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blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
Just amazing. This was great fantasy, beautifully written and what a tale it told. I read like 80% in one day, I could not put it down. I was immersed in it.
In the last book the Emperor was killed and the aftermath left the City weak. This is a messed up place and I like it for that. They are fighting on many fronts and they are sending out every man and woman they can. Which in turn is stupid because their numbers are dwindling. It's a City on its last legs. Constant warfare, a blockade at sea. And Immortals fighting among themselves.
My favorite POV was Rubin, a son of the 7 families, spy, loyal to Marcellus, and sent on missions that will probably get him killed.
Then there was Em and Evan. The orphan and the soldier. She had something others wanted, and he was loyal to the bone.
And yes so many others. Valla who becomes a bodyguard. Members of the 7 families; the Immortals. All playing their part in defending the city, and the city's destruction.
The book is really about the City and those who live there, and I also found out why they live there. Why it was created and at the end, was this the end? Yes, everything fell into place *coughs* in one way or another. But the aftermath, there are still stories to tell, and I would love to read more, but I am happy with the ending I got. Still, I need more.
It was masterfully crafted. And a tale I could not stop reading. I recommend it, but you really should read The City first. Lots happened in that one. This is fantasy after all.
Did I say it was great!? It was great.
In the last book the Emperor was killed and the aftermath left the City weak. This is a messed up place and I like it for that. They are fighting on many fronts and they are sending out every man and woman they can. Which in turn is stupid because their numbers are dwindling. It's a City on its last legs. Constant warfare, a blockade at sea. And Immortals fighting among themselves.
My favorite POV was Rubin, a son of the 7 families, spy, loyal to Marcellus, and sent on missions that will probably get him killed.
Then there was Em and Evan. The orphan and the soldier. She had something others wanted, and he was loyal to the bone.
And yes so many others. Valla who becomes a bodyguard. Members of the 7 families; the Immortals. All playing their part in defending the city, and the city's destruction.
The book is really about the City and those who live there, and I also found out why they live there. Why it was created and at the end, was this the end? Yes, everything fell into place *coughs* in one way or another. But the aftermath, there are still stories to tell, and I would love to read more, but I am happy with the ending I got. Still, I need more.
It was masterfully crafted. And a tale I could not stop reading. I recommend it, but you really should read The City first. Lots happened in that one. This is fantasy after all.
Did I say it was great!? It was great.
peter_xxx's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second book about the city. The story here hinges greatly on characters and events of the first book. Some seemingly small details of the first book became very important here.
I liked this book, the writing, the characters and the story. But there were 2 things that bothered me a bit.
1. there is a whole section in the book that is happening at the same time or even before the events of the first book. I found some of these parts a bit boring. I felt that there was not enough tension in those parts. this feeling was also caused a bit by point 2
2. This book assumes that you have recently read and remembered the first book. There are some revelations in here that I did not immediately got because the first book was to hazy in my memory.
Other then these things this is a nice, modern take on low fantasy.
I liked this book, the writing, the characters and the story. But there were 2 things that bothered me a bit.
1. there is a whole section in the book that is happening at the same time or even before the events of the first book. I found some of these parts a bit boring. I felt that there was not enough tension in those parts. this feeling was also caused a bit by point 2
2. This book assumes that you have recently read and remembered the first book. There are some revelations in here that I did not immediately got because the first book was to hazy in my memory.
Other then these things this is a nice, modern take on low fantasy.
readunderthestars23's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of The Immortal Throne from Penguin Random House New Zealand to review. This is the sequel to The City which I read and reviewed last month. You can read my review here.
This book picks up during the events of The City, just before the rebellion. This time there are new characters, some that were mentioned in the first book but now have their own
perspective, and they’re on the other side of the rebellion. After 175 pages the characters that were still alive at the end of the first book, and are still in the City, are back and I think it picks up a little over six months later.. But don’t quote me on that.
I had mixed feeling while I read about the other side of the rebellion. I still wanted the emperor dead but I found myself backing these characters as they fought to save their home. I think if I still had a copy of The City I would have compared some of the scenes but I took it back to the library a while ago.
Just like the first book, The Immortal Throne had so much going on that I had to take notes to remind myself what happened for this review. I don’t put spoilers in any of my reviews, or I try not to, but I needed to remind myself of all the twists, betrayals, and deaths (not as much death as the first book though). I like the fact that Gemmell kills off a character while we’re still reading in their perspective. There have been a handful of characters who have been telling their stories and have been randomly killed off while doing it.
I have enjoyed both books, even though they both felt like they took forever to read. They didn’t. I couldn’t put them down. I did think The Immortal Throne was better than The City but that’s probably because I was familiar with the world and some characters. I didn’t need that much of an introduction into this world like I did while I read The City.
I don’t know if they’ll be a third book. There were a few storylines left hanging which makes me think that there might be another book. And the epilogue completely confused me. I didn’t understand that at all. I’m hoping there will be another book because I want to know what happened to the characters that didn’t get an ending and just vanished before the book was finished.
This book picks up during the events of The City, just before the rebellion. This time there are new characters, some that were mentioned in the first book but now have their own
perspective, and they’re on the other side of the rebellion. After 175 pages the characters that were still alive at the end of the first book, and are still in the City, are back and I think it picks up a little over six months later.. But don’t quote me on that.
I had mixed feeling while I read about the other side of the rebellion. I still wanted the emperor dead but I found myself backing these characters as they fought to save their home. I think if I still had a copy of The City I would have compared some of the scenes but I took it back to the library a while ago.
Just like the first book, The Immortal Throne had so much going on that I had to take notes to remind myself what happened for this review. I don’t put spoilers in any of my reviews, or I try not to, but I needed to remind myself of all the twists, betrayals, and deaths (not as much death as the first book though). I like the fact that Gemmell kills off a character while we’re still reading in their perspective. There have been a handful of characters who have been telling their stories and have been randomly killed off while doing it.
I have enjoyed both books, even though they both felt like they took forever to read. They didn’t. I couldn’t put them down. I did think The Immortal Throne was better than The City but that’s probably because I was familiar with the world and some characters. I didn’t need that much of an introduction into this world like I did while I read The City.
I don’t know if they’ll be a third book. There were a few storylines left hanging which makes me think that there might be another book. And the epilogue completely confused me. I didn’t understand that at all. I’m hoping there will be another book because I want to know what happened to the characters that didn’t get an ending and just vanished before the book was finished.
disniq's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
larakaa's review against another edition
4.0
The final twist was a bit too corny for me. The Serafin being time travelers from the future to alter the past...but until that point, a very thrilling fantasy story.
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