Book Review: Adversarious by M. L. Chesley

ADVERSARIUS


            By:  M. L. Chesley

M. L. Chesley is an Alaska based author, online blogger and MMORPG junkie. She has been writing fantasy for several years. Between writing, work and family she barely has time for much gaming, but some days, raids take precedence over all. If you would like to learn more about her world, created in this book, go to www.mlchesley.webs.com. You can also follow her blog at www.caledonialass.blogspot.com.

 

What the book has to say about itself: 

Two kingdoms, two goals.
The king of Relavia is determined to wipe out his warring neighbors in Paridzule, a worthy adversary for over five hundred years. News of an arranged marriage between his son and the daughter of his lifelong enemy has fueled the temper of Relavia's tyrannical king. What he doesn't realize is the true measure of his son's honor and how far he is willing to go to gain peace.

What I have to say about it:

I didn't really know what to expect from this book. I'd heard hints about it, but I purposely didn't look up anything about it because I wanted to come at it fresh with no previous prejudice. I do wonder if that approach is what made me unsure which character was the Main Character. (I'm still not exactly sure, but I'm thinking its two of them.)

Things I really liked.  The story gets off to a start with a battle scene on a ship being attacked by Pirates. (she spelled it weird, but I can't remember exactly how it was) The world building was wonderful. The variety of characters was fun. And usually when you have that many characters in a story, you begin to lose some of them, or they become 2 dimentional, but all her characters felt pretty developed to me. I even remembered who most of them were even the ones who only showed up in passing. Something I thought was well done. Not even their weird names could throw me off.
There wasn't really any romance per se, but it was still a romantic type book. The two characters who love each other, don't even interact really except in a flashback, but I was still rooting for them. 
There are also side stories, and supporting characters who have wonderful interactions with each other, and there is always excitment and adventure and even more fight scenes. (including assassins.)

Things I didn't like so much, and some of this might be a bit of a spoiler, but I'll try to be careful.  This book seemed to stop too soon for me. I know it is the first in a series, and it wasn't like I was left with a cliff hanger or anything, but I really wish she would have been able to keep going. I want to know what happens to those people right away.
I kind of know what the plot is, but there are a variety of side plots that enhance the story, but also make it so this book couldn't complete a full circle without becomming too large. I didn't like it that the two I was rooting for didn't end up together, but I'm pretty sure it will happen in another book. (It better!)
There were a few spots where I stopped believing in the magic because I couldn't help feeling the same way about it as the characters did when they found out the limitations of magic, but later on it was explained in a way I could accept.

Overall, this is a fun book. Pretty hefty, and not a light or a short read, but it is enjoyable. I really am looking forward to the next book because I have to see what happens next.


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