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amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Another great addition to one of my new favourite series! It wasn't as action-heavy as the last novel, but it was a lot of fun and had lots of character growth, especially around Lila, who remains just as stubborn and snarky as ever. I actually really liked the larger role that Deah played, and the set-up for the next book was really exciting. There were some surprises I didn't see coming, and I can't wait to see how they're used. The only thing I was hoping for was a little more challenge as far as the Tournament went. An obstacle course and one-on-one matches are great, but I was hoping for a little more monster action. Anyway, the book was a lot of fun and I can't wait for the next one!
witchylevy's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the way the story progresses! Seeing Lila become more involved in relationships, friendships, and building connections is heartwarming. I suspected the villian's identity, but it was brilliant.
fyrekatz's review against another edition
5.0
Luved it and can't wait til book 3... review will be up on blog very soon!
talya_'s review against another edition
3.0
This book is so predictable that I'm actually wondering if the author meant for her readers to be able to guess every single thing before it happened.
rikerandom's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, ich glaube, ich werde kein wirklicher Fan dieser Serie von Jennifer Estep mehr. Dazu muss ich sagen, dass ich "Mythos Academy" wirklich geliebt habe und auch "Elemental Assassin" ziemlich gut fand und im Endeffekt ist auch "Black Blade" keine schlechte Serie, aber sie ist meiner Meinung nach eben bei weitem nicht so gut, wie Jennifer Esteps andere Serien und das merkt man auch an diesem zweiten Teil, "Black Blade: Das dunkle Herz der Magie".
Ich denke, mein größtes Problem waren zum einen die Charaktere, die hier und da ein wenig zu überzeichnet waren, und zum anderen die doch etwas vorhersehbare Handlung - zugegeben, auch in Mythos Academy war die Handlung alles andere als großartig innovativ, aber irgendwie konnten mich da die restlichen Elemente deutlich mehr fesseln, vielleicht ist "Black Blade" auch einfach endgültig zu viel des immer gleichen, sodass es mir langsam aber sicher auf die Nerven geht.
Allerdings muss ich auch dazu sagen, dass "Black Blade" die erste Serie der Autorin ist, die ich nicht auf Englisch gelesen habe und wenn ich davon ausgehe, dass sie im Original ähnlich gut geschrieben ist, wie die ersten beiden Serien, dann wären das allerdings noch ein paar Pluspunkte, denn die Übersetzung ist hier und da etwas... seltsam? Zumindest war ich mir nicht immer sicher, wie genau die vorliegende Wortwahl zu deuten ist, weil die Worte einfach seltsam waren - zum Glück kam das aber nur selten vor.
Alles in allem ist "Black Blade: Das dunkle Herz der Magie" von Jennifer Estep wie schon der erste Band "Black Blade: Das eisige Feuer der Magie" kein schlechtes Buch, meiner Meinung nach kann es meiner Meinung nach allerdings definitiv nicht mit den anderen Serien von Jennifer Estep aufnehmen und wirkt irgendwie ein wenig... ausgelutscht? Schlechter als Teil eins ist dieser hier allerdings auch nicht.
Ich denke, mein größtes Problem waren zum einen die Charaktere, die hier und da ein wenig zu überzeichnet waren, und zum anderen die doch etwas vorhersehbare Handlung - zugegeben, auch in Mythos Academy war die Handlung alles andere als großartig innovativ, aber irgendwie konnten mich da die restlichen Elemente deutlich mehr fesseln, vielleicht ist "Black Blade" auch einfach endgültig zu viel des immer gleichen, sodass es mir langsam aber sicher auf die Nerven geht.
Allerdings muss ich auch dazu sagen, dass "Black Blade" die erste Serie der Autorin ist, die ich nicht auf Englisch gelesen habe und wenn ich davon ausgehe, dass sie im Original ähnlich gut geschrieben ist, wie die ersten beiden Serien, dann wären das allerdings noch ein paar Pluspunkte, denn die Übersetzung ist hier und da etwas... seltsam? Zumindest war ich mir nicht immer sicher, wie genau die vorliegende Wortwahl zu deuten ist, weil die Worte einfach seltsam waren - zum Glück kam das aber nur selten vor.
Alles in allem ist "Black Blade: Das dunkle Herz der Magie" von Jennifer Estep wie schon der erste Band "Black Blade: Das eisige Feuer der Magie" kein schlechtes Buch, meiner Meinung nach kann es meiner Meinung nach allerdings definitiv nicht mit den anderen Serien von Jennifer Estep aufnehmen und wirkt irgendwie ein wenig... ausgelutscht? Schlechter als Teil eins ist dieser hier allerdings auch nicht.
singsthewren's review against another edition
4.0
Another great installment in this series! I was engaged and eager to read more the whole way through. I figured out who the bad guy was just early enough to feel smug about it, though there were still some mysteries I didn't get until they were revealed, which I really liked. It all wove together really nicely.
I found the fight scenes a little boring, and a lot of the book is about the tournament, which knocked it down from five stars to four for me.
Can't wait to read the final one!
I found the fight scenes a little boring, and a lot of the book is about the tournament, which knocked it down from five stars to four for me.
