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110196541X
| 9781101965412
| 110196541X
| 4.42
| 18,616
| Jul 03, 2018
| Jan 29, 2019
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really liked it
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4.5/5 stars Age of War is the best of the series so far. And it is also among Sullivan’s list of best novels. “If there is one thing I have learned,4.5/5 stars Age of War is the best of the series so far. And it is also among Sullivan’s list of best novels. “If there is one thing I have learned, it is that people will astound you. But the moment they do, or shortly after, you will realize you should not have been surprised. Ultimately, the problem was you, not them.” Maybe the problem lies in me, indeed, but despite my enjoyment of the previous two books in The Legends of the First Empire, Age of Myth and Age of Swords, I honestly never felt fully in love with the series. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. After I finished Age of War, the third volume and the halfway point of the series, I can undoubtedly say I am immensely invested in the series now. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the second half of The Legends of the First Empire will convince me to put the series on my list of favorite series. For now, I will say this, Age of War astounded me on many levels. It has the potential to become the best of the entire series, and it is one of Sullivan's best works. But thinking about it, it shouldn't have surprised me that I would love Age of War. Sullivan has mentioned Age of War works, in a way, as a concluding installment; it concluded the first half of the series. And if you've read The Riyria Revelations, then you will know just how damn good Sullivan is at writing a concluding volume. Even if that "concluding" volume isn't technically the last volume of the series. “So often I have heard that war is a noble and necessary thing, the answer to many problems. But I have found that when war becomes a reality, peace becomes the noble and necessary thing because there is no problem greater than war.” Age of War continues from where Age of Swords left off. And as the title implies, even if you haven’t started reading the series yet, I think you will know instantly that this novel, unlike the previous two books, will be a novel that revolves heavily around a war. If you take a look at the gorgeous cover art of Age of War, illustrated by Marc Simonetti, you will also realize that the time of the climactic confrontations between the humans and elves teased since Age of Myth is finally here. And it is not an exaggeration to say that I had a blast reading every page of Age of War. It is emotional, filled with many iconic scenes, and it tackles the themes of leadership, love, responsibilities, sacrifices, and war incredibly well. More importantly, as the third volume of a six books series, the overall quality of Age of War exceeded my expectations in every possible way. Picture: Age of War by Marc Simonetti [image] “Death is inescapable. Everyone spends their days, buying unrealized dreams. I gambled mine on hope, not for myself, but for all those who would follow.” I've mentioned many times that Sullivan is one of the best authors at writing believable women with great characterizations in the fantasy genre. He has proven this in The Riyria Revelations, and he has proven this as well in The Legends of the First Empire so far. But even then, I've also mentioned that one of my issues with Age of Swords was how unbalanced the characterizations for the male and female characters were. To put it simply, before Age of War, almost all the men in the series, especially Raithe, were either unlikeable or forgettable. And I'm not saying that in a good way at all. Other than Gifford, Malcolm, and Tesh, I don't think there were any intriguing male characters in the series. Age of War changed this. It handled the balance of developing ALL the main characters magnificently. Persephone, Suri, Arion, Roan, and many more women in the series have received much focus, and I'm pleased with that. But I'm also delighted to see the men in the series transformed into memorable and well-developed characters in Age of War. “I truly believe that hardship makes better people. Pain—assuming that it does not break us—provides the strength of knowing that such things can be endured and overcome. And I know of no one who suffered more than Gifford.—THE BOOK OF BRIN” Among many things to do with the characters, I loved reading about Raithe's and Suri’s friendship in Age of War. Gifford was admirable as a character, and Tesh was insanely likable. I disliked Persephone's treatment of Raithe in this book, but I still understood her reasons. Everything is fruitful to the narrative. Whether I agree or not with the character's actions, there were so many things Sullivan did right with the characters and the spotlight given to them in Age of War, definitely much better than the ones showcased in the previous two books. Remember, I was one of the readers disappointed with Raithe's development in the series. There was nothing special about him, and he was supposed to be one of the main characters! Here, I loved his character's arc. However, if you ask me who are my favorite characters in the series, I will instantly choose Tesh, Malcolm, Suri, and Gifford. I wish I could tell you the details of the events and their actions in Age of War, all the badass moments, and the hardships they endured, but this is something you have to read and find out for yourself. Instead, I will say this. There were two things I loved most about reading Age of War, and one of them can be surmised as every scene involving Tesh, Malcolm, Suri, and Gifford. The other one? The entirety of the second half of Age of War. “Most of the time people just lack confidence. Doubt kills any chance they might have. People believe magic is impossible, and so it is because they refuse to try, or if they do try it’s only half-hearted because they know—deep down, they know—they can’t. Sometimes all a person of talent needs is a little encouragement and someone—sometimes anyone—believing in them. Avalanches have been caused by the tossing of a pebble, and miracles have come from wishful thinking that just happened to spill out in words.” I totally did not expect this. I know Sullivan is awesome at plotting, characterizations, and delivering satisfying storylines. However, if there’s one thing about Age of War that completely took me by surprise, and I’ve read every book in The Riyria Revelations twice and The Riyria Chronicles, it was how well-written the action scenes were. Age of War has amazing war scenes and set pieces. The entire second half of Age of War was an all-out war with relatively brief moments of respite, and even though I consider Sullivan one of my favorite authors, I never thought of him as an action-scene writer. But with the devastations, tactics, momentum building, and the rewarding character's arc incorporated into the war sequence in Age of War, I am happy to say I was wrong. In Age of War, Sullivan once again exhibited why he is one of the masters in writing conclusions. I seriously did not expect Sullivan could pull off something like this. Intensity, vivid scenes, fist-pumping and heartbreaking moments were not missing from the big war scenes—with engaging twists and turns—in Age of War. It was impressive and immersive, and it made me excited to read the next three books in the series even more than before. “The Battle of Grandford is remembered in song and story; a legend of mythic heroes and villains, an allegory of truth and courage; a rallying cry for a people. It is important to know that the Battle of Grandford got its name and reputation months after the fighting ended, bestowed by people who were not there.” Lastly, this will sound repetitive, but I have to mention once more that my experience of reading this book and series is influenced and enhanced through reading—at least—The Riyria Revelations first. I cannot go into details on this, as it will spoil events from this book and The Riyria Revelations. But there were many Easter Eggs and truths behind some characters' actions that felt more interesting to witness because I've read The Riyria Revelations and The Riyria Chronicles first. For example, I already had a feeling I knew who Malcolm was after I finished reading Age of Swords, but after Age of War, I am 99% convinced of his real identity. And trust me on this, if you've read The Riyria Revelations first, you will LOVE reading Malcolm's story as well. That's all I can say, and I think I've already said more than enough on this. Bottom line, even though The Legends of the First Empire can be read without any knowledge of the Riyria books, I still would recommend you to read The Riyria Revelations first. “Getting older, Mawyndulë, is like climbing a mountain. The higher you go, the greater the view. From time to time, you look back. At such heights, you can see paths behind you: the trails you took and the ones you foolishly disregarded; the blind alleys you fortunately missed, purely out of chance rather than by some greater wisdom on your part. You also spot others following you, people making the same stupid decisions. From your elevated position, you witness their bad choices, the ones they can’t see because they aren’t standing where you are. You could shout down, attempt to warn them, but they rarely listen. They are too blinded by the indisputable fact that the path you followed got you where you are, to the place they want to be.” Age of War is easily my favorite installment of the series so far, and I am unsure whether any books in the rest of the series can top it. Age of War tells a compelling story of unlikely heroes participating in a devastating war. The first half can be surmised as the calm before the storm, but the second half of the volume was embedded with action sequences, sacrifices, and battles against overwhelming odds. But as Brin said, heroes are those who refuse to create or become victims. Not exclusively in this book or series, but I think we, in our world, also live among heroes. I loved Age of War, and I look forward to reading Age of Legends soon. I sincerely hope the second half (or the final book) of the series will be able to top Age of War. But if by the end of the series, Age of War became the peak quality of the series for me, I wouldn't be surprised. It was that good. "When people are happy, they can become deaf. I don't know why that is, but I've noticed it to be true. Misery helps us hear. We notice more when we're in pain. We see beauty more clearly, hear the sufferings of others more loudly. Since you pulled me back, every sunrise is so much brighter, every breeze a delight. I think people who survive tragedy aren't so much scarred as they are cleansed. The wax comes out of their ears and the clouds leave their eyes. The barriers between them and the world are reduced.” You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Amanda, Annabeth, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lana, Leigh, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Nanette, Neeraja, Nicholas, Reno, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 11, 2022
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Oct 14, 2022
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Feb 09, 2021
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Mass Market Paperback
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B014WOCH0A
| 4.38
| 18,689
| Oct 15, 2015
| Oct 15, 2015
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it was amazing
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The Death of Dulgath is the best volume in The Riyria Chronicles so far. There’s no way I’m starting this review without mentioning my admiration of th The Death of Dulgath is the best volume in The Riyria Chronicles so far. There’s no way I’m starting this review without mentioning my admiration of the gorgeous cover art illustrated by Marc Simonetti. My co-blogger—TS—own the limited hardcover edition of The Death of Dulgath and The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter, and wow, they’re stunning. I’m actually sad that I don’t have the means to own those editions. THIS is the cover art that The Riyria Revelations and the first two books in The Riyria Chronicles deserve, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed these books will receive the Simonetti cover art treatment. “What else is there to hope for with any art? To capture not just truth but a truth worthy of display, one that provides comfort, joy, or understanding, and moves the heart or makes it pause.” I’ve been doing my best to prolong my journey through The Riyria Chronicles, and it’s bittersweet that I have only one published book in the series left to read now. I loved this installment so much; I loved The Death of Dulgath even more than The Crown Tower, and I’m sure on a reread after I finished The Legends of the First Empire I’m going to love it even more. I sound like a broken record, but I’m repetitively impressed by what Sullivan did with this series of standalone prequel novels to The Riyria Revelations. I won’t claim The Riyria Chronicles as one of the most mind-blowing or epic fantasy series out there; it’s not that kind of fantasy series. However, every installment in The Riyria Chronicles keeps on achieving one rare feat: they make me feel good. “Hadrian had never witnessed Royce laughing in good humor. When he laughed, babies cried.” Nysa Dulgath is the last member of the oldest family in Alvyn, and she’s targeted for assassination. Three times they tried to kill her, and now a professional is hired to destroy this plot. Enter our beloved Riyria duo, they’ve been partnered for three years now, and now they’re asked to prevent the murder of Nysa Dulgath. The previous two books in The Riyria Chronicles can be considered as a duology that depicted the origin story of Hadrian and Royce. The Death of Dulgath is the third installment in The Riyria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan, and this book marks the first time this prequel series truly moves towards a more standalone approach with the narrative. Although I mentioned reading this book and series made me feel good, do not let it fool you into thinking that The Death of Dulgath or the previous books was ever lacking in necessary tension, conflicts, and compelling mystery. There weren’t many battle scenes per se, but the characterizations and storytelling remained engaging throughout the entire novel. The meaning of art, good and evil, friendship, love, history, and beliefs were some of the driving themes of The Death of Dulgath, and they’re handled incredibly well. “But everyone believes in something, you know? And what we choose to believe in says a lot—not only about the kind of people we are, but about the kind of people we want to be, and the kind of world we want to live in.” I personally think that just because The Death of Dulgath worked nicely as a standalone novel, if possible, please do not make this your first Riyria novel. You have to read Riyria’s previous adventures in order to understand this duo further. Similar to The Rose and the Thorn, Royce is once more the leading main character here, and I’m gratified by it. Royce’s characterizations and development in The Death of Dulgath were phenomenal, and it makes me excited to read through The Riyria Revelations again. Sullivan continuously built upon what happened in the previous two books, and The Riyria Revelations, and he developed both Royce and Hadrian so believably. The gradual influence and effect of being close with Hadrian and Gwen transformed Royce into a more compelling character, and this progress was exhibited magnificently. “I just never noticed how little of me existed before. I was a shadow without a person.” And the same notion applied to Hadrian. This kind-hearted and powerful warrior may be more than capable of killing anyone in his path, but without Royce, Hadrian would probably end up dead already from being too kind. And without Hadrian, Royce would just straight up turned evil. I do believe their characterizations and developments in The Death of Dulgath and The Riyria Chronicles were the things I needed to make me fall in love with The Riyria Revelations quicker. Don’t get me wrong; I loved The Riyria Revelations so much, but it wasn’t until the last omnibus that I fell head over heel for it. “Believing the worst of people, of the world in general, was a trap too easy to fall into. Hadrian had fought beside soldiers who'd developed similar views. Such men saw evil and virtue as concepts of naïveté. In their minds, there was no such thing as murder, a killing was just something you did when circumstances warranted. The standalone approach to the storytelling style doesn’t diminish the high level of characterizations given to the characters. It’s easy for me to say this was proven through Royce and Hadrian’s characterizations, which would, of course, be true. But what’s even more awesome is the level of care given to the new characters that appeared in The Death of Dulgath for the first time. Sherwood’s depression and passion for painting were palpable; Scarlett’s development throughout the novel made me care more and more for her; Fawkes is one of Sullivan’s most despicable characters so far; the character of Nysa Dulgath was so fascinating to read. Somehow, it seems like Sullivan was able to get across the characterizations of these new characters as efficiently and effectively as possible. “We are more than the bodies we inhabit… They're little more than clothes, and yet we judge so much by them.” The Death of Dulgath isn’t a big book; it’s about 400 pages long, and this fact astounded me. Sullivan is an author that keeps on getting better with each book; the pacing was superbly done, the narration was captivating, and the accessible prose was so well-polished. The positive things I mentioned in this review earlier, the amount of world-building, history, and revelations (or references) regarding the history of Elan was successfully implemented here. Yes, this book contained plenty of interesting history that correlates to The Legends of the First Empire series. I’ve read only Age of Myth, and I’m enthralled by the Easter Eggs I noticed already. Words like Fhrey and maybe even characters from The Legends of First Empire—I could be mistaken; I need to read more of the series to be sure—were integrated the story seamlessly. I will go back to this book again after I’ve read the entirety of The Legends of the First Empire. “Many important events in history occurred in less-than-ideal fashion but were corrected in recollection.” Imbued with the precise balance of danger, revelations, humor, friendship, loss, love, and hope, The Death of Dulgath is another engrossing feel-good fantasy novel. I honestly believe it deserves a spot in my list of favorite books. The careful planning that Michael—and Robin—Sullivan displayed in this novel—every book in The Riyria Chronicles and The Riyria Revelations really—towards the plotting, characters, and world-building of Elan established that they have a clear grasp and vision of this world. And I have no doubt this notion will further be amplified once I’ve read through The Legends of the First Empire and the newly released series in Elan: The Rise and Fall. This review sounds like I’m saying goodbye to The Riyria Chronicles or something, but I’m not; I still have one more published book left in the series to read. I undoubtedly look forward to reading the next adventure of Hadrian and Royce in The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter, and every subsequent book in The Riyria Chronicles whenever they’re ready. “Usually to make something truly great, you need to start from scratch, Royce remembered him saying. You need to break everything down, strip away the impurities, and it takes great heat to do that, but once you do, then the building can start. The result can seem miraculous, but the process—the process is always a bitch.” You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Shaad, Summer, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 12, 2021
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Aug 13, 2021
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Feb 09, 2021
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Kindle Edition
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B00BAXFD5I
| 4.40
| 27,874
| Sep 17, 2013
| Sep 17, 2013
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really liked it
