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itsfreelancer's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a while to get into this.
I read the second book 5 years ago. Book 3 was a blur. It was hard to connect and make sense of especially when reviews of this epic series are so less. Why internet, why? After a lot of searching and I really mean a lot, I went back to this and for the third time, Ken Scholes blew me away.
Book 1 and Book 2 were fun. This was a revelation of sorts. The bigger picture is still unknown but what was once myths and legends slowly turned into practicality and logic. The use of magiks and technology is a deadly combo especially when you have a nomadic army, invisible scouts, metal men, blood sacrifices and treasure troves of legends in the deserts.
The desolation of Windwir began the series. By book 3, we are getting to know why exactly someone annihilated an entire city and a race of people. Meanwhile, the canticle is still singing. or ringing is it? Music people can hear. The music they hear in dreams. Music metal servitors hear. I must be mad but I stopped wondering what that it could be. I just know it sings and it requires an answer.
Halfway down book 3, I've fairly grasped the ongoings of the book. The Named Lands are in danger. Grave, grave danger. Neb, the boy who witnessed the fall of Windwir finds himself in the Churning Wastes, a vast desert hunted by strange women under abnormal magiks. Isaak is in the Named Lands, dreaming about a song. It's a compelling book, making you fall in love with the characters over and over again. We see a hint of a bigger plot with more and more impossibilities coming to a fruition. The Watcher and the Crimson Princess? Who are they and what do they have to with a race of people that came out of nowhere.
The Named Lands face a threat never envisioned before. And within the Named Lands, there is treachery in plenty. Rudolfo and Jin Li Tam face the threat for their baby while the world slowly moves towards its impending destruction.
I read the second book 5 years ago. Book 3 was a blur. It was hard to connect and make sense of especially when reviews of this epic series are so less. Why internet, why? After a lot of searching and I really mean a lot, I went back to this and for the third time, Ken Scholes blew me away.
Book 1 and Book 2 were fun. This was a revelation of sorts. The bigger picture is still unknown but what was once myths and legends slowly turned into practicality and logic. The use of magiks and technology is a deadly combo especially when you have a nomadic army, invisible scouts, metal men, blood sacrifices and treasure troves of legends in the deserts.
The desolation of Windwir began the series. By book 3, we are getting to know why exactly someone annihilated an entire city and a race of people. Meanwhile, the canticle is still singing. or ringing is it? Music people can hear. The music they hear in dreams. Music metal servitors hear. I must be mad but I stopped wondering what that it could be. I just know it sings and it requires an answer.
Halfway down book 3, I've fairly grasped the ongoings of the book. The Named Lands are in danger. Grave, grave danger. Neb, the boy who witnessed the fall of Windwir finds himself in the Churning Wastes, a vast desert hunted by strange women under abnormal magiks. Isaak is in the Named Lands, dreaming about a song. It's a compelling book, making you fall in love with the characters over and over again. We see a hint of a bigger plot with more and more impossibilities coming to a fruition. The Watcher and the Crimson Princess? Who are they and what do they have to with a race of people that came out of nowhere.
The Named Lands face a threat never envisioned before. And within the Named Lands, there is treachery in plenty. Rudolfo and Jin Li Tam face the threat for their baby while the world slowly moves towards its impending destruction.
kanissa's review against another edition
4.0
Things are getting a bit weirder, but in a good way. Scholes is certainly crossing genres; more and more of a sci-fi flavor is creeping in as the story progresses.
Nothing about this novel particularly stood out in my mind as being special, but it was enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the series.
The characters continue to be placed in no-win situations, and I'm pretty sure every single one of them has a million times more courage than I ever will. Several of them are quite literally now superhuman.
Nothing about this novel particularly stood out in my mind as being special, but it was enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the series.
The characters continue to be placed in no-win situations, and I'm pretty sure every single one of them has a million times more courage than I ever will. Several of them are quite literally now superhuman.
mellhay's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, where do I start with this one. Ken has to have a metal mans memory for the wondrous things he does here. To remember all the little threads he starts, then we get to the new things created here. This book takes Fantasy to a whole new level with the old fantasy feel and mechanicals mixed in, then there are magicks in the mix and hints of gods and different worlds. This series is truly one of the most in depth mesmerizing epic fantasy reads I have been captivated by. The author is really talented.
So much is happening and every word is important to the story. The words could have so many different meanings to them when you start putting them together.
The story continues on in the lives of the characters as we go through the changes in the world. The chapters are broken in to separate Point of Views as in the previous two books, which helps greatly in getting all the information to you. And very well broken apart to understand each character.
Rafe - The captain of the ship was porting Gypsies to the Sanctorum Lux until he is visited by the Moon Sparrow used by the Francines in the past, to stop by an island. And is hijacked by metal men.
