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isi__1's review against another edition
2.0
2*
Alright, this was a bit of a disappointment. The synopsis sounded like this book was right up my alley. I mean, heist-plot...HELLO?! I honestly didn't need to know anything else.
I was really hoping to find a hidden-gem but, alas, no such luck.
There were some moments I liked quite a lot because they were very promising. Unfortunately, I ended up skimming a lot of the book because I was really bored :(.
Furthermore, I didn't care about the characters which is why any dangerous or supposed-to-be-impactful moments didn't bother me in the slightest.
The last 200 pages or so were definitely the best part of the book for me & they even made me question if I should possibly read the sequel. Sadly, it wasn't quite enough to convince me to read the sequel.
Alright, this was a bit of a disappointment. The synopsis sounded like this book was right up my alley. I mean, heist-plot...HELLO?! I honestly didn't need to know anything else.
I was really hoping to find a hidden-gem but, alas, no such luck.
There were some moments I liked quite a lot because they were very promising. Unfortunately, I ended up skimming a lot of the book because I was really bored :(.
Furthermore, I didn't care about the characters which is why any dangerous or supposed-to-be-impactful moments didn't bother me in the slightest.
The last 200 pages or so were definitely the best part of the book for me & they even made me question if I should possibly read the sequel. Sadly, it wasn't quite enough to convince me to read the sequel.
rebeccanorrbrink's review against another edition
4.0
I really thought I would dnf this book before picking it up but I was so wrong! I loved it! Will definitely be reading the rest of the series! I love grub!!
kristinakaldenbach's review against another edition
2.0
Oh boy, do I have things to say about this book. I don't understand how so many people are giving this 5-stars.
First off, it's about 500 pages too long. This sucker is 800 pages thick and so much of it could have been condensed down and still conveyed and got across what was needed. There were so many descriptions that were way too long about side characters and stories that just weren't necessary.
I also did not like the main character, Aren. He was like 15 years old and I think it would have been much better if he was older. Some of what he did just didn't make sense for a 15-year-old. He grew up as a Kroden, with no patriotism to Osia at all, then all of a sudden that completely flips around? Didn't make sense. And his and Cade's relationship was so odd to me. It felt like the author was forcing us to look at this as a deep friendship but I just didn't get that from them. I felt it for Gerric and Keel, but Cade and Aren's friendship just didn't make sense to me.
Also, people who say this book is not filled with the common cliches or tropes that other fantasy novels are filled with are straight-up lying. I saw things coming a mile away because they've been done time and time again. It was not new or innovative. Who the champion was from Vika's dream was so obvious from the start and I did not like it.
I really liked Grub and his character arc. I also enjoyed Gerric and his backstory as well as Vika and Ruke. The reveal of Aren's father's past was really good, I thought, and not what I was expecting. My favorite part of the book was when they were going through Skavengard. I thought that part was very interesting.
Overall, this was just way too long. Especially for being the first book in a series. And I just really didn't care about Aren, at all.
First off, it's about 500 pages too long. This sucker is 800 pages thick and so much of it could have been condensed down and still conveyed and got across what was needed. There were so many descriptions that were way too long about side characters and stories that just weren't necessary.
I also did not like the main character, Aren. He was like 15 years old and I think it would have been much better if he was older. Some of what he did just didn't make sense for a 15-year-old. He grew up as a Kroden, with no patriotism to Osia at all, then all of a sudden that completely flips around? Didn't make sense. And his and Cade's relationship was so odd to me. It felt like the author was forcing us to look at this as a deep friendship but I just didn't get that from them. I felt it for Gerric and Keel, but Cade and Aren's friendship just didn't make sense to me.
Also, people who say this book is not filled with the common cliches or tropes that other fantasy novels are filled with are straight-up lying. I saw things coming a mile away because they've been done time and time again. It was not new or innovative. Who the champion was from Vika's dream was so obvious from the start and I did not like it.
