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raeanne's review against another edition
3.0
This was much of the same like the first book. It was the old "you've chained yourself, you must set yourself free" theme. It was a tedious to have the main character so fucking dense for so much of the book. Other than that, it's the same old same old. So I'm just going to repeat what I said about the first book here:
This was a fun quick read for me. It's a bit obvious where it was going and what was going to happen. It has all the stereotypical fantasy tropes in there and it isn't the best use of them. However, it seems like the book often pokes fun at itself and other fantasy books. It's light and enjoyable, like the fantasy version of a summer read. I liked it but don't expect greatness.
This was a fun quick read for me. It's a bit obvious where it was going and what was going to happen. It has all the stereotypical fantasy tropes in there and it isn't the best use of them. However, it seems like the book often pokes fun at itself and other fantasy books. It's light and enjoyable, like the fantasy version of a summer read. I liked it but don't expect greatness.
katethepodtherapyartist's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The series is starting to get better! Magic Kingdom definitely had more of a pilot episode feel for me, so even with the nostalgia of having read these in middle school I was worried I wouldn’t like the rest. Thankfully The Black Unicorn swooped in and gave me less to worry about. Some bits of text get rather repetitive (like near the end of book two feeling the need to remind us who Annie - one of the three female characters named - is) and our hero is woefully incompetent in some regards, but we love a flawed hero. The story picks up quickly, gives refreshers on events which makes this a good book to start on if you don’t want to read the first or it’s been a while, and Edgewood Dirk is an absolute treat.
paperdaisy123's review against another edition
4.0
This second book in the Landover series deserves 3.5 stars, just as I rated the first. The beginning of the book was quite captivating, but as the story went on it got a bit repetitive and annoying. I found the mystery of the black unicorn intriguing, but I found the constant "dreams" to be irritating, as well as the mostly unhelpful Edgewood Dirk. I think I need to find a new series before I devote any more time to this one.
lissydizzy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
hotsake's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.75
This was a fun adventure filled with amusing characters, some enthralling scenes, and a frustrating main character.
sophiewilliams's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure whether it's just because this is a re-read or whether it was this obvious the first time, but I wasn't too impressed with the twist.
sherming's review against another edition
3.0
Like the first book, the pace at the beginning is a bit slow, but by the end of the second disc the story has taken hold and is moving along. While I want to know more about Overland and Brooks' characters in this series, I find his writing a bit clumsy. Characters are given literary leitmotivs. How many times can you reused a two word phrase like "owlish face" to describe one character? Perhaps a drinking game can be played using repeated descriptions. Still, I have the third in the series ready to go.
catladyreba's review against another edition
3.0
So, here I am, delving back into the Kingdom of Landover. It's a nice break from my usual reading choices, I am enjoying the foray into adult fantasy.
A fun, pretty good read. Looks like I'm making my way through the Kingdom of Landover.
A fun, pretty good read. Looks like I'm making my way through the Kingdom of Landover.
tarana's review against another edition
3.0
I read this when it was first published. Not quite as good as the first book in this series, but still good. Too much internal conflict, not enough action, I think. I listened to the Dick Hill version. The sound is slightly dulled through a lot of it - engineering issue or maybe it's just my crappy hearing.