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willjacks's review against another edition
2.0
A great idea/concept. Some incredible thought as to the universe and all its workings. Some interesting characters and shining examples of character dialogue which you look forward to reading.
However, the book falls short by way of pacing and structure. The exposition, set ups/payoffs and narrative twists are in a strange order. An enigmatic series of events will happen with no explanation at the start, but will then be explained in detail towards the end of the book, which by then is either unimportant or forgotten about. At first, the narrative seems so predictable and cliche. You keep reading, and it seems as though it's going in a different direction and you think hmm this is interesting. Only for the ending to reveal its payoffs and stop abruptly, informing you that your initial cliche predictions did in fact unfold.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters, but the more you consider how the narrative structure led you down a garden path, only to reveal how mediocre it turned out to be, it leaves a sour taste in the reader's mouth.
This feels like a video game, where the story is set up in the start, the player does all the side quests in the middle third and the narrative rushes to come to a close towards the end. Perhaps this was pitched as a video game script at first, but was turned down so the author decided to write it as a novel? This is just a guess but I have a feeling that this is exactly what happened.
However, the book falls short by way of pacing and structure. The exposition, set ups/payoffs and narrative twists are in a strange order. An enigmatic series of events will happen with no explanation at the start, but will then be explained in detail towards the end of the book, which by then is either unimportant or forgotten about. At first, the narrative seems so predictable and cliche. You keep reading, and it seems as though it's going in a different direction and you think hmm this is interesting. Only for the ending to reveal its payoffs and stop abruptly, informing you that your initial cliche predictions did in fact unfold.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters, but the more you consider how the narrative structure led you down a garden path, only to reveal how mediocre it turned out to be, it leaves a sour taste in the reader's mouth.
This feels like a video game, where the story is set up in the start, the player does all the side quests in the middle third and the narrative rushes to come to a close towards the end. Perhaps this was pitched as a video game script at first, but was turned down so the author decided to write it as a novel? This is just a guess but I have a feeling that this is exactly what happened.
willrefuge's review against another edition
4.0
4 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2020/08/18/every-sky-a-grave-by-jay-posey-review/
A planetary assassin from an all-women sect that wields a forgotten tongue as a weapon, Elyth was taught that her actions save lives and protect the universe from conflict and evil. Her order, the House of Ascendance, have been taught the Deep Language since they were young. Combined with the Herza—soldiers that wield advanced technology—they make up the two arms of the Ascendance, which rule the galaxy as a whole. Over millennia they have honed it to root and strife and dissidence from within, protecting the Ascendance from threats.
Elyth is a true believer, one that will do everything in her power to serve the Empire’s vision, even if it means giving her life in the process. Fresh from a successful mission to quell a planet on the verge of sedition, Elyth is sent to Qel, a world possibly infected by the Markovian Strain—a corrupted version of the Language, thought to have been wiped out.
See, there’s a reason why only women are trusted to learn the Deep Language. Years prior, a man named Varen Fedic began using the Language for evil, attempting to dominate the Empire for his personal rule. Though it started on Markov, the strain soon boiled over to other worlds, and the corruption spread. Together, the Herza and House were able to defeat and destroy the Strain, but its legacy of terror remains.
And so Elyth is sent to Qel to investigate.
Unfortunately, nothing goes to plan. When her ship crash-lands on Qel, Elyth is hunted like prey, barely able to get a sense of the world she has come to investigate. But that which she does only builds her disquiet. For whatever is happening on Qel is truly strange and mysterious, but despite all the warnings she received regarding the corruption of the Strain, Elyth begins to suspect what the House taught her—while certainly its truth—perhaps wasn’t the full story.
