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crimsoncor's review against another edition
4.0
You see why it took so long for this book, given how hard it has to work to arrive at the ending. Hurley talks about the directional change in the afterwards and I'm not going to say too much here, cause spoilers, but I understand why she made the changes that she did. I also think that really making that change would have had to involve rewriting parts of the earlier books, perhaps. Still a fantastic ending to the series.
noranne's review against another edition
3.0
I think I enjoyed this more than the previous books, but still not really my favorite series. Very violent and gory and confusing. Plus I didn't remember the first 2 books well and didn't care to reread them. All in all, an interesting premise and the writing itself was good, but the plot was a number and the characters never clicked with me.
mle667's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tricapra's review against another edition
4.0
I have one very important thing to tell you about this book, and this series as a whole: Don't be afraid to use the glossary of terms in the back. Look things and characters up if you don't quite remember them. It will be worth it. I promise.
Hurley has densely packed this book, from top to bottom, with so many little worldbuilding details that I'd be shocked if you could hold it all in your head. But that's why we're reading Hurley, right? RIGHT.
This is a fitting conclusion to the Worldbreaker saga. By about a quarter into this book, I was anxious. Things felt helpless, and overwhelming. That level of dread and tension continued til almost the last page. Hurley, as usual, pulls no punches. I won't say that she likes to make her characters suffer, but I will say that she doesn't hesitate to kick them while they're down. And boy, are they all down in this book.
Hurley manages to tie all the various threads of multiple characters from multiple worlds all together, in a narrative that is relentlessly paced and doesn't give you time to catch your breath. I almost wish there was a bit more at the end, there were so many characters and I wanted more reassurance that the ones left standing would be okay. But, after all, this is Kameron Hurley and that's not the way her worlds work. And her stories are always better for it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Honest review, etc. Now go read literally everything that Kameron Hurley has ever written.
Hurley has densely packed this book, from top to bottom, with so many little worldbuilding details that I'd be shocked if you could hold it all in your head. But that's why we're reading Hurley, right? RIGHT.
This is a fitting conclusion to the Worldbreaker saga. By about a quarter into this book, I was anxious. Things felt helpless, and overwhelming. That level of dread and tension continued til almost the last page. Hurley, as usual, pulls no punches. I won't say that she likes to make her characters suffer, but I will say that she doesn't hesitate to kick them while they're down. And boy, are they all down in this book.
Hurley manages to tie all the various threads of multiple characters from multiple worlds all together, in a narrative that is relentlessly paced and doesn't give you time to catch your breath. I almost wish there was a bit more at the end, there were so many characters and I wanted more reassurance that the ones left standing would be okay. But, after all, this is Kameron Hurley and that's not the way her worlds work. And her stories are always better for it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Honest review, etc. Now go read literally everything that Kameron Hurley has ever written.
lesbrary's review against another edition
4.0
The Worldbreaker Saga is a brutal, brilliant series. It is emphatically queer: it examines gender and sexuality from multiple angles, polyamorous configurations of genders are the norm for relationships, there are multiple non-binary point of view characters, and the main character is attracted to women. It boasts a huge cast of point of view characters and an ever-expanding setting made up of distinct, detailed cultures. It is complex and ambitious, and it challenged me at every turn. This is grimdark epic fantasy, so it’s far from a comfortable read–but it’s so very worth it.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
5.0
If I had to describe The Broken Heavens in a single word, ‘deceptive’ would be it. This is a book that’s deceptive in just about every way, and I can’t think of a better way to end the epic intensity of The Worldbreaker Saga.
As the book opens, we’re presented with what feels like a smaller, more intimate tale, one that is focused on a few key players and a pair of key conflicts – Lilia and the Dhai versus Kirana and the Tai Mora – but (of course) it’s not that simple. Lilia is just as much in conflict with the Dhai, challenging an entire philosophy of pacifism with her desire for revenge, and her followers are standing in the way of the nation’s retreat. Then there’s the matter of Lilia’s own deceit, hiding the fact that she burned herself out.
Layered on top of all that is the reminder that, when you’re dealing with multiple worlds, with parallel people crossing over between mirror universes, deception is everywhere. Compounding that confusion is the surprise return of characters thought dead, cloaked in questions of whether they really are the characters we think, or just mirror counterparts from another world. Adding to that doubt is a kind of self-deception, with one of those most surprising characters suffering from a sort of short-term amnesia, leaving us to wonder if they even know whether they’re the real deal.
“There’s always another monster, another and another, behind them. You kill them, you become them, you lose everything you ever cared for.”
And self-deception is not just limited to amnesiacs. There are so many characters here lumbering under their own sense of self-deception, fooling themselves as to what their true motives and goals might be. They have become so adept at spinning lies, at presenting the right illusion to those around them, that when it comes time to choose sides, to decide upon a course of action, they’re not even sure what they want. Of course, even the illusion of choice is a deception, as Roh reminds us:
“There are more than two choices. It’s not all good or evil, this or that. We have the power to find other choices . . . I thought I had two choices, always, but there were more than that, always.”
Perhaps the book’s biggest deception, however, is allowing us to believe that the conflict could ever be so simple, just one leader versus another, one race against another. There are glimpses of other worlds through, literal drop-in reminders of just how many people are fleeing the destruction of their own worlds, but the first real clue that there may be a third power to contend with almost sneaks by. It isn’t fully appreciated until after the fact . . . and by then it’s far too late.
