From the seemingly-unneeded prologue, which was heavily touched by fantasy,
I wasn't sure if I had the right book in my hands. No seriously, I thought I
purchased the wrong one. But as I read further, I was reassured that I had the
right book. Yes indeed. It was fast-paced, full of interesting characters I
wanted to know more about, creatively descriptive and VERY descriptive (I'll
touch on this further down), and a few scenes that left me wondering. The way
Willen painted spaceship's and interiors, weapons and all sorts of equipment,
as well as characters of so many races, I think is what really put a smile on
my face. I'm a sucker for creative descriptions and Willen has deftly weaved
them into these pages.
This was another book of good vs evil. The heroes and good characters were likeable, realistic, witty at times, each with their own goals, dark pasts etc. I didn't grow as attached to Alec in the beginning, but I grew fonder of him as the story neared its end. Alexa and Nina I liked from early on, and Hadrian held my interest. The bad guys! Now, Zuzack would make Satan himself recoil in a corner and wish this is all a nightmare. Can't remember the last time I hated someone like this. Hughes, too, but he was just slimy. Piracy at its best and worst were mostly due to the actions and dialogue of criminals like Zuzack and Hughes, and the overall cutthroat culture was insightful-to say the least.
The dialogue was realistic, and it flowed well. I think it carried the plot nicely, so I'll not dwell on this: Most dialogue scenes were a breeze and some were more elaborate than others. The scenes! Now. Violence was probably 30% of this book. Maybe more. "Descriptive violence" doesn't quite cut it if you're trying to... well... describe it. Some was a bit too much for me, but that's all about preference. Some readers like it more than others. As a writer, if I wanted to make a violent space opera, then I think it's the right amount. In the end, you can't really describe a pirate ship and their wrongdoings without having violence of this magnitude and quality in the mix. As for the more carnal scenes: I haven't read 50 Shades of Grey, and to be honest, now I don't think I'll ever need to - whatever shade it comes in. I'll just leave it at that.
The story's tune is a brutal one, and I think it pairs well when piracy and royalty clash in space battles (oh yes, I did like the contrast between pirates and the sovereign high-class families and their military power). And there are characters within that I feel for and want the best for them, to one day find their utopia. And I reached the end of the book feeling that having evil around is probably necessary and natural. What is good if there's no evil to challenge it? I recommend this book to those who like space opera with a touch of mystery, but not for the faint-hearted. However, it was fun dipping my toe in darker waters. A great novel, Mr Erik Martin Willen.
This was another book of good vs evil. The heroes and good characters were likeable, realistic, witty at times, each with their own goals, dark pasts etc. I didn't grow as attached to Alec in the beginning, but I grew fonder of him as the story neared its end. Alexa and Nina I liked from early on, and Hadrian held my interest. The bad guys! Now, Zuzack would make Satan himself recoil in a corner and wish this is all a nightmare. Can't remember the last time I hated someone like this. Hughes, too, but he was just slimy. Piracy at its best and worst were mostly due to the actions and dialogue of criminals like Zuzack and Hughes, and the overall cutthroat culture was insightful-to say the least.
The dialogue was realistic, and it flowed well. I think it carried the plot nicely, so I'll not dwell on this: Most dialogue scenes were a breeze and some were more elaborate than others. The scenes! Now. Violence was probably 30% of this book. Maybe more. "Descriptive violence" doesn't quite cut it if you're trying to... well... describe it. Some was a bit too much for me, but that's all about preference. Some readers like it more than others. As a writer, if I wanted to make a violent space opera, then I think it's the right amount. In the end, you can't really describe a pirate ship and their wrongdoings without having violence of this magnitude and quality in the mix. As for the more carnal scenes: I haven't read 50 Shades of Grey, and to be honest, now I don't think I'll ever need to - whatever shade it comes in. I'll just leave it at that.
The story's tune is a brutal one, and I think it pairs well when piracy and royalty clash in space battles (oh yes, I did like the contrast between pirates and the sovereign high-class families and their military power). And there are characters within that I feel for and want the best for them, to one day find their utopia. And I reached the end of the book feeling that having evil around is probably necessary and natural. What is good if there's no evil to challenge it? I recommend this book to those who like space opera with a touch of mystery, but not for the faint-hearted. However, it was fun dipping my toe in darker waters. A great novel, Mr Erik Martin Willen.
Chris Wright's review
May 19, 2017
it was amaz
Read from March 11 to May 19, 2017 , read count: 1
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