Lots of telling and not showing. Simplistic plot and characters. ( )

This book just wasn't for me... I muddled my way to the end, but I never felt connected or invested in the characters and their fates. Plot-wise, this is a pretty standard fantasy novel, with a young man suddenly discovering he has magical powers and setting off on a journey and promptly meeting a woman who is, of course, the love of his life. While I can often get into a traditional hero's journey, this rendition just didn't feel very compelling or interesting to me. ( )

Emissary is your standard Fantasy genre novel. It wasn't too pulpy, but it also wasn't so amazing that I would add it to my list of all-time faves. It's also the first book of a series called "Legends of the Realm." However, I'm not in any hurry to pick up the second book, Merchant of Alyss.

The singular reason for not rushing head-long into the next book is because the author tossed in the one trope I'm so beyond sick of seeing. Why is it that every time there is a male and female character a romance develops, regardless of the situation in which the two meet?! Why can't they be friends or partners, and why can't the woman exist in and add to the story on her own without being romantically linked to the main character?

If it weren't for the addition of an unnecessary and hasty "this is true love", I would give Emissary four stars. If you have no problem with that particularly tired trope, and you're a fan of the traditional Fantasy genre, then give this book a chance. It's a solid three-star read. ( )

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

This was a difficult read for me that I had a hard time getting into. Emissary felt at the same time too long and missing details about the characters, mainly the main character Hyam, who for some reason only at 21 finds out he has magical powers, after first enjoying his simple life as a farmer.

The rest is a pretty standard fantasy story, where Hyam will prove everyone rather quickly why he is such a special boy and fights some battles. The problem is that even though Hyam is really at the core of the story, I didn't feel like I got to know him at all. Also, the romantic angle I didn't care for.

I won't be continuing this series, it was not for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )

Emissary by Thomas Locke is the first book of Legends of the Realm. It is about a young man named Hyam who is on a quest to find out who he is. I'm not sure how I feel about this story. The premise sounded good until I started reading the book. It wasn't my usual fantasy story in that it felt a little lackluster to me. There wasn't the usual action, which gave me pause. It felt more like a love story with a bit of fantasy thrown in. Over all, this book was well written. I won this book in a giveaway, though I'm not sure where I won it from. Anyhow, all opinions are my own. ( )