Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
"She was jealous of it, she realized, this unwavering fidelity to one's own code, the keeping of unspoken promises offered up in silence from the self to the self.... She had had convictions once, beliefs about justice and honor, right and wrong, but the slow turning of the world, like a mill wheel over grain, had ground them down to flour so fine that it slipped softly and silently between her fingers."
Phew. First off, let me just say that I have not read prose half as good as Brian Staveley's and was not expecting such beautiful and masterfully-crafted writing from the gritty genre of high fantasy. And to think that such incredible storytelling is just the icing on the cake.
The sheer ingenuity and intricacy of this series - I'm still floored by it to this day. Absolutely un-toppable.
Even from the first book, Brian Staveley's ability to construct such complex and well thought out details, and weave them seamlessly into the overarching story, had quite literally left me out of breath. The experience of reading it for the first time was exhilarating. This second installment showcases even more of the author's dexterity. Every time you think you know what might be happening, what the bigger picture might be, you are thrown more puzzles to piece together. But it's not the kind that gets tiring and frustrating after pointless plot diversions and unsuccessful attempts at building anticipation by having readers play cat-and-mouse with the "big" reveal. There are no deadweight and irrelevant fillers. No - this series keeps you at the edge of your seat, and each discovery and revelation both satisfy the hunger for answers while simultaneously whetting it some more.
I loved every single POV. I probably loved Kaden's the best because he's the best "player" - he literally has no leverage whatsoever (aside from possessing the ability to use the kentas) yet his ideas and decisions (not all I agree with) were the most brilliant - that's my boy!!!. Gwenna's was a very pleasant surprise. I loved her ever since we were first introduced to her fiery and passionate spirit. Valyn, I just wanna give a big hug. And as for Adare - her gullibility irked me sometimes but wow what a laudable development!!!
ALSO JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE - THE FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THIS SERIES!!!! YES!!! THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE WOMEN IN FANTASY!!! OTHER MALE AUTHORS TAKE NOTES!!
Alright, imma jam it back in my pants now. Ugh. What a masterpiece.
Layers and layers and layers of plot and mystery that keeps the reader engaged. A fascinating world system and deep mythology. Interesting characters, though for long periods I'm not seeing any average people at all. Really looking forward to the last part of the trilogy, which is out any day now!
adventurous
dark
I feel so puzzled about this one. I mean,
I like the story, the plot.
I didn't like the characters as much as I liked them in the first one. You know when sometimes you think you like a person lot, but then you get to know them better and realize they're not as cool as you thought they were?
Yup, sorta like that.
When I got into this series I was stoked about the fact that we would be following 3 siblings. I LOVE stories about siblings, specially in a fantasy setting! We all love strong friendships, right? Because they'd do anything for their friend, their bond so strong they simulate to be family. So if I get a chance to read about actual family, it's normal to expect strong bonds, right? Or is that just me? Cuz this series has got none. Valyn and Kaden seem the only ones who care for each other, and only barely (since Kaden was taught to set aside emotions.)
I don't know... as I said, I like the story enough, but for me to love a book I have to be emotionally invested in the characters. Given that they barely show emotions for each other, (or anyone for that matter) I find it hard to attach to them at the level I'd wished to. Don't get me wrong though, I like them, I just don't love them.
I like the story, the plot.
I didn't like the characters as much as I liked them in the first one. You know when sometimes you think you like a person lot, but then you get to know them better and realize they're not as cool as you thought they were?
Yup, sorta like that.
When I got into this series I was stoked about the fact that we would be following 3 siblings. I LOVE stories about siblings, specially in a fantasy setting! We all love strong friendships, right? Because they'd do anything for their friend, their bond so strong they simulate to be family. So if I get a chance to read about actual family, it's normal to expect strong bonds, right? Or is that just me? Cuz this series has got none. Valyn and Kaden seem the only ones who care for each other, and only barely (since Kaden was taught to set aside emotions.)
I don't know... as I said, I like the story enough, but for me to love a book I have to be emotionally invested in the characters. Given that they barely show emotions for each other, (or anyone for that matter) I find it hard to attach to them at the level I'd wished to. Don't get me wrong though, I like them, I just don't love them.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i had high expectations from the 1st book and this didn't...quite? meet them?
i mentioned the gratuitous gore in the first book, and it definitely doesn't let up here
adare stopped being a sympathetic character about 3/4 through the book
also the plot/politicking went entirely over my head
still fast-paced and fun w/ good characters tho
i mentioned the gratuitous gore in the first book, and it definitely doesn't let up here
adare stopped being a sympathetic character about 3/4 through the book
also the plot/politicking went entirely over my head
still fast-paced and fun w/ good characters tho
Like a good sequel, this book builds off of the first one.
It fixes one of my main issues of the last book, that being the missing details from the greater world. This book expands on the size and scope of the world making it feel less like a setting and more like a place.
The sequel also deepens characters, their relationships and their arcs. Make note that when I say the each of the main characters is well developed, I mean it. In the effort to make the main antagonist "smarter" than everyone else, they made the protagonists really dumb.
