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willrefuge's review against another edition
4.0
3.4 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/ship-of-smoke-and-steel-by-django-wexler-review/
Ship of Smoke and Steel is the latest offering from Django Wexler, a YA/Teen fantasy novel with adventure and romantic elements. A bit of a mashup, it involves some mystery, combat and suspense as well. Some of these it does very well, while others it fails at spectacularly. While I definitely enjoyed my time spent reading it, SoSaS wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as I would’ve thought after the first third. While hardly a slog, some sections were weighed down by clumsy, uneven pacing or slowed by the melding of two stories that just didnt fit.
But let’s get into it.
In the slums of Kahnzoka, 18-year-old Isoka once ran collections for a shadowy crime lord. One that may or may not have also been her. A Melos adept, she used her combat magics to cut her way through anyone or thing that opposed her. But when her secret was discovered, Isoka was snatched up by the Empire, and given an impossible choice. To steal a legendary ghost ship for the Empire—something that is almost surely a suicide mission—or to turn her back on the one person Isoka truly loves: her little sister, Tori.
Soliton is more myth than ship. It makes berth in Kahnzoka once a year, where the adepts and sensitives of the city are sacrificed to help swell its ranks. Isoka is one such sacrifice. Infiltrating the ship under the orders of the Empire, she’ll have one year to deliver them Soliton, or lose Tori forever. But the task is a daunting one. And as you may’ve guessed, it begins from the bottom.
Thrown in with a ragtag group of misfits, Isoka’s mission looks doomed from the start. But—as these misfits show their character (and Isoka nearly dies)—she soon comes upon an opportunity for advancement. One she can’t afford to pass up. But on a ship of magic users and sensitives, how can she tell friend from foe? And what else may be lurking, ready to pounce?
As an teen fantasy adventure, SoSaS impresses. I loved the new and mystical sights; the mysterious ship Soliton, the creatures onboard, the descriptions, the Vile Rot, the wonder and adventure and twists and turns. Isoka’s journey is a bleak and bloody one to be sure, but the vibrance of the world itself makes up for her heavy handed approach to life. Soliton doesn’t seem like a ship, encompassing vast swaths of mysterious and unexplored heights, depths, and decks. Truly a world in itself, the ship is a triumphant creation, pulled off by Wexler through what I suspect is a time-honed combination of skill and luck, tempered with a wild imagination.
The story itself is… good. It’’s a little lame at first, if I’m honest. Kahnzoka isn’t the best backdrop, and the initial plot of blackmail and an impossible task, then a ragtag group of misfits seemed a bit cut-and-paste. Once aboard Soliton, the story really takes off. While beneath it all, there’s still the rather unimaginative blackmail machination driving everything—the story of Soliton itself steals the show. Now, though the ending itself is a little less than spectacular, the journey there is well enough worth it.
The romance, however, is a complete dud. Unless an awkward, fumbling teen romance is a thing that people actually WANT to read about. Now, Isoka has no problems cavorting with the opposite sex. At least when screwing them. It’s the fairer sex that’s the root of her issues. Specifically, one certain princess. This is the focus of the book’s romance. And personally it makes me cringe. Not the same-sex attraction, but the way that it is rendered. It reminds me of a simpler, more awkward, complicated, adolescent time when everything was all puberty, puberty, PUBERTY. It certainly does NOT make for an entertaining read.
The magic and combat of SoSaS is where the action is. The Wells of Sorcery—eight of them, at least—make for an entertaining combination of combat and tactics. When these Wells are combined in a single person, the opportunities for different styles of attack are nearly endless. Here, Wexler has built an impressive arsenal of potential magical powers and techniques that is certainly worth a look. That said, I felt that it was undersold in the book. The story gives a brief overview of the Wells, but little detail is given to anything beyond Melos. I would’ve liked to see more depth from the magic, especially beyond mere combat. The Lost Well (Eddica, the Well of Spirits) is well featured in the mystery around Soliton, but not very well explained. Actually, this is about par—the other Wells are similarly underused, vague and ill explained. We’re left with just a basic understanding of the magic; little beyond how to kill things.
SoSaS doesn’t feature a cliffhanger or anything, but the ending is less than perfect. For days afterwards I felt too disappointed to start this review, preferring to put it off while I searched for any fulfillment the text had yet to offer. Without giving anything away, I’ll say that it’s abrupt. There’s little feeling of resolution—the story falling flat after such a great buildup. I’m still enthusiastic for the next one, just not excited. I want to read it and all, but it can wait.
