constant2m's review against another edition
5.0
The Renegade Within is a military-esque fantasy. The main character, Therese, is a part of the government/military/religious hierarchy, which is part of the complication of her identity. She pursued this line of work out of a passion for truth and good, like the knights of old, but over time succumbed to the temptation of working for the next promotion and to make her father proud. Still, when she discovered that her organization was participating in a greater evil than anything she had imagined, she decided that she would have to take them down from the inside.
The book is a bit slow at the beginning and a bit confusing as the character descriptions and ranks were all new. This has been noted by other reviewers. I think it would help to have the glossary at the beginning of the book or perhaps identify unknown terms and places in the text, but once you get used to the new data, it's an intriguing story of power structures. It asks questions such as can one person make a difference? Are the gods listening and do they care or have they left humans on their own? And who can be trusted? It's a fantastic beginning to what promises to be an original, epic tale.
I received a free copy from the author and have reviewed it willingly.
The book is a bit slow at the beginning and a bit confusing as the character descriptions and ranks were all new. This has been noted by other reviewers. I think it would help to have the glossary at the beginning of the book or perhaps identify unknown terms and places in the text, but once you get used to the new data, it's an intriguing story of power structures. It asks questions such as can one person make a difference? Are the gods listening and do they care or have they left humans on their own? And who can be trusted? It's a fantastic beginning to what promises to be an original, epic tale.
I received a free copy from the author and have reviewed it willingly.
inked_up_bookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I’m torn between a good review and a bad review on this book. 3.5 stars ⭐️
At first I was very confused where this story was going and what world I was in. However the MC is near perfection. Her strong will to do what is right but also doing what she can to figure her career until she can make it home to her daughter.
Had I seen the glossary bear the back I would probably have enjoyed this book throughly. There is a lack of the world building that most novels of the military/ religious genre tend to over do. I may continue onto the next book in the series but likely not right away.
At first I was very confused where this story was going and what world I was in. However the MC is near perfection. Her strong will to do what is right but also doing what she can to figure her career until she can make it home to her daughter.
Had I seen the glossary bear the back I would probably have enjoyed this book throughly. There is a lack of the world building that most novels of the military/ religious genre tend to over do. I may continue onto the next book in the series but likely not right away.
secre's review
5.0
The Renegade Within is a stunning little fantasy tale that packs an impressive punch for the page count and I was hooked and enthralled from beginning to end. Throwing you straight into the world with little fanfare or build-up, I can see why some reviewers were left a little confused to begin with. There are a lot of terms and references that are only explained and built up into a world that makes sense in later pages, leaving you grasping to begin with.
That didn't phase me as much as it did some reviewers though and by the time I was a few chapters in, I was immerged in this complex and fascinating world. There's an awful lot to love here with fantastically drawn and strong characters, a deep and interesting world and an action filled narrative that is fast paced, yet full of intrigue and suspense. I loved how Terese continually evaluates herself and her actions through the asides as she thinks about how she would explain what's going on to her daughter. There's quite a lot of journeying depicted in the book and yet this didn't slow the pace down at all.
All in all, this is a stunning fantasy debut that deserves a whole lot more hype than it seems to have received. It's a stunningly well written military fantasy following a narrative of deceit, secrets and corruption. I've immediately grapped the next one on Kindle Unlimited as I really need to see where it goes next!
That didn't phase me as much as it did some reviewers though and by the time I was a few chapters in, I was immerged in this complex and fascinating world. There's an awful lot to love here with fantastically drawn and strong characters, a deep and interesting world and an action filled narrative that is fast paced, yet full of intrigue and suspense. I loved how Terese continually evaluates herself and her actions through the asides as she thinks about how she would explain what's going on to her daughter. There's quite a lot of journeying depicted in the book and yet this didn't slow the pace down at all.
All in all, this is a stunning fantasy debut that deserves a whole lot more hype than it seems to have received. It's a stunningly well written military fantasy following a narrative of deceit, secrets and corruption. I've immediately grapped the next one on Kindle Unlimited as I really need to see where it goes next!
amac_reads's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this work - the concept was original and interesting and the characters were well-written. There were a lot of new concepts and words introduced quickly in the first few chapters, which was a little overwhelming at first, but it became easy to keep track of things as you got more into the book. I wish there had been a little more context for the world and its parameters early on (e.g. fantasy? post-apocalyptic? etc.) just to make it easier to sink into the story. There were some typos/errors throughout the work, but nothing major.
Overall a solid read with an awesome ending - I look forward to reading the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall a solid read with an awesome ending - I look forward to reading the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
amac_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this work - the concept was original and interesting and the characters were well-written. There were a lot of new concepts and words introduced quickly in the first few chapters, which was a little overwhelming at first, but it became easy to keep track of things as you got more into the book. I wish there had been a little more context for the world and its parameters early on (e.g. fantasy? post-apocalyptic? etc.) just to make it easier to sink into the story. There were some typos/errors throughout the work, but nothing major.
Overall a solid read with an awesome ending - I look forward to reading the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall a solid read with an awesome ending - I look forward to reading the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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