Hello Fellow Journeyers,
Next, we arrive at Zack Argyle's debut novel in Voice of War; as I've heard great things from the wonderful people over on Goodreads that this is a fantastic story involving parenthood, I had to check this one out (as a parent myself). Let's begin.
What's the story about: Voice of War's premise is unique in that the first and primary storyline follows the parents of a very special child. A three person multiple POV story of progressively interconnected stories. The first being about the father and mother of a newly born child that could change the world, the second is about a freedom loving forest dweller who longs for more than her life promises and must come to terms with an addiction she faces, and the final POV, that is introduced later in the story, is about a man who also wants to be more than his destiny demands based on newly discovered powers.
What I liked about Voice of War's plot from the beginning was that it was clearly stated with little time wasted on world-building and character background. Things get rolling immediately. As I've stated before, I appreciate when authors get the plot moving, even in small ways, from the get go and rely on the story itself to reveal background and reason to connect to characters' stories. It simply adds necessary intrigue. Voice of War does this is in a natural, easy, and progressive way that made investing in the story seem really comfortable (most importantly overused word I possess). Another aspect that was a great decision from the beginning was introducing two of the main characters via interconnected stories at the beginning. As in Kingfall, I believe it is essential to make multiple POV stories congruent with one another and Argyle's decision is seamless from the start. Chrys and Laurel are great characters who shine early and make getting to know the world interesting and worthwhile.
Next, there is this odd dichotomy going on in the first half of the book that is hard to explain. On one side of the coin, it appears that the introduction takes until the 50% mark to get the real plot moving, but on the other side, it's a real good time of event after event giving the introduction to the world and characters. While this sounds a little like a criticism, it's not. This progression was a little odd, but I never felt like I was waiting for the plot to reveal itself, even when I was. The plot is fast-paced and important events happen often which is nice, compared to many fantasy stories that wait until the 75%+ mark to actually have anything important or exciting happen. Argyle knows how to balance progression, plot, and tension and it works throughout the story.
Lastly, the biggest fault of the book is that it never really goes past the great category to achieve the phenomenal storytelling it seems to reach for. The characters are interesting, the plot is engaging, and world-building is tight and smooth, but the execution lags behind just a little. Sprinkled throughout is the occasional odd dialogue, some weird character interactions or actions, and just some amateurish storytelling dynamics that show their colors. It feels nitpicky to a certain extent, but the hiccups expose themselves throughout the book and don't really stop occurring. That being said, it doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment very much. And this being Argyle's first book, he does a fantastic job avoiding many of the pitfalls that new publishing authors usually face.
★★★★ 4 Stars - Voice of War is a breath of fresh air for the fantasy genre that gets too easily stuck in slow-moving and drawn out stories. This story moves fast, hits hard, and is just a lot of fun. The characters will bring you in close and grip you without you realizing it. The plot is intriguing and fascinating as it reveals information about the world that surrounds it. And last but not least, the ending is dynamic, impactful, and is definitely climactic. While this story is not perfect, showcasing a newness in the realm of storytelling, it is still a very well told story that hits all the essential beats for an exciting and engrossing story! I would recommend checking this one out!
Let me hear from you! If you like what you read, want to hear more thoughts on this book, other reviews, or talk book recommendations and Essential Reading, leave a comment below.
Rating system:
★★★★★ 5 Stars: It was amazing; I loved it. Read this book; it is definitely Essential Reading!
★★★★★* 4.5 Stars: It was nearly perfect. I really loved almost every aspect of it, but a few things kept it from being amazing.
★★★★ 4 Stars: It was very worth reading and satisfying; highly recommend.
★★★★* 3.5 Stars: I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but it was lacking in certain crucial areas.
★★★ 3 Stars: It was good, but could've been better or improved upon significantly.
★★★* 2.5 Stars: I wanted to enjoy it. Certain aspects were good, it was worth finishing, but many issues.
★★ 2 Stars: It was okay, I didn't feel strongly about it.
★★* 1.5 Stars: I finished it, but it was a chore to get through.
★ 1 Star: I did not like it. It was not worth finishing or I did not finish it.
*I round up based on the system on Goodreads.