Thursday 12 October 2017

FANTASY REVIEW: Iskari 1: The Last Namsara - Kristen Ciccarelli

Release Date: 12/10/17
Publisher: 

SYNOPSIS:

Destroyer. Death bringer. Dragon-slayer. I am more weapon than girl.

Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she's sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the wicked deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar.

But protecting her father's kingdom is a lonely destiny: no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked.

Even worse, to unite the fractured kingdom she must marry Jarek, the cruel commandant. As the wedding day approaches, Asha longs for freedom.

Just when it seems her fate is sealed, the king offers her a way out: her freedom in exchange for the head of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard.

And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy . . .

THE LAST NAMSARA is an extraordinary story about courage, loyalty and star-crossed love, set in a kingdom that trembles on the edge of war.


REVIEW:

I'm the type of reader who is often found in fantastical kingdoms and worlds where mystical creatures live and magic is in abundance so when I get the chance to try a Young Adult title that will help get the love out there for the younger reader I jump at the chance in order to help pass on my love of reading to my nephews and niece. (So that when I'm old, they'll know the right sort of books to buy me. LOL)

So I had high hopes for this although to a certain degree the blurb sounded pretty generic and I thought was something that I'd read before in titles such as McCaffrey's Pern series. I finally picked up the book and settled down awaiting to see what would occur. The story pretty much went the way I expected and whilst there were quite a few elements that worked well, the whole thing was centred more around two characters placing them in a fantastical setting and following a certain linear path. That's not to say it wasn't well done, it was, but for me, there was no surprise and when you also throw in supporting cast that felt pretty flat I was left a little disappointed with the overall book.

All round it was OK, and the parts that I liked were well done, however for me there were other avenues that needed to be explored so I'm hoping that in future outings the writing will have not only improved but that the character development continues with fuller fleshed out cast members.

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