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wally's review
4.0
Roll on book two
Excellent read great set up for the rest of the series . Can't wait to read more about this world
Excellent read great set up for the rest of the series . Can't wait to read more about this world
thefool's review
5.0
Girl.... I've said it every time I review one of David Hair's books, and I will gladly say it again to the masses: he has a very addictive writing style that's nearly impossible to put down!! If I didn't have to work, I would easily breeze through these tomes in a day or two. EASILY.
Now, that said, the Sunsurge Quartet would lose a majority of its charm without first reading the Moontide Quartet. There are a lot of old characters that return in this one and a lot of excitement as a result. Not only that, but some of the stakes don't feel quite as high unless you know the previous events and exactly what they mean in the long term! In other words, this series is seeped in spoilers for the Moontide Quartet that are impossible to escape. I would highly, highly recommend reading Moontide FIRST.
Onward!!!
The characterization in every one of his works are just stellar! You can't help but love the characters, even those the reader considers a villain. It's difficult not to see the villains side of things with reminders of their humanity sprinkled here and there, with their version of events communicated in their own POVs. We all have our secret battles and motivations, right? And sometimes circumstances force our hand outside of what we might have otherwise decided to do....
There are some reviewers who are turned off by the character Lyra and her naive embrace of the world at large.
.... the woman has spent twenty years of captivity in a convent. That isn't a spoiler, that's where she's found to be at the very beginning of her storyline. She was not only born in the convent, she remained there until her 'rescue.' So, naturally, her way of viewing the world would be wholly skewed by that way of life. A woman character doesn't always have to be strong, that is sooooo stupid to think or to even say that a female character has to be warrior and a fighter in every text that one is mentioned. Sometimes a female is weak. Sometimes a MALE is weak. That's realistic. And just because a female or a male character is weak, doesn't make their characterization shit. How fucking exciting would a story be if every character had the strength of will and power to combat every challenge? I don't even know if that's exactly why some dislike her character or if I'm reading it wrong. But I don't think a 'whiny' character is at all a detriment to a story.
UNLESS it's just there as a motivator of some variety. Like sometimes happens with 'bully' characters. A bully character who is just shit for no reason other than to try to motivate the main character into action is really deserving of the 'shit' label.
In summary: not all female characters have to be warriors or strong enough to argue against the powers that try to suppress them. Sometimes they aren't. Sometimes they wish to cling to their savior male love. Sometimes they like to be loose and sexual. Sometimes they're flighty. It's all good!!!
This story is great and just as wondrous as the Moontide!!!
Now, that said, the Sunsurge Quartet would lose a majority of its charm without first reading the Moontide Quartet. There are a lot of old characters that return in this one and a lot of excitement as a result. Not only that, but some of the stakes don't feel quite as high unless you know the previous events and exactly what they mean in the long term! In other words, this series is seeped in spoilers for the Moontide Quartet that are impossible to escape. I would highly, highly recommend reading Moontide FIRST.
Onward!!!
The characterization in every one of his works are just stellar! You can't help but love the characters, even those the reader considers a villain. It's difficult not to see the villains side of things with reminders of their humanity sprinkled here and there, with their version of events communicated in their own POVs. We all have our secret battles and motivations, right? And sometimes circumstances force our hand outside of what we might have otherwise decided to do....
There are some reviewers who are turned off by the character Lyra and her naive embrace of the world at large.
.... the woman has spent twenty years of captivity in a convent. That isn't a spoiler, that's where she's found to be at the very beginning of her storyline. She was not only born in the convent, she remained there until her 'rescue.' So, naturally, her way of viewing the world would be wholly skewed by that way of life. A woman character doesn't always have to be strong, that is sooooo stupid to think or to even say that a female character has to be warrior and a fighter in every text that one is mentioned. Sometimes a female is weak. Sometimes a MALE is weak. That's realistic. And just because a female or a male character is weak, doesn't make their characterization shit. How fucking exciting would a story be if every character had the strength of will and power to combat every challenge? I don't even know if that's exactly why some dislike her character or if I'm reading it wrong. But I don't think a 'whiny' character is at all a detriment to a story.
UNLESS it's just there as a motivator of some variety. Like sometimes happens with 'bully' characters. A bully character who is just shit for no reason other than to try to motivate the main character into action is really deserving of the 'shit' label.
In summary: not all female characters have to be warriors or strong enough to argue against the powers that try to suppress them. Sometimes they aren't. Sometimes they wish to cling to their savior male love. Sometimes they like to be loose and sexual. Sometimes they're flighty. It's all good!!!
This story is great and just as wondrous as the Moontide!!!
kittyg's review
3.0
* I was sent this for free from the publisher *
This is the first book in a new quartet by David Hair. I was super excited for this book because of just how much I loved the Moontide Quartet series (which is set before this in the same world). Sadly, although I did enjoy this as an epic fantasy still, it didn't stand out quite as much as the Moontide Quartet and in the end it was just a 3* likeable read rather than a 4-5* read like all of the Moontide Quartet books were.
The good stuff:
- Returning characters - I always like seeing crossover between series and this definitely had some characters who featured in the first series popping their heads back into the plot and changing/influencing things.
- The world - I still think that the world and set up in this series is great becuase the mix of cultures, Eastern-inspired and Western-inspired, really helps this to feel like it is somewhere that could be real if only magic existed.
- The magic - we get some really cool new additions to the magic we've previously learned of including some new types of power. We also get shown a lot more of the battle magic, and necromancy, and I found the Jousting tournaments and the crazy siege really exciting.
The not as great as the first series:
- The lady characters - In the first 4 books I LOVED some of the ladies for really pushing the boundaries, being themselves, and just keeping me so intrigued. I felt for them and got emotionally invested, this book I just didn't ever fully 'click' with any and lots of them (including Lyra and Coramore - both major players) just had whiney moments which irritated me more than their 'good' moments... :/
- The plot - I just feel as if this plot is reaaaally battle and politic-heavy. We get a lot of underhanded moves and players, many people who sneak around and double-cross, and it's interesting to a points...but...then it just was lacking the real emotional depth and connection I wanted to see.
I think I will continue the series, as I did enjoy the read overall, but for me personally it didn't gel in the same way as the first series and I think the biggest factor was the characters. I just don't feel as emotionally into their plots as I was with books #1-4, but I hope that maybe as the series goes on we could get into some really exciting things... 3*s from me.
This is the first book in a new quartet by David Hair. I was super excited for this book because of just how much I loved the Moontide Quartet series (which is set before this in the same world). Sadly, although I did enjoy this as an epic fantasy still, it didn't stand out quite as much as the Moontide Quartet and in the end it was just a 3* likeable read rather than a 4-5* read like all of the Moontide Quartet books were.
The good stuff:
- Returning characters - I always like seeing crossover between series and this definitely had some characters who featured in the first series popping their heads back into the plot and changing/influencing things.
- The world - I still think that the world and set up in this series is great becuase the mix of cultures, Eastern-inspired and Western-inspired, really helps this to feel like it is somewhere that could be real if only magic existed.
- The magic - we get some really cool new additions to the magic we've previously learned of including some new types of power. We also get shown a lot more of the battle magic, and necromancy, and I found the Jousting tournaments and the crazy siege really exciting.
The not as great as the first series:
- The lady characters - In the first 4 books I LOVED some of the ladies for really pushing the boundaries, being themselves, and just keeping me so intrigued. I felt for them and got emotionally invested, this book I just didn't ever fully 'click' with any and lots of them (including Lyra and Coramore - both major players) just had whiney moments which irritated me more than their 'good' moments... :/
- The plot - I just feel as if this plot is reaaaally battle and politic-heavy. We get a lot of underhanded moves and players, many people who sneak around and double-cross, and it's interesting to a points...but...then it just was lacking the real emotional depth and connection I wanted to see.
I think I will continue the series, as I did enjoy the read overall, but for me personally it didn't gel in the same way as the first series and I think the biggest factor was the characters. I just don't feel as emotionally into their plots as I was with books #1-4, but I hope that maybe as the series goes on we could get into some really exciting things... 3*s from me.
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