Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Rape
Minor: Violence, War
adventurous
challenging
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Blood
Minor: Confinement, Infidelity, Kidnapping
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
hopeful
fast-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
This book is frustrating for many reasons. Most of it boils down to when the book is good, it’s GOOD and when the book is bad, it’s BAD and sadly Crystal of Time swings back and forth between the two violently for all 624 pages.
To start things off, the first half of the book is incredibly slow. It lays down a strong foundation for the last third of the book, but it is done so slowly and painfully to the point that the pay offs at the end of the book felt less satisfying because of how long it took to get there.
A perfect example would be the “Unbury Me” message from Arthur to Tedros. This message was given in the middle of Quests for Glory and then was brought up periodically throughout that novel and this one. We then, as readers, must wait over 700 combined pages until Tedros and Agatha even make it to Arthur’s grave. For a pay off that is only two pages long. And while it is a sweet moment and I appreciate what it does plot and character wise, I found myself more exasperated that this was all we got in the end.
Another thing that felt unsatisfying were the characters, again. While Chainani takes a step away from characters that he introduced or focused on in Quests of Glory, such as Nicola, Hort, and the Coven, it still did not feel like the time he gained to put towards main characters was put to good use. Agatha was the same character throughout the entire story, her only struggles focusing around Tedros and getting him to the throne, rather than anything deeper and more complex that questions or challenges her. Sophie grows, but in a subtle way, and there are many times in which it feels that Chainani wants her to be badass, but also insecure, and while those two can work very well for characters, it for some reason just feels like Sophie is constantly taking one step forward and three steps back the entire novel.
This then leaves the most unsatisfying character development in the entire novel. Tedros. Tedros who has been through grief and obstacles, who has been humbled and supported by friends and family, who has been shown what Good and Evil can be and STILL does not grow a single bit throughout the novel. He is still posturing, still taking people for granted, still acting like he’s the weakest link while also having the biggest head. It seems that him and Sophie have the same problem of Chainani wanting them to be badass and insecure and only creating a confusing turmoil for the character and the reader. Based on how the book ends, I imagine Tedros will get greater development in the last book, but if I’m being honest, Chainani has disappointed me for four going on five books now with this character’s development so my hopes are reasonably low.
Another issue that aggravated me, especially near the last third of the story, was the ridiculous deus ex machina and heavy handed solutions that plagued the story. A minor inconvenience that could probably be solved in a logical way using the world that had already been laid out for us? Nah, here’s a fairy we haven’t mentioned the entire book back to save you, or here’s a convenient character that is the king of the place you need to hide out in. It got to the point that the writing began to feel lazy, as though Chainani created these problems to fill space and then didn’t know how to fix them, so he just opened one of his other books randomly, picked out a character or mechanic, and somehow shoehorned them into the book to save the day.
I will say that there were things I did enjoy in this book. Despite my grievances with Sophie’s character development and growth, who she was throughout the novel, though the writer’s obvious favorite, was less detestable and I go could understand her motives just a bit more. Not every decision she made was perfect, but there were several that aligned with her character and I enjoyed that. I also go like the fact that Chainani stepped away from Hort and Nicola, though Nicola and Hort have almost no chemistry at all. They didn’t need to be the focus and they were always outshining the cast when the time came.
I also enjoyed the writing Chainani did with the crystal. It’s difficult to play into the Past and Present and Future ideas throughout the novel and not make it feel phony or forced. The use of subtle hints, with Bogden and William’s tarot readings and flashes of the future from the crystal, were well done and Chainani did well not to focus on every single one but allow the reader’s who were paying attention some actual GOOD pay-off when they remembered a scene from earlier in the book that played out later. Never let it be said that Chainani can’t write subtle and do it well.
I will continue onto the sixth book in hopes that it resolves well for both the plot and the characters. I have high hopes for the plot and low expectations for the characters but we shall see. Chainani did a great job wrapping up book three so I at least know he’s done it once and can easily do it again.
To start things off, the first half of the book is incredibly slow. It lays down a strong foundation for the last third of the book, but it is done so slowly and painfully to the point that the pay offs at the end of the book felt less satisfying because of how long it took to get there.
A perfect example would be the “Unbury Me” message from Arthur to Tedros. This message was given in the middle of Quests for Glory and then was brought up periodically throughout that novel and this one. We then, as readers, must wait over 700 combined pages until Tedros and Agatha even make it to Arthur’s grave. For a pay off that is only two pages long. And while it is a sweet moment and I appreciate what it does plot and character wise, I found myself more exasperated that this was all we got in the end.
Another thing that felt unsatisfying were the characters, again. While Chainani takes a step away from characters that he introduced or focused on in Quests of Glory, such as Nicola, Hort, and the Coven, it still did not feel like the time he gained to put towards main characters was put to good use. Agatha was the same character throughout the entire story, her only struggles focusing around Tedros and getting him to the throne, rather than anything deeper and more complex that questions or challenges her. Sophie grows, but in a subtle way, and there are many times in which it feels that Chainani wants her to be badass, but also insecure, and while those two can work very well for characters, it for some reason just feels like Sophie is constantly taking one step forward and three steps back the entire novel.
This then leaves the most unsatisfying character development in the entire novel. Tedros. Tedros who has been through grief and obstacles, who has been humbled and supported by friends and family, who has been shown what Good and Evil can be and STILL does not grow a single bit throughout the novel. He is still posturing, still taking people for granted, still acting like he’s the weakest link while also having the biggest head. It seems that him and Sophie have the same problem of Chainani wanting them to be badass and insecure and only creating a confusing turmoil for the character and the reader. Based on how the book ends, I imagine Tedros will get greater development in the last book, but if I’m being honest, Chainani has disappointed me for four going on five books now with this character’s development so my hopes are reasonably low.
Another issue that aggravated me, especially near the last third of the story, was the ridiculous deus ex machina and heavy handed solutions that plagued the story. A minor inconvenience that could probably be solved in a logical way using the world that had already been laid out for us? Nah, here’s a fairy we haven’t mentioned the entire book back to save you, or here’s a convenient character that is the king of the place you need to hide out in. It got to the point that the writing began to feel lazy, as though Chainani created these problems to fill space and then didn’t know how to fix them, so he just opened one of his other books randomly, picked out a character or mechanic, and somehow shoehorned them into the book to save the day.
I will say that there were things I did enjoy in this book. Despite my grievances with Sophie’s character development and growth, who she was throughout the novel, though the writer’s obvious favorite, was less detestable and I go could understand her motives just a bit more. Not every decision she made was perfect, but there were several that aligned with her character and I enjoyed that. I also go like the fact that Chainani stepped away from Hort and Nicola, though Nicola and Hort have almost no chemistry at all. They didn’t need to be the focus and they were always outshining the cast when the time came.
I also enjoyed the writing Chainani did with the crystal. It’s difficult to play into the Past and Present and Future ideas throughout the novel and not make it feel phony or forced. The use of subtle hints, with Bogden and William’s tarot readings and flashes of the future from the crystal, were well done and Chainani did well not to focus on every single one but allow the reader’s who were paying attention some actual GOOD pay-off when they remembered a scene from earlier in the book that played out later. Never let it be said that Chainani can’t write subtle and do it well.
I will continue onto the sixth book in hopes that it resolves well for both the plot and the characters. I have high hopes for the plot and low expectations for the characters but we shall see. Chainani did a great job wrapping up book three so I at least know he’s done it once and can easily do it again.