Raining Embers

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Brier Chastain suffers from an increasingly debilitating malady. Palmer Tash has a strange hearing impairment that only allows him to hear one thing at a time. From seemingly different worlds, their paths cross once. Then, they are both kidnapped. What is so important about these two that they would be kidnapped? And together? The reason I gave it 3 stars and not 4 was that it started really slow. Once it picked up speed, it was really good.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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I hate books like this – I just don't know what I can say without taking too much from the book, and then I look at the blurb/publisher's description/etc. and everything I don't want to say is there in a paragraph or two. So what do I know?

Palmer Tash is a theological/prophetic student who doesn't believe in deities or prophecy, but he's penniless and an orphan, so what else does he have to do? Brier Chastain is a bored daughter of a wealthy family, who seemingly won't be allowed to do anything with her life other than get into trouble while waiting to hear who she's supposed to marry.

The two of them are kidnapped and taken to some strange castle in a country they've never been – there, they're told that they're actually the current embodiments of Order and Chaos – the forces that predate time are living within them and give them supernatural powers. The two learn to depend on each other – and attempt to lean on each other for support and guidance as they fight their destinies to keep from destroying their home.

There's a very rocky beginning to this – you have to make it to 15% or so before things start working. It seems like Dall is trying so hard to be mysterious that it ends up feeling like she's playing games with the reader to obfuscate what's going on. Shortly after that, we get the big reveal shortly about their actual identities, which just helps things get more interesting.

I like the main characters – and another powered being they meet – a lot. Most of the rest of the characters are too sketchy to get a real handle on. The characters are the strength of this novel so much that the plot suffers. Most of the novel is too surface-y and fast paced that you don't really get into things the way you should. Dall created a great world, but we only get to see a small part of it. If the last 2/3 were better developed, it's help the book so much.

It's an entertaining read with some characters that are very appealing – Dall's got some real talent here, I just wish she'd let it do more.

Disclaimer: This was provided to me in exchange for my honest take on the book – note that I said “honest” and not “timely.” I was supposed to have this done months ago. My thanks for the book and apologies for the tardiness, Ms. Dall.