Tag Archives: fantasy

Review of Mage of Legend, by Jennifer Amriss

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I received a copy of Jennifer Amriss‘ Mage of Legend for review.

Description from Goodreads:
Dimensional Rifters Were Nothing But Legends.
Until now…

Ages ago, one of the old gods threw Minuvel, the last Ivari, into a dimensional prison. She was too powerful to kill, and too dangerous to let roam free. But her vault was lost.

A Spoiled King and A Skilled Hunter.

After a beautiful stranger saves his life, Xastrian, the new Dragon King, owes Velithor a life-debt. But as the two join forces to battle the crazed Ivari who shares their prison, he discovers he wants so much more. Soul-bonding with the shy, resourceful hunter would be worth anything. Even facing death a second time.

Trapped and Hunted.

Xastrian must rely on Velithor’s knowledge of the forest. Velithor must help Xastrian regain his power. And one of them must tap into the magic of legend to become a dimensional rifter before the Ivari drives Xastrian mad and ruins their chances of ever finding their way home.

Review:
Spoiler warning for the first couple pages of the book

Oh man, I hate giving a book a poor review when it doesn’t have very many others to balance it out, but this book and I had some serious difference. It starts out well. We meet Xastrian, the new king. He shows himself to be a strong-willed guy you can respect. You meet his fiancé of a thousand or so years. There’s an assassination attempt. It’s all very exciting. I was hooked, wanted to see how this all played out.

Cut to the next day, Xastrian decides to go off on his own, as one does just after an assassination attempt. Who needs guards, right? Then the WHOLE rest of the book is Xastrian playing house in the woods with Velithor. THE. WHOLE. BOOK. The reader never gets back to court, never finds out what happened to the fiancé (after an extended courtship I think that deserved a little closure), never finds out who attempted the assassination. Xastrian and Velithor never even tell the rest of court (or Xastrian’s family) the king is still alive once they make it back. In fact, they never bother going back to the palace at all. That whole very important part of the story is just glossed over and ignored COMPLETELY.

Then there is the deus ex machina magic. I won’t add a spoiler, but it pops up out of nowhere and the person can use it instinctively, doing on without thought or knowhow what others have to train hundreds of years to do. Sure, that’s believable and satisfying….no.

And what of Minuvel you ask. Oh well, she pops up being vaguely threatening on occasion, is evil for no reason except that she is crazy and evil and is vanquished with such ease I barely considered her a subplot. Seriously, the pets get more play than she does.

The romance is basically two men being repeatedly awed at each other. It got repetitive early on, so 300+ pages of it was painful. The two men take turns devolving in to children. (We never again see that strong confident king after the first scene.) The dialogue is stilted and there are a few writing quirks that drove me nuts. Like the constant use of ‘he perked an eyebrow.’ It was overused in general, but as far as I know people tend to quirk an eyebrow. Might not actually be wrong, but it sure grated on my nerves.

The book isn’t a total failure. It is sweet, after all, and outside of a few rough editing patches, the dialogue, and some anachronistic language the writing isn’t bad. But that exciting sounding blurb…no, that must be some other book. It just isn’t this one.

Book Review of The Cult of Unicorns (Penny White #2), by Chrys Cymri

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Author, Chrys Cymri sent me an e-copy of her book Penny White and the Cult of Unicorns for review. I read the first in the series, The Temptation of Dragons, last year. Named it one of my five top reads of 2016, actually.

Description from Goodreads:
Raven’s ears flicked. ‘Dragons aren’t known for their patience.’

‘More is the pity, ‘ said the unicorn. ‘Father Penny and I were about to amicably settle our differences. A dragon invading our home vastly complicates matters.’

Five months ago my life was changed forever when I learned about Lloegyr, the sister nation to England on the magical parallel world of Daear. Thrilling rides on Raven, a darkly beautiful search dragon, break up the monotony of my life as the priest of a small village church. Nor are things dull at home, not with a sarcastic gryphon, a snail shark, and my younger brother all sharing my living space. And then there’s Peter, the almost too perfect police inspector who enjoys Doctor Who and single malt whisky as much as I do.

