Book Review: The Sapphire Flute by Karen Hoover

For a disclaimer about book reviews, click here.

I have a hard time reading most fantasy novels because they usually tend to be knockoffs of Lord of the Rings. You know, the hero has to undertake a journey with an elf or some other creatures. There’s some magic involved and a quest to fulfill. Most fantasy writers are extremely talented but even with some great prose, I can’t get past a few chapters and put the book down because they seem to be the same type of story with different characters.

Thankfully Karen Hoover’s debut fantasy novel, The Sapphire Flute, isn’t anything like that. Yes, it has a lot of the elements that you’ll find in other high fantasy books (magic, creatures that aren’t what they appear), but the story’s refreshingly original and protagonists, Ember and Kayla, as well as the antagonist, C'Tan, are all female.

Ember, Kayla, and C’Tan are what keep the novel moving. Hoover does a good job making Ember and Kayla feel real and people you want to root for even though, like all great characters, they’re flawed and make mistakes. That alone made it me wanting to keep reading the book. Like all good, evil characters, C’Tan is fascinating and I wanted to see more of her. But since The Sapphire Flute is the first of seven books, I’m sure we’ll see more of her before too long.

Hoover also does a good job jumping between their three storylines though at times I felt I was just settling into, say, Ember’s story only to jump over to Kayla. It wasn’t a bad thing but there were times I wished I could get another Ember chapter in before making the transition to Kayla. I also enjoyed Hoover’s writing style—it’s detailed without being overbearing. Some people may not like that but it’s perfect for the YA crowd which The Sapphire Flute is targeted.

My only complaint with the novel is Ember and Kayla’s paths never cross—even though the reader knows it’s going to happen at some point. Yes, I knew that this is the first book in a seven book series and that Hoover is laying the foundation of a world that still has a lot to be explored but I was kind of hoping that they would meet in this book.

But that’s a minor complaint. Hoover is a very talented and imaginative writer and wrote a fantasy book that I actually enjoyed reading. That’s a big compliment considering I can’t get past chapter three or four of fantasy novels written by more famous writers. Good job, Karen. I can’t wait to read book two.

The target audience for The Sapphire Flute is teenage females but fans of fantasy and those who enjoy stories with strong (but human) female protagonists should enjoy reading it. (For the record, Marathon Girl enjoyed it and she’s generally not a big fantasy fan.) I wish my daughter was old enough to read this book because I’d be interested to see how the target audience responds. Alas, I’ll have to wait another 10 years for that to happen. Until then, you can read more about the book here and see for yourself if The Sapphire Flute is something you or your teenage daughter would enjoy.

4 starts (out of 5) for The Sapphire Flute

A Note about Book Reviews

At least once a week I’m contacted by publishers, PR agencies, or authors asking if I’d like an advanced reader copy (ARC) of a book in exchange for a review on my blog. Because I’m extremely with a job, writing my next novel, and a father of four active kids, I turn down most requests. However, if a book piques my interest (read: it’s a genre that interests me and they make a good pitch) and I think have the time to read it, I’ll tell them to send it over.

However, ARCs in no way effect my review of books on this blog. My reviews consist of 1) whether or not the book fit my tastes, 2) the author accomplished his or her goal in writing it and 3) I would recommend the book to others. Aside from the free book, I am not compensated for posting a review.

Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story

Even though I love history, I rarely read historical fiction. The reason? I’d rather read a well-written historical account of real people than a book about made up people living during past events. But when asked if I was interested in an advance reader’s copy of Am I not a Man? The Dred Scott Story I agreed to read and review it since I was curious to see if Utah Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, could pull off a compelling account of a real people and events and put them into novelized form.

Much to my surprise, Shurtleff did a good job of weaving his research with his storytelling abilities. The result is a compelling read that tells the story of Dred Scott while examining the complex issue of slavery in the United States.

(For those who need of a quick history refresher, Dred Scott was slave who sued for his freedom. The result was the infamous Dred Scott v. Stanford decision where the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that persons of African descent could not be considered citizens of the United States under the U.S. Constitution.)

Am I not a Man? gives a detailed and fascinating account of the life of Scott and his fight for freedom and equality. What makes the book worth reading isn’t just learning about Scott’s undying desire to become a free man, but the human face Shurtleff puts on Scott, his family, his supporters, and his enemies. People are always complex creatures and Shurtleff does a good job of making Scott and others come alive in the book.

Shurtleff also does an excellent job of describing the complex issue of slavery and the strong emotions it evoked in people on both sides of the debate. After reading Am I not a Man? it’s easier to understand why the issue tore families apart and let to the costliest war the United States has ever fought.

Since Shurtleff is an attorney, he does a great job of unraveling the reasons behind the Supreme Court’s decision and examining the legal and political consequences—the biggest one being the election of our nation’s greatest president—Abraham Lincoln. But even when talking about reasons for the decision, Shrutleff is able to telling them in such a way that the reader is seldom, if ever, bored.

My only complaint with the book is I wanted to know how much literary license Shrutleff took some of the characters and certain incidents in the book. Shurtleff does go out of his way to say that the book is historical fiction and based upon real people and his own research and that some liberties had to be taken—just not how much. (So, Mark, if you ever read this, I’d love to sit down with you and talk about how you weaved this story together. It’s more to satiate my own curiosity about the writing process.)

Despite this one issue, I found the book to be a worthwhile read and would recommended it not only to those who enjoy historical fiction but also to those who enjoy stories of people with unconquerable spirits to fight injustice and inequality.

The lessons of Am I not a Man? are just as relevant today as they were during Scott’s life. Freedom is something that is easily taken away but not easily regained. The fight for freedom is difficult to obtain and often takes a lifetime of blood, sweat, and tears to achieve. Scott’s story is a good reminder that freedom comes with a price and we should always be vigilant to protect it.

Four stars (out of five) for Am I not a Man? The Dred Scott Story by Mark Shurtleff.

UPDATE: The publisher is classifying Am I not a Man as an historical novel rather than historical fiction. The history is accurate but the literary license Shurtleff was in the dialogue.