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sionna's review against another edition
3.0
So... I really don't know how I feel about this book.
Over half the book was me thinking how much I did not want to read this book, but then I enjoyed the ending???
Let's talk about the problems I had first:
The world-building was really lacking. I wanted to know the history and how the magic system worked.
I was a little bored reading this, but I think it is because I would be confused or not drawn in -- yes, that is what it is. I wasn't hooked or dedicated to the book, but I wanted to be.
I really doesn't help this book that I was extremely distracted by the movies my fiance was watching and the continuous cramps I'm living through this week. Because of this, I knew I had to read the book to the end and gave it an extra .5 star making a full 3 stars. There is a lot of good nuggets to this book and here are some I liked:
This book is seriously character-driven. I do like this, but I need some balance with the world-building. That being said, the characters really are cool. There are a few I forgot about (the cousins) or I thought changed completely, but others that I could never forget about such as Ciarra, Ward, Oleg, and Pansy (hehehe).
Ward. Ward is awesome. I love how throughout the book he doesn't know who he is, but in the end he figures it out and has to come to terms with being who he is. I thought this was great to read. Also, he is slow-talking--a very different trait given to a MC.
Female representation. There are DIFFERENT types of females-- there are strong fighters (Stala and Thalia [?]), there are...is... well that one girl (I don't want to give anything away), and Ciarra who I feel is emotionally strong.
There is not too much action in this book, but the action and strategy that happens is interesting.
If you like high-fantasy and adventure books, then I think you should check this one out. I will be reading the sequel... eventually haha.
Don't forget.... Hurog means Dragon ;)
Over half the book was me thinking how much I did not want to read this book, but then I enjoyed the ending???
Let's talk about the problems I had first:
The world-building was really lacking. I wanted to know the history and how the magic system worked.
I was a little bored reading this, but I think it is because I would be confused or not drawn in -- yes, that is what it is. I wasn't hooked or dedicated to the book, but I wanted to be.
I really doesn't help this book that I was extremely distracted by the movies my fiance was watching and the continuous cramps I'm living through this week. Because of this, I knew I had to read the book to the end and gave it an extra .5 star making a full 3 stars. There is a lot of good nuggets to this book and here are some I liked:
This book is seriously character-driven. I do like this, but I need some balance with the world-building. That being said, the characters really are cool. There are a few I forgot about (the cousins) or I thought changed completely, but others that I could never forget about such as Ciarra, Ward, Oleg, and Pansy (hehehe).
Ward. Ward is awesome. I love how throughout the book he doesn't know who he is, but in the end he figures it out and has to come to terms with being who he is. I thought this was great to read. Also, he is slow-talking--a very different trait given to a MC.
Female representation. There are DIFFERENT types of females-- there are strong fighters (Stala and Thalia [?]), there are...is... well that one girl (I don't want to give anything away), and Ciarra who I feel is emotionally strong.
There is not too much action in this book, but the action and strategy that happens is interesting.
If you like high-fantasy and adventure books, then I think you should check this one out. I will be reading the sequel... eventually haha.
Don't forget.... Hurog means Dragon ;)
bogormen1983's review against another edition
3.0
This was a read based purely on the look of the danish cover. I love it, the cover that is. However this is somewhat of a miracle that i scored this book 3 stars as it was so mindnumbingly tedious to begin with. If i hadnt been so determind to finish this book i would have given up long ago. The majority of the problems i have with this books is that i felt it near impossible to connect to the characters. Towards the end the story it self got a little better and it was easier to connect with the characters as well. I hated the ending as it peaked my interest and now i have to read the second book as well.
katemiller41's review against another edition
2.0
By far my least favorite Patricia Briggs book to date. It was much slower moving, with less in depth characters, and not nearly as clear of a plot. It all felt sort of muddled, and for being one of her earlier works, it's forgivable.
The main character, Wardwick, was very bland. While he was certainly likable, I didn't find myself feverishly flipping pages to cheer him on through the chapters. And, if there's one thing that keeps me coming back to Briggs' books it's her remarkable knack at creating characters you can't help but love. Briggs did end up with one of these characters in this book, but he took a backseat until much later in the novel: Oreg. I loved his character, and after finishing the book, I wish Briggs had written the story from his point of view. It would have proven to be a much more interesting view of Hurog and its history. But, I digress.
The plot felt...unfinished. The characters were wandering through a half developed world, and only half concocted plans. Ward struck out on an adventure to "win" back his kingdom, but through that middle chunk of the book, nothing really happened. They killed a few bandits, but mostly they just wandered.
To me, it felt like a rough draft, I guess. Briggs was feeling out her characters, plot, and setting, and never really made clear what she decided on. But of course, I'm going to read the sequel. Maybe things will clear up a little bit then.
The main character, Wardwick, was very bland. While he was certainly likable, I didn't find myself feverishly flipping pages to cheer him on through the chapters. And, if there's one thing that keeps me coming back to Briggs' books it's her remarkable knack at creating characters you can't help but love. Briggs did end up with one of these characters in this book, but he took a backseat until much later in the novel: Oreg. I loved his character, and after finishing the book, I wish Briggs had written the story from his point of view. It would have proven to be a much more interesting view of Hurog and its history. But, I digress.
The plot felt...unfinished. The characters were wandering through a half developed world, and only half concocted plans. Ward struck out on an adventure to "win" back his kingdom, but through that middle chunk of the book, nothing really happened. They killed a few bandits, but mostly they just wandered.
To me, it felt like a rough draft, I guess. Briggs was feeling out her characters, plot, and setting, and never really made clear what she decided on. But of course, I'm going to read the sequel. Maybe things will clear up a little bit then.
ifihadatail7's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book, Patricia Briggs is one of my favorite authors.
sanya986's review against another edition
4.0
The writing style is very good, easy to read, concise and intelligent. With few words you get just enough description, it's more atmospheric than descriptive. It has multiple pov's, but in the first person pov sentences are short, coming from a person who knows what to do, say and think. Ward is strong, determined, calculate, self aware, but antiheroic. He was acting for years to be someone he's not and then he realizes he doesn't know exactly who he is supposed to be. He is socially awkward, but unconsciously and not deliberately charismatic. He thinks poorly of himself, but that is not how other people begin to think of him throughout the story. The story itself is multilayered, considering the shortness. There are a lot of well developed characters, the plot is very interesting. Magic system is open for speculation, but some aspects of it are very logically described. There is quite a number of difficult themes like homosexuality, rape, torture, drugs etc. Which is rare in epic fantasy, or at least was until some point.
visibletouch's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
This was simple and good with some intriguing characters but the plot dragged a bit amidst so much of the main character's perspective about his not being stupid versus needing to act dumb which started out as interesting but got old quickly. I liked the characters and action well enough to enjoy this installment but I don't feel the need for more stories from this world.
This was simple and good with some intriguing characters but the plot dragged a bit amidst so much of the main character's perspective about his not being stupid versus needing to act dumb which started out as interesting but got old quickly. I liked the characters and action well enough to enjoy this installment but I don't feel the need for more stories from this world.
jakeanq's review
medium-paced
- 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
corar's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this books. I appreciated that most characters were complex. There were only few purely good or purely evil people in the story. Most had plenty of shades of gray and others weren't always what they seemed. The story was a typical hero's journey, but I did enjoy the ride. There were a couple of twists that caught me by surprise despite the predictable story line. Overall it was a good beginning to a two book duology, which I do plan to continue reading, that I would recommend to fans of traditional fantasy.
librarycatnip's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book so much. I appreciate the attention Briggs pays to body language and to the effects and patterns of abuse.
11/13/15
Every time I read this book, I am impressed with Briggs' understanding of the nuances of abusive patterns and effects. How safety feels, and how the behaviors we adapt can continue after the abusive situation ends.
2/14/2020 This time I noticed more of how parts of Ward, he feels, come from his father. He's uncomfortable with them, and sometimes actively does things to mitigate that effect - like using a sword instead of an ax or morning star. And sometimes he uses those parts of himself for specific effects. It's nice to think it is possible to recognize where some of these parts come from, but be able to separate oneself from them. They're not who he is.
11/13/15
Every time I read this book, I am impressed with Briggs' understanding of the nuances of abusive patterns and effects. How safety feels, and how the behaviors we adapt can continue after the abusive situation ends.
2/14/2020 This time I noticed more of how parts of Ward, he feels, come from his father. He's uncomfortable with them, and sometimes actively does things to mitigate that effect - like using a sword instead of an ax or morning star. And sometimes he uses those parts of himself for specific effects. It's nice to think it is possible to recognize where some of these parts come from, but be able to separate oneself from them. They're not who he is.