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ametakinetos's review
3.0
Yes. And no.
Dark Shores was a great ride and Dark Skies even better. I was apprehensive coming into Gilded Serpent with its higher POV count and a now concurrent storyline, and overall I think Jensen accomplished this task well. It is no small feat to maintain four distinct voices especially as they experience the same events.
But for those voices to remain original in their own right is another matter. Lydia makes the greatest strides as a character (villain arc! villain arc! I'm BEGGING), whereas Killian seems to just retrace the same mental steps over and over. The worst offenders of this are Teriana and Marcus. They end the book in physically and mentally the exact same place they started and seem to have learned nothing through their adventures together.
Plotwise, little is accomplished. The tension is ever-present and the action is breakneck, yet the only revelation of note are the xenthier stems and perhaps Lydia's heritage. Serrick devolving into the corrupted or Rufina's reveal as Cyntha didn't move the needle for me. Evil characters already established as evil, just taking a different form, is not all that revolutionary.
All in all, the worldbuilding is extraordinary, it's an easy read, but I feel that this third installment is merely dragging out the series to keep it from being a trilogy. It didn't have enough to make the length feel warranted. Still, I look forward to Scorched Earth which should, by definition of being the last book, escape the doldrums of plot bloating that Gilded Serpents found itself caught in.
Dark Shores was a great ride and Dark Skies even better. I was apprehensive coming into Gilded Serpent with its higher POV count and a now concurrent storyline, and overall I think Jensen accomplished this task well. It is no small feat to maintain four distinct voices especially as they experience the same events.
But for those voices to remain original in their own right is another matter. Lydia makes the greatest strides as a character (villain arc! villain arc! I'm BEGGING), whereas Killian seems to just retrace the same mental steps over and over. The worst offenders of this are Teriana and Marcus. They end the book in physically and mentally the exact same place they started and seem to have learned nothing through their adventures together.
Plotwise, little is accomplished. The tension is ever-present and the action is breakneck, yet the only revelation of note are the xenthier stems and perhaps Lydia's heritage. Serrick devolving into the corrupted or Rufina's reveal as Cyntha didn't move the needle for me. Evil characters already established as evil, just taking a different form, is not all that revolutionary.
All in all, the worldbuilding is extraordinary, it's an easy read, but I feel that this third installment is merely dragging out the series to keep it from being a trilogy. It didn't have enough to make the length feel warranted. Still, I look forward to Scorched Earth which should, by definition of being the last book, escape the doldrums of plot bloating that Gilded Serpents found itself caught in.
tweezy1121's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
__paigespages's review
4.0
Gilded Serpent is book three in the Dark Shores series. I listened to it on audio and it was a journey - literally. This book brings us the points of view of all four main characters we met in the first two books.
I really enjoyed the continued world building and personal growth for all the characters. I love Lydia’s character so much, she is fierce and strong while being bookish and is always underestimated. Marcus and Teriana’s struggles had my heart pounding on several occasions.
This is a fantastic series if you enjoy LOTR mixed with Ancient Rome vibes, with politics, magic, gods, and a dash of romance. Now I’m all caught up and impatiently waiting for Scorched Earth to release, which happens on January 1 according to Goodreads!
I really enjoyed the continued world building and personal growth for all the characters. I love Lydia’s character so much, she is fierce and strong while being bookish and is always underestimated. Marcus and Teriana’s struggles had my heart pounding on several occasions.
This is a fantastic series if you enjoy LOTR mixed with Ancient Rome vibes, with politics, magic, gods, and a dash of romance. Now I’m all caught up and impatiently waiting for Scorched Earth to release, which happens on January 1 according to Goodreads!
aliceruth's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cakt1991's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gilded Serpent is the third installment in Danielle L. Jensen’s Dark Shores series, and as promised with the setup of the prior two books, we now have all four of the main characters’s POVs as each has a key role to play in the central conflict of the series.
With the characters still often in different places, it was great to see more of the world, and it feels even more vividly imagined than in the prior books. The Ancient Roman influences remain pronounced, and it’s fairly brutal, without being too intense for a younger audience.
