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4.61 AVERAGE
4.61 AVERAGE
2nd read: 5 stars!
There are no words to explain how epic and incredible this book, this series as a whole, is! It encompasses everything I adore and enjoy about fantasy and reading, and manages to tickle my brain in just the right way.
The character work in this series is simply outstanding. Never have I loved, hated, despised, felt for, or commiserated with so many characters. Usually it's the main characters that make the story, with the odd side characters here and there that capture my heart and attention. But here, I feel some sort of connection to almost everybody, or at least the tiniest bit of sympathy or the need to look deeper. Ryan has a way of making his characters feel so tangible, like they could exist somewhere out there.
The way the story and plot progress from book to book is also so exciting and satisfying. It allows the reader to slowly get acquainted with the rich history of the world, while diving deeper and deeper into brewing conflicts, intriguing mysteries, and compelling relationships. New characters, fractions, and corners of the world get introduced in such a natural and seamless way, it never feels jarring or out of place, it just makes sense.
Of War and Ruin is quite the chonker, yet the engaging quality of Ryan's writing makes the pages fly by in a blur. The action, tension, emotion, and thrill had me, again, engrossed in the very best way, and turning the last page felt like reaching a sudden abyss. I just wanted more.
I loved all the epic battles (chapter 69 has one of my absolute favorite scenes, iykyk), the unexpected twists, the grounding humor & fun banter, and the touching moments. I like to get invested, but rarely do I get overly emotional or cry. Well, here I was again, my eyes stinging, my soul shattering. Even knowing what was coming didn't prevent me from shedding quite a few tears. This series just does it all to me.
And I can't wait to get absorbed into this world again ... and probably destroyed along the way. But that is a risk I'm willing to take! I'M SO READY!!!
1st read: 5 stars!
Oh, my goodness! What a sequel, what a jump in epicness!! What I wouldn’t give to stay in this world, with these characters, a little longer …
There are no words to explain how epic and incredible this book, this series as a whole, is! It encompasses everything I adore and enjoy about fantasy and reading, and manages to tickle my brain in just the right way.
The character work in this series is simply outstanding. Never have I loved, hated, despised, felt for, or commiserated with so many characters. Usually it's the main characters that make the story, with the odd side characters here and there that capture my heart and attention. But here, I feel some sort of connection to almost everybody, or at least the tiniest bit of sympathy or the need to look deeper. Ryan has a way of making his characters feel so tangible, like they could exist somewhere out there.
The way the story and plot progress from book to book is also so exciting and satisfying. It allows the reader to slowly get acquainted with the rich history of the world, while diving deeper and deeper into brewing conflicts, intriguing mysteries, and compelling relationships. New characters, fractions, and corners of the world get introduced in such a natural and seamless way, it never feels jarring or out of place, it just makes sense.
Of War and Ruin is quite the chonker, yet the engaging quality of Ryan's writing makes the pages fly by in a blur. The action, tension, emotion, and thrill had me, again, engrossed in the very best way, and turning the last page felt like reaching a sudden abyss. I just wanted more.
I loved all the epic battles (chapter 69 has one of my absolute favorite scenes, iykyk), the unexpected twists, the grounding humor & fun banter, and the touching moments. I like to get invested, but rarely do I get overly emotional or cry. Well, here I was again, my eyes stinging, my soul shattering. Even knowing what was coming didn't prevent me from shedding quite a few tears. This series just does it all to me.
And I can't wait to get absorbed into this world again ... and probably destroyed along the way. But that is a risk I'm willing to take! I'M SO READY!!!
1st read: 5 stars!
Oh, my goodness! What a sequel, what a jump in epicness!! What I wouldn’t give to stay in this world, with these characters, a little longer …
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
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:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
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
adventurous
emotional
tense
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
All characters did not have a distinct voice, I did not feel like rooting for them so it felt like there were no stakes in action scenes which were many. Some interesting ideas were there but it's too long for me to continue.
First half of this took a while to get going but second half was fantastic. Emotional, well plotted, exciting and may have even squeezed out an old lump in the throat. Cahill’s writing gets better with every book. Looking forward to the next!
Solian ata'yar. Dauv ata'yar.
At nearly 1500 pages, Of War and Ruin is a mountain of a story to climb; however, despite being nearly double the length of its predecessor, it clearly stands out as the best paced, written, and overall story to date.
TL;DR Review:
At nearly 1500 pages, Of War and Ruin is a mountain of a story to climb; however, despite being nearly double the length of its predecessor, it clearly stands out as the best paced, written, and overall story to date.
TL;DR Review: