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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
This book would have benefited from an editor. I’ve never seen so many mistakes.
I was skeptical at first, I think I spotted a few errors within the first few chapters. It took me a while to get used to the writing style. The story was fast paced enough it kept my interest and by the end, I had spent 2.5 hours reading until I got to the end. There are still a lot of questions unanswered.
I was skeptical at first, I think I spotted a few errors within the first few chapters. It took me a while to get used to the writing style. The story was fast paced enough it kept my interest and by the end, I had spent 2.5 hours reading until I got to the end. There are still a lot of questions unanswered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia
Minor: Self harm, Torture
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
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Coward was a thrilling fantasy tale full of unqiue characteristics and compelling messages
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"You can hide from other people, but you can't hide from yourself. I'm proof of that."
Thank you, NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book, and I swear that this review is my honest opinion of the book and not at all biased.
This is my first time reading a Stephen Aryan book, and I am all ready to jump into his backlog, cause this book was fantastic. I already added all his books to my Mt. TBR, which I hope to climb to the top of one day.
The Coward is the first book of the Quest for Heroes duology and it follows Kell Kressia, a hero. He's hardly a hero, though. Last time, he was lucky enough to survive the Ice Leech, uh, sorry, Ice Lich, and other heroes' sacrifices spared his neck and soul. Kell was enjoying a calm life in the countryside, working on a farm, after his first experience with a fatal quest ten years ago. However, the weather is changing, and it is becoming chilly, bringing back the farmer's biggest dread. Bad weather, a bad year, bad harvest, famine, starvation, and death.
Kell receives a notice from the king, directing him to prepare for yet another journey to the Frozen North. Kell, however, is no longer the naive and enthusiastic 17-year-old boy; this Kell has had enough, and ill-luck and a curse hang over his head. Only a fool will risk his life again, and Kell is no fool. But even a hero can't always refuse the King, so Kell started off on his journey with the intention of moving north and eventually escaping someplace to start a new life, under a new name, and finally taste freedom from his bloody past. But things don't always go as planned, as you can't always run away from fear, especially when the horror is an emotion buried deep inside your soul, and now he's accompanied by a few others.
A group of misfits embarked on a journey to the north, unaware of the dangers they would encounter along the route, which would also result in the loss of their beating hearts.
All of the characters were intriguing and unique. Reading about each and every character was a lot of pleasure for me.
The book is written in the second person, and the POVs switch from one character to the next, mostly between Kell and Gerren, but others (except Willow) had a share of their POVs as well. There was no mention of the narrator, which was a little confusing at first, but soon became oddly familiar as we read deeper into the book.
Our rumored, yet experienced hero, Kell, the lone survivor and executioner of the monster residing on Ice, is the first figure we'd bring up while discussing characters. He thought that his survival was largely due to the sacrifices of others and his exceptional luck. He joined the heroes since his mother was sick and their harvest had been harmed by the weather. To live a conventional life and keep his only family secure and happy, he needed money and fame. He was 17 when he accompanied the heroes to the Frozen North; tenacious and determined, he refused to give up even when the heroes pushed him to the limit, making it difficult for a young man. He was afraid, but he kept it hidden from the other heroes and did whatever was required of him. Ten years later, guilt has taken hold of him, but unlike the last time, he is no longer afraid to confront the horrors he had to through years before.
The next, we meet Gerren. A 16-year-old boy, naive and full of pride. He only wanted to become rich and famous since he didn't have anybody to call a friend. He gets determined in proving the bards about Kell wrong and disregarding him after learning about his intention to flee. Even when Kell offered him opportunities to escape, he persevered, and the only reason he wanted to continue on the quest was selfishness. He irritated me at first throughout the novel, but he and Kell quickly became my favorite characters. Even when death was dancing above his head, I admired how he stood with the others. He has a special place in my heart.
Willow, the alfar, with a long lengthy name was mysterious and self kept. (introverted maybe?) She was a mysterious figure who continued peering and examining the surroundings, trying to stomach everything, yet she was constantly on high alert and spoke very little. There's a lot more to her than what's in this book. I'd like to know more about her. She arrived with a certain goal in mind. (You'll figure it out...)
Vahli, the bard, wanted to experience the adventures for himself so he could compose a bad on his own about the legit journey and the struggles and he wanted to escape the casted shadow of Madina. Or was that all about him? I mean, I wouldn't put my life on the line simply to create a saga, right?
Bronwyn, a well-built lady who resembled a warrior, was frustrated that no one could ever be a true challenge for her; no matter what, she always got the better deal. As a result, she struggled to mix with other people, but she always remained out. Again, that was all for her?
Malomir, the king of Summer Isles and the islander with so many underrated stories, joined the group to get away from his loneliness, and yeah, well sure, he was good with using swords.
Britak, the Reverend Mother, and my least favorite character in the entire novel is deserving of all the scorn. She's dumb, dumb, dumb and dumb and disgusting, filled with dumb dead cells. whatever she thinks, and talks and does and aims for is dumb and stupid and ridiculous.
I recently had a lot of church belief-based trope on my plate that I had enough of. The Nun, oh no, sorry, the Reverend Mother, was getting n my nerves and I seriously wanted to knock her down and smack her head. Her beliefs in the church and Shepherd had me shaking my head out of sympathy for that sociopath. I wanted to hurl the book (here; phone) out the window every time I read about her punishing herself for her wrongdoings. (But I won't do that, obviously.) Her punishment was her lifting a stone off the ground but the others had to carry a mountain on their head because of her beliefs. Because of her, it took me a long time to finish this book; her points of view sickened me to the point where I had to put the book down for a few days every time.
Up until part three, there was a bard before each chapter, which was both intriguing and stimulating. I enjoyed the way Aryan weaved the tale together; the language was plain and consistent, and all of my predictions for the ending and twists were completely wrong, which amused me.
I won't say the world-building was intriguing because there weren't many narrations about it, but the journey was simple to picture, as at every step they were forced to confront a hurdle after another. Once they arrived at the Frozen North, everything seemed bizarre and odd, including the weird behavior of the animals and beasts. This was a fantasy and thriller with plenty of action and supernatural elements.
The ending was fabulous but grieve stricken, I never expected this book to be this good when I started to read it. The Coward, I felt, can also stand as a standalone, because it accomplished what it set out to achieve flawlessly. But there are a few unsolved questions: a new life awaiting, a few mysteries to be revealed; which we will hopefully learn about in the next book, and I'd want to learn more about the Chaote. ;p
From Vorans to Maglau, Bears to Garrows, Qalamieren and wraiths, vicious beasts and Ice lich, this tale was fantastic, and I can't wait to read the next book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book, and I swear that this review is my honest opinion of the book and not at all biased.
This is my first time reading a Stephen Aryan book, and I am all ready to jump into his backlog, cause this book was fantastic. I already added all his books to my Mt. TBR, which I hope to climb to the top of one day.
The Coward is the first book of the Quest for Heroes duology and it follows Kell Kressia, a hero. He's hardly a hero, though. Last time, he was lucky enough to survive the Ice Leech, uh, sorry, Ice Lich, and other heroes' sacrifices spared his neck and soul. Kell was enjoying a calm life in the countryside, working on a farm, after his first experience with a fatal quest ten years ago. However, the weather is changing, and it is becoming chilly, bringing back the farmer's biggest dread. Bad weather, a bad year, bad harvest, famine, starvation, and death.
Kell receives a notice from the king, directing him to prepare for yet another journey to the Frozen North. Kell, however, is no longer the naive and enthusiastic 17-year-old boy; this Kell has had enough, and ill-luck and a curse hang over his head. Only a fool will risk his life again, and Kell is no fool. But even a hero can't always refuse the King, so Kell started off on his journey with the intention of moving north and eventually escaping someplace to start a new life, under a new name, and finally taste freedom from his bloody past. But things don't always go as planned, as you can't always run away from fear, especially when the horror is an emotion buried deep inside your soul, and now he's accompanied by a few others.
A group of misfits embarked on a journey to the north, unaware of the dangers they would encounter along the route, which would also result in the loss of their beating hearts.
All of the characters were intriguing and unique. Reading about each and every character was a lot of pleasure for me.
The book is written in the second person, and the POVs switch from one character to the next, mostly between Kell and Gerren, but others (except Willow) had a share of their POVs as well. There was no mention of the narrator, which was a little confusing at first, but soon became oddly familiar as we read deeper into the book.
Our rumored, yet experienced hero, Kell, the lone survivor and executioner of the monster residing on Ice, is the first figure we'd bring up while discussing characters. He thought that his survival was largely due to the sacrifices of others and his exceptional luck. He joined the heroes since his mother was sick and their harvest had been harmed by the weather. To live a conventional life and keep his only family secure and happy, he needed money and fame. He was 17 when he accompanied the heroes to the Frozen North; tenacious and determined, he refused to give up even when the heroes pushed him to the limit, making it difficult for a young man. He was afraid, but he kept it hidden from the other heroes and did whatever was required of him. Ten years later, guilt has taken hold of him, but unlike the last time, he is no longer afraid to confront the horrors he had to through years before.
The next, we meet Gerren. A 16-year-old boy, naive and full of pride. He only wanted to become rich and famous since he didn't have anybody to call a friend. He gets determined in proving the bards about Kell wrong and disregarding him after learning about his intention to flee. Even when Kell offered him opportunities to escape, he persevered, and the only reason he wanted to continue on the quest was selfishness. He irritated me at first throughout the novel, but he and Kell quickly became my favorite characters. Even when death was dancing above his head, I admired how he stood with the others. He has a special place in my heart.
