Decent read, good characters, nice plot & epic moments.
583872
Got me into his style enough to want to read more. Main character in these books had a nice tortured soul thing that didn't get overplayed but fit perfectly.
3178968
I found this to be an enjoyable read. Is it anything really different or new? No. Is it worth a read? If you like Regencies, then yes. It is a familiar plot of love and misunderstanding. I liked the characters, and personally, I did not see the heroine as coming off as anymore selfish than most young women. Her use of Brandon for her own aims was more thoughtless and desperate than deliberately selfish. I liked the secondary romance in the story. I really only had two problems with the book. First, it seemed to me as if the Hero went from zero to sixty in falling in love with the heroine. He knew her (and made a failed marriage proposal to her) in London, without falling for her, but after spending only a little time with her in Bath he declares that he is in love. It's not that I can't buy stories where the characters fall in love quickly, but this seemed to be a slow build up situation on the hero's part, and then it was just, all of a sudden, as if he had jumped ahead. My second concern is with the issue that kept the heroine from agreeing to marry the hero. I liked how the "past experience" she had with the hero was revealed to us slowly, and, in general, I can see it as a plausible reason for the heroine's continued refusals, however, when she finally reveals the context of her experience and why it is leading her to reject him, it seems silly to me. Maybe it is just my 21st century mindset. I suppose young women then were sometimes quite ignorant of marital relations.

Overall, a decent read if you like the genre and the typical plotlines.
3349473
Let me admit that this book is pretty filled with cliches; such as "two honorable enemies who must work together to survive".  However the only one that really bothered me was the "chosen one" trope.  However, was a highly enjoyable read with the pacing keeping things moving and the main characters being sympathetic enough to overcome my minor quibbles.  The author spends some time world building, but doesn't get so caught up in details that the story stalls out.

Despite my issues with the over use of tropes/cliches I'm rating this 5 stars based on the overall enjoyably.
1777393
Wow. Pretty epic book with slightly better characterization than the previous ones while retaining the action and setting up future events quite well.
3303105
I can't say that I LOVED this book, but I liked it and will give the sequel a try as it was a giveaway/gift from the author. I give this book three stars because even after months and months of avoiding finishing it, or coming back a few minutes at a time to chip away at it some more, it got finished and wasn't agonizing to read. In fact, some parts were EPIC and those are the parts that I kept coming back for. I could clearly see them happening as if I was watching a movie adaption and those are the moments that really matter to me. I like stopping after a moment and going HOLY CRAP.
The downfall of this book is that I started it forever ago and only just now finished it, so perhaps there is a problem with the pacing (or maybe it's just me). The main characters were fleshed out enough that I could still remember them even after weeks of not opening the book, which is obviously good, but I didn't CARE very much about them despite wanting them to accomplish their goals. Also, I think I would have preferred to spend more time in Kai's hometown area and in the 'finale' part where everything seems to happen so easily and quickly. Dragging that out a bit more might have been nice since the entire story is leading up to that moment.
Like I said, it was enough for me to continue on with the series.
432764
Chris Palmer asked me to read a story written by him and J Bean Palmer, "Elsbeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties". It's the third in a series but each one is a stand alone. It's about Elsbeth's ancestors calling her to old country to fight them against someone trying to steal the family's ancestral land. I will examine plot, characters and polish before assigning a grade.

PLOT

On the whole I have good things to say about the plot.

 The prologue, for instance, is fantastic. It encapsulates the premise in a concise and poetic manner while also wrapping it in the airs of an epic. This book is not an epic but this prologue made me eager to read the rest regardless.

The build up to the main action, traveling to Ireland, builds up that eagerness. An acquaintance of Elsbeth, the South Wind, blows her ship across the Atlantic Ocean. She knows something strange is happening because South Wind wouldn't do that on his own. It's a sense of mystery that drives the story forward. There's also an amusing explanation for how the kids survive the long trip: the boat belongs to Robert's Uncle Preston and Uncle Preston really likes peanut butter so there's this huge stash of it on the boat.

I like the event in Ireland itself too. There's a good development of events, some interesting world building and a plausible reason for why the kids are solving the problem instead of adults. Thus, no use of the Adults Are Useless trope.

It's the climax and resolution that I dislike. There's this Idiot Ball that leads to the climax which creates a forced crisis. Then it's like the ball breeds and lots of people are holding one. It's jarring. Because of this idiot ball, the sense of triumph afterward falls flat for me.

However, even here I liked how the crisis is resolved. It's clever, it's foreshadowed instead of an Ass Pull, and it's karmarific. My only gripe is the path there.

CHARACTERS

Characters are also good. 9 out of 10 times it's a good idea to show rather than tell when it comes to character development and that is the case here. Rather than talk about Lisa Lee being smart, the reader sees her give exposition on ocean currents or mentally calculate the odds of something happening.  Then there's this quote about Veronica. It fits her so "perfectly" that Tvtropes would call it an Establishing Character Moment:

"Veronica sped in right beside her on her perfectly clean new bike, perfectly dressed in crisp navy and white, perfectly prepared for a day at sea. In other words, perfectly Veronica." (2nd page of the 2nd chapter)

  Gorgeous Banks also makes a good villain. He's introduced at the castle's doorstep, trying to charm his way inside while the local kids' parents are away. There's this sliminess to him and veiled menance. He convinces Robert to do something terrible for him by appealing to his love of treasure hunting.  When parents warn their children about the "bad stranger", this is the guy they're talking about.

The three ghosts are good too but my favorite is Durst. He is what happens when an epic hero becomes a grumpy old man. He's a sympathetic character but at the same time, the contrast is comical.

My problem with the characters is the drop in IQ of the heroes as they go into the climax. Also, Gorgeous Banks decays into a caricature of greedy polluters and evil bureaucrats around the same time.

POLISH

For the grammar, I am of two minds: 1.) The many sentences starting with "and" or "but", among other things, make the book sound like it was written by a nine year old. 2.) The story is written for nine year olds from the perspective of a nine year old, and I am a Grammar Nazi.

Pacing, on the whole, is good. I feel like the plot spins its wheels in one specific spot, but this spot is short and easy to overlook.

If it weren't for the problems in the climax, I'd have no qualms about giving this book a B+, but as it stands I have those qualms.

Trickster Eric Novels gives "Elsbeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties" a C+
1040941
Original Review @ 125Pages.com

The Last Days of Magic is a sweeping epic that I really enjoyed, even though I was lost most of the time. I do not tend to do well with epic stories. The Lord of the Rings series almost broke me with the ridiculous amount of characters and the over description of everything. I can barely make it through an episode of Game of Thrones without asking my husband who that just was. So even knowing that, I wanted to read The Last Days of Magic, as it just sounded so good. I am glad I gave it a chance, as I really did like the book. (I cant even fully break down the synopsis, so please see it above.)

Mark Tompkins can create quite the world. Rich with a deep connection to the land and detailed (but not too detailed, Im looking at you LotR with your 6 pages describing a tree). The pacing had a few issues with abrupt time jumps but the action always stabilized it. There was no lack of emotion; between those fighting for their cultures and homes and those fighting for power and religion, the emotions ran high. As mentioned, I did have some trouble with the characters, as there were so many. But those I did follow were great. I rooted for them, wept with them and wished them victory. Tompkins writing is strong. To be able to build such a nuanced world and have a unique voice for each character takes some talent.

Even thought I did not fully follow the story it was somehow still a really enjoyable read. Action, magic, goddesses, corrupt politicians, power hungry witches and more filled a world that brimmed with war and turmoil. Mark Tompkins crafted a remarkable world in The Last Days of Magic. The ending did not feel final so I hope this is the first in a series, as, even confusing, this is a world I will happily rejoin.

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
2281459
The Floating Islands was an okay read. I would have rather given it 3.5 stars instead of just 3.

1) At times it dragged on. The fantasy elements are lovely and I don't mind a bit of heavier description in my fantasies. It was done a bit too much now and then in this book, causing the action of the story to not really occur until about halfway.

2) Alright characters. I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters, and instead felt like they could have had more `oomph' to who they were. I did enjoy the switch between the POVs of the girl (masquerading as a boy) and her cousin with dreams of flying. I thought it was well balanced and I did come to like them, just not very strongly.

3) Overall story plot was interesting and not that exciting until the book was already half over. If more magic had been used, maybe that would have spiced things up for me. After having read it, I felt like there was a lot more that could have been done.

There was a lot of description and not enough character involvement, which would have made the book more gripping for me, personally. However, I didn't regret reading this and thought it was an overall pleasant enough read.

Re-readability: Low
3330467
This book started with book six's cliffhanger, which was a decent way to just jump right into the action.

I like the incorporation of all the elements and plot threads and thought that was fairly well done.

Some of the characters started to become a little flat/cliche-ish towards the end, Chairman Basil in particular but even still i thought that was handled okay.

Overall, I was satisfied with the book, it had a realism to it that made me feel like I was part of the story.

Everything wrapped up neatly with a nice little bow but at the same time it more or less felt 'right' which is the only thing that matters.

Thanks for the hard work KJA, I enjoyed the series and will look for some of your other books.
4942315
Better than average fantasy yarns. It is well written,and has a decent story, although it's a bit too long (self-published book? needs the firm hand of a good editor?). Like most of the genre it has derivative elements (just look at the cover image, and you seen Peter Jackson's version of Mordor), but it deals with these fairly well. It is a coming of age story - boy goes to military academy, away from family discipline, bonds with fellow classmates, has to confront personal weaknesses and bully fellow classmates, goes on dangerous adventure where he does well and redeems himself and grows up, etc. My fear is a repeat of the Anthony Ryan's Blood Song saga: Another self-publishing author who started really well (somewhat similar story elements), for years writing a book through labor of love while having a day job, only to produce far-inferior follow up volumes once he could write full time after his initial success. I hope Renshaw does better and doesn't fall into mediocrity. Some elements of the book are not all that good: The encounters with the giant animals and serpents are hardly fleshed out and are quite poorly written (those scenes are clear derivatives of  the Smog chase scenes in P.Jackson's Hobbit movie). On the other hand, there are really cool and layered chapters on bow making and other skills and craftsmanship. The abusive father is a distinctly contemporary element, and is decently worked in. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and recommend it.
3351156
TL;DR> A true Epic Fantasy, with all the strengths and barriers that represents, "In Siege of Daylight" will reward your time with an intricate plot, interesting characters, an immersive world, and all the swordplay & magic you could want.

If you like sprawling, multi-character epic fantasy, "In Siege of Daylight" belongs on your shelf (whether of the physical or digital variety). Author Gregory S. Close manages to take many of the traditional elements we're familiar with and combine them in new, interesting ways for something that's refreshingly original. He accomplishes this partly through giving pretty much everything a different name than we're accustomed to, which has the effect of making it all seem very specific to this time and place, and partly through smart plotting and pacing.

I grew fond of the characters he gives us, from the irascible and foul-tempered man at arms to the pleasant main protagonist. Each stands out on his or her own, clearly drawn and easy to remember.

Where I think the book shines the most, however, is in the presentation of some of the characters from non-human races. Each is given enough flavor and time to give the reader the feeling of a vast history without overwhelming with details. Each had their own unique aspects that set them apart, and because we have to feel our way towards how they might map to traditional races, we have time to take them as they are and not as our preconceptions might want them to be. From the underkin to the aulden and more, you get a distinct impression for each that you really appreciate.

Thankfully, no kin were tossed at any point, an approach it would be nice to see in some of our filmed high fantasies.

Although occasionally the prose became a bit more purple than I personally prefer, overall the writing is exceptionally strong and definitely the equal or better than the vast majority of books published by the big houses. And while the naming conventions ultimately have a great payoff in terms of letting the world be its own creation, the first third to half of the book can be a struggle of sifting through unfamiliar pronunciations and definitions. As usually happens with epic stories like this (think "Dragonriders of Pern" or "Dune"), however, ultimately you get to a point where the terms are comfortable, becoming their own complete entities so your brain can relax into the story. I found the second half of the book riveting, and for the first time in a long time I stayed up well into the night to finish.

If you're one of those people (like me!) who sometimes wrestles with the decision of whether or not to buy an independently-published novel, set your mind at ease and click the purchase button for "In Siege of Daylight". You'll be rewarded with a rich, satisfying, thoroughly professional novel that will leave you eager to read the next installment.
3471961
I wasn't quite as enthused about this one, but it did have a lot of good things going on.  Although I wasn't that fond of the characters, I really liked the World.  The style of writing is good.  The plot is interesting, especially for the first book in a series.  The book is a decent length, and ends well.

I don't know if I'd pay the normal pricing for this series;  but if I caught them at a discount I'd probably continue with the series, because I did like this one.
2529703
It's enjoyable, and even fresh, these days, to read a book in which the cynical, selfish opportunist is the antagonist, and the protagonist is a straightforwardly decent man. This is such a book.

I very much enjoyed the first-person viewpoint character, an ex-soldier discharged after an injury who happens across a prince in distress. (That's a convenient coincidence, but it's the only one the plot relies on.) Kemen Sendoa is a big man from a dark-skinned ethnic minority, raised as a soldier as is the tradition with foundlings and orphans in his country. Women are scared of him. Men are wary of him. He'd really like to settle down and have a family, but that's not going to happen, he's pretty sure. He's lost friends, he's battered by injury (and becomes more battered as the story progresses), but he retains a powerful loyalty to his country and its people.

His mentoring of the young prince is firm, but not harsh. When he's hailed as a hero for fighting off raiders, he's genuinely modest about it. He's not without his secret shame, though, and he does have a character arc as he confronts it.

