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secre's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Fall of Koli is an example of the conclusion of a trilogy done beautifully. The Book of Koli felt quite insulated; mostly focussed on a small little village in a post apocalyptic world and then one boy's fall from grace and the beginning of his journey. It's sequel, The Trials of Koli, expands the horizons significantly and opens up the world as we follow Koli and his companions on their journey. The Fall of Koli concludes the novel perfectly after having blown everything open and allowed the pieces to fall as they will. Or not quite, it's clearly very carefully planned, but it also feels natural and intrinsic.
This is in keeping with the second instalment; two main narrative voices, that of Koli - who is frankly probably the least interesting of the lot, but his companions more than make up for that - and that of Spinner, who has come into her own in the small village Koli left and is forging out a new path for those there. Whereas the first book built up the small insular world that they live in and the second book fleshed out a lot of the deeper world building, this novel starts looking at the wider political and societal conflicts - both of the past and the present. It's exceptionally well done and honestly couldn't have been done better. It also expands hugely on Monomo, the AI personality that Koli carries around in a Walkman.
It's difficult to review a finale without spoilers, but I can absolutely recommend this series. It's wonderfully written and grows and expands throughout the three novels. It's got interesting and believable characters, some more sympathetic than others but isn't that life. It's got some stunning world building, that has only become stronger as the series goes on. It's got action, tension, drama and quite a few life or death stakes. The characters are faced with complex and difficult dilemma's and sometimes there are no good options, only less bad ones. It's good.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
This is in keeping with the second instalment; two main narrative voices, that of Koli - who is frankly probably the least interesting of the lot, but his companions more than make up for that - and that of Spinner, who has come into her own in the small village Koli left and is forging out a new path for those there. Whereas the first book built up the small insular world that they live in and the second book fleshed out a lot of the deeper world building, this novel starts looking at the wider political and societal conflicts - both of the past and the present. It's exceptionally well done and honestly couldn't have been done better. It also expands hugely on Monomo, the AI personality that Koli carries around in a Walkman.
It's difficult to review a finale without spoilers, but I can absolutely recommend this series. It's wonderfully written and grows and expands throughout the three novels. It's got interesting and believable characters, some more sympathetic than others but isn't that life. It's got some stunning world building, that has only become stronger as the series goes on. It's got action, tension, drama and quite a few life or death stakes. The characters are faced with complex and difficult dilemma's and sometimes there are no good options, only less bad ones. It's good.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.
avidreadr's review against another edition
5.0
I am so happy i randomly came across this series. It does not get enough love (i've never heard of it from anyone or on social media).
wolfmantula's review
4.75
I love when a series has an ending that doesn’t let me down and Carey brings a knockout punch to finish out the trilogy with The Fall of Koli. I don’t know if I would say it’s my favorite finale, but it is definitely up there with some of the others that I have read. His prose is just so eloquent and beautiful that I couldn’t help but just let it envelop me from when I started this until now, flipping every page just to see what happens next but to read how he tells what happens next. Line after line of quotes that stick with you and a story that unfolds to a spectacular end.
I have compared this to Brave New World, The Book of Eli and The Walking Dead, and now that I’m finished I feel like maybe not so much The Book of Eli, but the other two are very much like that in certain ways. Brave New Worldis essentially a warning to all that advanced technology could take over and humans could lose their humanity, which The Ramparts trilogy takes that basis and creates a world based on humanity losing that control, and becomes a post apocalyptic world like The Walking Dead, but nature is the zombie. As I stated, nature in this series is a secondary part of the story, because the humans that survived are, you’ve got your antagonists that want the power to control the masses and will do anything they can to make sure they get it, and it’s up to a few to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“ I was thinking the while about how love works and how it shows itself, and how it can’t find a way sometimes to say what it means. But it’s most real when it’s most tongue-tied, the same way a wide and deep river will move quiet between its banks, while a little freshet will sing its heart out all the live-long day.”
I loved the characters and continue to feel like Cup is my favorite, she is such a fierce warrior and unapologetic for who she is. Koli is the perfect protagonist and is the kind hearted, look for ways to improve kind of person that values life as a whole and wants it for everyone. Spinner has grown on me a bit more from getting her own pov in book 2. I liked her, but was a bit hesitant on how I would feel, but The Fall of Koliput her up in strong standing with the other three, and finally Monono is hard not to love, with her comedic relief that she drops here and there that are full of metaphors, songs or pop culture references the other characters don’t understand. She’s much more than that, but that’s what makes her stand out the most to me. Ursala takes somewhat of a backseat in this final book, but still plays a big part. I’m not one to bother on race, gender or sexuality in a series, but if you are looking for a series that has a poc main character and a character that is trans, then you should add this to your TBR. This series is much more than that, but if you’re looking for those certain additions, this is the series for you, if it’s not, this is still the series for you!
There was one scene that was giving me some serious vibes from the movie 300, but ended up not being that way, that did let me down just a tad because I really thought I was about to get a “THIS IS SPARTA” moment from Spinner! Theo Solomon and Saffron Coomber did another phenomenal job narrating this story. The final 20% had the POV’s shifting back and forth between the two narrations showing the final battle from two different point of views made it that much more nail-bitingly dramatic. I can’t say enough about how great this series was and how it finished, while there’s nothing really new about it, it’s still fantastic and easily one that can make anyone get sucked right in.
meggiraffe's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.5
sarahsss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
4.5
chudleycannons's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
theorysloth's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
So good. Totally worth getting through books 1 and 2 (which are not as good) to get to this one.
mssunnyskies's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
themanfromdelmonte's review against another edition
5.0
It took a while to read this. If a story is good then I get impatient! I had to read it in chunks and ration myself.
It’s a fabulous conclusion to the trilogy which starts from fairly parochial beginnings to end with a thumping world altering climax.
Normally, deus ex machina is a damming criticism but here it’s almost the whole of the plot.
There are a couple of plot niggles. The implication is that everyone else on Earth is dead and there is a reference to a bio weapon. One that spares only the British? That would be a remarkable feat of engineering! And as for book burning so thorough that no one can read?
However, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be looking out for more works by MR Carey
It’s a fabulous conclusion to the trilogy which starts from fairly parochial beginnings to end with a thumping world altering climax.
Normally, deus ex machina is a damming criticism but here it’s almost the whole of the plot.
There are a couple of plot niggles. The implication is that everyone else on Earth is dead and there is a reference to a bio weapon. One that spares only the British? That would be a remarkable feat of engineering! And as for book burning so thorough that no one can read?
However, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be looking out for more works by MR Carey
eion's review
adventurous
challenging
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75