Review: Thundersword

Thundersword by Julian Rosado-Machain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Fans of YA urban fantasy, intricate world-building

Disclosure: I enjoyed the first book in this series so much I borrowed this book from Amazon Prime to read. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: The search for the Book of Concord is on the brink of failure. 

Guardians Inc. can’t move without being followed by the Azure Guard, and the balance between Magic and Technology has begun to shift, giving Magical creatures a stronger hold in our world. 

With new enemies arising and old alliances breaking up, the Guardians need an urgent victory or the seven thousand year old plan will fail and a new Dark Age will engulf the world. But just as Thomas Byrne begins to discover the inner workings of Guardians Inc. and his place as a Cypher, he also finds out that not everything is as he thought inside the company and that the worst enemy might be the one lurking within.

My Thoughts: I’m so happy I had decided to do a Amazon Prime test so I was able to borrow and read this book right after Cypher, the first book in this series (review here where formatting allowed), which I just loved. This second book in the series is about twice as long as the first one.

The editing was a problem (it was in the first book, too). Some examples: “were” are “where” are mixed up many times; “Sidney” for the Australian city (which is “Sydney”—there is a “Sidney” but it is in Montana. I grew up near there). Missing and extra words. Not quite enough to be distracting, but there. Both books could use a going-over by a really good line editor, or a proofreader at the very least.

I’ve noticed some reviewers who seem to think Thomas acts too young. I contend that they’ve been reading too much YA fiction, in which youth are preternaturally mature, and that Thomas is acting like a 16-year-old boy. I felt his representation was very realistic, and I enjoyed watching his mature and grow during the course of this book, and really come into himself. It was wonderful.

I also really enjoyed Ratatosk, and felt that he added a needed bit of levity, and a bit of an outside push that Thomas needed to overcome his limitations. I loved the revenge that Thomas and Ratatosk took on Nadir, although I’d have liked to seen that jerk be killed. Still, it isn’t Thomas’ way, and I felt it was probably better to maintain that personality.

Overall, a wonderful continuation. The next book, The Four-Legged Prophet, should be released in April or May of 2013, and I, for one, will be eagerly waiting for it.



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