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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
amazing, so complex and really had me unable to put it down.
Nadya is a cleric from Kalyazi. Clerics are holy people who can speak to the gods. Only Nadya’s gods have stopped speaking to her lately. She is trapped in Tranavia with the young king Serefin, who is having trouble holding onto both his throne and his mind. And then there is the Black Vulture, Malachiasz. What has he done? The war between Tranavia and Kalyazi is never-ending, and the stress it is putting on these three is enormous.
Nadya needs to find a way to get the gods to speak to her again, and Serefin needs to put his mind back together. Could these two be fighting the same battle? Malachiasz seems hell bent on destruction, not mending fences. Does he want both of them dead?
Ruthless Gods is book two of the Something Dark & Holy series, following up Wicked Saints. How I wish I had come into this book having read Wicked Saints! I was rather lost in the story for the first quarter of the book. Once I got the hang of the language and the people, the rest of the novel flew by for me. In all fairness, I didn’t realize this was book two of a series until the very end, when I read the author’s notes. Oops.
So…. that being said, this is a fantasy novel like no other. It is definitely dark, very goth, very bloody. Not for the weak hearted. The magic that the Tranavians practice is blood magic, so a lot of blood and gore. Duncan’s descriptions are magnificent. The image that I conjured of the Black Vulture will haunt me. I loved the weaving of a foreign language into the text - not sure what language it is, but appeared to be something slavic. The characters are well-defined and in many ways tragic. Each one is fighting a demon of sorts, whether the gods that have taken over a mind or the gods that have fled. There is love and hate and passion and sadness.
The ending, oh the ending. No spoilers, but I am now going back to book one and cannot wait for the next to see where this story goes.
4.25 stars
This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 24 March 2020 .
Nadya needs to find a way to get the gods to speak to her again, and Serefin needs to put his mind back together. Could these two be fighting the same battle? Malachiasz seems hell bent on destruction, not mending fences. Does he want both of them dead?
Ruthless Gods is book two of the Something Dark & Holy series, following up Wicked Saints. How I wish I had come into this book having read Wicked Saints! I was rather lost in the story for the first quarter of the book. Once I got the hang of the language and the people, the rest of the novel flew by for me. In all fairness, I didn’t realize this was book two of a series until the very end, when I read the author’s notes. Oops.
So…. that being said, this is a fantasy novel like no other. It is definitely dark, very goth, very bloody. Not for the weak hearted. The magic that the Tranavians practice is blood magic, so a lot of blood and gore. Duncan’s descriptions are magnificent. The image that I conjured of the Black Vulture will haunt me. I loved the weaving of a foreign language into the text - not sure what language it is, but appeared to be something slavic. The characters are well-defined and in many ways tragic. Each one is fighting a demon of sorts, whether the gods that have taken over a mind or the gods that have fled. There is love and hate and passion and sadness.
The ending, oh the ending. No spoilers, but I am now going back to book one and cannot wait for the next to see where this story goes.
4.25 stars
This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 24 March 2020 .
I desperately wants this book to surpass the first one, but alas.
It contained all the same things I hated for my the first book- except it made them bigger. Nadya and Malachiasz became quite the copy of Star Wars.
Nadya’s chapters were still full of her back-and-forth, tug of war thoughts about how she felt for Malachiasz, how she felt about her goddess.
Not even Serefin’s perspective— infinitely more interesting than Nadya’s— could save the book this time. I was hoping we would get more development for who Kacper and Ostyia actually are, but no. We still only understand them based on their love interests.
****SPOILER AHEAD*****
And in the end, none of their bad decisions mattered, because the gods are gods and so OP that they can just take the choices away from the characters. At least we all know now who the really main characters were.
Honestly not sure if I’ll stick around for the third book; I’m not looking forward to more back and forth between Nadya and Malachiasz and their love/hate, confusing af thoughts.
It contained all the same things I hated for my the first book- except it made them bigger. Nadya and Malachiasz became quite the copy of Star Wars.
Nadya’s chapters were still full of her back-and-forth, tug of war thoughts about how she felt for Malachiasz, how she felt about her goddess.
Not even Serefin’s perspective— infinitely more interesting than Nadya’s— could save the book this time. I was hoping we would get more development for who Kacper and Ostyia actually are, but no. We still only understand them based on their love interests.
