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aveyator27 's review for:
Hero at the Fall
by Alwyn Hamilton
Now, you’re going to read this and think “this can’t be an honest review because it’s all good…” well, yeah. It was really that incredible! Alwyn Hamilton is really that talented.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Launch Event at Waterstones, Piccadilly on the 25th January – a few days before the official publication date! And I’m so glad I did; as one of my most anticipated reads of the year I’d been itching to get my hands on it. You can find my blog post about the event here: www.sammysshelf.wordpress.com
I must start with saying that this book was the perfect end to the series; Alwyn had said at her event that she felt that she had tied up character stories and answered all the questions the world wanted answered about her characters. I wholeheartedly agree with this.
Compared to the previous books this one is way more heart-breaking (I very nearly cried) and by far the most profound in nature. Following the events in Traitor to the Throne (review here) Amani now finds herself pretty much at the head of the rebellion, and our loveable, headstrong, and sassy Demdji takes us on a final journey through the desert, where there are now whispers that the Rebel Prince could be the Hero they have longed for after all. Characters in this series have been so fantastically developed, that delving back into this story was like being reunited with old friends. I thought I knew all there was to know (apart from the answer to “what did Amani’s mother wish for?!”) but Alwyn proves us wrong over and over, continuing to develop our rebels characters, their back-stories, and their relationships.
What I love about this series is how it comes across so realistic; a whole desert desperate to survive and to be rid of foreign invaders; a Sultan who simply disposes of anyone who opposes him, and a continual fight to live to see another day. Additionally the attitude towards women is something I think sends a really powerful message; a quote from Rebel of the Sands set this scene quite early on:
“My little cousin Nasima, who still hadn’t caught on that she was supposed to be ashamed to be born a girl” – Alwyn Hamilton, Rebel of the Sands
This then paves the way for a series promoting equality, non-discrimination, and feminism; elegantly entwined with a beautiful Arabian Night’s kind of story.
Book 3 is about so much more than the rebellion; it is about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and values – who or what would you put first in time of a crisis? How far would you go fighting for the cause?
I think we can all agree that Amani and Shazad are just friendship goals; and I have to say if any character pips the sharpshooter to the top, it’s the bad-ass Shazad. The two of them together are the perfect partnership – from such different roots but evidently fighting for the same cause, and though under different circumstances, have developed the same beliefs.
Amongst these beautifully written pages were also delicately incorporated stories of the past; both relating to our characters directly, or myths from the desert. All of which helped to set wonderful scenes, provide more information, and link chapters together sublimely. The writing style changes for these slightly too; written in more of a mythological/ fairy tale kind of manner which set them apart from the main body of the book really well. I felt like I was being told the stories around a fire by members of the rebellion – it really was like I had walked into the pages and joined their group.
I have mentioned before in my Rebel of the Sands, and Traitor to the Throne reviews that the writing style is audience-perfect. It isn’t complicated, nor does it drag out descriptions, but equally it is able to pull us entirely into the book, and be consumed by the amazing creation that is the Rebel of the Sands world.
This book is just a whole whirlwind of adventure, magic, and action and I couldn’t pick a flaw in it if I tried. It lived up to everything I expected and more. Following Alwyn on instagram and twitter, I have seen she is working on some new material – and whilst I’d love it to be a sequel to Hero, she assured us that she is done with the Rebel of the Sands trilogy. What I would do to forget what I had read in this trilogy and discover it again for the first time all over again!
Naturally, this book overall is receiving a well-earned 5*/5. If you enjoyed the first two in the series you will adore this one (in ways we love books that break us); and if you haven’t read them but enjoy Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen, SJM’s Throne of Glass, and/or Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes then this is a series I very much recommend you read!
I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Launch Event at Waterstones, Piccadilly on the 25th January – a few days before the official publication date! And I’m so glad I did; as one of my most anticipated reads of the year I’d been itching to get my hands on it. You can find my blog post about the event here: www.sammysshelf.wordpress.com
I must start with saying that this book was the perfect end to the series; Alwyn had said at her event that she felt that she had tied up character stories and answered all the questions the world wanted answered about her characters. I wholeheartedly agree with this.
Compared to the previous books this one is way more heart-breaking (I very nearly cried) and by far the most profound in nature. Following the events in Traitor to the Throne (review here) Amani now finds herself pretty much at the head of the rebellion, and our loveable, headstrong, and sassy Demdji takes us on a final journey through the desert, where there are now whispers that the Rebel Prince could be the Hero they have longed for after all. Characters in this series have been so fantastically developed, that delving back into this story was like being reunited with old friends. I thought I knew all there was to know (apart from the answer to “what did Amani’s mother wish for?!”) but Alwyn proves us wrong over and over, continuing to develop our rebels characters, their back-stories, and their relationships.
What I love about this series is how it comes across so realistic; a whole desert desperate to survive and to be rid of foreign invaders; a Sultan who simply disposes of anyone who opposes him, and a continual fight to live to see another day. Additionally the attitude towards women is something I think sends a really powerful message; a quote from Rebel of the Sands set this scene quite early on:
“My little cousin Nasima, who still hadn’t caught on that she was supposed to be ashamed to be born a girl” – Alwyn Hamilton, Rebel of the Sands
This then paves the way for a series promoting equality, non-discrimination, and feminism; elegantly entwined with a beautiful Arabian Night’s kind of story.
Book 3 is about so much more than the rebellion; it is about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and values – who or what would you put first in time of a crisis? How far would you go fighting for the cause?
I think we can all agree that Amani and Shazad are just friendship goals; and I have to say if any character pips the sharpshooter to the top, it’s the bad-ass Shazad. The two of them together are the perfect partnership – from such different roots but evidently fighting for the same cause, and though under different circumstances, have developed the same beliefs.
Amongst these beautifully written pages were also delicately incorporated stories of the past; both relating to our characters directly, or myths from the desert. All of which helped to set wonderful scenes, provide more information, and link chapters together sublimely. The writing style changes for these slightly too; written in more of a mythological/ fairy tale kind of manner which set them apart from the main body of the book really well. I felt like I was being told the stories around a fire by members of the rebellion – it really was like I had walked into the pages and joined their group.
I have mentioned before in my Rebel of the Sands, and Traitor to the Throne reviews that the writing style is audience-perfect. It isn’t complicated, nor does it drag out descriptions, but equally it is able to pull us entirely into the book, and be consumed by the amazing creation that is the Rebel of the Sands world.
This book is just a whole whirlwind of adventure, magic, and action and I couldn’t pick a flaw in it if I tried. It lived up to everything I expected and more. Following Alwyn on instagram and twitter, I have seen she is working on some new material – and whilst I’d love it to be a sequel to Hero, she assured us that she is done with the Rebel of the Sands trilogy. What I would do to forget what I had read in this trilogy and discover it again for the first time all over again!
Naturally, this book overall is receiving a well-earned 5*/5. If you enjoyed the first two in the series you will adore this one (in ways we love books that break us); and if you haven’t read them but enjoy Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen, SJM’s Throne of Glass, and/or Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes then this is a series I very much recommend you read!