Customer Reviews

The Ninth Avatar

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The terrifying Carrion Army stalks the foreboding world of the Ninth Avatar. There are escapes and battles at every turn as a desperate group of heroes tries to reverse the fate of the world. It's a gripping read, and I was sad when it ended. I recommend it.

As an avid reader, but a fantasy novice, I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this book. Turns out, it was great. Todd does an amazing job with character development and really brings the reader into the story. You develop a relationship with all of the characters and find yourself sympathizing with their struggles and rooting for their successes. It is a great read from start to finish and you will discover it is hard to put down.

I was very pleasantly surprised at how the description of the world pulls you in when I first read 'The Ninth Avatar'. As I went on, it was obvious that this is how Todd Newton describes it because this is how it appears in his mind, as a fully fleshed out universe with history and meaning.

The story itself is told from the unique perspectives of various characters on every side of the conflict that is encroaching the region. Each viewpoint adds a different touch to the story as it unfolds, coming from protagonists and antagonists from different countries, religions, and backgrounds. As with the countries they come from, each character has a past that tints their actions and view, though some are enveloped in deeper mysteries than other.

By the time the novel comes to it's inevitable end I was so wrapped up in the characters and their quests that it was disappointing that it did in fact have to end. Mr. Newton does not leave the reader hanging at the end of his epic story, but he does leave them wanting more.

Impressive prose, a complex and engaging plot, this first book by Todd Newton is truly epic. The world of his creation is one filled with magic, brute strength, morals which run the gamut from the simply pure to the clearly questionable, and layers of what are obviously carefully considered questions about religion, power, and more.

And, believe it or not, I'm not a reader of the fantasy genre. Not usually my cuppa. But this book is a whole lot more, and packs quite a punch. I definitely recommend it.

Flying wizards, an army of the reanimated dead, a giant alabaster gargoyle, dragons, oh my! All of this should be lending itself to a great epic story of adventure, excitement and grand fantasy. But it all just comes off...awkward.

Yep, awkward, that was the word that kept popping to mind as I read; forcing myself through this story that I should have stopped before hitting triple-digit page numbers.

It starts off with an old, but promising, fantasy trope: evil army seeks global domination. We've seen it before, but a great setting and intriguing characters can still cut a swath of enjoyment. Here's where, unfortunately, Newton's first book didn't deliver. The characters are thinly conceived and awkward. It's rare when something feels natural and I'm left with the feeling that Newton wanted too big of a story; so he pushed his characters through it, changing them as he saw fit, whether it worked for their personality or not.

The main character, Starka, starts off decently. A backstory and interest are built and you expect great things to happen. You also expect her to seek out her beloved, missing twin, but thoughts of her dear brother quickly fall off the radar and Starka's character begins to unravel. She is shown to have no firm ideas and no ability to defend herself. However, she consistently puts herself in harms way, where she is both no help and a liability; with those that know better doing little to dissuade her. This is forced drama and adds nothing. I could have appreciated her more if she had at least shown some common sense or intelligence, but she does neither.

One scene that sticks out painfully for me involves Starka wandering aimlessly in the midst of battle, finding a large cluster of darkly mysterious crystals. Despite knowing nothing about them, in a world of magic and danger, she picks them up and lugs them around the battlefield--aimless, like she was strolling through the mall with a prize find. Why was she not hiding, fearful of the carrion soldiers, and worried about her comrades?

I have no idea.

Yes, her party is composed of powerful warriors that kick a lot of hiney, but there is far too much emphasis on how deadly the enemy soldiers are for them to be ignored. In fact, one problem about this book is that there is too much magic. Everyone has some power or ability and it kills the sense of suspense.

Behind the scenes, the world appears large and diverse, with thousands of years of history, talk of wizard wars, and more. Normally this would be a good thing, but it never comes across as vivid and compelling. It's told as fluff in an attempt to make the world seem larger and more fantastic. The book would have been no worse without it, and perhaps better.

I wonder idly if the author was afflicted with World-Builder's disease--a common ailment of the starting fantasy writer. I've been there, it can be hard to kick.

Ultimately, Mr. Newton bit off more than he could chew and I can only give this 1 star. At only 300-some pages, the dozens of characters, ship voyages, expansive travel, and multiple cities sucks out any life that could have been breathed in. There were many stories that could have been pulled from this book and made into a far superior piece than the combined hodgepodge.

I should note that I made it to page 200-something before I pulled the curtain. So, Mr. Newton, if you somehow pulled off the amazing and ended with something phenomenal...I missed it.

(P.S. Writing this review was agonizing. Todd Newton is a nice guy and worthy of following on twitter or his blog. Given time, I think that he may become an author of note. But, his first effort is not going to be THAT book.

I should also disclose that Newton bought me this book. [Aren't I lovely for writing a bad review.] This made it difficult to write of my distaste. No matter his own explicit blog post noting the benefits of bad reviews.)

Go to my blog @ [...] to let me know what you think, read more reviews and read about my own writing progress in the epic fantasy realm.

This is a fantastic debut by Todd Newton...can't wait to see what he comes up with next!