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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
4.5/5 stars
You may recall in my review of The Emperor's Blades, book one of the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, that I wanted to love the book but just wasn't able to get past a few major flaws. I'm happy to say that I do love The Providence of Fire, book two in the series, and that it is a much better outing than its predecessor.
The Providence of Fire picks up where The Emperor's Blades left off. Kaden and Valyn are reunited but on the run, and the two soon split again, Valyn taking the Skullsworn assassin and his wing into Urghul territory. Kaden and Rampuri Tan undertake a mission to learn more about the Csetriim by visiting the order Tan left, and it doesn't go as planned. And Adare finds unlikely allies in the Sons of Flame, a religious army that she banished from Annur, as she works her way toward stopping the man who killed her father: Ran il Tornja, who is not what he appears. All of it culminates in one massive battle, a desperate gambit and an earth-shattering revelation.
First of all, let me address the complaints I had against the first book, because it's worth mentioning how much better this book is on all fronts. I was majorly disappointed by the lack of Adare chapters in The Emperor's Blades, but I'm pleased to say that Adare is front and center here. Her story is again the most interesting of the three (though a bit more narrowly this time), and we finally get to appreciate Adare as more than just the princess. She struggles with maintaining her alliances, she seizes the throne even though it's traditionally male, and she makes a lot of hard decisions (including many wrong ones, in my opinion). But we actually get to see her on an even par with her brothers.
I was also right to pin my hopes on Gwenna - about halfway through the book, she becomes a point-of-view character. I've seen a lot of complaining about that in various reviews online, but I think it needed to happen; there was a lot of story that couldn't otherwise be told due to the characters breaking into smaller groups. She too comes into her own as a leader in this book, and together with Pyrre and Annick manages to prevent the climactic battle from being lost before it begins. She is probably the most heroic of the characters in this novel, even if it is unwilling, because she is genuinely good-hearted and not out for vengeance or any other dark motive. Pyrre and Annick make great secondary characters in her plot (Pyrre in particular with her quips and general devil-may-care attitude). Honestly, I could have a story that was just Gwenna, Annick and Pyrre traveling and I'd be happy.
Then there's Nira. Oh boy. As new characters go, she's one of my two favorites. The revelation of who she really is comes quite early, but it had to (and this book is so stacked with big revelations that Staveley had to start somewhere). She's an unconventional character, and she'll be the one you remember long after you finish the novel. I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil her - she's that good.
Saying all that to say - Staveley has largely fixed his female agency problem. The women in this novel are much stronger, more independent and act on their own desires.
Also unlike his first book - this one moves. It marches steadily from revelation to revelation, setpiece to setpiece, always pushing forward. The Emperor's Blades took me a solid week and a half to get through (an awfully long time, for me) due to dragging plotlines; I burned through The Providence of Fire in about two days total. There's hardly a boring moment to be found, because when we're not watching a thrilling escape or an epic battle, we're seeing a huge character reveal or trying to puzzle out what the hell is going on with Triste.
Read the rest of my review on my website
You may recall in my review of The Emperor's Blades, book one of the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, that I wanted to love the book but just wasn't able to get past a few major flaws. I'm happy to say that I do love The Providence of Fire, book two in the series, and that it is a much better outing than its predecessor.
The Providence of Fire picks up where The Emperor's Blades left off. Kaden and Valyn are reunited but on the run, and the two soon split again, Valyn taking the Skullsworn assassin and his wing into Urghul territory. Kaden and Rampuri Tan undertake a mission to learn more about the Csetriim by visiting the order Tan left, and it doesn't go as planned. And Adare finds unlikely allies in the Sons of Flame, a religious army that she banished from Annur, as she works her way toward stopping the man who killed her father: Ran il Tornja, who is not what he appears. All of it culminates in one massive battle, a desperate gambit and an earth-shattering revelation.
