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rebeccazh's review
I think YA stuff is just not my cup of tea anymore bc I got a bit bored, like I did with Heartless.
plbmso's review
4.0
I very much enjoyed this book and I enjoyed it early in the read. I particularly like the young character, tyrien and how he grew through the book. It's not easy creating a character who is emotionally honest and this guy is. I also liked the theme: Justice. What does a young man think of justice and how does it evolve as he grows and faces hard choices? I like the world Amanda McCrina placed this story in, something like the roman empire, at the frontier, I imagine it in Serbia.
I don't often read historical fiction, but I enjoyed this one. I'm a little tired of the dystopian trope and there were times when I thought the character found himself in situations where a calmer older head would have talked everyone in being rational and peaceable. But I'm not going to win that battle about writing fiction. There were a few first book issues like point of view at the beginning of the book when I didn't realize that the protagonist's father was the POV, but that got better as the book progressed.
But anyone who can construct a character like Amanda has, one who is eminently believable, interesting and emotionally realistic is well worth following. I will happily read anything else Amanda McCrina writes and I recommend you do to.
I don't often read historical fiction, but I enjoyed this one. I'm a little tired of the dystopian trope and there were times when I thought the character found himself in situations where a calmer older head would have talked everyone in being rational and peaceable. But I'm not going to win that battle about writing fiction. There were a few first book issues like point of view at the beginning of the book when I didn't realize that the protagonist's father was the POV, but that got better as the book progressed.
But anyone who can construct a character like Amanda has, one who is eminently believable, interesting and emotionally realistic is well worth following. I will happily read anything else Amanda McCrina writes and I recommend you do to.
gandalf's review
4.0
This was a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed the Romanesque setting, and Tyren is an interesting, realistic main character. I also enjoyed the political intrigue, something I wish would appear more in fantasy--it makes it more complex and interesting. There's a good amount of swordfights and battles, too.
This was also one of those few books for which the showing-not-telling mantra does not work, as this book was pretty much all telling and still managed to be good. It was a unique sort of feel--kind of sparse while still managing to hold the reader's attention (it really fits with the cover of the book). It was a bit clunky in places, though. Hopefully that improves as the author gets more practice.
Definitely going to read the sequel.
(The one problem I had with this book was that it's one of those fantasies where the names are confusing. It must be a part of the culture in the book: you've got Torien, his sons Tore and Tyren, that sort of thing.)
This was also one of those few books for which the showing-not-telling mantra does not work, as this book was pretty much all telling and still managed to be good. It was a unique sort of feel--kind of sparse while still managing to hold the reader's attention (it really fits with the cover of the book). It was a bit clunky in places, though. Hopefully that improves as the author gets more practice.
Definitely going to read the sequel.
(The one problem I had with this book was that it's one of those fantasies where the names are confusing. It must be a part of the culture in the book: you've got Torien, his sons Tore and Tyren, that sort of thing.)
alyssa_hollingsworth's review
4.0
Highly recommended for history and adventure fans, particularly if you're interested in Roman-esque fantasy(/alternative history?).
An excellent debut novel by Amanda McCrina. I'd had it waiting for me on my Kindle for a while, and finally got the time to read it this past week. What a ride! The characters and world were well developed, the action writing was spot on, the people complex and the plot twists unexpected and engaging. Overall, I found the writing to be good and the narrative voice unique. Sometimes it felt a little too uniform, but then again all the narrators were soldiers, so that's reasonable. I was whimpering a little near the end. Cannot wait for the sequel!
An excellent debut novel by Amanda McCrina. I'd had it waiting for me on my Kindle for a while, and finally got the time to read it this past week. What a ride! The characters and world were well developed, the action writing was spot on, the people complex and the plot twists unexpected and engaging. Overall, I found the writing to be good and the narrative voice unique. Sometimes it felt a little too uniform, but then again all the narrators were soldiers, so that's reasonable. I was whimpering a little near the end. Cannot wait for the sequel!
singinglight's review
5.0
Opening: "In truth, he would rather not go to Vessy. He'd considered just sending a letter from the post-station at Chaelor. That would be the easiest thing, for himself and his father both."About a month ago, Amanda McCrina contacted me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing her book, His Own Good Sword. The synopsis she sent along intrigued me, so I agreed. She very kindly sent me a print copy.
It's always a bit of a risk, agreeing to review a book. What if you don't really like it? It can be awkward to say how you actually feel, when you know the author is going to be reading. Thankfully, in this case I truly enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it.
Tyren Risto is the second son of a noble family. He has just been given his first posting in the army, which sends him to the Outland, home of the rebellious Cesino tribes. Tyren, unlike most of the other noble young men, has a great deal of sympathy and respect for the Cesino; in fact, he owes his un-glamorous post to the fact that he stood up for one of them. While he is there, the border erupts with new rebellions and Tyren must decide where his future, and his honor, will lie.
First of all, I very much enjoyed the setting and time that are evoked. It's historical fantasy in the sense that this world is not ours, but it's very much drawn from Roman history, especially as seen through Rosemary Sutcliff. On the other hand, the Empire is not just Rome in a different guise, and the Cesino have their own culture and history.
I liked the tensions that the various characters, especially Tyren, must resolve. For Tyren, there is a question of upholding his family's honor versus his personal sense of right and wrong. He's also torn between the two parts of his heritage, the Cesino and the Empire. It's a difficulty that's going to be familiar to readers who tend to like the kind of books that I do (think Phaedro, or Gen, or Miles). An added layer of tension is the difficulty that Tyren and Torien, his father, have in seeing each other accurately. The real affection and respect between them gets clouded and that's something Tyren must deal with. I especially liked the way this theme was handled in this first book.
All in all, His Own Good Sword is a nice example of a coming of age story, a young man discovering who he really is and who or what he can really serve and still be at peace with himself. While there are a few clunky moments, I also found the writing smooth and in some places beautifully descriptive. If you have a chance to get a copy, I definitely recommend it!
Book source: the author
Book information: Winter Goose Publishing, 2012; historical fantasy. YA, but could also be upper mg or adult.
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