Blog Tour: Tournament of Chance by S.G. Rogers (Review + Tens List + Giveaway)

Published: September 28^th, 2012 (Musa Publishing)

Pages: 273

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

In the Kingdom of Destiny, King Chance decreed any female be she high or low born may earn a place at court by winning an archery competition known as the Tournament of Chance. Although no commoner has ever won before, this is Heather’s year. To prevent her from winning the tournament, however, King Chance will stop at nothing. The king does not yet realize Heather of the Jagged Peaks will be the spark that ignites a revolution — in time. [Description from Goodreads]

Heather is a spitfire, backwater girl who knows how to wield a bow and arrow. She’s always dreamed of living in the ornate palace she visited as a child, and if she wins the Tournament of Chance, she can fulfill that dream. But when the tournament turns into an uproar, little does she know that she’s about to be swept into a mission much more daring and significant than her own.

I’m not really one for fantasy, so it’s all the more surprising that I liked this book. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but as the story progressed, I got more and more engrossed in it. It grew on me, you could say. I felt like the plot has many layers that continued to be pulled back and revealed, and each one delighted me more than the last. And each plot twist was completely unexpected. That’s probably one of the things that kept me hooked throughout the story. Every chapter held something new…dragons, trolls, volcanos, time travel.

I didn’t completely connect with Heather, but I loved her bravery, her stubbornness, and her independence. Her character, as well as her fiery red hair, reminded me of Merida from Brave.  Dane, in all his superiority and moodiness, was actually rather attractive as a character. He was like a medieval Mr. Darcy type, and I kind of liked that. I might even steal that kind of character someday for a novel, because it would be awfully fun to write someone like him. I found the rest of the crew funny and entertaining, especially Gumm the troll. The fairies, despite the way they were portrayed, were a favorite of mine, too.

I did have some minor qualms, though. The whole “dragon transformation” and use of magic seemed a little corny at times. Ok, maybe all the time, but I tried to not let it bother me. On the bright side, S. G. Rogers completely developed her world of Omaria, which I really appreciated. Her observance to detail and consistency made the book that much more impressive.

When it comes down to it, Tournament of Chance is a very-well done fantasy. I loved the combo of action and romance, and the plot twists kept me coming back for more. I would recommend this to older teens as well as middle-grade readers in a heartbeat. It’s a fun, adventurous tale that will keep you laughing the whole way through.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Mild (Only a few minor words)

Violence: Mild (action violence)

Sexual: Mild (A kiss or two)

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Author S.G. Rogers shares her top ten favorite movies with us:

Favorite Flicks by S.G. Rogers

I adore movies. Movies that combine serious with comedic moments tend to rise to the top of my list, but sometimes very serious and ultra-silly movies do too. Here are ten of my all-time favorites:

1) The Great Escape (1963) – Irrepressible humor and indomitable spirit in the face of horrific circumstances. I hope nobody ever tries to remake this brilliant film.

2) Airplane! (1980) – An absolutely ridiculous movie riddled with sophomoric humor.  Right up my alley.

3) The Three Musketeers (1973)/The Four Musketeers (1974) – Two films, I know, but inseparable. Michael York plus swordplay sets my little heart aflutter.

4) Oklahoma! (1955) – Corny but classic, with great music.  Gordon MacRae was a hunk of man, might I add.

5) Star Trek (2009) – The bit between McCoy, Kirk, Uhura, and Captain Pike as Kirk fights his allergic reaction to an inoculation is pure filmatic genius.

6) Battlestar Galactica (2003) – This pilot for the mini-series had it all.  Twists, turns, subtext, conflict… and Jamie Bamber. 

7) White Nights (1985) – The scene in which a Russian defector (Mikhail Baryshnikov) realizes his plane is being forced to land in the U.S.S.R. always gives me goosebumps.  Awesome dance sequences, too.

8) Oliver! (1968) – Shucks, who doesn’t adore a movie about an adorable orphan who wants to be loved? Fabulous musical numbers and star performances.

9) Aliens (1986) – This film falls into the end of the serious range, but it does have some funny moments – particularly amongst the mercenaries.  If you don’t break a sweat when watching this movie, you lack sweat glands.

10) Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – Almost every Hayao Miyazaki film is wonderful, but the fabulous and fashion-forward Wizard Howl has a particularly memorable flair. His character is flawed in a painfully self-centered way, but Howl comes around in the end. The animation is astounding in its beauty, and every time I watch this movie, I enjoy the journey.

~Giveaway~

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