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A review by bekyaaa
The House of Eldermorn by D.A. Pascal, D.A. Pascal
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
*ARC REVIEW* *bit of a spoiler review* *long review ahead*
final rating: 3.5 ⭐
I usually don't gravitate towards fantasy books whose political undertones centers around power struggles similar to GOT but in all fairness this book intrigued me! but i will say that the epic adventures and fantasy elements were more interesting to follow (but that's just my preference since i lean towards more on fantasy and i am an LOTR gurlie for life)
what i liked:
- the elves and magus (+ dragons, elks, sorcery) storyline was so gripping and captivating (i need more of it! i'm looking forward to what's in store in the sequel i hope there's more context with regards to their buried and rewritten history)
- the religious undertones!! and the commentary on power dynamics between the church, the people, and royalty (fuck the rich damn right)
- the pacing was adequate as well
- some of the characters:
• kiem (his pov screams juvenile, naive, ambitious, and flawed, which i find highly appropriate for his characterization; looking forward to reading more of his epic adventures and further character development);
• indira (liked reading her pov and subplot!);
• master elf (author i will not forgive you for this huhu);
• sam bolt (oddly enough hahaha i think it's because i understand why he thinks like that even though i don't agree with it; i liked his characterization)
• boyce ronan (again oddly enough hahah i do like it when antagonists have clear motives and justifiable as well although the methods are unethical lol but i support his agenda cos screw eldermorns lmao HAHAHA)
what i didn't like:
- i do understand that with stories with power struggles and epic fantasies there are definitely many characters but with the way they were written i find myself indifferent with some of the main characters that are especially involved in said political struggle (since they're in first POV + having around 2-3 multi-character POVs per chapter = being in so many heads really messed up with my psyche a bit haha) i would have appreciated them more if it was written in 3rd person POV? or if it's just one character POV per chapter (i do understand that the author has many plotlines to fit in the first book to establish the groundwork of the series but it really did affected my reading experience)
- kudos to the author for the attempt to write a multi-character pov but i do feel that it is not as effective as they wanted it to be. i find that most of the characters have just one voice and is lacking individuality with their respective POVs which made it difficult for me to distinguish the characters and had trouble remembering important details.
- there's a lot of telling and not enough showing. definitely filled with characters telling the exposition to further progress the story. it is straightforward and cuts right to the chase (i know there are readers who would actually prefer this type of writing style and i do sometimes appreciate this but it is just my preference that i would have liked the writing to be more atmospheric and give the reader more room to imagine and figure out things for themselves rather than blatantly presenting information and handing them over on a silver platter). there's also a lot of linear storytelling where the character did this then did that then went to this and talked to this person etcetera. the prose gets a tad bit repetitive and makes me forget a lot of necessary information. it also makes me detached with some of the characters. (im just particular with these kinds of things)
- the modern vernacular (it's not that i do not like it btw because the author's purpose for this is to make it accessible for beginner fantasy readers BUT again it's not entirely my cup of tea as the story progressed since it is set in sort of a medieval time period zz there were some moments and lines that took me out of the story; i will say though that it's not as glaringly gen z as that other popular problematic dragon book ehem im merely just pointing this out for readers who are particular with this kind of writing style)
- some of the resolution for the main characters i.e. lexander eldermorn (i was beginning to want him to have a redemption arc BUT FNKSJDNFSJFS WHY), master elf (i liked his characterization for the most part but his last chapters were a complete 180 turn and it is as if his wittiness vanished and then HIS NFDLJSNFLSDK WHYYYY HUHU), talus eldermorn (i just realized that he was the one in the prelude and i would have liked that he was shown more throughout the story rather than reducing him to the outcast brother archetype)
anyways, this was supposed to be put out earlier as it is an arc review but life happened so it took me a while to finish this, nonetheless the story started to become interesting by the 30% mark and it continued to be intriguing and fast paced from then on. i especially enjoyed the last few chapters (well as one can enjoy a story filled with power struggles, murder and treason haha) which left me curious to see what's happens next! (agh that last chapter hehe im seated)
again, thank you author for giving me the opportunity to read your story in advanced in exchange for my honest review :) and congratulations on your debut! it is not easy to create a complicated storyline like this so kudos to you :)
final rating: 3.5 ⭐
I usually don't gravitate towards fantasy books whose political undertones centers around power struggles similar to GOT but in all fairness this book intrigued me! but i will say that the epic adventures and fantasy elements were more interesting to follow (but that's just my preference since i lean towards more on fantasy and i am an LOTR gurlie for life)
what i liked:
- the elves and magus (+ dragons, elks, sorcery) storyline was so gripping and captivating (i need more of it! i'm looking forward to what's in store in the sequel i hope there's more context with regards to their buried and rewritten history)
- the religious undertones!! and the commentary on power dynamics between the church, the people, and royalty (fuck the rich damn right)
- the pacing was adequate as well
- some of the characters:
• kiem (his pov screams juvenile, naive, ambitious, and flawed, which i find highly appropriate for his characterization; looking forward to reading more of his epic adventures and further character development);
• indira (liked reading her pov and subplot!);
• master elf (author i will not forgive you for this huhu);
• sam bolt (oddly enough hahaha i think it's because i understand why he thinks like that even though i don't agree with it; i liked his characterization)
• boyce ronan (again oddly enough hahah i do like it when antagonists have clear motives and justifiable as well although the methods are unethical lol but i support his agenda cos screw eldermorns lmao HAHAHA)
what i didn't like:
- i do understand that with stories with power struggles and epic fantasies there are definitely many characters but with the way they were written i find myself indifferent with some of the main characters that are especially involved in said political struggle (since they're in first POV + having around 2-3 multi-character POVs per chapter = being in so many heads really messed up with my psyche a bit haha) i would have appreciated them more if it was written in 3rd person POV? or if it's just one character POV per chapter (i do understand that the author has many plotlines to fit in the first book to establish the groundwork of the series but it really did affected my reading experience)
- kudos to the author for the attempt to write a multi-character pov but i do feel that it is not as effective as they wanted it to be. i find that most of the characters have just one voice and is lacking individuality with their respective POVs which made it difficult for me to distinguish the characters and had trouble remembering important details.
- there's a lot of telling and not enough showing. definitely filled with characters telling the exposition to further progress the story. it is straightforward and cuts right to the chase (i know there are readers who would actually prefer this type of writing style and i do sometimes appreciate this but it is just my preference that i would have liked the writing to be more atmospheric and give the reader more room to imagine and figure out things for themselves rather than blatantly presenting information and handing them over on a silver platter). there's also a lot of linear storytelling where the character did this then did that then went to this and talked to this person etcetera. the prose gets a tad bit repetitive and makes me forget a lot of necessary information. it also makes me detached with some of the characters. (im just particular with these kinds of things)
- the modern vernacular (it's not that i do not like it btw because the author's purpose for this is to make it accessible for beginner fantasy readers BUT again it's not entirely my cup of tea as the story progressed since it is set in sort of a medieval time period zz there were some moments and lines that took me out of the story; i will say though that it's not as glaringly gen z as that other popular problematic dragon book ehem im merely just pointing this out for readers who are particular with this kind of writing style)
- some of the resolution for the main characters i.e. lexander eldermorn (i was beginning to want him to have a redemption arc BUT FNKSJDNFSJFS WHY), master elf (i liked his characterization for the most part but his last chapters were a complete 180 turn and it is as if his wittiness vanished and then HIS NFDLJSNFLSDK WHYYYY HUHU), talus eldermorn (i just realized that he was the one in the prelude and i would have liked that he was shown more throughout the story rather than reducing him to the outcast brother archetype)
anyways, this was supposed to be put out earlier as it is an arc review but life happened so it took me a while to finish this, nonetheless the story started to become interesting by the 30% mark and it continued to be intriguing and fast paced from then on. i especially enjoyed the last few chapters (well as one can enjoy a story filled with power struggles, murder and treason haha) which left me curious to see what's happens next! (agh that last chapter hehe im seated)
again, thank you author for giving me the opportunity to read your story in advanced in exchange for my honest review :) and congratulations on your debut! it is not easy to create a complicated storyline like this so kudos to you :)