G545 Book Review of The Black Elf of Seaward Isle by Joni Parker

Name of Book: The Black Elf of Seaward Isle

Author: Joni Parker

ISBN: 978-0-9858141-8-2

Publisher: Village Green Press

Part of a Series: Black Elf series

Type of book: Fantasy, mysterious Island, siblings, quarter elf quarter titan and half human, witches, Earth, Gaea, prophecies, 990s since Elves got stranded, Mary Sue character, politics, pirates, missions, soldier life, tomboy

Year it was published: 2012

Summary:

The first volume in the extraordinary new fantasy trilogy from Joni L. Parker. Trapped on an island, shipwrecked time travelers struggle first to survive and then--to escape. Elves, dwarves and mortals mingle in a world filled with pirates, political intrigue and magic. Their fates rest in the hands of one young woman, the orphan Lady Alexin. Half Elf and sole descendant of a Titan ancestor, she trained as a warrior, to avenge her parents' deaths, unaware that only she has the power to save them all

Characters:

The characters themselves really pulled the story down because they all seemed to be one dimensional and weren't complex as I had hoped. Alex strikes me as too good to be true and a Mary-Sue type with whom men protect and give her dangerous missions. She is tomboyish and doesn't seem to really care about her elfish side. The only thing that's being hammered constantly at the readers is the blue hair in her ears... there is also Alex's brother who resents his sister and friends and others. I was frustrated that Alex seemed to lack things that would make her relatable; need someone to understand dwarfish tongue? Get Alex. Need someone to lead? Alex. Need someone to kill? Alex, and so forth. The perfection of Alex is, well, bordering on absurd and ridiculous. With ease and no difficulties whatsoever she masters everything.

Theme:

I have no idea what I should have gotten from the story

Plot:

Its written in third person narrative from Alex's and others' points of view. The writing doesn't feel very mature and is more focused on actions and deeds rather than the characters' inner thoughts and demons. The characters are very one dimensional and Alex strikes me as too perfect to be liked. The world building has some possibilities in terms of being stranded on an island and the way societies work is interesting, but these elements don't really take away my lack of enjoyment with the story.

Author Information:
(From PUmp UP Your Book)

Joni Parker was born in Chicago, Illinois, but left the windy city at an early age when her family moved to Japan.  Upon return to the United States, her family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she graduated from Camelback High School and began college.  However within months, Joni quit college and joined the Navy where she became a Photographer’s Mate.  After 3 years in the Navy, she returned to college and got married.  She got a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and an MBA before she returned to the Navy.  As a Commissioned Officer, Joni attended the US Army Command and General Staff College, completing a Master of Military Arts and Sciences Degree.  She retired from the Navy with over 22 years of service and spent several years traveling the United States in a motorhome with her husband.  When he died unexpectedly, Joni returned to work for the federal government in a civil service job.  Five years ago, she started writing and retired once more to devote more time to her new passion.  She currently lives in Texas.

Her latest fantasy books are The Black Elf of Seaward Isle,Tangled Omens and Blood Mission.

For More Information

• Visit Joni Parker’s website.
• Connect with Joni on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Joni at Goodreads.
• Contact Joni.

Opinion:

I hate starting things out on a negative note, especially when the series have some potential to be fun and interesting, but I have to be honest in saying that the adult me didn't enjoy or like the book. If I was younger, maybe in late teens, it really would have been a different story and I might have given the story four stars. But since I'm way past that age bracket, I didn't enjoy the story at all. My first main complaint is lack of map of the Seaward Isle in the book, and I also had a lot of confusion as to how its mixed; is it a mixture of Greek myths or something modern or what exactly? Why are things so tense between humans, elves and dwarfs? I hoped for psychology, for these questions to be answered and for the old me to enjoy and revel in the writing. Alas, that didn't happen and I ended up being very disappointed in the story.

2 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)