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archimedesfudge's review
adventurous
inspiring
fast-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? No
4.5
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
Science-fantasy is a criminally underappreciated genre, despite the fact that its responsible for the entire Star Wars saga. Margaret Weis explored it with her Star of the Guardians saga, Simon R. Green offered up what is perhaps its best example in his Deathstalker Saga, and C.T. Phipps & Michael Suttkus gave it new life with their Lucifer's Star series.
With Skyfarer, Joseph Brassey perfectly recaptures the magic of Star Wars, straying even more into the fantasy side of the genre to deliver one of the most satisfying reads I've enjoyed in quite some time.
Since the cover blurb itself calls this "Star Wars-inspired space fantasy," let's start there. Aimee de Laurent and Harkon Bright are the Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi of the story, while Lord Azrael is Darth Vader . . . except he's more Kylo Ren (but in a very good way). All three are solid characters, with Aimee a strong, confident heroine, and Azrael's overall story arc the best thing about the book. As for the skyship Elysium, it's tempting to call it the story's Millennium Falcon, but it's really more of a magic-fueled Serenity.
As for the fantasy side of the genre, this is a book with magic spells, knights, legendary swords, sages, sentient artifacts, and more. The only thing it's missing is dragons and elves, but it does have what could be gods . . . or aliens . . . or some kind of mystical monsters. It sounds like an odd mash-up, a kitchen sink approach to storytelling, but it all fits. As for the story itself, it's a wild adventure, told at a breakneck pace, with nary a moment's pause to breathe. There's even a scene-chewing villain to help propel the story along, leading to a climactic confrontation that resolves the primary plot threads, but still leaves plenty of story for Dragon Road.
http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2018/06/fantasy-review-skyfarer-by-joseph.html
With Skyfarer, Joseph Brassey perfectly recaptures the magic of Star Wars, straying even more into the fantasy side of the genre to deliver one of the most satisfying reads I've enjoyed in quite some time.
Since the cover blurb itself calls this "Star Wars-inspired space fantasy," let's start there. Aimee de Laurent and Harkon Bright are the Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi of the story, while Lord Azrael is Darth Vader . . . except he's more Kylo Ren (but in a very good way). All three are solid characters, with Aimee a strong, confident heroine, and Azrael's overall story arc the best thing about the book. As for the skyship Elysium, it's tempting to call it the story's Millennium Falcon, but it's really more of a magic-fueled Serenity.
As for the fantasy side of the genre, this is a book with magic spells, knights, legendary swords, sages, sentient artifacts, and more. The only thing it's missing is dragons and elves, but it does have what could be gods . . . or aliens . . . or some kind of mystical monsters. It sounds like an odd mash-up, a kitchen sink approach to storytelling, but it all fits. As for the story itself, it's a wild adventure, told at a breakneck pace, with nary a moment's pause to breathe. There's even a scene-chewing villain to help propel the story along, leading to a climactic confrontation that resolves the primary plot threads, but still leaves plenty of story for Dragon Road.
http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2018/06/fantasy-review-skyfarer-by-joseph.html
genderqueer_hiker's review against another edition
1.0
I found this book to be a walking stereotype of what people hate about fantasy novels (granted, the book was scifi-fantasy but the complaint stands). I love fantasy and have read hundreds of fantasy novels, and this...... I couldn't stand it. The language was beyond flowery and long-winded; it was incredibly grating and pulled me out of the (weak) story over and over again. The superfluous adjectives nearly killed me. I don't need you to talk about people's actions like "she drew upon her arcane magic... and sent it out with a mystical wind." Just take up poetry and be done with it.
The author was neither a good character writer nor good world builder. I already knew the outcome of our main 'villain-turned-hero' story by 1/3 of the way through the book; the plot was transparent. And I have no time in my life for a long winded story about how evil villains really are just people like us who had a rough childhood.... The world felt like a patchwork of pieces 'borrowed' from other authors' work. The characters were two-dimensional; I didn't care about any of the characters. Like, at all. The author repeatedly, throughout the entire book, chose to tell me, rather than show me, EVERYTHING. I was told how characters felt, not shown exchanges where I could infer how they felt. 'She then said the magic words.' What the hell are the magic words?!?! Don't reference them and not tell me!!! And the author's bias about each character was shown in the word choice - like 'she felt illogical relief.' I'm not stupid; I remember how she felt in the last chapter and I know that her current state of mind is different - I don't need to be explicitly told.
The author was also painfully, rage-inducingly repetitive. If this book was released in chapter increments, like in a serial publication, this might make more sense. As it stood, I wanted to scream quite frequently, but settled for nearly audible eyerolling. It was frankly insulting; the author never let me remember something on my own - it had to be spoon fed to me and rubbed in my face, as if I was too dense to remember it on my own. Like, in one chapter, a character has a flashback to childhood events. In the very beginning of the next chapter (maybe 5 minutes later), the character is experiencing something in the present and takes a pause to remember exact lines from the flashback we just read. And if I ever hear 'fear is weakness. weakness is death' one more time, I'm going to punch someone...
Needless to summarize, I couldn't stand this book and it definitely wasn't for me. I've read too many good authors to be able to endure this level of bumbling.
The author was neither a good character writer nor good world builder. I already knew the outcome of our main 'villain-turned-hero' story by 1/3 of the way through the book; the plot was transparent. And I have no time in my life for a long winded story about how evil villains really are just people like us who had a rough childhood.... The world felt like a patchwork of pieces 'borrowed' from other authors' work. The characters were two-dimensional; I didn't care about any of the characters. Like, at all. The author repeatedly, throughout the entire book, chose to tell me, rather than show me, EVERYTHING. I was told how characters felt, not shown exchanges where I could infer how they felt. 'She then said the magic words.' What the hell are the magic words?!?! Don't reference them and not tell me!!! And the author's bias about each character was shown in the word choice - like 'she felt illogical relief.' I'm not stupid; I remember how she felt in the last chapter and I know that her current state of mind is different - I don't need to be explicitly told.
The author was also painfully, rage-inducingly repetitive. If this book was released in chapter increments, like in a serial publication, this might make more sense. As it stood, I wanted to scream quite frequently, but settled for nearly audible eyerolling. It was frankly insulting; the author never let me remember something on my own - it had to be spoon fed to me and rubbed in my face, as if I was too dense to remember it on my own. Like, in one chapter, a character has a flashback to childhood events. In the very beginning of the next chapter (maybe 5 minutes later), the character is experiencing something in the present and takes a pause to remember exact lines from the flashback we just read. And if I ever hear 'fear is weakness. weakness is death' one more time, I'm going to punch someone...
Needless to summarize, I couldn't stand this book and it definitely wasn't for me. I've read too many good authors to be able to endure this level of bumbling.
jessh165's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bolynne's review against another edition
5.0
****I received a copy of this ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review!****
And the awesome sci-fi kick continues!
This book is exactly how a first installment in a series should be: a complete story on it's own with it's own stakes and own resolution and a lead off into the next one. I am not very happy when I get to the end of a book and it's literally just exposition and the characters freaking out about this BIG BAD THING only to get a tiny taste of what that thing is followed by a STAY TUNED FOR THE REAL ACTION NEXT TIME MAYBE I DUNNO I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH BUT I NEEDED TO GET A BOOK OUT. Because it is an ARC and that means the second book won't be coming out for quite some time, I'm satisfied with where we have ended, because at least I got a full experience out of this. The author also gives a fair bit about how this world works and therefore allows us readers to wonder and stew on just how much is, hopefully, coming for us next time.
It also had one of my favorite villains that I've read lately. He's a fully realized person and that's made very clear. I actually enjoyed his POV just as much, if not more, than our Protagonists'.
I like the direction this series seems to be headed and will definitely pick up the second installment when it gets written/released. I recommend this book to any sci-fi fan. Seriously.
And the awesome sci-fi kick continues!