TL;DR
Ship of Smoke and Steel is the latest addition to Wexler’s family, a Teen/YA novel that takes two different perspectives of a girl—Isoka—and attempts to weave them into a single story. The resulting adventure is fantastic. With flashy magic and brutal combat that helps support a lush and vibrant world aboard the mysterious Soliton, which is more continent than ship. The story of one girl’s quest to save her sister, at whatever cost. The resulting love-story doesn’t work. With cringe-worthy scenes that disrupt pacing, will-they won’t-they moments abound—as Isoka travels the length of the world to find love. I suppose it IS a teen novel, and nothing screams puberty more than this romance. Combined, the two tales make one halfway decent story, just don’t expect too much. The conclusion, as well, could’ve used an overhaul. I left SoSaS feeling unfulfilled, even disappointed, as Wexler usually does a better job at resolution. While Ship of Smoke and Steel is well worth a look as a fantasy adventure, it’s worth little as a well-rounded tale. There’s action, combat, adventure, mystery and suspense, but anything beyond the hitting of things is rather lackluster. As is the magic itself. Full of color and flair, the Wells are skirted over—no real detail, nothing in-depth, and little seen other than with Melos itself.
The short of it: Ship of Smoke and Steel underwhelmed me. I definitely enjoyed the adventure—and would recommend the book for that alone—but a well-rounded fantasy it is not. While I am looking forward to the sequel, I honestly expect more from it.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/ship-of-smoke-and-steel-by-django-wexler-review/
Ship of Smoke and Steel is the latest offering from Django Wexler, a YA/Teen fantasy novel with adventure and romantic elements. A bit of a mashup, it involves some mystery, combat and suspense as well. Some of these it does very well, while others it fails at spectacularly. While I definitely enjoyed my time spent reading it, SoSaS wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as I would’ve thought after the first third. While hardly a slog, some sections were weighed down by clumsy, uneven pacing or slowed by the melding of two stories that just didnt fit.
But let’s get into it.
In the slums of Kahnzoka, 18-year-old Isoka once ran collections for a shadowy crime lord. One that may or may not have also been her. A Melos adept, she used her combat magics to cut her way through anyone or thing that opposed her. But when her secret was discovered, Isoka was snatched up by the Empire, and given an impossible choice. To steal a legendary ghost ship for the Empire—something that is almost surely a suicide mission—or to turn her back on the one person Isoka truly loves: her little sister, Tori.
Soliton is more myth than ship. It makes berth in Kahnzoka once a year, where the adepts and sensitives of the city are sacrificed to help swell its ranks. Isoka is one such sacrifice. Infiltrating the ship under the orders of the Empire, she’ll have one year to deliver them Soliton, or lose Tori forever. But the task is a daunting one. And as you may’ve guessed, it begins from the bottom.
Thrown in with a ragtag group of misfits, Isoka’s mission looks doomed from the start. But—as these misfits show their character (and Isoka nearly dies)—she soon comes upon an opportunity for advancement. One she can’t afford to pass up. But on a ship of magic users and sensitives, how can she tell friend from foe? And what else may be lurking, ready to pounce?
As an teen fantasy adventure, SoSaS impresses. I loved the new and mystical sights; the mysterious ship Soliton, the creatures onboard, the descriptions, the Vile Rot, the wonder and adventure and twists and turns. Isoka’s journey is a bleak and bloody one to be sure, but the vibrance of the world itself makes up for her heavy handed approach to life. Soliton doesn’t seem like a ship, encompassing vast swaths of mysterious and unexplored heights, depths, and decks. Truly a world in itself, the ship is a triumphant creation, pulled off by Wexler through what I suspect is a time-honed combination of skill and luck, tempered with a wild imagination.
The story itself is… good. It’’s a little lame at first, if I’m honest. Kahnzoka isn’t the best backdrop, and the initial plot of blackmail and an impossible task, then a ragtag group of misfits seemed a bit cut-and-paste. Once aboard Soliton, the story really takes off. While beneath it all, there’s still the rather unimaginative blackmail machination driving everything—the story of Soliton itself steals the show. Now, though the ending itself is a little less than spectacular, the journey there is well enough worth it.
The romance, however, is a complete dud. Unless an awkward, fumbling teen romance is a thing that people actually WANT to read about. Now, Isoka has no problems cavorting with the opposite sex. At least when screwing them. It’s the fairer sex that’s the root of her issues. Specifically, one certain princess. This is the focus of the book’s romance. And personally it makes me cringe. Not the same-sex attraction, but the way that it is rendered. It reminds me of a simpler, more awkward, complicated, adolescent time when everything was all puberty, puberty, PUBERTY. It certainly does NOT make for an entertaining read.
The magic and combat of SoSaS is where the action is. The Wells of Sorcery—eight of them, at least—make for an entertaining combination of combat and tactics. When these Wells are combined in a single person, the opportunities for different styles of attack are nearly endless. Here, Wexler has built an impressive arsenal of potential magical powers and techniques that is certainly worth a look. That said, I felt that it was undersold in the book. The story gives a brief overview of the Wells, but little detail is given to anything beyond Melos. I would’ve liked to see more depth from the magic, especially beyond mere combat. The Lost Well (Eddica, the Well of Spirits) is well featured in the mystery around Soliton, but not very well explained. Actually, this is about par—the other Wells are similarly underused, vague and ill explained. We’re left with just a basic understanding of the magic; little beyond how to kill things.
SoSaS doesn’t feature a cliffhanger or anything, but the ending is less than perfect. For days afterwards I felt too disappointed to start this review, preferring to put it off while I searched for any fulfillment the text had yet to offer. Without giving anything away, I’ll say that it’s abrupt. There’s little feeling of resolution—the story falling flat after such a great buildup. I’m still enthusiastic for the next one, just not excited. I want to read it and all, but it can wait.
TL;DR
Ship of Smoke and Steel is the latest addition to Wexler’s family, a Teen/YA novel that takes two different perspectives of a girl—Isoka—and attempts to weave them into a single story. The resulting adventure is fantastic. With flashy magic and brutal combat that helps support a lush and vibrant world aboard the mysterious Soliton, which is more continent than ship. The story of one girl’s quest to save her sister, at whatever cost. The resulting love-story doesn’t work. With cringe-worthy scenes that disrupt pacing, will-they won’t-they moments abound—as Isoka travels the length of the world to find love. I suppose it IS a teen novel, and nothing screams puberty more than this romance. Combined, the two tales make one halfway decent story, just don’t expect too much. The conclusion, as well, could’ve used an overhaul. I left SoSaS feeling unfulfilled, even disappointed, as Wexler usually does a better job at resolution. While Ship of Smoke and Steel is well worth a look as a fantasy adventure, it’s worth little as a well-rounded tale. There’s action, combat, adventure, mystery and suspense, but anything beyond the hitting of things is rather lackluster. As is the magic itself. Full of color and flair, the Wells are skirted over—no real detail, nothing in-depth, and little seen other than with Melos itself.
The short of it: Ship of Smoke and Steel underwhelmed me. I definitely enjoyed the adventure—and would recommend the book for that alone—but a well-rounded fantasy it is not. While I am looking forward to the sequel, I honestly expect more from it.
crimsoncor's review
5.0
So I loved this book. Found Isoka to be a great main character. yeah, she's super broken at the start of the book. Considering her life up until that point, it checks out. But she's also loyal and honorable, and capable of growth when put into a different environment. Her character arc is really well done. Also just generally love Isoka/Meroe. . I found the rot/rut replacement for shit/fuck to be a bit immersion breaking, but I also get it. This is an American YA novel; the country where to get a PG-13 rating you can brutally kill as many people as you want, but can only say fuck one.
As with his other series, the world-building always feels immersive and well-defined. Societies have different defaults but aren't monolithic. The political organizations make sense.
Spoiler
A lot of complaints in reviews about the characters and queerness. I guess my take is that Isoka has never been exposed to open queer relationships. Her shock at seeing queer PDA doesn't read as disgust but shock to me. She's also never had a close relationship in her life, except with her sister (which is a super fucked relationship, something that Tori acknowledges a lot in the second book). And her entire society is, on the surface, super heteronormative. Completely natural that she would never considered a female romantic partner until her life is completely up-ended and all her norms rendered irrelevant. Also, how could you not love Meroe? As someone married to an insanely competent woman, that shit is super sexyAs with his other series, the world-building always feels immersive and well-defined. Societies have different defaults but aren't monolithic. The political organizations make sense.
