are very unique and I love them. Mirage is a strong woman, with a chip on her shoulder and something to prove. Miryo is smart, but unsure of herself and seems to battle her own mind more than anything else. The main male, Eclipse, is also a delight to read about because for someone of his profession he's fairly laid-back and ready to take things on as they come. I loved reading about them all, they were all very fun and interesting.
A big plus in my book was that the pair of Hunters didn't end up shacking up. In a lot of fantasy books with a female lead, the moment a guy comes in she becomes weak and needs his help and they just have to be together. No, they work as a team to get a job done and, while it's hinted that they might have a small bit of romantic tension, it's never in the way of the story.
I also really like some of the messages in the story. The main conflict, so to say, is the witch doppelganger has to kill her other half to be able to control her powers. And for a while, she seems alright with the idea. But as she thinks about it more and more, she questions it all. And when the two finally meet she just can't do it, so they vow to work it out together. They promise to find a better way, to not just take the standard accepted way and find a way they both can live. I really enjoyed how they tried to work on it, and how much effort they put into trying to figure it out.
If you find it, give it a chance. It's a good fantasy book with a pretty good lesson.
October 15, 2010
Miryo is a young witch who goes through her testing to obtain her powers with magic only to find out that she can't use those powers until she kills her doppelganger. Apparently, all witches born are split in two at birth- one is the doppelganger and one is the witch. Generally, the doppelganger is killed at birth but because Miryo's doppelganger obtained a soul (by being exposed to starlight), her doppelganger can only be killed by Miryo herself. Miryo is therefore told that if she ever wants to use her magic (which now calls to her and is difficult to restrain from using), she must kill her doppelganger. Meanwhile, the doppelganger, Mirage, has become a Hunter and accepted a commission to find the murderer of the witch, Tari. Mirage and her partner in the commission, Eclipse, become suspicious that other witches are behind Tari's death, which it turns out they are to keep the status quo of killing the doppelgangers. Mirage and Miryo meet and both are unable mentally to kill the other so instead they begin searching for a way to set things right. Out of the partnership between witch and doppelganger, comes a new, powerful being called Mirei. The story is very complex but well worth reading. The glossary at the end is helpful with keeping up with the characters and the terminology of the world. It is particularly useful for understanding the structure and hierarchy of the witches in this world. This is an interesting book, one that I found myself pleasantly surprised to read. However, the one problem I have is with the characters. Are they from Japan, or is the author just following the legends of the eastern empire of early years? Of course, there's only two books in this series, so, we shall never know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2011
I out off reading this books for a few years, to separate myself mentally on it from it's author, who I made acquaintance with while she was a student at Harvard University. I prefer to do that when I know an author personally, to get their work and sit on it for a while, so as not to influence my reception to the book based on my emotional reaction to the author as a person.
Doppelganger is a story two women, who on the onset appear emotionally and mentally to be very different persons living in a semi-oriental influenced setting. One is a witch in training at a university setting soon to take her final testing and choose her career path, the other of which is a Huntress (Bodyguard/Ninja/Bounty Hunter) who has been working for a while and is about to get a big commission job that will change her life.
Circumstances of their unknown past, tradition, current events and a conspiracy throw the two of them into direct conflict... because they are unknowingly bound by birth to each other. One is the daughter of a witch, the other her doppelganger. In order for the witch to gain her full power she must kill the huntress by her own hand without using magic or her magic will go wild and kill numerous other people and them both. The Huntress' commission is one to witches, and her job to which she is bound by geas, is to find the killer and the money behind the death of a high ranking witch.
The society presented and the price of magic involved make this an interesting fantasy tale, and Marie's writing is smooth and draws you in to the setting and the characters nicely. I look forward to reading the sequel (which is also in my long term reading pile).
Doppelganger is a story two women, who on the onset appear emotionally and mentally to be very different persons living in a semi-oriental influenced setting. One is a witch in training at a university setting soon to take her final testing and choose her career path, the other of which is a Huntress (Bodyguard/Ninja/Bounty Hunter) who has been working for a while and is about to get a big commission job that will change her life.
Circumstances of their unknown past, tradition, current events and a conspiracy throw the two of them into direct conflict... because they are unknowingly bound by birth to each other. One is the daughter of a witch, the other her doppelganger. In order for the witch to gain her full power she must kill the huntress by her own hand without using magic or her magic will go wild and kill numerous other people and them both. The Huntress' commission is one to witches, and her job to which she is bound by geas, is to find the killer and the money behind the death of a high ranking witch.