This book is exactly how a first installment in a series should be: a complete story on it's own with it's own stakes and own resolution and a lead off into the next one. I am not very happy when I get to the end of a book and it's literally just exposition and the characters freaking out about this BIG BAD THING only to get a tiny taste of what that thing is followed by a STAY TUNED FOR THE REAL ACTION NEXT TIME MAYBE I DUNNO I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH BUT I NEEDED TO GET A BOOK OUT. Because it is an ARC and that means the second book won't be coming out for quite some time, I'm satisfied with where we have ended, because at least I got a full experience out of this. The author also gives a fair bit about how this world works and therefore allows us readers to wonder and stew on just how much is, hopefully, coming for us next time.
It also had one of my favorite villains that I've read lately. He's a fully realized person and that's made very clear. I actually enjoyed his POV just as much, if not more, than our Protagonists'.
I like the direction this series seems to be headed and will definitely pick up the second installment when it gets written/released. I recommend this book to any sci-fi fan. Seriously.
firerosearien's review
5.0
Space wizards, with swords, and it's f---ing awesome!
Really, though - there is some exquisite world building going on here, the type that leads support to a series of infinite length - and that's my favorite part of reading fantasies. The good writing, surprisingly complex villain, and gender parity are also pretty cool.
Really, though - there is some exquisite world building going on here, the type that leads support to a series of infinite length - and that's my favorite part of reading fantasies. The good writing, surprisingly complex villain, and gender parity are also pretty cool.
esseastri's review
4.0
Skyfarer is like Firefly on steroids, but with magic.
Which means it is absolutely 100% My Shit.
Listen, there are spaceships, but also the people in command of the spaceships are sorcerers and knights in magic armor with magic swords. There's a prophecy. There's magical portals that are sort of like hyperspace but instantaneous. There's a spaceship that's also a mountain. With laser cannons. There's magic spells and people throwing fire at each other and it's all very epic fantasy. It's sort of the perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy that I'm always here for. My favorite blend, to be quite honest.
Of course, some of it is very dark--there's mind control and an invasion of a besieged castle and all the violence that comes with that--but it's very optimistic. It's dark, but not grimdark. It does not revel in the violence. The main character, sorceress Aimee, is exactly the bright, intelligent, chaotic good heroine needed to balance out the dark, brooding violence of the black knight and the other antagonists. She's strong and full of magic, and it was like reading a better version of Rey and Kylo Ren. A much better version.
I'm desperately looking forward to the next one. I'm eager to see where this story goes--what allies might become enemies, what magic might mingle with what new technology, what trouble our tight-knit crew of scrappy vagabond adventurers might get themselves into. This book was like reading an adrenaline rush and I can't wait for the ride to continue.
Which means it is absolutely 100% My Shit.
Listen, there are spaceships, but also the people in command of the spaceships are sorcerers and knights in magic armor with magic swords. There's a prophecy. There's magical portals that are sort of like hyperspace but instantaneous. There's a spaceship that's also a mountain. With laser cannons. There's magic spells and people throwing fire at each other and it's all very epic fantasy. It's sort of the perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy that I'm always here for. My favorite blend, to be quite honest.
Of course, some of it is very dark--there's mind control and an invasion of a besieged castle and all the violence that comes with that--but it's very optimistic. It's dark, but not grimdark. It does not revel in the violence. The main character, sorceress Aimee, is exactly the bright, intelligent, chaotic good heroine needed to balance out the dark, brooding violence of the black knight and the other antagonists. She's strong and full of magic, and it was like reading a better version of Rey and Kylo Ren. A much better version.
I'm desperately looking forward to the next one. I'm eager to see where this story goes--what allies might become enemies, what magic might mingle with what new technology, what trouble our tight-knit crew of scrappy vagabond adventurers might get themselves into. This book was like reading an adrenaline rush and I can't wait for the ride to continue.
cjterry07's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book, couldn't put it down once I got it. The story and the characters really pull you in. The next book can't come soon enough. :)