Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Kingsbane

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Kingsbane by Claire Legrand

16 reviews

ali_k0's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.5

My only qualm was that I feel in some areas the book dragged out it's pacing in the name of tension that didn't need to be added.

Regardless, it is a stunning, terrifying sequel by all accounts. Kingsbane grabs your heart from the start and refuses to let go, tightening it's grip with every word until it finally rips it out from your chest at the very moment you think it will let you go.

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kaip's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

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kayanoelle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Well, that certainly went downhill very fast.
I was gagged for the last 50 pages, what the hell did I just read???

Also, Audric is the incarnation of ‘work song’ by Hozier.
“No grave can hold my body down,
I’ll crawl home to her.”
That’s literally Audric.

There were so many plot twists, I could barely keep up. I’m still a little confused with the one right at the end.

Why would Simon work for the Emperor, it doesn’t make sense?? Because why would he help Eliana strengthen her powers and try to prevent everything? Maybe he’s a double agent and this is his plan to help her/the world?? I really don’t know.

This is one of the darkest books I’ve ever read, it’s crazy to see how Corien corrupts Rielle and makes her doubt everything. He always tells her exactly what she needs to hear to gain her trust and it’s working and the f#cked up thing is I UNDERSTAND WHY IT’S WORKING. Her situation is impossible to handle, she’s annoying and selfish sometimes but I do understand how difficult it is. Claire Legrand did a wonderful job of portraying the constant conflict in her mind.

What I found fascinating was that when Eliana went to the past, it actually changed something!! I thought it wouldn’t because everything she did in the past already happened and led to the present she lives in. But now that we know she changed something, that leaves a lot of possibilities for the other books. They could still “win” and change Rielle’s mind and that’s exciting!!

What I find really impressive is when an author manages to convey feelings and boy did she succeed in that. The relationship between Eliana and Simon made me ache, I didn’t know what to do with my despair lmfao. Corien made me want to throw the book, Audric made me ehdbwjskbwwi because he’s just too good for the world. I was shocked, I cried, I laughed.
I’m very very excited for book 3!

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kathrynleereads's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

For both Rielle and Eliana, the events of Kingsbane pick up right where they left off at the end of Furyborn.

Rielle is traveling the continent, attempting to demonstrate to neighboring countries, as well as to her own people, that she is indeed the Sun Queen.

Eliana is settled in Astavar learning about her abilities and their limits as the Red Crown prepares to fight the Empire.

•

As with many sequels, I found that, at times, Kingsbane seemed to drag, but was overall well worth the read.

Legrand once again killed the worldbuilding in this book, constantly sprinkling in details that slowly became clear pages later.

The world she built is so complex and ever-growing that I can’t help but marvel at the sheer size and genius of it.

•

Eliana - There was absolutely a lot more growth for Eliana in Furyborn, but she still made some pretty significant strides in Kingsbane.

From letting people in to accepting her powers, to even just allowing herself the much-needed relief of a good cry, she’s come far.

We’ll see how well that growth holds up in the third book. After that ending, I have a feeling a protective wall is going to be put into place around her emotions, and, honestly, who can blame her?!

Rielle - Rielle also has some pretty significant character development, but it was far from growth.

I usually love a good “watch them become the villain” story, but Rielle’s was hard to swallow at some points. Not because it was badly written, but because a good chunk of it is her own fault.

Not to say she’s being treated fairly or that she wasn’t dealt a bad hand, but she is constantly doing the opposite of what everyone who cares about her is trying to do.

Usually, this type of villain origin story comes with a support system that is toxic or non-existent.

For Rielle, however, this is not at all the case.

Audric, Ludivine, Tal, Evyline, Atheria.

They are all there for her, encouraging her, understanding her mistakes, and excusing her missteps, but she just keeps adding to those piles and blaming them for her mistakes.

Corien - What a terrible guy. He really feels no compassion, just a sick need for power that goes beyond even revenge or vengeance.

Every time he shows up on the page I want to scream at Rielle to run, to not listen, to resist. Pretty much all the things Ludivine does yell at her.

But, alas, listen she does not.

Audric - While Audric does grow as a character in Kingsbane, I still find him a rather cookie-cutter character. Not necessarily in a bad way.

Everything he does is just a little too predictable for me.

For example, turning on Rielle at the end, even if it was just in the heat of the moment, was something that even Corien saw coming (but also orchestrated).

Ludivine - I honestly don’t trust my own thoughts on Ludivine anymore.

