This is a dystopian novel with an anti-hero. Actually, most of the characters have things you really don't like about them. For a first novel, I thought it was well done and I've a soft spot for anti-heroes. I am looking forward to finding out how the series unfolds. ( )

i received this book as a pre-release reviewer. It is very good. I would have rather the different characters POVs were more explicit, more of a style change as we change chapters. But the plot, characters and overall construction was well done. Great style overall and I will look forward to the next one. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. It mixed the Western, Fantasy, and Sci Fi genres very well. The character development was excellent. I really felt emotionally committed to the characters throughout the book. As is more common these days, the characters were not black and white but shades of gray. Their flaws were just as believable as their good qualities. The character of the Sword however, was a little too overpowering for my tastes. It smacks a little too much of "Sauron's Ring" as it is uncontrollable in the long term. Still, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good book to read. ( )

I thought I might like this book because it appeared to be set in the old west, however, I found that I could not finish it. Science fiction is definitely not for me - I found it difficult to identify with Drayaden living in the desert wasteland in an "old west" style, and him being up in a spaceship. And again his three rules were a trial for me - rule one and two make perfect sense, whereas rule three just does not fit; probably it all fits with the book, but I just could not finish it. Sorry.

Slow to start, this book really picked up pace about halfway through.

A futuristic adventure with a western feel, the author really has a talent for description. His characters are well fleshed out and easy to visualise, as are his settings. The chapters are each narrated by one of the major characters, giving the story a personal feel and while I did find the one of the dialects to be a little distracting, it did add a different flavour to his chapters.

So many unanswered questions left at the end of the book, a cliffhanger, but the story didn't feel unfinished. I'm looking forward to the next one!

*i received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review ( )