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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
This was a disappointing end to an otherwise engaging series. Where King of Scars balanced politics, magic, and character moments with real momentum, Rule of Wolves leans heavily into political maneuvering and posturing, with far fewer emotionally charged or high-stakes scenes to break it up. I never felt fully invested in the arcs, and the pacing made it feel like the story was circling the same points for too long.
Some relationships felt organic and satisfying, while others felt forced or mismatched, which diluted the emotional impact. The ending tied up the major threads but lacked the dramatic payoff I was expecting, landing quietly instead of powerfully. While there were moments I enjoyed, this finale didn’t leave me with the same excitement I felt earlier in the series.
Some relationships felt organic and satisfying, while others felt forced or mismatched, which diluted the emotional impact. The ending tied up the major threads but lacked the dramatic payoff I was expecting, landing quietly instead of powerfully. While there were moments I enjoyed, this finale didn’t leave me with the same excitement I felt earlier in the series.
There are too many characters and plots in this one. In the end, too many things come together at just the right moment in a way that feels unbelievable and contrived.
As a (relatively new but huge) fan of the Grishaverse, this book was a struggle for me. I confess that I listened on Audible which is probably the only way I could finish it. King of Scars felt like the beginning of a slow fade, but I held onto hope that Bardugo could breathe some fresh air into the story and renew the energy that comes from Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Alas, being able to speed up the narration and skip chapters halfway through was this book’s salvation for me.
There were numerous characters that lasted far too long and losses that were completely unnecessary. There were surprise visits from past characters that held zero value to the story and some that most likely were just a holding place for future installments.
I’ll hold out hope for future investments after LB’s intermission with the television adaptation of Shadow & Bone. Until then, I’ll rewrite the stories in my mind and pretend that all is well and returning to the original fervor and “small science” that inspired the beginning of this fantastic world.
There were numerous characters that lasted far too long and losses that were completely unnecessary. There were surprise visits from past characters that held zero value to the story and some that most likely were just a holding place for future installments.
I’ll hold out hope for future investments after LB’s intermission with the television adaptation of Shadow & Bone. Until then, I’ll rewrite the stories in my mind and pretend that all is well and returning to the original fervor and “small science” that inspired the beginning of this fantastic world.
I loved the progress they finally gave Zoya in this book. I felt like it really hit a peaceful note especially with wrapping up both Fjerda and Ravka into progression.
I do wonder how many more Grishaverse books there can possibly be now they've set the wheels in motion for another Ketterdam/Darkling edition!!
I do wonder how many more Grishaverse books there can possibly be now they've set the wheels in motion for another Ketterdam/Darkling edition!!
Big fan of the Series, so unsurprisingly I found the book an exciting, fun and gripping read. I did have a few "suspension of disbelief" moments with some of the crazier twists and turns the plot took and I feel that stuff could have been tied up a bit more neatly here and there. But all in all a great book full of great characters and a really well executed overarching plot.
Very excited to see what comes next.
Very excited to see what comes next.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
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
This was an epic book to get through and I really enjoyed reading it. While I haven't read the first book in the duology, I was able to pick up the storyline easily, and the map inside the book was useful. I don't usually read epic fantasy, but I like this. My favourite characters are Zoya and Nikolai, although their ridiculously slow burn romance was hard to endure! What's not to love about a demon king who used to be a pirate?