A Feast of Phantoms by Kat Ross - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway
A Feast of Phantoms
Kat Ross
(Lingua Magika, #1)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: February 18th 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk
Lingua Magika is Kat’s latest series, a fast-paced Western steampunk fantasy with a dash of romance and adventure! A Feast of Phantoms is Book #1, with at least two more to follow.THE JOBIt was supposed to be simple.Help Marshal Sebastian Hardin escort his prisoner one stop on the railway to Charter Oak.Just one stop.But when that prisoner is a savant who talks to ghosts, even the simplest plans have a way of falling apart.THE LAWSheriff’s Deputy Ruth Cortez always does the right thing. Lucky Boy is a company town, dependent on the rich and powerful Carnarvon family. Besides which, the charismatic Sebastian Hardin isn’t an easy man to say no to. When his transport derails in the middle of the prairie, Ruth begins a relentless manhunt that leads straight into the dark heart of the Carnarvon empire.THE FUGITIVELee Merriweather favors sharp suits and fast trains – especially when he’s stealing them. At the ripe old age of 18, he’s managed to become the most wanted criminal in three territories. Lee can’t resist playing cat and mouse with a small-town deputy, but what starts as a game becomes deadly serious.THE FIXERSebastian Hardin is the Carnarvons’ right hand, loyal to the death and willing to keep any secret to protect the family. They want Lee alive, but with the young savant’s disturbing abilities it won’t be an easy proposition. Whoever catches Lee gets the keys to the kingdom and the Carnarvons aren’t the only ones hunting him down. Sebastian has enough problems without falling for Deputy Cortez – but you can’t always choose who you love.THE PHANTOMSThey terrorized the settlers until Calindra Carnarvon learned to speak their language. Her empire relies on controlling their telekinetic powers, but Lee Merriweather could destroy it all. And not even Lee suspects the shocking truth of the phantoms’ real nature.
My Review
A Feast of Phantoms is the first book in the Lingua Magika series, and it's definitely a fun, fast-paced read that will suck you right in and make you feel as though you've been transported back to the Old West.. If the Old West had phantoms and steampunk elements, of course.
Normally, steampunk is a genre that's hit or miss with me, and I rarely, if ever, read anything deemed Western (or set in the Old West), but as a Kat Ross fan, I figured I'd give it a whirl. I'm so happy I did.
I absolutely adored Ruth. She may only be eighteen, but she's a tough cookie who doesn't let anyone lead her astray. She's a stickler for the rules (maybe like 99.9% of the time), she's stronger than she looks, and she's a bit relentless when she has a task to complete. I wanted to be her friend.
Sebastian, who happens to recruit Ruth for a mission, is a bit opposite her. He's a little older, a bit more lax when it comes to following rules to a T, and he likes to keep things close to the vest.
Lee is a fun guy. He's a fugitive on the run. He's powerful. And he just doesn't care about much at all. Except clearing his name for crimes he's adamant he didn't commit.
There are a handful of other characters throughout the book that readers will either like or despise (and one I think most people will absolutely hate with a fiery passion). They're all well-written, fleshed-out characters that make the whole book a great read.
While the whole phantom aspect is a little hard to follow at first, once the story gets going, it all sort of comes together and clicks, and I found myself curious to know more about the types of phantoms. Especially Doc and Roger.
The world-building is vivid and immersive, and I could easily imagine myself traveling via train through open prairie lands into the city. It's all a fascinating mish-mash of technology, steampunk, and fantastical creatures. I quite enjoyed it.
Can't wait for book 2!
4.5 stars from me!
Author Bio:Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She’s the author of the Fourth Element and Fourth Talisman fantasy series, the Gaslamp Gothic paranormal mysteries, and the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Check out Kat’s Pinterest page for the people, places and things that inspire her books.
4 Comments
This sounds so unique and very well written overall! I love a complex world building! Glad you liked it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm definitely a fan. :)
DeleteThanks, Jasmine, so happy you liked it! It was fun to start a whole new series and world, can’t wait to start writing the next one!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! :) Looking forward to book two!
DeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.