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mrbear's review against another edition
4.0
The best of the series thus far - I'm certainly happy to see the series improving. Still not phenomenal, but a good story and one with what looks to be a well-worked climax.
is_book_loring's review against another edition
5.0
FREAKING TERRIFIC!! This is definitely the best of the series so far. The stories told in such a way that it kept me on edge all damn time and the scene of Royce and Gwen in the ending......., pretty sure I died there. WOW Michael, WOW.
vosteguin09's review
5.0
I can’t recall the last time I felt anxious throughout the whole book. but oh boy was I on the verge of losing it at every turn. last one next, honestly not ready.
ladyethyme's review against another edition
3.0
TLDR: could be worse.
Seriously…you’re telling me a handful of silver isn’t enough to buy a street kid SHOES or a COAT? Or medicine for his sick friend?
The author’s incomprehension of medieval style money and economics has always bothered me with these books but this is getting ridiculous. Five SILVER for ONE MEAL?!?
Most ppl wouldn’t see silver in their entire lives. Even the well off working class.
I mean Jesus how much silver/gold is ON this continent? If it’s THAT common, then even street kids should have a ton of it.
And when in the rich guy’s house he didn’t bother to take at least SOCKS?? I mean come on….
So many plot points seem meaningless and only occur b/c the author NEEDED it to happen-like the killing of Gwen b/c…..apparently the author needed ANOTHER reason to kill Merrick? Seriously?
I guess arranging the deaths of elves-men, women, children-to be EATEN ALIVE isn’t ‘enough’. And…you know…an entire city.
After all, last book he didn’t bother to give readers the satisfaction of death for the Sentinel that fired the ship and burned them alive…and tried to kill Royce like three times. And no satisfying punishment. None.
SO disappointed.
Or…Modina-the EMPRESS- is snatched without a SINGLE GUARD seeing anything? Reeeeeeally……
And…is Hadrian reeeeeally that stupid? That he honestly thinks they’ll give him the princess and the insurrectionist …. I mean…. Ok he’s no intellectual giant but REALLY??
And…it’s not ‘Sir Hadrian’. It would be ‘Sir Blackwater’.
And Royce.
Seriously…you’re telling me a handful of silver isn’t enough to buy a street kid SHOES or a COAT? Or medicine for his sick friend?
The author’s incomprehension of medieval style money and economics has always bothered me with these books but this is getting ridiculous. Five SILVER for ONE MEAL?!?
Most ppl wouldn’t see silver in their entire lives. Even the well off working class.
I mean Jesus how much silver/gold is ON this continent? If it’s THAT common, then even street kids should have a ton of it.
And when in the rich guy’s house he didn’t bother to take at least SOCKS?? I mean come on….
So many plot points seem meaningless and only occur b/c the author NEEDED it to happen-like the killing of Gwen b/c…..apparently the author needed ANOTHER reason to kill Merrick? Seriously?
I guess arranging the deaths of elves-men, women, children-to be EATEN ALIVE isn’t ‘enough’. And…you know…an entire city.
After all, last book he didn’t bother to give readers the satisfaction of death for the Sentinel that fired the ship and burned them alive…and tried to kill Royce like three times. And no satisfying punishment. None.
SO disappointed.
Or…Modina-the EMPRESS- is snatched without a SINGLE GUARD seeing anything? Reeeeeeally……
And…is Hadrian reeeeeally that stupid? That he honestly thinks they’ll give him the princess and the insurrectionist …. I mean…. Ok he’s no intellectual giant but REALLY??
And…it’s not ‘Sir Hadrian’. It would be ‘Sir Blackwater’.
And Royce.
mellhay's review against another edition
4.0
Royce and Hadrian ride in to Aquesta ragged and cold from the journey. Many people are coming to Aquesta for the upcoming Wintertide Celebration, one month away. The news has spread that Modina is to be married and the Nationalist leader Degan Gaunt will be executed, all as part of the celebrations. Melengar has fallen to the Imperial Empire. With this many worries come to mind... How's Gwen? Arista? Alric? So much to happen and worry about and questions to answer.
Not only do we meet new characters, but all the old ones are back in this installment. I got a chuckle at the beginning of this book with the small group of young thieves we meet. But, by now we are all well acquainted with the characters and ready for Michael to bring them back to life for us, seeing as its been six months since I was diverse into Emerald Storm Michael does a wonderful job of quick, detailed and eventful reintroductions to refresh our memories and draw us into their dilemmas again. I was excited to be back into this world ~ its comfortable to me and I want to see where we are going with the situations the characters were left in, in Emerald Storm. As it turned out I was through this book within three days. As soon as I started, I couldn't put it down. I just had to know what would happen to these characters left in a little bit of a tight spot.
Michael did a great job of setting up for this book with the previous ones and using what he had available in all aspects of the world. There is nothing new pulled out of thin air or make you wonder 'where did that come from', everything we need and know have been laid out for us, but now tied together to answer questions for us. Many of the smaller unknowns and lose ends are tied up here. All this done within a captivating story in which Michael brings all the characters together and to a demise, good or bad. As we get answers to some of the questions left open we are prepared with some thoughts and cues we may have forgotten or set aside in our minds, to be ready to dive into the conclusion of the series.
Not only do we meet new characters, but all the old ones are back in this installment. I got a chuckle at the beginning of this book with the small group of young thieves we meet. But, by now we are all well acquainted with the characters and ready for Michael to bring them back to life for us, seeing as its been six months since I was diverse into Emerald Storm Michael does a wonderful job of quick, detailed and eventful reintroductions to refresh our memories and draw us into their dilemmas again. I was excited to be back into this world ~ its comfortable to me and I want to see where we are going with the situations the characters were left in, in Emerald Storm. As it turned out I was through this book within three days. As soon as I started, I couldn't put it down. I just had to know what would happen to these characters left in a little bit of a tight spot.
Michael did a great job of setting up for this book with the previous ones and using what he had available in all aspects of the world. There is nothing new pulled out of thin air or make you wonder 'where did that come from', everything we need and know have been laid out for us, but now tied together to answer questions for us. Many of the smaller unknowns and lose ends are tied up here. All this done within a captivating story in which Michael brings all the characters together and to a demise, good or bad. As we get answers to some of the questions left open we are prepared with some thoughts and cues we may have forgotten or set aside in our minds, to be ready to dive into the conclusion of the series.
nofys's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
kaffeinatedkoala's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Riyria #5 (Part 1 of Heir of Novron) is simply excellent. Well paced, filled with the usual intricate political machinations, and with increasingly clever and emotionally satisfying (and devastating) twists, Wintertide is a more than satisfactory follow up to 4 novels, and a massive improvement in all aspects from The Emerald Storm . There were still a handful of less interesting chapters and neat plot conveniences or odd character developments, but overall, Wintertide is a masterful addition to an epic fantasy series. 9/10
elwoodradley's review against another edition
5.0
Another awesome entry in this series. Really excited to get into the final book.
thebeardrew's review against another edition
4.0
This book was not as well paced and outlined as the others in the series. Some of the story arcs just didn't pan out all the way, or they ended very abruptly. But there was a very good twist towards the end and an unlikely hero, and I liked that part a lot.