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cem_214's review against another edition
4.0
A couple years after I failed to finish this, I finally came back to it and did so.
I have to say I don't enjoy this trilogy as much as the first Black Magician trilogy. But I still really enjoy it. I managed to remember enough from the first book, with little nudges in the narrative, to understand what was going on from the start again. I really enjoy the switch ups in POV, seeing the stroy from so many angles and perspectives. I caould guess a couple of things coming, but for the most part I was learning alongside the characters, which I really enjoy. True I found the book slow going in a couple of places, but mostly it was a well paced and very enjoyable read. And certainly left me with many more questions as to what's going on, and what certain people are after!! Really looking forward to reading the final book, The Traitor Queen, soon.
I have to say I don't enjoy this trilogy as much as the first Black Magician trilogy. But I still really enjoy it. I managed to remember enough from the first book, with little nudges in the narrative, to understand what was going on from the start again. I really enjoy the switch ups in POV, seeing the stroy from so many angles and perspectives. I caould guess a couple of things coming, but for the most part I was learning alongside the characters, which I really enjoy. True I found the book slow going in a couple of places, but mostly it was a well paced and very enjoyable read. And certainly left me with many more questions as to what's going on, and what certain people are after!! Really looking forward to reading the final book, The Traitor Queen, soon.
thiefofcamorr's review against another edition
Katharine is a judge for the Sara Douglass 'Book Series' Award. This entry is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
dostojevskijs's review against another edition
4.0
Lorkin is living with the Traitors' in their safe haven within the mountains of Sachaka. He has been assigned work in the hospital section where he helps healing the sick inhabitants. So far he hasn't had to use magic to heal anyone but he realises it's not going to take long before he's going to need to use magic to save someone's life. But he is just as sure that when that day comes, Kalia is going to everything in her power to make sure the kowledge is shared – even if it will cost lives to make sure it is.
Meanwhile, Lord Dannyl tries to continue his research about the storestone that seems to have been the cause of the wastelands in Sachaka. But suddenly Tayend shows up as the new Ambadassor from Elyne wich is bittersweet – but Dannyl struggles to find the sweetness of it most of the time. Especially when Achati is around... which is often as he seems just as passionate in finding out the truth about the storestone and the wastelands.
Back in Kyralia, a young novice by the name Lilia has befriended her beautiful, charming classmate Naki. Lilia is completely and absolutely besotted with her new friend but everything changes one night when Naki suggests they try to learn black magic from a book she found in her father's office...
Oh, boy. This book was definitely an improvement from the first book of the series. The new storylines are established and Canavan has already spent so much time reminding the reader of what happened during the first series that there's not really much of it in this one – which truly felt like a blessing. I felt a lot more excited during my read through of this one than book one. I know that book one in a trilogy is the first act of a three act structure but I felt impatient and bored in a way I didn't even feel during te first forty pages of The Fellowship of the Ring.
There was a lot of character development in this one and especially Lorkin was given more room to establish himself as a distinct character. But I liked the new characters as well; even if Lilia had me groaning more than once or twice. There was a lot of Anyi in this one which was very much appreciated and hopefully she can teach Lilia a thing or two by the next book. God knows that girl needs it.
Although despite her obvious lack of judgement and her severe naivety, I liked this subplot quite a lot. It gave more insight to the life of the novices and how their lives are affected by everything going on – especially after the events of the previous trilogy. But it was also a good symbolic story for what domestic abuse is like; how it isn't always physical and how hard it is to change one's mindset concerning the abuser as the victim.
But most of all, I'm really excited to read the concluding act of this series. I have a feeling it's going to be a really good one.
Meanwhile, Lord Dannyl tries to continue his research about the storestone that seems to have been the cause of the wastelands in Sachaka. But suddenly Tayend shows up as the new Ambadassor from Elyne wich is bittersweet – but Dannyl struggles to find the sweetness of it most of the time. Especially when Achati is around... which is often as he seems just as passionate in finding out the truth about the storestone and the wastelands.
Back in Kyralia, a young novice by the name Lilia has befriended her beautiful, charming classmate Naki. Lilia is completely and absolutely besotted with her new friend but everything changes one night when Naki suggests they try to learn black magic from a book she found in her father's office...
Oh, boy. This book was definitely an improvement from the first book of the series. The new storylines are established and Canavan has already spent so much time reminding the reader of what happened during the first series that there's not really much of it in this one – which truly felt like a blessing. I felt a lot more excited during my read through of this one than book one. I know that book one in a trilogy is the first act of a three act structure but I felt impatient and bored in a way I didn't even feel during te first forty pages of The Fellowship of the Ring.
There was a lot of character development in this one and especially Lorkin was given more room to establish himself as a distinct character. But I liked the new characters as well; even if Lilia had me groaning more than once or twice. There was a lot of Anyi in this one which was very much appreciated and hopefully she can teach Lilia a thing or two by the next book. God knows that girl needs it.
Although despite her obvious lack of judgement and her severe naivety, I liked this subplot quite a lot. It gave more insight to the life of the novices and how their lives are affected by everything going on – especially after the events of the previous trilogy. But it was also a good symbolic story for what domestic abuse is like; how it isn't always physical and how hard it is to change one's mindset concerning the abuser as the victim.
But most of all, I'm really excited to read the concluding act of this series. I have a feeling it's going to be a really good one.
jontia's review against another edition
4.0
The Rogue is quite definitely a middle of a trilogy book. There's plenty of things happening, but not much that reaches a climax. The sub-plot involving the two female novices mentioned in the blurb anchors the Kyrallain part of the tale, with the larger aspects of the story orbiting around it. The novices are new characters, and interestingly done each showing a different side of the decision to mix the social classes in The Guild, making it clear that the opportunities this presents aren't without their downside when people with unsavoury agendas enter the mix.
Lorkin and Dannyl both continue their exploration of other cultures, Lorkin with The Traitors and Dannyl back to his old wandering habits off looking for as many different groups of people to talk to as possible. Each of these two are responsible for bringing pieces into place that will undoubtably pay off in the final book of the trilogy.
And that's the biggest flaw of The Rogue , it is a set up for the finale and so it was always going to be more about that, than providing a stand alone story. There was always the slight feeling that the bits you could see coming towards a conclusion within this volume felt a bit more like padding that something that moved the central premise forwards. For me though it was better to have had at least some plot lines closed off within the book itself, giving the novel a point beyond just being number 2 out of 3. Well worth the read, I just hope I don't have to wait too long for the conclusion.
Lorkin and Dannyl both continue their exploration of other cultures, Lorkin with The Traitors and Dannyl back to his old wandering habits off looking for as many different groups of people to talk to as possible. Each of these two are responsible for bringing pieces into place that will undoubtably pay off in the final book of the trilogy.
And that's the biggest flaw of The Rogue , it is a set up for the finale and so it was always going to be more about that, than providing a stand alone story. There was always the slight feeling that the bits you could see coming towards a conclusion within this volume felt a bit more like padding that something that moved the central premise forwards. For me though it was better to have had at least some plot lines closed off within the book itself, giving the novel a point beyond just being number 2 out of 3. Well worth the read, I just hope I don't have to wait too long for the conclusion.
jeanmercini's review against another edition
3.0
I should start saying this book has been resting on my shelf for some years now. Back in 2011, I was in a Trudi Canavan craze after I’d read the Age of the Five and loved it. So, I went through all of her books which were available at the time, those being the The Black Magician Trilogy and The Magician’s Apprentice. They were nice books and, most importantly, they kept me interested (though I still find the Age of the Five her best work so far). So, anyway, by then, The Ambassador’s Mission was out and I decided to read it; let’s just say it was a major disappointment. I’d bought The Rogue as well, but after reading the first book in the new trilogy, many other books skipped in the line and I eventually forgot it; until recently, when I decided to read all the books I own.
I think Canavan made a mistake in starting this new trilogy or, at least, the way she did it, but I’ll focus on this book.
Ok, to the book itself:
First, the characters. Lorkin is not as interesting as Sonea was, and his plotline isn’t much better. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but whenever I got to his POV I was like: not again (*sighs*). I think he is boring, plain as that. Sonea was ok; her charisma from all the previous books granting her that. Danny got such an uninteresting part in this book I don’t even know why he was there. Then, there was the new POV character we have in this book: Lilia. Hm, well, her plot was a nice one to read and through most of the first part of the book, it was the most interesting one for me, to be honest. But I still thought the resolution to her story to be very predictable. Oh, and I hope I’m never as stupid or blind as she was, at least in the beginning.
Second, the pace. Seriously, this book felt like one big, almost-500-pages-long filler all along. What do I care about Dannyl getting all anxious over Tayend throughout pages and pages? And what of the lingering sexual tension between him and Achati, which never results in anything, by the way? . And his research – well, if you’ve read The Magician’s Apprentice, most of that isn’t news, so, boring… What I’m complaining about is: little actually happens to the main characters in this book. I like Canavan’s writing style. The way she puts in all of the POVs in a single chapter is a good device most often, I think, because even if you don’t like a character or its story, they’re short chapterlets and you get them mingled with the ones you actually care about and is quickly done with them. But then, there is a problem she created for herself: all the characters have to be in the same timeline. So, she has to slow down some plotlines to keep the coherence in other plotlines, which made this book really slow and, often, boring (I’ve used this word a lot in this review…). But even then, I think she could’ve sped up all the plotlines, anyway.
So, overall, the book is ok, but not much more than that. I do hope the next book to be more interesting, though. (I gave it 2.5 stars).
I think Canavan made a mistake in starting this new trilogy or, at least, the way she did it, but I’ll focus on this book.
Ok, to the book itself:
First, the characters. Lorkin is not as interesting as Sonea was, and his plotline isn’t much better. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but whenever I got to his POV I was like: not again (*sighs*). I think he is boring, plain as that. Sonea was ok; her charisma from all the previous books granting her that. Danny got such an uninteresting part in this book I don’t even know why he was there. Then, there was the new POV character we have in this book: Lilia. Hm, well, her plot was a nice one to read and through most of the first part of the book, it was the most interesting one for me, to be honest. But I still thought the resolution to her story to be very predictable. Oh, and I hope I’m never as stupid or blind as she was, at least in the beginning.
Second, the pace. Seriously, this book felt like one big, almost-500-pages-long filler all along. What do I care about Dannyl getting all anxious over Tayend throughout pages and pages?
So, overall, the book is ok, but not much more than that. I do hope the next book to be more interesting, though. (I gave it 2.5 stars).
natycuac's review against another edition
3.0
aunq entiendo que todas las tramas tienen que seguir su curso me cuesta tenerle el mismo aprecio a todas, y cuando uno les re-toma el cariño te cambian a otra =/ Me gusta el libro, quiero terminar el siguiente, pero aun asi siento q le falta sabor(?)
nikitaaci93's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
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
jacquihutton001's review against another edition
5.0
What an excellent read! As with all of Trudi Canavans books, once you start reading them, you get your nose in and before you know it, you have finished it! I can't wait until the next one in the series comes out. Highly recommended.
samgreens2's review against another edition
4.0
true to trudi canavan form, good easy reading, looking forward to the third instalment
readliterally's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know. This book is either a weak 4 or strong 3 stars. I'm giving it the same rating as the previous one, but I'd just want to underline that I enjoyed this one much more than [b:The Ambassador's Mission|7165405|The Ambassador's Mission (Traitor Spy Trilogy, #1)|Trudi Canavan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440185052s/7165405.jpg|6799328].