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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
3.75.
I have so many questions.
And my toxic side is totally rooting for the Vulture.
I have so many questions.
And my toxic side is totally rooting for the Vulture.
1/5 🌟
In the year of 2011, the fanfiction "Masters of the Universe" was published under the name of "Fifty Shades of Grey" and enjoyed great commercial success. Following in E.L. James' footsteps, in the year of 2019 the fanfiction "My Immortal" was published under the name "Wicked Saints" and it somehow ended up in my hands. This is my story.
To be very honest and fair, I read very few books and end up thinking "if this can get published, so can anyone," because that's not actually true - but this is one of those books. I'm sorry. Send me to hell if you'd like.
Many reviewers are making parallels between Malachiasz and Kylo Ren, but I don't know jack shit about Star Wars, so I'll focus on what I do know: Dungeons & Dragons.
It does not surprise me at all to open the author's twitter page and see tweet after tweet after tweet about Critical Role. Because this is what this book is: a very bad, poorly thought out Dungeons & Dragons QUEST. It's not even a campaign, it's just a clichéd quest that every party eventually goes through: king yearns for more power than he has, let's infiltrate his court, sidestep his powerful mages and kill him. That's it, that's the entire book and also a quest I'd write up at two in the morning on the day before the session when I have nothing else to throw at my players.
There's zero world-building here, because we're only seeing a quest and not the big picture, so the book fails to engage you in its most basic sense. It relies heavily on religion without having a carefully constructed pantheon - which is something that is VERY difficult to write and that's why most fantasy works touch only very lightly on the subject - and never discussing the theme in depth. Why is religion like this in this world? Why is this pantheon like this? What constitutes heresy? Which side is right, if that's even possible? None of those questions are asked in the narrative.
The word "monster" is thrown around literally all the time with absolute no thought about what that means in terms of character arc or the plot. Honestly, Malachiasz can't say a word without someone going "YOU'RE SUCH A MONSTER" when in reality... what has he done tbh? He has fangs, sure, but go off I guess.
I don't have anything good to say about any of the characters, because both POVs have very few dimensions and everyone else feels like cardboard cutouts of NPCs who are only there to give the party information through exposition and explanations about a world they should know about because they live in it, so they can continue on in their quest to kill the evil king.
And as the cover of this book says: let them fear her (the writing).
In the year of 2011, the fanfiction "Masters of the Universe" was published under the name of "Fifty Shades of Grey" and enjoyed great commercial success. Following in E.L. James' footsteps, in the year of 2019 the fanfiction "My Immortal" was published under the name "Wicked Saints" and it somehow ended up in my hands. This is my story.
To be very honest and fair, I read very few books and end up thinking "if this can get published, so can anyone," because that's not actually true - but this is one of those books. I'm sorry. Send me to hell if you'd like.
Many reviewers are making parallels between Malachiasz and Kylo Ren, but I don't know jack shit about Star Wars, so I'll focus on what I do know: Dungeons & Dragons.
It does not surprise me at all to open the author's twitter page and see tweet after tweet after tweet about Critical Role. Because this is what this book is: a very bad, poorly thought out Dungeons & Dragons QUEST. It's not even a campaign, it's just a clichéd quest that every party eventually goes through: king yearns for more power than he has, let's infiltrate his court, sidestep his powerful mages and kill him. That's it, that's the entire book and also a quest I'd write up at two in the morning on the day before the session when I have nothing else to throw at my players.
There's zero world-building here, because we're only seeing a quest and not the big picture, so the book fails to engage you in its most basic sense. It relies heavily on religion without having a carefully constructed pantheon - which is something that is VERY difficult to write and that's why most fantasy works touch only very lightly on the subject - and never discussing the theme in depth. Why is religion like this in this world? Why is this pantheon like this? What constitutes heresy? Which side is right, if that's even possible? None of those questions are asked in the narrative.
The word "monster" is thrown around literally all the time with absolute no thought about what that means in terms of character arc or the plot. Honestly, Malachiasz can't say a word without someone going "YOU'RE SUCH A MONSTER" when in reality... what has he done tbh? He has fangs, sure, but go off I guess.
