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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
One thing that I like about the series is that it has mythology and magic that is unique. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of world building that is done in the second book, which I usually expect to mostly be in the first book. I appreciate the fact that there is a lot of theory involved, but by the time the second book happens I really like to just read through the book. It was still enjoyable and I recommend reading it.
Again, the plot is fun enough, but there's a lot of info-dump overexposition, and I also feel like Danny's character has become almost too perfect.
This was... awful. The characters were all over the place, with no part that seemed to last more than a scene. The dialogue was completely unbelievable, particularly the high school students. The long, rambling expositions on "ba" and "ka" were not only boring, but unnecessary. The entire plot with Baal was unnecessary and yet Card seemed to feel (based on what he wrote in the Afterward) that it was the main part of the story. It was the least interesting, least compelling, least well explained, and would have been a stronger story without it.
It pains me to say anything negative about Card, whose work I have adored for years, but this was so, so bad. I won't be reading the next book in this series.
It pains me to say anything negative about Card, whose work I have adored for years, but this was so, so bad. I won't be reading the next book in this series.
Incredibly disappointed by this book. A complete waste of my time. I did manage to finish it, but it was like choking down a bad meal because you paid for it. The women are all portrayed as selfish, manipulative, catty bitches who just want to have a God's baby. The men are all noble and deep thinkers who must fight off these lusty rapists. It was sickening. The plot barely moved an inch from the first book. The last half of the book was page after page of boring explanations of stuff that I really could care less about. I won't bother to finish this series.
Mini-Review:
Yup. It's a YA series. =P
The afterword made a slight impression on what I thought of the book. Not a lot happens in the first half of the book. It's a bunch of introspection, hashing out the past and vague tangents about frivolous day-to-day events. Yet those were the bits that built up the characters, the connections between the magic, the threats and the level of importance of friends vs family vs magical domination from more than one front.
Freeze frame on a resigned eye-roll.
That's was my response to a majority of the book because the story is told in a very teen centered manner. It's not like Danny is drawn out to be someone that I would like instantly. He's the latest Loki. You love and hate that guy. It's how it goes. You can't help but want to trust him and yet know that you should not.
I take the way I responded to the book as standard and felt more or less the things that the author had desired from the reader. In that manner, this book is great. On the level of enjoyment? Eh. It was okay. It wasn't as good as the first book and not a fav like Ender's Game.
I thought the meat of the story was really towards the end of the book and I felt very engaged by that. It's why I will go on to read book 3.
Fun series but aimed towards a younger audience.
Yup. It's a YA series. =P
The afterword made a slight impression on what I thought of the book. Not a lot happens in the first half of the book. It's a bunch of introspection, hashing out the past and vague tangents about frivolous day-to-day events. Yet those were the bits that built up the characters, the connections between the magic, the threats and the level of importance of friends vs family vs magical domination from more than one front.
Freeze frame on a resigned eye-roll.
That's was my response to a majority of the book because the story is told in a very teen centered manner. It's not like Danny is drawn out to be someone that I would like instantly. He's the latest Loki. You love and hate that guy. It's how it goes. You can't help but want to trust him and yet know that you should not.
I take the way I responded to the book as standard and felt more or less the things that the author had desired from the reader. In that manner, this book is great. On the level of enjoyment? Eh. It was okay. It wasn't as good as the first book and not a fav like Ender's Game.
I thought the meat of the story was really towards the end of the book and I felt very engaged by that. It's why I will go on to read book 3.
Fun series but aimed towards a younger audience.
3.5 stars. I had really mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand I think Danny is a great character and I think the world and system of magic that Card in one of the most interresting I've seen in a long time. But there were long stretches in the middle of the book where it got bogged down in trying to explain the ins and outs of that magic system. I felt like I was reading Card's notes that should have never been published. I doubt I'll finish the series even though I'm really curious to see how it ends.
Also: The audio book readers were TERRIBLE.
Also: The audio book readers were TERRIBLE.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think this sequel was better-written than the first book of the series. Card has (once again) created a robust set of metaphysics to color this world. Really imaginative stuff in a genre which has become pretty picked over as of late. I've been encouraged by a lot of the new fantasy being written, and I'd certainly lump this series in with that crowd.
Looking forward to the next installment. Thanks for taking the time to read my review.
Looking forward to the next installment. Thanks for taking the time to read my review.
I liked this book; I listened to the audio book version. Some notes: Card says in the afterword that he was learning about ancient Egyptian history and mythology while writing this book, and it shows. There is also a shift in the feel of the magical system. This book had more sexual content than I was expecting, but one good thing about Card is that the sexual content is never gratuitous, and always has real (and sometimes very negative) consequences. Elements of Card's Mormonism also make their way into the structure of this book, but I don't think it's intrusive.
I'm actually really anxious to find out what happens to Danny in the third book. I'm pretty sure that Card will pull off a happy ending (the only kind of book worth reading, in my opinion, are books with happy endings), but right now, I can't see how he is going to do it.
I'm actually really anxious to find out what happens to Danny in the third book. I'm pretty sure that Card will pull off a happy ending (the only kind of book worth reading, in my opinion, are books with happy endings), but right now, I can't see how he is going to do it.