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feyn's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing and gripping fantasy book, a great discovery!
I loved everything in this book that is engaging, enthralling and a real page turner.
I didn't read the previous instalment but I will surely add it to my TBR list.
It was a great reading experience.
I loved everything from the world building to the characters, from the style of writing to the turns in the plot.
I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC
I loved everything in this book that is engaging, enthralling and a real page turner.
I didn't read the previous instalment but I will surely add it to my TBR list.
It was a great reading experience.
I loved everything from the world building to the characters, from the style of writing to the turns in the plot.
I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC
jenni_t_reads's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 stars
I think Anna Stephens deserves a lot more respect for her books than what Goodreads ratings and reviews seem to give. Anna's books are simple yet enjoyable!
This book was basically a one big battle from the first page to the last, stakes were again really high and you couldn't be certain who is going to stay alive and who is going to die.
Even though I didn't feel totally invested in all the POV's, the division between good and bad was so clear that I was really devoted to the good ones to win. The best thing in this book, and in the previous too, was that the bad side truly feels bad.
I think Anna Stephens deserves a lot more respect for her books than what Goodreads ratings and reviews seem to give. Anna's books are simple yet enjoyable!
This book was basically a one big battle from the first page to the last, stakes were again really high and you couldn't be certain who is going to stay alive and who is going to die.
Even though I didn't feel totally invested in all the POV's, the division between good and bad was so clear that I was really devoted to the good ones to win. The best thing in this book, and in the previous too, was that the bad side truly feels bad.
kaviarissime's review against another edition
1.0
This book was not for me. I love fantasy, it's probably my favourite genre. Battle scenes on the othe hand are my least favourite part of books. I will tolerate them, and sometimes I will even enjoy them, provided they conform to a few simple criteria, but I will never seek them out intentionally. So what makes a battle scene good for me?
- Brevity (not more than one, at most two chapters on the same battle please!)
- Clear stakes (if you are the last men standing between an orc invasion and Middle Earth, I will muster up some enthusiasm, otherwise I would have preferred hearing about the battle from a letter one of the characters is reading after the fact)
- A topography I can follow (ideally make your battle take place on a flat plain where I don't need to worry about it, or if you insist on your battle taking place in a complex environment like a city, make it simple. I can handle the Circles of Gondor, but anything more complex and I will be lost)
Unfortunately, Darksoul falls short on all of the above criteria.
- The entirety of the the second instalment of the Godblind series took place during the siege of Rilporin. Twenty-eight days of fighting over 380 pages - had I know that, I wouldn't even have bothered picking it up, no matter how much I enjoyed the first volume.
- The stakes are not very interesting. At the end of the first book, the old king of Rilporin is dead, his rightful heir is dead, and the second son, who killed his father and brother, is the one trying to take the city. If he lost, who would become king? Some distant cousin we never even get to meet in this book. Is he nice? Would he be a better king? We have no idea. So, on a political level, it's not a fight I care about. What about the Red Lady (the violent deity the attackers follow)? She's been quite successful in converting the people of Rilpor before the battle and there is no indication that winning the battle would slow her down; in fact, we are told the every person who dies in the battle is making her stronger, so from that perspective the battle is kind of a wash. What is left? The life or death of a couple thousand people is in the balance, of course, but in a fantasy world it's just not enough to make me care through a whole book.
- Rilporin has about a hundred different gates, towers and circles with complicated names like Double First and Second Last? This, combined with the dozen POV characters that we jump between while they are moving around the city, and I could just never figure where we were.
In short: I kept skimming through the mediocre battle, hoping to get to the interesting part (ie. the aftermath), which never came. I don't think I will be checking out the last instalment after this.
- Brevity (not more than one, at most two chapters on the same battle please!)
- Clear stakes (if you are the last men standing between an orc invasion and Middle Earth, I will muster up some enthusiasm, otherwise I would have preferred hearing about the battle from a letter one of the characters is reading after the fact)
- A topography I can follow (ideally make your battle take place on a flat plain where I don't need to worry about it, or if you insist on your battle taking place in a complex environment like a city, make it simple. I can handle the Circles of Gondor, but anything more complex and I will be lost)
Unfortunately, Darksoul falls short on all of the above criteria.
- The entirety of the the second instalment of the Godblind series took place during the siege of Rilporin. Twenty-eight days of fighting over 380 pages - had I know that, I wouldn't even have bothered picking it up, no matter how much I enjoyed the first volume.
