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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, just as an FYI
Actual Rating: 3.5*
I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I was SUPER enthralled every time I was listening to it. I tried to listen only when I was doing chores and stuff and ended up just sitting on my bed and listening rather than doing anything. The storyline is really compelling and the characters are ones you really root for. However, I thought there could have been a bit more explanation at the end and I thought the first little bit was a bit thick with explanations. I also feel like there could have been a better handling of the races of the two warring factions because it reads really white but probably shouldn't based on the setting.
I enjoyed reading about the war and military tactics (which I wouldn't typically say because that's not really my thing) but I felt like the beginning had too much of an emphasis on it. I understand that it was to show us the life of a Captain (Marcus) versus the grunt (Winter) but it made for a bit of a dense read at the beginning when I should have been swept away. It took me a v long time to get past the first part (almost a month and a half) instead of the couple of hours it should have been. Once the focus shifted more to the characters and how they would have to survive the campaign (rather than the campaign itself), I found myself unable to turn the audiobook off. I was blowing off other reading responsibilities just to listen to this one. And it's the characters that really saved this one for me.
I loved Winter and her story. I felt super connected to her and am really glad we got her perspective on events. I also liked how her story intersected with Marcus and Janus. I think it was honestly the characters and their thoughts, feelings, and motivations that kept me so heavily invested in the story. And they are the reason I will be continuing on with the series (in book form, since I own the rest as hardcovers).
I thought the world-building was a little lacking. I felt like the magic system wasn't fully explained and thrown together at the end to give us some sense of "resolution" but it definitely wasn't enough. I feel like this one was bogged down with battle details rather than expanding upon the religious sects, the magic, and the history. I would have liked to know a bit more about all these things -- especially since they seem to have a large impact on the rest of the story. I think it was wise to keep the characters in the dark at the beginning, but that didn't mean we the readers had to be in the dark for the whole novel. I think we needed more from Janus's perspective (and not through Marcus and Winter) so that we could have a clear picture and focus but instead it just felt as though there was a need for a magic system so it got clumsily added to the end of the story.
I was anticipating something more from this one and even though I enjoyed actually listening to the book and the characters, I feel like there was too much battle details and not enough magic system/world-building for me to truly be satisfied. I am hoping there will be more in the next one, especially with an epilogue like that, so I am looking forward to reading [b:The Shadow Throne|18657632|The Shadow Throne (The Shadow Campaigns, #2)|Django Wexler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422248599s/18657632.jpg|26473563]!
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Actual Rating: 3.5*
I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I was SUPER enthralled every time I was listening to it. I tried to listen only when I was doing chores and stuff and ended up just sitting on my bed and listening rather than doing anything. The storyline is really compelling and the characters are ones you really root for. However, I thought there could have been a bit more explanation at the end and I thought the first little bit was a bit thick with explanations. I also feel like there could have been a better handling of the races of the two warring factions because it reads really white but probably shouldn't based on the setting.
I enjoyed reading about the war and military tactics (which I wouldn't typically say because that's not really my thing) but I felt like the beginning had too much of an emphasis on it. I understand that it was to show us the life of a Captain (Marcus) versus the grunt (Winter) but it made for a bit of a dense read at the beginning when I should have been swept away. It took me a v long time to get past the first part (almost a month and a half) instead of the couple of hours it should have been. Once the focus shifted more to the characters and how they would have to survive the campaign (rather than the campaign itself), I found myself unable to turn the audiobook off. I was blowing off other reading responsibilities just to listen to this one. And it's the characters that really saved this one for me.
I loved Winter and her story. I felt super connected to her and am really glad we got her perspective on events. I also liked how her story intersected with Marcus and Janus. I think it was honestly the characters and their thoughts, feelings, and motivations that kept me so heavily invested in the story. And they are the reason I will be continuing on with the series (in book form, since I own the rest as hardcovers).
I thought the world-building was a little lacking. I felt like the magic system wasn't fully explained and thrown together at the end to give us some sense of "resolution" but it definitely wasn't enough. I feel like this one was bogged down with battle details rather than expanding upon the religious sects, the magic, and the history. I would have liked to know a bit more about all these things -- especially since they seem to have a large impact on the rest of the story. I think it was wise to keep the characters in the dark at the beginning, but that didn't mean we the readers had to be in the dark for the whole novel. I think we needed more from Janus's perspective (and not through Marcus and Winter) so that we could have a clear picture and focus but instead it just felt as though there was a need for a magic system so it got clumsily added to the end of the story.
I was anticipating something more from this one and even though I enjoyed actually listening to the book and the characters, I feel like there was too much battle details and not enough magic system/world-building for me to truly be satisfied. I am hoping there will be more in the next one, especially with an epilogue like that, so I am looking forward to reading [b:The Shadow Throne|18657632|The Shadow Throne (The Shadow Campaigns, #2)|Django Wexler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422248599s/18657632.jpg|26473563]!
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
Django Wexler's military fantasy it top-notch. A soldier's life in the desert, with mythical elements and a non-traditional magic system shrouded by mystery.
adventurous
mysterious
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
I honest to god feel like I've missed something here. Or I was in a bad mood while I was reading it. Or I didn't read the same book as everyone else?? There has to be something to explain why I didn't like this book as much as everyone else. My taste in fantasy books is not usually so different from popular opinion. But much as I wish it wasn't so, this book did not really grab my attention or make me think 'awesome new epic fantasy writer' or have me wishing for the next book.
It was an average fantasy read for me. It was good but not stellar. The world was interesting, I love a good middle east type civilization and a crazy religious order can add great characters and motivations. What stopped this from being better for me was mostly in my perceptions of the characters (though I have a few other reasons which I will also detail). They came across as half formed and not fully developed, like cardboard cutouts instead of 3-D figures. Marcus is a caricature of a good and caring officer, Janus an imitation of an eccentric, brilliant military mastermind and Winter a parody of a superhuman but uncertain, natural born leader. I was also disappointed that none of the groups were further expanded upon, not the three civilizations or the religious order or the magical gang. It felt as though each was quickly created, shoved into the story and then, at least for a few of them, taken out of the story without me having learned enough about them to care what they added to the tale. And lastly, while I love a good military novel, this one had too much in the way of battle details for me. Maybe it would have been fine if so much of the story had not been about those battles but in this case the vast majority of the book is and I thought the details made the story drag.
So, while I thought it had great potential and great ideas, I wasn't a big fan.
It was an average fantasy read for me. It was good but not stellar. The world was interesting, I love a good middle east type civilization and a crazy religious order can add great characters and motivations. What stopped this from being better for me was mostly in my perceptions of the characters (though I have a few other reasons which I will also detail). They came across as half formed and not fully developed, like cardboard cutouts instead of 3-D figures. Marcus is a caricature of a good and caring officer, Janus an imitation of an eccentric, brilliant military mastermind and Winter a parody of a superhuman but uncertain, natural born leader. I was also disappointed that none of the groups were further expanded upon, not the three civilizations or the religious order or the magical gang. It felt as though each was quickly created, shoved into the story and then, at least for a few of them, taken out of the story without me having learned enough about them to care what they added to the tale. And lastly, while I love a good military novel, this one had too much in the way of battle details for me. Maybe it would have been fine if so much of the story had not been about those battles but in this case the vast majority of the book is and I thought the details made the story drag.
So, while I thought it had great potential and great ideas, I wasn't a big fan.
battaglie, battaglie, imboscate, battaglie, incursioni, battaglie, un po di magia e battaglie
Overall, a really fun read. I could have done without all the 20 page battle scenes, however.
One of my most favorite fantasy debuts of all time. The battle scenes are worth it for the price alone. If want to try a little black powder and Napaleonic-era warfare with you fantasy, give it a shot. You won't be disappointed!