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4.63 AVERAGE
4.63 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-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 had very little doubt that the Dandelion Dynasty will go down as one of my all time favorite Fantasy series of all time and this conclusion certainly didn’t disappoint. There were some nitpicks and I just wasn’t happy overall with the first half of the book but the second half absolutely pulled it back around and the final part (not the epilogue albeit being wonderful as well) probably was my favorite part out of all the 4 books. But let’s take it step by step:
What didn’t I like: The biggest point certainly here is the pacing. The first half of the book spent a lot of time on the other continent and while I certainly didn’t hate the storyline in general, as it has one of my favorite characters of the whole series involved, I felt like that whole thing dragged a lot. We eventually got a great conclusion to this whole arc but it felt like we could have gotten there faster.
In the same vein of the pacing feeling not great I have to mention the first “big climax” of the book which comes in the form of a big battle. This one felt very reminiscent of the first big battle in The Wall of Storms but inferior in any way. Ken Lius uses this storytelling technique where he leaves you in the middle of a big moment, cutting away from the action thinking “how the hell yeah can they even overcome this certain obstacle?” and then the next chapter is a flashback that explains how some sort of technology or idea got developed that helps resolve this conflict. And while this storytelling technique felt fresh and exciting in book 2, by this time he has pulled this like 4 or 5 times before and it starts to feel a bit tiring. Especially if the overall pacing isn’t necessarily great already. But the same thing as for the other continent storyline applies here as well: The eventual conclusion was great especially in terms of emotional impact.
Let’s get to the great parts: I absolutely have to mention the characters here and in the forefront of all of them: Jia! She will certainly go down as an all time memorable and great character. She was always more of a backline character with unclear motivations about her countless schemes and mysterious activities and it was only fitting that she gets to take a center stage in the conclusion as all her shady activities get unraveled. The chapter titled “Truth” where everything is made clear was one of the most emotionally moving things I’ve ever read and quietly frankly left me being a wreck. It was probably the most perfect piece of exposition I have ever read.
I also have to honorable mention Fara and Kinri/Savo again. Their arc which started in the last book had a wonderful continuation staying true to their beliefs and morals while both not quite fitting the society they grew up in and just struggling to come to terms with their roots and finding their own way. And also poor, poor Phyro …
I also love that the plot doesn’t neatly wrap everything up and just doesn’t give us this happy fairytale ending. Instead it felt more bittersweet (more leaning on the sweet in the epilogue) and also leaves us with some bits of uncertainty. The world has changed a lot and will need time to adapt which was portrayed quite wonderfully.
So overall despite some struggles in the first half I still loved this book. It definitely isn’t my favorite of the series as I was just blown away by how much I liked The Wall of Storms but I still have to give it a score of 5 full stars because it is just an awesome conclusion to this epic, inventive and beautifully written and crafted Fantasy series. This leaves my final book ranking of the series:
- The Wall of Storms
- Speaking Bones
- The Veiled Throne
- The Grace of Kings
If I would just go by average book ratings I think I would have to put Dandelion Dynasty as my favorite Fantasy series of all time but I’m feeling a solid third place for now behind The Dresden Files and The First Law as they are just generally more my style of books. If we just think of pure Epic Fantasy though, it is very hard to find a contender for the Dandelion Dynasty.
Infuriating pacing. I wanted to know how the story ends, but had to jump through so much junk to get there. Many of the side stories were pointless and could've been told separately as novellas. The most annoying part of the storytelling were the breaks in the middle of climactic moments to do a flashback. Objectively, the plot was interesting. Subjectively, the storytelling style is the most annoying I've read in a long time.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I won an ARC of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. My opinions are my own.
Liu is a master world-builder, but more than any other writer I've read, he not only covers a civilization as it stands for one moment, but how it evolves. A LOT of pages are spent explaining not only new technological creations but also the thinking behind the design process. Technologists will chuckle as he explains, basically, object-oriented programming as it might be conceived by a pre-electronic civilization, but Liu's explanations are so clear that even the technologically challenged will find themselves nodding along.
But technology is not only machinery; or, rather, machinery is not limited to our gadgets. The machines Liu concerns himself with throughout the entire series also include language as the construction of ideas and systems of law and, maybe, justice. How those are created, particularly the latter, is the heart of the series as I read it. Spoiler alert: There are many systems, and none of them are perfect. It may also be said that most of them aren't entirely wicked either.
The throughlines in this book come in the form of two characters. We met both in the first book, though one doesn't come into their own until the second book. Some of their actions will make you squirm, but that's in the service, I believe, of a larger point Liu makes: history may simplify with a cohesive narrative, but the truth about people and the events they live through is too complicated to be compressed into one story. The story we choose to live can be an important touchstone for getting us through difficult, "interesting" times, but even that can be pushed only so far. But even with that, stories may be safer refuge than natures, unless we are very lucky.
This is one of the best series I have ever read of any genre. Stop reading this review and go get yourself a copy.
Liu is a master world-builder, but more than any other writer I've read, he not only covers a civilization as it stands for one moment, but how it evolves. A LOT of pages are spent explaining not only new technological creations but also the thinking behind the design process. Technologists will chuckle as he explains, basically, object-oriented programming as it might be conceived by a pre-electronic civilization, but Liu's explanations are so clear that even the technologically challenged will find themselves nodding along.
But technology is not only machinery; or, rather, machinery is not limited to our gadgets. The machines Liu concerns himself with throughout the entire series also include language as the construction of ideas and systems of law and, maybe, justice. How those are created, particularly the latter, is the heart of the series as I read it. Spoiler alert: There are many systems, and none of them are perfect. It may also be said that most of them aren't entirely wicked either.
The throughlines in this book come in the form of two characters. We met both in the first book, though one doesn't come into their own until the second book. Some of their actions will make you squirm, but that's in the service, I believe, of a larger point Liu makes: history may simplify with a cohesive narrative, but the truth about people and the events they live through is too complicated to be compressed into one story. The story we choose to live can be an important touchstone for getting us through difficult, "interesting" times, but even that can be pushed only so far. But even with that, stories may be safer refuge than natures, unless we are very lucky.
This is one of the best series I have ever read of any genre. Stop reading this review and go get yourself a copy.