I mean the three main characters are really smart, or rather intelligent. But they make some of the dumbest choices, I've ever seen any one make. Those choices are well reasoned out, but protagonists could save a whole lot of trouble if they chose Option B instead of Option A.
It fixes one of my main issues of the last book, that being the missing details from the greater world. This book expands on the size and scope of the world making it feel less like a setting and more like a place.
The sequel also deepens characters, their relationships and their arcs. Make note that when I say the each of the main characters is well developed, I mean it. In the effort to make the main antagonist "smarter" than everyone else, they made the protagonists really dumb.
I mean the three main characters are really smart, or rather intelligent. But they make some of the dumbest choices, I've ever seen any one make. Those choices are well reasoned out, but protagonists could save a whole lot of trouble if they chose Option B instead of Option A.
5/5
“Blinding light. Perfect black. Ringing like a million mouths, screaming, singing. Body instantly and utterly gone. Gone the rain. Gone the mob. Gone her own mind and will.”
The Providence of Fire is a masterpiece. There. I’ve said it. There’s no need for me to draw out the opening to this review. This book is a complete masterpiece that left me awed and entirely captured by its characters, plot, twists, and prose. Had I known how much I would end up loving this book, I might’ve cherished my first read through more.
The Providence of Fire begins precisely where we were left in the first book. Adare upon learning who killed her father, escapes the Dawn Palace, searching for allies to help her take back the Empire. Unknown to Adare, her brothers are reunited only to be torn apart. Valyn and his Wing must elude their former Kettral brothers and sisters, doing what they can to survive day by day. Kadan, heir to the Unhewn Throne, maintains his goal to travel to the capitol to claim his regency. Through a series of terrible choices and personal tragedy, each sibling carries burdens that threaten to make war between them inevitable. The blood between families is thick but can be spilled all the same.
One of the ways that Staveley entices the reader is through the near-perfect blend of lore and plot weaved into his stories. The world building that was structured in the first book has grown into a labyrinth of myth, legend, history, and religion with The Providence of Fire. The beliefs and historical events in this world matter and directly affect the decisions these characters make. What we knew in the first book is expanded in ways I could not predict, making the stakes rise to the peak of mountains. There is so much that is revealed!
The way Staveley unmasks his true intentions is by gifting the readers slivers of the whole, distracting us from the stark truth right before us. When reading The Emperor’s Blades there were times, I felt a bit disappointed in myself for not having realized certain plot twists sooner. But with this second novel I am entirely dumbfounded at how Staveley was able to surprise me. He predicts what the reader thinks these characters will do and has them do the complete opposite. There is a formula to storytelling. A road of sorts that makes certain stops to adhere to the journey of a plot. The hero confronts a problem, makes a decision, solves the problem to varying degrees, and then proceeds to the next one. With his second installment Staveley shows us the highlights of this road, except at the stop of solves the problem, he crashes the tour bus. These characters make awful decisions and fail at every task they are given. Like a building of pickup sticks, these terrible choices have but to be breathed on to crumble, and fall, crushing our beloved characters.
How Staveley handles the siblings is nothing short of inspiring, and I absolutely love the way he treats each perspective. Adare, Kadan, and Valyn are not the same people at the end of this book as they were in the beginning. Due to their unique circumstances and individual experiences, it’s understandable why each sibling makes the decisions they make. The reader may not agree, but that is because we can see the entire picture while the main characters are only presented with what is right before them.
The only criticism I had with the first book was how little page time I was given with Adare. In The Providence of Fire she had plenty of page time to completely upturn my sanity in the best way possible. Adare, Kadan, and Valyn are those people in your party group to watch someone do something already completely stupid and say “Here. Hold my beer…” The only reason why these decisions have any validity is because they are understandable. The siblings are doing the very best they can with what they are given without knowing anything that is happening to the other. Each of their decisions, based on the intel available to them, have dire consequences. Would these problems have been diverted if they had simply learned to communicate? Sure, but how is one to do that when they are miles apart. When their paths finally cross, there is still a distance far more difficult to trek: time. These siblings haven’t seen each other for almost a decade and so are more strangers than family. It is captivating to read how Staveley writes around these hurtles, and I could go on for hours about that one aspect of the book.
As with my review of the first book, Staveley excels in developing the side characters. We are given a closer look into the mindset of these minor characters with the addition of a brand-new perspective. Gwenna, the demolitions master in Valyn’s Wing, is a red-headed firecracker who is quick to anger and filled with a passion for surviving. We quickly discover her wrathful demeanor is a front for a deeply empathetic young woman whose heart breaks to be unable to save those she was supposed to protect. She was already a favorite of mine, but with her introduction as a point-of-view she became my favorite perspective to read as well. All the other side characters only add more spice to the story and their relationships with Kadan, Adare, and Valyn remain a massive highlight.
Staveley’s prose is a work of art that gave me all the feelings. Each stoke of a sentence matters, and no detail is left to go to waste. He flawlessly blends hilarious commentary between characters with the inner turmoil of impossible decisions. His descriptions made me think and contemplate on the true nature of the siblings choices and why they made those choices. I loved pulling apart these decisions and placing myself in their perspectives, wondering how I might handle their situation without the advantage of what I know that the character doesn’t.
