A review by pegasusjones
The Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The first and final thirds of this novel are excellent – even if the latter ties things together too neatly – but the bridge connecting the two is wobbly enough to nearly bring down the entire structure.

This middle third is bogged down by truly clumsy plotting; it’s easy for readers to imagine author Seth Dickinson determining where he wants his characters to be for the novel’s (admittedly enrapturing) conclusion, but having no good notion of how to get the pieces to their proper place. (It’s also difficult for readers to imagine Dickinson writing a line of dialogue he didn’t see fit to end with an exclamation point.) 

This same flaw, of having a great Point A and Point C but a Point B that barely manages to engage, is present in some of the character developments, where often-pivotal elements of entire character arcs are told rather than shown.

Even so, if a story is going to have one third that’s notably worse than the others, the optimal weak point has to be the middle slice of that triptych. The opening is good enough to buy readers’ patience, and the ending satisfying enough to justify that purchase. 

All in all, The Tyrant Baru Cormorant manages to overcome its flaws, but not by any wide margin. The lasting impression after reading this novel is less of celebrating what was, and more of lamenting what could have been.