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akswhy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt
kathrynleereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
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The world she built is so complex and ever-growing that I can’t help but marvel at the sheer size and genius of it.
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Eliana - There was absolutely a lot more growth for Eliana in Furyborn, but she still made some pretty significant strides in Kingsbane.
Rielle - Rielle also has some pretty significant character development, but it was far from growth.
Audric, Ludivine, Tal, Evyline, Atheria.
Audric - While Audric does grow as a character in Kingsbane, I still find him a rather cookie-cutter character. Not necessarily in a bad way.
Ludivine - I honestly don’t trust my own thoughts on Ludivine anymore.
Simon - The true star of this book. I’m not even sure how I feel. Or where to start.
Remy - Remy frustrated me a bit during Kingsbane, especially when he decides to shun Eliana because of what happened with Rozen.
Zhara - Zhara is so pure in her love for Eliana, and I have to appreciate a (pretty much) eternal being who doesn’t gatekeep information. Every time Eliana had a question or wanted to know something, Zhara provided the information without hesitation.
Atheria - Every book needs a great fictional pet, and Atheria doesn’t disappoint. She makes it very clear when she doesn’t approve of Rielle’s actions, but is also there to support and defend her when needed.
Tal - While Tal on his own is tolerable, I find his relationship with Rielle very odd. The teacher/student sexual tension makes me uncomfortable, especially as Rielle views him as a sort of secondary father figure.
Evyline - Still very much a side character, but definitely one of my favorites. We don’t know much about her, but every time she shows up on the page I smile.
Time Travel
Obviously, time travel has been a part of this story from the very beginning, so I’m a little surprised that I didn’t see more of it coming.
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Sexual Tension
After reading Furyborn, I specifically highlighted the sexual positivity. In Kingsbane, however, it was more like sexual tension.
Beyond the mere excitement, these parallels gave me each time I found one, I am astounded by Legrand’s skill.
•
After that ending, I could barely keep Lightbringer on my bookshelf long enough to write this review.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and War
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, and Pregnancy
aoife_taylors_version2413's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
aneverbird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
laurenfro22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
"I hope you'll remember that in the days to come-that many here love you, and would give up their silly, simple lives for you. You do not exist alone in this world. You are part of something immense and fragile and infinite. I hope you can respect that, even as mighty as you are."
The second installment of the Empirium series plops the reader right back down into the action. In Kingsbane, Legrand continues the arc of the mysterious and diametrically opposed Queens said to rise to save humanity. A thousand years apart, we see Rielle's unravelling and Eliana's burgeoning skills. Kingsbane felt a little bit like a bridge book - building the world, characters, and context with a pause on the plot to prepare for book three. This definitely impacted my rating, as I felt that there are so many unanswered questions and plot points just piling up and swirling around in this world- very effective at creating tension, but occasionally made it difficult to stay connected to the characters and larger story. There were a lot of great points where we see excellent character development; secrets finally shared, major betrayals, painful losses, and a whole host of battles both blood and lust filled. It was a solid read, and I'm hoping the set up lets Legrand really spike Lightbringer. I have high hopes for book three and am still a little nervous to start!
I enjoyed the ongoing development of the reader's understanding of the political climates, and the religious-mythos-magic systems that reflect each other in interesting ways between the two timeframes to which we're privy. It is a grand world that Legrand is building and she is skillful in her prose, especially describing the Empirium and the characters' interactions with the world just a layer below 'our' own. I'll be interested to see how some of those hanging threads are tied up in Lightbringer.
A number of reviews commented on the sex scenes in Kingsbane eclipsing those of Furyborn. There were certainly many more, and while I can see the point raised (they're just thrown in there), my take is that Rielle is in a complicated situation and using the tools she had available to her to maintain her status and keep the other parties around her distracted. The only scene that came off unfortunate was roughly two-thirds in and felt very much out of line with Audric's characterization. But I suppose there is truly no escape from the patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Folks with a history of SA should tread carefully or avoid altogether. What I did appreciate though, was that sex is not treated as some 'fade-to-black' taboo. The characters feel and love and lust and act human; the queerness in some of the relationships and side characters was lovely to run into as well.
As I've pondered the book, the thought I keep returning to is the question of villainy. The premise of the book turns on the idea of two Queens rising - one that will be the death of humanity, the other the salvation. We spend a lot of time in Rielle's head in her tug-of-war between the 'freedom' Corien hangs over her head and the stability that appears to exist in Audric, Ludvine. I'm waiting to see the other shoe drop, as I'm not completely convinced that she'll end up as the 'evil' side of the coin. What makes her the villain? The inborn aspects that tilt villainy in her favor, or weight of the expectations fate and its constant reminders place on her head? Between Rielle and Eliana, I know I'm going to be surprised. Legrand does a great job crafting characters that are complex, and often it's often painful to see them tripping down a path that you want to reach in and drag them out of.
Overall, I was far more impressed with the plot of book 1, but appreciated Kingsbane for what it is. The prose and flow are equally enjoyable, so I still flew through the book in a couple of days. I'll have to see how I feel about the series after I finish book 3.
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence
stormywolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, I think Kingsbane was well written, though maybe a little slow in places, and a great character study in how love, and grief and fear can shape people. Both story and characters are detailed and complex, and every chapter knows just how to end to where you want to get back to their story as quick as possible. Of course, you end up feeling that way for both storylines, so you're stuck reading the book as written. If you were intrigued by the first book, you'll definitely want to continue their stories, but I might recommend waiting until the next book is out so you're not left in so much despair for so long...
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Gun violence
A good bit of the murder/death is either fantasy (a character snapping a character into ashes or summoning fire at them) or done during battle/war.