Reviews - Steel Crow Saga | The StoryGraph

568 reviews for:

Steel Crow Saga

Paul Krueger

3.95 AVERAGE

malinananana's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

telltalepage's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH

2/13/21 - While reviewing my TBR, I came across this book again. I had no idea what happened recently (at least since I first tried to read this) but after realizing that the author had multiple claims of harassment/stalking from female POC, I decided to just step away from this book and author entirely.

Oct 26, 2019 - I am REALLY enjoying this, like a lot. However, I'm reading it painfully slowly since I am not in the mood to read fantasy right now; like at all! So I want to put this down and then read the whole thing in a single weekend once my desire for fantasy books comes back.

cloverbooks's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

pragreads's review against another edition

emzrichy's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous hopeful 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: No

lesserjoke's review against another edition

5.0

This incredible anime-inspired fantasy novel is a breath of fresh air for the genre and a pure delight from page one, with a Sandersonian magic system that features metalbending alongside giant daemons that can be summoned to fight like Pokémon. The characters are clever and full of surprising depths, and I admire the structural plotting that first pairs them off and then organically regroups them around the midpoint of the story, allowing different facets to emerge as personalities inevitably clash.

The narrative is light on sinister forces threatening the world and more focused on postcolonial efforts to define the new normal after a time of subjugation and war. Even the most villainous figures are revealed as complex and acting from a place of hurt, and I like how everyone's pain is taken seriously without ever tipping over into melodramatic angst. I also love the diversity on display -- which includes bisexual and lesbian protagonists and gay and transgender representation in the supporting cast -- as well as how neatly those elements have been incorporated into the worldbuilding.

The fictional cultures are well-drawn and reminiscent of various Asian nations, marking this as an #ownvoices project from Filipino-American author Paul Krueger. And have I mentioned just how entertaining it all is? Nearly every scene crackles with hilarious dialogue, character-driven drama, and the occasional cinematic action sequence. In a publishing landscape filled with familiar tropes and easy shortcuts, Steel Crow Saga stands out by just about any measure.

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grecia_r's review against another edition

4.0

When I first started reading this book, it was extremely slow-going for me. For some reason, I struggled to really care about the characters until somewhere before the halfway point, when they snuck into my net of curiosity. I read, a, lot. And yet, I ended up finding a surprising amount of poignant moments between the characters. Full of folklore and tradition, at first, this book was almost overwhelming in its political trajectory, and I struggled to remember who hated whom and how aside from the two love stories, how they all merged together and all four of their individual relationships. But I did so love all the scenes with the animal shades.

jvperkins's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous funny mysterious tense 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

dalinarsreads's review against another edition

5.0

after three months, i've finally finished this and it was so GOOD. Everything I wanted and didn't know I needed.

full review to come

lioness1120's review against another edition

3.0

DNF at 40%. A few too many storytellers for me to keep up with + a lot of backstory/history of wars gone by to keep track of.

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