Review: Good, though brief, start to new series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 15, 2014
Rating 3.5 starsThis was another surprise for me.  I read this in a compilation, a new author and series to me.  I probably honestly would not have picked it based on the description.  Rickert is from one side of the world (apparently divided in two) and Neyla from the other side.  The sides are connected with portals.  Neyla, due to a "talent" (magic, special ability, whatever), is forced to be part of the army force on her side.  Rickert is military on his side.  He captures Neyla and brings her back to his side, at first to get information, but quickly falls for her.  During the course of the story we get a better picture of what is happening between the two sides, at war, and it is not as it first appears.The writing in this was good, but it suffers as a lot of first books in a series do, because the author has to take the reader from zero knowledge to a basic knowledge of the world, and the storyline between the main characters suffers for it, especially apparent in a book this short in the first place.  So, I as a reader felt that the relationship between the couple was very much lacking, too fast, not reasonable.  And also was confused some on the "world" that is being built in this paranormal.  There just was not enough text/story there to accomplish a believable relationship and build the foundation of the story, though I do think the writer tried.  Thus, 3.5 stars, and I would read more of this series/author.  I think it will improve as it goes along and the world is more clear.