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cajonist's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed the book but it suffered much the same fate as A Dance with Dragons. That by doubling back and re-telling the story thus far from other angles, Brett sacrifices the ability to really progress the story significantly even with 800 pages at his disposal.
vinayvasan's review against another edition
3.0
As fast paced & gripping as the previous 2 books... Focusing more on humanizing some of the characters, it features a lot less action compared to previously... Is treading down the path of making the lead characters discover new powers that make them super powerful... Leesha remains a frustrating character as does Renna... Ends in a cliffhanger, literally & figuratively... Cant wait for the next one
shmemmals's review against another edition
3.0
Okay first I just need to address something clearly occurring in Brett's writing. In this book, it just takes off. But it honestly just feels he's taking in some of his own personal sexual fantasies and throwing them in the book where he sees fit. And I know very well that almost all these sexual encounters are geared more for men. Like, I get it and it doesn't throw the story off too much... But I mean really... Why not allow a female character to have a threesome with two guys? Why pass over the lesbian sexual encounter so quickly? Like if we're going to filling this book with sexual fantasies... Why not broaden our target audience a bit, Brett?
Other then the porn-like scenes, the story carries pretty well. I honestly don't know what it is that I like about the series, but I still find myself wanting to know how it's all going to end. The female characters are trash and Brett could use a little constructive criticism on improving his fictional women. But even though there's hardly one character that I can relate to, I'm still drawn in and that's a first.
I know this review feels more like a back handed compliment, but the fact that I can't figure out why I keep reading this book but also still really want to read it, is meant to be a positive review.
But for real Brett... Either go easy on the male focused porn scenes, or add some for the ladies too. Please?
Other then the porn-like scenes, the story carries pretty well. I honestly don't know what it is that I like about the series, but I still find myself wanting to know how it's all going to end. The female characters are trash and Brett could use a little constructive criticism on improving his fictional women. But even though there's hardly one character that I can relate to, I'm still drawn in and that's a first.
I know this review feels more like a back handed compliment, but the fact that I can't figure out why I keep reading this book but also still really want to read it, is meant to be a positive review.
But for real Brett... Either go easy on the male focused porn scenes, or add some for the ladies too. Please?
robinbridgefour's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm…Where to start. It took me forever to get through this book and I got distracted by a lot of other things along the way.
I think Peter V. Brent falls into shortfall category a lot of male fantasy writers do. They are pretty good at worldbuilding and plot but really horrible at romance and writing women.
Inevera was fascinating in the previous book, she was a mystery and I was convinced she was an evil genius. But, in the Daylight Wars we get her PoV. Her past and many of the things that happened in the Desert Spear were rehashed and for me, it made them less, it made her less. Instead of being a mastermind she is just a woman trying to hold onto the power she has and the man she loves. It was also a little boring, I enjoyed learning a little bit about the Dama’ting but to go through scenes in the previous book again just from a different perspective…*sigh*
Leesha gets worse in every book for me as well. For someone so smart she sure is stupid. She didn’t exactly totally turn down Jardir’s proposal and there are Kraisans sent to protect his intended in the Hollow living on her land. Yet she decides after finding out about Arland and Renna to jump in the sack with someone. Um, didn’t she have enough complications happening in her life at that moment? Didn’t she think that the Kraisans would find out and there might be repercussions?
The title of the book is also deceiving. With a name like The Daylight Wars I thought there would be some movement on the human wars front with Jardir taking over more towns or a fight between Alrand and Jardir or something. But a good portion of the book was spent in Inevera’s past and then hanging out getting ready for the Princes to come lead the coreling armies when there was no moon. But even that fighting didn’t happen until 80% in.
I’m still on the fence about the entire Renna/Arland situation and as much as I want to root for them, I’m just not on board yet there either. All the romances seem a little forced. The one I like the best is actually with Rojer and his two wives.
There are a few cool discoveries made in this book and I did like how Amon got revenge on someone who had done him some grievous wrongs. But overall, I think a good 100-150 pages of this should have been clipped out to make it flow better. It seemed like PVB maybe didn’t have a clear idea of where he was going in the story and how to plot it out to give us the pertinent details when they were happening in the other books hence the rehashing in yet another PoV.
And then there is the cliffhanger at the end. Just when I was really getting into the story at the critical moment it just ends. Its like on a results show when you are waiting to see who the winner is and it cuts to commercial right when they are going to tell you. It isn’t a real cliffhanger so much as a you’ll have to buy the next book if you want to know who won.
I enjoyed the first two books more. But at least I didn’t have to suffer through another rape in this one so there is that going for it. I’ll most likely continue with the next book to see how things play out but they seem to keep getting longer so I’m currently not holding out much hope to make it through without rehashing from yet another PoV.
I think Peter V. Brent falls into shortfall category a lot of male fantasy writers do. They are pretty good at worldbuilding and plot but really horrible at romance and writing women.
