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A review by prationality
Soul Born by Kevin James Breaux
4.0
First thing to say is that even though it didn't change the rating for the book, I was more than a little relieved to hear that Soul Born is the first book in a three book series. Book 2 is due out in fourth quarter 2011 (Fall/winter) in fact.
When I first read about this the words 'dark fantasy' were first and foremost. And this can definitely be considered that; there's no 'good guy' or 'bad guy', or a sense that one side is any better then the other. Much of the characters are motivated by a selfish goal or concern--in some cases this means acting against the side they've aligned with in order to achieve that goal.
Without giving spoilers, Karn begins with Opal, but he eventually goes with Tala. I liked that Breaux contrasted the emotions that Tala has for Karn with what Opal feels. He doesn't emphasize that one is better then the other, that one has more right then the other. This goes back to what I was saying about how there isn't a 'good' or 'bad' guy. Neither is exactly forthcoming with Karn in regards to who he is or why they need him.
I wanted to know more about Illyia, I was constantly hoping that just a little more information would be given so I could have a better worldview. Its not that Breaux leaves the world vague and unshaped, rather he focuses almost entirely on Opal, Tala and Karn's conflicts. We are given just enough information to understand what's happening--such as the war between Tala's people (the Elves) and the Lizardmen. Considering I'm used to entire chapters dedicated to detailing the history of why the Elves and Lizardmen are fighting, the few short paragraphs Breaux uses to tell us about the war made me blink. This isn't a bad thing, overall it gives the book a tighter focus, just takes a little getting used to.
There are several revelations in the book that left me surprised and eager to read on to see how this now effected things. More than anything else the mystery of Karn's past and his memories were what I wanted to know more about. They came in fragments and snippets, some of them mundane and some of them intense. In the beginning of the book Karn thinks about the fact he clearly remembers his death, but with no visible signs of it nor any linking memories to it, he grows confused. Each subsequent 'memory' builds a larger, rather frightening, picture.
I was a bit taken aback by the ending--I wasn't entirely convinced that what Opal did was necessary (even if she felt it was) nor did I think that what Tala did made much sense. There was no time passage defined, but it felt like Tala suddenly rushed into the decision. It will be interesting to see how it plays out in the next book, though I'm a little wary with the implications.
When I first read about this the words 'dark fantasy' were first and foremost. And this can definitely be considered that; there's no 'good guy' or 'bad guy', or a sense that one side is any better then the other. Much of the characters are motivated by a selfish goal or concern--in some cases this means acting against the side they've aligned with in order to achieve that goal.
Without giving spoilers, Karn begins with Opal, but he eventually goes with Tala. I liked that Breaux contrasted the emotions that Tala has for Karn with what Opal feels. He doesn't emphasize that one is better then the other, that one has more right then the other. This goes back to what I was saying about how there isn't a 'good' or 'bad' guy. Neither is exactly forthcoming with Karn in regards to who he is or why they need him.
I wanted to know more about Illyia, I was constantly hoping that just a little more information would be given so I could have a better worldview. Its not that Breaux leaves the world vague and unshaped, rather he focuses almost entirely on Opal, Tala and Karn's conflicts. We are given just enough information to understand what's happening--such as the war between Tala's people (the Elves) and the Lizardmen. Considering I'm used to entire chapters dedicated to detailing the history of why the Elves and Lizardmen are fighting, the few short paragraphs Breaux uses to tell us about the war made me blink. This isn't a bad thing, overall it gives the book a tighter focus, just takes a little getting used to.
There are several revelations in the book that left me surprised and eager to read on to see how this now effected things. More than anything else the mystery of Karn's past and his memories were what I wanted to know more about. They came in fragments and snippets, some of them mundane and some of them intense. In the beginning of the book Karn thinks about the fact he clearly remembers his death, but with no visible signs of it nor any linking memories to it, he grows confused. Each subsequent 'memory' builds a larger, rather frightening, picture.
I was a bit taken aback by the ending--I wasn't entirely convinced that what Opal did was necessary (even if she felt it was) nor did I think that what Tala did made much sense. There was no time passage defined, but it felt like Tala suddenly rushed into the decision. It will be interesting to see how it plays out in the next book, though I'm a little wary with the implications.