AT THE SHARP END OF LIGHTNING by N.R. BATES.
Book Description for At the Sharp End of Lightning:
AT THE SHARP END OF LIGHTNING. The interwoven fantastical tale of family, of loss and sacrifice, of unexpected gifts and coping with disability and new abilities set against the backdrop of climate change occurring across parallel worlds. In Oceanlight, Yalara Narika, a winged Sea Sprite, searches for her lover over immense seas only to find catastrophe and realization that her world is in turmoil.
Meanwhile in the safe suburban normality of North Wales, Einion Morgan Alban, a restless youth afflicted by a disease of the blood, is nearly murdered by a man in a white suit. Yalara and Einion must discover the causes of their near-deaths and their as yet unrevealed connections as they both face upheaval to their lives and their worlds.
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Author's Bio:N.R. Bates was born in London, grew up in Wales, and lived in Canada and Bermuda. He shares his life with his wife and his house with seven cats, one dog and the subtropical wildlife of lizards, wolf spiders and ant colonies that seek out a better life indoors.
He is an oceanographer and scientist, and has published more than one hundred and thirty scientific papers on ocean chemistry, climate change and ocean acidification. He is a Senior Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK.
His novels focus on epic fantasy and magic realism, and inspired by his deep love of the ocean and environmental sciences. He has also recently published a small book of short-stories set in Paris, entitled “The Fall of Icarus (The Elevator, The Fall of Icarus, and The Girl)”.
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Tour Schedule:
Jan 4 > misty103 @ HubPages > review
Jan 4 > Splashes Into Books > review
Jan 4 > Drako's Den > review
Jan 5 > T's Stuff > book spotlight/guest post /giveaway
Jan 6 > The Autistic Gamer > review
Jan 7 > fundinmental > review
Jan 8 > A Mama's Corner of the World > review/giveaway
Jan 11 > Book and Ink > review/giveaway
Jan 12 > Beauty Book Blog > review/giveaway
Jan 13 > Room With Books > review/guest post/giveaway
Jan 13 > Metro Reader > review
Jan 14 > Cheryl's Book Nook > book spotlight/ giveaway
Jan 14 > Book Reviews Nature Pictures and anything in between > review
Jan 15 > Heidi's Wanderings > review/giveaway
Jan 18 > Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine > book spotlight/ author interview
Jan 19 > Book Fanatic >review
Jan 20 > Library of Clean Reads > review/giveaway
Jan 21 > #redhead.with.book > book spotlight/ giveaway
Jan 22 > Amie's Book Reviews >review/author interview/giveaway
Jan 25 > Sahar's Blog > review
Jan 26 > Svetlana's Reads and Views >review
Jan 27 > Pen and Paper > review
Jan 28 > Bookworm for Kids > review/giveaway
FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1: The Search Above The Waves - In Oceanlight}: As the streamer of lightning harmlessly discharged through her body into the palm of her hand, Yalara Narika noticed many things at once.
MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 69}: Difficult as it was, she made sure she held her face and body as still as possible, allowing not a flicker of emotion to show. "I am only an outcast to the Luxati here, not my fellow Sprites," came the intuitive realization. "The Luxati - these warped, divergent souls - are afraid of me."
MY THOUGHTS: As with all books what captures the imagination of one reader will fail to do so with another and I'm afraid this novel - no, I won't use the words failed to capture my imagination because that isn't altogether true. This novel .... didn't altogether meet my expectations? No, that's not quite right either as given the synopsis and the authors background as an oceanographer I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Perhaps best left as not all aspects of the novel were as engaging as I had hoped.
A story set in multiple universes, alas I found all the world building a tad too heavy for my taste. The earlier chapters in danger of becoming bogged down by environmental/ecological terminology - thank goodness for the glossaries (both human and sprite) at the back of the book.That said, early days. For a first book in a trilogy At The Sharp End Of Lightning isn't so much about the destination as it is about the journey and perhaps it says as much about me as the authors writing style that I took so long in connecting with the various universes.
What of the characters though?
More my kind of thing than the world building. I do love a story with interesting characters and with main protagonists such as Yalara, a sea sprite who is on a secret mission, Helia, an exiled forest sprite, and Einion, a Welsh teenager with a blood disorder, these are certainly interesting, very interesting, characters. The fact that the author includes an individual with a 'disability' refreshing and, as far as I'm aware, rare in this genre.
Quite unlike anything I've ever read before, the mix of fantasy and environmental message intriguing, this is definitely a series with great potential.
13 comments:
I think there is a fine line between science fiction and fantasy and they often overlap. That said, I far prefer the former, so I'm not sure this really appeals to me. I absolutely love the title, though!
The book sounds fascinating, as does the author's life.
Love that he has 7 cats.
Hi, Tracy:)
You've got me curious about this one, Tracy, at least from your description of the characters. I am a bit concerned about the "heavy" world building you describe, however.
Tracy, thanks for sharing your thoughts in a wonderful way (as usual). It sounds as if you enjoyed being on the tour for this book.
I really like the sound of the characters - a mix of mystical and mythical. Will have to try and pick up a copy to see what it's like! - Tasha
Well this one looks like it is a series and sometimes those are the hardest to get through since there is so much worldbuilding. I do like the sound of this one and the fact that a character has a disability. Yep, that does seem to be rare. Brilly review.
Wow, that first sentence makes you curious!
it's interesting to have something different
It sounds as if the parallel stories are very different. That is likely a good thing as it seems different from many books that are so popular these days.
Sorry to hear that it didn't meet expectations
I hadn't heard of this one before. The author's background sounds interesting and must have been a big help in writing this book. Definitely sounds unique. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Tracy,
Interesting author biography and I enjoy a book which makes full use of the English language and employs some strong and memorable characters.
However, my immediate interest has disappeared with the book's science fiction/fantasy storyline - this just isn't my genre I'm afraid.
The overall ratings and reviews for the book have been very good, so it is obviously another of those 'marmite moments', you either love it, or hate it!
Having said all that, you provided some constructive and well thought through comments and it would be good to see the author 'come good' fr you, with the next episode in the trilogy :)
Yvonne.
Curious sounding read indeed from title to content. I'm not certain it'd work for me but like you said, everyone perceives a book differently. Great share!
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