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dogswithnogs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
curivm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
zurpel's review against another edition
4.0
This is the last book in the Night Angel trilogy. Kylar is desperate to make Logan Gyre King while Vi is drawn deeper into the Chantry; Elene followed her there. (It’s really difficult to give a better “summary” and not also make it full of spoilers, especially for the first two books of the series …)
I first read this a few months ago in German as ebook and really loved it. Now I listened to the audiobook and wasn’t sure what to think of it. The beginning seemed slower when then I first read it. However, I still loved the ending. The climax provides a great resolution for all of those things that happened in the trilogy and even feeds on facts only mentioned now and then. That is actually the reason why I re-read the trilogy so shortly after first reading it: I wanted to go back and really concentrate on all the little details and hints, knowing the story already.
So all in all I didn’t regret going through the story again. This is a great fantasy series with depth.
I first read this a few months ago in German as ebook and really loved it. Now I listened to the audiobook and wasn’t sure what to think of it. The beginning seemed slower when then I first read it. However, I still loved the ending. The climax provides a great resolution for all of those things that happened in the trilogy and even feeds on facts only mentioned now and then. That is actually the reason why I re-read the trilogy so shortly after first reading it: I wanted to go back and really concentrate on all the little details and hints, knowing the story already.
So all in all I didn’t regret going through the story again. This is a great fantasy series with depth.
mea824's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
moocowimpi's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic ending to a fantastic book. Keeps it open for some more.....please??
hellsfire's review against another edition
2.0
At this point, I've stopped caring about anything happening in The Night Angel trilogy. I thought the first book was good, the second bad, and am just finishing the series because it's a trilogy. Like the previous two books, Beyond the Shadows shifts in tone and story.
In some ways, Beyond the Shadows improved upon the previous book. One of the weak points of the entire trilogy was that you had these threads with characters who hardly got any story time. I neither remember nor cared about them. They get a lot more story here and actually become major players. If they were focused on earlier, this would have been a damn good series.
Conversely, characters that were important like Momma K or who thought might have been important like Uly, are missing. So the characters who were focused on the earlier books are barely in this book, if at all.
The biggest failing is that everything happens off camera. Rebellions are put down, magical swords are retrieved, people walk into enemy territory to sacrifice themselves, magical swords are forged, sisters are trained, etc. Would have been nice if all of that was shown. Of course, it would have turned the trilogy into a series but I believe it would have been much better.
Another thing that bothered me was the way everyone talked. I don't mind cursing but I do when it's on every page. People seemed to talk like how me and my friends would talk in the 21st century.
I also still don't like the magic system. Nothing's really explained and people can do any and everything with no rhyme or reason. And when characters can die and come back to life, it loses all tension.
I think there is one thing that's done well and that's Dorian's rise and fall. That's the one thing that's actually shown. And I kind of felt bad for the guy. I also remember his name unlike the previous two books where he was kinda in the story. I suppose the love triangle is also shown, but it was done so terribly in the previous book and still badly done here. It's not much of a love triangle when one party is forced than conflicted over who to love.
The Night Angel trilogy started off well enough. The first book was good, but it had its flaws. However, the most disappointing thing is there was so much potential here, but it just fell flat. It was rush, became convoluted, was too fast paced, all over the place, most of the world and characters just weren't developed, and the dialogue pulled me out of the story.
In some ways, Beyond the Shadows improved upon the previous book. One of the weak points of the entire trilogy was that you had these threads with characters who hardly got any story time. I neither remember nor cared about them. They get a lot more story here and actually become major players. If they were focused on earlier, this would have been a damn good series.
Conversely, characters that were important like Momma K or who thought might have been important like Uly, are missing. So the characters who were focused on the earlier books are barely in this book, if at all.
The biggest failing is that everything happens off camera. Rebellions are put down, magical swords are retrieved, people walk into enemy territory to sacrifice themselves, magical swords are forged, sisters are trained, etc. Would have been nice if all of that was shown. Of course, it would have turned the trilogy into a series but I believe it would have been much better.
Another thing that bothered me was the way everyone talked. I don't mind cursing but I do when it's on every page. People seemed to talk like how me and my friends would talk in the 21st century.
