Change of Chaos (Change, #1)

by Jacinta Jade

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Change of Chaos in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Change of Chaos is Jacinta Jade’s debut novel, and I have to say that I am impressed. Jade took the concept of shifters and made it her own story, in a way I’ve rarely seen done (well) lately. Change of Chaos is a fantasy and young adult series (as she is absolutely going to continue this series, I hope) and it’s a pretty quick read overall. The world itself is immersive and extensive, making it the perfect escape for fantasy fans.



Change of Chaos is about a world similar to earth, only their humanoid race took a different evolutionary path. Instead of just being mere humans, this race has the ability to shift into another species, once they hit a certain age. This combined with their advanced technology makes them the clear winner (though they’re gracious enough to not actually state that fact).
It’s an interesting twist; shifts as an alien species. I’ve seen this only a couple of times before, and so far every time it’s been done it’s been wonderfully creative. In this world the animal each person shifts into is highly personal and individualized – it isn’t hereditary, but rather your personality finds a natural match or compliment in another species. I like this little twist, and kind of wish the author would have time to make a “what animal would you be” sort of quiz (yes, I’m that type of nerd).
I loved the main character in this series; Siray. She’s strong and feisty and even though she’s gone through hell she still finds the will to keep going. Her character’s transition and growth during the course of this one novel is impressive. She started out as a somewhat naive character, but after being kidnapped and tortured it’s safe to say she grew up quickly. But she didn’t let any of that break her; taking every opportunity offered to live her own life and make her own choices.
I actually almost feel like this novel could have gotten away with being split into two books; which isn’t a complaint of course. I love getting more book for my money! But there’s two distinct set of plots that occur, and there’s even a clean line between the two of them. The first is Siray’s normal life (which is quickly glossed over, included only to establish her character), and more importantly her flight with the resistance (most notably Braindan) for freedom. When I put it like that it doesn’t sound like much, but there’s actually quick a lot of risk and events that go on inside that description.
The second plot is more about Siray’s training to become part of the Resistance. While interesting it gets incredibly involved (which is actually really great to see), but in the end it almost felt like a different book from the one I started reading.
Both plots heavily influenced the advancement of Siray’s character, which really was the point of it all. While the focus was undoubtedly on her, we do get to know some of the other characters moving around in the world. I should mention that this results in a bit of a love triangle, which typically isn’t my favorite plot devices, but it could be worse (and no, I will not tell you which one I’m shipping).
The other highlight of this series has to be the fighting scenes. Jade does a wonderful job writing out action and fight scenes. I promise this book will get your heartbeat up during more than one point (more likely dozens). They’re clear and succinct, which is a difficult task to manage.
Change of Chaos is a great start to a new series. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Siray, the world she lives in, and the Resistance. I’ll admit I’m pretty anxious to get more information about everything, and am very happy the sequel is intended to come out soon.


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