Short Story Review: The Job & Uprising

The Job

By:  Greg L. Turnquist

Publish Date:  June 1, 2017

Format:  eBook

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  Prequel to Darklight series

First Impression:  Snitch tries a theft job.

Synopsis:
What if a pickpocket had a change of heart?

Snitch and her partner in crime decide to knock over a pawn shop. But something goes wrong. What should she do next?

First Sentence:
"Are you ready?" Snitch tilted her head toward her partner, raising a brow in his direction.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles 


My Thoughts and Summary:
*I picked up the book for my own reading pleasure.

From reading the short story and the synopsis, I guess thieves work alone in this world. Or, if caught, they run and leave the other to get out on their own. This is a quick glimpse into one job on a dark night that Snitch decides to work with another... and maybe help him.

The story is very, very short. I finished it in less than an hour lunch break. Snitch and James go in to rob a store.

Maybe if I read the series I'll get more a feel of the world that this story is set in. I would have liked more in the short story. It didn't have to grow in major length, just give me more about the world in select wording. The world's changed, but I don't know from what or to what. There are no real details on Snitch's feeling of difference in the world. There is mention of the new overlord and more guards, but I don't know much more about the world. And there is a mention of "link" between the two. I'm not sure if this is something in the way of magic or that James didn't physically come back to where she was. I think the author had a great chance to do more with this quick job, but missed out on it.

Though, as the description tells, Snitch does realize she needs, or should, work with others. So she decides to go look into a group that hidden in the woods, to try working with them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Uprising

By:  Greg L. Turnquist

Publish Date:  June 1, 2017

Format:  eBook ~ Free for joining email of author

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  Prequel to Darklight series

First Impression:  One night when all changes.

First Sentence:
It was half-an-hour before sunrise.

Purchase At:
Sign up for Author newsletter to get 


My Thoughts and Summary:
*I picked up the book for my own reading pleasure.

Gavin, Captain of the king's royal guard, wonders if today will bring the uprisings happening in the outer regions into the city. Two days ago he sent a couple units to investigate the "uprisings", and they haven't returned yet. He readies additional units to go.

This short story felt to start more direct and better written that The Job for me. I felt there was better character details given as they respond to news, or lack of news.

One thing I noticed in the short is Gavin asks himself a lot of questions regarding the men he's trained. He should have better faith in his men, even if trained by those under him. Also, he should be able to read them better too. If he's a captain, he should be able to read people. Instead of questioning, the author should have used descriptions to show us in better detail what Gavin is seeing and experiencing.

One thing we learn, who's in the forest to the east. That was mentioned by Snitch in The Job. Now we know who and why they are there. This gives a background for Gavin and a few others for when we meet them in the first novel.

Audio Book Review: Darklight: A Coming of Age

Darklight: A Coming of Age

By:  Greg L. Turnquist

Publish Date:  March 25, 2018, Audiobook Release July 13, 2018

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 6 mins
Narrated By:  Starla Huchton

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in Darklight series

Impression:  A floater of a girl finds her purpose.

Synopsis:
Snitch, a young woman who grew up on the medieval streets of Kelmar as a thief, has learned something terrible. The regime’s evil military ruler has learned the hideout location of the resistance she joined and ordered an all out assault. Combined with the captain of the disbanded royal guard, a political prisoner, a duke’s daughter, and an old advisor, can her team rise to action and free Kelmar?

First Sentence:
Snith moved as fast as she could in the dark toward the southern edge of the city-state of Kelmar, desperate to not draw attention to herself.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles 

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A narrator can take a book to the next level, making it more enjoyable than reading words. Starla has done that here! The story is simple, but Starla breaths life into it with each word. She adds heart, emotion, and life to the characters with tone, innuendos, and accents. The narration is clear and clean while listening to it. I enjoyed listening to Starla bring the story to life.

Did you ever read a book and feel there's no desire in the characters? They seem to have no need for something. Well, I got that feeling here in the beginning of the book. I know the characters in the resistance are trying to live and those in the army under Melicose want to capture the resistance to rule on. But there doesn't seem to be any other drive than living, which we all want to live but it doesn't feel strong enough to back the story. But we get more in the end. Melicose's goal. And direction for Snitch.

I think Snitch is a character that's a floater, not sure where she's to be in the world. Snitch feels to not have a drive for anything until the end, which would likely carry on through future books. In the end, she finds what she should do and a mission to follow. It was a bit touchy for a while with Snitch as she felt to have no direction for me, but in the end she came together. And there are a few other important characters we see grow in the story.

The story is told from different character point of views. You easily know which character you are hearing from because they are clearly mentioned as the section starts to make you aware. This is very important in a story this vast. There are different things happening at the same time that are related. And there are groups that get separated, so to keep up with each set of events this is needed.

We come across some very interesting things here. There is a magic present, though it's limited to one or two people we are aware of. There is an extremely good reason for this, as it could draw a new danger and enemy to the world. And there is already enough problems in the world with Melicose.

I liked the twist of magic and technology here. It's interesting to see the two in a world that feels to be of a fantasy setting. There is a history to both, and we start to get details on the magic side here but not as much with the technology side. We know there is potential for technology here, but it's hidden.

There are some connections I'd have liked a little more details on, like with magic and more hard core on Melicose's weaknesses in his system. Yeah, I see it, but would have liked a little more to grip at.

The story was interesting, and seeing it all play together was nice. I'd be curious to see where the author goes in the next book.



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!