Rating: 
Summary: Literary Fantasy Disguised As A Shoot-Em-Up
Review: Literary fantasy is a genre that is hard to find. Sometimes its worthless, sometimes its so-so, and sometimes it is good but boring. This book's biggest strength is that it is exciting and still works on many levels. It's a real adrenaline pumper. I can't wait for part 2.
Rating:
Summary: great speculative fiction
Review: One by one five humans from Earth are taken naked to a deserted beach and it is only as each one regains their wits that they realize they have died and gone to Heaven. However, Heaven is not the place of their dreams but a battle zone where demons are in control and pockets of angel resist trying to stem the tide of defeat. Nowhere in the realm is the Creator and the demon armies are very well organized making slaves out of humans.The five humans find an underground tunnel that will take them into the woods near Cibola, the citadel of angels, now run by varying demon armies. While in the tunnels they find perisceptors, weapons of light that can kill the demons but only one of the humans can wield that weapon with skill. When the angels see perisceptors they begin to believe that the humans are part of the prophecy that will restore the true order in the Heavens. The angels resent the humans and blame them for the present situation. This is not a typical good vs. evil work of speculative fiction but a case of wishing for the lesser evil is to triumph and win the war. The five humans all have a specific role to play and are the true stars of THE SHIVERED SKY because they are willing to fight for the light no matter how much they are hated and reviled. The demons will remind readers of the enemy in wartime. Matt Dinniman is one hell of, make that heavenly, fantastic storyteller. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: great speculative fiction
Review: One by one five humans from Earth are taken naked to a deserted beach and it is only as each one regains their wits that they realize they have died and gone to Heaven. However, Heaven is not the place of their dreams but a battle zone where demons are in control and pockets of angel resist trying to stem the tide of defeat. Nowhere in the realm is the Creator and the demon armies are very well organized making slaves out of humans. The five humans find an underground tunnel that will take them into the woods near Cibola, the citadel of angels, now run by varying demon armies. While in the tunnels they find perisceptors, weapons of light that can kill the demons but only one of the humans can wield that weapon with skill. When the angels see perisceptors they begin to believe that the humans are part of the prophecy that will restore the true order in the Heavens. The angels resent the humans and blame them for the present situation. This is not a typical good vs. evil work of speculative fiction but a case of wishing for the lesser evil is to triumph and win the war. The five humans all have a specific role to play and are the true stars of THE SHIVERED SKY because they are willing to fight for the light no matter how much they are hated and reviled. The demons will remind readers of the enemy in wartime. Matt Dinniman is one hell of, make that heavenly, fantastic storyteller. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Angels and Demons in a universe without God
Review: The plot has been discussed before, so I'll just talk about a couple small elements that have thus far not been touched upon. Although I was expecting much more, this book fascinated me. The descriptions of the angels closely matches their traditional counterparts, but I can't figure out why Dinniman didn't draw upon this same tradition for his descriptions of demons. One of the most depressing facets of the book is the fact that in effect God no longer exists. He doesn't appear at any point throughout the entire book, although he is perhaps mirrored in one character whom we meet towards the end. I understand that a war between angels and demons would be understandably shorter when God is fighting for the home team, but it was still a noticable absense. There is no hierarchy of demons either - Lucifer does not exist; instead, the demons are ruled by a council of twelve. Strange. BUT, if you take the book for a terrific story in a world which borrows elements from Christianity, then you'll enjoy yourself. When all is said and done, "The Shivered Sky" is more of a riff of Christianity than a mirror of Revelation that is the "Left Behind" series. While I'm still anxiously waiting for the book in which the war between Heaven and Hell is powerfully written about, I'll definitely read "The Shivered Sky" while I'm waiting.
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Summary: Winner of the Imdateless.Com's Book of Three Award
Review: The Shivered Sky by Matt Dinniman is an epic adventure set in a created mythology about heaven and everything in the afterlife. It follows the adventure of 5 recently dead teenagers in their search for answers to who they are, what they are doing there, and how they can play a part in setting things in motion to the final balancing. While he tries hard to develop well rounded characters, his eclectic writing style, jumping back and forth between scenes, balancing equal coverage for all the key players, it makes it almost impossible to make lasting connections with any of the characters. The constant jumping from scene to scene yields dizzying effect, seeped in confusion, and creating a fast paced "page turning" read. It parallels such adventures as the hobbit and To Reign in Hell, with strong undercurrents in every directions, and commentaries and philosophical profundities: Making this book the recipient of the Imdateless.Com's book of three award.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent fantasy epic
Review: This book kept me gripped all the way through, with a brilliant plot and identifiable characters. The author creates an awesome atmosphere with heaps of great description and imagery and plenty of plot twists.
I don't normally read fantasy books at all, but this book has introduced me perfectly to the genre, and i look forward to reading more books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent fantasy epic
Review: This book kept me gripped all the way through, with a brilliant plot and identifiable characters. The author creates an awesome atmosphere with heaps of great description and imagery and plenty of plot twists.
I don't normally read fantasy books at all, but this book has introduced me perfectly to the genre, and i look forward to reading more books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: Where do you go when you die? In Matt Dinniman's first (I think) novel, you go to a place torn in war, a heaven divided by defeated angels and battle-hardened demons. But the line between good and evil blurs. Told from the point of view of five humans who are thrust into the amazing power struggle. It's essentially a novel about war in heaven, and the battle scenes are some of the best I've ever read. Epic in many ways. Very, very good.
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