I don't have anything good to say about any of the characters, because both POVs have very few dimensions and everyone else feels like cardboard cutouts of NPCs who are only there to give the party information through exposition and explanations about a world they should know about because they live in it, so they can continue on in their quest to kill the evil king.
And as the cover of this book says: let them fear her (the writing).
The magic in the work the author created was cool, the not knowing who to trust felt to me to be too much, Nadya basically had a meltdown about who to trust every 5 minutes and it annoyed me, only reason I didn’t give a higher rating. I otherwise enjoyed the story.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Edit: Rating removed in light of everything that came out about Emily A. Duncan.
-------------------
Quick Stats:
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: This book is my new obsession. Wicked Saints is dark, gritty, sometimes horrific, and thoroughly compelling.
”You have plunged yourself into the dark where the monsters dwell, now you must fight them off before you’re consumed.”
// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Abuse, Torture, Self Harm, Blood & Gore, Alcoholism, War Themes, Murder //
- Premise -
Wicked Saints is told in two, third person point of views, following Nadya, a cleric, and Serefin, a powerful blood mage and High Prince of Tranavia. Tranavia has been in a violent holy war with Nadya’s country, Kalyazin, and they’re winning. But Nadya may be able to change this. She is the last known cleric, and when she prays, the gods answer and grant her magic. She believes she can turn the tides of the war and save her people, and in order to do so, she joins forces with three strangers, one of which a powerful blood mage, Malachiasz, to kill the King of Tranavia and end the war for good. Meanwhile, Serefin has been on the war front for years, but when his father tells him to return home, paranoia takes root, and he begins to wonder if the palace is more dangerous than battle.
”Blood and blood and bone. Magic and monsters and tragic power.”
- Writing & Setting -
This may be Emily A. Duncan’s debut novel, but you cannot tell. Her writing style is vivid, atmospheric, and beautiful. Her style and voice is similar to Leigh Bardugo but has a unique aspect that makes it clearly hers. She balances the darkness, bloodiness, and the grim reality of her world, with the occasional bit of humor and fun quips. Speaking of her world-- oh my god this setting. Kalyazin and Tranavia are basically fantasy medieval Russia and Poland, and while that influence is clear, they both are extremely well developed and manage to feel completely separate from their real-life counterparts. I really loved this setting. You can tell that Emily A. Duncan did her homework because the world is so tangible and just amazing. There is so much history included in this book and I absolutely adored it.
”Running to save herself for some greater purpose was a bitter survival when it meant losing everything and everyone with each step she took.”
- Plot -
So, before jumping into this I heard mixed reviews about the beginning. Some people said it was slow, and some people said it was quick, and I’m sorry to say that I agree with them both. While the beginning jumps into action immediately, it definitely takes about 80 pages to get used to the characters and setting enough to become fully immersed. But seriously, it’s worth it. This book has so many twists and turns, and you never know who to believe and what to trust. My heart was broken so many times, then healed, then broken again.
“He was a liar and she wanted his truths.”
- Characters -
I just need to say it right up front- I love Malachiasz so much. This monstrous, anxious boy is amazing and by far my favorite part of this book. He has some great quips, and such a fascinating (and somewhat tragic) backstory and I. Am. So. Invested. Seriously, this character is my life now. I would die for him, and he would let me. But I can’t rant about him forever, because there are two other disastrous characters I now love. Nadya is fantastic. She has some great development and feels grounded, with natural doubts and insecurities while remaining a strong character. And then there’s Serefin. Awkward, charming, and probably alcoholic Serefin. Nadya at one point describes him as favoring self-deprecation and complaints and honestly? Same. After reading this book, I really can’t blame Serefin for drinking so much and I probably would too. We also have some great side characters (Parijahan, Rashid, Ostyia, and Kacper), and I really look forward to seeing more of them in the rest of the series.
”You must make a choice, little bird. Do you continue with your wings clipped or do you fly?”
- Conclusion -
Pros- Amazing characters, immersive setting, beautiful writing, honestly everything about this book is a pro
Cons- That ending hurt me and Emily’s tweets about book 2 are just scaring me now.
Overall- 5/5 stars.
Wicked Saints is perfection. Its enthralling, magical, epic, and unforgettable. Just be prepared to be willing to die for the sequel.
*All quotes are taken from the bound manuscript and are subject to change*
Follow Me Here: Blog ||Tumblr || Bookstagram || Twitter|| Reviews
Bonus! More Quotes That I Can't Stop Thinking About:
”War didn’t care for carefully laid plans.”
”Iron must be tested.”
”’Go pray,’ he said to Nadya, putting the full weight of his loathing in the word pray. ‘Ask your gods to accomplish the impossible.’”
”She would bring this country to its knees.”
”’We’re all monsters, Nadya,’ Malachiasz said, his voice gaining a few tangled chords of chaos. ‘Some of us just hide it better than others.’”
”Dazzle the monsters, Nadya. You’ve already charmed the worst of the lot; the rest should be easy.”
”I was born with the potential for monstrosity, as all people are.”
"Don’t be a martyr. We have no use for yet another saint."
"You could be exactly what these countries need to stop their fighting. Or you could rip them apart at the seams."
-------------------
Quick Stats:
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: This book is my new obsession. Wicked Saints is dark, gritty, sometimes horrific, and thoroughly compelling.
”You have plunged yourself into the dark where the monsters dwell, now you must fight them off before you’re consumed.”
// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Abuse, Torture, Self Harm, Blood & Gore, Alcoholism, War Themes, Murder //
- Premise -
Wicked Saints is told in two, third person point of views, following Nadya, a cleric, and Serefin, a powerful blood mage and High Prince of Tranavia. Tranavia has been in a violent holy war with Nadya’s country, Kalyazin, and they’re winning. But Nadya may be able to change this. She is the last known cleric, and when she prays, the gods answer and grant her magic. She believes she can turn the tides of the war and save her people, and in order to do so, she joins forces with three strangers, one of which a powerful blood mage, Malachiasz, to kill the King of Tranavia and end the war for good. Meanwhile, Serefin has been on the war front for years, but when his father tells him to return home, paranoia takes root, and he begins to wonder if the palace is more dangerous than battle.
”Blood and blood and bone. Magic and monsters and tragic power.”
- Writing & Setting -
This may be Emily A. Duncan’s debut novel, but you cannot tell. Her writing style is vivid, atmospheric, and beautiful. Her style and voice is similar to Leigh Bardugo but has a unique aspect that makes it clearly hers. She balances the darkness, bloodiness, and the grim reality of her world, with the occasional bit of humor and fun quips. Speaking of her world-- oh my god this setting. Kalyazin and Tranavia are basically fantasy medieval Russia and Poland, and while that influence is clear, they both are extremely well developed and manage to feel completely separate from their real-life counterparts. I really loved this setting. You can tell that Emily A. Duncan did her homework because the world is so tangible and just amazing. There is so much history included in this book and I absolutely adored it.
”Running to save herself for some greater purpose was a bitter survival when it meant losing everything and everyone with each step she took.”
- Plot -
So, before jumping into this I heard mixed reviews about the beginning. Some people said it was slow, and some people said it was quick, and I’m sorry to say that I agree with them both. While the beginning jumps into action immediately, it definitely takes about 80 pages to get used to the characters and setting enough to become fully immersed. But seriously, it’s worth it. This book has so many twists and turns, and you never know who to believe and what to trust. My heart was broken so many times, then healed, then broken again.
“He was a liar and she wanted his truths.”
- Characters -
I just need to say it right up front- I love Malachiasz so much. This monstrous, anxious boy is amazing and by far my favorite part of this book. He has some great quips, and such a fascinating (and somewhat tragic) backstory and I. Am. So. Invested. Seriously, this character is my life now. I would die for him, and he would let me. But I can’t rant about him forever, because there are two other disastrous characters I now love. Nadya is fantastic. She has some great development and feels grounded, with natural doubts and insecurities while remaining a strong character. And then there’s Serefin. Awkward, charming, and probably alcoholic Serefin. Nadya at one point describes him as favoring self-deprecation and complaints and honestly? Same. After reading this book, I really can’t blame Serefin for drinking so much and I probably would too. We also have some great side characters (Parijahan, Rashid, Ostyia, and Kacper), and I really look forward to seeing more of them in the rest of the series.
”You must make a choice, little bird. Do you continue with your wings clipped or do you fly?”
- Conclusion -
Pros- Amazing characters, immersive setting, beautiful writing, honestly everything about this book is a pro
Cons- That ending hurt me and Emily’s tweets about book 2 are just scaring me now.
Overall- 5/5 stars.
Wicked Saints is perfection. Its enthralling, magical, epic, and unforgettable. Just be prepared to be willing to die for the sequel.
*All quotes are taken from the bound manuscript and are subject to change*
Follow Me Here: Blog ||Tumblr || Bookstagram || Twitter|| Reviews
Bonus! More Quotes That I Can't Stop Thinking About:
”War didn’t care for carefully laid plans.”
”Iron must be tested.”
”’Go pray,’ he said to Nadya, putting the full weight of his loathing in the word pray. ‘Ask your gods to accomplish the impossible.’”
”She would bring this country to its knees.”
”’We’re all monsters, Nadya,’ Malachiasz said, his voice gaining a few tangled chords of chaos. ‘Some of us just hide it better than others.’”
”Dazzle the monsters, Nadya. You’ve already charmed the worst of the lot; the rest should be easy.”
”I was born with the potential for monstrosity, as all people are.”
"Don’t be a martyr. We have no use for yet another saint."
"You could be exactly what these countries need to stop their fighting. Or you could rip them apart at the seams."
Spoiler
(This one is kinda spoilery. I figured I should tag it just in case). ”A boy made king of monsters for a kingdom of the damned.”
3.5
Not pleased with the ending at all. I don't know why I even thought it would be satisfying when it is a trilogy that isn't even done yet, but still I did. Some of the chapters were too unrealistically floofy and weird and too many words. I am still not sure what happened with the climax and some of the story wasn't really set up in the way that would have been more enjoyable. The love story wasn't my favorite here, and I wanted more magic and fighting and excitement. I am really glad I listened to this story though--with the heavily Russian/Eastern Europe influences in the names and pronunciations, I never could have done it on my own. Solid writing, and pretty unique.
Not pleased with the ending at all. I don't know why I even thought it would be satisfying when it is a trilogy that isn't even done yet, but still I did. Some of the chapters were too unrealistically floofy and weird and too many words. I am still not sure what happened with the climax and some of the story wasn't really set up in the way that would have been more enjoyable. The love story wasn't my favorite here, and I wanted more magic and fighting and excitement. I am really glad I listened to this story though--with the heavily Russian/Eastern Europe influences in the names and pronunciations, I never could have done it on my own. Solid writing, and pretty unique.
I cannot wait for the sequel to this! I loved every single character. I loved every single plot twist. I need to know what happens next!
A fascinating world, and a gripping read. Some stupid in love out of nowhere, though. Still, a rush of a book, full of magic. I'll be reading the next book.
3.5 stars
I had some qualms with this book. I really loved the storyline and where it could have gone, but i found a lot of the book to be predictable and I had to reread quite a few sections because I kept getting lost. The names of characters are lengthy, but I enjoy them! The characters themselves are intriguing and the more I get to know them, the more I like them but also get frustrated. I will be trying book two, but I am not as excited as I normally am for a series, which is disheartening.
I had some qualms with this book. I really loved the storyline and where it could have gone, but i found a lot of the book to be predictable and I had to reread quite a few sections because I kept getting lost. The names of characters are lengthy, but I enjoy them! The characters themselves are intriguing and the more I get to know them, the more I like them but also get frustrated. I will be trying book two, but I am not as excited as I normally am for a series, which is disheartening.
Wicked Saints was an epic tale and definitely one I had never experienced before. It was so much darker than I was expected but that made it all the more unique. Never had I went on such a gothic fantasy tale with as much blood magic as this book encompassed. It was a journey and one I am grateful to had went on.
