June 2011 by Studio Amazepop
Source: from author for review
Format: ebook
Genre: YA Fantasy
Available: Smashwords
From Goodreads:
The universe of Orberana is a place of great wonder and peril, a dizzying landscape filled with clouds that can talk, clockwork beings that mark their own time, and painted animals that awake in the night.
Shiewo Morose is the captain of a flying ship powered by music. She is also a determined young woman on a mission: a quest to find the Wishing Fish that created Orberana.
Sailing above the clouds, Shiewo and her crew (Erduu the bamboo, Theo the cloud, Livingston the goldfish, and Felix the painter) are headed for worlds of crazed clockwork bureaucrats, tyrannic kings, and tornado children--worlds that will test not only the crew's bravery... but their very understanding of adventure.
Theirs is the odyssey of a lifetime...
My Review:
When approached by author Ciye Cho to review his book, Shiewo - A Fantasy Flight to Adventure, I was somewhat reluctant. This was definitely a book out of my normal reading realm. After taking a peak at the author's website, I realized that this was definitely an individual with loads of imagination and drive. I also decided that sometimes it's good to go outside our comfort zones and expand our minds.
During the first 50 pages of this adventure I will admit to questioning my decision. I was definitely in for one wild ride. However, around that 50 page mark things started to fall into place and I really started to understand the world of Orberana and it's fantastical characters.
Captain Shiewo Morose is a great female character. She is a strong, smart no-nonsense girl trying to find the Wishing Fish to save her man. All the while surrounded by her...well...interesting crew. Let's see. There is Theo, the cloud/runaway tornado cadet. There's Erduu, the walking, talking bamboo man. Also, along for the journey is, Livingston, the black goldfish...oops, sorry. He does not like to be called a goldfish! Livingston provided many laughs. He's loud, demanding and super snarky. Gotta love him! Lastly is Felix Dabblezapp. The human castaway who discovers that what he thought was a strange and wondrous dream is all very real.
Many times throughout this story it felt very much like I was in a strange Wizard of Oz adventure. I'm not saying that was bad or good, just an observation.
In the end, Shiewo - A Fantasy Flight to Adventure, was a strange and wondrous tale filled with a cast of fun and fantastical characters. This story would definitely appeal to YA and Adult readers who enjoy fantasy/sci-fi with highly imaginative characters. While this is not something you would normally find on my bookshelf? I definitely plan to read the next installment to see where the journey takes these wonderful characters next and to see if they ever find the Wishing Fish.
Rating: 3 stars
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