A review by llim
Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky

3.0

The whole plot about getting the magic box was ultimately pointless because it ended up in the hands of the Empire anyway. The whole plot with Chee and the fly girl was pointless because the city ended up getting invaded anyway. The whole plot with Stenwold and the ant city was pointless because he didn't get an alliance in the end anyway.
So, ultimately, this book was fun but might as well not even have happened. I could have skipped it entirely and nothing would have changed.