Scan barcode
heidi_mcj's review against another edition
5.0
I love these books. Some think that the writing is too verbose but I enjoy it. I kind of sink into her writing and into her stories.
katyanaish's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoy this series - and had a hard time putting this down - but there were some things about it that were odd.
Firstly, the thing we have seemingly been building towards - the demons in the undercity, the coming of the Lord of the Hells... which Rath sacrificed his life to give warning about - it is handled about 2/3 into the book, and oddly, none of our main characters are there.
I'm aware that several other series tie into this one. The instructions on the series read order, though, were to read these first 3 books in House War, and then read the Sun Sword series ... and so it was very odd to find myself in a climactic battle, that the main characters of House War have been working towards... but not have literally any of them present. Yes, there were lots of secondary characters there, including ones I like very much - Merlonne APhaniel, Sigurne, Devon ATerafin - but it was hard to feel super emotionally invested in this fight when Jewel, the den, and Aramais were all not present, and we've simply never spent that much time with these other characters. I recognize that the fight was important. I wanted them to win because I didn't want the world to end. I just felt oddly disconnected from it, with the series main characters all just hanging out back at the house waiting for word.
And I missed Rath - I really loved him - but I have to say that I like Aramais. She's harder - she has to be - but you can see the depth of her care, and I have tremendous respect for her. If we had to lose Rath, I can live with Aramais filling his shoes as Jewel's ... guardian, for lack of a better word.
I loved seeing more of the world - the Exalted, the Kings, the Ten - and getting a fuller picture of it all. It was just odd having the main characters hand the big fight off to characters we barely know.
I am definitely reading onward. I'm just not sure if I should flop over to the Sun Sword series - which seems to involve a totally different set of characters - or continue on with the House War series, and then hit the Sun Sword afterward, to fill in the perspective of these different characters. Because I don't really want to move away from Jewel and the Terafin until I see where they end, you know?
Firstly, the thing we have seemingly been building towards - the demons in the undercity, the coming of the Lord of the Hells... which Rath sacrificed his life to give warning about - it is handled about 2/3 into the book, and oddly, none of our main characters are there.
I'm aware that several other series tie into this one. The instructions on the series read order, though, were to read these first 3 books in House War, and then read the Sun Sword series ... and so it was very odd to find myself in a climactic battle, that the main characters of House War have been working towards... but not have literally any of them present. Yes, there were lots of secondary characters there, including ones I like very much - Merlonne APhaniel, Sigurne, Devon ATerafin - but it was hard to feel super emotionally invested in this fight when Jewel, the den, and Aramais were all not present, and we've simply never spent that much time with these other characters. I recognize that the fight was important. I wanted them to win because I didn't want the world to end. I just felt oddly disconnected from it, with the series main characters all just hanging out back at the house waiting for word.
And I missed Rath - I really loved him - but I have to say that I like Aramais. She's harder - she has to be - but you can see the depth of her care, and I have tremendous respect for her. If we had to lose Rath, I can live with Aramais filling his shoes as Jewel's ... guardian, for lack of a better word.
I loved seeing more of the world - the Exalted, the Kings, the Ten - and getting a fuller picture of it all. It was just odd having the main characters hand the big fight off to characters we barely know.
I am definitely reading onward. I'm just not sure if I should flop over to the Sun Sword series - which seems to involve a totally different set of characters - or continue on with the House War series, and then hit the Sun Sword afterward, to fill in the perspective of these different characters. Because I don't really want to move away from Jewel and the Terafin until I see where they end, you know?
tani's review against another edition
4.0
Unlike many here, I haven't read The Sacred Hunt books - I'm reading this series for the first time, and the author recommends reading those next. So, this wasn't exactly the slog for me that it was for others, which I appreciate. I liked how this gave more depth to Jewel's den, and Finch and Teller's new jobs were actually one of my favorite parts here. I also liked this that book, more than the two prior, had an epic fantasy feel. We see more magic, more demons, more big name characters and battles. The world felt so expansive in this one, and I loved that. Plus, even though this is just a brief pause in the series, it actually gives a really emotionally satisfying conclusion to this part of the story, which is always really nice in these longer series.
winterreader40's review against another edition
5.0
Continuing Jewel's journey with the first few months after she shows up at the Terafin's door with news that her brother is dead while a member of her Den is dying. Jewel spends the first half of this book trying to find one of the entrances to the undercity but they are being unmade and if she can't find one she won't be able to prove that the Lord of the Hells is trying to return to the mortal plain and it isn't just a few demons or Kialli that got loose. We also follow the members of her Den as they are employed in the house guard, the merchant authority and the office of the right-kin and others as they explore the more behind the scenes aspects of the house.
When Jewel finally finds a way into the city things get dangerous for the men and women who are going down to fight the demons but it's still better than continuing to listen to the screams of the people who where taken as they are tortured to death as the demons project the sound over the city at irregular intervals to destroy hope in the people above as well as those they have taken.
This is my favorite from this series so far, lots happens and many emotions are felt.
When Jewel finally finds a way into the city things get dangerous for the men and women who are going down to fight the demons but it's still better than continuing to listen to the screams of the people who where taken as they are tortured to death as the demons project the sound over the city at irregular intervals to destroy hope in the people above as well as those they have taken.
This is my favorite from this series so far, lots happens and many emotions are felt.
coriandercake's review against another edition
4.0
These books definitely get better at the technical level as they go on. I haven't read any other series by West, so this was all unique story for me. I appreciate that the teenage characters are limited in the actions they take by their lack of experience and age, unlike most fantasy. I thought the final major battle went on for too long, as I'm not a big fan of battle scenes but other than that this book was excellent.
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
4.0
I love Michelle West's books. She has created such a huge world to play about in. It's imaginative, unique, and contains all the elements of good fantasy without being cliched. I look forward to these when they come out and buy them in hardback. If you haven't read them, you really should. You won't be sorry. These, along with George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series are the ne plus ultra of current adult fantasy. If you haven't read George R.R. Martin, you should - he'll blow you away.
This book centers around the same events covered in the Hunter Duology that is the prequel for the whole cycle. In this case, the story is told from the point of view of relatively minor characters in the duology - Jewel Markess and her Den. As the cycle progressed, Jewel grew to be one of the most interesting characters and it's been wonderful to read more of her story in the The House Wars series.
I particularly enjoyed the play with point of view in this part of the series. There are new events and deeper exploration of certain characters within the structure of this book, but of a necessity much of it covers ground that's already been addressed. I love the fact that West isn't afraid to cover the same ground from different points of view because it so enhances my appreciation of events.
Great book and can't wait for the next one.
This book centers around the same events covered in the Hunter Duology that is the prequel for the whole cycle. In this case, the story is told from the point of view of relatively minor characters in the duology - Jewel Markess and her Den. As the cycle progressed, Jewel grew to be one of the most interesting characters and it's been wonderful to read more of her story in the The House Wars series.
I particularly enjoyed the play with point of view in this part of the series. There are new events and deeper exploration of certain characters within the structure of this book, but of a necessity much of it covers ground that's already been addressed. I love the fact that West isn't afraid to cover the same ground from different points of view because it so enhances my appreciation of events.
Great book and can't wait for the next one.
clendorie's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
laurla's review against another edition
made me cry, but also pulls me in to the characters so well. love her writing.
"it was more than just make-work; she understood that now. they were making sanity. they were trying to hold onto the emotions of everyday life because it mattered."
"i feel helpless here. i dont feel safe. i dont feel that theres any such thing as safety, anymore."
"i'm not sure i can be what you want me to be"
"you are young, and you measure yourself, always, by your failures. by your current failures. you do not see your successes."
"not everything you value will outlast you. some of the things you build will be destroyed - by your oversight, the malice of others, or the simple passing of time.' but time gives perspective. with time you come to understand that not everything is lost. when a fire scours the forest and destroys the lives within, new growth occurs in the open spaces left behind, and life returns. it is not the same life, but it offers some hope for the future."
"many people who possess a sense of duty possess, as well, a crippling sense of guilt when they feel they have failed. the guilt, the inability to continue in the face of guilt, consumes them."
"no one man or woman can be all things to all people; no single man or woman can be all things to house terafin. not even the lord who rules it. what that lord who rules it sees, is how best to leverage those men and women who can do what he or she cannot. she is not perfect. she will make mistakes. she will fail in some of her responsibilities because one does not always see them clearly or in time."
"if you allow guilt to paralyze or devour you, you will be able to shoulder no other burdens."
"accept that there are things you cannot do."
"sometimes action is necessary, but it does not have to be your action."
"i'm not good at being happy. i'm afraid of it sometimes."
"its not supposed to be easy, losing someone. if it were, we wouldnt care enough to try to keep them. best we can do is try."
"it was more than just make-work; she understood that now. they were making sanity. they were trying to hold onto the emotions of everyday life because it mattered."
"i feel helpless here. i dont feel safe. i dont feel that theres any such thing as safety, anymore."
"i'm not sure i can be what you want me to be"
"you are young, and you measure yourself, always, by your failures. by your current failures. you do not see your successes."
"not everything you value will outlast you. some of the things you build will be destroyed - by your oversight, the malice of others, or the simple passing of time.' but time gives perspective. with time you come to understand that not everything is lost. when a fire scours the forest and destroys the lives within, new growth occurs in the open spaces left behind, and life returns. it is not the same life, but it offers some hope for the future."
"many people who possess a sense of duty possess, as well, a crippling sense of guilt when they feel they have failed. the guilt, the inability to continue in the face of guilt, consumes them."
"no one man or woman can be all things to all people; no single man or woman can be all things to house terafin. not even the lord who rules it. what that lord who rules it sees, is how best to leverage those men and women who can do what he or she cannot. she is not perfect. she will make mistakes. she will fail in some of her responsibilities because one does not always see them clearly or in time."
"if you allow guilt to paralyze or devour you, you will be able to shoulder no other burdens."
"accept that there are things you cannot do."
"sometimes action is necessary, but it does not have to be your action."
"i'm not good at being happy. i'm afraid of it sometimes."
"its not supposed to be easy, losing someone. if it were, we wouldnt care enough to try to keep them. best we can do is try."
beejai's review against another edition
3.0
This is the final book in what I guess is a prequel trilogy. I have done some digging around and have found that "The House War" series is actually a part of a much larger literary world. I guess it started with "The Sacred Hunt" duology, then Michelle West (aka Michelle Sagara) wrote "The Sun Sword" series and finally wrote the books I have just read. The first three books in THW take place the same time as TSH. Then you have the events that span TSS and finally THW books 4-8... and counting?
Confused yet? Anyways, This book had a different feel to it from the first two. Actually, that isn't right. I mentioned in my review of THW #2 (City of Night) how the story, characterization, pacing, etc seemed to drastically change about 2/3 the way in. This book feels much most like that last third did. I am guessing this is because it is where the plot overlaps with TSH books. Anyways, I am being way too technical. This is a bad review, but I am too tired to fix it right now.
House Name picks up right where City of Night left off. Jewel and her crew have gone from rags to riches, but quite a few of their number are now dead and gone. The underworld city they used to roam and scavenge to make a living from is now completely blocked off and the abode of demons. Those demons are trying to summon their god so they can rule the world. It is up to Jewel, her den, and some new allies to try and stop them.
I am very invested in the characters, but this book was just not nearly as good for me as the first two. I will most likely be backtracking and reading the Hunter books then the Sun Sword books before finishing up The House War series. I don't think any of these books work as standalone so if you're like me, a fan of huge sprawling storylines that require dozens of thousand-page books to tell, then you will probably enjoy Michelle West. If you are more a fan of YA style lit light... pass on it.
Confused yet? Anyways, This book had a different feel to it from the first two. Actually, that isn't right. I mentioned in my review of THW #2 (City of Night) how the story, characterization, pacing, etc seemed to drastically change about 2/3 the way in. This book feels much most like that last third did. I am guessing this is because it is where the plot overlaps with TSH books. Anyways, I am being way too technical. This is a bad review, but I am too tired to fix it right now.
House Name picks up right where City of Night left off. Jewel and her crew have gone from rags to riches, but quite a few of their number are now dead and gone. The underworld city they used to roam and scavenge to make a living from is now completely blocked off and the abode of demons. Those demons are trying to summon their god so they can rule the world. It is up to Jewel, her den, and some new allies to try and stop them.
I am very invested in the characters, but this book was just not nearly as good for me as the first two. I will most likely be backtracking and reading the Hunter books then the Sun Sword books before finishing up The House War series. I don't think any of these books work as standalone so if you're like me, a fan of huge sprawling storylines that require dozens of thousand-page books to tell, then you will probably enjoy Michelle West. If you are more a fan of YA style lit light... pass on it.