Inevera was fascinating in the previous book, she was a mystery and I was convinced she was an evil genius. But, in the Daylight Wars we get her PoV. Her past and many of the things that happened in the Desert Spear were rehashed and for me, it made them less, it made her less. Instead of being a mastermind she is just a woman trying to hold onto the power she has and the man she loves. It was also a little boring, I enjoyed learning a little bit about the Dama’ting but to go through scenes in the previous book again just from a different perspective…*sigh*
Leesha gets worse in every book for me as well. For someone so smart she sure is stupid. She didn’t exactly totally turn down Jardir’s proposal and there are Kraisans sent to protect his intended in the Hollow living on her land. Yet she decides after finding out about Arland and Renna to jump in the sack with someone. Um, didn’t she have enough complications happening in her life at that moment? Didn’t she think that the Kraisans would find out and there might be repercussions?
The title of the book is also deceiving. With a name like The Daylight Wars I thought there would be some movement on the human wars front with Jardir taking over more towns or a fight between Alrand and Jardir or something. But a good portion of the book was spent in Inevera’s past and then hanging out getting ready for the Princes to come lead the coreling armies when there was no moon. But even that fighting didn’t happen until 80% in.
I’m still on the fence about the entire Renna/Arland situation and as much as I want to root for them, I’m just not on board yet there either. All the romances seem a little forced. The one I like the best is actually with Rojer and his two wives.
There are a few cool discoveries made in this book and I did like how Amon got revenge on someone who had done him some grievous wrongs. But overall, I think a good 100-150 pages of this should have been clipped out to make it flow better. It seemed like PVB maybe didn’t have a clear idea of where he was going in the story and how to plot it out to give us the pertinent details when they were happening in the other books hence the rehashing in yet another PoV.
And then there is the cliffhanger at the end. Just when I was really getting into the story at the critical moment it just ends. Its like on a results show when you are waiting to see who the winner is and it cuts to commercial right when they are going to tell you. It isn’t a real cliffhanger so much as a you’ll have to buy the next book if you want to know who won.
I enjoyed the first two books more. But at least I didn’t have to suffer through another rape in this one so there is that going for it. I’ll most likely continue with the next book to see how things play out but they seem to keep getting longer so I’m currently not holding out much hope to make it through without rehashing from yet another PoV.
mwplante's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
4.0
With <i>The Daylight War</i>, Brett's Demon Cycle continues to make tantalizing reading, with plenty of fine set-up and regularly interspersed pay-offs. The secret to this lies in the attention Brett pays to characterization and backstory. Beware any character you think you have "figured out", because in the Demon Cycle that just means the author hasn't seen fit to pull the rug out from under you yet. For a "dark" fantasy, the Demon Cycle is profoundly humanist and even optimistic in nature. Yes, Brett delves the dark side of the human soul -- ensuring that the demons of the human heart are on the reader's mind just as often as the more literal demons that plague Ala -- but he's always ready with a spot of redemption or contextualization.
Brett's cultures show this streak of universal worth as well. While Krasia can at times start to sound like a neo-con fever dream, and Arlen can begin to look an awful lot like an arrogant 16-year-old who's just discovered atheism and/or politics, Brett often takes care to reign things in. One scene in <i>The Daylight War</i>, for instance, has an incresingly reform-minded but still deeply religious Jardir offering an impassioned and convincing defense of religious dietary restrictions. Brett demonstrates a firm grasp on the worth and remarkable fluidity of human lifeways, keeping both the characters and cultures in his novel vibrant and colorful.
And unlike so much of fantasy writing, it isn't just the men in Brett's novels who learn and grow; Brett has shown an increasing determination over the course of the Demon Cycle that women shouldn't have to play second fiddle to the men in fiction -- perhaps the influence of his daughter. Here in book three, we find a vast array of varied and fully-developed ladies battling and schemeing right alongside the men.
If all this character and world-building wizardry isn't enough, the action scenes of <i>The Daylight War</i> are even more excellent than in previous installments (particularly the rather talky <i>Desert Spear</i>) as the unique magic system continues to unfold and gain in complexity. What started as the rather simple system of wards has flowered into a more complex pantheon of fantastic artifacts and abilities by book three. Brett's demon bestiary has been similarly extrapolated along logical but no less imaginative lines from previous installments, making humanity's adversaries increasingly interesting and menacing.
I would say that this book has some pacing issues, but perhaps these are unavoidable given the ground Brett has to cover with three big cohorts of characters to follow, in addition to tackling a lush backstory for the heretofore mysterious Inevera. In any event, the pacing is improved over <i>The Desert Spear</i>, particularly in the climactic phases, which are markedly more satisfying than the previous book's somewhat abrupt concluding episodes. We've finally returned to (and surpassed) the explosive grandeur of <i>The Warded Man</i>'s Battle of Cutter's Hollow.
Overall, I have to say Brett has proven himself a character builder and world craftsman of high caliber, and <i>The Daylight War</i> showcases his most adroit deployments of this skill to date. I can feel the series kicking into high gear, and I can't wait for book four.
Brett's cultures show this streak of universal worth as well. While Krasia can at times start to sound like a neo-con fever dream, and Arlen can begin to look an awful lot like an arrogant 16-year-old who's just discovered atheism and/or politics, Brett often takes care to reign things in. One scene in <i>The Daylight War</i>, for instance, has an incresingly reform-minded but still deeply religious Jardir offering an impassioned and convincing defense of religious dietary restrictions. Brett demonstrates a firm grasp on the worth and remarkable fluidity of human lifeways, keeping both the characters and cultures in his novel vibrant and colorful.
