hoarderreader's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
emiling256's review against another edition
5.0
The Gods of Amyrantha by Jennifer Fallon
*****4.5*****
The second book in the Tide Lords Quartet might be said to suffer slightly from middle book syndrome, where it kind of feels like not much is happening. It is only once you've reached the end that you realize just how much was actually taking place among the pages of this book.
Arkady and Stellan have been sent into exile, and a large portion of the book focuses on their time there and Arkady's budding friendship with the Imperator's Consort Chintara, mixed with the workings back in Glaeba with Jaxyn and Diala. There are so many more Immortals (and their schemes) that come out of the wood works in this book you almost need a chart to keep them all straight.
I found the second installment by Fallon just as enjoyable as the first. Though I found myself annoyed with main character Arkady on a number of occasions. I'm not entirely sure she's quite as smart as we're led to believe.
Arkady shook her head. “I’m not like you, Tiji. I can’t smell them. I can’t sense them. Tides! I can’t tell a Tide Lord from a turtle, truth be told. And yet I always imagine I’ll know one when I meet them. The Tide knows why.
The Tide knows why indeed. I think Arkady has met more Immortals than any human in history and she still has no idea when she's standing right next to one. Even when it's blaringly obvious. She could at least question people's identities but nope, no clue.
The addition of a more pivotal role for Crasii chameleon Tiji was a welcome delight, however and I can't wait to read the developments in her story in book three.
There is drama, mild angst and lots of humour in book two, especially with Declan Hawkes' character.
“I see, you were searching the Herino sewers for the secret to ultimate power.” He turned to Rye Barnes. “Because that’s where we would keep the secret to ultimate power, isn’t it? In the sewers?”
I'm finding myself quite drawn to him. And Maralyce is by far my favourite Immortal.
"You want some tea or are your lips normally that shade of blue?"
"I think I'd prefer something stronger."
"I'm sure you would, but I ain't decided if I like you enough to offer it."
"Then I'll take tea."
Fallon has really thought out how she thinks Immortality should work and it really lends depth to her story.
It’s hard for a mortal to grasp, but the more dire the threat, the harder we are to maim. Chuck an immortal into a volcano or toss them in a pot of boiling acid, and they’ll walk out-extremely pissed off with you, but unscathed, because our bodies seem to understand the need to heal something like that so rapidly that it becomes almost instantaneous. It’s as if the magic that made us immortal understands the danger. Our bodies react to the immediacy of the threat. But try to kill and immortal slowly, do it so it takes time, and you won’t kill us, but Tides, you can make us suffer. I stood there screaming, tied to that stakes, wishing they had chucked me off the lip of a volcano.
And her cast of characters is vast and compelling. From Immortals who believe it is truly a gift to live forever, to those wishing for nothing more than to die, to those who have secret plans and the patience to see them through to the end (they have forever after all, no need to hurry).
The Gods of Amyrantha ended with a bang that immediately makes the reader want to push on to book three for the answers to many burning questions. Alas, I have to wait for my BB&B crew to join me on this awesome journey! Can't wait!!
*****4.5*****
The second book in the Tide Lords Quartet might be said to suffer slightly from middle book syndrome, where it kind of feels like not much is happening. It is only once you've reached the end that you realize just how much was actually taking place among the pages of this book.
Arkady and Stellan have been sent into exile, and a large portion of the book focuses on their time there and Arkady's budding friendship with the Imperator's Consort Chintara, mixed with the workings back in Glaeba with Jaxyn and Diala. There are so many more Immortals (and their schemes) that come out of the wood works in this book you almost need a chart to keep them all straight.
I found the second installment by Fallon just as enjoyable as the first. Though I found myself annoyed with main character Arkady on a number of occasions. I'm not entirely sure she's quite as smart as we're led to believe.
Arkady shook her head. “I’m not like you, Tiji. I can’t smell them. I can’t sense them. Tides! I can’t tell a Tide Lord from a turtle, truth be told. And yet I always imagine I’ll know one when I meet them. The Tide knows why.
The Tide knows why indeed. I think Arkady has met more Immortals than any human in history and she still has no idea when she's standing right next to one. Even when it's blaringly obvious. She could at least question people's identities but nope, no clue.
The addition of a more pivotal role for Crasii chameleon Tiji was a welcome delight, however and I can't wait to read the developments in her story in book three.
There is drama, mild angst and lots of humour in book two, especially with Declan Hawkes' character.
“I see, you were searching the Herino sewers for the secret to ultimate power.” He turned to Rye Barnes. “Because that’s where we would keep the secret to ultimate power, isn’t it? In the sewers?”
I'm finding myself quite drawn to him. And Maralyce is by far my favourite Immortal.
"You want some tea or are your lips normally that shade of blue?"
"I think I'd prefer something stronger."
"I'm sure you would, but I ain't decided if I like you enough to offer it."
"Then I'll take tea."
Fallon has really thought out how she thinks Immortality should work and it really lends depth to her story.
It’s hard for a mortal to grasp, but the more dire the threat, the harder we are to maim. Chuck an immortal into a volcano or toss them in a pot of boiling acid, and they’ll walk out-extremely pissed off with you, but unscathed, because our bodies seem to understand the need to heal something like that so rapidly that it becomes almost instantaneous. It’s as if the magic that made us immortal understands the danger. Our bodies react to the immediacy of the threat. But try to kill and immortal slowly, do it so it takes time, and you won’t kill us, but Tides, you can make us suffer. I stood there screaming, tied to that stakes, wishing they had chucked me off the lip of a volcano.
And her cast of characters is vast and compelling. From Immortals who believe it is truly a gift to live forever, to those wishing for nothing more than to die, to those who have secret plans and the patience to see them through to the end (they have forever after all, no need to hurry).
The Gods of Amyrantha ended with a bang that immediately makes the reader want to push on to book three for the answers to many burning questions. Alas, I have to wait for my BB&B crew to join me on this awesome journey! Can't wait!!
thefool's review against another edition
5.0
Following the events of the first one, this continues somehow to uphold the integrity of the story with its fast pace and surprising events unfolding nearly at every turn. New friends are gained and old ones come out of hiding to really mix up the complications already imposing themselves on the mere mortals struggling to endure life among the immortals. How does one counter such a being? Is there a way to put an end to their reign of terror on the unsuspecting population? Where once their presence was assured, people have grown lazy and complacent since the disappearance of the Immortals. But the Tide is returning swiftly and with it, the impending turmoil sure to come from Immortals bored by circumstance....
This book is a race to find a way to kill an Immortal. Only one has seemed to cling to the idea of death and even then, he's unpredictable. He's an Immortal, one of them that the mortals fight so hard to combat.
Will he simply betray his mortal brethren when it comes down to trying out the tactics they may concoct on how to end an Immortal life? Will his Immortal brethren uncover what he is doing and put a stop to him? If a way to kill an Immortal is found, well, none are safe. Tensions are high on both sides of the fence.
jtone's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book. There were a bunch of revelations about the world and with the background from the first book in place, there was a lot more action.
jenniedee's review against another edition
3.0
A bit bloated and extremely predictable and yet I still feel compelled to pick up the next volume and read it. I doubt this series will make my "frequently re-read" list, but it's entertaining enough for now.
sarah42783's review
4.0
🗡Immortal Bastards R Us Buddy Read (IBRUBR™) with my fellow BB&B Falloniacs Choko, Elena, Emily and Robin🗡
Ah, my dearest dearest Jennifer Fallon! You really have a thing for creating delightfully despicable characters one loves to hate. Or is it characters one hates to love? I forget. No matter, the important thing is that we have a most wonderfully selfish, amoral, self-serving, egomaniacal, cruel, cool-blooded, Machiavellian,somewhat unhinged bunch of immortals at hand here. Which I find quite glorious, obviously. Not to mention sublimely rejuvenating. Bless your little heart for renewing my lack of faith in humanity, Jennifer Fallon! I shall forever be full of shrimpy grate and stuff! Okay, so is it true that, from a technical point of view, the lovely members of the Slightly Deranged Immortal Bunch (SDIB™) aren’t exactly part of humanity and stuff, since they’re no longer, um, you know, human and stuff, because now they’re, um, you know, immortal and stuff. Anyway, they’re all vicious, cunning assholes and devious, evil bitches, and that’s what counts, right? Right.
