B0CW188TW9
4.47
151
Jul 09, 2024
Jul 23, 2024
really liked it
4.5/5 stars
Deathless was, unbelievably, even better than Demon; this is an intense and dark political epic fantasy done right.
Deathless was, unbelievably, even better than Demon; this is an intense and dark political epic fantasy done right.
First, I will repeat what I said in my review for Demon. The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes is a big series divided into three trilogies. Herald is the first book in Age of the God Eater trilogy. Deathless is the first book in Annals of the God Eater trilogy, and it takes place a thousand years before the events of Herald. Finally, Demon is the first book in Archive of the God Eater trilogy, and the story begins three thousand years before the events of Herald. These three surmised the first phase of The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes. Hayes wrote the three first volumes concurrently, and he’s currently writing the second phase of The God Eater Saga, the respective sequel to these three books.
Although I am not following the recommended reading order of The God Eater Saga, which is to read Herald, Deathless, and Demon in that order, I must say… Rob J. Hayes has done a superb job in making sure each first book in a series worked as a standalone or a suitable starting point. If you read Deathless after reading Herald, I have no doubt your reading experience of this 70,000 words long short novel will differ from mine. But in my case, I read Demon first, and I can confidently say that I do not regret reading the saga in chronological order. Not one bit. It’s the other way around. I have read Demon, but I haven’t read Herald, and I believe my reading experience of Deathless was elevated because of it. I have a feeling Herald will explain the events that happened in Deathless and will spoil the elements of surprise.
Two thousand years have passed since the origin story of Dien Hostain in Demon started. In Deathless, we follow the story of King Ertide Hostain, who was once known as the legendary Crimson Prince. He fought side by side with angels and pegasi and defended the Sant Dien Empire against monsters. But his pact with Heaven has become strained. He has grown old, his body rots, and nearing his death, he has yet to choose which of his squabbling princes will be his heir. The Hostain dynasty has ruled over the empire for millennia, but when Ertide finds cryptic notes from his dead father, he realizes not all is as it seems. Has history been rewritten? And if so, what is Heaven hiding?
Immortality has a price, and it is paid in blood. If Demon is a survival and origin story of Dien Hostain, Deathless is a political epic fantasy story that depicts the genesis of the Godless Kings who took their war to Heaven. It will require a bit of time to get used to the many names of the Hostain family. Ertide is the sole POV character of Deathless, and most of the main supporting characters in this novel (unless certain revelations are revealed in later books) are descendants of Dien Hostain, the main character of Demon. In my opinion, The Hostain dynasty is starting to become one of the most fascinating fictional families brimming with potential for intricacies and family-tree explorations I have ever read. In a way, reading the story of the Hostain family in Demon and Deathless reminded me of the Targaryen from A Song of Ice and Fire or Radagon’s family in Elden Ring video game. I have yet to read Herald, and I am already sad I will be done with the first phase of The God Eater Saga soon.
Ertide Hostain and his descendants, especially Rikkan, Mertred, Caran, Emrik, and Arandon, are some of the most memorable characters in Deathless. As I mentioned, give yourself time to adjust to the many names quickly forwarded to the reader. But once you get the bearing of who’s who and their respective crucial role in the narrative, I guarantee you it will be a challenge to put Deathless down. The first half is basically the calm before the storm moments. Hayes needed this section to efficiently establish the build-up before the explosive second half. And the payoff is utterly brilliant. I read the second half of Deathless in one sitting. The scheming, the manipulations, the revelations, and the brutal confrontations of ideals, wishes, freedom, and greed made Deathless a thoroughly engaging read with a satisfying ending. The angel of the First Age—Orphus—and the Fourth Age—Oronesus—are more involved in the plotlines when compared to Demon. It was an incredible experience to read and learn more about the world-building and history Hayes has prepared for The God Eater Saga with each book. And I cannot wait to read more of it.
Because this is a short novel, I will not take too much of your time reading this review. Deathless is a blaze of glory that became one of the author's best works to date. I wholeheartedly recommend Demon and Deathless. Hayes is brewing something special with The God Eater Saga. And to think that I haven’t even read the main novel of the saga, Herald, yet! However, after reading Demon, Deathless, and The Mortal Techniques series, I already feel secure in proclaiming Rob J. Hayes as one of my favorite fantasy authors. The magnificent tale of greed, ambition, power, faith, and fall from grace in Deathless is bound in blood. I have a strong instinct that the repercussions of the vermillion actions in Annals of the God Eater, even when the second and third phase of the saga is not written yet, will seep into Age of the God Eater series. I am ready for Herald.
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, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Sophia, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Deathless was, unbelievably, even better than Demon; this is an intense and dark political epic fantasy done right.
"It takes more than4.5/5 stars
Deathless was, unbelievably, even better than Demon; this is an intense and dark political epic fantasy done right.
"It takes more than one person to birth a conspiracy."
First, I will repeat what I said in my review for Demon. The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes is a big series divided into three trilogies. Herald is the first book in Age of the God Eater trilogy. Deathless is the first book in Annals of the God Eater trilogy, and it takes place a thousand years before the events of Herald. Finally, Demon is the first book in Archive of the God Eater trilogy, and the story begins three thousand years before the events of Herald. These three surmised the first phase of The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes. Hayes wrote the three first volumes concurrently, and he’s currently writing the second phase of The God Eater Saga, the respective sequel to these three books.
"A civilisation is lost, not when the messages of our heroes are forgotten, but when they are corrupted. When we are led by those with the loudest voices, rather than those with the keenest minds. When learning is ridiculed and ignorance lauded."
Although I am not following the recommended reading order of The God Eater Saga, which is to read Herald, Deathless, and Demon in that order, I must say… Rob J. Hayes has done a superb job in making sure each first book in a series worked as a standalone or a suitable starting point. If you read Deathless after reading Herald, I have no doubt your reading experience of this 70,000 words long short novel will differ from mine. But in my case, I read Demon first, and I can confidently say that I do not regret reading the saga in chronological order. Not one bit. It’s the other way around. I have read Demon, but I haven’t read Herald, and I believe my reading experience of Deathless was elevated because of it. I have a feeling Herald will explain the events that happened in Deathless and will spoil the elements of surprise.
"When faith becomes religion, and worship is enforced with threat and fear, morality actual suffers in the shadow of morality implied."
Two thousand years have passed since the origin story of Dien Hostain in Demon started. In Deathless, we follow the story of King Ertide Hostain, who was once known as the legendary Crimson Prince. He fought side by side with angels and pegasi and defended the Sant Dien Empire against monsters. But his pact with Heaven has become strained. He has grown old, his body rots, and nearing his death, he has yet to choose which of his squabbling princes will be his heir. The Hostain dynasty has ruled over the empire for millennia, but when Ertide finds cryptic notes from his dead father, he realizes not all is as it seems. Has history been rewritten? And if so, what is Heaven hiding?
"Do the people serve the king, or does the king serve the people? Consider the circle. Strong and flexible, but a single break in the line and the structure falls apart. Therefore it might be better to say: The people DO serve the king, so that the king MAY serve the people."
Immortality has a price, and it is paid in blood. If Demon is a survival and origin story of Dien Hostain, Deathless is a political epic fantasy story that depicts the genesis of the Godless Kings who took their war to Heaven. It will require a bit of time to get used to the many names of the Hostain family. Ertide is the sole POV character of Deathless, and most of the main supporting characters in this novel (unless certain revelations are revealed in later books) are descendants of Dien Hostain, the main character of Demon. In my opinion, The Hostain dynasty is starting to become one of the most fascinating fictional families brimming with potential for intricacies and family-tree explorations I have ever read. In a way, reading the story of the Hostain family in Demon and Deathless reminded me of the Targaryen from A Song of Ice and Fire or Radagon’s family in Elden Ring video game. I have yet to read Herald, and I am already sad I will be done with the first phase of The God Eater Saga soon.
“So many faces here I recognize… And just as many I don’t. I’m sorry about that. I wish I’d spent more time getting to know you all. But ours is a broad family. A tree with roots as deep as the world, and more branches than rivers feeding the World Vein. The Hostain blood runs strong in us all. The blood of the Saint, who forged humanity into an empire. The blood of rulers, who have held us all together and brought us prosperity and wisdom and strength.”
Ertide Hostain and his descendants, especially Rikkan, Mertred, Caran, Emrik, and Arandon, are some of the most memorable characters in Deathless. As I mentioned, give yourself time to adjust to the many names quickly forwarded to the reader. But once you get the bearing of who’s who and their respective crucial role in the narrative, I guarantee you it will be a challenge to put Deathless down. The first half is basically the calm before the storm moments. Hayes needed this section to efficiently establish the build-up before the explosive second half. And the payoff is utterly brilliant. I read the second half of Deathless in one sitting. The scheming, the manipulations, the revelations, and the brutal confrontations of ideals, wishes, freedom, and greed made Deathless a thoroughly engaging read with a satisfying ending. The angel of the First Age—Orphus—and the Fourth Age—Oronesus—are more involved in the plotlines when compared to Demon. It was an incredible experience to read and learn more about the world-building and history Hayes has prepared for The God Eater Saga with each book. And I cannot wait to read more of it.
"History is mutable, written not by the hand of relevance, but instead by those with ink to spare."
Because this is a short novel, I will not take too much of your time reading this review. Deathless is a blaze of glory that became one of the author's best works to date. I wholeheartedly recommend Demon and Deathless. Hayes is brewing something special with The God Eater Saga. And to think that I haven’t even read the main novel of the saga, Herald, yet! However, after reading Demon, Deathless, and The Mortal Techniques series, I already feel secure in proclaiming Rob J. Hayes as one of my favorite fantasy authors. The magnificent tale of greed, ambition, power, faith, and fall from grace in Deathless is bound in blood. I have a strong instinct that the repercussions of the vermillion actions in Annals of the God Eater, even when the second and third phase of the saga is not written yet, will seep into Age of the God Eater series. I am ready for Herald.
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, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Sophia, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
6
1
May 24, 2024
May 25, 2024
Mar 22, 2024
Kindle Edition
0756415276
9780756415273
0756415276
4.19
155
Jul 02, 2024
Jul 02, 2024
really liked it
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Failures
Review copy provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest re This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Failures
Review copy provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Failures is an extremely ambitious, mind-bending, and meticulously constructed debut novel.
Finding a new epic fantasy debut from a new author in traditional publishing is relatively rare. At the time of this review, traditional publishing seems to prefer cozy fantasy and romantasy most. But even if the state of publishing is favoring epic fantasy, a debut as twisted, ambitious, and rewarding as The Failures by Benjamin Liar would still be a once-in-a-blue-moon moment. The Failures was never in my radar. I didn’t even know about this book until I received an email from Matt Bialer, the literary agent of Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, and many other authors, including Benjamin Liar. Bialer asked me to put The Failures on my list of books to watch out for in 2024 because he and DAW Books believed reading this book felt like encountering The Name of the Wind for the first time again. The Name of the Wind is one of my favorite books of all time, and although The Failures is very different from The Name of the Wind, hearing that kind of statement from Rothfuss's agent and publisher means there was no way I could pass this up. Additionally, two of my favorite authors, Tad Williams and Christopher Ruocchio, sang their echoing praise for this book. And I am in awe of the huge scope Liar prepared for this book and trilogy.
The official premise says it nicely. The Failures is the first book in The Wanderlands trilogy by Benjamin Liar. It is a genre-breaking blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi and epic fantasy about a scattered group of unlikely heroes traveling across their broken mechanical planet to stave off eternal darkness.
The Wanderlands—A vast machine made for reasons unknown—was broken long ago.
First went the sky, splintering and cracking, and then very slowly, the whole machine—the whole world—began to go dark. Following the summons of a strange dream, a scattering of adventurers, degenerates, and children find themselves drawn toward the same place: the vast underground Keep. They will discover there that they have been called for a purpose—and that purpose could be the destruction of everything they love.
For below the Keep, imprisoned in the greatest cage ever built by magicians and gods, lies the buried Giant: Kindaedystrin. It is the most powerful of its kind, and its purpose is the annihilation of all civilization. But any kind of power, no matter how terrible, is precious in the dimming Wanderlands, and those that crave it are making their moves.
All machines can be broken, and the final cracks are spreading. It will take only the careless actions of two cheerful monsters to tip the Wanderlands towards an endless dark...or help it find its way back to the light.
Where should I begin reviewing a book like The Failures? It is difficult to choose where to start; I can tell you right from the first chapter, I was instantly reminded of FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, one of my favorite series of games of all time. The utility of bonfire in the land of absolute darkness in the first chapter, and then having this as a recurring implementation in the unconventional narrative throughout the whole book, made The Failures far from what I would categorize as accessible for new readers of the genre. It is relatively demanding. The narrative doesn’t hold your hand. Terminologies and the story structure require your attention, and the book will shift the gears of your mind to work, keep asking questions, and solve answers on its own. For those of you who feel that new epic fantasy, lately and as seldom as they’re published now, tend to handhold the readers too much, The Failures is the book for you.
Every chapter, terminology, and revelation I learned from understanding the subtleties and contexts astonished me repeatedly. When you think about it, the premise of the entire novel, as I said earlier, for the lack of a better word, is so badass in premise and execution. Liar’s intricate world-building is, without a doubt, one of the primary strengths of The Failures. Having a story taking place in a land of darkness where light is precious, and then the existence of a complex and massive city hidden underneath an insanely vast mountain with a supposedly extinct giant with the capability of destroying or saving the world made The Failures a unique reading experience. When I was reading the book, I kept thinking... there’s no way this kind of novel and world-building is conjured in the span of a year or two. And I was proven right when I read the acknowledgment at the end of the book. Benjamin Liar said the conception of the world behind The Failures began 30 years ago. And I am not surprised by this. Arcane energies, automata, the behemoth, possibly multiple worlds, ancient weapons, portal-forged swords, mysterious characters with legendary deeds, and many more. The rich world-building, history, and plotting behind The Failures with the theme of darkness and light, redemption, family, ambition, and friendship is rigorous and mind-blowing. Something worth doing is worth your time doing well, and Liar ascertained that.
Mysteries were constantly evoked from every POV chapter, and Liar ramps up the storytelling quality with more answers AND questions with every page. With new answers I gained, new questions spurred in my mind. This is owed to how intriguing and engaging the storylines were. From my experience, I wouldn’t categorize The Failures as a character-driven novel. And that is usually an issue for me. The narrative is told through the perspective of several POV characters, and there is an omniscient tone and execution to the storytelling. Some parts of the narration slightly reminded me of reading The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. This puts the characters at risk of feeling distant. Thankfully, the tone and focus of the narrative are always centered on the main character within the group of POV. Plotting is one of the most significant aspects of The Failures. The story is divided into several groups of characters. First, we have the perspective of Sophie Vesachai and her companions, The Killers. Despite being foul-mouthed, reckless, and rude, Sophie’s deep protectiveness and faith toward her group of friends—such as Bear, Trik, etc—named The Killers was really good. Like Sophie, we readers are trying to find the answers to many questions in the story together. I wouldn’t dub The Killers as my favorite storyline, though.
My favorite storylines in The Failures are the perspectives of The Monsters, The Convox/Cabal, and The Lost Boys. And every one of them has their respective feel and strengths. The Monsters, the tale of Gunnar Anderson and Jackie, felt more post-apocalyptic than the other. But the darkness and stakes in their story felt powerful and palpable. Their decision and careless actions with their sword and walking sticks in the face of deadly automata and overwhelming darkness will be crucial to the state of The Wanderlands. I was always excited to be back reading Gunnar and Jackie's story. It felt like I was reading the prose version of Tsutomu Nihei's work—the mangaka responsible for Blame! and Knights of Sidonia.
And I guess, in a way, the same can also be applied to The Lost Boys, which is essentially a coming-of-age story of James and Chris D’Essan under the tutelage of Alvarez. Coming-of-age is always one of my favorite tropes in science and fantasy, and it was easy for me to get used to their story. The themes of brotherhood, the death of innocence, and childhood are explored heavily here.
Finally, we have the first POV chapter of the novel, The Convox or The Cabal. It would not be far-fetched to say this is like witnessing the perspective and scheming of the main villains—Winter, Candle, West, D’alle, Primary Gray—of The Failures. I wish I could talk about the best aspects of these POV chapters in more detail, but there is a bit of an issue in trying to explain their magnificence as spoiler-free as possible fully. The Failures is one of those circumstances where I believe the less you know about these characters, the better your reading experience will be. But rest assured, it is all brilliant. Although they might feel disjointed at first, intentionally, all of their tales are gradually leading toward a grand convergence.
Actually... There is one more POV chapter in The Failures. The Deadsmith. Your miles may vary, but unfortunately, The Deadsmith is the only POV character that did not click with me. Not as much as the previous four I mentioned. Even though similar to them, The Deadsmith story converged eventually as well; it is too bad I found only the last two chapters of his storyline engaging enough to enjoy. The convergence also did not feel as satisfying as how the narrative converged in the other four POV chapters. This was the only criticism I had with the book. But again, this is a very personal take. I am sure other readers will feel differently about this.
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed. I have no doubt rereading The Failures by Benjamin Liar will be an entirely new adventure from reading it for the first time. If the pleasure of the first time reading the novel is in decoding how the twisted labyrinth fits together, the second time reading with all the knowledge acquired will be to have a deeper understanding of the author’s vision and storytelling. I have already highlighted more than 40 well-written passages for my perusals next time.
The Failures is a complex, ambitious, and madness of a puzzle designed carefully. It was as if this debut novel was penned by a veteran author in the SFF genre. Story and chronology structure-wise, the closest popular science fantasy book I can think of is The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Blame! by Tsutomu Nihei is the closest vibe and tone I felt from reading The Failures. As the author mentioned at the end of the book, he borrowed elements from so many giant literary authors in the SFF genre, such as Tad Williams, Ursula K. Le Guin, Dan Simmons, Stephen King, Bujold, Glen Cook, Stephen Donaldson, China Mieville, Tsutomu Nihei, and more. Through them, Liar became the incredible architect who renovated The Failures into his own distinct work of art. It is a novel 30 years in the making, and the ending of The Failures exhibited that the endgame has only just begun. Multiple plot threads have converged. And the fate of the Wanderlands will be decided in the remaining books of the trilogy. I, for one, am excited to have this kind of ambitious debut still being published by a new author. And I definitely will read the sequels whenever they are ready.
You can order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Review copy provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest re This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Failures
Review copy provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Failures is an extremely ambitious, mind-bending, and meticulously constructed debut novel.
“If we are truly just cogs, and part of some great machine, then it must run poorly indeed.”
Finding a new epic fantasy debut from a new author in traditional publishing is relatively rare. At the time of this review, traditional publishing seems to prefer cozy fantasy and romantasy most. But even if the state of publishing is favoring epic fantasy, a debut as twisted, ambitious, and rewarding as The Failures by Benjamin Liar would still be a once-in-a-blue-moon moment. The Failures was never in my radar. I didn’t even know about this book until I received an email from Matt Bialer, the literary agent of Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, and many other authors, including Benjamin Liar. Bialer asked me to put The Failures on my list of books to watch out for in 2024 because he and DAW Books believed reading this book felt like encountering The Name of the Wind for the first time again. The Name of the Wind is one of my favorite books of all time, and although The Failures is very different from The Name of the Wind, hearing that kind of statement from Rothfuss's agent and publisher means there was no way I could pass this up. Additionally, two of my favorite authors, Tad Williams and Christopher Ruocchio, sang their echoing praise for this book. And I am in awe of the huge scope Liar prepared for this book and trilogy.
“Any utopia founded on the assumption that people will suddenly stop being selfish, irrational monkeys is a fool’s dream.”
The official premise says it nicely. The Failures is the first book in The Wanderlands trilogy by Benjamin Liar. It is a genre-breaking blend of post-apocalyptic sci-fi and epic fantasy about a scattered group of unlikely heroes traveling across their broken mechanical planet to stave off eternal darkness.
The Wanderlands—A vast machine made for reasons unknown—was broken long ago.
First went the sky, splintering and cracking, and then very slowly, the whole machine—the whole world—began to go dark. Following the summons of a strange dream, a scattering of adventurers, degenerates, and children find themselves drawn toward the same place: the vast underground Keep. They will discover there that they have been called for a purpose—and that purpose could be the destruction of everything they love.
For below the Keep, imprisoned in the greatest cage ever built by magicians and gods, lies the buried Giant: Kindaedystrin. It is the most powerful of its kind, and its purpose is the annihilation of all civilization. But any kind of power, no matter how terrible, is precious in the dimming Wanderlands, and those that crave it are making their moves.
All machines can be broken, and the final cracks are spreading. It will take only the careless actions of two cheerful monsters to tip the Wanderlands towards an endless dark...or help it find its way back to the light.
“This is a story about the end of the world; this is a story about monsters. From such small origins come such calamity; from such humble beginnings are born such dire endings. May the Mother have mercy on them for their innocence. And for what they did, for what they caused to happen, may the Twins rake the flesh from their bones until the end of all time.”
Where should I begin reviewing a book like The Failures? It is difficult to choose where to start; I can tell you right from the first chapter, I was instantly reminded of FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, one of my favorite series of games of all time. The utility of bonfire in the land of absolute darkness in the first chapter, and then having this as a recurring implementation in the unconventional narrative throughout the whole book, made The Failures far from what I would categorize as accessible for new readers of the genre. It is relatively demanding. The narrative doesn’t hold your hand. Terminologies and the story structure require your attention, and the book will shift the gears of your mind to work, keep asking questions, and solve answers on its own. For those of you who feel that new epic fantasy, lately and as seldom as they’re published now, tend to handhold the readers too much, The Failures is the book for you.
“A child should possess three qualities in abundance: Wonder, Curiosity, and Mischief. The child should pursue these qualities constantly, and for as long as they are able, for this is the purpose and sole responsibility of Childhood. When the child becomes an adult, of course, these qualities become the most dangerous sort of liability.”
Every chapter, terminology, and revelation I learned from understanding the subtleties and contexts astonished me repeatedly. When you think about it, the premise of the entire novel, as I said earlier, for the lack of a better word, is so badass in premise and execution. Liar’s intricate world-building is, without a doubt, one of the primary strengths of The Failures. Having a story taking place in a land of darkness where light is precious, and then the existence of a complex and massive city hidden underneath an insanely vast mountain with a supposedly extinct giant with the capability of destroying or saving the world made The Failures a unique reading experience. When I was reading the book, I kept thinking... there’s no way this kind of novel and world-building is conjured in the span of a year or two. And I was proven right when I read the acknowledgment at the end of the book. Benjamin Liar said the conception of the world behind The Failures began 30 years ago. And I am not surprised by this. Arcane energies, automata, the behemoth, possibly multiple worlds, ancient weapons, portal-forged swords, mysterious characters with legendary deeds, and many more. The rich world-building, history, and plotting behind The Failures with the theme of darkness and light, redemption, family, ambition, and friendship is rigorous and mind-blowing. Something worth doing is worth your time doing well, and Liar ascertained that.
“Like all stories about the end of the world, it is hard to know where to start, and doubly so with stories about The Monsters. Do we start when Gun met Jackie? Or, perhaps, when they got the sword, the piece of dumb steel that would play such an oversized part in such great events? Do we instead travel back to when Gun first had the dream, the dream of darkness and a Giant, and of a shining, silvery sword? Do we, perhaps, attempt to relate the unremarkable story of Gun’s childhood, in an effort to tease out reasons behind what he did? Must we peer at the young face of Jackie Aimes to see if we can find the seed of the creature she would become?”
Mysteries were constantly evoked from every POV chapter, and Liar ramps up the storytelling quality with more answers AND questions with every page. With new answers I gained, new questions spurred in my mind. This is owed to how intriguing and engaging the storylines were. From my experience, I wouldn’t categorize The Failures as a character-driven novel. And that is usually an issue for me. The narrative is told through the perspective of several POV characters, and there is an omniscient tone and execution to the storytelling. Some parts of the narration slightly reminded me of reading The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. This puts the characters at risk of feeling distant. Thankfully, the tone and focus of the narrative are always centered on the main character within the group of POV. Plotting is one of the most significant aspects of The Failures. The story is divided into several groups of characters. First, we have the perspective of Sophie Vesachai and her companions, The Killers. Despite being foul-mouthed, reckless, and rude, Sophie’s deep protectiveness and faith toward her group of friends—such as Bear, Trik, etc—named The Killers was really good. Like Sophie, we readers are trying to find the answers to many questions in the story together. I wouldn’t dub The Killers as my favorite storyline, though.
“Trust, unlike love, is a deliberate exercise of will. You can’t help who you love. But you sure as hell can choose who you trust. Even if, as is sometimes the case, you happen to love them.”
My favorite storylines in The Failures are the perspectives of The Monsters, The Convox/Cabal, and The Lost Boys. And every one of them has their respective feel and strengths. The Monsters, the tale of Gunnar Anderson and Jackie, felt more post-apocalyptic than the other. But the darkness and stakes in their story felt powerful and palpable. Their decision and careless actions with their sword and walking sticks in the face of deadly automata and overwhelming darkness will be crucial to the state of The Wanderlands. I was always excited to be back reading Gunnar and Jackie's story. It felt like I was reading the prose version of Tsutomu Nihei's work—the mangaka responsible for Blame! and Knights of Sidonia.
“First, I may be good or I may be bad, but I’m a lot more likely to be both. Like, for instance, every single other creature that ever lived. Thinking you know what someone will do just because you think they’re ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is a quick way to lose at the game you’re playing. Good people do appalling things for good reasons, and bad people do good things for selfish reasons and every combination between.
And I guess, in a way, the same can also be applied to The Lost Boys, which is essentially a coming-of-age story of James and Chris D’Essan under the tutelage of Alvarez. Coming-of-age is always one of my favorite tropes in science and fantasy, and it was easy for me to get used to their story. The themes of brotherhood, the death of innocence, and childhood are explored heavily here.
“His brother loved learning things, loved it more than anything else in the world, and this made him James’ natural enemy. Chris—and James could still hardly believe it was true—read books for fun.”
Finally, we have the first POV chapter of the novel, The Convox or The Cabal. It would not be far-fetched to say this is like witnessing the perspective and scheming of the main villains—Winter, Candle, West, D’alle, Primary Gray—of The Failures. I wish I could talk about the best aspects of these POV chapters in more detail, but there is a bit of an issue in trying to explain their magnificence as spoiler-free as possible fully. The Failures is one of those circumstances where I believe the less you know about these characters, the better your reading experience will be. But rest assured, it is all brilliant. Although they might feel disjointed at first, intentionally, all of their tales are gradually leading toward a grand convergence.
“Names are important things, defining things; magical things. The man who currently calls himself West has had many names. They are like lenses through which he projects himself. There is power in names, power over hearts, channels for the mind. “
Actually... There is one more POV chapter in The Failures. The Deadsmith. Your miles may vary, but unfortunately, The Deadsmith is the only POV character that did not click with me. Not as much as the previous four I mentioned. Even though similar to them, The Deadsmith story converged eventually as well; it is too bad I found only the last two chapters of his storyline engaging enough to enjoy. The convergence also did not feel as satisfying as how the narrative converged in the other four POV chapters. This was the only criticism I had with the book. But again, this is a very personal take. I am sure other readers will feel differently about this.
“Point being, you little stubborn sum-bitch, that you can take some dirt and you can make the most incredible things in the world, but it takes work. It takes sacrifice. It takes time, and it takes commitment. It takes wisdom.”
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed. I have no doubt rereading The Failures by Benjamin Liar will be an entirely new adventure from reading it for the first time. If the pleasure of the first time reading the novel is in decoding how the twisted labyrinth fits together, the second time reading with all the knowledge acquired will be to have a deeper understanding of the author’s vision and storytelling. I have already highlighted more than 40 well-written passages for my perusals next time.
“Only a fool steps over an unexpected weight of silver because they are hoping to find gold.”
The Failures is a complex, ambitious, and madness of a puzzle designed carefully. It was as if this debut novel was penned by a veteran author in the SFF genre. Story and chronology structure-wise, the closest popular science fantasy book I can think of is The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Blame! by Tsutomu Nihei is the closest vibe and tone I felt from reading The Failures. As the author mentioned at the end of the book, he borrowed elements from so many giant literary authors in the SFF genre, such as Tad Williams, Ursula K. Le Guin, Dan Simmons, Stephen King, Bujold, Glen Cook, Stephen Donaldson, China Mieville, Tsutomu Nihei, and more. Through them, Liar became the incredible architect who renovated The Failures into his own distinct work of art. It is a novel 30 years in the making, and the ending of The Failures exhibited that the endgame has only just begun. Multiple plot threads have converged. And the fate of the Wanderlands will be decided in the remaining books of the trilogy. I, for one, am excited to have this kind of ambitious debut still being published by a new author. And I definitely will read the sequels whenever they are ready.
“There’s no more time for secrets, or false names, or subterfuge. It’s time that we know each other’s stories; the long and painful and uncomfortable stories of how we ended up in the Keep, here at the end— and beginning—of everything.”
You can order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Mar 10, 2024
Mar 20, 2024
Dec 20, 2023
Hardcover
Liu, Ken
*
1250333148
9781250333148
B0CG4L57LK
4.10
673
Sep 13, 2023
Sep 13, 2023
it was amazing
You can read this beautiful short story for free here: https://www.tor.com/2023/09/13/the-pa...
Ken Liu has done it again. The Passing of the Dragon is You can read this beautiful short story for free here: https://www.tor.com/2023/09/13/the-pa...
Ken Liu has done it again. The Passing of the Dragon is a brilliant and impactful story, I believe, should be read by every reader, reviewer, artist, and author.
Art is subjective.
As a reader and book reviewer, these three words are a firm steel-forged belief in reading and reviewing books. Art is subjective. What I read and experience will never be the same as other individuals. Sure, we will brush and touch upon some emotions we inherently feel similarly. Sorrow. Happiness. Wrath. And more. But my overall reading experiences and visualizations will never be completely the same as another reader's. It is impossible, and that is okay. It is one of the many beauties of art.
I am someone who doesn’t believe there is a 100% objective quality in the matter of storytelling. What has been perceived as awful has often been perceived as a masterpiece by other readers, and vice versa. If a series has been highly praised by one or thousands (the numbers don’t matter) of readers, how is it that one's opinion that the book is mediocre should be valued over the others? Who are we, or anyone, to have the confidence and criteria to merit something as objective as if they are the gods of art whose opinion should be fully valued over someone else’s? This is something that has been bothering me for years.
The number of comments and opinions I’ve seen in my life of people claiming their “opinion” as a fact and what they analyzed as the must-be-accepted truth and should be prioritized above others, resulting in a clash of ideals and opinions throwing hatred instead of making healthy discussions, simply because they want to be selfishly believed and praised over the others is utterly baffling to me. We are all different individuals. When we read a book through the simple act of reading, we sometimes forget the reading experience is influenced by many factors. We, as humans, are always subconsciously or consciously influenced by a myriad of powerful (subtle or not) components in our lives. The food we eat, the stories we absorb, the cultures we live in, the language we speak, the information we hear, the relationships we preserve, the heartbreaks we suffer, the struggles we endure, and many more. The factors are limitless. And we brought all of these with us when we read a book. There was never any possible way that any series could ever be claimed as universally loved or hated when there is an infinite thread of connections deciding our reading experience. I am adamant about this notion.
I consider Ken Liu as one of the best authors of all time. The Dandelion Dynasty and his collection of short stories are some of my favorite stories to read. And The Passing of the Dragon counts. Some would not agree with me, and that is valid. None of our opinions are wrong, and none of them are objective. It is our respective rights and freedom to feel that way. And I, as someone who has spent an unforgettable adventure in the Islands of Dara and The Lands of Ukyu and Gonde, and have the honor to converse with Ken Liu, The Passing of the Dragon made me feel like I am back chatting with Ken Liu again over the importance of subjective reading experience, art, reading, reviewing, and stories. I absolutely love this short story about an artist who fears she’s failing and seeks inspiration from one of her favorite poets. What she finds is something magical, unexpected, and life-changing. Just like us readers when we read life-changing books. The entire short story is practically highlightable, and I strongly encourage every reader to read The Passing of the Dragon and form their own opinion on it.
Art is subjective.
The world of art would be in a calmer state if we all embraced these three words. This is, among many reasons, why an incredible story like The Passing of the Dragon matters. And I am pleased to be one of its audience.
Write the story you want to write.
Read the story you want to read.
Paint the story you want to paint.
Tell the story you want to tell.
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, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Cullen, David, Dernerror, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Ken Liu has done it again. The Passing of the Dragon is You can read this beautiful short story for free here: https://www.tor.com/2023/09/13/the-pa...
Ken Liu has done it again. The Passing of the Dragon is a brilliant and impactful story, I believe, should be read by every reader, reviewer, artist, and author.
“An artist craves an audience, but maybe not all audiences are crave-worthy. “
Art is subjective.
As a reader and book reviewer, these three words are a firm steel-forged belief in reading and reviewing books. Art is subjective. What I read and experience will never be the same as other individuals. Sure, we will brush and touch upon some emotions we inherently feel similarly. Sorrow. Happiness. Wrath. And more. But my overall reading experiences and visualizations will never be completely the same as another reader's. It is impossible, and that is okay. It is one of the many beauties of art.
“Everyone is heroic, the protagonist of their story, the only story they’ll know from the inside out—true, unflinching, joyous in the face of the void. There is light in everything. It is all so beautiful.
I am someone who doesn’t believe there is a 100% objective quality in the matter of storytelling. What has been perceived as awful has often been perceived as a masterpiece by other readers, and vice versa. If a series has been highly praised by one or thousands (the numbers don’t matter) of readers, how is it that one's opinion that the book is mediocre should be valued over the others? Who are we, or anyone, to have the confidence and criteria to merit something as objective as if they are the gods of art whose opinion should be fully valued over someone else’s? This is something that has been bothering me for years.
“It’s the fashion among some “aspiring artists” at the co-op to formulate their critiques in the harshest terms possible in the belief that they are doing the victim a favor because a “thick skin” is necessary for artists. She’s never really understood their logic, however, since a thin skin, a vulnerability, a sensitivity toward the nuances of reality—a readiness to perceive dragons—is necessary to see the world’s beauty, to feel the tingling in the fabric of the cosmos that is at the foundation of all art.”
The number of comments and opinions I’ve seen in my life of people claiming their “opinion” as a fact and what they analyzed as the must-be-accepted truth and should be prioritized above others, resulting in a clash of ideals and opinions throwing hatred instead of making healthy discussions, simply because they want to be selfishly believed and praised over the others is utterly baffling to me. We are all different individuals. When we read a book through the simple act of reading, we sometimes forget the reading experience is influenced by many factors. We, as humans, are always subconsciously or consciously influenced by a myriad of powerful (subtle or not) components in our lives. The food we eat, the stories we absorb, the cultures we live in, the language we speak, the information we hear, the relationships we preserve, the heartbreaks we suffer, the struggles we endure, and many more. The factors are limitless. And we brought all of these with us when we read a book. There was never any possible way that any series could ever be claimed as universally loved or hated when there is an infinite thread of connections deciding our reading experience. I am adamant about this notion.
“We’re all trying to tell our own story… And we make other people parts of our own stories. We’re meant to bring our stories together, to speak and listen and know that the stories are real and they matter. I’m glad you are a part of my story, and I’m sorry I didn’t listen to your story as well as I should have. Thank you.”
I consider Ken Liu as one of the best authors of all time. The Dandelion Dynasty and his collection of short stories are some of my favorite stories to read. And The Passing of the Dragon counts. Some would not agree with me, and that is valid. None of our opinions are wrong, and none of them are objective. It is our respective rights and freedom to feel that way. And I, as someone who has spent an unforgettable adventure in the Islands of Dara and The Lands of Ukyu and Gonde, and have the honor to converse with Ken Liu, The Passing of the Dragon made me feel like I am back chatting with Ken Liu again over the importance of subjective reading experience, art, reading, reviewing, and stories. I absolutely love this short story about an artist who fears she’s failing and seeks inspiration from one of her favorite poets. What she finds is something magical, unexpected, and life-changing. Just like us readers when we read life-changing books. The entire short story is practically highlightable, and I strongly encourage every reader to read The Passing of the Dragon and form their own opinion on it.
“Life is one long story we tell ourselves to make sense of the world, and in our quest for meaning, we make other people players in our own psychomachia. Sometimes the consequence of doing that can be terrible, like what happened to me. But it’s worth remembering that everyone is trying their best to look for their dragon, to find the heart of their story, and to then tell it as well as they are able.”
Art is subjective.
The world of art would be in a calmer state if we all embraced these three words. This is, among many reasons, why an incredible story like The Passing of the Dragon matters. And I am pleased to be one of its audience.
Write the story you want to write.
Read the story you want to read.
Paint the story you want to paint.
Tell the story you want to tell.
“It’s okay to take art that’s out there and make it part of your own story, to read into it what you want, desire, need—it’s inevitable, really. Maybe that is the only kind of universality possible.
But we should also try to remember that each artist has their own story. An artist doesn’t just crave an audience, but an audience who can hear that story, who can affirm that the story matters.
Everyone deserves that.”
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, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Cullen, David, Dernerror, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Sep 14, 2023
Sep 14, 2023
Sep 13, 2023
Kindle Edition
4.12
715,437
Jul 02, 2002
Nov 01, 2023
really liked it
4.5/5 stars
Coraline is the best book by Neil Gaiman that I’ve read. And maybe, all this time, I might have picked the wrong Neil Gaiman books to read. 4.5/5 stars
Coraline is the best book by Neil Gaiman that I’ve read. And maybe, all this time, I might have picked the wrong Neil Gaiman books to read.
Right after the opening line, I was compelled to read the entirety of Coraline in one day. And this is honestly one of the biggest surprises for me, even though it shouldn’t be the case. But to give a bit of context here. I have read only two books by Neil Gaiman, they are Neverwhere and Norse Mythology. I did not dislike them. I actually enjoyed them. But I did not fall in love with the two books. Neil Gaiman is one of the most popular authors in the world. And yet, the last time I read a book by Neil Gaiman was almost seven years ago when I read Norse Mythology in April 2017. For the past seven years, I never ventured to read more of Gaiman’s books despite having enjoyed many TV adaptations of his works such as Good Omens, Sandman, and of course, Coraline. Coraline being my favorite of them all. For whatever reason, I never sought to try to read Coraline until, thankfully, I received a luxurious gift out of nowhere from a friend who sent me the Lyra's Books edition of Coraline. And here I am. Reading Coraline using that spectacular Lyra edition was genuinely wonderful, and I am happy to have read the original text of one of my favorite animated movies.
I cannot accurately recall when I first watched the movie Coraline. If I remember correctly, it was in university, and it took me by surprise in every good possible way. An animated movie I thought was designated for kids or teenagers turned out to be an incredible horror movie with a lasting atmosphere and impact. I remember being creeped out by it, and I don’t get scared easily watching a movie. I couldn’t look at buttons the same way for a while after watching Coraline. And these horror elements were originated in the novella. Yes, it is a novella. I didn’t even know Coraline was a novella until I read the book recently. However, on top of delivering palpable horror elements, I was surprised by how deep the messages this little novella that you can read in about two or three hours contains. Although the middle grade or young adults are the priority target market, I believe Coraline is the type of story that can be enjoyed by everyone of any age. And everyone can benefit or learn something from it. To use one example, take a look at this passage:
This passage clicked with me. Life as an adult is more challenging than my life when I was a teenager. And sometimes, when life gets too hard, I do sometimes wish for an easier life or to have everything I want or need delivered to me with ease. But as Coraline, a kid wiser than her age, said, and many other texts with comparable nature, anything that is too much is never good, and wishes or success fulfilled through unbelievable shortcuts might not lead to lasting or great things in the long run. Coraline was a likable main character. Her interaction with her parents, neighbors, and all the characters she encountered was written efficiently and effectively. Gaiman showcased how well-placed and relatively brief sentences can succeed at making readers care about the character and story in a novella quickly. And moving forward, it will be easy for me to recommend Coraline to practically everyone.
