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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Book 2 of Staveley's series was just as good, if not better than the first. Everything is amped up in this title and it just got better and better. I cannot recommend this series enough.
Second Review - April 2016: I agree with my earlier assessment. Fun storytelling/worldbuilding, not as tight as volume one. Excited to wrap up this trilogy now, and keep Staveley on my radar.
First Review - February 2015: Decent second novel, but not nearly as tight as the first volume. The three points of view from the first volume expanded to additional voices seemingly at random when the story started to spiral slightly out of control. Much more violence and intrigue than the first book, and just not nearly as tight, but still enjoyable.
First Review - February 2015: Decent second novel, but not nearly as tight as the first volume. The three points of view from the first volume expanded to additional voices seemingly at random when the story started to spiral slightly out of control. Much more violence and intrigue than the first book, and just not nearly as tight, but still enjoyable.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars
This book picks up right where "Emperor's Blades" left off and feels like the two are just one long book. We follow the three siblings through their various quests. Each one takes a completely different path toward a similar goal. Then they immediately run into brick walls and have to dig themselves out of the abyss of their choices. The first 500 pages kept me riveted, then... the climax went off the rails.
2.) Valyn stands aside while each member of his Wing are put in mortal danger. They were forced together initially, but really formed a tight group by the end of the first book. But now the mission is more important than their suffering and/or deaths?
3.) Kaden orchestrates a brutal battle in the middle of the Shin monastery that probably slaughtered all of them and he's totally fine with that. I get that he has been trained to cut off his emotions, but DAMN that is cold-blooded!
4.) Valyn is killed by Adare to save Il Tornja. Thanks, Adare! Murder your brother and still keeping your father's murderer alive. Man, you suck, Adare!
5.) Triste and Long Fist are each part god (Ceina & Meshkent). It's like the version of God in Kevin Smith's "Dogma" movie that inhabits a human body once per year to play skeeball. They could stay in heaven and influence the humans in battle; like Intarra is apparently doing with Adare. But instead they choose to inhabit human bodies where they could be killed. That's a BIG risk to take. One that would simultaneously sever the humans' ability to feel the emotion they invoke. Ceina's death would eliminate the ability for humans to feel pleasure; Meshkent's would eliminate the fear of pain. That's a pretty major risk to take! There had better be a better reason for this than we have learned thus far.
6.) Valyn isn't dead afterall... he got stabbed in the liver, slashed through his eyeballs, dropped off a cliff into the water, and just swam to safety while unconscious.
WTF?! As I'm reading through my list, I'm also realizing that I dislike each of the siblings quite a bit by the end of this book. The first one left us with such hope that at least one of them would succeed and take down the Csestriim. But this book shows some major flaws for every character that makes none of them fit for their father's throne.
I'm definitely reading "The Last Mortal Bond" to see how this story concludes. If the last book can make sense of the final act of this book, I may end up putting the whole series on my "favorites" list. I really like Mr. Staveley's writing style and the world he's built here. I'm just so disappointed by the characters' decisions that I'm teetering on whether or not I can recommend this series to anyone. The first one is nearly flawless, but it leaves so many threads unanswered. You have to read the sequels to get the complete story. Starting last book now... *fingers crossed*
This book picks up right where "Emperor's Blades" left off and feels like the two are just one long book. We follow the three siblings through their various quests. Each one takes a completely different path toward a similar goal. Then they immediately run into brick walls and have to dig themselves out of the abyss of their choices. The first 500 pages kept me riveted, then... the climax went off the rails.
Spoiler
1.) Adare insists on keeping Il Tornja alive even though everybody knows she should kill him immediately. He's a genius strategist blah, blah, blah, but the world is better off struggling without him than allowing him to "help".2.) Valyn stands aside while each member of his Wing are put in mortal danger. They were forced together initially, but really formed a tight group by the end of the first book. But now the mission is more important than their suffering and/or deaths?
3.) Kaden orchestrates a brutal battle in the middle of the Shin monastery that probably slaughtered all of them and he's totally fine with that. I get that he has been trained to cut off his emotions, but DAMN that is cold-blooded!
4.) Valyn is killed by Adare to save Il Tornja. Thanks, Adare! Murder your brother and still keeping your father's murderer alive. Man, you suck, Adare!
5.) Triste and Long Fist are each part god (Ceina & Meshkent). It's like the version of God in Kevin Smith's "Dogma" movie that inhabits a human body once per year to play skeeball. They could stay in heaven and influence the humans in battle; like Intarra is apparently doing with Adare. But instead they choose to inhabit human bodies where they could be killed. That's a BIG risk to take. One that would simultaneously sever the humans' ability to feel the emotion they invoke. Ceina's death would eliminate the ability for humans to feel pleasure; Meshkent's would eliminate the fear of pain. That's a pretty major risk to take! There had better be a better reason for this than we have learned thus far.
6.) Valyn isn't dead afterall... he got stabbed in the liver, slashed through his eyeballs, dropped off a cliff into the water, and just swam to safety while unconscious.