In terms of characters, I really like how Kameron Hurley brought Lilia to a natural conclusion, allowing her growth, self-revelation, and moments of both triumph and tragedy. We see her full potential here, and she rises to the occasion. Kirana becomes even more well-rounded in this final chapter and, despite all that horrors for which she’s responsible, it becomes increasingly harder to simply see her as a villain. Taigan was always a favorite, and I really like their arc here, free from the magical compulsions of the first two books, and what Hurley does with their immortality is immensely satisfying. Roh gets back into the action, becoming a voice of reason and a guiding influence, if not quite the hero we might have expected, and Anavha becomes a character in his own right, defined by neither Zezili nor Natanial, and yet still very much cringing in their shadows.
“Owned. I know it’s wrong. I know you and Natanial don’t like it, but I miss it. I miss other people telling me what to do. I hate having choices…”
While I truly wondered how, or even if, the saga could end – the cyclical nature of sagas like The Dark Tower kept lurking in my thoughts – I think that is where The Broken Heavens shines brightest. It’s not just the characters and the conflicts that come to a head here, but the entire mythology of the worlds, the gates, and the temples. Given all the build-up to the temples, the satellites, and the breaking of worlds, there’s a lot to deliver here, and Hurley delivers on all of it. More importantly, she looks beyond the end, giving us a thoughtful meditation on all that’s happened and what it means going forward. Outstanding in every respect.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2020/07/02/the-broken-heavens-by-kameron-hurley/
As the book opens, we’re presented with what feels like a smaller, more intimate tale, one that is focused on a few key players and a pair of key conflicts – Lilia and the Dhai versus Kirana and the Tai Mora – but (of course) it’s not that simple. Lilia is just as much in conflict with the Dhai, challenging an entire philosophy of pacifism with her desire for revenge, and her followers are standing in the way of the nation’s retreat. Then there’s the matter of Lilia’s own deceit, hiding the fact that she burned herself out.
Layered on top of all that is the reminder that, when you’re dealing with multiple worlds, with parallel people crossing over between mirror universes, deception is everywhere. Compounding that confusion is the surprise return of characters thought dead, cloaked in questions of whether they really are the characters we think, or just mirror counterparts from another world. Adding to that doubt is a kind of self-deception, with one of those most surprising characters suffering from a sort of short-term amnesia, leaving us to wonder if they even know whether they’re the real deal.
“There’s always another monster, another and another, behind them. You kill them, you become them, you lose everything you ever cared for.”
And self-deception is not just limited to amnesiacs. There are so many characters here lumbering under their own sense of self-deception, fooling themselves as to what their true motives and goals might be. They have become so adept at spinning lies, at presenting the right illusion to those around them, that when it comes time to choose sides, to decide upon a course of action, they’re not even sure what they want. Of course, even the illusion of choice is a deception, as Roh reminds us:
“There are more than two choices. It’s not all good or evil, this or that. We have the power to find other choices . . . I thought I had two choices, always, but there were more than that, always.”
Perhaps the book’s biggest deception, however, is allowing us to believe that the conflict could ever be so simple, just one leader versus another, one race against another. There are glimpses of other worlds through, literal drop-in reminders of just how many people are fleeing the destruction of their own worlds, but the first real clue that there may be a third power to contend with almost sneaks by. It isn’t fully appreciated until after the fact . . . and by then it’s far too late.
In terms of characters, I really like how Kameron Hurley brought Lilia to a natural conclusion, allowing her growth, self-revelation, and moments of both triumph and tragedy. We see her full potential here, and she rises to the occasion. Kirana becomes even more well-rounded in this final chapter and, despite all that horrors for which she’s responsible, it becomes increasingly harder to simply see her as a villain. Taigan was always a favorite, and I really like their arc here, free from the magical compulsions of the first two books, and what Hurley does with their immortality is immensely satisfying. Roh gets back into the action, becoming a voice of reason and a guiding influence, if not quite the hero we might have expected, and Anavha becomes a character in his own right, defined by neither Zezili nor Natanial, and yet still very much cringing in their shadows.
“Owned. I know it’s wrong. I know you and Natanial don’t like it, but I miss it. I miss other people telling me what to do. I hate having choices…”
While I truly wondered how, or even if, the saga could end – the cyclical nature of sagas like The Dark Tower kept lurking in my thoughts – I think that is where The Broken Heavens shines brightest. It’s not just the characters and the conflicts that come to a head here, but the entire mythology of the worlds, the gates, and the temples. Given all the build-up to the temples, the satellites, and the breaking of worlds, there’s a lot to deliver here, and Hurley delivers on all of it. More importantly, she looks beyond the end, giving us a thoughtful meditation on all that’s happened and what it means going forward. Outstanding in every respect.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2020/07/02/the-broken-heavens-by-kameron-hurley/
jdfrens's review against another edition
5.0
Holy crap. This is so good. The world building is great. The detail, variety, and strangeness of the world building is amazing. (No one rides horses. I don't think horses exist. People ride bears and dogs!) I loved (nearly) all of the characters, and the plot was solid.
Each book in this trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion, and this one completes the trilogy very well.
Kameron Hurley is one of my new favorite authors.
Each book in this trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion, and this one completes the trilogy very well.
Kameron Hurley is one of my new favorite authors.
mikime's review against another edition
4.0
A satisfying and unexpected ending for this trilogy. The considerable number of of characters makes following each subplot sometimes challenging, especially because of the main premise and key element of this trilogy : the possibility of a person with sometimes similar experiences and personality, sometimes different, to come back through a mirror - gate from another, different world after the death of their homologue in this one. Each character in their own way and time seems to have died and been substituted by a different (or several , successively) "versions" of them during the trilogy. The final, dramatic part of this novel wraps up all the threads to a satisfying ending. I listened to the audiobook of this and the narrator did a good job.
lkarakitsaki's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
coaxmetal's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0