You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
For hundreds of years, the Ironship Trading Syndicate was fueled by drake blood--and protected by the Blood-blessed, those few who could drink it and wield fearsome powers. But now the very thing that sustained the corporate world threatens to destroy it.
3.5 stars. This is the conclusion to The Draconis Memoria trilogy and I liked it quite a bit. I gave the first two books in the trilogy 4 stars each, but this time around I didn't enjoy the reading journey quite as much. I think some of it had to do with pacing. I felt this book was very slow to get to it's conclusion. There were several places that it dragged and I just wanted the story to move on. Another thing was, I really wanted to see more at the end of the book about what happened to certain relationships and how they end up. There were mostly hints about romances, but nothing more. The characters in general could have used a little more work. I think that there being so many characters in the series, it made it harder to really get to know them as well as we could have. Because there were so many, I would forget who a person was now and then, or get them mixed up, but for the most part the author does a good job at juggling them all.
One of the best things about this series as a whole is the magic system and the portrayal of the dragons. Anthony Ryan did a great job with the world building. Another thing I loved about this book in particular were the airships. I guess I have a thing for those. While I enjoyed reading this trilogy, thought it was very well written, and gave the books high ratings, I still do not count it as a favorite. I think the reason is simply that it was not as easy to connect with the characters as I wanted and the story is more plot driven than character driven. I still highly recommend this trilogy to anyone that likes dragons or steampunk inspired fantasy though.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
3.5 stars. This is the conclusion to The Draconis Memoria trilogy and I liked it quite a bit. I gave the first two books in the trilogy 4 stars each, but this time around I didn't enjoy the reading journey quite as much. I think some of it had to do with pacing. I felt this book was very slow to get to it's conclusion. There were several places that it dragged and I just wanted the story to move on. Another thing was, I really wanted to see more at the end of the book about what happened to certain relationships and how they end up. There were mostly hints about romances, but nothing more. The characters in general could have used a little more work. I think that there being so many characters in the series, it made it harder to really get to know them as well as we could have. Because there were so many, I would forget who a person was now and then, or get them mixed up, but for the most part the author does a good job at juggling them all.
One of the best things about this series as a whole is the magic system and the portrayal of the dragons. Anthony Ryan did a great job with the world building. Another thing I loved about this book in particular were the airships. I guess I have a thing for those. While I enjoyed reading this trilogy, thought it was very well written, and gave the books high ratings, I still do not count it as a favorite. I think the reason is simply that it was not as easy to connect with the characters as I wanted and the story is more plot driven than character driven. I still highly recommend this trilogy to anyone that likes dragons or steampunk inspired fantasy though.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
I thought this was a stand-alone when I accepted it from NetGalley, but discovered it was book three in a long, complicated series.
The story throws the reader right in where the previous ones must have ended. So most of this book, until the last fifth, was preparation for an amazingly complex final battle.
I found it difficult to engage with the characters, partly because third book, but also the characters kept taking a magical drug that propelled them into the past. So it seemed as soon as the pacing would begin to pick up, wham, another long flashback. Mind, these flashbacks might mean a lot more to a reader of the previous volumes.
There was also what I considered way too much from the villains point of view. I get it, these are villains. I didn’t need yet another scene of killing hapless innocents in gross ways to get the idea across that these are all connected to the Big Bad, a White Dragon.
On the plus side, the world-building was complex and intriguing, with machinery, dragons, psi powers and magical drugs all mixed up. There was also quite a bit of petty politics, which again might have had more impact if I’d known the characters before. But a lot of them were so short-sighted and selfish I don’t know that I would have wanted to follow them for three long books.
It’s a strongly plot-driven book, with plenty of action and an interesting world, that comes to a gigantic smashup of a climax.
Strongly suggest potential readers begin with book one!
Copy provided by NetGalley
The story throws the reader right in where the previous ones must have ended. So most of this book, until the last fifth, was preparation for an amazingly complex final battle.
I found it difficult to engage with the characters, partly because third book, but also the characters kept taking a magical drug that propelled them into the past. So it seemed as soon as the pacing would begin to pick up, wham, another long flashback. Mind, these flashbacks might mean a lot more to a reader of the previous volumes.
There was also what I considered way too much from the villains point of view. I get it, these are villains. I didn’t need yet another scene of killing hapless innocents in gross ways to get the idea across that these are all connected to the Big Bad, a White Dragon.
On the plus side, the world-building was complex and intriguing, with machinery, dragons, psi powers and magical drugs all mixed up. There was also quite a bit of petty politics, which again might have had more impact if I’d known the characters before. But a lot of them were so short-sighted and selfish I don’t know that I would have wanted to follow them for three long books.
It’s a strongly plot-driven book, with plenty of action and an interesting world, that comes to a gigantic smashup of a climax.
Strongly suggest potential readers begin with book one!
Copy provided by NetGalley
I think this book felt a little flat only because I absolutely adored book 2 and Lizanne's story.
4 Stars.
Overall I enjoyed this book. While heavy in battles of all kinds, it made for a suspenseful plot. I do wish I got more backstory and other plot development in the book, and I must say I am truely disappointed with how little wrap up I got from the remainder of the story. I was left feeling frustrated at the lack of anything more.
My favourite characters was Lizanne by far, with Hilemore coming a close a second. I found these characters compelling and interesting. I always wanted to know more about them, read more of their chapters. I especially feel this way about Lizanne.
Over all I thought this was a good series. The mix of dragons and guns was interesting and not something I read often, but I found this entire series enjoyable and engaging. Probably not the series for everyone, but there are those out there who will love this.
Overall I enjoyed this book. While heavy in battles of all kinds, it made for a suspenseful plot. I do wish I got more backstory and other plot development in the book, and I must say I am truely disappointed with how little wrap up I got from the remainder of the story. I was left feeling frustrated at the lack of anything more.
My favourite characters was Lizanne by far, with Hilemore coming a close a second. I found these characters compelling and interesting. I always wanted to know more about them, read more of their chapters. I especially feel this way about Lizanne.
Over all I thought this was a good series. The mix of dragons and guns was interesting and not something I read often, but I found this entire series enjoyable and engaging. Probably not the series for everyone, but there are those out there who will love this.
I almost didn’t read this book as I found the second one in the series difficult to finish but decided to try anyway and I’m glad I did!
A little bit of a pet peeve was that almost every chapter had to be a cliffhanger only for the next chapter to be in a different characters pov. But it definitely kept me interested.
A little bit of a pet peeve was that almost every chapter had to be a cliffhanger only for the next chapter to be in a different characters pov. But it definitely kept me interested.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
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
adventurous
dark
medium-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