A review by liisp_cvr2cvr
Keverynn: Path of the Warrior by Melissa Stone

Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.
 
Imagine this. You’re a well-equipped woman, skills and technology wise, with a crew full of experts. You’re an agent, after dangerous cultists in your world, Atharia. You fly your hovercraft over their empty lands where they hide and all of a sudden: boom, you’re in another world, Keverynn! A world very different to our own, with dragons… and fairy like folk… Actually, I got a slight Avatar vibe where the humans who came to this world, had their appearances change, their eyes and hair taking on vibrant colours. 
Path of the Warrior has elements that a fantasy lover will drool over: aforementioned dragons who are more than just flesh and blood, winged beasts. Maps and colourful graphics of the characters. We have the modern technology as well as the elements of magic and a mysterious black sword that appears at the hands of a woman when she most needs it. We have character names that will twist your tongue even if you only read them out loud in your head, and not one but two whole new languages – one is a sort of a preaching incantation by the cultists and the other spoken in that new world – I wish I could have understood but didn’t. 
Right off the bat I must commend Melissa Stone for creating something so vast, diverse, complex and intriguing. I can also see the genius in using a whole cult as the villain of the story because a group of antagonists is immediately a more difficult obstacle to overcome than one scary, no matter how able, dude. 
As we all know, sometimes when a story gets right into it, you’ll feel slightly lost and out of tune but with Path of the Warrior, you’ll get straight into action, no dawdling, no confusion about what’s going on. 
The little nice details that caught my eye: 
  • I have to mention yet again the lovely graphics of characters and dragons throughout the book. They’re truly vivid and simple yet elegant, and fitting to the tone of the story.
  • I mean, the languages that the author has created. It’s hard to even decide what to call one’s characters, so to make up two whole new languages to properly fancy up your fantasy story? Hardcore!
  • Interesting things about characters: Kenian’s debilitating and fatal illness, Drianna’s smoky secret. Jiyandi, who’s people are called Swimmers as they are a race that can breathe underwater and build floating cities on oceans. That’s to name but a few interesting facts.

As this is an elimination round post, you’re wondering why I am cutting this book?
 
I would say the pace of Path of the Warrior is around the medium mark. It doesn’t rush along on the timeline of events and yet at times I wished we would have moved along ever so slightly quicker. There were things like sword and battle practice that for me, unfortunately, do absolutely nothing. The placing of feet and hands to get a better, more effective swing – I’m simply not geared to be a combat buff in that sense. Yet, I know there are readers who wholeheartedly enjoy diving into the moment like this. If you’re one of them, perhaps consider reading this book!

A lot of traveling and discovering happens and when a chapter ends more than once with a scene where characters are given rooms to rest in, it makes sense, it does, but it feels like a missed opportunity to fill the page with excitement to keep the reader hooked. I love chapter endings that make me go – holy heck! – and I can’t turn the page fast enough to find out more. But that’s just me. Not all books are set out to follow the same patterns.

I wouldn’t say this book is plot driven, it’s solidly resting on characters and character development as the cast is wide and diverse, and I’d say all of them have something unique to make them stand out. But, at the same time, I didn’t feel like there was that one or two characters that I got hooked onto and I’m one of those that, once hooked to a character, can read about the blood of enemies drying on the blades of grass. The MC Ashrinn will certainly stand out and have a moment to shine, but up to a halfway mark, the focal point seems to be evenly shared among all characters.

Whilst creating a whole new language is hardcore, 100%, I’m a bit fussy when something breaks my stride as I’m reading. Checking the glossary at the back (especially with an ebook) is sure to interfere with the flow. Yes, I am nitpicking, as I could go by context alone, but I will forever wonder, what was it that was said. To my knowledge, there was no glossary for the foreign language, either. Happy to take back that statement if this is only the case with my Kindle copy of the book. Speaking of glossary though – there is one for character names and places, and it’s a testament to the hard work and dedication that the author has committed to this title.