Rudolfo - Once certain of what his place was and what to do, now is unsure what he is to do with the world that is crumbling around him. He still works hard to help the refugees showing up at his lands and save the light, but at what cost to the Ninefold Forest. How much help can Rudolfo spare in this drastically changing world.
Jin Li Tam - is still having the dark horrible dreams, but not as often now with Jakob better. She finds a small silver mecroservitor sparrow trapped while she is walking in the woods. The mechanical sparrow is looking for Isaak.
Petronus - now living with the scars on his neck and over his heart is having dreams wanting to be heard and understood, but he just can't grasp them. Instead he wakes in cold sweats.
Winters - now living in a city for refugees by the library the mechoservitors are creating. She does paperwork but it seems as she has lost her faith, the old faith of her people. Waiting in this new life she is making, in the Ninefold forest, for Neb to return to her.
Vlad Li Tam - He and his few sons and daughters who where fortunate enough to be rescued have returned to they dreaded island, for six months now, to seek what they can of the Machtvolk who tortured them and have lived here. Vlad Li Tam still watches for the light he had seen in the water that day six months ago.
Neb - He is deep in the Churning Wastes with Renard, his guide. He has learned to survive and thrive here. But now he sees new visitors, to fast to be scouts of the Gypsies or even users of the black roots. But he still tries to decipher the response needed to the canticle of the silver crescent. Neb and Renard separate to carry out different deeds with the new visitors only to find trouble lays in front of him.
All these characters are shaken up and a little lost with how to respond to the whole situation and happenings of the last six months. And things are not getting better.
I did find myself getting lost in some of the story depth. It is amazing the depth of the manipulation of the characters. To try and piece it all together at times is hard to do, but I love trying to get there before Mr. Scholes.
There is a mixture of wizards and magics with science and technology in these books. Even the hints of Gods and different worlds. I would definitely suggest this captivating series to any fantasy reader who likes to get lost in the tangled webs of manipulation.
So much is happening and every word is important to the story. The words could have so many different meanings to them when you start putting them together.
The story continues on in the lives of the characters as we go through the changes in the world. The chapters are broken in to separate Point of Views as in the previous two books, which helps greatly in getting all the information to you. And very well broken apart to understand each character.
Rafe - The captain of the ship was porting Gypsies to the Sanctorum Lux until he is visited by the Moon Sparrow used by the Francines in the past, to stop by an island. And is hijacked by metal men.
Rudolfo - Once certain of what his place was and what to do, now is unsure what he is to do with the world that is crumbling around him. He still works hard to help the refugees showing up at his lands and save the light, but at what cost to the Ninefold Forest. How much help can Rudolfo spare in this drastically changing world.
Jin Li Tam - is still having the dark horrible dreams, but not as often now with Jakob better. She finds a small silver mecroservitor sparrow trapped while she is walking in the woods. The mechanical sparrow is looking for Isaak.
Petronus - now living with the scars on his neck and over his heart is having dreams wanting to be heard and understood, but he just can't grasp them. Instead he wakes in cold sweats.
Winters - now living in a city for refugees by the library the mechoservitors are creating. She does paperwork but it seems as she has lost her faith, the old faith of her people. Waiting in this new life she is making, in the Ninefold forest, for Neb to return to her.
Vlad Li Tam - He and his few sons and daughters who where fortunate enough to be rescued have returned to they dreaded island, for six months now, to seek what they can of the Machtvolk who tortured them and have lived here. Vlad Li Tam still watches for the light he had seen in the water that day six months ago.
Neb - He is deep in the Churning Wastes with Renard, his guide. He has learned to survive and thrive here. But now he sees new visitors, to fast to be scouts of the Gypsies or even users of the black roots. But he still tries to decipher the response needed to the canticle of the silver crescent. Neb and Renard separate to carry out different deeds with the new visitors only to find trouble lays in front of him.
All these characters are shaken up and a little lost with how to respond to the whole situation and happenings of the last six months. And things are not getting better.
I did find myself getting lost in some of the story depth. It is amazing the depth of the manipulation of the characters. To try and piece it all together at times is hard to do, but I love trying to get there before Mr. Scholes.
There is a mixture of wizards and magics with science and technology in these books. Even the hints of Gods and different worlds. I would definitely suggest this captivating series to any fantasy reader who likes to get lost in the tangled webs of manipulation.
kodermike's review
5.0
When this series began, there were complaints from some reviewers that the destruction of Windwir seemed too inconsistent. Why did Neb survive, but not others? What was the nature of the destruction that it could raze the city, but leave random individuals untouched? At the time, I attributed this to the randomness of destructive nature - if you've ever looked at what did and didn't survive a tornado as it decimates a community, you know what I mean.
