PHANTASIA by M.U. Riyadad
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was left quite speechless at the end of the book. I honestly didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I was incredibly wrapped up with all of the characters and in this world in general, and I really wished I could have just stayed in that world. Let’s start with the characters. Raven is by far the most amazing female character I’ve ever seen in fantasy. An unsung hero for Red, she is a badass promethean fighter adept at all sorts of combat and has a dark psychological edge to her. Butz is witty, sometimes absolutely hilarious, and an absolute joy to read whenever he shows up. Arkan is brilliant, and makes for an excellent eccentric-genius type character. The side cast, like the baron and the elf, really get into your head, sometimes inspiring awe, sometimes fear, sometimes wonder. And finally, Red. I absolutely fell in love with him as the novel progressed. He starts off as a typical coming-of-age character, but has both a darker side, and a sensitive side you can sympathize for.
The world is incredible, with places and ideas that are unique and exhilarating. I loved the way Riyadad weaves an underlying tone of philosophy underneath it all; the novel really makes you think sometimes and doesn’t just read like a plain go-here-go-there fantasy adventure book. Some of the scenes can be breath-taking, I feel like this book should really be a movie one day. I’m really looking forward to book 2 and to getting lost in this world again. Phantasia is a phenomenal, beautiful work of art.
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was left quite speechless at the end of the book. I honestly didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I was incredibly wrapped up with all of the characters and in this world in general, and I really wished I could have just stayed in that world. Let’s start with the characters. Raven is by far the most amazing female character I’ve ever seen in fantasy. An unsung hero for Red, she is a badass promethean fighter adept at all sorts of combat and has a dark psychological edge to her. Butz is witty, sometimes absolutely hilarious, and an absolute joy to read whenever he shows up. Arkan is brilliant, and makes for an excellent eccentric-genius type character. The side cast, like the baron and the elf, really get into your head, sometimes inspiring awe, sometimes fear, sometimes wonder. And finally, Red. I absolutely fell in love with him as the novel progressed. He starts off as a typical coming-of-age character, but has both a darker side, and a sensitive side you can sympathize for.
The world is incredible, with places and ideas that are unique and exhilarating. I loved the way Riyadad weaves an underlying tone of philosophy underneath it all; the novel really makes you think sometimes and doesn’t just read like a plain go-here-go-there fantasy adventure book. Some of the scenes can be breath-taking, I feel like this book should really be a movie one day. I’m really looking forward to book 2 and to getting lost in this world again. Phantasia is a phenomenal, beautiful work of art.
View all my reviews