As with many other reviewers I’ve seen, I was quickly impressed by the world-building. From the very first chapter (which gives a taste of both the Language and the Ascendancy), I had no trouble imagining and detailing the adventure unfolding. Posey does an excellent job building up the world (or worlds), the hierarchy of its empire, and the ancient—yet still enigmatic—Deep Language. While I was prepared for it to be just another attempt at blunt words-of-power magic, it somehow manages to convey something more, an intricacy that’s intertwined with the foundations of the universe. What follows is a curious blend of space opera scifi and sorcerous fantasy that I enjoyed on two levels, and think will appeal to fans of either genre.
Unfortunately, the world-building is not without its flaws. While early on we are treated to a decent history lesson on the foundations of the world, throughout the text there are references that made me think that the author was holding out on me. While the Markovian Strain plays a huge part in the story, the history of the Ascendancy itself felt lacking—as it was hard to tell just how old or noble they really were. Though it’s not absolutely necessary to the events on Qel, I really feel it would’ve been helpful to compare the evilness of the Strain to something. Being told something is evil isn’t always enough; it’s often important to relate how or why it’s bad. While it…. urrrgghh. Okay. While the world-building was excellent, it often felt as though the history of the Ascendancy as it related to the story was lacking. Or incomplete. Does that make sense? It didn’t contract from the story, but felt like it was missing out on an opportunity to really bolster it.
Elyth is a strong lead, and her character development—while not the best ever—was quite something. A true believer from the outset, it’s interesting to watch her evolution as she discovers that while she was told the danger of the Strain, perhaps it wasn’t the whole truth. She’s a loyal and stubborn servant, but also an inquisitive and independent one. While she does whatever she can to fit her discoveries within the lines of what she believes, she never discounts anything out of hand, despite what it means for those beliefs. And so her evolution is interesting—whether it be progression or regression, even sometimes both.
I had little issue getting into Every Sky a Grave, but a slight problem in the middle. Action, stealth and tension war with philosophy as to which controls the pacing, but neither wins out. As such, the pacing was a bit odd at times, making it easy for me too rattle off fifty pages, only to take me a half hour to get through a dozen. While I never struggled to read this, it’s not exactly an action-packed thriller. There are periods of action, yes, but it’s all balanced with stealth, mystery, philosophy, and more. That wasn’t an issue for me, though it might be for you.
Though the conclusion wowed me (there was even a certain LOTR moment that brought chills), the lead-in to it was hit and miss. There were some unlikely events, some great ones, and even one that was a head-scratcher. All in all, however, it was a great adventure.
TL;DR
Every Sky a Grave combines in-depth world-building with strong dialogue and fascinating character progression to tell a tense, gripping story that somehow manages to incorporate both fantasy and science fiction, while committing to neither genre. The mysterious Deep Language is a unique magic-system, while its space-opera roots are evident in the world and its characters. With a strong female lead and an interesting story you should have little trouble getting into the read, though its second half struggles to decide between philosophy, action, and stealth—which really makes the pacing odd. At times I tore through pages, while others I had to read and reread sections to make sure I understood them. Despite this I thoroughly enjoyed Every Sky a Grave and look forward to the continuation of this new series, Posey’s best start since Three!
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2020/08/18/every-sky-a-grave-by-jay-posey-review/
A planetary assassin from an all-women sect that wields a forgotten tongue as a weapon, Elyth was taught that her actions save lives and protect the universe from conflict and evil. Her order, the House of Ascendance, have been taught the Deep Language since they were young. Combined with the Herza—soldiers that wield advanced technology—they make up the two arms of the Ascendance, which rule the galaxy as a whole. Over millennia they have honed it to root and strife and dissidence from within, protecting the Ascendance from threats.
Elyth is a true believer, one that will do everything in her power to serve the Empire’s vision, even if it means giving her life in the process. Fresh from a successful mission to quell a planet on the verge of sedition, Elyth is sent to Qel, a world possibly infected by the Markovian Strain—a corrupted version of the Language, thought to have been wiped out.
See, there’s a reason why only women are trusted to learn the Deep Language. Years prior, a man named Varen Fedic began using the Language for evil, attempting to dominate the Empire for his personal rule. Though it started on Markov, the strain soon boiled over to other worlds, and the corruption spread. Together, the Herza and House were able to defeat and destroy the Strain, but its legacy of terror remains.
