Scan barcode
stepriot's review against another edition
5.0
After reading it again, this one is still my favorite of the first saga.
mamap's review against another edition
3.0
after i've been so long in the series it's hard to say if i really like it! lots and lots of traveling into the cold and even when it's supposedly done, it's not done...come on - tell me the point already!
newfylady's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this series. I'm sad to say goodbye to the characters. I may go on to read the next series starring one of the more minor characters.
mollymortensen's review against another edition
2.0
I read book 5, Rebel Fey back in 2007. Needless to say I forgot a bit since then. (I remembered books 1-3 really well but 4 and 5, not so much.) However, I wasn't in the mood for a full reread so I read the end of book 5 instead.
elaeagnifolium's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
4.0
tkat's review against another edition
3.0
I have really enjoyed Barb Hendee's Noble Dead saga, and I am sad to see it end, but this book doesn't seem like a true ending. I enjoyed the storyline, it was quite an enjoyable book to read, but there was no closure at the end.
The main characters, Leesil and Margaerie are off on a quest to save the world essentially. They complete their quest, head back home, and two nights later are off and running again with their companions Chap and Wynn. The End.
To me, this does not seem like an ending, but rather another opening. Because now you have the questions 'Where are they going?', 'What about Wynn and Osha?' , 'What will Chap decide?' 'Are they going to succeed in their new, personally appointed quest?'
While I enjoyed the book on its own, when I look at it in light of the rest of the series, it is a disappointment as an ending. I can only hope that Barb Hendee revisits these characters in another series because there seems to be too many unanswered questions at the end of this book.
The main characters, Leesil and Margaerie are off on a quest to save the world essentially. They complete their quest, head back home, and two nights later are off and running again with their companions Chap and Wynn. The End.
To me, this does not seem like an ending, but rather another opening. Because now you have the questions 'Where are they going?', 'What about Wynn and Osha?' , 'What will Chap decide?' 'Are they going to succeed in their new, personally appointed quest?'
While I enjoyed the book on its own, when I look at it in light of the rest of the series, it is a disappointment as an ending. I can only hope that Barb Hendee revisits these characters in another series because there seems to be too many unanswered questions at the end of this book.
puppy_eyes's review against another edition
4.0
Finally, I've reached the end of the first series! It makes me both sad and excited at the same time, because I tend to procrastinate finishing books, scared of getting to the end. But there were so many questions we just had to have answered!
+What was boring before in all the other books (with Chane and Westiel constantly following the group for no real reason other than flash-reviewing what we already read) was finally opening the book into a way more interesting scene. I didn't care about what Magiere and the group were doing, Westiel was finally doing something, and it was creepy and fun to watch.
+We got vampires actually attacking a lonely group way out in the middle of nowhere. And it was amazing. Awful for them, but a great story to tell. I love that they're not afraid to show them being bad. Vampires are bad. But most authors are afraid of letting their characters really cross the line, to show them doing something wrong. I'm so glad that they're still doing something that we know is wrong, but are still likeable.
+I was happy that Westiel was thinking what we were all thinking about their 'patron.' When has a dark deal ever came out with a good result? Surely he had to think about the possibility that he was being used like Ubad was. All this constant traveling, and working for the patron his father was working for anyway.
+Chane's been doing what I expected also, starting to doubt Westiel. I thought that he was going to turn on him altogether, but he realized real quick how foolish it is to take on a full noble undead like he is.
-We don't really get to see that, except for a short part at the end. I thought the ferals would come more into play, but they were hardly extras for numbers. What I would've thought been a better ending: How ironic would that have been?
+Some people were complaining about the snow, blizzard mountain scenery, but I loved it. The icy atmosphere added another level of peril to their situation. But I get SO annoyed that like a whole 1/4th of the book consists of the party splitting up for some random reason and then having to backtrack to look for other members, over and over and over again. What a waste of time! They should've known better. Especially Wynn.
+I love the fact that she thought of trying to use her sight power to see through the blizzard, I even got excited for her. Until it ended up not working and yet-
--she SOMEHOW ended up leading everyone to where they needed to be by being KIDNAPPED. Seriously?
+Speaking of the whole Chane and Wynn ship, I understand that she's the thing constantly driving him, but I've never seen someone more thirstier in my life. I can't help but think, that he's such a bad person, the things he's done, it would never be possible for someone like Wynn. (Though she is also pretty thirsty, by the way she's bouncing between Osha and Chane. I can't believe Magiere had to remind her about the way of elves and she still wanted to try it.) But I understand the feeling of being lonely, especially when you're traveling with a couple who still can't keep their hands off each other in the middle of a journey.
+I like that we get to see the morbid process of raising the dead, and being explained to about what myths are true and not. Like having to feed on blood and not the life force. The constant struggle of needing to feed and not over feed, having one foot in the feral path.
+If it wasn't for Magiere and Chap experiencing the same things, I'd say the drugs are causing Westiel to hallucinate all the patron business, lol.
-I've been enjoying watching Wynn grow more confident and blurting out what needs to be said. But just straight up shouting to Brot'an and Sgaile about their whole journey? It was lucky that we could trust them, but I found myself why they even needed to be here in the first place. I know Sgaile swore to protect, and Brot'an is rebelling a little against his caste, but following too many characters in the group starts to create that feeling of having too many cooks in the kitchen.
-We get the main group of three, then Osha, Sgaile, Brot'an, westiel, chane, the ferals, AND the third group. It really is too much repeating, because every time something happens, we have to go BACK and see the same scene again, but through the other group's POV, and they never do anything because they're constantly following and hiding. What is the point of that?
+All the elf names are so pretty and meaningful. 'Willow's Shade,' 'Dog in the Dark,' 'Meadow's Song,' I wish we got to go through a naming rite like they did. When I asked my mother why she picked my name, she only said 'because I liked it.'
+The funny mental image of Leesil carrying Chap on his back to get up and down the ladder.
+A long portion of this book takes place on a ship. Be prepared for that.
+I feel bad for Hkan'rovs (?) hesitation to renew his feelings about seeing whatsername again. Even as just a student, it's obvious they were more, or wanted to be, but they've been practically brainwashed to stay loyal only to their duty. It takes a while before you start to feel at peace after someone leaves, so when they come around again, it makes you nervous to get close because it's like 'I don't want to restart feelings after I finally felt good without them again.' I understand. But his whole appearance was pointless.
-They did get trolled by getting a ship that will make stops along every town for trading. Imagine the council just laughing about it.
+YO, I physically laughed out loud when Wynn mistook the tail of a ship for being a sea monster and everyone came running over to see.
+People hate on Wynn, but I still love her. If it wasn't for her snooping about, we wouldn't have learned half the things we did about the world. Like the elven ships being alive.
-We learn that Westiel actually scries for Magiere by finding the bone of his missing finger around her neck rather than scrying for her directly. I wonder why she never mentioned it again, or bothered to take it off.
-Aardvard is annoying, as she's meant to be. We're supposed to feel sorry for her because of the way she's being used by the Great Father. The way he uses her dream as a dangle in front of her, but she ends up with no consequence, and we never see her again. Annoying.
+Wynn is the perfect example one to talk to Osha about serving his people in ways other than fighting. Chane mentioned the same thing at one point, but I thought this might have been foreshadowing for poor Osha, but he ended up really in no danger.
--Magiere and Leesil go through a giant SIDEQUEST of getting special weapons from a special species, and though the whole new area is interesting, by this point of being on the last book, I expected answers from the get-go. Not a random sidequest.
-The annoying part about it, was that Leesil spent all this time and money in the other book getting special custom made weapons, proud of them. And now he's just given more special weapons, and even Magiere gets some when it's not even about her.
+After realizing WHY the Chein'as did what they did and how they appeared, I was extremely happy to learn a little more about Magiere's history and lore.
-They make this goal seem so important, yet they take so much TIME getting to it. THe constant stopping or going other places, the 6 days before travelling, stopping at every town, the sidequests, etc.
-OH, we finally make it close to the castle, in range, and the NAKED guardian turns out to be so threatening - AND ...does nothing but stare around. They're scared of her potential, but I'm more interested in the notes she's left behind. Westiel and the Patron made it sound like they had to get to the castle for Magiere to KILL and fighting something, but there was no boss fight!
-I waited for answers, and only got more questions! Seeing the serpent actually appear was very cool, but what was all this about an army? The fight? Westiel had no interaction after finding it, and it didn't actually end up DOING anything. I'm so mad!!
+Magiere's epic kill
-I do like how realistically they realize that it wouldn't be safe with the sages. But they literally had JUST got home before they ended up leaving again!!
I hope I didn't forget anything, I stopped taking notes halfway. I'm curious about the next series, but I would've liked more time focused on the castle stuff.
18 POSITIVE
15 NEGATIVE
I thought there were way more negative, but it seems tied. It's just that the annoying stuff was REALLY annoying, and the rest of the positive was tolerable until some cool action or the mystery was being more uncovered.
And why tf does the cover show her holding a spear?
