The best thing about Kathy Tyers is that she knows what she's doing. She knows what genre she can write and she writes it to her best ability. Her problem is disguising typical plots with original settings, which she did in the Firebird trilogy.She has done that again in Shivering World, her first standalone novel.
It's about a woman with a genetic disorder who is working with a team of terraformers who are trying to make Goddard, a planet outside of our solar system, able to be lived on without oxygen. The only problem is that solar system's "sun" is inconsistent in the heat it gives off, thus causing temperature problems.
Also, a villain has unleashed a virus upon the planet that is really making the place inhabitable. The plus is, the villain is kind of different.
There are several problems with this book, the first being the lead character. She's practically Firebird reincarnated. Another problem is the deceiving cover description. It says it's mostly about her genetic disorder, but it's really not. There are very few scenes depicting her struggle with it. It's basically a sidebar plot device, not the main plot device. The other problem is the end. The lead characters come up with a CRT (Convenient Rescue Technique) at the end to remove the virus, though the plot never shows them using it. The book cuts off before it gets to that part.
The whole book is kind of long winded and boring. However the idea behind the plot is really interesting, as usual. Kathy has just yet to write that good plot.
I have mixed feelings about this book, but it's definitely above average, making it her best book to date.
3 stars
Showing posts with label kathy tyers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kathy tyers. Show all posts
Monday, August 31, 2009
Fusion Fire by Kathy Tyers
The only thing that makes Fusion Fire and any of the books in the Firebird trilogy worth reading are their extremely original settings and surroundings. Otherwise, the plots and characters struggle for originality.
Fusion Fire continues Firebird in a predictable way. Firebird has become pregnant with her and Brennan's twins, and is on the run from the Neithans, her former family. But in their way is Dru Polar, a Three Zed mad scientist who experiments with the mind.
Dru Polar is a typical villain to go right along with Kathy's other cast of typical characters. He's too evil to be believable. Firebird and Brennan are too perfect to be believable.
When Firebird and Brennan got married, a forge occurred between them through which they can read each other's thoughts and feel each other's feelings. This is one of the more interesting plot points.
But then Kathy introduces an odd plot point: fusion fire. after Firebird turns (who knows what that means) during the inevitable birth of her twin boys, she and Brennan can create fusion fire when together. Fusion fire is apparently a powerful weapon that can destroy people's minds therefore kill them. But they only use it one in this book.
When they get inevitably captured by Dru Polar, Tyers uses fusion fire as a CRT (Convenient Rescue Technique). A CRT is an idea that the author comes up with to get the heroes out of the bind they're in. This is usually a fantastical idea or tool that the heroes found before (kind of like James Bond). See Literary Trash.
Anyway, since fusion fire came in handy in this situation, it comes off as convenient. But Kathy Tyers is a growing author and has much to learn.
But while the public will be wowed by this book, I am not.
2 stars
Fusion Fire continues Firebird in a predictable way. Firebird has become pregnant with her and Brennan's twins, and is on the run from the Neithans, her former family. But in their way is Dru Polar, a Three Zed mad scientist who experiments with the mind.
Dru Polar is a typical villain to go right along with Kathy's other cast of typical characters. He's too evil to be believable. Firebird and Brennan are too perfect to be believable.
When Firebird and Brennan got married, a forge occurred between them through which they can read each other's thoughts and feel each other's feelings. This is one of the more interesting plot points.
But then Kathy introduces an odd plot point: fusion fire. after Firebird turns (who knows what that means) during the inevitable birth of her twin boys, she and Brennan can create fusion fire when together. Fusion fire is apparently a powerful weapon that can destroy people's minds therefore kill them. But they only use it one in this book.
When they get inevitably captured by Dru Polar, Tyers uses fusion fire as a CRT (Convenient Rescue Technique). A CRT is an idea that the author comes up with to get the heroes out of the bind they're in. This is usually a fantastical idea or tool that the heroes found before (kind of like James Bond). See Literary Trash.
Anyway, since fusion fire came in handy in this situation, it comes off as convenient. But Kathy Tyers is a growing author and has much to learn.
But while the public will be wowed by this book, I am not.
2 stars
Firebird by Kathy Tyers
I've been told that the Firebird trilogy is the best trilogy ever written. Based on the setting of Firebird, I'm almost convinced. The setting is probably the most original I have ever read. The plot, however, is a different story (pardon the pun).
I guess most people are blinded by the extremely original setting. It's set in an alternate universe in which people travel back and forth between the planets. The universe is basically divided to the left and to the right; between good and evil. Our main character, Firebird, starts out on the evil side and ends up on the good side.
Firebird is little lost in her royal line of siblings. She's fourth in her family and is destined to be a wastling all her life, and to die heroically in a inner space battle. But when the enemy saves her on purpose to milk information from her, the plot takes an interesting turn.
Unfortunately, from that point, the plot gets less original and more typical and same old, same old. The only thing that redeems this book is the original setting. Without that, it wouldn't be worth reading.
Most people look at the surroundings instead of at the plot and the characters. While this is important, one should not focus entirely on it. One should focus on the plot most of all. The plot is a typical romance plot. Firebird meets Brennan, the perfect male lead, on the good side and they fall in love, especially after Firebird becomes a Christian in the last chapter.
Tyers' characters aren't as good as she thinks they are. I think she has them scripted to well. They say all the write things and do the write things. She needs to throw in some surprises.
But this is a debut novel, so I can't expect much. I have mixed feelings about this series and will wait to see how the rest of it turns out.
2.5 stars
I guess most people are blinded by the extremely original setting. It's set in an alternate universe in which people travel back and forth between the planets. The universe is basically divided to the left and to the right; between good and evil. Our main character, Firebird, starts out on the evil side and ends up on the good side.
Firebird is little lost in her royal line of siblings. She's fourth in her family and is destined to be a wastling all her life, and to die heroically in a inner space battle. But when the enemy saves her on purpose to milk information from her, the plot takes an interesting turn.
Unfortunately, from that point, the plot gets less original and more typical and same old, same old. The only thing that redeems this book is the original setting. Without that, it wouldn't be worth reading.
Most people look at the surroundings instead of at the plot and the characters. While this is important, one should not focus entirely on it. One should focus on the plot most of all. The plot is a typical romance plot. Firebird meets Brennan, the perfect male lead, on the good side and they fall in love, especially after Firebird becomes a Christian in the last chapter.
Tyers' characters aren't as good as she thinks they are. I think she has them scripted to well. They say all the write things and do the write things. She needs to throw in some surprises.
But this is a debut novel, so I can't expect much. I have mixed feelings about this series and will wait to see how the rest of it turns out.
2.5 stars
Crown of Fire by Kathy Tyers
As with most trilogy enders, Crown of Fire is a letdown. I'm not even so sure if Fusion Fire needed to be continued.
The plot follows Brennan and Firebird as they planet-hop, fighting and escaping the forces of Three-Zed while their twin boys are being kept on the other side of the Whorl. Meanwhile, a young Shuhr woman has been impregnated with a zygote of Brennan, without his knowing.
Firebird is charged to where the crown of her people for a night to see who his really trying to attack them. That's where the title comes from.
The villain is a typical serial killer character disguised as someone really interesting. Like I've said before, the Firebird trilogy is a deception; typical plot points disguised as something original.
The plot kind of meanders along with action interruptions. At least the characters are consistently perfect. Her characters actually come off as boring and un-lifelike.
There are also too many near-death escapades that leaves the heroes, primarily Brennan, alive. I can't believe he almost died twice. Both times he was miraculously healed. First, he almost died by the serial killer, and second he almost died in a space battle.
The end was a letdown because Tyers set up a really good ending that she didn't do. I've never really liked series enders, and this one is no exception. But what can I expect from a debut trilogy? I've given her a chance with this series, but she needs to improve with her next book. Combining her original ideas with original plots would make her better than she is now.
1.5 stars
The plot follows Brennan and Firebird as they planet-hop, fighting and escaping the forces of Three-Zed while their twin boys are being kept on the other side of the Whorl. Meanwhile, a young Shuhr woman has been impregnated with a zygote of Brennan, without his knowing.
Firebird is charged to where the crown of her people for a night to see who his really trying to attack them. That's where the title comes from.
The villain is a typical serial killer character disguised as someone really interesting. Like I've said before, the Firebird trilogy is a deception; typical plot points disguised as something original.
The plot kind of meanders along with action interruptions. At least the characters are consistently perfect. Her characters actually come off as boring and un-lifelike.
There are also too many near-death escapades that leaves the heroes, primarily Brennan, alive. I can't believe he almost died twice. Both times he was miraculously healed. First, he almost died by the serial killer, and second he almost died in a space battle.
The end was a letdown because Tyers set up a really good ending that she didn't do. I've never really liked series enders, and this one is no exception. But what can I expect from a debut trilogy? I've given her a chance with this series, but she needs to improve with her next book. Combining her original ideas with original plots would make her better than she is now.
1.5 stars
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