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The Shadow of Black Wings The Year of the Dragon Book 1 eBook James Calbraith

Download As PDF : The Shadow of Black Wings The Year of the Dragon Book 1 eBook James Calbraith

The Shadow of Black Wings The Year of the Dragon Book 1 eBook James Calbraith

This is not the best story I ever read, but it has some unique story lines that kept .e interested. This is my first book on a reader tablet (Kindel). I must say it is an adventure by itself, but the story too kept me interested.


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The Shadow of Black Wings The Year of the Dragon Book 1 eBook James Calbraith Reviews

I liked the characters in this book, and the plot is definitely different. It does get a bit confusing, with names of things not explained and countries a good bit muddled. The year 2606 would make one assume this is far in the future, but everything about it puts it in the past. Far too much space was given to descriptions of things that have no impact on the plot or characters, and those descriptions served only to slow the pace of the book down to a plod. I was also put off by Bran calling his dragon a friend, and then referring to it as "it."

My biggest fault with the book is the lack of any real endings by the time the book ends - most books at least give some of the plot twists some sort of closure, with others left open for the next installment. In this book, virtually everything is left hanging, with absolutely nothing resolved - very frustrating if you don't have the next volume in hand.
Upfront disclaimer I know the author slightly through interacting with him on Google+, which is why I bought the book. I paid full price and he hasn't given me any incentives to do a review or say nice things. I'm going to be critical in any case, not because I didn't like the book (I did), but because I think he can take it.

I'll start by saying that it's well-written, well-edited and (as far as I could tell, not being an expert on 19th-century Japan or Wales) well-researched. This already puts it ahead of 98% of indie-published books, and many traditionally-published ones.

The author is not a native English speaker, and it occasionally shows in an odd turn of phrase like "neared it to his eye". Mostly, though, the English is above average, better than most native speakers write.

This is the first book in a series, and it's not complete in itself. I don't love that, but it's a long-established fantasy-fiction tradition, and it's not as if the book just stops abruptly (I have read others that do). Given that, some of the criticisms I was going to make about setups with no punchline should probably be held back until I finish the series, which I intend to do. I'll note them here anyway so that I don't forget.

When I read the sample before buying the ebook, my first thought was that the worldbuilding was maybe a bit over-exhuberant. They're dragonriders? OK, fine, nothing new there, but it's cool. They can channel the magic of their dragons? Even cooler, and original as far as I know. Wait, they can also shapeshift into dragonlike beings? That may be just a little too cool. And in fact it never comes up again in the rest of this first volume - the first setup with no punchline (so far).

Then there are a couple of things that I would have done differently if it had been me, but there may be a reason that I haven't seen yet. There are a couple of linked reasons why I would have done these things differently credibility and importance to the plot.

What I mean is, the history of this version of the world is very, very different. No Christianity, no fall of the Roman Empire, and quite a few other consequential changes (plus all the magic, of course). So it's highly unlikely that the same individuals, with the same names, would be born in the equivalent of the 19th century, given that very different history. (Victoria is on the throne, and Brunel is a prominent wizard.) It also, at least in this book, makes no difference to the plot, since these people, and several historical characters like Henry VII, are mentioned but don't appear on stage. Another setup with no punchline.

On the other hand, I would find it a lot more credible for many countries to retain similar names to the ones that they had in reality, and it would also have made it easier to figure out which countries were actually being talked about. I have a pretty good grasp of history and geography, so I could mostly follow the differences (and there's a map), but I did struggle, and I think a lot of people would have no idea. Even a few familiar names would have helped a lot.

About halfway through, the viewpoint character drops completely out of sight for several chapters and we meet several new people we haven't seen before. One has red hair, which is variously described as "amber" (which sounds dark blonde), "copper", "auburn" and "strawberry blonde". Those are very different hair colours, so I was left without a clear idea of what she actually looked like.

This shift in viewpoint, I think, contributed to the fact that I put the book down for a while and read other things. A clearer through-line focussed on telling just one story about just one person or group of people would have held my attention better.

Having said all that, this is a rich setting, the characters are appealing if so far not all that heroic, the writing is excellent and I will definitely be getting the next in the series, because I want to know what happens next (and also have been enjoying the ride).
I will admit - the steampunk potential of this story combined with some paranormal/fantasy had me intrigued. I was not disappointed in the least. The lush recreation of the Victorian Empire is presented with some familiar elements, yet imaginative details and additions, magic and dragons and a taste of elements similar to The Art of War by Sun Tzu, enrich and provide elements that demand notice. With a map provided to help readers follow and organize the story in their own mind, the multiple characters and complex political maneuvering is easier to follow but this is not a simple fly through read.

Calbraith has researched and incorporated actual historical detail, integrating it so neatly into the narration and story that it is a near seamless transition between familiar, actual and fantastical. This daunting yet necessary task could detract from the well-crafted world we are immersed in, yet the details only serve to further the story and character development. Multi-layered characters, with Bran particularly well balanced cockiness and brashness of youth counterbalanced with his realization that he doesn't have all the answers, and perhaps is not invincible. When he moves forward, despite his doubts, readers are left with the understanding that his decisions are well thought through, mostly.

The book is a terrific start for a series, giving us plenty of untouched upon elements early in the first that are not addressed again, and a bit of an open end for Bran. It has the flavor of other high-fantasy books that I have read, engaging and unique with characters that you can find likable and interesting, and just enough of a mysterious twist to keep you wondering what next. I'm curious (and excited) to see the next in the series.

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review for Full Moon Bites tours. I was not compensated for this review all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Imagine a really well written historical fiction, taking place in the mid 1800's, focusing on the adventures and intrigues occurring in and around imperial Japan. Now add an element of alternative history the Roman Empire was never vanquished and is vying with other European powers for access to the Orient. And then top that off with a rich layer of dragons, magic and other fantasy elements. That's what you have with The Shadow of Black Wings. James Calbraith does a wonderful job at weaving fact and fantasy into an alternative but very realistic history that pulls the reader into its richness. I'm definitely going to be reading the next book in the series.
This is not the best story I ever read, but it has some unique story lines that kept .e interested. This is my first book on a reader tablet (Kindel). I must say it is an adventure by itself, but the story too kept me interested.