Thursday, May 8, 2014

Review: Shadows of Asphodel

SHADOWS OF ASPHODEL
Shadows of Asphodel #1
Karen Kincy
Dieselpunk Romance
350 pages
Self-published
Available Now
Source: From author for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When Ardis discovers a man bleeding to death on the battlefield, she knows she has to walk away.

1913. In her work as a mercenary for Austria-Hungary, Ardis has killed many men without hesitation. One more man shouldn’t matter, even if he manages to be a charming bastard while he stands dying in the snow.

But when he raises the dead to fight for him, she realizes she must save his life.

If a necromancer like Wendel dies, he will return as a monster—or so the rumors say. Ardis decides to play it safe and rescues him. What she doesn’t expect is Wendel falling to one knee and swearing fealty. Ardis never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer, but it’s too late now.

Ardis and Wendel forge an uneasy alliance underscored with sexual tension. Together, they confront rebels, assassins, and a conspiracy involving a military secret: robotically-enhanced soldiers for a world on the brink of war. But as Ardis starts to fall for Wendel, she realizes the scars from his past run more deeply than she ever imagined. Can Ardis stop Wendel before his thirst for revenge destroys him and everyone else around him?


MY THOUGHTS
Shadows of Asphodel gives us an intriguing story full of magic and gadgets with two protagonists who are beacons of light in a world hovering on the precipice of all-out war. While both Ardis and Wendel are highlights though, the rest of the story causes us a bit of trouble, mainly due to the fact that we are provided with absolutely no framework for the world itself. We know war is imminent and there are “rebels” fighting against those to whom Ardis swears allegiance, but we don’t really know who either side is or why exactly they’re at odds, leaving us feeling like tiny boats torn from our moorings and left to drift with no hope of rescue.

Ardis is a woman who can more than take care of herself, wielding a sword with lethal skill and earning her keep by the blade. She’s hesitant with Wendel initially, put off by his necromancy but also more willing to give him a chance than anyone else in his life, making her someone we can easily support for the compassion she shows him. Like the world-building though, we’re left with lots of questions with regard to necromancy and the reasons it’s so despised and loathed by everyone. There appears to be no reason for the hatred Wendel is subjected to other than the obvious fact that he raises the dead, but Ardis herself is a mercenary receiving payment for taking lives, so we can’t help but shake our heads and wonder why the blood on Wendel’s hands seems to be so much heavier in terms of sin than the blood on Ardis’s own.

Wendel, for his part, is a charmer, always quick with a smile or quip and shockingly positive despite the utter disgust with which others look upon him when they learn what he is, and we find ourselves feeling emotionally protective of him throughout. Though we may thoroughly enjoy both him and Ardis, we don’t come to know either of them all that well, with Wendel in particular being more of a mystery. We know he was disowned by his wealthy family and picked up by the Order of the Asphodel–and there’s a brief scene with his brother and sister toward the end–but ultimately that familial line is cast out into the water and then never reeled back in to see if there’s meat on the hook.

Overall, Shadows of Asphodel is a book that just feels a touch unfinished, various threads woven into the story that end up going nowhere, and we’re left with a lot of whys and whats haunting our thoughts. Why is the Order of Asphodel so desperate for Wendel to begin with? What is their end game? Despite those questions and some of the fairly large holes in the world-building, our time with Wendel and Ardis is enjoyable, the two of them a couple that makes us smile as they try to move past their initial shared hesitancy and into something emotionally and physically intimate.

Rating: 3.5/5


*Note: At the time of this review, I couldn't find any information on whether or not this would be a series. Since then I've learned there will be a sequel, so the unfinished aspect makes a bit more sense:)


Find Karen:

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

37 comments:

  1. I had no idea that this one will be a series. I was also a bit sad for all unfinished aspects but yeah now it all makes more sense. I'm so glad you enjoyed it overall. Great review, Jenny :)

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    1. I didn't either until after I asked around, and now, yes, the fact that so many questions were left unanswered works better for me:)

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  2. I found this one very intriguing, since it seemed like alternate history lines to WWI and the like, but I agree that the bigger picture seemed to have been barely sketched. Hopefully we'll get more answers in the sequel!
    Great review, Jenny!!

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    1. Fingers crossed Pili! I liked the promise of this world for sure, I just needed some more details:)

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  3. Oh, how I love sword-welding females! I'll definitely check this series out (just as soon as it's finished, LOL). I'll also have to come up with another name for Wendell (in my head) b/c . . . Wendell ;)

    Jessica @ Rabid Reads

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    1. Me too Jessica, me too! Sword-wielding women for the win:)

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  4. I liked this one overall too, but I completely agree with you. There were too many unanswered questions and I wanted to learn about the history behind the necromancy too. I think this is part of a series if I'm not mistaken, so hopefully, we'll get more answers!
    Lovely review, Jenny!

