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osborne2read's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wouterk's review against another edition
3.0
This was a hard book to rate. If judged by what it seems to be it'd be an objective 4-4,5 stars, but from my personal enjoyment I'd say it's 2,5-3 stars. So I'll first discuss what I think it is and what I liked about it and after I'll give the things I missed or did not like. I did have fun reading it for the most part.
What it is and what makes it great
This book reads like a great movie in the action genre. It has wonderful cinematic blood and gore scenes. The main protagonists are 7 very distinct magnificent villains (or gray area heroes) with awesome powers. The antagonist has seemingly unsurmountable power. And the plot really leans into all these action scenes to close in on the final face-off.
It is generally a fast-paced read, with lots of fighting and banter that we see in action movies. The last third of the book is one big sequence surrounding the last battle, which was fun to read albeit somewhat long for my taste.
What I did not like
Well this is exactly what I missed. At many points I kind of felt like watching an action movie with all the drawbacks that entails. While the action itself was great and the 7 villains great fighters, they all had just 1) their superpower, 2) a reason to want to fight that somewhat ties into their back story and 3) a personal quirk or pet peeve. I feel the character work was not one-dimensional but too superficial to my taste. Relationships are mostly limited to banter, intense hatred or slight appreciation. I felt nothing when someone died and was not particularly excited when someone won (let me reiterate again though that the whole plot and action were hype).
So the story did kind of fall flat for me. At times I wanted the book to go faster because it was engaging enough to want to know how the story goes, but not interesting enough to savor every scene or page.
To summarize: if you like action-packed stories with awesome magic and steel battle prowess you will enjoy this immensely. If you're looking for great character work, interesting relationships or interesting fleshed out themes, I would personally go look elsewhere.
What it is and what makes it great
This book reads like a great movie in the action genre. It has wonderful cinematic blood and gore scenes. The main protagonists are 7 very distinct magnificent villains (or gray area heroes) with awesome powers. The antagonist has seemingly unsurmountable power. And the plot really leans into all these action scenes to close in on the final face-off.
It is generally a fast-paced read, with lots of fighting and banter that we see in action movies. The last third of the book is one big sequence surrounding the last battle, which was fun to read albeit somewhat long for my taste.
What I did not like
Well this is exactly what I missed. At many points I kind of felt like watching an action movie with all the drawbacks that entails. While the action itself was great and the 7 villains great fighters, they all had just 1) their superpower, 2) a reason to want to fight that somewhat ties into their back story and 3) a personal quirk or pet peeve. I feel the character work was not one-dimensional but too superficial to my taste. Relationships are mostly limited to banter, intense hatred or slight appreciation. I felt nothing when someone died and was not particularly excited when someone won (let me reiterate again though that the whole plot and action were hype).
So the story did kind of fall flat for me. At times I wanted the book to go faster because it was engaging enough to want to know how the story goes, but not interesting enough to savor every scene or page.
To summarize: if you like action-packed stories with awesome magic and steel battle prowess you will enjoy this immensely. If you're looking for great character work, interesting relationships or interesting fleshed out themes, I would personally go look elsewhere.
slaker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
4.5
kzimm2024's review against another edition
3.0
What can I say? It was a violent, bloody, drunken, muddy, vampiric, necromantic, demonic ride without the rape and pillaging. SO MANY PEOPLE DIED. And for what?
Plus side: It did have a few small humorous bites to it. Very few. And a very cool cover that sucked me in.
Its a demonic mystery with twists you don't see coming. But I found that I just didn't care enough to appreciate the twists at the end. This book probably works for other people, but not me. The world building and character development was great, which is why a 3.
It was:
1. Horrible people killing other people in revenge and then Black Herran (due to being pregnant) disappears causing these monsters to turn on each other and it all falls apart. Most everyone dies.
2. 40 years later, the new threat to humanity are the "good" people and the Goddess with the Falcon Prince- killing and stealing from all those against them.
3. Black Herran concocting a new plan to get the old monster crew together to fight this new threat- in which people die no matter who they are serving. No one wins in my opinion, even Maeven is denied satisfaction.
The different monsters are given great stories but ultimately most every one was SO evil that I wanted them all dead so people could just enjoy a simple life. But no, some still made it thru.
I only like Red Penny and the fierce eyed little girl intimating that the Vamp is full of shit. And the Orc was deceived into all this killing, that was a damn shame.
The hive was an interesting side story. I could say more but I am ready to move on. Unfortunately I purchased this one, I will have to review my life choices now.
Plus side: It did have a few small humorous bites to it. Very few. And a very cool cover that sucked me in.
Its a demonic mystery with twists you don't see coming. But I found that I just didn't care enough to appreciate the twists at the end. This book probably works for other people, but not me. The world building and character development was great, which is why a 3.
It was:
1. Horrible people killing other people in revenge and then Black Herran (due to being pregnant) disappears causing these monsters to turn on each other and it all falls apart. Most everyone dies.
2. 40 years later, the new threat to humanity are the "good" people and the Goddess with the Falcon Prince- killing and stealing from all those against them.
3. Black Herran concocting a new plan to get the old monster crew together to fight this new threat- in which people die no matter who they are serving. No one wins in my opinion, even Maeven is denied satisfaction.
The different monsters are given great stories but ultimately most every one was SO evil that I wanted them all dead so people could just enjoy a simple life. But no, some still made it thru.
I only like Red Penny and the fierce eyed little girl intimating that the Vamp is full of shit. And the Orc was deceived into all this killing, that was a damn shame.
The hive was an interesting side story. I could say more but I am ready to move on. Unfortunately I purchased this one, I will have to review my life choices now.
lakishi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rkking's review
4.0
This book is for anyone who's a fan of the Suicide Squad comics or movies.
A group of fantastical villains must team up one final time to stop an even greater threat that's sweeping over the land in this very enjoyable single book fantasy.
No need for a multi-book saga here. It gets right to the point, the visceral, bone-breaking, hard-drinking, potty-mouthed grim dark fantasy that it is.
The characters really shine here, almost each and every one of them. I'm torn between which was actually my favorite; the war god? The necromancer? The vampire?
They were all really great.
It has a very open ending, which certainly leaves room for further books. But my hope is that doesn't happen. That way this book can remain as a lightning-in-a-bottle find of the fantasy genre.
Awesome work, Cameron Johnston!
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes
A group of fantastical villains must team up one final time to stop an even greater threat that's sweeping over the land in this very enjoyable single book fantasy.
No need for a multi-book saga here. It gets right to the point, the visceral, bone-breaking, hard-drinking, potty-mouthed grim dark fantasy that it is.
The characters really shine here, almost each and every one of them. I'm torn between which was actually my favorite; the war god? The necromancer? The vampire?
They were all really great.
It has a very open ending, which certainly leaves room for further books. But my hope is that doesn't happen. That way this book can remain as a lightning-in-a-bottle find of the fantasy genre.
Awesome work, Cameron Johnston!
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes
gabalodon's review against another edition
4.0
Not much emotional tension or explored character depth (and a lot of potential for both) but action-packed and full (and I mean FULL) of (fun) gratuitous violence and gore. SO gross
itsfreelancer's review against another edition
5.0
There are no heroes here. Only villains and monsters.
This is the story of Black Herran, demonologist and her 7 war captains with the intention to conquer the world. Or so it was until Black Herran disappeared on the day of complete victory and it all went to shit.
40 years later, there is a new goddess in town and old gods are being hunted. They aren't the good guys either. No one is. And yet Black Herran resurfaces and plans to gather her captains again who I might add have gone their separate ways and have been enemies to each other in these long years. And Black Herran is an old woman now so there's that. But the deals with the demons she made are not broken.
And there you have it. A last defence war story between villains and monsters. You do not know who to root for and yet to care about each one of them. If you enjoy warfare and not bothered by a little gore, you should pick this up. And you should definitely not underestimate Black Herran.
The enemies shouldn't.
The captains shouldn't more.
This is the story of Black Herran, demonologist and her 7 war captains with the intention to conquer the world. Or so it was until Black Herran disappeared on the day of complete victory and it all went to shit.
40 years later, there is a new goddess in town and old gods are being hunted. They aren't the good guys either. No one is. And yet Black Herran resurfaces and plans to gather her captains again who I might add have gone their separate ways and have been enemies to each other in these long years. And Black Herran is an old woman now so there's that. But the deals with the demons she made are not broken.
And there you have it. A last defence war story between villains and monsters. You do not know who to root for and yet to care about each one of them. If you enjoy warfare and not bothered by a little gore, you should pick this up. And you should definitely not underestimate Black Herran.
The enemies shouldn't.
The captains shouldn't more.
ltg61's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5