Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
This is the most conflicted I've been in a long time. In some ways, this was a 5-star book. In significant other ways, this was a 1-star, should have tossed it unfinished into the bin, sort of book.
I'd love to gush about the world, the politics, and everything I loved, but holy crap. Fantasy deserves women who are better written than this.
I'm in no rush to continue the series, and that is just another disappointment.
I'd love to gush about the world, the politics, and everything I loved, but holy crap. Fantasy deserves women who are better written than this.
I'm in no rush to continue the series, and that is just another disappointment.
4 Stars
My first read of the year! Even though I started it two months ago (in 2021) I managed to finally find the time from moving to finish this. Seeing how I want to read more Adult and less YA books starting this year, it's fitting I start with this.
It's a pretty simple fantasy, although that could be easily said since I kept a document of all the characters to remember who was who, and the terms that were brought up. My memory is horrible, but at least my notes aren't.
With this books we primarily follow the three siblings: Kaden, Adare and Valyn.
All seemed to have their own concept centered around them. Kaden was religion, Adare was politics, and Valyn held most of the action and interest for me. His trial was my favourite part of the book, and by far my favourite character as well.
Kaden's chapters were probably the least interesting to me. I'm not someone who enjoys religion, especially since I hate the way the monks were treated in this book, Kaden included. Though I'm looking forward to how he continues forward in the story and his growth.
The Emperor's Blades felt like a set up for the rest of the series. It was slow and showed how the characters shifted into their newer roles. That may put some people off but I didn't mind whatsoever. Character development and backstory is one of my favourite parts of reading books.
Favourite parts:
-Valyn's Trials
-The ending with Adare. SO good
-Kaden fighting the 'leach'
-Valyn and the other Wings together. Loved their development, especially with Talal.
My first read of the year! Even though I started it two months ago (in 2021) I managed to finally find the time from moving to finish this. Seeing how I want to read more Adult and less YA books starting this year, it's fitting I start with this.
It's a pretty simple fantasy, although that could be easily said since I kept a document of all the characters to remember who was who, and the terms that were brought up. My memory is horrible, but at least my notes aren't.
With this books we primarily follow the three siblings: Kaden, Adare and Valyn.
All seemed to have their own concept centered around them. Kaden was religion, Adare was politics, and Valyn held most of the action and interest for me. His trial was my favourite part of the book, and by far my favourite character as well.
Kaden's chapters were probably the least interesting to me. I'm not someone who enjoys religion, especially since I hate the way the monks were treated in this book, Kaden included. Though I'm looking forward to how he continues forward in the story and his growth.
The Emperor's Blades felt like a set up for the rest of the series. It was slow and showed how the characters shifted into their newer roles. That may put some people off but I didn't mind whatsoever. Character development and backstory is one of my favourite parts of reading books.
Favourite parts:
-Valyn's Trials
-The ending with Adare. SO good
-Kaden fighting the 'leach'
-Valyn and the other Wings together. Loved their development, especially with Talal.
Solid fantasy - intricately plotted, but fast paced and anything but dry. It was let down by the 'girl dies to contribute towards boy's personal journey' trope and an overabundance of prostitution/rape, but I'd say it was about 50% girl characters all around (as fighters and ministers of finance and archers and assassins and all sorts of things!) so I'm giving it leeway on those points. The worldbuilding and set up were well done for a first book in a fantasy series (a debut, no less!), so I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of it plays out.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the best fantasy debuts I have read in quite a long time. It's very much a page turner that will leave you up until 2:00 AM!
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved the overall story ark of this book and flew through the audiobook. The narrator does an amazing job with bringing the story alive.
Loved the world building and the male characters, however, as regards female characters, they are far and few between, have much less story time and the whole story surrounding street workers and rape brought me on the brink of dnfing this book. Having seen how Brian Staveley writes female characters in his newest book I kept on going as I would say he has done in the meantime his homework on how to and how not to write female characters.
Loved the world building and the male characters, however, as regards female characters, they are far and few between, have much less story time and the whole story surrounding street workers and rape brought me on the brink of dnfing this book. Having seen how Brian Staveley writes female characters in his newest book I kept on going as I would say he has done in the meantime his homework on how to and how not to write female characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
I don't think it was necessary to spend 75% of the book on a training montage between the two brothers but it wrapped up nicely. Serious pacing issues throughout the book though.