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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Watch my video review by clicking here.
Absolutely wonderful from start to finish, and is turning into the wonderful multi-POV epic story that I wanted so badly from the first book.
Absolutely wonderful from start to finish, and is turning into the wonderful multi-POV epic story that I wanted so badly from the first book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Audiobook - 03/01/24
All the potential and promise that Empire in Black and Gold (Book 1) sets up but itself falls short of, Dragonfly Falling (Books 2) meets and utter exceeds. It takes this story to a whole different level.
Books 2 expands the world at a rapid pace, as we see new interesting characters, plot points and locations introduced; alongside the twists and turns for those characters we already met in books 1. From the Wasp Empire, to the Spiderlands - so much depth and colour is added to this world. From the cultures of the different races and city states, the politicking and factioneerings, the history and lore etc.
Book 1 was really a story about freeing captives, but slowly setting up the oncoming war that would shake the lowlands. I thought that we'd spend the next several books continuing to set up this confrontation, between the wasps and the lowlands, between Thalric and Stenn. But where the overall plot goes in this book, the paths of individual characters and their relationships, was completely unpredictable. Everything moved at a rapid and frantic pace, which to me captured the essence of the volatility of the situation. I greatly enjoyed the lack of predictability and the somewhat subverting of expectations. I couldn't have guessed correctly any of the story arcs for those book 1 characters in this book.
My favourites parts (no spoilers)
• Palace intrigue in Capitas, and generally more insight into the Wasp Empire and the factioneering.
• The emperor's prisoner
• Battle of Tark
• Thadspar's speech to Stenwold.
• Insight into Ant-kinden, their culture, how they operate and the way their society is shaped by the mind-link.
• The big climatic battle of the book
• Introduction of Dariandrephos
• Totho's character arc (took the weakest character in book 1 and made him one of the strongest in book 2)
Acheos and at some point Thalric, both my favourite characters from the first book, suffered from the expansion of the world and the introduction of other characters and storylines. They're both relegated for major parts of the novel which was a bit dissapointing. For Thalric it made sense given he was the only insight into the Empire in book 1 and i had wanted to see an expansion on that front, which we got. Although I won't hint here about where their arcs might go or not go, or on which way was potential future arcs set up or not set up, so as to not reveal whether one or both of them make it out of this book alive.
I am just very impressed by this book - it did everything right for me. Thrilling battles, fantastic character arcs, intriguing expansion of lore (which continues to be a strength from the first book).
All the potential and promise that Empire in Black and Gold (Book 1) sets up but itself falls short of, Dragonfly Falling (Books 2) meets and utter exceeds. It takes this story to a whole different level.
Books 2 expands the world at a rapid pace, as we see new interesting characters, plot points and locations introduced; alongside the twists and turns for those characters we already met in books 1. From the Wasp Empire, to the Spiderlands - so much depth and colour is added to this world. From the cultures of the different races and city states, the politicking and factioneerings, the history and lore etc.
Book 1 was really a story about freeing captives, but slowly setting up the oncoming war that would shake the lowlands. I thought that we'd spend the next several books continuing to set up this confrontation, between the wasps and the lowlands, between Thalric and Stenn. But where the overall plot goes in this book, the paths of individual characters and their relationships, was completely unpredictable. Everything moved at a rapid and frantic pace, which to me captured the essence of the volatility of the situation. I greatly enjoyed the lack of predictability and the somewhat subverting of expectations. I couldn't have guessed correctly any of the story arcs for those book 1 characters in this book.
My favourites parts (no spoilers)
• Palace intrigue in Capitas, and generally more insight into the Wasp Empire and the factioneering.
• The emperor's prisoner
• Battle of Tark
• Thadspar's speech to Stenwold.
• Insight into Ant-kinden, their culture, how they operate and the way their society is shaped by the mind-link.
• The big climatic battle of the book
• Introduction of Dariandrephos
• Totho's character arc (took the weakest character in book 1 and made him one of the strongest in book 2)
Acheos and at some point Thalric, both my favourite characters from the first book, suffered from the expansion of the world and the introduction of other characters and storylines. They're both relegated for major parts of the novel which was a bit dissapointing. For Thalric it made sense given he was the only insight into the Empire in book 1 and i had wanted to see an expansion on that front, which we got. Although I won't hint here about where their arcs might go or not go, or on which way was potential future arcs set up or not set up, so as to not reveal whether one or both of them make it out of this book alive.
I am just very impressed by this book - it did everything right for me. Thrilling battles, fantastic character arcs, intriguing expansion of lore (which continues to be a strength from the first book).
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
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
medium-paced
adventurous
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