Book Review - Hidden
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book review,
dragonlands,
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epic fantasy,
fantasy,
hidden,
megg jensen
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| Cover image courtesy of Amazon |
Author: Megg Jensen
Publisher: 80 Pages, Inc
Publication Date: January 11, 2014
Version I Read: Kindle
Rating: 3.25/5
I’ve had only one other book in recent memory that conflicted me this much. Hidden is so interesting, because there’s so much it does really, really right, and just as much it does really, really wrong.
What it does really, really right:
The originality. The idea of a village surrounded by fog and cut off from the outside world makes this book stand out as completely unique within its genre. The reason why this village was selected for its fate made it even better.
The plot. The plot is genuinely interesting and cohesive throughout the story, especially in the latter half. It kept me guessing the whole way through, and I loved all the twists and turns.
The village itself. The society in the village feels absolutely real as a consequence of being cut off from the outside world. The selection of mates, the lack of horses, everything.
Most of the characters. With the exceptions below, most of the characters were just fine and even likable, particularly Leo and Jarrett. I even liked the forbidden love between Tressa and Bastian (cheating under their circumstances apparently doesn’t bother me as it seems to bother other people).
What is does really, really wrong:
Flat characters. Most of the characters are okay, but Vinya (seriously, what is her reason for treating her husband the way she does?) and Stacia in particular stood out as being absolutely horrible people for no real reason. Literally the only good thing about Stacia is that she’s a woman Big Bad, which makes her stand out a little. Having a weapon hidden in her hair was interesting… except for the fact that her braid was her main weapon, so it kind of entered the realm of implausibility. My biggest problem was with Henry, however, for how unbelievably poorly he was handled. His character does a 180 personality-wise for no adequately explained reason before being killed off in one of the most unceremonious and insulting ways possible for a character who was built up to be a major player in the story.
The excessive sex. I don’t mind sex in books. Hell, I like sex in books! But here the inclusion of so much of it felt juvenile, as if the author was only putting it in to make the story more “adult.” It really doesn’t work, make the story “darker,” or even more “realistic,” because people just don’t act or think that way.
A major plot hole. Who or what on earth were Tressa’s “father” and Bastian’s “mother” that our heroes encounter after leaving the fog? Maybe I missed something, but they were a major plot thread that was completely left hanging. I’m guessing they’re some kind of creatures that perhaps killed the real people and took over their bodies or something, but I suppose they could truly be who they say they are. Perhaps this will be explained in a later novel, I don’t know.
Also, their first encounter with Stacia was oddly handled, as it is poorly paced, it is far too much of a coincidence that she’s right there with her guard the moment our main characters come out of the fog, and the sacrifice of Connor made no sense because it was never really explained why (and if it was just to shag him, that qualifies as a pretty ridiculous reason).
The Verdict: For a freebie on Kindle, check it out for the good stuff, but don’t be too surprised if you’re turned off by the bad stuff.
Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.
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