The Eye of the World

By: Robert Jordan

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 657

Published: 1990

Told in: Third Person

Series: Wheel of Time, #1 (of 13)

In a nutshell:

Raised in a quiet village, Rand, Mat, and Perrin never expected to see the horrible monsters, Trollocs, or the powerful women, Aes Sedai, but the Dark One has singled them out for a reason nobody knows. Now the three boys must learn to trust the Aes Sedai, Moraine as they run from Trollocs, Fades, and the Dark One himself.

What you may enjoy:

Fans of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and other intricate epics are likely to love the Wheel of Time series. Jordan not only gives us a story, he gives us a world filled with a rich and involved history. The details are intricate and all connect―not just in this book but with the others in the series. The world and people have been given so much detail it’s difficult to believe it’s not real.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The book―not to mention the series―is long. And it’s dense. Full of seemingly pointless history and past people. The writing gets confusing and occasionally leaves gaping holes. For an epic fantasy, this book needs a lot of brain power with so many characters, big words, and endless details. At points the story drags and you find that there are some characters you simply do not like.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Dead bodies strewn on the floor, non-graphic and graphic; blood on the floors and walls; man kills his family and entire household, mentioned; man stabs creature; creatures dead bodies lay on the floor; creature tackles man; man stabs creature through, graphic; creatures hunt for man; creatures chase after a group of people; village raided and burned; people injured; raft sunk in a whirlpool; a rat’s spine is twisted and broken, mildly graphic; man and creature battle; creatures are burned; creatures try to catch men in nooses; woman starts an earthquake; woman creates a wall of fire; giant man tries to grab and crush several men; men are watched by unseen evil beings; woman kills husband and self, mentioned; creatures disappear leaving blood stained armor, mentioned; people trapped in a killing fog; creatures are ensnared and killed by fog, mildly graphic; creature tries to stab man with spear, man falls off a cliff into a river; ravens attack, mutilate, and kill animals, graphic; wolves attack men; wolf kills a man, mildly graphic;   lightning kills men; lightning nearly blinds man; dead body described, graphic; man stabs finger; woman attacks men with a poisoned knife; man holds knife to woman’s throat; man is kicked and beaten; man attacks woman with a knife; people attacked by trees; people chased by evil wind; evil wind attacks, mildly graphic; people attacked by creatures; creatures shot with arrows; man covered in blood; battle between men and creatures; man thrown against a building; woman strangled; creature burned and killed; man disintegrates; man creates earthquake; man creates walls of fire; woman stripped and tortured; man stabbed; man dragged and tortured; man driven mad; men driven mad.

Sex and Nudity:

Implied attraction between boy and girl, implied that a girl will try to seduce a boy

Language and profanity:

Curses that are unique to the world (i.e. “blood and ashes” or “Light”)

Buy it on Amazon

Water Song:

The Retelling of "The Frog Prince"

By: Suzanne Weyn

Genre: Retold Fairy Tale/Historical Fiction

Pages: 194

Published: 2006

Told in: Third Person

Series: Once upon a Time

In a nutshell:

Belgium was supposed to be a safe place for Emma and her mother, but when WWI is brought right to their doorstep Emma finds herself alone. Everything changes when she finds a wounded American soldier, Jack, seeking refuge in her well the same day a German army decides to camp on her estate. Now Emma is a prisoner pretending to be married to this strange frog-like man.

What you may enjoy:

This is a fun, light read. It has a unique twist and great ideas on the original “Frog Prince” story. The story has so much diversity with characters from very different cultural and racial backgrounds. Jack, the “frog prince” is an entertaining, lovable protagonist and Emma’s personality rounds out the story.

What you may NOT enjoy:

At times the dialogue and inner monologue is forced. It’s a good idea that could have been executed better. There are slow and disappointing moments that Weyn could have done a lot more with. Also, many find Jack’s consistent request for a kiss annoying and uncalled for.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Woman dies in an explosion, bleeding mentioned; bombed dropped in a field; shooting can be “heard” throughout the book; people screaming in pain; men in pain from poisonous gas; boy thrown from the impact of a bomb; possibility of being tanged in barbed wire, mentioned; poisonous gas burns man’s skin; man trips and is knocked unconscious; man’s eyes swollen shut; man’s skin is peeling off; ship blown up by a torpedo; girl threatened to be shot several different times; girl almost drowns; boy shot through the shoulder, mentioned; boy and two men tortured, mentioned; boy shot and pushed into a pond; two men killed, mentioned; girl shot in the arm; bullet grazes a girls head.

Sex and Nudity:

Girl and guy kiss; guy kisses girl; girl “showers” guy in kisses

Language and profanity:

Mentions cursing in French, G*d, G*d

Buy it on Amazon 

The Reckoners Series: Steelheart, Firefight, and Calamity

By: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Teen, Dystopian

Pages: 386, 416, 421

Published: 2013, 2015, 2016

Told in: First Person

Note: This critique is for the series as a whole; however, the warnings section is specific for Calamity. The warnings for Steelheart and Firefight would have a similar feel. You may request warnings for the two books in the comment section below.  

In a nutshell:

After Calamity appeared in the sky, ordinary people began gaining super powers. They were called Epics. But Epics are not the heroes, instead they seek for power and destruction, tearing the world apart. David has studied Epics most of his life and joins the Reckoners, a small group of people who are intent on taking down the worst of the Epics. But not is as it seems with Epics or with David’s new group of friends, and the more David learns the more questions he has.

What you may enjoy:

Do you like dystopian? Do you like super heroes? This series is Marvel meets dystopian. But a dystopian that ultimately ends WELL. There is hope for the future. The world built is fascinating and unique. There is action a plenty coupled with a light humor. And lots of plot twists. The characters are not all stereotypical and mesh well together.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The action and fighting may be too much for some people; there is a lot of gun talk. Some of the humor (David’s metaphors) can get old. If you’re a Sandersonite, this book is a whole different level. It’s not his normal stuff and if you expect it to be, you won’t like it. Also, there are some who complain that the series end is rushed and weak.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Body parts in jars, mildly graphic; boy climbs in a case of body parts, non-graphic; robots blown up, non-graphic; boy shot in leg, non-graphic; people killed, mentioned; body disintegrates, non-graphic; girl burns herself multiple times, non-graphic; man orders people shot and killed; man threatens to kill hundreds of people; people fall from building getting injured and killed, mentioned; woman shot and killed, non-graphic; two men shot and killed, mentioned; people crushed by exploding debris, implied; woman shot and killed, mildly graphic; boy sprains ankle, mentioned; boy breaks both legs, non-graphic; girl sticks her arm in a fire, non-graphic; battle between a man and girl, mildly graphic; boy shot at multiple times, crowd of people shot at; bystanders killed, mentioned; woman crushed, graphic; man stabbed, mildly graphic; man’s arm cut off, non-graphic; battle between multiple people, non-graphic; boy beaten, graphic; man receives cuts and bruises, non-graphic

Sex and Nudity:

Boy and girl kiss, mentioned; boy and girl kiss passionately, mentioned; boy sticks tongue in a girls ear, mentioned

Language and profanity:

D*mn, H*ll, made up words replace profanity

Buy them on Amazon