THE SAVIOR'S CHAMPION - REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 3 авг 2024
- My review of Jenna Moreci's The Savior's Champion. A romance fantasy book. Let me know what you thought of The Saviors Champion!
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What did you think of the saviors champion?
To be honest I did enjoy the ride, on the surface it was quite exciting. However I agree it was very repetitive and predictable. I wish there was more depth. Dissapointed as there was potential.
Dear Daniel,
Would it at all be possible for you to re-review the cosmere books? I'm a fairly new fan to it, but have read Warbreaker and am about to start Elantris. I'd really like to hear your modern thoughts on the various books, as I love your videos, particularly on Brandon because I share the enthusiasm you have for his series. I liked your mistborn re-review but was wondering if you would be open to revisiting reviews for these books. Apologies for not sticking to the topic of the video, but I immensely enjoy your channel and your opinions are what make or break a potential books pick up for me, so another thanks for creating amazing content I always enjoy!
Adam Osborne hey friend, he has. He’s a huge Sanderson fan. Go back and search his videos. They are there. :-)
I'm a bit curious why you decided to review this now. It has been out for over a year and is now sitting outside the top 100,000 in terms of ebook sales on Amazon. Is the author trying to build hype for the sequel?
2/5 Is kind. I think that for someone who doesn't read much it can still be a nice, fairly enjoyable ride. But the second you have experienced readers who know the tropes, the clichés, the drivel. Then... It becomes almost impossible to get through... Hard to understand the characters... When you are supposed to identify with them... If they make choices that seem irrational. And the writing itself wasn't crisp. Sure we can see the care that was put into the story, but it drags on so much... Maybe the author tried writing a novel before they were ready and should have practised with short story form before.
The day Daniel rips my book apart, is the day I'll feel like I truly made it as an author.
Same.
Same, my friend. Same.
Likewise
Same
Agreed.
Me: Book is 172K words and nearly 600 pages. What a door-stopper.
Daniel: A medium-sized book.
Didn't know the star wars man himself likes Daniel Greene too lol
Wow. I learn new things about you everyday. An avid Degrassi fan AND a Daniel Greene sub? Wow
Hey I watch your avatar videos 🤩
I see you like everywhere...
Not that I’m complaining 😎😎😎😎😎
I live that you show up on all these writing videos Antoine😂
Just because you don't like their book(s) doesn't always mean that you think that they're terrible writers.
I wish people realize this. I mean yes, there are authors that shouldn't be praised due to their attitude/personality (goodkind), but there are others that can be genuinely sweet and kind people even if the writing may not jive with them.
I dont like most of gabriel garcia marquez's work, despite me being colombian and him having a nobel prize and all, so yeah, what you are saying is 100% true, that doesnt mean he was a bar writer, i just didnt enjoy his work 🤷🏻♀️
@@timidalchemist8475 I'm that way about Twilight. The story was so bad (IMO), but Stephenie Meyer's writing was honestly great. I could easily read about twenty pages, thinking I've read like 5, before realizing I'm on the 30+ page of the 2nd chapter. Is she a bad story-teller? To me, yes. Is she a bad writer? By no means at all.
@@6ixlxrd I actually read all 4 Twilight books, because my wife convinced me to. While I soon realized they were not well-written, were in a genre I would never read voluntarily, and were full of every trope and cliche known to mankind, I ended up finding them very entertaining. So did a lot of other people. I guess bad literature can still be appealing if the storytelling is good.
@@blackhawksfan2525 Yeah, I liked Meyer's writing style but her story-telling skills were terrible: you can be a good writer and a bad story-teller, or a good story-teller and a bad writer. Meyer was the latter. I didn't enjoy the story of Twilight by any means (for the reasons you mentioned above), but the writing style behind it was good. Meyer can write, but she can't tell a coherent story to save her life.
You handled this review great. If anyone has a problem with this, they're just sour. I watch both you and Jenna and I don't think she'll be offended by your comments on her book. It's very mature, constructive critisism. Well done.
Don't worry, her feelings won't get hurt because she is a cyborg.
Haha! That's funny. But something tells me that Jenna is strong enough to take some criticism lol
@@p.e.gilbertauthor3036 She's a marketing genius, but when it comes to writing... no. It really is a shame she's wasting all that talent promoting her terrible books.
@@simgingergirl I agree that she is a marketing genius. I wouldn't call her books terrible. I have read worse, put it that way ;)
@@simgingergirl The Savior's Champion is one of my favorite books of 2019. So it's just a matter of taste.
@@tappkalina Wrong. Jenna head-hops, info-dumps, has too many characters with not enough to do and low stakes. Contrary to what a lot of readers think -- many aspects of writing are not subjective. A solid plot with an interesting main character that exists in a clear genre with a vivid setting told from a specific and consistent POV makes a good story. That has nothing to do with taste.
Jenna often says that she writes what she wants to read and that she often finds worldbuilding boring in a story and doesn't care that much for it. So there you go... complete lack of deep world building in her book. Definitely not your cup of tea.
she didnt say she finds worldbuilding boring, she finds info dumping boring
@@teowachowski1143 she says, while Info dumping…
@@zombioric5890 infodumping, in her books,? lmao where (not saying they're great books overall but thats the one fault I could never find)
Daniel's criticisms went way beyond "lack of worlbuilding" hahahaha I love Jenna but discrediting Daniel's many criticisms because of one thing is silly, pretty sure that he can enjoy a small scale story...
@@teowachowski1143 literally the only actual worldbuilding she does in this book is one infodump at the beginning where the abbreviated history of "The Savior" is told, purely for the reader's sake and not logically woven into the scene at all.
It's so abbreviated that it feels like any clichéd bad infodump beginning of a fantasy story. Except that it's so superficial that combined with the inconsistent way patterns of speech, names and general word choice is employed I had no fucking clue what kind of world this was supposed to be. For the longest time I thought it might be magical realism in a rather modern or maybe rennaissance setting. Honestly I'd prefer a good, informative infodump to that mess.
There's a saying that "those who can't do, teach" and while I don't necessarily agree with the way some people use that saying, I think it applies to Jenna
There are some fields where it's easier to understand what works and what doesn't in theory than to actually put them into practice. If nothing else, Jenna is an expert reader and is brilliant at picking out what works and what doesn't in someone else's story. The problem is, she hasn't yet been able to apply that skill to her own writing
Hopefully Jenna's own skill at implementing what she knows into her own stories will develop with practice. I do enjoy her channel
Same as me with my digital art _career_ (this was written in sad tone)
Totally agree. Writing a full novel that's actually decent is _hard_ and takes so much thought and work. I know this and I've yet to even finish the first draft of one. Yet, I've watched so many readers, authors, and reviewers on RUclips that I know how to dissect a story and tell the good elements from the bad, what the author did right and wrong.
I haven't read her book yet, but she does give very good writing advice. And it's true that giving critique and tips are different skills than writing itself. Some have it all, some don't. :) Whether I'll like her book or not remains to be seen. I have it. But I do like her videos.
That's exactly what I thought when reading it.
The Virgin Trope vs The Chad Chosen One trope
This made me laugh harder than it probably should have. 😳
That virgin trope was working my nerves I liked everything else about it though
Idk about a true Chad. Dude was like waaay too emotionally stable to he a Chad Chad. I think he did have that mentality that was like whatever happens, happens. And just nonchalantly didn't really give two shots.
Basically.
Death threats for not liking anime.
Those people must have a huge fedora collection.
An Anime set in a world where Fedoras and Neckbeards are High Fashion.
Like, several MASSIVE fedoras.....or numerous normal size fedoras?
You forgot the Katanas.
@@LukeGJPotter You should watch Kimetsu. My boy Michael Jackson got teleported to another world in it, and is the "smooth criminal".
Acturally, it's a trilby.
You don't like ANIME??? [composes death threat] ^^
While you were studying your little "books", I was studying the blade. My nippon can cut through a stacked 7 novel series like butter, so don't try to hide behind your library. Disrespect anime; you disrespect ME. And unlike your fiction, I'M REAL.
>Them, probably.
Dammit i wrote the same comment
*starts slowly rising the death note*
@@cokeMONSTERps3 this comment was so unreasonably funny
Lol
i've only watched Jenna's troupe videos so it's strange to hear she put so many in here.
She had me second-guessing a chapter I just wrote, because she was talking about how bad it is to have too much fluff in a story. And now I find out it's way too long????????????????? Oh, schadenfreude. :)
Here's the thing, man, there's always "Unless it's done well." and *_everybody_*_ thinks they're the exception._ That's why my go to move is to say "I wonder if I can do something different here." Probably can't, but at least I'll be putting in the effort.
Tropes are tools. You cannot have a story without tropes, that's pretty much impossible.
@@TheFLAMEXD
It was not about having tropes in general but which tropes and their execution. Ranting and ranting about "not like other girls" and "men writing women" and then putting a "not like other boys" and hillariously tone deaf "women writing men" into her own book is both sad and hillarious.
@@sibylsaint That's where you have to be honest with yourself. You may need that "fluff" as you call it. If you just wrote that chapter (Well that was two years ago) let it sit. don't look at it. If possible stay away from it for a month. Go on and continue writing the rest of the story. As a matter of fact I will pass on what I was told when I first started writing (It was harder back then, some stone was harder to chisel) Write your story, get it down on paper. Then let it sit then go through and start throwing out stuff. As I was told, "Kill the little cuties" Hope your tale turned out the way you wanted.
Subbed for honesty.
Edit* I think part of the problem for RUclips authors is that their beta readers may not be honest about what they like or problems with the writing.
Yep, agreed 100%, that's what tends to happen when you get fans to be your beta readers, it's better to find unbiased individuals who aren't fans and who just don't know you at all, less chance for sugar coating since they're not as worried about offending or hurting feelings, they're gonna be more honest and brutal where necessary.
Pamela Mertz absolutely. I’d nearly go anon to find beta readers or join a reading/writing group to get real feedback. It’s easy to dismiss criticism if 90% of your feedback is positive due to you using so many fans
Beta readers who agree with and love your book 100% of the time can create an echo chamber.
@@lifeisbutadreamm That is what I have done with my upcoming fantasy novella - The Sultan's Daughter (out 2nd July). None of my ARCs are/were friends or fans of mine. Just people on Instagram, who give honest reviews.
This seems so accurate. Though I only think so based off one book(i dont usually pick up youtube authors books). I love this particular youtuber but her book had alot of issues and SO many of the glowing 5 star reviews seemed to indicate they were beta readers, hell they even stated it.