And so Elyth is sent to Qel to investigate.
Unfortunately, nothing goes to plan. When her ship crash-lands on Qel, Elyth is hunted like prey, barely able to get a sense of the world she has come to investigate. But that which she does only builds her disquiet. For whatever is happening on Qel is truly strange and mysterious, but despite all the warnings she received regarding the corruption of the Strain, Elyth begins to suspect what the House taught her—while certainly its truth—perhaps wasn’t the full story.
As with many other reviewers I’ve seen, I was quickly impressed by the world-building. From the very first chapter (which gives a taste of both the Language and the Ascendancy), I had no trouble imagining and detailing the adventure unfolding. Posey does an excellent job building up the world (or worlds), the hierarchy of its empire, and the ancient—yet still enigmatic—Deep Language. While I was prepared for it to be just another attempt at blunt words-of-power magic, it somehow manages to convey something more, an intricacy that’s intertwined with the foundations of the universe. What follows is a curious blend of space opera scifi and sorcerous fantasy that I enjoyed on two levels, and think will appeal to fans of either genre.
Unfortunately, the world-building is not without its flaws. While early on we are treated to a decent history lesson on the foundations of the world, throughout the text there are references that made me think that the author was holding out on me. While the Markovian Strain plays a huge part in the story, the history of the Ascendancy itself felt lacking—as it was hard to tell just how old or noble they really were. Though it’s not absolutely necessary to the events on Qel, I really feel it would’ve been helpful to compare the evilness of the Strain to something. Being told something is evil isn’t always enough; it’s often important to relate how or why it’s bad. While it…. urrrgghh. Okay. While the world-building was excellent, it often felt as though the history of the Ascendancy as it related to the story was lacking. Or incomplete. Does that make sense? It didn’t contract from the story, but felt like it was missing out on an opportunity to really bolster it.
Elyth is a strong lead, and her character development—while not the best ever—was quite something. A true believer from the outset, it’s interesting to watch her evolution as she discovers that while she was told the danger of the Strain, perhaps it wasn’t the whole truth. She’s a loyal and stubborn servant, but also an inquisitive and independent one. While she does whatever she can to fit her discoveries within the lines of what she believes, she never discounts anything out of hand, despite what it means for those beliefs. And so her evolution is interesting—whether it be progression or regression, even sometimes both.
I had little issue getting into Every Sky a Grave, but a slight problem in the middle. Action, stealth and tension war with philosophy as to which controls the pacing, but neither wins out. As such, the pacing was a bit odd at times, making it easy for me too rattle off fifty pages, only to take me a half hour to get through a dozen. While I never struggled to read this, it’s not exactly an action-packed thriller. There are periods of action, yes, but it’s all balanced with stealth, mystery, philosophy, and more. That wasn’t an issue for me, though it might be for you.
Though the conclusion wowed me (there was even a certain LOTR moment that brought chills), the lead-in to it was hit and miss. There were some unlikely events, some great ones, and even one that was a head-scratcher. All in all, however, it was a great adventure.
TL;DR
Every Sky a Grave combines in-depth world-building with strong dialogue and fascinating character progression to tell a tense, gripping story that somehow manages to incorporate both fantasy and science fiction, while committing to neither genre. The mysterious Deep Language is a unique magic-system, while its space-opera roots are evident in the world and its characters. With a strong female lead and an interesting story you should have little trouble getting into the read, though its second half struggles to decide between philosophy, action, and stealth—which really makes the pacing odd. At times I tore through pages, while others I had to read and reread sections to make sure I understood them. Despite this I thoroughly enjoyed Every Sky a Grave and look forward to the continuation of this new series, Posey’s best start since Three!
laufox's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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
This book is not at all what I expected. It is quiet. It is slow. It is reflective. It is deep. And dare I say it? For all the guns and fights and military in this...it's also cozy? Not in a "grandma is baking your favorite cookies way", but in a "humanity is surprisingly decent, protective, loyal, and empathetic" kind of way. Which is shocking in a book whose central premise revolves around figuring out you might not have been on the right side, deep-state corruption, and manipulation...yet, it's there and it's somehow comforting the way Posey has unexpectedly juxtaposed those seemingly opposing forces. Yet it unfolds so slowly, so gracefully, in an upwelling you don't even see coming. I love how it challenges methodology vs intuition, tradition vs progressivism, destruction vs creation...well, it's a weird little book, but kind of great because of all the big ideas it's accomplishing in a small space. The only deduction I'm taking is because I felt like the ending was a bit rushed on an otherwise carefully and slowly paced book, and it felt like a bit of a door slam punctuation. There is a second book though, so I'm hopeful the slam becomes a bit softer as we follow our characters into book 2. If you love the themes, paving, and slow reveals of classic sci-fi that takes on the project of examinating humanity, language, reflection, and mysticism as its core focus, you'll love so many elements of this.
tomstbr's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly straight forward sci-fi-thriller plot with some interesting world building.
malreynolds111's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book but sometimes found the writing to be a bit verbose. An entire paragraph to describe a cup of tea was a bit much for me.
leasey23's review against another edition
3.0
This one took me a while to start because I thought it was going to be very information heavy and more classic sci-fi, but I was wrong. This story is incredibly unique, very interesting and really thoughtful in the way it's written. Our protagonist, Elyth, wields words as power. She talks her desired outcome into existence, and the universe responds. She has a mission, and she fully believes in it. She is the ender of worlds. But after stumbling upon something that shouldn't be possible, she has to question everything she's been led to believe and even who she is.
The description made me think this book would feel quite large and overwhelming, but the way it's so focused on Elyth really dispels that. She is such an complicated woman, so devoted to her cause of destruction and yet so caring about the worlds she visits. It's an interesting dynamic, and one I didn't expect. She's also funny and a bit sassy which I loved. I also loved all the other characters she met along the way, so three dimensional and well thought out.
Overall, 3.5 stars. Did not round up as I don't think I'd read the second one - I felt like this was a satisfying ending as is.
Thanks Netgalley for the free copy!
The description made me think this book would feel quite large and overwhelming, but the way it's so focused on Elyth really dispels that. She is such an complicated woman, so devoted to her cause of destruction and yet so caring about the worlds she visits. It's an interesting dynamic, and one I didn't expect. She's also funny and a bit sassy which I loved. I also loved all the other characters she met along the way, so three dimensional and well thought out.
Overall, 3.5 stars. Did not round up as I don't think I'd read the second one - I felt like this was a satisfying ending as is.
Thanks Netgalley for the free copy!
readingintherain's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
bickleyhouse's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Occasionally, I sort my "want to read" list randomly and pick the first book that comes up. This was one of those instances. And I'm glad I read it.
This is the first book in a series and opens with a pretty intense sequence where a girl named Elyth is on a mission to kill a planet, sent by the First House. Elyth is an "assassin of worlds." It must be noted that she is not an "assassin" in the usual sense of the word, at least. She is not there to kill any humans. She is there to destroy the threadlines of the planet, which will result in its ultimate demise, which would take up to a year, perhaps.
When she returns to her home planet, after her "recovery" period, she is summoned to an audience with the Paragon, the leader of the First House. The Paragon gives her a new task, a much more serious task, and it is that task that takes up the rest of this story.
She must go to another planet, and evaluate what is happening there. She is sent with very little to go on, and even the ultimate result of this task is not certain.
I think this is a great Science Fiction story, and, mixed in with the action and hardcore SF, there is quite a bit of mysticism. Elyth and her people work with something that they call the Deep Language. This Language is used to bring forth great power. And what has happened on Qel (the planet she must visit) is that a forbidden strain of this Language has appeared (reappeared, actually).