Willow, the alfar, with a long lengthy name was mysterious and self kept. (introverted maybe?) She was a mysterious figure who continued peering and examining the surroundings, trying to stomach everything, yet she was constantly on high alert and spoke very little. There's a lot more to her than what's in this book. I'd like to know more about her. She arrived with a certain goal in mind. (You'll figure it out...)
Vahli, the bard, wanted to experience the adventures for himself so he could compose a bad on his own about the legit journey and the struggles and he wanted to escape the casted shadow of Madina. Or was that all about him? I mean, I wouldn't put my life on the line simply to create a saga, right?
Bronwyn, a well-built lady who resembled a warrior, was frustrated that no one could ever be a true challenge for her; no matter what, she always got the better deal. As a result, she struggled to mix with other people, but she always remained out. Again, that was all for her?
Malomir, the king of Summer Isles and the islander with so many underrated stories, joined the group to get away from his loneliness, and yeah, well sure, he was good with using swords.
Britak, the Reverend Mother, and my least favorite character in the entire novel is deserving of all the scorn. She's dumb, dumb, dumb and dumb and disgusting, filled with dumb dead cells. whatever she thinks, and talks and does and aims for is dumb and stupid and ridiculous.
I recently had a lot of church belief-based trope on my plate that I had enough of. The Nun, oh no, sorry, the Reverend Mother, was getting n my nerves and I seriously wanted to knock her down and smack her head. Her beliefs in the church and Shepherd had me shaking my head out of sympathy for that sociopath. I wanted to hurl the book (here; phone) out the window every time I read about her punishing herself for her wrongdoings. (But I won't do that, obviously.) Her punishment was her lifting a stone off the ground but the others had to carry a mountain on their head because of her beliefs. Because of her, it took me a long time to finish this book; her points of view sickened me to the point where I had to put the book down for a few days every time.
Up until part three, there was a bard before each chapter, which was both intriguing and stimulating. I enjoyed the way Aryan weaved the tale together; the language was plain and consistent, and all of my predictions for the ending and twists were completely wrong, which amused me.
I won't say the world-building was intriguing because there weren't many narrations about it, but the journey was simple to picture, as at every step they were forced to confront a hurdle after another. Once they arrived at the Frozen North, everything seemed bizarre and odd, including the weird behavior of the animals and beasts. This was a fantasy and thriller with plenty of action and supernatural elements.
The ending was fabulous but grieve stricken, I never expected this book to be this good when I started to read it. The Coward, I felt, can also stand as a standalone, because it accomplished what it set out to achieve flawlessly. But there are a few unsolved questions: a new life awaiting, a few mysteries to be revealed; which we will hopefully learn about in the next book, and I'd want to learn more about the Chaote. ;p
From Vorans to Maglau, Bears to Garrows, Qalamieren and wraiths, vicious beasts and Ice lich, this tale was fantastic, and I can't wait to read the next book.
This novel seemed like more of a writing exercise than a traditional story. The plot was almost linear, with very few digressions. It was an exploration of character... not just fleshing out the details of back-story, but diving into the cast's motivations and fears. Achieving the final objective was greatly overshadowed by the journey itself.
I'm not certain enough momentum was generated to support a series so I'll wait for a few reviews before committing to purchase book two.
I'm not certain enough momentum was generated to support a series so I'll wait for a few reviews before committing to purchase book two.
I listened to the audiobook for The Coward and had a really good time with it. It was a good story and a good narration. I like the idea here—it’s not the typical hero story (the clue is kind of in the name of the book).
Kell is the hero of a past adventure, the saviour of the land, although that’s not how it actually went. He gets called on to save the land again and he doesn’t want to do it as he’s essentially a coward. I like how that’s framed in the story and how it allows some good development for the character even though he’s not young anymore.
He’s definitely a flawed character, but it’s about what he has done and what he’s seen, and what happened to the people he knew and cared for, and how all that is affecting him and the choices he makes. For me, this was a bit of a breath of fresh air in that respect, and I thought it was really well handled throughout the book.
Kell is the hero of a past adventure, the saviour of the land, although that’s not how it actually went. He gets called on to save the land again and he doesn’t want to do it as he’s essentially a coward. I like how that’s framed in the story and how it allows some good development for the character even though he’s not young anymore.
He’s definitely a flawed character, but it’s about what he has done and what he’s seen, and what happened to the people he knew and cared for, and how all that is affecting him and the choices he makes. For me, this was a bit of a breath of fresh air in that respect, and I thought it was really well handled throughout the book.