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. I utterly lost myself in this world and followed the characters with the purest ache in my heart. I cannot wait to finish this series! I truly have no idea how this is all going to end, and I only hope for Staveley to treat my heart gently as he tears it apart.
“Blinding light. Perfect black. Ringing like a million mouths, screaming, singing. Body instantly and utterly gone. Gone the rain. Gone the mob. Gone her own mind and will.”
The Providence of Fire is a masterpiece. There. I’ve said it. There’s no need for me to draw out the opening to this review. This book is a complete masterpiece that left me awed and entirely captured by its characters, plot, twists, and prose. Had I known how much I would end up loving this book, I might’ve cherished my first read through more.
The Providence of Fire begins precisely where we were left in the first book. Adare upon learning who killed her father, escapes the Dawn Palace, searching for allies to help her take back the Empire. Unknown to Adare, her brothers are reunited only to be torn apart. Valyn and his Wing must elude their former Kettral brothers and sisters, doing what they can to survive day by day. Kadan, heir to the Unhewn Throne, maintains his goal to travel to the capitol to claim his regency. Through a series of terrible choices and personal tragedy, each sibling carries burdens that threaten to make war between them inevitable. The blood between families is thick but can be spilled all the same.
One of the ways that Staveley entices the reader is through the near-perfect blend of lore and plot weaved into his stories. The world building that was structured in the first book has grown into a labyrinth of myth, legend, history, and religion with The Providence of Fire. The beliefs and historical events in this world matter and directly affect the decisions these characters make. What we knew in the first book is expanded in ways I could not predict, making the stakes rise to the peak of mountains. There is so much that is revealed!
The way Staveley unmasks his true intentions is by gifting the readers slivers of the whole, distracting us from the stark truth right before us. When reading The Emperor’s Blades there were times, I felt a bit disappointed in myself for not having realized certain plot twists sooner. But with this second novel I am entirely dumbfounded at how Staveley was able to surprise me. He predicts what the reader thinks these characters will do and has them do the complete opposite. There is a formula to storytelling. A road of sorts that makes certain stops to adhere to the journey of a plot. The hero confronts a problem, makes a decision, solves the problem to varying degrees, and then proceeds to the next one. With his second installment Staveley shows us the highlights of this road, except at the stop of solves the problem, he crashes the tour bus. These characters make awful decisions and fail at every task they are given. Like a building of pickup sticks, these terrible choices have but to be breathed on to crumble, and fall, crushing our beloved characters.
How Staveley handles the siblings is nothing short of inspiring, and I absolutely love the way he treats each perspective. Adare, Kadan, and Valyn are not the same people at the end of this book as they were in the beginning. Due to their unique circumstances and individual experiences, it’s understandable why each sibling makes the decisions they make. The reader may not agree, but that is because we can see the entire picture while the main characters are only presented with what is right before them.
The only criticism I had with the first book was how little page time I was given with Adare. In The Providence of Fire she had plenty of page time to completely upturn my sanity in the best way possible. Adare, Kadan, and Valyn are those people in your party group to watch someone do something already completely stupid and say “Here. Hold my beer…” The only reason why these decisions have any validity is because they are understandable. The siblings are doing the very best they can with what they are given without knowing anything that is happening to the other. Each of their decisions, based on the intel available to them, have dire consequences. Would these problems have been diverted if they had simply learned to communicate? Sure, but how is one to do that when they are miles apart. When their paths finally cross, there is still a distance far more difficult to trek: time. These siblings haven’t seen each other for almost a decade and so are more strangers than family. It is captivating to read how Staveley writes around these hurtles, and I could go on for hours about that one aspect of the book.
As with my review of the first book, Staveley excels in developing the side characters. We are given a closer look into the mindset of these minor characters with the addition of a brand-new perspective. Gwenna, the demolitions master in Valyn’s Wing, is a red-headed firecracker who is quick to anger and filled with a passion for surviving. We quickly discover her wrathful demeanor is a front for a deeply empathetic young woman whose heart breaks to be unable to save those she was supposed to protect. She was already a favorite of mine, but with her introduction as a point-of-view she became my favorite perspective to read as well. All the other side characters only add more spice to the story and their relationships with Kadan, Adare, and Valyn remain a massive highlight.
Staveley’s prose is a work of art that gave me all the feelings. Each stoke of a sentence matters, and no detail is left to go to waste. He flawlessly blends hilarious commentary between characters with the inner turmoil of impossible decisions. His descriptions made me think and contemplate on the true nature of the siblings choices and why they made those choices. I loved pulling apart these decisions and placing myself in their perspectives, wondering how I might handle their situation without the advantage of what I know that the character doesn’t.
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. I utterly lost myself in this world and followed the characters with the purest ache in my heart. I cannot wait to finish this series! I truly have no idea how this is all going to end, and I only hope for Staveley to treat my heart gently as he tears it apart.
Nira and oshi best characters. Also called the plot twist on triste. Freaking amazing book as always. So excited that we got more Adare.