jaydeed 's review for:

Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat

3.5

emotional inspiring 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: No

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A good conclusion, which could have benefitted from more solid foreshadowing. This would've avoided the clunky reveals of the last 70 pages.

Strengths
The pacing was great, like in the previous book.

The evolution of Laurent and Damianos' relationship was interesting to read, as were the interactions between the two armies.

The growth Laurent and Damianos share, and the solutions they propose in light on them (

Damianos entering the palace like a veretian, Laurent fighting Kastor like an Akielonian

) gave a satisfying conclusion to the culture mix they were exposed to in the trilogy.

Flaws 
Characterisation fell a bit flat for me, as something that should've happened didn't, which made character arcs too easy.

The second book ending with Damianios' identity revealed, only for it to have been known all along truly

made it look like the author chickened out of a real and founded disagreement between Laurent and Damianos. 

Several story conclusions were only raised up in the last book (

the old country of Arte, which existed before the two kingdoms

), but I can get over it as it didn't matter as much in the end.

Several plot-twists that pertained to the regent (

Laurent's rape, the regent's assassination of the previous king of Vere

) were interesting, though they were all brought up in the same event, which made it too-much. They were also, unfortunately, very easy to (at least partially) guess from book one - which made the "bomb reveal" fall flat.  

On that note, the Council and the Kingsmeet got a clunky execution, where characters behaved almost stereotypically. 

the ending was rushed.