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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Great book loved the 2 perspective reading got to see the good side and the bad side. Loved the party great ending can’t wait to read the next book
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Welcome to my review! I actually bought The Coward on release from The Broken Binding (June 8 2021) and got a special numbered map with the book! This was great when reading as it really felt cool knowing where the characters were going to and where they were each from. For some reason it's taken me this long to read and I wish I'd read it sooner because this story is a lot of fun with some excellent characters that I hope to see more of in The Warrior, out August 9th 2022.
When I first started this book I had the idea in my head it was a single POV story following Kell. It isn't and I like that. Each chapter is still a chapter for everyone and not listed as one character per chapter, but there are many parts, especially towards the latter half of the book where the characters each get more of the story. The characters in this story are really good too. They all play a part and none of them are wasted. Sometimes when you have a wide range of characters you find that some are really unnecessary and maybe didn't need to be added but in this story I really appreciated that Kell had a strong supporting cast of characters and that not all of them are there to help him.
I didn't expect politics but there is a small amount, and I really liked what Stephen has done with it. He has created a group of characters, all of whom are hiding something and some of them are very cunning. There are things happening in the world that Kell doesn't know about which gives us, the readers, something to know while our main character doesn't. This makes it more interesting like when you know a secret. I don't want to spoil anything but there is an underlying story within this book that is much bigger than just a man going north to fight a darkness.
There was a part of this book that I felt dragged unfortunately and that's the middle. There is a lot of travelling and this is repetitive but it's due to this travelling that we get to learn about the various characters which is interesting. So it could go either way and I can only speak for myself about this part.
I really enjoyed the last 25% of this book and it really brought it back to a high score. Stephen has weaved together a bigger world than I first realised with many different story arcs with lots of moving pieces behind the scenes. In this final quarter you find out various things that will make you very eager to read the sequel.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I'm happy I read it. Stephen has taken an idea that hasn't been done before (or I haven't read yet) and created a world around it with some lore and worldbuilding which I expect to be explored further in the sequel. I loved the characters and their individual stories, the battle scenes and the politics. I think if you enjoy character driven stories then this is going to be blast for you. It's fast paced with short chapters and only 400 pages so can be read, potentially, over a weekend which is ideal if you want something quick for a break or to get your reading numbers up.
Welcome to my review! I actually bought The Coward on release from The Broken Binding (June 8 2021) and got a special numbered map with the book! This was great when reading as it really felt cool knowing where the characters were going to and where they were each from. For some reason it's taken me this long to read and I wish I'd read it sooner because this story is a lot of fun with some excellent characters that I hope to see more of in The Warrior, out August 9th 2022.
When I first started this book I had the idea in my head it was a single POV story following Kell. It isn't and I like that. Each chapter is still a chapter for everyone and not listed as one character per chapter, but there are many parts, especially towards the latter half of the book where the characters each get more of the story. The characters in this story are really good too. They all play a part and none of them are wasted. Sometimes when you have a wide range of characters you find that some are really unnecessary and maybe didn't need to be added but in this story I really appreciated that Kell had a strong supporting cast of characters and that not all of them are there to help him.
I didn't expect politics but there is a small amount, and I really liked what Stephen has done with it. He has created a group of characters, all of whom are hiding something and some of them are very cunning. There are things happening in the world that Kell doesn't know about which gives us, the readers, something to know while our main character doesn't. This makes it more interesting like when you know a secret. I don't want to spoil anything but there is an underlying story within this book that is much bigger than just a man going north to fight a darkness.
There was a part of this book that I felt dragged unfortunately and that's the middle. There is a lot of travelling and this is repetitive but it's due to this travelling that we get to learn about the various characters which is interesting. So it could go either way and I can only speak for myself about this part.
I really enjoyed the last 25% of this book and it really brought it back to a high score. Stephen has weaved together a bigger world than I first realised with many different story arcs with lots of moving pieces behind the scenes. In this final quarter you find out various things that will make you very eager to read the sequel.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I'm happy I read it. Stephen has taken an idea that hasn't been done before (or I haven't read yet) and created a world around it with some lore and worldbuilding which I expect to be explored further in the sequel. I loved the characters and their individual stories, the battle scenes and the politics. I think if you enjoy character driven stories then this is going to be blast for you. It's fast paced with short chapters and only 400 pages so can be read, potentially, over a weekend which is ideal if you want something quick for a break or to get your reading numbers up.
slow-paced
I found it to be a very enjoyable classic style fantasy. Complete with your unlikely band of hero's, strange and fantastical beasts, and interesting fantasy world. I wish Ryan would have gone a little deeper with the characters. All of the charters were interesting but I felt I only got to know them on the surface level. Looking forward to reading the sequel next.
I will try and make it short, but it is hard you know. Ok, I will succeed!
Krell was a hero...or was he. As I read I understood that the heroes has their flaws, and Krell was just a lucky S.o.b. But now the big bad is back and he is sent to fix it. But he is a coward...still he goes. I liked Krell, he was human. Many flaws, and still he went
Then there are some religious fanatics, ugh, hate those.
New group of heroes. Good company.
And this is a dualogy? I need book 2!
Krell was a hero...or was he. As I read I understood that the heroes has their flaws, and Krell was just a lucky S.o.b. But now the big bad is back and he is sent to fix it. But he is a coward...still he goes. I liked Krell, he was human. Many flaws, and still he went
Then there are some religious fanatics, ugh, hate those.
New group of heroes. Good company.
And this is a dualogy? I need book 2!
I loved this book. The writing isn't drop-dead impressive and yet the story and characters are so engaging it kept drawing me back. Sometimes we don't need a story to have flowy poetic language, sometimes we just need the story and this book absolutely delivered on that. Can't wait for The Warrior.
This was really good. The comparisons to David Gemmel and Kings of the Wyld were quite apt. An interesting cast of characters, with plenty of secrets that are revealed as the story progresses. It has a solid ending of its own, yes still leads into the still-to-come sequel. I will definitely be checking that out as well