Review: Transcendent (Starling #3) by Lesley Livingston

Transcendent (Starling #3) by Lesley Livingston

Published: December 23rd 2014 by HarperTeen

 Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

LOVE CONQUERS

On a storm-swept terrace high above the streets of Manhattan, Mason Starling holds the fate of the world in her hands as her beloved Fennrys lies bleeding at her feet, his life hanging in the balance. The ancient Norse prophecy of Ragnarok stands poised on the knife edge of fulfilment.

Mason’s transformation into a Valkyrie—a chooser of the slain and the one who will ultimately bring about the end of the world—is complete. Still, she remains determined to thwart her father’s apocalyptic desires. Whatever is to come, it won’t happen because of what the prophecy foretold, or what Gunnar Starling has planned, or what the fates have already decided.

What happens next will be up to Mason and the Fennrys Wolf. The world had better hope they haven’t reached the limits of what their souls and swords can survive. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, and set in the same universe as Lesley Livingston’s much-loved WONDROUS STRANGE trilogy, with roots in Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and Celtic myths and legends, this thrilling conclusion to the acclaimed Starling trilogy is filled to the hilt with sweeping adventure and soaring romance.

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Review:

Continuing exactly where Descendant left off, Mason is left begging Rafe, as Anubis, to save Fennrys's life. This will make Fennrys a wolf, and will fulfill a prophecy of sorts.

If the other two books were considered fast paced, then this one is superhuman fast. The story speeds up, if that's at all possible, and jets through vast epical backstory telling us about Fennrys and his own family, and how the school, Mason and her father are all involved in Ragnarok. Most importantly, why her father believes this should come to pass especially when he is the man who has everything.

The mythical gods continue to weave their way into these teenagers lives and soon the world cannot control what is happening as past and present collide.

This book really impressed me. Starling and Descendant were somewhat troublesome in parts but if it all came down to this book then I would say any lover of young adult fantasy should read this series.

I do love mythical books and loved how Livingston tries continually to add small elements of smaller myths into her story lines. It might be as inconsequential as the guy who Heather meets on the train, but it proved to be a vital part of the story later on. At the beginning you think, why include this, and then you have that 'ah-ha' moment when it all makes sense.

At the end of Transcendent my admiration for Mason grew exponentially. She's now become one of my favourite characters, and I would love to read more from her. Hopefully in first person point of view next time. I also liked Fennrys, who played a vital role in Mason's grounding. He was the only one who wouldn't let her embrace her true fate, and the only one who could bring her out of her reverie as a Valkyrie.

The gods meeting in modern day is exciting and I don't think I've read anyone who's been able to achieve this quite so thoroughly.

I would recommend this series if you follow myths, but also if you enjoy a group camaraderie story where everyone has a role to play in defeating the ultimate enemy. I'm now a Lesley Livingston fan!

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.

You can find Lesley Livingston here:

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Review: Descendant (Starling #2) by Lesley Livingston

Descendant (Starling #2) by Lesley Livingston

Published: August 27th 2013 by HarperTeen

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

The last thing Mason Starling remembers is the train crossing a bridge. An explosion . . . a blinding light . . . then darkness. Now she is alone, stranded in Asgard—the realm of Norse legend—and the only way for her to get home is to find the Spear of Odin, a powerful relic left behind by vanished gods.

The Fennrys Wolf knows all about Asgard. He was once trapped there. And he’ll do whatever it takes to find the girl who’s stolen his heart and bring her back—even if it means a treacherous descent into the Underworld. But time is running out, and Fenn knows something Mason doesn’t: If she takes up the Spear, she’ll set in motion a terrible prophecy. And she won’t just return to her world . . . she’ll destroy it.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Starling, Lesley Livingston delivers another electrifying blend of nonstop action and undeniable romance that will leave readers breathless.

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Review:

Continuing exactly where Starling left off, Mason is catapulted into Asgard (not literally) and introduced to her mother, whom she's never met. Or is it her mother?

