Rebel Town Reviews [OPEN]

The Crimson Guard (Chapters 1 - 5) - @challoner

Character Development: The main character in this story is Fawn, a strong willed young woman with a good head on her shoulders. Her morals and values come across clearly through her actions, internal thoughts, narration, and the way she interacts with other characters. Fawn understands that there are injustices in the world where she lives. Poverty and homelessness are prevalent, meanwhile the upper class of elites live a life of extreme luxury. The disparity between the classes frustrates and infuriates Fawn, and she makes that known to the reader. She uses it as an excuse for stealing from them, and it seems that she doesn't view what she is doing as wrong, even though she acknowledges the fact that it is criminal.

There is only one character in the story that Fawn is attached to, and that is Tawney. When Fawn was eleven, Tawney took her in and made her his apprentice. I loved that the scene where Fawn first met Tawney was shown at the beginning of this chapter. Seeing how cautious and unsure Fawn was of the man when she first met him just makes their present day relationship seem even stronger. It was wonderful to see how close they had become, and how important they both were to each other.

Despite the fact that their relationship is so strong, both characters are also strong on their own. After reading the first five chapters, even though Fawn and Tawney are separated, I get the sense that both of them will be okay on their own. I am sure they will miss each other dearly, but they are such strong individuals I know they will pull through losing each other and move on with their lives. However, since they shared such a strong bond for eight years, they will always remain important to each other, should they meet again. When Fawn most leave, her one demand is that protection be granted to Tawney. This just cemented how important they are to one another.

As I was reading the chapters, I found myself wondering if Fawn had any other friends or acquaintances that were important to her from her life on the streets. It seems to me that perhaps she does not. However, it seems like she does care about other people as a whole, often giving to the homeless and "sharing" the wealth of the rich with the poor. I wondered if presenting memories of specific people she has helped, perhaps a young child or elderly person living on the streets, would bring this aspect of her character that much more to light. I wouldn't want to detract from her relationship with Tawney, but an attachment to specific events (or a specific event) rather than another person might add just a bit more depth to the story.

Description: After reading the first five chapters of this story, I have such a vivid idea of what the world looks like, which is fantastic! I can picture Tawney's shop with ease, and the streets and the mansion where the elite woman Jaeda lives.

My favorite descriptions in this story, however, where the descriptions of what Fawn looked like when she mimicked different people. Describing character appearances can be tricky, but since the shifts in Fawn's appearance are plot relevant and a magical ability, the descriptions come to life and hold so much interest. The precision of the descriptions made it easy for me to visualize each face she took on. Additionally, the creativity and tension in the descriptions made them exciting and engaging to read!

Plot: So far I love the plot of The Crimson Guard. Although the story of a young woman with magical powers in a war-torn fantasy world isn't the most original idea I have ever seen, it is one that I think works well. The details of the story are what set it apart from the others and bring it to life.

First, Fawn's power is one that is unique, interesting, and also a bit devious. Being able to take on the faces of others is a power I would normally expect a frightening villain to have. However, the fact that the hero of the story possesses this power twists it around a bit. I like the fact that so far, she has been taking advantage of her power and using it for her own gain. This lends realism to the story and humanizes the characters. They aren't wholly good, but they have good intentions and strong values.

As mentioned in the pacing section of this review, the plot progression in The Crimson Guard is expertly done. From the very first chapter, I found myself sucked into the world, characters, and plot. However, things really picked up when Fawn used her powers to sneak into the home of Jaeda, disguised as the elite woman, to steal protection charms. The high level of danger kept me on the edge of my seat. If Fawn slipped up once, she'd be caught. If Fawn did everything right but was unlucky, she'd be caught. And Fawn doesn't hide the fact that she's nervous about the task. Fawn's concern and nerves makes me as a reader even more worried, which just makes me want to read on more!

The stakes in these first five chapters are fantastic, and the action backs them up. I loved the chase scene where Fawn is discovered and has to flee from the mansion. Although I might have liked to see a bit more of a struggle before she got out of the building itself, the action once she hit the streets was on point. I speed through this part of the chapter, my heart pounding and eager to find out what would happen to Fawn. The plot has just the right amount of unpredictability. Right when I though Fawn had made it out without being caught, the soldiers and the General turn up and grab her!

I really liked the exchange between Fawn and the General once she is caught. She's clearly smart and knows how to read the situation. She's aware of the fact that the General wants something from her, because he doesn't just turn her in. She uses this knowledge to her advantage. My one concern with chapter five was that the explanation of Fawn's thought process was just a bit overdone. As a reader, I found myself thinking along with Fawn, so I didn't necessarily need her to explain her reason for everything she did and thought. I wondered if leaving out just a bit of the explanation might have added t the dramatic effect of the scene.

Summary: The Crimson Guard is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat fantasy story. The realistic and strong willed main character, Fawn, drives the plot along and builds the tension. Right from the beginning, the story immerses the reader in a vividly developed war-torn world of magic. The characters, plot, and world leave a memorable and lasting impression, making this story one to check out for sure!