Official Review: The Pious Insurrection

Please use this sub-forum to discuss any fantasy or science fiction books or series.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
AliceofX
Posts: 351
Joined: 27 Feb 2017, 06:01
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 361
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-aliceofx.html
Latest Review: The Demon of Decay by Alex C. Gates
Reading Device: B00ICPVSYC

Official Review: The Pious Insurrection

Post by AliceofX »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Pious Insurrection" by Dexter Morgenstern.]
Book Cover
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


The Pious Insurrection is a fantasy story by Dexter Morgenstern. It’s the first book in a series set in the world of Evigonda. Two children set out to save their world from destruction – Bo, a blind seer, and Amos her mute guardian. They must collect a soul from each of the four nations or the crystal of their goddess Naamah will break unleashing Leviathan’s wrath.

Bo and Amos have spent their entire lives in the secluded monastery of Regnaröv. Now they must learn of a world that is bigger than what they had imagined. They meet the Ashborn who don’t use magic, the Godless who reject all gods and many more. They also learn that the world has more moral grayness than what they had been taught.

The Pious Insurrection was, for the most part, an enjoyable book that was easy to read. It creates a vast world with many different characters. It’s a brutal world beset by monsters and warriors trying to fight them off. There are wars and conflicts with no clear good guys and bad guys. That’s what I liked best about this story. It created a complicated world where there are no easy answers to what is right and wrong.

There’s a sense of dreariness about the story. There are people who are trying to save their world, but their efforts are always thwarted. You get the feeling that a great catastrophe is building up, that this is the beginning of the end and no one can stop it. The book definitely left me curious about how the series will continue.

The biggest flaw of the book is its rough beginning. It throws you right in the thick of things without any explanations and strange, unfamiliar words flying about. When I read the first few chapters it was extremely difficult to understand what was going on. It’s not until the middle of the book after I had learned the names and terms that it became more enjoyable. The reading experience would have been a lot better if the book had more explanations about its world or at least a glossary of terms. You almost have to read it twice to truly understand the story.

Another flaw is that the two main characters lacked agency. Throughout the book, they’re either kidnapped by someone or used as pawns in someone else’s game. They experience the world around them, but they never affect it themselves. The rest of the characters come and go, so there’s no hero that fights for something.

Overall, The Pious Insurrection is a good book, but I would have liked it a lot more if it had a better beginning. Therefore I give it 3 out of 4 stars. There were only two spelling errors that I noticed. Other than that the book was well edited. I do think it’s a story that fans of epic fantasy would enjoy and that it can grow into a great series.

******
The Pious Insurrection
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like AliceofX's review? Post a comment saying so!
User avatar
AmySmiles
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1268
Joined: 21 Mar 2018, 10:43
Favorite Author: Dana Peters
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 149
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amysmiles.html
Latest Review: Sex Education for Adults Secrets to Amazing Sex and Happily Ever After Too by John Wilder
fav_author_id: 154082

Post by AmySmiles »

I don't enjoy the fantasy genre much. I appreciate your review though.
Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book.
–Author Unknown
User avatar
kandscreeley
Special Discussion Leader
Posts: 11683
Joined: 31 Dec 2016, 20:31
Currently Reading: Believarexic
Bookshelf Size: 486
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kandscreeley.html
Latest Review: The Elf Revelation by Jordan David

Post by kandscreeley »

It seems that in both fantasy and science fiction, authors love to dump their readers into the middle of a world of which they know nothing. It's very disconcerting and leaves you floundering about. It would be much better to slowly immerse them into this world. Still, if you hang in there long enough, you can find some wonderful stories. I'm really more of a science fiction lover than a fantasy lover, so I doubt I'll read this one. Thanks for the information, though.
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
Nma26
Posts: 202
Joined: 26 Apr 2018, 09:40
Currently Reading: Destiny
Bookshelf Size: 17
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nma26.html
Latest Review: Twisted Threads by Kaylin McFarren

Post by Nma26 »

This sounds interesting to me.I would love to read this book.Thanks for the review.
booklysis
Posts: 158
Joined: 26 Apr 2018, 05:42
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 23
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-booklysis.html
Latest Review: Pastoring is not what you think by Elijah Oladimeji

Post by booklysis »

Doesn't sound that much interesting to me.
User avatar
daydreaming reader
Posts: 307
Joined: 02 Jan 2016, 19:38
Currently Reading: The Unbound Soul
Bookshelf Size: 43
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-daydreaming-reader.html
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: Someone Else's End by Matthew Tysz

Post by daydreaming reader »

Seems like a quick, entertaining read. Thank you for the review.
"Without chaos, there can be no order"
- Heath D. Alberts
"You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star."
Friedrich Nietzsche
Dahmy 10
Posts: 212
Joined: 18 Feb 2018, 05:06
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 61
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-dahmy-10.html
Latest Review: First Family by Alice Langholt

Post by Dahmy 10 »

Fantasy is cool. This story seems to inculcate a little bit of history. But reading the book till the middle to get the gist isn't good enough.

Thanks for this well laid out observation!!!
User avatar
Rosemary Khathibe
Posts: 493
Joined: 05 Jul 2017, 16:48
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 66
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rosemary-khathibe.html
Latest Review: Robotic Warriors by Caglar Juan Singletary

Post by Rosemary Khathibe »

Even though I'm not a fantasy lover, the story sounds interesting. I will read the book to find out more about the worlds the main characters encountered with. Thanks for the great review.
User avatar
shie16
Posts: 1
Joined: 25 Jul 2018, 22:11
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 3

Post by shie16 »

The review makes the story interesting for future readers. And as for me, a fantasy lover, i want to read this as soon as i can.
User avatar
Aoun Levi Eren
Posts: 2
Joined: 01 Aug 2018, 15:09
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Aoun Levi Eren »

It is a good book. The writer did its best for the development of the characters. It shows true condition of what it means to be weak . A good sci - fiction has its impact on story . Meaning of wrath has been well illuminated . It show the true harsh life and struggles to live . It is a must read book .
Post Reply

Return to “Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books”