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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3645878.html
Final book in the Embers of War trilogy, crunchy space opera with lots of characters and action, and a couple of cosmic ideas; maybe I was just tired when reading (I often am tired when reading, these days) but didn't quite hang together enough for me.
Final book in the Embers of War trilogy, crunchy space opera with lots of characters and action, and a couple of cosmic ideas; maybe I was just tired when reading (I often am tired when reading, these days) but didn't quite hang together enough for me.
The Trouble Dog's crew is once again racing against time, hoping to come up with a solution to beat both the Fleet of Knives and the invasion of monsters in space. Dealing with loss throughout their trek across the galaxy.
I didn't really enjoy this book as much as I did the other two. It just had so much build up throughout the trilogy and so the end just felt lackluster.
I felt that Trouble Dog, Ona Sudak and Penitence all had character development in this book but not Sal.
The characterization in this series is why I enjoyed it so much so I was a little disappointed when it became flat.
I also didn't enjoy Cordelia's and her brother's POV at all.
I also couldn't figure out her motivations either.
Like, she kept bouncing between motivations until she finally decided that she wanted to be with her family.
I could understand why she was so attached to her brother, they grew up together, but her dad?
I didn't get because her dad doesn't even consider her his daughter? Honestly, I wasn't even rooting for her and was kinda meh when she left the narrative at the end. Maybe because I just wasn't feeling Cordelia, I couldn't really enjoy Michael's because his were directly tied to Cordelia's. I honestly enjoyed Ona Sudak more than her. And I can't stand her.
My worry for the Druff and their working conditions was vindicated in this book. My opinion of Johnny also dropped immensely because
Overall, it's a good book. Everything from throughout the series tied up neatly but I just didn't enjoy this one as much as the other two.
I didn't really enjoy this book as much as I did the other two. It just had so much build up throughout the trilogy and so the end just felt lackluster.
I felt that Trouble Dog, Ona Sudak and Penitence all had character development in this book but not Sal.
Spoiler
Most of her development happened in the second book and she kinda remained static in this book. I also didn't get why Powell gave her a romantic interest. Especially considering they weren't endgame.The characterization in this series is why I enjoyed it so much so I was a little disappointed when it became flat.
I also didn't enjoy Cordelia's and her brother's POV at all.
Spoiler
Cordelia's the same age as me and yet she kept reading as either younger or older than she actually was. The second part, I could excuse because of the whole mind merging thing with her dad but the first?I also couldn't figure out her motivations either.
Like, she kept bouncing between motivations until she finally decided that she wanted to be with her family.
I could understand why she was so attached to her brother, they grew up together, but her dad?
I didn't get because her dad doesn't even consider her his daughter? Honestly, I wasn't even rooting for her and was kinda meh when she left the narrative at the end. Maybe because I just wasn't feeling Cordelia, I couldn't really enjoy Michael's because his were directly tied to Cordelia's.
Spoiler
It was really interesting watching Sudak's deteriorated throughout the trilogy.My worry for the Druff and their working conditions was vindicated in this book.
Spoiler
When it was revealed that they don't even get paid for their work and that the other species just come and pick them up. They just view them as pets and not sentient creatures.Spoiler
of how he just completely forgot about the baby Druffs he brought on board. He remembered to put the former AI on a shuttle but not the literal babies.Overall, it's a good book. Everything from throughout the series tied up neatly but I just didn't enjoy this one as much as the other two.
The conclusion to an uneven series that doesn't really transcend what's wrong with the the previous two books. Probably also not helped by a deus ex machina solution to the problems raised in the previous book.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Anyway, I'm glad that Sal and Troublesome Hound made it out safe and sound!
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
''Out here on the ragged edge of human space, caught between mythical beasts and implacable alien war machines—between the personified forces of chaos and order—all we could rely on was eachother.''
I have received this book for free from Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.
I love space. I really do. So diving into an amazing space opera every now and then is just the best. I fell in love with Gareth L. Powell's Embers of War series last year and I was both sad it was ending and glad to finally have the last installment in my hands when Titan Books sent me a copy to review.
Low on fuel and hunted by the Fleet of Knives, the sentient warship Trouble Dog follows a series of clues that lead her to the Intrusion--an area of space where reality itself becomes unstable. But with human civilisation crumbling, what difference can one battered old ship have against an invincible armada?
Meanwhile, Cordelia Pa and her step-brother eke out their existence salvaging artefacts from an alien city. But when Cordelia starts hearing the city's song in her head, strange things start happening around her. What extraordinary affinity does she have for this abandoned technology, and how can it possibly help the Trouble Dog?
What. A. Series. It goes from 'everything is fine' to 'we have to protect the very last of humanity against alien warships and hypervoid dragons' and I am all in for that. When you read as much YA as I do, I enjoy diving into an adult series where things actually go to shit without any chance of saving it, just trying to preserve as much of it as possible. Oh, and actual lasting character deaths. This series is full of all of that, especially this specific book. The stakes felt real and everything had huge consequences that affect the entire galaxy. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
I gave Light of the Impossible Stars only four and a half stars, instead of the five I gave to the two previous installments, as it wasn't as strong as them. I think it was mostly the ending I wasn't completely satisfied with. Not Game of Thrones season 8 levels, I mean that was just a mess, but it wasn't entirely what I expected, I think? Maybe it felt a bit rushed with the steady build-up of the rest of the book, but that can just be me, as I slumped the first half of the book and devoured the second half in two days.
I really loved the new characters that were introduced for this last book. I am always a bit icky for more new characters so far into a series, but I really liked them. It was a bit of a shame that because of these new characters some of the older characters didn't have as much page time and further character development as I had hoped they would. I think I would have loved to see Cordelia Pa and her crew earlier on in the series, just so the original set of characters had some more room in this book and I would have loved to see more of her.
I highly recommend this series. It's a space opera with sentient ships, hypervoid dragons and much more of that outerspace sci-fi stuff. This series is definitely on my list of best sci-fi books I have read so far. I definitely think fans of Star Wars and other outerspace stories will definitely love this!
I look forward to reading what Gareth L. Powell is writing next as I have really fallen in love with how he creates his world and characters and tells their story. I will definitely check out the books he already published in the mean time!
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://servillasspeaks.wordpress.com
This book made me cry. <3
"I am stuck in a place I don't understand, with people I don't understand, and animals I don't understand, and a life I don't understand, and even love I don't understand, and it means a hell of a lot to feel someone else is as lost as I am."
"I am stuck in a place I don't understand, with people I don't understand, and animals I don't understand, and a life I don't understand, and even love I don't understand, and it means a hell of a lot to feel someone else is as lost as I am."
Grand space opera with dragons. Really can it get any better? Heavily influenced in all the right ways by Iain M Banks's Culture novels. Love it.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
relaxing
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated