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Kogiopsis's Reviews > Skyfarer
Skyfarer (The Drifting Lands, #1)
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Call this more of a 2.5. Read as part of my ongoing shelf audit; this one's not a keeper.
Okay. Here's the thing. This book is exactly how Kylo Ren/Ben Solo's redemption arc should have been written, if Disney/Lucasfilm had planned the Star Wars sequel trilogy in advance instead of flying a multi-million-dollar franchise by the seat of their pants. The character development and reveals are good, the arc makes sense, it all works.
One problem for me, personally, is that I just freaking hate Kylo Ren. If I'd read this before watching 'Rise of Skywalker', this might not have been a stumbling block, but I couldn't unsee the parallels and thus couldn't stop thinking about something that massively pissed me off. So there's that, and that's not Joseph Brassey's fault. Which is why I have to rate this three stars, and not two out of sheer emotional reaction.
Setting the Star Wars parallels aside, though, this still didn't... quite strike me. The swordfighting sequences are good, as is the action in general, but that's kind of it. The setting (floating continents in the sky) is interesting, but not really used or explored. The magic has a cool scientific structure, but wasn't really a focus of the narrative. There's a McGuffin, and a quest, but the quest itself also wasn't particularly motivating to the plot; the good guys want to get the McGuffin to keep it away from the bad guys, but there's little sense of what it can do, why it would be dangerous in the wrong hands, or how it might be instrumental for good in the right hands.
And speaking of things that don't motivate the plot... Aimee. I didn't care for Aimee, and that was uncomfortable for me, because usually I'm an easy sell on badass female characters! But despite being half of the POVs, Aimee simply did not feel like a very important character in this story. She doesn't really face challenges or grow; even when she fails, it doesn't seem to impact her confidence or lead to self-reflection ((view spoiler)). Her sheltered upbringing and naivete could be a weakness, except that when she's called out it by other characters, the narrative treats her as if she is justified - e.g., when Silas points out that she's not entitled to know all of his order's secrets, the last word still goes to Aimee, and no self-reflection occurs. She starts the story powerful, clever, confident, and excited for adventure, and she ends exactly the same way.
The only way in which she grows is in her attitude towards Azrael. Because, ultimately, this book is about him, and no one else. His actions push the plot forward; the crew of the Elysium are reacting to him at all times, trying to stay ahead, never given the chance to take initiative. Multiple special magical objects respond to him as they do to no one else. His choices determine how the story ends, and his final battle is much more detailed and complex than Aimee's (view spoiler). He grows, and changes, and experiences complex emotions and doubt, and no one else really does. I honestly think that if the entire book had been from his perspective, it would have been more compelling, because everyone else sort of feels like a distraction.
Ultimately, not for me. That said, I do think it's fucked up that Angry Robot hasn't put the third book out. If an author is contracted to deliver three books in a series, the publisher should be similarly bound to publish them!
Okay. Here's the thing. This book is exactly how Kylo Ren/Ben Solo's redemption arc should have been written, if Disney/Lucasfilm had planned the Star Wars sequel trilogy in advance instead of flying a multi-million-dollar franchise by the seat of their pants. The character development and reveals are good, the arc makes sense, it all works.
One problem for me, personally, is that I just freaking hate Kylo Ren. If I'd read this before watching 'Rise of Skywalker', this might not have been a stumbling block, but I couldn't unsee the parallels and thus couldn't stop thinking about something that massively pissed me off. So there's that, and that's not Joseph Brassey's fault. Which is why I have to rate this three stars, and not two out of sheer emotional reaction.
Setting the Star Wars parallels aside, though, this still didn't... quite strike me. The swordfighting sequences are good, as is the action in general, but that's kind of it. The setting (floating continents in the sky) is interesting, but not really used or explored. The magic has a cool scientific structure, but wasn't really a focus of the narrative. There's a McGuffin, and a quest, but the quest itself also wasn't particularly motivating to the plot; the good guys want to get the McGuffin to keep it away from the bad guys, but there's little sense of what it can do, why it would be dangerous in the wrong hands, or how it might be instrumental for good in the right hands.
And speaking of things that don't motivate the plot... Aimee. I didn't care for Aimee, and that was uncomfortable for me, because usually I'm an easy sell on badass female characters! But despite being half of the POVs, Aimee simply did not feel like a very important character in this story. She doesn't really face challenges or grow; even when she fails, it doesn't seem to impact her confidence or lead to self-reflection ((view spoiler)). Her sheltered upbringing and naivete could be a weakness, except that when she's called out it by other characters, the narrative treats her as if she is justified - e.g., when Silas points out that she's not entitled to know all of his order's secrets, the last word still goes to Aimee, and no self-reflection occurs. She starts the story powerful, clever, confident, and excited for adventure, and she ends exactly the same way.
The only way in which she grows is in her attitude towards Azrael. Because, ultimately, this book is about him, and no one else. His actions push the plot forward; the crew of the Elysium are reacting to him at all times, trying to stay ahead, never given the chance to take initiative. Multiple special magical objects respond to him as they do to no one else. His choices determine how the story ends, and his final battle is much more detailed and complex than Aimee's (view spoiler). He grows, and changes, and experiences complex emotions and doubt, and no one else really does. I honestly think that if the entire book had been from his perspective, it would have been more compelling, because everyone else sort of feels like a distraction.
Ultimately, not for me. That said, I do think it's fucked up that Angry Robot hasn't put the third book out. If an author is contracted to deliver three books in a series, the publisher should be similarly bound to publish them!
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Skyfarer.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
March 19, 2025
–
Finished Reading
March 20, 2025
– Shelved
March 20, 2025
– Shelved as:
reviewed
