The blurb of this book grabbed me. I’m on a big sci-fi space kick lately. I enjoyed this book. Lamont created dynamic, multi-dimensional characters. This is a strong point of the writing. Not one character is static or pigeonholed into a trope. The “good” characters aren’t saints but live in a realistic gray-zone of morals.
The story progresses at a steady pace. It doesn’t drag. There is a nice mix of dialog with action; neither aspect is too lengthy or drawn-out. Writing from multiple character perspectives lends varying voices to the story, revealing the plot but still leaving enough questions to keep me interested in reading.
Why I couldn’t rate this book 4 or 5 stars came down to information. Either Lamont needs to take a step back with all the additives or go into more details. Lamont introduces things like collecting items from kills to level up armor but assumes the reader understands the process. Also, the ranking system of the “monsters,” while intriguing, is unclear. The backstory is somewhat the same. I understand not wanting to give too much away but mentioning a random fact without further detail bogs down the story. I wish Lamont explained these pieces of information (like what’s the origin of dark and light elves, how do upgrades work for their shadow spirits) or leave them out altogether.
If you like fantasy action books, I recommend giving this a chance. If you like sci-fi space books, it’s worth a try. To me, Striker X has a video-game quality with the main character leveling up, fighting monsters, and moving through the “ranks” of his class. I like animes, and this had an anime-type feel to it as well.
I received an Advanced Review Copy (or ARC) on Reedsy Discovery.
Until Next Time,
Jennie L. Morris 