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faehistory's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
A powerful fantasy novel with a gripping and entertaining plot and a cast of fantastic characters.
This is a great instalment in a great series, it made wish the last novel was already there.
I love the style of writing, the well crafted plot, the amazing world building and the well thought and interesting cast of characters.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
This is a great instalment in a great series, it made wish the last novel was already there.
I love the style of writing, the well crafted plot, the amazing world building and the well thought and interesting cast of characters.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
ladyredcomet's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
onceuponabookcase's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Having adored the first two books in The Khorasan Archives series by Ausma Zehanat Khan, I eagerly dove into the third and penultimate book, The Blue Eye, and bloody loved it!
Interestingly, despite the previous book in the series, The Black Khan, being quite action-packed with a lot happening, The Blue Eye felt like it suffered similarly as some middle books in trilogies. The pace was slower, it wasn't quite as action-packed, and it felt a lot like a story to get characters from one place to another, ready for the events of the final book. Saying that, that's just in comparison to the previous book; there's still enough going on to keep the reader gripped, and there are a lot of revelations in The Blue Eye, and some questions.
It's quite an emotional one. Darya, The sister of Prince Ruhk, was killed towards the end of The Black Khan, and Rukh is really mourning her death, despite how he treated her. Rukh is trying to deal with his grief while keeping on top of the siege on his city, and the meeting of the Council of Mages, to try and awaken his powers as the Black Khan. But the Assassin has his own plans, and using the knowledge he gained from the Bloodprint in the single hour Rukh allowed him to have with it, he reanimates the Black Khan's sister. But Darya is changed through being brought back from the dead. It's not just her spirit occupying her body; she doesn't have complete control, and sometimes her thoughts and feelings are confused with that of the ghul she shares her body with. Rukh is happy to see she is alive, but Arsalan feels the opposite, knowing it could only be dark magic that brought her back. It's soon apparent that Darya is now dangerous, and until they can subdue her, the only way to stay safe is to placate her. This brings about terrible, devastating consequences that completely broke my heart. It's absolutely terrible. And still the battle rages on, and with Arsalan busy trying to deal with the situation with Darya, there are consequences.
Meanwhile, Arian, along with Sinnia and Wafa are heading for the city of Timeback. Now the Bloodprint has been stolen by the One-Eyed Preacher, the only hope against the Talisman is a second book, the Sana Codex, known to be in the keeping of the Blue Mage. Their journey is fraught with danger and delays as they cross the Rising Nineteen, a cult-like warrior force who have their own interpretations of the Claim. It's an encounter that has destruction on their tail - Najran, a man of magic unlike anything Arian has ever seen before they are unable to shake. Crossing the lands of the Negus, Sinnia's people, they stop to pay their respects and ask for access to their library, the ark. But they get caught up in celebrations culminating in a race in which the king, Negus, declares the prize will be Sinnia's hand in marriage - despite her having made vows as a Companion of Hira.
There are so many other things that happen, with twists and revelations I didn't see coming at all. I was completely gripped, and I have so many questions! I'm not completely certain of everything that happened at the end, but I'm pretty certain the fourth and final book, The Bloodblade, will start right where The Blue Eye left off, and we'll get some answers. But what I do know has blown my mind, and I am so damn eager to get to read The Bloodblade! But only a few more days to wait until it's published in paperback on 10th June, and I can see the result of that cliffhanger ending, and what will happen when Arian finally confronts One-Eyed Preacher. I've been completely blown away by this incredible series, and I can't recommend it enough!
Interestingly, despite the previous book in the series, The Black Khan, being quite action-packed with a lot happening, The Blue Eye felt like it suffered similarly as some middle books in trilogies. The pace was slower, it wasn't quite as action-packed, and it felt a lot like a story to get characters from one place to another, ready for the events of the final book. Saying that, that's just in comparison to the previous book; there's still enough going on to keep the reader gripped, and there are a lot of revelations in The Blue Eye, and some questions.
It's quite an emotional one. Darya, The sister of Prince Ruhk, was killed towards the end of The Black Khan, and Rukh is really mourning her death, despite how he treated her. Rukh is trying to deal with his grief while keeping on top of the siege on his city, and the meeting of the Council of Mages, to try and awaken his powers as the Black Khan. But the Assassin has his own plans, and using the knowledge he gained from the Bloodprint in the single hour Rukh allowed him to have with it, he reanimates the Black Khan's sister. But Darya is changed through being brought back from the dead. It's not just her spirit occupying her body; she doesn't have complete control, and sometimes her thoughts and feelings are confused with that of the ghul she shares her body with. Rukh is happy to see she is alive, but Arsalan feels the opposite, knowing it could only be dark magic that brought her back. It's soon apparent that Darya is now dangerous, and until they can subdue her, the only way to stay safe is to placate her. This brings about terrible, devastating consequences that completely broke my heart. It's absolutely terrible. And still the battle rages on, and with Arsalan busy trying to deal with the situation with Darya, there are consequences.
Meanwhile, Arian, along with Sinnia and Wafa are heading for the city of Timeback. Now the Bloodprint has been stolen by the One-Eyed Preacher, the only hope against the Talisman is a second book, the Sana Codex, known to be in the keeping of the Blue Mage. Their journey is fraught with danger and delays as they cross the Rising Nineteen, a cult-like warrior force who have their own interpretations of the Claim. It's an encounter that has destruction on their tail - Najran, a man of magic unlike anything Arian has ever seen before they are unable to shake. Crossing the lands of the Negus, Sinnia's people, they stop to pay their respects and ask for access to their library, the ark. But they get caught up in celebrations culminating in a race in which the king, Negus, declares the prize will be Sinnia's hand in marriage - despite her having made vows as a Companion of Hira.
There are so many other things that happen, with twists and revelations I didn't see coming at all. I was completely gripped, and I have so many questions! I'm not completely certain of everything that happened at the end, but I'm pretty certain the fourth and final book, The Bloodblade, will start right where The Blue Eye left off, and we'll get some answers. But what I do know has blown my mind, and I am so damn eager to get to read The Bloodblade! But only a few more days to wait until it's published in paperback on 10th June, and I can see the result of that cliffhanger ending, and what will happen when Arian finally confronts One-Eyed Preacher. I've been completely blown away by this incredible series, and I can't recommend it enough!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape and Racism
Male rape, violence against women.aseel_reads's review against another edition
2.0
The best part of this was literally the last two chapters. This whole book was just a messy read. The characters were annoying and lacked growth, we pretty much had two main plots but we spent half the book in one and the second half in the other, instead of interweaving both plots. The writing would become so descriptive at times, just not a fun read
dgrachel's review against another edition
5.0
I've been trying to figure out what to put in this review. It's difficult because (a) I love Ausma Zehanat Khan, so writing a thoughtful review that is more than just fan-girling is hard, and (b) there's so much going on in this book and this series that I want to both avoid spoilers, but still convince people to read the books. It is a series that among people I know is underrated and under-read.
The Blue Eye is book three in The Khorasan Archives, a Fantasy series that features a unique magical structure, strong female protagonists, and a Middle Eastern setting that I can't get enough of in the genre. Many characters are morally gray, with often selfish motives, but the truly evil villains, like The One Eyed Preacher and his followers known as the Talisman, call to mind the horrors of modern religious zealots, which lends an eerie realism to the series.
The Blue Eye is dark. There's still no happy ending, at least not yet, and nearly everyone's motives are suspect. Our heroines suffer greatly. Previously concealed identities are revealed and the answers are shocking. It's action packed, and there were many moments when I read on with my heart in my throat, fearing for my favorite characters.
