You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
kingnoob 's review for:
The Burning God
by R.F. Kuang
This series has plenty of flaws, but none of them detract it from being a perfect series, in terms of what the author is trying to convey to its audience.
A mix of history (the brutal, unforgiving period of the Second Sino-Japanese War) set in a fantasy land where gods rule in the background -- amazing setting.
Rin's journey from an orphan nearly sold into marriage into an aspiring student, then a doubtful monk, relentless soldier, vessel of an ancient god, general, liberator, emperor, and everything in between. Not all of these transitions are done flawlessly, but they don't need to be -- it's about the overall journey.
The brutality (oh god the brutality) in this one is divisive. It's probably the most brutal set of books I've read, trumping most horror and definitely all other fantasy series. While it fits the grim backdrop of the era -- highlighting atrocities in WWII -- it probably still feels excessive for a lot of people, particularly the individual, casual way brutality is interwoven into the story. It did help pack a punch to the most impactful moments in the book. Most of it didn't feel out of place for me, though this is the most contentious part for me.
This book, as the final of the trilogy, was as good as it could get, considering how fucked up their situation was. It showed how horribly divisive a civil war will always be. Our heroes, even with their god-summoning magic, can't win against the tide of technology, supply, and logistics. Particularly the last hundred or so pages stood out for me. How phyrric a victory could be.
The ending felt inevitable, and a fitting end to this amazing series.
If anything, this author brings something extremely unique and this trilogy will be a standout for me for a while yet.
A mix of history (the brutal, unforgiving period of the Second Sino-Japanese War) set in a fantasy land where gods rule in the background -- amazing setting.
Rin's journey from an orphan nearly sold into marriage into an aspiring student, then a doubtful monk, relentless soldier, vessel of an ancient god, general, liberator, emperor, and everything in between. Not all of these transitions are done flawlessly, but they don't need to be -- it's about the overall journey.
The brutality (oh god the brutality) in this one is divisive. It's probably the most brutal set of books I've read, trumping most horror and definitely all other fantasy series. While it fits the grim backdrop of the era -- highlighting atrocities in WWII -- it probably still feels excessive for a lot of people, particularly the individual, casual way brutality is interwoven into the story. It did help pack a punch to the most impactful moments in the book. Most of it didn't feel out of place for me, though this is the most contentious part for me.
This book, as the final of the trilogy, was as good as it could get, considering how fucked up their situation was. It showed how horribly divisive a civil war will always be. Our heroes, even with their god-summoning magic, can't win against the tide of technology, supply, and logistics. Particularly the last hundred or so pages stood out for me. How phyrric a victory could be.
The ending felt inevitable, and a fitting end to this amazing series.
If anything, this author brings something extremely unique and this trilogy will be a standout for me for a while yet.