Rating: 3.75🌈
Grave Situation by Louise Masters is a story that was so emotionally moving at times that it had me sobbing in parts and yet, left me wondering why I wasn’t completely satisfied by how the story was finished. Nicely written, had humor, pathos, dragons, with a diverse cast of characters but with a book of this length and thought that’s gone into the storytelling, there’s something along the lines that is also missing.
The twins Talon, the mage, and Tia, the dragonrider sister, are wonderful . The his class and the character of Talon, especially,are vividly illustrated , easily becoming people we care about. As too are the found family that Talon starts to gather together along the way on the journey he’s sent on.
Each one is well crafted , easily recognizable and relatable. There’s a non-binary one. The big hearted gorgeous but not bright one, the naive young one, etc. But because they are so well done, they become winners in their own right.
But there’s noticeable flaws that’s frustrating. Example, Masters tells us what a powerful mage Talon is but the magic , unless it’s telepathic, isn’t really there in any scenarios to prove that. Dangling a person upside down a couple of times isn’t really enough.
And we get dragons , without a substantial foundational knowledge about them, and then later on when its becomes a major narrative element, we realize that for the most of the book there is no background information for our characters. In a novel that’s 577 pages.
That’s an aspect of the story that’s seen elsewhere. Religion plays a huge role here but we’ve no idea what it is about. What, other than the name, that makes it so important or fun or interesting or whatever. It’s a “waves hand “ something religion.
There’s no substance to the governments, kingdoms, religions, or even magic.
But there’s zombies and a mission and a gang of found family to save the world. And dragons.
Grace Situation is a serialized story that began on her Patron page and for me, it has that feel.
It’s fun. Definitely entertaining and moving in parts but it doesn’t come across as a well defined and deeply developed world. Nor does that end feel very satisfying. Good but not great.
I’ll still recommend it but it’s not a book I read straight through as I did others of the same style and length.
Buy link
Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comGrave Situation – Kindle edition by Masters, Louisa. Romance …
Blurb
He’s not the hero they deserve, but he’s the hero they’ve got.
No, seriously. Talon wants to know what he did to deserve this. What would make a sentient rock decide that he of all people should be the one to save the world from zombies? That’s right. Zombies. Because apparently a higher power decided that teaching magic to teenagers wasn’t enough of a challenge.
With a ridiculously attractive healer (who may or may not hate him), his sister (who he miiiight have a forbidden telepathic link with), a sentient god-like rock (that can only communicate via yes/no vibes), a disdainful dragon, and a rude matchmaking horse by his side, he just might be able to save the world.
Or die trying.
Meet Talon Silverbright. He’ll save the world, but only because a rock said he has to.
- Publication date: March 20, 2025
- Language: English
- Print length: 577 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 