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falyrionient's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
A story that focuses on the redemption of the human soul and its war with myriads of "devils".
Overall this was a good experience despite the ending that left me mildly unsatisfied.
Nevertheless my full thoughts will be out when I'm done with the trilogy.
I loved the dynamics between Seyonne and Aleksander and I'm ready to see more of them
Overall this was a good experience despite the ending that left me mildly unsatisfied.
Nevertheless my full thoughts will be out when I'm done with the trilogy.
I loved the dynamics between Seyonne and Aleksander and I'm ready to see more of them
bmcmele's review against another edition
4.0
I think because I'd read the second of this trilogy first, I didn't enjoy this first one as much, b/c I had a good idea what was going to happen to the protagonist. Still incredibly well-written and worth reading.
thedragonswarrior's review against another edition
5.0
I *loved* these books and Carol Berg when I was 15, and of course, 17 years later was very worried it would not hold up. But wow! What a fantastic start to a series and a fantastic debut novel. Seyonne is such a compelling main character and his relationship with Aleksander is wonderfully complicated and compelling. Berg has to walk a fine line around the power dynamics and for the most part I think she knocked it out of the park. The book is just a little too fast paced I think, which usually works in its favor but occasionally means we have to skip over some characterizations or details I would have enjoyed lingering on. 4.5/5 stars.
flowermom4's review against another edition
4.0
I probably never would have picked this up without the recommendation of a friend, but I really enjoyed it! Great characters, epic themes and better yet a series book with a proper ending :-) I will definitely be picking up the next one.
entp_chad's review against another edition
5.0
Despite 2 things i dislike... That was so soft, so angst, so good. One of my favs books, i love so much Seyonne
zibra03's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
rosiapacifica's review against another edition
3.0
This book, a strong finish and a disappointing end.
Seriously. It starts out pretty well. A slave who has experienced horrible things and has nothing left of pride or resistance left in him. A prince who has certainly begun to drown himself in the cruelty and evil that most in power love so much. And then they meet and the Prince sees his own shame in this slave and actively works to be something different while Seyonne tries to convince him to help save the world. I’d seen it before, but not handled so well. I was interested. The characters were dynamic.
Fun start. Plenty of conflict there.
But then the author pulls out some female characters and that’s when the story became painful to read.
The female characters are strong, beautiful, and wise. There are exactly three of them because the secondary villain of the story is a fiancé who might have abandoned the main character to slavery so that she could be with his best friend instead. Who of us has seen that one before. So the third female is a replacement potential love interest. Until he discovers that she belongs to another man. Then he is at peace with not pursuing her. But in general the three named women in the book are, again, beautiful, strong, powerful. Such good matches for the main characters, if they could see past potential betrayals and harsh words. Yes, they are strong, but ‘the nature of their gifts’ is that they are powerful in a passive way. Being strong and holding open the doors. Loyally waiting in the background. Magic systems policed by gender make me die inside. They are horrible and reinforce far more bad than good to a reader living in a world that already struggles to see women as people.
Say what you will about how nice and rare you think it is that the main male characters love each other platonically. But this story? Two male friends who save the day and go home to their beautiful wives? That is a story I am bored to death of. Its not rare. At all.
Possible solution: Switching one of the protagonist’s genders would have made this far less painful to read. And I would be writing a review about how groundbreaking it is to read a book about a male and female protagonist who form a deep, platonic love. Which says a lot about how low the bar is set for female characters.
Or not splitting the magic system up by gender. Please, I’m just asking for something.
I was so ready to love this book when it began. So disappointed now.
If anyone reading this is of a similar mind and has recommendations of books with decent female representation, I would love you forever.
Seriously. It starts out pretty well. A slave who has experienced horrible things and has nothing left of pride or resistance left in him. A prince who has certainly begun to drown himself in the cruelty and evil that most in power love so much. And then they meet and the Prince sees his own shame in this slave and actively works to be something different while Seyonne tries to convince him to help save the world. I’d seen it before, but not handled so well. I was interested. The characters were dynamic.
Fun start. Plenty of conflict there.
But then the author pulls out some female characters and that’s when the story became painful to read.
The female characters are strong, beautiful, and wise. There are exactly three of them because the secondary villain of the story is a fiancé who might have abandoned the main character to slavery so that she could be with his best friend instead. Who of us has seen that one before. So the third female is a replacement potential love interest. Until he discovers that she belongs to another man. Then he is at peace with not pursuing her. But in general the three named women in the book are, again, beautiful, strong, powerful. Such good matches for the main characters, if they could see past potential betrayals and harsh words. Yes, they are strong, but ‘the nature of their gifts’ is that they are powerful in a passive way. Being strong and holding open the doors. Loyally waiting in the background. Magic systems policed by gender make me die inside. They are horrible and reinforce far more bad than good to a reader living in a world that already struggles to see women as people.
Say what you will about how nice and rare you think it is that the main male characters love each other platonically. But this story? Two male friends who save the day and go home to their beautiful wives? That is a story I am bored to death of. Its not rare. At all.
Possible solution: Switching one of the protagonist’s genders would have made this far less painful to read. And I would be writing a review about how groundbreaking it is to read a book about a male and female protagonist who form a deep, platonic love. Which says a lot about how low the bar is set for female characters.
