Reviews - House of Open Wounds

401 reviews for:

House of Open Wounds

Adrian Tchaikovsky

4.4 AVERAGE

polymerzac's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark funny 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: Complicated

okelleok's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

lights_all_askew's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark sad tense

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

foobar's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

5donuts's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

thecaptainsquarters's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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: Complicated

Ahoy there mateys! This is the second book in the Tyrant Philosopher series. I wasn’t sure I was going to read more after the first book. However, the second book deals with life in a field hospital and that aspect was the hook. The majority of the book focuses on the members of the field team that are prisoners keeping the enemy alive in order to save their own lives.

I was also delighted that Yasnic from book one and his abandoned gods were back too. He is an engine of chaos no matter how much he tries to be unobtrusive in the background. I love how the Experimental Hospital unit uses the Gods and magic to save lives for an army of atheists. I love that the misfits become a found family.

This is a bit more straightforward in terms of writing style and wasn’t a mosaic novel like the first. That said the plot is very complicated, there is a lot of philosophical bend, and the novel is over 600 pages. It took a while to get acclimated but the book certainly paid off. I was fascinated by the ending and wonder where it will go from here.

If ye haven’t read Tchaikovsky, this is not the place to start. Book three is out. A novella (#2.5) is scheduled for October. I will read that first before reading the third. Book four is out in February 2026. Arrrr!