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lycaonia's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
knitreadkate's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
btronix's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly if it wasn't for the fact that I'd read the previous six books and waited years for this one, I would have abandoned this book long ago.
I think this is another prime example of a popular series suffering from an editor stepping back and letting the author reign and the story suffer. Only the last 15% of the book actually meant anything to the story and it was so rushed that the previous 85% felt even more tedious.
Three stars because at least it didn't end on too much of a cliffhanger and even though there is more to the story, I just don't care anymore.
I think this is another prime example of a popular series suffering from an editor stepping back and letting the author reign and the story suffer. Only the last 15% of the book actually meant anything to the story and it was so rushed that the previous 85% felt even more tedious.
Three stars because at least it didn't end on too much of a cliffhanger and even though there is more to the story, I just don't care anymore.
erazonasarah's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. This book, and the series as a whole, took me on a journey that was full of surprises. The ending of this novel tore me to pieces.
What did disappoint me is that the first three quarters of the book was very detailed and drawn out, yet the action packed, heartbreaking, answer-revealing last quarter was rushed through so quickly that I didn't have the time to absorb what was happening. Suddenly it was all over and I sat there feeling devastated and not really knowing why.
There were some great twists in the end, but so many questions were left unanswered and I hope Isobelle will write about these, even if it's just in an online excerpt!
What did disappoint me is that the first three quarters of the book was very detailed and drawn out, yet the action packed, heartbreaking, answer-revealing last quarter was rushed through so quickly that I didn't have the time to absorb what was happening. Suddenly it was all over and I sat there feeling devastated and not really knowing why.
There were some great twists in the end, but so many questions were left unanswered and I hope Isobelle will write about these, even if it's just in an online excerpt!
knitswithbeer's review against another edition
5.0
And so it ends with a new beginning.
Had a bit of a panic earlier today when Borrowbox updated and denied access for several hours when the story had reached a critical point.
Lots of threads were tied up but others left hanging. Not in an overly frustrating way, but more as possible spinoffs.
I've really enjoyed this series and love several of the characters, especially Maruman.
So now I'm going to read his story!
Had a bit of a panic earlier today when Borrowbox updated and denied access for several hours when the story had reached a critical point.
Lots of threads were tied up but others left hanging. Not in an overly frustrating way, but more as possible spinoffs.
I've really enjoyed this series and love several of the characters, especially Maruman.
So now I'm going to read his story!
clare__emm's review against another edition
4.0
after so many years, to reach the end and be content with it is worth all the stars.
misha_ali's review against another edition
3.0
GNAWING, Elspeth.
I wish this book was half the length. There is so much tedious infodumping that I lost interest halfway through. Elspeth thinks a lot about things, for someone who is almost always wrong. There is so much wrong with this book and it feels (very obviously) that the book was written in parts and then the parts just joined together.
The number 1 requirement I have for the final books of lengthy series is closure. TELL US WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE CHARACTERS. I have no idea what happens to most of the characters, and even the reason Elspeth must leave everyone behind (AGAIN) is a bit silly. Surely a choice would have been better?
This book also relies much more heavily on prophecies and visions than the prior books. This is already a thing I don't enjoy reading, but it goes to ridiculous lengths here. Every characters seems to conveniently have visions of things and people they need to know about at the time. Characters conveniently drop off the face of the earth and then reappear exactly when they are needed because visions. Ugh.
In terms of worldbuilding, there are two (technically maybe even three if you count the hasty primer to the white faced lords' land) entirely new settings introduced from scratch in the final book, which is never a good thing. The setting that is least useful is introduced in great complexity, and then just abandoned because it wasn't really relevant for the larger scope of the story anyway. Throwaway characters like people Elspeth coerces get far too much back story and to no end. The journeys and motivations of characters we may actually care about get little to no explanations as a result. Dragon suddenly gets a personality transplant (in that she suddenly develops a personality).
It was all a bit frustrating. I'm glad the book is over and I won't even talk about the big resolution in the Destroyer vs Seeker thing but bah. Honestly, I wish this book had a Cliff Notes version that people could read instead and probably walk away actually satisfied.
I wish this book was half the length. There is so much tedious infodumping that I lost interest halfway through. Elspeth thinks a lot about things, for someone who is almost always wrong. There is so much wrong with this book and it feels (very obviously) that the book was written in parts and then the parts just joined together.
The number 1 requirement I have for the final books of lengthy series is closure. TELL US WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE CHARACTERS. I have no idea what happens to most of the characters, and even the reason Elspeth must leave everyone behind (AGAIN) is a bit silly. Surely a choice would have been better?
This book also relies much more heavily on prophecies and visions than the prior books. This is already a thing I don't enjoy reading, but it goes to ridiculous lengths here. Every characters seems to conveniently have visions of things and people they need to know about at the time. Characters conveniently drop off the face of the earth and then reappear exactly when they are needed because visions. Ugh.
In terms of worldbuilding, there are two (technically maybe even three if you count the hasty primer to the white faced lords' land) entirely new settings introduced from scratch in the final book, which is never a good thing. The setting that is least useful is introduced in great complexity, and then just abandoned because it wasn't really relevant for the larger scope of the story anyway. Throwaway characters like people Elspeth coerces get far too much back story and to no end. The journeys and motivations of characters we may actually care about get little to no explanations as a result. Dragon suddenly gets a personality transplant (in that she suddenly develops a personality).
It was all a bit frustrating. I'm glad the book is over and I won't even talk about the big resolution in the Destroyer vs Seeker thing but bah. Honestly, I wish this book had a Cliff Notes version that people could read instead and probably walk away actually satisfied.
laurenthompson6290's review against another edition
3.0
Excellet series, but maybe I shouldn't have chosen Autumn 2020 as the time to revisit this series