First of all, let me address the complaints I had against the first book, because it's worth mentioning how much better this book is on all fronts. I was majorly disappointed by the lack of Adare chapters in The Emperor's Blades, but I'm pleased to say that Adare is front and center here. Her story is again the most interesting of the three (though a bit more narrowly this time), and we finally get to appreciate Adare as more than just the princess. She struggles with maintaining her alliances, she seizes the throne even though it's traditionally male, and she makes a lot of hard decisions (including many wrong ones, in my opinion). But we actually get to see her on an even par with her brothers.
I was also right to pin my hopes on Gwenna - about halfway through the book, she becomes a point-of-view character. I've seen a lot of complaining about that in various reviews online, but I think it needed to happen; there was a lot of story that couldn't otherwise be told due to the characters breaking into smaller groups. She too comes into her own as a leader in this book, and together with Pyrre and Annick manages to prevent the climactic battle from being lost before it begins. She is probably the most heroic of the characters in this novel, even if it is unwilling, because she is genuinely good-hearted and not out for vengeance or any other dark motive. Pyrre and Annick make great secondary characters in her plot (Pyrre in particular with her quips and general devil-may-care attitude). Honestly, I could have a story that was just Gwenna, Annick and Pyrre traveling and I'd be happy.
Then there's Nira. Oh boy. As new characters go, she's one of my two favorites. The revelation of who she really is comes quite early, but it had to (and this book is so stacked with big revelations that Staveley had to start somewhere). She's an unconventional character, and she'll be the one you remember long after you finish the novel. I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil her - she's that good.
Saying all that to say - Staveley has largely fixed his female agency problem. The women in this novel are much stronger, more independent and act on their own desires.
Also unlike his first book - this one moves. It marches steadily from revelation to revelation, setpiece to setpiece, always pushing forward. The Emperor's Blades took me a solid week and a half to get through (an awfully long time, for me) due to dragging plotlines; I burned through The Providence of Fire in about two days total. There's hardly a boring moment to be found, because when we're not watching a thrilling escape or an epic battle, we're seeing a huge character reveal or trying to puzzle out what the hell is going on with Triste.
Read the rest of my review on my website
The world writing for this series is good, and though I originally liked the three separate storylines this book quickly turns it into a Scooby Doo episode gone wrong. Everyone knows some part of the story that doesn't match with anything else. The women in this world are treated with disdain. There is not one single reference to a woman as anything other than a slut or a whore.
Very good. Better than the first volume in spades. I only had two issues.
1. Valyn is annoying, and makes all the worst decisions. Compared to oth his siblings, he's a moron.
2. The contrivance at the end of having Adare tell Valyn that "he doens't know everything about Il Tornja" but not ACTUALLY telling him why or what in any way, which might (WOULD) have stopped him attempting to kill Il Tornja and getting stabed and blinded in the process. The only thing I can think of is that Staveley wanted Valyn in a certain place/position for the 3rd book...but man that was a dumb part.
Otherwise, quite enjoyed!
2. The contrivance at the end of having Adare tell Valyn that "he doens't know everything about Il Tornja" but not ACTUALLY telling him why or what in any way, which might (WOULD) have stopped him attempting to kill Il Tornja and getting stabed and blinded in the process. The only thing I can think of is that Staveley wanted Valyn in a certain place/position for the 3rd book...but man that was a dumb part.
Otherwise, quite enjoyed!
When I read Brian Staveley’s fabulous The Emperor’s Blades last year, I characterized it at the time as a wild rollercoaster thrill-ride of a book. I stand by that. And having just finished the sequel, the savagely gritty The Providence of Fire (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #2), I’ll keep on with that theme. But instead of a rollercoaster, PoF is a more of an extreme log flume ride. Cause darned near everybody ends up underwater and nearly drowning. I think the ‘providence of fire’ may be that it dries ‘em all out.
