Brian Rathbone

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

I don’t remember when I chose this book originally or why, but I noticed it on my extensive to-be-read list and decided to give Dragon Airways a try. It starts slowly with so many points of view (POV) it’s a little overwhelming at first, but here’s the thing. Each POV offers another piece of the puzzle, revealing a complex world full of people both with good and bad intentions, but none of the characters are simple.

The downside of so many POVs show more is while the reader is never left in the dark, sometimes the tension is cut because there are few unanswered questions. On the other hand, the seeding was excellent so when later events unfold, the solutions don’t come out of nowhere but rather are founded on events we already know.

Once we’re more familiar with the main cast, the focus narrows a bit. The story demonstrates the devastating costs of war to all sides and the dangers of a brutal megalomaniac. It does this through the eyes of those with decision-making power and those without.

The readers take a few harsh blows in this lesson, but at the same time, there are some wonderful reconciliations and new discoveries. These act as gifts in the face of tragedy, whether it’s a character stepping into a leadership role or finding a new artifact of legend to aid their cause.

I’m speaking generally to avoid spoilers. The essence of the story is a sister’s love for her unusual brother and a bad king’s desire to use those like Emmet to increase his magic hoard.

Emmet can sense magic. He is the equivalent of an autistic child with time sense as his overwhelm. His character is a real strength in an already strong cast in part because we see him through his sister’s eyes and his own.

Riette hates herself for not being better at caring for Emmet, all the while unaware he is cognizant of what’s going on around him if unable to articulate it. That’s just one complexity the characters struggle with, and it’s well written even when the actual writing has rough sections and sometimes repeats concepts more than once.

Then, of course, there are the dragons themselves who play a critical role and are fully realized even though they don’t exactly communicate with people in words. There is no question the strength of the bond between rider and dragon, but who is in command might not be so clear.

Bottom line, the book creates a fascinating world peopled with characters to love and hate. It then places them inside a harrowing story with powerful insights into long wars and those who wage them. A big story told from the middle of the battlefield with the characters growing understanding along with the reader. It’s well worth holding on through the slow beginning, and I’m glad Dragon Airways caught my eye. show less

Caitrin, her cousin Chase, and their friends Osbourne and Strom are farmer's kids, living ordinary lives, until events start to close in on them. Their land is about to be invaded by a powerful and expanding empire, and a religious prophecy is about to come to fruition. Uncomfortably for her, Caitrin, it seems, is the Herald of the return of the Comet, which is the symbol or vehicle of a goddess.

With the Comet becoming visible in the sky, Caitrin now has power, and and this teenager who show more never expected this is quite convincingly inept and clumsy in her first (initially accidental) uses of it. This quickly gets her a reputation as a witch--the dangerous kind that no sensible person wants around.

And of course, no one believes the prophecy about the invasion until the empire's ships are on the horizon.

Caitrin and her friends' efforts to survive the initial invasion while Caitrin struggles to master her new power dominate this first volume, and we begin to get clues to an over-arching story with a longer history than the four friends suspect.

I like these characters. They're good-hearted and fallible. They have some really smart ideas, and they also screw up sometimes. They don't always do the right thing, but they do always try. Even with traumatic events for the kids, and disaster befalling their land, this is, as odd as this may sound, a very good-natured book, and I enjoyed my time with it. I could quibble endlessly on details. Societies with mediaeval-level technology are not going to have rough gender equality. It's just not going to happen because of the birthrate required to keep those societies viable. If the planet (note that there's some suggestion we may not be talking about Earth) really passes through a comet storm every thousand years or so, there are going to be some impacts that are really not good for life on that planet. Who cares? This is a fun book! Go with it!

At least, I had no difficulty doing so, and these are the kinds of things that often make me quite cranky.

Recommended.

Audiobook, so I almost certainly bought it rather than getting a review copy. In any case, I'm reviewing it voluntarily. show less

Bob Hanks likes the stuff he has, and doesn't want to switch to new stuff--even when his wife thinks his old stuff looks kind of dorky. This includes his battered, old bluetooth headset, held together with a bit of electrical tape. When his wife threatens him--from his point of view--with a shopping trip to get "stuff he needs," he seizes the chance to go out without while she's out with a friend. He'll get the new things, but without her guidance.

And for certain values of "new." His first show more stop is a pawn shop.

It's the beginning of a hair-raising adventure.

This is a short story, just half an hour of listening, that appeals to my admittedly sometimes twisted sense of humor. Well worth your time.

Recommended.

The author posted the link to the Soundcloud audio free on Twitter. show less

Book 1: Catrin is just an ordinary girl, working the farm with her father, going to lessons, and just surviving in her age group. One day something crazy happens and she is scorned from the community and dubbed the Herald of ancient lore. Her community is eventually taken by another race in search of her and she much flee all while learning who and what exactly the Herald is and her importance.

From the beginning this book is very detailed and you are thrown into an epic story, with a slight show more Tolkien feel, the characters are whisked away from their homeland to help the greater good and survive an oncoming war.

Catrin is a teenage girl, coming to acceptance with her new identity and in this first book in the series that is made very evident. She constantly questions what is going on, if she is strong enough to accept it, and if others will be safe with her. She is strong and a very deep character to follow on her journey.

The other characters are just as entertaining but there are some jumps in the story where I found it a little confusing remember the person taking over the point of view. Once you get a better grasp on the characters and where they are it becomes easier but for me it took a few transitions back and forth.

The book has a map so that the reader can follow the journey better than just in their head and that helps a little bit, but it wasn’t overly detailed so it leaves a lot to the imagination.

Rathbone does a wonderful job moving the story along will smaller plot themes and moving into the larger ones. I found it very enjoyable to read, although VERY detailed so it does take some time to read through. It adds to the overall ambiance of the story.

I am already reading the next book in the omnibus and will be sharing the review for that very soon.

Other reviews to follow show less