Oddly enough I feel like that book was worst than Saviors Champion but Greene and some other youtubers who I think are closer to the author still praised it :/
"Death threats for not liking anime"
Sounds about right :(
I'm really grateful for this review because I thought I was alone on my opinion. I was honestly almost shocked by how mediocre the book was after so much hype and watching Jenna's videos for over two years, your honesty is much appreciated :)
I watch Jenna's channel all the time. I've learned a ton from her about writing, and her advice is almost always spot-on. It goes to show that knowing the mechanics and theories behind good writing are different from executing it at the highest level. And some of it just comes down to reader preference. Like Daniel, I'm not Jenna's target audience at all. I've run into the same thing with Brandon Sanderson, of all people (different scale of popularity, but same principle). I've watched a ton of his writing instruction videos. I think he's brilliant at world-building and with writing theory. Most Fantasy readers think he's the greatest thing since Tolkien. But I thought Mistborn was absolutely terrible, boring and shallow. Again, preference. Most Fantasy readers are hardcore into magic systems. A great magic system, on its own, isn't enough for me. I'm more into mature and believable dialog and morally gray characters who sometimes make poor choices (as in Game of Thrones or Wheel of Time). Those were clearly not Mistborn's strong suit or intent. *Waits for death threats*. Anyway, this wasn't meant to be a cheap shot at Mistborn. My point was, even great writers write bad books, or at least books that people don't like for one reason or another.
I thought I was alone on disliking Mistborn. I couldn't handle the cringy dad humor from Kelsier.
Have you read Stormlight Archive? I would recommend it heavily, as it does address some of your criticisms.
I've been putting off reading Sanderson's books because I usually don't end up liking the more popular books. I'm scared I'm going to hate his style and I really want to like it. So I'll probably never read them lol.
@Salve to Cat Overlords I haven't read Jenna's book (nor will I - I don't care) but I think you're exaggerating that she's marketing herself as someone who "knows it all".
I don't recall a single video where she's done that but if you know of one, please share.
It doesn't make her advice (and that's what it is: ADVICE) horrible. Unless she's saying to do horrible things.
You don't like her book. Fine. But it's personal taste. It's subjective. Just move on and find another book. It's not that hard.
@Salve to Cat Overlords a) whatever Kristen Martin did or did not do (I have no idea who that is and don't care) has NOTHING to do with whether or not Jenna is making money by lying to people - WHICH YOU HAVE YET TO EVEN PROVE SHE DOES.
b) If you don't like her books, don't buy them. If you don't like her, don't watch her. Otherwise, you're just proving you're a salty, bitter hater.
c) I also don't care about JulianGreystoke. She's entitled to her opinion. Nobody is stopping her from voicing it.
But if you're arguing that Jenna should shut up because you didn't agree with something she said, that just makes you a snowflake.
Your opinion - and JulianGreystoke's opinion - on your perspective on what someone else means when YOU'RE NOT IN THEIR HEAD SO YOU DON'T ACTUALLY *KNOW* WHAT THEY'RE THINKING means absolutely NOTHING.
d) Have you ever been published?
Yes?
No?
Because if you haven't, then you assuming that people WHO HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED know jack is the reason you'll never be.
I've been following Jenna for years and NEVER bought any of her merchandise or books. So when exactly is she supposed to be after my money?
Because if you're equating her advertising her books with a scam, then you're an idiot.
Conveniences within the plot frustrate me so much. There's a difference between coincidence and being handed the miracle you need every time you're in trouble
I personally enjoyed the TSC for what it was. All of your criticisms though are spot on. The book was too shallow in the worldbuilding and the sub-characters were not believable. I do think Moreci was aiming for a sort of surreal mishmash of fantasy and modern themes at one time. The second book is going to be going on during the same timeline as the first, just told from the perspective of one of the other characters. Maybe that will fill in some of the worldbuilding holes? Who knows.
I'm glad someone here has the sense to say 'the book doesn't have to be perfect to still be enjoyed'. I also enjoyed reading it despite having my own criticisms of it. A lot of the commenters are frankly being very rude just because they didn't enjoy her second published book. Has anyone ever done their best with their 1st few books?
I think you handled this review very fairly, though I haven't read the book so I can't say if I think it's accurate. I'm a huge fan of Jenna's and love a lot of her writing tips buuut I've also found that she has tastes for romance tropes that I instantly dump books for including. From the way she describes ideal romance scenes I'm pretty sure I'd hate any scene she wrote, even though I think she's great.
So sad that we live in a world where there is an expectation of all these caveats before a rational discussion of one's own opinion. Great review Daniel. Keep doing what you do.
Also, from what I've heard this does not sound like the book for me. Oh well, already have a mountain of a TBR anyway.
The issue I have with youtube authors in general is that they are seen as an authority in writing, then write very "meh" books. It's ironic taking advice form someone not very good at what they are giving advice on. Writing a good book is hard, so I won't hold that against them. It takes time, often a few books written to get good. But making peace with the whole author tube dynamic is difficult.
Going by your logic, people shouldn't have taken any advice from GRRM until around his 70s when A Song of Ice and Fire finally became world renown.
@@nichoudha Very good point. I don't think someone has to be an expert to know what an expert looks like most of the time.
ChromaticTempest I agree! Especially when someone like Jenna is making money making sassy videos on how to write badass books. I mean, it’s nice to have your suspicions that many of these people are 25% talent and 75% marketing confirmed, but it significantly lowers your respect for their advice/opinions. I think it would make more sense if people like Jenna gave us step-by-step guides on how to become successful RUclipsrs/Instagramers because, unless you’re good at your craft, it doesn’t make sense for her to be “living the dream” writing subpar novels, while the rest of us are struggling to get by. I mean, if she’s “making it,” we should be “making it,” right? Plus, no one can ultimately tell you how to be creative. That’s what makes it creative. I just don’t see Shakespeare or Austen or Dickens or Rowling or any other great writers needing advice from a self-published RUclipsr; yet, once upon a time, all of them were “nobodies” like the rest of us. End rant.