But Lloegyr is facing its own struggles. As various races such as dragons, gryphons, elves, vampires, and harpies flood to the rapidly growing cities, they all trust the unicorns to act as peace makers. But dead humans are turning up in the city of Northampton, with wounds which only a long spiral horn could have made…

Review:
It’s another win for Chrys Cymri. Like the first in the series, I found this to be a fun, whimsical work about a very engaging priest with a Doctor Who obsession and the good luck to be the go-between for the parish and Lloegyr (the land of dragons, unicorns, elves, gryphons and all manner of strange beast and beings). I’ve been repeatedly amazed at how relatable and real Penny is in this series. As someone who does not consider herself a follower of the Good Book(s), this is a true accomplishment. As is having enough religion in the story to show its importance to Penny, but not come across as preachy. I think this book gets a little closer to that line than the first—there is one particular scene in a pub that I cringed at—but it mostly manages.

I especially appreciate the diversity of this book. Characters come from different cultural, racial, sexual and religious backgrounds and they all blend in seamlessly, just like they do in real life. The writing is marvelous, but I do have to admit I don’t think this one is quite as polished and tight as book one. The plot wends about a bit more then it ends on a cliffhanger. I still very much enjoyed it and look forward to book three though.

On a side note, I found my name in it. When you grow up with an odd one it’s always a little exciting to come across it. Thanks for that C. C.

Book Review of Bittersweet Magic (The Order #2), by Nina Croft

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I won a copy of Nina Croft‘s Bittersweet Magic through Fresh Fiction.

Description from Goodreads:
Five hundred years ago, to avoid being burned at the stake, Rosamund Fairfax made a deal with a demon. Thirteen tasks in exchange for her life. Now, the debt is nearly paid. Only one final task and she’s free. The mission: find a key hidden inside a convent. Roz is going undercover!

For Piers Lamont, vampire and head of the Order of the Shadow Accords, bad news comes in the form of a sexy nun, a missing key and an old mistress who wants him back. That his ex-mistress also happens to be a demon intent on taking over the world and subjugating mankind, just makes things that bit more interesting.

For five centuries, Roz has had one aim in life—her own survival. That’s about to change. She has always known there are things were living for, now she’s going to discover that there are also things worth dying for; friendship, humanity and maybe even… love.

Review:
Ok look, this review will be a bit spoilery and it is going to be ranty because I am raging inside. This book made me so angry I almost couldn’t finish it. I’ll say upfront, the plotting is a bit rushed, but the writing is fine. I have no problem with the quality of the writing or editing. What I have a problem with is the asshole, raping ‘hero’ and love based on nothing at all.

Some will argue that there was no penis/vagina penetration, so there was no rape. But the man TWICE brought her to orgasim without her consent, in a situation when she couldn’t refuse, and then thought he wiped her memory of it so she wouldn’t even know. That’s fucking sexual assault and how dare anyone, Nina Croft I’m talking to you, pass that off as the basis for fucking love!

Now, let’s talk about that love, yeah? He’s a smug, sexually harassing asshat to her from the moment they meet. Then she’s panting and all but begging him to take her while thinking about how she couldn’t control her body. Sorry, show women at least enough respect to presume we can control ourselves like adults. And what was she attracted to? What? He was not appealing. And somehow, despite his frankly revolting attitude they fall in love. I felt no chemistry, even outside of how horrid he was. The love was ridiculous and completely unbelievable. It was also morally objectionable, need I remind you of the lack of consent, but we’ll set that aside.

I was seriously angry about the H/h relations in this book. But I also have to complain about the twist at the end of the book that was beyond the pale. As if the baddy would give up all her hard earned plans for that. Again, give women a little respect and show them to have at least one ambition beyond a freakin’ godly dicking! And the too stupid to live, i’m gonna run off to the rescue with no plan and then have a miraculous deus ex machina save at the last second? Please, get outta here with that crap.

I won this book and I always appreciate a free read. But I wish I hadn’t. i wish it had gone to someone who would have liked it more…or at least been less enraged by it.