Review – Viper by Bex Hogan aka The best fantasy book of the year!

Viper (Isles of Storm and Sorrow #1)
by Bex Hogan
Release Date – April 18th 2018
Publisher – Orion Children’s Books
Buy – Amazon| Book Depository

Marianne has been training to be the Viper for her entire life – to serve and protect the King and the citizens of The Twelve Isles – but to become the Viper and protect the islands she loves she must find the strength to defeat her father. A new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas.

He will make me a killer.
Or he will have me killed.
That is my destiny.

Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.

But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.

He’s the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne’s father.

She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves – and perhaps even her life?

A brave heroine. An impossible dilemma. An epic new fantasy trilogy set on the high seas.

A debut author of 2019 to look out for. Bex Hogan has created a fantasy book like no other. I raced through this book, the characters, packed full of adventure, world building and a fierce female MC and pirates in YA. What could you not love in this book?! Nothing I tell you. Nothing.

The Viper, the deadliest ship on the seas and one to be feared across the entire of the Twelve Isles works for the King to dispose of his enemies. But It’s Captain is taking the law and his enemies into his own hands. Marianne, the Captain’s daughter knows all too well of the corruption, the fear and killing that is upon the ship that her father orchestrates. Her’s father’s dream is for her to take be become a Captain Adler, to be a Viper, and she has trained hard and proved that she can be that person her father can be proud of. But her downfall is that she refuses to kill. On the day of her Intiation, a task set by the Captain is to kill someone. Marianne has had enough, her father is evil and she needs to stop him. What if there something else inside of her that will help protect the Isles against him and destroy him forever. She refuses, she runs…to find out who she truly is.

Viper, a book in a league of it’s own. A fast-paced action packed adventure, a true voyage of discovery. This book really reminded me of the great voyage classsics like Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans or Sinbad. It had the feel for it and I used to love those when I was younger. (Yes they are very old films, but I used to love them as a child.) Bex creates such a sharp and vivid world, the world-building and imagery is second to none. There was so much beauty that could be taken from real life that inspired my visions of the world that Bex has created. My favourite Isle has to be the Fourth, the Floral Island, that’s where Marianne really flourished and became the great lady of the seas to destroy her father.

Marianne is strong-willed, fierce and courageus herione. She is inspired and one of my favourites heriones in YA. I love how kick-ass she is but she also is willing to admit her insecurities too. She continues to suprise you throughout the book, as Marianna is on a journey of self-discovery. But with Grace and Bronn of the Viper at her back, as well as allie’s Torin, the Kings son and his second Sharpe ready to fight with her. They became a family. As a reader, you can tell Bex’s down-to-earth nature in her writing. She really invested into all of her charcaters, capturing each of their strengths and purpose and genuine emotion and love for one another. I was afraid their might be a love-triangle, but that was avaoided and it was perfect. My favourite being Grace, a role-model, sort of like a sister when Marianne father wasn’t there, her trainer, and her guide in life. I wish we got to know Torin and Sharpe just that little bit more with thier forbidden romance as it was so emotional and cute. Maybe a novella Bex?

What a page-turner! A thrilling, heartbreaking and compelling fantasy novel. It’s on-the-edge-of-your-seat adventure, fast paced fantasy. Debut novelist, Bex Hogan is UK’s answer to Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black. Don’t miss this fantasy voyage.

Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Team BKMRK/Orion for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.