This book .. took a long time for me to get into. It might be the use of German (I like foreign language in a book, though it does sometimes hinder reading it, as one tends simply to skip the non-recognisable words), or it might be the style, but the premise is top notch: German scientists have created super-youths and to hold their own in a World War II environment, the English have had to call upon their own warlocks, who demand a high price.Is it steampunk? An irrelevant question. It is a good read, being somewhat different, and I did find the writing quite evocative of that period (from what I've read in other books or seen in films). But it is the first of a trilogy .. and my heart sinks a little at that. However, if I find book two cheaply in a second hand bookshop, I probably will purchase it ... The thing that made it so hard to rate this one is how uneven I found it: there were moments I thought it was absolutely brilliant (if sometimes in a horrific way), and moments when I couldn't figure out what the story was even supposed to be. I think I was nearly halfway through before I really got a sense of how it all tied together. It averages out to the middle, but only because it's all over the place.
What do You think about Semillas Amargas (2013)?
Nazi X-Men vs Sociopathic Harry Potters. A cracking 'Weird World War' adventure. A guilty pleasure.
—mandyISlove
Psionic Nazis versus Eidolons of Allies. That is all there is to say.
—natasa
Great setup by the plot didn't live up to the promising start.
—gari
In spite of the title this isn't a book with much botany!
—kathrynschroederl