While there are other important characters in this book, Elyth is the driving force. She is the central character, and spends much of the time alone. She does, eventually, pair up with another person during her task on Qel, but not willingly, and certainly not with any amount of trust. And perhaps the one thing that kept this book from being "amazing" to me was her persistence in not trusting this person. Even after having finished the book, though, I am still unsure if that was warranted.
The writing is definitely good, in my opinion. It kept me engaged, always wondering what was going to happen next. For me, the whole concept that was introduced, here, was new. Therefore, it was, for the most part, unpredictable. Several crises were resolved with unexpected events. But not so unexpected or outlandish that they would be considered "deux ex machina" occurrences.
The ending was, in my opinion, satisfactory, and, I believe, the best outcome of the possibilities. I think that Elyth made the right decision, based on previous events.
I know there is a second book in the series, so far, called Every Star A Song. I feel confident that I will eventually read it, as well.
In addition, there were some very thought provoking lines that I encountered in the book. I will share some of them here:
"All the great evils of our race come from a single root. The fear of lack. Lack of food, or shelter, or love, or security."
"Truth cares very little whether or not we accept it." (I really liked that one!)
"I try to take people as they come, not as I would have them." Very wise!
And, at one point, the Paragon says to Elyth, "Yes, well, we mustn't spend all our time in the heavens, dear, lest we forget our place here among the dust."
I might also add that I do not remember one single instance of swearing in this story. I could be wrong, of course. But I don't remember any.
This is the first book in a series and opens with a pretty intense sequence where a girl named Elyth is on a mission to kill a planet, sent by the First House. Elyth is an "assassin of worlds." It must be noted that she is not an "assassin" in the usual sense of the word, at least. She is not there to kill any humans. She is there to destroy the threadlines of the planet, which will result in its ultimate demise, which would take up to a year, perhaps.
When she returns to her home planet, after her "recovery" period, she is summoned to an audience with the Paragon, the leader of the First House. The Paragon gives her a new task, a much more serious task, and it is that task that takes up the rest of this story.
She must go to another planet, and evaluate what is happening there. She is sent with very little to go on, and even the ultimate result of this task is not certain.
I think this is a great Science Fiction story, and, mixed in with the action and hardcore SF, there is quite a bit of mysticism. Elyth and her people work with something that they call the Deep Language. This Language is used to bring forth great power. And what has happened on Qel (the planet she must visit) is that a forbidden strain of this Language has appeared (reappeared, actually).
While there are other important characters in this book, Elyth is the driving force. She is the central character, and spends much of the time alone. She does, eventually, pair up with another person during her task on Qel, but not willingly, and certainly not with any amount of trust. And perhaps the one thing that kept this book from being "amazing" to me was her persistence in not trusting this person. Even after having finished the book, though, I am still unsure if that was warranted.
The writing is definitely good, in my opinion. It kept me engaged, always wondering what was going to happen next. For me, the whole concept that was introduced, here, was new. Therefore, it was, for the most part, unpredictable. Several crises were resolved with unexpected events. But not so unexpected or outlandish that they would be considered "deux ex machina" occurrences.
The ending was, in my opinion, satisfactory, and, I believe, the best outcome of the possibilities. I think that Elyth made the right decision, based on previous events.
I know there is a second book in the series, so far, called Every Star A Song. I feel confident that I will eventually read it, as well.
In addition, there were some very thought provoking lines that I encountered in the book. I will share some of them here:
"All the great evils of our race come from a single root. The fear of lack. Lack of food, or shelter, or love, or security."
"Truth cares very little whether or not we accept it." (I really liked that one!)
"I try to take people as they come, not as I would have them." Very wise!
And, at one point, the Paragon says to Elyth, "Yes, well, we mustn't spend all our time in the heavens, dear, lest we forget our place here among the dust."
I might also add that I do not remember one single instance of swearing in this story. I could be wrong, of course. But I don't remember any.