Review of Chronicles of Orlessia
Posted: 05 Nov 2024, 11:03
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Chronicles of Orlessia" by Chris Brooks.]
Chronicles of Orlessia by Chris Brooks is the first book in the Ephisian saga. It was an exciting and fast-paced book full of wild adventures and thought-provoking ideas. I rate this book a 4 out of 5.
Izzy is a strong young woman with a very powerful weapon, who also happens to be her closest companion. I found the entire premise of Baal’s character extremely creative and interesting; he was also a unique form of comic relief despite his evil, destructive intentions. Izzy works for the Arbalists of Ephis, completing sometimes dangerous tasks to help keep peace in the land of Ephis with the reluctant help of Baal. His desires are full of murderous intentions, but Izzy’s objectives are pure, and Baal’s soft spot for her is eventually brought to light. The first and last chapters almost mirror each other; you can see how Baal works and communicates with different masters who also have very different intentions. It’s an interesting perspective into a complex character, which I’m sure is explored more in the following books.
I really enjoyed the writing done by author Chris Brooks. They had a way of creating vivid imagery through words, and I feel like that’s important when writing a fantasy story. The other-worldly places and the mystical characters could’ve been difficult to picture if it weren’t for Brooks’ impressive descriptions and attention to detail. Something else I appreciated was how the author incorporated various genres within the book. Some scenes, like when they were stuck in the well with Clarence, felt just as terrifying and anxiety-inducing as a horror book! There is some gore in this book, along with adult themes of sex and human trafficking, but it was tastefully and respectfully done.
The spelling and grammar in Chronicles of Orlessia was almost perfect, and I admired the editing done to this book. I only found one small mistake, and it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book. I did deduct a star from my review because the editing wasn’t perfect, and because at times I felt overwhelmed by the number of characters being introduced at once. There are a lot of names to remember in this book! My only suggestion for that would be to avoid giving names to background characters that only appear once or twice because too many names can be confusing.
Overall, Chronicles of Orlessia by Chris Brooks was a delightful read. The writing and editing were lovely, and I will certainly be checking out the other books in the Ephisian saga.
******
Chronicles of Orlessia
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Chronicles of Orlessia by Chris Brooks is the first book in the Ephisian saga. It was an exciting and fast-paced book full of wild adventures and thought-provoking ideas. I rate this book a 4 out of 5.
Izzy is a strong young woman with a very powerful weapon, who also happens to be her closest companion. I found the entire premise of Baal’s character extremely creative and interesting; he was also a unique form of comic relief despite his evil, destructive intentions. Izzy works for the Arbalists of Ephis, completing sometimes dangerous tasks to help keep peace in the land of Ephis with the reluctant help of Baal. His desires are full of murderous intentions, but Izzy’s objectives are pure, and Baal’s soft spot for her is eventually brought to light. The first and last chapters almost mirror each other; you can see how Baal works and communicates with different masters who also have very different intentions. It’s an interesting perspective into a complex character, which I’m sure is explored more in the following books.
I really enjoyed the writing done by author Chris Brooks. They had a way of creating vivid imagery through words, and I feel like that’s important when writing a fantasy story. The other-worldly places and the mystical characters could’ve been difficult to picture if it weren’t for Brooks’ impressive descriptions and attention to detail. Something else I appreciated was how the author incorporated various genres within the book. Some scenes, like when they were stuck in the well with Clarence, felt just as terrifying and anxiety-inducing as a horror book! There is some gore in this book, along with adult themes of sex and human trafficking, but it was tastefully and respectfully done.
The spelling and grammar in Chronicles of Orlessia was almost perfect, and I admired the editing done to this book. I only found one small mistake, and it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book. I did deduct a star from my review because the editing wasn’t perfect, and because at times I felt overwhelmed by the number of characters being introduced at once. There are a lot of names to remember in this book! My only suggestion for that would be to avoid giving names to background characters that only appear once or twice because too many names can be confusing.
Overall, Chronicles of Orlessia by Chris Brooks was a delightful read. The writing and editing were lovely, and I will certainly be checking out the other books in the Ephisian saga.
******
Chronicles of Orlessia
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon