Review by JoyALB -- Masters and Bastards

[JoyALB]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Masters and Bastards" by Christopher J. Penington.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Imagine a realm where life, as we presently experience it, does not exist. Earth and its occupants are extinct; a different breed with extraordinary abilities is not born, but cultivated. Who survives in such a world? And who, if anyone, can safe-keep it from all the lingering threats?

Masters and Bastards by Christopher Penington introduces the reader to Poltervaut: an imaginative cosmos of humans with interesting capabilities, wild animals that can rip you in pieces, big dragons, threatening aliens, and devious people. Lies and deceit are the order of the day, dark secrets seek to destroy and intruders undertake to invade. Yet, nations war against one another, seemingly unaware of their impending fate.

This Sci-Fi/Fantasy book is sure to enthrall all fans of the genre. The author has allowed his imagination to run wild and penned an illustrious reading, sure to take you on a boisterous adventure. Not only is the plot entertaining, the characters are also believable, and each one is valuable. None are thrown in and then let go; all play an important role in moving the narrative forward. This is what I enjoyed most about this book. If it were real people, I would say they were hand-picked and their best qualities were used to make the story come alive.

Only a few things bothered me whilst reading. One of these were the sex scenes. If you are expecting romance, you should stay away. ‘Mating’ is the correct word as it is often over as quickly as it began and there is hardly ever mention of love. Andreas Marset is chosen to mate with Isabella Caravingian, who is the daughter of Emperor (in the Iberian nation) Constantine. The purpose of their mating is exposed and explained from the beginning, so you don’t have any illusions. This does not soften the blow as you read of their first love-making experience. It is disappointing to say the least.

I believe the book was professionally edited, but a few typos were disturbing. Sometimes a character’s name was spelt wrong, which could be very confusing. Andreas for example, was sometimes spelt Andres. It’s a small detail, but it can be bothersome.

Nevertheless, this book deserves nothing less than 4 out of 4 stars. I am not a huge fan of this genre, but I enjoyed it. I would not recommend it to young readers due to the sexual scenes as well as the foul language. It is best suited to adult fans of this genre.

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Masters and Bastards
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[kandscreeley]

I'm not sure I would enjoy the explicit scenes. However, I do like the idea of the plot. The world building sounds fascinating and incredibly vivid. Thanks so much for you thoughts on this one.