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A review by mimmsmilk
A Time of Dread by John Gwynne
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
SPOILERS HIDDEN
The very aptly named first entry in John Gwynne’s second trilogy is a fantastically tense read culminating in the explosive third act.
I absolutely adored this book. Everything I loved about Gwynne’s previous series (The Faithful and the Fallen) has been improved, while its flaws are rarely seen.
I very much enjoyed getting to know the quartet of POV characters Gwynne introduces,although from the beginning I was trying to guess which would be the one to die. So much time and attention is paid to creating separate identities for these characters; they all feel unique, and I cared for all of their journeys. A marked improvement from the previous series with so many POVs it was hard to follow, let alone care, for all of them. I would have liked a little more detail on the characters ages - I’m still not sure how old Riv is supposed to be.
The worldbuilding is excellent.It’s 100 years after the final events of the last series, and the changes made to the world are definitely believable. I enjoyed the new tensions created after the supposed “happy ever after” of Wrath.
The plot is also pretty good, if a little predictable in the case ofRiv. Something I loved about the structure is the little pieces of the story the reader was able to put together due to the musings of the different POV characters. For example, Drem loses the sword, only for it to appear in Drassil where Bleda sees Asroth’s hand chopped off with it, and then later on Drem sees the hand put to use. .
The tension built up throughout the book is so good, and I think for the most part it pays off well in the third act - with one exception.Riv’s closing scenes are confusing and messy, and I’m not sure enough of a relationship was built up between Israfil and Riv to justify her trying to kill Kol, even when including her temper issues.
Some of the weaker parts of the book include the romances, or potential romances. They seem superficial, unbelievable, and poorly written. The cast of characters is back; I think it’s a crutch that Gwynne can do without.
I’m very much looking forward to reading the next entry in the series after this fantastic opener.
The very aptly named first entry in John Gwynne’s second trilogy is a fantastically tense read culminating in the explosive third act.
I absolutely adored this book. Everything I loved about Gwynne’s previous series (The Faithful and the Fallen) has been improved, while its flaws are rarely seen.
I very much enjoyed getting to know the quartet of POV characters Gwynne introduces,
The worldbuilding is excellent.
The plot is also pretty good, if a little predictable in the case of
The tension built up throughout the book is so good, and I think for the most part it pays off well in the third act - with one exception.
Some of the weaker parts of the book include the romances, or potential romances. They seem superficial, unbelievable, and poorly written. The cast of characters is back; I think it’s a crutch that Gwynne can do without.
I’m very much looking forward to reading the next entry in the series after this fantastic opener.