The society presented and the price of magic involved make this an interesting fantasy tale, and Marie's writing is smooth and draws you in to the setting and the characters nicely. I look forward to reading the sequel (which is also in my long term reading pile).
July 30, 2013
True Rating: 2.5 Stars
This book is very slow paced, which makes it easy to put down and difficult to immerse yourself in Brennan's world. The premise is a good one, and the plot is solid. I was not at all surprised with how the stories connected in the end, in fact, it was what I had been suspecting would happen. I was satisfied with the ending.
It was a shock to me that Miryo was 25. She had the mind of a teenager and continually thought and acted like one.
There was no romance in this book, which I don't typically mind, but considering how slow the plot was and the lack of intrigue throughout a good portion of the book, it probably would have helped to have one.
The temptation to skim was impossible to pass up, and I gave in often. I actually skipped a whole lot of the dance, although I can now see how it held relevance to the story.
I felt that all of the characters lacked a lot of development, and most of the focus was spent on the plot and boring filler. I would like to see more development for the characters in the following books.
The world building was decent, but I think there could have been more considering it was entirely new to the reader.
The premise actually reminded me a lot of Otherling by Juliet Mirillier, which was certainly an interesting concept. And I liked this better since it was fully elaborated, and the different take was interesting, too.
This book is very slow paced, which makes it easy to put down and difficult to immerse yourself in Brennan's world. The premise is a good one, and the plot is solid. I was not at all surprised with how the stories connected in the end, in fact, it was what I had been suspecting would happen. I was satisfied with the ending.
It was a shock to me that Miryo was 25. She had the mind of a teenager and continually thought and acted like one.
There was no romance in this book, which I don't typically mind, but considering how slow the plot was and the lack of intrigue throughout a good portion of the book, it probably would have helped to have one.
The temptation to skim was impossible to pass up, and I gave in often. I actually skipped a whole lot of the dance, although I can now see how it held relevance to the story.
I felt that all of the characters lacked a lot of development, and most of the focus was spent on the plot and boring filler. I would like to see more development for the characters in the following books.
The world building was decent, but I think there could have been more considering it was entirely new to the reader.
The premise actually reminded me a lot of Otherling by Juliet Mirillier, which was certainly an interesting concept. And I liked this better since it was fully elaborated, and the different take was interesting, too.
August 14, 2010
One soul, two separate people. Neither know about each other, but when Miryo fails her initiation test to become a Witch and channel the magic she's spent 25 years studying for, the magic backlashes. Her soul is not complete, not while her doppelganger, the Warrior Mirage, still lives. To control her powers, Miryo has only one choice: to hunt the hunter and kill her.
This book was a nice break away from the traditional 'warrior women' stories circulating bookshelves. It has the same strong and determined women seen in urban fantasy, but has a high fantasy setting, complete with elaborate magical backdrop. Marie Brennan doesn't waste time introducing the two main characters, Mirage and Miryo, and it quickly became apparent that I liked them both. Of course, this is bit of a problem since the conflict is very clear: one must die. I found myself curious and cheering for both women, especially when they finally meet face to face.
A fairly fast read and believable world, I had a great time reading this book. I'm looking to read the second, and final book, "Witch."
This book was a nice break away from the traditional 'warrior women' stories circulating bookshelves. It has the same strong and determined women seen in urban fantasy, but has a high fantasy setting, complete with elaborate magical backdrop. Marie Brennan doesn't waste time introducing the two main characters, Mirage and Miryo, and it quickly became apparent that I liked them both. Of course, this is bit of a problem since the conflict is very clear: one must die. I found myself curious and cheering for both women, especially when they finally meet face to face.
A fairly fast read and believable world, I had a great time reading this book. I'm looking to read the second, and final book, "Witch."
October 10, 2011
I really, really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately I just couldn't. I found that I could make no connection to the characters, they were flat and a bit boring, especially Miryo. This was an excruciatingly slow book and I found that the names and made up language were tedious and made it hard to follow what was going on. It took half the book for the two main characters to meet up and then in one chapter they had resolved to not kill each other and became friends. I liked the idea of the story and Mirage interested me. I think Brennan could have really created an exceptional story had she made it a little more fast paced. I really had to force myself to carry on reading and in the end I had no desire to finish it at all. I skimmed through a lot of it and at one staged skipped half a chapter and it didn't make a difference at all.
