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adavis0612's review against another edition
4.0
Took me a long time to finish this book; I don't exactly remember why I stopped reading in the first place , but some of the gënder cönventions cän be awkward to rëad. But I got back to it and it really sucked me back in; some things felt rushed and some things tied up nicely. Not a perfect book, but overall, I really liked the series. Would definitely read another one if it came out.
aventadistrict's review against another edition
4.0
possibly closer to a 3.5? i'm really happy that the author didn't stumble too hard and was able to pull together almost all of the plot elements and wind down really well into a finale that was... like... i think it's anti-climactic and i don't know if i found it all personally satisfying (besides saana's general arc). but it's extremely true to the themes of the series, a very fitting end, and i just love to see how well the author conveyed what he wanted these books to convey. it's good!
with one glaring, unfortunate exception -
with one glaring, unfortunate exception -
Spoiler
jeya and bulang's plot can 100% be skipped entirely with no bearing on the rest of the book. as soon as i got to the monkey-catching chapter i realised this was total filler and i feel very bad about it because i think the boat was missed here (probably literally) in book 1 or 2 to make them relevant to the overarching plot and once it got down to brass tacks there was no way to work them back in...... it's tragic bc this plot started off strong in book 1 and i really enjoyed the alaban worldbuilding. i kind of wish there isn't a fourth book bc the lost potential here that could've been unleashed if this wasn't a planned trilogy is so depressingmbs1236's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Better than the 2nd book hut still underwhelming. By the middle of the book, my enjoyment had begun to increase but I began to dear the sticking the ending would be difficult from here and like I feared, the ending was okay.
*Spoilers Below*
I really liked the last battle between the Golden and Tyren. Also Alazar there was excellent. The trio of Alazar, Marin and Ravi was my favourite and the chapter with Tokar was my favourite chapter in this whole trilogy. Jeya and Bulang’s story while having no link to the main one had a really wholesome ending.
The rest was very disappointing. My least favourite character Tila somehow managed to, credit to her for her efforts, scam her way to victory. Darel chapters were nice; however Sanna was very underused and Zhanna was another one that was okay. However, no character got more dirty than my boy Daimon like sure the fight was cool but I think he just got killed by the Golden for shock’s case and to just add a body from the main POVs. The potential was there but it just didn’t deliver sadly in my opinion.
*Spoilers Below*
I really liked the last battle between the Golden and Tyren. Also Alazar there was excellent. The trio of Alazar, Marin and Ravi was my favourite and the chapter with Tokar was my favourite chapter in this whole trilogy. Jeya and Bulang’s story while having no link to the main one had a really wholesome ending.
The rest was very disappointing. My least favourite character Tila somehow managed to, credit to her for her efforts, scam her way to victory. Darel chapters were nice; however Sanna was very underused and Zhanna was another one that was okay. However, no character got more dirty than my boy Daimon like sure the fight was cool but I think he just got killed by the Golden for shock’s case and to just add a body from the main POVs. The potential was there but it just didn’t deliver sadly in my opinion.
kittyg's review against another edition
4.0
This is the conclusion to the series, and I really enjoyed finishing this up. I've reviewed the first two and would recommend checking out those reviews too if you're interested in the series, but suffice to say this is a fairly satisfying ending with a lot still left to explore either in your mind or if the author wants to return to the world. I would certainly read more set in this world as by the end of this I feel like there's a lot of new directions that our characters are going...
Surprises, I have to say this series kept me guessing with where people would end up. Most of the time in series all the multi-POV characters end up coming together and they all have a big dramatic ending. In this, Brooks does something different by sending some characters on their own paths, although their story is relevant to the overall, they never 'meet' other characters but their decisions affect others.
I loved the way that so many of our characters grow over the course of the series. When we first meet them they are new to their places in life or their roles and they gradually learn and develop and change and I loved seeing that flourishing. The storylines challenge the characters and take a few wild twists which make it exciting to see how the characters will react.
This is a story of who should rule, who is justified, gods, dragons, and ordinary people trying to find acceptance. I highly recommend the series as a whole and will certainly be checking out future works by Brooks as I now have him firmly on my radar! 4*s for the whole series overall :)
Surprises, I have to say this series kept me guessing with where people would end up. Most of the time in series all the multi-POV characters end up coming together and they all have a big dramatic ending. In this, Brooks does something different by sending some characters on their own paths, although their story is relevant to the overall, they never 'meet' other characters but their decisions affect others.
I loved the way that so many of our characters grow over the course of the series. When we first meet them they are new to their places in life or their roles and they gradually learn and develop and change and I loved seeing that flourishing. The storylines challenge the characters and take a few wild twists which make it exciting to see how the characters will react.
This is a story of who should rule, who is justified, gods, dragons, and ordinary people trying to find acceptance. I highly recommend the series as a whole and will certainly be checking out future works by Brooks as I now have him firmly on my radar! 4*s for the whole series overall :)
ionaonie's review against another edition
5.0
A truly satisfying ending. I loved all of it.
I was in awe of Tila through the entire series but omg she was so devious in this one and it was brilliant.
I love Natan, Saana, Darel and Zhanna and honestly want to read more about them.
I was less interested in Jeya and Bulang, but they didn’t make up a lot of the book, so it wasn’t a problem.
I’m really hoping there is a series following Laz, Mar and Ravi because I’m very curious about all of that
I was in awe of Tila through the entire series but omg she was so devious in this one and it was brilliant.
I love Natan, Saana, Darel and Zhanna and honestly want to read more about them.
I was less interested in Jeya and Bulang, but they didn’t make up a lot of the book, so it wasn’t a problem.
I’m really hoping there is a series following Laz, Mar and Ravi because I’m very curious about all of that
hattiesbooks21's review against another edition
5.0
There was excitement when it came to reading this book especially after the first two books. There was something about getting to this book excited me but also made me nervous. However I am so glad to pick this up as I have really enjoyed the book. The characters developed throughout book even further as they were from the very first book. The overall storyline of this book was a very interesting read there was something about it that kept me very intrigued. With the writing style it allowed the story to flow nicely throughout the time in which I read it. The ending of the book surprised me. I didn’t expect it to happen.
korratheredlion's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic end to a fantastic series.
The way he made tremendous effort in writing a story not about conflicts, but rather a story about very different cultures and people learning to understand each through languages, love, bloodshed and so much more. I love the characters so much and the ending suggests that more books could possibly be happening, which brings me joy because I'd love to learn more about everyone again.
Saana and Tila managed to be stars of the series again, and I must say while I LOVE Tila, I do wish Saana had a bit more to do in this book. Zhanna was amazing in this book, and I love that she had tremendous growth this book. I hope that if there is a second series, we can see her story with Yarmina (who I adore btw).
Daimon continued to show that men in fantasy can be good people. I loved him, Darel, Miran, Laz and honestly everyone. There's no character I dislike. But his story in particular had me in tears. Such a fantastic character arc.
Jeya and Bulang's story wasn't has engaging as usual, for me at least. There was so much going on with the others and they were just having their own little love story and it felt disconnected from the main storyline. And maybe if there is a second series it's a great set up, but for now it feels out of the main story.
But the use of language and gender remains top notch. I love the way it feels real and lived in, and that there was so much effort put into making it feel alive.
I can't wait to see what Mike Brooks writes now, because he's gonna be an instant buy from me if it's ANYTHING like this.
The way he made tremendous effort in writing a story not about conflicts, but rather a story about very different cultures and people learning to understand each through languages, love, bloodshed and so much more. I love the characters so much and the ending suggests that more books could possibly be happening, which brings me joy because I'd love to learn more about everyone again.
Saana and Tila managed to be stars of the series again, and I must say while I LOVE Tila, I do wish Saana had a bit more to do in this book. Zhanna was amazing in this book, and I love that she had tremendous growth this book. I hope that if there is a second series, we can see her story with Yarmina (who I adore btw).
Daimon continued to show that men in fantasy can be good people. I loved him, Darel, Miran, Laz and honestly everyone. There's no character I dislike. But his story in particular had me in tears. Such a fantastic character arc.
Jeya and Bulang's story wasn't has engaging as usual, for me at least. There was so much going on with the others and they were just having their own little love story and it felt disconnected from the main storyline. And maybe if there is a second series it's a great set up, but for now it feels out of the main story.
But the use of language and gender remains top notch. I love the way it feels real and lived in, and that there was so much effort put into making it feel alive.
I can't wait to see what Mike Brooks writes now, because he's gonna be an instant buy from me if it's ANYTHING like this.
iamatree's review against another edition
3.5
Nice description of tsunami and it's after effects and how it affects everyone's story
Tila is not indestructible which is good to know
Does it make sense for Natan to run away?
Kurumaya being lent power by a God to fight the watch is a bit far fetched
Good depiction of the golden as the conqueror
Good depiction of what happens when tyrun is declared not a god and the religious revolt
Perspective of alazar is cute, he's looking after marin
Yarmina playing politics to get in power without Asad is cool
Very convenient that tyrun meets torgallen and gets a new army and that torgallen just accepts he is nari reborn
Zhanna losing her hand is gritty
Bulang kissing mbana seems forced, the guards would have checked if they got beat up and want to find someone
Tyrun savagely killing goldtree is cool
The twist with tolkar is cool, tyrun is the unmaker but maybe it leaves too many questions unanswered
Rip daimon, feels like he died for no reason
Tsolga dying and still breathing a horn seems too convenient
Tila slipping up to alazar about being the princess makes sense but not sure why alazar wants to kill her
Tila boasting about forming the plan in 10 minutes is not her character, seems too convenient to just get tyrun's army to follow her plan of no sars going forward
What's the point of jeya's story? The bad guy reveal was too quick
Obvious ending with government but funny that tila and natan would compete for the same seat
Lots of loose ends, what about tolgar, the witch?
tyraleann's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 stars.
I have not been so satisfied with an ending in a long time. The author has carefully woven plot threads through the trilogy and tied them in a need bow (though still left some unruly threads dangling). Saana started this series by journeying to Black Keep as a raiding clan and ended it... well that would be spoiling wouldn't it.
Full trilogy review to be published on FanFiAddict soon.
I have not been so satisfied with an ending in a long time. The author has carefully woven plot threads through the trilogy and tied them in a need bow (though still left some unruly threads dangling). Saana started this series by journeying to Black Keep as a raiding clan and ended it... well that would be spoiling wouldn't it.
Full trilogy review to be published on FanFiAddict soon.