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queenterribletimy's review
3.0
I've got an ARC in exchange of a honest review.
I've been debating between 3 and 4 stars, and I would give it 3.5 actually. It was better than Valley of Embers, but I liked The Emerald Blade more. Now that I read all three books published so far I can say this series is not really my cup of tea. I think I'll continue though, because I really want to know what's going to happen to T'alon Rane and Shadow.
To be honest, I struggled with this book, and I can't decide if it's because I am in a reading slump or because I was just bored with it. The plot is promising, though a bit slow at times, the world building is strong as ever and the characters... It maybe just me but I can't seem to care about them much. And that's a pity, because this story has so much potential. This series is bound to be good, but I can't seem to find the appeal. It might be the writing style. Toward the end I just skipped some pages so I could get over it sooner. The lengthy descriptions just slowing the pace down. Some more action and less talking/wandering around while nothing happens would make good to this book.
I'm quite confused, because it seems so far everyone liked this book pretty much and while I can see why, I just don't feel that enthusiastic about the story at all.
I've been debating between 3 and 4 stars, and I would give it 3.5 actually. It was better than Valley of Embers, but I liked The Emerald Blade more. Now that I read all three books published so far I can say this series is not really my cup of tea. I think I'll continue though, because I really want to know what's going to happen to T'alon Rane and Shadow.
To be honest, I struggled with this book, and I can't decide if it's because I am in a reading slump or because I was just bored with it. The plot is promising, though a bit slow at times, the world building is strong as ever and the characters... It maybe just me but I can't seem to care about them much. And that's a pity, because this story has so much potential. This series is bound to be good, but I can't seem to find the appeal. It might be the writing style. Toward the end I just skipped some pages so I could get over it sooner. The lengthy descriptions just slowing the pace down. Some more action and less talking/wandering around while nothing happens would make good to this book.
I'm quite confused, because it seems so far everyone liked this book pretty much and while I can see why, I just don't feel that enthusiastic about the story at all.
adancewithbooks's review
4.0
I was quite pleasantly surprised when Steven Kelliher emailed me about the third book coming out in November. I had not expected this book to be released so soon as it was on my anticipated releases for 2018. Luckily for me I did not have to wait.
The Midnight Dunes is already the third book in the Landkist saga. I have to say that this is growing to become a favorite fantasy series. While I might not rate this book 5 stars as I did the second book, this has absolutely nothing to do with the writing itself. Again this book is a solid read that alternates between action and some slower moments, keeping a relative quick pace throughout the book for a fantasy adult novel. The fight scenes were again stand out. They give a clear image of what is going on.
In book two the big group that set out on their quests, split their ways after 150 pages. In The Emerald Blade we follow Kole and his group to the Center after that, a more forest type setting. In this book we follow the other group who head out into the desert and to the place the Valley people originated from. Having the book not focus on others at all worked very well to focus this book. But I would have loved to have a better idea of the joining of the two groups or what was going on with Kole and the others in the end somehow.
The book focuses on Talmir and Iyana who we have had point of views of before. But there was also the addition of Karin, Kole’s father. I quite love Talmir. I loved his leadership right from the first book and how he tries to give others the benefit of the doubt. I have a bit more trouble with Iyana. She isn’t a bad character but just not a character that I am naturally very drawn to. I also wish that she had been able to learn more about her Faey powers. I feel it was a little dangled in front of us there but never fully grasped. I hope this will come more. Karin being a new character took some adjusting to his point of view and while he obviously added to the story I sometimes feel I would have liked a more contrasting character’s point of view. Or maybe an ember.
Okay I’m going to come out and say it. I wanted Creyath’s point of view. He is the second keeper of the Valley and the only Ember along in this group. Part of me feels that should have warranted a point of view for the whole book. Honestly, he was the best thing about this book. He was all kinds of epicness and slayed like nobody’s business.
While this book might not have captured me like The Emerald Blade, the world and the characters do stay with me after I finish the book. I think about them a lot. There is so much left to discover in this world and with these characters and I honestly can’t wait.
If you haven’t given the first book a chance please do as this series only gets better.
The Midnight Dunes is already the third book in the Landkist saga. I have to say that this is growing to become a favorite fantasy series. While I might not rate this book 5 stars as I did the second book, this has absolutely nothing to do with the writing itself. Again this book is a solid read that alternates between action and some slower moments, keeping a relative quick pace throughout the book for a fantasy adult novel. The fight scenes were again stand out. They give a clear image of what is going on.
In book two the big group that set out on their quests, split their ways after 150 pages. In The Emerald Blade we follow Kole and his group to the Center after that, a more forest type setting. In this book we follow the other group who head out into the desert and to the place the Valley people originated from. Having the book not focus on others at all worked very well to focus this book. But I would have loved to have a better idea of the joining of the two groups or what was going on with Kole and the others in the end somehow.
The book focuses on Talmir and Iyana who we have had point of views of before. But there was also the addition of Karin, Kole’s father. I quite love Talmir. I loved his leadership right from the first book and how he tries to give others the benefit of the doubt. I have a bit more trouble with Iyana. She isn’t a bad character but just not a character that I am naturally very drawn to. I also wish that she had been able to learn more about her Faey powers. I feel it was a little dangled in front of us there but never fully grasped. I hope this will come more. Karin being a new character took some adjusting to his point of view and while he obviously added to the story I sometimes feel I would have liked a more contrasting character’s point of view. Or maybe an ember.
Okay I’m going to come out and say it. I wanted Creyath’s point of view. He is the second keeper of the Valley and the only Ember along in this group. Part of me feels that should have warranted a point of view for the whole book. Honestly, he was the best thing about this book. He was all kinds of epicness and slayed like nobody’s business.
While this book might not have captured me like The Emerald Blade, the world and the characters do stay with me after I finish the book. I think about them a lot. There is so much left to discover in this world and with these characters and I honestly can’t wait.
If you haven’t given the first book a chance please do as this series only gets better.
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