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nonesensed's review
5.0
Seven years ago Illi Basbowen survived the near destruction of the city of Ghadid, the city she'd been raised to protect, her birthplace, her home. Now that Ghadid has been rebuilt, she'll do anything to keep it safe, to make sure the Siege is never repeated. Even if it means sacrificing her own life - or sanity.
Now that I was prepared for the near genre-shift from the first book, I enjoyed this third book more than the second. Also, this one had clearer connections to the first book, tying up dangling sub-plots that I was looking forward to see where they would end up.
Now that I was prepared for the near genre-shift from the first book, I enjoyed this third book more than the second. Also, this one had clearer connections to the first book, tying up dangling sub-plots that I was looking forward to see where they would end up.
caycroissant's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
akemichan's review
4.0
Sono contenta di aver continuato la saga, raro che l'ultimo libro sia il migliore e invece eccoci qui. Non che non abbia alcuni difetti già riscontrati nei precedenti, ma allarga il mondo e allarga i rapporti fra i vari personaggi meglio dei precedenti.
Anzi, se avesse fatto una trilogia solo su questa storia, forse sarebbe riuscita meglio.
Quello che mi dispiace, in realtà, è che fra tutti i personaggi femminili qui presenti, alla fine l'unico personaggio a cui io mi sia affezionata è invece Heru...
Anzi, se avesse fatto una trilogia solo su questa storia, forse sarebbe riuscita meglio.
Quello che mi dispiace, in realtà, è che fra tutti i personaggi femminili qui presenti, alla fine l'unico personaggio a cui io mi sia affezionata è invece Heru...
sfmcqueen's review
5.0
Oh my God damn. The final book in this series topped it off, more queer rep. More everything. The world is expanded upon in this instalment and the story stays grounded and believable.
Also a certain someone's first flame comes back and I could DIEEEEE
Also a certain someone's first flame comes back and I could DIEEEEE
aromarrie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
i'm really happy to have discovered this series the way i did. sometimes, recommendations can come completely by chance and even a random infographic on bookstagram can stick with you for a while. the one thing that is at the center for all three books in this series that i wholeheartedly admire is how much the characters are who drove the story. and they are the ones who have you wanting to read until the end. learning about these assassin characters and the oaths they live by as they swear themselves to protect their city was incredible because we got to see how each and every one of them showed their dedication in different ways.
in the slow-burn murder mystery that was the first book, amastan was someone who had a lot of doubt in himself in his capability to kill a mark, and then the story eventually grew even bigger as he found himself at odds with a mysterious killer who was offing his cousins. because of this, he found himself forced himself into a position where he had to reckon with what was right and what was wrong, and what felt necessary for the good of his family. in the second book, thana's character had a much more fiery spirit and was eager to succeed under the weight of her family's eyes being that she was the Serpent's daughter, only to step into what became quite a bizarre journey that completely reshaped what she thought she knew about her mark and the dangers that come into play when handling a contract. in this book? illi was like a shadow of herself, a cousin who was dealing with the trauma of an event that occurred off-page near the end of the second book. this event completely uprooted her family and especially herself, and above all, it made her desperate to find a way to make sure nothing could ever take down her city again. this desperation leads her to make questionable decisions that added a lot of tension to the story as she ends up involving herself in something that was much bigger than her body could handle, and heru (a significant character we meet in thana's story) assists with that.
i found it very interesting, the relationship that was explored here between illi & heru because it's one that's very odd and has its complications, but there was some semblance of respect that was shared between them--heru, who was considered an outcast by the people of Ghadid due to his practices that were viewed as a sham against G-d, and illi, who learned second-hand about these practices and felt urged to lean closely into if it meant protecting all the people she loves so that they don't become lost like the others before. she threw herself forward as a martyr but it felt much more intense than that because she was also isolating herself from making any sort of connections or letting anyone close in since it always felt like there were dangers hovering near the horizon.
canthem's character was another interesting aspect to this story because they were only supposed to be a brief smudge in illi's life, someone to share one night with without any strings attached, only to then have that smudge grow bigger & bigger so that she eventually couldn't just ignore them. in all the scenes that we see canthem with illi, they added a lighthearted feel to an overall grim story because even with all the guul that are to be fought and strangers to steer clear of, canthem connected to illi and had a charm that made it impossible to forget them. they made it impossible to forget about how there could be more than always staying on edge and letting that chip on your shoulder guide every decision you make. they leaned into having illi learn that there is something beyond the horizon that isn't all just smoke & fire, but much rather something light and hopeful. on the journey towards that road, however, there's a lot of blood spilled and possessions taken and it was all very intense.
the writing was as beautiful as it was in the other two books, if not a little more if the majority of bookmarks & highlights i made in my ebook have anything to say about that. i loved from the beginning reading about these assassins working to fight to keep Ghadid safe because it is their home and it's all part of their history; the people are what will keep that history alive even as centuries go on because in all the fighting and chaos, there's also new relationships formed and lost connections that come back even after over a decade. there's glass to rebuild and scrolls to be recovered, with healing to be done by the plentiful water that comes trickling in--which by the way, i will always love how the author wrote these healers' connection to water and their own jumbled history that comes with it as stories do always get rewritten over time with each mouth that speak of it.
i loved how alive Ghadid felt and how we got to see it at its darkest times, this book only proving to show how there is something that can be done if all of its citizens work at it as they keep facing forward. i loved how each and every character had their own spot to shine in, even those without their own povs, and for those who did--i love how near the end of this story, all these voices echoed as one like some kind of hive-mind, because what connects amastan, thana, and illi is the city they call home and they each go on their own separate ways of finding their way back to it if it means keeping each other safe.
in the slow-burn murder mystery that was the first book, amastan was someone who had a lot of doubt in himself in his capability to kill a mark, and then the story eventually grew even bigger as he found himself at odds with a mysterious killer who was offing his cousins. because of this, he found himself forced himself into a position where he had to reckon with what was right and what was wrong, and what felt necessary for the good of his family. in the second book, thana's character had a much more fiery spirit and was eager to succeed under the weight of her family's eyes being that she was the Serpent's daughter, only to step into what became quite a bizarre journey that completely reshaped what she thought she knew about her mark and the dangers that come into play when handling a contract. in this book? illi was like a shadow of herself, a cousin who was dealing with the trauma of an event that occurred off-page near the end of the second book. this event completely uprooted her family and especially herself, and above all, it made her desperate to find a way to make sure nothing could ever take down her city again. this desperation leads her to make questionable decisions that added a lot of tension to the story as she ends up involving herself in something that was much bigger than her body could handle, and heru (a significant character we meet in thana's story) assists with that.
i found it very interesting, the relationship that was explored here between illi & heru because it's one that's very odd and has its complications, but there was some semblance of respect that was shared between them--heru, who was considered an outcast by the people of Ghadid due to his practices that were viewed as a sham against G-d, and illi, who learned second-hand about these practices and felt urged to lean closely into if it meant protecting all the people she loves so that they don't become lost like the others before. she threw herself forward as a martyr but it felt much more intense than that because she was also isolating herself from making any sort of connections or letting anyone close in since it always felt like there were dangers hovering near the horizon.
canthem's character was another interesting aspect to this story because they were only supposed to be a brief smudge in illi's life, someone to share one night with without any strings attached, only to then have that smudge grow bigger & bigger so that she eventually couldn't just ignore them. in all the scenes that we see canthem with illi, they added a lighthearted feel to an overall grim story because even with all the guul that are to be fought and strangers to steer clear of, canthem connected to illi and had a charm that made it impossible to forget them. they made it impossible to forget about how there could be more than always staying on edge and letting that chip on your shoulder guide every decision you make. they leaned into having illi learn that there is something beyond the horizon that isn't all just smoke & fire, but much rather something light and hopeful. on the journey towards that road, however, there's a lot of blood spilled and possessions taken and it was all very intense.
