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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
When people ask me if I do cover buys I always say no. I never buy a book only because it has a pretty cover. However, when a book has both a pretty cover, an interesting summary AND an entire website with an intriguing world to explore it's impossible NOT to get the book. And then the urge to read the book strikes when I'm staying with my parents for the holidays and the paperback is at home. So, thank you so much Trudie Skies for helping this girl out!
The world building in this book is phenomenal. I personally would advice everyone to subscribe to Skies' newsletter to get the handbook and to read it before diving into this book. Reading the handbook first helped me to get familiar with all the names, species and the mythology. Therefore I didn't feel too overwhelmed when starting the book, especially because it throws us right into the action. And don't worry. The handbook contains absolutely no spoilers.
Even though Skies clearly spent a lot of time on the world building it never felt like the world building took over the entire story. In every possible way the world served the characters, although their journey had some impact on the world and vice versa. And although there were quite a few characters to get to know, apart from the two point of view characters, Skies made them so distinct and unique that it was quite easy to tell them apart.
With an epic fantasy like this the emotions of the story are quite often forgotten. It's one of the reasons (historical) epic fantasy and I usually don't really have a click. Skies proves with this book that epic fantasy and raw emotions can go together, though. The book contained quite a few really emotional scenes and at times the pain and worries and sorrows of the characters really jumped from the page.
After the spectacular finale It's quite clear that the story has only just begon. I can't wait to read what will happen next!
The world building in this book is phenomenal. I personally would advice everyone to subscribe to Skies' newsletter to get the handbook and to read it before diving into this book. Reading the handbook first helped me to get familiar with all the names, species and the mythology. Therefore I didn't feel too overwhelmed when starting the book, especially because it throws us right into the action. And don't worry. The handbook contains absolutely no spoilers.
Even though Skies clearly spent a lot of time on the world building it never felt like the world building took over the entire story. In every possible way the world served the characters, although their journey had some impact on the world and vice versa. And although there were quite a few characters to get to know, apart from the two point of view characters, Skies made them so distinct and unique that it was quite easy to tell them apart.
With an epic fantasy like this the emotions of the story are quite often forgotten. It's one of the reasons (historical) epic fantasy and I usually don't really have a click. Skies proves with this book that epic fantasy and raw emotions can go together, though. The book contained quite a few really emotional scenes and at times the pain and worries and sorrows of the characters really jumped from the page.
After the spectacular finale It's quite clear that the story has only just begon. I can't wait to read what will happen next!
kariniwonderland's review against another edition
3.0
I must be honest. I was very close to stop reading this one. Although the premise is intriguing, the first few chapters did not grab my attention. It was a slow read. But then the story picks up speed and it gets more interesting. More entertaining with a nice twist at the end. If you don’t mind a slow start and love steampunk fantasy, then you should definitely give it a try. The Thirteenth Hour is the first book in the Cruel Gods series.
I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.
theemmajulian's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
cassidychivers's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads!
My full thoughts are in my video review/vlog
https://youtu.be/ahEh6DSSDQM
The first half of this book started really strong for me I was super intrigued and enjoyed the world building as well as being interested in the stories of our two main characters.
But after hitting 60% I found myself losing interest. I didn't care where the plot was going and the repetitive writing of the book made it far too long for me. (& I mean I love a chunky book but there needs to be meaning for the chunk)
The main point of issue for me ended up being the characters in this book. We had two protagonists who's voices were too similar for me. I had a hard time defining the two. I did prefer the male pov over the female as we had an interesting convos about memories in his chapters. And all of the side characters and gods didn't have any personality for me.
That being said the book was well written just some pacing issues. And the world building was fascinating.
It is urban but set in a new fantastical world. Not our own. Which I like. It reminded me of the settings of City Of Stairs and Foundryside by Robert Jacson Bennett.
My full thoughts are in my video review/vlog
https://youtu.be/ahEh6DSSDQM
The first half of this book started really strong for me I was super intrigued and enjoyed the world building as well as being interested in the stories of our two main characters.
But after hitting 60% I found myself losing interest. I didn't care where the plot was going and the repetitive writing of the book made it far too long for me. (& I mean I love a chunky book but there needs to be meaning for the chunk)
The main point of issue for me ended up being the characters in this book. We had two protagonists who's voices were too similar for me. I had a hard time defining the two. I did prefer the male pov over the female as we had an interesting convos about memories in his chapters. And all of the side characters and gods didn't have any personality for me.
That being said the book was well written just some pacing issues. And the world building was fascinating.
