Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Sworn Soldier - What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher

54 reviews

boglord's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5


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schausjk's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a very fun take on the classic (which I hadn't read before this, but have since read). The places where it deviated most strongly make sense to have adapted.  Kingfisher has a knack for the creepy that I find most effective when it's given room for ambiguity. I wish we had been given a little more breathing room to allow that dread to really fester, but it's already a novella length take on what was originally a short story, so I can understand wanting to keep it rather succinct.

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elly29's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Satisfyingly creepy. I liked the villain, the "sworn soldier" and the approach to pronouns, and overall the sense of dread.

It's been a while since I've read "The Fall of the House of Usher," and this is less Gothic than Poe's original story. Perhaps "What Moves the Dead" is... sinister goblincore?

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pvbobrien's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5


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_autumn_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? No

5.0


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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this was so indescribably horrifying and bone-chilling. it’s a twist on a familiar story but didn’t fail to still make me quiver. i would recommend this to anyone who likes horror, classic retellings, and fungi.

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catwhisperer's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5


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icedcoffeeandbookss's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I can’t put into words how much I loved this book. The characters, the plot twists, world building, everything about this book kept me on the edge of my seat. I had to put it down several times to digest what I was reading, so I didn’t read it in one sitting but definitely could’ve. Please read this if you like eerie, gross but cool stuff in your books. UGHHHH READ THIS BOOK ITS SO GOOD. 




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kuri's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

T. Kingfisher is one of the only authors that can make me feel uneasy... and make me want to clean my whole apartment with alcohol from top to bottom 

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atlas_shruggs's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious 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? No

5.0

2024 review
 Reading this book again had me glaring skeptically at the fine hairs on my arms. Shivers. Easton is still so fucking funny holy shit, they are fully me if I was in a horror novel, constantly firing out sarcastic quotes and beautifully stereotyping Europeans and Americans. I'm still sad that it isn't longer but now that it has a sequel I can't complain.

2022 review
This was just a well written, eerie read that I could barely put it down. 
Essentially, the book is a retelling of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, but I felt like it was so so much more than that. Just before reading this I listened to the audio book of the original story, and it definitely felt like it was lacking in so much substance. I get that it's an older short story, but much like T. Kingfisher, I felt myself wishing there was more to it than just "Guy visits creepy house, people die," and this did exactly that. 
Easton was such a great narrator, having ka as the main character gave the reader more of a soldier's insight into what was going on, and getting the flashes of the horrors Easton experienced in the war really added to the gory factor of the story itself. 
Also, just having a nonbinary character in a horror story set in the 1890's is such a rare occurrence, but having them be the main character? It felt revolutionary. It added so much in regards to gender roles, which Miss Potter's character did as well. 
This was also way way funnier than I expected. Easton's sarcasm was so hilarious, I found myself openly laughing more than once. 
If there was anything I would change, I would have wanted the book to be longer, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. 

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