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4.5/5 stars The cover art to The Rose and the Thorn is atrocious, but let’s not judge a book by its cover. “The right word, said at the right mo4.5/5 stars The cover art to The Rose and the Thorn is atrocious, but let’s not judge a book by its cover. “The right word, said at the right moment, can work magic, he was fond of saying. You merely need to understand power, where it comes from, and the direction it flows.” Two persons genuinely surprised me. First, the cover artist has outdone himself; I thought the cover art he did for The Riyria Revelations and The Crown Tower was bad already. But no, he has created a masterfully inferior cover art; this is one of the worst cover arts I’ve ever seen. Who the heck are the two dudes in the cover art? That is not Royce; that’s Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Recreation. And that is not Hadrian; that’s Christian Bale, and I’m not sure he realized his left hand will bleed from holding the sword like that. I’ll have to give the benefit of the doubt here, the cover artist probably misheard The Rose and the Thorn as The Gross and the Thorn, and he successfully nailed it. But enough about that. Despite how much I want a new cover art to grace these books, I’m judging the book based on the content, and the next person that surprised me with this book is obviously Michael Sullivan himself. ‘“Because that’s what people do. They help each other. If you saw a man lying in the road with an arrow in him, you’d stop, wouldn’t you?” The Rose and the Thorn is the second book in The Riyria Chronicles series. One year has passed since the event of The Crown Tower, and upon their arrival back at Medford, Royce and Hadrian found out that their friend has been treated very unkindly. Remember that Royce and Hadrian don’t have many friends. Think about it; Royce and Hadrian becoming a duo is a miracle already. Now, imagine what happens when someone badly treats a rare friend they treasure; you can rest assured that these two will stop at nothing to make sure that the perpetrator received the retribution they deserve. This is undoubtedly another heartwarming and compelling volume about love, friendship, wealth, revenge, destiny, loyalty, and kindness. “Even if you’re doing it for selfish reasons, you’re still helping to save his life. It just goes to show that good can come from helping a stranger, and it proves that the world isn’t so bad after all.” I thought I couldn’t get more invested with these characters, and I couldn’t be more wrong, AGAIN. Entertaining dialogues are one of Sullivan’s main forte as a storyteller, and the banter between Royce and Hadrian continues to be delightful as always. It’s worth noting that unlike The Crown Tower where most of the story was told through Hadrian and Gwen’s POV, in The Rose and the Thorn Sullivan included more POV characters. Also, more important characters from The Riyria Revelations are here in their younger state. Initially, I did feel a bit impatient because I wanted more of Hadrian’s POV; this is more of a Royce and Reuben’s book, and the Riyria duo didn’t have as many appearances as I preferred in the first half of the novel. Fortunately, Reuben’s origin story ended up winning me over, too. The characterizations in this prequel series totally outshone The Riyria Revelations, and I wish I had read this prequel series first before reading The Riyria Revelations. The two books that I’ve read so far have given so much extra depth and background to the characters of The Riyria Revelations; this was especially evident for Hadrian, Royce, Gwen, and Reuben. “In Royce’s eyes she could see the pain of struggling to survive reflected back. They were the same, two pieces of wood from different worlds but whose grain lined up, and it was then she knew she was falling in love.” I mean, wow. With context, the passage above hits powerfully. I can’t believe Sullivan could write as good as that. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this prequel series is more well-written than The Riyria Revelations because The Riyria Chronicles is written after it. However, for an unplanned series, it’s astounding that it never felt like it. The plotting and character’s development felt like Sullivan has planned this since the start of The Riyria Revelations. The story in this book takes place eleven years before the events in Theft of Swords. And as I said, Arista, Alric, Albert, Reuben, and other characters and names we’ve seen in The Riyria Revelations made their appearances here; the progression felt so well-realized and related to the main series. “One day you'll remember this moment. It will have faded to a mere wisp, a ghost of a long-forgotten past, but it will return to you.” Admittedly, the resolution to the conflict of The Rose and the Thorn felt a bit underwhelming to me; The Crown Tower has a memorably stronger wrap-up. But I want to make it clear that Sullivan shows great growth in his storytelling. Two things that bothered me several times in The Riyria Revelations were the foreshadowing and the lack of Royce’s actions despite his infamous name. -On the first point, I found that Sullivan’s foreshadowing felt too obvious and predictable it felt like spoiling its own plot twist. Sullivan is much better at writing foreshadowing and prophecies to deepen the tension of the narrative now. -On the second point, it’s a bit unbelievable how often people feared Royce, but we seldom get to see him displayed his abilities. Well, I certainly got what I wanted in the prequel series so far. The Rose and the Thorn was darker and more violent than The Riyria Revelations, and it felt good to finally really see him in action. “If a bug bites you, you don’t bite it back… You crush the life out of the thing so it never bothers you again. And if you do that to an insect that can’t cause any serious harm, why would you do any less to an enemy who will almost certainly come back and kill if you don’t? I still liked The Crown Tower slightly more, but I continue to enjoy this series immensely. Both The Crown Tower and The Rose and the Thorn just further established my point that this prequel series—on a first-time read experience—might be shaping up to be superior to The Riyria Revelations; at least on a single installment and feel-good basis. I don’t think the The Riyria Chronicles will ever reach the level of overarching satisfaction that The Riyria Revelations has, and I’m totally okay with that. Despite a few minor issues, I had so much fun reading The Rose and the Thorn; I smiled a lot, and I finished reading this novel in two days. That’s a rare occurrence for me now due to how busy I am this year. I’ve read so many fantasy books, and that urge of always wanting to continue reading a book is getting rarer now. But similar to The Crown Tower, The Rose and the Thorn gave me that urge again. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment, The Death of Dulgath, in August. I’m trying to prolong my read-through of this comforting series that’s starting to feel like home to me, and I’m sad that there are only two published books remaining for me to read. Until then… “The place was sacred to him—something he didn’t realize until that moment. The room was a sanctuary of kindness and comfort. He’d stayed there only a couple months, but coming back he wondered if what he was feeling could be what others felt about places they called home.” You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Sarah, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 09, 2021
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Jun 10, 2021
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Feb 09, 2021
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Kindle Edition
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B00A2D7VCA
| 4.33
| 39,455
| Aug 01, 2013
| Aug 06, 2013
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really liked it
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo 4.5/5 stars Rather than The Crown Conspiracy, I personally think The Cr I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo 4.5/5 stars Rather than The Crown Conspiracy, I personally think The Crown Tower is a greater starting point to Royce and Hadrian’s story. It’s been four years, Royce and Hadrian. It’s scary how fast time flies; I can’t believe it’s been four years since I’ve read the conclusion to this duo’s adventure in Heir of Novron, the final omnibus in The Riyria Revelations. Honestly speaking, I have contemplated not reading The Riyria Chronicles because the ending of Heir of Novron was too good. I was afraid of encountering a novel about these duos that ended up ruining my affection for The Riyria Revelations. But for quite a while now, a few months to be precise, I have to admit that I miss this duo. And so here we are. By the way, I’m not a fan of the current cover art of The Riyria Revelations and the first two books in The Riyria Chronicles. They’re extremely awful, and I hope Orbit Books will allow a cover change to these books in the future. Seriously, these books deserve a much better cover treatment. They desperately need a Marc Simonetti’s makeover. Let’s get started with the review! “The thing about the old is that we never change so much as the young. We slip in degrees, adding rings like trees--a new wrinkle here, a shade less color there, but the young transform like caterpillars into butterflies. They become whole new people as if overnight.” Although it was off to a bit of a rocky start, The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan ended up becoming one of my favorite series; I had several issues with Theft of Swords omnibus. Fortunately, none of those problems—except the horrible cover art, which isn’t the author’s fault—exist in this incredibly fun and engaging first installment to The Riyria Chronicles series. For the uninitiated, The Riyria Chronicles is written after The Riyria Revelations, but chronologically it’s a prequel to the series. The Crown Tower takes place twelve years before The Riyria Revelation starts, and it revolves around Hadrian and Royce’s first meeting with each other. The story depicted their first-ever mission together. Hired by an old wizard, these two men who hate each other must pull off an impossible mission; steal a treasure from the impregnable fortress: The Crown Tower. “Once an idea is learned, once it settles in, it becomes comfortable and hard to discard, like an old hat. And trust me, I have many old hats. Some I haven't worn in years, but I still keep them. Emotion gets in the way of practicality. By virtue of time spent, even ideas become old friends, and if you can't bear to lose an old hat that you never wear, imagine how much harder it is to abandon ideas you grew up with. The longer the relationship, the harder it is.” It may sound harsh, but I really hope Sullivan doesn’t ever write a sequel series to The Riyria duo; the conclusion to their story in The Riyria Revelations was close to perfection. This is why writing a prequel series instead is such a brilliant move from the author, in my opinion. One of the things that bothered me so much in the first few books of The Riyria Revelations was how distant the main characters felt. Theft of Swords started with Hadrian and Royce already becoming partners who understand each other completely; both of them ended up becoming characters I cherished at the final omnibus. However, it certainly took a while for me to get fully attached to them. That situation doesn’t happen at all here; Sullivan’s writing has astronomically improved since The Riyria Revelations, and the development of their relationship showed the growth of these characters organically. “He’s like the pup of a renowned hunting dog who’s been beaten badly by every master he’s had. He’s a gem worthy of a little work, but he’ll test you—he’ll test you a lot. Royce doesn’t make friends easily and he doesn’t make it easy to be his friend. Don’t get angry. That’s what he’s looking for. That’s what he expects. He’ll try to drive you away, but you’ll fool him. Listen to him. Trust him. That’s what he won’t expect. It won’t be easy. You’ll have to be very patient. But if you are, you’ll make a friend for life—the kind that will walk unarmed into the jaws of a dragon if you asked him to.” It’s both expected and surprising how much I enjoyed being back in this world. The Riyria duo is one of my favorite duo of all time, and reading their first exciting adventure together felt so compelling. I never once felt bored reading The Crown Tower. My life has been insanely busy lately; I often had to put off my reading after reading a chapter or two. This isn’t my preferred method of reading; I risk losing my immersion in a novel if I keep on taking a break after a chapter or two. But that didn’t happen with this book. I can put down or start the book whenever I want, and I’m always instantly inside the story and character’s head again. Additionally, I’m genuinely pleased by Gwen’s story; I’ve expected the story of The Riyria duo to be superb, but Gwen’s took me by surprise. Once again, I will say that if you haven’t read The Riyria Revelations, start here instead. It’s true that I’m already biased towards these characters due to my experience with The Riyria Revelations, but objectively speaking, this is just a better starting point. Picture: Riyria by Bassara [image] In my opinion, one of the strong signs of a prequel done right can be found in the intensity that can be felt from the story even though we know. Remember, a prequel series means we already know the fate of these characters. This could easily lead to a lack of tension; the reader’s immersion needs to be in full effect for dangerous situations to feel real. And that has been achieved here. I knew Hadrian, Royce, and Gwen appeared in The Riyria Revelations; I knew they’ll survive the ordeals in the entire prequel series. But still, despite the relatively light-hearted tone of the book, I was captivated and worried for these characters. “Just as learning certain truths robs us of innocence, taking lives robs a man of his soul. Each killing steals a bit of humanity until a murderer is nothing more than an animal. A hunger replaces the spirit. A want for what was lost, but as with innocence, the soul can never be replaced. Joy, love, and peace flee such a vessel and in their stead blooms a desire for blood and death.” As I mentioned, Sullivan’s prose in The Crown Tower has improved dramatically. One of the things that made Theft of Swords hard to love at first, for me, was how distant Hadrian and Royce felt; this got better overtime throughout the series, but it was a struggle at first. In this novel, I always felt like I was inside the POV character’s head; this is character-driven as I like it. Highly addictive, accessible prose, and there’s a lot of food for thoughts in the text. The Easter Eggs for readers of The Riyria Revelations were well-implemented, and I’m sure both new and returning readers will have a great time reading this. “I feel very strongly that everyone should have an education. Ignorance is the bane of the world. Knowledge brings understanding, and if men understand the difference between right and wrong, they will, of course, do what is right.” It is canon in my head now that The Crown Tower is the superior—and official—beginning to Royce and Hadrian’s adventures. This is the conception of a legendary duo in fantasy. I don’t usually recommend reading ahead of publication order, but for this specific case, I recommend starting your journey here instead of Theft of Swords. Sullivan has mentioned each book in The Riyria Chronicles will contain a stand-alone story. If all goes according to plan, and the reader’s demand for this duo continues to be high, there will be twelve books—one per year leading to The Riyria Revelations—in this prequel series. Well, sign me up. “There’s always hope… We’ve planted the seeds. All we can do now is wait and see what grows.” You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Sarah, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Wendy, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 17, 2021
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Apr 19, 2021
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Feb 09, 2021
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Kindle Edition
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0356511863
| 9780356511863
| 0356511863
| 4.50
| 3,814
| Sep 28, 2021
| Sep 30, 2021
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really liked it
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ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars I’ve completed two series by R.J. Barker now, and Barker stuck the lan ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars I’ve completed two series by R.J. Barker now, and Barker stuck the landing in both Kings of Assassins and The Bone Ship’s Wake. “Of all the people on the ship, the courser knew most what it was to be alone. And Joron, as Meas had once said, had found command was the loneliest place of all.” I can’t believe how invested I was in Joron, Meas, and the crew of the Tide Child. I wouldn’t have predicted that from reading The Bone Ships. As mentioned in the acknowledgment of this novel, Barker has intentionally focused the narrative on the world-building first in The Bone Ships instead of the characterizations. The main character, Joron Twiner, was always in the role of an observer in the first book of the series. This indeed made me struggle with the first half of The Bone Ships, but the increasing payoff throughout the series was so worthwhile. I do believe The Bone Ship’s Wake is one of the two Barker’s best book so far, and that’s saying a lot considering how much I loved King of Assassins. Now that I’ve finished both The Wounded Kingdom trilogy and The Tide Child trilogy, I will say this, I feel safe in investing my time and money in whatever fantasy series he decides to write next. “And what is life for us if we are not lurching from one life-or-death situation to another?” The story picks up a year after Call of the Bone Ships, and danger visits Joron and the Tide Child every step of their way. But Joron won’t back down. His enemies pursuits him relentlessly, time feels like it’s running out for him and every one of them, but still, he’ll persist. One of the issues I had with the previous two books were the seemingly lack of prominent villain, and that situation has been addressed here. But if you look at the review I wrote in Call of the Bone Ships, I also mentioned that my co-blogger said that the real villain of this series is the Hundred Isles itself; the society and vicious culture, and this is intensely evident here. There were some profound themes Barker puts in The Bone Ship’s Wake. Yes, war, leadership, found family, and responsibility are things that have been there since the first book, and they’re here, too. “And if this was not what his father had promised, if this was not the glorious stories of being fleet, of proud boneships and honourable shipwives, well, that was because life was not stories. Life was painful, and it was hard and it was cruel and full of loss. And if this was not the peace Meas had wanted, had fought for, that was because there was no peace without war.” However, Barker established once more that one of the main conflicts that every character—both protagonists and antagonists—faces in this series is due to the insistence to follow this outdated law and culture. This is the kind of thing that resonates with me. Believe me, being an Asian often means we have hundreds of superstitions for a variety of situations imparted upon us, and even though there’s no actual proof of their accuracies or effectiveness, we’re still forced to follow them no matter what. For example, in Chinese culture, we’re not allowed to stick our chopsticks into our food—especially rice—because this means we’re bringing bad luck or curse upon ourselves. Proof of this curse? None. And yet, we still follow them. This is just a simple example. The flawed superstitions and culture that the characters in The Bone Ship’s Wake are facing results in a worse outcome, and it is insanely difficult to escape this vicious cycle. Unfortunately, I can’t elaborate more on this because it will mean going into spoiler territory. “Where there is misery someone’s always getting rich, and you can bet they’d be the last to throw scraps to the needy.” It pleases me to say that I’m so impressed by Joron’s character development. Allow me to remind you that Joron was a character I felt detached from in the first book. After all the suffering he went through in the previous books, it’s wonderful to witness how far he learned and developed from them. His characterizations and development throughout the entire trilogy felt organic, and it’s all incredibly well-done. I can say with confidence that the found family trope, and all the interactions between the crew of the Tide Child, were the highlight of the narrative for me. Harsh decisions were made, and I love how even though they’re not technically the kindest people out there—point back to the culture thing I mentioned in the previous paragraph—but they always try their best to do the right thing when given the opportunity. Barker has always been great at characterizations, and he proved that again in The Bone Ship’s Wake. “What is done in desperation can be terrible; what is done from cold calculation, well, that is evil. Or so I count it… Terrible acts, Joron, they are often unthinking. We learn, and we get better. It is those who do not learn, or simply embrace and become inured to the terrible things we do that must be feared, and must be stopped.” Lastly, I want to mention that I’m not the biggest fan of fantasy books with a heavy focus on a nautical and seafaring adventure. The only other seafaring fantasy series I can say that I love thoroughly was The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb, and now The Tide Child trilogy joined the rank. The naval warfare was some of the best I’ve read, and at several moments in the trilogy, I could practically feel the character’s exhaustion and fatigues from being chased and bombarded relentlessly. Seriously, the ending sequence of The Bone Ship’s Wake was epic and explosive. The visualizations at the climax sequence invoked from the prose was a treat for my imagination. I was captivated, I felt emotional, and the intensity never lets up. “Better to die attempting something grand, than live in the world the Bern gave us.” Whether they live or die, I will leave it for you to find out for yourself. But something grand? Oh, they did achieve that. They bloody did. And on that note, The Bone Ship’s Wake is a grandiose naval adventure that concludes The Tide Child trilogy with a bang. From exhilarating chase, crimson vengeance, heartwarming scenes, and heartbreaking moments to an unforgettable climactic ending, Barker has smoothly sailed them all. Well done, R.J. Well done. “So live, and do not spend your life looking back at what could have been.” Series review: The Bone Ships: 4/5 stars Call of the Bone Ships: 4/5 stars The Bone Ship's Wake: 4.5/5 stars The Tide Child: 12.5/15 stars You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Oliver, ReignBro, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 04, 2021
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Dec 08, 2021
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Dec 27, 2020
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Paperback
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0957666888
| 9780957666887
| 0957666888
| 4.44
| 684
| Sep 28, 2021
| Sep 28, 2021
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it was amazing
