The Fourth Channel

The Fourth Channel is a book that amazed me and frustrated me in equal measures. After reading I'm still battling with how to explain how I feel. So here's my best attempt at sharing my reading thoughts with you.

Right off the bat, things were a little confusing. Despite this being a debut novel, Kari's story starts off in a place that feels very much like the middle of a book. I was thrown straight into the action and I floundered at the beginning. I felt stressed trying to catch up with who Kari was, why she so was special, and I wondered what I had missed.

However, the more I read, the easier it was to keep reading. The world built here is rich and vibrant, and once I understood the idea of channels, I loved the concept. Imagine a world where magic flows through everything. Where a necromancer can use that power to move the earth itself. It's an amazing idea, and I wanted to know so much more than I was given. Hopefully this is the first in a series so I can dive deeper!

I also found myself loving Kari as a character. She's funny, tough, and just emotional enough to show that she is human. The secret that she carries, her necromancer heritage, makes her an intriguing character to follow. I loved uncovering new parts of her as she interacted with her band mates, kicked some gratuitous butt, and solved the mystery happening right in front of her. Again, I would've loved to learn more about her, but she was the most well fleshed out of all the characters.

To be honest, the book really was a fun read. I just wish I would have been able to get more insight into Kari's past before I was thrown into it all. The Fourth Channel seems like it would work perfectly as the second book in a series. Perhaps we can get a prequel with more information about Kari, her family, and her powers? I feel like the lack of explanation is going to turn a lot of readers away from finishing, which is a shame because it truly is a great story! Very original.