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melancholymegs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Murder, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
cupofnova's review
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
I stopped reading at page 334 out of 447. I'm not continuing it. If I could go back in time, I would have stopped reading this series after the first book. Everything else just gets worse after that.
Kellen is pushed around by the plot. He could have done something himself, but no. In the end, he's just following what others want, even if it doesn't go exactly as planned. His character can be boiled down to the self-loathing pawn that can't do anything besides murder, run away, or magically bullshitting an antagonist's plan into working out in the end.
!!!SPOILER AND TRIGGER WARNING!!!
For pretty much no reason besides wanting to pretend like the shadowblack is still important and some politician is dangerous, Kellen is forced to sexually assault a girl. I don't think she is even an adult. It seems like the author intended the reader to feel bad for Kellen for feeling/being violated. Which, yeah, its an absolutely disgusting, gutrolling scene. But it is also a completely pointless scene. You can show someone is a threat without this awful inclusion! Initially, this female character is solely created to suffer. She was made by the author to be assaulted and immediately disposed of. Men get to die in this series. Women are constantly subjected to drawn out suffering, that we're supposed to forget about in seconds and just move on because if it's not the main character, "who cares?".
I'm not surprised that the only praise I ever see for this series is for the first book. It's the only one worth reading, and even then, it's nothing but an interesting magic system in a sloppy story.
Kellen is pushed around by the plot. He could have done something himself, but no. In the end, he's just following what others want, even if it doesn't go exactly as planned. His character can be boiled down to the self-loathing pawn that can't do anything besides murder, run away, or magically bullshitting an antagonist's plan into working out in the end.
!!!SPOILER AND TRIGGER WARNING!!!
For pretty much no reason besides wanting to pretend like the shadowblack is still important and some politician is dangerous, Kellen is forced to sexually assault a girl. I don't think she is even an adult. It seems like the author intended the reader to feel bad for Kellen for feeling/being violated. Which, yeah, its an absolutely disgusting, gutrolling scene. But it is also a completely pointless scene. You can show someone is a threat without this awful inclusion! Initially, this female character is solely created to suffer. She was made by the author to be assaulted and immediately disposed of. Men get to die in this series. Women are constantly subjected to drawn out suffering, that we're supposed to forget about in seconds and just move on because if it's not the main character, "who cares?".
I'm not surprised that the only praise I ever see for this series is for the first book. It's the only one worth reading, and even then, it's nothing but an interesting magic system in a sloppy story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Racism, War, and Vomit
dragontomes2000's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Queenslayer was dark, twisted, and so driven. Kellen finds himself in a kingdom on the verge of a coup (which is a little to close to home with everything that transpired yesterday here in the US). I love a story the has this kind of plot scheme because you never really quite know who to trust.
Out of all the books thus far I think I struggled the most liking characters or getting attached to them. I can't fault the book for that because you are pretty much forced to be skeptical of everyone. Now once again the story picks up several months after the events of Soulbinder. Kellen and Reichis have found themselves in the country of Daroman. As soon as they arrive they find themselves tangled up in a conspiracy for the crown. Like I said earlier, I really enjoy these kinds of plots. Queenslayer did amp up the tone. I found this novel to be much darker.
Kellen has turned a new leaf for me. I didn't think he was as insufferable this time around. He did make some decisions that were again but due to the situation he was thrust into I can see why. I believe after everything Kellen has been through he would start to see through some of the trickery and deception. However he is that character, he shows weakness when it come to friends and family. Once again when are introduced to a slew of new characters. The side characters of Queenslayer are questionable at best. I didn't necessarily attach to any of them. Ginevra and Essra were probably the ones I gravitated to the most.
It looks like we are heating up for a big conclusion and I for one am excited!
Out of all the books thus far I think I struggled the most liking characters or getting attached to them. I can't fault the book for that because you are pretty much forced to be skeptical of everyone. Now once again the story picks up several months after the events of Soulbinder. Kellen and Reichis have found themselves in the country of Daroman. As soon as they arrive they find themselves tangled up in a conspiracy for the crown. Like I said earlier, I really enjoy these kinds of plots. Queenslayer did amp up the tone. I found this novel to be much darker.
Kellen has turned a new leaf for me. I didn't think he was as insufferable this time around. He did make some decisions that were again but due to the situation he was thrust into I can see why. I believe after everything Kellen has been through he would start to see through some of the trickery and deception. However he is that character, he shows weakness when it come to friends and family. Once again when are introduced to a slew of new characters. The side characters of Queenslayer are questionable at best. I didn't necessarily attach to any of them. Ginevra and Essra were probably the ones I gravitated to the most.
It looks like we are heating up for a big conclusion and I for one am excited!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
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