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osboma's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ailsaod's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one was a bit of a mixed bag, I suspect the series peaked at Fire Sea but we shall see. The good parts of this book were really good: Haplo and Alfred's friendship/rivalry remains the best thing in this series but I am also very much here for Haplo's fear of water in this book as well as his fake it till you make it scheme to get the dragon snakes to do his bidding. I just really like watching Haplo try to be evil while hilariously out of his depth and fail.
However, what I do not enjoy is Haplo making eyes at a teenager??! I somehow forgot just how big a portion of the book was taken up with the Haplo/Alake subplot and oh wow was it painful to slog through. I can't think of much I would want less than to see a man in his late twenties (ish) get involved with a fifteen year old and while things don't go too far they really do consider it a LOT. Alake's character was just done so dirty in general because of her attraction to Haplo and I feel like she had a lot of wasted potential. I guess this is just further proof and Weis and Hickman struggle to write women in a non-insulting manner unless they are dwarves (Grundle is best girl!).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
The adult/minor relationship is one-sided and doesn't go far but features heavily in some sections of the book.faelynn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
vaderbird's review against another edition
4.0
re-read
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
mackle13's review against another edition
3.0
This book and the next book are both sort of bridges to the larger story, and less stand alone books.
I liked the world of this story, and watching a lot of the story through the girls and Devon (sp?).
Alfred annoyed me, though. I mean, everything with Samah and Alfred would start to grow a backbone and then suddenly he'd retreat to his blithering idiot role again.
It was interesting to see Haplo without the dog (and I did like the dog and Alfred together, that was interesting), and I thought it was interesting to see snippets of
I liked the world of this story, and watching a lot of the story through the girls and Devon (sp?).
Alfred annoyed me, though. I mean, everything with Samah and Alfred would start to grow a backbone and then suddenly he'd retreat to his blithering idiot role again.
It was interesting to see Haplo without the dog (and I did like the dog and Alfred together, that was interesting), and I thought it was interesting to see snippets of
Spoiler
Haplo's humanity even without the dog, though often stunted because of that lost connection.inferiorwit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Suicide
rainydaydayreams's review against another edition
4.0
Almost as enjoyable as the previous two, with some of the best Alfred and Haplo stuff in the series so far. But the Chelestra natives' narrative is largely uneventful and I was hoping all of the first four books would stand on their own, and Serpent Mage is the first one that doesn't (really). Still a good read, and recommended if you liked any of the first three.
Spoiler
isn't even resolved on-screen. Actually, not much is resolved at the end of this one.vycee's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
fallen_adam's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
nafisa_tabassum's review against another edition
4.0
This is the best book of this series I have read so far. Much more gripping. Much more insightful. It's so unpredictable! I had no idea where the story was going and I was hooked, even if it tired me sometimes to keep up with the consistently fast pace. It's really good.
Alfred and Haplo develop further. They have become memorable characters, deep and different. They are not VERY realistic, but they're close to it and by far the most complex characters in the whole book. There was also that really interesting portrayal of good in evil and evil in good. There was that villainous , fearful, unreasonable Sartan and there's Haplo and descriptions of close-knit, kick-ass Patryns.
The above points were about this book individually. If I were to rate the whole series so far, I'd give it four stars. The plot's complex, and the worlds are very innovative. I have to marvel at these four completely different and reasonably detailed worlds the authors have created. I mean, wow. Sure, making four worlds, they couldn't give loads of detail to each but what they managed to cram in is admirable. All the worlds are so diverse! It was a lot of fun to explore each and compare them.
Alfred and Haplo develop further. They have become memorable characters, deep and different. They are not VERY realistic, but they're close to it and by far the most complex characters in the whole book. There was also that really interesting portrayal of good in evil and evil in good. There was that villainous , fearful, unreasonable Sartan and there's Haplo and descriptions of close-knit, kick-ass Patryns.
The above points were about this book individually. If I were to rate the whole series so far, I'd give it four stars. The plot's complex, and the worlds are very innovative. I have to marvel at these four completely different and reasonably detailed worlds the authors have created. I mean, wow. Sure, making four worlds, they couldn't give loads of detail to each but what they managed to cram in is admirable. All the worlds are so diverse! It was a lot of fun to explore each and compare them.