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petealdin's review
4.0
A terrific debut novel. A whole load of fun. A familiar fantasy world for lovers of high fantasy, but with some great uses of magic(k) as technology. A writer with a bright future.
rainbow_grace's review
4.0
Sometimes, it was difficult to put down, while at other times, I found myself setting it aside and taking a moment just to process what had just happened. The story is fascinating and the twists and turns kept me interested all the way to last sentence—which was a shocker.
Usually, the main character of a fantasy story is some kind of “chosen one” with “power the dark lord knows not” or somelike. In The Dragon and the Crow, Brin lives in a world where everyone has magic—everyone but him. This is an intriguing concept, turning our expectations on end.
The plot also turns our expectations on end—repeatedly. I couldn’t keep track of how many times I said to myself, “Oh, wait. That’s the good guy and that’s the bad guy… no, it’s the other way around!” I love this kind of twisting, turning story where the characters aren’t just good or evil, but human and flawed.
There are some awkward phrasings and word choices throughout, and even some spelling and grammatical errors, but these are few and far between. Mostly, this novel is polished and professional-looking. I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel and finding out what happens to Brin.
Usually, the main character of a fantasy story is some kind of “chosen one” with “power the dark lord knows not” or somelike. In The Dragon and the Crow, Brin lives in a world where everyone has magic—everyone but him. This is an intriguing concept, turning our expectations on end.
The plot also turns our expectations on end—repeatedly. I couldn’t keep track of how many times I said to myself, “Oh, wait. That’s the good guy and that’s the bad guy… no, it’s the other way around!” I love this kind of twisting, turning story where the characters aren’t just good or evil, but human and flawed.
There are some awkward phrasings and word choices throughout, and even some spelling and grammatical errors, but these are few and far between. Mostly, this novel is polished and professional-looking. I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel and finding out what happens to Brin.
thebookshelfreview's review
4.0
This was a really awesome read. I mean could you imagine if you lived in a society where everyone had magic powers and you were the only one that couldn't practice it. I would be so heartbroken and would completely be devastated. This was the premise that got me hooked into this story.
This story, from start to finish, was blended and weaved in such a way that it got me thinking about it a lot. It changed from seen to seen to become a different book that at the turn of each page became better and better. The more this story went along the more I liked it. I really liked the main character, Brin. He is someone you really wanted to root for, a real underdog. He goes on an adventure of a life time to try and get what he has always wanted. Many different things happen in this one book. None of the characters are really trust worthy and it is hard to pick a side. I loved the major twists that happen and I really can't wait to read book 2. The one thing I didn't like about this book was that it was really long for me and some parts were uneccesary. Some parts of the book could have been shortened to get to the point. I did like some of the major aspects of this book but the inbetween parts weren't all that much need. Another thing I really did like though was the character development. It is was like McKenzie took much detail and pains to portray each character and there background. I could see there personalities and lives coming alive on the page. If you love a good magic, powerstruggle, underdog of a story. I definitely suggest you read this book. Read the synopsis and if you like it definitely try out this book. =]
This story, from start to finish, was blended and weaved in such a way that it got me thinking about it a lot. It changed from seen to seen to become a different book that at the turn of each page became better and better. The more this story went along the more I liked it. I really liked the main character, Brin. He is someone you really wanted to root for, a real underdog. He goes on an adventure of a life time to try and get what he has always wanted. Many different things happen in this one book. None of the characters are really trust worthy and it is hard to pick a side. I loved the major twists that happen and I really can't wait to read book 2. The one thing I didn't like about this book was that it was really long for me and some parts were uneccesary. Some parts of the book could have been shortened to get to the point. I did like some of the major aspects of this book but the inbetween parts weren't all that much need. Another thing I really did like though was the character development. It is was like McKenzie took much detail and pains to portray each character and there background. I could see there personalities and lives coming alive on the page. If you love a good magic, powerstruggle, underdog of a story. I definitely suggest you read this book. Read the synopsis and if you like it definitely try out this book. =]
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