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thoughtsstained's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Full review posted at Thoughts Stained With Ink:
It’s over! It’s done! 😭 My main reading goal this year was to read this series, so long overdue. Reading the fourth and final book, We Dream of Gods, I was absolutely not prepared. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Then, I spent half the month ignoring this book because I wasn’t ready for it to be over. Only to then read the entire second half in one sitting. 😭
Y’all, I loved We Dream of Gods so much. I am so, so sad to not have another book to be in this world with.
We Dream of Gods was an amazing conclusion to an incredible series. Seeing where these characters started and how they ended was such a reward. The politics were incredible, the nuances, the challenges, the stakes. If you have ever loved epic fantasy a day in your life, your reading will not be completed with The Reborn Empire series. I guarantee it.
It’s over! It’s done! 😭 My main reading goal this year was to read this series, so long overdue. Reading the fourth and final book, We Dream of Gods, I was absolutely not prepared. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Then, I spent half the month ignoring this book because I wasn’t ready for it to be over. Only to then read the entire second half in one sitting. 😭
Y’all, I loved We Dream of Gods so much. I am so, so sad to not have another book to be in this world with.
We Dream of Gods was an amazing conclusion to an incredible series. Seeing where these characters started and how they ended was such a reward. The politics were incredible, the nuances, the challenges, the stakes. If you have ever loved epic fantasy a day in your life, your reading will not be completed with The Reborn Empire series. I guarantee it.
themorbidcorvid's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.5
albon's review
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
kolymaarasto's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.25
karireads's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.75
heathersbooks's review against another edition
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
4.0
esop's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
realmsofmymind's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
I was given a free copy by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
queenterribletimy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This review was originally posted on Queen's Book Asylum with my choice of song.
I received an eARC from Orbit via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It’s hard to believe that our journey with The Reborn Empire series has come to the end. And what a journey it was! As always, finishing a series you’ve enjoyed is always a bittersweet feeling. Since this is my last opportunity, I’d like to say thank you to Devin Madson for bringing these characters to life.
Since We Dream of Gods is the 4th and last book in the series, this review might contain mild spoilers for the previous books. I’ll try to make it as spoiler free as possible, though. It also probably will be much shorter than any I usually write, because, ugh, it’s hard to find new things to say at this point.
We pick up the threads right where they were dropped at the end of We Cry for Blood. Things aren’t looking very well for either of the main characters, and the time for final confrontations is drawing even nearer. And frankly, it’s very hard to predict what fate (or more like Madson) has in store for each of them. This eventually makes you sit on the edge of your seat and fly through the pages, because once you start going and get back into the flow – took me a bit to reconnect with the characters and place myself back into the story – it’s just impossible to stop. At the end of each chapter, you just want to keep on, to find out what happens next. And you also keep guessing what the endgame will be and how all the plotlines will eventually meet. Even though each unexpected turn of events brings us closer to the finish line, it’s just impossible to tell who is going to be victorious.
Will Leo be able to make the prophecy come true and lead his own holy empire? Will Ezma rule the plains as she planned for years? Will Rah lead his people home in peace and keep Gideon’s head on his neck? Will Miko finally have the power she always wanted and prove that women can be just as good – or better – at ruling? Will Cass and Kaysa make peace and fulfill their contract of killing Leo at last? Will Dishiva find a way out of Leo’s clutch and bring Gideon’s dream into a reality? Will any of them survive? So many questions, and then some that are waiting to be answered. Rest assured, Madson tucks all loose ends in nicely, and although it takes some extra curves – maybe a bit too many for my liking – all plotlines get a resolution one way or another.
Knowing how many years of hard labor went into creating and bringing this series to life, it’s all the more impressive how Madson was able to pull off this story of epic proportions. Through the lens of three very different cultures crashing – the Chiltaens with their faith of The One True God, the Kisians and their reverence with which they treat their emperors as gods, and the Levanti with their tenants and respect toward every living creature – Madson brings very relevant societal issues to the fore. Such as the political (and general) treatment of women, the different types of ruling systems, LGBTQ rights, diaspora, personal and national integrity including the way we handle refugees, just to name a few.
