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benlundns's review
4.0
I have a serious love/hate relationship with this series. On the one hand, it has a number of very interesting devices in play, not the least of which is the very convoluted magic system. The talk about Laws and Esoterics will leave you either rolling your eyes and skimming through it or rereading multiple times trying to make sense of it.
That being said, I have a very big problem with the editing, or rather lack of it. The language in the book is common (the way we would speak today), which is fine, except that every couple hundred of pages a line will pop up like "so off they went to the market, and verily did they so travel, and thy strain was great for cause of the bags thou did carry." Or something similar. The random slips into high English are so random and so off putting they pull me right out of the book. The other problem is word choice, or rather the incorrect word being used. My #1 literary pet peeve is using taught instead of taut in a sentence, and the author does this repeatedly, both in this book and in the previous one, multiple times. And the problem is, she knows the correct word, each book had at least one instance of taut being used in context, and the other times using 'taught' instead. The first time I thought it was a slip, but when you are doing it two or more times in a book, something is up. This gives the book a feel of being edited by clippy, the animated paperclip for the 1990's version of word. It's fixing most problems but if you have a word spelt correctly it's not going to pick it up.
So why 4 stars if I have these problems with it? Because despite the desperate need for a proof-reader and some truly odd decisions by some main characters, the actual plot and storyline, and thought put into the world as a whole is really good. This is not a one off and done book, it's a four book series, and I want to know where it goes. There are shades of nuance that run through the book. The good guys aren't paragons of virtue, and the bad guys are just as troubled and conflicted as you would expect. There is a living vibrant world underneath my gripes and McPhail has written something that could truly be considered a mini-epic in the fantasy genre.
That being said, I have a very big problem with the editing, or rather lack of it. The language in the book is common (the way we would speak today), which is fine, except that every couple hundred of pages a line will pop up like "so off they went to the market, and verily did they so travel, and thy strain was great for cause of the bags thou did carry." Or something similar. The random slips into high English are so random and so off putting they pull me right out of the book. The other problem is word choice, or rather the incorrect word being used. My #1 literary pet peeve is using taught instead of taut in a sentence, and the author does this repeatedly, both in this book and in the previous one, multiple times. And the problem is, she knows the correct word, each book had at least one instance of taut being used in context, and the other times using 'taught' instead. The first time I thought it was a slip, but when you are doing it two or more times in a book, something is up. This gives the book a feel of being edited by clippy, the animated paperclip for the 1990's version of word. It's fixing most problems but if you have a word spelt correctly it's not going to pick it up.
So why 4 stars if I have these problems with it? Because despite the desperate need for a proof-reader and some truly odd decisions by some main characters, the actual plot and storyline, and thought put into the world as a whole is really good. This is not a one off and done book, it's a four book series, and I want to know where it goes. There are shades of nuance that run through the book. The good guys aren't paragons of virtue, and the bad guys are just as troubled and conflicted as you would expect. There is a living vibrant world underneath my gripes and McPhail has written something that could truly be considered a mini-epic in the fantasy genre.
max_booth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ablotial's review
5.0
Another excellent book in this series. Even better than the first! And I'm told the next one is even more amazing.
A lot happens in this book, and I really love the interactions between Alynaire and Trell, though I wish that section had moved faster. And I also loved the interactions between Tannis and Pellas. And of course, the reveal at the end! (Although I was expecting something like that after everything with Trell... but it was well done.)
Yes, there are some places that could use more editing. And how many times can Alynaire bite her damn lip in a span of minutes. UGH. And I'm glad I'm listening to the amazing audiobook narration instead of reading, because the sheer number of apostrophes in the person and place names would just drive me insane. But overall, excellent book.
A lot happens in this book, and I really love the interactions between Alynaire and Trell, though I wish that section had moved faster. And I also loved the interactions between Tannis and Pellas. And of course, the reveal at the end! (Although I was expecting something like that after everything with Trell... but it was well done.)
Yes, there are some places that could use more editing. And how many times can Alynaire bite her damn lip in a span of minutes. UGH. And I'm glad I'm listening to the amazing audiobook narration instead of reading, because the sheer number of apostrophes in the person and place names would just drive me insane. But overall, excellent book.
nyky's review
5.0
I jumped on purchasing this book right when it came about before it was even announced. I had been watching the month of October for when it was released and put it on my kindle as soon as possible. As with most great fantasy I was compelled to read it, to be caught up in the story line and the intricate workings of the world that Melissa McPhail had created.
Dagger is a great continuation of Cephrael's Hand. Here we learn the Laws of Patterning, the Esoterics and the underlying philosophical viewpoints of Björn and the Malorin'athgul. The stories of the Cephrael's Hand are continued throughout as the characters begin to grow in depth, their own understanding of themselves and the struggle they are involved in. Raine and Ean's stories are probably my favorite as they are both looking to their pasts to uncover the truth and help them realize their place in the First Lord's Game. The central characters are just beginning to discover or rediscover themselves and their place in the struggle that is brewing. As enemies become allies and allies become enemies the struggle for Alorin and the survival of the Adept race hangs in the balance, the First Lord's game continues and the players take their places.
This series is a rising Fantasy series that should be considered on the same level as some of the most successful fantasy series in the modern era. I highly recommend this series to all fans of the fantasy genre.
Dagger is a great continuation of Cephrael's Hand. Here we learn the Laws of Patterning, the Esoterics and the underlying philosophical viewpoints of Björn and the Malorin'athgul. The stories of the Cephrael's Hand are continued throughout as the characters begin to grow in depth, their own understanding of themselves and the struggle they are involved in. Raine and Ean's stories are probably my favorite as they are both looking to their pasts to uncover the truth and help them realize their place in the First Lord's Game. The central characters are just beginning to discover or rediscover themselves and their place in the struggle that is brewing. As enemies become allies and allies become enemies the struggle for Alorin and the survival of the Adept race hangs in the balance, the First Lord's game continues and the players take their places.
This series is a rising Fantasy series that should be considered on the same level as some of the most successful fantasy series in the modern era. I highly recommend this series to all fans of the fantasy genre.
alocin19's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
dovijoel's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
anthonybfair's review
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
gwydion's review
4.0
Enjoyable read
This is the second book and as such is a tweener. It just sets the stage for what is going to happen in the next book. It was a bit long, there are only so many times you can reread the same drama of what a character is going thru. I just wanted it to move on. But overall have enjoyed the story of the first two books and will read the third.
This is the second book and as such is a tweener. It just sets the stage for what is going to happen in the next book. It was a bit long, there are only so many times you can reread the same drama of what a character is going thru. I just wanted it to move on. But overall have enjoyed the story of the first two books and will read the third.