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awoodalla's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
mwplante's review against another edition
4.0
This fifth volume represents a return to the heights of the second volume for the series, albeit with a more tightly focused plot line and setting than that book. The creepiness of the strange and ancient city of Khanaphes is really well played by Tchaikovsky. Even if you kind of suspect what's going on with the mysterious Masters, their eventual reveal and the moment they burst onto the scene are extremely gratifying. The exposition they provide on the ancient history of the world of the insect kinden is kind of weird, but ultimately gratifying enough to leave me wanting to know much more.
Tchaikovsky continues to refuse to sacrifice characterization for action and vice versa. Indeed, this volume contains both some of the most interesting characters and some of the most desperate battles of the series to date. Amnon starts out wooden and alien but becomes all too understandable by the end. Wasp-Scorpion Hrathen and Scorpion Warlord Jakal's relationship gives you something to puzzle at, and Teuthete and Meyr someone to root for. These secondary characters are never quite as fleshed out as I would like, but I think this is a product of the economy of Tchaikovsky's writing style, and not of the attention he pays the characters in his own head. He does seem to be getting better at it as he goes along.
Thalric continues to assert himself in his quest to become my favorite character. I think he's really neat, but his constant reversals of fortune feel like erratic writing at times. His constant harping about loyalty rings hollow as circumstances continue to toss him around from allegiance to allegiance. Indeed, the only alignment that feels genuine for him is the one most driven by his own desires -- his love of Che.
I do have to complain a bit about Totho, who is basically wearing a steampunk fedora at this point. We can only hope that his fixation on Che will finally end after this book.
Seda continues to be a very interesting character. Looking forward to more of her going forward.
Tchaikovsky continues to refuse to sacrifice characterization for action and vice versa. Indeed, this volume contains both some of the most interesting characters and some of the most desperate battles of the series to date. Amnon starts out wooden and alien but becomes all too understandable by the end. Wasp-Scorpion Hrathen and Scorpion Warlord Jakal's relationship gives you something to puzzle at, and Teuthete and Meyr someone to root for. These secondary characters are never quite as fleshed out as I would like, but I think this is a product of the economy of Tchaikovsky's writing style, and not of the attention he pays the characters in his own head. He does seem to be getting better at it as he goes along.
Thalric continues to assert himself in his quest to become my favorite character. I think he's really neat, but his constant reversals of fortune feel like erratic writing at times. His constant harping about loyalty rings hollow as circumstances continue to toss him around from allegiance to allegiance. Indeed, the only alignment that feels genuine for him is the one most driven by his own desires -- his love of Che.
I do have to complain a bit about Totho, who is basically wearing a steampunk fedora at this point. We can only hope that his fixation on Che will finally end after this book.
Seda continues to be a very interesting character. Looking forward to more of her going forward.
cloudsinthecupboard's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stegofreak's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
rogue_runner's review
3.5
I did enjoy this, but now knowing (on finishing) that this was originally a TTRPG, EVERYTHING makes sense. I'm invested in approximately (only) one character alone, and that is Thalric. I was invested in Tisamon before the first arc came to an end- and tbh, the death of half the 'cool' characters was what kinda made me put this down.
Totho is particularly unlikeable and uninteresting to me, but at least there wasn't a lot of Stenwold this time.
There is about 1/4 of the book just filled with random war scenes though, which honestly? I'd rather have some substantial plot rather than that sort of padding these days.
Interesting enough reading, but I'm so bored of fantasy that just leans so heavily on fight scenes throughout.
Totho is particularly unlikeable and uninteresting to me, but at least there wasn't a lot of Stenwold this time.
There is about 1/4 of the book just filled with random war scenes though, which honestly? I'd rather have some substantial plot rather than that sort of padding these days.
Interesting enough reading, but I'm so bored of fantasy that just leans so heavily on fight scenes throughout.
kadomi's review
2.0
The first book of the second story arc of the Shadows of the Apt series made me realize that the series is not for me. The first book is fantastic, with such interesting world-building. Now that I know that the series exists because the author ran it as a tabletop campaign, it all makes sense. It's probably an amazing campaign setting. But the storytelling? Not so much. The Scarab Path just plodded on, without ever grabbing my attention. Sure, I wanted to know who the Masters were, and the Egyptian-style setting was lovely, but the payoff was wholly unsatisfying for me.