****SPOILER AHEAD*****
And in the end, none of their bad decisions mattered, because the gods are gods and so OP that they can just take the choices away from the characters. At least we all know now who the really main characters were.
Honestly not sure if I’ll stick around for the third book; I’m not looking forward to more back and forth between Nadya and Malachiasz and their love/hate, confusing af thoughts.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The only thing more infuriating than the over use of the word "eldridge" is the use outrageously antisemitic tropes. The characters are somewhat likable I guess??? When they're not embodying racist stereotypes that is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
I struggled more to finish this one. I powered through to follow the plot but it seemed like you would jump and miss whole sections of action that would get explained like two chapters later.
1.4 ⭐️
Thank god that's over with. Thinking back, I'm actually impressed at how much nothing you can write in 500 pages.
I was willing to give it a chance and it looked so promising in the beginning. I liked the start, the writing was good and flowy and I thought, hey, this might actually go somewhere good. Unfortunately the only place it went was downhill. The entire book is basically Nadya alternating between thirsting for Monster Boy™ and putting a blade against his throat or slamming him into things. Also there's a forest. It's very cold. And winter. But apparently no snow because at some point someone fucks off to find some water? The surroundings are never really described, and neither is the magic. No one knows what it does, least of all Nadya, and when she finally uses it, it happens off page. Just ??? Yes queen, give us nothing.
And don't get me started on the characters. I think in another book Serefin and maybe even Monster Boy™ might have been really cool characters. But here? No one actually does anything meaningful, they're moved around like pawns and their choices don't really matter at all.
Especially Nadya had all the personality of a cardboard box, she really tried to be this boss babe but had no power to back it up. I also didn't buy any of the 'found family' stuff the author was clearly going for, these people don't know each other, actively hate each other and or/stand on opposing sides, none of the banter or closeness felt real.
So much didn't make sense. I'd write it all down, but I'm really tired. Anyway, won't continue this series. Shame really. It sometimes felt like Duncan had picked ideas and imagery right from my brain lol I wish I could have loved this series. But this book wasn't a gripping story, it was a slice of life. Maybe set in hell. But still. It offered the same level of excitement.
Thank god that's over with. Thinking back, I'm actually impressed at how much nothing you can write in 500 pages.
I was willing to give it a chance and it looked so promising in the beginning. I liked the start, the writing was good and flowy and I thought, hey, this might actually go somewhere good. Unfortunately the only place it went was downhill. The entire book is basically Nadya alternating between thirsting for Monster Boy™ and putting a blade against his throat or slamming him into things. Also there's a forest. It's very cold. And winter. But apparently no snow because at some point someone fucks off to find some water? The surroundings are never really described, and neither is the magic. No one knows what it does, least of all Nadya, and when she finally uses it, it happens off page. Just ??? Yes queen, give us nothing.
And don't get me started on the characters. I think in another book Serefin and maybe even Monster Boy™ might have been really cool characters. But here? No one actually does anything meaningful, they're moved around like pawns and their choices don't really matter at all.
Especially Nadya had all the personality of a cardboard box, she really tried to be this boss babe but had no power to back it up. I also didn't buy any of the 'found family' stuff the author was clearly going for, these people don't know each other, actively hate each other and or/stand on opposing sides, none of the banter or closeness felt real.
So much didn't make sense. I'd write it all down, but I'm really tired. Anyway, won't continue this series. Shame really. It sometimes felt like Duncan had picked ideas and imagery right from my brain lol I wish I could have loved this series. But this book wasn't a gripping story, it was a slice of life. Maybe set in hell. But still. It offered the same level of excitement.
A great second book to the series - this book kept me captivated until the very end. A great dark story with friendship and connection woven in.
Thoroughly enjoyable, many things went in the direction i hoped they would. Definite improvement from the first book for me.
Um
04/20/20:
So I spent a fair amount of time between when I finished this yesterday and now thinking about what went on here and what I thought of the whole thing. I'd say I'd rate it a solid 3.5 (we REALLY need half star ratings here).
So first for the good - The (un)holy trifecta is as amusing as ever. Serefin is my wonderful sarcastic role model. I love how Nadya isn't afraid to stand up for herself or what she believes in even if it's quite obviously misguided at times; she might not voice the doubts she has out loud but she has them so that's better than nothing. Malachiasz is as frustrating as ever. I love him because he's kind of a cinnamon roll, I think, but I'm never 100% sure of it....much like Nadya. Their banter is great, a lot of the one liners are great, and I find that I'm never really happier when Malachiasz and Nadya are having one of their theological discussions.
