An excellent Dystopian fantasy novel from a first-time author. Get in now before it takes off!
348396
This was an excellent read from a first-time author. Full disclosure, I do know Yi Zhu. However, I purchased my own e-copy of the book and have not been compensated for this review :P

I can't think of another book that Emperor's Shadow is comparable to, although I'm not an expert on this genre. At its heart, Emperor's Shadow is an immersive, plot-driven experience. It takes the perspective of several characters from very different backgrounds and slowly weaves their separate stories into a single cohesive and believable narrative exploring the dark side of the supposedly "Glorious Empire." While there are a few scenes with combat or alchemists unleashing their Fye (an environmental gas processed by certain individuals into elemental magic) on enemies, I would not describe Emperor's Shadow as action-packed. And it doesn't need to be! The strength of this book is its characters and their interactions with each other. Although there were a couple of slow-rolled 'reveals' that I saw coming, there were also a couple of genuinely surprising twists as well.

I could not give Emperor's Shadow a 5/5 due to a few polishing issues, the above-mentioned reveals that were a bit predictable for me, and a slightly confusing device introduced in the final section of the book with the timeline shifting back and forth over a thirteen year span. That said, I fully expect to be doling out the 5 stars in reviews for Yi Zhu's future works. Pick this one up! You'll enjoy it!
1565158
As someone who's not a fan of sci-fi (save for Michael Crichton) or dystopian fiction, I'm excited to say Pierce Brown has succeeded in writing one hell of a debut novel.

As others have said: if Lord of the Flies, Hogwarts School of Magic and Game of Thrones had a baby, then raised that baby in a futuristic roman society on Mars, you might get this book.  But despite the familiar themes, the originality is undeniable. Character development is excellent, action sequences had me on the edge of my seat, plot twists were unexpected but plausible and welcome.  With an underlying theme of ancient roman culture, clever weaponry and tactics, and poetic prose throughout, every page was rewarding. I must say I can't remember being so excited for a sequel.  Assuming the next two of the trilogy are half as good, this will certainly be a billion dollar movie series. (Here's to hoping hollywood doesn't muck it up too much!)

Buy this book!  You will not regret it.
4362319
I loved the originality of this story!  The author creates a world that has so much depth that we learn only a little bit in this first book.  The only thing to keep in mind is that it is told from a third person narrative, which I personally don't care for. It also starts off a little slow but keep with it because it picks up. Give it a chance and read it today!!
2260274
I was able to have the opportunity of reading 'First World' as an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) on Goodreads.

I really, really, really enjoyed this novel. As a YA sci-fi, dystopian and utopian novel, First World is an original, interesting and fantastic novel that consisted of romance, magic, beauty and reunion.

I was impressed how the settings of the two worlds in comparison were completely different from each other. Earth is a dark, horrible place, controlled by wars and gangs, whereas First World is filled with beauty, magic and life.

The main character Abigail Swish, grows up in a compound for girls growing up in war torn New York. She goes out into the centre of Manhattan, facing the gangs and meets her guardian. The action begins to pick up as Abby and Lucy travel to First World. In First World, Abby begins to unveil her past, her family, but also her future.

From the moment she sees Brace, tall, dark-haired, handsome guy, she falls for him, even though how much she doesn't want to. There is tension between Abby and Brace but they were well written because their romance was not over the top and lots of the scenes hold sexual tension and wonder.

I will say that I loved the cover. It may look ordinary if you haven't read the book, but that is exactly how I picture Abby. I rated First World 4.5 because I not only loved it but it was well written.  I cannot wait to get Spurn (the second novel) and read about how they're going to save all the worlds.

I recommend anyone who enjoys reading sci-fi, dystopian, utopian, romance novels. It was well written, the characters were relatable and different to me at the same time and the story was mysterious and left me wanting more. Definitely a book to read!
1928472
Ive gotten quite into dystopian, post-apocalyptic fiction in recent months and this novel is one of the best Ive read in the genre. The fact that it is basically a sci-fi story and a detective mystery rolled into one only solidified that opinion. Highly recommended to all fans of those genres.

