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cr185372's review against another edition
Writing style, lack of believable and consistent world building
brittsbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Everson is a royal soldier stranded on an enemy planet and Allegra is the king's daughter and they are destined for each other. I loved this book, a great stand-alone fantasy/sci-fi story.
jferrell526's review
5.0
A remarkable tale.
I was unsure what to expect of this book. Lou Diamond Phillips has not disappointed. From the beginning this book starts with a bang. The excitement builds to a grand crescendo. Two young people from different places bring about peace. I love it!!!
I was unsure what to expect of this book. Lou Diamond Phillips has not disappointed. From the beginning this book starts with a bang. The excitement builds to a grand crescendo. Two young people from different places bring about peace. I love it!!!
vailynst's review against another edition
3.0
Notes:
Cute story with good narration, but there needed to be more active scenes to pull the story off as an adventure story with a little bit of romance. Good story for younger teens.
Cute story with good narration, but there needed to be more active scenes to pull the story off as an adventure story with a little bit of romance. Good story for younger teens.
lvl52_grant's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
the_clavicule_of_ac's review against another edition
3.0
“Two worlds at war will bring them together...or tear them apart...”
Everson is no warrior, and yet he has been forced to fight in a war he doesn’t really believe in. When things don’t go as planned, he is left behind in enemy territory. When Everson is found, he is offered a bargain- he can keep his life if he is able to retrieve the Tinderbox from the TREE- something no other man has accomplished. Everson soon discovers this could be the very thing that saves the two planets from impending doom.
This was a promising story that meshes sci-fi and fantasy together, while also throwing in elements of romance and family drama. To me however, the writing lacked the excitement to draw me in, giving me the ability to lose myself in the book. The writing is very straightforward, with a lot of information thrown at the reader to establish the world. I felt very overwhelmed at first.
One of the driving forces of the plot is a prophecy about a common soldier. It’s mentioned over and over again-however the one the prophecy is about is not a common soldier, and this kept bothering me.
Along Everson’s journey he makes a number of friends. Two that stand out are Taj (a bird like animal), and Tobias. Both are judged in their world for being simple minded. Tobias especially ends up having great depth, strength, and smarts. I love how Everson never thinks of anyone beneath him, and there is even a moment when he catches himself judging someone, and changes how he thinks. Such a great lesson!
While I didn’t end up loving this book, it was still a fun and interesting story to read, with some feel good lessons thrown in.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
Everson is no warrior, and yet he has been forced to fight in a war he doesn’t really believe in. When things don’t go as planned, he is left behind in enemy territory. When Everson is found, he is offered a bargain- he can keep his life if he is able to retrieve the Tinderbox from the TREE- something no other man has accomplished. Everson soon discovers this could be the very thing that saves the two planets from impending doom.
This was a promising story that meshes sci-fi and fantasy together, while also throwing in elements of romance and family drama. To me however, the writing lacked the excitement to draw me in, giving me the ability to lose myself in the book. The writing is very straightforward, with a lot of information thrown at the reader to establish the world. I felt very overwhelmed at first.
One of the driving forces of the plot is a prophecy about a common soldier. It’s mentioned over and over again-however the one the prophecy is about is not a common soldier, and this kept bothering me.
Along Everson’s journey he makes a number of friends. Two that stand out are Taj (a bird like animal), and Tobias. Both are judged in their world for being simple minded. Tobias especially ends up having great depth, strength, and smarts. I love how Everson never thinks of anyone beneath him, and there is even a moment when he catches himself judging someone, and changes how he thinks. Such a great lesson!
While I didn’t end up loving this book, it was still a fun and interesting story to read, with some feel good lessons thrown in.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
deborahs's review
4.0
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I asked for this book because of the author and am so glad that I did. A well written standalone with just enough world building, Tinderbox : Soldier of Indira has everything you need in a good science fiction novel. The story telling is solid and well paced with likable, sympathetic characters.
I asked for this book because of the author and am so glad that I did. A well written standalone with just enough world building, Tinderbox : Soldier of Indira has everything you need in a good science fiction novel. The story telling is solid and well paced with likable, sympathetic characters.
shells's review
4.0
I found out about this book from Lou's interview with Josh Gates on Josh Gates Tonight, and so I preordered it, without knowing anything really about it.
I'm not mad that I did.
I enjoyed the story. And as I read more, I got more into it; however, I did find myself wishing the pace would pick up through a large portion of the book.
Additionally, I feel like I was left with unanswered questions. I wanted to know more about Indira and Mano before the schism. I wanted to know what magical technology created the tinderbox. I wanted to know why it was Everson who was able to best the Tree and win the prize. I wanted to know who decreed the prophecy and why it would be Allegra? What made her special? As it stands, she's underdeveloped and underused, Rapunzel in her tower. Typical female princess trope.
I found myself annoyed by Everson through the first half of the book. And then I found myself annoyed at the complete personality shift he seemed to develop. While I can understand someone changing how they view and interact with their world, his shift is like flipping a switch.
I appreciate that we are thrown right into the action at this book's start. And I also appreciate that we aren't given a huge info dump. That being said, I feel like a lot more world-building could have only benefitted this book more.
Ultimately, I think this story could have been given another pass at rewriting, and fleshed out further.
I'm not mad that I did.
I enjoyed the story. And as I read more, I got more into it; however, I did find myself wishing the pace would pick up through a large portion of the book.
Additionally, I feel like I was left with unanswered questions. I wanted to know more about Indira and Mano before the schism. I wanted to know what magical technology created the tinderbox. I wanted to know why it was Everson who was able to best the Tree and win the prize. I wanted to know who decreed the prophecy and why it would be Allegra? What made her special? As it stands, she's underdeveloped and underused, Rapunzel in her tower. Typical female princess trope.
I found myself annoyed by Everson through the first half of the book. And then I found myself annoyed at the complete personality shift he seemed to develop. While I can understand someone changing how they view and interact with their world, his shift is like flipping a switch.
I appreciate that we are thrown right into the action at this book's start. And I also appreciate that we aren't given a huge info dump. That being said, I feel like a lot more world-building could have only benefitted this book more.
Ultimately, I think this story could have been given another pass at rewriting, and fleshed out further.
rainydancer's review
3.0
This is a decent, fast paced, easy to understand read with no real surprises. I enjoyed it while reading it, but it wasn't a sort of story that stuck with me.
rainydancer's review against another edition
3.0
You will probably like this book if you are into fairytales, space, and YA books. It’s a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale set in space. I enjoyed the pacing, and action, but the lack of character development which stoped me from really connecting with it made it the sort of story that didn’t really stick with me.