‘Wake of the Phoenix’ Has Unbelievable Worldbuilding, However Not A lot Else
The quilt of Wake of the Phoenix first drew me in. The aesthetics and the outline appeared like my exact model of fantasy, significantly with the promise of some political turmoil, however surely, it was a cumbersome and irritating learn.
Wake of the Phoenix Has Unbelievable Worldbuilding, However Not A lot Else
Whereas Arkaen is the central protagonist, he’s removed from probably the most attention-grabbing or compelling character in Chelsea Harper’s novel. In reality, Arkaen is basically ineffective — as a personality, a brother, and a common. He’s primarily a heralded warfare hero turned do-nothing excessive lord, who lacks the tenacity to quantity to what his individuals want as rumors of rise up start to swirl. Essentially the most attention-grabbing character related to him is his established (and secret) lover Lasha, who’s leagues extra intriguing, however hardly utilized. Sure, that is the primary e book within the collection, and maybe Lasha will play an even bigger position, however at what price?
Lasha’s near-omniscient present is proven and hinted at all through the novel, however his magical talents are by no means totally defined or given the sort of writing that the trite class struggles are given. Which is one other space the place the novel wavers in its high quality. Whereas the category battle is predicted and even good, the characters concerned are poor caricatures of medieval-inspired serfdom and the downtrodden.
Niamsha is the only decrease class major character given her personal chapters in Wake of the Phoenix and he or she could be very almost unlikable in her design. The best way that the creator represents the decrease class by means of insufferable speech patterns, threats of rape, and murderous intent is… a selection. I felt completely nothing by the point that we arrived at her ultimate beat within the story, which units up the following installment within the collection. She is designed as this potential ally for Arkaen, somebody who will help him stop the potential civil warfare threatening his metropolis, however finally it simply doesn’t really feel significant.
With reference to Arkaen and Lasha’s relationship, it’s good to see extra queer illustration within the fantasy style, however it’s irritating that the illustration stays secretive and forbidden and underscored with snide homophobic remarks of “cocksucker” as an alternative of handled with a modicum of respect just like the romance usually discover within the style.
Regardless of my gripes with the precise characters that Chelsea Harper has created, I’ve to provide her credit score for worldbuilding. Fantasy worldbuilding isn’t any straightforward feat and he or she has put within the work to create a realm as plausible as Westeros. There’s politicking, scheming, and historical past that make you need to keep engaged with the story, regardless of the sluggish character plots.
I acknowledge that Wake of the Phoenix is the primary installment in Harper’s Artifice of Energy Saga, however the first in a collection shouldn’t go away its readers feeling totally unhappy. Some emotional and plot-driven closure would have been good. Because it stands, I’m not totally sure if I’ll come again for the follow-up novel. Robust worldbuilding isn’t all the time sufficient.
Wake of the Phoenix is out September twenty eighth, 2021.
Wake of the Phoenix
5.99
Maggie Lovitt is the Managing Editor of Leisure at Your Cash Geek, the place she covers her favourite subjects: Star Wars and popular culture nerdery. She can be a contract author and a contributor at Collider and Dorkside of the Pressure.
When she is just not overlaying leisure information, she might be discovered on considered one of her quite a few podcasts or her YouTube channel. In her free time, she can be a novelist, screenwriter, actor, and a member of the Display screen Actors Guild.
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