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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Good beginning to a new series. Interesting world building, complex characters and a plot that moves along, even if you're not sure just where it is going at first.
This was really good! A little long winded but a great story!
Excellent science fiction book. The writing is exciting but not great.
Generally speaking this book felt pretty obviously written by a man. In some aspects, it's a more playful observation ex. Kaden in one of the earlier chapters desperately wanting some stew and it's mentioned at least 6 times in a scene. In some aspects, more of that standard descriptions of women. It's not inherently terrible or sexist, it's just a stark comparison to a lot of the female written fantasy I primarily read.
I think Valyns story is complete, I enjoyed all of his chapters. I found the plot and character development good. The supporting character felt more developed, more complex.
Honestly Kadens story was interesting as well, but low key karate kid vibes. I feel like he had so many chapters on the same topic.
Adare felt like a minor character. She had significant less chapters. Her plot line was teeny. I feel like she's super undeveloped and also inconsistent in character. Like only her father trusts her but the rest of the empire treats her as a useless woman? Also contradicts the women in the Kettral, because they get respect? Everything that happened to her honestly could have been a prologue in book 2 the way it was written. In comparison, the 3 main female Kettral all felt more developed, I had more of an investment to them, although they tended to be a bit flat given they're secondary characters, there seemed like more depth than Adare
ESPECIALLY WITH HER WEIRD AFFAIR WITH THE REGENT. Like honestly not sure why they kissed, felt out of place, especially for a woman facing all of the casual and direct sexism in her personal and professional life. The ending that she finds out he killed her father and essentially sucks it up to sleep with him again so he's not suspicious of her feels super gross, especially considering how emotional she was at the preists trial. She couldn't contain verbal outbursts in public as a life long princess AND minister, but she's totally fine to have sex with her fathers killer?????
I think Valyns story is complete, I enjoyed all of his chapters. I found the plot and character development good. The supporting character felt more developed, more complex.
Honestly Kadens story was interesting as well, but low key karate kid vibes. I feel like he had so many chapters on the same topic.
Adare felt like a minor character. She had significant less chapters. Her plot line was teeny. I feel like she's super undeveloped and also inconsistent in character. Like only her father trusts her but the rest of the empire treats her as a useless woman? Also contradicts the women in the Kettral, because they get respect? Everything that happened to her honestly could have been a prologue in book 2 the way it was written. In comparison, the 3 main female Kettral all felt more developed, I had more of an investment to them, although they tended to be a bit flat given they're secondary characters, there seemed like more depth than Adare
ESPECIALLY WITH HER WEIRD AFFAIR WITH THE REGENT. Like honestly not sure why they kissed, felt out of place, especially for a woman facing all of the casual and direct sexism in her personal and professional life. The ending that she finds out he killed her father and essentially sucks it up to sleep with him again so he's not suspicious of her feels super gross, especially considering how emotional she was at the preists trial. She couldn't contain verbal outbursts in public as a life long princess AND minister, but she's totally fine to have sex with her fathers killer?????
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Huh, well, I disagree with a large number of reviews here.
To be vague and brief, there's an ancient race(?) of evil(?) people, returned again and bent on revenge. That's the high level Big Bad we don't see much of after the beginning. The low level Big Bad of this particular book is a coup that kills the current emperor, leaving the children to pick up the pieces. Kaden is the oldest (and now the emperor), and was sent to a remote monastery ostensibly to learn monk things, but also for other more specific plot reasons. Valyn, his younger brother (and the more interesting of the two, IMO) is training to be a Kettral, highly skilled bird warriors who can do basically anything and do it with style. He finds out about the coup and wants to go protect his brother/the new emperor, but is waylaid with his training and unravelling his own set of plot problems before he can do so. Adare, their sister, is in the capitol at the time of the coup, survives, but cannot take the throne because, whoops, she's a girl. Instead, she's been made Minister, and is evidently highly skilled at politics or somesuch. She thinks she knows who's behind the coup, and wants to see them punished. We don't see much of her in this book.
I didn't think it was a perfect fantasy book by any means, but I don't think it was slow (a common problem I see mentioned here). I agree Valyn's storyline was the most interesting of the three, but I also think Kaden's was necessary to set up his development as a character, and also establish what he can do later on. I think both characters suffer a bit from the Chosen One(s?) trope, where they both seem incredibly capable by merit of being the main characters, though. And Adare, who exists in this book, definitely needed something more to keep her apace of her brothers and not made to feel like she's a less capable sibling.
All that said, I thought the story that's set up is interesting to me, and I do feel compelled to continue to see where it goes. It's not a perfect fantasy book, but if it's fun for me to read and interesting enough for me to want to continue with it, that's enough for me.
To be vague and brief, there's an ancient race(?) of evil(?) people, returned again and bent on revenge. That's the high level Big Bad we don't see much of after the beginning. The low level Big Bad of this particular book is a coup that kills the current emperor, leaving the children to pick up the pieces. Kaden is the oldest (and now the emperor), and was sent to a remote monastery ostensibly to learn monk things, but also for other more specific plot reasons. Valyn, his younger brother (and the more interesting of the two, IMO) is training to be a Kettral, highly skilled bird warriors who can do basically anything and do it with style. He finds out about the coup and wants to go protect his brother/the new emperor, but is waylaid with his training and unravelling his own set of plot problems before he can do so. Adare, their sister, is in the capitol at the time of the coup, survives, but cannot take the throne because, whoops, she's a girl. Instead, she's been made Minister, and is evidently highly skilled at politics or somesuch. She thinks she knows who's behind the coup, and wants to see them punished. We don't see much of her in this book.
I didn't think it was a perfect fantasy book by any means, but I don't think it was slow (a common problem I see mentioned here). I agree Valyn's storyline was the most interesting of the three, but I also think Kaden's was necessary to set up his development as a character, and also establish what he can do later on. I think both characters suffer a bit from the Chosen One(s?) trope, where they both seem incredibly capable by merit of being the main characters, though. And Adare, who exists in this book, definitely needed something more to keep her apace of her brothers and not made to feel like she's a less capable sibling.
All that said, I thought the story that's set up is interesting to me, and I do feel compelled to continue to see where it goes. It's not a perfect fantasy book, but if it's fun for me to read and interesting enough for me to want to continue with it, that's enough for me.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lots of missed potential
Actually rating 3.5.
Whenever there is a plot to completely wipe out an entire royal line, if done correctly, the story telling will be absolutely amazing. That is what you are going to get in this book. It started out a bit slow, but eventually the pacing will leave you on the edge of your seat. I liked this book a lot, especially the end, and now I'm ready to see how these three siblings will deal with the numerous threats confronting their family.
Whenever there is a plot to completely wipe out an entire royal line, if done correctly, the story telling will be absolutely amazing. That is what you are going to get in this book. It started out a bit slow, but eventually the pacing will leave you on the edge of your seat. I liked this book a lot, especially the end, and now I'm ready to see how these three siblings will deal with the numerous threats confronting their family.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced