Reviews for Right of Succession
Rating average: 4.3 Stars
Very good reading. (5 Stars)
I'm only a couple of chapters into the book, but it's definitely a well-written novel. This lady has the skills to become another Robin Hobb or Anne McCaffrey.
Excellent substantial indie fantasy-get yours today! (4 Stars)
I'm not a big reader of fantasy; I read the old masters like Tolkien and Lewis and Williams and the like when I was younger but it really isn't my preferred reading. Occasionally I've bought books by people like Stephen Lawhead, who is pretty good, and then I've bought a number of indie-works that have just been dreadful. I haven't been able to get on the GRRM bandwagon, just not my thing.
Right of Succession is very different from what I'm used to. I'm only passingly familiar with Anne McCaffrey's work, but as another reviewer noted, this is in proximity to that as far as short-cut comparisons go. I think ROS stands quite well on its own, and deserves recognition.
I'm going to try to not be spoiler-heavy in my review, but the basic premise is this that the story is set in the distant future, where a human colony-ship landed on an alien world and its crew (and their descendants) have intermingled with the native peoples (and dragons) of that world for hundreds of years by the time the story itself takes place. So what we find is an interesting mix of late-medieval technology and social norms (down to the monarchy) with modern and futuristic technology and knowledge. It was a little confusing at times for me, but again, this isn't my usual cup of tea.
Without going deeper into the plot itself, rehashing the synopsis, or otherwise spoiling the thing, I'll tell you what I liked about it:
Solid characters. They are all, in their own ways believable and sympathetic (or despicable, as in the case of Ralic). I think I liked the king best of all--though the Yekarans themselves were particularly interesting. As it is a fantasy story, and involves royal families and their interactions, there are a lot of names of which to keep track. I did get a little confused as to whom was whom early on, but I think that had more to do with the environment in which I was reading than anything else. (Set and setting is important!) It's a very character-driven story, and the author did well in creating balanced characters.
Entertaining plot. Oh, it's pretty dark stuff, but it's interesting. It is kind of a slow build at first, but once it really gets going, the author executes what she set out to do very well. There are a few really great twists, and by the last 25% of the book, I was wondering just how in blazes there would be enough pages left to contain everything! (The ending, thankfully, is not a cliffhanger, but it leaves you looking forward to the next in the series.)
Action. The best part is the action sequences. I mean, I'm a sucker for a good fight. Many authors don't pull fighting off very well (I'll admit to being envious of the author's skill in this department), but the sparring and battle scenes are top-notch: if you've half a functioning imagination, you can see them clear as day in your mind's eye. In fact, I think my only complaint about the book is the same as the one a famed Southern rock'n'roll singer once had in his eponymous hit song: "a little less conversation//a little more action please."
The content of the book is generally suited for anyone who likes fantasy or speculative fiction. It is not a children's book, but it would be appropriate for an advanced younger reader with a developed vocabulary. It does not contain the language or debauchery that is so common within the genre today, which seems almost a daring move. Even the praiseworthy combat is not excessively graphic. But even though the book is "clean," it isn't sterile, the strength of the writing, the characters, and the plot give it an amount of substance I've not often seen in my occasional forays into fantasy/speculative fiction over the years.
It's an easy four stars. I highly recommend picking up and reading a copy, and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
Right of Succession is very different from what I'm used to. I'm only passingly familiar with Anne McCaffrey's work, but as another reviewer noted, this is in proximity to that as far as short-cut comparisons go. I think ROS stands quite well on its own, and deserves recognition.
I'm going to try to not be spoiler-heavy in my review, but the basic premise is this that the story is set in the distant future, where a human colony-ship landed on an alien world and its crew (and their descendants) have intermingled with the native peoples (and dragons) of that world for hundreds of years by the time the story itself takes place. So what we find is an interesting mix of late-medieval technology and social norms (down to the monarchy) with modern and futuristic technology and knowledge. It was a little confusing at times for me, but again, this isn't my usual cup of tea.
Without going deeper into the plot itself, rehashing the synopsis, or otherwise spoiling the thing, I'll tell you what I liked about it:
Solid characters. They are all, in their own ways believable and sympathetic (or despicable, as in the case of Ralic). I think I liked the king best of all--though the Yekarans themselves were particularly interesting. As it is a fantasy story, and involves royal families and their interactions, there are a lot of names of which to keep track. I did get a little confused as to whom was whom early on, but I think that had more to do with the environment in which I was reading than anything else. (Set and setting is important!) It's a very character-driven story, and the author did well in creating balanced characters.
Entertaining plot. Oh, it's pretty dark stuff, but it's interesting. It is kind of a slow build at first, but once it really gets going, the author executes what she set out to do very well. There are a few really great twists, and by the last 25% of the book, I was wondering just how in blazes there would be enough pages left to contain everything! (The ending, thankfully, is not a cliffhanger, but it leaves you looking forward to the next in the series.)
Action. The best part is the action sequences. I mean, I'm a sucker for a good fight. Many authors don't pull fighting off very well (I'll admit to being envious of the author's skill in this department), but the sparring and battle scenes are top-notch: if you've half a functioning imagination, you can see them clear as day in your mind's eye. In fact, I think my only complaint about the book is the same as the one a famed Southern rock'n'roll singer once had in his eponymous hit song: "a little less conversation//a little more action please."
The content of the book is generally suited for anyone who likes fantasy or speculative fiction. It is not a children's book, but it would be appropriate for an advanced younger reader with a developed vocabulary. It does not contain the language or debauchery that is so common within the genre today, which seems almost a daring move. Even the praiseworthy combat is not excessively graphic. But even though the book is "clean," it isn't sterile, the strength of the writing, the characters, and the plot give it an amount of substance I've not often seen in my occasional forays into fantasy/speculative fiction over the years.
It's an easy four stars. I highly recommend picking up and reading a copy, and I look forward to reading the next in the series!
Dragons and science and mutants, oh my! (4 Stars)
I had the opportunity to read the first half of an early draft of this story, but that experience pales when compared to reading the story in full! It's an exciting, well-paced story, packed with action and imaginative details. The setting is original and solidly constructed, with surprising depths beneath the trappings of standard fantasy, treading the narrow path between magic and hard-sf with real panache. I'd recommend it particularly to Christian sf/fantasy fans - faith is an important background element - but it's well handled and shouldn't put off the more secular reader. The characters come across as real individuals, always well-motivated in their actions. They're all a delight to read and cheer on, whether they're acting heroically, domestically, or even villainously chewing the scenery!
This is such a fun story! Go read it now!
This is such a fun story! Go read it now!
