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dromwald's review against another edition
5.0
The more I read Kay's books the closer he gets to being one of my all-time favourite authors - certainly in the Fantasy genre. He brings his characters vividly to life for me and I find his story-telling and world-building compelling. The threads in this book go together to form a colourful tapestry full of excitement, intrigue, difficult decisions, honor and, at times, great sadness.
Altogether another great read.
Altogether another great read.
heidi_mcj's review against another edition
3.0
I was rather disappointed with this book. I usually love this author but this time the story just didn't go anywhere. Lots of dithering until the last 100 pages or so and then it was pretty good.
loont's review against another edition
3.0
Good characters and an interesting, quasi historical setting can't overcome the authors need to repeat the same information you've just read time and time and time again. To say it gets bogged down at times would almost be a compliment, it would be more fair to say that at times the story just doesn't go anywhere at all, with page after page of feeling like you're stuck in the same timeloop where nothing new happens.
emilyrandolph_epstein's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most truly beautiful fantasy books I have ever read.
duaneb's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kaminator's review against another edition
4.0
Well researched and anchored in real history
Meticulously researched. This was a rewarding way to learn some history and get an appreciation for an ancient dynasty and its heroes. The characters were too perfect though so I didn't really bond with any of them. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading about what happened to them and seeing how the author interpreted what the heroes were thinking.
Meticulously researched. This was a rewarding way to learn some history and get an appreciation for an ancient dynasty and its heroes. The characters were too perfect though so I didn't really bond with any of them. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading about what happened to them and seeing how the author interpreted what the heroes were thinking.
zubatus's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
pingwoh's review against another edition
2.0
honestly my low review is a bit personal. i have a deep interest in chinese history, and while i think this book hit some marks it fell far short in others. it's a bit of a hodgepodge historically and while i appreciate the subversion at the end regarding the beginnings of dynasties i wish we had actually just had things like the prophecies follow through.
that being said the book does carry strong themes to support this ending (the pickiness of history, the way subtlety can be lost, the fact you can be destined for something and still fail) i find it unsatisfactory. also the writing style insists upon itself - particularly at the beginning. either way, i did finish the book but it took 3/4 of it to actually go anywhere interesting and stop talking about one characters small dick /hj
that being said the book does carry strong themes to support this ending (the pickiness of history, the way subtlety can be lost, the fact you can be destined for something and still fail) i find it unsatisfactory. also the writing style insists upon itself - particularly at the beginning. either way, i did finish the book but it took 3/4 of it to actually go anywhere interesting and stop talking about one characters small dick /hj
riotsquirrrl's review against another edition
3.0
Long. So long. Like I think sheer determination made me finish this. Not as good as Under Heaven, which got less gripping as it went along. With this book I frequently thought, where is this going? The romantic relationship felt forced.