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A review by quazar
Engines of Chaos by R.S. Ford
5.0
I think it's safe enough to say that this book was a massive improvement from its predecessor, and that said, it doesn't really pick up the pace until midway through the book. But when it did, damn. All the themes came together so nicely. And, sick as I am of pseudo-feminist commentary in every YA book ever, reading a book with some genuinely interesting commentary and ideas at play felt incredibly refreshing. Returning to the world of Hyreme has proven most resourceful.
If Engines of Empire had a severe lack of substance and the plots of each character didn't quite feel full, engaging, consistent or well-rounded, this book completes said characters, and creates a clearer picture of a conflict that, deadass, I missed almost entirely in book 1. The story continues with a growing conflict that you won't be able to get your eyes off of. People keep dying and switching sides and I can't promise you that you will be dizzy by the end of it.
The new characters introducted really helped add depth to the already existing characters.
Keara is an anti-antihero to put it simply, but her character doesn't really kick until [again] the second half of the book. I was largely uninterested in her at first, but as the book progressed she got more and more interesting. She is such a refreshing take on grey morality, and fuck it. The moment you think she's in her redemption era, bam. She gets worse (but also for the [partial] benefit of our heroes? It's hard to say) Also, her foil dynamic with Tyreta was genuinely really genius. I personally was like 'Yes! This is what Tyreta's character was missing!' but aside from being a complementary character to Tyreta in a way, she is excellent on her own.
On the other hand, Ansell is a character that we know from book 1, bur we never know his name. What's reallt genius about having him as the insider POV for Sanctan's dealings, is that we are esentially denied a right to Sanctan's mind - who knows what motivates him? Nobody. But slowly, we realise that Ansell is aware that Sanctan is hardly the Wyrm-devoted man he claims to be, and so do we. Also, Grace was really cute, and Ansell's weakness to children did a great job at showing his nobility, a nobility that Sanctan is, more than once, shown to lack.
The supporting characters are mostly fantastic too. We have Sted back, although I wish she played a more important role. She still devoured every scene she was in. Oleksig is literally just a massive mood, and Ianto is quite endearing. Ashe and Verlyn are also really cute and important supporting characters for the resurrected Fulren. Nylia was a great foil of sorts to Conall, but that plotline was a bit hard to follow, so I'm conflicted on that one. But aside from Oleksig (from the new additions) the Merigot brothers were stellar and also my favourites.
As for themes, the not-so-subtle commentary on Religious leaders being usually the most sinful was well rounded. Although there are well-meaning servants of the Wyrms (Such as Ansell), Sanctan is a zealot who will kill his child's mother mercilessly, ravage cities, betray his allies, abandon his only child and eliminate all sorts of commodities from the people, proclaiming he is a saviour. When, in truth, all he truly cares about is power and financial gain. Engines of War, I predict, will give more insight on his motivations and show what exactly breeds about his heart.
I particularly loved the strong women in the book. Rosomon became one of my absolute favourite female characters in fiction. She endured abuse, allegedly losing two children, her lover's death (ahem, I'm not over him either), many betrayals, and yet - She is a general willing to lead her people no matter what it takes, rising from the ashes like a phoenix again and again. She mostly shows mercy, but her corruption towards the end was actually just... deserved. Like, damn. The Ministry deserves it. The greatest part is that at no point did I feel like it was shoved up my ass that she was a strong woman, and I could say the same for Tyreta and Keara. I'm glad I got a chance to make up my own mind as the author simply showed us readers their strength and intellect.
The three Hawkspur heirs undergo their own arcs for this book as well. Fulren in particular FINALLY gets to complete his arc, and I can't wait for him to return to the war, all slaying in prosthetics and shit. He better become iron man or I'm suing. And if you read my previous review, you'd know I was thinking I was delusional for thinking Fulren was alive. Well, turns out I'm not insane. I literally almost threw a tantrum because of how glad I was he was alive.
In my previous review, I also slandered Tyreta's character. The good news is that thanks partly to Keara, she finally becomes a more interesting character, figuring out her newly acquired powers. I found her far more likable and complex in EoC than in EoE, and I think it was also product of the circumstances she was put in.
As for the plot - The circumstances the characters are now in forces the book to have to give more info about artifice and expand on what's actually interesting about this world; the tech! It's not perfect, but it's an improvement.
I'm lazy to write more. But the TLDR is; Damn. This book really outdid its predecessor like a LOT. I'm just worried that this one was so good that EoW will not be able to surpass EoC's current greatness.
All in all, I still have high hopes for The Age of Uprising, and if it's gonna be like I think it's gonna be, then it'll be an amazing conclusion to the series. I just... I'm not really excited about fucking 'Wenis' (Still a terrible name) being back in the game. I wasn't invested in her little instalove crush on Fulren and I'm still not! God spare me from a possible Wenis POV. Until then, I'll be praying.
If Engines of Empire had a severe lack of substance and the plots of each character didn't quite feel full, engaging, consistent or well-rounded, this book completes said characters, and creates a clearer picture of a conflict that, deadass, I missed almost entirely in book 1. The story continues with a growing conflict that you won't be able to get your eyes off of. People keep dying and switching sides and I can't promise you that you will be dizzy by the end of it.
The new characters introducted really helped add depth to the already existing characters.
Keara is an anti-antihero to put it simply, but her character doesn't really kick until [again] the second half of the book. I was largely uninterested in her at first, but as the book progressed she got more and more interesting. She is such a refreshing take on grey morality, and fuck it. The moment you think she's in her redemption era, bam. She gets worse (but also for the [partial] benefit of our heroes? It's hard to say) Also, her foil dynamic with Tyreta was genuinely really genius. I personally was like 'Yes! This is what Tyreta's character was missing!' but aside from being a complementary character to Tyreta in a way, she is excellent on her own.
On the other hand, Ansell is a character that we know from book 1, bur we never know his name. What's reallt genius about having him as the insider POV for Sanctan's dealings, is that we are esentially denied a right to Sanctan's mind - who knows what motivates him? Nobody. But slowly, we realise that Ansell is aware that Sanctan is hardly the Wyrm-devoted man he claims to be, and so do we. Also, Grace was really cute, and Ansell's weakness to children did a great job at showing his nobility, a nobility that Sanctan is, more than once, shown to lack.
The supporting characters are mostly fantastic too. We have Sted back, although I wish she played a more important role. She still devoured every scene she was in. Oleksig is literally just a massive mood, and Ianto is quite endearing. Ashe and Verlyn are also really cute and important supporting characters for the resurrected Fulren. Nylia was a great foil of sorts to Conall, but that plotline was a bit hard to follow, so I'm conflicted on that one. But aside from Oleksig (from the new additions) the Merigot brothers were stellar and also my favourites.
As for themes, the not-so-subtle commentary on Religious leaders being usually the most sinful was well rounded. Although there are well-meaning servants of the Wyrms (Such as Ansell), Sanctan is a zealot who will kill his child's mother mercilessly, ravage cities, betray his allies, abandon his only child and eliminate all sorts of commodities from the people, proclaiming he is a saviour. When, in truth, all he truly cares about is power and financial gain. Engines of War, I predict, will give more insight on his motivations and show what exactly breeds about his heart.
I particularly loved the strong women in the book. Rosomon became one of my absolute favourite female characters in fiction. She endured abuse, allegedly losing two children, her lover's death (ahem, I'm not over him either), many betrayals, and yet - She is a general willing to lead her people no matter what it takes, rising from the ashes like a phoenix again and again. She mostly shows mercy, but her corruption towards the end was actually just... deserved. Like, damn. The Ministry deserves it. The greatest part is that at no point did I feel like it was shoved up my ass that she was a strong woman, and I could say the same for Tyreta and Keara. I'm glad I got a chance to make up my own mind as the author simply showed us readers their strength and intellect.
The three Hawkspur heirs undergo their own arcs for this book as well. Fulren in particular FINALLY gets to complete his arc, and I can't wait for him to return to the war, all slaying in prosthetics and shit. He better become iron man or I'm suing. And if you read my previous review, you'd know I was thinking I was delusional for thinking Fulren was alive. Well, turns out I'm not insane. I literally almost threw a tantrum because of how glad I was he was alive.
In my previous review, I also slandered Tyreta's character. The good news is that thanks partly to Keara, she finally becomes a more interesting character, figuring out her newly acquired powers. I found her far more likable and complex in EoC than in EoE, and I think it was also product of the circumstances she was put in.
As for the plot - The circumstances the characters are now in forces the book to have to give more info about artifice and expand on what's actually interesting about this world; the tech! It's not perfect, but it's an improvement.
I'm lazy to write more. But the TLDR is; Damn. This book really outdid its predecessor like a LOT. I'm just worried that this one was so good that EoW will not be able to surpass EoC's current greatness.
All in all, I still have high hopes for The Age of Uprising, and if it's gonna be like I think it's gonna be, then it'll be an amazing conclusion to the series. I just... I'm not really excited about fucking 'Wenis' (Still a terrible name) being back in the game. I wasn't invested in her little instalove crush on Fulren and I'm still not! God spare me from a possible Wenis POV. Until then, I'll be praying.