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mythdreamer's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had a hard time deciding if I liked this book at the start. It is a slow burn, heavy plot driven, high stakes political fantasy.
It is also good. Really good. Just know the second book has not been published.
It is also good. Really good. Just know the second book has not been published.
alumbercat's review
Extremely thick accents with no real plot progression. Also I hated the baby and his wet nurse.
mehitabels's review
3.0
It is so hard to rate a book so big in scope, character, and tree pulp. I found myself looking forward to returning to the book, thinking about the places, people, and conflicts when away from it, and I really enjoyed pondering the way things could turn out. So an easy four stars, yeah?
Unfortunately, I have to retract at least half a star, which I can't really do on Goodreads. I imagine there is at least one more book to come to finish off the story. Because if not, a lot of readers will be disappointed. Too much is left unfinished at the end. And to be honest, that is probably why I won't pick up the next book. My favorite characters were slighted, promises were left unkept, and to imagine involving myself (and my bookish heart) in another go-round, well, I shudder. Perhaps if my "to-read" shelf were not so overburdened . . . then again, if [a:Patrick Rothfuss|108424|Patrick Rothfuss|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351307341p2/108424.jpg] hasn't published anything by the time Ms. Miller gets out her next, well, I have made no pledges.
Unfortunately, I have to retract at least half a star, which I can't really do on Goodreads. I imagine there is at least one more book to come to finish off the story. Because if not, a lot of readers will be disappointed. Too much is left unfinished at the end. And to be honest, that is probably why I won't pick up the next book. My favorite characters were slighted, promises were left unkept, and to imagine involving myself (and my bookish heart) in another go-round, well, I shudder. Perhaps if my "to-read" shelf were not so overburdened . . . then again, if [a:Patrick Rothfuss|108424|Patrick Rothfuss|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351307341p2/108424.jpg] hasn't published anything by the time Ms. Miller gets out her next, well, I have made no pledges.
sarina_langer's review against another edition
5.0
Now, let me say this right away – you’ll want this as a paperback. Not only is there a beautiful map of a rather large world at the front of the book, but you also get a list of important characters so you don’t lose track of who’s who. And there are a lot of characters, so this list is useful. It’s much easier to navigate both when you have a physical copy in your hands. I read this on my kindle and let me tell ya, I wanted to quickly peek at the beginning a lot throughout this book. Paperback is definitely advised, people!
Now, to the review… I was already a fan of Karen Miller when I bought this, so I knew I was going to like it. In fact, this is the first I’ve seen the blurb at the back I think. You know when you like an author so much you don’t even care what the new book is about, you’ll buy it anyway? The Falcon Throne was that book for me. And I was not let down.
As the blurb above states very clearly there’s a lot of bloodshed, deceit, betrayal and intrigue going on. The story takes places in a rather large area of the world (again, you want the paperback so you can easily get to the map whenever you want to, it’ll be a huge help) and, best of all, it has multiple narratives. I love multiple narratives because it shows you the same story from different angles and enriches the story in ways one single narrative just can’t. As mentioned above there are a lot of different people in this, with very different view points and reading about all of them is highly intriguing. I usually always have firm favourites but The Falcon Throne made me change who I was rooting for several times. (for the record, my rooting for Roric and Catrain never stopped)
All of the characters develop in very believable, very natural ways, and while you may very well hate some of them you will also likely understand perfectly why they do what they do. Not that this stops the hatred for them. I understand that Humbert acted the way he did because he wanted to protect his country at all costs, but the way he treated his daughter is still unforgivable. You don’t marry your only child to a man she doesn’t want to marry, while she already deeply loves another man and you’re very aware of that fact. You just don’t. Okay?
Now, before this review gets too long and you get bored… If you have any love for fantasy books, add this one to your shelf. It’s quite long and took me a while to read through so you’ll need to bring time (remember I usually only read on my lunch breaks), but it’ll be worth it. Since this is the first in a new series Karen Miller is working on, I’m excited for book two (especially after how everything went to hell at the end of this one).
(Did I mention there’s magic? No? There’s magic.)
Now, to the review… I was already a fan of Karen Miller when I bought this, so I knew I was going to like it. In fact, this is the first I’ve seen the blurb at the back I think. You know when you like an author so much you don’t even care what the new book is about, you’ll buy it anyway? The Falcon Throne was that book for me. And I was not let down.
As the blurb above states very clearly there’s a lot of bloodshed, deceit, betrayal and intrigue going on. The story takes places in a rather large area of the world (again, you want the paperback so you can easily get to the map whenever you want to, it’ll be a huge help) and, best of all, it has multiple narratives. I love multiple narratives because it shows you the same story from different angles and enriches the story in ways one single narrative just can’t. As mentioned above there are a lot of different people in this, with very different view points and reading about all of them is highly intriguing. I usually always have firm favourites but The Falcon Throne made me change who I was rooting for several times. (for the record, my rooting for Roric and Catrain never stopped)
All of the characters develop in very believable, very natural ways, and while you may very well hate some of them you will also likely understand perfectly why they do what they do. Not that this stops the hatred for them. I understand that Humbert acted the way he did because he wanted to protect his country at all costs, but the way he treated his daughter is still unforgivable. You don’t marry your only child to a man she doesn’t want to marry, while she already deeply loves another man and you’re very aware of that fact. You just don’t. Okay?