Can't wait to read the final one!
jscarpa14's review against another edition
4.0
While I loved this title, the angsty interior monologue while Lila fought to admit her feelings for Devon, and her feelings for her friends dragged a little for me. I wouldn't have minded some of it, but she spent a good portion of the book stuck inside her own head. Additionally in the last book she was resigned to put her life ahead of her revenge, but in this book she's willing to risk anything to get that vengeance for her mom. The 180 just didn't quite work for me. Finally I missed the Loch Ness. Sure the creature doesn't have any lines in any book that I know of, but it had such a wonderful presence in the last one, like a loyal pet, or a noble protector that I really hoped to see more of relationship between Lila and the monster to develop in this book. Not relationship as in romantically, but more as in the sort of bond one makes with an animal and that doesn't happen as the monster is barely a blip in this book.
That said the action and danger seemed to be even more intense in this book than the last one. The villain is in my opinion a bit predictable, but I don't believe it's knowing the answer that makes the story, it's the journey the writer takes you on before she officially reveals it that makes or breaks the story. Or at least that's how it is for me as a reader and Estep offers a roller coaster of plot twists, bumps and turns in the getting there. She introduced a couple of new characters, and more importantly lets us get to know more about the characters who have already appeared. Insight into Claudia and Moe's history are revealed. Secrets about many different Dracone characters are supplied. That character development alone makes this book worth reading, but when it's combined with a thrilling and edge of your seat plot it's not a book you can just put down and walk away from.
Whether you're an adult or ya reader of urban fantasy I truly believe you'll love this second installment of the Black Blade series.
That said the action and danger seemed to be even more intense in this book than the last one. The villain is in my opinion a bit predictable, but I don't believe it's knowing the answer that makes the story, it's the journey the writer takes you on before she officially reveals it that makes or breaks the story. Or at least that's how it is for me as a reader and Estep offers a roller coaster of plot twists, bumps and turns in the getting there. She introduced a couple of new characters, and more importantly lets us get to know more about the characters who have already appeared. Insight into Claudia and Moe's history are revealed. Secrets about many different Dracone characters are supplied. That character development alone makes this book worth reading, but when it's combined with a thrilling and edge of your seat plot it's not a book you can just put down and walk away from.
Whether you're an adult or ya reader of urban fantasy I truly believe you'll love this second installment of the Black Blade series.
angie_stl's review against another edition
4.0
I was given a copy of this book by netgalley for an honest review.
4 1/2 Stars
At the end of Cold Burn of Magic, the previous book in this series, I wasn't sure if I was a fan or not. I decided that I would read at least this second offering to see if I could make a solid decision after this, and I have. I am a huge fan of the Black Blade series. As with most of Estep's books (I'm also a huge fan of the Elemental Assassins books), Dark Heart was filled with action, making me not want to stop for any kind of breaks. Though I was pretty sure I'd figured out who or what the Big Bad was by halfway into the book, there was enough doubt to keep me rethinking my possible bad guy. And there are tons of suspects to choose from!
I would not recommend picking up this second book as your first one in the series, as that there is a LOT of history explained in the first book. This book starts with Devon, Felix and Lila trying to corral a tree troll that has been pelting tourists in one of the squares with fruit. Lila climbs up in the tree with the troll and talks to him, and realizes there's something scaring and terrorizing all the smaller monsters around Cloudburst Falls.
Lila also soon finds out about the Tournament of Blades, a tournament of sword fighting put on by all the Families, working together. For the time that the tournament is going on, there's a truce of sorts between all the Families, at least as much of a truce as you can have when a good portion of your people are all fighting against each other. And Lila, along with Devon, is put in to fight as one of the Sinclair competitors. The tournament is one of the biggest action packed events of the book, from start to finish. Luckily it only lasts for two or three days, because between all the adrenaline Lila and Devon are throwing out while competing and the stress they encounter with all the events going on in the evenings, they wouldn't have been able to go much longer with the non-stop action they had going on in their lives. This one kept me riveted from start to finish, including the peek into the third book, Bright Blaze of Magic. It has an ongoing plot line that started in the first book. I look forward to it in April of 2016!!
4 1/2 Stars
At the end of Cold Burn of Magic, the previous book in this series, I wasn't sure if I was a fan or not. I decided that I would read at least this second offering to see if I could make a solid decision after this, and I have. I am a huge fan of the Black Blade series. As with most of Estep's books (I'm also a huge fan of the Elemental Assassins books), Dark Heart was filled with action, making me not want to stop for any kind of breaks. Though I was pretty sure I'd figured out who or what the Big Bad was by halfway into the book, there was enough doubt to keep me rethinking my possible bad guy. And there are tons of suspects to choose from!
I would not recommend picking up this second book as your first one in the series, as that there is a LOT of history explained in the first book. This book starts with Devon, Felix and Lila trying to corral a tree troll that has been pelting tourists in one of the squares with fruit. Lila climbs up in the tree with the troll and talks to him, and realizes there's something scaring and terrorizing all the smaller monsters around Cloudburst Falls.
Lila also soon finds out about the Tournament of Blades, a tournament of sword fighting put on by all the Families, working together. For the time that the tournament is going on, there's a truce of sorts between all the Families, at least as much of a truce as you can have when a good portion of your people are all fighting against each other. And Lila, along with Devon, is put in to fight as one of the Sinclair competitors. The tournament is one of the biggest action packed events of the book, from start to finish. Luckily it only lasts for two or three days, because between all the adrenaline Lila and Devon are throwing out while competing and the stress they encounter with all the events going on in the evenings, they wouldn't have been able to go much longer with the non-stop action they had going on in their lives. This one kept me riveted from start to finish, including the peek into the third book, Bright Blaze of Magic. It has an ongoing plot line that started in the first book. I look forward to it in April of 2016!!