A Fantasy Series Book Review
By Diana Pharaoh Francis
Genre: Epic Fantasy, 16+
ISBN: 0451459911
Publisher: Roc (May 2, 2006)
Paperback: 464 pages
Read an Excerpt
Author's Blurb:
If Reisil cannot solve the riddle of the spell cast at Mysane Kosk, then Kodu Riik will be destroyed. Hunted by creatures and wizards, she travels to a strange land to learn the truth of her heritage and what she must do to save Mysane Kosk. But before it's all over, friends will die, and she will lose those who mean the most to her...Publisher's Blurb:
Chaos reigns in the realm of Kodu Riik. Plague continues to ravage its populace. Armies of the power-hungry Aare are on the march, slaughtering everything in their path to place a madman on the throne. And the rift between the kingdom and the land of Cemanahuatl yawns ever wider, threatening to consume both beneath waves of uncontrollable magic and destroy every living soul within them.This book probably had more surprises then the other two put together. There were things that I never saw coming and I liked the book better for them. Reisel continues to be a good anti-hero, growing and coming to terms with her status as a pawn of the gods. She does what she has too, but questions her actions afterwards. This for me is one of her more endearing qualities, just because she has unlimited powers to destroy, she never enjoys it. She might enjoy the rush of power but never the act itself. She also learns that destruction is not the ultimate answer. There is a reason why the Goddess chose a tark (healer) as her Chosen and that reason becomes more apparent as the story concludes.
Only Reisil possesses enough power to breach the spellbound city of Mysane Kosk and seal the fracture. Accompanied by her goshawk, Saljane, and her lover, Yohuac, Reisil must journey across a land besieged by war and fight for a domain torn asunder by sorceries beyond imagining....
What I did not like. The pacing was a bit uneven, rushing here, slowing down there. The PoV, by necessity, jumps around alot more, but is a bit disconcerting after reading the first two books that focus mainly on Reisel. The conclusion also did not seem to match the build up. While the conclusion was satisfying in that it ties everything up neatly, it felt rushed to me.
What I liked. As usual, I liked Reisel and to a lesser degree her goshawk, Saljane. I enjoyed the foray into an Aztec type world where Reisel has to learn the final form of magic that she will need to correct the problems that threaten both worlds. I do want to note that while I enjoyed the inclusion of this new world, I also felt that this was one of the book's major slow down points. It was also where some of those "surprises" I enjoyed so much took place. There were some instances of "poetic" justice that I thoroughly enjoyed, in a bloodthirsty sort of way. I cannot help it, I think that anybody who rapes, tortures and kills children deserves a grisly death.
Content wise, see the above reference. There is depravity, torture, murder, and betrayal. Uncomfortable at times but I still think it was not so overdone that an older teen cannot read it. There are also some romances, friendships, loyalty, and bravery to balance things out. The overall tone is dark and tragic but that just showcases the good parts where people struggle to do what they know is right against impossible odds and severe self-doubt. While not a great book, it is still a good read and a good first effort from Diana Francis. If you have a soft spot for animal companions, reluctant heroines, bad folks who get what they deserve and powerful magic you will likely enjoy this series. I see great potential here and I think that Diana Francis will only improve and grow, just as Reisel did in this series.
Other books in the series
Shelfari Rating 4/5 Librarything Rating 3.41/5 Amazon Rating 3+ out of 5 stars (10 Customer Reviews)  What Should I Read Next? | Kindle: No Ebook: No Buy Book: B&N - Powells - Abe Books Amazon: US  Canada UK |
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3 Visitor Comments:
I also read the previews of book 1 and 2. It seems book 3 is the highlight of the series. I think this is better than the other way round. In the meantime I checked my never ending book list (by the way a lovely document of 168 pages, not only books also comments) and yes I added the books long before I read your reviews. But now I know it was a good decision to add them.
It's nice to see someone doing good, balanced reviews.
Would you like to review my book: Tired of Death?
The first book in the series is free. The second one is usually $5 to download, but I'll send you it free if you do a review.
The first book: 'Tired of Death - Dungeon' can be found at www.TiredofDeath.com
Keep going with your blog, it's a good one.
Chinaren - My first instinct was to ignore your request but instead I am going to point out why that was my first instinct.
Firstly, it is not a complete series, I only review completed series on this blog.
Problem 2. You told me nothing about the book.
Problem 3. Near as I can tell from the sketchy info on your blog, it is some sort of comedy horror, I don't do horror, this is a fantasy review blog.
Problem 4. It is a PoD. How do I know this without researching it? Authors do not request reviews themselves otherwise. That is the publisher's job.
No offense to you, your book maybe wonderful, but 90% of PODs are really bad and a huge waste of my time.
Problem 5. Even if there were not all those other issues, I would refuse because you used a comment thread for your request, essentially using it as free advertising whether I review the book or not and forcing me to give you a public answer. I find this to be poor taste. I have dozens of ways listed to contact me and you chose not to use any of them.
So the short answer is no. But thanks for the kind words about my review!
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