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    1. YES! I didn't quite understand why it was so despised when there were mercenaries and mages and whatnot in this world too. Looking forward to more info in book 2!

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  5. I really liked this one but I agree, it did lack in the world building a bit. I am actually super curious about what the sequel will be like after that ending.

    Fabulous review Jenny!

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    1. I'm curious as well Ali! I have high hopes for book 2:)

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  6. Ardis sounds like a powerful heroine - one whom I'd like to know, but I really don't want to get into a tangle with! I think that the unanswered questions in this novel would plague me to no end, but knowing it's a series might offer a little comfort in the end. Regardless, I like my novels to hold their own weight these days, you know? Wonderful review, Jenny!

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    1. I didn't know it was going to be a series when I finished the book, so the fact that so much was left open really bothered me. It makes sense now, but I still feel like a few more answers wouldn't have gone amiss:)

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  7. I have been frustrated with a lack of solid worldbuilding in fantasy/sci-fi novels lately, and gosh this line in your review perfectly describes how it makes me feel! "leaving us feeling like tiny boats torn from our moorings and left to drift with no hope of rescue." I'm sad to hear there are holes in this worldbuilding, and that it feels a touch unfinished with regard to Ardis and Wendel's backgrounds too. I'm still curious to check this out, but I think I'll wait until there's a sequel and I can read two books closely together. Lovely honest review Jenny!

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    1. I would definitely recommend waiting until book two is out Lauren! There's a lot going for this series in terms of characters and premise, I just need a bit more information:)

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  8. Yeah, why is what Wendel does so much worse than running someone through with a sword for money? While the premise and story sounds intriguing, it also sounds like there are too many questions left for me to read without the second book in my hot little hands.

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    1. Is what I'm saying Mary! She's killing people for money, so I'm just not sure why that's held in higher regard than raising those who are already dead. O.o

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  9. Um. "Dieselpunk Romance" sounds utterly fascinating, unfinished aspects and all.

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    1. Right? I think I'm a fan of dieselpunk:)

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  10. I completely agree with you, Jenny. The romance in this one just happened way too quickly for me and I had a lot of unanswered questions left as well. I did enjoy the unique world and liked it overall. I'm curious to see where the author takes her story.

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    1. I'm one of those readers that needs her questions answered Rummanah. I'm fine with some threads being left open in a series because obviously they have to be for the series to move forward, but there were just too many questions for me in this one. I nearly died of curiosity:)

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  11. I know a lot of people didn't like how fast the romance was, but I guess I was able to look past it more than some. The world building seemed good to me, but I tend to not need as many details as others. I don't want to say too much, but I personally think that you would be pretty happy with the second book. I'm reading as she writes (it's not yet finished) and it seems that she's building on the world, characters and romance quite a lot. I think it's even better than the first & I did love the first book to pieces.

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    1. I'm glad to hear the second book is better than the first Candace! I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with the world:)

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  12. I'm glad to hear that this isn't a stand-alone, because otherwise all of those unanswered questions would have been a huge deterrent for me. Thanks for clearing that up!

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    1. They were problematic for me as well when I thought this was the first and only installment, but I was able to be a bit more lenient when I found out there was a sequel:)

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  13. OMG Jenny! I read this book and totally fell for the characters!!!!

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  14. I read this last fall and liked it well enough, but like you I had some issues. Hopefully the next one will be a bit tighter.

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  15. I love the thought of an necromancer (hard to picture his name as Wendel) bringing the dead back to fight and a sword wielding heroine in this story. The world sounds so fascinating, but it's too bad it was not explained more. I really intrigued though since there's to be a sequel. Wonderful review, Jenny! :)

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  16. I loved Ardis in this one. Especially the opening scene where she and Wendel meet. I love it. They could have had a stand off forever! I didn't have any problem with the world building but I was a little lost in the beginning. Still, I follow the characters and Ardis and Wendel were so great together that I just enjoyed the ride. I hope you enjoy the 2nd book!

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  17. It's always a little disappointing to read a novel, get to the end, and not feel as if it's fully finished. I'm interested in picking this one up, but I think I'll wait till the sequel releases before diving into this one. Lovely review, Jenny! :)

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  18. I am guessing that all of those questions will be answered in sequels. That's why I usually wait for at least 3 books to be published.
    Great review, Jenny.

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  19. I love the idea of a historical setting for this story. The description makes it sound appealing, but I don't do well with poor world building or character development. Bummer!

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  21. (sneaks into comments) There's a sequel, Storms of Lazarus, and it will be out late this summer. Maybe even a third book, if the first two books do well enough. ;) (sneaks away)

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