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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Grief
adventurous
lighthearted
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
The Paladin’s series has been such a fun read. They are quick books to listen to and have the right mix of plot focus and romance building for an overall romance book.
I’m so glad we got a book focused on Piper. I’d been curious to see his character more since book 1.
I’m so glad we got a book focused on Piper. I’d been curious to see his character more since book 1.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Child death
This was an excellent book. All of the characters have such a vibrant personality. wtf was the last line. I need to know what happens next!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Violence
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fantastic, pining, slow build gay romance set in a gorgeous, well developed world
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Funny, warm, and creepy in equal measures, just like the other books in this series. I really enjoyed the plot of this one. I’m not going to spoil it because I think it’s better to go into it not knowing anything, but it was such a page-turner. I am more intrigued by the gnoles than ever after finding out more about their culture.
Galen made some pretty boneheaded decisions (seems to be a paladin thing) but it did lead to some great moments, so I can’t be too mad. His romance with Piper was very sweet and adorably awkward.
I think Piper is my favourite main character so far in this series and Earstripe the gnole was just delightful. I can’t wait for Shane and Marguerite’s book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Medical content
Minor: Child death, Police brutality
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
After their introductions in the other two books, I hoped either Galen or Piper would get their own book. Them getting their own book together was everything I could have hoped for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really should've loved this book, but instead, I found it very disappointing. My favorite part of this book was the world, which was well-crafted and complex, with an interesting religion and minor magical elements. This in conjunction with a murder mystery story arc, lends to a setup for a great novel. However, the book didn't really follow through regarding the mystery element due to the 'Who' and 'How' of it being revealed almost immediately and the killer being neutralized almost immediately, once the opportunity arose.
But in my opinion, the biggest disappointment of this book was the romance, of which I will enter even more spoilery territory:
Although both Galen and Piper were quite loveable at first glance, they eventually came across as quite flat and their connection was shallow. Both of their desperate need to sacrifice themself to save the other seemed to stem more from the fact the other was hot, as opposed to genuine mutual affection. The self-sacrifice also got quite repetitive, and did nothing to further either the plot or their character development. But what ticked me off the most about the romance was the sexual component. By Ch. 3, I was able to tell who the "Top" and the "Bottom" was going to be, not because the writing clearly shows what these characters prefer, but because they fit so neatly into heteronormative stereotypes. And what's worse is that they both somehow telepathically knew who was going to take which role, rather than having a conversation about what they each like. Lastly, for a book that spent so much time having these MCs fixate on how much they want to bang, I was incredibly confused that the 2 love scenes that were in this book were largely F-T-B (the 2nd moreso than the 1st). It just seemed like such a waste to listen to MCs long for eachother's bodies just to skip over the parts where they actually hookup.
But in my opinion, the biggest disappointment of this book was the romance, of which I will enter even more spoilery territory:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Galen's bright presence in previous Saint of Steel books and Piper's scene-stealing culminates in their own story to close out this trilogy. After an urban political plot and a quest to save family, this is by nature of its protagonists a bit more of a procedural. I enjoy the paladin angst every time, and I'll do it again. Piper, like the other counterparts, brings his own baggage but this ended up being a bit lighter on romantic angst and heavier on dungeon crawl. Lots of fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence
Minor: Gore, Excrement, Alcohol
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Sexual content, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief
Minor: Police brutality