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stellarian's review against another edition
3.0
It was pretty good, but technically not so great. I assume the later books in the series are better made.
brimstonegemini's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
5.0
caphaloralb's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent fast-paced fantasy thriller! I put this down at about the halfway mark and only recently started again, getting sucked into the whirlwind of plot points to conclusion that is the latter third of this book.
I particularly enjoyed the seamless fusion of magic/fantasy, contract law, and a touch of steampunk elements in the setting. It adds a unique flavor to the story.
World building is something I enjoy above all else, and this book delivers with a rich world that is never explained too much, but always informs the story and characters. The City of Alt Couloumb and its strata of society are a character in itself and the proximity of technology, gods and magic makes it feel like a truly unique place with a rich and interesting history.
The characters themselves are intriguing and well-developed. Their conflicts and interactions are captivating, and I found myself invested in their journeys and the outcomes of their dilemmas.
Looking forward to the rest of the series!
I particularly enjoyed the seamless fusion of magic/fantasy, contract law, and a touch of steampunk elements in the setting. It adds a unique flavor to the story.
World building is something I enjoy above all else, and this book delivers with a rich world that is never explained too much, but always informs the story and characters. The City of Alt Couloumb and its strata of society are a character in itself and the proximity of technology, gods and magic makes it feel like a truly unique place with a rich and interesting history.
The characters themselves are intriguing and well-developed. Their conflicts and interactions are captivating, and I found myself invested in their journeys and the outcomes of their dilemmas.
Looking forward to the rest of the series!
lsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the voice of the story, although there was something about the plot that I never quite felt excited about. I would try the second book though.
rollforlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Paranormal urban fantasy with legal thriller aspects. Who'd a-thunk it? Setting has some good originality too. Looking forward to reading the next one soon.
dubsington's review against another edition
3.0
You know how sometimes you read a book and it's just not your cup of tea. You like the book just fine, and you get how others like it as well, but it just does nothing for you? That was Three Parts Dead for me. If i read it some other time, like in the summer maybe. Then perhaps i'd like it better? Anyway, this book is a solid read. An interesting world with strong characters. It falls into the trap that a lot of big fancy world books do, where the mystery is impossible to solve because the world and it's rules isn't fully explained until the resolution. Which is too bad. So of you like John Grisham novels with a little religion and magic sprinkled in, you're in for a treat. Seriously, the main character is a lawyer.
sherbetmango's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed this book but the magic system was a bit hard to define and it made the reveal to the mystery slightly less satisfying.
winterscape's review against another edition
4.0
I don't normally read books like Max Gladstone's Three Parts Dead. I'm more of a traditional sword and sorcery, high and epic fantasy kind of person. But, this time, the cover drew me in. The art is absolutely beautiful. I really wanted to know that girl's story and explore the city behind her.
For the most part, it delivered! I love the ideas, the twists and mashing together of many different elements of fantasy with a courtroom drama. The city, magic system, and plot all feel very unique.
The characters are brilliant and shine as individuals, not recycled archetypes. Tara Abernathy, Abelard, and especially Raz Pelham were at the heart of my enjoyment of this novel. I could have done without Cat, but the idea of Justice as a sentient force is fantastic. Shale was probably the least developed character and muddled things a bit too much.
The refreshing inventive nature of Three Parts Dead means that nothing ever feels stale or unoriginal. It's got so many good things going for it.
I did, however, have a few minor issues with it. Sometimes there was too much backstory; too many instances of explaining. I felt as though I was wading through so much information that I never fully grasped many elements of the narrative. Stemming from that issue, there were too few instances of action and a tad too much dialogue. Also, the timeline felt off to me. Everything that was supposed to have passed in two days felt as though it should have been a week or more, which was confusing.
Overall, I really liked it. The issues of too much information laying out the world, magic, and characters hopefully shouldn't be a problem in any subsequent sequels, so I'll definitely be checking them out.
For the most part, it delivered! I love the ideas, the twists and mashing together of many different elements of fantasy with a courtroom drama. The city, magic system, and plot all feel very unique.
The characters are brilliant and shine as individuals, not recycled archetypes. Tara Abernathy, Abelard, and especially Raz Pelham were at the heart of my enjoyment of this novel. I could have done without Cat, but the idea of Justice as a sentient force is fantastic. Shale was probably the least developed character and muddled things a bit too much.
The refreshing inventive nature of Three Parts Dead means that nothing ever feels stale or unoriginal. It's got so many good things going for it.
I did, however, have a few minor issues with it. Sometimes there was too much backstory; too many instances of explaining. I felt as though I was wading through so much information that I never fully grasped many elements of the narrative. Stemming from that issue, there were too few instances of action and a tad too much dialogue. Also, the timeline felt off to me. Everything that was supposed to have passed in two days felt as though it should have been a week or more, which was confusing.
Overall, I really liked it. The issues of too much information laying out the world, magic, and characters hopefully shouldn't be a problem in any subsequent sequels, so I'll definitely be checking them out.