My thoughts exactly.
So what is the SDIB™ up to in this instalment, you ask? Why nefarious plotting and outrageously vile shenanigans, of course. I mean, it’s part of their job description and stuff. You gotta give it to them, these guys know how to have fun. You’d think they’d run out of ferociously contemptible, noxious ideas after being alive for thousands of years, but our immortal buddies here? Bloody shrimp, do they know how to keep immorality and malevolence fresh at all times! Poor puny humans, they really don’t stand a chance here. They do try, though. And some of them are actually pretty gifted in the ruthlessly cunning, mercilessly foxy department. Like my Spymaster boyfriend Declan, for example. Now here’s a guy who knows how to be delectably duplicitous when the situation calls for it. Andboy shrimp, does the situation call for it often! Between the Unrelenting Immortal Antics (UIA™) and the Oh Look We Can Be as Self-Serving and Treacherous and Generally Assholish as our Undying Nemeses Human Tomfoolery (OLWCBaSSaTaGAaoUNHT™), my boyfriend really has his implacably shrewd and shrewdly implacable job cut out for him and stuff.
Talk for your little self, Darthie. My Declan doesn’t have your extensive and intensive practice. He’s working on it, though.
UnFortunately, the characters in this series aren’t ALL scrumptious, death-defying degenerate guys and gals, and exquisitely loathsome mortals. There are also Popsicle Dudes (PD™) and deliriously grumpy, harem-worthy grandmammas. And also Occasionally Intermittent Airheads (OIA™) who will hopefully regain some degree of acumen in the next instalment (keeping my pincers crossed and stuff). But the most luscious non-immortal, non-mortal characters of them all are without a doubt the Crasii, aka the Animal Human Hybrid Gang (AHHG™). Canines, felines, amphibians, I want to adopt them all! Okay, so I might maybe perhaps want to adopt a certain chameleon Crasii a little more than the rest of her colleagues. Because she’s a, um, you know, chameleon. And also because she’s a, um, you know, spy. And also also because she has, um, you know, slightly super hot silver scales and stuff. And also also also because I want to have her, um, you know, reptilian babies and stuff.
Mini-reptilian-mes! How adorable! Now I’ll just have to get them some of those full face snorkeling masks so they can move into my subaquatic nursery, and my new bride Tiji and I can live nefariously ever after and stuff!
Sorry, what? I haven’t told you a word about the story yet? And? This is not The Tide Lords Cliffs Notes, you know. You’re supposed to actually read the book and find out what the fish happens in it for your little selves and stuff. Okay, since I’m almost in a relatively good mood today, I’ll tell you this: there’s roguery and mischief and devilry and stuff. And also machinations and ploys and skulduggery and stuff. And betrayal and backstabbing and double-crossing and stuff. And revelations and surprises and oh-my-bloody-fishing-twist and stuff. The end. Quite welcome you are.
➽ And the moral of this Rarely Have I Wanted to See So Many Characters Die a Horribly Painful and if Possible Reasonably Excruciating Death Yay Crappy Non Review (RHIWtSSMCDaHPaiPREDYCNR™) is: some people seem to think this instalment suffers from Bridge Book Syndrome (BBS™). Some people obviously read this instalment very wrong.
· Book 1: The Immortal Prince ★★★★
· Book 3: The Palace of Impossible Dreams ★★★★★
· Book 4: The Chaos Crystal ★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Liars and schemers and treacherous scumbags, oh my! What a beautiful array of immortal, homicidal psychopaths we have here. It's quite delicious, really.
Such a lovely world this is. Full of love, compassion, benevolence and sympathy. Sigh. So beautiful. Makes my black, withered heart shudder with glee and stuff.
➽ Full I Want to Be A Chameleon Crasii When I Grow Up Crappy Non Review (IWtBaCCWiGUCNR™) to come.
Ah, my dearest dearest Jennifer Fallon! You really have a thing for creating delightfully despicable characters one loves to hate. Or is it characters one hates to love? I forget. No matter, the important thing is that we have a most wonderfully selfish, amoral, self-serving, egomaniacal, cruel, cool-blooded, Machiavellian,
My thoughts exactly.
So what is the SDIB™ up to in this instalment, you ask? Why nefarious plotting and outrageously vile shenanigans, of course. I mean, it’s part of their job description and stuff. You gotta give it to them, these guys know how to have fun. You’d think they’d run out of ferociously contemptible, noxious ideas after being alive for thousands of years, but our immortal buddies here? Bloody shrimp, do they know how to keep immorality and malevolence fresh at all times! Poor puny humans, they really don’t stand a chance here. They do try, though. And some of them are actually pretty gifted in the ruthlessly cunning, mercilessly foxy department. Like my Spymaster boyfriend Declan, for example. Now here’s a guy who knows how to be delectably duplicitous when the situation calls for it. And
Talk for your little self, Darthie. My Declan doesn’t have your extensive and intensive practice. He’s working on it, though.
Mini-reptilian-mes! How adorable! Now I’ll just have to get them some of those full face snorkeling masks so they can move into my subaquatic nursery, and my new bride Tiji and I can live nefariously ever after and stuff!
Sorry, what? I haven’t told you a word about the story yet? And? This is not The Tide Lords Cliffs Notes, you know. You’re supposed to actually read the book and find out what the fish happens in it for your little selves and stuff. Okay, since I’m almost in a relatively good mood today, I’ll tell you this: there’s roguery and mischief and devilry and stuff. And also machinations and ploys and skulduggery and stuff. And betrayal and backstabbing and double-crossing and stuff. And revelations and surprises and oh-my-bloody-fishing-twist and stuff. The end. Quite welcome you are.
➽ And the moral of this Rarely Have I Wanted to See So Many Characters Die a Horribly Painful and if Possible Reasonably Excruciating Death Yay Crappy Non Review (RHIWtSSMCDaHPaiPREDYCNR™) is: some people seem to think this instalment suffers from Bridge Book Syndrome (BBS™). Some people obviously read this instalment very wrong.
· Book 1: The Immortal Prince ★★★★
· Book 3: The Palace of Impossible Dreams ★★★★★
· Book 4: The Chaos Crystal ★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Liars and schemers and treacherous scumbags, oh my! What a beautiful array of immortal, homicidal psychopaths we have here. It's quite delicious, really.
Such a lovely world this is. Full of love, compassion, benevolence and sympathy. Sigh. So beautiful. Makes my black, withered heart shudder with glee and stuff.
➽ Full I Want to Be A Chameleon Crasii When I Grow Up Crappy Non Review (IWtBaCCWiGUCNR™) to come.
reader_fictions's review
3.0
Like the first book in the series, which I’d actually written up a review for but later decided not to post, I enjoyed the audiobook quite a lot. Narrator John Telfer does a really great job making the characters distinct and imbuing their lines with a lot of personality.
This series isn’t one I would have ever picked up on my own, but I’ve really been enjoying it. The world building is really cool. There are these immortals (Tide Lords) who have the ability to manipulate the tide, which is magic that comes and goes. The tide has been out for a really long time, so the Tide Lords have been blending in with the human population, but now the tide is coming in and the Tide Lords are beginning their campaigns to compete for world domination.
The characters are interesting and well-drawn, though the series lacks for swoony romance. I can’t decide if I like the idea of Cayal and Arkady or not , but I’m at least open to the possibility. My interest was a bit on the wane after a plot development for Arkady I didn’t like, but then there was a really awesome twist at the end that hooked me again.
