Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Rage of Dragons

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

84 reviews

alanathehangry's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Liked it.

This was...an interesting book. I think the first and last third were solid. I think there were way too many training sequences. But I enjoyed watching Tau's character development (if not slow and frustrating at times) and his relationships with his sword brothers grow. I loved how he was eventually able to alter the power dynamic. That was fascinating to see. Often in these epics, the main character will just be good because they were born for it. This is where Winter excels. Tau was never a great fighter, he had no passion for it, and no talent. But by pushing himself as far as he possibly could, going to new heights (and depths), he crafted and molded himself into it. That was probably the best part of this book.

I still think at least 100 pages could be cut for the training scenes.

Content Warnings

_tylermagee's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Took me until about halfway to get fully immersed, worth the wait.

Content Warnings

khorsch926's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 13%

YA masquerading as adult fantasy. Flat characters. I didn’t like the world.

Content Warnings

zanderbrown's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

moberndaseball's review against another edition

4.0

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

only 4 stars bc it was difficult to continue at certain points since the story is told from the POV of colonizers. i really hope that later in the series there will be some sort of acknowledgement of that.

Content Warnings

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

4.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was not easy to get into and made me question why I even like fantasy or plot-driven books — bc goddamn is this book action-driven, we don't get actual plot until 80% in 😭. Anyway, I came so close to dnfing so many times bc I was not caring about the invasive Omehi or Tau and his journey but I kept reading positive reviews and I didn't want to start another book so I committed and hell yeah it paid off. After 84 years I finished this but what a chaotic treat it eventually was! Tau's journey is frenetic as hell and you really start rooting for him. Narrative-wise the book is one huge fight/training sequence after another with a few tidbits of world building info scattered throughout which can be very off putting and frustrating if you're a more character- and plot-driven reader who wants extensive and intensive world building writing and dialogue, which I've realized I now am, to some extent. Like teenage, early 20s me would've loved every single action-packed packed sequence with little plot and inner monologue and unpolished character development but now I need all that in equal measure and this book doesn't fully deliver in that front. Or maybe I still dig this type of writing as is but in shorter doses, this book would've been great if it were 200 pages fewer. Anyway, this book begs to be adapted to the screen, especially as an anime bc the visuals of the Ingonyama and the Enragers, the Gifted, and the nonstop training and fighting sequences would really shine in that medium. In the end the book is an enthralling fantasy ride and I'm glad to have stuck to it. This book does suffer from the "read the sequel if you MUST know more" style of writing and I'm not sure if I'm rushing to read the follow-up. I have to sit with my feelings for a few days but Tau is so badass (there's a point he channels Ip Man, bruh lmao) that maybe I wanna stick around and see where he goes.

Content Warnings