Saturday, December 19, 2015

Review: Fairmist by Todd Fahnestock

FairmistTitle: Fairmist
Author: Todd Fahnestock
Publisher: F4 Publishing
Release Date: January 29, 2015

The Debt of the Blessed

Within the Thiaran Empire, citizens put on jeweled masks and turn away from those who are taken. As long as one child is sacrificed each month to the Slinks and nobody interferes, their society will thrive.

But seventeen-year-old Grei’s mind is alive with treason, and he plunges into the heart of a prophecy that will drive the Slinks back to their fiery dimension. All he must do is travel to the capitol city and sacrifice one last innocent.

As Grei wrestles with the prophecy and battles those who would kill him, he hurtles toward his final decision: save the empire, or save his own soul.



Epic.  If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be epic.

We start out with a prologue full of action and consequences.  Even so early on we get to meet the slinks and see some of the repercussions the slink war has had on the world.  Just because people work for the empire, serve the emperor, does not mean they are happy with how things have turned out and the jobs they are expected to perform.  And the prologue makes that obvious.

Told from multiple points of view, each person has a unique voice.  Some of them only have one chapter, while Grei and Adora have chapters filling most of the book.  But some of the lesser characters make the book what it is.  It wouldn't be the same if they were told from another POV.

The world building here is excellent.  At first, I had a lot of questions.  I was introduced to a new world and wasn't sure exactly what was what.  But over the course of the book most of my questions were answered.  Except, of course, the plot ones.  Because authors are mean and like to leave a cliffhanger at the end.  But the world with the slinks as beasts and the Faia as magical creatures was so richly detailed.  I almost pictured the Faia as faeries.  And I loved how we got to see so much of the power of the Whisper Prince and even some of the slink powers.

There is a slight love triangle, but nothing that bothered me.

I'm not so sure that I would consider this YA.  But if you like detailed fantasy with rich worlds, this is for you.

Overall
I really enjoyed this.  Recommended to fantasy fans everywhere.  I will probably be picking up others of Fahnestock's works soon.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and that in no way sways my opinion of this book.

1 comment:

  1. The description hadn't really sold me, but to hear you describe it as being epic has me very curious. I'll have to keep my eyes open for this one. Great review!

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