Miko, Dishiva, Cass and Rah all stand for something, they are not always on the same side, nor are they making the right decisions all the time or are easy to label one way or another, but they each have to teach something to us if we dig deep enough.
Throughout the series, Cass remained my favorite of the main characters. Partly because of her sass and sarcastic humor and partly because of her character arc in general. It was easy for me to connect with her and root for her until the very end.
With more than 600 pages, We Dream of Gods is a big book, and yet, I don’t think there was a time when it felt dragging. Madson’s style of writing is smooth and easy to fall into. If you’ve come this far, then you already know what to expect. It’s a worthy finale to The Reborn Empire series. And although I found myself slightly disappointed by the ending – I had certain expectations I was bracing myself for, that never happened as Madson took a slightly different path which is not necessarily a bad thing, just one I did not anticipate – I will walk away from these books with a sense of closure and fond memories.
I received an eARC from Orbit via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Somewhere along the way, reason and honour had been consumed by hurt, leaving us raw and broken.”
It’s hard to believe that our journey with The Reborn Empire series has come to the end. And what a journey it was! As always, finishing a series you’ve enjoyed is always a bittersweet feeling. Since this is my last opportunity, I’d like to say thank you to Devin Madson for bringing these characters to life.
Since We Dream of Gods is the 4th and last book in the series, this review might contain mild spoilers for the previous books. I’ll try to make it as spoiler free as possible, though. It also probably will be much shorter than any I usually write, because, ugh, it’s hard to find new things to say at this point.
We pick up the threads right where they were dropped at the end of We Cry for Blood. Things aren’t looking very well for either of the main characters, and the time for final confrontations is drawing even nearer. And frankly, it’s very hard to predict what fate (or more like Madson) has in store for each of them. This eventually makes you sit on the edge of your seat and fly through the pages, because once you start going and get back into the flow – took me a bit to reconnect with the characters and place myself back into the story – it’s just impossible to stop. At the end of each chapter, you just want to keep on, to find out what happens next. And you also keep guessing what the endgame will be and how all the plotlines will eventually meet. Even though each unexpected turn of events brings us closer to the finish line, it’s just impossible to tell who is going to be victorious.
Will Leo be able to make the prophecy come true and lead his own holy empire? Will Ezma rule the plains as she planned for years? Will Rah lead his people home in peace and keep Gideon’s head on his neck? Will Miko finally have the power she always wanted and prove that women can be just as good – or better – at ruling? Will Cass and Kaysa make peace and fulfill their contract of killing Leo at last? Will Dishiva find a way out of Leo’s clutch and bring Gideon’s dream into a reality? Will any of them survive? So many questions, and then some that are waiting to be answered. Rest assured, Madson tucks all loose ends in nicely, and although it takes some extra curves – maybe a bit too many for my liking – all plotlines get a resolution one way or another.
Knowing how many years of hard labor went into creating and bringing this series to life, it’s all the more impressive how Madson was able to pull off this story of epic proportions. Through the lens of three very different cultures crashing – the Chiltaens with their faith of The One True God, the Kisians and their reverence with which they treat their emperors as gods, and the Levanti with their tenants and respect toward every living creature – Madson brings very relevant societal issues to the fore. Such as the political (and general) treatment of women, the different types of ruling systems, LGBTQ rights, diaspora, personal and national integrity including the way we handle refugees, just to name a few.
Miko, Dishiva, Cass and Rah all stand for something, they are not always on the same side, nor are they making the right decisions all the time or are easy to label one way or another, but they each have to teach something to us if we dig deep enough.
Throughout the series, Cass remained my favorite of the main characters. Partly because of her sass and sarcastic humor and partly because of her character arc in general. It was easy for me to connect with her and root for her until the very end.
With more than 600 pages, We Dream of Gods is a big book, and yet, I don’t think there was a time when it felt dragging. Madson’s style of writing is smooth and easy to fall into. If you’ve come this far, then you already know what to expect. It’s a worthy finale to The Reborn Empire series. And although I found myself slightly disappointed by the ending – I had certain expectations I was bracing myself for, that never happened as Madson took a slightly different path which is not necessarily a bad thing, just one I did not anticipate – I will walk away from these books with a sense of closure and fond memories.