To be fair, most of those booktubers arent claiming to be authorities in the field. They're just making videos and hoping you buy their books.
I like using the driving analogy. You can study the whole DMV handbook and watch hours upon hours of driving videos but if you've never been behind the wheel then you're probably not a good driver. I'm sure that person has great insight on driving laws and the inside of a car, but not everyone is a good driver.
I agree that you can be knowledgeable without being experienced or competent. It’s not always possible, or even desirable, to have first-hand knowledge/experience. One of the proven benefits of fiction is that it allows the reader to experience emotions without having to experience events, which can lead to greater logic and empathy, etc., without negative side effects. However, people usually argue the opposite point of view when they’re trying to “win” an argument. For example, you could be very knowledgeable about sex, but no one would want your advice if you were a virgin, despite the fact that the only people who can be bad at sex are the people who’ve had it. Logical or not, people use the “How would you know?” line of reasoning for a variety of subjects, so it’s interesting to me that people would be defending people like Jenna with the opposite point of view, despite the fact that we have evidence that she’s a bad writer, whereas we have no way of knowing if the people doing the sneering in my example are even good in bed themselves. For me, it’s not about a self-published author’s right to share their opinions. It’s about the fact that they’re making money at something they’re bad at. And if them, why not us? Call me crazy, but I expect people who make money at something to have the skills to back it up. A literary critic may be a failed writer (as the rather rude/unfair comment goes), but they’ve earned the right to give advice by being a respected member of their field. They have other professionals vouching for them, whereas RUclipsrs endorse themselves and then rely on marketing and the number of followers to legitimize their claims. Sorry, but I grew up reading classics. I don’t like seeing an old and respected art form turned into a joke.
I always felt, and no offense to Jenna because I enjoy her youtube channel, that the cuss words and such seemed as though a 12-year-old discovered they could cuss in their story.
Wait a second. So you're telling me that girls don't grope each other and compare breast size in the locker room?
No, we just have pillow fights in our lingerie and teach each other how to use tampons.
@@CassTeaElle I knew it!! Well, we men do manly things like measure each other's dongs and compare sizes...... All guys do that, right?
Author Cassie Beebe the tampons part gets real complicated though
Actually, it depends.
My friends always play tag by groping each other breast.
Not me, tho. Not me. I give them death glare if they tried to get closer, so I basically safe everytime that war happens.
We always play hide and go seek in the dark in the locker room
The most interesting part of the book was invalidated by the obvious plot twist. I wanted Tobias to have to make a choice between his family and his love but he never had to. He got everything that he wanted and half of the time he didn't even try.
Also not hating but I'm really surprised that you thought that the characterization was a high point. I thought most of the characters were kinda one-dimensional. Though they had distinct personalities I feel like they lacked subtlety. But that totally comes down to personal preference.
Subbed because I feel your pain about having to explain the idiocy of separating reviews from personal feelings. Great review, feels right on target.
Death threats for not liking anime is hilarious. I watch anime. I do apologize as part of the anime community through
I've watched almost all of Jenna's videos and she has some really good advice but I kept getting the feeling that her target audiences are more girly romance lovers - just saying.
"Girly romance lovers" and any of those adjectives negate a book being quality?
@@the1dbumblebee317 Like all genres, it's objective.I have searched for good writing advice to help me write for guys, in a market saturated with novels where a 'larger' segment of the plot, and character development is around romance. There is a market for that and I don't have a problem with it. Books that cater more to what guys like tend to be very formulaic now and wanted to explore how I could add things that would appeal to that audience.
@@NaDa-kw2fu "I write for guys" 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
That's the issue with you saying "this is girly something" sexist worldview 🤷🏻♂️
@@lbentosoares4 I do write specifically for guys. That is my intended target audience. Looking at the statistics, guys are starting to read less for pleasure and that's a sad thing. The girls are reading more, especially over the last few years and that's a fantastic thing. Quoting Dan "...anything that gets people to read more is a good thing..." and I firmly believe that. The experience of reading is very objective. If you try to cater to all tastes in a book and you are very skilled then you can pull it off. I'm simply not that skilled. So to offset that, I write about what I know and the experiences I've had. I'm a guy, so I write from that background.
@@NaDa-kw2fu Good job, you managed to portray what you think, while being insulted by someone who clearly didn't care for what you had to say and only looked for something to be offended by AND was able to grow your original point calmly and in a mature way.
Not looking good Luiz.
"sexist worldview" Oh please. Don't make me laugh.
Also a rant from me as an artist: at first I was excited the main character is an artist who lost connection with his craft due to external circumstances. Actually this is what initially hooked me into reading because it very closely resembles myself. I thought the rekindling of a lost passion and through that reconnecting with your true self would be a central theme, and that would've helped me personally to ignore most of the shortcomings.
Then it gets to him actually creating art and it's so fucking disappointing. It's described as him just blacking out, having no control over what he's drawing and only being able to observe the result after the fact, with no agency over the process. Utter rubbish and really made me angry.
I mean seeing as writing is as much an artform as drawing/painting, does Jenna write her books like that? No? Then why disrespect and misuse other artforms as ultimately meaningless plot devices. If yes that would explain a lot about this book. Rant over.
