Book Review: The Fire Mages Daughter (A Part of the Brightmoon Annals) by: Pauline M. Ross
I give this book three out of five stars for being an entertaining read with competing magic systems and atypical representations of women in power and leadership positions.
What I like about the book:
1) Ross has a consistent style with ideas that construct vivid cultures, magic, and fantastical societies. I can count on this author for breathing new life into old ideas or showcasing things new and different ways.
2) This is a strong feminist piece, yet I don’t think the author intends it to be such. The heroine, the mentor, the primary antagonist, and two of the largest supporting characters are women. Basically the coolest characters in this book are women, and men comprise roles which women are more commonly cast.
What I think could have been done better:
1) EMOTION, where is it? The book is written from a first person point of view, but most of the time it feels like reading something third person. The ideas and magic in Ross’s books are so vivid yet something is consistently is missing: emotion. The characters withhold how the action in the story impacts them and most major feelings are not conveyed well to the reader. In general I only found out a character was distraught when the character said they were crying. If the reader could be in tune with the characters emotions more this book would be a five star home run.
Book Review Poe by: J. Lincoln Fenn
I give this book five out of five stars, and I need to remember to not read J. Lincoln Fenn’s work when I’m home alone. This book was awesomely scary, laugh out loud funny, and touching in unexpected ways. The characters are strong and relatable. The plot had interesting twists that made the read enjoyable and hard to put down.
What I loved about this book:
- The humor, I never expected this book to make me laugh as much as it did. For me any book of the horror genre that can make me laugh as much as this one, deserves five stars. The funny character banter and perspective made them even more endearing to me.
- The characters, all of them were very well done. Each one had something unique and unforgettable about them, which made remembering the many supporting characters easy. The descriptions of Dmitri’s co-workers, and the characters collected at the mansion on Halloween were unforgettable and so funny.
- Dimitri’s grief and the impact it had on him felt real to me. Whenever his grief was touched on it rang with a deep sincerity. It’s the kind of honest insight I love, where I’m left wondering if I stumbled onto a part where the author bled into their work.
Lincoln Fenn has a clean style with a clear voice. Everything conveyed is necessary, and her plot structure omits all trick ponies and plot devices. I really look forward to reading her future works.
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