pepper_mind's reviews
341 reviews

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What it is about
Private investigator Richard Hart and his pilot Eddie are on a routine mission in a Zetoi city. But what started as an insurance fraud case, became deadly in an eye blink.
All of a sudden, the past comes back to Richard, and different groups, including the military, are involved in this new case.
Is the crew going to solve the mystery? And what has the new passenger of the Colibri to do with it?

What I liked
I started to read Colibri Investigations with The Wenamak Web. But this one made it for me. It is the second in a series, but all three novellas out now can, be read as standalone (I’m reading them backwards, which works perfectly)
This novella felt like coming home. It made me smile and laugh and hooked me for everything Colibri Crew related from now on.
I also loved getting more background information about the drugs, the characters and more planet hopping.

What I didn’t like (sort of, because I have a hard time finding stuff I diddn’t like)
This might be silly but I wished it was a full-length novel. I liked it so much that I would have loved to spend more time with the crew. But I can see how the story works for a novella. It is not a pacing issue, it’s just me wanting more.
So is this a section of things I didn’t like? Not really. It is more of a follow-up to what I had to say about the Wenamak Web.
In The Wenamak Web, I criticized how it felt too close to Chambers Wayfarers. This changed in this novella for me. I can still see how Colibri Invigastigations are great for fans of Murderbot or the Wayfarers, but it is its own independent and unique thing.

Final Words
I can’t wait to discover everything about this universe. This novella felt like coming home to a comfy place with an intriguing mystery and fast-paced action.
It is the perfect combination of cozy action in space and a found family crew with its problems. It gives away just enough to make me return, and I’m glad I still have one novella left before I’ll have to wait.

Son of the Prophet by Effie Joe Stock

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adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

What it is about
Thaddeus’ sheltered life is upheaved when he has to join the local military academy in Peace Heaven and gets tangled into a vortex of intrigue, religious forces, power battles, and rumours of a prophecy.
Bullied by his peers and blackmailed when he discovers the first secret games of the academy, Thaddeus doesn’t know who to trust in Duvarharia.
Can he turn his life around and bring back the old magic the academy tries to suppress?

What I liked
This Novel is by far the best from Stock in terms of writing style. It is highly visual and emotional. I was there for the characters' feelings and all they went through throughout the whole ride.
I also really loved getting more dragons in this novel. It was the most dragons we had in The Shadows of Light series so far, and I loved that. We get a lot of lore and culture of Duvarharia. This novel is a great starting point if you are more into dragons and villains, while Child of the Dragon Prophecy is still a great start if you want more centaur lore.

What I didn't like as much
I’m highly conflicted on a couple of things in this novel, which is why I can’t give the high rating I wished I could give it.
The representation of disability made me a tad uncomfortable as it worked in cliches. We had a blind foretelling centaur and a main character who’s happy about not being disabled and used that to feel better in a phase where we were supposed to like him.
It boils down to me wishing there had been more research on representation. A sensitivity read would have also helped with breaking off heteronormative clichés (like passive and caring women or gay people coming off as forced)
I like this novel anyway and am a fan of the world because it is evolving. Stock works on her craft and improves it with every book, which makes me want to read more.

Final Words
This novel answered so many questions I had on Thaddeus I had. I enjoyed him as a character and all the lore and culture around him.
Sure there were some weaknesses for me, but I still recommend Son of the Prophet and the whole Shadows of Light series.
The best thing for me was the evolution of the writing style within this series. It was a real joy to read this on a technical level!

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