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A review by fiction_gryphon
Sisters of the Perilous Heart by Sandra L. Vasher
2.0
I really wanted to like this book... truly I did. I'm not one to DNF a book, but this was a close call; I had a difficult time finishing it. Some elements of the story were interesting, but overall, it fell flat for me. The biggest issue I had was the pacing and the amount of characters you need to follow. Overall, if I had to describe the book in one word it would be: inconsistent. Sometimes the author sensors out swear words and the next chapter uses said curses. Sometimes characters behave in the way that they are described to do, but then completely turn their actions around in a way that doesn't make sense by the next page. We get glimpses into moments of the past that should have meaningful impact to the storyline, but they don't seem to connect any of the dots. We start out with a concept that is fresh and unique, but then they lapse into overplayed cliches.
There are so many points of view going on, and the story is constantly bouncing between present, past, textbook entries/mission logs, flashbacks and dream-like states. The textbook entries and past mission logs were particularly disconnected from the story and often left me feeling like I was jolted out of place before being thrown back in again, with more questions than answers. A lot of the information gleaned from these sections would have been better suited to explanation by characters in the present set of the story, and it may have helped things flow more smoothly.
The emblems at the top of each chapter help somewhat with differentiating where you are and with whom you're with, but again, the amount of characters was giving me whiplash. I had a hard time connecting to any of these characters because they seemed so disingenuous. The only character I truly liked by the end was Captain Brandon Thurlow, a royal guard that had a very minor role (at least to the extent of this installment).
I had a particularly hard time wrapping my brain around the time period/setting. We're on an alien planet, clearly far into human future, and yet one group resorts to using swords and bows with arrows while another has televisions, cars and guns? I just couldn't stay routed in the story because I didn't feel a definitive sense of space or time. I understand that this is only a first installment in a series, but there really wasn't any progression to the story line. We get one big revelation by the end of the book, but it still doesn't explain the majority of the book's events, and doesn't exactly entice me to come back for more in a second book.
I absolutely hate giving books negative reviews because all books, all writing, has purpose and value. The author independently published her work and put it out into the world and I wholeheartedly respect and admire that. It takes a lot of courage! Based on the other reviews I see here, there are plenty of others who enjoyed the story and that's awesome. I'm simply putting this out there in case any of the issues I described above bother any of you personally, as a reader, because then this one may not be for you.
There are so many points of view going on, and the story is constantly bouncing between present, past, textbook entries/mission logs, flashbacks and dream-like states. The textbook entries and past mission logs were particularly disconnected from the story and often left me feeling like I was jolted out of place before being thrown back in again, with more questions than answers. A lot of the information gleaned from these sections would have been better suited to explanation by characters in the present set of the story, and it may have helped things flow more smoothly.
The emblems at the top of each chapter help somewhat with differentiating where you are and with whom you're with, but again, the amount of characters was giving me whiplash. I had a hard time connecting to any of these characters because they seemed so disingenuous. The only character I truly liked by the end was Captain Brandon Thurlow, a royal guard that had a very minor role (at least to the extent of this installment).
I had a particularly hard time wrapping my brain around the time period/setting. We're on an alien planet, clearly far into human future, and yet one group resorts to using swords and bows with arrows while another has televisions, cars and guns? I just couldn't stay routed in the story because I didn't feel a definitive sense of space or time. I understand that this is only a first installment in a series, but there really wasn't any progression to the story line. We get one big revelation by the end of the book, but it still doesn't explain the majority of the book's events, and doesn't exactly entice me to come back for more in a second book.
I absolutely hate giving books negative reviews because all books, all writing, has purpose and value. The author independently published her work and put it out into the world and I wholeheartedly respect and admire that. It takes a lot of courage! Based on the other reviews I see here, there are plenty of others who enjoyed the story and that's awesome. I'm simply putting this out there in case any of the issues I described above bother any of you personally, as a reader, because then this one may not be for you.