+What was boring before in all the other books (with Chane and Westiel constantly following the group for no real reason other than flash-reviewing what we already read) was finally opening the book into a way more interesting scene. I didn't care about what Magiere and the group were doing, Westiel was finally doing something, and it was creepy and fun to watch.
+We got vampires actually attacking a lonely group way out in the middle of nowhere. And it was amazing. Awful for them, but a great story to tell. I love that they're not afraid to show them being bad. Vampires are bad. But most authors are afraid of letting their characters really cross the line, to show them doing something wrong. I'm so glad that they're still doing something that we know is wrong, but are still likeable.
+I was happy that Westiel was thinking what we were all thinking about their 'patron.' When has a dark deal ever came out with a good result? Surely he had to think about the possibility that he was being used like Ubad was. All this constant traveling, and working for the patron his father was working for anyway.
+Chane's been doing what I expected also, starting to doubt Westiel. I thought that he was going to turn on him altogether, but he realized real quick how foolish it is to take on a full noble undead like he is.
-We don't really get to see that, except for a short part at the end. I thought the ferals would come more into play, but they were hardly extras for numbers. What I would've thought been a better ending:
Spoiler
Chane used his growing bond with the ferals to have them gang up on Westiel at HIS command.+Some people were complaining about the snow, blizzard mountain scenery, but I loved it. The icy atmosphere added another level of peril to their situation. But I get SO annoyed that like a whole 1/4th of the book consists of the party splitting up for some random reason and then having to backtrack to look for other members, over and over and over again. What a waste of time! They should've known better. Especially Wynn.
+I love the fact that she thought of trying to use her sight power to see through the blizzard, I even got excited for her. Until it ended up not working and yet-
--she SOMEHOW ended up leading everyone to where they needed to be by being KIDNAPPED. Seriously?
+Speaking of the whole Chane and Wynn ship, I understand that she's the thing constantly driving him, but I've never seen someone more thirstier in my life. I can't help but think, that he's such a bad person, the things he's done, it would never be possible for someone like Wynn. (Though she is also pretty thirsty, by the way she's bouncing between Osha and Chane. I can't believe Magiere had to remind her about the way of elves and she still wanted to try it.) But I understand the feeling of being lonely, especially when you're traveling with a couple who still can't keep their hands off each other in the middle of a journey.
+I like that we get to see the morbid process of raising the dead, and being explained to about what myths are true and not. Like having to feed on blood and not the life force. The constant struggle of needing to feed and not over feed, having one foot in the feral path.
+If it wasn't for Magiere and Chap experiencing the same things, I'd say the drugs are causing Westiel to hallucinate all the patron business, lol.
-I've been enjoying watching Wynn grow more confident and blurting out what needs to be said. But just straight up shouting to Brot'an and Sgaile about their whole journey? It was lucky that we could trust them, but I found myself why they even needed to be here in the first place. I know Sgaile swore to protect, and Brot'an is rebelling a little against his caste, but following too many characters in the group starts to create that feeling of having too many cooks in the kitchen.
-We get the main group of three, then Osha, Sgaile, Brot'an, westiel, chane, the ferals, AND the third group. It really is too much repeating, because every time something happens, we have to go BACK and see the same scene again, but through the other group's POV, and they never do anything because they're constantly following and hiding. What is the point of that?
+All the elf names are so pretty and meaningful. 'Willow's Shade,' 'Dog in the Dark,' 'Meadow's Song,' I wish we got to go through a naming rite like they did. When I asked my mother why she picked my name, she only said 'because I liked it.'
+The funny mental image of Leesil carrying Chap on his back to get up and down the ladder.
+A long portion of this book takes place on a ship. Be prepared for that.
+I feel bad for Hkan'rovs (?) hesitation to renew his feelings about seeing whatsername again. Even as just a student, it's obvious they were more, or wanted to be, but they've been practically brainwashed to stay loyal only to their duty. It takes a while before you start to feel at peace after someone leaves, so when they come around again, it makes you nervous to get close because it's like 'I don't want to restart feelings after I finally felt good without them again.' I understand. But his whole appearance was pointless.
-They did get trolled by getting a ship that will make stops along every town for trading. Imagine the council just laughing about it.
+YO, I physically laughed out loud when Wynn mistook the tail of a ship for being a sea monster and everyone came running over to see.
+People hate on Wynn, but I still love her. If it wasn't for her snooping about, we wouldn't have learned half the things we did about the world. Like the elven ships being alive.
-We learn that Westiel actually scries for Magiere by finding the bone of his missing finger around her neck rather than scrying for her directly. I wonder why she never mentioned it again, or bothered to take it off.
-Aardvard is annoying, as she's meant to be. We're supposed to feel sorry for her because of the way she's being used by the Great Father. The way he uses her dream as a dangle in front of her, but she ends up with no consequence, and we never see her again. Annoying.
+Wynn is the perfect example one to talk to Osha about serving his people in ways other than fighting. Chane mentioned the same thing at one point, but I thought this might have been foreshadowing for poor Osha, but he ended up really in no danger.
--Magiere and Leesil go through a giant SIDEQUEST of getting special weapons from a special species, and though the whole new area is interesting, by this point of being on the last book, I expected answers from the get-go. Not a random sidequest.
-The annoying part about it, was that Leesil spent all this time and money in the other book getting special custom made weapons, proud of them. And now he's just given more special weapons, and even Magiere gets some when it's not even about her.
+After realizing WHY the Chein'as did what they did and how they appeared, I was extremely happy to learn a little more about Magiere's history and lore.
-They make this goal seem so important, yet they take so much TIME getting to it. THe constant stopping or going other places, the 6 days before travelling, stopping at every town, the sidequests, etc.
-OH, we finally make it close to the castle, in range, and the NAKED guardian turns out to be so threatening - AND ...does nothing but stare around. They're scared of her potential, but I'm more interested in the notes she's left behind. Westiel and the Patron made it sound like they had to get to the castle for Magiere to KILL and fighting something, but there was no boss fight!
-I waited for answers, and only got more questions! Seeing the serpent actually appear was very cool, but what was all this about an army? The fight? Westiel had no interaction after finding it, and it didn't actually end up DOING anything. I'm so mad!!
+Magiere's epic kill
-I do like how realistically they realize that it wouldn't be safe with the sages. But they literally had JUST got home before they ended up leaving again!!
I hope I didn't forget anything, I stopped taking notes halfway. I'm curious about the next series, but I would've liked more time focused on the castle stuff.
18 POSITIVE
15 NEGATIVE
I thought there were way more negative, but it seems tied. It's just that the annoying stuff was REALLY annoying, and the rest of the positive was tolerable until some cool action or the mystery was being more uncovered.
And why tf does the cover show her holding a spear?
ghostlydreamer's review against another edition
5.0
Of all the books in the first arc, I probably remember this book the least. I'm inclined to believe, however, that that has less to do with the story itself, and more to do with whatever was going on with me at the time. This book took me an unusually long time to read during that summer, given how I read books, on average, in two days. Especially concerning this series. Nevertheless, I feel my initial rating of five stars is justified. I may not have flown through this book like I usually did, but I remember the feeling while reading it. The feeling after finishing it. Realizing I was desperate to continue on with the series even though the second arc had little to do with the characters I loved so dearly. But don't be fooled; this may be the last book featuring Magiere and Leesil until the third arc, but it is by no means the end of their story. Child of a Dead God is, in a way, only just the beginning.
I distinctly recall Magiere's obsession, which only continues to worsen over time. I recall how worried it made Leesil, how desperate he was to make sure she was okay, while also infuriated that she was putting herself in danger so frequently. I recall a lot of snow, someone being deathly cold, and an ending that riveted me despite its occasional flaws. Everything was coming together now, and how could I not root for Magiere and Leesil in their race against Westiel? I certainly don't miss that man... Overall, this had a rather bombastic ending that I expected and thoroughly enjoyed for a series like this. I was almost sad to finish it, while simultaneously feeling elated by it, because I realized I was nearly halfway through the series at that point.
Also. Can we talk about how cool that title is? Child of a Dead God. I wish I could say I had a book with that name.
My only biggest complaint? The covers just keep getting worse, and this one was no exception. *sigh*
I distinctly recall Magiere's obsession, which only continues to worsen over time. I recall how worried it made Leesil, how desperate he was to make sure she was okay, while also infuriated that she was putting herself in danger so frequently. I recall a lot of snow, someone being deathly cold, and an ending that riveted me despite its occasional flaws. Everything was coming together now, and how could I not root for Magiere and Leesil in their race against Westiel? I certainly don't miss that man... Overall, this had a rather bombastic ending that I expected and thoroughly enjoyed for a series like this. I was almost sad to finish it, while simultaneously feeling elated by it, because I realized I was nearly halfway through the series at that point.
Also. Can we talk about how cool that title is? Child of a Dead God. I wish I could say I had a book with that name.
My only biggest complaint? The covers just keep getting worse, and this one was no exception. *sigh*
trufyre's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
julieabe89's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This story wrapped up the first Noble Dead Saga. It was fabulous how it wrapped up so many different questions while still leaving it open enough for Series 2. I can't wait to continue in this fantasy universe!