the writing was as beautiful as it was in the other two books, if not a little more if the majority of bookmarks & highlights i made in my ebook have anything to say about that. i loved from the beginning reading about these assassins working to fight to keep Ghadid safe because it is their home and it's all part of their history; the people are what will keep that history alive even as centuries go on because in all the fighting and chaos, there's also new relationships formed and lost connections that come back even after over a decade. there's glass to rebuild and scrolls to be recovered, with healing to be done by the plentiful water that comes trickling in--which by the way, i will always love how the author wrote these healers' connection to water and their own jumbled history that comes with it as stories do always get rewritten over time with each mouth that speak of it.
i loved how alive Ghadid felt and how we got to see it at its darkest times, this book only proving to show how there is something that can be done if all of its citizens work at it as they keep facing forward. i loved how each and every character had their own spot to shine in, even those without their own povs, and for those who did--i love how near the end of this story, all these voices echoed as one like some kind of hive-mind, because what connects amastan, thana, and illi is the city they call home and they each go on their own separate ways of finding their way back to it if it means keeping each other safe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Grief
jennieartemis's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
2.75
TL;DR: A fantasy finale that can't quite get the balance of new and returning elements, even if they are all interesting in themselves
I've been hoping for the series' potential to be fulfilled, but sadly the finale just doesn't elevate it as I hoped. It has a lot of strong elements, with the themes of trauma with the main character, some followup to previous books, and continued interesting magic ideas. But I just never feel the full weight of it all, with a lot of predictability and very functional side characters. It can't quite pick between standalone tale and culmination of trilogy. I ended up enjoying this one least of all the three because of this lack of focus, when I had been hoping this would pull everything together. Overall, the series is fine and engaging enough, and admirable in its casual queer representation, but it felt a little half baked.
Rating breakdown:
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
3/10 in personal rating system
I've been hoping for the series' potential to be fulfilled, but sadly the finale just doesn't elevate it as I hoped. It has a lot of strong elements, with the themes of trauma with the main character, some followup to previous books, and continued interesting magic ideas. But I just never feel the full weight of it all, with a lot of predictability and very functional side characters. It can't quite pick between standalone tale and culmination of trilogy. I ended up enjoying this one least of all the three because of this lack of focus, when I had been hoping this would pull everything together. Overall, the series is fine and engaging enough, and admirable in its casual queer representation, but it felt a little half baked.
Rating breakdown:
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
3/10 in personal rating system
vaderbird's review
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
quirkycatsfatstacks's review
5.0
I received a copy of The Unconquered City in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Unconquered City is the third and final novel in The Chronicles of Ghadid series, and I am completely shaken up about that fact. I've fallen so in love with this world, I'm simply not ready to let go of it.
It's been seven years since the horrifying events of the Siege. Ghadid us recovering, albeit slowly. Cousins like Illi Basbowen are struggling to find their place in this new world. Well, maybe not all of them.
Illi never had a chance to take on any contracts, and while hunting the evils that seek to take her family once again has some satisfaction, it isn't quite the same thing. Perhaps that is why she takes the time to learn as much as possible from Heru.
The real question is, would she have hung around, even knowing all of the trouble and adventures his presence would cause her? The answer is almost certainly yes. Illi is on a path for greatness, after all.
“Then all worries were lost in a flurry of motion; there was no more time left to waste.”
Holy cow. Tell me it isn't over. Please, tell me it isn't over. I loved The Chronicles of Ghadid, and I simply adored The Unconquered City and everything it had to offer. K.A. Doore has done it again, and with exceptional grace.
I'm honestly still reeling from everything that happened in this book, I'm not even sure where to begin. For starters, I suppose I should say that I love the timeline. Setting it seven years after the events of the last book gave the world time to heal, while also allowing secondary characters to grow and change. It was brilliant.
There's simply so much to love about this novel. The opportunity to see characters from the first and second novels all grown up. The world itself. The politics and water rationing. I adore each and every little bit of it.
