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nathans_fantasy_reviews's review
adventurous
dark
fast-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
4.0
The tl;dr: A dark fantasy seeped in prophecy and monsters, The Ruptured Sky is an exciting, gritty, and fast-paced series starter that all epic fantasy fans should have on their radar. McMinn introduces readers to four complicated and morally grey POV characters without ever feeling like “edge-lords” and is able to find time for quiet characters moments, queer representation, and more in a 350ish page books that covers a lot of ground. If you enjoy VE Schwab, HC Newell, or Ed McDonald, give The Ruptured Sky a look.
My full review:
VE Schwab’s “Shades of Magic Series” meets the dark, epic stylings of HC Newell, LL Macrae, and Ed MacDonald in this fast-paced, magic-filled, and gritty fantasy debut. Fans of big, multi-POV fantasies without the bloated page counts will absolutely devour this book and be left wanting more.
Across the 350ish pages of The Ruptured Sky we are introduced to four POV characters – a runaway princess turned monster hunter, her princeling brother who now deals with the fallout of her actions, her childhood best friend turned mercenary, and a mysterious magic user. Together these four characters find themselves enmeshed in a dark and potent prophecy with world-shattering implications.
While I used to find myself reading fantasy for the worldbuilding, more and more my enjoyment of a book lives and dies by its characters – and luckily McMinn has given us a multitude of thoughtful, complicated, and diverse people to discover, love, loathe, and get frustrated by! McMinn has a real knack for identifying the core of a person and illustrating that to the reader. We get to feel like we “know” these characters quite quickly, even if we still realize that there are layers and layers to their personalities, identities, and histories left to be uncovered.
McMinn also doesn’t shy away from pushing her character’s backs up against moral corners, forcing them to decide between their personal motivations and the greater good. Our runaway princess-turned-monster hunter was reclaiming her agency in a patriarchal world, but in doing so put her nation in grave international danger. A man wants to rescue his great love, but in doing so could disrupt a magical prophecy. An old man has grand machinations to save the world, but is willing to sacrifice anyone to make it happen. McMinn doesn’t glorify wading around the muck, but she never gives her characters the easy choices. And don’t worry – the pacing is so fast and breezy that the morally grey darkness of McMinn’s storytelling never feels relentlessly bleak.
I’ll talk about some of my concerns about McMinn’s fast pacing in a moment, but one thing I did love is how McMinn found some for the characters to sit and ruminate with their actions. These young people (they are mostly in their twenties, so this is not a teenage “coming of age” story) go through hell and back in just this first book (and I’ve heard the second book is darker – HOW??), and McMinn allows them to reflect on the horrifying things they witness and experience. These people are changed by these experiences as individuals, not just in a plot-based “the world is saved*” kind of way.
*Not a spoiler. The world is not saved by the end of this book since there are three more books and a couple of novellas to go!
While talking about the characters, I also must celebrate McMinn’s depiction of her gay male characters in this book. Queer characters in fantasy have been on the rise over the past few years (yay!!), but gay men specifically are still vastly underrepresented – especially outside of the romantasy/fantasy romance subgenres. Of course there is nothing wrong with fantasy romance, but there is something so effortless and inclusive about the way McMinn treats the gay romance(s) in this book as just another element of the story. Non-heterosexual romances have been excluded for so long in fantasy that I understand the desire to make queer romances the focal point of their narratives, but I loved how McMinn treated these gay men like any other relationship in the story. I made the comparison to VE Schwab earlier, and both authors are brilliant at delicately navigating gay relationships.
The pacing of The Ruptured Sky is almost relentless in how this book just moves through the plot. McMinn keeps readers engaged, locked, and loaded as she careens from place to place, POV character to POV character. This leaves the reader breathless and enthralled in how wrapped up in the story you are because McMinn doesn’t take any second to just stare at a tree. Like with HC Newell’s books, I binged through this one in less than two days because McMinn never let me go to come up for air as I was immersed in the journeys of these four broken characters trying their best to navigate a morally grey world. Readers looking for that old school epic fantasy feeling without the page commitment should look no further!
The fast pace and short page count does have some drawbacks, particularly for readers who are used to the more methodical pacing of fantasy’ more lengthy tomes. This does lead to some slightly underdeveloped worldbuilding, as McMinn only has the time to focus on elements that are of immediate concern to her characters and plot. If you are a plot reader, you won’t core, but worldbuilding readers may notice that places all kind of feel the same and not quite as “lived in” as in other books. McMinn’s world feels like many other dark fantasy worlds as she sacrifices place-making for character and plot. I see all fantasy books as a trade-off between the myriad elements that go into producing one, so again this will really come down to what kind of reader you are!
