Elements: Dragonkin
Rating:
- Characters - 4 - A bit overly dependent on archetypes at first, but once the story starts flowing, they're quite interesting.
- Setting - 5 - Pretty unique. The world feels like it's been well-planned out, and has some fascinating details I don't think I've seen put together in quite this way.
- Plot - 5 - A great story that pulls you along from the beginning, even when you're so frustrated with the characters you want to smack them.
- Genre Elements - 5 - Lots of fantasy aspects used in a new and interesting way.
- Voice - 4 - Good, though the characters outside the main two get quite muffled or overly archetypal after the initial chapters.
- Romance Elements - 5 - Excellent and believable. I like that their romance is neither easy nor swift. You root for them to the very end.
- Overall - 4.5 - A high recommendation here. Some imperfections, but overall a very enjoyable read.
An ancient legend and a dying land leads a cleric to sacrifice himself in a unique way--and a prince to agree to the sacrifice in hopes of saving his land.
My thoughts -
This story drew me in from the beginning. It was very different from what the description suggested--a forced marriage story. Instead, what this is is a story about two men trying to do the best they can for their world, and the consequences of it. The two main characters are fascinating. Mora and Hadrin both seem typical of their sort. The cleric who will do anything to protect his people, and the Prince who must live up to his father's expectations and defend the land. And yet, together, they become so much more. The endgame was not at all what I expected, and so surprising that I can't wait to read it again to see if it is really as out of the blue as it felt reading it the first time. Either way, the ending is satisfying and just what the story needed.
The world is interesting, particularly the mythos of the Dragon King. The prophesy that his line will eventually destroy the world makes for an intriguing plot as you try to decide if it is nothing more than myth or if there really is something more to it as Mora truly believes. The constant tries to pull the two young men apart only makes you root for them more, and ache for the difficulties they are going through. Particularly once they truly fall for each other.
There are some minor spelling and grammar issues, as well as some writing issues, but once you start reading, these vanish beneath the interest of the story itself, and given that it is a free online story, it's really one of the better ones I've read, despite these issues.
Warnings -
Some violence and assassination attempts against the main characters.
Overall Recommendation -
A high recommendation here for those interested in fantasy worlds.
Link to the story - The Fall of the Dragon King (at Fiction Press)
Author Link - MomsDarkSecret (at Fiction Press)
If you liked this story, try -
- The Adorned by John Tristan (Goodreads) (read my review here)
- The Quartz Key by Lianne Burwell (Online link) (read my review here)
- Undesirable by Velvet Mace (LJ)
- The Ennik Series by Kim Fielding (Goodreads) (read my review here)
- The Prince's Boy by Cecilia Tan (Publisher's site) (read my review here)
No comments:
Post a Comment