Admittedly, as I said at the beginning of this review, my first-time reading experience of Coraline is enhanced through reading the book using the insanely well-produced Lyra’s Books edition of Coraline. And it is not polite for me to end this review without dedicating at least a paragraph to this stunning “standard” edition. Signed by the artist, the terrific Rovina Cai, and printed letterpress on 148gsm Mohawk Superfine paper by Phil Abel and Robert Hetherington of Hand and Eye Letterpress, the Lyra’s Books edition of Coraline showcased what a magnificent book production should look like. Not only printed with black ink throughout with red on many pages, this novella is embedded with 16 elevatingly beautiful fully-colored plates—including the frontispiece—and 30 black and red letterpress silhouettes. Some might even say this book production is overkill for a novella. But this is an example of how devoted Lyra’s Books is toward the craft of bookbinding. They didn’t have to go this hard for the edition of Coraline, but all-out and beyond is what they gave. The letterpress printing, the sewn-binding, thick acid-free paper, and tons of meticulously drawn artworks undoubtedly improved my reading experience as it made turning the pages of the physical book more addictive. I was already immersed in Gaiman's prose, but I was also eager to see how each interior illustration would complement the text. I do not think I could envision a better first reading experience of Coraline than this for me, and I want to say thank you so much once again to my unnamed friend who bestowed me with this gift.
Picture: A few interior illustrations of Coraline Lyra’s Books Edition by Rovina Cai
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[image]
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[image]
To end this review, I will conclude by saying Coraline has successfully entered my list of favorite novellas. And considering how delighted I was by this little book, I do not think this will be the last time I read a book written by Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book is next on my list. I think I will also read Sandman, American Gods, and Good Omens—a book he wrote together with the late and legendary Terry Pratchett. But until then, let me convey that Coraline is one of the most pleasant surprises of my reading journey. It is dark, beautiful, and whimsical. I highly recommend this to every reader of any age who wants to experience a splendid and profound narrative in a relatively shorter format filled with inspiring messages.
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, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Coraline is the best book by Neil Gaiman that I’ve read. And maybe, all this time, I might have picked the wrong Neil Gaiman books to read. 4.5/5 stars
Coraline is the best book by Neil Gaiman that I’ve read. And maybe, all this time, I might have picked the wrong Neil Gaiman books to read.
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”
Right after the opening line, I was compelled to read the entirety of Coraline in one day. And this is honestly one of the biggest surprises for me, even though it shouldn’t be the case. But to give a bit of context here. I have read only two books by Neil Gaiman, they are Neverwhere and Norse Mythology. I did not dislike them. I actually enjoyed them. But I did not fall in love with the two books. Neil Gaiman is one of the most popular authors in the world. And yet, the last time I read a book by Neil Gaiman was almost seven years ago when I read Norse Mythology in April 2017. For the past seven years, I never ventured to read more of Gaiman’s books despite having enjoyed many TV adaptations of his works such as Good Omens, Sandman, and of course, Coraline. Coraline being my favorite of them all. For whatever reason, I never sought to try to read Coraline until, thankfully, I received a luxurious gift out of nowhere from a friend who sent me the Lyra's Books edition of Coraline. And here I am. Reading Coraline using that spectacular Lyra edition was genuinely wonderful, and I am happy to have read the original text of one of my favorite animated movies.
“Because,' she said, 'when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave.”
I cannot accurately recall when I first watched the movie Coraline. If I remember correctly, it was in university, and it took me by surprise in every good possible way. An animated movie I thought was designated for kids or teenagers turned out to be an incredible horror movie with a lasting atmosphere and impact. I remember being creeped out by it, and I don’t get scared easily watching a movie. I couldn’t look at buttons the same way for a while after watching Coraline. And these horror elements were originated in the novella. Yes, it is a novella. I didn’t even know Coraline was a novella until I read the book recently. However, on top of delivering palpable horror elements, I was surprised by how deep the messages this little novella that you can read in about two or three hours contains. Although the middle grade or young adults are the priority target market, I believe Coraline is the type of story that can be enjoyed by everyone of any age. And everyone can benefit or learn something from it. To use one example, take a look at this passage:
“I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that, and it didn't mean anything? What then?”
This passage clicked with me. Life as an adult is more challenging than my life when I was a teenager. And sometimes, when life gets too hard, I do sometimes wish for an easier life or to have everything I want or need delivered to me with ease. But as Coraline, a kid wiser than her age, said, and many other texts with comparable nature, anything that is too much is never good, and wishes or success fulfilled through unbelievable shortcuts might not lead to lasting or great things in the long run. Coraline was a likable main character. Her interaction with her parents, neighbors, and all the characters she encountered was written efficiently and effectively. Gaiman showcased how well-placed and relatively brief sentences can succeed at making readers care about the character and story in a novella quickly. And moving forward, it will be easy for me to recommend Coraline to practically everyone.
“Now you people have names. That's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names.”
Admittedly, as I said at the beginning of this review, my first-time reading experience of Coraline is enhanced through reading the book using the insanely well-produced Lyra’s Books edition of Coraline. And it is not polite for me to end this review without dedicating at least a paragraph to this stunning “standard” edition. Signed by the artist, the terrific Rovina Cai, and printed letterpress on 148gsm Mohawk Superfine paper by Phil Abel and Robert Hetherington of Hand and Eye Letterpress, the Lyra’s Books edition of Coraline showcased what a magnificent book production should look like. Not only printed with black ink throughout with red on many pages, this novella is embedded with 16 elevatingly beautiful fully-colored plates—including the frontispiece—and 30 black and red letterpress silhouettes. Some might even say this book production is overkill for a novella. But this is an example of how devoted Lyra’s Books is toward the craft of bookbinding. They didn’t have to go this hard for the edition of Coraline, but all-out and beyond is what they gave. The letterpress printing, the sewn-binding, thick acid-free paper, and tons of meticulously drawn artworks undoubtedly improved my reading experience as it made turning the pages of the physical book more addictive. I was already immersed in Gaiman's prose, but I was also eager to see how each interior illustration would complement the text. I do not think I could envision a better first reading experience of Coraline than this for me, and I want to say thank you so much once again to my unnamed friend who bestowed me with this gift.
Picture: A few interior illustrations of Coraline Lyra’s Books Edition by Rovina Cai
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
To end this review, I will conclude by saying Coraline has successfully entered my list of favorite novellas. And considering how delighted I was by this little book, I do not think this will be the last time I read a book written by Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book is next on my list. I think I will also read Sandman, American Gods, and Good Omens—a book he wrote together with the late and legendary Terry Pratchett. But until then, let me convey that Coraline is one of the most pleasant surprises of my reading journey. It is dark, beautiful, and whimsical. I highly recommend this to every reader of any age who wants to experience a splendid and profound narrative in a relatively shorter format filled with inspiring messages.
“The names are the first things to go, after the breath has gone, and the beating of the heart. We keep our memories longer than our names.”
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, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Feb 02, 2024
Feb 02, 2024
Sep 13, 2023
Hardcover
0063308266
9780063308268
0063308266
4.18
329
Aug 13, 2024
Aug 13, 2024
really liked it
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Dollmakers
ARC provided by the author's agent in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Dollmakers
ARC provided by the author's agent in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Dollmakers is guaranteed to be a contender for one of the strongest fantasy debuts of the year 2024.
When I read The Silverblood Promise by James Logan near the end of last year, despite how much I loved it, I felt unsure at immediately declaring it as the best fantasy debut of 2024. I have no doubt it will be one of the best fantasy debuts of 2024, but the absolute favorite debut of the year? That remains to be seen because of books like The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan and other favorable candidates. But since I saw the concept artworks and read the premise behind The Dollmakers, I was interested instantly. The beautiful cover art by Ashley Mackenzie sealed that deal even more. It helps that the author is a big fan of Fullmetal Alchemist like I am, and unconsciously or not, I believe the love toward Fullmetal Alchemist is partly reflected in the novel as well. I will get around to that later. But before I begin my review, some of you might know about The Dollmakers from me, and you might have heard me calling this one a standalone novel. I got this notion from the official blurb listed on the Amazon page by the publisher. And I have to say, although there is no cliffhanger and the book has a satisfying ending, The Dollmakers is not a one-off standalone novel. There will be more books, or direct sequels, in the series, which I think will be titled The Fallen Peaks. Regardless of whether The Dollmakers is a standalone or not, Buchanan has delivered a well-polished and unputdownable narrative with a cast of characters with distinct voices.
Picture: Shean & Silver by Deandra Scicluna
[image]
So what’s The Dollmakers about? The Dollmakers takes place in a world centered around destructive and all-consuming monsters, and mostly, the artisans in charge of creating magical dolls designed to fight this force.
In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, and a Guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the Shod: vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure, living or dead. One of the main characters, apprentice Shean of Pearl, is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told by Licensor Matock that her dolls are too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds her confidence and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them?
To help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor, Nock, sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. Shean will have to convince the citizens of Web of her talents and the Licensor Guild to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. By any possible means. Even if it is done through the dirty act of deliberately cheating, scheming, and lying.
The Dollmakers is a coming-of-age story with themes of ambition, revenge, letting go, dreams, and artistry done right. However, to experience the fulfillment of the narrative, Buchanan requires her readers to be patient with one of the main characters: Shean. To put it simply, for more than half of the book, Shean is an extremely arrogant, hot-headed, selfish, childish, infuriating, and unbearable character. Do not expect to fall in love with Shean quickly. The most fitting character comparison to Shean (in my opinion) is Rin from The Poppy War trilogy. Now… now… I get it. I know what you’re thinking. Some of you might be put off by this. Rin from The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is a super polarizing character with her uncontrollable—intentionally—personality that gets wilder with each book in the trilogy. Every reader will have different levels of patience, criteria, and connectivity with the characters of every book. I don’t need to like the main character to categorize them as well-written. Some might need it. In my opinion, when an author succeeds at making the character achieve their storytelling vision, there is a good chance I might consider that a well-written character. But it matters a lot that characters need to fit their personality, background, and nature. Development shouldn’t feel out of place. And I am sure Shean is intentionally written to make readers angry at her first. If you, like me, were pissed at her and you wanted Shean to be humbled badly, then Buchanan has executed her job. And here’s the thing… You can rest assured that, unlike Rin, and despite how insufferable Shean was throughout the first half of The Dollmakers, Shean gradually transformed into a better person. Her character arc from an anti-hero with zero sense of empathy into what she became at the latter stage of the book was rewarding if you read through the 114,000 words long book.
But for those of you readers who are worried about reading unlikable main characters for a relatively long time, fortunately The Dollmakers is not singularly told from the perspective of Shean. Even though the book contains no chapters at all, which is a rare reading experience for me, the pacing flows continuously and smoothly regardless. It proved to be a challenge for me to put down the book. Buchanan nailed the pacing incredibly well. And not to a small degree, the compelling qualities of the narrative are owed to the distinct small cast of characters. So yes, The Dollmakers is a multiple POV narrated novel. There are plenty of supporting characters, which you can tell from the beginning portions, taking the role of the POV character even if only briefly compared to Shean and one of the other main characters: Ikiisa. For me, Ikiisa is a genuinely relatable and likable character. She, too, has her own nightmares and struggles to deal with. And Ikiisa, unlike Shean, is an anti-social, anxious, and compassionate Dollmaker. Honestly, I did not feel too sad for Shean because she behaved awfully for more than 200 pages, but Ikiisa is a different story. I seriously felt saddened for her, Bobble, and her many unnamed dolls. They have dealt with so much, and Shean is not making Ikiisa's life easier. The dynamic, contrast, and development between the two main characters are integral to the storyline; they are a big reason for enhancing my investment in the story.
Picture: Ikiisa by Deandra Scicluna
[image]
As you can probably tell, I am a fan of character-driven stories, and The Dollmakers (in addition to a unique and well-established world-building) definitely counts as one. The two main characters aside, we also have Dola, Licensor Matock, Nock, Marble, and the mysterious Roque as brief POV characters. And guess what? Every single one of them was captivating to read. Above everything else, Buchanan excels at writing characters and characterizations. For example, Marble, one of Shean’s dolls, has only ONE POV sequence within the entire book, and I felt emotionally invested in the intelligence and fate of the character already. It IS one of the best moments in The Dollmakers. And that is saying a lot. My initial worry about the book containing only chapter breaks is unfounded. This format ends up being an extra amplifier for the tight storytelling. It was so effortless for me to differentiate which character's mind I was reading from, and although this is a debut novel, Buchanan's prose felt so professional and polished.
As I said, the publisher marketed The Dollmakers as a standalone novel, but in reality, it is undoubtedly the first installment in a series. And it is written like one. I have no idea whether there will be a direct sequel to The Dollmakers, or maybe the series will turn into a series of standalone novels, but from my analysis, it would be odd to not read the next title from the perspective of Shean, Ikiisa, or Roque again. As the first volume, I think the world-building has enough foundation for the next books to build upon. The history of the dollmakers, the Shod, the role of the dolls, and the Breath Mark. The potential is there, for sure. By the way, coincidence or not, Breath Mark reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The Breath Mark is meant to bring dolls to life. Slightly reminiscent of what Edward Elric did for his brother, Alphonse Elric, and I loved it for that. But back to my point. There are still a lot of unexplored prospects in the world-building and character's background. As it stands, the world and scope in The Dollmakers still feel relatively small, and hopefully, this will be magnified more in the sequel.
Picture: Roque by Nina Vakueva (Inkpangur)
[image]
Lastly, before I conclude this review, I want to set one more expectation right, too. The Dollmakers is not an action-oriented novel. More often than not, this is a plus for me. There is one big superbly-written action sequence well-placed near the end of the book reminiscent of Sanderson's Sanderlanche, but the vibe of the world, engaging dialogues, and characters extensively drive the narrative. And it all eventually led to a satisfying ending. So yeah, even though The Dollmakers ended satisfyingly with no cliffhanger, I am 99% confident there will be more books or sequels in the series. It is not a one-off standalone novel.
To wrap this up, I think The Dollmakers will be one of the finest fantasy debuts of the year. The bond between mentor and their apprentice is one of the most prominent elements of The Dollmakers. And on that note, some readers might know about Lynn Buchanan from some of Sanderson’s videos on YouTube. Similar to Brian McClellan, the author behind the Powder Mage series, Buchanan is one of Sanderson’s students who landed a major deal with traditional publishers. And this is not a sign that The Dollmakers is similar to Sanderson's books. Not at all. But the small and impactful lines delivered in the passages reminded me of reading the magnificent parts of Sanderson’s Cosmere books. This is only the beginning of Buchanan’s bright career. It is an exciting novel, and as far as a debut goes, I liked The Dollmakers much more than Elantris by Sanderson. With a vibrant and intriguing world where humans and dolls must work together, infused with compelling pacing and distinguishable voices of the main characters, The Dollmakers will make readers lose sleep over reading it. Will this become my number 1 favorite debut of the year? It's still too soon to tell; there are still a few more promising fantasy debuts I want to read before the end of the year. However, The Dollmakers will unquestionably earn a spot in my list of favorite books of 2024.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
ARC provided by the author's agent in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Dollmakers
ARC provided by the author's agent in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Dollmakers is guaranteed to be a contender for one of the strongest fantasy debuts of the year 2024.
“Shean enjoyed thinking. Logic was a comfort— as long as she had a plan, she had direction, a guide to follow and mull over and think and rethink until she’d thought of every possible outcome to every possible event.”
When I read The Silverblood Promise by James Logan near the end of last year, despite how much I loved it, I felt unsure at immediately declaring it as the best fantasy debut of 2024. I have no doubt it will be one of the best fantasy debuts of 2024, but the absolute favorite debut of the year? That remains to be seen because of books like The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan and other favorable candidates. But since I saw the concept artworks and read the premise behind The Dollmakers, I was interested instantly. The beautiful cover art by Ashley Mackenzie sealed that deal even more. It helps that the author is a big fan of Fullmetal Alchemist like I am, and unconsciously or not, I believe the love toward Fullmetal Alchemist is partly reflected in the novel as well. I will get around to that later. But before I begin my review, some of you might know about The Dollmakers from me, and you might have heard me calling this one a standalone novel. I got this notion from the official blurb listed on the Amazon page by the publisher. And I have to say, although there is no cliffhanger and the book has a satisfying ending, The Dollmakers is not a one-off standalone novel. There will be more books, or direct sequels, in the series, which I think will be titled The Fallen Peaks. Regardless of whether The Dollmakers is a standalone or not, Buchanan has delivered a well-polished and unputdownable narrative with a cast of characters with distinct voices.
Picture: Shean & Silver by Deandra Scicluna
[image]
So what’s The Dollmakers about? The Dollmakers takes place in a world centered around destructive and all-consuming monsters, and mostly, the artisans in charge of creating magical dolls designed to fight this force.
In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, and a Guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the Shod: vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure, living or dead. One of the main characters, apprentice Shean of Pearl, is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told by Licensor Matock that her dolls are too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds her confidence and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them?
To help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor, Nock, sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. Shean will have to convince the citizens of Web of her talents and the Licensor Guild to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. By any possible means. Even if it is done through the dirty act of deliberately cheating, scheming, and lying.
“I wanted to be a dollmaker because a dollmaker saved me. I wanted to be like my hero. I wanted to save people, just like I was saved…
The Dollmakers is a coming-of-age story with themes of ambition, revenge, letting go, dreams, and artistry done right. However, to experience the fulfillment of the narrative, Buchanan requires her readers to be patient with one of the main characters: Shean. To put it simply, for more than half of the book, Shean is an extremely arrogant, hot-headed, selfish, childish, infuriating, and unbearable character. Do not expect to fall in love with Shean quickly. The most fitting character comparison to Shean (in my opinion) is Rin from The Poppy War trilogy. Now… now… I get it. I know what you’re thinking. Some of you might be put off by this. Rin from The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is a super polarizing character with her uncontrollable—intentionally—personality that gets wilder with each book in the trilogy. Every reader will have different levels of patience, criteria, and connectivity with the characters of every book. I don’t need to like the main character to categorize them as well-written. Some might need it. In my opinion, when an author succeeds at making the character achieve their storytelling vision, there is a good chance I might consider that a well-written character. But it matters a lot that characters need to fit their personality, background, and nature. Development shouldn’t feel out of place. And I am sure Shean is intentionally written to make readers angry at her first. If you, like me, were pissed at her and you wanted Shean to be humbled badly, then Buchanan has executed her job. And here’s the thing… You can rest assured that, unlike Rin, and despite how insufferable Shean was throughout the first half of The Dollmakers, Shean gradually transformed into a better person. Her character arc from an anti-hero with zero sense of empathy into what she became at the latter stage of the book was rewarding if you read through the 114,000 words long book.
“And if there is one thing I’ve learned from dollmaking, it’s that you can’t control the impact your dolls will have on the world around them— when I was young, my own master encouraged me to yearn for neither a guard license nor that of an artisan. Of course I had childish hopes and dreams, wishes. But I did my best to heed her advice, and by the time I was given my license I was neither particularly relieved nor disappointed by the result.”
But for those of you readers who are worried about reading unlikable main characters for a relatively long time, fortunately The Dollmakers is not singularly told from the perspective of Shean. Even though the book contains no chapters at all, which is a rare reading experience for me, the pacing flows continuously and smoothly regardless. It proved to be a challenge for me to put down the book. Buchanan nailed the pacing incredibly well. And not to a small degree, the compelling qualities of the narrative are owed to the distinct small cast of characters. So yes, The Dollmakers is a multiple POV narrated novel. There are plenty of supporting characters, which you can tell from the beginning portions, taking the role of the POV character even if only briefly compared to Shean and one of the other main characters: Ikiisa. For me, Ikiisa is a genuinely relatable and likable character. She, too, has her own nightmares and struggles to deal with. And Ikiisa, unlike Shean, is an anti-social, anxious, and compassionate Dollmaker. Honestly, I did not feel too sad for Shean because she behaved awfully for more than 200 pages, but Ikiisa is a different story. I seriously felt saddened for her, Bobble, and her many unnamed dolls. They have dealt with so much, and Shean is not making Ikiisa's life easier. The dynamic, contrast, and development between the two main characters are integral to the storyline; they are a big reason for enhancing my investment in the story.
Picture: Ikiisa by Deandra Scicluna
[image]
As you can probably tell, I am a fan of character-driven stories, and The Dollmakers (in addition to a unique and well-established world-building) definitely counts as one. The two main characters aside, we also have Dola, Licensor Matock, Nock, Marble, and the mysterious Roque as brief POV characters. And guess what? Every single one of them was captivating to read. Above everything else, Buchanan excels at writing characters and characterizations. For example, Marble, one of Shean’s dolls, has only ONE POV sequence within the entire book, and I felt emotionally invested in the intelligence and fate of the character already. It IS one of the best moments in The Dollmakers. And that is saying a lot. My initial worry about the book containing only chapter breaks is unfounded. This format ends up being an extra amplifier for the tight storytelling. It was so effortless for me to differentiate which character's mind I was reading from, and although this is a debut novel, Buchanan's prose felt so professional and polished.
“Master Coen told me once that the most dangerous part of the Shod’s existence is how they occupy people’s minds, driving out good thoughts with bad, frightened ones. Toy dolls distract from the darkness; they fill peoples’ lives with beauty and companionship.”
As I said, the publisher marketed The Dollmakers as a standalone novel, but in reality, it is undoubtedly the first installment in a series. And it is written like one. I have no idea whether there will be a direct sequel to The Dollmakers, or maybe the series will turn into a series of standalone novels, but from my analysis, it would be odd to not read the next title from the perspective of Shean, Ikiisa, or Roque again. As the first volume, I think the world-building has enough foundation for the next books to build upon. The history of the dollmakers, the Shod, the role of the dolls, and the Breath Mark. The potential is there, for sure. By the way, coincidence or not, Breath Mark reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The Breath Mark is meant to bring dolls to life. Slightly reminiscent of what Edward Elric did for his brother, Alphonse Elric, and I loved it for that. But back to my point. There are still a lot of unexplored prospects in the world-building and character's background. As it stands, the world and scope in The Dollmakers still feel relatively small, and hopefully, this will be magnified more in the sequel.
Picture: Roque by Nina Vakueva (Inkpangur)
[image]
Lastly, before I conclude this review, I want to set one more expectation right, too. The Dollmakers is not an action-oriented novel. More often than not, this is a plus for me. There is one big superbly-written action sequence well-placed near the end of the book reminiscent of Sanderson's Sanderlanche, but the vibe of the world, engaging dialogues, and characters extensively drive the narrative. And it all eventually led to a satisfying ending. So yeah, even though The Dollmakers ended satisfyingly with no cliffhanger, I am 99% confident there will be more books or sequels in the series. It is not a one-off standalone novel.
“There comes a time when all other voices must be blocked from your mind, a time when you must turn inward and ask yourself who you are, what you want, and how you can best achieve those goals. No one can do that for you. I should’ve told you that years ago.”
To wrap this up, I think The Dollmakers will be one of the finest fantasy debuts of the year. The bond between mentor and their apprentice is one of the most prominent elements of The Dollmakers. And on that note, some readers might know about Lynn Buchanan from some of Sanderson’s videos on YouTube. Similar to Brian McClellan, the author behind the Powder Mage series, Buchanan is one of Sanderson’s students who landed a major deal with traditional publishers. And this is not a sign that The Dollmakers is similar to Sanderson's books. Not at all. But the small and impactful lines delivered in the passages reminded me of reading the magnificent parts of Sanderson’s Cosmere books. This is only the beginning of Buchanan’s bright career. It is an exciting novel, and as far as a debut goes, I liked The Dollmakers much more than Elantris by Sanderson. With a vibrant and intriguing world where humans and dolls must work together, infused with compelling pacing and distinguishable voices of the main characters, The Dollmakers will make readers lose sleep over reading it. Will this become my number 1 favorite debut of the year? It's still too soon to tell; there are still a few more promising fantasy debuts I want to read before the end of the year. However, The Dollmakers will unquestionably earn a spot in my list of favorite books of 2024.
"I was raised to believe I could do anything I set my mind to, even if that 'doing' included perceived failures and the discovery that I do not, in fact, possess every talent known to mankind. 'Doing' doesn’t always mean succeeding. But the only true failure is never trying in the first place."—Lynn Buchanan
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Feb 04, 2024
Feb 09, 2024
Sep 07, 2023
Paperback
1399725351
9781399725354
1399725351
4.33
18,745
Feb 06, 2024
Feb 06, 2024
really liked it
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Tainted Cup.
ARC provided by the publisher—Del Rey Books—in exchange for an honest re This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Tainted Cup.
ARC provided by the publisher—Del Rey Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Tainted Cup is a compelling and rewarding murder mystery in a high fantasy setting redolent of Attack on Titan and The Last of Us.
Robert Jackson Bennett is one of my favorite authors. Every time Bennet releases a new book in a new series, I feel it is mandatory for me to mention that fact. As a fan of The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy by him, I believe he is another SFF author deserving of so much more recognition. When I need engaging and inventive science fiction or fantasy books, I know it is safe to always rely on reading Bennett’s books. And he never fails to deliver. I am a reader who loves reading fantasy novels, Japanese manga, or Korean manhwa. I love storytelling, period. And there is satisfaction in reading stories that blend these sources into their creation, intentionally or not. Like how My Hero Academia manga by Kohei Horikoshi was born of the author's love for Western Superheroes and comics. And in the case of The Tainted Cup, the first book in The Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, it felt like a mix of Knives Out in a setting inspired by Attack on Titan and The Last of Us. So what is the premise of The Tainted Cup?
The Tainted Cup revolves around an eccentric detective named Ana Dolabra—an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities—and her long-suffering assistant, Dinios Kol—an engraver magically altered to possess a perfect memory. In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Din’s job is to observe, report, and act as Ana’s eyes and ears—quite literally because among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din’s skill for observation and perfect memory with Ana’s impeccable deductions and mind, the two of them must cooperate to untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder that endangers the safety of the Empire.
The Tainted Cup rightfully belongs in the high fantasy genre due to its setting and world-building, no doubt about that. But if I were asked to recommend The Tainted Cup to readers, I would recommend it—more strongly—to readers who love reading murder mystery rather than fantasy novels due to the way Bennett structured the narrative. Of course, it would be even better if you are a fan of both genres, but fascination with murder mystery stories is more important here. I mentioned Attack on Titan (or Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese) by Hajime Isayama earlier. The story in Attack on Titan begins with the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan destroying the wall of Maria. Due to this unforeseen event, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and many other characters in the series struggle to battle against the oppressive violence and horrors of the Titans. The Tainted Cup begins with something akin to that premise. Immediately after the murder mystery begins, a breach to the massive wall of their civilization is inflicted by a titan—called Leviathan in the novel. However, it is worth noting that The Tainted Cup is not an action-packed narrative centering on repelling the dangers the leviathan poses to the empire. The threats of the Leviathan loomed in the background, and I assume this will be explored further in the sequel. But at its core, The Tainted Cup is a murder mystery-centered narrative in a high fantasy setting, with a touch of The Last of Us owed to the Dappleglass contagion in the storyline.
When we speak about detectives and their assistants in stories, it is difficult to avoid the names Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. This setup and duo are popular in murder mystery stories for many valid reasons. After more readers read The Tainted Cup, the duo of Din and Ana will remind readers of Holmes and Watson. Or, to make a comparison to a recently published fantasy series, the names Justice Konrad Vonvalt and Helena Sedanka from Empire of the Wolf trilogy by Richard Swan will be mentioned frequently. And none of these would be a mistake. Compared to The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy, Bennett’s narrative in The Tainted Cup is more plot-driven rather than character-driven. Understandably. In The Tainted Cup, the story is narrated from the perspective of Din instead of Ana. Throughout the novel, we have not seen a lot of exploration into Din's character and background. With the exception of Din’s ability to retain memory and information as an Engraver, making him a living library of information, Ana is, in comparison, a more interesting character. Bennett himself has mentioned Ana is a mix of Nero Wolfe and Hannibal Lecter. But Din and Ana complement each other. Every investigation, clue, and report Din discovered for Ana, and every scene they were together, resulted in a relentlessly captivating reading experience.
If you have read City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett, then you will know The Tainted Cup is not Bennett’s first dive into writing murder mystery stories. And still, I was impressed by how everything clicked together in the last 13% of the The Tainted Cup. The barrage of revelations was absolutely thrilling. It made me feel as if I was watching Sherlock Holmes or Knives Out in a fantasy setting. Even if you manage to predict the perpetrator, one of the best things about a murder mystery story is finding out how every puzzle fits the bigger picture nicely. It is in the details. A good revelation or plot twist is not only about shock value. It also means when you reread a story or think back upon it, you can see the puzzles and hints laid out for you, whether you realize their existence or not on your first traversal. As Bennet said, a murder mystery story is largely a process of logistics and ensuring the timelines work and the right evidence fits in the right place at the right time. And all of these have been accomplished brilliantly in The Tainted Cup.
I was on a streak of books ranging from disappointing to good quality. The Tainted Cup stopped the streak. The world-building is fascinating. The storyline is entertaining. And there are still tons of mysteries about the Leviathans and the two main characters to be given in the next books. The Tainted Cup is the beginning of an incredible murder mystery series in the high fantasy genre. The duo of Ana and Din will mark their spot in the detective's hall of remembrance. I can certainly envisage The Shadow of the Leviathan series spanning many volumes, and I will be grateful. Bennett mentioned he had fun writing the novel and is looking forward to reading more murder mystery novels in the series. It is reflected in the narrative. I always find it odd that despite having murder mystery as one of my favorite types of stories to consume, as proven in many fantasy and sci-fi books with this plot included, I almost never read non-SFF murder mystery novels. And somehow, even though it is marked as a fantasy novel, I believe The Tainted Cup has ignited my passion to read more non-SFF murder mystery books. It has been a pleasure and an honor to read this book early, and I already can't wait to read the next book in the series as soon as it's available. If you love the sound of reading a murder mystery novel with a compelling duo in an intriguing fantasy setting redolent of Attack on Titan, read The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Ciprian, Cullen, Dan, David, Dernerror, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Maggy, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tiffany, Tori, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
ARC provided by the publisher—Del Rey Books—in exchange for an honest re This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Tainted Cup.
ARC provided by the publisher—Del Rey Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Tainted Cup is a compelling and rewarding murder mystery in a high fantasy setting redolent of Attack on Titan and The Last of Us.
Robert Jackson Bennett is one of my favorite authors. Every time Bennet releases a new book in a new series, I feel it is mandatory for me to mention that fact. As a fan of The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy by him, I believe he is another SFF author deserving of so much more recognition. When I need engaging and inventive science fiction or fantasy books, I know it is safe to always rely on reading Bennett’s books. And he never fails to deliver. I am a reader who loves reading fantasy novels, Japanese manga, or Korean manhwa. I love storytelling, period. And there is satisfaction in reading stories that blend these sources into their creation, intentionally or not. Like how My Hero Academia manga by Kohei Horikoshi was born of the author's love for Western Superheroes and comics. And in the case of The Tainted Cup, the first book in The Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, it felt like a mix of Knives Out in a setting inspired by Attack on Titan and The Last of Us. So what is the premise of The Tainted Cup?
“Oh, you’ve always got to smile a little, Din… Even during, you know, the abysmally fucking awful times.”
The Tainted Cup revolves around an eccentric detective named Ana Dolabra—an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities—and her long-suffering assistant, Dinios Kol—an engraver magically altered to possess a perfect memory. In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Din’s job is to observe, report, and act as Ana’s eyes and ears—quite literally because among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din’s skill for observation and perfect memory with Ana’s impeccable deductions and mind, the two of them must cooperate to untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder that endangers the safety of the Empire.
“Oh, people love the Legion, with their swords and their walls and their bombards. But though they receive no worship, it’s the maintenance folk who keep the Empire going. Someone, after all, must do the undignified labor to keep the grand works of our era from tumbling down.”
The Tainted Cup rightfully belongs in the high fantasy genre due to its setting and world-building, no doubt about that. But if I were asked to recommend The Tainted Cup to readers, I would recommend it—more strongly—to readers who love reading murder mystery rather than fantasy novels due to the way Bennett structured the narrative. Of course, it would be even better if you are a fan of both genres, but fascination with murder mystery stories is more important here. I mentioned Attack on Titan (or Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese) by Hajime Isayama earlier. The story in Attack on Titan begins with the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan destroying the wall of Maria. Due to this unforeseen event, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and many other characters in the series struggle to battle against the oppressive violence and horrors of the Titans. The Tainted Cup begins with something akin to that premise. Immediately after the murder mystery begins, a breach to the massive wall of their civilization is inflicted by a titan—called Leviathan in the novel. However, it is worth noting that The Tainted Cup is not an action-packed narrative centering on repelling the dangers the leviathan poses to the empire. The threats of the Leviathan loomed in the background, and I assume this will be explored further in the sequel. But at its core, The Tainted Cup is a murder mystery-centered narrative in a high fantasy setting, with a touch of The Last of Us owed to the Dappleglass contagion in the storyline.
“It’s not all walls and death and plotting! Nor is it dreary dispensations and bureaucracy! We do these ugly, dull things for a reason— to make a space where folk can live, celebrate, and know joy and love.
When we speak about detectives and their assistants in stories, it is difficult to avoid the names Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. This setup and duo are popular in murder mystery stories for many valid reasons. After more readers read The Tainted Cup, the duo of Din and Ana will remind readers of Holmes and Watson. Or, to make a comparison to a recently published fantasy series, the names Justice Konrad Vonvalt and Helena Sedanka from Empire of the Wolf trilogy by Richard Swan will be mentioned frequently. And none of these would be a mistake. Compared to The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy, Bennett’s narrative in The Tainted Cup is more plot-driven rather than character-driven. Understandably. In The Tainted Cup, the story is narrated from the perspective of Din instead of Ana. Throughout the novel, we have not seen a lot of exploration into Din's character and background. With the exception of Din’s ability to retain memory and information as an Engraver, making him a living library of information, Ana is, in comparison, a more interesting character. Bennett himself has mentioned Ana is a mix of Nero Wolfe and Hannibal Lecter. But Din and Ana complement each other. Every investigation, clue, and report Din discovered for Ana, and every scene they were together, resulted in a relentlessly captivating reading experience.
“I have never liked the company of too many people, Din. I have always preferred patterns and the consumption of information to socializing. I have preferred and will always prefer staying in my residence and will avoid stimulation at all costs. This is simply who I am.”
If you have read City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett, then you will know The Tainted Cup is not Bennett’s first dive into writing murder mystery stories. And still, I was impressed by how everything clicked together in the last 13% of the The Tainted Cup. The barrage of revelations was absolutely thrilling. It made me feel as if I was watching Sherlock Holmes or Knives Out in a fantasy setting. Even if you manage to predict the perpetrator, one of the best things about a murder mystery story is finding out how every puzzle fits the bigger picture nicely. It is in the details. A good revelation or plot twist is not only about shock value. It also means when you reread a story or think back upon it, you can see the puzzles and hints laid out for you, whether you realize their existence or not on your first traversal. As Bennet said, a murder mystery story is largely a process of logistics and ensuring the timelines work and the right evidence fits in the right place at the right time. And all of these have been accomplished brilliantly in The Tainted Cup.
“It’s the maintenance folk who keep the Empire going. Someone, after all, must do the undignified labor to keep the grand works of our era from tumbling down. I simply perform maintenance, in my own little way. And you have ably assisted me in that, of course.”
I was on a streak of books ranging from disappointing to good quality. The Tainted Cup stopped the streak. The world-building is fascinating. The storyline is entertaining. And there are still tons of mysteries about the Leviathans and the two main characters to be given in the next books. The Tainted Cup is the beginning of an incredible murder mystery series in the high fantasy genre. The duo of Ana and Din will mark their spot in the detective's hall of remembrance. I can certainly envisage The Shadow of the Leviathan series spanning many volumes, and I will be grateful. Bennett mentioned he had fun writing the novel and is looking forward to reading more murder mystery novels in the series. It is reflected in the narrative. I always find it odd that despite having murder mystery as one of my favorite types of stories to consume, as proven in many fantasy and sci-fi books with this plot included, I almost never read non-SFF murder mystery novels. And somehow, even though it is marked as a fantasy novel, I believe The Tainted Cup has ignited my passion to read more non-SFF murder mystery books. It has been a pleasure and an honor to read this book early, and I already can't wait to read the next book in the series as soon as it's available. If you love the sound of reading a murder mystery novel with a compelling duo in an intriguing fantasy setting redolent of Attack on Titan, read The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Ciprian, Cullen, Dan, David, Dernerror, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Maggy, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tiffany, Tori, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Nov 21, 2023
Nov 23, 2023
Jul 22, 2023
Hardcover
1982193328
9781982193324
1982193328
4.61
2,680
Apr 02, 2024
Apr 02, 2024
it was amazing
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Disquiet Gods
ARC provided by the publisher—Baen Books—in exchange for an honest review.
T This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Disquiet Gods
ARC provided by the publisher—Baen Books—in exchange for an honest review.
This book... What a penultimate installment. Disquiet Gods is a festival of epic science fantasy masterwork cranked to maximum level.
Melancholy.
I am feeling the melody of melancholy right now. From reading the book, and because the end of the series is nigh. It is bittersweet to have read every book in The Sun Eater series up to Disquiet Gods, including all the companion novellas and collections of short stories. For those who don’t know, I read Empire of Silence for the first time in September 2023. That was seven months ago. From the many messages I received, although I am joyful to have influenced more people to start reading this absolutely incredible series, I must say I am the one who has to offer my gratitude to Christopher Ruocchio for writing the series and every one of you for pushing me to read The Sun Eater series. A series I consider to be the best sci-fi series of all time. And there is the potential for the series to rank even higher after the explosive final book, Shadows Upon Time, is out. But it feels bittersweet right now to finished every installment in The Sun Eater series so far. Not only that. On top of having my praise blurbed at the back of Disquiet Gods hardcover, I have the honor of having my name mentioned in the acknowledgment section at the beginning of the novel, too; in one of my favorite books to one of my favorite series of all time! That is special to me. And Disquiet Gods, the sixth volume in The Sun Eater series, is ridiculously phenomenal. If you have read The Sun Eater up to Ashes of Man, and you refuse to hear my thoughts before reading Disquiet Gods, I vouch and understand your decision. What matters to me more is that you read this mindblowing penultimate installment. It will be worth your time. I had space-high expectations, and Ruocchio exceeded them.
Disquiet Gods is almost 300,000 words long. That’s almost as large as Demon in White, the third and the biggest volume of The Sun Eater series, an installment hailed by many members of The Red Company to be the best book of the series. One of the most discernible things about Demon in White was how—structurally speaking—it felt like five connecting story arcs or novels organized into one book. And I am so damn pleased to see Ruocchio implement a similar story structure design (but different content) to Disquiet Gods. There is a LOT of information to absorb from this book. A LOT. This is something the fans of the series should experience for themselves. I cannot emphasize this highly enough. Henceforth, in this review, instead of merely repeating my praises of the series—all of them are still valid and more for this book—I’d like to review this book by sharing my spoiler-free thoughts about each story arc in Disquiet Gods. I will start with the first one, the beginning, on the planet of Jadd.
200 years have passed since the end of Ashes of Man. Hadrian Marlowe is more than 600 years old now. He is aging. And he is tired. But the war between the Cielcin and humanity continues to ravage the Sollan Empire, with the Cielcin in the winning position. The realms of men are terribly plagued with overwhelming malice from the Cielcin, but the spark of hope has not dimmed. A messenger has come to Jadd, bearing a summons from the Sollan Emperor for the one-time hero, Hadrian Marlowe the Halfmortal. A summons, a pardon, and a plea. HAPSIS, the Emperor’s secret first-contact intelligence organization, has located one of the dreadful Watchers, the immense, powerful beings worshipped by the Pale Cielcin. Hadrian, Cassandra, and Neema must race across the galaxy to locate the Watcher and kill it.
