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ragand's review
challenging
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cannibalism, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Murder, Death, Gore, and Animal death
surdiablo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If you ever wanted to read about a ruthless, murderous sociopath protagonist for a change, this book is for you. It does not hold back in any way right from the beginning and it's such a wild ride seeing things from Jorg's point of view. It does require some suspension of disbelief however, a teenager being the leader of a vicious band of outlaws and always comes out alive in every scenario, but the way he does it is rather unpredictable or ridiculous that I had a good time reading it nonetheless. The story keeps shifting between present and past events however so that might ruin the flow if you dislike flashbacks chapters. I would recommend this if you are a fan of grimdark and don't mind mentions of rape or protagonist being a complete piece of crap.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Rape and Cannibalism
conprimo's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Child abuse
marie_thereadingotter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Review:
This is my first time reading true Dark Fantasy. I've read other books that call themselves dark fantasy, but after reading this, those feel a bit sugary.
Jorg is probably the worst kind of person, thoughtless murder, among other things. But what I like about that aspect of his character is that he never tries to pretend that he's anything but a shit person. He knows and uses it to his advantage as often as possible.
This is told from first-person perspective, and I've heard that some people struggled to read it because they didn't like being inside his head. I personally didn't have any difficulty with that, not sure what that says about me though.
There were chapters that were set four years previously, shortly after he was thrown in a briar bush depicting how he first met his band of "brothers", and how he was set on his path. It was a nice way to show what happened in the past that made him who becomes without the dreaded info-dump.
There are a number of side characters, many of them I didn't really bother to remember as they don't really play that big of a role in what is going on. Not to mention that most of them were given nicknames by the MC because he too seems them as expendable. Sir Makin and the Nuban are really the only ones he seems to remotely like, maybe even care for.
The only complaint I have for this book is that he really doesn't act his age. He's supposed to be 11- 14 through most of the book. I kept thinking he was older than 14, he acts like somebody in their mid-20s. Granted, people who go through trauma are often forced to grow up faster, and that could have been the case with him. But, he also doesn't talk like someone who has spent their formative years with thug-like people who likely can't read.
I really enjoyed this book though, and I am eager to read the rest of the trilogy. Mark Lawrence has quickly become a favorite author.
This is my first time reading true Dark Fantasy. I've read other books that call themselves dark fantasy, but after reading this, those feel a bit sugary.
Jorg is probably the worst kind of person, thoughtless murder, among other things. But what I like about that aspect of his character is that he never tries to pretend that he's anything but a shit person. He knows and uses it to his advantage as often as possible.
This is told from first-person perspective, and I've heard that some people struggled to read it because they didn't like being inside his head. I personally didn't have any difficulty with that, not sure what that says about me though.
There were chapters that were set four years previously, shortly after he was thrown in a briar bush depicting how he first met his band of "brothers", and how he was set on his path. It was a nice way to show what happened in the past that made him who becomes without the dreaded info-dump.
There are a number of side characters, many of them I didn't really bother to remember as they don't really play that big of a role in what is going on. Not to mention that most of them were given nicknames by the MC because he too seems them as expendable. Sir Makin and the Nuban are really the only ones he seems to remotely like, maybe even care for.
The only complaint I have for this book is that he really doesn't act his age. He's supposed to be 11- 14 through most of the book. I kept thinking he was older than 14, he acts like somebody in their mid-20s. Granted, people who go through trauma are often forced to grow up faster, and that could have been the case with him. But, he also doesn't talk like someone who has spent their formative years with thug-like people who likely can't read.
I really enjoyed this book though, and I am eager to read the rest of the trilogy. Mark Lawrence has quickly become a favorite author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, and Gore
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