Tag: fantasy books

Book Review: White Sand Graphic Novels (Vol. 1 – 3) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Graphic Novel
Length: 460 pages (total)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A brand new saga of magic and adventure by #1 New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson.

On the planet of Taldain, the legendary Sand Masters harness arcane powers to manipulate sand in spectacular ways. But when they are slaughtered in a sinister conspiracy, the weakest of their number, Kenton, believes himself to be the only survivor. With enemies closing in on all sides, Kenton forges an unlikely partnership with Khriss — a mysterious Darksider who hides secrets of her own.

White Sand brings to life a crucial, unpublished part of Brandon Sanderson’s sprawling Cosmere universe. The story has been adapted by Rik Hoskin (Mercy Thompson), with art by Julius Gopez and colors by Ross Campbell. Employing powerful imagery and Sanderson’s celebrated approach to magical systems, White Sand is a spectacular new saga for lovers of fantasy and adventure.

I LIKED THEM.

This is a non spoiler review of the series as a whole.

I’m on a quest to read all of Sanderson’s back list/less common books and it was time to read his graphic novels! I thought the sand magic system was super cool and the inklings of the world building aspects were great too. In a graphic novel system it doesn’t have the same big style that Sanderson’s novels typical has, but I understood the framework enough to still like them.

The characters were pretty interesting too. Occasionally a bit jilted in conversations and such, but there was some good arcs and people I enjoyed seeing. I tend to think of always needing something more from a short book and that was basically the case here. The plot was good, kept me mostly engaged and I did read all of these in an evening so that’s something.

Not upset I read them, but also not a priority type of read either.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Graphic Novels
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: high (and graphically depicted with blood)
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mass loss of life, loss of loved ones, assassination attempts, murder, physical and magical altercations, creature attacks and hunting

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Book Review: A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Author: Sajni Patel
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Release Date: January 16th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Circe goes YA in this unapologetically feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology, a YA epic fantasy addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine.

Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.

Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.

When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting his freedom.

Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.

Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”

DESERVES MORE ATTENTION.

Ahhhhh, this was so good and I need more people to read this please!!!

If you love:
– Medusa retellings
– A fierce heroine
– Indian mythology
– Feminist rage
– A soft monster slayer MMC

Then this might be for you. Oh my gosh I was committed very early on and did not want to stop listening to this book. I loved the combination of all the things I mentioned above and how they wove together to create this story. It is a hard read and a needed read. I loved the resilience of Manisha. Her strength and quest for vengeance and finding her family again leads her to help many and know her power too.

And Pratyush?? I LOVED HIM. He made me totally roll with the insta-love because that man fell hard. And the way he handled multiple situations had me falling in love with him myself. I loved seeing Pratyush and Manisha’s paths align and realize that they are on the same side.

This felt like a closed story line, yet maybe open to more of the world? I’m not quite sure. I was satisfied where this ended, but would absolutely read another book in this series. It was empowering and thought provoking and tackled many issues in a way that captured my heart.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: rape discussed throughout (and on page, brief and not explicit but you do know what is happening), blood and gore, body horror and mutilation

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Book Review: The Path of Daggers (The Wheel of Time #8) by Robert Jordan

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 685 pages
Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 20th, 1998
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Seanchan invasion force is in possession of Ebou Dar. Nynaeve, Elayne, and Aviendha head for Caemlyn and Elayne’s rightful throne, but on the way they discover an enemy much worse than the Seanchan.

In Illian, Rand vows to throw the Seanchan back as he did once before. But signs of madness are appearing among the Asha’man.

In Ghealdan, Perrin faces the intrigues of Whitecloaks, Seanchan invaders, the scattered Shaido Aiel, and the Prophet himself. Perrin’s beloved wife, Faile, may pay with her life, and Perrin himself may have to destroy his soul to save her.

Meanwhile the rebel Aes Sedai under their young Amyrlin, Egwene al’Vere, face an army that intends to keep them away from the White Tower. But Egwene is determined to unseat the usurper Elaida and reunite the Aes Sedai. She does not yet understand the price that others—and she herself—will pay.

BARELY SURVIVED.

I don’t really have a lot to say for this one, so it’ll be short and not that sweet.

I’ve heard that these middle books are a slog and that’s how I feel each time. How many more do I have to go?! This felt really rambling and not all that memorable. I spent a lot of time wondering where Rand was and what he was up too. I wish there was a better balance of character points of view. The random ones + the regular main characters + everything else just gets overly complicated FAST.

Character development was low, not much happened and I am ready to move on to the next book. Thank goodness for audiobooks I can speed up.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: Closed door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: Fate Breaker (Realm Breaker #3) by Victoria Aveyard

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 625 pages
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 27th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A dark fate descends. A shattered alliance must rise.

The Companions are torn apart and the realm hangs in the balance, at the edge of ruin. Taristan and Queen Erida rise triumphant from the battlefield, while Corayne barely escapes with her life; her Companions left behind to uncertain fates.

But not all hope was lost: Corayne managed to steal Taristan’s Spindleblade. Without it, Taristan can’t rip open any more Spindles. Without it, he can’t end the world.

Now, from every corner of the realm, the Companions race to reunite while they rally old allies and seek unexpected new ones, in one final push against darkness.

But Taristan and Erida are all but invincible. With their cruel god, What Waits, on their side, they will sacrifice anything and anyone to his hunger.

Everything has come to this. In the final clash between good and evil, a ragged alliance makes its bravest stand against a ruthless enemy . . . and the demon god who would consume the realm entire.

GREAT CONCLUSION.

This review won’t be terribly long because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, but I am here to say this was much better than the Red Queen series (of which I DNF after the third book and raged when someone told me what happened in the fourth). THIS SERIES ENDS BETTER.

And for all my low romance lovers, this is a great series to pick up. There’s some, but it’s very much a sub plot and doesn’t overwhelm the big plot happenings. This had those high fantasy vibes while being a young adult aged (and appropriate) read.

I found the final moments to wrap up where things needed to be. I had some concerns about a certain pairing and thought that where the ended up made a lot of sense and felt satisfying.

Many will find these books slow, so I highly recommend the audio (I listened to all three of them) to make things move a little faster.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate-high

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