S. Andrew Swann: Dragon Thief (2015)

    In a fit of drunken self-pity, Frank turns to using a cursed artifact, hoping to become a man again, if only temporarily (Goodreads).

     The sequel to Dragon Princess seems to disregard what character development previously took place, but it does make up for that in terms of character development in its own right, as all of the main protagonists go through at least some well developed changes. The humour of this second installment isn't executed quite as well as that of its predecessor, but in terms of plot complexity and the evoking of emotion, it far surpasses it. The politics of Swann's world, along with the body-switching concept that he manages to keep fresh, makes the plot much more intriguing, although not without its faults. The plot increasingly gets more convoluted as more and more characters reveal ulterior motives, and while this does increase the sophistication, to a point, it also makes the novel slightly harder to stay with. That being said, it is still engaging, as new character introductions increase the emotion of the piece and add a whole lot more depth. Swann executes this depth with a fair amount of ability, but he almost adds too many layers to the whole story, each of them probably good and sensible in their own right, but mashed together in a rather fast-paced adventure is likely not the best application. 7.9/10

John Bellairs: The House with a Clock in Its Walls (1973)

    Lewis Barnavelt comes to live with his Uncle Jonathan and quickly learns that both his uncle and his next-door neighbor are witches on a quest to discover the terrifying clock ticking within the walls of Jonathan's house (Goodreads).

    Although at first glance, the novel is a short and sweet tale of magic and friendship, Bellairs' book is much more when examined further. He creates an extremely endearing protagonist in Lewis, with far more complex story elements than one might first expect from a children's novel of this length. That being said, the plot isn't quite as interesting as it could have been, but thanks to the lead of Lewis and Bellairs' jaunty writing style, it is an intriguing read nonetheless. The rules of the magic in this universe are not really explained well enough, but that's a trivial manner when it comes to children's fantasy. What really sets this book apart is the slight elements of, not necessarily horror, but unease. The kind that makes the reader slightly unsettled, a sort of nonchalant gruesomeness. The antagonists and their backgrounds are also not fleshed out quite as much as they should be, but tidbits of humour and a charming lead character do detract from the negatives. 8.0/10

Pittacus Lore: Fugitive Six (2018)

    Escape into a world where humans possess astonishing powers and Taylor's adventure continues into even more dangerous grounds (Goodreads).

     Although it retains some of the problems from the first book, those being too many main characters and plotlines to keep track of, this second installment executes the rest of the novel with much more precision and charm. Each of the characters is developed well, although all of the different plots start to bleed into one another and almost seem too similar. That being said, this sequel is much more fast-paced and overall more interesting than its predecessor. Each of the groups vying for power are, in their own unique ways, intriguingly imperfect, and the main characters' separation early on leads to a climactic confrontation in a very Monsters Of Men-esque fashion. The climax in question, while undoubtedly exciting, is a tad convoluted and messy, but the fashion in which it resolves leads to a suspenseful cliffhanger that will surely leave readers begging for more. The characters integrated from the previous series are showcased decently, some more than others, but the new additions fall a little flat. With unique character dynamics and a riveting plot, the new Generation of Lorien seems to be taking off. 8.4/10

Stephen King: The Gunslinger (1982)

    Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake (Goodreads).

     I did literally fall asleep while reading this, but that may have been merely due to my overtired nature at the time. That being said, a lot of this first installment of the Dark Tower series was extremely dull. Luckily, it picks up the pace through the last third of the novel, and the climax, a bit underwhelming in itself, is, at the very least, quite thought-provoking. Unfortunately, the main character is rarely redeeming enough for readers to be invested in his journey, and there are perhaps a few too many flashbacks into a world that is not well established in the slightest. Several interesting concepts are implemented, and King writes with an intriguing tone of articulate vulgarity, which does provide some unique moments. There are some scenes which are well described and quite riveting, while others are downplayed to an extent which seems very unnecessary. Overall, a lackluster foray into a new world, but with the popular consensus of the following novels in the series being much better, I may find myself returning to the world of the Dark Tower. 6.7/10