Antiphon takes a stab at starting to give the rationale in the context of the Nine Lands, and yeah, I didn't see that coming :)
Antiphon is a worthy continuation of the Psalms of Isaak, in what can only be described now as a science fiction epic, shrouded in fantasy, with the drapery of steampunk and the trappings of...fantasy. Bah. Post-apocalyptic apocalyptic fiction?
Whatever classification system you use, I call it a good fun read. Probably not the best place to dive into the story, still a great read. Enjoyed it!
Antiphon takes a stab at starting to give the rationale in the context of the Nine Lands, and yeah, I didn't see that coming :)
Antiphon is a worthy continuation of the Psalms of Isaak, in what can only be described now as a science fiction epic, shrouded in fantasy, with the drapery of steampunk and the trappings of...fantasy. Bah. Post-apocalyptic apocalyptic fiction?
Whatever classification system you use, I call it a good fun read. Probably not the best place to dive into the story, still a great read. Enjoyed it!
peapod_boston's review against another edition
4.0
Another amazing outing from Scholes. He continues to twist the world and history in interesting ways, straddling that fine line between fantasy and science fiction. More importantly, he takes his characters to interesting and horrifying places. Winter has grown on me as a character in each of the books, and I would say she's easily my favorite in "Antiphon." The choice she makes at the end is so clear and so obvious and yet so powerful and so painful ... well, I didn't think Scholes could upset me as much as he did in the last book, but I was wrong. But it's upset in a good way--watching characters you love suffer and sacrifice for what they believe in is the heart of good fiction. And this *is* good fiction. I can't wait for the next one!
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
2.0
I really liked the first book in this series. And I wanted to like this the third book. But it generally just collapsed around its complexities and reached the point where I just didn't care to understand what was going on. Which is too bad - the characters are interesting and complex and the mythos had many possibilities. 2.5 of 5. But I'd probably still read the sequel.
cornosaurus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? No
4.0
adamantium's review against another edition
3.0
I can't tell if it's a virtue that this was such a slow burn. By the end of this book, the entire premise is barely reconcilable with where we started. But I've been bored in so many places along the way that I think a book could have come out somewhere here.
For what it's worth, not super clear where things are at now, but the second half of this book went completely bonkers and I need to continue and see where we go from here.
I think that this series really strains credulity in three places:
1. Multiple people have set up wheels-within-wheels-within-wheels chessmaster gambits over decades that somehow went off exactly as planned despite the intercession of numerous literally unpredictable events/forces.
2. There are like 10 different nonverbal languages here of fairly intense nuance and subtlety, and they are used often enough that everyone involved should really realize that these are happening.
3. The Machtvolk go from underground, suppressed faith to having built schools and shrines (yes some were already there) and many new structures, etc. in what would seem to be what, a few months? A little more time could have passed here, honestly.
There are others. Scholes loves repeating words and phrases (lamps, stars, moonlight--you name it, it gutters), and hitting story beats over and over. (Vlad's story is important and also interminable. Petronus was interesting just about until he understood his dreams.)
All that said I can't put it down. What is even going on? Is this series actually delivering on nothing being as it seems?
For what it's worth, not super clear where things are at now, but the second half of this book went completely bonkers and I need to continue and see where we go from here.
I think that this series really strains credulity in three places:
1. Multiple people have set up wheels-within-wheels-within-wheels chessmaster gambits over decades that somehow went off exactly as planned despite the intercession of numerous literally unpredictable events/forces.
2. There are like 10 different nonverbal languages here of fairly intense nuance and subtlety, and they are used often enough that everyone involved should really realize that these are happening.
3. The Machtvolk go from underground, suppressed faith to having built schools and shrines (yes some were already there) and many new structures, etc. in what would seem to be what, a few months? A little more time could have passed here, honestly.
There are others. Scholes loves repeating words and phrases (lamps, stars, moonlight--you name it, it gutters), and hitting story beats over and over. (Vlad's story is important and also interminable. Petronus was interesting just about until he understood his dreams.)
All that said I can't put it down. What is even going on? Is this series actually delivering on nothing being as it seems?
bplache's review
adventurous
dark
medium-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
2.0
wmhenrymorris's review against another edition
This novel sure rocks for the third (of five) in a series -- it is very, very satisfying and yet still tantalizes with the promise of more. Much more. You also get to like the characters more (at least I did) even as they begin to show cracks and wear and hidden powers and weaknesses. What's more it soon becomes clear that there are additional layers to the conspiracy that set the series off (with the unexpected destruction of the city Windwir) and additional players to consider. But above all, it's the writing -- crisp, elegant, richly featured -- that makes this series stand out. The novels just keep getting better. Let's hope that trend lasts, although all signs point to the strong possibility that it will.