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cece97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
pagesofash's review against another edition
4.0
"But at a certain point in our lives, we cannot passively allow our upbringing to define us. We must choose it or choose other."
That was some adventure! I'm a huge fan of the whole follow-the-orphaned-child-and-watch-them-grow-into-a-kick-ass-adult trope and Hope and Red delivers x2!
Full of adventure, classic fantasy tropes and crass enough to make a soldier blush I found this book to be a fantastically fun read. It's got some found family going on, a badass trans character (comes late to the story), revenge, evil sorcerers, elements of swash buckling (set to grow in book two I suspect), a corrupt archipelago empire, thieves that put me in mind of Feist's Jimmy the Hand and MC's that make me think of Brett's Arlen Bales.
If you're looking for a fun, addictive, fantasy adventure about loyalty and honour full to the brim with some of the foulest language you've ever read this is your book!
CW: Sexism, explicit language
That was some adventure! I'm a huge fan of the whole follow-the-orphaned-child-and-watch-them-grow-into-a-kick-ass-adult trope and Hope and Red delivers x2!
Full of adventure, classic fantasy tropes and crass enough to make a soldier blush I found this book to be a fantastically fun read. It's got some found family going on, a badass trans character (comes late to the story), revenge, evil sorcerers, elements of swash buckling (set to grow in book two I suspect), a corrupt archipelago empire, thieves that put me in mind of Feist's Jimmy the Hand and MC's that make me think of Brett's Arlen Bales.
If you're looking for a fun, addictive, fantasy adventure about loyalty and honour full to the brim with some of the foulest language you've ever read this is your book!
CW: Sexism, explicit language
aimeeboo's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
helenid's review against another edition
3.0
For me this was a book of sections. Initially, it drew in my interest and I prepared to overlook the very strong language. However, the pov switching, language and slang began to wear thin, to the point that I didn't pick it up for a few days.
Not liking to read so much of a book, I was a third in, and abandon it I decided to try again. A few hours later, I realised I was hooked. The last half flew by.
The main characters are orphaned, mentored by strong but very different characters and excel their own field. Will I read on? I'd like to but in all honesty c-words offend me!
Not liking to read so much of a book, I was a third in, and abandon it I decided to try again. A few hours later, I realised I was hooked. The last half flew by.
The main characters are orphaned, mentored by strong but very different characters and excel their own field. Will I read on? I'd like to but in all honesty c-words offend me!
colossal's review against another edition
4.0
Thoroughly enjoyable fantasy with a woman trained by a master warrior and seeking vengeance for the horrible deaths of her family and a gifted rogue destined for much more than his humble surroundings.
The village of Bleak Hope is destroyed in a horrible experiment by biomancers leaving only an eight year old girl as a survivor. Traumatized by the experience she can't even remember her name so that the sailors who find her call her by the name of her village. By chance she is raised by the Vinchen Order, a monastery of warrior monks, one of whom takes it upon himself to break the law of his order and train her.
At the same age the son of an drug-addicted artist and a prostitute becomes an orphan and is left to fend for himself in the Paradise Circle, a slum ruled by criminals where life is cheap and short. Fortunately he's taken under the wing of a gifted criminal who gives him the name Red because of the color of his eyes (due to the drug his mother was using). Red becomes a master thief with a network of friends that he comes to depend on.
When these two meet, it's explosive. Hope's drive and blunt force with Red's cunning and skill mean that there's very little that can stand against them, and neither have much love for the Empire of Storms or the biomancers that serve it.
While I really enjoyed this and will go on to the sequel, there are some issues here with tone. The ridiculous things Hope pulls off, and the clever and often dismissive banter throughout, inspire a feeling of light adventure that's completely at odds with the creeping horror of the antagonists and the overall darkness of life in the Empire of Storms. In that sense it really put me in mind of [b:Nevernight|26114463|Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)|Jay Kristoff|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500688832s/26114463.jpg|42805826], another book with young people in dire situations with horror and some truly impressive levels of swearing. The other book this put me in mind of was [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500689111s/23437156.jpg|42077459] for many of the same reasons. This book probably wasn't quite as good as those two, but the fact I can draw reasonable comparisons to two of the best books I read last year probably says something.
The village of Bleak Hope is destroyed in a horrible experiment by biomancers leaving only an eight year old girl as a survivor. Traumatized by the experience she can't even remember her name so that the sailors who find her call her by the name of her village. By chance she is raised by the Vinchen Order, a monastery of warrior monks, one of whom takes it upon himself to break the law of his order and train her.
At the same age the son of an drug-addicted artist and a prostitute becomes an orphan and is left to fend for himself in the Paradise Circle, a slum ruled by criminals where life is cheap and short. Fortunately he's taken under the wing of a gifted criminal who gives him the name Red because of the color of his eyes (due to the drug his mother was using). Red becomes a master thief with a network of friends that he comes to depend on.
When these two meet, it's explosive. Hope's drive and blunt force with Red's cunning and skill mean that there's very little that can stand against them, and neither have much love for the Empire of Storms or the biomancers that serve it.
While I really enjoyed this and will go on to the sequel, there are some issues here with tone. The ridiculous things Hope pulls off, and the clever and often dismissive banter throughout, inspire a feeling of light adventure that's completely at odds with the creeping horror of the antagonists and the overall darkness of life in the Empire of Storms. In that sense it really put me in mind of [b:Nevernight|26114463|Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)|Jay Kristoff|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500688832s/26114463.jpg|42805826], another book with young people in dire situations with horror and some truly impressive levels of swearing. The other book this put me in mind of was [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500689111s/23437156.jpg|42077459] for many of the same reasons. This book probably wasn't quite as good as those two, but the fact I can draw reasonable comparisons to two of the best books I read last year probably says something.
majaingrid's review against another edition
4.0
3,5 stars but rounding up because the great fun I ended up having reading this
This could probably be a solid 4 star, but I had issues getting into this book, partly because how unimpressed I was by the writing. This is Skovron's first adult (fantasy) book, having previously only written YA, which sometimes shows in the way he writes. It was fine when the characters were 8 and 16 but at 18 the writing made them feel so young. Another issue I had was that when there's was a big time jump between the different parts in the book, Skovron doesn't immediately point out how many years have passed but you find out by the characters telling you somewhere in the chapter.
I didn't like Hope very much. I didn't find much at her other than her revenge at the biomancers. I did grew to like Red. A young, charismatic, high-ego thief, dark hair and stuff - I'm weak for that. He's also a soft-heart which just adds to it. And the people around him: precious Filler, Sadie and Nettle, loved them all.
The plot was great fun. We meet Hope and Red when they are mere 8 years old and being introduced to their new lives after both being orphaned. Hope growing up at a monastery and secretly learning their ways, and Red growing up in the slums becoming a thief and con-man. They don't meet until about halfway into the book - Hope seeking revenge on the biomancers that murdered her whole village, and Red bringing up an army to revolt on the leader of his district when it's revealed said leader is into shady business. More adventures follows as Red joins Hope in her revenge at the biomancers. The plot was a little messy, but it all worked out in the end. The biomancy really intrigued me. Like, the human and biological experiments with magic was fucked up and i loved it.
This could probably be a solid 4 star, but I had issues getting into this book, partly because how unimpressed I was by the writing. This is Skovron's first adult (fantasy) book, having previously only written YA, which sometimes shows in the way he writes. It was fine when the characters were 8 and 16 but at 18 the writing made them feel so young. Another issue I had was that when there's was a big time jump between the different parts in the book, Skovron doesn't immediately point out how many years have passed but you find out by the characters telling you somewhere in the chapter.
I didn't like Hope very much. I didn't find much at her other than her revenge at the biomancers. I did grew to like Red. A young, charismatic, high-ego thief, dark hair and stuff - I'm weak for that. He's also a soft-heart which just adds to it. And the people around him: precious Filler, Sadie and Nettle, loved them all.
