TraversingtheDark

A chilling start...

This short piece seems like a very intense set-up to a larger story that I hope to see continued. Though the use of italics after the first paragraph is rather jarring it nonetheless works to initiate a flashback. The piece is largely internal dialogue which perfectly captures at once anger, sadness, and guilt on the part of the protagonist. The plot itself is engaging, but leaves the reader with just enough questions to keep them wanting more. Minor grammatical inaccuracies do not detract from the story which moves at an appropriately fast pace. Overall, a solid piece, and I would gladly read a continuation.

Blurring the lines

The tagline of this story hits the nail on the head: 'Who is a demon or who is human? Do the lines ever blur?' Katalina (Kate) skirts the precipice between two words as a demon-human hybrid. Without giving anything away, her sheltered way of life is threatened early on and forces her to confront a wider world that is often hostile and unwelcoming to her kind, This kind of 'outsider meets world' plot has been done before, but this book distinguishes itself by developing characters with believable dialogue and intriguing backstories.

My personal favourite character was Maverick - Kate's eventual guide to what awaits her in the outside world. Calm, cool, and composed even when flying an airship, Maverick is a well written character who exudes the kind of cool demeanor most readers will instantly engage with.

The writing style is fluid and thoughtful - often we get different character perspectives each chapter. I would have preferred a chapter-by-chapter perspective shift, but overall this does not diminish the quality presented here.

I understand this work is the first in a series and am excited to read more from the author. Overall, a very exciting and at times tense adventure that you shouldn't miss out on if you're a fan of fantasy with strong female protagonists.

Poetry that looks within

A short, albeit impressive collection of poetry that seems connected by the theme of introspection - self-examination and the knowledge we gain from such an action. The use of second person is current throughout most of the work and forces the reader to question themselves and their reality. It's no small task to provoke such examination through short poems but the author adeptly manages to weave the words that stick with you.

My personal favorite thus far is 'Beautifully Cursed Appendage'. Out of all the poems its use of symbolism through the butterfly was particularly effective - and makes a powerful point about persevering through adversity. This is a message all of us could use especially now, which is why I think it resonated with me so much.

You bring yourself to a poem and sometimes poems force you to look within - if you want to act out some quiet reflection after a busy day, you could do far worse than read this ongoing collection. A very well composed series so far and I'll be glad to re-review once the collection is completed.

Humanity's protectors...and their burdens

This story serves as an excellent introduction/lore piece to the author's world - establishing the central character of Luca, his relationship to humanity,and his somewhat reserved approach to his job as their protectors. While the trope of the stoic protector has been seen before, this work distinguishes itself by portraying its central character as very human whilst lacking one key defining trait of what makes us who we are - and thus evokes a sense of sympathy from the reader.

The writing is technically accurate and when appropriate short, laconic sentences have been used to drive up the intensity of the sequence. I would only say that there is a lot of information about the world that is dropped and I was surprised to not see another chapter produced. I would certainly love to see this universe expanded on. Overall, a very promising start to an engaging, character driven work.