Two Very Different YA Novels - Fantasies Worth the Read

Icefire by Patty Jansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Icefire was a good fast read although I really think it was too short for the type of story it was.

The fantasy takes place in a cold and somewhat forbidding world, typical of the genre but intriguing none the less. The main character,Isandor is a boy who may be physically incomplete, but has a hidden magic that makes up for his disability. When the boy tries to remove the heart of an animal, he replaces it with icefire, a glowing magic that keeps the animal alive as a slave to Isandor. However, the boy's talent is not permitted in his world and he is forced to remain an outcast until a mysterious man with a similar ability takes the boy under his wing. Unfortunately for Isandor, it turns out to be worse than being an outcast loved by no one, not even his mother. The path to becoming an Eagle Knight it seems is far more difficult than Isandor could ever have imagined.

While it took me a little reading to get used to the writing style - at first I found it a little choppy - I soon felt the style was a good fit for the story. The only real problem I had was the romance part. It was just too fast and I think that's really where the story needed to be longer. For me it didn't work, but it might for others. Aside from the romance issue, I think the story had potential and the dangerous fantasy world created was an interesting one. The full trilogy could be worthwhile.

View all my reviews Dark Currents by Lindsay Buroker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark Currents is the second book in the Emperor's Edge series and still worth the reading addiction. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, largely due to a slower moving plot, I still found the characters every bit as appealing as they were in Emperor's Edge. This second novel continues along with the band of men led by Amaranthe in their quest to prove themselves valuable to the Emperor, but it also focuses on one of the supporting characters and pulls him into the limelight - Books Mugdildor.

I'm whole heartedly enjoying the storyline and can't wait to pick up the next one.

View all my reviews