“Her blue jean-covered legs are crossed. She is as thin as the rebar poking up from the debris surrounding her. Her hair is like a picture of cotton candy I had seen a decade ago, but dirty.”
Love the descriptions! I haven’t cracked open my copy yet, but I’m going to have time to do so real soon!
This works so well! It’s got a strong voice, a compelling sense of mystery, and a weary protagonist who's just jaded enough to make the moment of wonder land. The setting blends post-apocalyptic grit with mythic fantasy without feeling forced, and that final image — stepping into the glowing city with a probably-mystical old woman — gives just the right hit of hope-through-wonder to make the reader want more.
It does read a little like a promo piece, but it’s *good* promo. The world feels lived-in, the atmosphere is tight, and the exposition never overstays its welcome. And while there are some well-worn tropes (the chosen one, the mysterious guide, the special land), the writing’s confident enough that it feels like homage, not cliché.
In short, I'm gonna go buy the book, because this is amazing!
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the book. Your comment about an homage is interesting, because the book is also an homage to a lot of writing I grew up with. I was pretty thrilled when the reviewer for BookTrib caught it and interpreted it as such. There are a few Easter eggs in the novel you might find. :-) thanks again.
“Her blue jean-covered legs are crossed. She is as thin as the rebar poking up from the debris surrounding her. Her hair is like a picture of cotton candy I had seen a decade ago, but dirty.”
Love the descriptions! I haven’t cracked open my copy yet, but I’m going to have time to do so real soon!
Yay! :-)
This works so well! It’s got a strong voice, a compelling sense of mystery, and a weary protagonist who's just jaded enough to make the moment of wonder land. The setting blends post-apocalyptic grit with mythic fantasy without feeling forced, and that final image — stepping into the glowing city with a probably-mystical old woman — gives just the right hit of hope-through-wonder to make the reader want more.
It does read a little like a promo piece, but it’s *good* promo. The world feels lived-in, the atmosphere is tight, and the exposition never overstays its welcome. And while there are some well-worn tropes (the chosen one, the mysterious guide, the special land), the writing’s confident enough that it feels like homage, not cliché.
In short, I'm gonna go buy the book, because this is amazing!
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the book. Your comment about an homage is interesting, because the book is also an homage to a lot of writing I grew up with. I was pretty thrilled when the reviewer for BookTrib caught it and interpreted it as such. There are a few Easter eggs in the novel you might find. :-) thanks again.
"And she’s knitting. Just sitting there. Knitting!"
Your protagonist was gobsmacked, but his interlocuter obviously didn't want to waste time just waiting around doing nothing. Very practical.
I appreciated the way she answered his mind.
This story reminded me that I'm homesick for the Misty Mountains of Khazad-dûm.
Thanks :-)
I'm glad she wasn't willing to hang around. As the author, I know why it was a good idea for them to get out of there.