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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This was fun. You can always nitpick about a plot detail here and there, but what's important is how much you enjoy reading the book, and I enjoyed this one a lot.
unfortunately, the book was too slow - the stakes weren’t raised rapidly enough for my liking. i once imagined Maya’s hilariously awkward gay times would be enough to keep me reading but Gyre’s narrative + his overall attitude put me off.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The world building and magic system lacked the development that I would want in order to buy into the storyline. It felt like there were so many attempts at mystery that not a lot was explained or there was so much mystery that it became lost. There is a desire for the reader to be excited to keep going with the story but I’m just not interested and won’t be pursuing the other books in the series.
Good start
Nice new start, good story telling from 2 different sides and also a lot left for the upcoming books to come soon hopefully
Nice new start, good story telling from 2 different sides and also a lot left for the upcoming books to come soon hopefully
Good concepts but just wasn't carried out well. Not an enjoyable read so I had to push through even to reach 1/4. I think this book tried to be too much too soon.
To be honest the whole random lesbian first meeting scene in a public shower really put me off, it really gave this book that typical written by a man cringe vibe and not authentic. Also would of been nice to know about the possible sexual content in this book, so yeah here is my warning to others.
To be honest the whole random lesbian first meeting scene in a public shower really put me off, it really gave this book that typical written by a man cringe vibe and not authentic. Also would of been nice to know about the possible sexual content in this book, so yeah here is my warning to others.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think some of my dislike is from the narration
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a YA book.
I'm a Fan of Django Wexler's first series (Which starts with the Thousand Names) and enjoy his writing style. I believe he does a good job creating characters I enjoy to read about and stories / events around them.
He has done so again in this novel. The main characters of this book are Maya and Gyre. They are separated at an early age and this traumatic event defines who they are from that point forward. The novel bounces back and forth between them (mostly by chapter, but a few times within the chapter) and for awhile its hard to see where the novel is going. (this might be my biggest nit with the book - the larger world events happening are beyond the characters for a long time - they are progressing with their own lives and converging, without knowing it or why. Had I had a bit more of a clue as to what was going on, I might have enjoyed this more.
The world is set in a post war environment - almost post apocalyptic. (although it doesn't seem to be nuclear) There are remnants of a past society and technology everywhere (called arcana) and this new normal has been in place for a few hundred years. It reads like a fantasy (because it is) but it has a flavor of Science fiction. It *almost* feels like star wars - there are blasters and I swear there are light sabers too (hidden in other words). But skinned nicely in something that feels like both.
Django doesn't shy away from mature topics - these include the deaths of characters to sexual encounters. As in his previous series, he has several characters who are attracted to the same sex. Its nicely done, however and feels appropriate to the story.
This book is labeled book 1, and I'm happy to read book 2 as soon as it comes out... but I'm not quite sure where that will lead. The ending of book 1 was a nice wrap up of the events WE knew about, with the exception that we know the direction each major character is taking.... and they aren't on the same path.
Overall - I highly recommend this excellent novel.
He has done so again in this novel. The main characters of this book are Maya and Gyre. They are separated at an early age and this traumatic event defines who they are from that point forward. The novel bounces back and forth between them (mostly by chapter, but a few times within the chapter) and for awhile its hard to see where the novel is going. (this might be my biggest nit with the book - the larger world events happening are beyond the characters for a long time - they are progressing with their own lives and converging, without knowing it or why. Had I had a bit more of a clue as to what was going on, I might have enjoyed this more.
The world is set in a post war environment - almost post apocalyptic. (although it doesn't seem to be nuclear) There are remnants of a past society and technology everywhere (called arcana) and this new normal has been in place for a few hundred years. It reads like a fantasy (because it is) but it has a flavor of Science fiction. It *almost* feels like star wars - there are blasters and I swear there are light sabers too (hidden in other words). But skinned nicely in something that feels like both.
Django doesn't shy away from mature topics - these include the deaths of characters to sexual encounters. As in his previous series, he has several characters who are attracted to the same sex. Its nicely done, however and feels appropriate to the story.
This book is labeled book 1, and I'm happy to read book 2 as soon as it comes out... but I'm not quite sure where that will lead. The ending of book 1 was a nice wrap up of the events WE knew about, with the exception that we know the direction each major character is taking.... and they aren't on the same path.
Overall - I highly recommend this excellent novel.
This was an epic tale with a wonderfully unique take on magic and classism. The fight scenes and action sequences were visceral in my imagination. The political intrigue and the sibling rivalry was ensnaring and hard to not think about well after reading.