Reviews

The Scarab Path by Adrian Tchaikovsky

books_with_benghis_kahn's review against another edition

5.0

This book was tremendous--I was gripped from start to finish, and stopping reading for work and sleep was brutal this past week. I had absolutely no clue where things would go after the end of the first arc, and I couldn't have been happier with this direction of exploring a new part of the map and telling a very focused story.

Spoiler

Che's POV was so engaging with her dealing with being inapt and grieving over Achaeos, who heart-breakingly thinks is haunting him. Thalric was also a terribly engaging POV in this one, dealing with all his internal conflicts and slowly coming to the realization that he loves Che. The look we got into scorpion culture was absolutely fascinating through Hrathen's also engaging POV, and as usual I became attached to side characters like the flies and mole-cricket Meyr who died tragically. Totho was so hatable at first in this one still pining unrequitedly but came to be more likable by the end, and I really like his arc in this one that finishes with him and Che departing on better terms with more mutual understanding.

The siege of Khanaphes!! First of all, the group from Collegium first arriving at Khanaphes really sparked my sense of wonder, since such an expedition just isn't possible for us anymore in the 21st century. But c'mon, the siege was just tremendously written, with dramatic scene after dramatic scene--bravo!!

Tchaikovsky does it again, this time with such a drastically different style of battle than we've seen before in the previous books.

Overall I breezed through this chunker, and Tchaikovsky's style couldn't possibly be vibing any more with me than it currently is.

9.8/10

wertraut'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

medea_jade's review against another edition

4.0

I have enjoyed every book in this series far, but this one honestly felt like it was longer than was necessary and could have benefited from some harsher editing techniques. That said, it was a fascinating book in this series that expanded the mythology of this world significantly. Che's character started to annoy me a little bit. I didn't feel like she developed enough through this instalment, but given how long the series is I'm not holding that to hard against the book. Overall, despite the length I did enjoy it. Not sure it's a repeat read though.

behnaz's review

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

fantasyreader67's review

emotional mysterious sad medium-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? N/A

3.5

Loved Totho being back. Also he, Meyr & Amnon were such a cool trio. Poor Tirado & Corcoran. The romance of Che & Thalric is weird and I'm not talking about the age difference. Also it's kinda disgusting that she chooses the men that hate Totho the most but I hope he is over her now and finds himself someone that deserves him cuz Che doesn't in my opinion

clawfoot's review against another edition

3.0

I think someone whose fantasy world includes 3-foot Fly kinden, 11-foot Mole Cricket kinden, and everything in-between should perhaps not use the phrase "as tall as a man" quite so damn much.

ncon5910's review

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

3.75

tricky_rikke's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

ruineleint's review against another edition

4.0

I came very close to rating this 5 stars. In percentage I would say between 90-95%. It does an excellent job of providing an interlude as well as taking the series in a new direction.

sina_tavousi's review against another edition

5.0

The last book of 2021, and a five-star treat.
"Shadows of the Apt" series has impeccable world-building and many amazing characters that I wish to never forget.

There's a scene in this book that fully explains its uniqueness: A Beetle-kinden (Human-Beetle hybrid) is riding a giant grasshopper into a huge battle against the desert Scorpion-kinden horde, which are riding giant scorpions, and the grasshopper is jumping high, avoiding cannon and crossbow fire, and falling on the enemy lines, wreaking havoc.

This particular book was inspired by ancient Egypt, so I loved it even more.