I really liked Grub and his character arc. I also enjoyed Gerric and his backstory as well as Vika and Ruke. The reveal of Aren's father's past was really good, I thought, and not what I was expecting. My favorite part of the book was when they were going through Skavengard. I thought that part was very interesting.
Overall, this was just way too long. Especially for being the first book in a series. And I just really didn't care about Aren, at all.
arend_wondor's review against another edition
5.0
Modern classic fantasy. Refreshing, original, yet familiar. A new favourite.
This book does everything right. The characters, the pacing, the balancing of the prose,… It’s all just spot on. It feels like Chris Wooding knew what he was doing writing this book.
This book does everything right. The characters, the pacing, the balancing of the prose,… It’s all just spot on. It feels like Chris Wooding knew what he was doing writing this book.
jmbowe92's review against another edition
5.0
The world is complex and interesting, as well as the characters
vsn's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
thewulverslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding was an absolute delight and one of the best fantasy novels I've read. I can definitely see myself continuing with this series. This is a really long story of revenge, redemption and anarchy. A country conquered and colonised by an Empire and our characters doing everything they can to overcome the odds.
This is a really long book and one of the flaws is that it definitely feels that way sometimes. There can be sagging, some little relevancy (so far) and some scenes that potentially could have been trimmed but the opening chapters are a carefully built craft that begin to snowball down a hill. This turns into a fast and exhilarating ride towards the end that leaves us wanting more.
Wooding's prose is written well and he implements his words carefully. There are no hard words being used for the sake of intelligence and the way he describes the struggle of the characters is nothing short of inspiring. The character building and plot twists are executed almost perfectly and can leave you with your mouth open for the rest of the book. There are real consequences for our characters and their actions and Wooding doesn't sugar-coat the story with quick fixes or diluted scenes for the sake of moving the story forward. The characters interact so strongly and their own personal suffering is a forefront for how they are built.
Wooding dictates culture and backgrounds so intricately set in a world both credibly and immersive. The Ember Blade holds some well-worn fantasy tropes as rebellion, love triangles, prophecies and mythical creatures but the way he has blended and mixed it all is utterly refreshing. There is a real fearful anticipation of what happens next whilst turning the page and the eventual payoff and ending hit so well that i completely admire the quality of this novel and can't wait to become overwhelmed with the rest of the series.
In my opinion, The Ember Blade is a fantastic reminded of both nostalgia and new intensity that prove that new fantasy can be done just as well as older fantasy. I would strongly recommend to pick up The Ember Blade.
This is a really long book and one of the flaws is that it definitely feels that way sometimes. There can be sagging, some little relevancy (so far) and some scenes that potentially could have been trimmed but the opening chapters are a carefully built craft that begin to snowball down a hill. This turns into a fast and exhilarating ride towards the end that leaves us wanting more.
Wooding's prose is written well and he implements his words carefully. There are no hard words being used for the sake of intelligence and the way he describes the struggle of the characters is nothing short of inspiring. The character building and plot twists are executed almost perfectly and can leave you with your mouth open for the rest of the book. There are real consequences for our characters and their actions and Wooding doesn't sugar-coat the story with quick fixes or diluted scenes for the sake of moving the story forward. The characters interact so strongly and their own personal suffering is a forefront for how they are built.
Wooding dictates culture and backgrounds so intricately set in a world both credibly and immersive. The Ember Blade holds some well-worn fantasy tropes as rebellion, love triangles, prophecies and mythical creatures but the way he has blended and mixed it all is utterly refreshing. There is a real fearful anticipation of what happens next whilst turning the page and the eventual payoff and ending hit so well that i completely admire the quality of this novel and can't wait to become overwhelmed with the rest of the series.
In my opinion, The Ember Blade is a fantastic reminded of both nostalgia and new intensity that prove that new fantasy can be done just as well as older fantasy. I would strongly recommend to pick up The Ember Blade.