It is accurate to state the story parts in Jadd is, by far, the tiniest section of Disquiet Gods. It is only 50 pages long, and remembering all the insanity that unfolds after Hadrian left Jadd on his next mission, it is probably easy for other readers to forget this smaller Jadd portion. But personally speaking... Jadd is one of my favorite planets in The Sun Eater. The vivid planet of fire felt equally infused with calm tempest and energy. The molten rocks, magma, volcano, and the cultures. Although, understandably, Hadrian Al Brutan needs to move on from the planet to proceed with the story quickly, Jadd left a strong impression on me, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more of it. Thankfully, I did read Daughter of Swords, The Royal Game, and The Fangs of Oannos before reading Disquiet Gods. They are brilliant short stories in The Sun Eater, and they worked as a mini-trilogy prequel to this novel, showing more of Hadrian and Cassandra’s life in Jadd. This is nothing to complain about, though. Hopefully, one day, Ruocchio will write a novella or two about Hadrian's time in Jadd. And Disquiet Gods only gets better and better with each story arc, as evidenced by immediacy in the second story arc: Planet Sabratha.
Honestly, the only part of this penultimate novel I can mark as a possible minor criticism for other readers—and this is being super nitpicky because I don't even consider this a criticism—is to be patient with the calm before the storm moments. Approximately the first 150 pages of Disquiet Gods are focused on introducing new characters, getting the characters back on track, and exploring the desert planet Sabratha. This is, as I said, not a criticism. Almost every main novel in The Sun Eater, except Ashes of Man, begins with a huge time jump. It is only proper that Ruocchio takes his time for readers to feel acquainted with Hadrian, the new characters, and the galaxy again. It is essential to do this, especially in Disquiet Gods. Due to circumstances, the first third of Disquiet Gods is centered on Hadrian and many new characters appearing in the series for the first time. Some notable new characters, among many, are Cassandra, Neema, Edouard, and Ramanthanu. I cannot imagine the rest of Disquiet Gods shining as bright in qualities without the vital foundation laid in the first two story arcs of the novel. And once the storm begins... trust me. You won't be able to stop the bonkers vortex this book will trap you in. Disquiet Gods is easily the wildest installment in the series so far. And if you've read the series up to here, you know this notion should not be taken lightly.
Some of you Sun Eater readers might know I'm working as an art director for The Broken Binding edition of The Sun Eater series. Progress is going smoothly for the first three main novels of The Sun Eater. It will be a while before I get to work on Disquiet Gods, but the scenes and details from the first 260 pages of Disquiet Gods would make my work as an art director easier. There were sufficient iconic scenes to choose and work on from the Jadd and Sabratha story arc. However, things changed after I read the rest of the novel. There are now too many magnificent scenes to choose and sacrifice. The ending sequence of the Sabratha story arc was superbly imaginative, crazy, and outrageously epic in scope. Hadrian's adventure and struggle relentlessly drop my jaw. And when I thought things couldn't get crazier, Ruocchio assured me that the first two story arcs in Disquiet Gods were a warm-up before he commands his imagination and storytelling to fire at will in the remaining three story arcs.
To strengthen my points about the third story arc of Disquiet Gods, allow me to reflect a bit about the eternally stamped scenes in my amygdala from Demon in White. Coincidentally... It is also the third story arc of Demon in White. And in the gleaming city of Forum as well! I constantly praise The Sun Eater as one of the most ambitious and crucial science fantasy or space opera series of our time, but in Demon in White, Ruocchio actually displayed the vast scope of his storytelling by including a relatively small and pulse-pounding murder mystery section. If you are like me, who loved the political thriller section in Demon in White, we are blessed to witness another form of this storytelling’s incarnation in Disquiet Gods.
The galaxy-scope threats posed by the Cielcin are forcing The Children of Earth and the Sun in The Sollan Empire to come together for a brave counter-attack against the Cielcin. As you can probably expect, with many pillars of authority in charge, plus a conflicting and compelling reunion with a specific beloved character, unity among fellow humans is never fated to proceed smoothly. Ruocchio’s political intrigue and scheming are handled masterfully. I cannot praise it highly enough. The range and level of his storytelling are simply astounding. The narrative in the third story arc of Disquiet Gods was the most breathtaking and intense within the entire novel. And as I said earlier, events did escalate into a new higher plane of existence in Disquiet Gods. One chapter in particular, one of the longest chapters ever penned in the series so far, is jam-packed with revelations and emotions. I am trying to keep things vague, but some pivotal revelations here reminded me of Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time video game. Disquiet Gods bestow its reader with titanic information about The Quiet, The Watcher, the Extrasolarians, and The Cielcin. The scope of Hadrian’s earth-shattering mission is, to say the least, universally staggering.
I cannot talk much about my thoughts on the details in the remaining two story arcs of Disquiet Gods. They are the story arc in Planet Latarra and another planet I prefer to leave unnamed. But I can say this. Everything you’ve read in the series, everything about Disquiet Gods, amplifies the leviathan weight behind the recurring quotes: “Seek hardship” and “Why should your burden be light?” It was so powerful. I have read many series, and I respect series that speak and cherish the reader. It was as if Ruocchio said: “We are in this journey together. What you’ve read in the previous books, all of them played an irreplaceable part.” That’s what I felt from reading this penultimate volume. The remaining two story arcs reinforced this point more extensively.
It felt rewarding to read a series where not only every book is tremendous, but all of them are paramount to the overarching narrative. Ruocchio never neglects this. In Disquiet Gods, events from Empire of Silence to Ashes of Man were reflected. Howling Dark, Demon in White, and Kingdoms of Death are the biggest contributors of them all. I am so delighted by this. It will be easy to refute any argument that states a specific main installment in The Sun Eater as a filler or unnecessary installment. Every one of them matters. Howling Dark and Disquiet Gods felt like they were hyperlinked. As we approach the explosive light of Goddodin, readers will reasonably expect satisfying major revelations and convergence, and Disquiet Gods successfully deliver what the reader craves and needs.
As Hadrian undertook his impossible mission to do what must be, Ruocchio prepared a 150-page battle sequence to close this volume of The Sun Eater. I won’t mention the name of the battle. I won’t mention the name of the planet. Witness the danger Hadrian and The Sollan Empire encountered yourself. The Ruocchano (the climax sequences) of Disquiet Gods was explosive, terrifying, and filled with insane twists and turns. The emotional damage inflicted was nothing short of remarkable. I am not kidding. Even the brief remark of a character’s eyes was evidently enough to get me emotional. Disquiet Gods proved once again that the writing and the world-building of this series, as I always say, are impeccable and massive in scope. Ruocchio demonstrated it is possible to craft the chemistry formula for an excellent blend of science and fantasy series.
Masterpiece.
Disquiet Gods is a science fantasy masterpiece. I have done my best to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible. Though this review is long, I assure you I haven’t covered the fragments of the greatness in Disquiet Gods. The Sun Eater is a quintessential display of journey before destination. We know the final destination of The Sun Eater. The details of the journey, though... We have to find out and experience them ourselves. At the moment, I lack the confidence to determine which books among the top 3 books of The Sun Eater should reign as the best volume of the series. Demon in White, Kingdoms of Death, and Disquiet Gods will have to be content with sharing the title for now. To wrap this review up, I will repeat what I have said. Ruocchio deserves a crown for broadening the horizon of possibility in the genre. This series is a future classic in the making. If you haven't started reading the series yet, give the series a chance. At least up until Howling Dark. You have time to bask in the light of the series before the epic ending to come in Shadows Upon Time, the seventh and final book of The Sun Eater series. Where the intricate legend of the Sun Eater will be witnessed. I long for that day the dirge of the Cielcin will be sung. And I hope you will be there with me on that monumental day.
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! ...more
ARC provided by the publisher—Baen Books—in exchange for an honest review.
T This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Disquiet Gods
ARC provided by the publisher—Baen Books—in exchange for an honest review.
This book... What a penultimate installment. Disquiet Gods is a festival of epic science fantasy masterwork cranked to maximum level.
Melancholy.
I am feeling the melody of melancholy right now. From reading the book, and because the end of the series is nigh. It is bittersweet to have read every book in The Sun Eater series up to Disquiet Gods, including all the companion novellas and collections of short stories. For those who don’t know, I read Empire of Silence for the first time in September 2023. That was seven months ago. From the many messages I received, although I am joyful to have influenced more people to start reading this absolutely incredible series, I must say I am the one who has to offer my gratitude to Christopher Ruocchio for writing the series and every one of you for pushing me to read The Sun Eater series. A series I consider to be the best sci-fi series of all time. And there is the potential for the series to rank even higher after the explosive final book, Shadows Upon Time, is out. But it feels bittersweet right now to finished every installment in The Sun Eater series so far. Not only that. On top of having my praise blurbed at the back of Disquiet Gods hardcover, I have the honor of having my name mentioned in the acknowledgment section at the beginning of the novel, too; in one of my favorite books to one of my favorite series of all time! That is special to me. And Disquiet Gods, the sixth volume in The Sun Eater series, is ridiculously phenomenal. If you have read The Sun Eater up to Ashes of Man, and you refuse to hear my thoughts before reading Disquiet Gods, I vouch and understand your decision. What matters to me more is that you read this mindblowing penultimate installment. It will be worth your time. I had space-high expectations, and Ruocchio exceeded them.
“Life is very long. I had not known my brother in centuries. It may seem strange to you, dear Reader, who has not perhaps the luxury of so long a life, that my brother should retain so great a hold on me after so long—and yet it is so. But the impact of childhood, I have found, does not diminish. Not after a hundred years, not after five.”
Disquiet Gods is almost 300,000 words long. That’s almost as large as Demon in White, the third and the biggest volume of The Sun Eater series, an installment hailed by many members of The Red Company to be the best book of the series. One of the most discernible things about Demon in White was how—structurally speaking—it felt like five connecting story arcs or novels organized into one book. And I am so damn pleased to see Ruocchio implement a similar story structure design (but different content) to Disquiet Gods. There is a LOT of information to absorb from this book. A LOT. This is something the fans of the series should experience for themselves. I cannot emphasize this highly enough. Henceforth, in this review, instead of merely repeating my praises of the series—all of them are still valid and more for this book—I’d like to review this book by sharing my spoiler-free thoughts about each story arc in Disquiet Gods. I will start with the first one, the beginning, on the planet of Jadd.
“Stranger still that on both occasions, you should be at the heart of things… Do you not see now wherefore your coming is to us as the footsteps of doom?” She said this last in Classical English, and I recognized the phrase.
“Tolkien,” I said.’
200 years have passed since the end of Ashes of Man. Hadrian Marlowe is more than 600 years old now. He is aging. And he is tired. But the war between the Cielcin and humanity continues to ravage the Sollan Empire, with the Cielcin in the winning position. The realms of men are terribly plagued with overwhelming malice from the Cielcin, but the spark of hope has not dimmed. A messenger has come to Jadd, bearing a summons from the Sollan Emperor for the one-time hero, Hadrian Marlowe the Halfmortal. A summons, a pardon, and a plea. HAPSIS, the Emperor’s secret first-contact intelligence organization, has located one of the dreadful Watchers, the immense, powerful beings worshipped by the Pale Cielcin. Hadrian, Cassandra, and Neema must race across the galaxy to locate the Watcher and kill it.
“One is always exposed in the void, even on the vastest starship, without the comforting blanket of the sky to keep one warm. But in that moment, I imagined—and perhaps I sensed—a will, a malice, as though some terrible eye was questing in the Dark, scouring the stars. Jadd had been a paradise, a garden behind whose walls I had long been kept safe. I had returned to infinite space, the ceaseless night of the wider universe. To my old world and life.”
It is accurate to state the story parts in Jadd is, by far, the tiniest section of Disquiet Gods. It is only 50 pages long, and remembering all the insanity that unfolds after Hadrian left Jadd on his next mission, it is probably easy for other readers to forget this smaller Jadd portion. But personally speaking... Jadd is one of my favorite planets in The Sun Eater. The vivid planet of fire felt equally infused with calm tempest and energy. The molten rocks, magma, volcano, and the cultures. Although, understandably, Hadrian Al Brutan needs to move on from the planet to proceed with the story quickly, Jadd left a strong impression on me, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more of it. Thankfully, I did read Daughter of Swords, The Royal Game, and The Fangs of Oannos before reading Disquiet Gods. They are brilliant short stories in The Sun Eater, and they worked as a mini-trilogy prequel to this novel, showing more of Hadrian and Cassandra’s life in Jadd. This is nothing to complain about, though. Hopefully, one day, Ruocchio will write a novella or two about Hadrian's time in Jadd. And Disquiet Gods only gets better and better with each story arc, as evidenced by immediacy in the second story arc: Planet Sabratha.
“We cannot decide the world we live in ourselves, but we can change the world for those who follow after.”
Honestly, the only part of this penultimate novel I can mark as a possible minor criticism for other readers—and this is being super nitpicky because I don't even consider this a criticism—is to be patient with the calm before the storm moments. Approximately the first 150 pages of Disquiet Gods are focused on introducing new characters, getting the characters back on track, and exploring the desert planet Sabratha. This is, as I said, not a criticism. Almost every main novel in The Sun Eater, except Ashes of Man, begins with a huge time jump. It is only proper that Ruocchio takes his time for readers to feel acquainted with Hadrian, the new characters, and the galaxy again. It is essential to do this, especially in Disquiet Gods. Due to circumstances, the first third of Disquiet Gods is centered on Hadrian and many new characters appearing in the series for the first time. Some notable new characters, among many, are Cassandra, Neema, Edouard, and Ramanthanu. I cannot imagine the rest of Disquiet Gods shining as bright in qualities without the vital foundation laid in the first two story arcs of the novel. And once the storm begins... trust me. You won't be able to stop the bonkers vortex this book will trap you in. Disquiet Gods is easily the wildest installment in the series so far. And if you've read the series up to here, you know this notion should not be taken lightly.
“I was nothing at all. The barest drop in a limitless ocean. One photon against the infinite Dark. One is enough. The voice that whispered to me then was not my own, nor was it Ushara’s… It was no voice at all, hardly to be heard. But it was right. Had I not seen—had I not been shown—had I so easily forgotten how fragile the darkness is? One photon was enough to hold it back.”
Some of you Sun Eater readers might know I'm working as an art director for The Broken Binding edition of The Sun Eater series. Progress is going smoothly for the first three main novels of The Sun Eater. It will be a while before I get to work on Disquiet Gods, but the scenes and details from the first 260 pages of Disquiet Gods would make my work as an art director easier. There were sufficient iconic scenes to choose and work on from the Jadd and Sabratha story arc. However, things changed after I read the rest of the novel. There are now too many magnificent scenes to choose and sacrifice. The ending sequence of the Sabratha story arc was superbly imaginative, crazy, and outrageously epic in scope. Hadrian's adventure and struggle relentlessly drop my jaw. And when I thought things couldn't get crazier, Ruocchio assured me that the first two story arcs in Disquiet Gods were a warm-up before he commands his imagination and storytelling to fire at will in the remaining three story arcs.
“The one must work for the good of the many, so the Mux Sae says, but the Lothrians would destroy every one for their many—not realizing the contradiction.”
To strengthen my points about the third story arc of Disquiet Gods, allow me to reflect a bit about the eternally stamped scenes in my amygdala from Demon in White. Coincidentally... It is also the third story arc of Demon in White. And in the gleaming city of Forum as well! I constantly praise The Sun Eater as one of the most ambitious and crucial science fantasy or space opera series of our time, but in Demon in White, Ruocchio actually displayed the vast scope of his storytelling by including a relatively small and pulse-pounding murder mystery section. If you are like me, who loved the political thriller section in Demon in White, we are blessed to witness another form of this storytelling’s incarnation in Disquiet Gods.
“It is not power that builds empires, that asserts order on the stars. It is vision. Vision and the heroic will to act. Where there is that vision, all else follows. Where it is not, there is decadence, desperation, and decay. I understood all this then, in that moment, though it has taken me much time to order my thoughts on the matter, and perhaps it is only now—by the light of my murdered sun and the dark days that have followed it—that I see things clearly.”
The galaxy-scope threats posed by the Cielcin are forcing The Children of Earth and the Sun in The Sollan Empire to come together for a brave counter-attack against the Cielcin. As you can probably expect, with many pillars of authority in charge, plus a conflicting and compelling reunion with a specific beloved character, unity among fellow humans is never fated to proceed smoothly. Ruocchio’s political intrigue and scheming are handled masterfully. I cannot praise it highly enough. The range and level of his storytelling are simply astounding. The narrative in the third story arc of Disquiet Gods was the most breathtaking and intense within the entire novel. And as I said earlier, events did escalate into a new higher plane of existence in Disquiet Gods. One chapter in particular, one of the longest chapters ever penned in the series so far, is jam-packed with revelations and emotions. I am trying to keep things vague, but some pivotal revelations here reminded me of Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time video game. Disquiet Gods bestow its reader with titanic information about The Quiet, The Watcher, the Extrasolarians, and The Cielcin. The scope of Hadrian’s earth-shattering mission is, to say the least, universally staggering.
“I say it is the cruel law of art that all things must die, and that we ourselves must die . . . having exhausted every suffering, so that the grass, not of oblivion but of eternal life, should grow, fertilized by works.”
I cannot talk much about my thoughts on the details in the remaining two story arcs of Disquiet Gods. They are the story arc in Planet Latarra and another planet I prefer to leave unnamed. But I can say this. Everything you’ve read in the series, everything about Disquiet Gods, amplifies the leviathan weight behind the recurring quotes: “Seek hardship” and “Why should your burden be light?” It was so powerful. I have read many series, and I respect series that speak and cherish the reader. It was as if Ruocchio said: “We are in this journey together. What you’ve read in the previous books, all of them played an irreplaceable part.” That’s what I felt from reading this penultimate volume. The remaining two story arcs reinforced this point more extensively.
“You believe you fight to reduce the evil in what is… You fight to increase the good. Every person you save, every world left untrammeled by evil serves to increase the good in that final accounting. You asked why he does not end all that he has made: because the story is not yet finished, even now, and he will not end it until every bead of light has had its day.
It felt rewarding to read a series where not only every book is tremendous, but all of them are paramount to the overarching narrative. Ruocchio never neglects this. In Disquiet Gods, events from Empire of Silence to Ashes of Man were reflected. Howling Dark, Demon in White, and Kingdoms of Death are the biggest contributors of them all. I am so delighted by this. It will be easy to refute any argument that states a specific main installment in The Sun Eater as a filler or unnecessary installment. Every one of them matters. Howling Dark and Disquiet Gods felt like they were hyperlinked. As we approach the explosive light of Goddodin, readers will reasonably expect satisfying major revelations and convergence, and Disquiet Gods successfully deliver what the reader craves and needs.
“It’s war, Hadrian… Each of us pretends to be fighting for right, or Earth or gods . . . but in truth, we’re each only fighting for ourselves. The Cielcin are no different. They need to eat. All that matters, ultimately, is that we win. How we won will be decided later, that it may be said we fought with honor.”
As Hadrian undertook his impossible mission to do what must be, Ruocchio prepared a 150-page battle sequence to close this volume of The Sun Eater. I won’t mention the name of the battle. I won’t mention the name of the planet. Witness the danger Hadrian and The Sollan Empire encountered yourself. The Ruocchano (the climax sequences) of Disquiet Gods was explosive, terrifying, and filled with insane twists and turns. The emotional damage inflicted was nothing short of remarkable. I am not kidding. Even the brief remark of a character’s eyes was evidently enough to get me emotional. Disquiet Gods proved once again that the writing and the world-building of this series, as I always say, are impeccable and massive in scope. Ruocchio demonstrated it is possible to craft the chemistry formula for an excellent blend of science and fantasy series.
“People conceive of war and battle as mere events, happening for discrete periods of time in a specific place. But war is a place unto itself. A new universe, one with its own laws of time and space. Seconds which might have passed one after another in ordinary time pass all at once in war—so that hours vanish in instants—or not at all. In war, often a single second contains lifetimes.”
Masterpiece.
Disquiet Gods is a science fantasy masterpiece. I have done my best to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible. Though this review is long, I assure you I haven’t covered the fragments of the greatness in Disquiet Gods. The Sun Eater is a quintessential display of journey before destination. We know the final destination of The Sun Eater. The details of the journey, though... We have to find out and experience them ourselves. At the moment, I lack the confidence to determine which books among the top 3 books of The Sun Eater should reign as the best volume of the series. Demon in White, Kingdoms of Death, and Disquiet Gods will have to be content with sharing the title for now. To wrap this review up, I will repeat what I have said. Ruocchio deserves a crown for broadening the horizon of possibility in the genre. This series is a future classic in the making. If you haven't started reading the series yet, give the series a chance. At least up until Howling Dark. You have time to bask in the light of the series before the epic ending to come in Shadows Upon Time, the seventh and final book of The Sun Eater series. Where the intricate legend of the Sun Eater will be witnessed. I long for that day the dirge of the Cielcin will be sung. And I hope you will be there with me on that monumental day.
“Pain. Our fear of pain is the foundation of all morality. It is that fear that shapes our world, orders civilization... Our experiences of pain teach us the nature of suffering, and so we are moved to minimize that suffering in others. Pain grounds our reality, is the cornerstone of our interactions with the objective world. Pain makes us human, teaches us to be human.
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! ...more
Notes are private!
1
Apr 10, 2024
Apr 16, 2024
Jul 09, 2023
Hardcover
1529432804
9781529432800
B0C3YMHWS8
4.02
2,133
Apr 25, 2024
May 07, 2024
really liked it
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Silverblood Promise.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Silverblood Promise.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Next year is not even here yet, but the potential of The Silverblood Promise becoming, at least, one of the best fantasy debuts of 2024 is guaranteed.
I have always considered myself blessed that I’m now in a position where I often get asked to read and review fantasy and sci-fi books early. When I received the email from James Logan asking whether I would be intrigued to reveal the cover art of The Silverblood Promise and read the book early, I immediately accepted it. How could I not after seeing that gorgeous cover art by Jeff Brown? Wait until you see the full spread art later. But back to the point, the honor and opportunity to read and review an upcoming book this early is irregular for me. Remember, this email goes back to last March and April, and The Silverblood Promise is being released in April 2024. I know. It’s still 5 months before this book is released to the public. That’s also why I waited 6 months before I read The Silverblood Promise, even though I wanted to instantly. I knew from reading the premise and first chapter there was a good chance I would enjoy it. And full disclosure, I have been asked to read and review some books this relatively early a few times. But if the specific book doesn’t capture my attention enough, or maybe it is something I dislike, I usually let it sit in my TBR pile or wait until its publication date before I post a review. Luckily, The Silverblood Promise is a big hit. I had so much fun reading it, and I have faith that this debut novel will earn a spot on many future readers’ bookshelves. This is a well-paced epic fantasy debut suitable for fans of Scott Lynch, Robert Jackson Bennett, and a more hopeful Joe Abercrombie.
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan is the first book in The Last Legacy series, and it centers around Lukan Gardova. Lukan is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and—thanks to a duel that ended badly—the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away. When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds a fresh purpose. After seven years of running from the past, Lukan swore a silverblood promise to carry out his father’s final wish. Determined to amend his mistakes, Lukan vows to unravel the mystery behind his father's death. His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, the fabled city of merchant princes, traders and thieves, monsters, and murderers, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead, he finds danger and secrets in every shadow. For in Saphrona, where coin rules as the true god, everything has a price—and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.
As you can tell from the premise, The Silverblood Promise employs a murder mystery plotline in an epic fantasy setting. Written by a different author, I believe The Silverblood Promise could theoretically become a grimdark fantasy novel, and there is nothing wrong with that because I am an enthusiast of grimdark fantasy. However, I will let you know upfront this is not a grimdark fantasy. The city of Saphrona is ruthless, violent, and full of injustice. It treats most of its citizens poorly, and it is certainly not shy about it. The rich prosper, and the poor perish. This saying has practically become the slogan of Saphrona. But although Lukan’s quests and investigations into the mystery behind his father’s death lead him into brutal games and conspiracies he never expected, the balance between the heavy and funny moments was always deftly handled. It is a grim setting and society, no doubt about that, but the narrative never fully taps into grimdark territory. And the book is more entertaining for it. If Logan’s intention in writing The Silverblood Promise is to write something compelling and gritty while keeping the fun, humorous, and hopeful tone intact, he has accomplished his mission in full spades. And this is thanks to the charming and likeable newly formed trio.
Told in a third-person past tense narration, for the majority of The Silverblood Promise, Lukan dominated the story as the singular POV character. And honestly speaking, I didn’t find myself immediately attached to him in the early portion of the novel. Lukan Gardova is a drunkard. He is rude and impatient, and he likes to cut people off when they’re talking. And this cutting people off when they’re speaking is something he kept throughout the whole book. It is a part of him. But, it would be a difficult task for me to dislike him. Lukan’s heart is in the right place. He is the type of character who makes jokes in the most dangerous and inappropriate times, and more importantly, Lukan tries his best to help people—even strangers—as best as he can. His personality is one of the main reasons the book constantly felt exciting and delightful. And as I read more and more chapters, the more I felt invested in his mission and found friendship with Flea and Ashra. Especially Flea, as Lukan became an unexpected father figure for her. Even when he is reluctant to admit it to her face.
Mysteries upon mysteries. There’s always another secret. Lukan’s succession of questions-raising missions has led him to form his own—sort of—group of thieves in Saphrona. The dynamic and relationship between Lukan and his newfound allies is easily the best aspect of the novel for me. I absolutely loved reading Lukan and Flea together in a scene. They’re a bloody riot entertainment, and hey, the badass and a child is one of my favorite tropes in storytelling. I know, I know. Lukan is not old. He is not a badass, too. But what I loved most about this trope is how an encounter with a seemingly random kid—usually a complete stranger—could change the trajectory of their lives. Both individuals. In the overwhelming face of fear, cruelty, and death, company and friendship (even from someone you just met) can become a beacon of hope, after all.
For those of you who are not familiar with this trope, here are some popular examples of the badass and a child trope. Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us or Mando and Grogu in The Mandalorian. The relationship development that can be achieved from it, when it is done right, is ceaselessly superb for me. And in that regard, the badass and a child duo trope in The Silverblood Promise was incredibly well-implemented. Lukan and Flea became a source of strength and support for one another. There was never any dull moment when Lukan and Flea were together on the same page. Their banter is hilarious, and the chemistry they found and nurtured felt genuine and easy to attach to. My enjoyment of The Silverblood Promise was clearly enhanced due to this trope. When I finished reading the novel, I felt sad that I didn’t have the sequel to read yet. I know that is probably an unfair thing to say because this book is not published officially yet. Not for almost half a year. But it is true. Flea and Ashra has only one POV chapter in this entire book, near the end, and I have a feeling that frequency will increase in the sequel. It better. And I want more amazing banter like this:
Once The Silverblood Promise is released and has been read by more readers, I am confident it will be recommended to readers who love Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett and The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Maybe even Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson due to the thieves aspect. And also, the relationship between Lukan and Flea can be correlated to Kelsier and Vin. Understandably. Thievery, profane language, gambling, and devilish games are integral to the plot and the city of Saphrona. The Pyramid game, in particular, is destructively painful to its players, both mentally and physically. I will let you experience that for yourself. And this is me saying I do agree with these comparisons, especially The Lies of Locke Lamora and Foundryside. But just in case, to not mislead future readers. It needs to be noted that The Silverblood Promise doesn’t feature any hard-magic system like Foundryside or Mistborn did. Phaeron magic is in charge here; it is a soft magic, and it is relatively minimal in its usage. I am sure its application and The Faceless will be more prevalent in the sequel.
The world-building prospect of the world is bigger than what is portrayed here, but I couldn’t really gauge it yet because the edition I read did not have any map, and as I said, 90% of the story in The Silverblood Promise took place in the city of Saphrona. Lastly, before you ask, rest assured that there is no cliffhanger in The Silverblood Promise. Mistborn: The Final Empire and The Lies of Locke Lamora work absolutely well as a satisfying standalone novel, and The Silverblood Promise follows that similar notion. The next book will take place in a different city. Other series like The Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch or The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett, to mention a few, did this kind of series progression magnificently. And I look forward to witnessing what kind of page-turning chaos James Logan will unleash in the next installments of The Last Legacy.
Well... I crave the first hardcover edition of The Silverblood Promise. If The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch or Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett are some of your favorite books like they are for me, I cannot recommend The Silverblood Promise highly enough. Pre-order The Silverblood Promise. It is not an explosive or mind-blowing read, but if your value or preference of escapism is measured by how immersed and compelled you are by smooth-flowing prose and narrative, The Silverblood Promise will do its best to absorb your time. There were possible nods to The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie that I enjoyed reading, too, like a chapter being named The Blade Itself, Death as an equalizer quote, Brand and Balinor Banking House—which may be a homage to Valint and Balk bank from The First Law—and Flea having nine-fingers. The Silverblood Promise exhibited a gritty world with more upbeat main characters and tone taking the spotlight. It is not too far-fetched to claim this is a good alternative when you are in the mood for a more optimistic version of Joe Abercrombie’s storytelling style. From the engaging investigations, murder mysteries, dialogues, and characters you will gradually come to love, The Silverblood Promise was an exceptionally riveting and captivating fantasy debut novel. It is, indisputably, a strong candidate for the best fantasy debut of the year. With The Silverblood Promise crafted, James Logan offers readers his pinky finger with a promise that Lukan's adventure will ensure they have a blast should they choose to read it. Whenever the sequel is ready, Korlsakov, the City of Spires, awaits me. And I hope when the time comes, you will be there with me to read the next chapter of Lukan, Flea, and Ashra's swashbuckling adventure.
Picture: The Silverblood Promise by Jeff Brown
[image]
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Cullen, Dan, David, Dernerror, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Silverblood Promise.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Next year is not even here yet, but the potential of The Silverblood Promise becoming, at least, one of the best fantasy debuts of 2024 is guaranteed.
“You can’t escape the past, Lukan. It’s our lifelong companion, always at our side.”
I have always considered myself blessed that I’m now in a position where I often get asked to read and review fantasy and sci-fi books early. When I received the email from James Logan asking whether I would be intrigued to reveal the cover art of The Silverblood Promise and read the book early, I immediately accepted it. How could I not after seeing that gorgeous cover art by Jeff Brown? Wait until you see the full spread art later. But back to the point, the honor and opportunity to read and review an upcoming book this early is irregular for me. Remember, this email goes back to last March and April, and The Silverblood Promise is being released in April 2024. I know. It’s still 5 months before this book is released to the public. That’s also why I waited 6 months before I read The Silverblood Promise, even though I wanted to instantly. I knew from reading the premise and first chapter there was a good chance I would enjoy it. And full disclosure, I have been asked to read and review some books this relatively early a few times. But if the specific book doesn’t capture my attention enough, or maybe it is something I dislike, I usually let it sit in my TBR pile or wait until its publication date before I post a review. Luckily, The Silverblood Promise is a big hit. I had so much fun reading it, and I have faith that this debut novel will earn a spot on many future readers’ bookshelves. This is a well-paced epic fantasy debut suitable for fans of Scott Lynch, Robert Jackson Bennett, and a more hopeful Joe Abercrombie.
“You have to stand up for yourself, you understand? You can’t let someone have their way just because they were born into wealth and privilege. That doesn’t make them better than you.”
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan is the first book in The Last Legacy series, and it centers around Lukan Gardova. Lukan is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and—thanks to a duel that ended badly—the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away. When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds a fresh purpose. After seven years of running from the past, Lukan swore a silverblood promise to carry out his father’s final wish. Determined to amend his mistakes, Lukan vows to unravel the mystery behind his father's death. His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, the fabled city of merchant princes, traders and thieves, monsters, and murderers, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead, he finds danger and secrets in every shadow. For in Saphrona, where coin rules as the true god, everything has a price—and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.
“I remember the joy when the fighting finally stopped– it was thick as honey, you could almost taste it in the air. The whole city was dizzy with the thought of peace after decades of war, with the belief that our enemies across the sea could become our friends. But the world turns and younger generations forget the lessons learned by the old . . . and the wolves of greed and prejudice come slinking back from the shadows.’
As you can tell from the premise, The Silverblood Promise employs a murder mystery plotline in an epic fantasy setting. Written by a different author, I believe The Silverblood Promise could theoretically become a grimdark fantasy novel, and there is nothing wrong with that because I am an enthusiast of grimdark fantasy. However, I will let you know upfront this is not a grimdark fantasy. The city of Saphrona is ruthless, violent, and full of injustice. It treats most of its citizens poorly, and it is certainly not shy about it. The rich prosper, and the poor perish. This saying has practically become the slogan of Saphrona. But although Lukan’s quests and investigations into the mystery behind his father’s death lead him into brutal games and conspiracies he never expected, the balance between the heavy and funny moments was always deftly handled. It is a grim setting and society, no doubt about that, but the narrative never fully taps into grimdark territory. And the book is more entertaining for it. If Logan’s intention in writing The Silverblood Promise is to write something compelling and gritty while keeping the fun, humorous, and hopeful tone intact, he has accomplished his mission in full spades. And this is thanks to the charming and likeable newly formed trio.
“You might think you fight a duel with your blade, Shafia had told Lukan, the first time she’d placed a wooden practice sword in his hand. But you’d be wrong. You fight a duel with your mind, before the swords have even been drawn. A show of confidence–whether a smile, a stare, or a strut,– can sow doubt in your opponent, even fear. And that can be just as deadly as a perfect thrust or a well-timed riposte.”
Told in a third-person past tense narration, for the majority of The Silverblood Promise, Lukan dominated the story as the singular POV character. And honestly speaking, I didn’t find myself immediately attached to him in the early portion of the novel. Lukan Gardova is a drunkard. He is rude and impatient, and he likes to cut people off when they’re talking. And this cutting people off when they’re speaking is something he kept throughout the whole book. It is a part of him. But, it would be a difficult task for me to dislike him. Lukan’s heart is in the right place. He is the type of character who makes jokes in the most dangerous and inappropriate times, and more importantly, Lukan tries his best to help people—even strangers—as best as he can. His personality is one of the main reasons the book constantly felt exciting and delightful. And as I read more and more chapters, the more I felt invested in his mission and found friendship with Flea and Ashra. Especially Flea, as Lukan became an unexpected father figure for her. Even when he is reluctant to admit it to her face.
“In that moment Flea had realised that trust freely given was more valuable than any trinket she’d ever stolen. It was an almost physical presence inside her chest, lending her a degree of confidence and pride that she’d never felt before.”
Mysteries upon mysteries. There’s always another secret. Lukan’s succession of questions-raising missions has led him to form his own—sort of—group of thieves in Saphrona. The dynamic and relationship between Lukan and his newfound allies is easily the best aspect of the novel for me. I absolutely loved reading Lukan and Flea together in a scene. They’re a bloody riot entertainment, and hey, the badass and a child is one of my favorite tropes in storytelling. I know, I know. Lukan is not old. He is not a badass, too. But what I loved most about this trope is how an encounter with a seemingly random kid—usually a complete stranger—could change the trajectory of their lives. Both individuals. In the overwhelming face of fear, cruelty, and death, company and friendship (even from someone you just met) can become a beacon of hope, after all.
“Death is the great equaliser, the philosopher Volendt declared in his treatise An Unseen Philosophy, a text that Lukan had been forced to read during his first year at the Academy. A dark mistress who holds no regard for wealth, nor power, nor birthright. All souls are equal before her gaze.”
For those of you who are not familiar with this trope, here are some popular examples of the badass and a child trope. Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us or Mando and Grogu in The Mandalorian. The relationship development that can be achieved from it, when it is done right, is ceaselessly superb for me. And in that regard, the badass and a child duo trope in The Silverblood Promise was incredibly well-implemented. Lukan and Flea became a source of strength and support for one another. There was never any dull moment when Lukan and Flea were together on the same page. Their banter is hilarious, and the chemistry they found and nurtured felt genuine and easy to attach to. My enjoyment of The Silverblood Promise was clearly enhanced due to this trope. When I finished reading the novel, I felt sad that I didn’t have the sequel to read yet. I know that is probably an unfair thing to say because this book is not published officially yet. Not for almost half a year. But it is true. Flea and Ashra has only one POV chapter in this entire book, near the end, and I have a feeling that frequency will increase in the sequel. It better. And I want more amazing banter like this:
‘ . . . did it have a hundred legs?’
‘I don’t know, kid. I was too busy screaming to count.’
‘Because it hurt?’
‘No, because I was enjoying it tickling my balls.’
Once The Silverblood Promise is released and has been read by more readers, I am confident it will be recommended to readers who love Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett and The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Maybe even Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson due to the thieves aspect. And also, the relationship between Lukan and Flea can be correlated to Kelsier and Vin. Understandably. Thievery, profane language, gambling, and devilish games are integral to the plot and the city of Saphrona. The Pyramid game, in particular, is destructively painful to its players, both mentally and physically. I will let you experience that for yourself. And this is me saying I do agree with these comparisons, especially The Lies of Locke Lamora and Foundryside. But just in case, to not mislead future readers. It needs to be noted that The Silverblood Promise doesn’t feature any hard-magic system like Foundryside or Mistborn did. Phaeron magic is in charge here; it is a soft magic, and it is relatively minimal in its usage. I am sure its application and The Faceless will be more prevalent in the sequel.
“One of the first things he’d learned about gambling was that a little bravado went a long way. If you could plant a seed of doubt in your opponents’ minds, and nurture it with the appropriate words and gestures, you could force them into making mistakes.”
The world-building prospect of the world is bigger than what is portrayed here, but I couldn’t really gauge it yet because the edition I read did not have any map, and as I said, 90% of the story in The Silverblood Promise took place in the city of Saphrona. Lastly, before you ask, rest assured that there is no cliffhanger in The Silverblood Promise. Mistborn: The Final Empire and The Lies of Locke Lamora work absolutely well as a satisfying standalone novel, and The Silverblood Promise follows that similar notion. The next book will take place in a different city. Other series like The Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch or The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett, to mention a few, did this kind of series progression magnificently. And I look forward to witnessing what kind of page-turning chaos James Logan will unleash in the next installments of The Last Legacy.
‘A few books went missing from the library… Several rare first editions, or some such. Apparently they’re quite valuable, though why anyone would waste good coin on some dusty old books is beyond me.’
Well... I crave the first hardcover edition of The Silverblood Promise. If The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch or Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett are some of your favorite books like they are for me, I cannot recommend The Silverblood Promise highly enough. Pre-order The Silverblood Promise. It is not an explosive or mind-blowing read, but if your value or preference of escapism is measured by how immersed and compelled you are by smooth-flowing prose and narrative, The Silverblood Promise will do its best to absorb your time. There were possible nods to The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie that I enjoyed reading, too, like a chapter being named The Blade Itself, Death as an equalizer quote, Brand and Balinor Banking House—which may be a homage to Valint and Balk bank from The First Law—and Flea having nine-fingers. The Silverblood Promise exhibited a gritty world with more upbeat main characters and tone taking the spotlight. It is not too far-fetched to claim this is a good alternative when you are in the mood for a more optimistic version of Joe Abercrombie’s storytelling style. From the engaging investigations, murder mysteries, dialogues, and characters you will gradually come to love, The Silverblood Promise was an exceptionally riveting and captivating fantasy debut novel. It is, indisputably, a strong candidate for the best fantasy debut of the year. With The Silverblood Promise crafted, James Logan offers readers his pinky finger with a promise that Lukan's adventure will ensure they have a blast should they choose to read it. Whenever the sequel is ready, Korlsakov, the City of Spires, awaits me. And I hope when the time comes, you will be there with me to read the next chapter of Lukan, Flea, and Ashra's swashbuckling adventure.
“No one chooses to be a thief, it’s something that’s thrust upon us. We just have to make the best of it.’
Picture: The Silverblood Promise by Jeff Brown
[image]
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | 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, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Cullen, Dan, David, Dernerror, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Oct 25, 2023
Oct 28, 2023
May 09, 2023
Kindle Edition
1645241262
9781645241263
1645241262
4.34
2,052
Jul 31, 2023
Jul 31, 2023
it was amazing
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Jade Shards
Jade Shards is an incredibly well-written farewell titles for the fans of Gre This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Jade Shards
Jade Shards is an incredibly well-written farewell titles for the fans of Green Bone Saga.
Reading Jade Shards felt bittersweet. How could it not be? I am happy to attain this, but Jade Shards has been confirmed to be the final set of new stories in the world of The Green Bone Saga. I am not ashamed to say I am a diehard enthusiast of the The Green Bone Saga series. I consider the main trilogy in The Green Bone Saga the best trilogy I have ever read. Upon the completion of the main trilogy, my heart soared with joy when Fonda Lee said there would be two more books in the series. The first one is The Jade Setter of Janloon prequel novella that I read and loved last year, and the other one is Jade Shards, a collection of four prequel short stories centering on the early life of Ayt Mada, Kaul Lan, Kaul Hilo, Wen, Anden, and Shae. And this is precisely the nostalgic and heartfelt prequel titles for us, fans of the series, to part ways with the world and characters.
A few things of note first before I start talking about each title. Although Jade Shards is structured as a collection of prequel short stories, these four stories are presented in chronological order, and it turned Jade Shards into a form of a full novella. But as Lee herself said in the introduction, familiarity with the world and characters are necessary to enjoy Jade Shards to the fullest. This is not like The Jade Setter of Janloon, which can be treated as an appetizer or dessert of the series. I am so appreciative of Fonda Lee for saying this. This shows care for the reader's enjoyment. Many fantasy authors I know, every time they write a prequel or sequel series, seem to mention their newest book in the same specific world can be treated as a standalone to drive up sales. Even when the main characters are still the same! I am not a fan of this practice. Connection with the characters and the world means a lot, especially when we are going to start reading a sequel series. So if you have not read the main trilogy in The Green Bone Saga yet, I implore you to read them first before reading Jade Shards. Or at least, read Jade City first. You will do yourself a huge favor. Now, let's proceed to my brief thoughts on each short story.
Picture: Jade Shards by Charis Loke
[image]
The Witch and Her Friend
The first short story, The Witch and Her Friend, takes place 25 years before the events of Jade City. The blurb may lead you to think this is a story with a high focus on Ayt Mada, and you are not mistaken. Ayt Mada always has that intimidating presence whenever she appears, and it is the same here, but this is not the full scope of the story. The Witch and Her Friend is a snapshot of events and friendship between Aun Ure and Ayt Mada. Specifically in three timeframes; when Ayt Mada was 13 years old, 19 years old, and finally, 24 years old. However, the story itself is not told from the perspective of Ayt Mada, but instead, it is told from the point of view of Aun Ure. This title and direction are something I did not expect, and the story is better for it. If you have read the main trilogy, you might know who Aun Ure—or The Witch—is. I will not be the bearer of spoilers, in case you don’t know, but let’s say this. Not only The Witch and Her Friend is an instantaneous display of how good and efficient Lee is at characterizations, dialogues, developments, and time jumps in her narrative, but this title also enhanced some moments in the main trilogy. One pivotal moment in Jade Legacy felt more enriched with subtleties and significance for me now. It is a magnificent short story; a great choice to start the collection.
Not Only Blood
Not Only Blood starts 3 years after The Witch and Her Friend. The second short story is the most family-focused title in the collection, and it several times brought a smile to my face. Told from the perspective of Lan, Not Only Blood delves into the relationship and interaction of the Kaul family back when none of them were in a position of power yet. Yes, you will see 23 years old Lan, 15 years old Hilo, 14 years old Shae, 6 years old Anden, and more in this title. The story itself centers around the cause and Lan’s insistence to adopt Anden into the Kaul family, and readers of the main trilogy will know just how important this decision is. However, what made this one stands out even further is seeing the relatively innocent days of the main characters—except Anden, who went through a lot of trauma here—from the main trilogy. As the title says, not only blood determines what forms a family. Lan made that clear here, and to me, it felt like a reunion seeing all my favorite characters in the series again. Even more so because I know how far each respective main character of The Green Bone Saga soar in the main trilogy. Some passages, like the one below, reflected that, and I couldn’t be happier. Not Only Blood is definitely one of my two favorite short stories in the collection. Or ever.
Better Than Jade
Since Jade Shards was announced, way before I even knew the title of this short story, Better Than Jade was already destined to become one of my favorite short stories in the collection. Aside from how superbly written, everything comes down to a simple point: Kaul Hilo is one of my top favorite characters of all time. Honestly, reading Hilo going on grocery shopping would’ve been enough to earn a 5-star rating from me. I am that biased and attached to this character. And to have a romantic, sweet, and spicy story about Hilo and Wen, to go back to the days of their early courtships, from their first dates to their first sex scene, I absolutely loved it. This is the only title in the collection featuring two POV characters: Hilo and Wen, one of my favorite couples in the genre. Those who have read the main trilogy will understand this. The realistic depiction of the relationship between them, the up and down, the trust, the struggle, the understanding, and their love through the happiness and perilous hardship in their lives are nothing short of outstanding. It felt wonderful to go back to the days of their innocence when lives were still simpler. Not even five pages of detailed sex scenes, which usually bores me, in this title could diminish my enjoyment of being back with Hilo and Wen again. And it is not only about the relationship with Wen, of course, but the impactful respect that Hilo and the Maik Brothers have for each other. Better Than Jade is easily one of the finest short stories I've ever read.
Granddaughter Cormorant
Finally, we arrived at the final title, Granddaughter Cormorant. This one is about Shae, and the story begins 3 and a half years before the events of Jade City. Granddaughter Cormorant gives more details on why Shae is not in Kekon at the beginning of Jade City. Unlike the previous three titles in the collection that were written in 2021, Granddaughter Cormorant is a title written and available exclusively to Jade Shards. Tense and meaningful dialogues with impact aren’t the only skillsets often wielded by Lee; terrific action scene is one of them. And Granddaughter Cormorant is the only title in the collection to exhibit that specific skill of Lee as a storyteller. I did not love this as much as the previous titles, but this is still a strong plot-focused short story to wrap up the collection.
This is the end. With this review posted, I have written more or less 10,000 words of review in total for the books in the series. The Green Bone Saga is a special series for me. It will always be that way. I even spend my money on the expensive Subterranean Press hardcover edition of The Jade Setter of Janloon and Jade Shards because I love the series that much. And I will do my best to get the Subterranean Press edition of the main trilogy, too. Jade Shards is the bittersweet and heartfelt prequel stories to send us off on our next adventures. As Fonda Lee said at the beginning of the book, the Kaul family deserves their rest. But nothing can stop me from reading The Green Bone Saga again and again in the future. The collection of short stories in Jade Shards was written as a passion project, and I am thankful Fonda Lee decided to share them with the fans. Thank you so much, once again, for crafting The Green Bone Saga. It goes without saying I always look forward to reading Fonda Lee's books, whether in The Green Bone Saga or not. I believe the author's storytelling is a blessing to the genre, and if you haven't read The Green Bone Saga yet, do yourself a huge favor and witness the Kaul family's tale. And if you are a fan of the series already, well, you owe it to yourself to experience the early days of these characters in Jade Shards.
You can order this book from: Amazon US
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Cullen, David, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Jade Shards is an incredibly well-written farewell titles for the fans of Gre This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Jade Shards
Jade Shards is an incredibly well-written farewell titles for the fans of Green Bone Saga.
“This one’s for the fans.”—Fonda Lee
Reading Jade Shards felt bittersweet. How could it not be? I am happy to attain this, but Jade Shards has been confirmed to be the final set of new stories in the world of The Green Bone Saga. I am not ashamed to say I am a diehard enthusiast of the The Green Bone Saga series. I consider the main trilogy in The Green Bone Saga the best trilogy I have ever read. Upon the completion of the main trilogy, my heart soared with joy when Fonda Lee said there would be two more books in the series. The first one is The Jade Setter of Janloon prequel novella that I read and loved last year, and the other one is Jade Shards, a collection of four prequel short stories centering on the early life of Ayt Mada, Kaul Lan, Kaul Hilo, Wen, Anden, and Shae. And this is precisely the nostalgic and heartfelt prequel titles for us, fans of the series, to part ways with the world and characters.
“These books are how I discovered I’m a character writer. Seeing readers fall in love with these fictional people, as I have, has been one of my greatest professional satisfaction.”—Fonda Lee
A few things of note first before I start talking about each title. Although Jade Shards is structured as a collection of prequel short stories, these four stories are presented in chronological order, and it turned Jade Shards into a form of a full novella. But as Lee herself said in the introduction, familiarity with the world and characters are necessary to enjoy Jade Shards to the fullest. This is not like The Jade Setter of Janloon, which can be treated as an appetizer or dessert of the series. I am so appreciative of Fonda Lee for saying this. This shows care for the reader's enjoyment. Many fantasy authors I know, every time they write a prequel or sequel series, seem to mention their newest book in the same specific world can be treated as a standalone to drive up sales. Even when the main characters are still the same! I am not a fan of this practice. Connection with the characters and the world means a lot, especially when we are going to start reading a sequel series. So if you have not read the main trilogy in The Green Bone Saga yet, I implore you to read them first before reading Jade Shards. Or at least, read Jade City first. You will do yourself a huge favor. Now, let's proceed to my brief thoughts on each short story.
Picture: Jade Shards by Charis Loke
[image]
The Witch and Her Friend
The first short story, The Witch and Her Friend, takes place 25 years before the events of Jade City. The blurb may lead you to think this is a story with a high focus on Ayt Mada, and you are not mistaken. Ayt Mada always has that intimidating presence whenever she appears, and it is the same here, but this is not the full scope of the story. The Witch and Her Friend is a snapshot of events and friendship between Aun Ure and Ayt Mada. Specifically in three timeframes; when Ayt Mada was 13 years old, 19 years old, and finally, 24 years old. However, the story itself is not told from the perspective of Ayt Mada, but instead, it is told from the point of view of Aun Ure. This title and direction are something I did not expect, and the story is better for it. If you have read the main trilogy, you might know who Aun Ure—or The Witch—is. I will not be the bearer of spoilers, in case you don’t know, but let’s say this. Not only The Witch and Her Friend is an instantaneous display of how good and efficient Lee is at characterizations, dialogues, developments, and time jumps in her narrative, but this title also enhanced some moments in the main trilogy. One pivotal moment in Jade Legacy felt more enriched with subtleties and significance for me now. It is a magnificent short story; a great choice to start the collection.
“A family can’t survive when divided by secrets. I learned that the hard way.”
Not Only Blood
Not Only Blood starts 3 years after The Witch and Her Friend. The second short story is the most family-focused title in the collection, and it several times brought a smile to my face. Told from the perspective of Lan, Not Only Blood delves into the relationship and interaction of the Kaul family back when none of them were in a position of power yet. Yes, you will see 23 years old Lan, 15 years old Hilo, 14 years old Shae, 6 years old Anden, and more in this title. The story itself centers around the cause and Lan’s insistence to adopt Anden into the Kaul family, and readers of the main trilogy will know just how important this decision is. However, what made this one stands out even further is seeing the relatively innocent days of the main characters—except Anden, who went through a lot of trauma here—from the main trilogy. As the title says, not only blood determines what forms a family. Lan made that clear here, and to me, it felt like a reunion seeing all my favorite characters in the series again. Even more so because I know how far each respective main character of The Green Bone Saga soar in the main trilogy. Some passages, like the one below, reflected that, and I couldn’t be happier. Not Only Blood is definitely one of my two favorite short stories in the collection. Or ever.
“Hilo, as unruly as he was at school, was too martially talented, too obviously destined to become a high-ranking Fist at the very least. No amount of suffered exasperation could blind the Pillar to the fact that his younger grandson, properly trained, would become a fearsome asset to the clan.”
Better Than Jade
Since Jade Shards was announced, way before I even knew the title of this short story, Better Than Jade was already destined to become one of my favorite short stories in the collection. Aside from how superbly written, everything comes down to a simple point: Kaul Hilo is one of my top favorite characters of all time. Honestly, reading Hilo going on grocery shopping would’ve been enough to earn a 5-star rating from me. I am that biased and attached to this character. And to have a romantic, sweet, and spicy story about Hilo and Wen, to go back to the days of their early courtships, from their first dates to their first sex scene, I absolutely loved it. This is the only title in the collection featuring two POV characters: Hilo and Wen, one of my favorite couples in the genre. Those who have read the main trilogy will understand this. The realistic depiction of the relationship between them, the up and down, the trust, the struggle, the understanding, and their love through the happiness and perilous hardship in their lives are nothing short of outstanding. It felt wonderful to go back to the days of their innocence when lives were still simpler. Not even five pages of detailed sex scenes, which usually bores me, in this title could diminish my enjoyment of being back with Hilo and Wen again. And it is not only about the relationship with Wen, of course, but the impactful respect that Hilo and the Maik Brothers have for each other. Better Than Jade is easily one of the finest short stories I've ever read.
“We’ve been friends since we were kids in the Academy. Why wouldn’t I also want your sister to have a good life? So what if she’s a stone-eye? Not all men are so superstitious they can’t see other good qualities in a person… A man can’t ignore his feelings about something important, no matter what.”
Granddaughter Cormorant
Finally, we arrived at the final title, Granddaughter Cormorant. This one is about Shae, and the story begins 3 and a half years before the events of Jade City. Granddaughter Cormorant gives more details on why Shae is not in Kekon at the beginning of Jade City. Unlike the previous three titles in the collection that were written in 2021, Granddaughter Cormorant is a title written and available exclusively to Jade Shards. Tense and meaningful dialogues with impact aren’t the only skillsets often wielded by Lee; terrific action scene is one of them. And Granddaughter Cormorant is the only title in the collection to exhibit that specific skill of Lee as a storyteller. I did not love this as much as the previous titles, but this is still a strong plot-focused short story to wrap up the collection.
“No matter how much jade Kaul Sen awarded to his granddaughter, no matter how many parties he threw for her or how much he bragged about his “best grandson” to his friends, he could not, even as the Pillar of the clan, give her true greenness, the simple respect accorded by and to men, friends and enemies alike, honestly earned.”
This is the end. With this review posted, I have written more or less 10,000 words of review in total for the books in the series. The Green Bone Saga is a special series for me. It will always be that way. I even spend my money on the expensive Subterranean Press hardcover edition of The Jade Setter of Janloon and Jade Shards because I love the series that much. And I will do my best to get the Subterranean Press edition of the main trilogy, too. Jade Shards is the bittersweet and heartfelt prequel stories to send us off on our next adventures. As Fonda Lee said at the beginning of the book, the Kaul family deserves their rest. But nothing can stop me from reading The Green Bone Saga again and again in the future. The collection of short stories in Jade Shards was written as a passion project, and I am thankful Fonda Lee decided to share them with the fans. Thank you so much, once again, for crafting The Green Bone Saga. It goes without saying I always look forward to reading Fonda Lee's books, whether in The Green Bone Saga or not. I believe the author's storytelling is a blessing to the genre, and if you haven't read The Green Bone Saga yet, do yourself a huge favor and witness the Kaul family's tale. And if you are a fan of the series already, well, you owe it to yourself to experience the early days of these characters in Jade Shards.
“A beautiful thing about stories is that they exist forever suspended in time. Opening a book transports you instantly to the time and place on the page. It’s easy to turn back the clock on the years, to flip to page one and begin the journey all over again. It turns out I wasn’t quite done with the Kaul family after all. But perhaps, they are done with me. After everything tragic and triumphant they’ve been through, they deserve their rest.”—Fonda Lee
You can order this book from: Amazon US
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Cullen, David, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Aug 02, 2023
Aug 02, 2023
Mar 23, 2023
Hardcover
1955252394
9781955252393
B0BWSCYLRQ
4.64
3,695
Apr 04, 2023
Apr 04, 2023
really liked it
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Mother of Learning: ARC 4
4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning was one of my priority series to This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Mother of Learning: ARC 4
4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning was one of my priority series to start and finish this year, and I’m pleased Mother of Learning by nobody103 or Domagoj Kurmaic is the first web novel series I finished. It certainly won’t be the last.
At 784,000 total word count and approximately 2400 pages long, Mother of Learning is a relatively short web novel series. As I mentioned in an earlier video, many critically acclaimed web novels tend to have more than 2 million words long of word count. Compared to them, Mother of Learning is a short series. And just as a reminder here, Mother of Learning is a series that revolves around Zorian Kazinski as he accidentally gets caught in a time loop, and he is doomed or blessed to repeat it every time he reaches the day of the annual summer festival. It is a never-ending month for Zorian, and as he tries his best to find a way to escape the time loop, he’s taking advantage of his situation to advance his skill and knowledge as a mage. Think about how limited this premise is again. I was already impressed by what the author achieved in the first book to keep the narrative engaging, and this notion is incessantly escalated throughout the whole series. Zorian repeats this month over and over again for years. More or less a decade in total. In theory, this should get old quickly, but it did not. The constant acquisition of new abilities, mechanics, encounters, friendships, revelations, and the gradual progression of everything never fails to make the narrative captivating to me. Evidently, with this premise, nobody103 shows the countless paths that can transpire in our everyday lives daily. How the slightest change in action can cause a drastically different result. This time-loop fantasy series, among many things, is a story that works as a remembrance to appreciate what we have.
It is shocking that Mother of Learning is the second new series (for me) I finished reading this year. The first was The Drowning Empire trilogy by Andrea Stewart. And this is unacceptable. I used to be much more focused on finishing a series than repeatedly starting a new series. And Mother of Learning: ARC 4 made me realize I should go back to concentrate on finishing more series as I did in the past. At least, I should prioritize it more. I felt immense satisfaction upon finishing this book. I believe many great fantasy or sci-fi series endings can make you look back to the beginning of the series. Remembering what you’ve read and experienced instead of immediately moving on to a new world and series. Whether it is true or not, it will make you think most of the plotlines and developments have been planned or foreshadowed since the early stage of the narrative. Reading Mother of Learning to its completion reminded me of that again. ARC 4 is the culmination of every meticulous plan Zorian has accumulated and prepared for years.
A few readers have told me they couldn’t stand Zorian’s characterizations at the beginning of Mother of Learning. Nothing wrong with this; this is a fair criticism. But I need to mention Zorian is a character that started off unlikable, and he grew to become more and more likable and emphatic as the series went by. Remember the length of the series here; the first 25% of ARC 1 is not a sign of the quality of the entire series; far from it. The character development of Zorian, Zack, and I will even say the main villain, are some of the most remarkable things about Mother of Learning. The first half of the series was heavily centered around Zorian, his actions, leveling up, and his mission to escape the time loop. And although Zorian definitely played a significant role as the main character throughout the remainder of the series, Zack started to become one of the main characters in the series in Mother of Learning: ARC 3 and ARC 4. The knowledge, all the magic progression, and the friendships Zorian built and lost all played an irreplaceable spotlight in this final installment. I truly appreciate this. Characters or storylines I thought weren’t important turned out to be integral. Like Silverlake, for example. And with this decision, I felt more invested in the supporting characters, their actions, and their feeling for Zorian.
For years I stopped myself from trying out web novels. Many have voiced their opinions that web novels are filled with incredible stories but unpolished writings. Although I cannot say the same for other web novels, I did not feel that in Mother of Learning. This could be because I read the editions published by Wraithmarked instead of the web novels, so feel free to enlighten me on this. From my experience, though, the series may not contain the most beautiful writings or passages, but it is accessible, well-polished, and the pacing never felt distracting. If you like Sanderson's style of accessible and vivid writing that focuses more on the narrative than the beauty of the prose, you might click well with Kurmaic's prose. This series began as a time-loop magical school fantasy series, and it did not stay that way as Zorian started adventuring outside Cyoria's magical academy in volume 2 and beyond. The world of Altazia is rich with history, and personally speaking, the way the intricate lore and legends were delivered in an info-dump manner was a bit difficult for me to register. This changed in the latter half of the series, and although I wouldn't call Mother of Learning an action-oriented series, every volume in the series undoubtedly have pivotal and impactful confrontations. But no battle scenes in the first three volumes reached the stakes or the quality and quantity encounters in Mother of Learning: ARC 4. The final volume of the series has some jaw-dropping moments in the middle and last section of the novel. And the 100 pages climax sequences were totally magnificent, in my opinion. Those who have read it will know what I'm talking about. I am talking about the "I Win" chapters. These were badass and extremely well done. You have to read it and find out for yourself.
There are many valid and believable reasons that Mother of Learning became one of the most popular and highly-praised web novel fantasy series. Mother of Learning: ARC 4 is my favorite of the entire series, and this is one of the relatively few series consistently superb from the beginning to the end. Do not let the stigma on web novels stop you from trying Mother of Learning. Great storytelling can be brilliant in any medium. If you love reading time-loop fantasy series with a coming-of-age and magical school trope, I cannot recommend Mother of Learning highly enough. The tale of Zorian Kazinski will be one to remember, and it has sparked my interest in trying out more fantasy web novels to read. Nobody103 is currently writing and publishing a new web novel series in the root of epic fantasy subgenre titled Zenith of Sorcery. And I am confident it will be another amazing fantasy series. Once more chapters are out in Zenith of Sorcery, I will immerse myself in the author's next venture. Before that, you have plenty of time to catch up with nobody103's engaging first series: Mother of Learning. And I hope you will have a blast with it as much as I did.
Series Review:
Mother of Learning ARC 1: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning ARC 2: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning ARC 3: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning ARC 4: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning: 18/20 stars
You can order this book from: Amazon
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Cullen, David, Dernerror, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning was one of my priority series to This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Mother of Learning: ARC 4
4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning was one of my priority series to start and finish this year, and I’m pleased Mother of Learning by nobody103 or Domagoj Kurmaic is the first web novel series I finished. It certainly won’t be the last.
“Children often do not understand the importance of what their parents try to teach them.”
At 784,000 total word count and approximately 2400 pages long, Mother of Learning is a relatively short web novel series. As I mentioned in an earlier video, many critically acclaimed web novels tend to have more than 2 million words long of word count. Compared to them, Mother of Learning is a short series. And just as a reminder here, Mother of Learning is a series that revolves around Zorian Kazinski as he accidentally gets caught in a time loop, and he is doomed or blessed to repeat it every time he reaches the day of the annual summer festival. It is a never-ending month for Zorian, and as he tries his best to find a way to escape the time loop, he’s taking advantage of his situation to advance his skill and knowledge as a mage. Think about how limited this premise is again. I was already impressed by what the author achieved in the first book to keep the narrative engaging, and this notion is incessantly escalated throughout the whole series. Zorian repeats this month over and over again for years. More or less a decade in total. In theory, this should get old quickly, but it did not. The constant acquisition of new abilities, mechanics, encounters, friendships, revelations, and the gradual progression of everything never fails to make the narrative captivating to me. Evidently, with this premise, nobody103 shows the countless paths that can transpire in our everyday lives daily. How the slightest change in action can cause a drastically different result. This time-loop fantasy series, among many things, is a story that works as a remembrance to appreciate what we have.
“It is good to sit down from time to time and appreciate the simpler things in life.”
It is shocking that Mother of Learning is the second new series (for me) I finished reading this year. The first was The Drowning Empire trilogy by Andrea Stewart. And this is unacceptable. I used to be much more focused on finishing a series than repeatedly starting a new series. And Mother of Learning: ARC 4 made me realize I should go back to concentrate on finishing more series as I did in the past. At least, I should prioritize it more. I felt immense satisfaction upon finishing this book. I believe many great fantasy or sci-fi series endings can make you look back to the beginning of the series. Remembering what you’ve read and experienced instead of immediately moving on to a new world and series. Whether it is true or not, it will make you think most of the plotlines and developments have been planned or foreshadowed since the early stage of the narrative. Reading Mother of Learning to its completion reminded me of that again. ARC 4 is the culmination of every meticulous plan Zorian has accumulated and prepared for years.
“It was just like that old saying: trust your neighbor, but lock the door. Even if you trusted someone to be a moral and principled person, it was better not to tempt them with easy opportunities.
A few readers have told me they couldn’t stand Zorian’s characterizations at the beginning of Mother of Learning. Nothing wrong with this; this is a fair criticism. But I need to mention Zorian is a character that started off unlikable, and he grew to become more and more likable and emphatic as the series went by. Remember the length of the series here; the first 25% of ARC 1 is not a sign of the quality of the entire series; far from it. The character development of Zorian, Zack, and I will even say the main villain, are some of the most remarkable things about Mother of Learning. The first half of the series was heavily centered around Zorian, his actions, leveling up, and his mission to escape the time loop. And although Zorian definitely played a significant role as the main character throughout the remainder of the series, Zack started to become one of the main characters in the series in Mother of Learning: ARC 3 and ARC 4. The knowledge, all the magic progression, and the friendships Zorian built and lost all played an irreplaceable spotlight in this final installment. I truly appreciate this. Characters or storylines I thought weren’t important turned out to be integral. Like Silverlake, for example. And with this decision, I felt more invested in the supporting characters, their actions, and their feeling for Zorian.
“Of course I’m not fine with it!... It’s just… if I have to murder my friends to survive, then what’s the point of all this power and knowledge? It’s not… it’s not how I want to live my life, okay?”
For years I stopped myself from trying out web novels. Many have voiced their opinions that web novels are filled with incredible stories but unpolished writings. Although I cannot say the same for other web novels, I did not feel that in Mother of Learning. This could be because I read the editions published by Wraithmarked instead of the web novels, so feel free to enlighten me on this. From my experience, though, the series may not contain the most beautiful writings or passages, but it is accessible, well-polished, and the pacing never felt distracting. If you like Sanderson's style of accessible and vivid writing that focuses more on the narrative than the beauty of the prose, you might click well with Kurmaic's prose. This series began as a time-loop magical school fantasy series, and it did not stay that way as Zorian started adventuring outside Cyoria's magical academy in volume 2 and beyond. The world of Altazia is rich with history, and personally speaking, the way the intricate lore and legends were delivered in an info-dump manner was a bit difficult for me to register. This changed in the latter half of the series, and although I wouldn't call Mother of Learning an action-oriented series, every volume in the series undoubtedly have pivotal and impactful confrontations. But no battle scenes in the first three volumes reached the stakes or the quality and quantity encounters in Mother of Learning: ARC 4. The final volume of the series has some jaw-dropping moments in the middle and last section of the novel. And the 100 pages climax sequences were totally magnificent, in my opinion. Those who have read it will know what I'm talking about. I am talking about the "I Win" chapters. These were badass and extremely well done. You have to read it and find out for yourself.
“He was Zorian Kazinski, third son of a minor merchant family from Cirin, accidental time traveler, and quite possibly the most powerful human mind mage in all of Altazia…”
There are many valid and believable reasons that Mother of Learning became one of the most popular and highly-praised web novel fantasy series. Mother of Learning: ARC 4 is my favorite of the entire series, and this is one of the relatively few series consistently superb from the beginning to the end. Do not let the stigma on web novels stop you from trying Mother of Learning. Great storytelling can be brilliant in any medium. If you love reading time-loop fantasy series with a coming-of-age and magical school trope, I cannot recommend Mother of Learning highly enough. The tale of Zorian Kazinski will be one to remember, and it has sparked my interest in trying out more fantasy web novels to read. Nobody103 is currently writing and publishing a new web novel series in the root of epic fantasy subgenre titled Zenith of Sorcery. And I am confident it will be another amazing fantasy series. Once more chapters are out in Zenith of Sorcery, I will immerse myself in the author's next venture. Before that, you have plenty of time to catch up with nobody103's engaging first series: Mother of Learning. And I hope you will have a blast with it as much as I did.
Series Review:
Mother of Learning ARC 1: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning ARC 2: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning ARC 3: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning ARC 4: 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning: 18/20 stars
You can order this book from: Amazon
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
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it was amazing
ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Eleventh Cycle is one of the best books I’ve read. Berserk and Dark Souls fans, this p ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Eleventh Cycle is one of the best books I’ve read. Berserk and Dark Souls fans, this page-turning epic grimdark fantasy novel is written for us.
Eleventh Cycle is due to be published less than a month from now, but I first stumbled upon it on December 2021 when Ardalan revealed the title and cover art (illustrated by NinoIs, designed by Shawn T. King) on Twitter. Since then, I was instantly intrigued. And this book was submerged into my list of most anticipated novels with ease. Even though I haven't read anything by the author yet back then! This is indeed my first time reading a book by Kian N. Ardalan, but seeing the cover art and hearing the main inspirations for Eleventh Cycle back then was more than enough to seal the deal. And ever since I got the ARC two months ago, I have been inching to read this novel but decided to hold it off until January because my instinct says I would love this one, and I wanted to start my year with terrific books. Fortunately, despite my high expectations, Eleventh Cycle is undoubtedly an excellent character-driven grimdark fantasy novel. Before I proceed with my review, this book is not for the faint of heart. The author has included content warnings at the beginning of the book, and I will repeat that in this review. I do not think any of these content warnings mean spoilers, but if you want to be completely surprised entering this book, I will mention the content warnings at the end of this review.
Eleventh Cycle is the first out of planned four—or five—books in the Mistland series by Kian N. Ardalan. As some of you may know already, this is a novel inspired by Kentaro Miura’s Berserk and FromSoftware’s Soulsborne franchise, specifically in the case of this book, Dark Souls trilogy. It has been a thousand years since the last Seed abandoned their duty. The mists are closing in. And finally, as the Morning Bell tolls, a new Seed to purge the Evil is born, but is it too late? The rot eats away at mortals. The Witnesses pray so that they may not turn into one of the forgotten. And the constricting mists infect the lands with fear. But there is more to this tale than just the Elders and their Seeds. Four mortals will have a part to play in Minethria’s fate. A farmer girl with only love in her eyes. A warrior born to the life of a refugee. A highborn stuck between the realm of gods and men. And a woman running into the front lines and away from home.
Picture: Dalila and Mount Moirnar by Andreas Christanetoff
[image]
I absolutely loved Eleventh Cycle. A great Soulsborne (this includes Sekiro and Elden Ring) inspired fantasy novels, surprisingly and also understandably, are not as common as you might think. Countless stories could be created through being inspired by the video game franchise, but it is far from being an easy task to do right. The Soulsborne franchise is often known for its complex and intimidating storyline and difficulty. Non-players of Soulsborne tend to think we gamers are masochists when we constantly play, rage, and love playing these challenging games. But that is not the case. These games teach you to be careful; do not play carelessly. They teach you that repetition and learning are keys to success. They teach you to always pay attention to your surroundings. More importantly, these games teach you that you CAN overcome adversities in life with perseverance. That high-level satisfaction feeling you get when you overcome difficult bosses in these games is utterly rewarding and missing from many games lately. And my point is this. There are MANY things to love in these games (a single review won’t be enough to cover the details of it). At the same time, Eleventh Cycle managed to capture many of them, including one of the main essences of the recurring themes of Dark Souls games: perseverance in the face of injustice and a bleeding world.
Themes aside, it is hard to translate what made the Soulsborne franchise so beloved into a novel. The main story in Dark Souls is (relatively) pretty straightforward. However, understanding every character's background, lore, and details of these games that enriched the quality of the narrative and world-building of the series will require deep dedication and multiple playthroughs. Cryptic storytelling is a staple aspect of the franchise. So, is Eleventh Cycle hard to understand? No. Far from it. Rest assured, the majority of the main story in Eleventh Cycle is so much more accessible than its inspiration: Dark Souls, and I totally appreciate this. The world-building and the secrets, however, are another topic. And I will talk about this later. In a similar way to Dark Souls games, Ardalan made sure the main plot progression in Eleventh Cycle is never difficult to understand. I think this is incredibly important. Video games and novels are two different mediums. You cannot fully adapt or replicate what worked in video games to novels. And I think that is the mistake of the graphic novel adaptations of Dark Souls and Bloodborne. They made everything so cryptic, even edgy, reliant on fan services, that the adaptations became incomprehensible. If we managed to solve the riddle or their dialogues, there was no feeling of satisfaction. Ardalan successfully transported the essential elements that made the Dark Souls trilogy irresistibly engrossing and rewarding into a novel format. While also making sure the story he tells here is his own creation. The narrative never lets its hook off me, and I ended up reading this incredible 800 pages book in four days. I could've read it faster, but I also did not want to because my time with it would end too soon. I read this at an astonishing pace of 200 pages per day, and believe me, with how busy my life is now, reading at this pace seldom happens. The act of putting this book down felt wrong. Ardalan's beautiful, lyrical at times, and yet accessible prose compels me non-stop. And the accessibility does not mean the world and lore of the novel failed to match the epic scope of the world-building and lore contained in Dark Souls games.
Yes, we need to talk about world-building. More than usual, I am entering this book more critically about its world-building. Ardalan was brave enough to call this book a love letter to Berserk and Dark Souls, after all. I believe with these two franchises, a certain level of quality has to be met, and Ardalan confronted them head-on straight. It was tough for me to find issues with the in-depth lore of Eleventh Cycle. The immersive misty world of Minethria that is brimming with history and secrets felt like this could totally be the world that FromSoftware has created for their games. The all-powerful Elder King in Mount Moirnar oversees the world of Minethria with their Elder Beings. There were beings, Seeds, and races birthed from each cycle such as Xelxidon of the light, Muriya the Protector as the great giant with a hammer that conjured earthquakes, and Kaelu the Silent that brought forth the age of Dragons. Or maybe akar (a race born from the end of the 6th cycle with large charcoal-hued bodies and monstrous strength), giant flying stingray (like in Demon's Souls), and so many more. Then there is also the giant Elder Blacksmith bound to his eternal forge charged with forging weapons for the gods. I'll let Ardalan's description of the Elder Blacksmith speaks for itself regarding the vivid quality of his prose.
The existence of The Blacksmith will have significance to Dark Souls fans. I do believe Soulsborne lore masters like VaatiVidya (read this book, Vaati) would have a blast dissecting and analyzing the intricacies and mysteries of the world in Eleventh Cycle. Recent player of Elden Ring might think Eleventh Cycle is inspired by Elden Ring as well. With the existence of Elder Kings, Elder Guards (the one in the cover art), and the unstoppable rot, it is understandable why readers/gamers might think that. However, Elden Ring was not in the equation when this book was written. This is all pure coincidence but also fitting to themes of decay and corruption often encountered in Soulsborne games. Eleventh Cycle is rich with history and lore, and we haven’t even dissected all the details of it yet. What we attained from the epigraphs, consider these as item descriptions in Soulsborne games, were enough to conjure a myriad of possibilities for the author and reader to explore and imagine. For example, if Ardalan ever decides to explore the past cycles and Seeds as a series, he could. And I believe it would work magnificently. That’s how rich the world in Eleventh Cycle is. At this moment, talking in detail about the world-building of Eleventh Cycle alone would require at least one dedicated video. Once more books in the series are published, I think a series of videos exploring this are in order. My mind is still trying to connect the dots and secrets in the epigraphs and narrative, and I don't think I will succeed at it until I do another read-through, which I will definitely do in the future.
Picture: Erefiel Numaya by Harkale Linai
[image]
I have given my approval to the intricate world-building, Dark Souls inspirations, and powerful themes. But I have not actually discussed THE aspect that elevated Eleventh Cycle to becoming one of my favorite books of all time: the characterizations. The character work in Eleventh Cycle is superbly-written. And whether you have played Dark Souls or not, as long that you are a fan of character-driven grimdark fantasy, Eleventh Cycle is a must-read. The four main POV characters, Dalila, Nora, Chroma (an akar), and Erefiel Numaya (a Nephilim), have their chapters told in a first-person perspective. And despite this, Ardalan nailed their voice distinction and personality for these four main characters so damn well. On top of that, we also have the POV chapters of the Eleventh Seed, Ievarus themselves, written in a third-person perspective. I feel like I have gotten to really know these characters as real people. Two main characters here are inspired by two characters from Berserk by Kentaro Miura. One is inspired by Caska, and the other is loosely inspired by Griffith. And I LOVE all these characters.
I know I have mentioned in my review this is a grimdark fantasy novel, and as far as graphic content and brutal themes go, it truly belongs in the subgenre. I have no doubt many readers will agree with that. But the main POV characters don’t actually fall into the morally grey or villainous characters often discovered in grimdark fantasy. They are good and virtuous characters trying to, against all odds, survive while protecting the people they love. But the injustice and carnage the main characters have to deal with? Yes. They unquestionably belong in the grimdark sub-genre, without a shadow of a doubt. The world in Eleventh Cycle is extraordinarily merciless. When I thought things would not get any worse, they did. The physical and mental damage done to one of the main characters in this novel is one of the most messed up and fatal devastation inflicted on a main character I have ever read, out of all storytelling mediums. It was crushing. Once again, if you are not sure about this, check the content warning at the front of the book or at the end of this review. I can even tell you the one chapter to avoid reading if you want to experience the story without reading the graphic scenes. These scenes were rough, uncomfortable, and disturbing to read, as they were intended to be. But whether you are okay with reading the scenes or not, they were included to eventually highlight a contrast in humanity. They showcased vice and virtue. How far humans will succumb and how much unrelenting determination a human can unleash, for better or worse. Most importantly, everything is to spotlight how bright and mighty a tiny spark of hope is in the cage of overwhelming darkness. To me, the payoff is so rewarding.
At the end of the day, Eleventh Cycle is an exceptional character-focused fantasy novel about hope, fear, compassion, rage, will, and humanity. It has powerful themes and narrative, masterful characterizations, beautifully vivid yet accessible prose, meticulous world-building with a plethora of mysteries, and tension-packed explosive action sequences as if they were penned by an artist with scarlet ink. The story is dark and violent, the emotions the empathizing characters felt were palpable, and it does not shy away from revealing the light and darkness of humanity to its maximum effect. Epic grimdark fantasy, Berserk, and Soulsborne fans, the breathtaking Dark Souls inspired fantasy novel we have been waiting for is finally here. Although this year has only just begun, I am thrilled and confident saying this is an early contender for my favorite book of the year; I am sure it will, at least, be in my top 10 spots by the end of 2023. I absolutely loved it, as you can probably tell from the length of this review, and I haven't even discussed the greatness of each POV character and the battle scenes here. But this review is long enough already. I will let you read this book and find out for yourself. Eleventh Cycle has become one of my favorite books of all time. I will reread this book someday to investigate the details of the lore. Maybe when the second book, Forgotten Seed, which I needed yesterday, is ready to be published. But in the meantime, pre-order and read this book if you are a fan of grimdark or dark fantasy, whatever you want to call it, and Berserk and Dark Souls. I do not see the possibility of you not liking this book if you love these three. Experience Eleventh Cycle. Praise the sun, good hunter.
Content warning:
You can pre-order this 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, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Barbara, Brad, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Eleventh Cycle is one of the best books I’ve read. Berserk and Dark Souls fans, this p ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Eleventh Cycle is one of the best books I’ve read. Berserk and Dark Souls fans, this page-turning epic grimdark fantasy novel is written for us.
Eleventh Cycle is due to be published less than a month from now, but I first stumbled upon it on December 2021 when Ardalan revealed the title and cover art (illustrated by NinoIs, designed by Shawn T. King) on Twitter. Since then, I was instantly intrigued. And this book was submerged into my list of most anticipated novels with ease. Even though I haven't read anything by the author yet back then! This is indeed my first time reading a book by Kian N. Ardalan, but seeing the cover art and hearing the main inspirations for Eleventh Cycle back then was more than enough to seal the deal. And ever since I got the ARC two months ago, I have been inching to read this novel but decided to hold it off until January because my instinct says I would love this one, and I wanted to start my year with terrific books. Fortunately, despite my high expectations, Eleventh Cycle is undoubtedly an excellent character-driven grimdark fantasy novel. Before I proceed with my review, this book is not for the faint of heart. The author has included content warnings at the beginning of the book, and I will repeat that in this review. I do not think any of these content warnings mean spoilers, but if you want to be completely surprised entering this book, I will mention the content warnings at the end of this review.
Eleventh Cycle is the first out of planned four—or five—books in the Mistland series by Kian N. Ardalan. As some of you may know already, this is a novel inspired by Kentaro Miura’s Berserk and FromSoftware’s Soulsborne franchise, specifically in the case of this book, Dark Souls trilogy. It has been a thousand years since the last Seed abandoned their duty. The mists are closing in. And finally, as the Morning Bell tolls, a new Seed to purge the Evil is born, but is it too late? The rot eats away at mortals. The Witnesses pray so that they may not turn into one of the forgotten. And the constricting mists infect the lands with fear. But there is more to this tale than just the Elders and their Seeds. Four mortals will have a part to play in Minethria’s fate. A farmer girl with only love in her eyes. A warrior born to the life of a refugee. A highborn stuck between the realm of gods and men. And a woman running into the front lines and away from home.
