Goodreads | IndieBound
Barnes & Noble | Amazon
- Series: Haven't seen any news on the sequel, but based on the cliffhanger ending, there's another book in the pipeline.
- Pub date: October 2nd 2012
- Disclosure: Received an ARC from Strange Chemistry. Thanks!
Judged by its cover: Beautiful! I love the illustration and the font. It perfectly conveys the Middle Eastern flavor of the story.
The Long...
Ananna of the Tanarau, pirate princess, has big problems. Not only has she run away from everything she's ever known--all to avoid an arranged marriage to the son of a rival pirate clan--she's got an assassin on her tail. When she accidentally saves her attempted killer's life, inextricably binding them together, she is swept into a world of blood magic, curses, witches, and wizards. Can Ananna and Naji break the impossible curse? Or are they stuck with each other...forever?
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started The Assassin's Curse, but it turned out to be a terrific romp through an unusual fantasy world. It's always refreshing to read a fantasy that escapes the European tradition of elves, dwarves, and deep, dark mountains and forests, and The Assassin's Curse's distinctly Middle Eastern feel--much of it takes place with camels, in the desert--made it an immediate stand-out. I finished it in one sitting, wholly absorbed.
Ananna was sassy and cute, and her salty pirate upbringing made for a great perspective on the story; even if she read more like fourteen than seventeen. Jadorr'a assassin Naji was also well-developed, and I thoroughly enjoyed the romantic tension between the two. That said, many of the other characters were two-dimensional stock, especially seductive river witch Leila and wise wizard Eirnin.
Clarke's writing style is a little clunky, and she can't seem to decide whether she's writing a silly story or a serious one. The ending was a particular disappointment after a long build-up to nothing. I don't understand why the story arc couldn't have been concluded in one book, as this first installment isn't very long. It felt like the story was only just beginning when I reached the last page.
That said, it's still a lot of fun, and I'd recommend it highly to teen fantasy fans. There's an unusual amount of swearing for a YA novel that reads like it's meant for the younger end of the teenaged spectrum, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a quick, entertaining read that's sure to delight adventure lovers.
Ananna was sassy and cute, and her salty pirate upbringing made for a great perspective on the story; even if she read more like fourteen than seventeen. Jadorr'a assassin Naji was also well-developed, and I thoroughly enjoyed the romantic tension between the two. That said, many of the other characters were two-dimensional stock, especially seductive river witch Leila and wise wizard Eirnin.
Clarke's writing style is a little clunky, and she can't seem to decide whether she's writing a silly story or a serious one. The ending was a particular disappointment after a long build-up to nothing. I don't understand why the story arc couldn't have been concluded in one book, as this first installment isn't very long. It felt like the story was only just beginning when I reached the last page.
That said, it's still a lot of fun, and I'd recommend it highly to teen fantasy fans. There's an unusual amount of swearing for a YA novel that reads like it's meant for the younger end of the teenaged spectrum, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a quick, entertaining read that's sure to delight adventure lovers.
...and the Short:
An exciting journey through a richly flavored world of pirates, deserts, and magic, The Assassin's Curse is a great pick for young fantasy and adventure fans, despite some clunky writing and an unnecessary cliffhanger ending.
An exciting journey through a richly flavored world of pirates, deserts, and magic, The Assassin's Curse is a great pick for young fantasy and adventure fans, despite some clunky writing and an unnecessary cliffhanger ending.
The Final Word: Liked it.
8 comments:
*Possibly spoilery*
I was also disappointed in the ending. The back blurb seemed to suggest that there would be three impossible tasks and each book of the trilogy would focus on one (to me) but then it ends with just the tasks being revealed-I wanted more action!
I have been eyeing this one--I think I would like it!
Free Data Entry Job Trial(11550)
Get A Free Data Entry Job Trial When You Register In The $10biz.
Get Paid Directly To Any Account Instantly.
Earn $10 For Every Order Processed
For Full Details Visit Http://www.Jobzinn.com
Click On Email Processing Jobs
This Is A Time Of Digitization, We Offer You Programming
With Best PHP Programming It Is Best, It Is Cheapest,
We Are Introducing Now The New Techniques Of PHP Programming,
Viruses & Hacker Now Should Be Forget You Site
For Details Visit http://tinyurl.com/a9tr4o4
Online Ad Post Jobs Available(11559)
Http://www.bestonlinejob.net Internet Online
Home Base Copy Paste Jobs Available Regestration
$200 To $1000/- As Per Month Earning $100 To $300 Daily
Regestration Daily Working Daily Earning
For Further Detail ? www.bestonlinejob.net
Free Data Entry Job Trial(11555)
Get A Free Data Entry Job Trial When You Register In The $10biz.
Get Paid Directly To Any Account Instantly.
Earn $10 For Every Order Processed
For Full Details Visit Http://www.Jobzinn.com
Click On Email Processing Jobs
Online Data Entry Jobs (11542)
Earn dollars by working at home, just add post
online data on classified sites and get money by work at home
For details visit (http://www.JobzInn.com
Free Work at Home Job (11491)
Work at home completing simple surveys from home. No
registration fees. Join today For more information
visit: (http://www.eazy2earn.com)
Post a Comment