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danadoesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Thank you Flux and NetGalley for the eARC of City of Vicious Night! All opinions in this review are my own.
I really wish I had reread City of Shattered Light before reading City of Vicious Night. While the characters and plot did start to come back to me, I would have liked the refresh. The good news is that City of Vicious Night is such a fun read that even if you can't remember everything from the first book, you will still enjoy it!
While there is a satisfying end to this book, I am really hoping it is not the end of the Requiem Dark series! Winn did an excellent job of creating loveable characters that I am not ready to leave yet! I would be really interested in spin-off books focusing on the different characters and what they do after the events in City of Vicious Night!
Overall, Requiem Dark was a great duology and if you are like futuristic cities, found family, and trials this is is a series for you!
willowwraithpress's review
5.0
Thank you NetGalley, Flux, and of course the talented Claire Winn for sharing a digital ARC.
As with the first book, City of Shattered Light, I had the distinct privilege of seeing this book come together and I'm happy to report, it definitely delivers the goods, as well as successfully creates a sequel that not only builds upon book one, but actually surpasses it in both story but in fun.
Reeling from the fallout on Requiem, Riven, Asa, and the rest of the surviving crew become embroiled in another cybertastic attack, this time from someone with a personal vendetta against Asa's family. With all of Requiem thinking the crew are responsible for the AI in book one, they become marked pariahs, even outcast by the matriarchs. But opportunity knocks as the matriarchs prepare a trial to add to their ranks. If Riven and Asa can succeed, they might not only survive to the next dawn but also see all their problems resolved. Old friends return and old nemeses rear their bubble-gum-chomping heads in this action-packed adventure where a lot of blood is spilled, some hearts broken in the process.
It's pretty obvious that Claire Winn loves this fully immersive world as the expansion she displays in this sequel is in full effect. We get more backstory about the alien race on this bass thumping moon. We see more gritty underbelly activities of the matriarchs. We get a deeper dive into Asa's father's evil plans (from a returning character no less), but we also get a violent trial. Who doesn't love a trial where a bullet-happy-gungslinging character like Riven can't pop off a hundred rounds.
Although the trial is the overarching plot point, it's not the sole focus, and I think that was the smart choice here. And there are a number of ways these tropes are twisted enough to keep us on our toes, one excellent example is through a shocking character death I hadn't seen coming. There are also a number of potential antagonists so we never truly know who might be the ultimate bad.
The pace of the book matches the first, a mad dash to the finish. That said, we aren't given underbaked characters because weaved into the breakneck speed are moments of true character growth. And not just for main characters Riven and Asa (who do go through a gamut of emotional and physical tests). The rest of the crew are given their moments to shine in the neon glow of this corrupt moon. We also are treated to a third POV character who is apart from the main crew for the majority of the book, which serves as a way to expand this book's world.
If there are any criticisms, they are very very minor and reflect this particular reader's preferences, defintely nothing to derail this bullet train of a story.
All in all, this book neatly ties up at the end while allowing for potential future stories to be told. An excellent sci-fi read, highly recommend if you like cyber hackers, AI tech, gun-happy angry girls, underworld trials, and enough destroyed mechs to build a starship.
As with the first book, City of Shattered Light, I had the distinct privilege of seeing this book come together and I'm happy to report, it definitely delivers the goods, as well as successfully creates a sequel that not only builds upon book one, but actually surpasses it in both story but in fun.
Reeling from the fallout on Requiem, Riven, Asa, and the rest of the surviving crew become embroiled in another cybertastic attack, this time from someone with a personal vendetta against Asa's family. With all of Requiem thinking the crew are responsible for the AI in book one, they become marked pariahs, even outcast by the matriarchs. But opportunity knocks as the matriarchs prepare a trial to add to their ranks. If Riven and Asa can succeed, they might not only survive to the next dawn but also see all their problems resolved. Old friends return and old nemeses rear their bubble-gum-chomping heads in this action-packed adventure where a lot of blood is spilled, some hearts broken in the process.
It's pretty obvious that Claire Winn loves this fully immersive world as the expansion she displays in this sequel is in full effect. We get more backstory about the alien race on this bass thumping moon. We see more gritty underbelly activities of the matriarchs. We get a deeper dive into Asa's father's evil plans (from a returning character no less), but we also get a violent trial. Who doesn't love a trial where a bullet-happy-gungslinging character like Riven can't pop off a hundred rounds.
Although the trial is the overarching plot point, it's not the sole focus, and I think that was the smart choice here. And there are a number of ways these tropes are twisted enough to keep us on our toes, one excellent example is through a shocking character death I hadn't seen coming. There are also a number of potential antagonists so we never truly know who might be the ultimate bad.
The pace of the book matches the first, a mad dash to the finish. That said, we aren't given underbaked characters because weaved into the breakneck speed are moments of true character growth. And not just for main characters Riven and Asa (who do go through a gamut of emotional and physical tests). The rest of the crew are given their moments to shine in the neon glow of this corrupt moon. We also are treated to a third POV character who is apart from the main crew for the majority of the book, which serves as a way to expand this book's world.
If there are any criticisms, they are very very minor and reflect this particular reader's preferences, defintely nothing to derail this bullet train of a story.
All in all, this book neatly ties up at the end while allowing for potential future stories to be told. An excellent sci-fi read, highly recommend if you like cyber hackers, AI tech, gun-happy angry girls, underworld trials, and enough destroyed mechs to build a starship.
mtwilsonwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
aetx's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
abeillebee's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.75
haliespages's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
adrzeck's review against another edition
3.0
A few month gap from the last one. The crew is still trying to sort things out when everything bad happens at once. Now they're being hunted by some cybernetic threat, whilst also facing down the evil father. Good point of reference here. Never assume someone's dead unless you see the body. Also, you never know if enemies become friends unless you try...and have a common enemy.
A few relationships get commented upon here. Plenty of cursing from Riven and some steam later on. Certainly seems like we could have more from the Boomslang Faction.
A few relationships get commented upon here. Plenty of cursing from Riven and some steam later on. Certainly seems like we could have more from the Boomslang Faction.
spellboundchapters's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
sulphuric's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0