I wrote most of this down right after reading the scene, so yeah, it's kinda unfiltered and mean. Overall I felt underwhelemd by the book, but can accept that I'm just not the target audience. This part however really made me angry and I can't find anything to excuse it.
I kinda felt that way about my art too. I felt like all I ever wanted to do was be an artist and paint and draw. All my life. But then it slowly got crushed by work and reality and I did it less and less, though I still enjoy it. But then, like 3 years ago now, I discovered writing. And what I once felt about drawing is now my passion for writing. Like, I have always liked writing stuff, but I wasn't passionate about it before. Now, I've found new meaning in a different, but still creative, craft. And none of that is like blacking out... lol. Heck?
The way she writes about men is in the most stereotypical "I have no experience with men in real life" ever. Which is funny because she makes so many videos talking about how to write good male characters and how bad men are at writing female characters lol.
Pretty sure she wrote it like that because she couldn’t figure out how to describe it, so it was easier to find an excuse to not have to. It’s actually a common problem, where rather than figuring out how to write something difficult an author hopes they can skip over it and that their audience won’t care too much - but audiences DO care!
Im also subscribed to Jenna but dont worry you wont get death threats from me... *YET*
Lmao off topic but I love your name! Superior trash can. Amazing!
@@OmegaTheSillyWolf thank you :D
I wanted something original and i think i got it
@@OmegaTheSillyWolf btw are you in Daniels discord?
@@mrvulture8981 You're welcome! And no lol actually I just found his channel a couple hours ago and didn't know he had one lol
Just bought The Blade Itself after seeing your comparison between it and Mistborn.
Looking forward to a darker take of the fantasy genre.
What did you think of The Blade Itself? I use examples from The First Law Trilogy to back up my writing tips in my videos and on my blog
You know, I always got the feeling that her advice was kinda shallow. Something like "Plot twists, I love them, do plot twists!" I got the feeling that she would write mediocre books
I remember being taken aback by how bare-boned simplistic and juvenile her first book ("Eve") felt, and realized that this did technically use all of the writing advice she talked about, but in the most simplistic way.
@@lizzychrome7630 To be fair, you said it yourself, it was her FIRST book. Most first books aren't good.
The Saviour’s Champion is one of my favourite books but I really enjoyed your perspective.
I found that the pacing was actually really well done in my opinion and whilst I didn’t care for the virgin trope it didn’t actually annoy me that much.
I do agree that the magic system wasn’t great and I guessed the plot twist about halfway though the book but I enjoyed the characters, story and writing so much that at the end of the day I could put that on the back burner.
It’s so interesting how wildly different people can perceive things.
I mostly agree. I found TSC's plot to be very predictable, but I did enjoy reading it. The story kept me engaged and I read throughit quickly.
But to someone who wants to be surprised, it's probably a bit of a disappointment
You and Jenna are both fantastic creators and I really respect both of y’all’s opinions. Mature and constructive criticism there. 👍
it's okay to not like anime. Only about 20% of all anime is actually any good
Depending on what you mean by good, try 10%
Indeed. Sturgeon’s Law is alive and well with anime.
Very true
Agreed.
Death Note....
the same can be said about books.
Did you think The Hunger Games didn't feature enough nudity or masturbation scenes? Well, then I've got the perfect book for you!
It’s difficult to stay objective about her hints and tips when it was such a poor book. You have to try so hard to not just dismiss her as not knowing the craft.
Have you seen her recent video about how to write a flaskback? I don't follow her anymore but I somehow stumbled onto that one, and I had to see if she was going to mean it as a "these are mistakes I learned." Nope.
It was like watching George Lucas give a lecture on why you shouldn't keep updating your already-published story.
Lizzy Chrome You’re kidding? Well, she has enough crazy fans to probably push the critics to the back of her mind.
I'm still a fan of her YT channel. She's fun and engaging.
But I'm glad I've never read her books - and don't plan to.
@@lizzychrome7630 That's a class JK Rowling would be much better at giving.
@@mischarowe I like Jenna’s videos but one time she was rude to me when I asked her a writing question. She made me feel that I was stupid for asking her a question. My memory sucks so I don’t remember what I asked but I remember the feeling I experienced when she answered. I am not a fan of sci fi so I won’t read her books. And I didn’t think the plot sounded interesting.
However, I do like her videos though I still feel a little sad when I watch them knowing that she thought I asked a stupid question. Oh well.
The only sci fi I have read is erotica lol 😆 Maybe I would try the genre again idk.
I couldn't agree more! I am subscribed to Jenna's youtube and love her personality so much!. I haven't watched a video yet that I did not enjoy, or find helpful and informative. But I just do not like her books no matter how much I want to.
I like how you reviewed this book! I did actually enjoy the book very much, but I still think you made valid points.
I liked the romance a lot (although I don't really like the virgin trope either) as I found it very healthy and SOOO different from most relationships portrayed in books, which are, a lot of times, quite toxic.
But I do 100% agree with you on the plot twist being predictable and there being a lack of worldbuilding.
I think the worldbuilding aspect was a concious choice though, because Jenna has often stated that she doesn't really care about the detailed worldbuitlding when she reads books, so she doesn't want to include that in her own writing.
I've also read Jenna's debut novel, Eve: The Awakening, and I think that one was a bit less predictable. But in spite of that, I think her writing has improved since that book and TSC over all has a superior story.
I've been rambling on now, but the point was, I really ike how respectful, yet honest, you were in this review. Also, the fact that younpointed out, no matter how you feel about her books, that she has very good and valid content. I think it's importnt to apprecite all what she, and other authortubers have done so far for self-publishing and indie publishing.