Now, before this review gets too long and you get bored… If you have any love for fantasy books, add this one to your shelf. It’s quite long and took me a while to read through so you’ll need to bring time (remember I usually only read on my lunch breaks), but it’ll be worth it. Since this is the first in a new series Karen Miller is working on, I’m excited for book two (especially after how everything went to hell at the end of this one).
(Did I mention there’s magic? No? There’s magic.)
lycheeteareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
atarbett's review
The language she used really got on my nerves. So much so that I couldn't on the story at all. I am not putting up with 700 pages of this noun-verbed nonsense
cousinrachel's review against another edition
4.0
This resembles A Game of Thrones from the Song of Ice and Fire series in several ways - the medieval setting, grand political conflict, even using George R. R. Martin's phrase "in his cups" to mean drunkenness, unless Martin got that from somewhere else. But it draws characters quite well, not making most of them "good" or "bad," but a combination. Characters evolve over the long span of time, taking a while to show their fundamental nature or motivations; it's often nail-biting to see what choices they will make. Some of them are incredibly stupid and make me want to choke them, but given that real people make incredibly stupid decisions, I don't hold it against the book. I appreciate that the author doesn't make all of them sympathetic or wise, and in fact sometimes made me pity people who also did despicable things, even sympathize with them for doing it. This book is extremely bleak in that well-intentioned people become poisoned by the violence, selfishness, and hierarchical political and social system around them, eventually doing the actions they initially would have condemned. It does have its share of true villainy, though. I want to continue reading the series just to watch a certain person get it. ;)
This author doesn't fool around with long descriptions, unlike Martin or Tolkien. I appreciate world-building, but I want to get to the action, too. This was a major way it didn't lose my interest. At the same time, there are confusing time-jumps, where one chapter suddenly takes place six years after the next and it's difficult to keep up with characters' ages. I might be reading along and it's almost as if Miller mentions offhand, "Oh by the way, six years have passed now, OK back to the action." There isn't much of a natural sense of time passing.
Also unlike Martin, Miller relieves a bit of the darkness with some levity, which I get the sense isn't found in many fantasy series. I hope in the next one she keeps up the humor - wading through so much doom and death gets a bit taxing after a while.
Overall, I quite liked it, although the downhill slide it took in terms of people's moral integrity and any hope for the future was a downer. On the other hand, it was fascinating to read, and it's realistic that life in that setting was grim. Hope Miller brings a bit more encouraging turns of events in the next book to make the payoff worth it.
(By the way, the book description on the site is incorrect: The bastard character's name is Roric, not Ederic.)
This author doesn't fool around with long descriptions, unlike Martin or Tolkien. I appreciate world-building, but I want to get to the action, too. This was a major way it didn't lose my interest. At the same time, there are confusing time-jumps, where one chapter suddenly takes place six years after the next and it's difficult to keep up with characters' ages. I might be reading along and it's almost as if Miller mentions offhand, "Oh by the way, six years have passed now, OK back to the action." There isn't much of a natural sense of time passing.
Also unlike Martin, Miller relieves a bit of the darkness with some levity, which I get the sense isn't found in many fantasy series. I hope in the next one she keeps up the humor - wading through so much doom and death gets a bit taxing after a while.
Overall, I quite liked it, although the downhill slide it took in terms of people's moral integrity and any hope for the future was a downer. On the other hand, it was fascinating to read, and it's realistic that life in that setting was grim. Hope Miller brings a bit more encouraging turns of events in the next book to make the payoff worth it.
(By the way, the book description on the site is incorrect: The bastard character's name is Roric, not Ederic.)
patremagne's review against another edition
2.0
Despite enjoying myself while reading this, I got about 3/4 through and simply had no desire to pick it back up. As others have said, it's the same stuff we've seen over and over again (don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the tropey tales), but seriously: a coup resulting in the murder of a ruler, said ruler's son being spirited away to be raised by a maid, an ambitious asshole heir, war brewing, you get the picture. I guess if you're in the mood for something like it, you'll probably enjoy this, but I was not.
I will say this, however: Miller writes jousting and various action scenes very well.
I will say this, however: Miller writes jousting and various action scenes very well.
embem28's review against another edition
4.0
It was a pretty good story, a bit reminiscent of GOT since she killed characters that I liked and then made the last good guy suffer. I'm not sure if I'll try for the second book. I may give it a shot and see how it goes, but if it takes as long as this to get through I may have to skip it for now.
leasky364's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0