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nevarrum's review against another edition
4.0
You always pick up that next series after the one you loved with a sense of trepidation. Some authors create multiple worlds and characters with no problem some just can't move beyond some characters or worlds. Fortunately Jen moves away from the Copper Cat and her world to the Ninth Rain and new characters and settings with ease.
New characters are introduced and thrown together and apart with ease as the emerging world and story starts to come together. I really like Noon as a character but me liking a Gothic, moody, magic user is pretty much a given!
Tor and Vintage are initially are introduced separately and then when we meet them together the main story arc really starts.
The persecution of the fell-witches was an interesting parallel to so many real life events that you find yourself on Noons side almost immediately.
And just like that book 1 is done, the characters are introduced, the world building and context setting is done. The big bad is restored I guess it's time to open book 2 and see what happens next!
New characters are introduced and thrown together and apart with ease as the emerging world and story starts to come together. I really like Noon as a character but me liking a Gothic, moody, magic user is pretty much a given!
Tor and Vintage are initially are introduced separately and then when we meet them together the main story arc really starts.
The persecution of the fell-witches was an interesting parallel to so many real life events that you find yourself on Noons side almost immediately.
And just like that book 1 is done, the characters are introduced, the world building and context setting is done. The big bad is restored I guess it's time to open book 2 and see what happens next!
38_simulated's review
5.0
It's good to watch an author developing before your eyes. Jen Williams' previous books, The Copper Cat Trilogy were fun undemanding heroic fantasy, very clearly inspired by Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. The easy road would have been to keep turning out the Lankhmar pastiches, but this new book is on a different level. I'm not going to go into plot (because spoilers) but this is a vividly imagined world, with a great sense of place and history, some original concepts and engaging characters. Fantasy is a field that is very prone to repetition and staleness, but this is one of the freshest books I've read in the genre for a long time. Part two is definitely going to the top of my want list, if I can stick waiting another year!
sheepies's review
4.0
3.75 stars. good worldbuilding and well constructed fantasy, but idk i wasn't really drawn in completely. characters were nice but lacking in depth so i didn't connect with them. just overall felt like something was missing. still fun though
esmayrosalyne's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars
Even though there isn't really anything that I can point to that I absolutely loved about this book, I still enjoyed it quite a lot.
The world-building is really interesting and refreshing. There is also this sense of mystery and a little suspense, which made it intruiging to keep reading and uncover what this was all about.
It was a bit of a struggle to get into at first, because I just had no idea what the point of the book was going to be. However, after a while I did get used to the characters and started really liking where the story was going. It felt a bit meandering sometimes, but it didn't bring down my rating that much.
Very intruiging first installment, definitely will continue!
Even though there isn't really anything that I can point to that I absolutely loved about this book, I still enjoyed it quite a lot.
The world-building is really interesting and refreshing. There is also this sense of mystery and a little suspense, which made it intruiging to keep reading and uncover what this was all about.
It was a bit of a struggle to get into at first, because I just had no idea what the point of the book was going to be. However, after a while I did get used to the characters and started really liking where the story was going. It felt a bit meandering sometimes, but it didn't bring down my rating that much.
Very intruiging first installment, definitely will continue!
danibourret's review
4.0
Elven vampires, fire wielding witches, an invading alien bug race, ufos, a tree god that grows war beast, giant bats that you ride, a sea cult that is also the world’s leading drug ring that kidnaps women and forces into slave labor, glowing spirits that you don’t touch!, a eccentric scholar, a blood addict warrior and a runway witch. My god that’s a lot of crazy going on and yet Jen Williams somehow makes it all work!
JW definitely takes her own approach to fresh fantasy and while I wasn’t sure if this book was really fantasy or sci-fi at times I really enjoyed how she took elements from both genres and weaved them together in her story. Her writing and prose are very smooth and easy to follow along and the story flowed at a medium enjoyable pace. At least half of the first book is story set up but once the action started building it took off.
I absolutely loved our three main characters. Their banter with one another was hilarious and I loved how each of them really had their own recognizable personality. I’m definitely going to see where this crazy story is going in the next book.
JW definitely takes her own approach to fresh fantasy and while I wasn’t sure if this book was really fantasy or sci-fi at times I really enjoyed how she took elements from both genres and weaved them together in her story. Her writing and prose are very smooth and easy to follow along and the story flowed at a medium enjoyable pace. At least half of the first book is story set up but once the action started building it took off.
I absolutely loved our three main characters. Their banter with one another was hilarious and I loved how each of them really had their own recognizable personality. I’m definitely going to see where this crazy story is going in the next book.
noelleh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
3.75
madameana's review against another edition
3.0
2.75 stars. Solid start to a fantasy trilogy but it couldn't really draw me in. I can see why this is beloved by many other readers, it just didn't work for me. But if you're in the mood for a very weird, a bit paranormal fantasy story, go read this book!