This series isn’t one I would have ever picked up on my own, but I’ve really been enjoying it. The world building is really cool. There are these immortals (Tide Lords) who have the ability to manipulate the tide, which is magic that comes and goes. The tide has been out for a really long time, so the Tide Lords have been blending in with the human population, but now the tide is coming in and the Tide Lords are beginning their campaigns to compete for world domination.
The characters are interesting and well-drawn, though the series lacks for swoony romance. I can’t decide if I like the idea of Cayal and Arkady or not , but I’m at least open to the possibility. My interest was a bit on the wane after a plot development for Arkady I didn’t like, but then there was a really awesome twist at the end that hooked me again.
kittyg's review
4.0
Okay, this one upped the stakes from the first book to be sure. Not only do we see a whole lot more of the immortals who are slowly taking over the world with the turning of the Tide, but we also see the characters we have got to know and like taking more risks in order to halt their progress and stop their return.
What I like about this series is that it's entirely readable and one that seems filled with potential. There already feels like there's a very expansive world, and in this book we start to see more characters like Warlock, Cayal, Arkady, Stellan and the spy master as they take on their own missions and start to infiltrate and corrupt ranks and plans.
Each of these characters feels very distinct when you listen to the audiobook, and I felt like I got to know all of the new ones really well whilst still enjoying the older characters that I have previously listened to and enjoyed.
The stakes of this world certainly go up in this particular book. We mainly follow the events at the Mine and the actions taking place in two opposing Kingdoms. We have the Torlenian's and the people of Lebec and their capital, Glaeban. They are vastly different societies, but they each have immortals clamouring to rule them now that magic is returning and the Tide is on the turn.
There is a lot of backstabbing and plotting that takes place here, an awful lot more than in the previous book in the series which felt a lot more like a set-up for the events that play out here. Not only does the action start right away here, but we also get to see a whole load of new threads starting to weave together and I really liked that blend.
The previous book has a lot of exposition in the form of telling stories about the past and that was massively cut down in this one. I think that adds to the drama of this one compared to the first, and makes it a faster read overall. There are still some stories told by major immortals, but mainly it's action and craziness throughout.
I both love and hate the ending of the book becuase I did not see it coming at all, and I think it's going to lead to some pretty chaotic twists in the next books in the series. The potential for madness, the twisting of the Tides, and the involvement of new players is pretty cool, and I am very excited to follow what will happen! 4.5*s from me again... :)
What I like about this series is that it's entirely readable and one that seems filled with potential. There already feels like there's a very expansive world, and in this book we start to see more characters like Warlock, Cayal, Arkady, Stellan and the spy master as they take on their own missions and start to infiltrate and corrupt ranks and plans.
Each of these characters feels very distinct when you listen to the audiobook, and I felt like I got to know all of the new ones really well whilst still enjoying the older characters that I have previously listened to and enjoyed.
The stakes of this world certainly go up in this particular book. We mainly follow the events at the Mine and the actions taking place in two opposing Kingdoms. We have the Torlenian's and the people of Lebec and their capital, Glaeban. They are vastly different societies, but they each have immortals clamouring to rule them now that magic is returning and the Tide is on the turn.
There is a lot of backstabbing and plotting that takes place here, an awful lot more than in the previous book in the series which felt a lot more like a set-up for the events that play out here. Not only does the action start right away here, but we also get to see a whole load of new threads starting to weave together and I really liked that blend.
The previous book has a lot of exposition in the form of telling stories about the past and that was massively cut down in this one. I think that adds to the drama of this one compared to the first, and makes it a faster read overall. There are still some stories told by major immortals, but mainly it's action and craziness throughout.
I both love and hate the ending of the book becuase I did not see it coming at all, and I think it's going to lead to some pretty chaotic twists in the next books in the series. The potential for madness, the twisting of the Tides, and the involvement of new players is pretty cool, and I am very excited to follow what will happen! 4.5*s from me again... :)
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