max_booth's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
rainbow_grace's review
1.0
I couldn't finish this one. Just didn't grab me. Too much exposition and pointless stuff going on.
stephquintal's review
4.0
As an audible listen, the world stalked by the stars of Cephrael’s Hand really came to life! And, from what I have read, this novel was different - there was a unique history and there were novel ideas and creations I have not yet read of (maybe this means I have to read more fantasy but for the time being I’m impressed!) This novelty had me listening to chapters back to back so as to understand more of what I was getting myself into.
For a self published novel the depth of each character and the world developed was well thought out. It is complicated in design yet maintains consistency so as not to be overwhelming. I imagine that the characters and plots would have been difficult to follow had I not had the added qualities given by that of the voice actor. (From what I have read of other reviews this also allowed me to avoid poor edits that seem to be prevalent in the text). I found the characters believable and the conversations realistic and smooth.
A dramatic mix between Game of Thrones and Chronicles of Dune - definitely worth a read if you’re looking for a new series.
For a self published novel the depth of each character and the world developed was well thought out. It is complicated in design yet maintains consistency so as not to be overwhelming. I imagine that the characters and plots would have been difficult to follow had I not had the added qualities given by that of the voice actor. (From what I have read of other reviews this also allowed me to avoid poor edits that seem to be prevalent in the text). I found the characters believable and the conversations realistic and smooth.
A dramatic mix between Game of Thrones and Chronicles of Dune - definitely worth a read if you’re looking for a new series.
nerdgirllin's review
4.0
I'm giving this book a 3.5 because I'm in between liking it and loving it. Let's start with what I didn't like. First, this book starts slow and I mean really slow. It doesn't pick up until you're about a third way through the book. Some on the concepts are a bit confusing as well. While the "magic" system is interesting and original, it could have been explained so much better.
Now, what I did like about this book was the originality. A magic system based on patterns is interesting. In reading this book it didn't feel like I was reading the same fantasy novel over and over again with different characters and a new setting (which is totally the case in some books). The world building was nice, which is a requirement of any decent fantasy novel. Additionally, McPhail comes through in the end and gives you gripping tale of action, adventure, and magic that will definitely leave you wanting to read the next book in the series...which is what I'm about to do right now. I'm going to keep an eye out for this author I think she has the potential to be one of greats!
Now, what I did like about this book was the originality. A magic system based on patterns is interesting. In reading this book it didn't feel like I was reading the same fantasy novel over and over again with different characters and a new setting (which is totally the case in some books). The world building was nice, which is a requirement of any decent fantasy novel. Additionally, McPhail comes through in the end and gives you gripping tale of action, adventure, and magic that will definitely leave you wanting to read the next book in the series...which is what I'm about to do right now. I'm going to keep an eye out for this author I think she has the potential to be one of greats!
alocin19's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
oakmoses's review
4.0
I was very nervous when I started reading this due to it's being self-published. Now that I've finished, I plan to start the next book right away. There are plenty of mistakes that would have been caught and corrected by a professional editor, but they don't distract from the compelling plot and well-conceived world and magical system.
This is fairly light adult fantasy, so if you're looking to be challenged you should read some N.K. Jemisin instead. If you're looking to be entertained, though, this is definitely worth your time.
This is fairly light adult fantasy, so if you're looking to be challenged you should read some N.K. Jemisin instead. If you're looking to be entertained, though, this is definitely worth your time.
the_broken_cog's review
1.0
DNF 15%
I like complex worlds with depth. I like characters that have flaws and virtues in equal measure.
This book certainly has the first one. The unfortunate reality, however, is that the complexity is very much a case of being told and not shown. There are tons of references to things in the world which absolutely require you to go to the glossary at the back to make sense of. There are books where glossaries at the back are a nice addition, but not totally necessary. The Wheel of Time, as long-winded and intricate as it is, can be read without having to flip to the back of the book every other page. Cephrael's Hand? Not so much.
The names involved are needlessly obtuse. They're either practically unpronounceable gobbledygook, or so similar to the names of other characters in the book that you lose track of whether they are even distinct characters. Sometimes the names are misspelled and are, in fact, the same characters.
The author seems to like hiding some information that would be good to know as a reader while practically forcing you to read a miniature primer to have a hope of understanding the world even slightly. When you do read it, it is just a dry list of cross-referenced definitions of other parts of the glossary.
This book suffers from characters that fail to grab your attention early on, a serious case of "tell, don't show", and intentional obfuscation of the plot to the point where I don't even know why I was supposed to care. There is nothing about this book that makes me want to continue on.
I like complex worlds with depth. I like characters that have flaws and virtues in equal measure.
This book certainly has the first one. The unfortunate reality, however, is that the complexity is very much a case of being told and not shown. There are tons of references to things in the world which absolutely require you to go to the glossary at the back to make sense of. There are books where glossaries at the back are a nice addition, but not totally necessary. The Wheel of Time, as long-winded and intricate as it is, can be read without having to flip to the back of the book every other page. Cephrael's Hand? Not so much.
The names involved are needlessly obtuse. They're either practically unpronounceable gobbledygook, or so similar to the names of other characters in the book that you lose track of whether they are even distinct characters. Sometimes the names are misspelled and are, in fact, the same characters.
The author seems to like hiding some information that would be good to know as a reader while practically forcing you to read a miniature primer to have a hope of understanding the world even slightly. When you do read it, it is just a dry list of cross-referenced definitions of other parts of the glossary.
This book suffers from characters that fail to grab your attention early on, a serious case of "tell, don't show", and intentional obfuscation of the plot to the point where I don't even know why I was supposed to care. There is nothing about this book that makes me want to continue on.
cere's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
rjgibson2806's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
frogggirl2's review
3.0
Very uneven. Some interesting characters but not all main characters are interesting. Too much repetition in plots. Every character gets kidnapped at least once. Too much torture and rape. Magic system is deep, interesting and well explored. Some interesting plots and exciting action throughout. 3* book 1, 4* book 2, 2* book 3, 4* book 4.