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dolores_madil's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
I definitely loved this and it was a good end to the story. This as a dual perspective and also a time gap which I can't explain without spoilers. Though I differently enjoyed the first one more then this one the found family element was better and I feel in love with the characters more. This time the group did not call to me as much and honestly the split perspective made it difficult to fully embrace the new characters. If anything I fell in love with the old characters more and the twist made my heart sad as Stephen truly enjoys playing with feelings as I definitely felt many emotions while listen to the book. If you were looking for more adventure and killing monsters this is the book for you then the first one.
Also as I did do an audio book I have to say the Narrator was amazing it is the same one as last time and their voice is nice.
Also as I did do an audio book I have to say the Narrator was amazing it is the same one as last time and their voice is nice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Body horror, Death, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
Moderate: Child death, Medical content, and Sexual harassment
tawallah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This sequel takes us into the world of the Alfár where an infection has corrupted both the world and its inhabitants. Willow is determined to fight for people and her world and engages the help of Kell Kressia.
Sad to say but this wasn’t as mesmerizing as The Coward. And it is quite different on so many levels. I was expecting some of the unresolved issues to be dealt with in this sequel. The direction which it pursues isn’t bad, it needed to be fleshed out more. The bulk of this book features one the quest which has quite a bit of Lovecraftian horror elements. This is quite a dark novel with many characters facing their inner demons. Concept wise, this is great but the execution wasn’t as precise as its predecessor. And because it is heavily focused on the quest, the developments in The Five Kingdom gets mere brushstrokes. So that this book feels more like a middle book than the end of a duology.
Despite this major flaw, the character study remains this author’s strength and I look forward to reading more of his books. He seems to be playing with subgenres in the speculative realm, which showcases his imagination.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
thebackcatalogue's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Unlike The Coward, whose bleakness has a thread of hope throughout, The Warrior brings our band of characters to their lowest points and breaks them with the inevitability and cruelty of their circumstances.
Read the Full Review @ thebackcatalogue.substack.com
Read the Full Review @ thebackcatalogue.substack.com
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Violence, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
Content Warnings: Graphic: War, Holy War, Death, Gore, Body Horror, Violence Depicted: Humilation and Torture of a Prisoner Mentioned: Rape
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