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raptorimperator's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I think I liked this better than the previous book. With a clear enemy now, Nicci and company can focus on defending the city and the world at large. While slow at first, the story picks up in the middle and hits with a finale that sets up the next book with even bigger stakes.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
3.0
With Heart of Black Ice, the fourth and final volume of Sister of Darkness: The Nicci Chronicles, coming in January, I figured it was time to pick up the mass-market paperback and get caught up with the last installment, Siege of Stone.
This was a decent book, still better than some of the lesser Sword of Truth novels, but it doesn’t live up to the two really good books that opened the series. That’s partly due pacing (nothing significant happens for a very long time), partly to a lack of suspense (there are no surprises here, nobody ever really seems to be in jeopardy), and partly to a weakness in the main antagonist (General Utros and his stone army feel like more of a philosophical threat than a physical one).
The characters are part of the issue here as well. Nicci doesn’t seem like herself for most of the novel, although she does have her moments in the closing chapters, and Nathan is actually a little less interesting now that he has access to his powers once again, although he does get in some pretty impressive spells. Bannon continues to grow and evolve, and I like the ordinary hero theme that Terry Goodkind explores through him, although his personality remains a little bland. I was hoping his relationship with Lila might put a little fire into him, but he’s not quite there yet.
The highpoint here for me, and what has me most excited for the final volume, is two things – the transformation of the sliph from a force of magic to supporting character; and the threat posed by King Grieve, Chalk (one of the most interesting characters in the series) and the Norukai warriors as a whole. While Siege of Stone has issues with pacing, suspense, and overall sense of danger, the climax is suitably epic. It’s big, it’s violent, and it’s significant – something the rest of the book isn’t.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2019/11/22/book-review-siege-of-stone-by-terry-goodkind/
This was a decent book, still better than some of the lesser Sword of Truth novels, but it doesn’t live up to the two really good books that opened the series. That’s partly due pacing (nothing significant happens for a very long time), partly to a lack of suspense (there are no surprises here, nobody ever really seems to be in jeopardy), and partly to a weakness in the main antagonist (General Utros and his stone army feel like more of a philosophical threat than a physical one).
The characters are part of the issue here as well. Nicci doesn’t seem like herself for most of the novel, although she does have her moments in the closing chapters, and Nathan is actually a little less interesting now that he has access to his powers once again, although he does get in some pretty impressive spells. Bannon continues to grow and evolve, and I like the ordinary hero theme that Terry Goodkind explores through him, although his personality remains a little bland. I was hoping his relationship with Lila might put a little fire into him, but he’s not quite there yet.
The highpoint here for me, and what has me most excited for the final volume, is two things – the transformation of the sliph from a force of magic to supporting character; and the threat posed by King Grieve, Chalk (one of the most interesting characters in the series) and the Norukai warriors as a whole. While Siege of Stone has issues with pacing, suspense, and overall sense of danger, the climax is suitably epic. It’s big, it’s violent, and it’s significant – something the rest of the book isn’t.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2019/11/22/book-review-siege-of-stone-by-terry-goodkind/
kcoveles's review against another edition
3.0
This felt a bit like “filler” with no real character development, except for the bad guys. I missed the adventuring and discovery present in the previous installments of this series.
xaryon's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good story, but I could tell that he was running out of ideas as he was recycling his story. It was another ancient army from a war centuries before. Another massive army that creates overwhelming forces. Beyond that, it was a good story and looking forward to seeing how it ends.
ocean_the_reader's review against another edition
4.0
This one was my favorite. Although at some point the point of view switches so fast and constantly that it would be easy to get lost. And a lot of things happen at once but I personally don't mind that.
andydcaf2d's review
3.0
Wasn't all that fond of that type of ending. Prefer a little more closure even in a series
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