Last week, I reviewed Illuminae, a scifi story set on spaceships. This week’s review also takes place on ships, but this time on the high seas instead of outer space. So what did I think of Viper by Bex Hogan? Read on to find out!
Marianne grew up on the most feared pirate ship in the world. Her father is the ruthless Viper, who patrols the high seas. He expects Marianne to do the same, but she wants to learn how to heal. As she got older, she realized how corrupt her father is and now she needs to find a way to stop him.
It’s been way too long since I read a great book about pirates, so I was really excited about this one. And I ended up enjoying it a lot. It was fast-paced and barely gives the reader time to catch their breath. These pirates are dangerous and cruel, like they should be. It was also thrilling to find out who could be trusted.
Marianne was a great character as well. She was a bit timid at first, but during the story, she grew into a strong woman with a clear goal. It was nice to see this evolution in her character, and how the events shaped her. I also loved the side characters, who were all well fleshed out.
Fascinating world
The world is really fascinating. It consists of several islands, of which the western isles are shrouded in mystery. The eastern isles each have their own look and characteristics: one island is known for its flowers, one is very rocky, and so on. We got a good look at these islands, but I can’t wait to explore them further in the sequel!
The story itself took a few twists and turns. Some took me by surprise, others were a bit more predictable. Viper isn’t the most original book I’ve read and while I think that twists should be foreshadowed (instead of dropping out of nowhere), I also wanted to be surprised a bit more.
I want to learn more about this world, its magic and the characters, but I didn’t feel like we lacked information while reading Viper. I mainly just want to read the sequel and spend more time in this interesting world!
Viper
Orion Children's Books
2019-04
336
Marianne has been training to be the Viper for her entire life - to serve and protect the King and the citizens of The Twelve Isles - but to become the Viper and protect the islands she loves she must find the strength to defeat her father. A new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J Mass. The Viper and his crew exist to serve and protect the King and the citizens. Traversing the seas of the Eastern Isles in a well-equipped war ship, they use sometimes brutal tactics to ensure the greater good: safety for law-abiding citizens of the islands. But the current Viper has chosen to forsake his duties in favour of power and corruption, savagely attacking the very people he's supposed to keep safe. Only one person is brave enough to stand against him: his daughter and heir, Marianne. Whilst she desperately wishes to restore peace to the islands that she loves, Marianne must question whether she is willing to play a dangerous game, and find within herself the lethal strength, and power, to defeat her father. So begins the Isles of Storm and Sorrow, a story of revenge, political intrigue, magic and self-discovery.
