Close to being amazing

This book ticked so many boxes and the blurb got me excited to start the book.



The world is half set in perpetual night. On the dark side of the world the races survive by using technology and cybernetics. The other side of the world set in light shuns technology and use magic. Both side mistrust each other and spread false propaganda about each of other. Magic verse technology; it sounded great.



This books is aimed more at YA with the main protagonist being pre-teen. He lives on the dark side of the world and is ill with poor lungs and heart. He has been studying all his life to do well in his school work and exams so he will be accepted into a military academy which will allow him to receive cybernetic enhancements to cure his illness. I got a bit of a ‘chosen one’ vibe when the MC gets involved in large scale plots and dangerous adventures before enrolling in the military academy.



I had some issues with the pacing of this book. Sometimes it would race through what seemed to be interesting plots or characters and other times it would go on a bit too much about something mundane. I would have liked a bit more if the story focused more on the studying at the military academy and the main characters learning to use their new abilities. There was some parts where I struggled to work out the difference between the technology and magic as they were pretty vague and interchangeable as they were not described in enough detail (more soft magic than hard magic systems).



The narrator did a great job with his vocals and brought the book to life.



Overall this was a good book but could have been so much better. Maybe the following book will expand on the world building and both the magics and technology will be expanded more.



[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]

