Skyborn by David Dalglish Review

“The last remnants of humanity live on six islands floating high above the Endless Ocean, fighting a brutal civil war in the skies. The Seraphim, elite soldiers trained for aerial combat, battle one another while wielding elements of ice, fire and lightning.

The lives of their parents claimed in combat, twins Kael and Breanna Skyborn enter the Seraphim Academy to follow in their footsteps. There they will learn to harness the elements as weapons and fight at break-neck speeds while soaring high above the waters. But they must learn quickly, for a nearby island has set its hungry eyes upon their home. When the invasion comes, the twins must don their wings and ready their blades to save those they love from annihilation.”

     Skyborn by David Dalglish was one of my favorite books from last year. While the main characters were not that well developed, the awesome world and visceral combat was certainly engaging.

Not every book has to be a masterpiece, sometimes I just want to be entertained. And for that reason, I loved Skyborn. Breanna and Kael were serviceable main characters. I found Breanna to be a badass, but she was not given much depth other than that. She just ended up being a Katniss-like character once again. Kael, on the other hand, was a bit whiny, but often keeps her sister under control providing a nice foil to Breanna. She’s hot-headed and impulsive, he’s calm and cautious. Still, they form a formidable pair and provide some nice brother-sister moments throughout. I wish Dalglish established him as a bit more stronger character and gives him more to do. The supporting characters were likeable in their own ways. Brad provides some laughs as the comic relief and you can’t help but just cheer him on. However, he is nothing remarkable. Saul is the typical rival, but by the end of the novel, he becomes one of the stronger characters in the book. Clara is a solid supporting character as the daughter of the archeon, but she seems to only be there as a love interest for Kael which does have its moments. The romance aspect of this novel is executed better than most young adult novels and it definitely has its moments.

The main reason I loved this book was the world Dalglish creates. This fantasy novel has some very interesting lore and provides a sweet backdrop as the novel takes place on fictional islands hovering over the Endless Ocean. They are several factions that vie for control over the islands. The aerial battles are just plain awesome! They are brutal and extremely visceral. Easily, one of the best parts of the books. I do wish Dalglish explored the history of the islands a bit more and the elements as well. The plot is a bit predictable and fairly standard, but it is executed fairly well and culminates in an amazing climax. It does take some time for the book to progress. While this is marketed is a fantasy novel, it leans a bit more towards the young adult-side, just an FYI.

Skyborn is not a masterpiece by any means. But it is definitely an entertaining book. The solid characters, fantastic world, and even better combat make it a joy to read.

Rating: Must Buy

*This is my 50th post. I can’t believe it went by so fast.