WTF?! As I'm reading through my list, I'm also realizing that I dislike each of the siblings quite a bit by the end of this book. The first one left us with such hope that at least one of them would succeed and take down the Csestriim. But this book shows some major flaws for every character that makes none of them fit for their father's throne.
I'm definitely reading "The Last Mortal Bond" to see how this story concludes. If the last book can make sense of the final act of this book, I may end up putting the whole series on my "favorites" list. I really like Mr. Staveley's writing style and the world he's built here. I'm just so disappointed by the characters' decisions that I'm teetering on whether or not I can recommend this series to anyone. The first one is nearly flawless, but it leaves so many threads unanswered. You have to read the sequels to get the complete story. Starting last book now... *fingers crossed*
Vom "nur Nachtslesebuch" zum Hauptlesebuch - ist eine Auszeichnung.
Der Schluss ist so gemein - Teil 3 ist schon geladen
Der Schluss ist so gemein - Teil 3 ist schon geladen
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
I really enjoyed the world building in this book and the development of some of the secondary characters like Gwenna. Really interesting stuff, and I have no idea where the next book is headed as far as who is really in the right, can any of the Csestrim be trusted, what are the gods trying to do, etc. This saga went from fairly simple political treachery in the last book, to something truly strange and world shattering in this one. As far as scale is concerned it is much much bigger, which works in some ways and doesn't in others. I think I found the journey of the characters as they came into their own more captivating in the last book, than the strange journeys they are on now. In particular Kaden just didn't really feel like he did much of anything of his own volition at least until the end. However, I really felt I got to know Gwenna a lot more and Adare and a lot more to do and any time women have a more central role I am going to be happier.
Great story.
The use of profanity throughout the book is what lost staveley the fifth star, in my opinion. It felt like lazy writing, like if he ever couldn't think of a good adjective, he'd just say "effing."
The use of profanity throughout the book is what lost staveley the fifth star, in my opinion. It felt like lazy writing, like if he ever couldn't think of a good adjective, he'd just say "effing."
Behind her, the flames still raged. Forgiveness, it seemed, lay far from the providence of fire
The second book of the Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne starts immediately after the events in The Emperor's Blades, and if you like the first book you'll surely like this one. We get more insight into what makes the characters tick and As Adare, Kaden and Valyn find out who is behind the plot to kill their father, they go onto very different routes to save themselves and the empire. Also as the cover depicts Adare has more chapters in this book and will play a very big role in the events that will affect the lives of her brothers. We also get to learn more about the Csestriim , Atmani and their mythology. Unlike other books I've read written in POVs where sometimes I forget which character POV I'm reading, Brian Staveley writing isn't like that, from the words they use to the thought processing. There's a clear distinct flavor for each character
The second book of the Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne starts immediately after the events in The Emperor's Blades, and if you like the first book you'll surely like this one. We get more insight into what makes the characters tick and As Adare, Kaden and Valyn find out who is behind the plot to kill their father, they go onto very different routes to save themselves and the empire. Also as the cover depicts Adare has more chapters in this book and will play a very big role in the events that will affect the lives of her brothers. We also get to learn more about the Csestriim , Atmani and their mythology.
Spoiler
I got mind blown, this is not just a simple killing of an emperor and revenge of an ancient immortal but something more
I have been busy with projects and such and this book took a long time to finish. A part of me wonders if that is the reason I found the book hard to get into or if the writing just didn't connect with me as much.
That said, the last quarter of this book really ramped up. The children of the late Emperor are remained split up except for a brief reunion between Valyn (the elite soldier) and Adare (daughter of the Emperor who has claimed the throne for herself). Kaden (1st in line for the throne) runs into none of them in his adventure in this book.
The siblings are all following their own paths and are discovering things about their father's assassination and the dangers to their Empire. This is where the book is brilliant. All three are discovering things that seem to make perfect sense, but none of these line up with what the others are finding - at least they don't seem to. The reader sees these three sets of views, but still doesn't know which is right, if any of them.
By the end of the book, a huge battle is fought and won, the country changes hands more than once and we end with as many questions as when the book started despite knowing a lot more. An excellent book. I will be moving on to book three immediately.
That said, the last quarter of this book really ramped up. The children of the late Emperor are remained split up except for a brief reunion between Valyn (the elite soldier) and Adare (daughter of the Emperor who has claimed the throne for herself). Kaden (1st in line for the throne) runs into none of them in his adventure in this book.
The siblings are all following their own paths and are discovering things about their father's assassination and the dangers to their Empire. This is where the book is brilliant. All three are discovering things that seem to make perfect sense, but none of these line up with what the others are finding - at least they don't seem to. The reader sees these three sets of views, but still doesn't know which is right, if any of them.
By the end of the book, a huge battle is fought and won, the country changes hands more than once and we end with as many questions as when the book started despite knowing a lot more. An excellent book. I will be moving on to book three immediately.