Scan barcode
b00kdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
4.0
This is the fourth novel in the fantasy series The Chronicles of Elantra, a series that I'm enjoying very much. At the risk of becoming repetitive, I continue to love Kaylin, the main character, and also love several of the supporting cast, and I love the way that the series offers found-family and friendship in abundance.
I think my reviews of the earlier entries neglected to mention that there's a good helping of humor. The humor and the friendships balance quite dark plots. Spoilers ahead.
Four out of five leontine stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
I think my reviews of the earlier entries neglected to mention that there's a good helping of humor. The humor and the friendships balance quite dark plots. Spoilers ahead.
Spoiler
"Cast in Fury" is perhaps my second-favorite of the books to date. I particularly liked Marrin's small but pivotal role. I anticipated the ending, but that didn't make it any less perfect.Four out of five leontine stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
nmthonet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
mamap's review
3.0
more about culture, race, and belief. still cryptic. still want to know where the author is going.
katelin00's review
4.0
Originally posted to A Bookworm's Confessions
4.5 stars
You have no idea how much I wish Goodreads had half stars. Thankfully I can do whatever I want on this blog and this book gets 4.5 stars!
As in Cast in Courtlight and Cast in Secret, Cast in Fury focuses on the Leontine race. This is super interesting. The fact that something from a previous book is a major plot point in this book is actually really awesome. J.K. Rowling did these small things all the time in Harry Potter. I love when authors do that. Kaylin helped a Leontine mother give birth to her child. It was a difficult birth which is unusual for the Leontines. Kaylin licked the birthing fluids from the baby's eyelids and he is named after her. This is extremely important because by Leontine and Pridlea law, the baby is also hers.
Kaylin and Severn have a new assignment in this book. When the giant tidal wave threatened to drown the city in Cast in Secret, the Tha'alani went to the docks to try and help Kaylin stop the water. Now the humans believe that the Tha'alani were responsible for the tidal wave and there are riots and unrest. Tha'alani are being attacked. Kaylin and Severn have to help the Imperial Playwright with his play. The Dragon Emperor demanded a play to explain some of the Tha'alani and their actions. Since Kaylin and Severn know the Tha'alani best, they have to help him make the play more realistic. While at the palace, Kaylin hears of attacks at the Tha'alani Quarter. She instantly goes to their aid. Four Tha'alani have been injured and at least two of them are in critical condition. Kaylin heals them right in front of the playwright. Her healing powers have been kept on the down low so it's not too good that it was witnessed by someone who works for the Emperor.
While Kaylin and Severn were in the Quarter, Marcus was arrested by the Leontines for murder. Kaylin can't believe this of course even though it is true. She visits the Pridlea. A pridlea is the home of a male Leontine and his wives. Yes the Leontines have multiple wives. Ever since Kaylin joined the Hawks, Marcus brought her to the Pridlea and she soon became a part of it.
Basically this means Kaylin has two jobs in this book.She must help this playwright get his play correct so he doesn't offend the Tha'alani but also helps calm the public and she also has to find a way to save Marcus from his fate at the hands on the castelord of the Leontines.
We get Timarias back in this book and we also get more information of the fiefs, the history of the Leontines and how they came to be. If a Leontine child is born with amber colored fur they are considered marked and are put to death immediately. This was not true for one of Marcus' wives because she was a female but her sister was also marked and she birthed a male. This can cause all kinds of problems.
What I really enjoyed was finding out about Marrin's history as a Leontine outside of the city. She gave birth to a marked cub and she was put to death. Marrin left her husband and came to the city of Elantra. She created the foundling hall because even though she couldn't save her baby, she could save the human children who were abandoned by their parents.
I am really happy with this book and it deserved my 4.5 stars. This series is starting to become one of my favorites. I have many favorites of course but I am enjoying this series immensely.
Next up, Cast in Silence.
4.5 stars
You have no idea how much I wish Goodreads had half stars. Thankfully I can do whatever I want on this blog and this book gets 4.5 stars!
As in Cast in Courtlight and Cast in Secret, Cast in Fury focuses on the Leontine race. This is super interesting. The fact that something from a previous book is a major plot point in this book is actually really awesome. J.K. Rowling did these small things all the time in Harry Potter. I love when authors do that. Kaylin helped a Leontine mother give birth to her child. It was a difficult birth which is unusual for the Leontines. Kaylin licked the birthing fluids from the baby's eyelids and he is named after her. This is extremely important because by Leontine and Pridlea law, the baby is also hers.
Kaylin and Severn have a new assignment in this book. When the giant tidal wave threatened to drown the city in Cast in Secret, the Tha'alani went to the docks to try and help Kaylin stop the water. Now the humans believe that the Tha'alani were responsible for the tidal wave and there are riots and unrest. Tha'alani are being attacked. Kaylin and Severn have to help the Imperial Playwright with his play. The Dragon Emperor demanded a play to explain some of the Tha'alani and their actions. Since Kaylin and Severn know the Tha'alani best, they have to help him make the play more realistic. While at the palace, Kaylin hears of attacks at the Tha'alani Quarter. She instantly goes to their aid. Four Tha'alani have been injured and at least two of them are in critical condition. Kaylin heals them right in front of the playwright. Her healing powers have been kept on the down low so it's not too good that it was witnessed by someone who works for the Emperor.
While Kaylin and Severn were in the Quarter, Marcus was arrested by the Leontines for murder. Kaylin can't believe this of course even though it is true. She visits the Pridlea. A pridlea is the home of a male Leontine and his wives. Yes the Leontines have multiple wives. Ever since Kaylin joined the Hawks, Marcus brought her to the Pridlea and she soon became a part of it.
Basically this means Kaylin has two jobs in this book.She must help this playwright get his play correct so he doesn't offend the Tha'alani but also helps calm the public and she also has to find a way to save Marcus from his fate at the hands on the castelord of the Leontines.
We get Timarias back in this book and we also get more information of the fiefs, the history of the Leontines and how they came to be. If a Leontine child is born with amber colored fur they are considered marked and are put to death immediately. This was not true for one of Marcus' wives because she was a female but her sister was also marked and she birthed a male. This can cause all kinds of problems.
What I really enjoyed was finding out about Marrin's history as a Leontine outside of the city. She gave birth to a marked cub and she was put to death. Marrin left her husband and came to the city of Elantra. She created the foundling hall because even though she couldn't save her baby, she could save the human children who were abandoned by their parents.
I am really happy with this book and it deserved my 4.5 stars. This series is starting to become one of my favorites. I have many favorites of course but I am enjoying this series immensely.
Next up, Cast in Silence.
chawlios's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lynseyisreading's review
3.0
The plot for this was was a lot clearer and easier to follow than all of the previous three thus far. It was more or less a straightforward police investigation involving Marcus, Kaylin's Leontine Sergeant and friend. And a subplot about putting on a play to help relations between the humans and the Tha'alani.
That was about it, and if you ask me, it was not enough content to justify nearly 500 pages of book.
Perhaps if, in the world of Elantra, they conducted regular police work; following clues and interviewing suspects and such, it might have worked better as a police procedural novel, but they don't. They already had most of the answers before they even started and it was just a case of playing it out. Hell, they could have just asked Marcus since he would have been able to tell them all everything he knew and saved everyone a lot of trouble, and us as readers, a lot of filler.
I'm also getting annoyed by the lack of character development. Surely we could have used a few of those 500 pages of text to do something, anything, with the two "potential" love interests in the series? I need for something to happen; a conversation, a lingering look. I will accept ANYTHING at this point that indicates Kaylin isn't 100% asexual.
Moan, moan, whinge, whinge. Hey, it wasn't all bad. I enjoyed learning about the Leontines and how Marcus lives with his wives. I enjoyed getting Marrin's back story...but I'm just really ready for something BIG to happen . And soon!
3 Stars! ★★★
That was about it, and if you ask me, it was not enough content to justify nearly 500 pages of book.
Perhaps if, in the world of Elantra, they conducted regular police work; following clues and interviewing suspects and such, it might have worked better as a police procedural novel, but they don't. They already had most of the answers before they even started and it was just a case of playing it out. Hell, they could have just asked Marcus since he would have been able to tell them all everything he knew and saved everyone a lot of trouble, and us as readers, a lot of filler.
I'm also getting annoyed by the lack of character development. Surely we could have used a few of those 500 pages of text to do something, anything, with the two "potential" love interests in the series? I need for something to happen; a conversation, a lingering look. I will accept ANYTHING at this point that indicates Kaylin isn't 100% asexual.
Moan, moan, whinge, whinge. Hey, it wasn't all bad. I enjoyed learning about the Leontines and how Marcus lives with his wives. I enjoyed getting Marrin's back story...but I'm just really ready for something BIG to happen . And soon!
3 Stars! ★★★
lassarina's review
5.0
As each book in the series has visited another of Elantra's races, this one takes its turn with the Leontines, picking up on a couple of threads from the previous book and tying them back together. There's a lot going on here that pits Kaylin's two major devotions (children and the Law) against each other, while carrying on some of the obvious fallout from the previous book.
Kaylin's growth really shines here; there are a lot of places where book-one-Kaylin would have just let words fall out of her mouth, and she's learning (slowly) to close her mouth on those sentiments. It doesn't mean she doesn't feel them, but she's getting better at directing them. I also really liked the bond between her and Severn, and the bond between her and Marcus. Also, Ybelline remains the absolute best and I adore her.
I think one of the things i like best about this series is how each book/case is compressed into a short timeframe, yet neither feels rushed nor dragged out--and at the same time, the series keeps track of how little actual time is passing, and doesn't let things move too fast in the world outside of the Halls of Law. (I'm starting to the think the Dragon Emperor just has a permanent migraine because of all this shit constantly going down in his city, relative to a Dragon's lifespan. I also love how his power is everpresent and he is unendingly not present.)
Kaylin's growth really shines here; there are a lot of places where book-one-Kaylin would have just let words fall out of her mouth, and she's learning (slowly) to close her mouth on those sentiments. It doesn't mean she doesn't feel them, but she's getting better at directing them. I also really liked the bond between her and Severn, and the bond between her and Marcus. Also, Ybelline remains the absolute best and I adore her.
I think one of the things i like best about this series is how each book/case is compressed into a short timeframe, yet neither feels rushed nor dragged out--and at the same time, the series keeps track of how little actual time is passing, and doesn't let things move too fast in the world outside of the Halls of Law. (I'm starting to the think the Dragon Emperor just has a permanent migraine because of all this shit constantly going down in his city, relative to a Dragon's lifespan. I also love how his power is everpresent and he is unendingly not present.)