Melissa’s Review: Champion by Claudette Cruz

Champion
written by Claudette Cruz
published by Claudette Cruz, 2015

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Book Depository, Goodreads

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange  for an honest review.

Did I enjoy this book: There’s a lot you can do with 55 pages, but Cruz didn’t do enough. I was expecting a short, sweet story, and I got that; it’s actually a great story arc. But. I don’t expect less characterization from a novella just because it’s short, and I feel that’s where Cruz’s story is severely lacking. One or two details about someone does not a rounded character make, and as I’ve said before: you could be telling me the worst story I’ve ever heard, but if you write your characters well, I’m IN.

I felt like I was reading an outline of the real novel (please? maybe? could there possibly be a more in-depth draft out there?), and again, while I enjoyed the story, I didn’t have any emotional attachment to the characters.

Would I recommend it: If you want an evening read you won’t have to worry about crying over, go for it. But if you’re the sort of reader who wants to, nay, NEEDS to get emotionally invested, I’d give it a pass.

About the book – from Goodreads: Young Prince Eneir has always felt the lure of the mysterious forests surrounding his home of Dancia. If his parents hadn’t died before their time, he would have understood why: fairies have waited for a hundred years for the coming of a new champion for the Light in its eternal battle against the Darkness. That champion should have been him. The beautiful siren Serpeth knows nothing of prophecies: all she wants is to escape the pirates who have captured her and go home. But when her path crosses that of the runaway prince, she is outraged that a human would be trusted with such an important task. As she becomes familiar with the fairies’ desperate struggle to save the world, she decides to join them in their quest to train Eneir to become Champion. Join Serpeth the siren and Prince Eneir as they fight forces of Dark to restore balance to the world.