I received this book as Goodreads Giveaway, so – a token of my appreciation for free reading piece. Not exactly frateful, though.
This is a debute novel, as confirmed by author, and it’s pretty much self-evident.
Infatuation with world, born from your own imagination, standard characters with typical features
without any great depth, pompousness and clanky language, unnecessary descriptions. and most of all – ‘action’ described in that special way that shouts out “Amateur”: he lifted his right hand, he jumped, he clicked his wrist in a special way that makes… blah-blah-blah, you know the score. PASSAGES of it. No, PAGES.
But everything above is still marks of a beginner with possibility to change over time. World is complicated and though nothing new, has a potential – though main story line about mandate didn’t even start in first book.
But there are two great sins that make author’s prospects dim.
First – as should be remembered by all writers as the first rule – what’s going on should be interesting for readers not for characters. It’s understandable that author is deeply involved with characters, that they are part of him and he lives through them, but I simply don’t care. Everything is predictable and boring even after collecting all pieces. And characters are simply not exciting.
Second – blatant sexism. Boys fight, girls support emotionally behind the lines. Why? Just because. Really, no explanation. There is no female character with her own agenda. Or may be one, but she’s in coma. “Humility is for women”, yeah.