So for the bad - There were several points here where I wasn't 100% sure what was going on. I'm not sure if that's because of some kind of intentional narrative device on Duncan's part (if so, totally brilliant) or if she just kind of got carried away with the creepy weirdness. I love atmosphere, I love a creepy atmosphere, but some times I wish authors would just stop with the flowery prose and just say what the eff is happening.....at times the narrative was just too stinking gawth for words and ffs just spit it out already. I found that the actual plot sort of became clearer to me after the fact and after having let it settle in my brain for a bit after I finished, which makes NO SENSE TO ME AT ALL, but there you have it.
Some questions I have -
- Why does Nadya like Malachiasz? I'm pretty sure Malachiasz likes Nadya because she challenges him, and doesn't really take his crap for the most part; it's hard to say though because he's super unreliable so I'm just going on the assumption of yes, his feelings are genuine. As for Nadya, my hunch is that she likes Malachiasz, or at least started to like him, because he was literally everything she wasn't supposed to go for. It's so mundanely teenagerish and I kind of love it for that. Whereas with Malachiasz I was never quite sure if he really felt for Nadya because we're told over and over again that he's a big fat liar, with Nadya I know she loved him because she says so A LOT, but I was never 100% sure why....I'll just chalk it up to the fact that the heart wants what it wants.
- Why did Nadya need to free Velyos in order to help Malachiasz? Still not sure what went on there. I know she has the black mark on her hand (at least I think so) because of what she did that wound up freeing Velyos, but not sure why she did it. Did she not know she was doing it and was she just grasping at magical straws in a last ditch effort to save Malachiasz?
-
- Was Malachiasz's whole desire to become a god, or something devine, just so he could kill the Kalyazi gods? Did he think/know you had to be a god to kill a "god?" I know he wanted to save Tranavia, but I'm not sure if he wanted to become a god because of that or because he thought it was the only way to get rid of the Kalyazi gods. Honestly I think the only reason Malachiasz does anything is because he can and he wants to see what will happen and not for any kind of grand purpose.
Thoughts:
- Duncan overused the word "eldritch" here to the point of nausea. I get it, it's spooky, stuff is spooky, but please for the love of all that is (un)holy find a new word. I know a lot of people hated the overuse of the word "boy" but for me it was eldritch. It just stuck out more I guess.
- Not sure why people think Malachiasz is a Darkling clone. He's a swoony goth bad boy, sure, but I don't get the same vibe from them. Malachiasz seems far too anxious and nervous half the time despite always plotting to TAKE OVER THE WORLD and I don't get that from the Darkling at all. Two different beasts, there, imo.
- Both sides are in the wrong here.....but the Kalyazi piss me off more. Nothing worse than sanctimonious preachy types that think their way is the only way. Is Tranavia only after them because Kalyazin is trying to push their BS on everyone, or is because they really are evil blood magician heretics? I dunno, but I'm with Malachiasz on this one. People need to make up their own minds and leave everyone else the eff alone. Except I'm not sure you need to turn yourself into Cthulhu to get that point across........or maybe you do?
So in short, I often found myself utterly perplexed by this book, and it's certainly not as straight-forward as Wicked Saints, but the more I think on it, the more I like it. Some books really benefit from a re-read and I think this is one of them. Not sure it needed to be as long as it was but I think things will make more sense after a re-visit....or maybe an audiobook listen, but I'm not sure I can do that because the NARRATOR MISPRONOUNCES MALACHIASZ REPEATEDLY AND I HATE IT.
I'm not really sure what happened here . I feel like I just woke up from some kind of fever dream, or maybe one of those dreams you have after waking up and then not falling back asleep all the way, but it somehow winds up feeling like the deepest sleep ever? I'm confused.
04/20/20:
So I spent a fair amount of time between when I finished this yesterday and now thinking about what went on here and what I thought of the whole thing. I'd say I'd rate it a solid 3.5 (we REALLY need half star ratings here).
So first for the good - The (un)holy trifecta is as amusing as ever. Serefin is my wonderful sarcastic role model. I love how Nadya isn't afraid to stand up for herself or what she believes in even if it's quite obviously misguided at times; she might not voice the doubts she has out loud but she has them so that's better than nothing. Malachiasz is as frustrating as ever. I love him because he's kind of a cinnamon roll, I think, but I'm never 100% sure of it....much like Nadya. Their banter is great, a lot of the one liners are great, and I find that I'm never really happier when Malachiasz and Nadya are having one of their theological discussions.
