Review of “ReDawn” novella by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson

 Review of “ReDawn” Skyward Flight Novella #2 by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson

The second novella in the Skyward Flight series is just as good as the first. It follows the alien Alanik that we briefly met in the second book, “Starsight”, the one that Spensa pretends to be for the Superiorty. We also briefly met Alanik in “Sunreach”, and this story takes place right after that appearance. Alanik returns to her home world ReDawn and we find out her race is called the Urdail.

I love getting a story told from Alanik’s perspective. She is a strong and interesting character. I like how she doesn’t understand how awkward human teenagers act when it comes to talking about dating and relationships. “ReDawn” reunites Alanik with the characters from “Sunreach”, as she asks them to help her race fight off the Superiority. Alanik desperately wants to save her mentor and push out the rule of the Superiority on her home world. The novella does a better job at incorporating the political intrigue plot than “Starsight” did, because it feels more personal to Alaniks’ journey than it did with Spensa’s.

The story offers more information about cytonics and the various abilities that cytonics can possess. It is also refreshing to explore a new planet and society of a new alien race. I love seeing Alanik work with and befriend Jorgen, FM, Rigg and the rest of the crew.

I have thoroughly enjoyed these novellas because they expand the world of Skyward as well as the side characters. Alanik is a fantastic character and I would love to see more of her in the series. This story only makes me more excited to read the third book, “Cytonic”.

Review of “A Kingsguard Tale: Road to Celestia” by G.F. Allen

Review of “A Kingsguard Tale: Road to Celestia” by G.F. Allen

Book, one of “A Kingsguard Tale”, offers the light magic of children’s fantasy combined with the epic scope of adult fantasy. It is reminiscent of Young Adult fantasy such as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” or more recently, it reminded me of the book “Prisoner in the Sky.” The story focuses on a young man named Dart, who wants to become a Kingsguard. It takes place in a world where a unique element known as a Kreg grants its wielder magical abilities. An infernal demon known as Drakkar emerges to claim power. A Celestial princess is then kidnapped, and Dart is assigned to find her and return her to safety before she can be used to aid the Infernal’s plan.

The book tells Dart’s story well and sets him up for his journey to becoming a Kingsguard. Along the way, he meets various people who help train him for the next part of his adventure. Dart must learn to control his Kreg powers to fight the Infernals. There are two major supporting characters, Ava the Celestial and the other Elise, Dart’s best friend. All three characters' storylines eventually converge at the end of the book. Sometimes, various story subplots pop up and make it hard to keep track of what is happening with the main plot. However, these subplots also provide opportunities for character development, making the protagonists more relatable and engaging.

The Infernals and Drakkar make for exciting villains and antagonists for Dart and his companions to defeat. However, it is hard to tell how the Infernals and Celestials fit within the everyday fantasy world that Dart lives in. The fantasy world has several unique qualities that have the potential to expand in future sequels; such as the Kreg magic and the lore of the Celestials.

Dart is a typical character on a hero’s journey; a hero who must learn life lessons along the way. He is diligent, brave, and honorable, making him stand out as the main protagonist. His unwavering determination and quick thinking in the face of danger make him a compelling character. Ava, on the other hand, is not a typical princess. She is strong-willed and independent, but she learns to trust people and overcomes her stubbornness to let Dart help her. Elise also has a good character arc. She learns to fight instead of waiting around helplessly for Dart to save her. She carves out her own journey and in the end, she trusts Dart and makes the right choice not to hand Ava over to the enemy. The character arcs are fine, and the ending leaves room for the sequel book.

For a first-time author, G.F. Allen does a good job at telling a whole story complete with character arcs and creating a unique fantasy world. Overall, this is a light and fun fantasy story that I recommend for readers of young adult fantasy.