The plot was great fun. We meet Hope and Red when they are mere 8 years old and being introduced to their new lives after both being orphaned. Hope growing up at a monastery and secretly learning their ways, and Red growing up in the slums becoming a thief and con-man. They don't meet until about halfway into the book - Hope seeking revenge on the biomancers that murdered her whole village, and Red bringing up an army to revolt on the leader of his district when it's revealed said leader is into shady business. More adventures follows as Red joins Hope in her revenge at the biomancers. The plot was a little messy, but it all worked out in the end. The biomancy really intrigued me. Like, the human and biological experiments with magic was fucked up and i loved it.
fifi's review against another edition
3.0
While I enjoyed this book and will read the next, I felt like I was reading Leigh Bardugo's "Six of Crows" but definitely the "Lite" version. Hope and Red will not haunt me in the way that the inhabitants of Ketterdam continue to do.
kari_webster's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This is a difficult one for me to review. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The plot, world-building, magic and characters were all well developed and intriguing. Although I struggled a bit with the first half, once the protagonists came together I finished the last half in one sitting. The characters have complex histories and many different aspects of their personalities shine through. I particularly liked how the tragedies that both Hope and Red had to deal with at 8 years old shaped them in different ways and the results for both of them were equally believable. I also loved Sadie's character. She is so badass.
Unfortunately, I found the writing difficult to get past. It was often clumsy, and some passages would just be short sentences that stated the obvious. It regularly told rather than showed. Which is a shame as it has so much potential! Obviously it wasn't enough to stop me reading, I did have a few weeks off at the 40% mark as the writing jarred me out of the narrative often enough to put me off for a little while. That said, I the second half was better and I do want to read the second instalment. The ending wasn't rushed and it came together really well. I hope the second book concludes just as strongly! Red is too good for this world.
This is a difficult one for me to review. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The plot, world-building, magic and characters were all well developed and intriguing. Although I struggled a bit with the first half, once the protagonists came together I finished the last half in one sitting. The characters have complex histories and many different aspects of their personalities shine through. I particularly liked how the tragedies that both Hope and Red had to deal with at 8 years old shaped them in different ways and the results for both of them were equally believable. I also loved Sadie's character. She is so badass.
Unfortunately, I found the writing difficult to get past. It was often clumsy, and some passages would just be short sentences that stated the obvious. It regularly told rather than showed. Which is a shame as it has so much potential! Obviously it wasn't enough to stop me reading, I did have a few weeks off at the 40% mark as the writing jarred me out of the narrative often enough to put me off for a little while. That said, I the second half was better and I do want to read the second instalment. The ending wasn't rushed and it came together really well. I hope the second book concludes just as strongly! Red is too good for this world.
stejacks's review against another edition
4.0
I've been thinking about this series for the past few days having just finished the last book, and it impresses me more and more as I consider it.
If you're looking for a series that is full of action, adventure, a great plot, amazing characters, really cool world building, and remarkably interesting politics, this is absolutely the one for you.
And, super massive huge over the top bonus points for realistic, non-token, bisexual, gay, and trans characters, all done within the world view, all done really, really well.
Definitely worth reading.
If you're looking for a series that is full of action, adventure, a great plot, amazing characters, really cool world building, and remarkably interesting politics, this is absolutely the one for you.
And, super massive huge over the top bonus points for realistic, non-token, bisexual, gay, and trans characters, all done within the world view, all done really, really well.
Definitely worth reading.
still_the_moon's review against another edition
5.0
Cover
Die Schrift auf der Cover ist wahnsinnig toll. Das Rot sticht natürlich sehr heraus. Ansonsten muss ich ehrlich gestehen, dass mich das Cover direkt nicht so besonders angesprochen hat. Erst der Klapptext und die Empfehlung einer anderen Bloggerin haben mich auf das Buch aufmerksam gemacht.
Meine Meinung
Wow, was soll ich sagen. Dieses Buch hat mich auf vielen Ebenen völlig von den Socken gehauen und mich total überrascht. Beginnen wir mit den Figuren.
