B. Y. Yan

It's difficult to give a real opinion of this book.
To begin with, I got a PDF-version I had problems reading with. I changed to the tablet. It's not always easy to read on a tablet. So I was already confused.
Then, I am not used to reading steam punk. That's OK, but it added to my confusion. I had to get used to horses and an aircraft in one story.
The story in itself IS confusing, which is not always wrong. In the end I discovered this confusion was deliberate. The pieces of the puzzle came together and I saw what the writer had hidden before.
And I liked that.… (plus d'informations)

Yan's story is intriguing and beautifully narrated. By using a limited omniscient narrator focused on one character at time the knowledge of the reader is kept limited and, therefore, leave you waiting for everything to come together in the end. However, despite the fascinating narrative voice, the story often times left something to be desired, specifically because you feel as if you have been thrust in to a completely different world, which, though it resembles our own, has it own rules and operations that are only somewhat explained.

The Lynchman's Owl is definitely worth a read for those who are interested in mysteries, but not necessiarily in the mood for a whodunit novel. The suspense is well crafted and the characters built with serious depth.

However, the second story contained in the volume, "Eye of the North Wind," I could not figure out in the slightest. The focus jumped around so much and the plot progression made little to no sense. When I got the final page I still had no idea what I was supposed to take away from the text.

So if you engage in this particular version of The Lynchman's Owl I would say the main story is well worth your time, but the additional text could easily be skipped over.… (plus d'informations)

The Lynchman’s Owl is an ongoing serial of novellas and this omnibus represents the first five episodes, with part six coming soon as a separate entity.

Twenty years ago the Lynchman’s Owl, a vigilante of sorts, wreaked havoc on the city and brought justice to those who’d sought to avoid it. Since that time the Owl has become something of a legend and a burden on the community, and the story begins when a mysterious man and called Bailey enters a bar and starts asking questions about it. Bailey soon teams up with a local patrolman called Breakerfast and his wife Alex. Their investigation takes them on a journey of discovery as they try and piece together the myth and whether the crimes in the local community are down to the Owl’s return or something else. Along the way, they encounter Madine, a student with idealist tendencies, a travelling circus and Hungary Mandalin, the fearsome and loathed baron of the local realm. The story is set in an unnamed country, city and time, although I would guess the period as Victorian in nature as there is electricity and everyone still travels by horse and carriage. It reminded me of the computer game Dishonoured in a way.

I can’t really say much more about the story without spoiling the plot, but all the characters are intertwined in interesting and sometimes unexpected ways. The characters are well drawn and each part of the collection focuses on a different one, so they all have a chance to shine.
Overall I enjoyed the story a lot and thought it was cleverly put together. There are many twists and turns along the way so you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next and to whom. Minor characters who are initially seemingly only there to expand the world building gain in importance as the story progresses and their motives become clearer.

So, that all sounds great so why only three stars? The main problem with the collection I have is one of style. Lynchman’s Owl feels very ‘wordy’, with many long and convoluted sentences and too many words packed into them. Writers are repeatedly told to ‘show, not tell’, but I feel this went a bit too far in that direction. As a consequence, it makes the narrative very dense and sometimes difficult to focus on the pertinent bits within. Description is important, of course, to give a flavour of the surroundings and the actions of the characters, but personally, I think too much of it can slow everything down at the expense of the story.
On the plus side, it is consistent throughout the collection and the dialogue style matches the narrative. So if you like this style of writing, then there’s plenty here to enjoy.
The story is told using narration to the reader, sometimes directly (as in ‘this may become important later, as we shall see’) which is fine by me. It’s been a while since I read a novel from this perspective so it was something of a refreshing change.

Overall I have mixed feelings about this collection, but as you can pick up part one for $0.99 it’s probably worth checking out to see if it might be for you or not.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review

Note: since I wrote this review, an updated version has been released with some minor edits for readability and spelling.
… (plus d'informations)

I was asked to review this by Librarything.com

What a really interesting book- I was a bit unsure about the cover - would I stop and buy at an airport or book store not sure on the strength of the cover. I was really glad I was given the chance to review.

This book really packed a punch rich in twists, turns and surprises along the way and keeps the reader moving fast. The reader thinks they have solved the plot then the reader is whisked in another direction.

I thoroughly recommend this book.… (plus d'informations)