The prince is less fully rounded, but definitely has a lot of development in the course of the book, under Sendoa's guidance. Rather than giving us a training montage, the author spends considerable time on the process of his training, which I welcome as more realistic than the usual "Chosen One is whiny and won't put in the work, succeeds anyway when put under pressure" trope.

I did occasionally feel that I was reading a geography textbook about the setting, and although it was relatively interesting and didn't go on and on, I did feel that the background information could have been incorporated into the narrative more smoothly or left out altogether. It wasn't quite what I would consider infodump, but it was headed in that direction.

The language (apart from a few common errors which I will pass on to the author) was smooth and competent and didn't distract from the story.

Overall, enjoyable. On my 0-9 subscale within the 4-star range, this scores a 3, but it shows enough potential that I'm anticipating a 5 from the sequel.

The author gave me a review copy in expectation of an honest review.
1604740
I really enjoyed this book.

I used to read a lot of epic fantasy, but haven't read any in ages because I felt like everything I picked up I'd already read 1000 times before, and hadn't seen anything original in a while.

I read Augur, the author's short story collection (which included a prequel and an extract from Heartwood) and thought it was great, so I decided to give the novel a go.

I loved it.

Yes, it's long, but it's not arduous. The action starts right at the beginning and continues until the end. There is no padding, it's all story, and whilst there are several different people on several different quests it is all linked together well and easy to follow.

The characters were all well-rounded and not clich - no cartoon damsels in distress, shiny perfect heroes or one-dimensional villains. There are plenty of strong female characters, including knights and leaders, and the supporting cast were more than just cannon fodder to fall along the way.

Although there is a central character, Chonrad, there are several others who also stand out or steal the show completely (I can't point out my personal favourites without too many spoilers). I like books that explore more than just a single point of view, and I thought the character and relationship development in Heartwood were both done really well. The author understands that neither things nor people are simply black and white or good and bad, and there is plenty of internal conflict within the character's heads as well as the battles themselves.

I loved the concepts of the Arbor, the Elementals, and how they interacted. The world is beautifully envisaged and easy to engage with. The book doesn't follow your classic fantasy-by-numbers, and it was nice to be surprised and to not be able to guess what's going to happen on the next page all the time. The ending was good and didn't disappoint.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and I would happily recommend Heartwood to anyone.
4849509
I liked this book a lot and will read further work from this author.  (4-star)
Main character and plot line were well thought out and likable.
I also liked the portrayal of dogs and their interactions.
Writing was proficient and smooth (mental hiccups while reading were rare).
Length of the book was quite satisfying which imbues it with exceptional bang for the buck.
I did pickup a few errors which I will report to the author, but they were sparse.

One overarching theme in the book is that while all murderers kill people, not all those who kill people are murderers.  It makes this point fairly well in action sequences and expository dialogue with secondary characters.
This book has a military theme to it which, while I was happy with it, may not be loved by all readers.
Occasionally the book bogged down on descriptions of things/places which perhaps had too little influence on the plot to merit such elaboration at this point in the series (i.e., describing a certain character's scifi home felt a bit tedious).

I've read some 100+ aggressively priced Kindle books now and this is a very good one.
1243199
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, it took me a few chapters to really get into this book. Once Hester and company defeated the troll in the beginning, my interest in the characters and the story picked up. I liked that the relationship between Hester and Inanna wasn't all roses. It made for some nice internal conflict that added to the overall tension. I also liked the backstory that Inanna and her followers brought to the story, though after one questionable scene, I'm not sure if I still like Gil. Dub-con makes me a little twitchy, though that's a personal taste. The author wrote the scene, and the rest of the steamy scenes rather well, which is why I'm a bit conflicted about it. The plot though, had a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I hadn't guessed whodunit, though I was close!

The plot was well-done, and dealt with a lot of hard issues and the characters were well-formed. I just wasn't in love with the writing. It was good, fit Hester well, but there were also a lot of little issues, dropped words and punctuation issues that could have been resolved with another set of eyes giving it a quick read through. Overall though, I recommend this book and will read the next in the series when it's out.
2726169
Great premise. Good world. Nice beginning and character intro. Alexander is a bit too good, but my wife would be pleased he isn't the typical "young, naive, bumbling idiot of a hero." He needs to have more human flaws, just a bit. Love the supporting cast. Great bad guys. Don't tip your hand on all the bad guys' badness though. Let it build slowly. And on that note, Alexander may have piqued a bit quickly too. In epic, you gotta think long-game. Nice landscaping, good attention to detail. Give me some deeper culture too, and variety. This is book 1, so I may have jumped the gun on that. I'll definitely keep reading. Thanks!