Top notch worldbuilding, interesting characters, but also so many that it's hard to care. I only really enjoyed the chapters with Che and Thalric, everything else was meh. If you like your fantasy with endless massive battle scenes, it's a great series, but I don't.
I decided that I'll give the rest of the series a pass, with fond memories of the first book and its interesting world of insect people.
Top notch worldbuilding, interesting characters, but also so many that it's hard to care. I only really enjoyed the chapters with Che and Thalric, everything else was meh. If you like your fantasy with endless massive battle scenes, it's a great series, but I don't.
I decided that I'll give the rest of the series a pass, with fond memories of the first book and its interesting world of insect people.
sharkiereads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
kodermike's review against another edition
4.0
Before I even get into my review of this book, I should explain my past with this series. I first tried getting into the Shadows of the Apt series when book one, "Empire in Black and Gold," came out - tried, and failed. I thought the ideas were interesting, but the execution was a little too predictable even for me, and I gave up. I watched as successive novels came out, each one sounding awesome. I even read a few short stories set in this world of the Apt, but I never tried to go back to the full series.
And then book five fell into my hands. I could still remember the characters and world setting from the first book, but would that be enough for me to get through "The Scarab Path"? Just barely, and now I know I've missed out on some awesome reading. Comparing book one to book five, it's easy to see Tchaikovsky's growth and maturation as a writer. The action scenes are well paced, and there are plenty of them. But this isn't just an excuse to chronicle some series of RPG born campaigns - there is no want on violence, and every scene serves to further the plot.
The only drawback of this novel is that it doesn't work as a stand alone story. If you've only read the back covers of the other four in the series, you know about the rise of the Wasp empire, and how by the end of book four the Wasps were halted, at least for now. In that respect, this novel is a new direction for the series. But without at least a basic familiarity of the cast involved, the Scarab Path would be confusing to navigate. Many names are just casually referred to, even when critical to the plot. In this novel we bring back Che and Thalric as our principal view point characters, with a mix of new and old supporting cast to round out the story narration. The story is set in the distant city of Khanaphes, a city consigned to myth where a strange kinden of beetles live their lives according to the laws of their mysteriously absent Masters. Che is there to find answers to the confusing questions she was left with at the end of the last book. And where Che goes, others will follow, all suspecting secret strategy in her visit to such a remote corner of the Nem desert.
"The Scarab Path" was a good read that kept me up late reading often. Its always fun to read a book that is so stock full of high magic (the Art of the Apt can be described no other way) but where the characters are blind to it, seeing only the fantastical of the rare low (Inapt)magic. A wonderful blend of steampunk and epic fantasy, "The Scarab Path" makes a good addition to the Shadows of the Apt series.
And then book five fell into my hands. I could still remember the characters and world setting from the first book, but would that be enough for me to get through "The Scarab Path"? Just barely, and now I know I've missed out on some awesome reading. Comparing book one to book five, it's easy to see Tchaikovsky's growth and maturation as a writer. The action scenes are well paced, and there are plenty of them. But this isn't just an excuse to chronicle some series of RPG born campaigns - there is no want on violence, and every scene serves to further the plot.
The only drawback of this novel is that it doesn't work as a stand alone story. If you've only read the back covers of the other four in the series, you know about the rise of the Wasp empire, and how by the end of book four the Wasps were halted, at least for now. In that respect, this novel is a new direction for the series. But without at least a basic familiarity of the cast involved, the Scarab Path would be confusing to navigate. Many names are just casually referred to, even when critical to the plot. In this novel we bring back Che and Thalric as our principal view point characters, with a mix of new and old supporting cast to round out the story narration. The story is set in the distant city of Khanaphes, a city consigned to myth where a strange kinden of beetles live their lives according to the laws of their mysteriously absent Masters. Che is there to find answers to the confusing questions she was left with at the end of the last book. And where Che goes, others will follow, all suspecting secret strategy in her visit to such a remote corner of the Nem desert.
"The Scarab Path" was a good read that kept me up late reading often. Its always fun to read a book that is so stock full of high magic (the Art of the Apt can be described no other way) but where the characters are blind to it, seeing only the fantastical of the rare low (Inapt)magic. A wonderful blend of steampunk and epic fantasy, "The Scarab Path" makes a good addition to the Shadows of the Apt series.