I think if you are an avid Lord Of the Rings fan and don't mind that long winded storyline you would enjoy this book, unfortunately it just wasn't for me.
I think if you are an avid Lord Of the Rings fan and don't mind that long winded storyline you would enjoy this book, unfortunately it just wasn't for me.
November 8, 2012
A very slow start for me, it took a long time for me to read because the storyline didn't catch my interest or connect with me. I would pick it up to read and then put it down for months at a time, but I made a commitment to read all the books that I had started so I did, it was a little boring, don't get me wrong it was ok just not great. It had good parts but not very many of them, it was a slow go but very interesting how everything worked out and the conclusion had me hooked so I will probably read the next one in the series (~that's just how I roll~)
hopefully it will be better!
hopefully it will be better!
February 14, 2015
•There's a very slight Japanese touch to the book with the names which I really liked, but sadly that's as far as the touch went.
•Slow paced
•The world building was decent, I do think there could have been more though.
•Most of the book's focus was on the plot which took away from the characters and left them feeling underdeveloped.
•Miryo didn't read as 25 years old but more of a teenager, she frequently acted and thought like one.
•There's no romance in the book however, which is always a plus for me.
•Skimming was very difficult to pass up in some portion of it.
•Slow paced
•The world building was decent, I do think there could have been more though.
•Most of the book's focus was on the plot which took away from the characters and left them feeling underdeveloped.
•Miryo didn't read as 25 years old but more of a teenager, she frequently acted and thought like one.
•There's no romance in the book however, which is always a plus for me.
•Skimming was very difficult to pass up in some portion of it.
April 11, 2017
"En résumé, c’est un premier tome dont je n’attendais pas grand-chose mais qui au final m'a beaucoup plu. L'auteure a beaucoup d’idées et son roman est vraiment bien structuré. On va de surprises en surprises et tout comme Mirage, nous menons notre propre enquête. Un tome 2 que j’espère lire assez rapidement !"
Chronique complète: http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/fa...
Chronique complète: http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/fa...
April 9, 2010
I loved these! I thought the whole concept was really refreshing and original. They were really well written and entertaining. I wish there were more.
June 1, 2021
*SECOND REREAD NEW REVIEW*
So I'd been going back through the books I'd read in high school and college, writing reviews for them. Came across this one and not only did I recall just how much I ADORED it, but also that I barely remembered it because it'd been so long and I practically flew through it. So the urge to reread it took root, and this time, I committed. It took me MUCH longer to read it this time for various reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the book itself.
Let me start by saying I still give this book 5 stars. And I am so glad to have finally reread it. While I remembered a fair bit, I also forgot SO MUCH of this book that, in a remarkable way, it was almost like I was reading it for the first time all over again. And even better? I loved it just as much as I did back then. None of its magic was lost. So if you want a more emotive review, I'll leave that one below. But for a more scripted review, continue where you're at.
So we follow Mirage, a Silverfire Hunter, traveling with fellow year-mate Eclipse, as they accept a commission from the witches of Starfall to discover who murdered one of their own. We also follow Miryo, a witch who just passed her initiation test, but is told that she cannot be a full-fledged witch until she finds and kills her doppelganger. Mirage and Miryo's paths cross, in more ways than one, and if you don't want vague spoilers, you shouldn't continue reading this review. But now we go from formal into fangirling, because I have too many thoughts on my love of this book to keep them coherent. So let's just go down the list of my thoughts.
1. This world is wonderfully developed. For this being the first book of ONLY two, and for it being under 400 pages besides, it does such an incredible job of explaining the world. It's a little confusing at first, especially regarding the magic side of things, but once you get past that hurdle, it reads so smoothly. I loved reading as all the pieces fit together, and how the plot breaks pre-established thoughts of the world in favor of new ideas and the author STILL manages to make it make sense. That takes some serious skill. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate how the author even came up with creative curse words for her world? I always found it awkward when authors used words like hell, given where the word actually comes from in our world and how in most fantasy stories, hell - or that conception of hell under that word - doesn't exist. I mean, Warrior's Teeth and Void it? I fucking loved it. Mirage has a mouth on her and I appreciate it.
2. I love Mirage. So much. Still. Her name, her appearance, her reflexes. The fact that she's intelligent and quick on her toes and in her mind, and she's an excellent fighter. The fact that she has wry humor and excellent banter with Eclipse, whom she affectionately still calls Kerestel (and in turn, he affectionately still calls her Sen...makes my heart soar). How she's a fucking badass with a take-no-shit attitude, who's always looking for a challenge and NOT the easy way out? Even when she's bluffing, I fucking love her. I still want to be her. Also, I ship her and Eclipse, for good reason. But poor Eclipse. When that part at the end happens when Mirage and Miryo transform. He's so confused. That's his best friend and now he almost doesn't know her. He trusts her, but it almost breaks my heart. Even though I know it's DEFINITELY not a problem later. And of course I enjoyed Miryo. I appreciated her more this time around, even though I favor Mirage. I feel more similar to Miryo and could relate to her. I loved their similarities and differences between the two, and I found their combination at the end was very well done. And creatively as well, but more on that in my next point. I actually found it amusing how, as Mirei, they were alternately confused and unperturbed how some things were familiar and second nature and some things totally weren't.
3. But now let's talk about the solution to all their problems. I won't get into the circumstances that lead up to this, since that's part of the fun of the book. But that was so creative and EXPERTLY done. It was just...so satisfying honestly. I mean, dancing, singing, and prayer all in one to get the answer they were seeking all along? The solution was right there in front of them, and they dropped hints all along without even knowing it! I can't praise it enough.
4. You know what else was uniquely satisfying? The juxtaposition between being a hunter and a dancer, and the importance and emphasis on BOTH. We don't normally associate dance with someone who kills for a living, but for Mirage, it's not all that bizarre, because that was her reality. It's one thing to juxtapose being a witch and being a hunter, but the dance part is completely unique and I love how everything comes together through dance. It's such a surprising and satisfying twist. And not only that, but at least in our world, some people associate dance with femininity and Mirage's job as a hunter as masculine. We don't typically think of someone capable of both and separate the two. Someone harsh and bold enough to kill, but also graceful enough to dance, is not often portrayed in literature. Yet for Mirage, this is totally normal, and she fully embraces both parts of herself. Never once does she look back on her time as a dancer with shame or scorn. Both parts are equally important. And I love that we got a chance to see her footwork (at least in ours heads) at work at the end there, when she and Miryo pray in the Temple and discover the solution to their most pressing problem.
5. I love the direction it goes as Mirei but admittedly prefer seeing Mirage and Miryo as separate entities. But it's also such a cool concept so I'm not actually mad at it at all. I just REALLY love Mirage, okay? But truly, it's not a problem. I love the second book as much as the first, and I hope to get around to rereading that soon as well. Especially since I do forget most of it. I'm sure it'll easily be a 5 star read again and I definitely want to continue with Mirei's journey. And ultimately, the best part about Mirei is that she combines Miryo and Mirage in all the most wonderful ways possible. And a certain something happens in book two that'll be so satisfying to read again...
I really can't say enough good things about this book. Though after reading it, I realize now how heavily it influenced my writing. And I'm not mad about that. Not one bit.
So now that I've put all my thoughts semi coherently in this review, I leave you to make the decision: will you read it? I hope you do.
*END OF NEW REVIEW*
I cannot tell you just how much I fucking LOVED this book. To this day, it is still one of my favorite books. Period. And I've only read it once! While reviewing books I read some 5/6 years ago, I've been consistently reminded of the books I'd love to reread. And I've proceeded to reread none of them. But this one? My god, I need to make it a priority. This is the book that got me into Marie Brennan. This is the book that got me back on my rampant reading train. This is the book that, at the end of that summer between my senior year of high school and my freshman year of college, I considered my favorite. Or...one of them. I had two, but they were tied.
Why did I love it so much? For a few reasons, actually. Let's start with the obvious reason though: Mirage. She's a fucking badass. I mean, she's a take-no-shit bounty hunter! And I just...loved her? Everything about her appealed to me. Hell, I wanted to BE her (because believe me, all that reading was done so I could cope with the reality that I was an anxious 18 year old learning how to drive and about to transition into a very different kind of college life...so escapism was EVERYTHING). I can't even pinpoint all the individual things that I loved about her (in addition to her cool name and her profession). But I think, when I finally get around to rereading this, I'll come back to this review and talk about those things more in detail.
