The review came in finally, with The Luck, my second entry into the Booklife Contest. Just to recap, it’s a legit contest. All the entries get a professional review, which you can use, or bury forever in a lead lined vault, depending on how the review turns out. Some of them are pretty scathing, I gather, looking at previous comments (complaints). After the initial round there’s the quarterly finals, the semi-finals, the finals and then a First prize of $5000.00. My first entry, The Princess of Asylum, has made it into the quarter finals.
Plot: Valdron’s The Luck is a sequel/prequel to The Mermaid’s Tale, but it succeeds as a stand-alone title. Valdron’s complex, well-woven work of fantasy immediately thrusts readers into a detailed world occupied by a menagerie of beings living at odds with, and in suspicion of, one another.
Prose: Valdron’s writing is immersive and colorful, providing a a fine blend of descriptive worldbuilding, exposition, and dialogue that lifts the storytelling.
Originality: The world of The Luck is filled by familiar beings, but provides freshness in the dynamics between these occupants and communities in conflict, as well as its mystery element. The journey of an orc and her unlikely gnome companion, is a rich and enjoyable one.
Character/Execution: Valdron’s protagonist is immensely intriguing. Her identity is slow to emerge and readers expecting a quick moving fantasy may grow frustrated. Those willing to invest in her and other creaturely characters’ story arcs, will be deeply rewarded.
Score:
- Plot/Idea: 8
- Originality: 8
- Prose: 8
- Character/Execution: 9
- Overall: 8.25
You are welcome to use this Critic’s Report as promotional copy or as a blurb to promote your book. Please note: When attributing quotes from this Critic’s Report, you must credit The BookLife Prize.
All right, so, it’s a good review. Shorter than the one in The Princess of Asylum, and lacking a blurb. But not bad. “Complex well woven work of fantasy” “immersive and colourful” “dialogue that lifts the storytelling” “rich and enjoyable” and “immensely intriguing.” Nothing to complain about with any of that.
Originally, the deadline for announcing the quarterfinals was October 15, 2020. The reviews and scoring were supposed to be done and provided before then. Unfortunately, due to the volume of submissions, they weren’t able to get everything done and the the quarterfinals were pushed back to October 21, 2020.
This review and score has arrived two days after the quarter finals, and honestly, it feels a little rushed, as if they were just desperate to get it done and in.
Anyway, the review is in, the score is in, and while it’s nice, it’s officially out of the running. You can’t win them all.
So let’s see how the Princess does.