Anyway, I think I'll stop now.
Hope you have a nice day!
P.S.: Found you through Merphy Napier's channel and really liked your content so far. So, greetings from your new Argentine subscriber!
Yeah that's sounds to be the case because you are a women with your own biases. The things that women complain about male writters when they objectify women can be seen all over the male characters. They are so one dimensional, and the only ones that have some work are made to be the perfect imaginary boyfriend of a young woman. You are not describing a real person, you are describing what you want in a boyfriend insinde your head.
I tried reading her Eve book and found it was pretty cliche as well. Shame
Will you do a review of Shad's book "Shadow of the Conqueror" as well?
I also look forward to that review.
My brother (who is a big fan of Shad) had nothing but bad words to say about it. He's a big WoT, LotR, and Sanderson fan; which is the target audience Shad seemed to be aiming for. All the reviews on amazon seem to be "I love his videos, so I give this 5 stars", and since he self published, it's not being picked up by critics and reviewers, so it would be nice to see a proper review.
@@LordBenjaminSalt there is a fair amount of criticism on Goodreads, my own included. The premise was interesting but it could have been done so much better.
@@BooksRebound why not?
Hanariel Godlike not the same person but the prose is quite amateurish and it suffers heavily from worldbuilder's disease. The characters have voices that don't fit who they are supposed to be (for example the 88 year old protagonist in a fantasy setting says something along the lines of "can you imagine how overpowered that would be" which really took me out of the story) also not to mention that the protagonist, while somewhat interesting, is intensely unlikable, both in terms of backstory and portrayal in the story. The book can also be somewhat gratuitous and insensitive which might turn off some readers.
Hanariel Godlike I personally liked it, but there were some issues.
DUDE IM A MOUTH BREATHER i feel sad now :(
Just breathe through your nose smh Simple
@@shashemption MOUTH BREATHING DISCRIMINATION!
@@shashemption I have screwed up nostrils. You want me to sound like a jet turbine while I'm next to you, or while I'm trying to sleep?
Richard Bug This is mouth breather insensitivity!!! Send this guy death threats for mildly hinting at being a mouth breather hater!!!
#loveallmouthbreatherstheyarestillhuman
Now, THERE is something I never thought you would read.
Ever.
LoL
Same reaction lol
First time watcher of this channel and I must say a really enjoyed the review. I'm a big fan of Jenna's RUclips content, but didn't think her book sounded like it was up my alley. Your review helped confirm my suspicions.
Keep up the good work.
My biggest issue with Jenna is that she seems like she doesn't like a lot of world-building and says no one gives a shit about your world-building.
Thanks for reviewng this book, Daniel! I also like to watch Jenna's videos, but I'm glad to hear your perspective on her writing. I may wait for her next book.
I feel like a common thought with Moreci is that everyone thinks her advise is good, but it doesnt translate well to her own books. i think her first book Eve? Was worst, I still have it on my shelf and havent gotten to it. I think its interesting. But honestly, her fan base is so big it really doesnt matter the people that dislike it. I also know shes pretty adamant about NOT reading reviews so Im sure shed prefer people not go spam her with whos saying what.
I do find it interesting though that Greene gave another youtubers book a better score when I considered it far more problematic and littered with issues than this one. So...who knows.
I have read TSC and I really like Jenna's YT channel. Also I agree with this review, and the thing that bothered me most was the worldbuilding (or the lack of it?). The magic was never really explained, though in the end you at least found out a bit, but it is not enough and it came too late. She also never explained for example why pigs with teeth exist or how the labyrinth works (electricity? magic?). In the book a god is often mentioned, but it is never explained if this is a fictional god or the christian god or even the muslim god (or another god?). In one scene they get attacked by wolves, but it is never explained why they should attack humans, because wolves in the wilderness don't usually do that, instead most fear humans. It is never clear if the setting is a medieval fantasy or science fiction. Jenna clearly knows little about medieval or ancient weapons. The best example is the bow. In that scene, everyone is able to draw a bow without effort, but in medieval times it is not that easy. It takes a lot of force to draw a bow and lots of training to shoot where you want to. All of the boys are muscular, so I can overlook that, but why is the protagonist able to one-shoot everything? And why do the wolves drop dead instantly? If not hit in the perfect spot, you can still be alive after beeing shot until you die of bloodloss. The worst bow mistake was when the charakters used them like a gun! A bow is not a gun! You can't just aim at someone for minutes, not even the best trained archers in medieval times could manage such a thing. Maybe those things are possible with modern bows (I don't know much about those), but my problem is that it was never explained. I didn't like the fight scene with that gladius either, though I won't go into detail now. I am not an expert, far from it, yet a teenager could spot such mistakes. And the charakters...
It felt as if the "plot twist" was supposed to be shocking, but even I guessed it right away, and I rarely do that.
This comment is already very long, but I need to point out the good things as well. I loved it that a female and male charakters got sexually assulted. This may sound weird, but with that I mean that in rl and in fiction it is often overlooked that males can fall victim to sexual assult just like females. Also I liked that the couple had a fight, because such things happen and they help a relationship grow. The virgin thing felt weird, but it was no big problem.
I realise now that there is not much good that I can say, so I end it here.
It may be that I misunderstood things as I am not a native English speaker.
'I am not a native English speaker' Neither am I but I understood you perfectly. Also could not agree more. The strongest point was the relationship between Layla and Tobias, but most of the side characters lack personality/arc. So disappointing
I just finished her book - wanting to like her book! - however, I did not... and I LOVE her. I didn't leave a review on goodreads because I didn't know how to do it as gracefully as you did. I agree with everything you said.
you don't have to be graceful xd just say what you mean
1:26 How things have changed. Now Daniel read both One Piece and Berserk and liked both manga series.
Giving very specific criticism without spoiling the book that much is a skill
You got death threats for not liking anime? WTF!
Weebs like myself should know very well why people don't like anime. How about sending them a recommendation of classics like Ghost in the Shell or Spirited Away? Damn weebs...
While TSC is one of my new favorite books, I cannot disagree with some of the points you've made. I agree that some of the challenges were unnecessary, and perhaps a few things could have been shortened, but I still think that the concept being as unique as it is, is what's grabbed and kept my attention. And while I agree with the magic system and world building points (to a point), I feel like the next book she has coming out later this year is going to be addressing some of those downfalls that you've mentioned. I liked 95% of it, and am excited for thee next book to come out. I appreciate the honesty though.
The twist should have been that the savior was actualy the dark lord(lady i guess) aiming to single out who needs to die for her dark plans
I'm 3 months late, but that would have been interesting
@@soundsoftheheart3164 Only the most classy people comes This late to a party ^^
Daniel, I love your opinions on books. You're insightful and truly shine light on things that I never thought of. Like, holy shit you inspired me to read The Dagger Itself and I freaking love it! Keep doing you man.
Thank you for this book reaction.
While I would never pick up this type of book, I am happy that you give your honest opinion on things.
That's why I subscribed to your channel.
While I don't always agree with you, you are well informed and state your opinions clearly.
Three main reasons made it not for me:
-Slow pacing
-Gore (And this comes from someone who read ASOIAF without any trouble) was just too much and too unnecessary.
-The fact that the characters are literally meeting a goddess in a life-and-death situation and still speak with the casuality of flirtatious 14 year olds.
Review starts at 1:48, the first two minutes is just Daniel explaining how he has no beef with Jenna Moreci.
In other words a waste of time
@@K.Gthealmighty what money?
YOU MEAN A MINUTE AND FORTY-EIGHT SECONDS!!!!! REEEEEEEE
I love Jenna but I appreciate the honesty and constructive criticism. Bravo! *clap clap*
Someone can give amazing writing advice, yet experiencing issues writing themselves. Normal!
I love Jenna and truly respect you for your honesty!
Between this and the Cyborg Tinkerer from Meg LaTorre, I'm seeing a trend where AuthorTubers don't typically write great books. Daniel, on the other hand, is a BookTuber who actually wrote a very good book (Breach of Peace). I'm hoping Jenna and Meg bounce back and come back stronger. But dang--Daniel is off to a super strong start.
Subbed for the respect & honesty of your review.
I really appreciate your thoughts here. A very balanced and well thought out review. I enjoy when two world hoppers have differing reactions to a book, because it’s a unique opportunity to get “both sides” from people who have similar reading tastes. Now to re-watch Merphy’s review while this one is fresh in my mind...
I popped over to Goodreads before watching your review to check this book out and I saw all of the points you made in other reviews. Definitely not a book for me as some of the things you pointed out are also things I don't like. I enjoy when people leave fair, critical reviews because it's way more helpful when I'm trying to decide if I'll like a book than an over the top positive or negative review. Thanks!
I haven't read this book but to the virgin trope point, depending on the setting it might be very relevant. If the setting id the medieval period or a medieval like world with certain aspects matching the real medieval period then virginity is really important at least for nobles. It has poltical relevance. Again I haven't read this book so maybe it doesn't apply and I also know that fantasy doesn't need to have the same rules as the real world period but sometimes virginity might be relevant in a fantasy setting.
Sounds like the book could've used a round or two of Dev Editing to strengthen the plot and detect the weak points and inconsistencies in the narrative before publishing.
There're so many great ideas out there that never reach their full potential just because they're rushed to print without getting the right kind of critique/story edit first. I'm sure a good dev editor could've identified these problems and helped Jenna lay out a new plan to improve her story elements and her delivery of them. (Stuff like the lack of worldbuilding, thinly explained magic system and dialogue awkwardness/inconsistencies, for example.)
Moral of the story: it's never a good idea to skimp on the editing and revision phases of a book people - that's where any creative product really gets its shine, and comes into its own!
I was kinda floored by how different her book was to.her advice. I used to be a big fan but havent really vibed with her for a while
Commenting on every video until Pips hosts Fantasy News video #25
Definitely thought this book wasn't meant for you to review, haha. Good points though, I agree with them! You got me into reading Sanderson and Jenna got me to think on so many details about writing books.
Man, I don't always agree with your opinions on books, but I really love your reviews. Even if I don't agree with everything you say, you react to things very much like I do. Annoyance at certain things, etc. the way you react when you love something. Makes the reviews more relatable than other youtube reviewers where they try to keep everything so technical and withdrawn.
The whole bit with the writing skill was just sooooooooooooooo accurate like I know exactly how I want these scenes to play out yet I cannot for the life of me just write it out.
This is exactly the sort of content and truth that made me subscribe to your channel. Thanks, dude.
I respect your honest review.
For some ungodly reason, the savior champion is like $57 on book depository. Meanwhile the illustrated hardback copy of goblet of fire is 45. How, why....
I presume it's because TSC is a self published book. They tend to be priced higher
Wtf. That’s robbery!
