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A review by nicolemhewitt
Scion of the Fox by S.M. Beiko
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
This book is set in the modern-day world, but one steeped in ancient mythology and fantastical magical creatures. It’s an exciting combination!
What Fed My Addiction:
The worldbuilding.
The basis of this world is that there are some people who have animal spirits and magic (at least, that’s the best way I can describe it). There are five of them: foxes, rabbits, deer, owls and seals. Each type of animal has its own qualities and magic, and the people who embody each animal seem to be racially distinct. I recognize the fox (with nine tails) from some Asian folklore, but I honestly don’t know if all of the animals have these origins or not. (I felt like many of the other spirits, demons, etc may have had a background in Asian lore as well, but I confess to being mostly ignorant of the details—though the comparison in the blurb to Princess Mononoke makes me suspect even more that there’s a connection) Regardless, I thought that Beiko did a fabulous job creating a fantasy world that overlaps with our own and making it come alive!
Diversity!
Not only were many of the characters racially diverse, but one of the main characters has no legs, and he’s in a wheelchair.
Paranormal monsters with bite.
The book starts out with an incredibly intriguing scene (and a dead body), so I was invested right from the start. When the paranormal action starts… it’s pretty crazy. Seriously, yikes! Again, I thought that Beiko did a fantastic job of creating monsters (or, maybe, ancient spirits) that felt real and seriously deadly. I would not have wanted to be in Roan’s shoes.
Twists and turns.
There were a few of them that I didn’t see coming!
No romance.
(But possible hints of one to come?) Roan is too busy saving the world to indulge in a love life (though there is a tiny romantic subplot between other characters). There are a few little hints that there might be a romance in future books, but nothing is jumped into, and that was just fine with me.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Pacing.
I felt like this book started out really strong, and then there was a bit of a lull in the middle, and then the pace and the action picked way up in the end.
Set up for future books.
This book could almost have been a standalone, but then at the very end something is thrown in that pretty much negates the entire first book, and I questioned it a bit. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be eager to find out what happens!
This book is a blend of fantasy, mythology and reality that makes you want even more! I give it 4/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This book is set in the modern-day world, but one steeped in ancient mythology and fantastical magical creatures. It’s an exciting combination!
What Fed My Addiction:
The worldbuilding.
The basis of this world is that there are some people who have animal spirits and magic (at least, that’s the best way I can describe it). There are five of them: foxes, rabbits, deer, owls and seals. Each type of animal has its own qualities and magic, and the people who embody each animal seem to be racially distinct. I recognize the fox (with nine tails) from some Asian folklore, but I honestly don’t know if all of the animals have these origins or not. (I felt like many of the other spirits, demons, etc may have had a background in Asian lore as well, but I confess to being mostly ignorant of the details—though the comparison in the blurb to Princess Mononoke makes me suspect even more that there’s a connection) Regardless, I thought that Beiko did a fabulous job creating a fantasy world that overlaps with our own and making it come alive!
Diversity!
Not only were many of the characters racially diverse, but one of the main characters has no legs, and he’s in a wheelchair.
Paranormal monsters with bite.
The book starts out with an incredibly intriguing scene (and a dead body), so I was invested right from the start. When the paranormal action starts… it’s pretty crazy. Seriously, yikes! Again, I thought that Beiko did a fantastic job of creating monsters (or, maybe, ancient spirits) that felt real and seriously deadly. I would not have wanted to be in Roan’s shoes.
Twists and turns.
There were a few of them that I didn’t see coming!
No romance.
(But possible hints of one to come?) Roan is too busy saving the world to indulge in a love life (though there is a tiny romantic subplot between other characters). There are a few little hints that there might be a romance in future books, but nothing is jumped into, and that was just fine with me.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Pacing.
I felt like this book started out really strong, and then there was a bit of a lull in the middle, and then the pace and the action picked way up in the end.
Set up for future books.
This book could almost have been a standalone, but then at the very end something is thrown in that pretty much negates the entire first book, and I questioned it a bit. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be eager to find out what happens!
This book is a blend of fantasy, mythology and reality that makes you want even more! I give it 4/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***