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soozasaurus_rex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
birdielemon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, War, and Death
kjulie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for a complimentary advanced copy.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
nebulasaurus's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, War, and Vomit
tinyelfarcanist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"Reminded me of an old poem about lovers separated by war. She asks, he answers.
How will you be coming back home?
By earth, by water, by fire or crow.
Meaning, not at all. They'll bury me in a grave, dump me off the boat, burn me on a pyre, or leave me for carrion. It seemed to fit my present state, only I had no lover at home to ask. Only siblings, a mother, and a niece to suffer for my failure. And there were no crows to eat me here. Only fucking puffins."
The narrator's voice is interesting and distinct, even for funny characters in fantasy. Filled with enough political intrigue, wise observations, unique memorable characters, and a touch of romance, it stands by itself but is still a great introduction to the Blacktongue saga. I finished this book with a sense of fulfillment, my only regret is not picking it sooner.
Graphic: Death, Cursing, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Murder and Violence
Minor: Confinement, Sexual content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
uranaishi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Slavery
catsy2022's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I didn't even write my review before I returned the damn book... I really enjoyed this one, the writing was very digestible, the world was so richly developed and the characters were endearing.
This is my first book by this author but I've heard good things about Between Two Fires as well, which I also have.
Kinch na Shannack is a thief trained by the Takers' Guild but unable to pay them for the cost of training (kpop trainee company much), so now is indebted to them. One day he and his gang choose a mark, an Ispanthian soldier who surely and promptly knocks the shit out of them and spares Kinch. He is then tasked with going on the journey with the Spanth by the guild, with an assassin-adept sent to encourage him. Along the way they also pick up some other companions.
This was a really fast-paced book, NGL. Something is always happening and it doesn't exactly feel like a waste of pages. I felt like it did really serve to build more of the world and to develop the characters. In what could have been another generic fantasy novel, there are so many unique elements that drew me in.
In the backstory of this world, humanity has been at war with the goblins for literally decades. Some nations have an uneasy truce with the goblins, who tend to live underground in big warrens, yet also can take to the sea. They remind me a bit of what darkspawn came to be in Dragon Age. In the war, horses were almost completely massacred but mostly died to a sickness (which is a bit like mad cow disease AFAIK).
There are a few words here and there in the various languages and some helpful explanations of what accents sound like. There are tonnes of poems and songs and some mystery around the pantheon of gods.
I was reading this book alongside another one about a sneaky dude, so I did get a bit confused between the two, but this does stand out as its own thing. The comedian thief has almost been done to death but Kinch has such a rich perspective with his backstory and culture giving him a funny voice. I did like the small parts where characters react to him, especially when he laughs about something he's thinking of and they all look at him like he's insane.
I seriously loved the world building in this. The first few pages have a map, calendar and year cycle to give context to the passage of time. The magic system was so so interesting with several different sub-schools and capabilities.
Isn't that lucky? Some of the jokes didn't quite land for me and even though I like songs, we will never hear then despite the sheer number of them...
Still it seems this book will definitely scale up. I'm in for the sequel/s
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Vomit
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
pageturn_industries's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Animal death
Minor: Death
emma_em's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I recommend this absolute bonkers journey to fans of Jay Kristoff, Terry Pratchett and Joe Abercrombie
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, and Body horror
chilefry's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death, Blood, and War