For me, the fast pacing only became a detriment to the story in the way that McMinn deployed her twists and turns. A mystery would be presented on one page, and we would find out the answer to that mystery just a few pages later. At times it kind of felt like McMinn didn’t even need to set up the mystery in the first place because we readers didn’t get to sit, ruminate, and wonder about the answers before they were revealed to us. In these very few instances the fast pace of the story hindered some of the mystery of the book.
Having said all of that, whether you are into gritty, dark fantasies, monster hunters, queer representation, prophecies, fast-paced epics, or (like me) a combination of all of those things, than The Ruptured Sky belongs on your list. The sequel and two(!!) companion novellas have already been released, so now is the ideal time to jump into this series!
joelteon's review against another edition
5.0
The Ruptured Sky might be the best example of why I read the novellas before diving in to the mainline novels of a series. The two free novellas, The Collector’s Lost Things and Call of the Huntress, introduced most of the pivotal characters for the Gardens of War & Wasteland series. Those being Amikharlia and Rei-Hai. I absolutely loved that I knew them before they appeared in The Ruptured Sky, so it was natural to fall straight into the plot.
Jessica showed that her incredible writing in the novellas was no fluke by immediately digging the hooks into the reader and tearing them forcefully along. I was captured from the very first pages of The Ruptured Sky and by the time I came up for air all I wanted to do was dive back under and devour this story. It’s small scale, character driven and an utterly delicious meal.
I forgot to highlight any portions because I was too busy flipping through the pages at rapid pace. I had to know what Amika and Rei were going to do next. How would this very close knit group of characters deal with the unravelling plot and the repercussions of certain revelations that I won’t go into because of spoilers. Just know that these characters deal with some rather dark things and how they come out of the other side is fascinating and realistic.
Kiokharen and Kriah the other two POVs were probably my least favourite part of the story. Mainly because I just wanted to get back to Amika and Rei, not because they were not interesting or well written. Still, I didn’t connect with Kriah or enjoy getting into his head, while I did like Kio and more time with him will probably help me like him better.
I had one question throughout this book: Can I stab Reminas with a fork? Pretty please?
The Ruptured Sky is a tremendous, tightly woven story with unforgettable characters. I knew how it might end and I am so happy that I cheered at the ending. But there is still so much more to come and it is set up perfectly. Thankfully this is only book 1 and I have my hands on an advanced copy of book 2, The Blood Curse. If you aren’t so lucky it is at least only a brief wait until March 30th when it releases. Do yourself a favour, pick up this book or even better start with the novellas. You will not be disappointed.
Rating: 4.5/5
Jessica showed that her incredible writing in the novellas was no fluke by immediately digging the hooks into the reader and tearing them forcefully along. I was captured from the very first pages of The Ruptured Sky and by the time I came up for air all I wanted to do was dive back under and devour this story. It’s small scale, character driven and an utterly delicious meal.
I forgot to highlight any portions because I was too busy flipping through the pages at rapid pace. I had to know what Amika and Rei were going to do next. How would this very close knit group of characters deal with the unravelling plot and the repercussions of certain revelations that I won’t go into because of spoilers. Just know that these characters deal with some rather dark things and how they come out of the other side is fascinating and realistic.
Kiokharen and Kriah the other two POVs were probably my least favourite part of the story. Mainly because I just wanted to get back to Amika and Rei, not because they were not interesting or well written. Still, I didn’t connect with Kriah or enjoy getting into his head, while I did like Kio and more time with him will probably help me like him better.
I had one question throughout this book: Can I stab Reminas with a fork? Pretty please?
The Ruptured Sky is a tremendous, tightly woven story with unforgettable characters. I knew how it might end and I am so happy that I cheered at the ending. But there is still so much more to come and it is set up perfectly. Thankfully this is only book 1 and I have my hands on an advanced copy of book 2, The Blood Curse. If you aren’t so lucky it is at least only a brief wait until March 30th when it releases. Do yourself a favour, pick up this book or even better start with the novellas. You will not be disappointed.
Rating: 4.5/5
rachel_cupec's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
bshgarcia's review
5.0
What a captivating debut!
The first thing you need to know is Amika. She is my girl! Like, a female Witcher? Yes, please. Anyway, onto the meat of the book.
First, I absolutely loved the characters of this story. There are four POVs, and I connected with every single one of them. Their storylines were all fleshed out, and even though I'd classify 3/4 as morally grey, I found myself constantly making excuses for what they did because I understood where they were coming from.
Second, the book is filled with action and makes for a fast-paced read. It kept me up page turning night after night, and that's saying a lot as a sleep-deprived mom of a baby and toddler. Great monsters, epic magic duels, and lots of sass--looking at you, Rei-Hai.
Finally, the plot was pretty unique, and all the big reveals were handled so well. The world building was fantastic, I loved the map at the beginning of the book, and so many of the characters were memorable, even when they only had a little bit of page time.
I am looking forward to the next installment in this series! If you are into dark, epic fantasy, with morally grey characters, please give this book a read!
The first thing you need to know is Amika. She is my girl! Like, a female Witcher? Yes, please. Anyway, onto the meat of the book.
First, I absolutely loved the characters of this story. There are four POVs, and I connected with every single one of them. Their storylines were all fleshed out, and even though I'd classify 3/4 as morally grey, I found myself constantly making excuses for what they did because I understood where they were coming from.
Second, the book is filled with action and makes for a fast-paced read. It kept me up page turning night after night, and that's saying a lot as a sleep-deprived mom of a baby and toddler. Great monsters, epic magic duels, and lots of sass--looking at you, Rei-Hai.
Finally, the plot was pretty unique, and all the big reveals were handled so well. The world building was fantastic, I loved the map at the beginning of the book, and so many of the characters were memorable, even when they only had a little bit of page time.
I am looking forward to the next installment in this series! If you are into dark, epic fantasy, with morally grey characters, please give this book a read!
pnvangwrites's review
4.0
This story was compelling from start to end! There were many moments in the book that made me drop my jaw. The novel begins like a woven tapestry, each chapter revealing a POV, adding color and details to create the bigger image. And as you near the middle, you begin to understand just how terrifying things can be and you're not sure if you want the tapestry to be completed because hope seems so far away - quite literally! Our companions are thrust into an assumed series-long quest to obtain special artifacts in order to restore any sense of hope.
The characters all have marvelous arcs that changes their perspective, morals, and goals. I love when authors can do this successfully, and McMinn did a wonderful job changing these characters in a natural and believable way. It was easy to get into each character's headspace and understand where they were coming from, even if I didn't always agree with their actions (looking at you Rei, almost had me there wanting to jump into the story to tell Amika all about your secrets!)
All in all, The Ruptured Sky is an adventurous and unique tale where plot and character development were a parallel. I hope that in the next book, we get to see more monsters climb through the tear and Amika do more demon slaying - with more than just her sword!
The characters all have marvelous arcs that changes their perspective, morals, and goals. I love when authors can do this successfully, and McMinn did a wonderful job changing these characters in a natural and believable way. It was easy to get into each character's headspace and understand where they were coming from, even if I didn't always agree with their actions (looking at you Rei, almost had me there wanting to jump into the story to tell Amika all about your secrets!)
All in all, The Ruptured Sky is an adventurous and unique tale where plot and character development were a parallel. I hope that in the next book, we get to see more monsters climb through the tear and Amika do more demon slaying - with more than just her sword!
lumengaidin's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
mychaoticshelf's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
I was not planning on putting a full-fledged review up this late on Mother’s Day but WOWOWOWOW! This book!!
This grimdark fantasy is a mixture of Game of Thrones and The Poppy War. There’s untamed magic, there’s brutal murder, there’s a quest for something we as a reader don’t know if it’s for the good of the people or not!!
I loved how dark this book is—what I loved about it more than The Poppy War is how close it brings you to hope & happiness JUST TO TAKE IT AWAY
This grimdark fantasy is a mixture of Game of Thrones and The Poppy War. There’s untamed magic, there’s brutal murder, there’s a quest for something we as a reader don’t know if it’s for the good of the people or not!!
I loved how dark this book is—what I loved about it more than The Poppy War is how close it brings you to hope & happiness JUST TO TAKE IT AWAY
kitvaria_sarene's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The Raptured Sky by Jessica A. McMinn is an epic fantasy debut with a lot of promise!
There's 4 main characters:
* A princess gone rogue and working as a sort of monster hunter
* Her brother who has to deal with the political ramifications of his sister running away right before her arranged marriage
* Their childhood friend and now assassin, who's also more than just a friend to the prince
* A naive young man who has been sheltered away in the wild by his rather weird and mysterious grandfather
I enjoyed how this story was all about the fantasy, the magic, the politics and the world, and not the princess' love life. As I don't like romance, I'm always wary of books where women run from an arranged marriage, as very often these stories are about them finding romance instead.
This is not such a book. Not even a bit! Said princess is happy to be away from the niceties, but also golden cage of the court. She's quite happy barely making a living and having her freedom. She's too busy fighting, figuring out her powers, staying alive and dealing with what life throws at her to even think about romance!
It took me a good deal to warm up to her brother, who is a pampered spoiled prince a lot of the time. He does try to do good at times but I also wanted to shake some sense into him every so often. I did however like the LGBT side of his arc.
One star missing for the pacing being a bit rough around the edges here and there, the villain being to bog standard bad and some of the story being a bit predictable if you have read lots of fantasy before.
The good guys were nicely flawed and well rounded, but the bad ones could have used a little bit more flashing out in my personal opinion.
The ending had a nice twists, though I can't say I really "got" all that's going on in this story, some bits of the world building are still a bit cryptic. I guess this will be explained more in later books.
Overall this was a really good story that I quickly devoured!
There's 4 main characters:
* A princess gone rogue and working as a sort of monster hunter
* Her brother who has to deal with the political ramifications of his sister running away right before her arranged marriage
* Their childhood friend and now assassin, who's also more than just a friend to the prince
* A naive young man who has been sheltered away in the wild by his rather weird and mysterious grandfather
I enjoyed how this story was all about the fantasy, the magic, the politics and the world, and not the princess' love life. As I don't like romance, I'm always wary of books where women run from an arranged marriage, as very often these stories are about them finding romance instead.
This is not such a book. Not even a bit! Said princess is happy to be away from the niceties, but also golden cage of the court. She's quite happy barely making a living and having her freedom. She's too busy fighting, figuring out her powers, staying alive and dealing with what life throws at her to even think about romance!
It took me a good deal to warm up to her brother, who is a pampered spoiled prince a lot of the time. He does try to do good at times but I also wanted to shake some sense into him every so often. I did however like the LGBT side of his arc.
One star missing for the pacing being a bit rough around the edges here and there, the villain being to bog standard bad and some of the story being a bit predictable if you have read lots of fantasy before.
The good guys were nicely flawed and well rounded, but the bad ones could have used a little bit more flashing out in my personal opinion.
The ending had a nice twists, though I can't say I really "got" all that's going on in this story, some bits of the world building are still a bit cryptic. I guess this will be explained more in later books.
Overall this was a really good story that I quickly devoured!
bookobsessedfamily's review
4.0
Princess Amika flees her homeland the night before her wedding searching for answers about her magical abilities. She makes a living by hunting demons.
She finds herself in danger and is rescued by a young man who is around Amika's age, or so she thinks. She ends up entangled in his grandfathers prophecy, searching for things that may or may not exist.
Will Amika follow the prophecy to her supposed destiny, or will she make her own path?
----
Initially this is a very slow burn, but it picks up around 50%.
The characters are well-developed and there's a mystery as to if some are really trustworthy.
The world-building is great and most of the reason the first half is slow. There's a good bit of gruesome death (beheading) and torture as well.
I look forward to reading the second book in the series.
She finds herself in danger and is rescued by a young man who is around Amika's age, or so she thinks. She ends up entangled in his grandfathers prophecy, searching for things that may or may not exist.
Will Amika follow the prophecy to her supposed destiny, or will she make her own path?
----
Initially this is a very slow burn, but it picks up around 50%.
The characters are well-developed and there's a mystery as to if some are really trustworthy.
The world-building is great and most of the reason the first half is slow. There's a good bit of gruesome death (beheading) and torture as well.
I look forward to reading the second book in the series.
readingismyescape_'s review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This book is multiple pov. Something I sometimes like and sometimes hate. In this case I liked it! Especially since I liked all the characters and their story lines.
The story is in a really interesting world which was a lot of fun learning about. I really liked all their story's coming together and getting to know the characters.
You can really see the characters grow and find their selves in different ways. At the end the story is far from finished and I think that there is a lot of interesting things that will happen in the next book!
The only thing I struggled with, something I'm never good at, is the names. I have never heard any of the names in the books which made me have to really pay attention to connecting the right person to the right name. But this is just something personal.
The story is in a really interesting world which was a lot of fun learning about. I really liked all their story's coming together and getting to know the characters.
You can really see the characters grow and find their selves in different ways. At the end the story is far from finished and I think that there is a lot of interesting things that will happen in the next book!
The only thing I struggled with, something I'm never good at, is the names. I have never heard any of the names in the books which made me have to really pay attention to connecting the right person to the right name. But this is just something personal.
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