It is urban but set in a new fantastical world. Not our own. Which I like. It reminded me of the settings of City Of Stairs and Foundryside by Robert Jacson Bennett.
mebius's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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
booksthatburn's review
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? Yes
4.5
THE THIRTEENTH HOUR is an intricate and emotional gaslamp fantasy of apostasy in a world where every mortal was created by a specific god in their own image, and everything is a sin to someone.
The worldbuilding is complex and detailed, with twelve domains plus a hub world (Chime), special characteristics and abilities for the various kinds of mortals, and gods with their own agendas, mores, and conflicting definitions of sin. In less skilled hands, this could be a disorienting mess of an infodump with no hope of salvaging an understandable story. Instead, almost all of the story takes place in Chime (with a few brief visits to one other domain), there's a tight focus on two specific characters and a relatively small assortment of enemies, allies, and political machinations. The types of mortals are described consistently, and more details are added gradually enough that I could get a strong sense of a few types before learning about a few more as they became more relevant. The Godless are a large enough group to have around half of the kinds of mortals, but they aren't some coincidentally complete assortment of all the types. Not every group is represented, which is consistent with how they have different experiences of their respective gods. The crueler the god is to their followers, the more likely it is that they wound up among the Godless, but it's not a strict correlation.
The Godless have rejected their deities, some of them due to a particular incident several years ago, but others with their own specific traumas, moments of disillusionment, and reasons to keep themselves apart from the divinities who shape their existences and treat them as playthings. One of my favorite parts of the setting is that within this focus on sin, redemption, and the divine, each of the gods has their own definition of what "sin" is. This emphasizes how unhelpful it is as a concept for those who spend their lives worried about sinning, and how useful it is as a tool for the gods to use the threat of damnation and divine displeasure to keep their mortals in line.
As the first book in a series, THE THIRTEENTH HOUR has its own story and a satisfying conclusion. It resolves several major plot points (both logistically and relationally) and ends with a paradigm shift which will have to be addressed in the following book. It's great as its own narrative, and as the beginning of the trilogy, and I'm very interested in what happens next.
The dynamic between Kayl, Quen, and Malk is not really a love triangle, and much more a story of Kayl and Quen figuring out their current relationships are abusive (to varying degrees) and going through the slow process of exiting them and trying for something better. Quen is nearly as emotionally entangled with Elijah as Kayl is with Malk. However, the fact that he has visions of each person's death when he touches them means he's not as physically intimate in that relationship, even as his internal life is frequently shaped by fears of Elijah's reaction to what he's doing. He's been removing his own memories in an attempt to keep control of his own mind, even if that control is at the cost of slowly losing himself. If you read THE THIRTEENTH HOUR hoping for a "girl picks between two guys" story, that's only technically part of what's happening and it might feel unsatisfying. It's a "two people pick between two other people" story, which is much clunkier to say and definitely not the point. Kayl's love for Malk is a constant motivation for her decisions with regards to Malk himself, but Quen's promise that they are partners in the investigation gradually becomes a stronger part of Kayl's choices and motivations. I did not read it as a love triangle, and so wasn't disappointed in any way by the narrative focus and how things develop between Kayl and Quen.
I love the characters and I'm deeply interested in the series as a whole. The world is changing and I want to know how they handle it.
The worldbuilding is complex and detailed, with twelve domains plus a hub world (Chime), special characteristics and abilities for the various kinds of mortals, and gods with their own agendas, mores, and conflicting definitions of sin. In less skilled hands, this could be a disorienting mess of an infodump with no hope of salvaging an understandable story. Instead, almost all of the story takes place in Chime (with a few brief visits to one other domain), there's a tight focus on two specific characters and a relatively small assortment of enemies, allies, and political machinations. The types of mortals are described consistently, and more details are added gradually enough that I could get a strong sense of a few types before learning about a few more as they became more relevant. The Godless are a large enough group to have around half of the kinds of mortals, but they aren't some coincidentally complete assortment of all the types. Not every group is represented, which is consistent with how they have different experiences of their respective gods. The crueler the god is to their followers, the more likely it is that they wound up among the Godless, but it's not a strict correlation.
The Godless have rejected their deities, some of them due to a particular incident several years ago, but others with their own specific traumas, moments of disillusionment, and reasons to keep themselves apart from the divinities who shape their existences and treat them as playthings. One of my favorite parts of the setting is that within this focus on sin, redemption, and the divine, each of the gods has their own definition of what "sin" is. This emphasizes how unhelpful it is as a concept for those who spend their lives worried about sinning, and how useful it is as a tool for the gods to use the threat of damnation and divine displeasure to keep their mortals in line.
As the first book in a series, THE THIRTEENTH HOUR has its own story and a satisfying conclusion. It resolves several major plot points (both logistically and relationally) and ends with a paradigm shift which will have to be addressed in the following book. It's great as its own narrative, and as the beginning of the trilogy, and I'm very interested in what happens next.
The dynamic between Kayl, Quen, and Malk is not really a love triangle, and much more a story of Kayl and Quen figuring out their current relationships are abusive (to varying degrees) and going through the slow process of exiting them and trying for something better. Quen is nearly as emotionally entangled with Elijah as Kayl is with Malk. However, the fact that he has visions of each person's death when he touches them means he's not as physically intimate in that relationship, even as his internal life is frequently shaped by fears of Elijah's reaction to what he's doing. He's been removing his own memories in an attempt to keep control of his own mind, even if that control is at the cost of slowly losing himself. If you read THE THIRTEENTH HOUR hoping for a "girl picks between two guys" story, that's only technically part of what's happening and it might feel unsatisfying. It's a "two people pick between two other people" story, which is much clunkier to say and definitely not the point. Kayl's love for Malk is a constant motivation for her decisions with regards to Malk himself, but Quen's promise that they are partners in the investigation gradually becomes a stronger part of Kayl's choices and motivations. I did not read it as a love triangle, and so wasn't disappointed in any way by the narrative focus and how things develop between Kayl and Quen.
I love the characters and I'm deeply interested in the series as a whole. The world is changing and I want to know how they handle it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Religious bigotry, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Slavery, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Excrement, Vomit, Ableism, Death of parent, Incest, Suicide, and Pregnancy
dawn_marie's review against another edition
3.0
The Thirteenth Hour, the first installment of Trudie Skies' Cruel Gods was a thoroughly engaging and entertaining read. The story follows the perspective of two main characters, Kayl and Quen as they form an uneasy partnership to solve the mystery of who or what is stealing the souls of the residents of Chime, and what is behind Kayl's unusual powers.
I thought the world-building was exceptional. The author created a Victorian-inspired gaslamp world split into twelve domains each ruled by a god, and centered around the city of Chime where a large clock tower serves as a portal to each of the twelve domains, each appearing at a specific hour. The mortal citizens of this world "belong" to one of the twelve domains and its ruling god, and when each mortal dies, their soul is returned to their god.
The gods are often capricious, mercurial, and cruel, caring little for their mortals except for tithes they must pay. It is this nature that has caused a group of residents, along with a mysterious benefactor, to form the Godless, a group whose goal is to expose the cruelness of the gods. While working for the Godless, Kayl (a Vesper) stumbles upon Quen (a Diviner) who is currently investigating suspicious activities at Glimmer workhouses. After a godless mission goes awry, Kayl and Quen find themselves working together to solve a series of unusual deaths and manage to uncover a deeper conspiracy.
The main characters were well-developed and complex, with various hints about their past being dropped like a trail of breadcrumbs leading to that SOMETHING. The secondary characters weren't as complex, but they were entertaining. I liked the friendship among the Godless, especially Kayl and Dru.
The plot and pacing were good, with enough action, twists and turns, and reflective moments to keep my attention.
Trude Skies notes there are several content warnings in the book and lists them all on their website (https://www.trudieskies.com/the-cruel-gods-content-warnings/). While a fantasy novel, the author does tackle some heavy topics including slavery, sexual, mental, and physical abuse, and human trafficking.
I thought the world-building was exceptional. The author created a Victorian-inspired gaslamp world split into twelve domains
Spoiler
(i.e., Memoria the domain of memory manipulation and academic studies; Solaris, home to the golden-skinned Glimmer, the domain of virtue, holiness, and other "religious" institutions; Eventide, home to the indigo skinned Vesper with the ability command shadows; Kronos home to the silver-skinned Diviners, mortals with the ability to manipulate time)The gods are often capricious, mercurial, and cruel, caring little for their mortals except for tithes they must pay. It is this nature that has caused a group of residents, along with a mysterious benefactor, to form the Godless, a group whose goal is to expose the cruelness of the gods. While working for the Godless, Kayl (a Vesper) stumbles upon Quen (a Diviner) who is currently investigating suspicious activities at Glimmer workhouses. After a godless mission goes awry, Kayl and Quen find themselves working together to solve a series of unusual deaths and manage to uncover a deeper conspiracy.
The main characters were well-developed and complex, with various hints about their past being dropped like a trail of breadcrumbs leading to that SOMETHING. The secondary characters weren't as complex, but they were entertaining. I liked the friendship among the Godless, especially Kayl and Dru.
The plot and pacing were good, with enough action, twists and turns, and reflective moments to keep my attention.
Trude Skies notes there are several content warnings in the book and lists them all on their website (https://www.trudieskies.com/the-cruel-gods-content-warnings/). While a fantasy novel, the author does tackle some heavy topics including slavery, sexual, mental, and physical abuse, and human trafficking.
geethr75's review against another edition
5.0
This has been on my TBR for a long time, and I finally got around to reading it. All I can say is that this book didn't disappoint. As an SPFBO finalist, I had a great many expectations and this book met and exceeded all of them.
I loved Kayl, the bumbling MC, a Vesper, whose speciality is shadows and who is under the rule of Valeria, one of the 12 Cruel Gods of the title. Kayl is part of a group calling themselves the Godless since they believe that the Gods are cruel, uncaring and shouldn't have a say in a mortal's life. Over the course of the first few chapters, we see how cruel and capricious the Gods are, and how mortals are bound to their whims.
The other MC, is a Diviner, Quen, who is also a Warden, the law enforcers of the city of Chime which is a domain that's supposedly free of the Gods' influence and where technically mortals belonging to all domains are considered equal. The reality is far otherwise, however. The Diviner have power over time, but Quen's powers also include seeing someone's last moments and seeing the moment of their death.
I don't want to spoil anything but this is a thrilling plot, with romance, angst, friendship, found family, redemption and heartbreak. The ending made me want to grab the second book immediately and I'm 5 chapters in already!
The only thing that's saddening is having to wait MONTHS for the last book now.
This book will appeal to anyone who loves fantasy, gods, magic, secondary worlds with characters who are real and relatable.
I adored this, and I would absolutely recommend this to EVERYONE who loves fantasy.
I loved Kayl, the bumbling MC, a Vesper, whose speciality is shadows and who is under the rule of Valeria, one of the 12 Cruel Gods of the title. Kayl is part of a group calling themselves the Godless since they believe that the Gods are cruel, uncaring and shouldn't have a say in a mortal's life. Over the course of the first few chapters, we see how cruel and capricious the Gods are, and how mortals are bound to their whims.
The other MC, is a Diviner, Quen, who is also a Warden, the law enforcers of the city of Chime which is a domain that's supposedly free of the Gods' influence and where technically mortals belonging to all domains are considered equal. The reality is far otherwise, however. The Diviner have power over time, but Quen's powers also include seeing someone's last moments and seeing the moment of their death.
I don't want to spoil anything but this is a thrilling plot, with romance, angst, friendship, found family, redemption and heartbreak. The ending made me want to grab the second book immediately and I'm 5 chapters in already!
The only thing that's saddening is having to wait MONTHS for the last book now.
This book will appeal to anyone who loves fantasy, gods, magic, secondary worlds with characters who are real and relatable.
I adored this, and I would absolutely recommend this to EVERYONE who loves fantasy.
anca_antoci's review against another edition
5.0
Trudie Skies' "The Thirteenth Hour" is a mesmerizing work of fantasy that captivates readers with its richly detailed world-building, intricate plot, and dry wit. The novel presents a complex and fascinating world, with twelve domains, gods, and mortal races all skillfully woven together.
The story takes place in Chime, a city where the gods cannot tread. Poverty and despair coexist alongside affluence in Chime, and the city is teeming with danger and desperation, cloaked in a veneer of urbane civility. Skies' subtle critique of the social structure and hierarchy is a standout element of the novel, as is her exploration of the concept of freedom.
The two main characters, Kayl and Quen, are from vastly different backgrounds and are both expertly portrayed. Kayl, a Vesper from Eventide who controls shadow and darkness, is an orphan raised on the streets of the Undercity. She seeks to protect other heathens from the gods she has forsaken. Quen, on the other hand, is one of the powerful and devout enforcers for the gods, known as Wardens. He upholds the gods' doctrines and ensures that the various societies in Chime do not clash with each other.
Read more at: https://www.summonfantasy.com/reviews/the-thirteenth-hour-by-trudie-skies
The story takes place in Chime, a city where the gods cannot tread. Poverty and despair coexist alongside affluence in Chime, and the city is teeming with danger and desperation, cloaked in a veneer of urbane civility. Skies' subtle critique of the social structure and hierarchy is a standout element of the novel, as is her exploration of the concept of freedom.
The two main characters, Kayl and Quen, are from vastly different backgrounds and are both expertly portrayed. Kayl, a Vesper from Eventide who controls shadow and darkness, is an orphan raised on the streets of the Undercity. She seeks to protect other heathens from the gods she has forsaken. Quen, on the other hand, is one of the powerful and devout enforcers for the gods, known as Wardens. He upholds the gods' doctrines and ensures that the various societies in Chime do not clash with each other.
Read more at: https://www.summonfantasy.com/reviews/the-thirteenth-hour-by-trudie-skies