The author, Morgan Rice, apparently a best-selling author who has been cranking
book series out. The book I named is the first of a six-book series
*shudder*
It's often said how hard it is to become a successful author but reading this book I have to wonder how hard could it be; or, if they're publishing stuff like this, what are they rejecting?
Looking at this author's bibliography, it's clear Rice is a big fan of
A Song of Ice and Fire with
titles like "A March of
Kings" and "A Feast of
Dragons" 🙄 But there is zero indication that she is otherwise influenced by George R. R. Martin, at least as far as writing style and quality are concerned. There are derivative elements such as the main character having a pet wolf and there being a giant wall that keeps out hostile forces.
Edit: I've since learned she self-publishes, which explains a lot. But good on her, I guess. I don't quite get why she's a best-seller, though.
Edit II: Here's a sample: