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joliendelandsheer 's review for:
The Emperor's Knife
by Mazarkis Williams
Review first published on my blog The Fictional Reader
Like The Tiger and the Wolf, I felt “meh” about this book. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. I don’t have the need to finish the trilogy, but I already own the second book. Dilemma…
I think this book had a lot of potential, but I didn’t really like the execution of it. I was intrigued for several reasons: geometric patterns across the skin that make you do someone else’s bidding, an Emperor with a dead family, the Prince locked up and a Windreader. Those all sound so promising!
But instead, I felt like there was something off about this story. First, it seemed like I was watching the story unfold from a distance instead of being there with the characters. Second, while you’re reading, it feels like there are chunks of time missing. The characters develop but I think it was unrealistic. For example: Sarmin has spent almost his entire life locked up in his room without seeing anyone. And suddenly, he has the ability to stop the biggest threat his empire has ever faced? I don’t get it. The characters changed so suddenly, I couldn’t really follow anymore. The only character I could understand was the Knife. Third, I didn’t understand parts of the history or backstory. Why did all the brothers have to be killed? Why not Sarmin? Maybe I missed it or just forgot in the past month, but I couldn’t tell you if my life depended on it.
Like The Tiger and the Wolf, I felt “meh” about this book. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. I don’t have the need to finish the trilogy, but I already own the second book. Dilemma…
I think this book had a lot of potential, but I didn’t really like the execution of it. I was intrigued for several reasons: geometric patterns across the skin that make you do someone else’s bidding, an Emperor with a dead family, the Prince locked up and a Windreader. Those all sound so promising!
But instead, I felt like there was something off about this story. First, it seemed like I was watching the story unfold from a distance instead of being there with the characters. Second, while you’re reading, it feels like there are chunks of time missing. The characters develop but I think it was unrealistic. For example: Sarmin has spent almost his entire life locked up in his room without seeing anyone. And suddenly, he has the ability to stop the biggest threat his empire has ever faced? I don’t get it. The characters changed so suddenly, I couldn’t really follow anymore. The only character I could understand was the Knife. Third, I didn’t understand parts of the history or backstory. Why did all the brothers have to be killed? Why not Sarmin? Maybe I missed it or just forgot in the past month, but I couldn’t tell you if my life depended on it.