It's a bit hard for me to review this because there were so many parts that I enjoyed, and yet knowing it was only the first in a trilogy, I felt it was rather anticlimactic in some parts. Let me explain, I personally have difficulty were I have to refer to a pronunciation guide while reading. I have to come up with nicknames for each character I can't pronounce just so I don't get so caught up in trying to figure it out. Does that make sense? It's not that I don't care for unique names, I truly do, but I could only pronounce maybe 3 characters names in this whole book. So like, when I try to talk about this book to friends it's just going to be a bunch of "Yeah the character with...", "the prince, whatever his name was...", "and that bird guy...". Know what I mean?
This book was able to mix godly powers, blood magic, politics, and romance all into a single novel which was done so beautifully that those elements alone should make you go grab a copy. Okay, I mean apart from the most gorgeous book jacket you could ever add to your shelf, but hey, one thing at a time.
There are two rival nations at war, the Kalyazin and Tranavia. We are centered around Nadya who is one of the most powerful clerics and is sought after for her wicked powers. She may just happen to be able to communicate with the gods by her prayers. Serefin is the prince of Tranavia who is a powerful blood mage with an agenda for power. Now this book is centered around those two characters, there is also a character (whose name I can't pronounce so I called him Myk) Malachiasz. He is this rebel, who becomes an ally with Nadya trying to flee from Tranavia. He is very dark and mysterious. I won't give spoilers but just keep an eye on this one.
All these characters have one thing in common and that is to overthrow the King of Tranavia. Their paths cross many times, and yet they aren't discovered until near the end of the novel.
While this book took us for many turns, they felt rather anticlimactic. It could be that this book was overhyped and I knew too much about it going in, but I wish there was more of those "jaw-dropping" moments that could hold the reader in. I felt like the first half of the book was rather slow, and the only thing holding me in was the element of "What's going to happen next" but only for a certain character.
There are some trigger warnings going into this, so just be aware of them and make sure you are in the right state of mind before diving in.
Self-Harm
Violence
Parental Abuse
War Theme
Abandonment
Gore
Torture
Abduction
I hope you guys enjoy this book as much as I did!
Until Next Time,
DauntlessReading
It's a bit hard for me to review this because there were so many parts that I enjoyed, and yet knowing it was only the first in a trilogy, I felt it was rather anticlimactic in some parts. Let me explain, I personally have difficulty were I have to refer to a pronunciation guide while reading. I have to come up with nicknames for each character I can't pronounce just so I don't get so caught up in trying to figure it out. Does that make sense? It's not that I don't care for unique names, I truly do, but I could only pronounce maybe 3 characters names in this whole book. So like, when I try to talk about this book to friends it's just going to be a bunch of "Yeah the character with...", "the prince, whatever his name was...", "and that bird guy...". Know what I mean?
This book was able to mix godly powers, blood magic, politics, and romance all into a single novel which was done so beautifully that those elements alone should make you go grab a copy. Okay, I mean apart from the most gorgeous book jacket you could ever add to your shelf, but hey, one thing at a time.
There are two rival nations at war, the Kalyazin and Tranavia. We are centered around Nadya who is one of the most powerful clerics and is sought after for her wicked powers. She may just happen to be able to communicate with the gods by her prayers. Serefin is the prince of Tranavia who is a powerful blood mage with an agenda for power. Now this book is centered around those two characters, there is also a character (whose name I can't pronounce so I called him Myk) Malachiasz. He is this rebel, who becomes an ally with Nadya trying to flee from Tranavia. He is very dark and mysterious. I won't give spoilers but just keep an eye on this one.
All these characters have one thing in common and that is to overthrow the King of Tranavia. Their paths cross many times, and yet they aren't discovered until near the end of the novel.
While this book took us for many turns, they felt rather anticlimactic. It could be that this book was overhyped and I knew too much about it going in, but I wish there was more of those "jaw-dropping" moments that could hold the reader in. I felt like the first half of the book was rather slow, and the only thing holding me in was the element of "What's going to happen next" but only for a certain character.
There are some trigger warnings going into this, so just be aware of them and make sure you are in the right state of mind before diving in.
Self-Harm
Violence
Parental Abuse
War Theme
Abandonment
Gore
Torture
Abduction
I hope you guys enjoy this book as much as I did!
Until Next Time,
DauntlessReading