m00dreads 's review for:

Thron in Flammen: Roman by Brian Staveley

5.0

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"She was jealous of it, she realized, this unwavering fidelity to one's own code, the keeping of unspoken promises offered up in silence from the self to the self.... She had had convictions once, beliefs about justice and honor, right and wrong, but the slow turning of the world, like a mill wheel over grain, had ground them down to flour so fine that it slipped softly and silently between her fingers."

Phew. First off, let me just say that I have not read prose half as good as Brian Staveley's and was not expecting such beautiful and masterfully-crafted writing from the gritty genre of high fantasy. And to think that such incredible storytelling is just the icing on the cake.

The sheer ingenuity and intricacy of this series - I'm still floored by it to this day. Absolutely un-toppable.

Even from the first book, Brian Staveley's ability to construct such complex and well thought out details, and weave them seamlessly into the overarching story, had quite literally left me out of breath. The experience of reading it for the first time was exhilarating. This second installment showcases even more of the author's dexterity. Every time you think you know what might be happening, what the bigger picture might be, you are thrown more puzzles to piece together. But it's not the kind that gets tiring and frustrating after pointless plot diversions and unsuccessful attempts at building anticipation by having readers play cat-and-mouse with the "big" reveal. There are no deadweight and irrelevant fillers. No - this series keeps you at the edge of your seat, and each discovery and revelation both satisfy the hunger for answers while simultaneously whetting it some more.

I loved every single POV. I probably loved Kaden's the best because he's the best "player" - he literally has no leverage whatsoever (aside from possessing the ability to use the kentas) yet his ideas and decisions (not all I agree with) were the most brilliant - that's my boy!!!. Gwenna's was a very pleasant surprise. I loved her ever since we were first introduced to her fiery and passionate spirit. Valyn, I just wanna give a big hug. And as for Adare - her gullibility irked me sometimes but wow what a laudable development!!!

ALSO JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE - THE FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THIS SERIES!!!! YES!!! THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE WOMEN IN FANTASY!!! OTHER MALE AUTHORS TAKE NOTES!!

Alright, imma jam it back in my pants now. Ugh. What a masterpiece.