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ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Rob J. Hayes has done it. He has created a novel that surpassed Never Die; Spirits of Veng ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Rob J. Hayes has done it. He has created a novel that surpassed Never Die; Spirits of Vengeance is not only my favorite novel in the Mortal Techniques series, but it is also Hayes’s best work so far. “Wanting it is a start… You also have to act. To try. Otherwise, it’s nothing more than an empty promise.” Two things first. First, Hayes isn’t the singular person that excels here. The duo of Felix Ortiz (cover artist) and Shawn T. King (cover designer) made a return once again, and I have to say that Spirits of Vengeance is Ortiz’s finest cover art so far. It’s shocking, I know; Ortiz has blessed self-published fantasy with a lot of striking cover arts, and he constantly improves himself. Second, because I know this question will be asked, Mortal Techniques is a series of standalone novels with connection to each other, so can you read Spirits of Vengeance without reading Never Die and Pawn’s Gambit? The answer to that question is yes and no, and I will elaborate more on these in my review below. “Oaths and vows should never be taken lightly. There is power in a promise that goes beyond the words. They bind our souls to a purpose, and failure can rend a person in two as surely as any blade.” The Ipian Empire was once a land that welcomed dragons and spirits, but a century of war and bloodshed has changed the situation drastically. Now, the Onryo are gathering. Five legendary spirits with mysterious power are fully determined to free an ancient evil that would destroy humanity. The story in Spirits of Vengeance follows Haruto, an immortal Onmyoji that has sworn his soul to the God of Death to hunt down the vengeful ghost of his wife. He’s accompanied by Shiki (his companion spirit) and Guang, and Haruto ends up having another mission: to avenge Tian's (Guang's son) death. On their journey, Haruto and Guang’s fate intertwined with Kira, a student at Heiwa—an academy for students with dangerous powers—and Yanmei, one of Kira’s tutors who genuinely cares and wants to protect Kira. Vengeance—as you can probably guess from the premise—is one of the key themes of this novel, but you would be mistaken if you think that this is the only driving force of the plot. Spirits of Vengeance is, by far, the biggest book in the series so far; it’s twice the length of Never Die. I do believe that this longer page count allows Hayes to include more themes—kindness, redemption, the bravery to do good, consequences, parenthood, and found family–effectively through his characters. “We children of bandits make excuses for our parents when we’re young. We have to because we don’t know how else to exist. They’re our parents and they’re supposed to love us and we’re supposed to love them. So we make excuses. We reason away the things we know they do. We make excuses for them, even when they won’t make those excuses for themselves. Even when they don’t think they need to.” I’m gladly impressed by the characterizations of the four main characters. I’ve mentioned that I enjoyed reading Pawn’s Gambit, but I didn’t find the characters in Pawn’s Gambit to be as distinctive and compelling as the characters in Never Die. Fortunately, that’s not the case here; the four main characters in Spirits of Vengeance were a total delight to read, and the four of them are up there with Itami Cho—my favorite character in Never Die. Yes, all four of them. Out of all of his books that I’ve read, Haruto, Guang, Kira, and Yanmei are, in my opinion, some of Hayes’s most well-crafted characters so far. *whispers* Oh sorry, yes Shiki, you too. “Yokai aren’t evil… Evil isn’t something a person is, it’s a choice a person makes. Yokai are creatures of instinct. It is their nature to seek vengeance. It is why they exist. They are not evil, but anyone who chooses to use them to commit atrocities is evil. Because that is the choice they have made.” Haruto is a character that reminded me a lot of Manji from Blade of the Immortal by Hiroaki Samura. His life as an immortal doesn’t mean that it comes with a lot of happiness; it’s the other way around. Haruto suffered a lot throughout his long life. But despite that, he never stops trying to do good. Even though the rule dictates that he should get paid for his job as an onmyoji, Haruto never really cares about money. There are reasons behind his actions, there are reasons behind him becoming an onmyoji, and I felt more invested with Haruto; the same notion applied to the other three main characters. Guang’s friendship with Haruto and their understanding of each other were subtle and wholesome. I’m a sucker for redemption theme done well, and this theme was especially evident in Haruto, Guang, and Yanmei; they’re all trying to be a better person than their past selves. “We live in a world of people passing their pain to others. It shouldn’t be that way.” Regarding Yanmei, there’s something you should know. She’s indeed the same Yanmei as the one in Never Die and Pawn’s Gambit. Yanmei was a supporting character in the previous two installments, but she’s one of the main characters here. I don’t think it’s mandatory to read the previous two books to enjoy the main story of this novel, but if you’ve read them, you’d definitely get more out of her character’s development. And my god, what a development it was. I’ve mentioned the friendship between Haruto and Guang, but there’s also Yanmei’s relationship with Kira; it’s easily one of my favorite elements of the novel. Out of the four main characters, Kira was the only one that underwent training montage—on the usage of qi—sequences, and she faced harsh internal conflicts surrounding her identity and ability. As I mentioned earlier, I loved all the main characters, and Kira is obviously included in the equation, too. The progression of her story and characterizations were stellar, and it’s satisfying to witness Hayes’s creativity in utilizing Kira’s ability to manipulate mirrors and reflections. This ability is similar to Haku from Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. The bond this band of misfits, or found family, has continuously gets stronger with each page; it’s so rewarding. “You said being good is about helping others. Even if they don’t think they need it. Being good is lending a hand when someone is in trouble. He can’t win. Not alone.” One of the things I loved about Never Die other than the characterizations were the breathtaking anime-style actions and world-building. This was less prevalent in Pawn’s Gambit; it was one of the reasons why I liked Pawn’s Gambit less. However, Spirits of Vengeance combined the awesomeness of Never Die and Pawn’s Gambit together into one package. The action sequences here reminded me of Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) and other shonen anime. The inferno produced by the clash of flames was cinematic; the deadly crimson blade unleashed left a lingering effect on each scene; each battle against the onryos was always devastating and instantly immersive. There were three memorable battle scenes, all of them were bloody magnificent, and the final 15% of the book was the biggest—and most superb—of them all. “Not justice. I am not justice. I am a spirit of vengeance.” Hayes deserves applause for the amount of research he did for this novel. Orochi, onryo, onmyoji, dragons, ungaikyo, tengu, buruburu, yokai, and so many more were integrated properly into the world-building. Every setting the characters visited felt so vivid in my imagination; the snowy landscape, the lively or desolated cities, the claustrophobic mine, the awe-inspiring Graveyard of Swords. There were a few sections where each paragraph seemed to shift to a different perspective, but somehow this made the storytelling even better. The author’s prose keeps on getting better with each book, and this is extensively proven through “the story within a story” that Hayes employed in Spirits of Vengeance. Seriously, every part that involved Guang telling a story—about the Wailing Woman, the Gilded Crone, the Tale of Nightsong, the Herald of Bones, and more—were quite likely my favorite parts of the entire novel. It’s brilliant. “Our peoples’ stories. All of our peoples’. Ipian, Hosan, Nash, Cochtan. It might surprise you how many stories we share. And perhaps even more surprising that the lessons hiding in the stories are the same ones told time and time again.” Before I end this review, let me elaborate upon the question of whether you can read Spirit of Vengeance without reading the previous installments in the series or not. Here’s the thing, I do think it’s totally possible to enjoy the main story without missing the key points that made this novel so good. However, if you’re the type of reader who wants to experience every single Easter Eggs and background, it will be hugely beneficial for you to read Never Die and Pawn’s Gambit first. Unlike Pawn’s Gambit, this novel has more references and relation to the past installments. I’ve talked about Yanmei as a recurring character, but there’s also the legend of Century Blade—Itami Cho’s master—and Flaming Fist that appeared in Never Die. It’s something for you to consider. Mortal Techniques is a series of connecting standalone novels; each installment has a new storyline and main cast that will earn your attention without reading the previous books, but they’re all connected with each other. Lastly, I’m reading the eARC edition of this book. There will be a hardcover edition—probably upon release date—and this hardcover edition will feature several exclusive interior artworks done by Stas Borodin. One of the examples: [image] My expectations towards this novel were incredibly high, and Hayes met them, even exceeded them on many fronts. Equally explosive, emotional, and pulse-pounding, Spirits of Vengeance successfully delivered an exceptional narrative brimming with staggering impact. This is, undoubtedly, Hayes’s best book so far in his career. I’ve mentioned before that Hayes is creating something special with this series, and I stand by my words. Rest assured, this isn’t the end of Mortal Techniques. Hayes is likely building towards a Mortal Techniques style Ragnarok event with the series, and I look forward to following the journey to reach that destination. I absolutely loved Spirits of Vengeance; it’s an amazing book. And now the curse of waiting for the next installment begins again. “Hah! Well, that’s life, isn’t it? You don’t ask for a lot of the stuff it throws at you, but you either look at it like a gift or a curse, and then figure out the rest from there.” Official release date: 28th September 2021 You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Shaad, Summer, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 02, 2021
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Aug 06, 2021
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Dec 18, 2020
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Hardcover
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B0879J44XZ
| 3.86
| 2,407
| Apr 13, 2021
| Apr 13, 2021
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really liked it
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest revi I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars This is an incredible book. Character-driven and bloody thrilling; The Helm of Midnight has pretty much confirmed its spot in one of my favorite books of 2021 list. I owe a thank you to Andrea Stewart, the author of The Bone Shard Daughter, for recommending this book to me. I was already intrigued by the eerie cover art illustrated by Sam Weber, and it was her endorsement that really push me to read The Helm of Midnight amidst my ever-growing TBR pile. I don’t regret it one bit. This was my first time reading Lostetter’s book, and I’m undoubtedly impressed, especially because this is her fantasy novel; her previous books were all sci-fi if I’m not mistaken. Lostetter herself described The Helm of Midnight as The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris meets Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson; I can confirm that this isn’t a far-off pitch, and I loved it. Unraveling: that’s what it feels like. The more I try to wind the lengths of my life into a neat, manageable knot, the more they seem to stretch and fray and snap. Order is not easy. Breaking takes less effort than building, that is the way of the world. The Helm of Midnight, the first book in The Five Penalties trilogy, opens with a daring and deadly heist. The perpetrator managed to steal a dangerous artifact of terrible power: the death mask of Louis Charbon. Louis Charbon was once known as the most terrifying serial murderer, and this death mask created by a master craftsman being stolen means that someone might have the power to channel Louis Charbon’s abilities when they wear the death mask. Now it’s up to Krona, De-Lia, and their fellow Regulars to find out the thieves, the truth behind this heist, and Louis Charbon himself. As you can probably guess, investigations is a huge part of the narrative in The Helm of Midnight. The terror and mayhem unleashed by Louis Charbon were frankly terrifying; it made me wonder what kind of research the author has done to successfully write massacres in such a vividly horrifying detail. Yes, this is quite a dark book, and if you’re not into reading grim books, you might be better off skipping this one. However, as evil blooms in darkness, The Helm of Midnight was an amazing read to me not because of its attention to murder, yes that’s a part of it, but more importantly it was the magnificent characterizations that immersed me into the narrative so much. “Nothing can stop a man who thinks his violence is not only justified, but the epitome of virtue.” This is, at its core, a story about faith, trauma, family, and duty. The characterizations are the key factors that made these themes worked so good. Even when the pacing considerably slowed down in the middle of the book, I never felt bored because I’ve grown attached and invested in finding out the fates of these characters. The story is told through the perspective of three main characters in a different time frame. First, we have Krona in the present timeframe who deals with the plotline I mentioned earlier; her story took some time for me to fully enjoy. Eventually, I became attached to Krona’s character development and the well-written sibling relationship she has with her sister: De-Lia; the complexity and love between the two characters as sisters really shine through the pages. “They’d wanted to protect each other so much, sometimes they’d forgotten what they were protecting.” And then we have Melanie’s chapters that take place two years before the current event. I will admit that I was worried that her chapters won’t matter much to Krona’s story; it just seemed disconnected at first, and I thought this would be one of those cases where a character was introduced, but their story won’t connect until the sequel. Obviously, I couldn’t be more wrong. That’s all I can say about this, though, you have to find out for yourself. In Melanie’s POV, Lostetter also exhibited her talent in writing a romantic relationship that’s so wonderfully done. ’“It’s not just about what I want,” she said with a sigh. “We take actions in life, and there are consequences. Those consequences narrow our choices. Time makes us walk a straight path between where we’ve been and where we are now. There’s no changing it.” And finally—my favorite of the three POV characters—we have Louis Charbon himself; his chapters start eleven years before Krona’s story. This POV, y’all… It exceeded my expectations. I recently read a manga series called Shuumatsu no Valkyrie (Record of Ragnarok in English), and the similarity to Jack the Ripper found in Louis Charbon’s reputation reminded me of reading Jack the Ripper’s story in that manga. I’m giving a self-standing (yes, I’m standing right now) ovation to Lostetter with Louis Charbon’s origin story. THIS is the one that gives the necessary extra depth to the novel. Does eternal malice accompany Louis Charbon since his birth? Is he really the personification of death? Again, read and find out for yourself. Suffice to say that I was absolutely compelled with his chapters; reading about the internal and external conflicts he has between loving his family and executing his duty to the Unknown God was heartbreaking, disturbing, and unputdownable. “People are more complex than that. Evil has its logics, just as good does. I need to understand Charbon to understand this killer.” Three different characters with three different timelines and all connect with each other to bring a great result. Plus, The Helm of Midnight has one of the most despicable villains I’ve ever read. Lostetter’s prose felt so well-polished, and the full force of the horror and nightmare that the characters felt can truly be felt. I seriously love books with characters that made me feel; Lostetter’s capability to describe emotions—especially pain, anguish, and regret—was incredible. I could really feel the character’s emotions. And speaking of emotions, the magic in this novel revolves around emotions, and it also reminded me of the magic system in Mistborn; without the explosive actions. There’s quite a lot to unpack here; I’m just going to mention them briefly. People with an affinity for wearing a death mask have the power to channel the abilities and memories that comes with wearing one; each death mask has its own level of Magnitude, Tier, and abilities, with its own benefits and drawbacks. Then there’s also the concept of Enchantments and emotion stones, and more. “Real time is far more valuable than bottled time. It has a better exchange rate. I decided I wanted to spend mine as productively as possible, get the biggest payout I could. That way, when I’m close to dying, I won’t feel the need to cash in—to lay on extra days, or months, or years. Because I won’t have any regrets. I think only people who waste their lives scrape for those extra minutes.” Dark, immersive, and bloodstained, The Helm of Midnight provides an emotionally manipulative reading experience that I enjoyed. Although this is the first book in a trilogy, it worked nicely as a standalone. I have a difficult time classifying what kind of sub-genre this novel belongs in; it’s a novel with a lot of ideas implemented, and I’m curious to find out how the author will improve on these ideas in the sequels. The Helm of Midnight is partly urban fantasy, high fantasy, thriller, and mystery with a touch of steampunk, and Lostetter combined them into one package with frightening accuracy. It’s different from the kind of epic/high fantasy books I usually read, and I know this won’t work for everyone, but it really did for me and I hope it will for you as well. Last but not least, I’ll close this review with an important message from the author herself: “And thank you to everyone who picked up this book, especially the readers who are struggling—whether it be through external battles or internal ones. As krona pointed out, despair always lies, and no one should be expected to work through depression, anxiety, or a catastrophe alone.”—Marina J. Lostetter Official release date: 13th April 2021 You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) | Bookshop (Support Local Bookstores!) The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Saunders, Shaad, Summer, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 30, 2021
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Feb 02, 2021
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Dec 08, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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3982216737
| 9783982216737
| 3982216737
| 4.25
| 1,434
| Oct 28, 2020
| Nov 24, 2020
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it was amazing
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. A I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. A new masterpiece is here. It is a cliché to say this, but Dreams of the Dying is seriously one of the best books I’ve ever read. “The mind is a malleable thing. Soil, if you’re feeling poetic. Depending on the seed, anything will grow in it, from graceful gardens to idyllic meadows, from weedy forests to foggy swamps. Harmonious or chaotic, peaceful or perilous, healthy or ill—it’s all a matter of seeds. First of all, Dreams of the Dying is the biggest production value I’ve ever seen being given to a self-published book; it’s up there with Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer for a non-Kickstarter campaigned book. In fact, the production value of this novel overshadowed the majority of traditionally published books. If you decide to buy this book and somehow never gotten around to reading it, this novel would actually work beautifully as a luxurious decoration on your home, but more on this later. Here’s the thing, when Lietzau approached me asking me to review his debut, I accepted the review request despite having an unhealthy TBR pile that judges me every day of my life; you know me, how could I resist after looking at that gorgeous cover art? And I’m super glad I accepted it. I absolutely loved this book. This book was so good that I honestly won’t accept any words of gratitude from Lietzau if he wants to thank me for writing this review. Why? Because I should be the one thanking him for giving me the chance to read this fantastic debut. “Our minds shape reality ... that is why superstitious peasants burn witches, jealous lovers murder their beloved, and lonely veterans put nooses around their necks.” Dreams of the Dying is the first book in Enderal trilogy by Nicolas Lietzau, and it revolves around Jespar Dal’Varek; years after a harrowing war experience, Jespar has taken to drifting. Excluding the occasional moments of melancholia, he tells himself that life is alright. Hoping to turn the page, Jespar accepts a mysterious invitation into the beautiful and dangerous archipelago of Kilay. Kilay is on the brink of civil war, and Jaanos Oonai—Kilay’s merchant king—may be the only one able to prevent this catastrophe, but he has fallen into a preternatural coma. It is Jespar’s job to figure out the mystery behind this, but little did he know that this investigation and the king’s nightmares will require him to face his past and trauma. Battling old trauma while fighting for his life, sanity, and the fate of Kilay, the line between dream and reality blurs further and further, until one question remains: If your mind is the enemy, where do you run? Remember this line; it is one of the most integral themes of the entire book. Although battles, war, and pulse-pounding scenes indeed exist in Dreams of the Dying, I want you to know that this isn’t a battle-centered novel; Lietzau steers the majority of the narrative in the novel towards the psychological aspect, and they were exceptional. “Be realistic, Lysia, the only time a running system ever changes is in response to a crisis. As long as life is all right for the majority, nothing’s gonna happen… And when things do go south, people will always resort to violence. It’s just human nature.” Dreams of the Dying is an incredibly character-driven—my favorite type of story—novel, and with his characters, Lietzau tackles a lot of difficult and resonating issues such as mental illness, redemption, trauma, love, power, ambition, poverty, and wealth. In popular pop culture, Dreams of the Dying can probably be defined as a more insane version of Inception. However, this is an oversimplification; there’s so much more to this novel. Madness, politics, friendship, dreams, the rise to power, and how ascendancy to a higher status corrupts a good intention in an individual was executed with utter finesse. “If you fight injustice with injustice, no matter how deserved it may feel, you’ll always end up as just another turn of the wheel.” Lietzau deserves a standing ovation for the wonderful characterizations he successfully implemented into the characters here. Jespar, The Man, Lysia, Kawu, Agaam, and many more were totally compelling characters; they’re flawed, complex, morally grey, and the characterizations given to them were nothing short of outstanding. We really get to see their emotions laid bare and raw; this was especially true for the two main POV characters: Jespar and The Man. I am in awe at what Lietzau achieved here with these two characters. Jespar and The Man did questionable actions, but I never once felt like they were acting out of their characters; most importantly, I understood them. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson is one of my top favorite series of all time, and among many things, Sanderson’s handling of depression and mental illness was one of the reasons why. I truly believe that Dreams of the Dying contains the finest exploration on depression and melancholia that I’ve read since The Stormlight Archive. Yes, it is THAT good. “People were so quick to point at all those inspiring stories of catharsis, completely ignoring the fact that the vast majority of the broken never beat their demons, that the drunkard’s son stayed with the bottle, the war widow never conquered her loneliness, and the defiled child never wiped that imagined black stain from their soul. Because in a world that worshipped the victorious, who the hell wanted to hear about the defeated?” As I mentioned earlier, the entire story is told exclusively through Jespar and The Man’s perspective. It’s true that Jespar’s POV chapters filled the majority of the novel, and they’re indeed excellent, but I do honestly believe that Lietzau displayed an immensely admirable talent in his characterizations further with The Interludes chapters; The Man’s POV chapters. I think it’s quite clear who The Man is from his first few chapters, but for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I’m going to keep referring to this character as The Man. It’s not an exaggeration for me to say that the Interludes in Dreams of the Dying are some of the greatest relatively short chapters I’ve ever witnessed; they’re highly effective and efficient in giving all the necessary characterizations to “The Man.” I was immediately hooked and absorbed right from his first chapter, and seeing his character development—enhanced by what we’ve learned through Jespar’s POV—fascinated me. He’s one of the most well-written anti-heroes—if you can call him that—I’ve ever read in speculative fiction. I love to hate his character, but I also can’t help but be completely manipulated into being transfixed by his actions and charisma. Everything about his story was dark, visceral, and marvelous; I have no doubt that grimdark fantasy enthusiasts will have a blast reading The Man’s POV chapters. “Life is an arena, and even if you’re the champion, one second of weakness is all it takes for the lions to pounce. Always remember that.” The world-building in Dreams of the Dying is intricate and meticulously built. I’m not kidding; the author has gone above and beyond to work with a professional linguist and cartographer to create a believable language and map; the detailed histories and different cultures of the world established so far here made my immersion when I’m reading the book even more powerful. Then there’s also the magic system and users; biomancer, psychomancer, dreamwalker—a Sight that allows the Sighted to enter someone else’s dreams—and more. There’s just so much to unpack here; The Kilayan Archipelago is beautiful, huge, and get this, this archipelago is only one small part of the world—Vyn—that Lietzau has created; there’s still so much more to explore, and I can’t wait to read about them. Picture: Dreams of the Dying by Stefan Stankovic [image] To say that I enjoyed reading this book may be an understatement here; I loved Lietzau’s way of writing. Every phrase and line was delivered with impact, and no page ever felt wasted. Lietzau covers philosophical, metaphor, humor, love, and thought-provoking passages skillfully; the emotions of the characters were palpable, and my experience of reading this book was vivid. It is hard to write a not-confusing and captivating dream sequences, but the haunting visions that Lietzau has painted with his words were easy to follow and unforgettable; I don’t think I can ever forget the dream sequences I’ve read here. Every philosophical discussion plays a part in enriching the plot and characterizations. Plus, Lietzau made sure that the philosophical discussions weren’t there just to be highlighted. I won’t lie, the novel can be bleak at times; the tackling of mental illness will more often than not result in a bleak and heartbreaking narrative. However, Dreams of the Dying is also embedded with hope, redemption, and love, and I cherished them all. There’s a lot of food for thoughts and discussions here for sure, and maybe one day—if I have the time—I’ll make a video or two about the content and greatness of it in more detail. “Change isn’t a flash but a long and rocky road.” Lastly, this review is long enough already, but it would be incomplete if I don’t talk about the stunning production value. The cover art—one of the best cover arts I’ve ever seen—and all the interior artworks are done by Dominik Derow; do check out his portfolio. Johanna Krunes is in charge of the Cover Layout and Design of the book. Speaking of design, Lietzau did an interesting thing with the format in some pages to elaborate upon the state of mind that Jespar experienced, and I think they’re smartly used. The only two other occasions where I encountered such a clever usage of formatting were in The Nevernight Chronicle by Jay Kristoff and The Wounded Kingdom trilogy by R.J. Barker. Now let’s talk about the hardcover edition that comes with exclusive content. The hardcover edition featured a 100-page illustrated appendix at the end of the book. This bonus content consists of chapters that heightened the quality of the world-building. I’m going to list them here: • An essay on the history of the Kilayan Archipelago and the Illumined World • A short geographical overview of the Kilayan Archipelago • A bestiary of the Archipelago's native creatures • A guide to Makehu, the language spoken by the Makehu people, designed by a professional linguist • A Nehrimese tailor’s impressions of Kilayan fashion • A lecture on Oneiromancy • The Great Umbra and the Resurrection of the World, the creation myth of the Makehu • Pencil sketches of the characters, as envisioned by another in-universe character • An overview of the seven Light-Born, the pantheon of the Illumined World • To the Moon I Say Farewell, a poem by Jespar’s sister The hardcover is more pricey, and I’m fortunate to be given the hardcover edition to read and review, but if that weren’t the case, I’m sure I would’ve chosen for the hardcover edition anyway; I’m a sucker for illustrated edition, I don’t know how to resist them. Here are a few—there’s a LOT of illustrations—examples of the artworks: [image][image][image] Whether it’s from the exterior or interior, Dreams of the Dying is a must-have and must-read fantasy novel for fans of the genre, especially if you love reading about morally grey characters we can empathize with. This is a novel that is both superbly produced and written. Every sentence is supplied with brilliance, and I have nothing but praise for Dreams of the Dying; it is simply a masterpiece. If you look at my ‘masterpieces’ shelf, there’s only one self-published book there: The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang. Dreams of the Dying will deservedly accompany The Sword of Kaigen there. Just like The Sword of Kaigen, in its own way, I started this book expecting an incredible read, but I finished it realizing that I’ve just read one of a kind reading experience that will be challenging to imitate by any other authors. At the time of writing this review, Dreams of the Dying has an average rating of 4.78 out of 138 ratings and 66 reviews on Goodreads; I personally think this is an utterly well-deserved average rating, but it definitely needs more readership. Read this book ASAP; there’s no cliffhanger, and the book worked absolutely well as a standalone while promising new storylines to come. The ending isn’t even anything explosive, but my heart was constantly pounding. You can’t run from your own mind, and my mind can’t stop thinking about the events that have transpired in this novel. Read this amazing book. “Once the mind commits to a story, the facts become secondary. Truth bows to bias.” You can order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) | Bookshop (Support Local Bookstores!) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 07, 2021
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Feb 10, 2021
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Nov 23, 2020
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Hardcover
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B00QQQL830
| 4.12
| 6,896
| Mar 08, 2016
| Mar 08, 2016
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really liked it
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4.5/5 stars The best of the series; The Spider’s War is an unconventional and incredibly satisfying conclusion to an underrated fantasy series. 4.5/5 stars The best of the series; The Spider’s War is an unconventional and incredibly satisfying conclusion to an underrated fantasy series. “The world has never been fair. Often beautiful. Sometimes kind when kindness was not deserved. But never fair.” With this, I’m caught up with reading all the SFF novels written by Daniel Abraham. I can also confirm that The Spider’s Path made The Dagger and the Coin excluded from my personal curse with five books series. For those of you who don’t know, I have this unexplainable curse with five books fantasy series; often, either the final book of the series disappointed me, or the entire series just felt like it’s one book longer than it should. That’s definitely not the case with The Spider’s War and this series. This is, in my opinion, the best of the series. “I find that unless we are very, very careful there can be a difference between who we are and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.” The Spider’s War takes place immediately after the exciting ending of The Widow’s House. I did feel like the majority of the previous book was designed to be a preparation for the big conclusion to happen in The Spider’s War, and Abraham successfully delivered. I do believe that The Dagger and the Coin is one of the most underrated fantasy series; the same thing can also be applied to The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham. I’ve mentioned it times and times again, but Abraham’s fantasy books deserve more audience. Despite the similarities in storytelling style to George R. R. Martin, which is a positive thing for me, I feel that Abraham’s fantasy books can be described as distinct, unconventional, and clever. The Spider’s War heightened everything good about the previous books to a new level. The Tyrant’s Law and The Widow’s House brought powerful meaning to the title of the series; money and wealth have an equal destructive capability to influence a war as blades. The result of this confrontation of daggers, coins, and faith reached a seriously thrilling result in this novel. And in the midst of it all, the themes of compassion, hope, faith, redemption, mercy, and justice were never excluded. “Thoughtfulness and kindness and love, I contend, are so much the way we expect the world to be that they become invisible as air. We only see war and violence and hatred as something happening, I suggest, because they stand out as aberrations. In my experience, even in the midst of war, many lives are untouched by battle. And even in a life of conflict, violence is outweighed by its absence.” The entire series is a character-driven epic fantasy series, and the pacing in the series is relatively slower than other epic fantasy series. If character-driven fantasy isn’t your thing, I have a feeling you’ll have a hard time getting into this series. Frankly speaking, there were several moments in the first half of The Spider’s War where I thought the series won’t be able to escape the five-books curse. The travelogue and military fantasy aspects in Marcus and Clara’s POV chapters during the first half of the novel felt a bit too long for me; they weren’t bad per se, they just didn’t feel crucial in comparison to Geder and Cithrin’s chapters. Thankfully, I’m already invested in every POV character, and I can certainly tolerate minor hiccups in the pacing. And as I mentioned, there were Cithrin and Geder’s POV chapters; they completely stole the show from the beginning to the end. In hindsight, it’s ridiculous and believable to witness how far Cithrin and Geder developed. The character developments in this series—especially Cithrin and Geder—are superbly executed, and it genuinely makes me sad that so many fantasy readers haven’t witnessed their story. “The story of a person could never be as complex as they actually were because then it would take as much time to know someone as it did to be them. Reputation, even when deserved, inevitably meant simplification, and every simplification deformed.” This isn’t to say that Marcus and Clara’s chapters were underwhelming; Cithrin’s and Geder’s were just too good, that’s all. And remember, the minor hiccups in pacing happened only in the first half of the novel. Once the POV character’s story converged in this novel, the rest of the narrative was an unputdownable thrill; packed with emotions and absolutely breathtaking. Abraham is so good at weaving politics and engaging character’s relationships. The buildup, politics, and mind games were fully established to make sure the second half of this novel shine so brilliantly. Emotions and stakes were constantly high, and I can’t speak spoilers here, but it always felt like everyone’s just one step away from imminent failure. It was that intense. Plus, the brief moment of respite, such as the night before the battle talk, were implemented magnificently; these characters have come so far, and these moments further amplified that feeling. It’s all incredible, really, and let me just say once again that Geder Palliako is one of the most interesting and well-written I’ve come across in fantasy. “I don't know what justice is," she said. Words of advice, though, The Dagger and the Coin is not a fantasy series filled with battle scenes. The pulse-pounding moments in The Spider’s War and this series can be found in the schemings, politics, relationship dynamics, and compelling dialogues. These are some of Abraham’s main fortes as a writer, not his battle scenes. Reading what drive the characters, and the internal conflicts they have, to do the actions they did bring so much tension to the narrative that battle scenes often fail to replicate. Abraham also widens the scope of the story in The Spider’s War by having Entr’acte’s chapters; these chapters allow the readers to see what’s going on in the world of the series beyond what our main characters are dealing with. Lastly, I also think that The Spider’s War has some of Abraham’s best writing in his career. I highlighted so many passages throughout the series; they’re too good to ignore. For example, in The Spider’s War, there’s a passage about how a war was made from individual lives, and this goes the same for all endeavors. Abraham also gives power to the word “probably,” we frequently think of the word “probably” as being indecisive, but from another perspective, “probably” means we have options and the freedom to choose. “There’s only one utter ending for each of us, and it isn’t one we reach toward. Until then, it’s the next change, and the next change, and the next. And profound change, even when it’s the one you prayed for, is displacing.” There’s still a lot of things I want to elaborate upon, but this should suffice; I hope I’ve kept things vague enough in this review. Let me end this review by saying that with The Spider’s War, in addition to The Long Price Quartet and The Expanse, I’ve read 17 novels written by Abraham. At the moment, he’s my fourth most-read author, just after Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, and Jim Butcher. I can’t wait to read more of his books, especially Leviathan’s Fall this year and Age of Ash next year. The Spider’s War ending was so satisfying, and Abraham also left some room in the story to explore should he choose to return to this world. This is one of the most underrated fantasy series I’ve read, and Abraham is a new addition to my growing list of favorite authors. I highly recommend The Dagger and the Coin to readers who want to read a character-driven epic fantasy series that’s different. Series review: The Dragon’s Path: 3.5/5 stars The King’s Blood: 4.5/5 stars The Tyrant’s Law: 4/5 stars The Widow’s House: 4/5 stars The Spider’s War: 4.5/5 stars The Dagger and the Coin: 20.5/25 stars You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, ReignBro, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Shaad, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 23, 2021
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Sep 27, 2021
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Nov 04, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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1951452054
| 9781951452056
| 1951452054
| 4.34
| 4,832
| Dec 19, 2020
| Dec 22, 2020
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it was amazing
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A Deluxe Collector's Edition of Dragon Mage is coming in June 2023. Don't miss your chance on it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/... I have A Deluxe Collector's Edition of Dragon Mage is coming in June 2023. Don't miss your chance on it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/... I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. This was awesome. Spencer takes everything we love about classic epic fantasy and put it into Dragon Mage, transforming the novel into an incredible, epic, and satisfying fantasy book. I haven’t read anything by M.L. Spencer before Dragon Mage, but that doesn’t mean I’m not familiar with her name and her works. Spencer is most often known for her grimdark fantasy series, The Rhenwars Saga and The Chaos Cycle, which I’ve heard great things about but haven’t gotten around to yet; you know how it is with my infinite TBR pile. However, after seeing that stunning cover art—illustrated by Sutthiwat Dechakamphu and designed by STK.Kreations—and hearing that Dragon Mage will be an epic fantasy standalone, I was hooked, and I knew I had to read this book. Although I haven’t read any of her grimdark fantasy yet, there’s one thing for sure here, Spencer MUST write more epic fantasy like this. Dragon Mage is almost 1000 pages long—it didn’t feel that way to me—and it is one of the finest standalone fantasy books I’ve read so far. “After you hear something so many times, it starts to define you, and it eventually becomes a prison. He had been confined by that prison all his life, and now he feared the world outside its walls.” Dragon Mage revolves around Aram Raythe, a misfit boy living in a small village who loves knots and sees everything in colors. All his life, Aram has been shunned and treated harshly because he’s “different,” and all Aram desires in his life are to make friends. However, there is so much more to Aram, so much more; he has an immense power to challenge the gods. For the rest of the premise, I suggest you check out the official blurb provided by the author. But I think you can already surmise from what I just described that Dragon Mage is a classic epic fantasy told with a modern voice. My god, it honestly feels so GOOD to be reading a superbly written coming-of-age fantasy again, and a standalone, too, at that; great standalone are relatively rare in epic fantasy. There’s just so much to love in Dragon Mage; Spencer includes many familiar tropes such as a coming-of-age story arc for Aram and Markus, a magic school, training montages, a missing father, the wise mentor with a harsh past, an impending doom, and more into this tome. Yes, this is a big book, length-wise it’s at least a duology in one, and I think it’s the right choice to make it so. One of the biggest gripes I have with an epic fantasy standalone is that I’m often left unsatisfied when I’m done with the book, and a well-written book with a large page count has the power to negate this result. And that positive result, in my opinion, has been achieved by Spencer. “He recognized that, while obsessing over things like knots and books might be a strength, it could also be another weakness. He could learn a lot by applying himself so obsessively—but he could lose a lot of friends doing that too. There was a delicate art to balance that he needed to find, and he vowed to strive for it.” I could write an essay on this review about why these tropes still worked to this day—and they do!—but when it comes down to it, it’s always the characters that won my attention. Spencer’s characterizations were magnificent; it is practically impossible for me to dislike Aram. Let me assure you first that Aram isn’t a Gary Stu despite the premise. Seriously, Aram suffers so much—both mentally and physically—throughout the novel, and I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main character blacked out as many times as Aram did here. His passion for knots and books was intoxicating, and he’s an incredibly relatable character that genuinely treasures friendship. Connection and friendship don’t come easy to Aram because he’s neuroatypical, and his friendship with Markus—one of the other main character—becomes one of the most precious things in the world for him. “Aram envied him, for he didn’t know how Kye could walk into a room and within minutes feel at home with the people there. It was a skill that had always eluded him, one of the great mysteries of social interaction that everyone else in the world seemed to know instinctively—everyone but him.” Markus is another character that I utterly loved reading about here, maybe even more than Aram. I mean, c’mon, Markus is practically the Samwise Gamgee of this book; we all need a friend like him in our life. The friendship between Aram and Markus was awe-inspiring to read; it is one of the most wonderful portrayals of friendship I’ve read in a fantasy novel, and it is one of the driving force of the narrative. Then there’s also Esmir and many other companions that Aram and Markus encountered that were easy to care for. Plus, Dragon Mage featured a bond with dragons that goes as deep as the bond between Caim and Angelus in the video game: Drakengard. However, if you’re not familiar with that video game, How to Train Your Dragon is another terrific example of the kind of friendship between humans and dragons you’ll read in this book. Responsibilities, friendships, and especially overcoming one’s weaknesses are massively evident themes in Dragon Mage, and I honestly believe that Spencer has executed them all marvelously. “It’s true that there are some weaknesses that are outside our control. But even with those, we can usually find ways to adapt. As for weaknesses that we can control…well, life is about conquering our weaknesses and turning them into strengths. It’s how we grow as individuals. We can’t let our weaknesses limit our potential. We want to be defined by our strengths, not our shortcomings.” This novel feels like Spencer’s love letter to classic epic fantasy, and we can see traces of its love in every part of the narrative, including the world-building. The world in Dragon Mage was torn apart long ago by an event known as the Sundering. Now there are two worlds: The World Above is the world of men, and the World Below is where most magical beings reside. However, there’s more than enough originality and charms that Spencer imbued to make Dragon Mage stands on its own feet. What Spencer did with the role of magic and how it’s used is simple and brilliant. The magic users in this book are, more often than not, super powerful, and to balance things out, there’s the role of a Shield—someone who’s completely impervious to any form of magic power—that prevents the magic users from becoming too powerfully imbalanced. There’s more to these, of course, but I’ll leave them for you to find out for yourself. Picture: Dragon Mage full spread [image] I loved reading Spencer’s action sequences, too. Tornado of flame, lightning spear, and much more spectacular exhibition of magic conjured plus the exhilarating aerial battles while riding dragons—many dragons—were absolutely absorbing; Spencer’s prose flows well throughout the whole book, and these battles never felt boring. One last thing, there were sections in the book that revolves around blacksmithing in details, and as someone who loves watching weapon/armor creations and the blacksmithing process, I think Spencer has done her research well; I was geeking out, not gonna lie. “Every day on the way to Esmir’s, he could feel his heartbeat pick up in anticipation of what he might find within a leather binding. Books, he was finding out, could be just as much of an adventure as knots, and equally rewarding.” Dragon Mage is a compelling epic and immensely satisfying fantasy novel that will remind readers why they love classic epic fantasy in the first place. Dragon Mage was at first a one-off standalone novel, but now it has become a series. I still stand by my words that this book worked incredibly well as a standalone, though. The ending was satisfying, and there’s enough room in the story for a sequel or two should the author decides to pursue the notion. One last thing, Dragon Mage comes out on my birthday. Be a Champion; buy and read it for yourself instead. If you end up enjoying it, let me know, and I’ll consider that a birthday present for me. “Fools always talk. Wise men listen.” Official release date: 8th January 2021 You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 07, 2020