Picture: Dalila and Mount Moirnar by Andreas Christanetoff
[image]
I absolutely loved Eleventh Cycle. A great Soulsborne (this includes Sekiro and Elden Ring) inspired fantasy novels, surprisingly and also understandably, are not as common as you might think. Countless stories could be created through being inspired by the video game franchise, but it is far from being an easy task to do right. The Soulsborne franchise is often known for its complex and intimidating storyline and difficulty. Non-players of Soulsborne tend to think we gamers are masochists when we constantly play, rage, and love playing these challenging games. But that is not the case. These games teach you to be careful; do not play carelessly. They teach you that repetition and learning are keys to success. They teach you to always pay attention to your surroundings. More importantly, these games teach you that you CAN overcome adversities in life with perseverance. That high-level satisfaction feeling you get when you overcome difficult bosses in these games is utterly rewarding and missing from many games lately. And my point is this. There are MANY things to love in these games (a single review won’t be enough to cover the details of it). At the same time, Eleventh Cycle managed to capture many of them, including one of the main essences of the recurring themes of Dark Souls games: perseverance in the face of injustice and a bleeding world.
Themes aside, it is hard to translate what made the Soulsborne franchise so beloved into a novel. The main story in Dark Souls is (relatively) pretty straightforward. However, understanding every character's background, lore, and details of these games that enriched the quality of the narrative and world-building of the series will require deep dedication and multiple playthroughs. Cryptic storytelling is a staple aspect of the franchise. So, is Eleventh Cycle hard to understand? No. Far from it. Rest assured, the majority of the main story in Eleventh Cycle is so much more accessible than its inspiration: Dark Souls, and I totally appreciate this. The world-building and the secrets, however, are another topic. And I will talk about this later. In a similar way to Dark Souls games, Ardalan made sure the main plot progression in Eleventh Cycle is never difficult to understand. I think this is incredibly important. Video games and novels are two different mediums. You cannot fully adapt or replicate what worked in video games to novels. And I think that is the mistake of the graphic novel adaptations of Dark Souls and Bloodborne. They made everything so cryptic, even edgy, reliant on fan services, that the adaptations became incomprehensible. If we managed to solve the riddle or their dialogues, there was no feeling of satisfaction. Ardalan successfully transported the essential elements that made the Dark Souls trilogy irresistibly engrossing and rewarding into a novel format. While also making sure the story he tells here is his own creation. The narrative never lets its hook off me, and I ended up reading this incredible 800 pages book in four days. I could've read it faster, but I also did not want to because my time with it would end too soon. I read this at an astonishing pace of 200 pages per day, and believe me, with how busy my life is now, reading at this pace seldom happens. The act of putting this book down felt wrong. Ardalan's beautiful, lyrical at times, and yet accessible prose compels me non-stop. And the accessibility does not mean the world and lore of the novel failed to match the epic scope of the world-building and lore contained in Dark Souls games.
Yes, we need to talk about world-building. More than usual, I am entering this book more critically about its world-building. Ardalan was brave enough to call this book a love letter to Berserk and Dark Souls, after all. I believe with these two franchises, a certain level of quality has to be met, and Ardalan confronted them head-on straight. It was tough for me to find issues with the in-depth lore of Eleventh Cycle. The immersive misty world of Minethria that is brimming with history and secrets felt like this could totally be the world that FromSoftware has created for their games. The all-powerful Elder King in Mount Moirnar oversees the world of Minethria with their Elder Beings. There were beings, Seeds, and races birthed from each cycle such as Xelxidon of the light, Muriya the Protector as the great giant with a hammer that conjured earthquakes, and Kaelu the Silent that brought forth the age of Dragons. Or maybe akar (a race born from the end of the 6th cycle with large charcoal-hued bodies and monstrous strength), giant flying stingray (like in Demon's Souls), and so many more. Then there is also the giant Elder Blacksmith bound to his eternal forge charged with forging weapons for the gods. I'll let Ardalan's description of the Elder Blacksmith speaks for itself regarding the vivid quality of his prose.
“The Blacksmith awaited, his presence clouded by the encompassing heat. He was known as an Elder of legend who fashioned countless artefacts. Some were said to have found their way to the hands of Seeds, while others were given to the world of Minethria, waiting to be found once more. At first glance, I would have thought this being was a product of nature, a serendipitous result of rock formations and volcanic discharge that just so happened to form some likeness to man. But then this force of nature moved and struck a veined hammer to anvil, evoking sparks like a primordial god. The giant was made entirely out of molten rock, where glowing fire flowed between the cracks of the charred, sediment flesh. We were to the being what ants were to us, as a simple press of the glowing thumb could completely crush us. The Blacksmith was suspended in air, their lower half replaced by a spherical solid boulder, hooked chains spread from its corners and were mounted into the stone dome. Their beard was made of flame, like a perpetually burning nest that birthed ember; their head was entirely encased by a mould of rock except for the eyes that pierced out like smouldering coals. The Elder had four arms, two on either side, entirely of moulded earth with crags of lava running through.”
The existence of The Blacksmith will have significance to Dark Souls fans. I do believe Soulsborne lore masters like VaatiVidya (read this book, Vaati) would have a blast dissecting and analyzing the intricacies and mysteries of the world in Eleventh Cycle. Recent player of Elden Ring might think Eleventh Cycle is inspired by Elden Ring as well. With the existence of Elder Kings, Elder Guards (the one in the cover art), and the unstoppable rot, it is understandable why readers/gamers might think that. However, Elden Ring was not in the equation when this book was written. This is all pure coincidence but also fitting to themes of decay and corruption often encountered in Soulsborne games. Eleventh Cycle is rich with history and lore, and we haven’t even dissected all the details of it yet. What we attained from the epigraphs, consider these as item descriptions in Soulsborne games, were enough to conjure a myriad of possibilities for the author and reader to explore and imagine. For example, if Ardalan ever decides to explore the past cycles and Seeds as a series, he could. And I believe it would work magnificently. That’s how rich the world in Eleventh Cycle is. At this moment, talking in detail about the world-building of Eleventh Cycle alone would require at least one dedicated video. Once more books in the series are published, I think a series of videos exploring this are in order. My mind is still trying to connect the dots and secrets in the epigraphs and narrative, and I don't think I will succeed at it until I do another read-through, which I will definitely do in the future.
Picture: Erefiel Numaya by Harkale Linai
[image]
I have given my approval to the intricate world-building, Dark Souls inspirations, and powerful themes. But I have not actually discussed THE aspect that elevated Eleventh Cycle to becoming one of my favorite books of all time: the characterizations. The character work in Eleventh Cycle is superbly-written. And whether you have played Dark Souls or not, as long that you are a fan of character-driven grimdark fantasy, Eleventh Cycle is a must-read. The four main POV characters, Dalila, Nora, Chroma (an akar), and Erefiel Numaya (a Nephilim), have their chapters told in a first-person perspective. And despite this, Ardalan nailed their voice distinction and personality for these four main characters so damn well. On top of that, we also have the POV chapters of the Eleventh Seed, Ievarus themselves, written in a third-person perspective. I feel like I have gotten to really know these characters as real people. Two main characters here are inspired by two characters from Berserk by Kentaro Miura. One is inspired by Caska, and the other is loosely inspired by Griffith. And I LOVE all these characters.
“I was like you once… I believed myself unstoppable, for if someone doesn’t fear death, then nothing can stop them. But there is more than one type of death. I know that now. I went to that place and managed to return. Shame: shame can be far worse than death.”
I know I have mentioned in my review this is a grimdark fantasy novel, and as far as graphic content and brutal themes go, it truly belongs in the subgenre. I have no doubt many readers will agree with that. But the main POV characters don’t actually fall into the morally grey or villainous characters often discovered in grimdark fantasy. They are good and virtuous characters trying to, against all odds, survive while protecting the people they love. But the injustice and carnage the main characters have to deal with? Yes. They unquestionably belong in the grimdark sub-genre, without a shadow of a doubt. The world in Eleventh Cycle is extraordinarily merciless. When I thought things would not get any worse, they did. The physical and mental damage done to one of the main characters in this novel is one of the most messed up and fatal devastation inflicted on a main character I have ever read, out of all storytelling mediums. It was crushing. Once again, if you are not sure about this, check the content warning at the front of the book or at the end of this review. I can even tell you the one chapter to avoid reading if you want to experience the story without reading the graphic scenes. These scenes were rough, uncomfortable, and disturbing to read, as they were intended to be. But whether you are okay with reading the scenes or not, they were included to eventually highlight a contrast in humanity. They showcased vice and virtue. How far humans will succumb and how much unrelenting determination a human can unleash, for better or worse. Most importantly, everything is to spotlight how bright and mighty a tiny spark of hope is in the cage of overwhelming darkness. To me, the payoff is so rewarding.
“Art impacts different people in different ways. The more sensitive an individual is, the more they may be affected. One way to overcome the resistance of such a troglodyte is to gather crowds to perform for. To see one’s neighbour be imbibed by emotion makes even the most uncultured person impressionable.—Higher teachings of the Muses, by Golanad Ricks.
At the end of the day, Eleventh Cycle is an exceptional character-focused fantasy novel about hope, fear, compassion, rage, will, and humanity. It has powerful themes and narrative, masterful characterizations, beautifully vivid yet accessible prose, meticulous world-building with a plethora of mysteries, and tension-packed explosive action sequences as if they were penned by an artist with scarlet ink. The story is dark and violent, the emotions the empathizing characters felt were palpable, and it does not shy away from revealing the light and darkness of humanity to its maximum effect. Epic grimdark fantasy, Berserk, and Soulsborne fans, the breathtaking Dark Souls inspired fantasy novel we have been waiting for is finally here. Although this year has only just begun, I am thrilled and confident saying this is an early contender for my favorite book of the year; I am sure it will, at least, be in my top 10 spots by the end of 2023. I absolutely loved it, as you can probably tell from the length of this review, and I haven't even discussed the greatness of each POV character and the battle scenes here. But this review is long enough already. I will let you read this book and find out for yourself. Eleventh Cycle has become one of my favorite books of all time. I will reread this book someday to investigate the details of the lore. Maybe when the second book, Forgotten Seed, which I needed yesterday, is ready to be published. But in the meantime, pre-order and read this book if you are a fan of grimdark or dark fantasy, whatever you want to call it, and Berserk and Dark Souls. I do not see the possibility of you not liking this book if you love these three. Experience Eleventh Cycle. Praise the sun, good hunter.
Content warning:
(view spoiler)[“Eleventh Cycle is a story about many things, and tackles subjects which many may feel uncomfortable with. It deals with disability, with mental illness, with abuse, and even descriptive sexual content. I included these matters not for the sake of it. Not to simply shock with a blunt weapon, but rather to deliver the image of a raw world. The material this book is based on is dark; it doesn’t shy away from unsettling matters. However, it is about perseverance in the face of absolute hopelessness. It is about tearing down the veil and facing whatever face evil wears. It is about people living in an indifferent world which will pull no punches, and finding your own path. However, I need to also take a moment and mention the late Kentaro Miura, author of Berserk. Without him, the Souls franchise may not be where it is today and this book may never have reached your hands.”—Kian Ardalan. (hide spoiler)]
You can pre-order this 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, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Barbara, Brad, Casey, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jan 08, 2023
Jan 11, 2023
Sep 11, 2022
1955252297
9781955252294
B0BCGMW45C
4.54
4,709
Sep 06, 2022
Sep 06, 2022
really liked it
4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning has been one heck of an entertaining ride, and the beginning of the end is here.
I can’t believe I am near the end of Mot 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning has been one heck of an entertaining ride, and the beginning of the end is here.
I can’t believe I am near the end of Mother of Learning by nobody103 or Domagoj Kurmaic, the first web novel series I read, and I’ve been very impressed with the journey I took here so far. I know this is one of the most highly regarded web novel series out there, and indeed, this isn’t a sign that ALL or even the majority of web novels are as good or well-polished as this. But I would be lying if I said I won’t check out any other web novel fantasy series after I am done reading this series. Worm by Wildbow, A Practical Guide to Evil by ErraticErrata, and The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba are top priorities. These are just a few examples. For now, though, I have only one volume/story arc left in the series, and I will read that next month. Considering the all-connecting nature of the entire series between each installment, because this is one web novel divided into four volumes, please understand that I am very limited in what I can say here without giving spoilers. So I will keep this review briefer than usual. This is my favorite volume in the series so far, and there is a big potential the fourth and final volume will top it.
The story in Mother of Learning: ARC 3 continues immediately after the big revelations at the end of the previous volume. The origin of the time loop has been revealed. Zorian and Zach are pressed for time to redouble their efforts to prevent the potential cataclysmic disaster once the time loop inevitably expires, which means every choice can no longer be undone. This will sound repetitive, but I am once again impressed by how great the author keeps the story turning and interesting with constant revelations and development in a very engaging way. Seriously, I mentioned my dislike of the first 35% of the previous volume. I said the first 35% of volume 2 felt like filler and was unnecessarily long. After reading volume 3, I am happy to be proven wrong. My experience remains true, and I will not change my statement on that until I do a reread. But none of the parts in the previous two volumes felt redundant now. As the series approaches the end, Kurmaic has started to implement every foundation of story, lore, and world-building he has established in the previous volumes into effect here. None of them felt wasted now, and I loved the improvements in writing quality and witnessing more pivotal encounters and events.
One of the finest improvements and changes in volume 3 that worked for me was how the narrative involved the supporting characters extensively more than before. Some readers might not like the direction here. Mother of Learning is still Zorian's story, there's no doubt about that, but here, it felt like it's no longer his story alone. This is now Zorian AND Zach's story together with the friends and acquaintances they met on their journey. And for me, it made the series more compelling and intriguing. I think the story risks repetitiveness if, let's say, up to the third volume, the plot still focuses exclusively on Zorian. The duo and friendship between Zorian and Zach, as they tried their best to come up with ideas and untangle the mess they were in, were refreshing to read. And I am so happy to see how much Xvim, Taiven, and Silverlake continuously developed throughout the series. Heck, not only that. We also finally see Zorian's infamous brother, Daimen, in action. And the main villain, too!
Another thing I criticized in volume 2, again the first 35%, was how boring Zorian's time outside of Cyoria's academy was. That notion no longer applies here. With the expansion of Zorian's abilities and a few surprising new POVs, Zorian's time outside the Cyoria academy in this book was captivating. Everything felt incredibly well done, in my opinion. Sure, there were a few sections where the conversations and scenes felt drawn out or slightly too long, but they weren't a big deal in the grander scheme. I wish I could talk more in detail rather than being vague about everything here. But seriously, if you have started reading the series, you will want to get here. The last few chapters of this book were just intense, bonkers, and unexpected, in a good way.
My smaller-sized review of Mother of Learning: ARC 3 is not a negative sign for the series. As I said at the beginning of this video, I believe this penultimate installment of the series is my favorite of Mother of Learning so far. Reviewing a web novel series is a different kind of experience compared to reading and reviewing a series of novels. It is clear from how each book in Mother of Learning ended that the storytelling structure here is meant to be read and treated as a web novel fantasy series. This means each book in the series ended and began as if there were merely a change in chapter progression instead of volumes. But despite that, I can certainly say this. The reading experience has been pretty damn good so far. It has been difficult postponing reading the next volume instantly after the mega cliffhanger this volume has. And with that in mind, I will read the fourth and final book in the series next month. The beginning of the end has been established with recognizable force. It is time to find out how Domagoj Kurmaic will conclude the series.
You can order this book from: Amazon
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Mother of Learning has been one heck of an entertaining ride, and the beginning of the end is here.
I can’t believe I am near the end of Mot 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning has been one heck of an entertaining ride, and the beginning of the end is here.
I can’t believe I am near the end of Mother of Learning by nobody103 or Domagoj Kurmaic, the first web novel series I read, and I’ve been very impressed with the journey I took here so far. I know this is one of the most highly regarded web novel series out there, and indeed, this isn’t a sign that ALL or even the majority of web novels are as good or well-polished as this. But I would be lying if I said I won’t check out any other web novel fantasy series after I am done reading this series. Worm by Wildbow, A Practical Guide to Evil by ErraticErrata, and The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba are top priorities. These are just a few examples. For now, though, I have only one volume/story arc left in the series, and I will read that next month. Considering the all-connecting nature of the entire series between each installment, because this is one web novel divided into four volumes, please understand that I am very limited in what I can say here without giving spoilers. So I will keep this review briefer than usual. This is my favorite volume in the series so far, and there is a big potential the fourth and final volume will top it.
“It’s not true fun unless you regret it immediately afterwards.
The story in Mother of Learning: ARC 3 continues immediately after the big revelations at the end of the previous volume. The origin of the time loop has been revealed. Zorian and Zach are pressed for time to redouble their efforts to prevent the potential cataclysmic disaster once the time loop inevitably expires, which means every choice can no longer be undone. This will sound repetitive, but I am once again impressed by how great the author keeps the story turning and interesting with constant revelations and development in a very engaging way. Seriously, I mentioned my dislike of the first 35% of the previous volume. I said the first 35% of volume 2 felt like filler and was unnecessarily long. After reading volume 3, I am happy to be proven wrong. My experience remains true, and I will not change my statement on that until I do a reread. But none of the parts in the previous two volumes felt redundant now. As the series approaches the end, Kurmaic has started to implement every foundation of story, lore, and world-building he has established in the previous volumes into effect here. None of them felt wasted now, and I loved the improvements in writing quality and witnessing more pivotal encounters and events.
“Silly old girl, making such blunders at your age. It’s just as they say: you learn all your life and still die a fool.
One of the finest improvements and changes in volume 3 that worked for me was how the narrative involved the supporting characters extensively more than before. Some readers might not like the direction here. Mother of Learning is still Zorian's story, there's no doubt about that, but here, it felt like it's no longer his story alone. This is now Zorian AND Zach's story together with the friends and acquaintances they met on their journey. And for me, it made the series more compelling and intriguing. I think the story risks repetitiveness if, let's say, up to the third volume, the plot still focuses exclusively on Zorian. The duo and friendship between Zorian and Zach, as they tried their best to come up with ideas and untangle the mess they were in, were refreshing to read. And I am so happy to see how much Xvim, Taiven, and Silverlake continuously developed throughout the series. Heck, not only that. We also finally see Zorian's infamous brother, Daimen, in action. And the main villain, too!
“Learning a language is never a wasted effort, young man… It develops your mind and expands your horizons!
Another thing I criticized in volume 2, again the first 35%, was how boring Zorian's time outside of Cyoria's academy was. That notion no longer applies here. With the expansion of Zorian's abilities and a few surprising new POVs, Zorian's time outside the Cyoria academy in this book was captivating. Everything felt incredibly well done, in my opinion. Sure, there were a few sections where the conversations and scenes felt drawn out or slightly too long, but they weren't a big deal in the grander scheme. I wish I could talk more in detail rather than being vague about everything here. But seriously, if you have started reading the series, you will want to get here. The last few chapters of this book were just intense, bonkers, and unexpected, in a good way.
My smaller-sized review of Mother of Learning: ARC 3 is not a negative sign for the series. As I said at the beginning of this video, I believe this penultimate installment of the series is my favorite of Mother of Learning so far. Reviewing a web novel series is a different kind of experience compared to reading and reviewing a series of novels. It is clear from how each book in Mother of Learning ended that the storytelling structure here is meant to be read and treated as a web novel fantasy series. This means each book in the series ended and began as if there were merely a change in chapter progression instead of volumes. But despite that, I can certainly say this. The reading experience has been pretty damn good so far. It has been difficult postponing reading the next volume instantly after the mega cliffhanger this volume has. And with that in mind, I will read the fourth and final book in the series next month. The beginning of the end has been established with recognizable force. It is time to find out how Domagoj Kurmaic will conclude the series.
You can order this book from: Amazon
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
May 20, 2023
May 25, 2023
Sep 09, 2022
Kindle Edition
B0C1CS9D51
4.64
17,323
Jun 04, 2023
Jun 04, 2023
really liked it
4.5/5 stars
Packed with enormous action scenes, Waybound closed the final chapters of Cradle fittingly.
The end is here. More than three years ago, I st 4.5/5 stars
Packed with enormous action scenes, Waybound closed the final chapters of Cradle fittingly.
The end is here. More than three years ago, I started reading the first book in the Cradle series: Unsouled. That was in January 2020, and for the past three and half years, Cradle has reigned as one of—if not—the most successful self-published fantasy series. We are, after all, talking about a series where each newly released volume reached the number 1 best-selling spot in the entire Amazon Kindle store. And I cannot believe the day is finally here. Waybound, the twelfth and the final book in Cradle is out, and I have read it. After three and a half years, my journey in the world of Cradle is over. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried whether this would be a great concluding book to the series or not. Unlike most readers and fans of Cradle, I was on the unpopular opinion side in considering Dreadgod, the previous book in the series, to be one of the weakest installments. Reading that book planted a seed of doubt in my mind that Waybound would not have a satisfying ending. And I am glad to be proven wrong on this. Was Waybound a completely satisfying final volume to the series? Well, the answer to that question cannot be defined as a simple yes or no.
This is the final book in the series. Understand that I cannot divulge too much on the details in this review. Waybound continues from where Dreadgod ended. If you haven't read this book yet, and are caught up with the series, it is adamant that a certain expectation need to be established before you start reading it. Otherwise, the conclusion of the series might disappoint you. You might notice this already if you have read Dreadgod. With Waybound being set as the final book in the series, there was never any chance of Will Wight closing ALL story arcs in the entire series. It is impossible. Wight needs to write many more books to fulfill that, especially the stories that do not take place in the world of Cradle. I fully expected this to happen. Waybound does not seek to solve everything. It, however, had a mission to bring a resounding resolution to the biggest plot started in Unsouled: the battle against the Dreadgods. And on this, Wight accomplished it wonderfully.
However, those were things I desired to happen. How about surprises? One of the things that pleasantly surprised me the most in Waybound was the training montage. Cradle is a progression fantasy series. Almost every book in the series involves Lindon or his friends advancing to a new higher level of power. And in Dreadgod, I felt the training montage to be redundant, and it was my biggest criticism of the penultimate installment. Imagine my surprise to have Waybound begins with ANOTHER section of training montages, but somehow, I loved it. Wight made a good decision in pairing the training sections with a race-against-time narrative. We know by now that Lindon is mega-powerful. I do not think of that as a spoiler. Most progression fantasy series encounter this situation where the main character reaches an insane power level by the last book, and Cradle is not safe from this notion. However, without spoilers, there were valid reasons for Lindon to wait for his friends to advance their skills and powers rapidly now. It was brilliant.
I am not heartless enough to say I don’t feel emotional reading how far Lindon and his friends have progressed. Twelve books long is still a lot despite the relatively smaller word count of each volume in the series compared to other fantasy series. And I absolutely loved reading how much the characters have developed. True, my favorite character in the series understandably did not have many appearances in Waybound, and it did detract my enjoyment slightly. But the interactions and banter between Lindon and his friends felt so believable now. And after the training montages ended, Waybound proceeded immediately to the climactic final battles. This is an incredibly battle-heavy novel, and depending on your reading preference, the pacing here might drag. Once the final confrontations started, it continued non-stop until the last 20% of the book. It is an understatement to say the battle scenes in Waybound were over-the-top and fantastic in scope. In fantasy novels, you don’t often get to see battle scenes explode as destructive and over-the-top as the one in Cradle and Waybound. Devastating explosions, fast-paced Dragonball Z-style combats, gigantic foes, blades of shadows size of towers fell from the sky and more. All of these, again, are under the premise that there is a time limit in the final battles. Suffice it to say, there were immensely rewarding deliverances in Waybound that I doubt I will ever forget. For those who have read the book, the scene I am referring to is perpetrated by Ziel.
Picture: Ziel by ladyeruart
[image]
There isn’t much else I can offer here. At the end of this journey, all I have left to say is thank you so much, Will Wight. Thank you for the incredible adventures. This is one of the most consistently splendid series. With the exception of Dreadgod, I have rated every book in Cradle post Soulsmith with a rating of 4 stars or above. Waybound may not be my utmost favorite book in the series (Reaper is), but it is my second favorite. Most importantly, it provided me a gratifying closure to the series. There is a possibility Will Wight might write a sequel series to Cradle someday. For those of you who have not started reading the series yet, you are in luck. This is the personification of manga/anime in novel format. And now you can binge-read it from the beginning to the end. I believe Cradle is a series that would benefit from being read closer to each other. I did not have the opportunity to do a full series reread before reading Waybound, and although I cannot gauge this accurately until I experience the full series reread myself, I have a feeling Waybound could end up as my favorite book in the series when that day comes. But for now, with the twelve books I read, I am content. Gratitude.
Series Review:
Unsouled: 3/5 stars
Soulsmith: 3.5/5 stars
Blackflame: 4.5/5 stars
Skysworn: 4.5/5 stars
Ghostwater: 4.5/5 stars
Underlord: 4.5/5 stars
Uncrowned: 4.5/5 stars
Wintersteel: 4/5 stars
Bloodline: 4.5/5 stars
Reaper: 5/5 stars
Dreadgod: 3.5/5 stars
Waybound: 4.5/5 stars
Cradle: 50.5/60 stars
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, David, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Packed with enormous action scenes, Waybound closed the final chapters of Cradle fittingly.
The end is here. More than three years ago, I st 4.5/5 stars
Packed with enormous action scenes, Waybound closed the final chapters of Cradle fittingly.
The end is here. More than three years ago, I started reading the first book in the Cradle series: Unsouled. That was in January 2020, and for the past three and half years, Cradle has reigned as one of—if not—the most successful self-published fantasy series. We are, after all, talking about a series where each newly released volume reached the number 1 best-selling spot in the entire Amazon Kindle store. And I cannot believe the day is finally here. Waybound, the twelfth and the final book in Cradle is out, and I have read it. After three and a half years, my journey in the world of Cradle is over. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried whether this would be a great concluding book to the series or not. Unlike most readers and fans of Cradle, I was on the unpopular opinion side in considering Dreadgod, the previous book in the series, to be one of the weakest installments. Reading that book planted a seed of doubt in my mind that Waybound would not have a satisfying ending. And I am glad to be proven wrong on this. Was Waybound a completely satisfying final volume to the series? Well, the answer to that question cannot be defined as a simple yes or no.
“As I was once taught, there are a million Paths in this world, but they can all be reduced to one: improve yourself. “For me, that meant a hunger to improve in the sacred arts. To fight greater battles and climb to greater heights. You may choose to improve in different ways, but for those of you who share my hunger, I intend to share a new technique with you.”
This is the final book in the series. Understand that I cannot divulge too much on the details in this review. Waybound continues from where Dreadgod ended. If you haven't read this book yet, and are caught up with the series, it is adamant that a certain expectation need to be established before you start reading it. Otherwise, the conclusion of the series might disappoint you. You might notice this already if you have read Dreadgod. With Waybound being set as the final book in the series, there was never any chance of Will Wight closing ALL story arcs in the entire series. It is impossible. Wight needs to write many more books to fulfill that, especially the stories that do not take place in the world of Cradle. I fully expected this to happen. Waybound does not seek to solve everything. It, however, had a mission to bring a resounding resolution to the biggest plot started in Unsouled: the battle against the Dreadgods. And on this, Wight accomplished it wonderfully.
“[It’s every parent’s dream to see their little boy grow into such a fine young Dreadgod.]
“You’re not my parent.”
[Well, I don’t like your parents, so I choose to replace them.]”
However, those were things I desired to happen. How about surprises? One of the things that pleasantly surprised me the most in Waybound was the training montage. Cradle is a progression fantasy series. Almost every book in the series involves Lindon or his friends advancing to a new higher level of power. And in Dreadgod, I felt the training montage to be redundant, and it was my biggest criticism of the penultimate installment. Imagine my surprise to have Waybound begins with ANOTHER section of training montages, but somehow, I loved it. Wight made a good decision in pairing the training sections with a race-against-time narrative. We know by now that Lindon is mega-powerful. I do not think of that as a spoiler. Most progression fantasy series encounter this situation where the main character reaches an insane power level by the last book, and Cradle is not safe from this notion. However, without spoilers, there were valid reasons for Lindon to wait for his friends to advance their skills and powers rapidly now. It was brilliant.
“I have received more help than anyone in the universe. Even most of my power is stolen. There’s nothing noble about doing everything yourself. You just have to do your best to honor the help you’ve gotten.”
I am not heartless enough to say I don’t feel emotional reading how far Lindon and his friends have progressed. Twelve books long is still a lot despite the relatively smaller word count of each volume in the series compared to other fantasy series. And I absolutely loved reading how much the characters have developed. True, my favorite character in the series understandably did not have many appearances in Waybound, and it did detract my enjoyment slightly. But the interactions and banter between Lindon and his friends felt so believable now. And after the training montages ended, Waybound proceeded immediately to the climactic final battles. This is an incredibly battle-heavy novel, and depending on your reading preference, the pacing here might drag. Once the final confrontations started, it continued non-stop until the last 20% of the book. It is an understatement to say the battle scenes in Waybound were over-the-top and fantastic in scope. In fantasy novels, you don’t often get to see battle scenes explode as destructive and over-the-top as the one in Cradle and Waybound. Devastating explosions, fast-paced Dragonball Z-style combats, gigantic foes, blades of shadows size of towers fell from the sky and more. All of these, again, are under the premise that there is a time limit in the final battles. Suffice it to say, there were immensely rewarding deliverances in Waybound that I doubt I will ever forget. For those who have read the book, the scene I am referring to is perpetrated by Ziel.
Picture: Ziel by ladyeruart
[image]
There isn’t much else I can offer here. At the end of this journey, all I have left to say is thank you so much, Will Wight. Thank you for the incredible adventures. This is one of the most consistently splendid series. With the exception of Dreadgod, I have rated every book in Cradle post Soulsmith with a rating of 4 stars or above. Waybound may not be my utmost favorite book in the series (Reaper is), but it is my second favorite. Most importantly, it provided me a gratifying closure to the series. There is a possibility Will Wight might write a sequel series to Cradle someday. For those of you who have not started reading the series yet, you are in luck. This is the personification of manga/anime in novel format. And now you can binge-read it from the beginning to the end. I believe Cradle is a series that would benefit from being read closer to each other. I did not have the opportunity to do a full series reread before reading Waybound, and although I cannot gauge this accurately until I experience the full series reread myself, I have a feeling Waybound could end up as my favorite book in the series when that day comes. But for now, with the twelve books I read, I am content. Gratitude.
Series Review:
Unsouled: 3/5 stars
Soulsmith: 3.5/5 stars
Blackflame: 4.5/5 stars
Skysworn: 4.5/5 stars
Ghostwater: 4.5/5 stars
Underlord: 4.5/5 stars
Uncrowned: 4.5/5 stars
Wintersteel: 4/5 stars
Bloodline: 4.5/5 stars
Reaper: 5/5 stars
Dreadgod: 3.5/5 stars
Waybound: 4.5/5 stars
Cradle: 50.5/60 stars
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, David, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 07, 2023
Jul 12, 2023
Jul 09, 2022
Kindle Edition
9781955252188
4.48
9,330
Dec 01, 2021
2022
really liked it
4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning: ARC 1 was a marvelous start to a time-loop fantasy series. It was so damn enjoyable to read.
A time loop or a time trave 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning: ARC 1 was a marvelous start to a time-loop fantasy series. It was so damn enjoyable to read.
A time loop or a time travel story in fantasy is incredibly rare, especially the one done right. Do not take this as a criticism of the genre. Time travel or a time loop story is hard to do right, and you are more likely to find its existence in sci-fi than in the fantasy genre. Until today, The Licanius trilogy is the only series of epic fantasy novels where I felt the time travel elements inclusion are put into cleverly. Remembering how much I loved time travel stories executed wonderfully like The Licanius Trilogy, Stein’s Gate anime, and more, I’ve made it clear that I perpetually search for a time travel story done right in fantasy. And that’s how I stumbled upon Mother of Learning by nobody103 or Domagoj Kurmaic. Originally published as a web novel series, and if we are still counting it as one, this would mean this is the first web novel series I am reading. But the three story arcs in Mother of Learning have now been re-edited and published widely into four volumes (volume four coming in April 2023) by Wraithmarked Creative. The hardcover of the first story arc is the edition I am reading and reviewing. You can still read the entire series on Royal Road, but I will assume this edition is superior as it has received a new round of editing. Additionally, this hardcover edition comes with beautiful cover art by Mansik Yang, full-colored endpaper illustrations by Daniel Kamarudin and Asur Misoa, and a map of Altazia by Soraya Corcoran. The paper and printing quality are also top-notch. And I highly enjoyed reading the first story arc of Mother of Learning.
Zorian Kazinski is a teenage mage of humble birth and slightly above-average skill attending his third year of education at Cyoria’s magical academy. On the eve of Cyoria’s annual summer festival, a life-changing event transpired, and now Zorian is caught in a time loop. He is brought back to the day, at the beginning of the month, when he’s about to take the train to the academy. And he is doomed or blessed to repeat it every time he reaches the day of the annual summer festival. It is a never-ending month for Zorian, and as he tries his best to find a way to escape the time loop, he’s taking advantage of his situation to advance his skill and knowledge as a mage.
This is essentially the premise of Mother of Learning. It is a simple concept integrated brilliantly into the narrative. Think of it as Harry Potter mixed with All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka or Recursion by Blake Crouch. I strongly urge readers who want to try reading this series for the first time to give it about 100-200 pages before judging whether this will be suitable for you or not due to multiple reasons. As far as I know, Mother of Learning is one big series divided into four volumes. The review you are reading right now is only a review of the first story arc, so more or less the first quarter of the entire series. I think it is fair to at least read 100-200 pages of this 2,500+ pages (784k words) long series before deciding to drop it. But more importantly, this is also because the first 200 pages of Mother of Learning: ARC 1 was, from my perspective, the prelude to the entire series. The story did not fully begin until we reached that point.
Picture: Mother of Learning: ARC 1 by Daniel Kamarudin
[image]
Whether you are a fan of time loop or time travel in the fantasy genre, I think Mother of Learning is worth the read if you are a fan of magic school in fantasy. And I am a huge fan of coming-of-age fantasy and magic or battle school. They are some of my favorite tropes to read in the fantasy genre. Due to the time loop setting and premise of the series, Mother of Learning: ARC 1 understandably means the majority of the narrative in this book takes place in Cyoria magical academy. You will spend a lot of time reading Zorian advances his various skills and magic in multiple variations at the academy while he seeks a way out of the time loop. Fortunately, I have no preference for hard or soft magic systems. Both can be superbly written depending on the context of the series, and this book is an example of making magic-learning fun to read. Even when the story is one month repeated in a time loop, it was utterly impressive how Kurmaic keeps the stakes, pacing, revelations, and development refreshing and engaging.
It is not exclusive to plotting but to characters as well. There aren't many notably great characters yet in Mother of Learning: ARC 1. And I know I've read only the first volume of the series, which (relatively) is a small fraction of the entire series, so this is not a big issue. But Zorian Kazinski, just comparing how he behaved and acted in the beginning to the conclusion of Mother of Learning: ARC 1, already felt like a different person, in a good way. Zorian started off incredibly unlikable. He was a constantly angry teenager with minimal empathy for other people. This is why, once again, I feel it is necessary to read 200 pages of the book first. Not only do readers get to see the incredible potential of the plotting and concept laid out by the author, but they can also confirm the existence of the gradual development in Zorian's character and behavior. Zorian, in my opinion, did not become likable or a character I felt invested in until I reached the second half of the book.
Picture: Mother of Learning: ARC 1 by Asur Misoa
[image]
I had so much fun reading Mother of Learning: ARC 1. And I do believe the prose is partly responsible for it. If you know my reading taste, I am not fussy about prose. Whether it is simple prose or purple prose, I appreciate this variety of storytelling styles in the fantasy genre. What matters to me more is the reading experience proceeds smoothly. Some readers call Sanderson’s simple and accessible prose mediocre, and maybe it IS according to their criteria or preference. There is nothing wrong with that. But I respectfully disagree. Sanderson’s prose allows me to enjoy an epic fantasy series without feeling overwhelmed by the prose; I feel like I can read Sanderson’s books anytime I want despite my reading mood. Unlike, let’s say, Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen. Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of my favorite series of all time, but I need to be in the correct reading mood or headspace before I read it, even more so on reread. Why am I going on a tangent here? To emphasize Kurmaic’s prose which leans more toward Sanderson’s style than Erikson’s, just as a comparison. And I loved it. I honestly cannot imagine this book, with info-dumps and many pages count spent on lore and learning the magic, being this addictive to read if it was written in heavier-style prose like Steven Erikson or Mark Lawrence.
However, these praises do not mean I surmised Mother of Learning: ARC 1 as a completely magnificent book. There were a few noticeable issues. For example, the way the world-building and lore were delivered. It was hard for my brain to register some passages because they were told in an info-dump manner. In a way, many parts of the progression fantasy of the series and magic learning can be categorized as info-dump as well, but they were still fun, entertaining, and engaging regardless of it. I can't say the same for the lore and history of the world, which usually is one of my favorite parts of reading a fantasy series. But overall, this is not a big issue for me. I had overwhelmingly more fun reading Mother of Learning: ARC 1 to consider this relatively slight boredom a big detraction to my reading experience. As I mentioned earlier, the majority of the story takes place in the Cyoria magical academy, and this factor can be a big issue if it is repeated throughout the rest of the series. But I have a good feeling we will get to explore more of the world in the remaining two story arcs.
Picture: Map of Altazia by Soraya Corcoran
[image]
If you are a reader who loves reading magic school, time travel, time loop, progression fantasy, or hard-magic systems in the fantasy genre, I imagine you will have a blast reading the first story arc in Mother of Learning. I have mentioned several times that Mother of Learning is one of my priority series to start and finish this year, and after that cliffhanger ending of ARC 1, I think I will dive into the next volume soon. At the latest, next month. I will not lie; a part of me was initially worried about reading this series. Do not get me wrong here; my anticipation was still there. But plenty of comments have mentioned the writing is mediocre, or, I quote, "The writing is not great as you can expect from a web novel." These made me quite apprehensive about the writing or storytelling quality I would read in Mother of Learning. But I am glad I did not listen to these comments. My fear is unfounded. The reality is better than my fear. Sure, Mother of Learning is one of the most highly praised web novels out there, and this edition I read has been re-edited and republished by Wraithmarked. However, I wouldn't be able to tell this was a web novel if I did not know about the publication status before reading it.
Picture: Interior design of Mother of Learning: ARC 1 Hardcover.
[image]
The interior and exterior quality of the book felt the same as all other fantasy novels I read. I will say it is more fun than many books I've read. And the printing quality is better than most traditionally published books. A job well done to Domagoj Kurmaic and Wraithmarked on this book and production. Mother of Learning: ARC 1 is a great clean fantasy novel with accessible writing and scope that gets refined and detailed with more pages read. Plus, some fans of the series said the first story arc is the weakest of the entire series! This makes me more excited to read the rest of the series. If this is still categorized as a web novel and included as my first experience, I believe I have opened the gate to trying more web novels. On my list right now, I have Worm by John McCrae, A Practical Guide to Evil by ErraticErrata, and of course, The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba to read. This will take a while, but one series at a time. For now, repetition is the mother of learning, and I look forward to repeating this wonderful reading experience by reading Mother of Learning: ARC 2 soon. I predict within the next month.
Side note:
Read with caution if you have arachnophobia.
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Teri, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Mother of Learning: ARC 1 was a marvelous start to a time-loop fantasy series. It was so damn enjoyable to read.
A time loop or a time trave 4.5/5 stars
Mother of Learning: ARC 1 was a marvelous start to a time-loop fantasy series. It was so damn enjoyable to read.