I have watched Jenna's videos and wondered how good her books are - wondered because there is no way I'm going to read over 100 000 words. Thanks for this video.
OHHHHHHHH I BEEN WAITING FOR THIS REVIEW
I agree about the world building. Loved the idea but wanted to see more of Thessen
I have been following Jenna for quite some time now and I love her videos. I guess she is cool with ppl not liking her book cause you explained it very well, which is key to giving feedback about something. - I guess I am still going to read the book, cause I want to meet the characters^^
Some Tropes you mentioned: I never heard about the virgin trope^^'' but I suffered from a few easy-foretold books before. Will see if I end up having the same opinion after reading it^^
Please keep making honest and respectful reviews 😉
I haven't read TSC yet, but being a huge admirer of Jenna, I couldn't wait to pick it up. Still can't, but I'm so glad for your review. So far, everything I've read about it has been roaring with positivity, so I'm glad for a different perspective, mainly because when I do read it, I wanna do it with a clear head and all those positive reviews may have clouded my judgement. So thanks for being blatantly honest.
I respect your honesty.
Good review.
pretty much felt the same. I didn't even finish it.
Most reviews I've seen all say pretty much the same things, that the plots are lacking and fall flat very quickly, and that the world building is also pretty bad. I like Jenna Moreci and I think she has a lot of good things to say about writing on her channel, and I honestly used to watch her videos and think they were quite helpful in some ways. But after hearing so many bad reviews I'm a bit sceptical? I don't know if I can trust her with advice if her books are so clearly mediocre, if not worse? It's just my personal opinion, but I would much rather follow someone's advice if I know their books are good.
It reminds me of how linkara is known for critiquing bad comic writing, but he himself wrote a webcomic that's notoriously awful. It can tell a person with writing advice might not be good writers/authors all the time
Really? I've also seen a lot of really good reviews.
I think that we need to keep in mind that the teaching of craft and the practical application of craft are two different skills, even if they are related. We've all had that math teacher that was clearly good at math, but sucked art actually explaining it. If you find Jenna's advice useful, keep following her. Plus tons of people enjoyed her book, they have decent reviews overall.
Nice you care to spend the time in doing a little I am been unbiased .. thanks mate again .. awesome review
I probably wouldn’t have found this video if it weren’t for me being a subscriber of Jenna’s but despite being a huge fan of hers and her advice, I haven’t heard the greatest things about her books. Never read TSC and I’m not sure if I even want to cause it doesn’t sound like my cup of tea. But it makes me feel like an invalid fan cause I don’t read her books. (Even though I used to be a Patron of hers)
You’ve made yourself perfectly clear in this review and were very mature about it, I’m now subscribed. :)
I'm reading right now actually! I really like this book, I think you should give a chance at least. No harm in trying!
I find it interesting that he talks about how they're both adults, they can handle criticism, when a major thing that other reviewers/commenters have said is that Jenna purposely doesn't look at any reviews for her stuff, (likely because she actually *can't* handle to criticism,) which is why she doesn't grow as an author. She's got her band of "yes men" and is sticking with them.
As soon as you compared this to the Bachelor, there went my interest of reading this. I've watched the entirety of UnReal. 😂 And yes, there was murder in there as well, so I don't need magic on top of that.
Okay, this sounds like one I might want to skip. Thanks for the honesty in the review.
The book sounds like something I would have been fine with in high school but now I've grown a little tired of endings I can predict a quarter of the way through the story.
I like how you make this video in a way that's not bashing the author but the book. Like I can tell you don't have a beef with Jenna at all and it's just the story and I like the honest reviews. :) I have not read it yet but it was on my list.
A very fair and respectful review. Well done as always, Daniel.
As a side note, am I the only one who is growing increasingly uncomfortable with more and more RUclipsrs prefacing their videos with a disclaimer of some sorts, as if they weren't allowed their honest opinions or their freedom of speech? I get why Daniel and others do it (what with the death threats and such), but somehow, that only makes the uneasy feeling worse.
I appreciate your opinion, sir. I also appreciate your bravery to be honest.
I do agree with your assessment of it. And I am glad you laid your thoughts out plainly and politely without insulting it, like some people so in book reviews of books they don't like and that you recognize that you just probably are not the target audience. It's really refreshing.
For me, I think the book would have worked up if the pay off had been worth the payoff. The second half felt weaker than the first half. I really enjoyed the book myself, but it's definitely more romance than fantasy.
You’re the best! Thank you for the honesty and I definitely would never read this lol
I enjoyed this review. It's hard to give bad news to someone you have a business relationship with (to a degree). You did it with class and with objectivity. Not everyone will like every book by every author. I won't read her book either simply because it's not my genre.
Daniel green: I have been on sports teams.
Everybody: oi waterboi
My wife watches her so I’ll show her your review. Would like to see a review of Rage of Dragons and Warded Man :) those are top tier fantasy series to me
Thanks for your review. Very interesting. I've learn a lot. I hope it doesn't hurt her feelings...
I generally agree with what you're saying about it, but I still really enjoyed it!! I think that falls into what you said about "target audience". I think an adult woman like myself who loves fantasy and romance had a much better chance of liking this book. I read it cover to cover and enjoyed every moment, yet everything you're saying does ring true!!
Omg i called the end too...i thought they were REALLY pushing the whole "we don't get to see her" bit
Jenna and Daniel are kinda like the same personality. Mature and not afraid to express their opinions.
"painted on the walls with red" nice reference!