Without a doubt though, the way trauma is represented in The Unconquered City is unparalleled. Both on an individual and group level. Illi is personally going through so much thanks to the Siege, as are all of the Cousins and members of Ghadid. It's both emotionally tense and beautiful to see, as odd as that may sound.
On to the core plot; wow. Can I just use that as my summary? But seriously, I adored the latest plot. It was even more steeped in politics than ever before, and I just couldn't get enough of it. There's the internal politics of Ghadid, but then larger politics as well. It was fascinating. Especially in regards to water and resources.
Seeing so many characters come together once again for the series finale...it was so powerful. I think that is the main reason I've been left reeling here. K.A. Doore provided us with a chance to say goodbye, but that made it all feel so real. Perhaps too real, in a sense.
I don't know what K.A. Doore is planning on working on next, but I have no doubt that I'll be reading anything and everything they come up with. As soon as possible.
Check out more reviews over at Quiry Cat's Fat Stacks
The Unconquered City is the third and final novel in The Chronicles of Ghadid series, and I am completely shaken up about that fact. I've fallen so in love with this world, I'm simply not ready to let go of it.
It's been seven years since the horrifying events of the Siege. Ghadid us recovering, albeit slowly. Cousins like Illi Basbowen are struggling to find their place in this new world. Well, maybe not all of them.
Illi never had a chance to take on any contracts, and while hunting the evils that seek to take her family once again has some satisfaction, it isn't quite the same thing. Perhaps that is why she takes the time to learn as much as possible from Heru.
The real question is, would she have hung around, even knowing all of the trouble and adventures his presence would cause her? The answer is almost certainly yes. Illi is on a path for greatness, after all.
“Then all worries were lost in a flurry of motion; there was no more time left to waste.”
Holy cow. Tell me it isn't over. Please, tell me it isn't over. I loved The Chronicles of Ghadid, and I simply adored The Unconquered City and everything it had to offer. K.A. Doore has done it again, and with exceptional grace.
I'm honestly still reeling from everything that happened in this book, I'm not even sure where to begin. For starters, I suppose I should say that I love the timeline. Setting it seven years after the events of the last book gave the world time to heal, while also allowing secondary characters to grow and change. It was brilliant.
There's simply so much to love about this novel. The opportunity to see characters from the first and second novels all grown up. The world itself. The politics and water rationing. I adore each and every little bit of it.
Without a doubt though, the way trauma is represented in The Unconquered City is unparalleled. Both on an individual and group level. Illi is personally going through so much thanks to the Siege, as are all of the Cousins and members of Ghadid. It's both emotionally tense and beautiful to see, as odd as that may sound.
On to the core plot; wow. Can I just use that as my summary? But seriously, I adored the latest plot. It was even more steeped in politics than ever before, and I just couldn't get enough of it. There's the internal politics of Ghadid, but then larger politics as well. It was fascinating. Especially in regards to water and resources.
Seeing so many characters come together once again for the series finale...it was so powerful. I think that is the main reason I've been left reeling here. K.A. Doore provided us with a chance to say goodbye, but that made it all feel so real. Perhaps too real, in a sense.
I don't know what K.A. Doore is planning on working on next, but I have no doubt that I'll be reading anything and everything they come up with. As soon as possible.
Check out more reviews over at Quiry Cat's Fat Stacks
cupiscent's review
4.0
A satisfying conclusion to this trilogy, as epic and yet personal as each of the novels have been so far. Each of Doore's main characters has been a wonderful conglomerate of strengths and fractures and needs, and Illi is no exception - the trauma she carries from the finale events of the second book is terribly understandable, and understandably terrible, and the book does an amazing job of exploring how that trauma cannot be denied, but also doesn't have to define her. AND the book does that while having a rollicking adventure plot and some fascinating magic exploration. All the things! All bundled up together!
A great piece of fantasy fiction overall. I am very much looking forward to what Doore does next.
A great piece of fantasy fiction overall. I am very much looking forward to what Doore does next.