Review: Kydona by T.K. Krug III

Title: Kydona

Author: T.K. Krug III

Publication Date: April 14, 2013

Publisher: T.K. Krug III

Source: Copy from Author for honest review

Rating:

Synopsis (from the Goodreads):  Named for heaven, the kingdom of Elessia once served as a beacon to the world. Now its name has become a byword for decadence. When Lord Prince Marcus de Pilars hears the beginnings of a vast conspiracy from the lips of his dying mother, he sets out to uncover the motives lurking behind the war his father waged. With the help of Kaelyn Beauvais—a sharp-tongued courtesan nursing a long-hidden desire—and Vernon de Gauthier—a near-disturbingly prolific womanizer with a weakness for apples—Marcus slowly unearths the truth: his country lies on the brink of collapse. And soon, the vanquished nation of Kydona will rise to settle a generation-old score.

In Elessia’s debauched court, the threat goes unheeded. Marcus’s romances bloom and just as quickly wither. Blood is shed, lives extinguished. It matters little. Quarrel and murder, lust and love, right and wrong—the lines that separate these are hopelessly blurred in the throes of court intrigue. And the difference between each rests on a knife edge so sharp that even a hero cannot tell them apart.

Kydona is the first installment of its series. The story continues in Kydona: From Ashes.

Amazon | Goodreads

This book has a lot of potential to be something really great. However, the fact that the majority of the characters were unlikable and there was an overabundance of unnecessary vulgarity in some of the language really robbed this book of what it could have been. The author did, however, obviously have a decent storyline and a firm grasp on some of the historical aspects integrated throughout. The female characters were strong, but kind of reminded me of those video games you know were created by men. You know what I'm talking about? The ones where all the female characters you pick are tall, curvy pillars of hotness whose only choices for armor are scandalously clad frocks. It's like all the women in here were just what a man could dream and more.

Another thing I didn't really like was the now-becoming cliche of "the parent on their death bed suddenly reveals to the son/daughter that there is a mission, but they leave it vague and open so the said son/daughter has to first figure out what the mission is and how to accomplish it." Sigh. Okay. So it's not as much of a creative storyline if the rising action is set into motion by someone else's recycled conflict. 

And the grammatical errors. There were several grammatical errors. Guys, if you're going to self publish, but are actually serious about truly being published some day...please, PLEASE put some pennies together to hire someone to edit your work. 

I know it doesn't sound like it, but this was an okay read. Like I said, it has potential. It just needs a bit more work.

See ya later bibliophiles,