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edzwardo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
medusasrockgarden's review
5.0
I can't even explain how much I enjoyed this book, it was better than I was hoping and I was hoping it would be amazing. It's part alien invasion in a fantasy setting, part developing steam world, part adventure mystery (Lara Croft or National Treasure style), part fugitive on the run, part I don't even know it was just bloody amazing. I need to get the next two books.
Reread 2021: still 5 stars. Now to finally read the rest of the trilogy.
Reread 2021: still 5 stars. Now to finally read the rest of the trilogy.
bookobel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
lucydragione's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.75
asafae26's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-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
4.5
mojopie's review
5.0
I loved absolutely everything about this book. It hooked me from the very beginning with that brutal opening scene, and I didn't want to stop reading it. Williams does everything in this book so well, from the world to the plot to the characters. It's all so well done and I highly recommend picking this book up.
One of the things that shines brightest in this book is the world building. It is imaginative and unique, whilst still pulling on aspects of fantasy that are recognisable. It is such a strange mashup of so many things that it could have easily gone wrong, but Jen Williams executes it perfectly. This book somehow mixes high fantasy, aliens, witches, and vampiric creatures, so so well; it's so vivid and cool and exactly the type of fantasy world I want more of. Many aspects of the world are also a mystery, both to the characters and the reader, and it's fascinating trying to figure everything out and going on the journey with the characters to learn the truth. The mystery and the remnants of past invasions also created a sinister atmophere; it leaves us wondering what happened in the past, while the threat that another invasion might come is always lurking and builds as the story progresses, keeping you reading. I think the way that Williams built the story around the unknown aspects of the world was genius and made for a story that felt fresh and intriguing.
The Eborans and their history was so interesting; Ygseril, the cirmson flux, the war beasts, I loved it all and was desperate to know more. I really enjoyed how Williams took this idea of these vampiric creatues and made it her own. They felt completely new and unique but also fed right into my love of vampires. I really liked Williams' creation of this great civilisation that has slowly been destroyed by disease, while all of their knowledge has died with their people and left the rest of the world in danger, creating a creepy and sinister atmosphere in Ebora.The Winnowry and the Fell-witches were also a really cool aspect of the world; I hated the Winnowry for what they did to the witches, but I always enjoy when fantasy explores the idea of twisted, religious, cultlike groups like this. Also, I liked their giant bats. Exploring the Wilds was also great, and the parasite spirit were creepy but also really cool; and I love what we learned about them at the end.
I loved the characters as well. Vintage is just such a cool character and I loved her inquisitivness and passion. She is a true scholar and explorer, and her determination to uncover things made me even more interested in the answers myself. She's also super loyal and caring which was nice to see, and the fact that she clearly likes to collect strays (especially when they can be useful) also made me love her even more. Tor is grumpy, but he clearly has a good heart and is hiding from his trauma, which he acquires plenty more of in this book. I loved his attitude and sarcasm. Noon was amazing, seeing her come into her power was also so fun. She was conditioned to despise herself and see her power as something evil, but watching her as she learned to control it and to gain confidence in herself made me love her. The dynamic between Vintage, Noon, and Tor was great, and I liked how each of them needed the companionship of the others for different reasons and how they all relied on each other. I also loved the romance; the dream walking scenes were really sweet and I liked the dynamic between Noon and Tor in them. I also liked how she looked after him and refused to give up on him, taking responsibility for her actions in the process, even if he didn't thank her for it straight away. There was tension between them but also a loyalty that grew throughout the book as thry both realised how much they need and can help each other.
Aldasair was a cinnamon roll, and I really felt for him in the way that he forced himself to recover after so many years in confinement, pushing himself for the good of his people; I'm excited to see more of him in the mext books. Bern was also a sweetheart, especially in the kindness he showed towards Aldasair. I also enjoyed Hestillion's perspective a lot, there is a brutality in her character that I really like, but also a softness that just wants to see her people survive and I think the rest of her story is going to be really interesting.
There were twists and turns in this book, great action and intrigue that kept me turning the pages. The ending was superb and made me want to pick the next book up straight away.
For how much I loved this book, I feel like there should be more for me to say, but I'm afraid all I could do is just list every little thing about it and say I loved it. Just trust me and pick this up.
The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that I wish it had a map. Fantasy books should ALWAYS have maps.
One of the things that shines brightest in this book is the world building. It is imaginative and unique, whilst still pulling on aspects of fantasy that are recognisable. It is such a strange mashup of so many things that it could have easily gone wrong, but Jen Williams executes it perfectly. This book somehow mixes high fantasy, aliens, witches, and vampiric creatures, so so well; it's so vivid and cool and exactly the type of fantasy world I want more of. Many aspects of the world are also a mystery, both to the characters and the reader, and it's fascinating trying to figure everything out and going on the journey with the characters to learn the truth. The mystery and the remnants of past invasions also created a sinister atmophere; it leaves us wondering what happened in the past, while the threat that another invasion might come is always lurking and builds as the story progresses, keeping you reading. I think the way that Williams built the story around the unknown aspects of the world was genius and made for a story that felt fresh and intriguing.
