Review The Unseen Promise by Ellen Mae Franklin - Blog Tour

„The bargain between gods was in all an untenable pun, full of curious wonders and bloody ends.”

Perhaps it would be fair to start with a warning!

If you wouldn’t like to love to read, do not read this book! Yes, it is that kind of book that has the gift to make you love reading.

The Unseen Promise is a pure fantasy.

How some of the heroes from the ancient times would say ... when gods are involve, whatever mythology they belong, they bitch up the whole thing. The battle between good and evil takes place and it runs on many levels and plans. The change of the course of events and the outcome of the struggle is influenced by the manipulation or help that come from the deities. And for everything to be even more intricate, we have magic also.

The way in which book starts can trick you making you think you'll get a classic main thread. In fact, the book’s construction is more in the style of Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie. In the sense that several lines are started and these lines, at one time or another, will interpenetrate and influence each other. I liked that each story in itself attracts and that I never had the tendency (as in other books) to skip a chapter to get where I am more "interested". Each line of the story enjoys the same importance and feasts in the same measure.

The author proves a fertile imagination when she sketches the world and characters. And I do not mean a few characters, but a plethora. Whether they are main characters, or transient one, whether they are on the good or evil side, all of them will incite and about each of them you'll want to know more. Each of the characters has a story and a purpose and everyone has to follow a path imposed by themselves or others. Even for the bad characters are two sides of the coin. The way the characters evolve, their decisions and actions will you keep you bind by the book.

 “A vague memory rose up, threatening to choke her airways. Another place similar to this, where she had once endured fear and pain, broke through her shattered mind. The deprivation and the loneliness, the cruel nightmares, were old friends.”

In this world on the edge of darkness there is still room for love. Feelings, old or just discovered, possible or not, whether it relates to brothers, parents, companions or lovers, are strong and have a say in the story. There are scenes with a particular fondness, the author managing to convey deep feelings.

“But I cannot. I could not lie with you and then walk away as if it were nothing. You need more than that, I need more than that, but I have not the time. I am sorry.” [...] These last words he whispered, dispelling all thoughts of lust and replacing them with a tenderness he had not known before.”

“It mattered not to her that he was different, that he was only half human. All that mattered was that he was hers. [...] Perhaps she was home. […] The smile across Hi’ayman’s face was wide enough to light even the darkest of corners in his dreary chamber.”

I liked the fact that the author gives us enough details to see Tarkeenia’s world, but leaves room for the reader's own imagination to manifest. The author’s language is one as rich as descriptive.

The action is sustained, always occurs or something happens, and the events links and has continuity. There are no forced artifices, everything flows logically.

In the end I say that The Unseen Promise is the book that (1) I will definitely reread and (2) with the same pleasure.

„So, be warned friend, for to answer its call - curiosity’s enticing song - it must be with wide eyes and a steady heart, for trouble always follows.”

I received the book for review as part of Book Tour - Thank you

Romanian:

„The bargain between gods was in all an untenable pun, full of curious wonders and bloody ends.”

Poate ar fi corect să încep cu o atenționare!

Dacă nu v-ar plăcea să iubiți să citiți, nu citiți cartea! Da, este acel tip de carte care are darul de a vă face să adorați să citiți.

The Unseen Promise este un fantasy tipic.

Cum ar zice unii eroi din antichitate, nimic nu poate ieşi bine atunci când zeii, indiferent cărei mitologii aparțin, îşi bagă coada. Lupta dintre bine şi rău are loc şi aici şi se desfăşoară pe mai multe nivele şi planuri. Cursul evenimentelor se schimbă şi rezultatul luptei este influențat şi de manipularea sau ajutorul dat de zeități. Şi pentru ca totul să fie şi mai încurcat, avem parte şi de magie.

Modul în care începe cartea te poate păcăli făcându-te să crezi că vei avea parte de un fir principal clasic. În realitate, construcția cărții este mai mult în stilul Tarantino sau Guy Ritchie. Adică sunt începute mai multe linii care la un moment sau altul se vor întrepătrunde şi influența reciproc. Mi-a plăcut faptul că fiecare poveste în sine atrage şi nu am avut niciodată tendința (ca la alte cărți) să sar vreun capitol pentru a ajunge acolo unde mă “interesa” mai mult. Fiecare linie a poveştii se bucură de aceeaşi importanță şi satisface în aceeaşi măsură.

Autoarea dă dovadă de o bogată imaginație atunci când creionează lumea şi personajele. Şi nu mă refer la câteva personaje, ci la o mulțime. Fie că sunt personaje principale, fie că sunt pasagere, fie că sunt de partea binelui sau răului toate vor incita şi despre fiecare vei dori să afli cât mai multe. Fiecare dintre personaje are o poveste şi un țel, fiecare are de urmat un drum impus de el însuşi sau alții. Chiar şi pentru personajele rele există cele două fețe ale monezii. Cum evoluează personajele, care vor deciziile şi acțiunile lor vă va ține legați de carte.

 “A vague memory rose up, threatening to choke her airways. Another place similar to this, where she had once endured fear and pain, broke through her shattered mind. The deprivation and the loneliness, the cruel nightmares, were old friends.”

În toată această lume aflată pe marginea întunericului este însă loc şi pentru dragoste. Sentimentele, vechi sau abia descoperite, posibile sau nu, indiferent că poartă asupra fraților, asupra părinților, camarazilor sau iubiților, sunt puternice şi au un cuvânt de spus. Sunt scene de o duioşie aparte, autoarea reuşind să redea profunzimea sentimentelor.

“But I cannot. I could not lie with you and then walk away as if it were nothing. You need more than that, I need more than that, but I have not the time. I am sorry.” [...] These last words he whispered, dispelling all thoughts of lust and replacing them with a tenderness he had not known before.”

“It mattered not to her that he was different, that he was only half human. All that mattered was that he was hers. [...] Perhaps she was home. […] The smile across Hi’ayman’s face was wide enough to light even the darkest of corners in his dreary chamber.”

Mi-a plăcut şi faptul că autoarea îți dă suficiente amănunte pentru a vizualiza Lumea Tarkeeniei, dar lasă loc şi pentru ca propria imaginație a cititorului să se manifeste. Limbajul autoarei este unul pe atât de bogat pe cât de pictural.

Acțiunea are un ritm susținut, mereu intervine sau se întâmplă câte ceva, iar cursul evenimentelor se leagă şi are continuitate. Nu există artificii forțate, totul curge logic.

În final vă spun că The Unseen Promise este cartea pe care (1) o voi reciti cu siguranță şi (2) cu aceeaşi plăcere.

„So, be warned friend, for to answer its call - curiosity’s enticing song - it must be with wide eyes and a steady heart, for trouble always follows.”

Book Tour was organized by GMTA Publishing