this book wasn’t awful, but also wasn’t really for me.

i’m not sure if it was the translation from the original language to english that was throwing me off or what, but a lot of the dialogue was certainly confusing because of it. sometimes i would be reading and simply be like “what??” because it got so hard to understand what the real dialogue was supposed to say. i think that a better translation would have made this better at least in some ways.

let me just say, i do think the story has potential to go somewhere but at the same time it feels like it falls flat a lot or some of the things that happen are underdeveloped and predictable. although, i was a little shocked by the twist at the end i will say that!

because of the above, there weren’t really many takeaways of the storyline for me other than angus, the main character is supposed to be investigating some suspicious activity going on, and ends up being the subject of betrayal by someone he thought was a friend. he meets a girl, flavia, who is supposed to be the love interest i believe but there isn’t a sole focus on the romance between them building… it just kinda happens quickly rather than developing first.

i can tell the author definitely tried to write something cool but like i said, it wasn’t really for me which is totally okay.

What I absolutely loved about this book was the general plot and the magic system. The reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because to me it reads more like a draft than a completed version. The dialogue went back and forth between fantasy style to contemporary style. The story would go from first person to third person narrative clumsily and making the story difficult to follow. Some of the characters seemed to have not been fully developed as well; especially important side characters. The pacing was too fast not allowing the story to flow naturally. Having the world, magic system, and important parties expanded upon would clarify story instead of leaving plot holes. Did enjoy reading the book and believe with a few more tweaks the series would do really well.

There's plenty of potential and it could become an excellent dark fantasy novel but if felt a bit unfinished, a sort of working copy
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honeys review.

The premise of this story captured me from the beginning, but I think that it is very much still in the rough stages when it comes to the English translation. There were parts that made more sense than others but overall it just didn’t flow as well as I’d have hoped. For this reason, my enjoyment of this book was impacted significantly.

I can see this book working better in the future once the translation has been further refined/edited. The translation over all and how it read became very distracting and detracted from the actual plot for me unfortunately.

This books feels a little unpolished. If you love darker fantasies this is still worth a read. I would keep reading this authors work.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Following a war, Agnus is hired to investigate crimes and runs into mages. He is saved by a shifter, and taken on an adventure where he makes new alliances with unlikely people. He finds that he is noticeably different following an attack and starts questioning who and what he is. But he is careful to keep this a secret from his allies.

This book was a really difficult read for me. For me, personally, it just didn't work. This was a debut novel for the author and is still unedited so there will obviously be errors, but the errors made it really hard for me to read and pay attention to.

In addition, I struggled to pay attention to what was happening. The book was pretty short, but it also moved so fast. I kept forgetting who people were because their characters weren't very memorable and they used uncommon names. By giving the characters more substance, I think this book would be greatly improved.

This was an okay book for a debut novel that is still in a rough stage of translation. I think with some proofreading and editing, it will be a lot better.

Book Review 📚
Curse of The Fallen City by A.K Lockwood - 4/5 ⭐

The descriptive writing in this book is outstanding! There is so much detail in characters and the world around them. Such vivid, imaginative and extraordinary writing. I love a book that'll make me see everything I am reading. If you want to lose yourself in a dark fantasy then it's definitely a must read.

The book is filled with battles, unusual alliances and fight scenes that are just beyond the depths of your imagination. It has got everything you want and more! Lockwood has put so much effort in Curse of The Fallen City with phenomenal writing and a captivating style.

The pace is non-stop! There seems to be something happening on every page. Whether big or small you appreciate that there is something keeping you interested in the story. This is a fantastic book and definitely worth the read, absolutely mind blowing.

Thank you to NetGalley and A.K Lockwood for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

This gripping tale is packed with epic battles, unexpected alliances, and heart-pounding fight scenes that will leave you breathless. Lockwood's writing style is cinematic, immersing you in a vividly crafted world that feels both dangerous and alluring.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This review will provide an honest and detailed analysis of "Curse of the Fallen City." While it is essential to approach any critique with respect for the author's efforts, I must express my disappointment with various aspects of the book.

One of the significant drawbacks of "Curse of the Fallen City" was the overall execution of the story. The plot lacked cohesion and failed to engage me as a reader. It felt disjointed, making it difficult to follow the narrative and understand the motivations behind the characters' actions. As a result, it became a challenge to invest in the events taking place within the story.

Moreover, the book needed more character development. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, which made it hard to connect with or care about their journeys. I found developing any emotional attachment or investment in their well-being rugged. Strong and well-rounded characters are essential for drawing readers into the story and immersing them in the narrative. Still, unfortunately, "Curse of the Fallen City" fell short in this regard.

Another aspect that detracted from my reading experience was the writing style itself. The prose often felt awkward and needed to flow more smoothly. The descriptive elements needed to be improved, failing to paint vivid pictures in my mind and bring the world of the story to life. Additionally, the pacing could have been more consistent, with certain sections feeling rushed while others dragged on, disrupting the overall rhythm of the book.

Furthermore, the book's formatting left much to be desired. Proper editing and proofreading are crucial for maintaining a professional and polished final product, but unfortunately, these aspects were lacking in "Curse of the Fallen City."

While "Curse of the Fallen City" had potential, the issues with the dialogue, plot, character development, writing style, and formatting prevented me from thoroughly enjoying the book. The author could create a more compelling and immersive reading experience with further revision and attention to these elements.

Every reader's experience can vary, and while I did not resonate with this book, others may enjoy it. Ultimately, I encourage readers to approach "Curse of the Fallen City" with an open mind and decide whether the book aligns with their preferences and expectations.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and A.K. Lockwood for the review copy of this book.

While my experience with this book isn't positive, I always appreciate the effort that goes into writing and publishing a book. It takes a huge amount of effort and dedication to do so, and to get it out there.

I can tell that Lockwood definitely was passionate while writing Curse of the Fallen City, and the book had great promise and had obviously had a lot of thought put into it. I love a fantasy book full of politics and drama- of which there were plenty in this story.

However, it ultimately fell very flat for me. In large part, I think this has to do with the translation to English. Throughout the book there were many instances of the text or dialogue falling flat and not quite flowing right due to the wording- issues that likely could have been fixed with a better review of the translation.

The formatting was also a pretty major issue as well- again something that can be fixed with a more thorough review and edit of the book.

The way dialogue was presented was a big issue, and it often made it hard to actually follow what was occurring. Dashes were used in place of quotations, which would have been fine on its own, had they been consistently used. But often the ending or beginning dash on the dialogue was simply not there, resulting in a lot of backtracking to figure out which character was speaking. There were also several instances where there was a single, random quotation mark thrown in beside either the beginning or ending dash mark.

Again though, I could definitely tell there was a lot of passion put into the writing. I think with a better translation and better editing this book could really, really shine. If it gets re-translated and re-edited I will absolutely be willing to re-read!

I love the premise of the story, but I think it could have been so much better executed. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of things were lost in translation and the formatting of the book was quite odd. I recognize that this was independently published after a significant amount of hard work done by author and I applaud them for that.

I wish that I had more positive things to say. I hope that this story can be retold in the future with better translation and some fine-tuning.

An absolute gem for fans of dark and gritty fantasy novels. From the very first page, the story grips you and doesn't let go until the epic conclusion. The book follows the main character as he navigates a world torn apart by wars and conflicts, where every decision carries weighty consequences.

Lockwood's writing style is captivating, immersing readers in a cinematic experience filled with action, battles, and intriguing side plots. The pacing is relentless, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they accompany the protagonist through dangerous places and unexpected alliances.

This is not a book for me. It's hard to get into with the writing style. It feels broken with the translation and is very hard to read. I couldn't finish it. I applaud the author for trying but it is not intended for me as an audience.

Starts off fairly slowly. I found it personally to be an interesting read but I can understand why many would put it down. I really like the magic being explained relatively early instead of just leaving to question what is and isn’t possible the entire time.

AK Lockwood & Netgalley, as always, it's a great pleasure to be able to give my opinion on something someone put their heart into writing.

I'm actually pretty sad for this book. The book did actually have all the elements of a good fantasy: it had political Intrigue, makes & magic of interesting use monsters, and swordsman. The very beginning gives a background history that began to draw me in and made me antsy for the story.

THEN the story began!
I truly believe the author wrote a thoughtful & interesting story but one fatal flaw turned this upside-down. This story was translated into English and the translator unfortunately did a terrible job. If I had the ability, I'd like to read this story in its original language.

The translation made the story choppy, confusing, edited strangely, garbled the wording, and screwed the pacing. The wrong words made the interactions strained and strange, barely resembling human conversations or interactions. WITH THIS BEING SAID, MY POOR REVIEW IS MORE FAIRLY TO DO WITH TRANSLATOR, NOT THE AUTHOR.

I love political fantasy novels, and this book was definitely heavy on the politics. I enjoyed the style of writing that the author uses. I did struggle with pacing. For a niche audience this book will be perfect.