Review: Amazing, excellent in all aspects
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 23, 2011
Shattergrave knights is about two teens on the run with family and friends from the Orwellian Protectorate.  Haendler, the author, gets everything right, excels at all aspects of a good fantasy novel.Awesome worldbuilding? Yes: this is probably the best instance of an Orwellian/1984 style fantasy government I've read, the details of the environment are well done, and the morally gray nature of life on both sides of the conflict is well represented.Unique, consistent, clever magic system? Yes: loosely based on a Le Guin type "true name" magic, the "Inner Alphabet" of Shattergrave Knights goes a step further, including grammar and runes to allow a kind of limited changing of universal rules and causality.  Neither too powerful nor too feeble, it is well implemented and thought out, and gets huge bonus points for being completely original.  If Shattergrave Knights reaches the popularity it should, I suspect other authors will imitate the magic system in the future.Well written, exciting plot?  Yes: the author does a great job at hinting at the interconnection of larger pieces of the picture without getting bogged down in them.  The writing flows well, and fails to become awkward at any point.  The pacing is also spot on.  The overall plot, of the teens attempting to escape, survive, and eventually fight back against the government that harmed them is well executed, and contains enough unique minor details and twists to make it fresh.Engaging, believable characters?  Yes: Jack and Olive Merriwether have just the right mix of minor teenage fallibility, intelligent decision making, and heroic activity.  Unlike many other teen protagonists, they come off as neither too adult, nor too foolish and ignorant.Overall, this is a great story, and really showcases the author's talents.  I was surprised that this was his first full-length novel, though after looking him up found out he is a lawyer, and apparently well used to writing.  I'd strongly recommend this novel to all fantasy readers.