* Disclaimer *
Everyone is different and likes and dislikes different things. Reading is no exception. One person’s all-time favorite might seem too bland or too high stakes for another. That being said, the opinions of our judges in this contest are just that, opinions. Just because we let a book go, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It could be your next favorite, who knows?
Now that we are in the finals, we are going to be doing full reviews for each book. The books are being reviewed in no particular order, not in order of their star rating. We are just reviewing them as we finish reading them.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can learn more about the contest here.
Today we are reviewing Shadows of Ivory, which was The Fantasy Hive’s semi-finalist pick for this year’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. You can read their review here. And you can see the finalist spreadsheet here.
An undying king. A relic of rune-carved bronze and ivory flames. A war for powers only a god could fathom.
In the centuries since rising up against a cruel, twisted dynasty, the Seven Cities have done much to move past their horrid histories, the memories of ancient monarchs who once fed on the life and blood of their own people. Those with a talent for magic are no longer hounded and slain. The lands beyond the Cities are safe, spared the atrocities the Alescuans once wrought upon them. For 300 years, there has been peace.
Then Eska de Caraval, head of the prestigious Firenzia Company, finds herself framed for murder.
Soon hunted for the strange bronze disc she most certainly did not steal, Eska is forced to pit both wit and blade against all manner of adversaries who would eagerly see her dead. An assassin in the shadows. A monster in the deep. A rival looking to burn her alive. From sword and fang and flame Eska must defend herself, struggling all the while to prove her innocence and unravel the mysteries of a dangerous artifact.
But unbeknownst to Eska and her enemies, the cruelest of those tyrants of old is stirring in his grave.
Our Thoughts
When I read the summary, I assumed this was going to be the story of a thief, set in a standard fantasy world. I was pleasantly surprised to find this was only partially true. The main character is more than a thief, she is a noble, the head of an important merchant type company, and an archaeologist. Our judges loved not only her as a unique character, but also all the other unique characters in the story. The worldbuilding and magic were also interesting and gave the story a flavor very different from a typical Medieval European world. The biggest issue? The pacing. It took a while for us to get into the story, and there were bits as we went along that could have been tightened or cut. But overall, if you are looking for something new and interesting, you should definitely check this one out!
Amber
The story and prose are very simple. There are very few descriptions besides dialog. Yet, I really like the main character, an upbeat and mischievous noble woman who uses thievery and blackmail to get what she wants.
Jennie
As others have said it starts a bit slow, but the characters easily draw you in. The worldbuilding is unique and the way magic works really interesting. My favorite thing about it is definitely that its characters are archaeologists and not warriors. They have strength and sharp minds, but the goals are so different from your average fantasy, it’s very refreshing.
Julia
Biggest Pros: Female leads, and scientists too boot! (Amazing audio version as well)
Biggest Flaw: It took me a while to fully form the characters in my head, and keep them apart from each other.
Once we learned more about them and their backstory I got fully sucked in and got a firm footing in the world. And the world is a rather big one! I loved all the history and cultures to be found. It never felt like just a backdrop for the story, but rather like you could lift every stone, and actually find more underneath it, or behind every horizon.
So, despite taking a bit to get in, I really loved both our destitute and well off archaeologists, and I especially liked the friendship between Eska and Albus. I wish more books had a strong friendship as a bond, instead of always going for romance! More friends please! Once we saw more of each of them, they quickly became well rounded and three dimensional characters, who I was more than happy to follow on their adventures!
Kartik
Shadows of Ivory has great characters. I especially like the fact that most of the main characters are truly gray by any standards. The worldbuilding is quite strong too, with a Greek city-state feel. But its pacing leaves a lot to be desired.
Kerry
I am a great fan of Bryce O’Connor and I fully intend to read T. L. Greylock’s work after this well written collaboration. Loving this as we have two intelligent well defined female protagonists (both hate each other but are very similar—like two sides of the same coin), who are interested in and fascinated with archaeology. The great worldbuilding—both past and present—with an intriguing plot line and some awesome magic welders. I for one will be keeping an eye out for the sequels in this series.
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Our judges are Amber Freeman, Jennie Ivins, Julia Kitvaria Sarene, Kartik Narayanan, Kerry Smith, and Lynn K. If you’d like to learn more about us, including our likes and dislikes, you can read about them here.
Any queries should be directed at me, Jennie Ivins, via DM on Facebook and Twitter.
