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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Like a mix between Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and Illona Andrews Kate Daniels series, October 26, 2010
This review is from: Geist (A Book of the Order) (Mass Market Paperback)
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
GEIST is one of those books that straddles the line between a number of different genres. It reads like a mix between Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and Illona Andrews Kate Daniels series (and not just because of the werelion). A number of paranormal creatures thrown into a high fantasy setting and time period with a splash a steampunk. Let's call it paranormal fantasy.
GEIST is set in a lush high fantasy world were a dedicated Order of essentially mages protect humanity from demons (aka geists) who attempt to possess and destroy the world. The Order is made up of two complimentary types of mages: Actives (who wield magic) and Sensitives (who can `see' the Otherside) who enter into a psychic Bond together.
This type of magic system and the religious/political order who train and dogmatize the deacons from childhood is very reminiscent of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Unfortunately, at just over 300 pages, I felt like GEIST barely scratched the surface of this necessarily complex society. I'm sure there will be more about The Order in future books, but as it was in the first book, we got the abridged version which remained too shallow for me to really connect with.
The characters were an entirely different matter, specifically Raed Rossin, Pretender to the throne. He is a wonderfully tormented man who brandishes his bitterness and pride like the weapons they are. Sorcha, meanwhile, is a walking legend as the most powerful Active The Order has. She is revered and feared by those around her, save for her indifferent husband and Sensitive partner, Kolya. After an injury, the young and idealistic Merrick is assigned to Sorcha in his stead.
I did like GEIST, but it had the potential to make me love it, and that miss has me disappointed. The world building was fascinating but underutilized, the surprise romance was a nice addition, and the three main characters made for an interesting if dysfunctional group. I'm on the fence about whether or not I'll be picking up SPECTYR when it's published in Summer 2011.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great new fantasy with undead!, November 14, 2010
This review is from: Geist (A Book of the Order) (Mass Market Paperback)
Geist really had me from the first chapter. In it we see Deacon Sorcha Faris and her husband, Kolya trying to find and get rid of a geist in a crowd of civilians. Sorcha is an Active of the Order, a fierce combatant who uses gauntlets inscribed with powerful runes in order to fight the undead. Her husband, and Bonded partner, Kolya, is a Sensitive who are equipped with a Strop around their eyes and are there to guide their Active partners. I really loved this aspect of the world building. There are evil paranormal forces that are watched and dispelled by these Deacons of the Order, who are stationed around the land. They are forces of good in a world where geists can erupt from the Otherside at any moment. The story takes place in a familiar setting of a medieval-like time but progressed enough to have pistols and dirigibles. I enjoyed that part too. It was familiar yet different from what I've seen in other fantasy novels.
After a terrible and shocking geist attack leaves her husband badly injured, Sorcha is given a new temporary partner, Merrick Chambers, to work with on the mystery of the unusual geist attacks. Chambers is a young, newly ordained Sensitive who is Bonded to Sorcha despite his reservations. I really liked Merrick; he offered a fresh and interesting perspective, being so new to the world of the Deacons as we are. He does go through some ups and downs in the story, but by the end, I really liked him.
On Sorcha and Merrick's mission to the town of Ulrich, they are met by a captain named Raed and his crew who are not what they seem. They find their fates attached when they make it to Ulrich and find trouble waiting for them. On this journey we see Sorcha and Raed grow somewhat closer together (and definitely attracted to each other) into what becomes an unusual romance. Yes, she is married, but her relationship with her husband has been almost nonexistent for two years. I wasn't too bothered by this, but perhaps others would be. I appreciated the unconventional romance; however, it wasn't the thing I liked most about this story.
My least favorite part was Sorcha herself. She smokes cigars, is a pretty cold person on the outside, and is the best at what she does. I didn't connect with her for those reasons, although it didn't deter me much from enjoying the story.
Overall, I really liked Geist. The unique and exciting world building made this a great read for those who like undead and/or paranormal creatures in a different setting. There's a lot of action (which I definitely love) and good story. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys those things. The romance, on the other hand, could be improved upon. The sequel, Spectyr, comes out next year and I will definitely be reading it.
A review copy of this book was provided by Ace Books.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a page-turner!, January 20, 2011
This review is from: Geist (A Book of the Order) (Mass Market Paperback)
I used to be a big reader. Like, really big. But in the last 5 years it's been hard for books to keep my attention and while I did manage to work my way through a few novels and short story collections recently, graphic novels have been the bulk of my intake. Imagine my surprise when I started reading Geist and I could. not. put it down! Every day I was reading! I was neglecting chores! I was staying up late! That's how much this book grabbed me. For one, the world is immensely detailed and fully realized. Ms. Ballantine does a fantastic job of making the world believable even as it continues to surprise you, ie. the medieval setting is revealed to have guns and airships as well as magic. The main players in this world are unique and flawed, just as three-dimensional characters ought to be. I found myself very drawn to the protaganist, Sorcha, and empathizing with her plights and painful choices. Plus she enjoys a good cigar! Plot-wise, you couldn't ask for a better fantasy story! It has everything: adventure, romance, betrayal, even a healthy splash of horror makes its way into the pages! Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Geist! You won't be disappointed and then we can all be waiting impatiently for the sequel together!
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