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wordnerdy's review
3.0
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2021/02/2021-book-42_20.html
The second book in this series is actually a prequel, primarily telling the story of the Master of the Mountain, and briefly telling the story of the Saint, and how they got together. While there is still a bit of humor here, this is a grimmer story by far, full of slavery and torture and a fair amount of implied rape. So definitely not as fun as the first one, but I'm hoping the third will be less dark. B/B+.
The second book in this series is actually a prequel, primarily telling the story of the Master of the Mountain, and briefly telling the story of the Saint, and how they got together. While there is still a bit of humor here, this is a grimmer story by far, full of slavery and torture and a fair amount of implied rape. So definitely not as fun as the first one, but I'm hoping the third will be less dark. B/B+.
beththebookdragon's review
4.0
Panoramic tale of one Kage's fantasy world, with the origin of two memorable minor characters from her previous story. Both powerful and entertaining, with the trademark Kage Baker humor and cynical attitude toward politics and society.
ejimenez's review
3.0
While there are number of enjoyable things about this book, in the end it suffers from external constraints. It was written to be the backstory of some of the characters in the first book of this series, and thus the ending was pre-ordained. This both decreases anticipation for a reader familiar with the first book and handicaps the author, who can't stray from that outcome.
virginiaduan's review
5.0
Don't let the cheesy cover and the stupid title fool you. This book is AWESOME. I put off reading this book for so long. (Yes, yes, I know. Don't judge a book by its cover and whatnot. Well, I did. Fie on my stupidity. Don't let me idiocy be yours!)
Fantastic world and story. Utterly engrossing and satisfyingly self-contained. Plus, if you are accustomed to high-fantasy tropes, you will be delighted by the humor and in-jokes.
I am sad because Baker has passed away so there will be no more new stories from her. However, I am pleased because now, there is a new author (to me, anyway) that I can now enjoy. EXCELLENT!
Fantastic world and story. Utterly engrossing and satisfyingly self-contained. Plus, if you are accustomed to high-fantasy tropes, you will be delighted by the humor and in-jokes.
I am sad because Baker has passed away so there will be no more new stories from her. However, I am pleased because now, there is a new author (to me, anyway) that I can now enjoy. EXCELLENT!
eclipse777's review
Hmm a strange book in the end , it starts off serious with the mc becoming a captive to wizards under a mountain and overcoming them eventually when he becomes wiser and stronger then them which I enjoyed but then round at the time where the mc escapes from the mountain the book totally changes it's tone from serious to lightness in a blink which I found jarring it was still enjoyable but for me the author should have stuck with just one tone.
What I didn't like the mc committed rape out of nowhere this didn't fit his character from earlier in the book and then proposed marriage to her and got married and the victim fall in love with him and had children together
There was also a very strange scene where an evil wooden puppet villian made one of her slaves to have sex with her which was cringing to read
To be honest I'm confused with this book I still not know what to make off it all.
What I didn't like the mc committed rape out of nowhere this didn't fit his character from earlier in the book and then proposed marriage to her and got married and the victim fall in love with him and had children together
There was also a very strange scene where an evil wooden puppet villian made one of her slaves to have sex with her which was cringing to read
To be honest I'm confused with this book I still not know what to make off it all.
sinuhe's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Quite an epic scope for a novel, and at the same time there's such a cozy domestic feel to it.
The bulk of the story is about Gard, half-demon and half-yendri, from his innocent boyhood in the peaceful forests to oppression by the Riders, enslavement in a mountain, life in the city, and finally his role as self-professed Dark Lord, the Master of the Mountain (different mountain); the rest is about the Saint, the mystical/religious savior of the yendri, a young woman with great powers. Of course, they get married.
What I like best is that it's an amazing story, of course, with each setting and group of characters finely-wrought by the author (who frequently manages a Pratchettian feel in the way high fantasy concepts rub shoulders with normalcy) - but also, a lot of aspects relating to sex and gender feel exceptionally well handled. Gard is a person, not an avatar for a fantasy of being degraded and then powerful or for toxically masculine fantasies of sex and revenge.
There are a few references to ambiguously consensual demon/yendri couplings, and Gard and the Saint's initial offscreen encounter is somewhat less ambiguously non-consensual - but he is ashamed of this, and he makes amends. Still, this is something you may want to know going in. (At the same time, I would normally run like hell from a plot point like that, but in context, perhaps because of the Saint's saintliness, it does work.)
The bulk of the story is about Gard, half-demon and half-yendri, from his innocent boyhood in the peaceful forests to oppression by the Riders, enslavement in a mountain, life in the city, and finally his role as self-professed Dark Lord, the Master of the Mountain (different mountain); the rest is about the Saint, the mystical/religious savior of the yendri, a young woman with great powers. Of course, they get married.
What I like best is that it's an amazing story, of course, with each setting and group of characters finely-wrought by the author (who frequently manages a Pratchettian feel in the way high fantasy concepts rub shoulders with normalcy) - but also, a lot of aspects relating to sex and gender feel exceptionally well handled. Gard is a person, not an avatar for a fantasy of being degraded and then powerful or for toxically masculine fantasies of sex and revenge.
There are a few references to ambiguously consensual demon/yendri couplings, and Gard and the Saint's initial offscreen encounter is somewhat less ambiguously non-consensual - but he is ashamed of this, and he makes amends. Still, this is something you may want to know going in. (At the same time, I would normally run like hell from a plot point like that, but in context, perhaps because of the Saint's saintliness, it does work.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Minor: Body horror, Torture, and Sexual assault
sallyepp's review
4.0
Love this author. It's good to know I can still devour a book like this in a day if I really want to.
cindywho's review
4.0
Kage Baker loved her heroes and she wrote a great story for Gard. It's a solid fantasy with slow and interesting world building, from the hidden valley of the Yendri to the ice mountain of the mages to wherever his journey takes him. He is mirrored by heroine that is designed to be good enough for him. The story is exciting and just quirky enough. The ending was a little meh, but I'm gonna miss this author, once I finish her works.
selfnoise's review
4.0
A really enjoyable fantasy picaresque with some clever deconstruction of the fantasy model. The increasingly conventional tone of the last section is a bit of a letdown.