Book Review: Arielle Immortal Awakening

Following the friendship of three girls - two of which are gifted - Arielle Immortal Awakening is an interesting and sometimes deep, paranormal tale. 

Arielle can hear the thoughts of certain people while her friend Eva has paranormal powers of her own. Along with their other friend, Gabby, the three embark on a series of adventure involving witchcraft and the dead. 

The book is told over several years and is a slow burner but has enough intrigue to keep the reader hooked. I also really liked the characters - especially the girls - as they all had their own, unique personalities which were portrayed very well. Their reactions to different situations, their moods and their thoughts are conveyed brilliantly through the narrative. 

My only critique about the book is that at times the story feels a little too safe. It would have been interesting to have seen the protagonists in a little more danger. That said, this is a solid story with good characters, great narrative and shining moments.

The Invaders (The Visitors Saga) Book Review

I picked up this book because it was recommended on my Amazon listings (also being free was a deal clincher). Although the book has a straight, if somewhat bland title akin to a bad black and white 1960s British alien movie, the story most certainly is not. I know a lot of people have panned the story but I think it’s a lot better than it is given credit for. 

The story begins with a UFO appearing in the skies over The White House. A couple of days it disappears, and seemingly, so has almost the entire population of the world. Charlie and his cousin Alex - who are involved in a car crash during the time of the mass disappearance - must learn to survive, and come to terms with a very empty world. The teenagers quickly learn though that there are monsters out there trying to kill them called the Grimms. 

The Invaders takes quite a long time to get warmed up but when it finally does with the appearance of the Grimms, it becomes very fast-paced. The writing really shines in certain chapters, especially when Charlie and Alex are trying to escape a dark, deserted hospital infested with the monsters. 

However, there are a lot of typos in the story and sadly it does drag down what otherwise is a fairly decent story. I also was not keen on the characters. They all talked the same way and at times acted unrealistically given the weight of the situations they found themselves in. I hope in the sequel they develop a little more personality. 

The Invaders gets 5/10.

Book Review: Blood of Requiem

This week I have returned to my books and I have had my head buried in Blood of Requiem: Song of Dragons 1, by Daniel Arenson. The story is a bloody tale about the last weredragons - people who can shape shift into the mythical beasts. The book starts ten years after the last resistance was wiped out. Kyrie, who was a child at the time and escaped suddenly finds himself on the run after the person who has been hiding him for the last decade is murdered. 

While on the run, Kyrie meets the weredragons lost king, Benedictus, who he implores to help him fight back, but the king refuses. Things change when their hunters - lead by Ben’s brother, Dies Irae, catch up with them and attack with their griffins. The rest of the story sees the two team up with other survivors as they flee for their lives before making a final stand. 

Blood of Requiem has a flowing style with a lot of great action. This is tempered with some very poetic parts in the narrative that make it an easily enjoyable read. The book however does focus a little too much on action and this does account for about ninety percent of the pages. It would have been nice to have seen more pacing in parts to let the reader digest what is going on. I also found the part of the dragons being able to talk a little silly. But this is not a child’s fantasy novel as there is rape and other graphic scenes within its covers.

Blood of Requiem gets 6/10.

TV Review: Vikings

Another TV review this week and I’ve struck gold! If you have not seen Vikings, I suggest you stop what you are doing, go home and put it on. 

Set in the eighth century, Vikings centres on the life of Ragnar Lothbrok, a poor farmer who challenges his village chief to start sailing west to get plunder in Viking raids. His lord refuses his suggestion and Ragnar heads west in spite - finding England and bountiful lands to raid. 

If you enjoy Game of Thrones or even historical dramas you should enjoy this. While there is no magic like the former, the series does skirt the fringes of fantasy - especially with former priest Aslaug, who often has visions of Gods and dark creatures. There is also the seer, a blind man in Ragnar’s village who is meant to be able to decipher the will of the Gods. 

Vikings is bloody, often fast paced and at times very grisly. There is a lot going on, a lot of characters and some interesting ideas. 

My only gripe with the show is that some of the Norse characters seem to have difficulty keeping their accents. Rollo - Ragnar’s brother - is one such example. Sometimes he sounds Norse, sometimes he sounds English. Other actors suffer from the same affliction. 

Vikings gets 9/10.