So for the bad - There were several points here where I wasn't 100% sure what was going on. I'm not sure if that's because of some kind of intentional narrative device on Duncan's part (if so, totally brilliant) or if she just kind of got carried away with the creepy weirdness. I love atmosphere, I love a creepy atmosphere, but some times I wish authors would just stop with the flowery prose and just say what the eff is happening.....at times the narrative was just too stinking gawth for words and ffs just spit it out already. I found that the actual plot sort of became clearer to me after the fact and after having let it settle in my brain for a bit after I finished, which makes NO SENSE TO ME AT ALL, but there you have it.
Some questions I have -
- Why does Nadya like Malachiasz? I'm pretty sure Malachiasz likes Nadya because she challenges him, and doesn't really take his crap for the most part; it's hard to say though because he's super unreliable so I'm just going on the assumption of yes, his feelings are genuine. As for Nadya, my hunch is that she likes Malachiasz, or at least started to like him, because he was literally everything she wasn't supposed to go for. It's so mundanely teenagerish and I kind of love it for that. Whereas with Malachiasz I was never quite sure if he really felt for Nadya because we're told over and over again that he's a big fat liar, with Nadya I know she loved him because she says so A LOT, but I was never 100% sure why....I'll just chalk it up to the fact that the heart wants what it wants.
- Why did Nadya need to free Velyos in order to help Malachiasz? Still not sure what went on there. I know she has the black mark on her hand (at least I think so) because of what she did that wound up freeing Velyos, but not sure why she did it. Did she not know she was doing it and was she just grasping at magical straws in a last ditch effort to save Malachiasz?
-
Spoiler
Where the eff did the Kacper thing come from? I mean I definitely got the sense that Malachiasz was bi even before the author confirmed it, but Kacper? He got kissed once after not noticing the guy for however long and now all of a sudden he's in love and can't fucking stop talking about it? I was annoyed by them because I literally feel like it came out of nowhere.- Was Malachiasz's whole desire to become a god, or something devine, just so he could kill the Kalyazi gods? Did he think/know you had to be a god to kill a "god?" I know he wanted to save Tranavia, but I'm not sure if he wanted to become a god because of that or because he thought it was the only way to get rid of the Kalyazi gods. Honestly I think the only reason Malachiasz does anything is because he can and he wants to see what will happen and not for any kind of grand purpose.
Thoughts:
- Duncan overused the word "eldritch" here to the point of nausea. I get it, it's spooky, stuff is spooky, but please for the love of all that is (un)holy find a new word. I know a lot of people hated the overuse of the word "boy" but for me it was eldritch. It just stuck out more I guess.
- Not sure why people think Malachiasz is a Darkling clone. He's a swoony goth bad boy, sure, but I don't get the same vibe from them. Malachiasz seems far too anxious and nervous half the time despite always plotting to TAKE OVER THE WORLD and I don't get that from the Darkling at all. Two different beasts, there, imo.
- Both sides are in the wrong here.....but the Kalyazi piss me off more. Nothing worse than sanctimonious preachy types that think their way is the only way. Is Tranavia only after them because Kalyazin is trying to push their BS on everyone, or is because they really are evil blood magician heretics? I dunno, but I'm with Malachiasz on this one. People need to make up their own minds and leave everyone else the eff alone. Except I'm not sure you need to turn yourself into Cthulhu to get that point across........or maybe you do?
So in short, I often found myself utterly perplexed by this book, and it's certainly not as straight-forward as Wicked Saints, but the more I think on it, the more I like it. Some books really benefit from a re-read and I think this is one of them. Not sure it needed to be as long as it was but I think things will make more sense after a re-visit....or maybe an audiobook listen, but I'm not sure I can do that because the NARRATOR MISPRONOUNCES MALACHIASZ REPEATEDLY AND I HATE IT.
I'm not really sure what happened here . I feel like I just woke up from some kind of fever dream, or maybe one of those dreams you have after waking up and then not falling back asleep all the way, but it somehow winds up feeling like the deepest sleep ever? I'm confused.
I’ve never felt tired after reading a book before but holy shit did this book exhaust me