Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I very much enjoyed this book, easy to read and get into the characters the plot was interesting and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
The standards for extruded fantasy product are by now pretty high, and this book definitely meets them. It's a tale of three characters with interesting superpowers if relatively obvious motivations in a world which clearly had much more magic in the past, but where the magic is mostly confined to rare artefacts of which the greatest are held by powerful families. The support characters are pleasingly complicated, there is all the ancient back-story and all the war you might want, a few scenes, including a tomb-raiding which avoids all the Lara Croft possibilities, will stick in the memory.
Darien is a city of magic, a city of mobs and a city of festivals.
This book focuses on a set of seemingly disparate characters, whose motivations and actions gradually lead them to cross each others' paths, even if only the reader realises the significance of this. It's very enjoyably written, and all of these different elements are worked together really well.
Some of the conversations between characters don't always match with the character/seem to be more plot-led, but the whole book was really enjoyable, and a little surprising in places.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book focuses on a set of seemingly disparate characters, whose motivations and actions gradually lead them to cross each others' paths, even if only the reader realises the significance of this. It's very enjoyably written, and all of these different elements are worked together really well.
Some of the conversations between characters don't always match with the character/seem to be more plot-led, but the whole book was really enjoyable, and a little surprising in places.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of Darien: Empire of Salt from Penguin Random House New Zealand to review. This is the first book in a new YA fantasy series.
I found this book hard to get into in the beginning. Not because the story was bad but kind of all over the place. I know a lot of books have chapters in different characters perspectives but I just couldn’t figure out how or if any of these characters were linked or if their stories were connected in some way. The synopsis kind of hinted that they were all going to be in the same area at the same time but it took a while to come together. I think I was a little past halfway when I got into the story. But once I was I liked it. It’s just a shame it took me so long to get into it.
The world in this book does have some magic – it’s hinted that there are witches and sorcerers. I’d like to see more magic in the next book. Some magic was used towards the end of the book and there were a couple of characters that had their own kinds of magic. I don’t think it was explained much but I liked that it was sort of different from other books that have magic in them. I’m not going to say anything about which characters have magic and what they can do because I don’t like spoiling things. But I will say that I do want to find out what happens to them in the next book. If they’re in the next book…
The second half of the book was more exciting than the first. For me anyway. There was battles, explosions, lots of death. There were a few loose ends with some characters that I’m hoping will be explained in the next book. Which I plan on reading. I know it took me a while to get into this book but there are some characters that I liked and want to know what’s next for them and Darien.
I think this was a good first book in a series, not great. I don’t know where the story is going in the second book but I am looking forward to finding out. If you love dark fantasy books then I definitely recommend giving this a try.
I found this book hard to get into in the beginning. Not because the story was bad but kind of all over the place. I know a lot of books have chapters in different characters perspectives but I just couldn’t figure out how or if any of these characters were linked or if their stories were connected in some way. The synopsis kind of hinted that they were all going to be in the same area at the same time but it took a while to come together. I think I was a little past halfway when I got into the story. But once I was I liked it. It’s just a shame it took me so long to get into it.
The world in this book does have some magic – it’s hinted that there are witches and sorcerers. I’d like to see more magic in the next book. Some magic was used towards the end of the book and there were a couple of characters that had their own kinds of magic. I don’t think it was explained much but I liked that it was sort of different from other books that have magic in them. I’m not going to say anything about which characters have magic and what they can do because I don’t like spoiling things. But I will say that I do want to find out what happens to them in the next book. If they’re in the next book…
The second half of the book was more exciting than the first. For me anyway. There was battles, explosions, lots of death. There were a few loose ends with some characters that I’m hoping will be explained in the next book. Which I plan on reading. I know it took me a while to get into this book but there are some characters that I liked and want to know what’s next for them and Darien.
I think this was a good first book in a series, not great. I don’t know where the story is going in the second book but I am looking forward to finding out. If you love dark fantasy books then I definitely recommend giving this a try.
A new approach from an excellent author
I've enjoyed Iggulden's writing in the historical fiction genre and was pleased to see this even with a slight pseudonym. He occasionally has slight fantasy aspects in his historical fiction but this is full on fantasy and well done. Lots of action, magic and characters I cared about. Looking forward to the next novel.
I've enjoyed Iggulden's writing in the historical fiction genre and was pleased to see this even with a slight pseudonym. He occasionally has slight fantasy aspects in his historical fiction but this is full on fantasy and well done. Lots of action, magic and characters I cared about. Looking forward to the next novel.
Very different from what I expected to be honest. I was hoping for some Game of Thrones vibes because of the tag line on the cover "Twelve Families. One Throne", but this was nothing like it.
There were definitely some good parts. Ny favourite was probably the character or Arthur Quick, but overall I was a bit disappointed. I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
There were definitely some good parts. Ny favourite was probably the character or Arthur Quick, but overall I was a bit disappointed. I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
This started so well, but the story was marred by too many points of view and a thin, stretched out plot, in my opinion. I don't think this is a series that I'll continue.
See more reviews on my blog, rhiareads.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is obviously a bit reminiscent of similar fantasy novels, so I liked that it was that little bit different. I was expecting the multiple points of view to be from the twelve "ruling families", so it was nice to find out there are actually not twelve different points of view - and they're all from different classes of character as well.
There's some really interesting touches in this book - like the magic system and the little golem boy. Really I just think it could have been longer.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is obviously a bit reminiscent of similar fantasy novels, so I liked that it was that little bit different. I was expecting the multiple points of view to be from the twelve "ruling families", so it was nice to find out there are actually not twelve different points of view - and they're all from different classes of character as well.
There's some really interesting touches in this book - like the magic system and the little golem boy. Really I just think it could have been longer.
Loved how the book is set up and how the story unfolds with unexected twists and turns. Interesting plot and and interesting set of characters.
The fight scenes are fantastic and very well written. Love the magic as it comes into play and the knacks of the various characters are revealed, respectively discovered.
The ending leaves me a bit, I don't really know what to say. There two points I don't like.
First of all the introduction of Christian religion. It's like, What the heck is it doing there? This is a fantasy world, so why bring in the Bible? Honestly?
Also, some of the characters seem like to fright back from final consequences/decisions that would define them as being definitely on the dark side, but maybe they're just that miserable and more gets revealed in the second book.
The fight scenes are fantastic and very well written. Love the magic as it comes into play and the knacks of the various characters are revealed, respectively discovered.
The ending leaves me a bit, I don't really know what to say. There two points I don't like.
First of all the introduction of Christian religion. It's like, What the heck is it doing there? This is a fantasy world, so why bring in the Bible? Honestly?
Also, some of the characters seem like to fright back from final consequences/decisions that would define them as being definitely on the dark side, but maybe they're just that miserable and more gets revealed in the second book.