Debbie's Spurts

This reader's personal opinion, ©2014, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers*

I loved this book.

It drew me into its world immediately we got to the Griffin's desert.  Not with too much description or infodumping; I just immediately with all my senses seemed to feel I was there.

Which does not happen that often for me; I like rich worldbuilding and in most genres, definitely this fantasy genre, require it as part of the story.  Usually for me, the characters and the plot draws me first.  And this wasn't a particularly complex bit of worldbuilding or magic systems nor did it perfectly hang together where you never had to suspend disbelief.

I just "got" it and got immersed in the story, a book and a story I had no idea (until I started reading) what it was about.  And one hard to put into words to review. I had a gift card using for a book challenge and almost randomly selected in the bookstore.  Reviews were very mixed, even from close friends.  I suspect the fact that it was a cheaply priced omnibus and had griffins was the big reason I bought.

The book blurb, while accurate, talking about the human girl Kres was a bit misleading because she wasn't exactly the main character nor was her storyline front and center past the beginning of the book.  Completely left out the quite alien griffins, the politics of the different nations (including  the griffins), the nobleman Bertaud (arguably a main character), their King Iaor, Jos (explaining him would be a spoiler), King Aeborn ... 

Basically the blurb mentioned the beginning chapter.  Which could be a selling point since books with teenage girls are currently selling well or a turn off for readers groaning too soon over still yet another fantasy novel starting with the orphaned farm boy/girl.  I eye rolled myself and then got hooked.  Kres's bit barely a 10th of the story I'd estimate in retrospect.

The world is a fantasy one with various mostly elemental magics (with those strong in magic referred to as mages), with some more common among certain races or nations.  Of course, some of that common is partly talent versus training.  Kres's nation is mostly earth magic with affinity for growing things, healing and animals (she is raised on a horse farm in a small village); they have a cold war type of status with neighboring nations who are always testing borders.  The most aggressive has cold mages in a continuing war with the griffins on their other border.  After enduring major losses (including an injured king) after one such battle, the griffins relocate near Kres's village in a desparate search for a healer with their fire mage powers:  Kres.

The griffins are very alien.  No tropes there (although with the hot sands and being winged beings gathered together I was expecting that one or more dragon tales would be recycled).  Eventually in the book there are some common grounds found and individual griffins were more understandable to the humans than others.  But they stayed delightfully alien without being humanized or having to change to be "more like us" in order to survive alongside their new allies.  I love it when the others are allowed to stay others in a book.

That said, I spent the first part of this book not sure what I was getting into.  

Kres at 15 was borderline adult for her village but also apparently considered to have a sort of autism (increasingly had trouble being around people, did not get the social clues, would lose all track of reality wondering about the fields) so was kept a close eye on by her widowed sister and the villagers were very protective.  Enter a shape shifting griffin who talks her into going off to help heal his injured.  

Boy could that story line have gone squicky.  Underage, mentally disabled kid the village boys were just starting to notice in a sexual way carted off by creepy stranger.  It didn't.  The griffins were alien and as hard for her to make sense of as her own villagers, but not in a molesting kind of way.  Worse in another way because they could care less about humans normally.  Now that they are facing the survival of their race against the cold mages even less so.  Turns out, although Kres stays shy outside of a very few friends, part of Kres's issues were awakening earth mage powers that the griffins warp to be fire mage powers so that she can heal them after battle with cold mages.  

Although Kres chooses to stay with them from compassion, it's not really a choice and the rest of her nation does not see it in any way other than her being abducted.

The bulk of the story goes on to be with Bertaud, close confidant to King Iaor since boyhood and with his own "dukedom."  And all these people from Bertaud, various mages, nobles, kings, griffins, soldiers, villagers, and Kres herself make decisions to the best of their current knowledge.  They don't always know what's going on and there are tons of ways something can be misinterpreted (and is) -- but decisions are made.  No long bouts of angst and waffling around here.  Decisions get made.  They worry a bit about some concerns before making and may second guess themselves afterwards, but the reader isn't put through a morass of back and forth and angst-y waffling over crap like some books that have gotten on my last nerve lately.  Consequences, yes; rethinking their decisions as events unfold and more data revealed, yes.

Bertaud is neither mage nor experienced commander (fostered at court so has had same basic training as other nobles), but by being the king's most trusted advisor gets sent on the initial expedition to repel the griffins and if possible rescue Kres (who by this time is fascinated by her new powers and even managing a couple of friendships with griffins).  Along with him is an elderly female earth mage [(the only one with remotely any knowledge of the griffins, mostly from book research at that) with most of the nations mages young ones in training (which we don't actually see, just a brief mention -- this is absolutely not a YA book except not sexually explicit or even with a romance portion) or frail older ones] and an experienced battle commander.

This is the initial clueless expedition that go to the griffins.  How the story spins of next fascinated me. Did the mage, commander or Bertaud interpret or predict the griffins correctly?  Did they listen to each other's advice? Who made what decisions and what were the consequences ... ?  

I think I'm at the end of details I can give without spoilers.  I will say I was surprised at how well some battle scenes were done (surprised because of the book beginning where this day-dreamy orphan girls was just wandering around the farm). 

Like I said, I really liked it.  I had a few nitpick moments because some of the magic stuff didn't scan well; had to really suspend belief.  And the magical abilities Kres grew into were pretty ridiculous even in context (plus why just her, why desparate for survival griffins weren't also seeking others ...).  A few infodumping or condescending moments between griffins and Kres.  But overall it worked.

It's harder to review a book I really enjoyed than one I didn't where I would have all kinds of things to pick at.  And if I told too much about what happens and what this book is about, spoilers.  

The only reason I'm not going to immediately read the next book is I don't think it follows exactly the same characters and I have a lot of books I meant to read in January.  

*©2014. All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher to reprint/quote in whole or in part. Copyrightholder posted on booklikes, BookRabbit, Leafmarks, The Reading Room and may have cross-posted to other book sites. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties.

Reading progress when finished 2/6/2014:

Ah...a very satisfying read.  I'll write up a full review later.  But, I did enjoy this odder fantasy a great deal.  ★★★★☆ 

"Bertaud might have told him that [King] Iaor, when truly angry, was likely to become both quiet and creative."

Reading progress when just starting:

I finally really started this one (supposed to have finished already for the January 2014 Wimpy Book Challenge on booklikes) -- January real life just interfered badly with my reading.  So far, I am liking the book (somewhat trope beginning with the village oddball farmgirl getting into an unchosen adventure; but, that's the only "usual" thing about this fantasy so far).  The worldbuilding and the Griffins are so far pretty unique and interesting (a wee bit of a "dragon" feel).

I'm going to be doing all the January challenges in February/March apparently ...

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Meh. Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked but kept me reading in hopes would get better.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." Or author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)