Or not splitting the magic system up by gender. Please, I’m just asking for something.
I was so ready to love this book when it began. So disappointed now.
If anyone reading this is of a similar mind and has recommendations of books with decent female representation, I would love you forever.
movemeintobooks's review against another edition
4.0
Great characters, really loved this series. It has been many years since I read it, like 2007 or some such, but I still remember it being a fantastic story. I am a sucker for slave/king relationships in fantasy books, when they become friends and develop a respect and trust for one another that surpasses their societal roles. This is a trilogy worth reading.
shizunofbl's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second time I’ve read this book. The first time I read it, I was loved the story so much! My favorite character was and still is Aleksander! I loved his change from arrogant, spoiled prince to sincere, humbled man who was more deserving of the title emperor.
The second time, I was more critical of the book. There are some gaps in the world building. I couldn’t fully picture the demons. When you are dealing with the heinous world of slavery and cultural domination, it was hard to switch gears and see that demons are also a very real threat. The former felt more physical and real to me. Also, the wings and other magical parts didn’t feel as well integrated into the story as the other elements— like the empire’s subjects and politics.
A great read! I recommend it to anyone who is looking fora different read about strong male friendships and/or empires.
The second time, I was more critical of the book. There are some gaps in the world building. I couldn’t fully picture the demons. When you are dealing with the heinous world of slavery and cultural domination, it was hard to switch gears and see that demons are also a very real threat. The former felt more physical and real to me. Also, the wings and other magical parts didn’t feel as well integrated into the story as the other elements— like the empire’s subjects and politics.
A great read! I recommend it to anyone who is looking fora different read about strong male friendships and/or empires.
toggle_fow's review against another edition
5.0
The cover of this is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen, but the book inside is FANTASTIC.
Seyonne has been a slave for so long. He has learned to forget the person he was before, the life he used to have. Now he thinks only of survival, and the present moment. It's the only way his current existence is bearable.
Then he is sold to the mercurial, spoiled crown prince of the empire that subjugated his people. The prince is just another master - or at least, Seyonne tries his hardest to think of him that way - until it becomes clear that forces bigger than the empires of men are at work. The past Seyonne has worked so hard to try to forget becomes the only thing that can save them.
The slavery here is brutal. Right away the story shows us branding, starvation, casual violence, and violation. The numbing effect of such constant treatment and the fear and hopelessness it engenders are depicted very well. It's not hard to understand Seyonne's coping mechanisms, or why he might hesitate to put them aside.
Aleksander is terrible. Sure, he's a person with thoughts and feelings and a backstory. But he's also cruel, thoughtless, selfish, and terrifying. Not at all the kind of person that, given any kind of choice, a slave would want for a master.
Still, as Seyonne begins to see Aleksander differently, so did I as the reader. I was rooting for him just as Seyonne was, to learn and become a better person, and to fight the evil influence that surrounded him.
There's also the mystery surrounding Seyonne's past. I was ravenous the entire time for more details explaining who he was, why he knows the things that he knows, the origin of his strange skills. The explanation was doled out tantalizingly, just enough to keep me reading at a breakneck pace.
Overall, I loved this whole book. I love Seyonne and Aleksander's dynamic as it shifts and they become like brothers, both provoking and protecting each other at turns. I loved the intricate detail put into the world and the different cultures and customs of the peoples.
I am hesitating a little go to on with the rest of the series, mostly because I'm sure more pain awaits. But eventually I will. It's inevitable as long as I know there's more of these two out there.
Seyonne has been a slave for so long. He has learned to forget the person he was before, the life he used to have. Now he thinks only of survival, and the present moment. It's the only way his current existence is bearable.
Then he is sold to the mercurial, spoiled crown prince of the empire that subjugated his people. The prince is just another master - or at least, Seyonne tries his hardest to think of him that way - until it becomes clear that forces bigger than the empires of men are at work. The past Seyonne has worked so hard to try to forget becomes the only thing that can save them.
The slavery here is brutal. Right away the story shows us branding, starvation, casual violence, and violation. The numbing effect of such constant treatment and the fear and hopelessness it engenders are depicted very well. It's not hard to understand Seyonne's coping mechanisms, or why he might hesitate to put them aside.
Aleksander is terrible. Sure, he's a person with thoughts and feelings and a backstory. But he's also cruel, thoughtless, selfish, and terrifying. Not at all the kind of person that, given any kind of choice, a slave would want for a master.
Still, as Seyonne begins to see Aleksander differently, so did I as the reader. I was rooting for him just as Seyonne was, to learn and become a better person, and to fight the evil influence that surrounded him.
There's also the mystery surrounding Seyonne's past. I was ravenous the entire time for more details explaining who he was, why he knows the things that he knows, the origin of his strange skills. The explanation was doled out tantalizingly, just enough to keep me reading at a breakneck pace.
Overall, I loved this whole book. I love Seyonne and Aleksander's dynamic as it shifts and they become like brothers, both provoking and protecting each other at turns. I loved the intricate detail put into the world and the different cultures and customs of the peoples.
I am hesitating a little go to on with the rest of the series, mostly because I'm sure more pain awaits. But eventually I will. It's inevitable as long as I know there's more of these two out there.