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mbishop's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aam923's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A little unpolished but a great read! It’s not my usual genre but I ate it up
djsteffen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vekling's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lpodyssey07's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sethryals's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
thejustinwestra's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m a big fan of Daniel Greene’s YouTube channel and I’ve been supportive of his writing journey. Breach of Peace and Rebel’s Creed had some issues with the prose, pacing, and characterization but they showed great potential. Neon Ghosts: A Witch’s Sin is Daniel’s latest book and I was super excited to get a signed copy from the Kickstarter campaign. The book follows Taya, an aspiring enforcer in a cyberpunk megastructure who is given a kidnapping assignment as her final case before she is licensed. As the case becomes more brutal and complicated, she gets involved with some supernatural forces.
First and foremost, Daniel’s prose has improved significantly. Right away I noticed how it was less clunky than his previous two books. I’m not too familiar with cyberpunk as a genre, but I thought Daniel did a great job with the worldbuilding. The megastructure seemed vibrant yet gritty and I liked how different each floor was. I really liked the supernatural elements, especially the vampires. The oppressed magical creatures trope was a big part of this book which isn’t my favorite because it usually doesn’t translate well to real marginalized groups. Daniel made it a point to distinguish the discrimination against vampires from other groups and I thought it was handled well for the most part. Taya was an excited protagonist to follow. She had aggressive and impulsive tendencies but a big heart buried under her trauma. Those aggressive and impulsive tendencies led her to some really great action sequences which is something Daniel has done well since his first book. Next to the action sequences, Taya’s reluctant friendship with Oscar was probably my favorite part of the book, and it brought some much needed levity to the story. She goes through a lot throughout the book and by the end it’s unclear if that’s for the best or worst. The mystery plot had me hooked up until the final hundred pages or so. After something happened to Taya and the magical elements became more prominent I found myself losing interest. With such a great setup I really wanted Daniel to stick the landing.
Overall, I think Daniel’s writing has improved quite a bit and I really enjoyed a majority of this book. The last hundred pages or so didn’t work for me but I would probably still read the sequel. I would give this book a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
First and foremost, Daniel’s prose has improved significantly. Right away I noticed how it was less clunky than his previous two books. I’m not too familiar with cyberpunk as a genre, but I thought Daniel did a great job with the worldbuilding. The megastructure seemed vibrant yet gritty and I liked how different each floor was. I really liked the supernatural elements, especially the vampires. The oppressed magical creatures trope was a big part of this book which isn’t my favorite because it usually doesn’t translate well to real marginalized groups. Daniel made it a point to distinguish the discrimination against vampires from other groups and I thought it was handled well for the most part. Taya was an excited protagonist to follow. She had aggressive and impulsive tendencies but a big heart buried under her trauma. Those aggressive and impulsive tendencies led her to some really great action sequences which is something Daniel has done well since his first book. Next to the action sequences, Taya’s reluctant friendship with Oscar was probably my favorite part of the book, and it brought some much needed levity to the story. She goes through a lot throughout the book and by the end it’s unclear if that’s for the best or worst. The mystery plot had me hooked up until the final hundred pages or so. After something happened to Taya and the magical elements became more prominent I found myself losing interest. With such a great setup I really wanted Daniel to stick the landing.
Overall, I think Daniel’s writing has improved quite a bit and I really enjoyed a majority of this book. The last hundred pages or so didn’t work for me but I would probably still read the sequel. I would give this book a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
ndmetal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
shells's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There is potential here. New spins on classic monsters in the forms of vampires, corrupt systems, religious zealotry, bad cops, personal demons, and witches, all with a futuristic "Silo" spin.
The constant stream of external and internal advertising is a nice touch and something we already see implemented in reality. We all know Google is listening when we talk.
The story is slow to start. We are given an introduction to this world and how it works. We are brought into the character's lives, to an extent. I feel like this portion could use some more work. A little more in-depth into each side character so we get a better feel for who they are and how they fit into the world and Taya's life.
Juno is a wasted character. While something tells me there's more to her than meets the eye, I would have liked to see her develop more as well as her relationship with Quinn and Taya. On the one hand, she seems to distrust and dislike Quinn, on the other hand, she's also sharing real coffee with him and hiding it from Taya.
Quinn was a questionable plot point and a one-dimensional character. His actions as a character within the story (taking care of Taya through her darkest times) did not make sense concerning the "revelation" of his character in the end. He fulfilled a trope by essentially throwing Taya to the wolves. He was the writer's patsy.
Oscar is also mostly window-dressing. He's the knight in shining armor when Taya's dull-colored crayon self gets her into trouble. He's an unwilling vampire, a tool of Jordan, and the character with the least development. I want more from a vampire. (Just no sparkling.)
I think through it all, Jordan is the most interesting character. Her motives are purely self-motivated and she will use anyone and anything to accomplish them. She's also the most honest of the lot, never fully revealing her cards but still letting those around her know that she has a plan and that she intends to use them to help her achieve her goals. The other characters choose what to do with this information.
I liked the character of Taya more as the book progressed. I can see where her demons affected her and her interaction with those around her. That being said, she's also not the brightest crayon in the box. Without her "wear," she would be complete shit at her enforcer job, and even with it, she's not so hot. She plays the damsel in distress more times than I can count. She is used by everyone around her and continues to allow it through the whole story. There is little growth for her as a character. Even Syd, the love of her life, used her in his end which created her trauma in the first place.
Stubbs got the rawest end of this whole deal.
There were times when shifts in story or dialogue left me wondering what had just occurred. I don't know if this is a result of bad editing or writing. And, speaking of bad editing, there are numerous errors in words within this book. A case of spellcheck choosing what it thinks is the right word when another is meant. (I never mean duck, autocorrect.)
As I said, potential. The latter half of the book develops better in terms of pacing and what little character development there is. I would like to read the second book and see more growth in the story, the setting, and the characters. As well as more thoughtful editing and proofing and attention to story flow.
The constant stream of external and internal advertising is a nice touch and something we already see implemented in reality. We all know Google is listening when we talk.
The story is slow to start. We are given an introduction to this world and how it works. We are brought into the character's lives, to an extent. I feel like this portion could use some more work. A little more in-depth into each side character so we get a better feel for who they are and how they fit into the world and Taya's life.
Juno is a wasted character. While something tells me there's more to her than meets the eye, I would have liked to see her develop more as well as her relationship with Quinn and Taya. On the one hand, she seems to distrust and dislike Quinn, on the other hand, she's also sharing real coffee with him and hiding it from Taya.
Quinn was a questionable plot point and a one-dimensional character. His actions as a character within the story (taking care of Taya through her darkest times) did not make sense concerning the "revelation" of his character in the end. He fulfilled a trope by essentially throwing Taya to the wolves. He was the writer's patsy.
Oscar is also mostly window-dressing. He's the knight in shining armor when Taya's dull-colored crayon self gets her into trouble. He's an unwilling vampire, a tool of Jordan, and the character with the least development. I want more from a vampire. (Just no sparkling.)
I think through it all, Jordan is the most interesting character. Her motives are purely self-motivated and she will use anyone and anything to accomplish them. She's also the most honest of the lot, never fully revealing her cards but still letting those around her know that she has a plan and that she intends to use them to help her achieve her goals. The other characters choose what to do with this information.
I liked the character of Taya more as the book progressed. I can see where her demons affected her and her interaction with those around her. That being said, she's also not the brightest crayon in the box. Without her "wear," she would be complete shit at her enforcer job, and even with it, she's not so hot. She plays the damsel in distress more times than I can count. She is used by everyone around her and continues to allow it through the whole story. There is little growth for her as a character. Even Syd, the love of her life, used her in his end which created her trauma in the first place.
Stubbs got the rawest end of this whole deal.
There were times when shifts in story or dialogue left me wondering what had just occurred. I don't know if this is a result of bad editing or writing. And, speaking of bad editing, there are numerous errors in words within this book. A case of spellcheck choosing what it thinks is the right word when another is meant. (I never mean duck, autocorrect.)
As I said, potential. The latter half of the book develops better in terms of pacing and what little character development there is. I would like to read the second book and see more growth in the story, the setting, and the characters. As well as more thoughtful editing and proofing and attention to story flow.
tabicatreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25