I think the thing I love most about this series, though, is something that has become even clearer in this third installment. The system of magic and power is tied to The Claim, the sacred religious text of all Khorasan. As a reader, the idea of words and stories, whether fables or histories, being the center of strength and power, is beautiful and relatable. I am both looking forward to the final installment of The Khorasan Archives, which *should* be out later this year, and dreading it. I am sure there will be more loss, more heartbreak, but I am hopeful that Khan will end the series on a high note and that Good will triumph over Evil. I'm willing to send her chocolate and all the cat pictures she could possible want, if she'll take bribes
The Blue Eye is book three in The Khorasan Archives, a Fantasy series that features a unique magical structure, strong female protagonists, and a Middle Eastern setting that I can't get enough of in the genre. Many characters are morally gray, with often selfish motives, but the truly evil villains, like The One Eyed Preacher and his followers known as the Talisman, call to mind the horrors of modern religious zealots, which lends an eerie realism to the series.
The Blue Eye is dark. There's still no happy ending, at least not yet, and nearly everyone's motives are suspect. Our heroines suffer greatly. Previously concealed identities are revealed and the answers are shocking. It's action packed, and there were many moments when I read on with my heart in my throat, fearing for my favorite characters.
I think the thing I love most about this series, though, is something that has become even clearer in this third installment. The system of magic and power is tied to The Claim, the sacred religious text of all Khorasan. As a reader, the idea of words and stories, whether fables or histories, being the center of strength and power, is beautiful and relatable. I am both looking forward to the final installment of The Khorasan Archives, which *should* be out later this year, and dreading it. I am sure there will be more loss, more heartbreak, but I am hopeful that Khan will end the series on a high note and that Good will triumph over Evil. I'm willing to send her chocolate and all the cat pictures she could possible want, if she'll take bribes
deadgoodbookreviews's review
4.0
Originally posted at Chain Interaction
I should probably start with a little bit of context, which I always find helpful when thinking about later books in a series.
I actually purchased both The Bloodprint and The Black Khan for myself, but I ended up getting rid of them in a series of book purges over the last two years. If you’ve followed my booktube channel you’ll know that my criteria for keeping a book on my shelf is that I have to be able to see myself re-reading it. In the case of the first two books in this series, I just wasn’t sure I was invested enough in either the story or the characters to feel like I might want to re-read.
In a fun twist, it was this, the third book in the series, that finally toppled me into the ‘oh no this might be worth reading’…bucket? So, while I can’t now get the other two books back, I’ll maybe think about grabbing them from the library if the fancy takes me.
But let’s talk about The Blue Eye, why was it that this book hit home in a way that the other books did not? As with most books, it could be circumstantial, maybe I’m just in a better place than I was when I read the first two, maybe I’m more accustomed to adult fantasy than I was a couple of years ago? But I think an element of it is that Ausma Zehanat Khan’s writing has so evidently developed across this series. I found it so much easier to get into this book and to keep my focus, where I really struggled to keep track of the characters and plot in the first book. I genuinely think that’s because the writing is better, it still feels so rich in detail and lore and you get that sense that the story is just scratching the surface of events in this world, but it doesn’t feel like work to read – which I appreciated.
I thought that the plot was good, I don’t think I could summarise the plot of the first two books with any kind of confidence, but this one felt clear and memorable. In this case I thought that the multiple points of view gave the book a lot more scope, I suppose because everything was coming to a climax. It really felt like that good epic fantasy ending where you have the people caught up in the enormous world-ending moments alongside the much ‘quieter’ plot that is nonetheless important. I’m annoyed that the only comparison I can draw here is the end to the Lord of the Rings because I should have better examples – but there we are. One day when I am more well-read.
I had one big qualm, which has stuck with me since finishing the book, and it’s one of those ‘I can’t go into this because it’s a spoiler’ kind of critiques which are frustrating but quite common. Let it be enough to say that I don’t think the queer representation was handled well within this story. If you’ve read this and you want to talk about it feel free to message me! But that’s as much as I can say without spoiling anything.