The characters are also very well drawn out with a lot of depth, which I love, while the plot and world are very imaginative and unique.  At first I was a little worried that since this book is actually a series of novellas I wouldnt like it as much (as Im not a huge fan of shorter fiction), but in the end I really enjoyed the format.  Each of the novellas follows a separate storyline, with Kirin the detective forming the main link. So, really, this is 3 stories in one and a great intro into the world the author created.

Anyway, Im off to read stories 4-7 of this series. Cant wait to see what happens next!
1350779
Aaron's first ever book is an impressive start. Any good fantasy novel has a rich history before the story even starts and it's the reader's pleasure to start to learn that history as the story unfolds. And a good fantasy author gives the reader only bits and pieces at a time, leaving them wanting for more. Aaron does a nice job of that with The Hand of Andulain. He's created a land that is complex and characters that, while not quite at the depth of a Robert Jordan epic fantasy, are still detailed enough to catch your interest.

An enjoyable read.
4291271
This book was amazing, and I think will be loved by fans of YA fantasy everywhere. It's such a strong debut, and leaves you wanting more. The main character is a Fireblood, a girl who has the elemental power to manipulate fire. She's never been able to control it, and is hunted by others (Frostbloods) who want to exterminate all the Firebloods, and when the book opens, have almost succeeded. That said, this is a very simple explanation...it's a far more complex situation than I've described here, and Blake has crafted a well-developed fantasy world to play with in future books. Honestly, when I finished the last page I found myself eager and impatient for the next book...I don't want to wait! On the other hand, the sequel is coming later this year, so I won't have to wait long. *grabby hands*
498075
I loved this book! Kristen Pham has given us a truly original idea that stands out among novels with a futuristic dystopia. She also offers a fresh take on the young female hero/anti-hero. The main character, Joan, is the kind of girl I want to be (or at least be friends with). The plot is so engaging and well-paced. The characters are compelling and I'm eager to discover how they evolve throughout the series. This book is excellent for readers of all ages and particularly captivating for young adult readers. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
3816152
Ashwin is the first in a new series set in a postapocalyptic, dystopian world already detailed in the Beyond series by the same author. While you don't HAVE to have read the Beyond series to understand what's going on (I haven't) there is an absolutely vast cast of characters and references to previous events that I suspect went right over my head because I didn't have the backstory.

The only thing I can compare it to is watching the Avengers movies without watching any of the Iron Man, Captain America or Thor movies. Yes, you can follow along with the story and be vastly entertained, but you don't really have a clue why the characters are behaving as they are, because you don't have the backstory.

Ashwin is an excellent example of a dystopian romance, but as the first in a series, it leaves something to be desired.

Four stars, because although it's thoroughly enjoyable, I wouldn't recommend picking this up as an introduction to the author's work.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
757126
This is an excellent debut novel. I was skeptical at first, and thought I was just buying some filler military fantasy. The concept of a Roman-esque empire in medieval fantasy world was unique, and soon had me hooked. Edelheit has created a really unique world. While the story contains some fantasy tropes, they're handled so well that they really drive the narrative in positive direction. The pacing was great, and I was very glad that I had discovered this after the second novel was also available, because I jumped right into that.  I'm anxiously awaiting news of the 3rd book in the series.
2909028
I bought a print copy of this book from the author at a convention, and decided to leave a review.

I loved this book! It's an unlikely combination of gritty and clean that is executed beautifully.

The action starts at the beginning of the book, and the plot moves forward quickly as readers discover what's going on from Serena's and Daniel's points of view. I liked how Thompson managed to establish what was going on without detracting from the plot's quick pace.

The dystopian world is immersive and complex with political intrigue outside of, and within, the bad bloods' ranks. The characters are interesting; many are children who possess wisdom beyond their years because many of them were thrown out of their homes, and lived on the streets before they were taken in by factions called "flocks." I think that the characters are fairly well-developed, and I get the feeling that Thompson will reveal more about Serena and Daniel as the series progresses.

What is not revealed is the origin of the bad bloods; are the abilities a natural evolutionary step, like the X-Men, or is the mutation caused by an event in the past that exposed people to a mutagen? I was a bit disappointed that this wasn't revealed; however, even the characters seem to be unsure of how bad bloods came to be, but Thompson does hint that more of the bad bloods' origin story will be revealed as the series develops.