I also still don't like the magic system. Nothing's really explained and people can do any and everything with no rhyme or reason. And when characters can die and come back to life, it loses all tension.
I think there is one thing that's done well and that's Dorian's rise and fall. That's the one thing that's actually shown. And I kind of felt bad for the guy. I also remember his name unlike the previous two books where he was kinda in the story. I suppose the love triangle is also shown, but it was done so terribly in the previous book and still badly done here. It's not much of a love triangle when one party is forced than conflicted over who to love.
The Night Angel trilogy started off well enough. The first book was good, but it had its flaws. However, the most disappointing thing is there was so much potential here, but it just fell flat. It was rush, became convoluted, was too fast paced, all over the place, most of the world and characters just weren't developed, and the dialogue pulled me out of the story.
tani's review against another edition
5.0
Well, Brent Weeks finally did it. He drew me completely and finally into a story, and I loved it! I thought that the first two books of this series were solid, but just lacking that crucial bit of inspiration that pushes a book over into 5 star territory for me. Beyond the Shadows, however, brought that final piece with a bang. After going a bit slow for the first 200 pages, I blew through the last 500 in two days, and it was worth it.
For me, a five star read has two key qualities. One is an emotional connection with the characters. If I don't care about the characters, the odds that I will give a book more than 4 stars are extremely low. the second quality is compulsive readability. I want to be unable to put that book down. When, after spending most of a Sunday afternoon reading this book, I started to tear up in sympathy for one of the characters, I knew that this was probably going to be a five star read for me. And I was right.
Here's the thing, though. Although I personally loved this book, I don't expect that will be true for everyone. If you didn't really care for the first two books, don't go into this one expecting something different. You won't find it. Brent Weeks consistently writes books that are fast-paced with lots of action, lots of violence, and a few shocking revelations. These are popcorn reading for the fantasy fan, but if you're not a fan of popcorn, these books are never going to get any better for you.
However, if you liked the first book just fine and the second didn't alienate you, then you will probably like this book as well. Like the others, it is well-plotted and moves quickly. The characters continue to be treated with the same thought-out regard that they have been for the first two books, and despite the action emphasis, Weeks does not forget to develop things emotionally. For me, the characters were what really made this a great book. Kylar, Vi, and Elene did so much growing throughout these books, and I truly enjoyed seeing where their growth led them. As I said, I definitely cried at a few of the moments in here, having seen them come through so much.
I think my only regret is that there are so many loose ends. I would actually really like to see a follow-up to this series that answers some of the questions that were left hanging. My husband and I have so many questions that need to be answered! Fingers crossed that there is someday some kind of resolution.
For me, a five star read has two key qualities. One is an emotional connection with the characters. If I don't care about the characters, the odds that I will give a book more than 4 stars are extremely low. the second quality is compulsive readability. I want to be unable to put that book down. When, after spending most of a Sunday afternoon reading this book, I started to tear up in sympathy for one of the characters, I knew that this was probably going to be a five star read for me. And I was right.
Here's the thing, though. Although I personally loved this book, I don't expect that will be true for everyone. If you didn't really care for the first two books, don't go into this one expecting something different. You won't find it. Brent Weeks consistently writes books that are fast-paced with lots of action, lots of violence, and a few shocking revelations. These are popcorn reading for the fantasy fan, but if you're not a fan of popcorn, these books are never going to get any better for you.
However, if you liked the first book just fine and the second didn't alienate you, then you will probably like this book as well. Like the others, it is well-plotted and moves quickly. The characters continue to be treated with the same thought-out regard that they have been for the first two books, and despite the action emphasis, Weeks does not forget to develop things emotionally. For me, the characters were what really made this a great book. Kylar, Vi, and Elene did so much growing throughout these books, and I truly enjoyed seeing where their growth led them. As I said, I definitely cried at a few of the moments in here, having seen them come through so much.
I think my only regret is that there are so many loose ends. I would actually really like to see a follow-up to this series that answers some of the questions that were left hanging. My husband and I have so many questions that need to be answered! Fingers crossed that there is someday some kind of resolution.