So I've just finished reading the first in The Prenitian Chronicals by Jessica O'Toole, and man, am I gutted that the sequel isn't out already!
Jessica and I exchanged free copies of our books so that we could read and review, and I definitely feel like I got the better end of the deal here because her book was seriously awesome on an epic scale! I've actually just gone and bought the book just so that I'd have an official copy. And not only was her story amaze, she was also incredibly nice.
Anyway, before I babble on (more than I usually do), here's the review I left on Amazon and Goodreads.
(By the way, something I forgot to mention in the reviews is how much I love the cover! Simple but eye catching at the same time, and so perfect for the story.)
First of all, I have to
say that it's been a while since I read an epic fantasy, so I thought
it might take me a while to get into the story...boy, was I wrong. I
was hooked within the first few pages.
There are some novels
out there that you can gobble right up, but you usually end up
forgetting shortly after. The Prenitian Chronicles isn't one of them.
This is one of those stories where you take your time, where you read
every word and sentence thoroughly and carefully because the plot is
so intricate and consuming that you want to savour every last bit of
it. It's the kind of story that stays with you long after you've
finished reading it.
What I loved about this
novel is that it's a story within a story. We start with Telena, a
curious girl, desperate to read a set of old, forbidden history books
in the library – The Prenitian Chronicles. Her brother, Aznee, the
librarian, finally lets her, and the story begins – though Telena
and Aznee are not to be forgotten, as they have their own mystery
surrounding them that has left me itching for more.
From there we are
introduced to more characters, mainly Leyna, Adri, Cora and Murray,
and we follow them on their separate journeys as they fight for their
lives and their people. I especially enjoyed the character of Leyna
and the way she grew into herself as the story progressed.
Unlike a lot of first
books in a series, Jessica O'Toole doesn't bog us down with an
overload of information. She gives us enough so that we can picture
the world perfectly inside our heads, but not so much that it's
overwhelming.
The story was exciting,
full of action and magic and pure awesomeness. I spent the the
majority of it on the edge of my seat or in tears and I'll be eagerly
awaiting the next in the series as I can't wait to find out what
happens next, both to Telena and Aznee, and in The Prenitian
Chronicles.
Total 5 stars!
