Review of Hall Of Skulls

[Jasy95]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hall Of Skulls" by Jamie Eubanks.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hall of Skulls by Jamie Eubanks is an incredible science fiction adventure. The main character, Kai, is a young man who lives among the Mokuteki people on the planet of Churi. Hundreds of years ago, the Mokuteki people had become gentle and passive due to their reliance on technology and peaceful daily lives. This changed when the planet was attacked by an aggressive race known as the Thrakens. The Mokuteki barely won the battle, saving their planet, and imposing bans on technology to make sure that their people never grew weak again. In the present day, Kai has been chosen to become the new captain of Churi, but only once he completes the Kezrado. The Kezrado is a four-stage test that must be passed in order to rule, and it is known to be one of the most challenging undertakings in existence. Kai’s Kezrado begins with his soul mate, Asher, being abducted and sent to the planet occupied by the Thrakens. Kai must go on a high-stakes journey through time and space to save his partner, facing challenges at every turn and trying to prove his ability to be the new leader of Churi.

When novels are set on another planet, I often find that it is hard to maintain a balance of having enough world-building to fully immerse the reader into the setting, but not having so much exposition that the plot is lost to endless descriptions. I thought that this novel maintained that balance perfectly. The setting was developed beautifully, and the use of time travel further served to enrich the historical context of the world and its characters. The history of Churi was so uniquely and thoroughly developed that I would absolutely love the opportunity to read more novels set in this world.

The characters were also very well developed. The author made it easy to picture what the Mokuteki people were like, especially through highlighting the differences of those living in the past and those living in the present. I really enjoyed the imagery of Kai using the hairs standing on the top of his ears (called “kips”) to sense the movements in his surroundings. The personalities of each character stood out in a way that made them unique individuals but also made their actions realistic and understandable. The dialogue was also realistic, enriching the story and the development of the characters.

My favorite thing about this novel was how unique and creative the plot was. The planet of Churi and the Mokuteki people were different from any group that I have read about, but even though they were so different, they were still relatable. The description of the Kezrado was distinct and enthralling. The way that the time portals were used was fascinating, leading to plot twists that I did not see coming and that lasted all the way to the very last chapter. All the technology that was utilized was well explained, and the quest that Kai went on was riveting from start to finish. The book seemed professionally edited, with only one or two minor errors that did not detract from my reading experience. I do not have any complaints about this novel, and I can’t think of a single negative aspect to mention.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The world-building and the cast of characters were wonderfully unique and creative, and the plot was captivating from start to finish. I would recommend this novel to fans of science fiction and fantasy, especially those who seek a novel with a high-stakes quest that brings new worlds, species, and concepts to the genre.

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Hall Of Skulls
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[Kavita Shah]

Sounds great. Another world with fantastic world building and clearly described characters. And it has an intriguing tale of proving one's worth and saving Asher. Thanks for a wonderful review!

[Becca Olsson]

This sounds incredibly interesting. I like that none of its based on humans vs aliens, it’s all from the imagination. Thanks for the great review!

[Mutchi]

This book is really nice I wish I can finish, but why did they ban the use of technology could it be because they were attacked? Or what because from my analysis they would have continued using technology because they won that fight when they were first attacked

[Husna A]

Thanks very much for this review! The story sounds intriguing and I am a lover of well-established worlds and characters. I will surely look into reading this.

[Jasy95]

This book is really nice I wish I can finish, but why did they ban the use of technology could it be because they were attacked? Or what because from my analysis they would have continued using technology because they won that fight when they were first attacked

Great question! They almost lost the battle because their people were completely reliant on technology and didn't know how to fight or defend themselves without technology. Early into the conflict the Thrakens disabled the technology on Churi, rendering them weak and helpless. The only reason they were able to win was because they were able to get their technology running again towards the end of the war.

[NetMassimo]

So, instead of securing their technology, they think they can do better throwing spears and arrows at enemies coming in starships? Regardless of my puzzlement, thank you for your great review!