Heir to the Sky
Author: Amanda Sun
Published On: 4-26-16
Page Count: 384
Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)
As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits—by her duties as a member of the royal family; by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman; and by the edge of the only world she’s ever known—a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. She is the Eternal Flame of Hope for what’s left of mankind, the wick and the wax burning in service for her people, and for their revered Phoenix, whose magic keeps them aloft.When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her across a world overrun by chimera, storm dragons, basilisks, and other terrifying beasts. But the more time she spends on earth, the more dark truths she begins to uncover about her home in the sky, and the more resolute she is to start burning for herself.LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository
Overall Rating: 4/5
I adored Amanda Sun’s other trilogy Paper Gods and was super stoked to be picked for the tour for her new book. I am doubtful this will be a series because of how the ending wraps up, but I wouldn’t mind visiting the floating continents of Ashra again.
Cover: 3/5
Still not a huge fan of cover models, but at least this one doesn’t have a face. The geometric patterns in the clouds give a sort of foreshadowing curiosity to what the sky islands really are. The part I really loved was the small phoenix, which is honored over all of the floating continents.
Characters: 4/5
Kali - At first I wanted to punch her for being so reckless for adventuring so close to the edge, but I slowly understood what it meant to be trapped. For some people, their floating continents are just in their mind. Others, they really do exist. When Kali falls to the ground and finds herself alone, hurt but alive, she must make a decision. To return home to be Ashra’s Eternal Flame of Hope, or stay on the ground and experienced the stories she’s only read about.
Griffin - His childhood is a little muddled, but when we first meet Griffin, a monster hunter, he is fierce and relentless. He fights to survive and protects those that still thrive on the ground. Agreeing to help Kali get home to Ashra puts everything he’s ever known at risk.
Plot: 3.5 / 5
The beginning was extremely slow, but it was the descriptions of the continents and the hierarchy that kept me interested until the action scenes started. Amanda Sun writes characters that grow as the story continues. When the action scenes do come into play, they are fast and powerful and quite enjoyable. I did find a portion of the ending to be predictable but worth the read anyways.
ABOUT AMANDA SUN:I’m a YA author and proud Nerdfighter. I was born in Deep River, Canada, a very small town without traffic lights or buses, and where stranger safety is comprised of what to do if you see a bear—or skunk. I started reading fantasy novels at 4 and writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. Hopefully my work’s improved since then.In university I took English, Linguistics, and Asian History, before settling into Archaeology, because I loved learning about the cultures and stories of ancient people. Of course, I didn’t actually become an archaeologist—I have an intense fear of spiders. I prefer unearthing fascinating stories in the safety of my living room.The Paper Gods is inspired by my time living in Osaka and travelling throughout Japan. That and watching far too many J-Dramas. I currently live in Toronto with my husband and daughter. When I’m not writing, I’m devouring YA books, knitting nerdy things like Companion Cubes and Triforce mitts, and making elaborate cosplays for anime cons.
Tour Schedule:Week 1:4/29: Fiery Reads - Top 10Week 2:5/5: YA Bookmark - Q&A5/6: Gone Pecan - ReviewGiveaway:3 Finished Copies of HEIR TO THE SKY (US Only)Rafflecopter Code:
TTFN,
Ashley
Thanks for your review. Your thoughts about this book seem to be consistent with other reviews I've read.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you warned us about the slowness. Otherwise, I may not have kept up with the story. Now, I am even more excited about the story than I was before!
ReplyDelete