An engrossing urban fantasy novel with an eclectic milieu.
A magic-using young man fights to save his family from dark forces in Slayton’s urban fantasy novel, the second in a series.
Adam Binder, a detective with supernatural abilities, returns to his hometown of Guthrie, Oklahoma, following the death of his beloved great-aunt Sue, the member of his dysfunctional extended family with whom he got along best. Adam has reason to believe her death was caused by something other than the reported heart attack, especially when the dead woman’s trailer blows up right in front of him. Adam, who rushes into the burning structure to save his cousins, spots a dark figure (whom Adam identifies as a druid) lurking at the edge of the flames. Adam suspects this man is Robert Binder Sr., the father he’s long been searching for. The man officially died years ago, but could he actually be alive and living as a warlock? Back in Denver, Adam’s policeman boyfriend, Vic, tries to figure out why Adam left town without saying anything. While Adam rushes to stop the mysterious man from targeting members of his family, Vic, due to his past magical adventures with Adam, becomes caught up on a mission of his own in the magical dimension known as the Other Side, where sea elves are intent upon drowning the world. The author’s evocative prose marries dark fantasy with trailer-park grit, resulting in a style that feels distinctly grounded even when it’s describing magical occurrences: “Adam squeezed his eyes shut and opened them when cold filled the air, sweeping over the car like a sleet storm. The scent of rotten blackberries and battery acid surged. He knew this magic, knew its greasy flavor, its cloying, clinging stench.” The plot picks up where the previous book ended, so new readers may have trouble orienting themselves in the various continuing storylines. Even so, fans of the genre will appreciate Slayton’s relentless pace, complex characters, and inventive turns. More fantasy novels could use a dash of the trailer park.
An engrossing urban fantasy novel with an eclectic milieu.Pub Date: Oct. 12, 2021
ISBN: 9781094067971
Page Count: 450
Publisher: Blackstone
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.
A young Navarrian woman faces even greater challenges in her second year at dragon-riding school.
Violet Sorrengail did all the normal things one would do as a first-year student at Basgiath War College: made new friends, fell in love, and survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also the first rider to ever bond with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon with a distinguished battle history, and Andarna, a baby dragon too young to carry a rider. At the end of Fourth Wing (2023), Violet and her lover, Xaden Riorson, discovered that Navarre is under attack from wyvern, evil two-legged dragons, and venin, soulless monsters that harvest energy from the ground. Navarrians had always been told that these were monsters of legend and myth, not real creatures dangerously close to breaking through Navarre’s wards and attacking civilian populations. In this overly long sequel, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons are determined to find a way to protect Navarre, despite the fact that the army and government hid the truth about these creatures. Due to the machinations of several traitorous instructors at Basgiath, Xaden and Violet are separated for most of the book—he’s stationed at a distant outpost, leaving her to handle the treacherous, cutthroat world of the war college on her own. Violet is repeatedly threatened by her new vice commandant, a brutal man who wants to silence her. Although Violet and her dragons continue to model extreme bravery, the novel feels repetitive and more than a little sloppy, leaving obvious questions about the world unanswered. The book is full of action and just as full of plot holes, including scenes that are illogical or disconnected from the main narrative. Secondary characters are ignored until a scene requires them to assist Violet or to be killed in the endless violence that plagues their school.
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374172
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
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