But one aspect I was most curious about was how Jensen would balance these four characters, as while she had more time to flesh them out in individual books than most fantasy writers do, it’s still a hard task, and one that she admits she hadn’t really done before. But I was quickly able to become engrossed with each of them and their personal arcs, as well as the two romances. While I did prefer Marcus and Teriana’s romance dynamic prior to reading this book, Killian scored a lot of points for me as I saw a little more of him in action, and Lydia remains a delight, so I’ve warmed up to them as a couple. And while the connections between all the characters was clear at the outset, it was great to see more interaction between them, especially with the stakes so high, and there was genuine fear at times that one had been lost.
With more major characters to follow, the book is longer and more complex. However, it’s also high-action, so while the pacing is a bit slower at times, it remains engaging overall, and the book earns its length.
This was an epic installment, and I’m excited for how it comes together in the final book that comes out next year. If you’re interested in YA fantasy with Roman influences, I’d recommend checking this series out!
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
I've read everything Danielle L Jensen has ever read. I've always been a fan of her thrilling, emotional, and ambitious work, so when I say that GILDED SERPENT is the best book she's written to date, I mean it. I've always loved the complexity, adventures, and memorable characters of the DARK SHORES world. GILDED SERPENT takes everything I love and cranks the intensity to eleven.
Let's start with the characters: Marcus goes through such an emotional and personal journey in this book that my heart just breaks for him. It's clear to see how much he sacrifices, how little he has to lose, and how desperate he is for peace. Beside him is Teriana, who is just as fierce, resourceful, and clever as I remember her being. Their journey together and the love they come to share is one of the most devastatingly beautiful and complex romances in YA fantasy. Nothing about their lives is easy, but working together helps them survive.
On the other end, we have Killian and Lydia, my absolute favourites. Watching Killian be wracked with guilt over his failure to protect those who need him broke my heart. Seeing Lydia learn shocking truths about her past and come to terms with a dark future had me on the edge of my seat. I absolutely love them together, even when they grew stubborn and argued. They never quit on one another, and their personal strengths helped them survive true horror.
The plot focuses on character journeys and arcs, but that doesn't make it any less thrilling. Visceral and quick paced action kept me on the edge of my seat. The heroes were constantly placed in situations I had no idea they would escape. But trust, skill, and some unlikely alliances (those who've read TARNISHED EMPIRE will be happy to see a familiar face), create a compulsively readable book that you will not want to put down.
This series is perfection in nearly every form. There is nothing I didn't love about it. It's unique, challenging, complicated, and packed with characters who feel real and natural. The romances and bonds are beautifully constructed, thanks to Jensen's talent. And the ending... the ending has me eagerly awaiting the next book.
A must read for anyone who loves intense action, passionate romance, and incredible characters. Read this series now!
Let's start with the characters: Marcus goes through such an emotional and personal journey in this book that my heart just breaks for him. It's clear to see how much he sacrifices, how little he has to lose, and how desperate he is for peace. Beside him is Teriana, who is just as fierce, resourceful, and clever as I remember her being. Their journey together and the love they come to share is one of the most devastatingly beautiful and complex romances in YA fantasy. Nothing about their lives is easy, but working together helps them survive.
On the other end, we have Killian and Lydia, my absolute favourites. Watching Killian be wracked with guilt over his failure to protect those who need him broke my heart. Seeing Lydia learn shocking truths about her past and come to terms with a dark future had me on the edge of my seat. I absolutely love them together, even when they grew stubborn and argued. They never quit on one another, and their personal strengths helped them survive true horror.
The plot focuses on character journeys and arcs, but that doesn't make it any less thrilling. Visceral and quick paced action kept me on the edge of my seat. The heroes were constantly placed in situations I had no idea they would escape. But trust, skill, and some unlikely alliances (those who've read TARNISHED EMPIRE will be happy to see a familiar face), create a compulsively readable book that you will not want to put down.
This series is perfection in nearly every form. There is nothing I didn't love about it. It's unique, challenging, complicated, and packed with characters who feel real and natural. The romances and bonds are beautifully constructed, thanks to Jensen's talent. And the ending... the ending has me eagerly awaiting the next book.
A must read for anyone who loves intense action, passionate romance, and incredible characters. Read this series now!