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nrlymrtl
, June 27, 2013
(view all comments by nrlymrtl)
This is an ambitious book with many big-picture ideas. Lucky for us, the author Joshua Silverman plans to give us 7 books in this series. This book is packed full of mythological elements, which was my favorite part of the world building. All the ladies are kick ass in their own unique ways and what few men underestimate them quickly learn that is folly. While most of the story takes place on Potara, there are scenes showing Leoros’s parents and their efforts to find out what happened to him. I especially liked this element of caring parents instead of the standard dysfunctional or abusive parents that soak the YA genre currently. It is a fiction folks, so it’s OK to create family units that actually care about each other.
Mechanized battle suits mix with the magical energy-slinging Priests of Amun Ra and their acolytes in defending and attacking the Thothian Empire. Cruel deceit and backstabbing has left Leoros and his friends at a severe disadvantage. A centuries old grudge between Osiris and Lycurgus could be the empire’s undoing. No character turned out how I thought they would. Silverman does an excellent job of showing that his characters are not Ultimate Evil or Princely Good; they have facets of each. As such, they may be persuaded or tricked or decide on their own to walk a path that rains down death and destruction. Indeed, this isn’t a Disney fairy tale. The action is interspersed with scenes of self-contemplation by the characters, giving a balanced pacing. While some elements of the ending surprised me, they were fitting and the last scene was poignant. I look forward to seeing how the author writes his character Leoros out of the obstacle-filled place he left him in.
If I have to discuss the few weaknesses of the book, I will say they did not detract from my over all enjoyment. Sometimes the tense changed a little too quickly; much of the book is written in present tense, but sometimes the character is musing on some memory (past tense) and then snap! Back into present tense. In a few places, things moved quickly, perhaps abruptly, from one scene to another. But as, I said, these minor weaknesses did not deter me from staying up way too late so I could squeeze in one more chapter.
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