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gottimus's review against another edition
5.0
Love how they continue the story in the same world as dragon blood! Woot!
andyreadsfantasy's review
5.0
A little corny and cliche, but I couldn’t put it down. It totally captured my attention, and that’s the main thing I look for when I’m giving 5 stars.
bulbasaurusthe7th's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 35%.
Man, this book is not good. Very, very not good.
The author has an astonishing amount of works there, so when it comes to work ethic, I have to salute her, but it honestly feels like she has huge issues when it comes to some other things. Some authors develop in their skill levels very fast, you can see the huge jumps in quality. Here I'm just disappointed. After so many thousands of pages and so many great ratings the whole thing feels very amateur and very... juvenile, honestly. Sure, there are rookie mistakes that are called that because rookies do them and they are common. But she isn't such a rookie. I am disappointed.
Steampunk is something that's either a hit or a miss with people, it's relatively controversial when it comes to subgenres. I personally love it. One of my biggest discoveries last year was Anthony Ryan's Draconis Memoria, I am a huge fan of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding, it all just appeals to me. So I was over the moon when I found an indie author with a steampunk series with dragons. Cool stuff, right?
Would be if the whole execution wasn't so BAD.
Snappy, humorous dialogue isn't easy, I understand. I'm not great at coming up with stuff like that, truly. I have no idea why everyone feels they can ace that shit, honestly. Here it's an absolute disaster in the most childish, "14-year-old sasses in a Tumblr post" way. Sometimes it feels like a lot of authors hinder themselves with spending so much time online and developing the very same type of dialogue writing as you can see in every clone of a clone "I'm so random" blog or comment section. It's derivative, not that funny and... honestly, it doesn't fit the setting. That has to be considered as well; maybe you quip like a god in a casual way with your friends or something, but not every setting benefits from 201X humour. (It will also really date the writing, by the way.)
The humour is not the only thing smashing my immersion, either. The characters are soldiers, they communicate with their subordinates and bosses and NOBODY is ever even just remotely professional. Zero discipline, zero respect. Commanders don't cutesy-cutesy with their wives in front of subordinates they met 2 minutes ago. The way they talk to each other wouldn't fly in any even just barely professional setting.
Sure, you can say it's fantasy, but that doesn't excuse the seemingly nonexistent knowledge the author has about any wartime protocol. It's horrid.
Now we also have the dreadful characters. They are idiots, plain and simple. Priceless weapons just get handed over to random people. Our heroine with 3 uni degrees has no idea how to fix a wobbly table. Important information gets thrown around casually and without proper thinking.
And of course we have to have our "bestestest smartest female character who is such a little victim of men". Not stale at all. She also blabbers like crazy about supposedly smart things that are basic and people are amazed. Then she looks at an attacking dragon and magically calculates everything for the soldiers to shoot it, because she is a Big Bang Theory level of "genius".
I will be honest, this was a dumpster fire. I will not mention it to anyone (except to point out it's baaaaaaad), I will not read the sequels or anything else by the author Epic fail.
Have a nice day and let me storm out now!
Man, this book is not good. Very, very not good.
The author has an astonishing amount of works there, so when it comes to work ethic, I have to salute her, but it honestly feels like she has huge issues when it comes to some other things. Some authors develop in their skill levels very fast, you can see the huge jumps in quality. Here I'm just disappointed. After so many thousands of pages and so many great ratings the whole thing feels very amateur and very... juvenile, honestly. Sure, there are rookie mistakes that are called that because rookies do them and they are common. But she isn't such a rookie. I am disappointed.
Steampunk is something that's either a hit or a miss with people, it's relatively controversial when it comes to subgenres. I personally love it. One of my biggest discoveries last year was Anthony Ryan's Draconis Memoria, I am a huge fan of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding, it all just appeals to me. So I was over the moon when I found an indie author with a steampunk series with dragons. Cool stuff, right?
Would be if the whole execution wasn't so BAD.
Snappy, humorous dialogue isn't easy, I understand. I'm not great at coming up with stuff like that, truly. I have no idea why everyone feels they can ace that shit, honestly. Here it's an absolute disaster in the most childish, "14-year-old sasses in a Tumblr post" way. Sometimes it feels like a lot of authors hinder themselves with spending so much time online and developing the very same type of dialogue writing as you can see in every clone of a clone "I'm so random" blog or comment section. It's derivative, not that funny and... honestly, it doesn't fit the setting. That has to be considered as well; maybe you quip like a god in a casual way with your friends or something, but not every setting benefits from 201X humour. (It will also really date the writing, by the way.)
The humour is not the only thing smashing my immersion, either. The characters are soldiers, they communicate with their subordinates and bosses and NOBODY is ever even just remotely professional. Zero discipline, zero respect. Commanders don't cutesy-cutesy with their wives in front of subordinates they met 2 minutes ago. The way they talk to each other wouldn't fly in any even just barely professional setting.
Sure, you can say it's fantasy, but that doesn't excuse the seemingly nonexistent knowledge the author has about any wartime protocol. It's horrid.
Now we also have the dreadful characters. They are idiots, plain and simple. Priceless weapons just get handed over to random people. Our heroine with 3 uni degrees has no idea how to fix a wobbly table. Important information gets thrown around casually and without proper thinking.
And of course we have to have our "bestestest smartest female character who is such a little victim of men". Not stale at all. She also blabbers like crazy about supposedly smart things that are basic and people are amazed. Then she looks at an attacking dragon and magically calculates everything for the soldiers to shoot it, because she is a Big Bang Theory level of "genius".
I will be honest, this was a dumpster fire. I will not mention it to anyone (except to point out it's baaaaaaad), I will not read the sequels or anything else by the author Epic fail.
Have a nice day and let me storm out now!
lewistronb's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
kdf_333's review
3.0
so these are 3 years after the [b:The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3|23840035|The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3|Lindsay Buroker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1427826076s/23840035.jpg|43450958] series (8 volumes!). the old heros are there but the 2 main protagonist (and future lovey dovey couple) are different.
i don't know if it's because they are 10-20 years younger than the previous MC's or new to their positions or what but they are annoying. not always annoying but A LOT. the constant inner monologue of insecurity in their jobs/knowledge/abilities and "does he/she like me"reminds me of teenagers in YA novels. SIGH.
i am only on book 2 so i hope they get more secure in themselves after they complete this mission. cuz my eyes are getting tired of rolling. and i am starting to annoy my own self with all my mental sighs.
#kidsbelikedotheylikeme #kidsbelikeamidoingthisright #kidsbelikeihopeidontgetfired #sogladiamnotthatinsecureanymore
i don't know if it's because they are 10-20 years younger than the previous MC's or new to their positions or what but they are annoying. not always annoying but A LOT. the constant inner monologue of insecurity in their jobs/knowledge/abilities and "does he/she like me"reminds me of teenagers in YA novels. SIGH.
i am only on book 2 so i hope they get more secure in themselves after they complete this mission. cuz my eyes are getting tired of rolling. and i am starting to annoy my own self with all my mental sighs.
#kidsbelikedotheylikeme #kidsbelikeamidoingthisright #kidsbelikeihopeidontgetfired #sogladiamnotthatinsecureanymore
thinde's review
2.0
DNF 35%
There's something that's "off" about the world-building here. A civilization that has planes and gun-powder but simplistic politics that you might find in a feudal village.
The Dragons have no foundation to their motivations. They are God-tier powerful, indestructible, immortal, etc., and yet they care about what humans are doing. I can't imagine how having a nation of enslaved humans would improve their life one iota. So why all the destruction and murder? Are they children stomping on an ant-hill perhaps?
And finally, the human characters were quirky, well-meaning, and upbeat. If my entire civilization was under dire threat, I'd expect some dark humor, sure, but not inane jokes, sexual innuendo, and an all-around positive attitude. Even children's fiction is allowed dark themes and emotional turmoil.
Look, it's not all that bad. It's just the total lack of realism in tone and detail that rubbed me the wrong way.
There's something that's "off" about the world-building here. A civilization that has planes and gun-powder but simplistic politics that you might find in a feudal village.
The Dragons have no foundation to their motivations. They are God-tier powerful, indestructible, immortal, etc., and yet they care about what humans are doing. I can't imagine how having a nation of enslaved humans would improve their life one iota. So why all the destruction and murder? Are they children stomping on an ant-hill perhaps?
And finally, the human characters were quirky, well-meaning, and upbeat. If my entire civilization was under dire threat, I'd expect some dark humor, sure, but not inane jokes, sexual innuendo, and an all-around positive attitude. Even children's fiction is allowed dark themes and emotional turmoil.
Look, it's not all that bad. It's just the total lack of realism in tone and detail that rubbed me the wrong way.
simply_sam's review
3.0
Eh, it was okay. There was some good and some meh. It was the first book in a series, so we'll just see where it goes from here.
marget_orange's review against another edition
4.0
A good book!
A very good book! The start of a series, that definitely does end one nought of a cliffhanger to count as one, so if you object to that, be warned. Thought the next two books are available so it is fairly easy to find out how THIS one is resolved.
Anyway, as I expect from this author, a very fun and exciting read. I do enjoy her books in this universe and her other fantasy universe (emperor's edge). This is written as a great entry point into this universe as well. There are many stories that come before, but you do not need any of them to happily read this, and I believe you will be caught up in a fun new world within a chapter or two!
If you have read other books of her's set in this universe, her quality is most definitely up to par and you will find many familiar much loved characters appearing and being their normal amusing selfs, even if they are not the main focus.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book. I think you might too if you enjoy fantasy.
A very good book! The start of a series, that definitely does end one nought of a cliffhanger to count as one, so if you object to that, be warned. Thought the next two books are available so it is fairly easy to find out how THIS one is resolved.
Anyway, as I expect from this author, a very fun and exciting read. I do enjoy her books in this universe and her other fantasy universe (emperor's edge). This is written as a great entry point into this universe as well. There are many stories that come before, but you do not need any of them to happily read this, and I believe you will be caught up in a fun new world within a chapter or two!
If you have read other books of her's set in this universe, her quality is most definitely up to par and you will find many familiar much loved characters appearing and being their normal amusing selfs, even if they are not the main focus.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book. I think you might too if you enjoy fantasy.
csheehan72's review against another edition
2.0
I like a lot of Buroker's series, but this one is not my favorite so far. I may try reading one more to see if it just takes a while to get into.