This review is crossposted from my blog.
I’m sure you’ve read the "cover blurb", so it’s probably no surprise that this one comes with an adult content and a NSFW warning. More on this in the review.
I like this story a lot and I’ve meant to review it for a while, but for some reason I’m finding it hard, so here goes nothing . . .
Addergoole is set in a rather unusual finishing school. The main characters are three of the current year’s intake (aka the 5th cohort) and are apparently just pre-college in age (which is good given the erotic parts).
From the moment it becomes clear the school is literally underground you know it’s only going to get weirder. It soon turns out that all the students are Ellehemaei – inter-dimensional alien faeries – even though most – if not all – of the fifth cohort know that yet. And by human standards Ellehemaei society is very twisted.
The Ellehemaei have great power, but with this great power comes an almighty bitch slap from the Universe in the form of The Law. These people have to watch what they say because even casual promises or statements made without knowing the consequences will be supernaturally enforced by the universe.
For goodness sake don’t say you belong to someone.
Which brings us to the erotica. The adult material in Addergoole is all well-marked and can, so far at least, easily be skipped. Which is good, if like me you don’t like that sort of thing. And skimming and skipping it does not impede understanding the story.
The storyline is fairly light so far even though this is undeniably dark fantasy. Mostly it’s been twisted romance with a little bit of other stuff thrown in – twisted because Ellehemaei romance is not remotely normal by human standards. That’s part of what makes it fun. Anyway this seems set to change soon – an external threat is in place to rear its head and I think that can only make a good story better.
There layout isn’t my favourite, but it’s clear to read and easy to navigate so I have no complaints either. There is the occasional error or typo, but Lyn is quick to correct them when they’re pointed out to her. Indeed one of things I like is the way Lyn interacts with her readers. It makes a fun story even more fun.
The first chapter isn’t very good at all but the writing improves rapidly after that, so please don’t let it put you off.
Another plus is that it updates regularly – though there is a short two-week hiatus between ‘books’ coming up. On the upside this means it’s an excellent time to start reading because new readers will have time to get through the backlog before the next section starts. And there will still be bonus material posted in this time.
Summary: Addergoole is an entertaining fantasy which I enjoy a great deal. I think it will not be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s certainly to mine. It’s worth a look.
4 of 4 members found this review helpful.
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Currently, I am only 15 chapters into the first book of Addergoole, but it’s a fascinating read. There are quite a few reads on the internet that cover fae-in-high-school or the magical coming-of-age style of story, but Addergoole is definitely one of the most sophisticated of these stories.
The basic storyline follows three youngsters who have recently joined the Addergoole School, whose students and staff all have ‘special abilities’. Over the course of the story, we discover that the denizens of Addergoole are all different kinds of fae, and that the students are to be trained in their various powers.
At this stage in the book, more sinister goings on are hinted at in the background. The book is well paced, and the characters are believable within their situation. There is an element of sexual tensions and dealing with sexuality as a theme, but unlike other serials, you’re never slapped in the face with it. Readers are made aware of it, but the writing is always very clever.
As of writing this review, I still have another two and a half books ahead of me, but I am certainly looking forward to ploughing through them!
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I was unsure about reading this story after reading ToMU and seeming countless stories about going off to college, but decided to give it a shot based on the reviews posted. It was definitely worthwhile and different enough from other coming-of-age stories to be original. The three main characters are rather serious, level-headed and complex, and the world they enter is mysterious with a sinister edge that colors their interpersonal relationships with the existing community and their growing self-knowledge.
I’ve read through chapter 20 and found myself engaged and intrigued. While I did enjoy things overall, I was often frustrated by trying to remember and keep straight in my head the overwhelming number of characters intrduced in a very short time frame. I also mentally scoffed at the absurdly small amount of info given to the new students about their undoubtably unusual new home. I found it difficult to believe that none of them, while attempting to puzzle things out on their own, even considered asking the administration or older students for some answers, point blank. So, not only was I frustrated by their actions, I was frustrated on my own behalf, because by the time I got through all the posted chapters I was itching for more info about the strange school and its policies. In the end, despite my frustration, or maybe because of it, I will continue to check for new installments of this story; it’s too much fun to give up on.
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