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ronercat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
wynwicket's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Reviewing a book you don't like is easy--you can pinpoint things that didn't work for you. Reviewing a book you loved can be hard when the only words that spring to mind are: It Was Just So Darn Good. This book was one of the latter.
gigglesag98's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
kayu99's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.25
grimwinters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
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
5.0
This was my first de Castell book and I was absolutely enthralled! The prose was *chefs kiss*. Strong plot, amazing characters, witty language -- it was nearly impossible to put down. Whether theater or duel, De Castell made sure the reader would feel like they were part of the action. I love fantasy, but never really gravitated to this type of fantasy. Glad I gave it a shot. Can't wait for the next installment and definitely plan to read the Greatcoat series.
proudestmonky13's review against another edition
3.75
The beginning was slow for me. I wondered many times whether I would add this to my DNF pile. It picked up the farther along I got. Now I'm adding the next book to my TBR list. I'm hoping that because I'm familiar with the characters, the next book won't be so difficult to get into.
an1roberts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
3.5
lastblossom's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
tl;dr
Plenty of world building supports a layered story about a normal guy caught up in a political game much bigger than him.
Thoughts
Damelas isn't a hero - he just plays one onstage. Scratch that, he's a bit player and he can barely even get that part right. But he and the ragtag band of actors he hangs out with are immediately sympathetic, very messy, and if you've ever seen a group of actors together, you'll recognize every player in the text here. Ostensibly a story about one man and his quest to not get skewered by a particularly vengeful duelist, the past layers (literally and figuratively) onto Damelas' world, tying the efforts of his small acting troupe into a much larger power struggle. There's a lot to keep up with, and the first half of the book takes a little bit of time to set up all the pieces before setting everything in motion. The back half moves at a much quicker pace, with some big reveals at the end that set up the rest of the series admirably. I've not read the original Greatcoats series, but this new series introduces the world without any confusion The world building is very strong from the getgo, with a heavy emphasis on the history and politics of the world. And oh, how much of it there is! If you like political machinations and surprise reveals punctuated with some really well-written swordplay, this one's for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Arcadia for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Plenty of world building supports a layered story about a normal guy caught up in a political game much bigger than him.
Thoughts
Damelas isn't a hero - he just plays one onstage. Scratch that, he's a bit player and he can barely even get that part right. But he and the ragtag band of actors he hangs out with are immediately sympathetic, very messy, and if you've ever seen a group of actors together, you'll recognize every player in the text here. Ostensibly a story about one man and his quest to not get skewered by a particularly vengeful duelist, the past layers (literally and figuratively) onto Damelas' world, tying the efforts of his small acting troupe into a much larger power struggle. There's a lot to keep up with, and the first half of the book takes a little bit of time to set up all the pieces before setting everything in motion. The back half moves at a much quicker pace, with some big reveals at the end that set up the rest of the series admirably. I've not read the original Greatcoats series, but this new series introduces the world without any confusion The world building is very strong from the getgo, with a heavy emphasis on the history and politics of the world. And oh, how much of it there is! If you like political machinations and surprise reveals punctuated with some really well-written swordplay, this one's for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Arcadia for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Vomit, Murder, War, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
travistravis's review
inspiring
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
4.5
amandabgreenway's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0