- The stakes are not very interesting. At the end of the first book, the old king of Rilporin is dead, his rightful heir is dead, and the second son, who killed his father and brother, is the one trying to take the city. If he lost, who would become king? Some distant cousin we never even get to meet in this book. Is he nice? Would he be a better king? We have no idea. So, on a political level, it's not a fight I care about. What about the Red Lady (the violent deity the attackers follow)? She's been quite successful in converting the people of Rilpor before the battle and there is no indication that winning the battle would slow her down; in fact, we are told the every person who dies in the battle is making her stronger, so from that perspective the battle is kind of a wash. What is left? The life or death of a couple thousand people is in the balance, of course, but in a fantasy world it's just not enough to make me care through a whole book.
- Rilporin has about a hundred different gates, towers and circles with complicated names like Double First and Second Last? This, combined with the dozen POV characters that we jump between while they are moving around the city, and I could just never figure where we were.
In short: I kept skimming through the mediocre battle, hoping to get to the interesting part (ie. the aftermath), which never came. I don't think I will be checking out the last instalment after this.
vinjii's review against another edition
3.0
I'm assuming that the people who disliked [b:Godblind|32072924|Godblind (Godblind, #1)|Anna Stephens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489353670l/32072924._SX50_.jpg|52720413] because of the gore, language, and rape didn't continue the series, and maybe I shouldn't have either, but I found the Gods, the characters, and the plot intriguing enough to keep reading.
Here the pacing was too slow for me, and since the entire book is one long siege/battle, I quickly grew bored of the fighting. I do, however, love quite a few of these characters, and am now irrevocably attached and so will have to read the third book too.
Here the pacing was too slow for me, and since the entire book is one long siege/battle, I quickly grew bored of the fighting. I do, however, love quite a few of these characters, and am now irrevocably attached and so will have to read the third book too.
diesmali's review against another edition
3.0
To be fair, my recollection of the first novel wasn't all that solid, so I found it difficult to get into this second novel without a firm grip of who's what and why. That being said, I remember enjoying the adventure and the progression of the first one. This is a more static novel, where the full plot is built on the siege of a city. Still, enough developments are made in characters that I feel this is a successful enough middle book in a trilogy.
Also, everything is suitably grim and dark.
Also, everything is suitably grim and dark.
rek's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Amazing
literary_han's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
The last 50 or so pages were fantastic.
I am not too keen on war scenes and most of this book was war scenes as they were in the middle of a siege. However, I enjoyed the continuation of the story and I loved the character development
Hannah xoxo
The last 50 or so pages were fantastic.
I am not too keen on war scenes and most of this book was war scenes as they were in the middle of a siege. However, I enjoyed the continuation of the story and I loved the character development
Hannah xoxo
trystonwebb's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dragontomes2000's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Darksoul is a very solid sequel to Godblind. Although it didn't improve where I needed it to, my enjoyment was still the same. Anna Stephens is definitely a master at her craft and this series is dark.
Darksoul picks up pretty much immediately after the end of Godblind. Godblind ended with the siege of the Palace, Darksoul is pretty much the continuation of the siege. The action is immaculate, very detailed. The world and lore is expanded on just a little. Another thing Stephens does well is that she sprinkles enough lore throughout the story to keep you interested. However, I am really hoping she gives it all to the readers in the final book. In Godblind, I had an issue with not getting invested in all of the characters because some of them didn't get enough time to shine. Darksoul has the same issue, but in this case I feel like some of the characters were forgotten. However, Anna Stephens is setting those characters up for a huge arc in book three.
I love how this series, although dark, reads so quickly. The potential is there for greatness and it is great. If Stephens can nail this finale, which I am sure she will, the Godblind trilogy will definitely take a place in my favorites.
Darksoul picks up pretty much immediately after the end of Godblind. Godblind ended with the siege of the Palace, Darksoul is pretty much the continuation of the siege. The action is immaculate, very detailed. The world and lore is expanded on just a little. Another thing Stephens does well is that she sprinkles enough lore throughout the story to keep you interested. However, I am really hoping she gives it all to the readers in the final book. In Godblind, I had an issue with not getting invested in all of the characters because some of them didn't get enough time to shine. Darksoul has the same issue, but in this case I feel like some of the characters were forgotten. However, Anna Stephens is setting those characters up for a huge arc in book three.
I love how this series, although dark, reads so quickly. The potential is there for greatness and it is great. If Stephens can nail this finale, which I am sure she will, the Godblind trilogy will definitely take a place in my favorites.