A time loop or a time travel story in fantasy is incredibly rare, especially the one done right. Do not take this as a criticism of the genre. Time travel or a time loop story is hard to do right, and you are more likely to find its existence in sci-fi than in the fantasy genre. Until today, The Licanius trilogy is the only series of epic fantasy novels where I felt the time travel elements inclusion are put into cleverly. Remembering how much I loved time travel stories executed wonderfully like The Licanius Trilogy, Stein’s Gate anime, and more, I’ve made it clear that I perpetually search for a time travel story done right in fantasy. And that’s how I stumbled upon Mother of Learning by nobody103 or Domagoj Kurmaic. Originally published as a web novel series, and if we are still counting it as one, this would mean this is the first web novel series I am reading. But the three story arcs in Mother of Learning have now been re-edited and published widely into four volumes (volume four coming in April 2023) by Wraithmarked Creative. The hardcover of the first story arc is the edition I am reading and reviewing. You can still read the entire series on Royal Road, but I will assume this edition is superior as it has received a new round of editing. Additionally, this hardcover edition comes with beautiful cover art by Mansik Yang, full-colored endpaper illustrations by Daniel Kamarudin and Asur Misoa, and a map of Altazia by Soraya Corcoran. The paper and printing quality are also top-notch. And I highly enjoyed reading the first story arc of Mother of Learning.
“Let me tell you a story of lost time and a month that refuses to end.”
Zorian Kazinski is a teenage mage of humble birth and slightly above-average skill attending his third year of education at Cyoria’s magical academy. On the eve of Cyoria’s annual summer festival, a life-changing event transpired, and now Zorian is caught in a time loop. He is brought back to the day, at the beginning of the month, when he’s about to take the train to the academy. And he is doomed or blessed to repeat it every time he reaches the day of the annual summer festival. It is a never-ending month for Zorian, and as he tries his best to find a way to escape the time loop, he’s taking advantage of his situation to advance his skill and knowledge as a mage.
This is essentially the premise of Mother of Learning. It is a simple concept integrated brilliantly into the narrative. Think of it as Harry Potter mixed with All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka or Recursion by Blake Crouch. I strongly urge readers who want to try reading this series for the first time to give it about 100-200 pages before judging whether this will be suitable for you or not due to multiple reasons. As far as I know, Mother of Learning is one big series divided into four volumes. The review you are reading right now is only a review of the first story arc, so more or less the first quarter of the entire series. I think it is fair to at least read 100-200 pages of this 2,500+ pages (784k words) long series before deciding to drop it. But more importantly, this is also because the first 200 pages of Mother of Learning: ARC 1 was, from my perspective, the prelude to the entire series. The story did not fully begin until we reached that point.
Picture: Mother of Learning: ARC 1 by Daniel Kamarudin
[image]
Whether you are a fan of time loop or time travel in the fantasy genre, I think Mother of Learning is worth the read if you are a fan of magic school in fantasy. And I am a huge fan of coming-of-age fantasy and magic or battle school. They are some of my favorite tropes to read in the fantasy genre. Due to the time loop setting and premise of the series, Mother of Learning: ARC 1 understandably means the majority of the narrative in this book takes place in Cyoria magical academy. You will spend a lot of time reading Zorian advances his various skills and magic in multiple variations at the academy while he seeks a way out of the time loop. Fortunately, I have no preference for hard or soft magic systems. Both can be superbly written depending on the context of the series, and this book is an example of making magic-learning fun to read. Even when the story is one month repeated in a time loop, it was utterly impressive how Kurmaic keeps the stakes, pacing, revelations, and development refreshing and engaging.
It is not exclusive to plotting but to characters as well. There aren't many notably great characters yet in Mother of Learning: ARC 1. And I know I've read only the first volume of the series, which (relatively) is a small fraction of the entire series, so this is not a big issue. But Zorian Kazinski, just comparing how he behaved and acted in the beginning to the conclusion of Mother of Learning: ARC 1, already felt like a different person, in a good way. Zorian started off incredibly unlikable. He was a constantly angry teenager with minimal empathy for other people. This is why, once again, I feel it is necessary to read 200 pages of the book first. Not only do readers get to see the incredible potential of the plotting and concept laid out by the author, but they can also confirm the existence of the gradual development in Zorian's character and behavior. Zorian, in my opinion, did not become likable or a character I felt invested in until I reached the second half of the book.
Picture: Mother of Learning: ARC 1 by Asur Misoa
[image]
I had so much fun reading Mother of Learning: ARC 1. And I do believe the prose is partly responsible for it. If you know my reading taste, I am not fussy about prose. Whether it is simple prose or purple prose, I appreciate this variety of storytelling styles in the fantasy genre. What matters to me more is the reading experience proceeds smoothly. Some readers call Sanderson’s simple and accessible prose mediocre, and maybe it IS according to their criteria or preference. There is nothing wrong with that. But I respectfully disagree. Sanderson’s prose allows me to enjoy an epic fantasy series without feeling overwhelmed by the prose; I feel like I can read Sanderson’s books anytime I want despite my reading mood. Unlike, let’s say, Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen. Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of my favorite series of all time, but I need to be in the correct reading mood or headspace before I read it, even more so on reread. Why am I going on a tangent here? To emphasize Kurmaic’s prose which leans more toward Sanderson’s style than Erikson’s, just as a comparison. And I loved it. I honestly cannot imagine this book, with info-dumps and many pages count spent on lore and learning the magic, being this addictive to read if it was written in heavier-style prose like Steven Erikson or Mark Lawrence.
However, these praises do not mean I surmised Mother of Learning: ARC 1 as a completely magnificent book. There were a few noticeable issues. For example, the way the world-building and lore were delivered. It was hard for my brain to register some passages because they were told in an info-dump manner. In a way, many parts of the progression fantasy of the series and magic learning can be categorized as info-dump as well, but they were still fun, entertaining, and engaging regardless of it. I can't say the same for the lore and history of the world, which usually is one of my favorite parts of reading a fantasy series. But overall, this is not a big issue for me. I had overwhelmingly more fun reading Mother of Learning: ARC 1 to consider this relatively slight boredom a big detraction to my reading experience. As I mentioned earlier, the majority of the story takes place in the Cyoria magical academy, and this factor can be a big issue if it is repeated throughout the rest of the series. But I have a good feeling we will get to explore more of the world in the remaining two story arcs.
Picture: Map of Altazia by Soraya Corcoran
[image]
If you are a reader who loves reading magic school, time travel, time loop, progression fantasy, or hard-magic systems in the fantasy genre, I imagine you will have a blast reading the first story arc in Mother of Learning. I have mentioned several times that Mother of Learning is one of my priority series to start and finish this year, and after that cliffhanger ending of ARC 1, I think I will dive into the next volume soon. At the latest, next month. I will not lie; a part of me was initially worried about reading this series. Do not get me wrong here; my anticipation was still there. But plenty of comments have mentioned the writing is mediocre, or, I quote, "The writing is not great as you can expect from a web novel." These made me quite apprehensive about the writing or storytelling quality I would read in Mother of Learning. But I am glad I did not listen to these comments. My fear is unfounded. The reality is better than my fear. Sure, Mother of Learning is one of the most highly praised web novels out there, and this edition I read has been re-edited and republished by Wraithmarked. However, I wouldn't be able to tell this was a web novel if I did not know about the publication status before reading it.
Picture: Interior design of Mother of Learning: ARC 1 Hardcover.
[image]
The interior and exterior quality of the book felt the same as all other fantasy novels I read. I will say it is more fun than many books I've read. And the printing quality is better than most traditionally published books. A job well done to Domagoj Kurmaic and Wraithmarked on this book and production. Mother of Learning: ARC 1 is a great clean fantasy novel with accessible writing and scope that gets refined and detailed with more pages read. Plus, some fans of the series said the first story arc is the weakest of the entire series! This makes me more excited to read the rest of the series. If this is still categorized as a web novel and included as my first experience, I believe I have opened the gate to trying more web novels. On my list right now, I have Worm by John McCrae, A Practical Guide to Evil by ErraticErrata, and of course, The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba to read. This will take a while, but one series at a time. For now, repetition is the mother of learning, and I look forward to repeating this wonderful reading experience by reading Mother of Learning: ARC 2 soon. I predict within the next month.
Side note:
Read with caution if you have arachnophobia.
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Teri, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Mar 03, 2023
Mar 06, 2023
Jun 06, 2022
Hardcover
9355590830
9789355590831
9355590830
3.77
903
Jun 03, 2022
Jun 03, 2022
it was amazing
ARC was provided by the publisher—Leadstart—in exchange for an honest review.
Mahabharata imbued with A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law, & Malazan ARC was provided by the publisher—Leadstart—in exchange for an honest review.
Mahabharata imbued with A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law, & Malazan Book of the Fallen, Sons of Darkness is the best fantasy debut of 2022.
I need to first mention this. Since I finished The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie last September, I haven't read any grimdark novel before this month. Yes, it's almost a year. It has been hard to put my feet back into the grimdark sub-genre. Not because I disliked The Wisdom of Crowds or grimdark. It's the other way around. Grimdark is one of my favorite subgenres to read, even though I don't like the term itself; I prefer calling it dark fantasy, but oh well. Anyway, I loved The Wisdom of Crowds so much that I fell into a grimdark subgenre hangover. Since then, it seemed like I had no interest in reading any book that certifies itself as grimdark. Until I saw the reveal and interview of Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty three months ago.
The super stunning cover art by Micaela Alcaino caught my attention, and everything the author said in his interview with Fantasy Book Critic finalized my decision to read this book. Sons of Darkness, the first Indian Epic Grimdark Fantasy novel (published in India), is the first installment in The Raag of Rta series. It is practically a smorgasbord of Mahabharata, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, The First Law by Joe Abercrombie, Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. All of these (except Mahabharata that I haven't read) are some of my favorite series/books of all time, and there is no way I am not reading this. And now that I've finished reading Sons of Darkness, I can vouch that these series' respective influences are embedded with justice. Mohanty deserves praise for his creativity in blending every one of them into one unforgettably stunning and distinct debut novel. And believe me, once you've read this novel, the hidden symbolism behind the cover art will shine through. Let’s begin this review with a brilliant line from the novel:
The passage above should be enough to make you read this novel, right? No? Seriously? I love that kind of joke! Alright, I will begin with a quote from the prologue instead.
If you want to know the premise of Sons of Darkness, I highly recommend you check the official blurb on the back of the book instead. The blurb did a great job in telling the premise without going into spoiler-territory. As for this review, let me start by saying Sons of Darkness has one of the best prologues I’ve ever read. I have always found myself dumbfounded by the argument that prologues shouldn’t exist anymore in the fantasy genre. I disagree with this. A prologue in a fantasy novel can do many things, one of the most important things being the chance to give readers something to look forward to later on. This is what Mohanty did in his 16 pages prologue. It was brutal, it immediately exhibited the darkness of the story, and I knew Muchuk Und's story and the elements introduced here would come back to enhance the narrative eventually. And it did.
With the sprawling scope of the series and the many varying cast of characters, Mohanty is burdened with a challenge that many epic fantasy authors encounter. To write a compelling slow-burn first half before exploding the narrative into an unstoppable thrilling reading experience in the second half. This is normal in a sprawling epic fantasy like A Song of Ice and Fire and many more. Personally, I tend to love a relatively slow-paced narrative, especially in the early section of the first volume of an epic fantasy series. Mohanty needed to introduce the characters and the world-building of Sons of Darkness to make the readers invested in their journey and the world first, and from my experience, that is what he precisely did in the first half of the novel. Your patience with the relatively slow section will be returned tenfold. Patience is a virtue.
In ADHYAYA (Sanskrit for chapter) I: WINTER OF DISCORD, Mohanty introduced and developed the pairing of Krishna and Satyabhama from Mathura. And also Shisuphal from Magahd. The characterizations for the characters in Sons of Darkness were superbly written. It was difficult for me to choose which character was my utmost favorite. I actually cannot choose just one. But I can certainly say that Satyabhama and her band of Silver Wolves (Storm and Rain were my favorites of the Wolves) were some of my favorite characters in Sons of Darkness. Their unflinching bravery, loyalty, and their admirable determination to fight against prejudice and control their own destiny as women were nothing short of inspiring. I mean. Due to the sprawling narrative, Satyabhama didn't even appear again after ADHYAYA I for approximately 50% of the book. However, I guarantee you this. Once you're done with the book, Satyabhama and the Silver Wolves will become some of your favorite characters. Their presence was irreplaceable.
It goes without saying that Satyabhama and the Silver Wolves weren't the characters worth highlighting here. In ADHYAYA II: ALL THAT GLITTERS, Mohanty focused the plot on Mati from Kalinga and Karna from Hastina. Karna was a character I felt a bit lukewarm at first, but this opinion instantly vanished after I read the first out of two sets of convergence chapters: SWAYAMVAR PART I and PART II, which I will talk about soon. Mati did not have much of an appearance in Sons of Darkness, but Karna somehow transformed into one of my favorite characters in the book, just like Satyabhama and the Silver Wolves I just talked about. Karna earned so much of my empathy. Though kind-hearted and mighty with his bow, he's frequently ridiculed, hated, and prejudiced simply due to his birth. As I said, being patient is so worth it with this novel. Once you reach the convergence chapters, you will reap the first sequence of rewards.
The geopolitical dramas in Sons of Darkness were evidently inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire. But the first and the most dominant evidence of The First Law inspiration can be seen in the master of spies from Hastina, Shakuni, and the name of the chapter that he appeared, which is ADHYAYA III: BEST SERVED COLD. Shakuni is a former tortured prisoner of war that turned into a crippled torturer. Yes, you're right. Shakuni is undoubtedly Glokta-inspired. Initially, I was taken aback by how similar they were. However, after researching Shakuni's background in Mahabharata, I think it is smart to emulate Glokta's style of inner monologues for this character. And as I progressed further into the book, fortunately, their story turned out more and more differently. I love how the author included his main inspirations to Sons of Darkness clearly, and still, he successfully transformed the novel into something that is definitely his own. For example, take a look at the next quote I'm going to show you.
If you've read the prologue of Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, you will notice it came from there. And speaking of inspirations, it is time to talk about the main spotlights of the novel. Exactly. It is time to discuss the epic convergences in THE SWAYAMVAR and THE BATTLE OF MATHURA. The SWAYAMVAR: PART I and THE SWAYAMVAR: PART II take place halfway through the book. This is the first instance of Mohanty's incredible action sequences. But have no fear. It shall not be the last. This storytelling structure of including two big epic convergences sequences reminded me of reading a book in Malazan Book of the Fallen. A good example of this is Memories of Ice. In that book, we have Siege of Capustan and Siege of Coral in one big book. THE SWAYAMVAR and THE BATTLE OF MATHURA are what we readers get here, and the results were absolutely pulse-pounding.
I thought the weapons of precise chaos unleashed in THE SWAYAMVAR were destined to be the peak of the novel. I am gratified to be proven wrong by this. Remember this as you read it. If you love THE SWAYAMVAR chapters, what ensues in the ultraviolent BATTLE OF MATHURA will blow your mind away. It definitely did for me. War is coming with merciless malice. Everyone involved in the war has to stop being a lamb and be a wolf instead. As I write this review, I am still not over the intense carnage I read in THE BATTLE OF MATHURA. And just like the other best battle scenes I've read, I don't think I will ever be over it. It was, unquestionably, one of the best war sequences I've ever read in fantasy.
With glimpses of The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie in its battles structure, the memorable duel and the battle frenzy in the climax sequence of Sons of Darkness should deservedly be entered into the hall of fame of some of the best battles in fantasy. Seriously, reading the powerfully inspiring battle spirits, the massive detonation of the bellower (similar to Moranth munitions in Malazan Book of the Fallen), and the relentless symphony of blood songs in THE BATTLE OF MATHURA was all-consumingly immersive. Due to the ever-growing quantity of fantasy books I read, it's getting harder for me to feel absolutely riveted in a war sequence within a fantasy novel. But trust me on this. Epic fantasy readers will want to WITNESS this fiery conflagration of emotions. It is truly a breathtaking culmination to Sons of Darkness.
Before I end this review, I need to mention a few important things. The author has forewarned this in the author's note. Sons of Darkness is an epic grimdark fantasy novel. The novel is certainly not for the faint of heart. The characters are morally grey. None of them are protagonists or antagonists; they are characters trying their best to survive and do what's right according to them. They do questionable things. Although never endlessly bleak and depressing, brutal and violent scenes are evident in the text; pretty much all the harrowing actions you can expect in wars.
I've mentioned in this review constantly that this is an epic grimdark fantasy novel. But it is worth remembering that the story in Sons of Darkness, as shown in the colored map drawn by the author at the front of the book, takes place in Ancient India. Mathura, Magadh, Hastina, Panchal, Kalinga, and more settings in this book exists in our world. It is more precise to call Sons of Darkness a historical epic grimdark fantasy novel. Many words and terminologies such as ADHYAYA, SWAYAMVAR, chakras, and mandalas can be researched to enhance reading enjoyment. This counts deities and demigods in Indian mythology like Daevas from Deva, Rakshasa, and mounts like Airavata and Garuda. I can't emphasize this highly enough. All of these, plus the inspirations implementation I explained earlier and the manipulation of the dark prophecy gave Sons of Darkness extra extensive reason why it should be read by historical/grimdark fantasy enthusiasts.
With seven key characters and other well-written supporting characters in 206,000 words, there is a LOT to unpack in Sons of Darkness. I highlighted so many quotes. And I still left out tons of amazing things from the novel in this review. You can't experience the full glory of it through my (or any) review. You have to read this for yourself. The unbreached bastion for grimdark fantasy literature in India has been breached with Mohanty as the lead, and nothing can stop the novel from encompassing the entire world now. Some ballads are inked in blood, and the blood ink in Sons of Darkness has left a permanent mark in the fantasy genre. Valorously retelling Mahabharata by infusing influences from some of the most magnificent epic grimdark fantasy series in the world elevated Sons of Darkness into becoming the new scintillating hidden gem in epic grimdark fantasy. With engaging duel, an exceptional war sequence, lovable and despicable characters, heroic stunts, dark prophecies, meddling gods, and many more, Sons of Darkness is filled with all the makings of a tremendous epic grimdark fantasy. It has reignited my passion for reading grimdark again after a one-year break from it. And to think this is only the first installment! I, and Choco Boy, love being engrossed in this tale from Ancient India, and we can't wait to read the sequel, Dance of Shadows, as soon as possible. Bravo, Gourav Mohanty, for this excellent debut.
P.S:
Thank you so much to Gourav Mohanty and Leadstart for sending me a physical copy (directly printed in India edition) and for doing a great job in publishing Sons of Darkness. It is floppy. The cover art is super stunning. It also comes with a fully colored frontispiece and map. I heard Indian readers who read my reviews or watch my YouTube channel convinced the author and publisher to send me Sons of Darkness, and I would like to thank all of you who did that. Not only has Sons of Darkness become one of my favorite books, but it is also a gorgeously produced paperback. Leadstart, if you're reading this, time to create a hardcover of Sons of Darkness. Everything about it is too good to stay exclusively as a paperback.
Picture: Frontispiece art by Jennifer Bruce
[image]
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
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!
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
Mahabharata imbued with A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law, & Malazan ARC was provided by the publisher—Leadstart—in exchange for an honest review.
Mahabharata imbued with A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law, & Malazan Book of the Fallen, Sons of Darkness is the best fantasy debut of 2022.
‘Whenever men found it hard to justify success, they inevitably fell back on luck as the reason. And if the success was completely unimaginable to their feeble minds, they called it magic.’
I need to first mention this. Since I finished The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie last September, I haven't read any grimdark novel before this month. Yes, it's almost a year. It has been hard to put my feet back into the grimdark sub-genre. Not because I disliked The Wisdom of Crowds or grimdark. It's the other way around. Grimdark is one of my favorite subgenres to read, even though I don't like the term itself; I prefer calling it dark fantasy, but oh well. Anyway, I loved The Wisdom of Crowds so much that I fell into a grimdark subgenre hangover. Since then, it seemed like I had no interest in reading any book that certifies itself as grimdark. Until I saw the reveal and interview of Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty three months ago.
‘They are all fascinating. They have talked to Gods, loved like animals, and written songs that would make Sister Mercy cry. Though we will never leave these hallowed walls to see them in person, yet through their tales, we will be their companions. You can look through any of our journals; access is not denied to any Matron. You are one of us now. Treat them with care, for it is your gift, child. Your welcome to the Ballad of the Fallen.’
The super stunning cover art by Micaela Alcaino caught my attention, and everything the author said in his interview with Fantasy Book Critic finalized my decision to read this book. Sons of Darkness, the first Indian Epic Grimdark Fantasy novel (published in India), is the first installment in The Raag of Rta series. It is practically a smorgasbord of Mahabharata, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, The First Law by Joe Abercrombie, Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. All of these (except Mahabharata that I haven't read) are some of my favorite series/books of all time, and there is no way I am not reading this. And now that I've finished reading Sons of Darkness, I can vouch that these series' respective influences are embedded with justice. Mohanty deserves praise for his creativity in blending every one of them into one unforgettably stunning and distinct debut novel. And believe me, once you've read this novel, the hidden symbolism behind the cover art will shine through. Let’s begin this review with a brilliant line from the novel:
“‘What do you call an angry sheep and an angry cow?’ Draupadi laughed, shaking her head. ‘I don’t know.’ ‘Baaa... aaad moooo... ooood.’”
The passage above should be enough to make you read this novel, right? No? Seriously? I love that kind of joke! Alright, I will begin with a quote from the prologue instead.
‘For a Hero of Light, he reckoned he cast a rather grim shadow. Hero. The word slithered nastily in his mind. An honour bestowed upon you when you had killed all those who would have called you a mass murderer.’
If you want to know the premise of Sons of Darkness, I highly recommend you check the official blurb on the back of the book instead. The blurb did a great job in telling the premise without going into spoiler-territory. As for this review, let me start by saying Sons of Darkness has one of the best prologues I’ve ever read. I have always found myself dumbfounded by the argument that prologues shouldn’t exist anymore in the fantasy genre. I disagree with this. A prologue in a fantasy novel can do many things, one of the most important things being the chance to give readers something to look forward to later on. This is what Mohanty did in his 16 pages prologue. It was brutal, it immediately exhibited the darkness of the story, and I knew Muchuk Und's story and the elements introduced here would come back to enhance the narrative eventually. And it did.
‘You have your sword, I have my mind. And a mind can be sharper than any Assyrian blade. We play with the gifts the Gods bestow upon us. And who are they to us? Either carpets to our thrones or casualties on the way.’
With the sprawling scope of the series and the many varying cast of characters, Mohanty is burdened with a challenge that many epic fantasy authors encounter. To write a compelling slow-burn first half before exploding the narrative into an unstoppable thrilling reading experience in the second half. This is normal in a sprawling epic fantasy like A Song of Ice and Fire and many more. Personally, I tend to love a relatively slow-paced narrative, especially in the early section of the first volume of an epic fantasy series. Mohanty needed to introduce the characters and the world-building of Sons of Darkness to make the readers invested in their journey and the world first, and from my experience, that is what he precisely did in the first half of the novel. Your patience with the relatively slow section will be returned tenfold. Patience is a virtue.
‘But Krishna liked that about her. It had made her… realistic about things. She laughed with the knowledge that it wasn’t meant to last, and cried with the self assurance that it was futile. She was like a glacier, relentless and implacable. But eyeing the letter from Panchal, he reckoned that sometimes even a vast glacier could crack into crevasses under deer hooves.’
In ADHYAYA (Sanskrit for chapter) I: WINTER OF DISCORD, Mohanty introduced and developed the pairing of Krishna and Satyabhama from Mathura. And also Shisuphal from Magahd. The characterizations for the characters in Sons of Darkness were superbly written. It was difficult for me to choose which character was my utmost favorite. I actually cannot choose just one. But I can certainly say that Satyabhama and her band of Silver Wolves (Storm and Rain were my favorites of the Wolves) were some of my favorite characters in Sons of Darkness. Their unflinching bravery, loyalty, and their admirable determination to fight against prejudice and control their own destiny as women were nothing short of inspiring. I mean. Due to the sprawling narrative, Satyabhama didn't even appear again after ADHYAYA I for approximately 50% of the book. However, I guarantee you this. Once you're done with the book, Satyabhama and the Silver Wolves will become some of your favorite characters. Their presence was irreplaceable.
‘Women are cursed to suffer, thought Draupadi. None can change that… not with complaints, or prayers, or revolution. But one can spit at life and dare it to hurt you more. Draupadi pondered over the likes of Satyabhama, Storm and the other Silver Wolves. Women who had taken charge of their destinies, women fighting their fate. A losing battle perhaps, but a fight nonetheless.’
It goes without saying that Satyabhama and the Silver Wolves weren't the characters worth highlighting here. In ADHYAYA II: ALL THAT GLITTERS, Mohanty focused the plot on Mati from Kalinga and Karna from Hastina. Karna was a character I felt a bit lukewarm at first, but this opinion instantly vanished after I read the first out of two sets of convergence chapters: SWAYAMVAR PART I and PART II, which I will talk about soon. Mati did not have much of an appearance in Sons of Darkness, but Karna somehow transformed into one of my favorite characters in the book, just like Satyabhama and the Silver Wolves I just talked about. Karna earned so much of my empathy. Though kind-hearted and mighty with his bow, he's frequently ridiculed, hated, and prejudiced simply due to his birth. As I said, being patient is so worth it with this novel. Once you reach the convergence chapters, you will reap the first sequence of rewards.
‘Most ballads say that Luck is a Lady, naked and shapely, reserving her blessings for the most valiant and dashing of heroes. Perhaps this was so as the bards were usually Namins. If Karna had been asked to give his luck a shape, it would have been a female praying mantis, the creature that made love to its mate, then decapitated him and devoured his body for dinner.’
The geopolitical dramas in Sons of Darkness were evidently inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire. But the first and the most dominant evidence of The First Law inspiration can be seen in the master of spies from Hastina, Shakuni, and the name of the chapter that he appeared, which is ADHYAYA III: BEST SERVED COLD. Shakuni is a former tortured prisoner of war that turned into a crippled torturer. Yes, you're right. Shakuni is undoubtedly Glokta-inspired. Initially, I was taken aback by how similar they were. However, after researching Shakuni's background in Mahabharata, I think it is smart to emulate Glokta's style of inner monologues for this character. And as I progressed further into the book, fortunately, their story turned out more and more differently. I love how the author included his main inspirations to Sons of Darkness clearly, and still, he successfully transformed the novel into something that is definitely his own. For example, take a look at the next quote I'm going to show you.
‘It is said that the greatest gift the Gods can give you is to forget about you. And Shishupal wanted nothing more than to spend his life unnoticed by the Gods. A life unnoticed by the Gods is boring and unimaginative, but a happy and long one. And he worked hard to make his life precisely thus.’
If you've read the prologue of Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, you will notice it came from there. And speaking of inspirations, it is time to talk about the main spotlights of the novel. Exactly. It is time to discuss the epic convergences in THE SWAYAMVAR and THE BATTLE OF MATHURA. The SWAYAMVAR: PART I and THE SWAYAMVAR: PART II take place halfway through the book. This is the first instance of Mohanty's incredible action sequences. But have no fear. It shall not be the last. This storytelling structure of including two big epic convergences sequences reminded me of reading a book in Malazan Book of the Fallen. A good example of this is Memories of Ice. In that book, we have Siege of Capustan and Siege of Coral in one big book. THE SWAYAMVAR and THE BATTLE OF MATHURA are what we readers get here, and the results were absolutely pulse-pounding.
‘I know what I said of hate… But vengeance is a sword with a hilt made of jagged glass. You will bleed when you swing this sword. All those kings and their families that I butchered, brought me no peace. No happiness. No satisfaction. Take it from one who has suffered girl, do not walk that path.
I thought the weapons of precise chaos unleashed in THE SWAYAMVAR were destined to be the peak of the novel. I am gratified to be proven wrong by this. Remember this as you read it. If you love THE SWAYAMVAR chapters, what ensues in the ultraviolent BATTLE OF MATHURA will blow your mind away. It definitely did for me. War is coming with merciless malice. Everyone involved in the war has to stop being a lamb and be a wolf instead. As I write this review, I am still not over the intense carnage I read in THE BATTLE OF MATHURA. And just like the other best battle scenes I've read, I don't think I will ever be over it. It was, unquestionably, one of the best war sequences I've ever read in fantasy.
‘A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day.’—Tolkien, Lord of the Rings
With glimpses of The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie in its battles structure, the memorable duel and the battle frenzy in the climax sequence of Sons of Darkness should deservedly be entered into the hall of fame of some of the best battles in fantasy. Seriously, reading the powerfully inspiring battle spirits, the massive detonation of the bellower (similar to Moranth munitions in Malazan Book of the Fallen), and the relentless symphony of blood songs in THE BATTLE OF MATHURA was all-consumingly immersive. Due to the ever-growing quantity of fantasy books I read, it's getting harder for me to feel absolutely riveted in a war sequence within a fantasy novel. But trust me on this. Epic fantasy readers will want to WITNESS this fiery conflagration of emotions. It is truly a breathtaking culmination to Sons of Darkness.
‘There are few things more dangerous than a man who has nothing to lose.’
Before I end this review, I need to mention a few important things. The author has forewarned this in the author's note. Sons of Darkness is an epic grimdark fantasy novel. The novel is certainly not for the faint of heart. The characters are morally grey. None of them are protagonists or antagonists; they are characters trying their best to survive and do what's right according to them. They do questionable things. Although never endlessly bleak and depressing, brutal and violent scenes are evident in the text; pretty much all the harrowing actions you can expect in wars.
‘The end justifies the means... Any end achieved through violence ends in a pit of despair. It is not a destination to aspire to, my friend.’
I've mentioned in this review constantly that this is an epic grimdark fantasy novel. But it is worth remembering that the story in Sons of Darkness, as shown in the colored map drawn by the author at the front of the book, takes place in Ancient India. Mathura, Magadh, Hastina, Panchal, Kalinga, and more settings in this book exists in our world. It is more precise to call Sons of Darkness a historical epic grimdark fantasy novel. Many words and terminologies such as ADHYAYA, SWAYAMVAR, chakras, and mandalas can be researched to enhance reading enjoyment. This counts deities and demigods in Indian mythology like Daevas from Deva, Rakshasa, and mounts like Airavata and Garuda. I can't emphasize this highly enough. All of these, plus the inspirations implementation I explained earlier and the manipulation of the dark prophecy gave Sons of Darkness extra extensive reason why it should be read by historical/grimdark fantasy enthusiasts.
‘A man is not known by the promises he makes but by those he keeps.’
With seven key characters and other well-written supporting characters in 206,000 words, there is a LOT to unpack in Sons of Darkness. I highlighted so many quotes. And I still left out tons of amazing things from the novel in this review. You can't experience the full glory of it through my (or any) review. You have to read this for yourself. The unbreached bastion for grimdark fantasy literature in India has been breached with Mohanty as the lead, and nothing can stop the novel from encompassing the entire world now. Some ballads are inked in blood, and the blood ink in Sons of Darkness has left a permanent mark in the fantasy genre. Valorously retelling Mahabharata by infusing influences from some of the most magnificent epic grimdark fantasy series in the world elevated Sons of Darkness into becoming the new scintillating hidden gem in epic grimdark fantasy. With engaging duel, an exceptional war sequence, lovable and despicable characters, heroic stunts, dark prophecies, meddling gods, and many more, Sons of Darkness is filled with all the makings of a tremendous epic grimdark fantasy. It has reignited my passion for reading grimdark again after a one-year break from it. And to think this is only the first installment! I, and Choco Boy, love being engrossed in this tale from Ancient India, and we can't wait to read the sequel, Dance of Shadows, as soon as possible. Bravo, Gourav Mohanty, for this excellent debut.
P.S:
Thank you so much to Gourav Mohanty and Leadstart for sending me a physical copy (directly printed in India edition) and for doing a great job in publishing Sons of Darkness. It is floppy. The cover art is super stunning. It also comes with a fully colored frontispiece and map. I heard Indian readers who read my reviews or watch my YouTube channel convinced the author and publisher to send me Sons of Darkness, and I would like to thank all of you who did that. Not only has Sons of Darkness become one of my favorite books, but it is also a gorgeously produced paperback. Leadstart, if you're reading this, time to create a hardcover of Sons of Darkness. Everything about it is too good to stay exclusively as a paperback.
Picture: Frontispiece art by Jennifer Bruce
[image]
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
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!
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!
1
Aug 12, 2022
Aug 17, 2022
May 07, 2022
Paperback
1250842468
9781250842466
1250842468
3.89
9,093
Apr 11, 2023
Apr 11, 2023
really liked it
ARC provided by the publisher—Tordotcom—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Judging this by my novella standards, Untethered Sky is one of the ARC provided by the publisher—Tordotcom—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Judging this by my novella standards, Untethered Sky is one of the best standalone novellas I’ve read.
Fonda Lee is one of my favorite authors of all time; if you have followed my reviews and channel for a while, you will know about that. The Green Bone Saga is a refreshing and monumental achievement in the fantasy genre, and ever since I finished it, I promised myself to read every new publication by Fonda Lee. Eventually, I know I will read her books published before The Green Bone Saga, too. When I saw the cover art to Untethered Sky, a standalone novella with a cover art by Jaime Jones, I was immediately intrigued and excited. The cover art to The Green Bone Saga doesn’t do the content of the books justice, and I am so pleased Fonda Lee is finally getting the glorious cover art treatment she deserves with her books. And although novellas usually don’t capture me, and I certainly would STILL prefer this book to be a standalone novel, it is sufficient to say Untethered Sky met my high expectation.
The official blurb says the synopsis nicely. Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family. Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance. Beyond this, I believe it is better for you to experience the story yourself. Untethered Sky is about 160 pages long, and it took me more or less two hours to start and finish. It is a great novella about the bond between humans and animals, vengeance, and loyalty. And if you are searching for a novella with an emotionally impactful ending, this is for you.
Due to the relatively shorter length of the book, it is not a surprise there wasn't enough time to explore many of the characters in the standalone novella beyond the main characters. Ester's relationship with Darius and Zahra was certainly one of the two main focuses of the novella. The other is vengeance against the manticore stated in the blurb. As expected from Fonda Lee, she managed to make me care about Ester and Zahra in such a short amount of time. And, of course, because I loved this standalone novella, I wish it was written as a novel instead of a novella. This is not a fault against the book. It is my pet peeve with practically all novellas. When I end up loving them, and it is already comparatively rare for that to happen, I always want more out of the story. And in my opinion,Untethered Sky would be superior if it received more pages and word count.
Untethered Sky marked the first time I read a book by Fonda Lee that doesn't take place in The Green Bone Saga series. And as a diehard fan of The Green Bone Saga, I will let you know now that Untethered Sky is a different kind of book compared to The Green Bone Saga. First, the novella is told through the first-person perspective of Ester, unlike The Green Bone Saga which uses multiple third-person POV chapters. Untethered Sky is also more high-fantasy in its nature than The Green Bone Saga's urban epic fantasy. And I liked the change in direction here.
But the superb strengths of The Green Bone Saga's storytelling are retained here, even if they were delivered in a different and smaller format. The dynamic between Ester and Zahra was engaging to read, and the terrific action scenes you can expect from Lee's writing are evident in the text. The last chapter was a breathtaking hunt sequence filled with emotions and tension. Plus, it was refreshing to see the implementation of popular creatures in Middle-Eastern mythologies like Roc and Manticore. Whether by Fonda Lee or other authors, Roc and Manticore rarely appear in fantasy books, especially when compared to dragons and other famous DnD creatures.
I loved Untethered Sky. As I said, I do wish the novella was longer, but that's only because I can't get enough of Lee's writing and storytelling quality. Fonda Lee hasn't let me down yet with her books. And I believe this trend will only ceaselessly continue, especially with Jade Shards upcoming publication later this year and more.
You can pre-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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Teri, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
4.5/5 stars
Judging this by my novella standards, Untethered Sky is one of the ARC provided by the publisher—Tordotcom—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Judging this by my novella standards, Untethered Sky is one of the best standalone novellas I’ve read.
“We cannot know the price others pay for their good fortune.”
Fonda Lee is one of my favorite authors of all time; if you have followed my reviews and channel for a while, you will know about that. The Green Bone Saga is a refreshing and monumental achievement in the fantasy genre, and ever since I finished it, I promised myself to read every new publication by Fonda Lee. Eventually, I know I will read her books published before The Green Bone Saga, too. When I saw the cover art to Untethered Sky, a standalone novella with a cover art by Jaime Jones, I was immediately intrigued and excited. The cover art to The Green Bone Saga doesn’t do the content of the books justice, and I am so pleased Fonda Lee is finally getting the glorious cover art treatment she deserves with her books. And although novellas usually don’t capture me, and I certainly would STILL prefer this book to be a standalone novel, it is sufficient to say Untethered Sky met my high expectation.
“When I was thirteen years old, I learned that when disaster arrives, it does so without omen or portent. The truly terrible moments strike us the way a roc strikes its prey— without warning, out of the clear blue sky.”
The official blurb says the synopsis nicely. Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family. Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance. Beyond this, I believe it is better for you to experience the story yourself. Untethered Sky is about 160 pages long, and it took me more or less two hours to start and finish. It is a great novella about the bond between humans and animals, vengeance, and loyalty. And if you are searching for a novella with an emotionally impactful ending, this is for you.
“People have admired rocs for centuries. Artists paint them, sculpt them, tell stories about them. I wanted to be one. I wanted to be the monster that kills other monsters.”
Due to the relatively shorter length of the book, it is not a surprise there wasn't enough time to explore many of the characters in the standalone novella beyond the main characters. Ester's relationship with Darius and Zahra was certainly one of the two main focuses of the novella. The other is vengeance against the manticore stated in the blurb. As expected from Fonda Lee, she managed to make me care about Ester and Zahra in such a short amount of time. And, of course, because I loved this standalone novella, I wish it was written as a novel instead of a novella. This is not a fault against the book. It is my pet peeve with practically all novellas. When I end up loving them, and it is already comparatively rare for that to happen, I always want more out of the story. And in my opinion,Untethered Sky would be superior if it received more pages and word count.
“My love was entirely possessive. When you love a person, you are expected to give them their freedom, but when you love a monster, you keep it caged. A monster can’t love you back, so there’s none of the guilt of a reciprocal relationship. You’re already subjugated. You’re already holding yourself captive in a cruel way, so you justify whatever unusual bonds you level in return.”
Untethered Sky marked the first time I read a book by Fonda Lee that doesn't take place in The Green Bone Saga series. And as a diehard fan of The Green Bone Saga, I will let you know now that Untethered Sky is a different kind of book compared to The Green Bone Saga. First, the novella is told through the first-person perspective of Ester, unlike The Green Bone Saga which uses multiple third-person POV chapters. Untethered Sky is also more high-fantasy in its nature than The Green Bone Saga's urban epic fantasy. And I liked the change in direction here.
“A person might pass a tree on the path every day and not notice it until it springs fruit at a time they’re hungry.”
But the superb strengths of The Green Bone Saga's storytelling are retained here, even if they were delivered in a different and smaller format. The dynamic between Ester and Zahra was engaging to read, and the terrific action scenes you can expect from Lee's writing are evident in the text. The last chapter was a breathtaking hunt sequence filled with emotions and tension. Plus, it was refreshing to see the implementation of popular creatures in Middle-Eastern mythologies like Roc and Manticore. Whether by Fonda Lee or other authors, Roc and Manticore rarely appear in fantasy books, especially when compared to dragons and other famous DnD creatures.
I loved Untethered Sky. As I said, I do wish the novella was longer, but that's only because I can't get enough of Lee's writing and storytelling quality. Fonda Lee hasn't let me down yet with her books. And I believe this trend will only ceaselessly continue, especially with Jade Shards upcoming publication later this year and more.
“And then she was aloft. It seems impossible, when you think about it. How something so huge can conquer gravity. But we’ve always known that rocs are more than mere birds. There’s a reason they’re the subject of myths, why they adorn royal crests and are carved into the sides of temples.”
You can pre-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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Michael, Miracle, Nicholas, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Teri, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Mar 07, 2023
Mar 07, 2023
May 02, 2022
Hardcover
1938570375
9781938570377
1938570375
4.48
61,681
Jul 01, 2023
Jul 01, 2023
it was amazing
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.
This was utterly brilliant and satisfying. Yumi and the N This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.
This was utterly brilliant and satisfying. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter will be the best of the secret project novels, and it is easily one of Sanderson’s finest books in his career.
Since its announcement, the third secret project novel by Brandon Sanderson, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, was already on my list of most anticipated books. It IS my most anticipated book of the secret project novels. This is due to two reasons. First, Sanderson has mentioned that the manga/anime Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta (writer) and Takeshi Obata (illustrator) is one of the main inspirations behind this new Cosmere novel. Hikaru no Go is another childhood favorite of mine, and I knew this would bode well for me. And, of course, the other reason, Aliya Chen is the designated illustrator for this book. Aliya Chen is one of the best artists I have come across. You do not need to hear my words on how amazing she is at her art. Check out her artwork portfolio. Or, to put it more simply, read this book and witness her illustrations. Suffice it to say I had high expectations and excitement going into this book, and still, I was astounded. The inspirations that gave birth to this novel are all stories I cherished. I, as some of you might know, LOVE video games, manga, anime, and books. As it turns out, not only Hikaru no Go, but the anime Kimi no Nawa (Your Name) and the video game Final Fantasy X influenced the creation of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as well. And as a big fan of Sanderson’s Cosmere books plus these three main inspirations, this is a knock-out book for me.
Two locations. Two protagonists. Duality, contrast, and cooperation are evident in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. In the city of Kilahito, a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares, Nikaro (Painter) works as a nightmare painter. While in Torio, a land of light, gardens, meditation, and spirits, we follow Yumi as a traveling yoki-hijo—a rare priestess capable of summoning and commanding spirits to serve Torio’s inhabitants through rituals and stacking stones. Suddenly, an event unpredictably intertwined their lives together in ways they never imagined. In Torio, Painter now appears to others as though he is Yumi, and Yumi turns into a disembodied spirit visible only to him. In Kilahito, the reverse situation occurred. Both of them must put aside their differences and work together to learn each other's jobs and skills to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save their respective communities from a predicted imminent disaster.
That’s pretty much the premise, and if you have read or watched Hikaru no Go, you will see the intentional similarities here. In Hikaru no Go, the main character Hikaru finds a haunted Go board someday. The Go board is haunted by a ghost named Sai, the emperor’s former Go teacher in the Heian era. But Sai doesn’t have a physical body of his own to control. He is dead. He is trapped in Hikaru’s mind, and he tells him which move to use every time Hikaru plays Go. You can probably imagine the several frustrations that came from Sai and Hikaru’s circumstances. This is the kind of dynamics and struggles Sanderson implements into Yumi and Painter's story. The story is once again told through the narration of Hoid, but do not expect this to be done in the same voice as Hoid’s in Tress of the Emerald Sea. It is different, and it works amazingly for the narrative and atmosphere. And I should really point this out. Even though Hoid is narrating here, the entire book is, without a shadow of a doubt, Yumi and Painter’s story. We read from their POV like usual, hear their thoughts, and feel their emotions. However, we get the occasional commentary, interruptions, and philosophical musings from Hoid. For me, there was never any dull moment in this book. Even though it is a different kind of Cosmere novel, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter remain Sanderson's storytelling at its prime.
Even in Tress of the Emerald Sea, which I highly enjoyed, a few sections in that book felt a bit dragging, in my opinion. That wasn’t the case with Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. It was thoroughly compelling, and the book was incredibly well-paced. I applaud other readers who started and finished this book in a day or two and then immediately proceeded to talk about the book in detail online. Granted, I failed to prolong my reading of this book as well. But I certainly savored every page. And upon finishing it, I was left dazed, charmed, and positively bewildered. I still am at the time of making this review. I was mesmerized by the buildup, execution, and entire narrative that eventually led to a form of Sanderlanche finished by a hugely satisfying ending. Do not expect actions or battle scenes here. A form of Sanderlanche is existent in the last portion of the book, no doubt about that, but at its core, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a beautiful, relatable, and charming slow-burn story about the connection and relationship development between two individuals with different personality and upbringings. And yes, I absolutely love the two main characters: Painter and Yumi.
Although Painter and Yumi are characters of opposite personalities and backgrounds, they have attitudes, mentality, and struggles I can relate to. I read Mistborn Trilogy for the first time in September 2016, and although it’s almost seven years since I read Sanderson’s books for the first time, I still think, to this day, he is one of the greatest authors when it comes to characterizations and development. I found Painter to be a genuine character. He strives to fix things. To do right. The issues he’s dealing with revolve around loneliness, his own value as an individual, and the insurmountable pressure he faces. It’s not only Painter. I find this to be so relatable to our society. Often, but not always, we are valued and treated based on what service we can offer and provide to other people. If we fail these services, the result can be devastating sometimes. Dismissal. Ignored. Oblivion. These were several issues Painter is dealing with, and that resonated a lot with me. I assume other readers will, too. His insecurity, his aspiration to be needed, to do good, and of course, his passion for art.
Yumi, in her own way, encounters this issue of having her value determined by her service as a yoki-hijo. She follows tradition as strictly as possible, with no room for freedom. Because of this, for me, Yumi did take a bit of time to like as a character. Initially, she was uptight and strict with her ritual and rules. This, however, does not mean she ever behaved out of character. This first impression is stringed with the gradual character development she went through together with Painter, which gave rewarding results to their relationship and, more importantly, the reader's reading experience. As I said, compromise and empathy are some of the main themes in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the name Yumi is most likely inspired by Yuna in Final Fantasy X video game. Yuna works as a summoner and is one of the two main characters in Final Fantasy X. At the same time, the name Yumi matches the name of one of the creators of Hikaru no Go, Yumi Hotta, the writer. Tidus, the other main character in Final Fantasy X, is a blitzball player. Tidus, a blitzball player, and Yuna, a summoner. Nikaro, a painter, and Yumi, a yoki-hijo. This is practically where Final Fantasy X came in as an inspiration for this novel.
There are a few similarities between the pair Nikaro-Yumi and Tidus-Yuna. And I loved it, especially the slow-burn romance between each pair. Some of you might already know I am not a reader of romance novels. And yes, this book can definitely be categorized as one. But Sanderson deftly handled the balance between plotting, mystery, characterizations, world-building, fantastical aspects, and romance. The romance never overwhelmed the other spotlights of the novel for me. And I will argue that the romantic scene here is relatively few. I understand each reader’s tastes are different, but from my analysis, only someone who despises having any tiny moments of romance in their books will hate this. The majority of this book is just about relationship development. Building characters. Understanding each other. It is a standard human connection. It is believable. And it is well-written. Life is not made up of a few colors. It is brimming with multitudes of emotions, good or bad. Relating to how Tidus and Yuna complement each other, Nikaro and Yumi bring their missing colors and puzzles to complete each other. Not instantly, but gradually. Through hard work, effort, and patience. And I love the two of them. Assuming we are not talking about teenagers, I personally think Sanderson is excellent at writing romantic relationships between characters. Vin and Elend. Wax and Steris. Suri and Susebron. And now Nikaro and Yumi. This is also why I generally prefer slow-burn romance much more over insta-love. I am not saying insta-love is not believable, but in books I read, I tend to prefer connections being nurtured, navigated, and fought for first before the two characters in question become a couple.
Through Nikaro and Yumi and their interactions with the supporting characters, the resonating themes of friendship, responsibility, loneliness, freedom, the need to belong, and art shine through. As you can expect from Sanderson's writing, his prose remains accessible, engaging, and vivid. Although some readers have felt dissatisfied with Sanderson's prose, I always love his writing and storytelling style. His writing is vivid, and the scenes are constantly easy to visualize in my mind, with emotionally impactful and hard-hitting passages placed at the right moment. One of the things I love most about reading, illustrations, and art, in general, is the feeling of being impressed with human creation and creativity after experiencing the emotional effect of the art. A cooking machine that succeeded at creating a noodle will never top me feeling awed by a chef cooking a delicious noodle for me. Or even better, a delicious noodle I cook myself. Similar to The Emperor’s Soul novella, another Asian-inspired fantasy story by Brandon Sanderson that I cherished, one of the main themes of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is art, its creation, recipients, and what it means. For these reasons, this is why I will ALWAYS prefer human-created art over AI art. I want to feel awed by the story and illustrations painstakingly built by a fellow human. Sanderson handled this topic and theme magnificently in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and it is one of the big reasons I adore this book.
Everything about Yumi and the Nightmare Painter click with me. The mystery was intriguing, the characters were lovable, the world-building was intricate, and the writing was compelling. And as an Asian reader, it goes without saying that I have an affinity toward Asian-inspired fantasy books. The anime Your Name is one of the inspirations behind this book. The well-realized world-building in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is Japanese and Korean-inspired. Japan and Korea are two countries I visited in the past for holidays, and they remain strong as some of the most memorable experiences for me. And through this experience, Kilahito really feels like modern Tokyo (probably going back a bit in the past) in my mind, and honestly, I thought the setting in Yumi's story was, too. However, Sanderson has mentioned that Yumi's world is inspired by historical Korea rather than Japan. And Sanderson, as proven in The Emperor’s Soul and now this, is bloody good at writing Asian-inspired fantasy books. The clothing, the setting, the cultures, the food, the eternal night and day. The azure and magenta. It is all so atmospheric and imaginable. I hope Sanderson will contemplate writing more Asian-inspired fantasy books in the Cosmere.
As usual, when it comes to every new book in the Cosmere now, people will ask, which books you must read before you start reading this? I’m happy to say, for once, none. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter can be read and enjoyed without reading other books in the Cosmere. Hear me out. I am someone who is very sensitive about spoilers. And yes, first-time readers of Brandon Sanderson or Cosmere will miss out on understanding the Cosmere terminologies and who Design is if they start here. But honestly, if the reader hasn’t read The Stormlight Archive yet, none of these actually count as spoilers. A relatively very minor spoiler, too, if we count some things I can't say here. I’m caught up with all the Cosmere books, and the knowledge I had from reading The Stormlight Archive did not significantly enhance my reading experience of this one. Some readers will and have argued you must read up to Rhythm of War before reading Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. I understand the sentiment, but this is a bit crazy. The effort and reward of doing this are imbalanced. You can’t possibly expect readers to read 4000 pages (currently almost 2,000,000 words) long of books to have a small benefit in reading this 110,000 words long standalone novel. That would make Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as a standalone novel inaccessible to many readers, which I’m pretty sure is not Sanderson’s intention. This is a standalone novel. You WILL benefit from reading other books in the Cosmere first, no doubt about that, especially The Stormlight Archive. But a requirement? I don’t think so. From now on, I will actually recommend Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as one of the good starting points in Cosmere. Especially if that specific reader is looking for a standalone novel.
Lastly, Aliya Chen (the illustrator behind Yumi and the Nightmare Painter) deserves a standing ovation. No offense to Howard Lyon and Steve Argyle, the illustrator behind Tress of the Emerald Sea and The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook For Surviving Medieval England. I loved their contribution, and their illustrations were compatible with the books they were in charge of. But based on my experience, history, and preference, Aliya Chen’s illustrations reigned as the best out of the secret projects so far. It is my favorite, and I think Aliya will still reign even after the last secret novel is published. Some readers might consider Aliya Chen fortunate to have the opportunity to work on Sanderson’s books. The way I see it, it is the other way around. For me, well, I am a happy spectator. Sanderson's book is now filled with one of my favorite artist’s illustrations! I have nothing to complain about here. Similar to my experience reading Sanderson's books, I have been an enthusiast of Aliya Chen’s illustrations for years. This collaboration feels like a match made in the Cosmere. No words are sufficient enough to convey how much I love the stunning artwork in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. The lighting, the facial features, the characters, the tones, the mood; everything was superbly done. That feeling of finding an artist delivering illustrations that capture or exceed the quality of my own imagination always feels like a blessing to me, and that notion has been achieved here. Aliya’s artworks undoubtedly elevated the overall quality of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter to a higher plane. A picture speaks a thousand words. Including front and rear endpaper in the equation, there are 24 interior illustrations inside this book. I have shared two of them in this review. As for the rest, you have to witness them for yourself.
Stories like this are a necessity for me. While it is true that the book is devoid of massive epic fantasy battles, conflicts, and political intrigues found in other Cosmere books, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter triumphed as the best standalone novel by Brandon Sanderson. For me, this top over Elantris, Warbreaker, and The Emperor’s Soul. Wholesome, romantic, intimate, atmospheric, immersive, and timeless. The inspirations, Aliya Chen's illustrations, and Sanderson's brilliant storytelling and creativity are a union resulting in the immaculately crafted Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. This book intensified why Cosmere is one of my favorite fantasy universes. We decide what counts as art. Books. Paintings. Illustrations. Anime. Storytelling. We have the freedom and power to place a personal and intimate value on any specific art. And for me, the value of art as incredible as Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is priceless. So thank you so much, Brandon Sanderson and Emily Sanderson, for sharing this story for us to read and emotionally experience.
You can pre-order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
Quotes and images I chose to include were cut out from this review due to exceeding the characters limit on Goodreads. You can find my full review here 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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
This was utterly brilliant and satisfying. Yumi and the N This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.
This was utterly brilliant and satisfying. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter will be the best of the secret project novels, and it is easily one of Sanderson’s finest books in his career.
Since its announcement, the third secret project novel by Brandon Sanderson, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, was already on my list of most anticipated books. It IS my most anticipated book of the secret project novels. This is due to two reasons. First, Sanderson has mentioned that the manga/anime Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta (writer) and Takeshi Obata (illustrator) is one of the main inspirations behind this new Cosmere novel. Hikaru no Go is another childhood favorite of mine, and I knew this would bode well for me. And, of course, the other reason, Aliya Chen is the designated illustrator for this book. Aliya Chen is one of the best artists I have come across. You do not need to hear my words on how amazing she is at her art. Check out her artwork portfolio. Or, to put it more simply, read this book and witness her illustrations. Suffice it to say I had high expectations and excitement going into this book, and still, I was astounded. The inspirations that gave birth to this novel are all stories I cherished. I, as some of you might know, LOVE video games, manga, anime, and books. As it turns out, not only Hikaru no Go, but the anime Kimi no Nawa (Your Name) and the video game Final Fantasy X influenced the creation of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as well. And as a big fan of Sanderson’s Cosmere books plus these three main inspirations, this is a knock-out book for me.
Two locations. Two protagonists. Duality, contrast, and cooperation are evident in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. In the city of Kilahito, a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares, Nikaro (Painter) works as a nightmare painter. While in Torio, a land of light, gardens, meditation, and spirits, we follow Yumi as a traveling yoki-hijo—a rare priestess capable of summoning and commanding spirits to serve Torio’s inhabitants through rituals and stacking stones. Suddenly, an event unpredictably intertwined their lives together in ways they never imagined. In Torio, Painter now appears to others as though he is Yumi, and Yumi turns into a disembodied spirit visible only to him. In Kilahito, the reverse situation occurred. Both of them must put aside their differences and work together to learn each other's jobs and skills to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save their respective communities from a predicted imminent disaster.
“Human beings are bundles of emotion puppeting muscles like a marionette. We emote not only with our bodies, but with our very souls.”
That’s pretty much the premise, and if you have read or watched Hikaru no Go, you will see the intentional similarities here. In Hikaru no Go, the main character Hikaru finds a haunted Go board someday. The Go board is haunted by a ghost named Sai, the emperor’s former Go teacher in the Heian era. But Sai doesn’t have a physical body of his own to control. He is dead. He is trapped in Hikaru’s mind, and he tells him which move to use every time Hikaru plays Go. You can probably imagine the several frustrations that came from Sai and Hikaru’s circumstances. This is the kind of dynamics and struggles Sanderson implements into Yumi and Painter's story. The story is once again told through the narration of Hoid, but do not expect this to be done in the same voice as Hoid’s in Tress of the Emerald Sea. It is different, and it works amazingly for the narrative and atmosphere. And I should really point this out. Even though Hoid is narrating here, the entire book is, without a shadow of a doubt, Yumi and Painter’s story. We read from their POV like usual, hear their thoughts, and feel their emotions. However, we get the occasional commentary, interruptions, and philosophical musings from Hoid. For me, there was never any dull moment in this book. Even though it is a different kind of Cosmere novel, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter remain Sanderson's storytelling at its prime.
Even in Tress of the Emerald Sea, which I highly enjoyed, a few sections in that book felt a bit dragging, in my opinion. That wasn’t the case with Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. It was thoroughly compelling, and the book was incredibly well-paced. I applaud other readers who started and finished this book in a day or two and then immediately proceeded to talk about the book in detail online. Granted, I failed to prolong my reading of this book as well. But I certainly savored every page. And upon finishing it, I was left dazed, charmed, and positively bewildered. I still am at the time of making this review. I was mesmerized by the buildup, execution, and entire narrative that eventually led to a form of Sanderlanche finished by a hugely satisfying ending. Do not expect actions or battle scenes here. A form of Sanderlanche is existent in the last portion of the book, no doubt about that, but at its core, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a beautiful, relatable, and charming slow-burn story about the connection and relationship development between two individuals with different personality and upbringings. And yes, I absolutely love the two main characters: Painter and Yumi.
Although Painter and Yumi are characters of opposite personalities and backgrounds, they have attitudes, mentality, and struggles I can relate to. I read Mistborn Trilogy for the first time in September 2016, and although it’s almost seven years since I read Sanderson’s books for the first time, I still think, to this day, he is one of the greatest authors when it comes to characterizations and development. I found Painter to be a genuine character. He strives to fix things. To do right. The issues he’s dealing with revolve around loneliness, his own value as an individual, and the insurmountable pressure he faces. It’s not only Painter. I find this to be so relatable to our society. Often, but not always, we are valued and treated based on what service we can offer and provide to other people. If we fail these services, the result can be devastating sometimes. Dismissal. Ignored. Oblivion. These were several issues Painter is dealing with, and that resonated a lot with me. I assume other readers will, too. His insecurity, his aspiration to be needed, to do good, and of course, his passion for art.
Yumi, in her own way, encounters this issue of having her value determined by her service as a yoki-hijo. She follows tradition as strictly as possible, with no room for freedom. Because of this, for me, Yumi did take a bit of time to like as a character. Initially, she was uptight and strict with her ritual and rules. This, however, does not mean she ever behaved out of character. This first impression is stringed with the gradual character development she went through together with Painter, which gave rewarding results to their relationship and, more importantly, the reader's reading experience. As I said, compromise and empathy are some of the main themes in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the name Yumi is most likely inspired by Yuna in Final Fantasy X video game. Yuna works as a summoner and is one of the two main characters in Final Fantasy X. At the same time, the name Yumi matches the name of one of the creators of Hikaru no Go, Yumi Hotta, the writer. Tidus, the other main character in Final Fantasy X, is a blitzball player. Tidus, a blitzball player, and Yuna, a summoner. Nikaro, a painter, and Yumi, a yoki-hijo. This is practically where Final Fantasy X came in as an inspiration for this novel.
“It’s a common mistake to assume that someone is weak because they are accommodating. If you think this, you might be the type who has no idea how much effort— how much strength— it takes to put up with your nonsense. Yumi wasn’t weak. She wasn’t a pushover. Don’t assume fragility where you should see patience.”
There are a few similarities between the pair Nikaro-Yumi and Tidus-Yuna. And I loved it, especially the slow-burn romance between each pair. Some of you might already know I am not a reader of romance novels. And yes, this book can definitely be categorized as one. But Sanderson deftly handled the balance between plotting, mystery, characterizations, world-building, fantastical aspects, and romance. The romance never overwhelmed the other spotlights of the novel for me. And I will argue that the romantic scene here is relatively few. I understand each reader’s tastes are different, but from my analysis, only someone who despises having any tiny moments of romance in their books will hate this. The majority of this book is just about relationship development. Building characters. Understanding each other. It is a standard human connection. It is believable. And it is well-written. Life is not made up of a few colors. It is brimming with multitudes of emotions, good or bad. Relating to how Tidus and Yuna complement each other, Nikaro and Yumi bring their missing colors and puzzles to complete each other. Not instantly, but gradually. Through hard work, effort, and patience. And I love the two of them. Assuming we are not talking about teenagers, I personally think Sanderson is excellent at writing romantic relationships between characters. Vin and Elend. Wax and Steris. Suri and Susebron. And now Nikaro and Yumi. This is also why I generally prefer slow-burn romance much more over insta-love. I am not saying insta-love is not believable, but in books I read, I tend to prefer connections being nurtured, navigated, and fought for first before the two characters in question become a couple.
Through Nikaro and Yumi and their interactions with the supporting characters, the resonating themes of friendship, responsibility, loneliness, freedom, the need to belong, and art shine through. As you can expect from Sanderson's writing, his prose remains accessible, engaging, and vivid. Although some readers have felt dissatisfied with Sanderson's prose, I always love his writing and storytelling style. His writing is vivid, and the scenes are constantly easy to visualize in my mind, with emotionally impactful and hard-hitting passages placed at the right moment. One of the things I love most about reading, illustrations, and art, in general, is the feeling of being impressed with human creation and creativity after experiencing the emotional effect of the art. A cooking machine that succeeded at creating a noodle will never top me feeling awed by a chef cooking a delicious noodle for me. Or even better, a delicious noodle I cook myself. Similar to The Emperor’s Soul novella, another Asian-inspired fantasy story by Brandon Sanderson that I cherished, one of the main themes of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is art, its creation, recipients, and what it means. For these reasons, this is why I will ALWAYS prefer human-created art over AI art. I want to feel awed by the story and illustrations painstakingly built by a fellow human. Sanderson handled this topic and theme magnificently in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and it is one of the big reasons I adore this book.
Everything about Yumi and the Nightmare Painter click with me. The mystery was intriguing, the characters were lovable, the world-building was intricate, and the writing was compelling. And as an Asian reader, it goes without saying that I have an affinity toward Asian-inspired fantasy books. The anime Your Name is one of the inspirations behind this book. The well-realized world-building in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is Japanese and Korean-inspired. Japan and Korea are two countries I visited in the past for holidays, and they remain strong as some of the most memorable experiences for me. And through this experience, Kilahito really feels like modern Tokyo (probably going back a bit in the past) in my mind, and honestly, I thought the setting in Yumi's story was, too. However, Sanderson has mentioned that Yumi's world is inspired by historical Korea rather than Japan. And Sanderson, as proven in The Emperor’s Soul and now this, is bloody good at writing Asian-inspired fantasy books. The clothing, the setting, the cultures, the food, the eternal night and day. The azure and magenta. It is all so atmospheric and imaginable. I hope Sanderson will contemplate writing more Asian-inspired fantasy books in the Cosmere.
As usual, when it comes to every new book in the Cosmere now, people will ask, which books you must read before you start reading this? I’m happy to say, for once, none. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter can be read and enjoyed without reading other books in the Cosmere. Hear me out. I am someone who is very sensitive about spoilers. And yes, first-time readers of Brandon Sanderson or Cosmere will miss out on understanding the Cosmere terminologies and who Design is if they start here. But honestly, if the reader hasn’t read The Stormlight Archive yet, none of these actually count as spoilers. A relatively very minor spoiler, too, if we count some things I can't say here. I’m caught up with all the Cosmere books, and the knowledge I had from reading The Stormlight Archive did not significantly enhance my reading experience of this one. Some readers will and have argued you must read up to Rhythm of War before reading Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. I understand the sentiment, but this is a bit crazy. The effort and reward of doing this are imbalanced. You can’t possibly expect readers to read 4000 pages (currently almost 2,000,000 words) long of books to have a small benefit in reading this 110,000 words long standalone novel. That would make Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as a standalone novel inaccessible to many readers, which I’m pretty sure is not Sanderson’s intention. This is a standalone novel. You WILL benefit from reading other books in the Cosmere first, no doubt about that, especially The Stormlight Archive. But a requirement? I don’t think so. From now on, I will actually recommend Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as one of the good starting points in Cosmere. Especially if that specific reader is looking for a standalone novel.
Lastly, Aliya Chen (the illustrator behind Yumi and the Nightmare Painter) deserves a standing ovation. No offense to Howard Lyon and Steve Argyle, the illustrator behind Tress of the Emerald Sea and The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook For Surviving Medieval England. I loved their contribution, and their illustrations were compatible with the books they were in charge of. But based on my experience, history, and preference, Aliya Chen’s illustrations reigned as the best out of the secret projects so far. It is my favorite, and I think Aliya will still reign even after the last secret novel is published. Some readers might consider Aliya Chen fortunate to have the opportunity to work on Sanderson’s books. The way I see it, it is the other way around. For me, well, I am a happy spectator. Sanderson's book is now filled with one of my favorite artist’s illustrations! I have nothing to complain about here. Similar to my experience reading Sanderson's books, I have been an enthusiast of Aliya Chen’s illustrations for years. This collaboration feels like a match made in the Cosmere. No words are sufficient enough to convey how much I love the stunning artwork in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. The lighting, the facial features, the characters, the tones, the mood; everything was superbly done. That feeling of finding an artist delivering illustrations that capture or exceed the quality of my own imagination always feels like a blessing to me, and that notion has been achieved here. Aliya’s artworks undoubtedly elevated the overall quality of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter to a higher plane. A picture speaks a thousand words. Including front and rear endpaper in the equation, there are 24 interior illustrations inside this book. I have shared two of them in this review. As for the rest, you have to witness them for yourself.
Stories like this are a necessity for me. While it is true that the book is devoid of massive epic fantasy battles, conflicts, and political intrigues found in other Cosmere books, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter triumphed as the best standalone novel by Brandon Sanderson. For me, this top over Elantris, Warbreaker, and The Emperor’s Soul. Wholesome, romantic, intimate, atmospheric, immersive, and timeless. The inspirations, Aliya Chen's illustrations, and Sanderson's brilliant storytelling and creativity are a union resulting in the immaculately crafted Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. This book intensified why Cosmere is one of my favorite fantasy universes. We decide what counts as art. Books. Paintings. Illustrations. Anime. Storytelling. We have the freedom and power to place a personal and intimate value on any specific art. And for me, the value of art as incredible as Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is priceless. So thank you so much, Brandon Sanderson and Emily Sanderson, for sharing this story for us to read and emotionally experience.
You can pre-order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
Quotes and images I chose to include were cut out from this review due to exceeding the characters limit on Goodreads. You can find my full review here 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, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jul 03, 2023
Jul 05, 2023
Mar 03, 2022
Hardcover
4.39
155,914
Jan 10, 2023
Apr 04, 2023
really liked it
4.5/5 stars
Tress of the Emerald Sea was simply whimsical and wonderful. Starting the year 2023 with the first secret novel from The Year of Sanderson 4.5/5 stars
Tress of the Emerald Sea was simply whimsical and wonderful. Starting the year 2023 with the first secret novel from The Year of Sanderson is the correct action for me.
The time is here. The first of the four awaited secret project novels, Tress of the Emerald Sea, by Brandon Sanderson is here. If you're active in the fantasy community, or even if you're not, it is no longer news that Sanderson has shocked the world with the immense success of his four secret novels Kickstarter campaign. I mean, number one most pledged Kickstarter campaign of all time; it doesn’t get more successful than that. And it shouldn’t also come as a shock that I, as a longtime fan of his Cosmere novels, end up enjoying Tress of the Emerald Sea. I wanted to start my year with a great book, and choosing this book as the first novel of 2023 (as I said) was the right pick. Sanderson plus a full-length Cosmere novel is a formula that never ceases to impress me. What I did not expect, however, was just how visually beautiful Tress of the Emerald Sea would be. I am pleasantly surprised. I am glad the past Petrik decided to buy four premium hardcover editions of the secret novels, and I am eternally thankful to my co-blogger, TS, for covering the expense of the shipping fee. Without TS, I do not think I would cave into buying the premium hardcover editions, and I would regret it so much. I will go into more details on this later, but at $40 per secret novel (not counting the shipping fee) and for everything we get, this special edition can be considered, relatively, a bargain. This is on top of it being such a fun and cozy book to read.
All her life on an island named The Rock in the emerald-green ocean, Tress lived a simple life with the simple pleasures of collecting cups received from sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend, Charlie. But when Charlie’s father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must leave her simple life to stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Although I expected to love this book, I was initially worried after reading the first few chapters. Note the word ship in the official premise. Sailing and seafaring dominated the majority of Tress of the Emerald Sea. Personally, I tend to have mixed feelings about fantasy books with a heavy focus on seafaring unless they're The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb and The Tide Child trilogy by R.J. Barker. And there were indeed some sections here where I felt a bit of a lull because of this. However, my overall experience was fun. Most of the time, it was difficult for me to stay away from the book. Sanderson's prose and the relatively short length of the novel, plus its short chapters, made it easy for me to steal-read one or two chapters whenever I had some free time. This was a delightful book about human beings, contradictions, leadership, found family, stories, love, bravery, and empathy.
Before reading Tress of the Emerald Sea, I did not read any of the secret novel preview chapters. However, based on the known artists and the title or premise of the four novels, Tress of the Emerald ranked third out of four. I am interested in all four, but I am most excited about the third and fourth secret novels. Based on these, the first two secret novels felt like they would be the most tonally different from Sanderson's other Cosmere books. Having read all published Cosmere stories, including this one, I can convey that Tress of the Emerald Sea has proved it. Sanderson has mentioned that The Princess Bride is one of the main inspirations behind this book. Another good comparison for what kind of tone you're getting here is Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. So it is time to admit something. I haven't read or watched The Princess Bride yet, but I have watched Good Omens. And I think Sanderson nailed the comparison he's going for. The storytelling is whimsical and light-hearted in tone but also imbued with clever philosophical nuggets and serious themes occasionally. I loved the novel for it. I don't think I would've liked it this much if it was just all fun and joy all the way through. Sanderson's comedy, especially when the narrative involves young adult characters, doesn't land well with me often. But his hard-hitting and thought-provoking passages? That's another story. Sanderson may not have flowery prose, but the words he put on the pages of his novel frequently hit and became passages I think about daily. A few examples from this book are:
And also these two long passages about memories.
Although possible, it wouldn't feel organic to have these kinds of passages appearing throughout the book if the novel is told through the first-person or third-person perspective of Tress. These were effective because the entire story in Tress of the Emerald Sea is narrated through Hoid's perspective. Hoid is an integral character in Sanderson's Cosmere universe. And we, Cosmere fans, are all waiting for Hoid's origin story. Sanderson mentioned he wanted to practice and be more fluent at writing Hoid's perspective before that backstory novel happened, and this is the book where it came to fruition. This won't, however, be how the story is told eventually in Hoid's backstory novel. It will definitely be less whimsical. But to give you an idea of the kind of voice Sanderson is giving Hoid in this book, if you've read The Stormlight Archive series, this is more in tune with the unforgettable "Wandersail" and "The Dog and the Dragon" stories Hoid told in the series. A full-length version of that kind of in-world story. I absolutely loved "Wandersail" and "The Dog and the Dragon," and obviously, I ended up loving Tress of the Emerald Sea as well.
So yes, we get to learn more about Hoid and the Cosmere (more on this in the next paragraph) inside this book. But at the end of the day, even though this is told through Hoid's perspective, Tress of the Emerald Sea is still a standalone story about Tress and her adventures. I mentioned The Stormlight Archive earlier, and I am no stranger to voicing how much I love the Bridge Four group in the series. The found family trope is one of the many things Sanderson executed extremely well in The Stormlight Archive and the first Mistborn trilogy. And he managed to craft another cherishable found family in this book. Tress, Huck, Fort, Salay, and all the characters are well-written and likable characters. The Deaf character representation was written with the help of a special sensitivity reader to do it justice, too. And hey, for the first time in the Cosmere, we finally get to see a real dragon. As Tress and the crew of the ship she's in face danger constantly, the bonds between them grow deeper and deeper. My investment in them, too. And upon reaching the last page, I can't help but hope we will get more stories or appearances from these characters eventually. Knowing how connected with each other the Cosmere is now, I'm confident we will.
Speaking of Cosmere connections, and because people will ask me this question, should you read other Cosmere books first? Tress of the Emerald Sea is a standalone story in the world of Lumar. This marks the first time we get a book taking place in this world in the Cosmere. Like always, it is not necessary to read the other Cosmere books first to enjoy the main story here. But will you benefit from reading them? Yes, you will. I talk about this already in my review of The Lost Metal. But moving forward, Sanderson's future publications in the Cosmere universe, especially the ones taking place after book 5 of The Stormlight Archive, will most likely have heavy Cosmere crossovers. If you intend to read all of Sanderson's Cosmere books, it is a good idea to start catching up reading them if you want to reap all the connections. As for this book, reading the entirety of The Mistborn Saga so far will be beneficial. Additionally, there were a few small nods to the magic or technology portrayed in Warbreaker, Elantris, and The Stormlight Archive. I will leave it to you to decide whether you want to read them first or not. There is no spoiler for these three series. Also, although not the primary planet of the magic and there is no main novel for it yet, aethers and its explosive potential are explored here.
One more thing before I end this review. I will update this once I have the physical copy, but right now, even the ebook of the premium edition alone is exquisitely made. Unless the paper quality of the physical copy sucks, which is so doubtful, I can vouch that the $40 I spent on getting this book is well spent. Maybe too well spent. It is almost ridiculous. You won’t get a premium/special edition like this with only $40 anywhere else. If Subterranean Press or Grim Oak Press publishes a book like this, I guarantee it will cost at least $200 (not counting the shipping fee and customs fee yet). The stunning design and the more than ten interior artworks (four fully colored art and the rest in green-toned black and white) by Howard Lyon enhanced the quality of the aesthetic and the tale. They are magnificent. And I am brimming with excitement waiting for the physical copy to arrive at my place. And if the first secret novel already reaches this level of production value, I want to read and find out what the other three will look like. Rest assured, in this review, I leave out some surprises in the clever design and artwork inside this book for you to find out for yourself.
Whether aesthetically or narrative-wise, Tress of the Emerald Sea provided a whimsical and wonderful reading experience. It is a refreshing addition to the Cosmere universe. And it is essentially (at least, it read like one) a Cosmere version of an adult fairy tale. With the success of the secret projects, some readers might think Sanderson favors quantity instead of quality in his books recently. It is up to you to think that way, but I can't voice the same sentiment. Personally speaking, Tress of the Emerald Sea doesn't show any drop in storytelling quality. Every book in the Cosmere, including this that he wrote in secret, works amazingly well for me. Similarly to the first Mistborn trilogy, even though this is undoubtedly a different kind of book, I think Tress of the Emerald Sea is a standalone story that can be enjoyed by both YA or adult fantasy readers. Making this even more appealing to a bigger audience. This is a superb first book of 2023 for me, and I hope this signals the positive trajectory of my reading year. I look forward to receiving the physical copy and reading the next secret novel.
You can pre-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, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Reno, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Tress of the Emerald Sea was simply whimsical and wonderful. Starting the year 2023 with the first secret novel from The Year of Sanderson 4.5/5 stars
Tress of the Emerald Sea was simply whimsical and wonderful. Starting the year 2023 with the first secret novel from The Year of Sanderson is the correct action for me.
“Even small actions have consequences. And while we can often choose our actions, we rarely get to choose our consequences.”
The time is here. The first of the four awaited secret project novels, Tress of the Emerald Sea, by Brandon Sanderson is here. If you're active in the fantasy community, or even if you're not, it is no longer news that Sanderson has shocked the world with the immense success of his four secret novels Kickstarter campaign. I mean, number one most pledged Kickstarter campaign of all time; it doesn’t get more successful than that. And it shouldn’t also come as a shock that I, as a longtime fan of his Cosmere novels, end up enjoying Tress of the Emerald Sea. I wanted to start my year with a great book, and choosing this book as the first novel of 2023 (as I said) was the right pick. Sanderson plus a full-length Cosmere novel is a formula that never ceases to impress me. What I did not expect, however, was just how visually beautiful Tress of the Emerald Sea would be. I am pleasantly surprised. I am glad the past Petrik decided to buy four premium hardcover editions of the secret novels, and I am eternally thankful to my co-blogger, TS, for covering the expense of the shipping fee. Without TS, I do not think I would cave into buying the premium hardcover editions, and I would regret it so much. I will go into more details on this later, but at $40 per secret novel (not counting the shipping fee) and for everything we get, this special edition can be considered, relatively, a bargain. This is on top of it being such a fun and cozy book to read.
“Leaving didn’t feel exciting. It felt heavy. Every child looked forward to the day when they could choose a different path from the one their parents were on. Tress sincerely hoped she hadn’t decided on one that led straight off a cliff.”
All her life on an island named The Rock in the emerald-green ocean, Tress lived a simple life with the simple pleasures of collecting cups received from sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend, Charlie. But when Charlie’s father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must leave her simple life to stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Although I expected to love this book, I was initially worried after reading the first few chapters. Note the word ship in the official premise. Sailing and seafaring dominated the majority of Tress of the Emerald Sea. Personally, I tend to have mixed feelings about fantasy books with a heavy focus on seafaring unless they're The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb and The Tide Child trilogy by R.J. Barker. And there were indeed some sections here where I felt a bit of a lull because of this. However, my overall experience was fun. Most of the time, it was difficult for me to stay away from the book. Sanderson's prose and the relatively short length of the novel, plus its short chapters, made it easy for me to steal-read one or two chapters whenever I had some free time. This was a delightful book about human beings, contradictions, leadership, found family, stories, love, bravery, and empathy.
“It might seem that the person who can feel for others is doomed in life. Isn’t one person’s pain enough? Why must a person like Tress feel for two, or more? Yet I’ve found that the people who are the happiest are the ones who learn best how to feel. It takes practice, you know. Effort. And those who (late in life) have been feeling for two, three, or a thousand different people… well, turns out they’ve had a leg up on everyone else all along. Empathy is an emotional loss leader. It pays for itself eventually.”
Before reading Tress of the Emerald Sea, I did not read any of the secret novel preview chapters. However, based on the known artists and the title or premise of the four novels, Tress of the Emerald ranked third out of four. I am interested in all four, but I am most excited about the third and fourth secret novels. Based on these, the first two secret novels felt like they would be the most tonally different from Sanderson's other Cosmere books. Having read all published Cosmere stories, including this one, I can convey that Tress of the Emerald Sea has proved it. Sanderson has mentioned that The Princess Bride is one of the main inspirations behind this book. Another good comparison for what kind of tone you're getting here is Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. So it is time to admit something. I haven't read or watched The Princess Bride yet, but I have watched Good Omens. And I think Sanderson nailed the comparison he's going for. The storytelling is whimsical and light-hearted in tone but also imbued with clever philosophical nuggets and serious themes occasionally. I loved the novel for it. I don't think I would've liked it this much if it was just all fun and joy all the way through. Sanderson's comedy, especially when the narrative involves young adult characters, doesn't land well with me often. But his hard-hitting and thought-provoking passages? That's another story. Sanderson may not have flowery prose, but the words he put on the pages of his novel frequently hit and became passages I think about daily. A few examples from this book are:
“While a healthy measure of foolhardiness drove our ancestors toward discovery, fear kept them alive. If bravery is the wind that makes us soar like kites, fear is the string that keeps us from going too far. We need it, but the thing is, our heritage taught us to fear some of the wrong things.”
And also these two long passages about memories.
“Beyond that, memories have a way of changing on us. Souring or sweetening over time— like a brew we drink, then recreate later by taste, only getting the ingredients mostly right. You can’t taste a memory without tainting it with who you have become. That inspires me. We each make our own lore, our own legends, every day. Our memories are our ballads, and if we tweak them a little with every performance… well, that’s all in the name of good drama.”
