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cecilie26's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I found this book very entertaining. It’s the first time reading anything in this genre and am already loving it.
The author makes the characters thrilling and even though some of them isn’t the best of people you still like them very much. Though I have one character (Ferro) that I don’t like. I think it’s more writing of her than her, if that makes sense.
Or maybe I just isn’t a fan of characters that is that intent on violence as she is. And hates everyone. It makes kind of sense from her background, but still misses some context to why she is as she is, besides what we already have been told.
Love Logen and inquisitor Glokta. Otherwise everybody is very well written.
The author makes the characters thrilling and even though some of them isn’t the best of people you still like them very much. Though I have one character (Ferro) that I don’t like. I think it’s more writing of her than her, if that makes sense.
Or maybe I just isn’t a fan of characters that is that intent on violence as she is. And hates everyone. It makes kind of sense from her background, but still misses some context to why she is as she is, besides what we already have been told.
Love Logen and inquisitor Glokta. Otherwise everybody is very well written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Cannibalism
bitter_critter's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I did not enjoy this book. It came highly recommended and seemed interesting, but I should have DNF'ed 50 pages in. I'm used to books that take some time to meander towards the good stuff but the good stuff didn't come until the last 30 pages and by then it feels cheap. I spent the first 350 pages "giving it a chance" and the last 150 finishing it so I don't have to pick it up again.
There is a decently thick line between characters that are morally bad or questionable and characters that are just unlikeable. I found Logen and the Dogman kind of interesting but every other character whose POV we can read was boring and flat.
Maybe it's something you would like and could connect to, but this fell flat for me.
There is a decently thick line between characters that are morally bad or questionable and characters that are just unlikeable. I found Logen and the Dogman kind of interesting but every other character whose POV we can read was boring and flat.
Maybe it's something you would like and could connect to, but this fell flat for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Blood
alexkendall's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Classism
the_night_reader_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
samuelhayler's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and War
sydnieblair's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Classism
Minor: Child death and Cannibalism
lookingforvheissu's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Violent. Bloody. Dirty. With fantastic and diverse characters who feel genuine. I’m new to fantasy, so I can’t comment on the fantastical elements (other than that they scratched my old Dragon Age itches), but as an outsider looking in this book did ultimately end up being a hell of fun.
(I tagged racism as a content warning, but would like to specify that the racism is in universe terminology such as “pink” or in the case of more real world example, “savage.” I don’t know if the distinction is necessary, please ignore if you feel it isn’t)
(I tagged racism as a content warning, but would like to specify that the racism is in universe terminology such as “pink” or in the case of more real world example, “savage.” I don’t know if the distinction is necessary, please ignore if you feel it isn’t)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, and Slavery
mnkeemagick's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was something of an adventure for me as well as the characters.
Having seen some reviews depicting Abercrombie's characterization as one dimensional and stereotypical, I must admit that when first reading the book I began to wonder much the same myself. It seemed initially to be a bunch of base archetypes just doing stuff without much regard to plot. But being someone who is loathe to not finish a story once started, I continued on and feel now that these choices may be more intentional than they appear at first glance.
Abercrombie's stories seem to idle slowly, reveling in simply living within the world without unnecessary rushing of time lines for the sake of plot points or story length. I feel the story is offering a slow burn for the sake of realistic stakes and a more in depth character arc through a fuller experience of their various starting points.
It's refreshing to see characters dealing with more aspects of a personal reality if im honest. One of our main protagonists being an aging war monger trying to be better yet still fighting is all the more believable, in my eyes, when he fights more than one person and actually gets injured. His bloody transgressions in his youth not only haunt the fringes of his mind, but actively form his decision processes and, as shown later, are not entirely gone and are genuinely terrible to behold both for himself and the audience.
There's a subtle play on nuance throughout that I find interesting. Shifting situations just enough to subvert expectations for the genre without beating you over the head with the idea that that's what he's doing. Characters developing slowly and with caution as information is presented or withheld, experience had, and while their initial bases feel like archetypes, they are developing more like people than like characters. Even with the mysterious nature surrounding the interweaving of our characters, allowing it to just be left in mystery, while some may find it frustrating, feels to me to be angling a better build for a better payoff down the line.
So while one might argue that this entire book would be the composition of another book's building toward action, I'm glad to have somethin to work toward. Abercrombie's style may not be for everyone, but I enjoy it and can't wait to dig in further to see if my ideas are correct in that this is a story we'll earned rather than a story simply told.
Having seen some reviews depicting Abercrombie's characterization as one dimensional and stereotypical, I must admit that when first reading the book I began to wonder much the same myself. It seemed initially to be a bunch of base archetypes just doing stuff without much regard to plot. But being someone who is loathe to not finish a story once started, I continued on and feel now that these choices may be more intentional than they appear at first glance.
Abercrombie's stories seem to idle slowly, reveling in simply living within the world without unnecessary rushing of time lines for the sake of plot points or story length. I feel the story is offering a slow burn for the sake of realistic stakes and a more in depth character arc through a fuller experience of their various starting points.
It's refreshing to see characters dealing with more aspects of a personal reality if im honest. One of our main protagonists being an aging war monger trying to be better yet still fighting is all the more believable, in my eyes, when he fights more than one person and actually gets injured. His bloody transgressions in his youth not only haunt the fringes of his mind, but actively form his decision processes and, as shown later, are not entirely gone and are genuinely terrible to behold both for himself and the audience.
There's a subtle play on nuance throughout that I find interesting. Shifting situations just enough to subvert expectations for the genre without beating you over the head with the idea that that's what he's doing. Characters developing slowly and with caution as information is presented or withheld, experience had, and while their initial bases feel like archetypes, they are developing more like people than like characters. Even with the mysterious nature surrounding the interweaving of our characters, allowing it to just be left in mystery, while some may find it frustrating, feels to me to be angling a better build for a better payoff down the line.
So while one might argue that this entire book would be the composition of another book's building toward action, I'm glad to have somethin to work toward. Abercrombie's style may not be for everyone, but I enjoy it and can't wait to dig in further to see if my ideas are correct in that this is a story we'll earned rather than a story simply told.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
acogna's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
5.0
If Sand dan Glokta has a million fans, then I am one of them. If Sand dan Glokta has ten fans, then I am one of them. If Sand dan Glokta has only one fan then that is me. If Sand dan Glokta has no fans, then that means I am no longer on earth. If the world is against Sand dan Glokta, then I am against the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Slavery
ripxreads's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Torture
Minor: Slavery