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A review by nytephoenyx
Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce
adventurous
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
*deep breath*
Okay. So. I LOVE Tamora Pierce. I grew up in Tortall and I just adore her world so so much, so know that when I say TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER was a bummer, it's not for lack of REALLY REALLY REALLY wanting to love it. There are some good discussions in this story and the characters are great and her world-building is still fantastic. But TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER has absolutely no self-contained plot, the pacing meanders, and it doesn't quite work.
I still enjoyed it, but not that "this is a good book" enjoyment. My enjoyment came from the sheer pleasure of having new content in Tortall. ANY new content. But if you've heard about Pierce and heard me and others holler to the moon about her book, TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER isn't a good place to start. She explains magic well, but if you don't already love Aram from The Immortals series, you may not latch on to him here. Add to that fact that a previous knowledge of the world helps... and this is going to bore and/or lose new readers.
And I am heartbroken by that, because her world as a whole is so fantastic, it really is. Please go try the first book of another one of her series. I like to recommend the Beka Cooper trilogy for YA and adult readers interested in trying her work. Once you've fallen in love with everything Tortall... come back then and read TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER. Enjoy the foray into the world from a different angle! But don't come for the plot... because... there isn't one.
For more bookish content, reviews, and more, come visit me at The Literary Phoenix.
Okay. So. I LOVE Tamora Pierce. I grew up in Tortall and I just adore her world so so much, so know that when I say TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER was a bummer, it's not for lack of REALLY REALLY REALLY wanting to love it. There are some good discussions in this story and the characters are great and her world-building is still fantastic. But TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER has absolutely no self-contained plot, the pacing meanders, and it doesn't quite work.
I still enjoyed it, but not that "this is a good book" enjoyment. My enjoyment came from the sheer pleasure of having new content in Tortall. ANY new content. But if you've heard about Pierce and heard me and others holler to the moon about her book, TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER isn't a good place to start. She explains magic well, but if you don't already love Aram from The Immortals series, you may not latch on to him here. Add to that fact that a previous knowledge of the world helps... and this is going to bore and/or lose new readers.
And I am heartbroken by that, because her world as a whole is so fantastic, it really is. Please go try the first book of another one of her series. I like to recommend the Beka Cooper trilogy for YA and adult readers interested in trying her work. Once you've fallen in love with everything Tortall... come back then and read TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER. Enjoy the foray into the world from a different angle! But don't come for the plot... because... there isn't one.
For more bookish content, reviews, and more, come visit me at The Literary Phoenix.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty