tobin_elliott's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This one's a tough one for me...why? Because I follow the author across all sorts of social media, and I really respect her viewpoint on so many things.
But this, while it started out reasonably strong, just fell awfully short for me, which is a surprise. This was one of those books that I really expected to love.
And while I can point out certain elements in the novel that didn't work for me, I'm not sure I can point to a main, singular reason this didn't grab me like I thought it would.
The elements that didn't work for me were not big things.
I wasn't crazy about having too many characters with names starting with D. There was Davius, who is also, at times, David, or Great David in this. Then there's Dragos. And there's Danulf. And that's not even counting Dracul, who is namechecked several times.
There's a lot of history here, as well. I don't mind some history in my horror, I really don't, but Thompson doubles down on it, then doubles down on it again.
Here's my bigger issues. First and foremost—and this is purely my own taste—this book read far too Anne Rice for me. I'm not a fan of Rice's overly detailed, minute-by-minute history of characters from the dawn of time until present day. I find it tedious when she does it, and it truly started to grate on me here as well, despite the reasonably short 280 pages.
Aligned with that last fact, was how Thompson chose to try and mesh so many of the various pantheons of gods, from Greek and Roman, through Egyptian, and Christian, and then bolt on new vampire and werewolf myths to them. While the author was surprisingly successful at times, it became less and less fun when I found out that this character was also that god...and also that god...oh, and that one two. And this other character was also this god...and that god...and that other one over there...oh, and they're also related to this first character.
Honestly, it got so complex, and convoluted, that it began to feel like the plot was being contorted in unnatural ways just to be able to squeeze in one more collection of gods. By the time the Egyptian ones came in—and seemed quite important to the plot—I found was simply all out of fucks to give by that point.
There was also, finally, a point where I questioned whether there was a singular through-line for the plot. I can't say what it is without spoiling some stuff, so I won't, but I will say there is, but it just takes a long time to manifest.
What I came away with in this book is that there isn't a single character who is just a single character. And there are an awful lot of characters who start good and break bad, or start bad and break good.
So, here's my thing, maybe it was the multiple time periods/multiple religions that got to me. Maybe it was that I couldn't get the taste of Anne Rice out of my eyeballs, but I didn't enough this very much at all.
I'm hoping that most of the convolution is over with now, and the balance of the trilogy will be a little more straightforward.
But this, while it started out reasonably strong, just fell awfully short for me, which is a surprise. This was one of those books that I really expected to love.
And while I can point out certain elements in the novel that didn't work for me, I'm not sure I can point to a main, singular reason this didn't grab me like I thought it would.
The elements that didn't work for me were not big things.
I wasn't crazy about having too many characters with names starting with D. There was Davius, who is also, at times, David, or Great David in this. Then there's Dragos. And there's Danulf. And that's not even counting Dracul, who is namechecked several times.
There's a lot of history here, as well. I don't mind some history in my horror, I really don't, but Thompson doubles down on it, then doubles down on it again.
Here's my bigger issues. First and foremost—and this is purely my own taste—this book read far too Anne Rice for me. I'm not a fan of Rice's overly detailed, minute-by-minute history of characters from the dawn of time until present day. I find it tedious when she does it, and it truly started to grate on me here as well, despite the reasonably short 280 pages.
Aligned with that last fact, was how Thompson chose to try and mesh so many of the various pantheons of gods, from Greek and Roman, through Egyptian, and Christian, and then bolt on new vampire and werewolf myths to them. While the author was surprisingly successful at times, it became less and less fun when I found out that this character was also that god...and also that god...oh, and that one two. And this other character was also this god...and that god...and that other one over there...oh, and they're also related to this first character.
Honestly, it got so complex, and convoluted, that it began to feel like the plot was being contorted in unnatural ways just to be able to squeeze in one more collection of gods. By the time the Egyptian ones came in—and seemed quite important to the plot—I found was simply all out of fucks to give by that point.
There was also, finally, a point where I questioned whether there was a singular through-line for the plot. I can't say what it is without spoiling some stuff, so I won't, but I will say there is, but it just takes a long time to manifest.
What I came away with in this book is that there isn't a single character who is just a single character. And there are an awful lot of characters who start good and break bad, or start bad and break good.
So, here's my thing, maybe it was the multiple time periods/multiple religions that got to me. Maybe it was that I couldn't get the taste of Anne Rice out of my eyeballs, but I didn't enough this very much at all.
I'm hoping that most of the convolution is over with now, and the balance of the trilogy will be a little more straightforward.
kaylacreviews's review
4.0
From epic battle scenes to heart-wrenching romance, The Ancient Ones by Cassandra L. Thompson was a harrowing gothic tale. There were many nods to traditional vampires, but Thompson made the trope her own. I absolutely loved how she wove various mythologies together. The unique way the deities came to be was fascinating, though convoluted. This was a strong, five-star read right up until the later chapters when the deities' most ancient history was revealed. Their history was so complex that it was hard to follow, and not all of the revelations made sense to me. It was a lot to wrap my head around in such a short time. Furthermore, given the turn of events at the very end, the conclusion felt rushed—even more so because of the cliffhanger.