All the hands of fate are at work and pushing Mason to grab that spear of Odin, but Mason doesn't want to. She knows she'll turn into a Valkyrie - a chooser of the slain - and it's not in her nature. But trickery is at work and Mason falls for it bigtime.

Fennrys is no stranger to Asgard, and he knows if anyone can save Mason from her fate its him. He travels by other means to get to Odin's hall, with the help of Egyptian God Anubis, otherwise known as Rafe who was briefly introduced in the first book.

I could never decide whether Rafe was doing his own bidding or working for someone else. We know he works with Daria, who is Calum's mother, but he's much older and wiser than anyone else, so this stumped me for much of the story. Calum also gets to grips with his love sickness for Mason by realising he has a part to play in the deceit of his mother. I didn't like him much in the first book, he was too hot and cold for me, but I did actually get on his side in this one.

Heather also has a bigger part, and though her uses are smaller, she certainly is an important cog in the wheel. Roth, Mason's older brother continues to intrigue while the other brother, Rory becomes engrossed in his own darker, more evil side.

The sprinkling of other gods from other mythology actually works well in this middle book of the Starling series. Any hurdles in the storyline get placed down in this one firmly and we finally get the full backstory of Mason's father and why he wants to bring on Ragnarök, the Norse end of the world, or its beginning, whichever version you wish to believe.

With a much stronger, beefed up character plot and an ironing out of a somewhat confusing storyline I can safely say I liked this one more then the first.

Mason and Fennrys are great characters to follow and you just want to will them to win in the end. It's another cliffhanger, of sorts, with all paths now narrowed for what is going to be an epic finale.

If you were disappointed in Starling, then Descendant will clear all of this up. I definitely recommend this series now, and the third and final book is already a shoo-in!

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.

You can find Lesley Livingston here:

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Review: Starling (Starling #1) by Lesley Livingston

Starling (Starling #1) by Lesley Livingston

Published: August 28th 2012 by HarperTeen

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life.

Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. Mason is besieged by nightmarish creatures more terrifying than the thunder and lightning as the raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name—the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him.

Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family—with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods—is at the heart of the mystery, Fennrys and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.

Set against the gritty, shadowed back-drop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.

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Review:

I read The Valiant and enjoyed it, so wanted to read more of Lesley's work. Starling was probably the wrong end of her three magical series to start with. The characters are intertwined throughout her books, so I had no idea who the Fennrys Wolf was at the beginning.

Whilst I enjoyed Starling immensely, it did have a tendency of becoming overly written in places. I noticed this in The Valiant also. Another barrier to becoming fully engrossed in the story was the third person point of view. It can work on great sagas but I never think it works well in Young Adult purely because we need get up close and inside the heads of our heroines, and for this the outside POV doesn't work.

I liked how feisty Mason was. She's a strong character from the beginning. Fennrys is a great character also, but I didn't like the insta-attraction. I wouldn't call it love as they're both too young to understand what it is. That isn't a general thought, it's what the characters think.

The story, while full of action packed events, does tend to be a little confusing at times. Mason's father goes off the rails and is trying to turn his daughter into a Valkyrie because he's an incarnation or something of Odin? All I know is the characters stop danger and soon gather forces to stop Mason's fate, which is to take Odin's staff from Asgard and turn herself into said Valkyrie.

What I liked was the slow dawning of Mason's fate and she gets to grips with her once happy but now dysfunctional family. Also, how she relies on others but takes a stand when she believes in doing the right thing. After all, it isn't only her involved in the grand plan of her father, its her friends who suffer too.

Other characters in the story are worth mentioning. Roth, Mason's oldest brother is in for a reckoning when Mason finds out all the bad things he's done. And Heather, the original enemy of Mason, actually is misunderstood.

There is a cliffhanger so be warned. The story isn't dumbed down either for a younger audience. All in all, Starling is a gripping, steady paced journey of history through Norse mythology, with quirky and strong characters meeting a destiny that was already set in place before they were born (or most of them!) Try it!

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.

You can find Lesley Livingston here:

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Review: The Valiant (The Valiant #1) by Lesley Livingston

The Valiant (The Valiant #1) by Lesley Livingston

Published: February 14th 2017 by Razorbill

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Princess. Captive. Gladiator.

Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king, the sister of the legendary warrior Sorcha, and the sworn enemy of Julius Caesar.

When Fallon was a child, Caesar’s armies invaded her homeland, and her beloved sister was killed in battle.

Now, on the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is eager to follow in her sister’s footsteps and earn her place in the fearsome Cantii war band. She never gets the chance.

Fallon is captured and sold to an elite training school for female gladiators—owned by none other than Julius Caesar. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon’s family might be her only hope of survival.

Now Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries and deadly fights—in and out of the arena. And perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her forbidden yet irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier.

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Review:

A book I've been wanting to read for a while is The Valiant. I love history and anything to do with the Roman era so a female gladiator? Bring it!

The story starts with Fallon, (not sure how Celtic that name is, but still). She's a tribal kings daughter, practising an attack move involving her friend, Mael, a chariot and spear. The move called Morrigan's Flight wasn't ever perfected by Fallon's brilliant deceased sister, who Fallon worshipped, but Fallon believes she can do it. It involves running along a pole and throwing the spear at a target, while standing between the horses.Fallon fails but her friend Mael suddenly gets all concerned when Fallon falls beneath the chariot and narrowly misses out on death. They've been friends since children, and now a different kind of edge to their friendship arises from Fallon falling from the attempted attack move. Mael kisses her, and Fallon understands that she's deeply attracted to Mael, and she never realised it before.

That night at the ceremony to announce her possible joining of her fathers war band, Fallon is unexpectedly forced into a marriage arrangement with Mael's older brother, Aeddan, who is head of his own tribe. She knows she can't reason with her fathers decision so she rips off all her jewellery denoting her station as princess, and plans to run away with Mael. But Aedden gets to her first. Mael and Aedden fight, and Maels is mortally wounded. Now Fallon knows she has no choice but to run. But before she gets far she's knocked on the head by a stranger. She comes to in a boat, and despite her protests, she knows she's been captured by a slaver. Her fate is now in her own hands. She can try to escape and return home, to a marriage with a man she doesn't love and who murdered her new found love, or she can see where this road takes her. In the next months, she actually becomes friends with the slave master, called Charon, who takes a keen interest in her welfare despite the chains that now mark her neck and wrists. She also makes some friends and enemies amongst the other slave girls. Fallon proves her strength of character and never falls short of her desire to kill Julius Caesar, the man who killed her sister.

Eventually, Fallon and her friend Elka, are paraded to be bought at a slave market. They are purchased by Lady Achillea who runs a ludus, a fighting school for female gladiators. The only thing is - the school is owned by Julius Caesar.

From here, Fallon has to prove herself in the arena. And must prove herself in the ludus amongst the other spirited women who also have to fight in the arena on a regular basis. It's a fight for survival.

Along the journey, Fallon meets Cai, a Roman Decurion. An officer in the legion of Julius Caesar. He also singles Fallon out and gets close to her. Eventually with romantic inclinations.

Fallon is a strong character. Her indecisiveness around Cai is understandable because of her hewn hatred for the Romans, but she shows compassion when she gets to know him. He is only a man after all, and no one can help where they come from in the beginning. Fallon also discovers the truth about her sister, and some more truths about her father. But mostly, Fallon lives her life in the Ludus and becomes a really strong warrior.

This is the part where I get stuck. Because amongst all of this that has happened, which if I'm being honest, I saw straight out of Gladiator (even some of the dialogue is similar), there isn't an awful lot else that happens that is not clichéd or anything you haven't seen before, including the nasty girl and the hidden enemy who wants you dead.

As much as I was looking forward to Valiant, I didn't read anything that was completely original and beyond anything I'd heard or read before, which is a shame, because so much is known for the Roman era but also so little is known.

I am looking forward to the next book in this duology, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed at the end.

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.

You can find Lesley Livingston here:

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