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Dec 12, 2020
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Nov 03, 2020
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Hardcover
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1481465287
| 9781481465281
| 1481465287
| 4.13
| 881
| Nov 29, 2022
| Nov 29, 2022
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it was amazing
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The Lonesome Crown is a massive fiery, brutal, and unpredictable concluding volume to The Five Warrior Angels trilogy. “One must cease trying to conThe Lonesome Crown is a massive fiery, brutal, and unpredictable concluding volume to The Five Warrior Angels trilogy. “One must cease trying to control every little thing. Let the rivers of time flow, let the waters run where they may, for what destiny is yours shall remain the same and polished from the journey.—THE WAY AND TRUTH OF LAIJON” This is the end of The Five Warrior Angels trilogy, one of the most underrated trilogy I've read. I started and finished both The Forgetting Moon and its sequel, The Blackest Heart, in the year 2019. Back then, when I first read it, I still thought this series would become a five books series. And it would’ve been so cool. The number five is crucial in the world-building and lore of The Five Warrior Angels. And then I heard it would become a four books series instead of five. And then, not long after that, I heard AGAIN that it would be crammed into a trilogy instead. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about this. A series designed to be five books long suddenly lost two proposed installments; how many contents will be cut out? However, as Durfee said at the end of The Lonesome Crown, this was done in order to make sure he could tell the entire story he wanted without waiting for contract renewals for future books/series, which in the publishing business is always up in the air. And most importantly, now that I’ve read The Lonesome Crown, this move felt like the right decision. A blessing in disguise. I never felt like anything was missing from the text. This novel is almost 1,100 pages long and close to 400,000 words. It is the biggest in the trilogy, and as Durfee said himself, none of his vision was sacrificed in the making of this novel or trilogy. Everything he wanted to write was successfully written and crammed into this huge trilogy. And I am inclined to say I loved this explosive conclusion The Five Warrior Angels trilogy. “It will not be self-righteous blind faith in Warrior Angels that will save the Five Isles, the Vallè had said, but rather those with humble doubt, those who take it upon themselves to hone the strength of their own will and intellect and fight against the power of suggestion, fight against faith and blind belief.” The story in The Lonesome Crown continues a few days from where The Blackest Heart ended. And I personally think Durfee has realized many incredible feats with this novel. Without going into spoilers, The Lonesome Crown is a book about preparation, setup, and finally, the long-awaited Fiery Absolution. Fiery Absolution has been teased and prophesized since The Forgetting Moon. The twists and turns, the perilous quest, the epic war, the sacred weapons hunt, the deaths, the betrayals, and more. Everything that transpired in the previous two books and the first half of The Lonesome Crown was all a compelling preparation for the devastating time of Fiery Absolution portrayed in the last 35% of the book. I will talk more about the insane Fiery Absolution later. But first, unpredictability from using familiar tropes has always been one of my favorite aspects of The Five Warrior Angels, and Durfee did not dismiss this notion here. Right from the first chapter of this book, I was taken aback by finding out the identity behind the character in the gorgeous cover art (illustrated by Richard Anderson) of The Lonesome Crown. This kind of twist persisted throughout the entire novel. And even though familiar tropes were utilized constantly throughout the trilogy, it never felt like the story was predictable or less engaging. “Scripture is naught but insanity and contradictions: love and hate, peace and war. For any man who claims to speak for god is insane. All the time. Every time. Thus religion is naught but allegory and fable, and in the end answers nothing, leaving the mind and soul bereft and empty when it thinks it is full.—THE BOOK OF THE BETRAYER” I did a reread of The Forgetting Moon and The Blackest Heart in preparation for this book, and I'm glad I did. The ordeals and developments the varying characters went through in shockingly only one year of the timeline were just crazy. I don't think I would be able to enjoy this installment as much if I didn't reread the previous two books first. Durfee keeps the story fresh and exciting by including not one book of prophecy but multiple scriptures. This created contradictions and obsessive clashes of faith with heavy consequences while at the same time keeping readers glued to the page, thinking about which one of these scriptures is the right one. War being waged in the name of religion and faith is not a rare plot device in epic fantasy. And I am sad to say it is also a common conflict and occurrence in our world. This shattering war brought forth by people acting as if they were the avenging words and swords of their gods resulted in the inevitable conflagration, The Fiery Absolution. It was all handled deftly. The ending was satisfying enough and fitting to the trilogy, and Durfee, at the same time, left room for a sequel series should he ever choose to do it in the future. It's not truly necessary because I am satisfied with what I've read here. However, if it happens, I will be intrigued to find out how the events in this trilogy shaped the future of The Five Isles. “Our stories of today will be written down and twisted in the name of someone’s future ideology.” Before I discuss The Fiery Absolution and the action sequences, it is mandatory to talk about the characters and their development. It is worth writing a bunch of unlikable characters. I think one of the reasons why The Five Warrior Angels remains an underrated and underhyped trilogy is because The Forgetting Moon did not click with readers. It is understandable. Despite some loud opinions and demand for more morally grey characters, it is still, at its core, essential for many readers that the characters are still likable. The characters in this trilogy did not start off that way. Stefan and Beer Mug was the only truly kind-hearted and morally good characters throughout the trilogy. The rest, from the first book to the end, are doing their best to survive at every expense. There are no heroes here, except for Beer Mug, just survival. However, this is not to say the characters stayed unlikeable constantly. Starting your series with unlikable characters left room for rich character development and growth. That is what has been achieved here. “We cannot change the past… We can only accept where we are right now and forgive what wrongs were done us and move on. If anything good can come of this Laijon-forsaken mess, it is that I have changed into a less prideful person. I hold no malice toward Nail, and I can only hope those I have wronged hold no malice toward me.” In The Lonesome Crown, the number of characters in the series with their respective arc has increased further. We have main or supporting characters like Nail, Tala, Jondralyn, Jenko, Ava, Liz Hen, Dokie, Hawkwood, Krista, Val-Draekin, Gault, Enna Spades, Stefan, Lindholf, Lawri, and more. It will require another separate review if I pursue explaining EACH character's arc in detail. It would be a very spoiler discussion, and plus, I don't have the time to do that right now. Let's say this instead, the character's arc of these morally grey characters is incredibly rewarding. I think, sometimes, it is more paramount for readers to feel invested in the character's journey rather than being fixated on whether they are lovable characters doing good or not. Plenty of characters I despised in the past two books became characters I am so invested in here. For example, I talked about the shift in my investment in Liz Hen in my review of The Blackest Heart. I mentioned how Liz Hen was a character I thought I would thoroughly hate until the end, and The Blackest Heart proved me wrong. Well, The Lonesome Crown proved me wrong further. Liz Hen became one of my favorite characters in the trilogy. And then, characters I thought I was going to until the end of the trilogy betrayed me. It is all so good and unpredictable. Redemption, renewed purpose, or an attempt at one, is there for the characters. And there is Beer Mug, one of the best animal companions in the entire fantasy genre. “But it wasn’t until now that she fully understood the lure of forgetting, for this was the worst thing she had ever seen, and she wished to forget it immediately. A hundred thousand bodies buried underneath a hundred thousand more. Piled, stacked, crushed and torn asunder, then set aflame by dragon fire. It was death on a staggering scale.” Due to my growing investment in the characters, Durfee managed to make the blistering final 35% of the novel more gruesome and immersive to me. Time to talk about The Fiery Absolution. I've read more than 600 fantasy novels now. The Fiery Absolution has to be one of the craziest and most massive war scenes I've ever read. It is more or less 350 pages long of relentless carnage and savagery. And I am not exaggerating when I say the imagery Durfee portrayed in The Fiery Absolution made The Lonesome Crown one of the darkest and most violent books I've read. Honestly, some noticeable plot armor was involved, but I think they were balanced out but ultimate deaths for plenty of key characters. The explosive bloodbath instantaneously increased the death toll to exceed tens of thousands. Exactly. Tens of thousands of dead and burnt bodies twisted and smolders under the prophesized Atonement Tree. And then, there is also the crimson horrors of Tin Man Square. It is amazing. Nobodies, assassins, Valle, oghul, dragons, and the beasts of the underworld transformed The Five Isles into literal hell. It was, all in all, easily one of the finest war sequences I've read. “War is destruction. War is death. But once war is over, royals will again sit their broken thrones, villagers will return to their burnt villages, daughters will bury their fathers, and humanity will carry on and rebuild. Hope will flourish. The dead will sleep. Life goes on for the living. Just remember that when all hope seems lost.—THE CHIVALRIC ILLUMINATIONS OF RAIJAEL” I am amazed at Durfee’s talent to weave such a sweeping epic fantasy revolving around plenty of familiar tropes and twist them until unpredictability became a part of the series' main charm. This is an epic-scope trilogy about characters doing their best to survive against all odds in every circumstance. It is a story about blind belief and its irreversible consequence. However, though not touched upon as much as the other, I strongly believe The Five Warrior Angels is a series about finding the possibility of forgiveness and redemption after executing awful decisions and actions, whether forced or not. The Lonesome Crown is a climactic concluding volume to The Five Warrior Angels trilogy. I am grateful I took a chance on this series. It is a criminally underrated trilogy. And I look forward to reading whatever Durfee decides to write next. “The only way peace and happiness can be had is if we do unto others as we would have done unto us.—THE WAY AND TRUTH OF LAIJON” Series Review: The Forgetting Moon: 4.5/5 stars The Blackest Heart: 5/5 stars The Lonesome Crown: 5/5 stars The Five Warrior Angels: 14.5/15 stars You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Barbara, Brad, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lana, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Nanette, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Reno, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 15, 2022
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Dec 27, 2022
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Oct 31, 2020
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Paperback
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9781735483474
| 4.23
| 25,786
| Mar 16, 2021
| Apr 2023
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really liked it
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books & Gollancz—in exchange for an I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books & Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars The Blacktongue Thief is an immense entertainment manifesting in a fantasy novel. Christopher Buehlman is most often known for Between Two Fires and more horror novels; this is about to change very quickly. The Blacktongue Thief is the first book in Blacktongue trilogy by Buehlman, it is his first high fantasy novel, and from my observation, it is quite likely that this is the most hyped adult fantasy debut of the year. I’m not kidding; I’ve seen so many authors highly praised this novel since late 2019 and early 2020 up to this day. I doubt this will die down soon; many fantasy readers will be talking about this book more once it’s officially published. “If you’ve never fallen hard in love and lost your heart’s sovereign, go on and laugh at me. If you have, have a drink and dab an eye.” The plot in The Blacktongue Thief revolves around Kinch Na Shannack; Kinch owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, and his debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path. But Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark. Kinch picked Galva—a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. Galva is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants. Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva's. Many early reviews from both authors and readers have mentioned that this is a novel suitable for those who loved Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames, and I can certainly agree with this. I mean, even in my interview with Nicholas Eames himself, during his praises towards this book as the one book to definitely read this year, he agreed on these comparisons. The quest premise that Kinch and Galva took reminded me of Clay and Gabe’s journey in Kings of the Wyld; the jokes and senses of humor Buehlman included into the narrative were so delightful. ‘“The sirs won’t help you any more than your Guild will, blacktongue. You know what they say about caught thieves, aye?” Kinch was undoubtedly the biggest highlight of the novel for me. He’s just such a lovable main character; snarky, sarcastic, continuously smile in the face of adversity. But he also knows when to be serious. The Blacktongue Thief is told through Kinch’s first-person perspective, and Buehlman did an excellent job in giving him a high level of distinctive voice that reminded me of what Peter McLean did with his War for the Rose Throne quartet. That being said, don’t misconstrue my words to call these two series similar to each other; they’re not. The Blacktongue Thief is like Kings of the Wyld without all the Easter Eggs, with the addition of Scott Lynch’s brilliant use of profanity language in The Gentleman Bastards. The balance between humor and tension-packed conflicts was achieved splendidly, and hey, have I mentioned there’s a blind cat as Kinch’s companion? Now you know, and why are you still reading my review? “Monarchy is a bad system because, no matter how smart you are, you can still squirt a moron out of your plumbing. Maybe you get lucky and your son or daughter is at least half as smart as you—what about your grandchild? Probably a knob, and when they inherit the throne, everything you build fall to shyte.” Alright, fine, if these aren’t enough to convince you to give this book a try yet, there are also stag-sized battle ravens, magic tattoos, Kraken, giants, witches, and goblins. Admittedly, there were a few moments in the middle of the novel where the pacing dragged a bit for me. However, this is more of a personal thing; long seafaring sections in high fantasy rarely worked for me. Fortunately, my overall enjoyment of the novel was not hindered. There are just so many things to love in this book, and the entire section involving the Towers card game was equally hilarious, breathtaking, and superbly executed. “I won’t bore you with the whole set of rules; just know Towers is like a war right there on the table, and it sucks money out of purses faster than a two-squinny harlot. Starts more fights than religion and politics together. And it’s addictive.” The ending sequence was pulse-pounding, and the conclusion + the acknowledgment was satisfying to read. The Blacktongue Thief is fated to steal a lot of reader’s hearts with its charm, humor, intensity, and unrelenting fun; I look forward to seeing future readers enjoying this novel. As for me, I will eagerly wait for the next volume in the daring and exciting adventure of Kinch Na Shannack, a thief with a blind cat’s luck. Official release date: 27th May 2021 (UK) and 25th May 2021 (US) You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) | The Broken Binding (Use my code: NOVELNOTIONS121 for discount!) The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Sarah, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 2021
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Apr 02, 2021
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Oct 31, 2020
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Hardcover
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Liu, Ken
*
| 1982148977
| 9781982148973
| 1982148977
| 4.56
| 2,553
| Jun 21, 2022
| Jun 21, 2022
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it was amazing
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I am labeling Ken Liu as a genius. Speaking Bones has launched The Dandelion Dynasty to become the best series of 2022. “What did that goddess-likeI am labeling Ken Liu as a genius. Speaking Bones has launched The Dandelion Dynasty to become the best series of 2022. “What did that goddess-like lady say? If you do not like the stories you’ve been told, fill your heart with new stories. If you do not like the script you’ve been given, design for yourself new roles.” Since The Wall of Storms, I’ve mentioned the difficulty of reviewing each book in The Dandelion Dynasty, and that statement hasn’t changed here. It is even more prevalent. I’ve read and written more than 600 reviews now, and each volume in The Dandelion Dynasty, especially Speaking Bones, are some of the most difficult reviews to write for three main reasons. The first one is it is impossible and futile to try and tell the magnificence of the series through a few reviews; this series is an experience, and it is something you should start and complete for yourself. No reviews in the world will ever be able to capture the multitude of impactful depths Liu poured into this series. The second reason being each book in The Dandelion Dynasty packed a myriad of glorious content. Although The Dandelion Dynasty is technically a quartet, each book feels like I’ve read two or three epic fantasy worth of content. The third reason, I’ve never highlighted quotes from a book or series as much as I did for The Dandelion Dynasty. With 181 quotes, Speaking Bones alone is by far the most highlighted book I’ve ever read. This quantity is unprecedented. As I always say, I usually highlight about 10-40 quotes per book. But almost every paragraph and sentence in The Dandelion Dynasty demands to be highlighted, remembered, and re-remembered. All of these made reviewing Speaking Bones so challenging. The Dandelion Dynasty is a special series. And although I fully understand my review won't be able to do this book and series justice, I will still attempt it in the hope of convincing at least one or two people to give this series a read. Because through that, I will know I've succeeded in making the world a bit brighter. “The world may not be fair, but we must strive to make it so. The world is a dark place, but we must strive to make it brighter.” The Veiled Throne functioned as the first half of the final book of The Dandelion Dynasty. But there’s always a second act. Always. And the second act to finally conclude the series is manifested in Speaking Bones. In part 1 of The Veiled Throne, we encountered a new important character from The Lands of Ukyu and Gonde: Goztan. This was done in a flashback format. But that is no longer the case here. The last chapters of The Veiled Throne were centered on our main characters in The Islands of Dara. We are not getting the continuation to this side of the story until we reach Part 2 of the novel. But believe me, the wait will be worth it. In Part 1 of Speaking Bones, Hail-Pummeled Flowers, the story focuses on our main characters in The Lands of Ukyu and Gonde. And without mentioning any spoilers, part 1 of the novel immediately showcased the main tone of the narrative that will be displayed even more powerfully in the rest of the novel. Incredibly emotional, thought-provoking, contemplative, and so intense. "We show our character not by the weapons we choose, but through the purpose for which we fight and manner in which we wield them.” This shouldn't come as a surprise. As I said, The Veiled Throne and Speaking Bones are two parts of one big novel. That means what we are reading in Speaking Bones is almost an entire consecutive climax sequence and conclusions. But with proper build-up and superb pacing. And this notion applies to all five parts of the novel, starting from Part One, where the final confrontation between the Agon and Lyucu storyline