That said, I very much enjoyed The Ancient Ones. The narrative was dark, compelling, and addictive. The deep, poignant characters swept me off my feet while the realistic, varied settings held me rapt. Thompson's writing style was so smooth that I hated having to put this book down even for a second. I found the historical scope of the novel impressive, and the way the characters' lives were woven into the timeline of our world was interesting. Though I didn't enjoy the last few chapters as much as the previous ones, I easily lost myself in this novel. I highly recommend The Ancient Ones to those looking for an original, touching vampire story that expertly blends gothic horror, dark fantasy, mythology, and historical fiction.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from Storytellers On Tour. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Content Warning: This work contains some violence, murder, and sexual situations.
That said, I very much enjoyed The Ancient Ones. The narrative was dark, compelling, and addictive. The deep, poignant characters swept me off my feet while the realistic, varied settings held me rapt. Thompson's writing style was so smooth that I hated having to put this book down even for a second. I found the historical scope of the novel impressive, and the way the characters' lives were woven into the timeline of our world was interesting. Though I didn't enjoy the last few chapters as much as the previous ones, I easily lost myself in this novel. I highly recommend The Ancient Ones to those looking for an original, touching vampire story that expertly blends gothic horror, dark fantasy, mythology, and historical fiction.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from Storytellers On Tour. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Content Warning: This work contains some violence, murder, and sexual situations.
tourmaline_and_tomes's review
Pretty much lost interest as the book progressed and there's other things on my TBR that I'd rather be reading right now.
dharmlost's review
5.0
This book was a very fun read. What more can one ask for than a dark twist on mythology, vampires, battles, love, and more? I really enjoyed reading this book and want some more.
junglewriter's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
Think Dracula Untold + Anne Rice's Interview With A Vampire
With the vivid detail that Cassandra describes her world, it’s easy to forget that The Ancient Ones is only a book, and she hasn’t transported you into her dark fantasy. A beautiful blend of myths, history, and gothic horror. It’s the vampire novel fans have been waiting for.
Think Dracula Untold + Anne Rice's Interview With A Vampire
With the vivid detail that Cassandra describes her world, it’s easy to forget that The Ancient Ones is only a book, and she hasn’t transported you into her dark fantasy. A beautiful blend of myths, history, and gothic horror. It’s the vampire novel fans have been waiting for.
tjazz's review
5.0
Interview with A Vampire meets the Old Gods.
Absolutely delightful tale of Gothic Horror. I could hardly put it down and many times I sat surprised at the turns of events! You will not be disappointed.
If you are a fan of Kerri Mansicalo, you will enjoy Cassandra Thompson! Waiting impatiently for book 2.
Absolutely delightful tale of Gothic Horror. I could hardly put it down and many times I sat surprised at the turns of events! You will not be disappointed.
If you are a fan of Kerri Mansicalo, you will enjoy Cassandra Thompson! Waiting impatiently for book 2.
michaelrgoodwin's review
4.0
A sprawling epic tale that blends a vampire origin story with gothic horror, fantasy and mythology might seem like a lot to tackle in one novel. Indeed it was, but Thompson did it with ease.
Her confident voice and effortless style of writing made this story quite captivating, so much that I devoted nearly twelve straight hours of my weekend to finishing it.
It was clear that Thompson has a passion for history, weaving real places and people and events into this fictional story, creating her own world in the process. A truly impressive feat in just 287 pages.
This is the first book of a planned trilogy, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Her confident voice and effortless style of writing made this story quite captivating, so much that I devoted nearly twelve straight hours of my weekend to finishing it.
It was clear that Thompson has a passion for history, weaving real places and people and events into this fictional story, creating her own world in the process. A truly impressive feat in just 287 pages.
This is the first book of a planned trilogy, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment.
chelseacallahan's review
5.0
This is one of my new favorites.
This story is so rich. It's got history, gothic romance, a dark and dangerous mythos. It's got such a vibe to it, I can't get enough. Anne Rice is one of my all time favorite writers, and for me, Thompson's skill when it comes to creating characters, and crafting her story is on par with Rice.
Can't wait to see what happens in book 2!
This story is so rich. It's got history, gothic romance, a dark and dangerous mythos. It's got such a vibe to it, I can't get enough. Anne Rice is one of my all time favorite writers, and for me, Thompson's skill when it comes to creating characters, and crafting her story is on par with Rice.
Can't wait to see what happens in book 2!
djerra's review
5.0
Damn, this one was really good. Don't know if even half of the historical parts & myths are true but the author had me spellbound the whole ride.
Well written tale with a rippling language, one of my the best reads this year.
Well written tale with a rippling language, one of my the best reads this year.