And unlike so much of fantasy writing, it isn't just the men in Brett's novels who learn and grow; Brett has shown an increasing determination over the course of the Demon Cycle that women shouldn't have to play second fiddle to the men in fiction -- perhaps the influence of his daughter. Here in book three, we find a vast array of varied and fully-developed ladies battling and schemeing right alongside the men.
If all this character and world-building wizardry isn't enough, the action scenes of <i>The Daylight War</i> are even more excellent than in previous installments (particularly the rather talky <i>Desert Spear</i>) as the unique magic system continues to unfold and gain in complexity. What started as the rather simple system of wards has flowered into a more complex pantheon of fantastic artifacts and abilities by book three. Brett's demon bestiary has been similarly extrapolated along logical but no less imaginative lines from previous installments, making humanity's adversaries increasingly interesting and menacing.
I would say that this book has some pacing issues, but perhaps these are unavoidable given the ground Brett has to cover with three big cohorts of characters to follow, in addition to tackling a lush backstory for the heretofore mysterious Inevera. In any event, the pacing is improved over <i>The Desert Spear</i>, particularly in the climactic phases, which are markedly more satisfying than the previous book's somewhat abrupt concluding episodes. We've finally returned to (and surpassed) the explosive grandeur of <i>The Warded Man</i>'s Battle of Cutter's Hollow.
Overall, I have to say Brett has proven himself a character builder and world craftsman of high caliber, and <i>The Daylight War</i> showcases his most adroit deployments of this skill to date. I can feel the series kicking into high gear, and I can't wait for book four.
katherinesque's review against another edition
3.0
oh it’s just so difficult to rate. on one hand, the backstory is so frustrating because it stops me from reading all the new stuff. on the other hand, the backstory is so well-written and interesting and adds a whole other perspective to the new stuff.
in summary, still pretty good!
next book is probably going to have another character’s long ass humble beginnings story and i’m gonna be mad/loving it all over again.
in summary, still pretty good!
next book is probably going to have another character’s long ass humble beginnings story and i’m gonna be mad/loving it all over again.
siany_nejmet's review against another edition
5.0
This was long awaited and is a series of books I share the love of with my hubby. So of course we had to buy 2 copies of this book so that we could both read at the same time.
I am not going to go into the book description as Amazon have done it well enough as well as other reviewers.
I couldnt put this book down. I read as much I could do with an 8 month old and I loved every page of this story.
I have to admit Renna peeved me off throughout most of the book and I couldnt warm to her but towards the end I found myself liking her, especially when she seemed to calm down a bit and stop being so angry and defensive and wanting to kill everyone and everything.
I loved all of the Arlen parts to the story, in my head he is the Deliverer whether he wants to be or not.
I loved the story to this also. One reviewer complains that not much time passes but I thought it was perfect. If loads of time had passed then all we would have read about would have been the new moon battles but with this we got some of Inerva's back story as well as some from Abban's perspective. He is a creep but still found it interesting.
It was great having parts of the book from pretty much all main characters perspective including the original ones from the first book.
Peter Brett is an excellent story teller and when I read this, I clearly see the scenes and the characters in my head and I just love each and every book in the series so far. His writing gets better with every book and I am seriously impatient now wanting the next one already! Especially with the cliffhanger ending in this book....altho I have to say, I dont believe the obvious has happened :)
Cannot wait to meet Peter Brett in London next week and will definately be asking for both of our copies to be signed.
I am not going to go into the book description as Amazon have done it well enough as well as other reviewers.
I couldnt put this book down. I read as much I could do with an 8 month old and I loved every page of this story.
I have to admit Renna peeved me off throughout most of the book and I couldnt warm to her but towards the end I found myself liking her, especially when she seemed to calm down a bit and stop being so angry and defensive and wanting to kill everyone and everything.
I loved all of the Arlen parts to the story, in my head he is the Deliverer whether he wants to be or not.
I loved the story to this also. One reviewer complains that not much time passes but I thought it was perfect. If loads of time had passed then all we would have read about would have been the new moon battles but with this we got some of Inerva's back story as well as some from Abban's perspective. He is a creep but still found it interesting.
It was great having parts of the book from pretty much all main characters perspective including the original ones from the first book.
Peter Brett is an excellent story teller and when I read this, I clearly see the scenes and the characters in my head and I just love each and every book in the series so far. His writing gets better with every book and I am seriously impatient now wanting the next one already! Especially with the cliffhanger ending in this book....altho I have to say, I dont believe the obvious has happened :)
Cannot wait to meet Peter Brett in London next week and will definately be asking for both of our copies to be signed.
axnxi's review against another edition
5.0
i really enjoyed the dynamic of the story. It was detailled enough though not stretching the story with it.
jaywfarley's review against another edition
4.0
Drags a little, as it is retelling a familiar story from an unfamiliar viewpoint, but the actual parts where the plot is advanced are fantastic, as are the new elements added to the world.