November Rain is a promising first book of the Bad Bloods series; it provides readers with enough information to get hooked while offering hints at what's to come. A fantastic dystopian, young adult novel for fans of the genre!
1144402
This story has a dystopian (future Earth) background for an epic sci-fi action adventure, which reminded me of Joss Whedon's excellent series 'Firefly' and the movie 'Serenity'. The characters are very well drawn and in particular I liked Jason and Sophia and their unusual relationship. The world is vividly described and much of the sci-fi is well conceived and believable with a pinch. The plot unfolds as Jason is sent on a mission by his employers to a wasted corner of the Earth, where he discovers secrets and revolution. The pace is well structured and I kept turning the pages with enthusiasm. Without doubt, a great start to what looks to be a very promising series. Highly Recommended
1740924
Loved it!  My first experience with this type of dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction ... as soon as I finish this review, will get book 2 to find out what happens next!
524342
I want to start by saying I am so pleased the author took early reviews to heart and went back in to rework parts of the book. I can now happily give the uodated book 4.5 stars.

This book immediately sparked my interest when I came upon it on NetGalley. The cover is eye catching, the description is really interesting, it's dystopian, a genre I adore and part of the story takes place in a virtual world. What I especially enjoyed was intriguing premise and the beginning of the book, which captured my interest immediately. I loved the second half of the book a bit less, but I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see where Stewart takes us and the characters next in this very interesting dystopian world.
1579551
4.5 stars.
Ok, that was awesome! A little different than I expected, but in a good way! It's like a dystopian modern fantasy and I really loved the setting.
I had read the prequel novella before reading this, and I'm really glad I did since I remembered a few characters and names and had the backstory on Jet before jumping into this one.
I loved Darien as a MC. He's a bit snarky and headstrong and basically just got himself in trouble the entire time. But I loved how he gradually harnesses his power but isn't immediately awesome at it. Or maybe that's just Jet hanging around ready to take him down a peg or five. So Jet. He's awesome. A little frustrating at times, but I loved the friendship that eventually forms between him and Darien.
The magic concepts were cool as were the different abilities you could have. And the plot twisty thing with Jet at the end!! I need the next books please to see how this is going to work out!
The plot moved along really well. I was completely glued to the book, especially once the dystopian road trip started. :P
So much humor and sass! All the characters were really well developed and believable. Some sad moments, a few nail biting moments, and plenty of funny moments. This was a fantastic book and I'm really looking forward to finishing the series. Highly recommended!
3150869
Sanyare: The last descendant, I am not always moved to write reviews on the books I have read but this book was extremely well put together for a first novel and it encouraged me air my thoughts on the book.

Sanyare is a fast paced, kick-starter book, it grips you fast from the very beginning and you cannot stop till all the characters plots have come to a conclusion. It is one of the first fantasy fiction to capture my attention in a while and I appreciate the author's efforts.
My only critique is that there should be a glossary of the terms used; what exactly was this author meaning of "sidhe", in addition an explanation of the separation of the powers that creates the different realms, what is the classification of the powers that used to separate the realms.
In the last few chapter, we finally had a minimum grasp of what a Sanyare is and his introduction of himself give a brief introduction on the creation of the separate realms, but it would have been a more understanding read, if the readers had an inkling of which powers constitute which realms and not have to read the story based on the assumption that the author separation is probably similar to the general knowledge most fantasy fiction readers have garnered from other novels.

Despite all of the above I love this novel and look forward to reading the new installment.
322091
The book is the first of a series and, boy, do we need to get more of that. The story is engaging, the characters are very well-crafted and believable and I found myself immersed like I have not been in a fantasy world outside of my tabletop gaming group for quite some time.

I knew the author's work from a couple of Pathfinder adventures he wrote (some of which I count among my favorites) and his roots greatly shine through the pages of this novel. It is refreshing to see what he can do completely unshackled from the confines of a published setting. The world is fascinating and intriguing (it even comes with a couple of full-color maps you can check out at his website) and I sincerely hope that over the course of the series we will get even more details about the setting so I can run my own adventures in it for my tabletop group.

Long story short: Roll for initiative and grab this book!