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
4.0
4.5/5
I really enjoyed this book. The plot made me want to just turn every page and the action scenes were great. Not to mention the characters felt really well done and I can’t wait to read the next part of the story.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot made me want to just turn every page and the action scenes were great. Not to mention the characters felt really well done and I can’t wait to read the next part of the story.
insimniac's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
cupiscent's review against another edition
I'm not vibing with it. Which I'm sad about, because Wexler writes fantastic characters, and solid action, and has done really well here in blending quick-pace YA fantasy with exploration of an intricate and fascinating world. But things are tending a little too superpowers for me (something that Wexler clearly loves, given his other works, but that leaves me pretty cold) and I'm not digging the ghostship setting (I was far more into the opening urban setting). So this isn't at all bad, it's just not for me right now.
mattleestew's review
3.0
I'll start by saying that I really enjoyed this book. You might be asking why only 3 stars then?
I had to take away a star for the incredibly bad/out of place romance. I found myself rolling my eyes multiple times because it just didn't feel like it fit where it was added and how it was put into the story. Not all people might feel the same way about the romance in this book as I do, but looking at some of the other reviews, it seems that at least I'm not the only one who thought this. It would have been a 4 star review easily otherwise.
Even with this one thing that rather bugged me through the story (I tried to ignore them for the most part because I personally think the story is better without them), I still think it's worthwhile to read and will be reading the other books in the series when they come out.
I had to take away a star for the incredibly bad/out of place romance. I found myself rolling my eyes multiple times because it just didn't feel like it fit where it was added and how it was put into the story. Not all people might feel the same way about the romance in this book as I do, but looking at some of the other reviews, it seems that at least I'm not the only one who thought this. It would have been a 4 star review easily otherwise.
Even with this one thing that rather bugged me through the story (I tried to ignore them for the most part because I personally think the story is better without them), I still think it's worthwhile to read and will be reading the other books in the series when they come out.
jasonabbott's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
amybraunauthor's review
5.0
This book was insane. I'm still processing everything about it, and I have to say... WOW. I was a huge fan of Django Wexler's SHADOW CAMPAIGN novels, so I was looking forward to action, adventure, and great characters, all of whom are diverse and many of whom are part of the LGBT community, including the bisexual main character! I got all of those things... I just didn't expect them to be so brutal.
Make no mistake: this is not for the faint of heart. There is violence and gore abound, and while there's no explicit sex scenes, you better believe they are heavily implied. And this is all before we get to a whole host of betrayals, secret agendas, twists, and battles.
All of these and more are done by the main character, Isoka. Oh man... talk about a force to be reckoned with. I can't exactly say she's "good." With one or two exceptions, there are no good guys in this story (another big shocker for me!). But she is definitely memorable in her tenacity, determination, grit, and ruthless battle skills. I found the side characters and villain to be fun and exciting, but the main standouts next to Isoka were of course Meroe, who I just want to bundle up and protect forever, and Zarun, who was born to cause trouble. They are an eclectic cast of misfits in an unfair and harsh world.
Speaking of the world... I have no words. Not only is the primary setting unique and adds to the adventure, but the magic system is wholly unique to the fantasy genre. It adds to an awesome twist near the end, and I honestly cannot wait to find out more about it.
I want this book to succeed. It's so much fun, exciting, and unique. It deserves to be experienced and enjoyed by all fans of dark fantasy, strong, LGBT characters, and high seas adventure. If you love the NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLES, this is the book for you. Heck, even if you don't, you need to pick this one up anyway! Seriously, do not skip this adventure!
Make no mistake: this is not for the faint of heart. There is violence and gore abound, and while there's no explicit sex scenes, you better believe they are heavily implied. And this is all before we get to a whole host of betrayals, secret agendas, twists, and battles.
All of these and more are done by the main character, Isoka. Oh man... talk about a force to be reckoned with. I can't exactly say she's "good." With one or two exceptions, there are no good guys in this story (another big shocker for me!). But she is definitely memorable in her tenacity, determination, grit, and ruthless battle skills. I found the side characters and villain to be fun and exciting, but the main standouts next to Isoka were of course Meroe, who I just want to bundle up and protect forever, and Zarun, who was born to cause trouble. They are an eclectic cast of misfits in an unfair and harsh world.
Speaking of the world... I have no words. Not only is the primary setting unique and adds to the adventure, but the magic system is wholly unique to the fantasy genre. It adds to an awesome twist near the end, and I honestly cannot wait to find out more about it.
I want this book to succeed. It's so much fun, exciting, and unique. It deserves to be experienced and enjoyed by all fans of dark fantasy, strong, LGBT characters, and high seas adventure. If you love the NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLES, this is the book for you. Heck, even if you don't, you need to pick this one up anyway! Seriously, do not skip this adventure!
read_with_blondie's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cyfox's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0