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A review by bory
The Liar's Knot by M.A. Carrick
4.0
Rounding up from 3.5 stars.
This one is, in my opinion, more of a mixed back than the Mask of Mirrors. Like the previous book, the first half of the book is slow while the second - explosive. The characters and the threads the weave them together are great, with special recognition being paid to Vargo and Ren. The story is deep, and layered, and saturated with interesting lore, world build, and magic.
That being said, I do have some issues. The naming conventions, especially for the Vraszanian ones, still make my eyes glaze over and my brain sputter (It's very hard to remember names you have zero idea how to pronounce). I'm also growing irritated with the increasing time spent on romantic relationships of questionable importance. Tess ingesting over the baker boy? Please, no more. Further, it is frustrating that, for a supposedly queer friendly story, the only positive romances portrayed are the heterosexual ones - the Rook and the Rose, Donaia and Scaperto, and even, god help me, Tess and Pavlin. Sibiliat and Guina? Nope. Vargo fucking random dudes? Nope, though here's hoping what we see in the last chapter between him and Iascat is a sign of changes to come in book three.
Overall, though, I enjoy this world, and I enjoy these characters. I'm looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
This one is, in my opinion, more of a mixed back than the Mask of Mirrors. Like the previous book, the first half of the book is slow while the second - explosive. The characters and the threads the weave them together are great, with special recognition being paid to Vargo and Ren. The story is deep, and layered, and saturated with interesting lore, world build, and magic.
That being said, I do have some issues. The naming conventions, especially for the Vraszanian ones, still make my eyes glaze over and my brain sputter (It's very hard to remember names you have zero idea how to pronounce). I'm also growing irritated with the increasing time spent on romantic relationships of questionable importance. Tess ingesting over the baker boy? Please, no more. Further, it is frustrating that, for a supposedly queer friendly story, the only positive romances portrayed are the heterosexual ones - the Rook and the Rose, Donaia and Scaperto, and even, god help me, Tess and Pavlin. Sibiliat and Guina? Nope. Vargo fucking random dudes? Nope, though here's hoping what we see in the last chapter between him and Iascat is a sign of changes to come in book three.
Overall, though, I enjoy this world, and I enjoy these characters. I'm looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.