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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Much better than the first - some background of the characters, magic system explained as well as hinting about the other types of monks and "villains".
Went to go read the third book of this series, as I have been really looking forward to finishing it... but can I remember what the heck actually happened in this the second book of the series?! NOPE
*goes back to reread this*
... it's a good thing I like the series and I am willing to reread it :)
*goes back to reread this*
... it's a good thing I like the series and I am willing to reread it :)
I listened to the audiobook with Simon Vance. For the most part I enjoyed his performance, although sometimes his flair for drama combined with Staveley's tendency towards purple prose to unleash some real groaners. Also, the characters act like real doofuses towards the end. You'd think given that they are all three siblings that they might assume the best of one another instead of going full nuclear the second things get a bit dodgy. But i liked the world, I liked (most of) the twists, I liked the introduction of more powerful characters, the ambiguity of the villain and the heroes, and there were some great action scenes, especially at the end. My main complaint: the third book won't be out for a year.
Another good-to-great entry in a good-to-great series - it won't win any awards, but it his the right notes and is entertaining.
4 Stars
I've finally got to this book, and I'm happy I did. As someone who's new to adult fantasy, this had a few eye opening moments, especially to do with extreme violence (looking at you Urghul). This book has a few twists and turns and high levels of stress by the end of it that was enjoyable to a questionable degree.
I had a good time following some of the characters from the first book and meeting a few new ones. Thankfully I wrote all the names down from the prior book into a document and continued to do the same with this book. It really helped with keeping track of who was who, and who was dying in the scenes because wow, did people die.
I can say that I like Pyrre, I probably shouldn't but I do. I also like Kiel (it seems I just like characters that may not be trustworthy). Hopefully by the third book not all the characters I like die or betray the others, but who knows at this point. I'll just keep reading and enjoy/hate the ride.
I've finally got to this book, and I'm happy I did. As someone who's new to adult fantasy, this had a few eye opening moments, especially to do with extreme violence (looking at you Urghul). This book has a few twists and turns and high levels of stress by the end of it that was enjoyable to a questionable degree.
I had a good time following some of the characters from the first book and meeting a few new ones. Thankfully I wrote all the names down from the prior book into a document and continued to do the same with this book. It really helped with keeping track of who was who, and who was dying in the scenes because wow, did people die.
I can say that I like Pyrre, I probably shouldn't but I do. I also like Kiel (it seems I just like characters that may not be trustworthy). Hopefully by the third book not all the characters I like die or betray the others, but who knows at this point. I'll just keep reading and enjoy/hate the ride.
Wooooo, that was much better than the first book. I was really not expecting that. It capitalised on all of the set up of the first, but this time it didn't disempower every single female character that existed. THANK YOU FOR LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES, BRIAN STAVELEY.
Anyway, so there's three kids of the emperor whose murder kicked off this whole story: one is a buddhist with monk superpowers who made some shocking life decisions; one is a financial/political whiz who was always told she couldn't be an emperor because she's a girl but she was like FUCK THAT and so now she's all I AM EMPRESS BECAUSE I SAY SO, HERE'S MY ARMY also she's been touched by the gods and now everyone thinks she's a prophet (but she has also made some shocking life decisions); and one is a black ops fighter who flies around on a bird and idk he got superpowers from drinking an egg of the King of the Cave Blobs or something. (This appears not to have been such a bad life decision????)
There's a bunch of different political factions and no one knows who's good and who's bad, least of all the kids making the decisions: there's cool monks who use painting to get into their little monk trance, scary monks who use torture to get into their little monk trance, gods (who are mostly not in corporeal form except for the god of pain (the only character I know for sure I don't like) and the god of pleasure who are apparently married WHO KNOWS I'm sure their kids wouldn't be fucked up at all), leeches (who have Powers and are hunted and put to death for it, but somehow their blatant persecution hasn't really seemed like a bad thing yet because most of them have done awful shit to deserve it) and the Cephalim who are the Bad Guys Who Want To Extinguish Humanity except maybe not all of them any more WHO KNOWS IT'S A MYSTERY. Plus there's the Religious Army and then there's the Army Army and and and.
BASICALLY there's a shitton of different political factions, there's battles and deaths and maimings and a whole lot of weird magic and god stuff going on, and a ton of different characters. It's about as intriguing as a George R R Martin book, but as readable as a Brandon Sanderson book. Plus, actual female characters who aren't just there as window dressing! An excellent second book in a trilogy.
Anyway, so there's three kids of the emperor whose murder kicked off this whole story: one is a buddhist with monk superpowers who made some shocking life decisions; one is a financial/political whiz who was always told she couldn't be an emperor because she's a girl but she was like FUCK THAT and so now she's all I AM EMPRESS BECAUSE I SAY SO, HERE'S MY ARMY also she's been touched by the gods and now everyone thinks she's a prophet (but she has also made some shocking life decisions); and one is a black ops fighter who flies around on a bird and idk he got superpowers from drinking an egg of the King of the Cave Blobs or something. (This appears not to have been such a bad life decision????)
There's a bunch of different political factions and no one knows who's good and who's bad, least of all the kids making the decisions: there's cool monks who use painting to get into their little monk trance, scary monks who use torture to get into their little monk trance, gods (who are mostly not in corporeal form except for the god of pain (the only character I know for sure I don't like) and the god of pleasure who are apparently married WHO KNOWS I'm sure their kids wouldn't be fucked up at all), leeches (who have Powers and are hunted and put to death for it, but somehow their blatant persecution hasn't really seemed like a bad thing yet because most of them have done awful shit to deserve it) and the Cephalim who are the Bad Guys Who Want To Extinguish Humanity except maybe not all of them any more WHO KNOWS IT'S A MYSTERY. Plus there's the Religious Army and then there's the Army Army and and and.
BASICALLY there's a shitton of different political factions, there's battles and deaths and maimings and a whole lot of weird magic and god stuff going on, and a ton of different characters. It's about as intriguing as a George R R Martin book, but as readable as a Brandon Sanderson book. Plus, actual female characters who aren't just there as window dressing! An excellent second book in a trilogy.
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
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
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes