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wardenred's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“We call ourselves The Emperor’s Edge because we aim to win Emperor Sespian’s approval.” And pardon. And a place in the history books.
It’s been ages since I started and immediately paused this series, so I fully expected to be lost for a while as I reacquainted myself with the characters and the setting. However, it turned out to be surprisingly easy to get back into the swing of things, even though the narrative offers minimal reminders about the events of the previous book. I’m chalking it up to the character work: everyone’s so memorable, it’s impossible to read about them and not recall their past shenanigans.
Speaking of characters, I really enjoyed the dynamics on the team, especially Amarantha’s banter with Sicarius and how their relationship progressed throughout the book, and absolutely every single scene Books and Maldynado shared. Their sniping at each other is pure gold, I kept laughing out loud at some of the barbs. And really, no matter which characters are involved, most of the dialogues in this novel are brilliant: witty, layered, and pushing forth character development even in the middle of action (which is rather plentiful).
Where the story suffers is the worldbuilding. On one hand, when I realized this wasn’t going to be another urban adventure and we were venturing into the wider world, I was really excited. On the other hand, a wider scope just exemplified how many holes and blind spots there are about… oh, everything. Societal structure, magic, technology—I have so many questions about all of this. And given that the characters’ adventures come with a heavy dose of mystery + they have goals that are all about influencing politics, I feel it would be useful to have some hard rules in place. A better picture of the status quo, the opportunities, the possibilities and impossibilities, for the stakes to feel more real.
Despite the above complaints, it was a one, fast-paced, action-filled romp that put me in a good mood. I love how all the adventurous excitement is combined with character development and the overarching plot keeps me curious!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Confinement and Misogyny
marsh_mall0w's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
Moderate: Death, Classism, and Confinement
Minor: War, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Slavery
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