Scan barcode
gailicho's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
daijoboy's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
subparcupcake's review
1.0
My oh my... Oh my oh my oh my.
When I started reading this, I thought I was going to love it. It had come with such high recommendations, and it sounded like it was right up my alley. I was so excited to finally have time to dive into it! Unfortunately, I was ultimately disappointed. It just didn't work for me... Try as I might, I just couldn't make myself like it.
It was just so boring. It literally put me to sleep whenever I tried to read it. Which was great for those late nights that I just couldn't fall asleep... But not so great during my lunch break at work, or in the middle of a weekend afternoon. Seriously though.. It was beyond boring. Nothing happened! Thinking back now, I can't tell you what the book was about, other than to say it was about a chick who joined a mercenary company, marched around a bunch, acted dense a lot, and fought from time to time. So basically, what the blurb says. That's all. Just page after page of clinical descriptions of marching here and marching there. Half of the time I didn't even realize a fight had started until it was halfway over.
And Paks.. I just didn't like her. At all. She was dense and very stand-offish. She didn't seem to develop any relationships with the other characters, with the exception of one, and that one didn't end well. For that matter, let's talk about the other characters. They were flat and interchangeable. No personality. No depth. It was just...... Blah. All around blah.
After a while, it was impossible not to imagine the whole book being read to me in a really boring monotone. It was like someone followed Paks around and wrote down everything she did and said, and then published it all, word for word, without editing it down to the interesting or important bits.
Suffice it to say, I guess I'm just not a fan of Paks or her deeds. I have no interest in trying the next book in the series, or reading about Paks ever again. Harsh, I know... But when you know it's not right you just have to cut the string right away, before someone gets hurt. So Paks.. This is goodbye. Have fun deeding it up, don't keep in touch.
When I started reading this, I thought I was going to love it. It had come with such high recommendations, and it sounded like it was right up my alley. I was so excited to finally have time to dive into it! Unfortunately, I was ultimately disappointed. It just didn't work for me... Try as I might, I just couldn't make myself like it.
It was just so boring. It literally put me to sleep whenever I tried to read it. Which was great for those late nights that I just couldn't fall asleep... But not so great during my lunch break at work, or in the middle of a weekend afternoon. Seriously though.. It was beyond boring. Nothing happened! Thinking back now, I can't tell you what the book was about, other than to say it was about a chick who joined a mercenary company, marched around a bunch, acted dense a lot, and fought from time to time. So basically, what the blurb says. That's all. Just page after page of clinical descriptions of marching here and marching there. Half of the time I didn't even realize a fight had started until it was halfway over.
And Paks.. I just didn't like her. At all. She was dense and very stand-offish. She didn't seem to develop any relationships with the other characters, with the exception of one, and that one didn't end well. For that matter, let's talk about the other characters. They were flat and interchangeable. No personality. No depth. It was just...... Blah. All around blah.
After a while, it was impossible not to imagine the whole book being read to me in a really boring monotone. It was like someone followed Paks around and wrote down everything she did and said, and then published it all, word for word, without editing it down to the interesting or important bits.
Suffice it to say, I guess I'm just not a fan of Paks or her deeds. I have no interest in trying the next book in the series, or reading about Paks ever again. Harsh, I know... But when you know it's not right you just have to cut the string right away, before someone gets hurt. So Paks.. This is goodbye. Have fun deeding it up, don't keep in touch.
londra8's review
3.0
3.5 stars!
I searched "books with characters like brienne of tarth" and of course this series came up multiple times so I gave it a try.
I enjoyed seeing Paks' growth from a newbie running away from a possible arranged marriage to a mercenary that could defend her own. A heavier read but it was enjoyable. I love strong, armored woman in fantasy.
I searched "books with characters like brienne of tarth" and of course this series came up multiple times so I gave it a try.
I enjoyed seeing Paks' growth from a newbie running away from a possible arranged marriage to a mercenary that could defend her own. A heavier read but it was enjoyable. I love strong, armored woman in fantasy.
book_mad_mess's review against another edition
3.0
It was OK. I will probably finish the series at some time but I don't feel a rush to do it. A lot of detail to everyday life as a soldier / mercenary. Sometimes I wanted to clobber Paks over the head for her dim-witted-ness (Is that even a word? **shrug**).
chris_nz's review
3.0
Quite by accident I just finished reading The Black Company before I started this book. This one seems like a pale imitation of it, with a dumb Mary Sue protagonist. I did quite enjoy the first third but it progressively slowed as it lumbered towards the finish. It stops fairly abruptly but I have no desire to ever read the next book in the series! Shame because it felt like it had potential but wow was it dated.
astrochem's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5