Hope oder auch Bleak Hope genannt, musste als kleines Mädchen von ihrer Insel fliehen, nachdem Biomanten alle Bewohner dieser Insel bei einem grausamen Expriment umgebracht haben. Sie wird von einem Kapitän auf sein Schiff geholt und dieser bringt sie zu den Vinchen. Dort wird sie in der Kampfkunst ausgebildet, entgegen dem strengen Kodex unter dem die Krieger leben. Schließlich wird das Verbrechen ihres Meisters aufgedeckt und sie muss erneut fliehen. Sie heuert auf einem Schiff an und kann dort ihren Lebensunterhalt als Leibwache das Kapitäns verdienen. Bis sie schließlich in die Paradieskehre kommt.
Neben Hope gibt es noch Red, der Sohn einer drogenabhängigen Künstlerin und einer männlichen Hure. Dank der Drogensucht seiner Mutter hat Red stechend rot Augen. Nach dem Tod seiner Eltern musste er sich alleine in der Paradieskehre durch schlagen, bis er auf Filler und schließlich Sadie trifft. Gemeinsam mit den beiden und noch ein bisschen später auch Nessel, treibt er sein Unwesen in dem heruntergekommenen Hafenviertel.
Es dauert erstaunlich lange, bis Hope und Red aufeinander treffen. Ehrlich gesagt hatte ich wesentlich früher damit gerechnet und eine ganze Weile hat mich das auch geärgert. Die Handlungsstränge werden immer wieder durch Kapitel aus anderen Charakterperspektiven ergänzt, so das man ein relativ umfassendes Bild von Hope und Red erhält. Red fand ich einfach nur unglaublich charismatisch, während Hope so stark und unnachgiebig wie eine Felswand erscheint. Beides sind sehr starke Charaktere, denen es gelingt, einen Großteil der Geschichte zu tragen, ohne das sich die Handlung besonders nach vorne bewegt. So zumindest erschien es mir während der ersten Hälfte des Buches. Doch man darf nicht vergessen, dass sich der Autor etwas beim Aufbau seiner Geschichte gedacht hat und gerade diese ausführliche Einführung in seine Welt, macht ebendiese zu etwas besonderem.
Gerade die Paradieskehre ist ein spezieller Ort, für den der Autor unglaublich viel Energie und Zeit verwendet haben muss. Das System dieser Welt ist so glaubhaft und real, dass ich mich schwer getan habe, daraus wieder aufzutauchen. Die Sprache ist auch etwas ganz besonderes. Es wirkt alles so unglaublich authentisch, gerade auch in dem Sexismus und der vulgären Sprache der Figuren. Lange Zeit war ich abwechselnd angewidert von der Sprache, aber auch begeistert von der Originalität, die der Autor an den Tag legt.
Die ganze Welt ist so realistisch gestaltet, das mir oft der Atem weg geblieben ist. Allein für den Weltenbau, die Sprache, den Stil und die Charaktere sollte es volle fünf Monster geben.
Ich möchte auch nicht behaupten, dass sich die Geschichte gezogen hat, aber es hat sich irgendwie weit mehr angefühlt, als die 500 Seiten, die es tatsächlich waren. Gefühlt habe ich in fünf Game of Thrones Bänden weniger erfahren, als im ersten Teil dieser Reihe. Ich werde auf jeden Fall begeistert weiter lesen und hoffen, dass der nächste Teil sehr bald erscheint. Trotz der Längen in der Geschichte haben mich die anderen, oben erwähnten Punkte einfach so sehr überzeugt, das ich fünf Monster vergebe. Eine Empfehlung geht raus an alle Fantasy-Fans, die mit etwas derber Sprache um gehen können und Piraten und Diebe mögen. Lest dieses Buch!
Mehr Rezensionen auf meinem Blog Valaraucos-Buchstabenmeer
Die Schrift auf der Cover ist wahnsinnig toll. Das Rot sticht natürlich sehr heraus. Ansonsten muss ich ehrlich gestehen, dass mich das Cover direkt nicht so besonders angesprochen hat. Erst der Klapptext und die Empfehlung einer anderen Bloggerin haben mich auf das Buch aufmerksam gemacht.
Meine Meinung
Wow, was soll ich sagen. Dieses Buch hat mich auf vielen Ebenen völlig von den Socken gehauen und mich total überrascht. Beginnen wir mit den Figuren.
Hope oder auch Bleak Hope genannt, musste als kleines Mädchen von ihrer Insel fliehen, nachdem Biomanten alle Bewohner dieser Insel bei einem grausamen Expriment umgebracht haben. Sie wird von einem Kapitän auf sein Schiff geholt und dieser bringt sie zu den Vinchen. Dort wird sie in der Kampfkunst ausgebildet, entgegen dem strengen Kodex unter dem die Krieger leben. Schließlich wird das Verbrechen ihres Meisters aufgedeckt und sie muss erneut fliehen. Sie heuert auf einem Schiff an und kann dort ihren Lebensunterhalt als Leibwache das Kapitäns verdienen. Bis sie schließlich in die Paradieskehre kommt.
Neben Hope gibt es noch Red, der Sohn einer drogenabhängigen Künstlerin und einer männlichen Hure. Dank der Drogensucht seiner Mutter hat Red stechend rot Augen. Nach dem Tod seiner Eltern musste er sich alleine in der Paradieskehre durch schlagen, bis er auf Filler und schließlich Sadie trifft. Gemeinsam mit den beiden und noch ein bisschen später auch Nessel, treibt er sein Unwesen in dem heruntergekommenen Hafenviertel.
Es dauert erstaunlich lange, bis Hope und Red aufeinander treffen. Ehrlich gesagt hatte ich wesentlich früher damit gerechnet und eine ganze Weile hat mich das auch geärgert. Die Handlungsstränge werden immer wieder durch Kapitel aus anderen Charakterperspektiven ergänzt, so das man ein relativ umfassendes Bild von Hope und Red erhält. Red fand ich einfach nur unglaublich charismatisch, während Hope so stark und unnachgiebig wie eine Felswand erscheint. Beides sind sehr starke Charaktere, denen es gelingt, einen Großteil der Geschichte zu tragen, ohne das sich die Handlung besonders nach vorne bewegt. So zumindest erschien es mir während der ersten Hälfte des Buches. Doch man darf nicht vergessen, dass sich der Autor etwas beim Aufbau seiner Geschichte gedacht hat und gerade diese ausführliche Einführung in seine Welt, macht ebendiese zu etwas besonderem.
Gerade die Paradieskehre ist ein spezieller Ort, für den der Autor unglaublich viel Energie und Zeit verwendet haben muss. Das System dieser Welt ist so glaubhaft und real, dass ich mich schwer getan habe, daraus wieder aufzutauchen. Die Sprache ist auch etwas ganz besonderes. Es wirkt alles so unglaublich authentisch, gerade auch in dem Sexismus und der vulgären Sprache der Figuren. Lange Zeit war ich abwechselnd angewidert von der Sprache, aber auch begeistert von der Originalität, die der Autor an den Tag legt.
Die ganze Welt ist so realistisch gestaltet, das mir oft der Atem weg geblieben ist. Allein für den Weltenbau, die Sprache, den Stil und die Charaktere sollte es volle fünf Monster geben.
Ich möchte auch nicht behaupten, dass sich die Geschichte gezogen hat, aber es hat sich irgendwie weit mehr angefühlt, als die 500 Seiten, die es tatsächlich waren. Gefühlt habe ich in fünf Game of Thrones Bänden weniger erfahren, als im ersten Teil dieser Reihe. Ich werde auf jeden Fall begeistert weiter lesen und hoffen, dass der nächste Teil sehr bald erscheint. Trotz der Längen in der Geschichte haben mich die anderen, oben erwähnten Punkte einfach so sehr überzeugt, das ich fünf Monster vergebe. Eine Empfehlung geht raus an alle Fantasy-Fans, die mit etwas derber Sprache um gehen können und Piraten und Diebe mögen. Lest dieses Buch!
Mehr Rezensionen auf meinem Blog Valaraucos-Buchstabenmeer