The Eborans and their history was so interesting; Ygseril, the cirmson flux, the war beasts, I loved it all and was desperate to know more. I really enjoyed how Williams took this idea of these vampiric creatues and made it her own. They felt completely new and unique but also fed right into my love of vampires. I really liked Williams' creation of this great civilisation that has slowly been destroyed by disease, while all of their knowledge has died with their people and left the rest of the world in danger, creating a creepy and sinister atmosphere in Ebora.The Winnowry and the Fell-witches were also a really cool aspect of the world; I hated the Winnowry for what they did to the witches, but I always enjoy when fantasy explores the idea of twisted, religious, cultlike groups like this. Also, I liked their giant bats. Exploring the Wilds was also great, and the parasite spirit were creepy but also really cool; and I love what we learned about them at the end.
I loved the characters as well. Vintage is just such a cool character and I loved her inquisitivness and passion. She is a true scholar and explorer, and her determination to uncover things made me even more interested in the answers myself. She's also super loyal and caring which was nice to see, and the fact that she clearly likes to collect strays (especially when they can be useful) also made me love her even more. Tor is grumpy, but he clearly has a good heart and is hiding from his trauma, which he acquires plenty more of in this book. I loved his attitude and sarcasm. Noon was amazing, seeing her come into her power was also so fun. She was conditioned to despise herself and see her power as something evil, but watching her as she learned to control it and to gain confidence in herself made me love her. The dynamic between Vintage, Noon, and Tor was great, and I liked how each of them needed the companionship of the others for different reasons and how they all relied on each other. I also loved the romance; the dream walking scenes were really sweet and I liked the dynamic between Noon and Tor in them. I also liked how she looked after him and refused to give up on him, taking responsibility for her actions in the process, even if he didn't thank her for it straight away. There was tension between them but also a loyalty that grew throughout the book as thry both realised how much they need and can help each other.
Aldasair was a cinnamon roll, and I really felt for him in the way that he forced himself to recover after so many years in confinement, pushing himself for the good of his people; I'm excited to see more of him in the mext books. Bern was also a sweetheart, especially in the kindness he showed towards Aldasair. I also enjoyed Hestillion's perspective a lot, there is a brutality in her character that I really like, but also a softness that just wants to see her people survive and I think the rest of her story is going to be really interesting.
There were twists and turns in this book, great action and intrigue that kept me turning the pages. The ending was superb and made me want to pick the next book up straight away.
For how much I loved this book, I feel like there should be more for me to say, but I'm afraid all I could do is just list every little thing about it and say I loved it. Just trust me and pick this up.
The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that I wish it had a map. Fantasy books should ALWAYS have maps.
vuchs's review against another edition
3.0
Phew, I don't know either. I kept thinking about stopping the book, but then couldn't. (I hate not finishing something and rarely do).
And now? I don't know.
I have to say that I found the writing style generally very enjoyable. Nice sentence structure, great paraphrasing and you were able to really empathise with it.
But I found the phrasing of the characters living in Sarn exhausting. It was a strange mixture of "old" and "regionally peculiar" with an added "fuck" when something went wrong.
No, just not my jam.
I found the world-building and backstory exciting and cool, and I was also very intrigued by the Ebora with their War Beasts and Tree God. Plus the Jure'lia (and everything that goes with it) and the Parasite Spirits. All cool and exciting!
What I think I had the most problems with (apart from the characters' speech) was ... the characters themselves. And that's just shit.
I liked Noon very much and also Aldasair and Bern.
Unfortunately, I didn't warm up to Vintage and Tormalin at all ... and those are two of the three protagonists. I can understand that it takes a character like Vintage to get everything going (otherwise the constellation would never have come into being), but she unfortunately just gets on my nerves a lot and I just can't hear the "my dear" anymore. Tormalin (when he's not having cool chemistry with Noon) ... I dunno, just not my kind of character.
I don't know yet if I want to read on - it also feels wrong not to finish the trilogy, but I guess ... the urge to read the other two books is just not that big either.
And now? I don't know.
I have to say that I found the writing style generally very enjoyable. Nice sentence structure, great paraphrasing and you were able to really empathise with it.
But I found the phrasing of the characters living in Sarn exhausting. It was a strange mixture of "old" and "regionally peculiar" with an added "fuck" when something went wrong.
No, just not my jam.
I found the world-building and backstory exciting and cool, and I was also very intrigued by the Ebora with their War Beasts and Tree God. Plus the Jure'lia (and everything that goes with it) and the Parasite Spirits. All cool and exciting!
What I think I had the most problems with (apart from the characters' speech) was ... the characters themselves. And that's just shit.
I liked Noon very much and also Aldasair and Bern.
Unfortunately, I didn't warm up to Vintage and Tormalin at all ... and those are two of the three protagonists. I can understand that it takes a character like Vintage to get everything going (otherwise the constellation would never have come into being), but she unfortunately just gets on my nerves a lot and I just can't hear the "my dear" anymore. Tormalin (when he's not having cool chemistry with Noon) ... I dunno, just not my kind of character.
I don't know yet if I want to read on - it also feels wrong not to finish the trilogy, but I guess ... the urge to read the other two books is just not that big either.
gemmie's review
5.0
YEAH BABY!!!!! THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!
GIVE ME MORE ECLECTIC AND DENSE WORLD-BUILDING
GIVE ME MORE ECLECTIC AND DENSE WORLD-BUILDING