Book Review: Champion in Flight

Champion in Flight (The Champions Trilogy book two) by Tyrean Martinson

Recommended For: Ages 10 to Adult

Rating: PG (for violence)

A year after she won the battle for Septily, Clara feels trapped in Skycliff by the Allied Council. As the last pieces of information about the Healing Caves fall into place, Clara is attacked by an assassin. Covert Drinaii mercenaries and the Council aren't going to stop Clara from her quest to heal her broken blade. As Champion of Aramatir, she must act.

Meanwhile, in the joint kingdoms of Rrysorria and Wylandria, the youngest and still-cursed swan prince despairs of ever being whole again. In a moment of anger, Liam discovers a blood link between him and a dark sorceress.

Clara won the battle for Septily, but her battle isn't over.

Champion in Flight is the second book in The Champion Trilogy.

I finished this book a while back, I just got sick and then got busy and never got around to writing it. Also I was somewhat avoiding typing anything on the computer. I actually enjoyed the book, though, despite the fact that it was not written as well as the first one was.

Writing: 4/5

The writing was pretty much the same as the last book, though Clara's POV did get a little deeper. One thing that annoyed me was the "big reveal" of the bad guy and the hero being family and how broken up it made the hero. Seriously? It seemed like a cliche thrown in just because it's "what's done." Plus, the blood link between Liam and the dark sorceress is only threatened, but never used, and is removed by the end of the book without ever actually serving a purpose except to freak out poor Liam.

Setting: 4/5

The world got built on some, but not much. There is so much potential for great world-building in here that isn't realized at all. I got less of a sense of the intricacies of the world than in the last book, as if the author gave up on world-building or something. the world-building could be considered good, but compared to the potential it doesn't realize, it's frustratingly not good enough.

Plot: 3/5

The story structure of the plot was so completely off I couldn't even pinpoint one little element of story structure in the story. As a result, the plot was off, and while it was there, didn't move the trilogy along quite as it should have. Though it didn't lack for conflict and therefore wasn't boring, it did drag a bit at times for the lack of a solid plot. It moved incredibly slowly, and by the time it got to where the first major plot point could have actually happened and the plot moving quickly, we were slapped with a climax.

Character Development: 5/5

The real reason I kept reading and am actually interested in finishing the trilogy. I really like Clara and Liam, especially Liam. While Clara had to grow on me through the entire last book, I liked Liam almost immediately. Even though I was impatient for the plot to actually get moving and it never did, I enjoyed this book because of Liam (and Clara, too, but not as much). There aren't as many characters present in this book, but for the most part they're well-written.

While not as well-written as even the last book, I enjoyed this book, and would like to read the next one (preferably sometime after May when I'm much less busy). I would probably recommend this book, if only for Liam. (Which just goes to show that a reader can overlook a multitude of writing sins if the characters are well-done and lovable.)

I received a free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.