Official Review: Sky Ghosts: All for One
Posted: 17 Jul 2015, 11:48
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sky Ghosts: All for One" by Alexandra Engellmann.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Sky Ghosts: All for One by Alexandra Engellmann is the first installment in an urban fantasy series called Sky Ghosts, set in modern day New York. Alexandra introduces a new breed of things that go bump in the night in a setting all too familiar to bibliophiles and cinephiles alike. Her ultramundane creations are called Sky Ghosts and Sky Beasts. They might look like the average Dick and Jane, but they're certainly not. They are stronger, faster, and they possess the abilities to tear across the sky and leap off of buildings as high as the Empire State Building without so much as spraining an ankle in the process. Of course, for obvious reasons, they can only do it at night, when most of the world is sound asleep. Only one thing sets Ghosts and Beasts apart: the sides they have chosen.
Stationed at the New York Ghosts Headquarters, Pain and Jane are sisters who often argue with each other. When it comes to doing battle with the Beasts, however, they are the two Ghosts that their enemies fear most of all. The leader of the truculent Beasts is Eugene, and for some odd reason, he is very interested in two ordinary humans named Chad and David. The lives of the humans are soon threatened by Eugene's men, but unbeknownst to the humans as well as the Beasts, two Ghosts are regarding them from high atop a roof. These two are Pain and Jane. They swoop down to save the day, and in doing so, they open a can of worms that will have them running, and Beasts constantly in pursuit.
Alexandra is a star when it comes to crafting genuinely realistic characters. She knits them together so expertly with just the right amount of descriptive detail and provocative ammunition that's so applicable to novels that stand out in one's time as the best of their kind. The one "dot on the white wall" her book offers is a lack of memorability when it comes to New York City in general. She does a marvelous job when it comes to describing all interior settings, but when it comes to describing the outside world, the "rock falls of the mountain".
The vague relevancy of New York proves to be no inconvenience to the reader at all. Alexandra hits readers with everything from sword fighting, flying maidens, excellent comedy, brewing romances, days of tranquility, as well as moments of despair. Lopsidedness can take a cab, because it has no place in this novel. Overall, Alexandra did an outstanding job. This is her first book and she published it herself. She did the book cover too! Although it is part of a trilogy, other side novels will be published in the series which will focus heavily on the minor characters in this book. I'll definitely be paying attention to her work.
Although this book features mainly adult main characters, I think lovers of many bestselling young adult novels will find this book no less than enjoyable. This book features strong female characters, so if this is what you like, then you should definitely go for it. I'm taking a point away for the minor issue I have with the platitude of New York. My rating is 3 out of 4.
******
Sky Ghosts: All for One
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Leon Durham's review? Post a comment saying so!
3 out of 4 stars
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Sky Ghosts: All for One by Alexandra Engellmann is the first installment in an urban fantasy series called Sky Ghosts, set in modern day New York. Alexandra introduces a new breed of things that go bump in the night in a setting all too familiar to bibliophiles and cinephiles alike. Her ultramundane creations are called Sky Ghosts and Sky Beasts. They might look like the average Dick and Jane, but they're certainly not. They are stronger, faster, and they possess the abilities to tear across the sky and leap off of buildings as high as the Empire State Building without so much as spraining an ankle in the process. Of course, for obvious reasons, they can only do it at night, when most of the world is sound asleep. Only one thing sets Ghosts and Beasts apart: the sides they have chosen.
Stationed at the New York Ghosts Headquarters, Pain and Jane are sisters who often argue with each other. When it comes to doing battle with the Beasts, however, they are the two Ghosts that their enemies fear most of all. The leader of the truculent Beasts is Eugene, and for some odd reason, he is very interested in two ordinary humans named Chad and David. The lives of the humans are soon threatened by Eugene's men, but unbeknownst to the humans as well as the Beasts, two Ghosts are regarding them from high atop a roof. These two are Pain and Jane. They swoop down to save the day, and in doing so, they open a can of worms that will have them running, and Beasts constantly in pursuit.
Alexandra is a star when it comes to crafting genuinely realistic characters. She knits them together so expertly with just the right amount of descriptive detail and provocative ammunition that's so applicable to novels that stand out in one's time as the best of their kind. The one "dot on the white wall" her book offers is a lack of memorability when it comes to New York City in general. She does a marvelous job when it comes to describing all interior settings, but when it comes to describing the outside world, the "rock falls of the mountain".
The vague relevancy of New York proves to be no inconvenience to the reader at all. Alexandra hits readers with everything from sword fighting, flying maidens, excellent comedy, brewing romances, days of tranquility, as well as moments of despair. Lopsidedness can take a cab, because it has no place in this novel. Overall, Alexandra did an outstanding job. This is her first book and she published it herself. She did the book cover too! Although it is part of a trilogy, other side novels will be published in the series which will focus heavily on the minor characters in this book. I'll definitely be paying attention to her work.
Although this book features mainly adult main characters, I think lovers of many bestselling young adult novels will find this book no less than enjoyable. This book features strong female characters, so if this is what you like, then you should definitely go for it. I'm taking a point away for the minor issue I have with the platitude of New York. My rating is 3 out of 4.
******
Sky Ghosts: All for One
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Leon Durham's review? Post a comment saying so!
Great review, Leon! I like how you described the book in detail, but without giving away too much. I also like the way your personality shines through in you review, add that is how I try to write mine as well (i.e. Lopsidedness can take a cab, as it had no place in this novel). I'm a little put off by the overall character names: sky beasts, sky ghosts and Pain and Jane's