There is romance in this series and it does continue into this book. I feel like I should touch on it even though it isn’t the main thrust of this book because it is quite significant within the story. All I’ll say is that I am not the kind of person who responds well to people forcing themselves to make a choice between their ‘vows’ (of whatever) and the person with whom they have openly admitted they are in love. I think that comes from knowing too many religious people who make their lives more difficult without necessarily having a good reason. But maybe that’s your favourite romance trope – who am I to judge?
Overall, I thought this book was really strong, definitely my favourite out of the series so far and certainly something I would recommend to people who enjoyed the originals and to people who, like me, may have had more of a problem getting into books one and two.
My rating: 3.5 stars
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I should probably start with a little bit of context, which I always find helpful when thinking about later books in a series.
I actually purchased both The Bloodprint and The Black Khan for myself, but I ended up getting rid of them in a series of book purges over the last two years. If you’ve followed my booktube channel you’ll know that my criteria for keeping a book on my shelf is that I have to be able to see myself re-reading it. In the case of the first two books in this series, I just wasn’t sure I was invested enough in either the story or the characters to feel like I might want to re-read.
In a fun twist, it was this, the third book in the series, that finally toppled me into the ‘oh no this might be worth reading’…bucket? So, while I can’t now get the other two books back, I’ll maybe think about grabbing them from the library if the fancy takes me.
But let’s talk about The Blue Eye, why was it that this book hit home in a way that the other books did not? As with most books, it could be circumstantial, maybe I’m just in a better place than I was when I read the first two, maybe I’m more accustomed to adult fantasy than I was a couple of years ago? But I think an element of it is that Ausma Zehanat Khan’s writing has so evidently developed across this series. I found it so much easier to get into this book and to keep my focus, where I really struggled to keep track of the characters and plot in the first book. I genuinely think that’s because the writing is better, it still feels so rich in detail and lore and you get that sense that the story is just scratching the surface of events in this world, but it doesn’t feel like work to read – which I appreciated.
I thought that the plot was good, I don’t think I could summarise the plot of the first two books with any kind of confidence, but this one felt clear and memorable. In this case I thought that the multiple points of view gave the book a lot more scope, I suppose because everything was coming to a climax. It really felt like that good epic fantasy ending where you have the people caught up in the enormous world-ending moments alongside the much ‘quieter’ plot that is nonetheless important. I’m annoyed that the only comparison I can draw here is the end to the Lord of the Rings because I should have better examples – but there we are. One day when I am more well-read.
I had one big qualm, which has stuck with me since finishing the book, and it’s one of those ‘I can’t go into this because it’s a spoiler’ kind of critiques which are frustrating but quite common. Let it be enough to say that I don’t think the queer representation was handled well within this story. If you’ve read this and you want to talk about it feel free to message me! But that’s as much as I can say without spoiling anything.
There is romance in this series and it does continue into this book. I feel like I should touch on it even though it isn’t the main thrust of this book because it is quite significant within the story. All I’ll say is that I am not the kind of person who responds well to people forcing themselves to make a choice between their ‘vows’ (of whatever) and the person with whom they have openly admitted they are in love. I think that comes from knowing too many religious people who make their lives more difficult without necessarily having a good reason. But maybe that’s your favourite romance trope – who am I to judge?
Overall, I thought this book was really strong, definitely my favourite out of the series so far and certainly something I would recommend to people who enjoyed the originals and to people who, like me, may have had more of a problem getting into books one and two.
My rating: 3.5 stars
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
annarella's review
5.0
A powerful fantasy novel with a gripping and entertaining plot and a cast of fantastic characters.
This is a great instalment in a great series, it made wish the last novel was already there.
I love the style of writing, the well crafted plot, the amazing world building and the well thought and interesting cast of characters.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
This is a great instalment in a great series, it made wish the last novel was already there.
I love the style of writing, the well crafted plot, the amazing world building and the well thought and interesting cast of characters.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
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