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fabian2301's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
neubprincess's review against another edition
Rape and sexist non-sense. This is some old school feminism on display here. I gave the author the benefit of the doubt since she's a lauded female s-f/fantasy author, but the full on rape scene played as romance took it beyond. This is rape culture right here.
"Still holding her, he carried her out of the weyrhold, smothering her protest against his chest as she realized his intention... He wanted to be gentle but, unaccountably Brekke fought him. She pleaded with him, crying out wildly that they'd arouse the sleeping [Dragon] Wirtenth. He wasn't gentle but he was thorough, and, in the end, Brekke astounded him with a surrender as passionate as if her dragon had been involved."
That would be enough for me to mark it sexist rapey non-sense, but all of the main women who we like are caretaker sorts who are strong but not too strong. They discuss at one point how one of the Weyr-women is bad because she fights with the men, which causes all of them to have to get close to protect her and end-up getting hurt themselves. It's construed as a selfish choice on her part. I don't need this BS in my life.
"Still holding her, he carried her out of the weyrhold, smothering her protest against his chest as she realized his intention... He wanted to be gentle but, unaccountably Brekke fought him. She pleaded with him, crying out wildly that they'd arouse the sleeping [Dragon] Wirtenth. He wasn't gentle but he was thorough, and, in the end, Brekke astounded him with a surrender as passionate as if her dragon had been involved."
That would be enough for me to mark it sexist rapey non-sense, but all of the main women who we like are caretaker sorts who are strong but not too strong. They discuss at one point how one of the Weyr-women is bad because she fights with the men, which causes all of them to have to get close to protect her and end-up getting hurt themselves. It's construed as a selfish choice on her part. I don't need this BS in my life.
kchen96's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mayphoenix7992's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4⭐️
There are still some elements of the relationships and character dynamics that are...debatable, but the plot and worldbuilding are amazing. It's very hard to let go!
There are still some elements of the relationships and character dynamics that are...debatable, but the plot and worldbuilding are amazing. It's very hard to let go!
mjai13's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
badseedgirl's review against another edition
3.0
I expect a certain amount of misogyny in fantasy novels, but I was disappointed in it from a female author. Seriously the most interesting thing the female characters did in this story was when two of the female characters got into a stupendous catfight (dragonfight) in which they both end up dragonless and almost destroyed.
Still I will probably give the next book a go. They are quick reads after all.
Still I will probably give the next book a go. They are quick reads after all.
cattytrona's review against another edition
4.0
i like how this series is structured around discovering things. like every few pages, a revelation, a (re)discovery. it’s fun. it’s fun to see a world’s history open up like this, particularly when that history is sometimes today’s history and knowledge (you can’t just go to strange planets guys! they have atmospheres!)
there’s nothing quite as compelling in terms of character work as lessa’s emergence in the first book, but the politics is more compelling. it is a shame how lessa is kind of defanged and turned into the ultimate weyrwife in this one, but i guess it wasn’t so much her story as in the first book, so i chose to imagine she’s still being rude off-screen whilst we’re following robinton or whoever. nothing against robinton, i think it’s good how the series is like ‘look at all these hot young dragon riders. now here’s a normal semi-alcoholic old man as a major player’
there’s nothing quite as compelling in terms of character work as lessa’s emergence in the first book, but the politics is more compelling. it is a shame how lessa is kind of defanged and turned into the ultimate weyrwife in this one, but i guess it wasn’t so much her story as in the first book, so i chose to imagine she’s still being rude off-screen whilst we’re following robinton or whoever. nothing against robinton, i think it’s good how the series is like ‘look at all these hot young dragon riders. now here’s a normal semi-alcoholic old man as a major player’
junewolf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
5.0