That being said, this book should be subtitled The Big Book of Unimaginably Bad Decisions. It picks up where Blades left off, with Kaden, Valyn and Adare, the murdered emperor’s children, all seeking revenge for their father’s death. And trying to avoid the same fate. And trying, each in their own way, to save the empire from insidious and powerful enemies. Unfortunately none of the three main characters has complete (or accurate) information, and so their decisions are constantly based on false assumptions. Each of them is flawed, makes dreadful mistakes, and sacrifices things they probably shouldn’t. They end up working at cross-purposes to the point where their actions may instead tear apart what they each are trying desperately to save.
If you’re looking for action-packed, this is your book. If you’re looking for superb world-building, this is your book. If you’re looking for an epic tale that was centuries in the making, this is your book. If you’re looking for amazing characterizations, from the main characters to the secondaries to the (many many) villains to the bloody gods, this is your book. If you like kick-ass special ops soldiers and mystic warrior monks, this is absolutely your book. PoF is all of these and so much, much more.
My only caveat—this book ain’t for the faint of heart or delicate of sensibilities. The action is fast and furious, grim and gory, and the language is brutally scatological. To good effect, in both cases—these are people who fight and kill and curse with abandon—that’s who they are.
PoF left me on a knife’s edge, feeling like there was a Kettral swooping from one direction and a starshatter incoming from the other. Jeez but this guy can write. Do I recommend The Providence of Fire? Absolutely! Slam-bang epic fantasy of the highest order. Wowza! 5 stars only cause I can’t give seven.
That being said, this book should be subtitled The Big Book of Unimaginably Bad Decisions. It picks up where Blades left off, with Kaden, Valyn and Adare, the murdered emperor’s children, all seeking revenge for their father’s death. And trying to avoid the same fate. And trying, each in their own way, to save the empire from insidious and powerful enemies. Unfortunately none of the three main characters has complete (or accurate) information, and so their decisions are constantly based on false assumptions. Each of them is flawed, makes dreadful mistakes, and sacrifices things they probably shouldn’t. They end up working at cross-purposes to the point where their actions may instead tear apart what they each are trying desperately to save.
If you’re looking for action-packed, this is your book. If you’re looking for superb world-building, this is your book. If you’re looking for an epic tale that was centuries in the making, this is your book. If you’re looking for amazing characterizations, from the main characters to the secondaries to the (many many) villains to the bloody gods, this is your book. If you like kick-ass special ops soldiers and mystic warrior monks, this is absolutely your book. PoF is all of these and so much, much more.
My only caveat—this book ain’t for the faint of heart or delicate of sensibilities. The action is fast and furious, grim and gory, and the language is brutally scatological. To good effect, in both cases—these are people who fight and kill and curse with abandon—that’s who they are.
PoF left me on a knife’s edge, feeling like there was a Kettral swooping from one direction and a starshatter incoming from the other. Jeez but this guy can write. Do I recommend The Providence of Fire? Absolutely! Slam-bang epic fantasy of the highest order. Wowza! 5 stars only cause I can’t give seven.
Second book syndrome, what second book syndrome? I usually hate it when the good guys mistrust each other for lack of communication but honestly, even as a reader it's hard to figure out who should be trusted! Still, some stupidity on Valyn and Adare's parts cannot be explained but as a way to move the plot forward and "spice things up", hence the 4 stars and not 5 like the first book.
Very much looking forward to the last book though!
Very much looking forward to the last book though!
Nope. I can't even. I was really struggling, but then when That Guy who was dead at the end of the last book turned up again, nope.
(Adare's story was picking up, though, and Kaden's was strong the whole way even if he did make stupid STUPID choices).
(Adare's story was picking up, though, and Kaden's was strong the whole way even if he did make stupid STUPID choices).
This damn series is going to be the death of me, I swear
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My full review is here.
In brief, I liked the story, but I had problems with some things, one of which was the decision-making of the Annurian line. I'm still looking forward to book 3, though.
In brief, I liked the story, but I had problems with some things, one of which was the decision-making of the Annurian line. I'm still looking forward to book 3, though.