Compelling dual leads elevate this uneven action-oriented multiverse tale.
A Karmically linked human and former immortal join forces to save the world in Behling’s debut fantasy.
Immortal Senyak Marztanak, member of a powerful alien species, struggles to prevent a calamity. One nefarious being has been murdering iterations of a particular philanthropic woman within the multiverse; if he kills all of the iterations, the ripple effect will ensure that trillions of people will die, allowing the malefactor to consume their “Essence.” Sen gets assistance from an “anomaly”— Florida State University law professor Josh Tanner, who makes a rare appearance in one particular iteration. Sen, as a voice in Josh’s head, works with the professor to stop yet another murder. But Zenyak, Sen’s grandfather, deems this intervention an insufficient proof of Sen’s worthiness; he magically sends his grandson to Earth as a mortal who must prove himself by transcending to “the Immortal realms and beyond.” Josh joins Sen, now that Karma has tied them together, to battle various foes. In the process, they develop skills, amass necessary Essence (a material in the mortal soul), and obtain items of strength-enhancing “Earth Attunement.” As they grow stronger and more capable, the two may be able to save the multiverse, which is in danger of being destroyed by the advancing Oblivion, a “gray mire” intent upon devouring all in its path. Much of Behling’s story, as Josh himself points out, unfolds in the style of a video game; Josh and Sen, for example, face off against creatures for the sole purpose of gathering Essence and increasing their abilities, and monitoring interfaces, installed courtesy of Zenyak, just below their navels chime when they acquire a new skill or “item of power.” These lead characters are complicated: Sen isn’t sure he’s worthy of being a “second seeded heir” to a notable leader, while Josh undergoes a contentious divorce. Their initial interaction prompts a wonderfully tense elevator fight scene, but the duo’s subsequent journey feels disjointed, as there’s little cohesion in their various confrontations (with cannibalistic humanoids, undead warriors, and aliens straight from a popular film series). An unexpected turn near the end, however, adds an intriguing new element for a sequel to pick up.
Compelling dual leads elevate this uneven action-oriented multiverse tale.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9798988653509
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
