COMRADES WE (COMRADES TRILOGY, #1), BY ANNA OLSON
Self-published
Buy the book on Amazon Kindle
Buy the book on GoogleBooks
Check out the book on Goodreads
Check out Anna Olson on Goodreads
SYNOPSIS
Comrades We is the story of the adventures of six friends as they grow up together, learn magic, encounter bad stuff, and try to fight their way out of trouble.
This is a fantasy novel. There is magic. There are swords. There are mysterious and cryptic gods. There are some really bad guys and there are good guys who are mostly ordinary and trying to do their best with what they've got. And if needed, there is always tea.
THE GOOD
As I was reading this book, I really understood the target audience to be in the young adult/new adult genre. This is a good thing -- I really appreciate young adult literature because I feel like the characters (in come cases) are more vivid. Their experiences are more relatable -- regardless of the time period or alternate universe the story is set in. There's something about the young adult experience that a broad spectrum of people can identify with.
THE BAD
I've said this before about books that are set in an alternate universe, but I'll say it again here: I wish there was a little more description about the surrounding world. A little more description would make the story that much more engaging, because the readers can put themselves right into the scene that much easier.
THE UGLY
I was looking for a little more development from the characters. Comrades We is the first of a series -- and I totally understand that this book is one step of an overall journey. But it's still a single unit, and it's still a journey of its own. There was definitely the space for development -- Olson could have made the book a little longer (it's only 170 pages) without overwhelming the reader.
CONCLUSION
It's hard to offer a definitive opinion on a single book in a series. Overall, Olson is on the right track. I'm interested in where she goes with the series, and I'm interested in the adventures these characters will embark on, and the situations she creates for them along the way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Louise Olson has an M.A. in Linguistics. She lives in British Colombia with her family. Comrades We is her first novel, but she's working on the sequel. She is a knitter, a tea-drinker, and a curious but not yet dedicated student of yoga.
Self-published
Buy the book on Amazon Kindle
Buy the book on GoogleBooks
Check out the book on Goodreads
Check out Anna Olson on Goodreads
SYNOPSIS
Comrades We is the story of the adventures of six friends as they grow up together, learn magic, encounter bad stuff, and try to fight their way out of trouble.
This is a fantasy novel. There is magic. There are swords. There are mysterious and cryptic gods. There are some really bad guys and there are good guys who are mostly ordinary and trying to do their best with what they've got. And if needed, there is always tea.
THE GOOD
As I was reading this book, I really understood the target audience to be in the young adult/new adult genre. This is a good thing -- I really appreciate young adult literature because I feel like the characters (in come cases) are more vivid. Their experiences are more relatable -- regardless of the time period or alternate universe the story is set in. There's something about the young adult experience that a broad spectrum of people can identify with.
THE BAD
I've said this before about books that are set in an alternate universe, but I'll say it again here: I wish there was a little more description about the surrounding world. A little more description would make the story that much more engaging, because the readers can put themselves right into the scene that much easier.
THE UGLY
I was looking for a little more development from the characters. Comrades We is the first of a series -- and I totally understand that this book is one step of an overall journey. But it's still a single unit, and it's still a journey of its own. There was definitely the space for development -- Olson could have made the book a little longer (it's only 170 pages) without overwhelming the reader.
CONCLUSION
It's hard to offer a definitive opinion on a single book in a series. Overall, Olson is on the right track. I'm interested in where she goes with the series, and I'm interested in the adventures these characters will embark on, and the situations she creates for them along the way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Louise Olson has an M.A. in Linguistics. She lives in British Colombia with her family. Comrades We is her first novel, but she's working on the sequel. She is a knitter, a tea-drinker, and a curious but not yet dedicated student of yoga.
