Ohana Reviews

Review- Soul fire

Reviewer- kinalhariya
Book- Soul Fire
Author- paulgsavill

Blurb:

The first paragraph hooks you instantly. It gives us information while still being so mysterious. Two powerful forces against each other; seems like an interesting plot.

The second para feels a bit overdone. The writing feels excellent, almost like a prophecy. I feel these lines are much suited inside the story and not in the blurb. 

I like how the ending of the blurb is written.

Prologue:
Descriptions are great. I found it intriguing when it was mentioned that Tarnil was aware yet didn't know what it was at the same time. The creature is described well. It is easy to imagine it. The fight scene was shown really well. Trying although they were scared, and still trying after some of them were dead, the trap; it was well portrayed. The cursed sword and tragedy of all Sultan seems intriguing and interesting. The men's dedication for Ratoul and their sacrifice really touched my heart.

Great prologue. It was a great start to the story, letting us know the legend of the sword which began ages ago before the actual story begins.

Moving towards the chapters,

A cute start. Way different than the setting of the prologue😁. The bond with the horse and the magic seems amazing. I wonder why the gift was excluded from Ellishan. The unknown reason seems like a foreshadowing for something that could come in future.

Dathion is shown to have awesome skills in everything he does, but one hit from his brother, his ego was hurt to the extent that resorted to something like that. It was rather scary how much Dathion could lose himself in a fight that he wouldn't even recognize what he did until the last moment. I wonder what might have happened if his sword was a real one.

The way of apology and forgiveness showed the bond between the brothers. They didn't need words to express their feelings. Their actions were enough.

Descriptions and detailing of surroundings is so good that we could imagine everything, but it also took away from the story.

From horses, to food, to lovers, to uncomfortable dining and at the end the death of five men; the chapter moved from one topic to another without breaking the flow.

It was nice to see Dathion contemplating his skills because of the advantages he had over others. It would help him not be so full of himself.

Eating and sleeping, the love of most people.

If someone could have shown him a way to do both at the same time, he would have revered them as the wisest of monks- this is hilarious.

The subtle actions of the Queen that were not missed by her sons. To see beneath the facade of calm, it really shows how close they are.

The blade that slayed a god- the chapter ended with a bang, along with a promise of a new beginning and a new quest.

The sword has been made by the efforts of so many races/species. It makes it all more alluring.

Although Dathion is commander of the group, asking him to listen to his teacher's wisdom and experience in the journey shows the King's wise and humble nature. The little moments like these shows their personality and makes us connect to the characters more.

First his teacher, and now Asheron, I agree with Dathion's doubt that this quest was much more than what the king was letting on.

Dathion experiencing the life of common people was amazing to read. His doubt, his awe, the after effects, everything was beautifully portrayed.

The sun was trying to kill him- hilarious comment. No other description is needed to show how hungover he is.

Training is such a state😂😂. I feel bad for Dathion.

The peace Dathion felt in the wild was described well.

The part about demons and how Malithas took charge to save the villagers was a fantastic read. I am looking forward to seeing how they will save the remaining villagers.

{"You have been trained by the very best."

"Or by Malithas, when I was busy with the swiftriders." } I always appreciate and love a bit of comedy in an otherwise tense moment.

I have no words to express how wonderfully the whole fight in chapter 7 was described. There were so many chances of it getting jumbled up or us being confused by what was happening; yet it was clear as a day.
I sat there holding my breath as the scenes progressed from determination, to fear, to freezing, to finding courage, and at last becoming unbeatable. I would say this was one of the best fight scenes I have ever read.

The fight of the horses was equally gruesome. I literally had goosebumps while reading the description.

It might seem like a small act but considering that he wasn't trained as others, Davidor's bravery seemed much more courageous to me.

The small conversation of gratitude and fun comeback between Dathion and Davidor was awesome, and probably much needed for the characters to break ice after such a traumatic event.

Dathion was amazed by how boring Davidor made the explanations- 🤣🤣

I can explain these things to you but I can't understand them for you- 👏🏻👏🏻 brilliant lines.

Malithas and Salidon's back and forth is amusing to read.

*****
Characterization is done at its best. Every character, whether main lead or supporting cast has made their place. Their actions, their dialogues and their emotions speaks volumes.

World building is excellent. The fine detailing lets us imagine this new world with a sense of awe, without leaving any sort of confusion. Having said that, there are also times when these descriptions start overpowering the story. There were a few instances where I felt that although wonderful, those lengthy descriptions just distracted me from the story. So look into it.

The action sequences are described really well. Each and every move is shown with precision.

Writing style is brilliant. Although it is not my go-to style, I won't deny the fact that the story is written brilliantly.
Prologue and starting chapters were a bit hard to follow. They were no doubt interesting, but it took more than my usual focus to keep up. However, as the story moved forward the chapters became more accessible.

Concept is interesting and the characters have made it even more amazing. Story flows at a slow yet steady pace, giving us more time to connect with the characters and see them slowly learn and develop.

Grammar:

There were no grammatical errors I could find except for one/two typos. Story is grammatically well-written.

Last words,

Excellent story. It almost seems perfect in all criterias. Characterization, world building, grammar, emotions, actions; everything was so well written. Writing is exceptional, which can be considered as a strength as well as a weakness. The basic readers might turn away, not because of the story but because of the complex writing. However, the story has the capability of winning every possible competition along with gaining the love of the readers who have a strong grasp on the language.

Thank you for choosing me. Keep writing!