Her motivations for helping Rielle might have started corrupt, but

I believe she truly loves both Rielle and Audric.

I’m not sure where that leaves her in my mind.

Simon - The true star of this book. I’m not even sure how I feel. Or where to start.

Without giving too much away, I think my opinion of Simon cannot fully form until the third book. Until then there is too much guesswork.

Remy - Remy frustrated me a bit during Kingsbane, especially when he decides to shun Eliana because of what happened with Rozen.

While this isn’t fair at all, I keep having to remind myself that he’s a child dealing with things no child should deal with, so overreactions and misguided blame are understandable.

Besides, he is incredibly intelligent and empathetic for someone his age.

Harkan - From what I hear, this may be an unpopular opinion, but I’m not a fan of Harkan.

He obviously cares very deeply for Eliana, but he doesn’t trust her to make her own decisions and honestly believes that the safest place for her is with him.

That being said, I did shed a good many tears for him at the end of the book.

Navi - My favorite badass in this series. I’m sad that I didn’t get more Navi in the second half of Kingsbane. She is such a stabilizing force for Eliana and would have provided her so much comfort while at the Willows.

Zhara - Zhara is so pure in her love for Eliana, and I have to appreciate a (pretty much) eternal being who doesn’t gatekeep information. Every time Eliana had a question or wanted to know something, Zhara provided the information without hesitation.

Atheria - Every book needs a great fictional pet, and Atheria doesn’t disappoint. She makes it very clear when she doesn’t approve of Rielle’s actions, but is also there to support and defend her when needed.

Tal - While Tal on his own is tolerable, I find his relationship with Rielle very odd. The teacher/student sexual tension makes me uncomfortable, especially as Rielle views him as a sort of secondary father figure.

Evyline - Still very much a side character, but definitely one of my favorites. We don’t know much about her, but every time she shows up on the page I smile.

•

Time Travel

As a general rule, I tend to avoid books/movies/shows that involve time travel. It’s so hard to keep up with the different rules and effects, as they change with each story.

Obviously, time travel has been a part of this story from the very beginning, so I’m a little surprised that I didn’t see more of it coming.

Once it was suggested, the idea of Eliana traveling back in time to talk to Rielle seemed so obvious.

Clearly, that conversation didn’t go as planned, but in theory, it couldn’t have changed much as Rielle wrote it off (at least up to this point) as a vision sent by Corien to drive her mad.

Jessamyn’s new timeline, therefore, threw me for a bit of a loop.

I found it plausible that she might not have gone down the same path and therefore been with them at the Willows, but for her to be in the same city but fighting for the Empire instead of against it seemed like a stretch.

•

Sexual Tension

After reading Furyborn, I specifically highlighted the sexual positivity. In Kingsbane, however, it was more like sexual tension.

This was mostly relevant in Rielle’s timeline. With her strange relationships with both Corien and Tal warring against her actual relationship with Audric, there was a constant tension that, in my opinion, wasn’t necessary.

•

Parallel timelines

In Kingsbane, more than in Furyborn, I really saw the parallels Legrand orchestrated between Eliana and Rielle’s timelines.

Beyond the mere excitement, these parallels gave me each time I found one, I am astounded by Legrand’s skill.

Working two POVs is a difficult task, let alone two POVs set over 1,000 years apart. The fact that Legrand was able to work these parallels in is a testament to what a fantastic writer she is.

•

After that ending, I could barely keep Lightbringer on my bookshelf long enough to write this review.

Suffice it to say, I enjoyed Kingsbane a lot, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Legrand has in store for Eliana and Rielle in Lightbringer!

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csmall73's review

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challenging dark 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? Yes

4.0

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aneverbird's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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angstifies's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

this book had a lot of ups and downs. the pacing was definitely slower than the first book and i think it was too long, some parts definitely needed to be cut. it took me a while to finish it but i had fun, i’m glad i liked Eliana more in this book and the ending was very interesting.

one thing i don’t like about this series in general is how abusers get forgiven? this is the third time that happens, it really fucking bothers me.

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alices13thdiary's review against another edition

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adventurous dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

First of all, check TWs.

second, corien is annoying and whiny.

as rielle said, it's his own damn fault. he literally started a war and then Didn't expect to be punished?