Anyway, I also really loved the storyline. We have Mirage, a bounty hunter, and Miryo, a witch who'd just finished her initiation test and was trying to figure out who the hell she was. Let's just say, their paths have to cross. In what I thought was a very unique way by the end, and completely unexpected. I felt like I could relate to Miryo, while I felt like I wanted to BE Mirage. And the world itself was very intriguing. Women are in very high positions of power here. In fact, there are VERY few male characters in the book as a whole. And there's some cool information at the back of the book that expands on certain phrases or words that are pertinent to the world, if I remember correctly. But I mean, come on. Witches AND bounty hunters? Sign me the hell up.
I wasn't even done with the book (which I found used for all of two brilliant, beautiful dollars just before my local Hastings decided to go bankrupt) when I jumped onto Amazon and ordered the second book (because that same local Hastings did not have it, alas). I REFUSED to wait another second after finishing this book before I could read the next one. I was that desperate. I was that in love. And let me tell you, that sequel did not disappoint. I did not think, when I got this book, that I'd love it that much. Especially for two dollars. Who in their right mind would've gotten rid of this book? But you know what they say; one man's trash is another man's treasure.
So I'd been going back through the books I'd read in high school and college, writing reviews for them. Came across this one and not only did I recall just how much I ADORED it, but also that I barely remembered it because it'd been so long and I practically flew through it. So the urge to reread it took root, and this time, I committed. It took me MUCH longer to read it this time for various reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the book itself.
Let me start by saying I still give this book 5 stars. And I am so glad to have finally reread it. While I remembered a fair bit, I also forgot SO MUCH of this book that, in a remarkable way, it was almost like I was reading it for the first time all over again. And even better? I loved it just as much as I did back then. None of its magic was lost. So if you want a more emotive review, I'll leave that one below. But for a more scripted review, continue where you're at.
So we follow Mirage, a Silverfire Hunter, traveling with fellow year-mate Eclipse, as they accept a commission from the witches of Starfall to discover who murdered one of their own. We also follow Miryo, a witch who just passed her initiation test, but is told that she cannot be a full-fledged witch until she finds and kills her doppelganger. Mirage and Miryo's paths cross, in more ways than one, and if you don't want vague spoilers, you shouldn't continue reading this review. But now we go from formal into fangirling, because I have too many thoughts on my love of this book to keep them coherent. So let's just go down the list of my thoughts.
1. This world is wonderfully developed. For this being the first book of ONLY two, and for it being under 400 pages besides, it does such an incredible job of explaining the world. It's a little confusing at first, especially regarding the magic side of things, but once you get past that hurdle, it reads so smoothly. I loved reading as all the pieces fit together, and how the plot breaks pre-established thoughts of the world in favor of new ideas and the author STILL manages to make it make sense. That takes some serious skill. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate how the author even came up with creative curse words for her world? I always found it awkward when authors used words like hell, given where the word actually comes from in our world and how in most fantasy stories, hell - or that conception of hell under that word - doesn't exist. I mean, Warrior's Teeth and Void it? I fucking loved it. Mirage has a mouth on her and I appreciate it.
2. I love Mirage. So much. Still. Her name, her appearance, her reflexes. The fact that she's intelligent and quick on her toes and in her mind, and she's an excellent fighter. The fact that she has wry humor and excellent banter with Eclipse, whom she affectionately still calls Kerestel (and in turn, he affectionately still calls her Sen...makes my heart soar). How she's a fucking badass with a take-no-shit attitude, who's always looking for a challenge and NOT the easy way out? Even when she's bluffing, I fucking love her. I still want to be her. Also, I ship her and Eclipse, for good reason. But poor Eclipse. When that part at the end happens when Mirage and Miryo transform. He's so confused. That's his best friend and now he almost doesn't know her. He trusts her, but it almost breaks my heart. Even though I know it's DEFINITELY not a problem later. And of course I enjoyed Miryo. I appreciated her more this time around, even though I favor Mirage. I feel more similar to Miryo and could relate to her. I loved their similarities and differences between the two, and I found their combination at the end was very well done. And creatively as well, but more on that in my next point. I actually found it amusing how, as Mirei, they were alternately confused and unperturbed how some things were familiar and second nature and some things totally weren't.
3. But now let's talk about the solution to all their problems. I won't get into the circumstances that lead up to this, since that's part of the fun of the book. But that was so creative and EXPERTLY done. It was just...so satisfying honestly. I mean, dancing, singing, and prayer all in one to get the answer they were seeking all along? The solution was right there in front of them, and they dropped hints all along without even knowing it! I can't praise it enough.
4. You know what else was uniquely satisfying? The juxtaposition between being a hunter and a dancer, and the importance and emphasis on BOTH. We don't normally associate dance with someone who kills for a living, but for Mirage, it's not all that bizarre, because that was her reality. It's one thing to juxtapose being a witch and being a hunter, but the dance part is completely unique and I love how everything comes together through dance. It's such a surprising and satisfying twist. And not only that, but at least in our world, some people associate dance with femininity and Mirage's job as a hunter as masculine. We don't typically think of someone capable of both and separate the two. Someone harsh and bold enough to kill, but also graceful enough to dance, is not often portrayed in literature. Yet for Mirage, this is totally normal, and she fully embraces both parts of herself. Never once does she look back on her time as a dancer with shame or scorn. Both parts are equally important. And I love that we got a chance to see her footwork (at least in ours heads) at work at the end there, when she and Miryo pray in the Temple and discover the solution to their most pressing problem.
5. I love the direction it goes as Mirei but admittedly prefer seeing Mirage and Miryo as separate entities. But it's also such a cool concept so I'm not actually mad at it at all. I just REALLY love Mirage, okay? But truly, it's not a problem. I love the second book as much as the first, and I hope to get around to rereading that soon as well. Especially since I do forget most of it. I'm sure it'll easily be a 5 star read again and I definitely want to continue with Mirei's journey. And ultimately, the best part about Mirei is that she combines Miryo and Mirage in all the most wonderful ways possible. And a certain something happens in book two that'll be so satisfying to read again...
I really can't say enough good things about this book. Though after reading it, I realize now how heavily it influenced my writing. And I'm not mad about that. Not one bit.
So now that I've put all my thoughts semi coherently in this review, I leave you to make the decision: will you read it? I hope you do.
*END OF NEW REVIEW*
I cannot tell you just how much I fucking LOVED this book. To this day, it is still one of my favorite books. Period. And I've only read it once! While reviewing books I read some 5/6 years ago, I've been consistently reminded of the books I'd love to reread. And I've proceeded to reread none of them. But this one? My god, I need to make it a priority. This is the book that got me into Marie Brennan. This is the book that got me back on my rampant reading train. This is the book that, at the end of that summer between my senior year of high school and my freshman year of college, I considered my favorite. Or...one of them. I had two, but they were tied.
Why did I love it so much? For a few reasons, actually. Let's start with the obvious reason though: Mirage. She's a fucking badass. I mean, she's a take-no-shit bounty hunter! And I just...loved her? Everything about her appealed to me. Hell, I wanted to BE her (because believe me, all that reading was done so I could cope with the reality that I was an anxious 18 year old learning how to drive and about to transition into a very different kind of college life...so escapism was EVERYTHING). I can't even pinpoint all the individual things that I loved about her (in addition to her cool name and her profession). But I think, when I finally get around to rereading this, I'll come back to this review and talk about those things more in detail.
Anyway, I also really loved the storyline. We have Mirage, a bounty hunter, and Miryo, a witch who'd just finished her initiation test and was trying to figure out who the hell she was. Let's just say, their paths have to cross. In what I thought was a very unique way by the end, and completely unexpected. I felt like I could relate to Miryo, while I felt like I wanted to BE Mirage. And the world itself was very intriguing. Women are in very high positions of power here. In fact, there are VERY few male characters in the book as a whole. And there's some cool information at the back of the book that expands on certain phrases or words that are pertinent to the world, if I remember correctly. But I mean, come on. Witches AND bounty hunters? Sign me the hell up.
I wasn't even done with the book (which I found used for all of two brilliant, beautiful dollars just before my local Hastings decided to go bankrupt) when I jumped onto Amazon and ordered the second book (because that same local Hastings did not have it, alas). I REFUSED to wait another second after finishing this book before I could read the next one. I was that desperate. I was that in love. And let me tell you, that sequel did not disappoint. I did not think, when I got this book, that I'd love it that much. Especially for two dollars. Who in their right mind would've gotten rid of this book? But you know what they say; one man's trash is another man's treasure.
March 30, 2020
Un très bon début de saga qui aurai pu être un coup de coeur sauf que....
Ici nous faisons d'abord la connaissance de Mirage, une Chasseuse. Son ami et aussi Chasseur,
Eclipse la rejoint et lui propose un contrat. Une sorcière a été tuée, et ils sont engagés
pour découvrir qui la tué, qui l'a engagé et pourquoi. D'un autre côté, nous suivons Miryo
qui achève sa formation de sorcière. Sauf que lors du rite de passage, les Primes découvrent
que son double n'est pas mort et lui demande de se mettre en "chasse".
Une conspiration et une remise en question de l'ordre des choses sont en route, qui empêchera
tout ceci et comment??
Tout d'abord, j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à entrer dans ce récit et pour cause, nous sommes
lâchés dans le bouquin sans explications du monde et de ses personnages. Passé les 100
premières pages je dirai, tout deviens plus clair et il est plus facile de se plonger dans ce
monde si bien construit bien que très complexe. Les personnages, bien que très nombreux
sont assez bien construit et j'ai adoré nos deux héroïnes. L'une est une force brute et l'autre
est plus réfléchie. Elles se complètent totalement. Le scénario fin m'a scotchée, car je
m'attendais pas du tout à ce dénouement et je me demande si la trame du second tome sera celle
que je pense.
Malgré beaucoup de longueurs, mais qui sont nécessaires pour mettre le récit en place,
l'autrice à su me captiver et j'ai pu pleinement profiter de ma lecture.
En bref, une saga fantasy à lire malgré un univers très complexe, je recommande!
Ici nous faisons d'abord la connaissance de Mirage, une Chasseuse. Son ami et aussi Chasseur,
Eclipse la rejoint et lui propose un contrat. Une sorcière a été tuée, et ils sont engagés
pour découvrir qui la tué, qui l'a engagé et pourquoi. D'un autre côté, nous suivons Miryo
qui achève sa formation de sorcière. Sauf que lors du rite de passage, les Primes découvrent
que son double n'est pas mort et lui demande de se mettre en "chasse".
Une conspiration et une remise en question de l'ordre des choses sont en route, qui empêchera
tout ceci et comment??
Tout d'abord, j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à entrer dans ce récit et pour cause, nous sommes
lâchés dans le bouquin sans explications du monde et de ses personnages. Passé les 100
premières pages je dirai, tout deviens plus clair et il est plus facile de se plonger dans ce
monde si bien construit bien que très complexe. Les personnages, bien que très nombreux
sont assez bien construit et j'ai adoré nos deux héroïnes. L'une est une force brute et l'autre
est plus réfléchie. Elles se complètent totalement. Le scénario fin m'a scotchée, car je
m'attendais pas du tout à ce dénouement et je me demande si la trame du second tome sera celle
que je pense.
Malgré beaucoup de longueurs, mais qui sont nécessaires pour mettre le récit en place,
l'autrice à su me captiver et j'ai pu pleinement profiter de ma lecture.
En bref, une saga fantasy à lire malgré un univers très complexe, je recommande!
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February 10, 2023 Warrior is one of those books that you see in a book store or library and just from the cover alone it looks like it could be a good time. I can describe this as a very peak and valley type book. There were moments where it flowed and there were moments where it sort of dragged just like there were moments of excitement and then there were moments of too much sitting around and conversing that got a little tiring at times. The world building is a good introduction that i would like to see built on, the action scenes were pretty good and the story was interesting overall. The book even opened up with a banger but i would be lying if i said i didn't want more. More entertainment, more from the characters and more from the ending. I liked Mirage and Miryo was fine too but she was a bit of a drag and a little stale. I could have done without Eclipse because he was just there. He's supposed to be Mirage's best friend and except for joking with each other a few times he didn't act much like a best friend and just agreed with everything, didn't question much, didn't say much and faded into the background.
The ending happened quickly with an agreement coming a little too soon and though the scene when it happened and the idea of I'm interested to see how the story continues.
The ending happened quickly with an agreement coming a little too soon and though the scene when it happened and the idea of I'm interested to see how the story continues.
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