Lexy Wolfe

Bishop to Queen is book two of the Emeralis Synth Chronicles. It was provided to me to review, and I have not read the first book.

The book is divided into two distinct parts. The only character common to both is Viktor Chernomir, a young man who has grown up on the wrong side of the tracks in a dystopian future of part-human, part-synthetic people. The first half details Viktor Chernomir's time as a 'companion' to a pilot who has been trained all her life to be an elite warrior.

The second half shifts abruptly to a very different story at an unspecified later time. Now, Viktor is a smaller part of the story of Ravenhawk (continued from the first book, I believe), a cyborg with two human identities inside her who struggles to find purpose in the world.

The background to the world Bishop to Queen is set in and the events of the first book are explained thoroughly enough, and not in a way that's annoying or too obvious. The characters are mostly well-rounded and Viktor is a likeable rogue. Ravenhawk was more difficult to relate to, but this was almost inevitable due to her complex backstory, and I did come to empathise with her in the end.

The splitting of the book into two almost entirely unrelated stories really threw me. It was such an pronounced break that I felt like it would have been better as two separate books, with both stories fleshed out more. I can only assume that they come together in the future novels of the series; I certainly hope so because I really enjoyed this book otherwise. It's well written and set in an interesting universe.

Would I read more by this author? Yes!… (meer)

Bishop to Queen is written in two parts. Part one is told by Viktor Chernovich and provides background about his life prior to becoming a mentor and friend to Ravenhawk. The second part is the continuing story of Ravenhawk and her human organic, Sara. One of the story elements revolves around friendship and trust along with her developing sense of who and what she is.
A conflict evolves around the need of Cybercorps to regain control of Ravenhawk. The story is well structured and thoughtful. A recommended read.… (meer)