Third, if u want a book where both MCs are just Constantly angry and experience absolutely No other emotion, then this book is for u!

fourth. Plot twists. plenty of them, but did i care? not a single bit. there was 1 where i was actually shocked, but the rest, meh. every time one happened, i either 1 didn't care about the characters enough to be all that upset about it, 2 there was absolutely ZERO build-up to it which just made it disappointing, or 3 i saw it coming.

fifth there are absolutely 0 consequences for the actions of any of the characters and there are 0 stakes involved.

u thought lu was gonna die? no, rielle saves her in the same damn chapter. what abt harkan? no, he's back. what abt all of the lying rielle and lu do? not until the very end and then the consequences are on audric bc he was understandably upset abt being betrayed. the queen? no, not her either cus rielle brings her back.

sixth the romance. Corien calls rielle CHILD.

and lu literally tells rielle that corien wants nothing more than the power she can give him. & he forces himself on her in CH41.

but people support them and him. HUH

and eliana & simon just felt bland.

audric and rielle were okay? except for all of the lying (which made me feel bad for audric most of the time, except for ch41.)

also the lines in which rielle and lu are supposed to be written as best friends, sisters, and potential romantic love interests are Very blurry and confusing. which reminds me, why are rielle and audric talking about a threesome with lu when lu and audric are cousins

anyways as a final conclusion, my thoughts can be summed up as that little girl is a child, i don't wanna see you sniffing around her anymore this afternoon. do u understand me? boy have u lost ur mind cus i'll help u find it

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laurenfro22's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

"I hope you'll remember that in the days to come-that many here love you, and would give up their silly, simple lives for you. You do not exist alone in this world. You are part of something immense and fragile and infinite. I hope you can respect that, even as mighty as you are."

The second installment of the Empirium series plops the reader right back down into the action. In Kingsbane, Legrand continues the arc of the mysterious and diametrically opposed Queens said to rise to save humanity. A thousand years apart, we see Rielle's unravelling and Eliana's burgeoning skills. Kingsbane felt a little bit like a bridge book - building the world, characters, and context with a pause on the plot to prepare for book three. This definitely impacted my rating, as I felt that there are so many unanswered questions and plot points just piling up and swirling around in this world- very effective at creating tension, but occasionally made it difficult to stay connected to the characters and larger story. There were a lot of great points where we see excellent character development; secrets finally shared, major betrayals, painful losses, and a whole host of battles both blood and lust filled. It was a solid read, and I'm hoping the set up lets Legrand really spike Lightbringer. I have high hopes for book three and am still a little nervous to start!

I enjoyed the ongoing development of the reader's understanding of the political climates, and the religious-mythos-magic systems that reflect each other in interesting ways between the two timeframes to which we're privy. It is a grand world that Legrand is building and she is skillful in her prose, especially describing the Empirium and the characters' interactions with the world just a layer below 'our' own. I'll be interested to see how some of those hanging threads are tied up in Lightbringer.

A number of reviews commented on the sex scenes in Kingsbane eclipsing those of Furyborn. There were certainly many more, and while I can see the point raised (they're just thrown in there), my take is that Rielle is in a complicated situation and using the tools she had available to her to maintain her status and keep the other parties around her distracted. The only scene that came off unfortunate was roughly two-thirds in and felt very much out of line with Audric's characterization. But I suppose there is truly no escape from the patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Folks with a history of SA should tread carefully or avoid altogether. What I did appreciate though, was that sex is not treated as some 'fade-to-black' taboo. The characters feel and love and lust and act human; the queerness in some of the relationships and side characters was lovely to run into as well.

As I've pondered the book, the thought I keep returning to is the question of villainy. The premise of the book turns on the idea of two Queens rising - one that will be the death of humanity, the other the salvation. We spend a lot of time in Rielle's head in her tug-of-war between the 'freedom' Corien hangs over her head and the stability that appears to exist in Audric, Ludvine. I'm waiting to see the other shoe drop, as I'm not completely convinced that she'll end up as the 'evil' side of the coin. What makes her the villain? The inborn aspects that tilt villainy in her favor, or weight of the expectations fate and its constant reminders place on her head? Between Rielle and Eliana, I know I'm going to be surprised. Legrand does a great job crafting characters that are complex, and often it's often painful to see them tripping down a path that you want to reach in and drag them out of.

Overall, I was far more impressed with the plot of book 1, but appreciated Kingsbane for what it is. The prose and flow are equally enjoyable, so I still flew through the book in a couple of days. I'll have to see how I feel about the series after I finish book 3.

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k_menard1129's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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