“Memory is often our only connection to who we used to be. Memories are fossils, the bones left by dead versions of ourselves. More potently, our minds are a hungry audience, craving only the peaks and valleys of experience. The bland erodes, leaving behind the distinctive bits to be remembered again and again. Painful or passionate, surreal or sublime, we cherish those little rocks of peak experience, polishing them with the ever-smoothing touch of recycled proxy living. In so doing— like pagans praying to a sculpted mud figure— we make of our memories the gods which judge our current lives. I love this. Memory may not be the heart of what makes us human, but it’s at least a vital organ. Nevertheless, we must take care not to let the bliss of the present fade when compared to supposedly better days. We’re happy, sure, but were we more happy then? If we let it, memory can make shadows of the now, as nothing can match the buttressed legends of our past… Do not let memory chase you. Take the advice of one who has dissected the beast, then rebuilt it with a more fearsome face— which I then used to charm a few extra coins out of an inebriated audience. Enjoy memories, yes, but don’t be a slave to who you wish you once had been. Those memories aren’t alive. You are.”
Although possible, it wouldn't feel organic to have these kinds of passages appearing throughout the book if the novel is told through the first-person or third-person perspective of Tress. These were effective because the entire story in Tress of the Emerald Sea is narrated through Hoid's perspective. Hoid is an integral character in Sanderson's Cosmere universe. And we, Cosmere fans, are all waiting for Hoid's origin story. Sanderson mentioned he wanted to practice and be more fluent at writing Hoid's perspective before that backstory novel happened, and this is the book where it came to fruition. This won't, however, be how the story is told eventually in Hoid's backstory novel. It will definitely be less whimsical. But to give you an idea of the kind of voice Sanderson is giving Hoid in this book, if you've read The Stormlight Archive series, this is more in tune with the unforgettable "Wandersail" and "The Dog and the Dragon" stories Hoid told in the series. A full-length version of that kind of in-world story. I absolutely loved "Wandersail" and "The Dog and the Dragon," and obviously, I ended up loving Tress of the Emerald Sea as well.
“Worldbringers like myself spend decades combing through folk tales, legends, myths, histories, and drunken bar songs looking for the most unique stories. We hunt for bravery, cleverness, heroism. And we find no shortage of such virtues. Legends are silly with them. But the person who is willing to reconsider their assumptions? The hero who can sit down and reevaluate their life? Well, now that is a gemstone that truly glitters, friend.”
So yes, we get to learn more about Hoid and the Cosmere (more on this in the next paragraph) inside this book. But at the end of the day, even though this is told through Hoid's perspective, Tress of the Emerald Sea is still a standalone story about Tress and her adventures. I mentioned The Stormlight Archive earlier, and I am no stranger to voicing how much I love the Bridge Four group in the series. The found family trope is one of the many things Sanderson executed extremely well in The Stormlight Archive and the first Mistborn trilogy. And he managed to craft another cherishable found family in this book. Tress, Huck, Fort, Salay, and all the characters are well-written and likable characters. The Deaf character representation was written with the help of a special sensitivity reader to do it justice, too. And hey, for the first time in the Cosmere, we finally get to see a real dragon. As Tress and the crew of the ship she's in face danger constantly, the bonds between them grow deeper and deeper. My investment in them, too. And upon reaching the last page, I can't help but hope we will get more stories or appearances from these characters eventually. Knowing how connected with each other the Cosmere is now, I'm confident we will.
“She… didn’t need to do this all on her own. That shouldn’t have been such a revelation for her. But after spending ages walking around with everyone piling bricks in your arms, it can throw you off balance when someone removes a brick to carry for you.”
Speaking of Cosmere connections, and because people will ask me this question, should you read other Cosmere books first? Tress of the Emerald Sea is a standalone story in the world of Lumar. This marks the first time we get a book taking place in this world in the Cosmere. Like always, it is not necessary to read the other Cosmere books first to enjoy the main story here. But will you benefit from reading them? Yes, you will. I talk about this already in my review of The Lost Metal. But moving forward, Sanderson's future publications in the Cosmere universe, especially the ones taking place after book 5 of The Stormlight Archive, will most likely have heavy Cosmere crossovers. If you intend to read all of Sanderson's Cosmere books, it is a good idea to start catching up reading them if you want to reap all the connections. As for this book, reading the entirety of The Mistborn Saga so far will be beneficial. Additionally, there were a few small nods to the magic or technology portrayed in Warbreaker, Elantris, and The Stormlight Archive. I will leave it to you to decide whether you want to read them first or not. There is no spoiler for these three series. Also, although not the primary planet of the magic and there is no main novel for it yet, aethers and its explosive potential are explored here.
“Now, most people would agree that humans are not telepathic. We can’t directly send our thoughts or emotions into the minds of others. Nevertheless, you can hear my story and imagine the things I describe—the same as I picture them in my own mind. What is that, if not a form of telepathy?”
One more thing before I end this review. I will update this once I have the physical copy, but right now, even the ebook of the premium edition alone is exquisitely made. Unless the paper quality of the physical copy sucks, which is so doubtful, I can vouch that the $40 I spent on getting this book is well spent. Maybe too well spent. It is almost ridiculous. You won’t get a premium/special edition like this with only $40 anywhere else. If Subterranean Press or Grim Oak Press publishes a book like this, I guarantee it will cost at least $200 (not counting the shipping fee and customs fee yet). The stunning design and the more than ten interior artworks (four fully colored art and the rest in green-toned black and white) by Howard Lyon enhanced the quality of the aesthetic and the tale. They are magnificent. And I am brimming with excitement waiting for the physical copy to arrive at my place. And if the first secret novel already reaches this level of production value, I want to read and find out what the other three will look like. Rest assured, in this review, I leave out some surprises in the clever design and artwork inside this book for you to find out for yourself.
“One of the great tragedies of life is knowing how many people in the world are made to soar, paint, sing, or steer— except they never get the chance to find out.”
Whether aesthetically or narrative-wise, Tress of the Emerald Sea provided a whimsical and wonderful reading experience. It is a refreshing addition to the Cosmere universe. And it is essentially (at least, it read like one) a Cosmere version of an adult fairy tale. With the success of the secret projects, some readers might think Sanderson favors quantity instead of quality in his books recently. It is up to you to think that way, but I can't voice the same sentiment. Personally speaking, Tress of the Emerald Sea doesn't show any drop in storytelling quality. Every book in the Cosmere, including this that he wrote in secret, works amazingly well for me. Similarly to the first Mistborn trilogy, even though this is undoubtedly a different kind of book, I think Tress of the Emerald Sea is a standalone story that can be enjoyed by both YA or adult fantasy readers. Making this even more appealing to a bigger audience. This is a superb first book of 2023 for me, and I hope this signals the positive trajectory of my reading year. I look forward to receiving the physical copy and reading the next secret novel.
“The first is that heroes can be trained. Not by a government or a military, but by the people themselves. Heroes are the ones who have thought about what they’re going to do, and who have trained to do it. Heroism is often the seemingly spontaneous result of a lifetime of preparation… In the frenzied anarchy of destruction, loyalty to causes and kingdoms alike tends to fall to the chaos. But the bond between people, well, that’s stronger than steel. If you want to create heroes, don’t give them something to fight for. Give them someone to fight for.”
You can pre-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, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Michael, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Radiah, Reno, Romeo, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Jan 02, 2023
Jan 03, 2023
Mar 03, 2022
Kindle Edition
0756416604
9780756416607
0756416604
4.53
4,041
Dec 13, 2022
Dec 06, 2022
it was amazing
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Ashes of Man
ARC provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Ashes of Man
ARC provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
I am caught up with the main books in the series now, and with the completion of Ashes of Man, I am increasingly confident in crowning The Sun Eater as the best sci-fi series I’ve ever read.
Past.
The past is written; simple words with terrifying effects. And our lives are filled with so many beginnings and so many endings. As you hear me speak these words, they are already part of your past. They are all irreversible, just like all the good and bad things in our past. Hadrian understands this truth through the cruelest roads in Kingdoms of Death, and you would be mistaken if you think he will get a rest in Ashes of Man, the fifth novel in The Sun Eater series. Ashes of Man is also the second half of Kingdoms of Death, originally intended to be one book long, but now it is the fourth book in the series. Obviously, I don’t have the power of the Quiet, and I wouldn’t know how that one big book without the division would turn out. But as it stands, I am actually glad Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man are two separate books. Even though the stories between the two books seamlessly continue from one to another without huge time jumps like usual, Kingdoms of Death ends in a fitting and satisfying place. Ashes of Man begins with the exploration of the various effects the cataclysmic events in Kingdoms of Death have caused to Hadrian and the Sollan Empire. And if there is one thing we can be 100% sure about our lives, the stream of time leaves no one unscarred.
Do understand that my review for Ashes of Man will be shorter than my usual Sun Eater reviews to avoid spoilers. This is the fifth book of the series now. I have mentioned the greatness of Ruocchio’s storytelling and writing in my previous reviews, and even though I know I will submit to repeat my praise, I would like to focus this spoiler-free review on the highlights of the novel and the three key characters in it that made Ashes of Man receive another incredibly positive rating from me. Other than Hadrian and the characters that appeared in the cover art of The Sun Eater post Ashes of Man, this means that other than Hadrian Marlowe, Valka Onderra, Lorian Aristedes, and a few new characters’ names like Sir Hector Silva and Prince Kaim, to avoid spoilers, the other character names will barely be mentioned in this review. I will begin with Hadrian Marlowe... The Sun Eater himself.
Hadrian is old. He is 384 years old now in Ashes of Man, and thanks to him being a palatine and the constant usage of fugue, it has been almost a thousand years since he was born. And he is no longer as strong as he was in Howling Dark and Demon in White. The overwhelming events in Kingdoms of Death have changed and weakened him. I might have mentioned this before, but Hadrian Marlowe is one of my favorite characters in speculative fiction. If not before, then it is now. His passion, fear, rage, and grief felt so palpable to me. As I said before, I do not always agree with Hadrian’s actions. But through contexts, background, and well-written motivations, I understood his actions. His oath and responsibilities hung like a circle of chains around his neck on his journey. He cannot escape it, no matter how hard he tries. And the tragedy inflicted by the ugliness of the world never ceases to stop for him. One of the things I appreciate most, even if it resulted in a slower and more contemplative pacing, about Ashes of Man is how the sense of guilt, sorrow, and regret over the harrowing years in Kingdoms of Death is reflected over and over again. The memories are permanently stamped in Hadrian. This is super important to me. Something as traumatic as the ones in Kingdoms of Death should never be easily forgotten by the character. It would not feel realistic. The horrors of the Cielcin were too insane to dismiss. I loved reading about Hadrian’s character development and attempt to recover himself physically and mentally. He would have failed at abating his sadness without the love and loyalty of his remaining friends and Valka Onderra, one of the central figures in The Sun Eater series.
Every cover art in The Sun Eater series (on top of being some of the best cover art in the science fiction genre) consistently has a reason why the chosen character earns the spotlight in the cover art. There are many good and valid reasons why Valka Onderra is the character on the front cover of Ashes of Man. The relationship and journey between Hadrian Marlowe and Valka have always been evident in each book in The Sun Eater series, and it is even more so in Ashes of Man. And it is hard not to like Valka. Centuries of adventures and companionship through thick and thin have passed since their encounter in Empire of Silence. Even though the story is dramatically narrated from the sole perspective of Hadrian, Valka is essentially the second main character of The Sun Eater. And with that in mind, it’s not only Hadrian who has gone through substantial character development but Valka as well. She still retains her personality, but she, too, has learned a lot about the world, the Sollan Empire, the Anaryoch, and Cielcin. In return, she, too, has developed into a better person. Without giving any spoilers, I highly enjoyed reading her story and the relationship between her and Hadrian. Ashes of Man is, in a way, her book.
Of course, as I said, Valka is not the only one responsible for keeping Hadrian sane. In his journey, Hadrian has earned the loyalty of his band The Red Company, and in Ashes of Man, Lorian Aristedes exhibited a powerful unwavering display of loyalty to him. Lorian the Misborn. Lorian the good commander. Lorian has always been one of my favorite characters in The Sun Eater since his first appearance in Demon in White. And Ashes of Man has practically turned him into my second favorite character in the series, just slightly below Hadrian Marlowe. Who knows? This ranking could change after I read The Dregs of Empire soon. Hadrian will have a tough competition as the champion of my heart in the series. Not only against Lorian but other characters, too. This is an intricate galaxy-spanning space opera series. We have ventured into multiple planets with their own distinct culture and settings, and it is not a surprise this magnificent and ambitious series is filled with many memorable characters. The crew of the Red Company, Bassander Lin, Olorin Milta, the Emperor, even the newly introduced Sir Hector Silva, who reminded Hadrian and me of young Hadrian himself, and more. The list goes on. But Lorian Aristedes is definitely in the runner-up spot for now. I love reading characters like him. He is a character reminiscent of Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire and Sand dan Glokta from The First Law series. And as Lorian laid his emotions bare to Hadrian here and vice versa, I can’t even begin to explain how much I grew to care about him. If you have read this book, when Lorian said, “My lord, I never left it,” it was an emotional damage to me, in a good way. I am not only excited to read Disquiet Gods, the sixth book in the series, but also The Dregs of Empire, a companion novel that will focus on Lorian Aristedes.
It goes without saying there are other characters that became a positive factor in this review, such as Prince Kaim, but this is a spoiler-free review. I want readers who stumbled upon this review to be able to experience Ashes of Man to the fullest without me giving up key events. I can, however, say that in Ashes of Man, we finally learn more about the Jaddians. I don’t know about you, but since Olorin Milta’s display of prowess and skill as a Maeskolos in Empire of Silence, I have always been eager to learn more about the Jaddians. I finally got what I wanted here. Maybe more in the next book. The Jaddians are now involved in Hadrian’s story. There’s no book in The Sun Eater series that felt wasted. Readers are supplied with something new that increases our immersion in the world or universe that Ruocchio crafted. I won’t trace back the details of what we have reaped from all the books in the series, but if in Kingdoms of Death we learned the most about the Cielcin, we get to read more about the Sollan Empire, Jaddians, Mericanii, Monumentals, Watchers, the Firstborn, and Vaiartu in Ashes of Man. Chapter 17, in particular, was a chapter of heavy lore that I must visit again someday. Ruocchio made sure everything matters in this battle of darkness and light. And every step, every decision, and every action led Hadrian to the life-changing Battle of Perfugium.
As repetitive as this sounds, Ruocchio’s prose continues to impress me. Hadrian’s narration is simply one of the most distinct and compelling storytelling I’ve read in speculative fiction. There were some subtle insertions of Hadrian’s current thoughts and feelings in the present time frame—the one who wrote the tale of Hadrian in the chronicle we are reading—toward his own past; it was utterly brilliant and poignant. It is true Ashes of Man is not a novel as relentlessly grim and devastating as Kingdoms of Death, but if you approached Ashes of Man thinking it won’t leave you emotionally scarred, you would be making a mistake.
The narrative in Ashes of Man takes time to build toward the climactic concluding sequence. There was a short chapter in the book titled The Call; this is the calm before the storm moment. The calmness before Perfugium. The tranquility before the chaos seeds of foreshadowing planted in Howling Dark bloomed into fruition. The peace before I read a violent chapter I haven’t ever witnessed in any other storytelling medium. And yet, that chapter somehow managed to deliver one of the most beautiful moments in the series in harmony. It’s impeccable. Darkness and light. Despair and hope. Hatred and love. Cielcin and humanity. They constantly vie for dominance in the narrative of Ashes of Man. This is why it is so challenging to encapsulate everything that occurred in a single book of The Sun Eater series into one review. We need a term for Ruocchio’s final chapters or sequence. If Sanderson has Sanderlance and John Gwynne has Gwynnado (I name this myself), maybe we should apply “volcano” to Ruocchio: The Ruocchano. Expect heart-hammering and satisfying final chapters in each installment, and you will get it. Ruocchio has constructed them with finesse.
Future.
Despite the carving of oppressive darkness into the skin and bone of Hadrian’s past, the potential of greater light in the future is still colossal. If Empire of Silence up to Demon in White is to illustrate the rise and glories of Hadrian Marlowe and the Red Company, Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man exists to show the blackest days and grievous chapters of Hadrian’s life. The parchments of The Sun Eater are marked with melancholic and ashes of man. And similar to Hadrian, sometimes the worst wounds we suffered left no visible scar. There’s so much darkness to defeat. But I believe the bright light we cannot see remains to be grasped. Ashes of Man is another excellent novel in The Sun Eater series. As an installment, I did not love this as much as the previous books. But it is still an amazing 4.5 out of 5 stars novel. The series overall so far is just staggeringly tremendous. If you’re reading this review right now, I will assume you have heard me praise the available five books in the series so far in lengthy consideration. However, my praises won’t capture the full grandeur of the series. You have to read and experience reading them yourself. For me, right now, we know where Hadrian’s story ends. There are still details of his chronicle to consume. I am saddened to have caught up with the published books in the main series, but I am also brimming with delight at the thought of reading Disquiet Gods. Before that, The Dregs of Empire awaits me. I shall go on to Disquiet Gods after I read The Dregs of Empire, and this time, I will not be alone. But together with my fellow Red Company readers.
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, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
ARC provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Ashes of Man
ARC provided by the publisher—DAW Books—in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
“Ashes lay in drifts about the ruined splendor of the sanctum, mounded against the altar and about the feet of my divine ancestor, triumphant beneath the oculus far above. I wore no helmet then, and heard with my naked ears the roar of engines approaching. I felt the dead wind in my hair, and smelled the foul burning of the ashes of man.”
I am caught up with the main books in the series now, and with the completion of Ashes of Man, I am increasingly confident in crowning The Sun Eater as the best sci-fi series I’ve ever read.
“The ugliness of the world does not fade, nor are fear and grief made less by time, nor is any suffering forgotten. We are only made stronger by its blows.”
Past.
The past is written; simple words with terrifying effects. And our lives are filled with so many beginnings and so many endings. As you hear me speak these words, they are already part of your past. They are all irreversible, just like all the good and bad things in our past. Hadrian understands this truth through the cruelest roads in Kingdoms of Death, and you would be mistaken if you think he will get a rest in Ashes of Man, the fifth novel in The Sun Eater series. Ashes of Man is also the second half of Kingdoms of Death, originally intended to be one book long, but now it is the fourth book in the series. Obviously, I don’t have the power of the Quiet, and I wouldn’t know how that one big book without the division would turn out. But as it stands, I am actually glad Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man are two separate books. Even though the stories between the two books seamlessly continue from one to another without huge time jumps like usual, Kingdoms of Death ends in a fitting and satisfying place. Ashes of Man begins with the exploration of the various effects the cataclysmic events in Kingdoms of Death have caused to Hadrian and the Sollan Empire. And if there is one thing we can be 100% sure about our lives, the stream of time leaves no one unscarred.
“Time does not turn back, and not even the gods of night our pale enemy worshiped could grant my dearest wish.”
Do understand that my review for Ashes of Man will be shorter than my usual Sun Eater reviews to avoid spoilers. This is the fifth book of the series now. I have mentioned the greatness of Ruocchio’s storytelling and writing in my previous reviews, and even though I know I will submit to repeat my praise, I would like to focus this spoiler-free review on the highlights of the novel and the three key characters in it that made Ashes of Man receive another incredibly positive rating from me. Other than Hadrian and the characters that appeared in the cover art of The Sun Eater post Ashes of Man, this means that other than Hadrian Marlowe, Valka Onderra, Lorian Aristedes, and a few new characters’ names like Sir Hector Silva and Prince Kaim, to avoid spoilers, the other character names will barely be mentioned in this review. I will begin with Hadrian Marlowe... The Sun Eater himself.
“We have need of heroes, however broken, however terrible, however insufficient they may be. And we have need of more than one hero, for heroes do break, you know.”
Hadrian is old. He is 384 years old now in Ashes of Man, and thanks to him being a palatine and the constant usage of fugue, it has been almost a thousand years since he was born. And he is no longer as strong as he was in Howling Dark and Demon in White. The overwhelming events in Kingdoms of Death have changed and weakened him. I might have mentioned this before, but Hadrian Marlowe is one of my favorite characters in speculative fiction. If not before, then it is now. His passion, fear, rage, and grief felt so palpable to me. As I said before, I do not always agree with Hadrian’s actions. But through contexts, background, and well-written motivations, I understood his actions. His oath and responsibilities hung like a circle of chains around his neck on his journey. He cannot escape it, no matter how hard he tries. And the tragedy inflicted by the ugliness of the world never ceases to stop for him. One of the things I appreciate most, even if it resulted in a slower and more contemplative pacing, about Ashes of Man is how the sense of guilt, sorrow, and regret over the harrowing years in Kingdoms of Death is reflected over and over again. The memories are permanently stamped in Hadrian. This is super important to me. Something as traumatic as the ones in Kingdoms of Death should never be easily forgotten by the character. It would not feel realistic. The horrors of the Cielcin were too insane to dismiss. I loved reading about Hadrian’s character development and attempt to recover himself physically and mentally. He would have failed at abating his sadness without the love and loyalty of his remaining friends and Valka Onderra, one of the central figures in The Sun Eater series.
“I had loved Colchis when first I came to it, and loved parts of it still. But one cannot step into the same river twice, nor onto the same world. All things are always in motion. That is why it is the highest good and cause of civilization to preserve—to conserve—what is good. It is for that reason we plant new seeds, that if we might not preserve the trees, we might preserve the forest. If Earth is truly lost—as I believe—and not returning, then it is good that we plant her children across the stars.”
Every cover art in The Sun Eater series (on top of being some of the best cover art in the science fiction genre) consistently has a reason why the chosen character earns the spotlight in the cover art. There are many good and valid reasons why Valka Onderra is the character on the front cover of Ashes of Man. The relationship and journey between Hadrian Marlowe and Valka have always been evident in each book in The Sun Eater series, and it is even more so in Ashes of Man. And it is hard not to like Valka. Centuries of adventures and companionship through thick and thin have passed since their encounter in Empire of Silence. Even though the story is dramatically narrated from the sole perspective of Hadrian, Valka is essentially the second main character of The Sun Eater. And with that in mind, it’s not only Hadrian who has gone through substantial character development but Valka as well. She still retains her personality, but she, too, has learned a lot about the world, the Sollan Empire, the Anaryoch, and Cielcin. In return, she, too, has developed into a better person. Without giving any spoilers, I highly enjoyed reading her story and the relationship between her and Hadrian. Ashes of Man is, in a way, her book.
“The centuries, it seemed, had worn her down at last, and at the last she had found in the bottom of her soul a wish and want she’d never known was there.”
Of course, as I said, Valka is not the only one responsible for keeping Hadrian sane. In his journey, Hadrian has earned the loyalty of his band The Red Company, and in Ashes of Man, Lorian Aristedes exhibited a powerful unwavering display of loyalty to him. Lorian the Misborn. Lorian the good commander. Lorian has always been one of my favorite characters in The Sun Eater since his first appearance in Demon in White. And Ashes of Man has practically turned him into my second favorite character in the series, just slightly below Hadrian Marlowe. Who knows? This ranking could change after I read The Dregs of Empire soon. Hadrian will have a tough competition as the champion of my heart in the series. Not only against Lorian but other characters, too. This is an intricate galaxy-spanning space opera series. We have ventured into multiple planets with their own distinct culture and settings, and it is not a surprise this magnificent and ambitious series is filled with many memorable characters. The crew of the Red Company, Bassander Lin, Olorin Milta, the Emperor, even the newly introduced Sir Hector Silva, who reminded Hadrian and me of young Hadrian himself, and more. The list goes on. But Lorian Aristedes is definitely in the runner-up spot for now. I love reading characters like him. He is a character reminiscent of Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire and Sand dan Glokta from The First Law series. And as Lorian laid his emotions bare to Hadrian here and vice versa, I can’t even begin to explain how much I grew to care about him. If you have read this book, when Lorian said, “My lord, I never left it,” it was an emotional damage to me, in a good way. I am not only excited to read Disquiet Gods, the sixth book in the series, but also The Dregs of Empire, a companion novel that will focus on Lorian Aristedes.
“But could I fault him in his thinking? Had I not thought much the same of myself, a hundred hundred times? Do we not all think this way sometimes—whatever our condition—and in a sense is it not true? Evil occurs because we are insufficient to challenge it. Too weak to stop it at the gates, too blind to see it bubbling within. Were we all angels in our virtue and heroes in our capacity, we might hold all chaos at bay, might stop even the unkindling of the stars. Yet we are but men. Even me.”
It goes without saying there are other characters that became a positive factor in this review, such as Prince Kaim, but this is a spoiler-free review. I want readers who stumbled upon this review to be able to experience Ashes of Man to the fullest without me giving up key events. I can, however, say that in Ashes of Man, we finally learn more about the Jaddians. I don’t know about you, but since Olorin Milta’s display of prowess and skill as a Maeskolos in Empire of Silence, I have always been eager to learn more about the Jaddians. I finally got what I wanted here. Maybe more in the next book. The Jaddians are now involved in Hadrian’s story. There’s no book in The Sun Eater series that felt wasted. Readers are supplied with something new that increases our immersion in the world or universe that Ruocchio crafted. I won’t trace back the details of what we have reaped from all the books in the series, but if in Kingdoms of Death we learned the most about the Cielcin, we get to read more about the Sollan Empire, Jaddians, Mericanii, Monumentals, Watchers, the Firstborn, and Vaiartu in Ashes of Man. Chapter 17, in particular, was a chapter of heavy lore that I must visit again someday. Ruocchio made sure everything matters in this battle of darkness and light. And every step, every decision, and every action led Hadrian to the life-changing Battle of Perfugium.
“My dead outnumbered my living—as becomes true for each of us in time. The dead become ever closer companions as we grow old ourselves and nearer eternity. And afterlife or no, they live on in us. Perhaps that is why it seems we have ghosts. Because we carry them in ourselves.”
As repetitive as this sounds, Ruocchio’s prose continues to impress me. Hadrian’s narration is simply one of the most distinct and compelling storytelling I’ve read in speculative fiction. There were some subtle insertions of Hadrian’s current thoughts and feelings in the present time frame—the one who wrote the tale of Hadrian in the chronicle we are reading—toward his own past; it was utterly brilliant and poignant. It is true Ashes of Man is not a novel as relentlessly grim and devastating as Kingdoms of Death, but if you approached Ashes of Man thinking it won’t leave you emotionally scarred, you would be making a mistake.
“AMONG THE EXTRASOLARIANS, THEY say, there are men who take memories, who siphon them away in crystal phials and stopper them like djinni. But I could not seek their services, not and remain myself. I said once that a man is the sum of memories, and it is so. Thus, to discard those memories—however terrible—is to discard a part of ourselves.”
The narrative in Ashes of Man takes time to build toward the climactic concluding sequence. There was a short chapter in the book titled The Call; this is the calm before the storm moment. The calmness before Perfugium. The tranquility before the chaos seeds of foreshadowing planted in Howling Dark bloomed into fruition. The peace before I read a violent chapter I haven’t ever witnessed in any other storytelling medium. And yet, that chapter somehow managed to deliver one of the most beautiful moments in the series in harmony. It’s impeccable. Darkness and light. Despair and hope. Hatred and love. Cielcin and humanity. They constantly vie for dominance in the narrative of Ashes of Man. This is why it is so challenging to encapsulate everything that occurred in a single book of The Sun Eater series into one review. We need a term for Ruocchio’s final chapters or sequence. If Sanderson has Sanderlance and John Gwynne has Gwynnado (I name this myself), maybe we should apply “volcano” to Ruocchio: The Ruocchano. Expect heart-hammering and satisfying final chapters in each installment, and you will get it. Ruocchio has constructed them with finesse.
“Silent was my fury. A silence beyond words. Nothing endures, nor lasts forever. Not stone, not empires, not life itself. Even the stars will one day burn down—as I have seen and know perhaps better than any other man. Even the darkness that comes after all will one day pass away to new light. This record, too, and this warm scribe—my hand—perhaps, will fade. The stones here on Colchis shall fall into the sea, and the sea dissolve to foam. The stars shall burn the worlds to ash, and cool themselves to cinders. All things fade. Fall. Shatter. I raised a bleeding hand.”
Future.
Despite the carving of oppressive darkness into the skin and bone of Hadrian’s past, the potential of greater light in the future is still colossal. If Empire of Silence up to Demon in White is to illustrate the rise and glories of Hadrian Marlowe and the Red Company, Kingdoms of Death and Ashes of Man exists to show the blackest days and grievous chapters of Hadrian’s life. The parchments of The Sun Eater are marked with melancholic and ashes of man. And similar to Hadrian, sometimes the worst wounds we suffered left no visible scar. There’s so much darkness to defeat. But I believe the bright light we cannot see remains to be grasped. Ashes of Man is another excellent novel in The Sun Eater series. As an installment, I did not love this as much as the previous books. But it is still an amazing 4.5 out of 5 stars novel. The series overall so far is just staggeringly tremendous. If you’re reading this review right now, I will assume you have heard me praise the available five books in the series so far in lengthy consideration. However, my praises won’t capture the full grandeur of the series. You have to read and experience reading them yourself. For me, right now, we know where Hadrian’s story ends. There are still details of his chronicle to consume. I am saddened to have caught up with the published books in the main series, but I am also brimming with delight at the thought of reading Disquiet Gods. Before that, The Dregs of Empire awaits me. I shall go on to Disquiet Gods after I read The Dregs of Empire, and this time, I will not be alone. But together with my fellow Red Company readers.
“I told you once that the universe has no center, and thus every point is its center, and it is so. If I have strained you, reader, by my repeated insistence that every action matters, that every moment of every life is the moment, the axis about which all things turn, understand that I say these things because they are true. Every step, every turn, every refusal to step. Everything matters. The cosmos is not cold or indifferent because we are not indifferent, and we are a part of that cosmos, of that grand order which has dropped from the hand of He who created it. Every decision creates its ripples, every moment burns its mark on time, every action leads us ever nearer to that last day, that final last battle and the answer to that last question: Darkness? Or light?”
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, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe. ...more
Notes are private!
1
Feb 18, 2024
Feb 24, 2024
Feb 18, 2022
Hardcover
B09R9FSZB5
4.12
220,225
Feb 22, 2022
Feb 22, 2022
really liked it
ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Legends and Lattes is the wholesome and cozy fantasy you didn’t know you ne ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Legends and Lattes is the wholesome and cozy fantasy you didn’t know you need.
For those of you who don’t know, Travis Baldree has been well known for his role as the audiobook narrator behind Will Wight’s Cradle series. And many other series, really. Legends and Lattes is his debut novel, and I do think Baldree should now be known for his fantasy novel, too. I wouldn’t have known about Legends and Lattes if it weren’t for Twitter. Most of you probably know already, almost all of my favorite novels and stories are intense, emotional, dark, and serious in tone. But I do love slice-of-life as a genre as well. When I saw the cover art—illustrated by Carson Lowmiller—to Legends and Lattes on Twitter, with the premise indicating this is a high fantasy novel with low stakes, I knew I couldn’t go wrong with my expectations entering this book. I knew immediately I should read this when I’m in the mood for something short, cozy, and wholesome. Despite loving slice-of-life in other storytelling mediums such as manga, anime, and TV shows, I seem to struggle to find a terrific slice-of-life fantasy novel. But I got what I wanted here. Legends and Lattes is the slice-of-life fantasy novel I craved and received.
The story in Legends and Lattes is centered on Viv. Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start making coffees instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve. At a glance, it's easy to advertise this as a fantasy novel about building a new coffee shop in a fantasy world, and yes, it indeed is. But beyond the surface, there were a lot of relatably resonating themes that made Legends and Lattes so precious. Through this premise and the narrative, Baldree highlighted the importance of friendship, found family, love, community, and how good food and beverages never fail. And at its core, I think Legends and Lattes is a story about starting something new. It's never too late to start something new. Will it be easy? No, it will be difficult. But it's not impossible. Growing out of your comfort zone is never easy, but good things just might come out of it. Booktube was something I was too afraid to try. For years I contemplated it, and I won't lie, I still struggle with it at times. But after more than a year, I can say that this new venture has all been so worth it.
The novel doesn't feature multiple POV characters. The entire story in Legends and Lattes is told exclusively through the perspective of Viv. There isn't a lot of characters here, but Baldree focused on quality rather than quantity. Viv started the coffee shop business alone, and soon she will befriend new acquaintances and friends that became irreplaceable to her. It's never too late to do something new, but starting a coffee shop business on your own without anyone's help is a task that may be too difficult to execute. Cal, Tandri, and Thimble taught Viv and us readers that it is okay to believe in the kindness of strangers. As improbable as it sounds sometimes, especially to us who tasted adulthood already, not every stranger is out to get us. And Legends and Lattes remind us that there is goodness and kindness in this world. I loved reading the character development of Viv, Tandri, Cal, and Thimble. Thimble needs to be protected at all costs.
It's not only the characters, too. Even seeing their friendship and hard work bringing results in the form of a new menu genuinely made me smile. Oh my god, the description of the drinks and the food in this book is irresistible. I actually can't recommend this book to you if you're on a diet. I want to taste the coffee, the latte, Thimblet's cinnamon roll, Midnight Crescents, and more. If you're in the mood for an epic fantasy novel with warfare, battle scenes, and an expansive world-building, then this may not be the novel for you right now. But even then, I still would recommend Legends and Lattes to every fantasy reader. I am, after all, a fan of epic fantasy and grimdark fantasy, too, and I still end up loving this thoroughly. Slice-of-life does not mean that the story lacks tension, the conflicts the characters encounter are just different than the ones we often read in epic fantasy. I mean, if you know life, you know just how stressful life can get sometimes. And the narrative never takes a pause. Baldree made sure the progressions in character development and business making always happen with each chapter. Additionally, the 31 chapters in this novel are filled with their own unique chapter icon. All of these, with the combination of Baldree's accessible prose, transformed Legends and Lattes into a page-turning—and cozy—reading experience.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a serendipitous novel. I didn't search for it, its existence came out of nowhere, and it instantly became one of my favorite books of the year. I have a strong instinct this book will be incredibly famous one day, sooner than later. I absolutely enjoyed it. A great book and delicious food are things in this world that never fail to make me feel happy and alive. I can't live without them. If you feel the same way, how about trying this relaxing book? Legends and Lattes is truly a feel-good fantasy novel at its finest. I eagerly wait for the next book by Baldree. I want more out of this world, and I've asked the author about his plan. Fortunately, Baldree plans to make this a series of standalone novels/series similar to Discworld by Terry Pratchett. This is most likely the best direction for the series, and I couldn't be more pleased. Pick up this book as soon as possible, and have a refreshing taste of Legends and Lattes.
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | 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!
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4.5/5 stars
Legends and Lattes is the wholesome and cozy fantasy you didn’t know you ne ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Legends and Lattes is the wholesome and cozy fantasy you didn’t know you need.
For those of you who don’t know, Travis Baldree has been well known for his role as the audiobook narrator behind Will Wight’s Cradle series. And many other series, really. Legends and Lattes is his debut novel, and I do think Baldree should now be known for his fantasy novel, too. I wouldn’t have known about Legends and Lattes if it weren’t for Twitter. Most of you probably know already, almost all of my favorite novels and stories are intense, emotional, dark, and serious in tone. But I do love slice-of-life as a genre as well. When I saw the cover art—illustrated by Carson Lowmiller—to Legends and Lattes on Twitter, with the premise indicating this is a high fantasy novel with low stakes, I knew I couldn’t go wrong with my expectations entering this book. I knew immediately I should read this when I’m in the mood for something short, cozy, and wholesome. Despite loving slice-of-life in other storytelling mediums such as manga, anime, and TV shows, I seem to struggle to find a terrific slice-of-life fantasy novel. But I got what I wanted here. Legends and Lattes is the slice-of-life fantasy novel I craved and received.
“I told you I came across it in Azimuth, and I remember following the smell to the shop. They called it a café. People just sat around drinking it from these little ceramic cups, and I had to try it, and… it was like drinking the feeling of being peaceful. Being peaceful in your mind. Well, not if you have too much, then it’s something else.”
The story in Legends and Lattes is centered on Viv. Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start making coffees instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve. At a glance, it's easy to advertise this as a fantasy novel about building a new coffee shop in a fantasy world, and yes, it indeed is. But beyond the surface, there were a lot of relatably resonating themes that made Legends and Lattes so precious. Through this premise and the narrative, Baldree highlighted the importance of friendship, found family, love, community, and how good food and beverages never fail. And at its core, I think Legends and Lattes is a story about starting something new. It's never too late to start something new. Will it be easy? No, it will be difficult. But it's not impossible. Growing out of your comfort zone is never easy, but good things just might come out of it. Booktube was something I was too afraid to try. For years I contemplated it, and I won't lie, I still struggle with it at times. But after more than a year, I can say that this new venture has all been so worth it.
“I apologize. Look, I am very bad at this. I don’t really know what I’m doing… This is what I know, what I’ve always known. I just want to know something else, now. To be something else. Everything I said was stupid. I, of all people, ought to know better than to assume anything based on what you were born as. Before you walk out, do you mind if I start over?”
The novel doesn't feature multiple POV characters. The entire story in Legends and Lattes is told exclusively through the perspective of Viv. There isn't a lot of characters here, but Baldree focused on quality rather than quantity. Viv started the coffee shop business alone, and soon she will befriend new acquaintances and friends that became irreplaceable to her. It's never too late to do something new, but starting a coffee shop business on your own without anyone's help is a task that may be too difficult to execute. Cal, Tandri, and Thimble taught Viv and us readers that it is okay to believe in the kindness of strangers. As improbable as it sounds sometimes, especially to us who tasted adulthood already, not every stranger is out to get us. And Legends and Lattes remind us that there is goodness and kindness in this world. I loved reading the character development of Viv, Tandri, Cal, and Thimble. Thimble needs to be protected at all costs.
“Right… and one thing I remember particularly well from our little chat was how much she hated assholes. You know, some people might consider any of her crew to be assholes, just because of the nature of the business. But I don’t think that way… I’ve got respect for people who have to get their hands dirty to get things done. That’s just work. No, it takes something special to be a real asshole, and I think she and I are of the same mind.”
It's not only the characters, too. Even seeing their friendship and hard work bringing results in the form of a new menu genuinely made me smile. Oh my god, the description of the drinks and the food in this book is irresistible. I actually can't recommend this book to you if you're on a diet. I want to taste the coffee, the latte, Thimblet's cinnamon roll, Midnight Crescents, and more. If you're in the mood for an epic fantasy novel with warfare, battle scenes, and an expansive world-building, then this may not be the novel for you right now. But even then, I still would recommend Legends and Lattes to every fantasy reader. I am, after all, a fan of epic fantasy and grimdark fantasy, too, and I still end up loving this thoroughly. Slice-of-life does not mean that the story lacks tension, the conflicts the characters encounter are just different than the ones we often read in epic fantasy. I mean, if you know life, you know just how stressful life can get sometimes. And the narrative never takes a pause. Baldree made sure the progressions in character development and business making always happen with each chapter. Additionally, the 31 chapters in this novel are filled with their own unique chapter icon. All of these, with the combination of Baldree's accessible prose, transformed Legends and Lattes into a page-turning—and cozy—reading experience.
“I was just thinking that you don’t have to forget who you were… because that’s what brought you here.”
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a serendipitous novel. I didn't search for it, its existence came out of nowhere, and it instantly became one of my favorite books of the year. I have a strong instinct this book will be incredibly famous one day, sooner than later. I absolutely enjoyed it. A great book and delicious food are things in this world that never fail to make me feel happy and alive. I can't live without them. If you feel the same way, how about trying this relaxing book? Legends and Lattes is truly a feel-good fantasy novel at its finest. I eagerly wait for the next book by Baldree. I want more out of this world, and I've asked the author about his plan. Fortunately, Baldree plans to make this a series of standalone novels/series similar to Discworld by Terry Pratchett. This is most likely the best direction for the series, and I couldn't be more pleased. Pick up this book as soon as possible, and have a refreshing taste of Legends and Lattes.
“WHAT FLAMES COULD NOT CONSUME, NEVER SHALL BE EXTINGUISHED”
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | 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, Amanda, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Oliver, Reno, Samantha, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawna, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe. ...more
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Kindle Edition