is executed. I have no shame in admitting that I couldn't predict where the story was going. I was just astounded by how well-written the big aerial battle was. But more importantly, I already LOVED the themes that Liu discussed in Part One. A FEW examples: the meaning of eternity, what defines good or evil, why the cycle of violence is recycled endlessly, how no one is a villain in their stories, and what is often used as justification for the act of killing. All of them were delivered with a freezing impact. And this is just from Part One! Everything that happened in Part One was harrowing, depressing, bittersweet, and memorable. And these work well in preparing readers for the upcoming chaos and drama in Part Two of Speaking Bones: Thunder-Awakened Forest. “In Dara, it is said that there is often little to divide the madness of tyrants from the grace of kings, and heroes and villains alike demand sacrifices of others. The difference, if there is one, lies in why the sacrifices are being sought: to satisfy the ambition of the few or to secure the freedom of the many.” One of the best things about The Dandelion Dynasty has always been how splendid Ken Liu incorporates the super engaging battle scenes and the various deep themes into the story. We, epic fantasy readers, tend to love reading scenes of bloodshed, violence, and massive war scenes, but I think an SFF author has to be careful about applying these to their books. These devastating scenes, without any emotional weight and proper setup, would end up being mere flashy scenes that hold no meaning to me. Fortunately, this negative situation and feelings of boredom never happened throughout my time reading The Dandelion Dynasty. The concept of power, its attainment, and the corruption from wielding it is one of MANY themes that Liu insert into The Dandelion Dynasty. We arrived at the final stage of its searing effect in Speaking Bones. Teeth on the board. One who wields power must understand the consequences of wielding it. Or it will end up wielding the supposed wielder instead. These themes and the perpetually superlative characterizations, background development, and motivation building for the myriad of characters throughout the series imbued insanely terrifying emotional weight and stakes in the battle scenes and crimson conflicts. “Never be so certain that you’re right that you can justify the killing of thousands without shivering from doubt.” The destructive sunflower bloom of conflagrations and countless bloodshed poured in the big battles like the Battle of the Crescent Island felt palpable, vivid, immersive, and pivotal. Before you drown in my overwhelming praises for Speaking Bones, or The Dandelion Dynasty, I feel inclined as a reviewer to mention no war scenes in the series top over The Battle of Zathin Gulf in The Wall of Storms. This isn't to say The Battle of Crescent Island, or the Battle of Pan I'll talk about later, was ever uninteresting, but let's put it this way. If The Battle of Crescent Island and The Battle of Pan are 5 stars material, The Battle of Zathin Gulf is a 6 out of 5 stars material. I know, for one thing, that several readers won't like the structure Liu used to depict The Battle of Crescent Island. The Battle of Crescent Island is divided into three huge chapters. And every chapter ended with a cliffhanger immediately followed by a long chapter about the new specific invention crafted to be utilized in the battle. This can be slightly disruptive to the pacing. Those who don’t like reading a chapter ending in a cliffhanger might have an issue with this as they won’t be able to read the continuation of the cliffhanger chapters without reading a 30-40 pages chapter about the creation of a new invention first. But I loved it so much. Though it's true it did decrease the tension of the battle, the juxtaposition between battle scenes and technology crafting demonstrated Liu's spellbinding storytelling skill. Change is a constant, and everyone has to adapt. “There are consequences for every change, most of which cannot be anticipated. The belief that all wrongs can be righted merely by the desire to do good is… worrisome. Even the wisest laws and the most dedicated ministers will produce injustice, so long as humans are frail and selfish.” Speaking of cliffhangers and technologies, the end of Part Two of Speaking Bones will require readers to be patient again. It can be a bit hard, especially after such a pulse-pounding, dramatic, and enthralling turn of events that ended Part Two satisfyingly. Part Two plunged readers immersed in Dara into sceneries of carnage in the land and the sky. Through engineering that changed the shape of the future, exceeding even the Silkmotic bolt's capability, the new arsenal of weapons created resulted in climactic duels and fiery detonations. But Part Three, in my opinion, was different and absolutely worth it. By the end of the series, Part Three of Speaking Bones became one of the most crucial sections in the novel. But above it all, excluding the importance of the chapters here, I think Part Three was exquisitely meditative and impressive. Unlike Part One and Two of Speaking Bones, Part Three, Stone-Twisted Roots, was relatively calmer. At least for the one in The Islands of Dara. The way Liu implemented technologies and inventions into The Dandelion Dynasty is utterly clever. I have always mentioned this, I love epic fantasy series that dares to blend technology and science into their epic fantasy series while keeping it secure that it is still an epic fantasy series. The blending of genres is one of the things that Liu excelled in his storytelling. This is proven in ALL of his books. And that is once again re-established in Speaking Bones. Technologies and inventions often dictate how civilization advanced, and the intelligent practicality and importance of innovations and technology were not exclusively designed for war and obliteration. Most of Part Three centered around the dominant characters from the second half of The Veiled Throne, and here Liu also revealed the writing zither. I loved everything about it. Not only does Part Three enhance the quality of The Veiled Throne, but the philosophies and themes of healing, redemption, kindness, mercy, peace, war, life, and death embedded into Part Three constantly hit me like a brick. I will not spoil you with anything about this, and I will talk about this briefly. The origin story of Totoryoana (or Rufizo Mender) and the story of the three swords are some of the best origin or mythical stories I've ever read. Simple as that. Plus, it again exhibited Liu's wonderful talent for writing short stories. It is all SO GOOD. “There was nothing ordinary about being ordinary; to love and to be loved: That was the quintessence of the extraordinary. Only by being apart from her beloved did she finally love herself; only when she had learned to love herself did she truly begin to love.” Ken Liu saved the best of Speaking Bones in Part Four: The Fruits of Knowledge. It is, after all, the riveting denouement to the series. This is where everything came to an end. And I mean, really everything. One of my favorite things about reading The Dandelion Dynasty, or a well-structured epic fantasy series, is how we can look back and realize how much has been planned and prepared since the beginning of the series. This goes back to events in The Grace of Kings. The deadly long game that has been cultivated since The Grace of Kings and The Wall of Storms by one of the most spectacular and despicable characters I've ever read reached its final stage in this section as well. And although I ended up discovering the truth of her long game sooner than expected, seeing the full revelations still brought me relative satisfaction. I wanted a different fate for everything she has done, but what occurred is more fitting for the series. The Battle of Pan was absolutely compelling. Once again, The Battle of Pan was not as epic as The Battle of Zathin Gulf, but when it comes to emotional value, it was on par. All the unfolding vicious betrayals, heart-wrenching tragedy, merciless menace, ruthless violence, and tempestuous disputes ended in Part Four. And you know what? I couldn't be more satisfied by the breathtaking sequence of events than what is written here. “What Dara needs now is not the Doubt-Ender, but the emptiness of doubtful potential. When the heart has been cleansed by doubt, every hope becomes a possibility. I want to tell a story that the people don’t expect, a story of empathy that encompasses the world.” From my perspective and experience, the concluding chapters of Speaking Bones and the series were just too fitting to complain about. Calamity, cataclysm, war, and despair weren't the only key driving factors of the climax sequence or the book. If that was the case, the ending of The Dandelion Dynasty wouldn't be this special to me. As I said, portraying meticulously crafted balance in light, darkness, and the shade of grey between the two is one of the many talents Ken Liu accomplished marvelously. Hope, love, trust, friendship, peace, friendship, honor, art, and legacies, to mention a few, shine bright as well. Their beautiful existence, together with their dark counterparts, transformed the series and the ending of Speaking Bones into something irreplaceably special to me. And the finishing touch composed in Part V: Falling Leaves, the epilogue chapters of the novel, proceed to turn The Dandelion Dynasty into the best series of the year for me with even more gravitas than it already has. “Beauty and art can persuade through the heart even when grand speeches from learned philosophers fail to sway the mind.” Translation, languages, cultures, prejudice, ideals, engineering, legacies, mentorship, love, friendship, family, and more. There is too much. There is simply too much to capture in a review. I've written more or less ten thousand words (in total) of reviews for the series, and I still feel like I've captured only fragments of its brilliance. Speaking Bones is a masterpiece. A masterful culmination to The Dandelion Dynasty. Spanning generations of stories through hundreds of characters, I am in disbelief that I must say goodbye to the series now. For the past four months, I’ve been reading one book in the series per month, yet it feels like I’ve lived in Dara for half my lifetime. The Dandelion Dynasty is one of the very few series where each new volume I read improved the already exceptional (and beyond exceptional for The Wall of Storms) previous books. It is now proven that the reimagining of the Chu Han Contention in The Grace of Kings was successfully established as an ironclad basis for the rest of the series to explode with its meteoric impact and illuminating excellence. “Every generation must compose its own destiny. There is no shirking of this duty. Teeth on the board.” Once again, no existing review in the world could encompass the multitude of depths, knowledge, and emotions contained in each volume of The Dandelion Dynasty. I absorbed tomes of knowledge, a torrent of philosophies, exciting adventures, and unforgettable experiences permanently put into my mind and soul. Ken Liu always says a book isn’t completed when an author has finished writing the book. That’s halfway. A book or a series is completed only when the reader has finished reading them. And now, I’ve completed The Dandelion Dynasty. I didn’t just read about Dara and Ukyu and Gonde. I have lived them. How could I not? Ken Liu isn’t merely a storyteller with an intricately deep knowledge of this world. I see him as someone who has truly lived these stories. And he’s imparting the stories inside The Dandelion Dynasty to readers through his evocative and lyrical prose inside these books. Through his telling, my reading, and my re-remembering, I, too, have lived in The Islands of Dara and the Lands of Ukyu and Gonde. I have witnessed the tales of Kuni Garu, Mata Zyndu, Jia Matiza, Gin Mazoti, Zomi Kidosu, the children of Dandelion, and all the inhabitants from the Islands of Dara and The Land of Ukyu-and Gonde. I have heard stories of their gods. I have undoubtedly enjoyed my remarkable time and experience with the series. And it is your turn. It is your turn to complete your version of The Dandelion Dynasty. And yes, you SHOULD read The Dandelion Dynasty, a series that has catapulted its way up to becoming one of my favorite series of all time. You have my total gratitude for this masterpiece of a series, Ken Liu. Teeth on the board. I will strive to serve Mutage. Series Review: The Grace of Kings: 5/5 stars The Wall of Storms: 5/5 stars The Veiled Throne: 4.5/5 stars Speaking Bones: 5/5 stars The Dandelion Dynasty: 19.5/20 stars You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Amanda, Annabeth, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lana, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nanette, Neeraja, Nicholas, Reno, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Shawna, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 20, 2022
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Aug 26, 2022
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Oct 08, 2020
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Hardcover
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B08ZS19WWY
| 4.51
| 24,143
| Apr 06, 2021
| Apr 06, 2021
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really liked it
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4.5/5 stars I am not sure whether this is an unpopular opinion or not, but Bloodline is the best of the series so far for me. First, I want to say thank 4.5/5 stars I am not sure whether this is an unpopular opinion or not, but Bloodline is the best of the series so far for me. First, I want to say thank you so much to Christine Sandquist from Black Forest Basilisks; the detailed summaries of the entire Cradle series to date provided by Christine were super helpful to me. You can check out the summaries here if you need some refresher: https://blackforestbasilisks.com/crad... As for Bloodline, the ninth book in Cradle series by Will Wight, I will just immediately claim that this is my favorite installment of the entire series so far. Lindon is coming back home to the Sacred Valley, and without going too much into details on what the plot is about, almost the entire novel revolves around Lindon trying to accomplish what he sets out to do in Unsouled. In both power and mentality, Lindon has come a long way from home. However, attaining great powers doesn’t mean things will proceed as easily as he expected. Why? Because humans can be stupid, selfish, and ignorant. “Ah, yeah, but wounds can be deeper than you realize. Even when the healing is done exactly right, sometimes time is still the best cure.” If you haven’t read Bloodline, I assure you that this book will definitely infuriate you, and that is not a bad thing; it’s good. Convincing a group of thick-headed ignorant people that we genuinely want to help them can be one of the most challenging tasks to do sometimes. This isn’t uncommon; I’ve experienced it, and I’m totally sure a lot of people in the world as well. The first half of this book was intentionally designed to be infuriating. Lindon and his friends genuinely want to help the people of the Sacred Valley, but they were prevented by the ignorance and uptightness of the civilians. And I loved all of these so much. Bloodline explore this issue in a merciless—and realistic—manner, and I do believe the first half of this novel displayed Wight’s most mature plotline in the series so far. But it’s not all infuriating content; we still get heartfelt insight into Lindon’s psyche, and the staple banter and interaction between the characters were still evident. 'Lindon let out a breath of relief, but responded lightly. “Apologies. I’m afraid your hair is done for.” Eithan wilted against the tree. His eyes slowly closed. “Put me out of my misery. Make it quick.”' There’s so much satisfying payoff in Bloodline. I’ve mentioned that I had a bit of a difficult time connecting with Lindon's character for the first five books. I get why he’s obsessed with pursuing advancements quickly, and I also understand the motivation behind it, but I don’t think I ever really felt his kindness until this book. Also, it was immensely rewarding to read the developments that the characters have accumulated throughout the series. The first half of Bloodline consisted of Lindon and his friends flexing their strengths, and I had a bloody great time reading these moments, but that’s not the best part of the book. The second half of the novel was superior; a non-stop barrage of intense action scenes that, in my opinion, exhibited the finest action sequence within the entire series so far. It was epic, high-stakes, and the actions were breathtaking. Plus, seeing a group of loyal friends—after going through a lot of hardships together—putting all their strengths to face one deadly villain is something I’ll never get tired of. People frequently say that blood runs thicker than water; family is blood, and friendship is water in this context. The problem with this saying, however, is that humans literally need blood and water to survive. And Lindon won’t be able to survive without his friends and vice versa. “He could have set himself up like a king in some corner of the world. Could have scooped you three up, set fire to Heaven’s Glory, and left. But he stuck around for people who treated him like their least-favorite whipping boy. Don’t know who he was before, but that’s who he is now.” Bloodline is a bloody fine volume. It seems like I will always be at an odd with the general reception. Somehow, the books in the series that the fans of the series often consider disappointing/the weakest ended up becoming my favorite volumes of the series. For example, Skysworn, Uncrowned, and now Bloodline. I also think of Wintersteel, what many fans of Cradle think as the absolute best, as the third weakest book—still great, though—of the series so far. But do note that weak or disappointing in Cradle frequently means that it’s still a great book overall. And fortunately, I guess we can all agree that Underlord was awesome, and Cradle in its entirety is an incredibly engrossing series. There’s only three more books to go; we’re almost at the end of the line here, folks. And more than ever in the series now, I can say that I cannot wait for the next installment. Will Wight is creating history in self-published fantasy right now, and I’m glad to follow its journey. “The legacy you inherit is nothing compared to the legacy you leave behind.” You can order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Sarah, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 03, 2021
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Jun 06, 2021
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Oct 08, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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1984820672
| 9781984820679
| 1984820672
| 4.04
| 10,315
| Jun 28, 2022
| Jun 28, 2022
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it was amazing
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ARC was provided by the publisher—Del Rey—in exchange for an honest review. Locklands is a truly inventive, emotional, genre-blending, and reality-defy ARC was provided by the publisher—Del Rey—in exchange for an honest review. Locklands is a truly inventive, emotional, genre-blending, and reality-defying finish to The Founders Trilogy. “We’re all the result of countless actions and choices made throughout the centuries, and the odds of those actions and choices going the exact same way again are basically nil.” There is no dancing through a monsoon. The stakes and villains of the series have reached a gigantic proportion, and our main characters will have to unleash everything they have and beyond in this final fight. Robert Jackson Bennett has done it again. Just as a reminder, I’ve been a fan of Bennett’s books since I finished The Divine Cities trilogy a few years ago. And to this day, I think he’s still one of the most (relatively) underrated SFF authors. This isn’t to say that Bennett’s books are generally rated low or something like that, but in the grander scheme of things, I think both The Divine Cities and The Founders trilogy are both series that needs to be talked about more frequently in the SFF community. Even more so now with Locklands being published. “It’s like old times again... You and me against the whole goddamned world. There’s just a few more people on our side this time.” The story in Locklands begins eight years after the end of Shorefall. This is a big-time gap, and I'm sure it won't work for plenty of readers, but overall it's a storytelling decision that clicked with me. Our remaining main characters are engaged in a Scriving War with the most powerful enemy they've ever encountered. And I will first note that I wish there was a recap section of what happened at Foundryside and Shorefall at the beginning of the book. Or somewhere, really. It has been two years since I first read Shorefall, and other than seven important characters in the series, I have to admit that it took me a bit of reading to remember who's who. Thankfully, despite the huge time skip and no-refresher, Bennett did a great job in revolving the narrative centered around Sancia, Clef, and Berenice. If it weren't for that, I think I wouldn't have been able to enjoy Locklands as much as I wanted to without rereading the series from the beginning. As it turns out, I ended up loving this one. This was a thoroughly bonkers and epic finishing volume. I wouldn't have been able to predict the scale of the series would ever reach this level of insanity and destruction. And I am incredibly satisfied by the ending. “There are people in this world who learned the lessons I never did, the lessons that our son has learned all too late— that you are right. There is no magic fix. That a better world can only be bought by what we give to one another, and nothing more.” You know the saying, the act of giving is better than receiving? This phrase is about to be heavily tested in Locklands. The main characters, Sancia, Berenice, Clef, and more, will have to be willing to sacrifice things precious to them in the war against Tevanne and the deadlamps. I loved how despite the significant increase in stakes and world-building scale, Bennett never sacrificed the characterizations of the main characters in favor of them. New characters like Greeter and Design played a crucial role in the final installment, but it did not feel like Bennett ever needlessly added these characters to complicate things. Never once I feel like Locklands did not deserve its volume. The Founders Trilogy is such a satisfying series, and looking back, I feel rewarded to witness how far Sancia, Clef, and Berenice have come since Foundryside. This last installment also featured a lot of food for thought. I am super limited in what I can say on this review to avoid spoilers. I can, however, say that Bennett dived deep into what it really means to truly know and access another minds and feelings all the time. No separation. No privacy. And the result? It is not all beneficial and positive, even if the person is someone you love. “You’d swooped into my life like some kind of adventuring hero from a silly play, the woman said, all smiles and swashbuckling. You seemed bigger than anything I’d ever known.” What the characters have fought in Foundryside and Shorefall were insane already, but they're nothing compared to how crazy the new enemy is in Locklands. For the lack of better comparison, if you have read or watched Dragon Ball Z, the kind of actions and battles there is exactly the kind of over-the-top battles you can expect from Locklands. Giant creatures, immortalities, flying entities, or advanced innovation leading to instant erasure; the reality-bending devastation is reached an unprecedented level in the series. Or plenty of other fantasy series, to be honest. Bennett continuously blends fantasy, horror, and sci-fi in his books, and it is honestly one of the things that made me love his books. It's all absolutely insane, unpredictable, and filled with revelations. I loved how immense the action and world-building get, and I am impressed by how they never felt out of place. I certainly enjoyed reading all the revelations regarding scriving and Clef in this book, and more importantly, I had a blast reading every page in Locklands. “Yes. We have invented a new way to be human— one could possibly say that, yes. But we are still human. And watching those we love support us in our suffering… That is a trial for anyone, augmented or otherwise.” I highly highly recommend this series. Locklands is one of my favorite books of the year; it's a bittersweet and satisfying concluding volume to The Founders Trilogy. With stories that circled around hope, cooperation, empathy, sacrifice, love, and innovation, Bennett has once again proved why he's one of the most consistently great authors writing in SFF. Let me repeat this once again. The Divine Cities and The Founders Trilogy are now finished, and I'm inclined to state that both of them are included in my list of favorite trilogies. I will close this review with an excerpt from Bennett himself regarding Locklands and The Founders Trilogy: “For if the Founders Trilogy is about anything, I suppose, it is that the innovations of our species do not yield dividends on their own. They only bring prosperity when they are paired with a society, a culture, or a people who can use them to their utmost. A road cannot bring travelers if people refuse to let it be built. A printing house cannot bring wisdom if its readers decide they mostly prefer lies. And there is no balm or medicine that can bring health and happiness if the sick refuse to take it. If we find ourselves unable to take advantage of the many gifts that our brilliance has bestowed upon us, then it is my suspicion that there is no tinkering that can make those gifts function as they ought. Rather, it is upon the people to change themselves: to reshape, reconfigure, and rearrange the architectures of our societies— perhaps in small ways, or large— to allow prosperity and abundance for all to flow through. This seems like pithy precept, but it is the natural tension of our species for there to be some gap between our brilliance and our wisdom. The question is how far we should allow them to diverge, and what works can close that gap, and how fast they can close it.” Series review: Foundryside: 4.5/5 stars Shorefall: 5/5 stars Locklands: 5/5 stars The Founders Trilogy: 14.5/15 stars You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping) The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Andrew W, Amanda, Annabeth, Ben, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Nanette, Neeraja, Nicholas, Reno, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawna, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 21, 2022
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Jun 25, 2022
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Oct 06, 2020
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Hardcover
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0008404003
| 9780008404000
| 0008404003
| 3.91
| 343
| Nov 26, 2020
| Nov 26, 2020
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it was amazing
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the publisher—Harper Voyager—in exchange for an honest I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo ARC provided by the publisher—Harper Voyager—in exchange for an honest review. This was amazing. Great characters, lethal actions, and so much bloodbath; a vampire reading this book would probably find their thirst satiated. This is one of the biggest surprises of the year for me; I am thoroughly impressed by what Stephens has crafted here. Her debut, Godblind, was a good grimdark novel that I liked, but The Stone Knife? Oh boy, it was absolutely bloody and magnificent. I personally think that Stephens’ skill as a storyteller has improved significantly since the release of her debut. That said, I've heard from many readers that the rest of the Godblind Trilogy has indeed displayed Stephens' growth as a storyteller already, so it could just be that I’m missing on that actions. And honestly speaking, after reading The Stone Knife, I would be crazy to disregard that notion. The Stone Knife is the first book in The Songs of the Drowned trilogy by Anna Stephens, and the story takes place in the forests of Ixachipan. For generations, nation after nation has fallen to the Empire of Songs—their endless, magical music undefeated. And now, only two free tribes—Tokoban and Yalotlan—remain in Ixachipan, and they won’t submit to the Empire’s total domination. To make the struggle even worse for the tribes, the Empire has the Drowned—monstrous and scaled predators with their own magical music—at their side. I loved this book; it’s a different sort of beast from Godblind, and I am so damn pleased that Stephens has decided to write this rather than continue writing in the Godblind world. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m sure if she has decided to write more books that takes place in the same world as her previous series, it would be great as well, but there’s something about authors writing a new series in a new world that always excites me. This is a vicious tale about gods, monsters, love, loyalty, friendship, faith, and freedom. “That’s what it sounded like. It sounded like the sunset looks. It sounded like all the world is there just to make you gasp with wonder, to open your heart so wide that it can absorb all that beauty and hold it and be it and never lose it, no matter what. That’s what the songs of the Drowned sound like.” To me, one of the most noticeable differences between Godblind and The Stone Knife is the longevity of their chapters. In Godblind, Stephens uses very short chapters to prioritized fast-pacing, actions, and dialogue. The Stone Knife, however, is the other way around; chapters are longer, and Stephens focuses on characterizations and world-building first before filling the pages with blood. My preferences are definitely lean towards what she did in The Stone Knife. Although it took me around a quarter of the book to navigate and acclimate myself to the names and terms, I never felt bored because I found the setting and the intricate world-building—inspired by ancient Central American civilization—to be so refreshing. Also, there’s no info-dump; the majority of the unique names and terminologies are understood/learned through the context of the narrative, and she did it so well. Most importantly, the characters and their characterizations was terrifically written. “I don’t ever want to be like that, she thought suddenly. I don’t want to have killed so many that it means nothing. I don’t want to be dead behind the eyes or in the heart.” The story in The Stone Knife is told through the perspectives of seven characters—Xessa, Tayan, Etne, Lilla, Pilos, Ilandeh, and The Singer. Guess what? I’m so invested in all of them. Excluding the fact that there’s already a goodest boy named Ossa aside, I think Stephens has successfully nailed a great job of personifying her many characters here. Either faith, love, or both drives the motivation of these main characters; I personally found them all to be well-realized. It’s not often I praise romance subplots, and there were two or three romance subplots here, but I have to give my praises to Stephens on this aspect; the character’s love and fear for their loved ones were so palpable. Additionally, the disability and LGBT representation in the characters also felt totally genuine. Simply put, I loved reading all the character’s POV. But please do not let these lead you into thinking this is a romance book; oh god, this violent book will color your imagination red. “You’ve broken the song and doomed us all, Great Octave. All that comes next, you have caused. All of it.” Stephens has outdone herself on the creation of characters of Etne and the Singer. Yes, my favorite POV characters to read were Etne, The Singer, and Tayan. If you’ve read this book, or about to, before you call me deprave of sanity for claiming Etne as my favorite POV to read, let me first clarify that I don’t love her character; I doubt she was ever created to be likable anyway. However, her POV chapters were unputdownable, crucial, fierce, and engaging; I consider it a sign of a great storyteller when they’re able to make me THIS compelled to read an unlikable character’s storyline, and that’s what Stephens effectively did with Etne and her development with The Singer. The gradual changes in the tone of The Singer’s introspection were just spectacular. As I mentioned, this is a pretty brutal book; this isn’t really grimdark, in my opinion, but the violence enacted is full-throttle. If you’re averse to reading much blood and gore, I suggest you read a different book or wait until you’re in the right mood for it. Stephens’ actions are merciless, and she unquestionably excels at keeping the intensity and emotions of each scene intact. Peace negotiations and dialogues ended up being some of the most pulse-pounding scenes in the book. I sometimes find that the loudest volume can be found in the sound of silence, and there were many moments in the book where that voiceless moments amplified the tension so much. The battle scenes were mostly spread out here and there throughout the entire book, but in the final 15%, Stephens totally pull out all the stops; the unleashed insane chaos were impossible to untamed (haha), and I can’t help but found myself intoxicated by the power of the blood song. “My song will drive them to ruin. Those who live will do so in the agony of their wrongdoing. I am the song and it is bloody. I am the song and it is war.” The crimson macabre sequences demonstrated by Stephens in The Stone Knife will stay with its readers for a long time. Whether it’s peaceful tranquility or ruthless bloodshed, the scarlet claw in the narrative had a visceral grip on the reader’s emotions and attention. I highly urge readers of epic fantasy with a darker tone and grey morality to join the rank of the violent Melody with me. I utterly look forward to the next Chorus in the series. Harper Voyager, if you’re reading this, promote this book; you have something special in your catalog here. Official release date: 26th November 2020 You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Devin, Diana, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Michelle, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 04, 2020
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Oct 06, 2020
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Sep 20, 2020
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Hardcover
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0804139024
| 9780804139021
| 0804139024
| 4.42
| 1,156,285
| Sep 27, 2011
| Feb 11, 2014
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really liked it
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo This is my 500th review! 4.5/5 stars I have to admit, I didn’t expect I I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo This is my 500th review! 4.5/5 stars I have to admit, I didn’t expect I would have such a great time reading this book, but The Martian, somehow, became one of the most enjoyable sci-fi books I’ve ever read. “I guess you could call it a "failure", but I prefer the term "learning experience".” As I mentioned several times across my reviews, if I’ve watched a movie/TV series adaptation—that I loved—based on books first before I read the book, there’s a good chance that I might find the reading experience inferior because I already know how the story will go; the same situation goes for the other way around, too, of course. Usually, this is countered by beautiful prose or incredible characterizations/details that the movie/TV series omitted. Now, The Martian doesn’t have what I’d consider memorable prose, but the engaging narrative and the charm of the main character was more than sufficient to thoroughly hold my attention. Remembering that the The Martian used to be an unknown self-published novel and looking at how successful it is now, I think it’s safe to call The Martian as one of the biggest success stories in self-publishing history. “I don’t want to come off as arrogant here, but I’m the best botanist on the planet.” The Martian is a survival story, and what made it such an incredible book? Mark Watney and its pacing. Mark Watney, oh Mark Watney, what an absolutely delightful human being. Think about it, this is a story about someone being stranded on Mars all by himself. Not on a deserted city, not on a deserted Earth, but on Mars. Handled by a different author, this premise could’ve easily become a grim and bleak novel. But not The Martian. Even knowing the outcome of the story didn’t affect my enjoyment; Watney’s positivity and attitudes are intoxicating. We often hear advice that says a positive mindset brings positive results. And the positivity in Watney’s character in the face of constant danger despite the terrifying premise made this such an accessible book by the mass population. “He’s stuck out there. He thinks he’s totally alone and that we all gave up on him. What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology?” He turned back to Venkat. “I wonder what he’s thinking right now.” I seriously laughed several times when I’m reading this book; that doesn’t happen frequently. I feel like comedy is one element that’s insanely difficult to pull off right in a novel. For the majority of the time, I find humor in novels much more effective when they’re actually balanced with intense and serious moments/events. This is something that Andy Weir executed magnificently in The Martian. Watney is resourceful, he’s determined, he’s hopeful, and the balance between tension and humor was brilliant. The result? A narrative that’s so equally entertaining, hilarious, intense, and compelling that even all the sci-fi jargons became so much fun to read. “Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.” Yes, worship the duct tape; they can fix almost everything. There were instances where everything just felt so believable that I forgot I was reading science fiction. It’s a genuinely good feeling to read a book that lives up to all the praises; it seems like it doesn’t happen too often to me anymore lately. The Martian is easily one of the most wonderful sci-fi I’ve ever read; intense, funny, believable, and relentlessly captivating. Whether you’ve watched the movie adaptation or not, and regardless of what you feel about the movie, I still highly consider you to read this book. “If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it's found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are assholes who just don't care, but they're massively outnumbered by the people who do.” You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping) | Bookshop (Support Local Bookstores!) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 2020
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Dec 02, 2020
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Aug 31, 2020
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Hardcover
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B084G9YRK3
| 4.19
| 46,951
| Oct 13, 2020
| Oct 13, 2020
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really liked it
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRjh... ARC provided by the publisher—Saga Press—in exchange for an hon I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRjh... ARC provided by the publisher—Saga Press—in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars Fascinating world-building and riveting narrative. Black Sun was my first venture in Rebecca Roanhorse’s works, and it certainly won’t be the last. I’ve heard a lot of great things about The Sixth World, an ongoing urban fantasy series by Roanhorse, but I haven’t managed to get to them yet. When I saw this book being offered to review by Saga Press, I took a look at the cover, the blurb, and after hearing that this is a high fantasy, I immediately jumped at the chance to read and review it early. In other words, I knew absolutely nothing about the content of this book. And wow, I couldn’t be more pleasantly surprised. Black Sun was incredible, and if this is Roanhorse’s first foray into high fantasy, consider me a reader who’s willing to follow her career. “The costliest mistake one can make is to underestemite one’s opponent through low expectations.” Black Sun is the first book in Between Earth and Sky trilogy, and it is a high fantasy inspired by the civilizations Pre-Columbian Americas (how cool is this!?) The winter solstice in the holy city of Tova usually means a time for celebration and renewal. But there’s an exception this time. This year’s winter solstice Converged with the solar eclipse, and this is a rare Celestial event that dictates an unbalancing of the world. Xiala, a disgraced Teek—someone who has the power to calm waters through their Songs—receives a task to deliver a supposedly harmless passenger named Serapio by the time of the Convergence. This is a tale of destiny, celestial prophecies, sacrifice, and dark magic, and it’s one filled with individuals struggling to do their best to fulfill the role they’re given. “Life is a series of false hopes. We all have misplaced hopes until we learn better. I did.” Roanhorse has done an incredible job of crafting her characters here. Although there were four main POV characters to follow, Xiala and Serapio were unquestionably my favorites in the book. The majority of their POV chapters took place on the sea, and if you knew my reading taste, you would know that I tend to not like reading a fantasy book that takes place mostly on a boat/sea. I think of seafaring to be one of the most uninspiring settings in fantasy, and if possible, I prefer it to be done in shorter longevity. But this is one of many reasons why I think Roanhorse is a great author. She was able to keep me thoroughly immersed despite the seafaring setting that I usually disliked by creating well-realized characters with broken past and spectacular developments. I loved reading the gradual progression of Xiala’s and Serapio’s relationship, and Serapio’s flashback chapters were put to good effect; they enhanced his characterizations and motivations further. Also, Serapio is a blinded and scarred character; in the acknowledgment, Roanhorse mentioned the extensive research she did to make sure a character with blindness is represented rightfully. Whether she succeeds or not, it’s up to each reader to decide, but I personally found it’s praiseworthy that she’s willing to go that far. “A man with a destiny is a man who fears nothing.” This isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy reading the other two main characters, Naranpa’s journey and the difficulty she faced in maintaining her role as the Sun Priest in Tova was intriguing. I also loved reading Okoa’s POV, and seeing how these four characters fate intertwined with each other was darkly delightful. Roanhorse has an accessible writing style that flows nicely, and the great dualities in the scenes that occurred in the setting of land and water exhibited through the four characters wonderfully tightened the pacing of the narrative; suffice to say that I was never bored throughout this book. “Many of you, including my own Knife, object to this appointment, but you must trust that in my old age, perhaps I read a future in the heavens that you cannot. You may think her a puzzling choice, and you would be right. But often greatness comes from unexpected places.” There’s no long action scenes, but every moment of them was greatly done. Roanhorse’s prose was very easily visualized in my mind; the scenes that depict the whirlwind of slaughter and the leaking of blood from the eyes were so vivid in my mind. Seriously, the environment and the terrifying change in weather and atmosphere were also palpable. The dimming of the sun, the screaming of the wind, and the arrival of the obsidian sky when the avatar of the Carrion God’s shadow magic was executed felt insanely real. In addition to this, I also enjoyed reading about the world-building; it’s quite different from the books I usually read, and I appreciate how every epigraph that starts each chapter deepened the world-building of this series. “Violence should only be used in defense, and even then, it corrupts. If you must kill your enemy, do it quickly and be done. To linger only invites humiliation of both the victim and the self, and there is no honor there.” So yeah, I loved Black Sun. It was a short and compelling read, I finished it within two days, and I think this is one book that every fantasy readers—young or adult—would highly enjoy. I can’t believe that I picked up Black Sun randomly, and it ended up being one my favorite reads of the year. I’m looking forward to the next book already, and I will definitely check out The Sixth World series one day. “If your stories are of the glory of war, then I will know you value power. If your stories are of kinship, then I know you value relationship. If your stories are of many children, I know you value legacy. But if your stories are of adaptation and survival, of long memory and revenge, then I will know you are a Crow like me.” Official release date: 13th October 2020 You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) | Bookshop (Support Local Bookstores!) The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Devin, Diana, Hamad, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Michelle, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 12, 2020
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Sep 13, 2020
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Aug 31, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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0451488334
| 9780451488336
| 0451488334
| 4.34
| 777,664
| Oct 1989
| May 03, 2016
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it was amazing
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The Pillars of the Earth has been hailed as one of the most triumphant novels of all time for decades now, and it deserves every acclaim it earned. The Pillars of the Earth has been hailed as one of the most triumphant novels of all time for decades now, and it deserves every acclaim it earned. “When things are simple, fewer mistakes are made. The most expensive part of a building is the mistakes.” If you have been following my reading journey this year, you would know that I’ve been struggling to encounter a book in the genres I tend to read—fantasy and science fiction—that blew me away. In fact, even though we’re in the month of July already, I still haven’t found any fantasy book this year that I would give a full 5 out of 5 stars rating. The Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio are exceptions, of course, but that series is more science fiction and space opera. This situation has pushed me to look into The Pillars of the Earth, the first book in a series of standalone novels titled Kingsbridge by Ken Follett. For the past 4 years, it has been in my to-read pile, and circumstances and reading mood have made my decision to read it this year. All of you were right. I’m not disappointed. This book did it for me. This riveting reading experience is what I’ve been looking for this year, and I’m gratified to give this doorstopper a 5 out of 5 stars rating. “I imagined it. I wrote it. But I guess I never thought I'd see it.” Picture: The Pillars of the Earth by Ludwig Seibt [image] I don’t think you need to hear me repeat what the premise of The Pillars of the Earth is about. If you’re like me, you might have heard it is about building a cathedral in the fictional city of Kingsbridge. At least, that is the simplest way to explain what the premise of the novel is about. And yes, essentially, The Pillars of the Earth IS a story that revolves around building an iconic cathedral. But is it ONLY about that? No. Far from it. There’s so much more to The Pillars of the Earth. So much more. It is a story about faith, war, survival, poverty, family, love, responsibility, and unity. This isn’t to say the cathedral building aspect is inferior compared to the others, but the explanation of architecture and the act of cathedral building isn’t what we would advertise to lure readers into trying to read a historical fiction that is supposed to be page-turning. But trust me. Despite the massive size of the novel, at 410,000 words long, this book never succumbed to boredom. I strongly believe many authors, not just historical fiction authors but fantasy and sci-fi writers as well, can certainly learn a thing or two from The Pillars of the Earth. “Having faith in God did not mean sitting back and doing nothing. It meant believing you would find success if you did your best honestly and energetically.” Picture: Kingsbridge Cathedral by Sebastian Wagner [image] Many components contributed to turning this historical fiction novel into one of the best books in history. Follett ensured every chapter—comfortable or uncomfortable to read—was integral to the narrative. I never felt a specific chapter was useless to the overarching storyline. Whether it is written to augment our investment in the characters or enrich the themes of the novel, no chapter ever felt futile to me. This is something that I unfortunately faced a lot lately in the fantasy genre. It seems like the books are written unnecessarily longer than they should be, and I am speaking as someone who loves reading big books, like The Pillars of the Earth proved. But in this case, by making sure every dialogue, interaction, and relationship the characters make feels crucial, even the premise of building a cathedral in medieval times can altered into one of the most engaging reading experiences. “Nevertheless, the book gave Jack a feeling he had never had before, that the past was like a story, in which one thing led to another, and the world was not a boundless mystery, but a finite thing that could be comprehended. ” Picture: Kingsbridge Chapter by Sebastian Wagner [image] I have always been fascinated by grand buildings and architecture. I think we humans are built to generally be amazed at the creation of massive proportions, whether they are man-made or by nature. The Pillars of the Earth effortlessly pushed me to look into the origin of things and REALLY think about their creation. To remember how much effort, advancement, devotion, sacrifice, struggle, luck, and determination are needed. It is physically impossible to construct a cathedral of this magnitude alone. Not only during the year 1100s when the story of The Pillars of the Earth takes place. But even now, in our lifetime and society, even putting every resource we have into account, it is still impossible to build a cathedral by yourself. This is a feat that can only be accomplished through an immense amount of resources, association with other people, unity, teamwork, meticulous calculation, and many more working in harmony toward the same goal. I was constantly fascinated by every technicality Follett wrote into this book. However, as I said, this book is not only about building a cathedral. There's no shortage of intense and harrowing sequences, and I did not expect how well-written the characters would be in this 40-year-long epic storyline. “She loved him because he had brought her back to life. She had been like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and he had drawn her out and shown her that she was a butterfly.” Tom the Builder, Ellen, Jack, Aliena, Richard, and Prior Philip. These are some of the most recognizable protagonists of the novel. Before reading The Pillars of the Earth, I kept hearing how much people loved Prior Philip, and I’m not surprised why. I still don’t know whether my favorite character is Jack or Philip, but one thing I definitely know is this. Every character in The Pillars of the Earth has their own strengths and weaknesses. The relationship they forged became one of their sources of energy and hope to fight back against the evil and injustice of the world, especially one caused by the actions of the Triple W gang and one bully I’ll refrain from mentioning. I will get to the villains in the next paragraph. But back to my point. By making the protagonists flawed, it felt easier to recognize them as real characters and individuals. Even Prior Philip, who most of the time is kind-hearted, generous, and virtuous to serve his faith is not an exception to this. Philip, too, has his own agenda, and sometimes he will enforce his will to get what he wants. I loved the character development the characters had. Their survival tale will be stories that I always remember. When I finished the novel, I reflected on how the 40 years of tumultuous events changed them, and I feel satisfied to have read where their conclusion ended. However, if I haven’t been clear enough in this review, I need to emphasize this once more... The Pillars of the Earth is not a book for the faint of heart. “You never know… There may come a time when savages like William Hamleigh aren't in power; when the laws protect the ordinary people instead of enslaving them; when the king makes peace instead of war. Think of that - a time when towns in England don't need walls!” Let me tell you this. Out of every book in every genre I read, The Pillars of the Earth has some of the most despicable, disgusting, and malicious villains I have ever come across. William Hamleigh, Walter, and Waleran Bigod, especially William Hamleigh. Again, there is another character, but it will be a spoiler to name him. All you need to know is this. The mind of these villains will test your patience. Follett did not shy away from putting us readers in the mind and perspective of the villains for a long time while they were thinking sleazy and abysmal acts, not even when they proceeded to execute them. Imagine every nasty action a villain could do in historical fiction novels, and you will most likely see them in the pages of The Pillars of the Earth. I fully understand if readers do not want to read The Pillars of the Earth because of this. But personally speaking, I think having the POV of a villain—more of the time than not—elevates the tension and compelling factor of the narrative. Knowing how far William Hamleigh and his goons will go to achieve whatever selfish desire he wants has made me feel terrified for the characters because I know none of them are safe from danger. This kind of fear for the characters—in my opinion—means I am engrossed in the story and the lives of the characters I grew to care about. And Follett accomplished that. It is a sign of a great book. Picture: The Pillars of the Earth User Interface by Sebastian Wagner [image] It is known in the construction of a cathedral, even though there is a master builder, that support and cooperation from other people are imperative. Same as books. Ken Follett mentioned the struggle and skills he needed to weave the beastly tome that is The Pillars of the Earth to completion. Without the help of other people, it will not be possible. Not only that, Follett also mentioned it is only thanks to the viral and continuous spread of word-of-mouth that The Pillars of the Earth reached the success it has. The glimmering quality and the worldwide fame of the story and the success of The Pillars of the Earth are as grand and rich as a Gothic cathedral. The popularity and success of the novel have spawned TV shows and video game adaptations as well; both are well-received. Knowing how much I enjoyed reading The Pillars of the Earth makes me excited to read the sequel as soon as possible. Especially when many readers have concluded that World Without End is somehow superior. I will read World Without End when I am in the middle of a 5-star book drought again. Or, who knows, maybe I’ll read it sooner than expected. But until then, I will end this review by saying The Pillars of the Earth is one of the best historical fiction novels ever penned. “Human beings have the capacity to rise above mundane circumstances and touch the eternal.” You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping) You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Stephanie, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 27, 2024
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Jul 14, 2024
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Jul 26, 2020
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Hardcover
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125085055X
| 9781250850553
| 125085055X
| 4.42
| 83,780
| Nov 05, 2020
| Feb 15, 2022
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it was amazing
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I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo Dawnshard is a magnificent warm-up to the upcoming Rhythm of War. Dawns I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo Dawnshard is a magnificent warm-up to the upcoming Rhythm of War. Dawnshard is a novella, or short novel, in The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. I think many of you have known that I am a devout fan of Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. No, seriously, I love the Cosmere universe so much that I actually felt annoyed when Sanderson decided to focus on Skyward instead of finishing Mistborn: Wax and Wayne series first. But let’s get back on topic. I knew Dawnshard will be a wonderful book, and I knew it will provide character development and other necessary information for the future of the series. What I didn’t expect, however, was that it will shed light on so many Cosmere hints and revelations. Dawnshard takes place after Oathbringer and before Rhythm of War, it follows the story of Rysn as she’s tasked to go to Akinah. I haven’t read any previous chapters released for Rhythm of War, but I know for sure that the events that happened in Dawnshard display immense implications for the future of Roshar and the entire Cosmere universe. It is frankly insane. I just don’t know how Sanderson does it. This novella exceeded Edgedancer in every possible way, and I’m so pleasantly surprised by how important it was on the grander scheme of the Cosmere. “That was the thing about omens—they were made up. Imagined signals of something nebulous. So why not make them up to be something positive?” I never thought about it before, but Sanderson’s decision to put Rysn and Lopen as the two POV characters in this novella is such a brilliant move. Approximately half of the book takes place in a seafaring travel section, but it was never boring; Sanderson developed Rysn, Lopen, Cord, Huio, and also include stunning revelations about Cosmere in this section; entire book, actually. One of the things that Sanderson tried to do carefully in Dawnshard is to make sure the representation of disabled characters—mainly paraplegic—is done right. He has consulted and did his research. Now, I will not be presumptuous and say he has done it well; I believe this can only be judged by someone with the same issue, and I’m not. However, I would like to digress that this book made me feel more empathetic towards them. One of my younger brother’s legs is disabled since he was born, and this book occasionally made me stop and think about what he went through growing up. “Everyone else pranced around without ever having to worry they were a burden to others. Never remaining in the same place—when they longed to move around—because they didn’t want it to be a bother. They didn’t know what they had. But Rysn knew exactly what she’d lost.” Do note that this doesn’t mean that Dawnshard is a gloomy book. I think Sanderson’s books, all of them, aren’t like that. Sanderson always makes sure to include positivity in the bleakest of moments, and this feeling of invigoration I got from reading his books is something that I’ve come to truly appreciate from his works. This is why Lopen’s POV matters more. Lopen was hilarious in the main novels, and I personally found that Dawnshard deepens his characterizations further. Come to think of it, Lopen reminded me a lot of Wayne—another supporting character I loved—from Mistborn: Wax and Wayne series. I loved the positive attitudes that he brings with his existence; he genuinely just wants the people around him to be happy. “But it’s nice to make people laugh at you for something you do, and not something you can’t control. You know?” However, as much as I praised Rysn and Lopen, I have to say that the most pleasant surprise in character development, for me, was Huio. I didn’t think of him as remotely important in the main series so far, but Dawnshard successfully and efficiently established him as one of the supporting characters to watch out for. The same can also be said for Cord, Chiri-Chiri, you know what? Consider what I just said moot point because it applies to practically everyone now. I’m just seriously impressed with Dawnshard; I liked Edgedancer but Lift infuriated me non-stop there, and she made me hate the word ‘pancake’. Not only the overall content of Dawnshard felt so much more important to the scope and main story of The Stormlight Archive, but it also extrapolates the importance of having a positive mindset in the daily course of our lives. Superstition or bad omens are a big theme in Dawnshard, and Sanderson showcases examples of why sometimes bad omens can be turned around by simply shifting our mindset and perspective. “You could always defeat gloomy Passions with optimism and determination. Even the worst highstorm dropped fresh water.” One last thing before I conclude this review, which somehow ended up being longer than I expected. I’ll make this as spoiler-free and vague as possible, but if you’re caught up or understand the mechanism behind the Cosmere universe, Dawnshard is about to stun you with many mindblowing insights. One of the biggest hints is the implication that materials from other worlds in the Cosmere could be traded and appear in different worlds now. Aluminum is here, and I’m sure it will be as well in Rhythm of War and so on. Think about the usage of Aluminum in Mistborn series. From reading Oathbringer, we knew this could happen, but to see it appearing here (unless I’m mistaken) is truly a sign of great things to come in Rhythm of War and pretty much all future Cosmere books. Also, if I have to mention a growing and worrying issue from reading The Stormlight Archive so far, it would be that the characters and their healing power have become way too powerful. Well, Dawnshard has pretty much exhibited how this issue will be negated; several counter-mechanism has been shown, and our beloved characters will probably suffer more. Soon. “Sometimes you need to accept what you’ve lost, then move forward. Then you can instead realize what you’ve gained.” It’s astounding to me that there’s still so much about this relatively short book I could talk about here, but I’ll stop for now. I hope the day will come when Rysn becomes one of the main characters in the main novels. In less than 300 pages, I already preferred reading Rysn as one of the main POV characters compared to Shallan. There, I’ve said it. I would like to say that Dawnshard isn’t mandatory to read, but I can’t. Honestly, I’m still shocked and amazed by all the revelations I attained from reading this short novel. Dawnshard is an incredible appetizer before we devour the next main menu in The Stormlight Archive: Rhythm of War. More importantly, this is a must-read volume for many of us who’s adapting “Journey before destination” in our lives as we make our way through traversing every single piece of art in The Stormlight Archive and Cosmere universe. Needless to say, this is an amazing novella/short novel. Last but not least: I am ready for the Rhythm of War. Sidenote: Currently the ebook of Dawnshard is only available for Kickstarter backers. If I’m not mistaken, the ebook will come out on the 10th of November on Amazon and other stores. The physical copy will be published next year. You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Michelle, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 06, 2020
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Nov 06, 2020
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Jul 19, 2020
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Hardcover
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my rating |
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4.42
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really liked it
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Oct 14, 2022
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Feb 09, 2021
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4.38
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it was amazing
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Aug 13, 2021
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Feb 09, 2021
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4.40
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really liked it
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Jun 10, 2021
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Feb 09, 2021
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4.33
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really liked it
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Apr 19, 2021
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Feb 09, 2021
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4.50
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really liked it
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Dec 08, 2021
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Dec 27, 2020
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4.44
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it was amazing
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Aug 06, 2021
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Dec 18, 2020
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3.86
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really liked it
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Feb 02, 2021
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Dec 08, 2020
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4.25
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it was amazing
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Feb 10, 2021
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Nov 23, 2020
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4.12
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really liked it
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Sep 27, 2021
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Nov 04, 2020
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4.34
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it was amazing
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Dec 12, 2020
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Nov 03, 2020
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4.13
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it was amazing
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Dec 27, 2022
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Oct 31, 2020
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4.23
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really liked it
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Apr 02, 2021
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Oct 31, 2020
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Liu, Ken
*
| 4.56
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it was amazing
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Aug 26, 2022
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Oct 08, 2020
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4.51
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really liked it
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Jun 06, 2021
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Oct 08, 2020
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4.04
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it was amazing
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Jun 25, 2022
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Oct 06, 2020
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3.91
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it was amazing
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Oct 06, 2020
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Sep 20, 2020
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4.42
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really liked it
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Dec 02, 2020
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Aug 31, 2020
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4.19
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really liked it
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Sep 13, 2020
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Aug 31, 2020
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4.34
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it was amazing
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Jul 14, 2024
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Jul 26, 2020
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4.42
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it was amazing
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Nov 06, 2020
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Jul 19, 2020
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