Rin Chupeco

COURT OF WANDERERS is a satisfying conclusion to an entertaining duology. I appreciate Mx. Chupeco’s fresh take on the vampire myth. The spice level is lower than I expected, but I appreciate the tact and humor of certain bedroom scenes. The mystery remains intriguing until the end, and there is plenty of action to engage the mind. The redemption arcs for various characters are also good, nothing too ground-breaking but satisfying nonetheless. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for a different vampire story with minimal spice.… (meer)

Real Rating: 3.9* of five

The Publisher Says: Remy Pendergast is many things: the only son of the Duke of Valenbonne (though his father might wish otherwise), an elite bounty hunter of rogue vampires, and an outcast among his fellow Reapers. His mother was the subject of gossip even before she eloped with a vampire, giving rise to the rumors that Remy is half-vampire himself. Though the kingdom of Aluria barely tolerates him, Remy’s father has been shaping him into a weapon to fight for the kingdom at any cost.

When a terrifying new breed of vampire is sighted outside of the city, Remy prepares to investigate alone. But then he encounters the shockingly warmhearted vampire heiress Xiaodan Song and her infuriatingly arrogant fiancé, vampire lord Zidan Malekh, who may hold the key to defeating the creatures—though he knows associating with them won’t do his reputation any favors. When he’s offered a spot alongside them to find the truth about the mutating virus Rot that’s plaguing the kingdom, Remy faces a choice.

It’s one he’s certain he’ll regret.

But as the three face dangerous hardships during their journey, Remy develops fond and complicated feelings for the couple. He begins to question what he holds true about vampires, as well as the story behind his own family legacy. As the Rot continues to spread across the kingdom, Remy must decide where his loyalties lie: with his father and the kingdom he’s been trained all his life to defend or the vampires who might just be the death of him.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Weeelll...ya see...it's like this: I ain't the one to say nice things about vampire stuff, or about throuple romances. I do not believe the first exist, or could; the second seems like a really, really, really hard way to have a relationship one wishes to keep in place on the long term.

So what the hell made you ask for this DRC, old man?, I hear you wonder.

Rin Chupeco.

The Never-Tilting World and Wicked As You Wish as well as her debut The Bone Witch are all very well-written stories with queer characters and stakes that matter, characters I cared about, and world-building I invested in. I expected this book to have those strengths...mostly did...and be even better than her seven-years-ago debut. Not so much on this one.

The problem for me is that I can't put my finger on exactly how, why, or where. The prose is fine. The story doesn't have plot holes. I knew about the vampires before I asked for the DRC. There's not a good palpable reason for me not to be warbling my fool lungs out about this book. But.

There is always a chemistry between book and reader that is never, ever the same. Authors aren't the same people from book to book. Readers aren't either. And sometimes, in any kind of relationship, two chemistries change just enough, in just the wrong direction from each other, that one is not resonating in the right way for the other to get the gleeful rush of connection.

This is what happened in my experience of this perfectly good story.… (meer)

Really wanted to like this book more than I did. The technique of switching back and forth between preset and past is jarring, especially since the present Tea is much different than past Tea. Pronounced Tayuh, by the way, which we aren’t told until halfway through the book. At first I thought the “asha” were powerful magic users, and I guess they are, except they spend most of their time entertaining men at parties. We are treated to lengthy descriptions of clothing and hair adornments. I will probably read the second book out of curiosity about what happens to change Tea, but I’m not rushing out to buy it… (meer)

I really liked this book. I was drawn in by the graceful prose from the beginning. It reminded me of the tones that I remember from Marillier's books. The worldbuilding wasn't as complete as I'd like since there was only a clear view of the immediate area. I got the feeling that other areas would be fleshed out if/when Tea visits, but don't consider that a negative in any way--you can't criticize a world as clearly drawn as what we do see.

It was also refreshing to see a non-European based fantasy world. With a strong asian influence, the culture was as graceful as the prose.

My only real criticism is the cliffhanger ending. The book alternates between present narration by a character that is interacting with Tea as chapter introductions, to past reminiscences from Tea herself. At 432 pages, there was plenty of room to answer some of the questions brought on by the present/past conversation.

The Bone Witch is listed on Amazon as age level 12-17 and grades 7-12, but I never got the immature feeling that so many YA books usually convey. I highly recommend this one to any epic fantasy fans.

… (meer)