hissingpotatoes's review against another edition
3.0
I love the extremely dry humor. The journey of reading this series is just as important, if not even more so, than the destination. That's especially true for this book because the ending falls apart. It completely diverges from the adventure of the first 90% of the story and incorporates elements that aren't built up to or explained.
disastrouspenguin's review against another edition
3.0
This book felt different. There were wild swings between laugh-out-loud moments and gory grimace-inducing moments, sometimes just a couple of sentence apart. Far more gruesome and dark than previously seen in this series.
Consumed as an audiobook, this one had a different narrator from the previous book, which took a bit getting used to.
Consumed as an audiobook, this one had a different narrator from the previous book, which took a bit getting used to.
seaclauss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jordandotcom's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
asterope's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
This series just gets better. I didn't expect this book to be so Lovecraftian, but actually, it totally fits Cabal's vibe.
Admittedly I didn't know the Dreamlands was a Lovecraft creation beforehand, but I recognised most of the names of various Beings. This one reads like a video game - there's a quest to complete and the gang run into various other problems along the way. Once again, I was impressed with the how the writing quality improves as the books get bigger and more ambitious. I didn't think much of the side characters though, and was a little disappointed we only got to meet Miss Smith briefly. She seemed cool.
Although still just as funny, the structure of this book felt too meandering. I do trust the author to stick the landing (and he did), but at one point I remembered wondering where this was going. But yes, the ending. My god, do I love a good time loop. Those last couple of chapters cranked up the depth of this series, and I absolutely loved them. I'm glad I didn't check the titles of the other books in the series, because the cliffhanger was a nice surprise!
Admittedly I didn't know the Dreamlands was a Lovecraft creation beforehand, but I recognised most of the names of various Beings. This one reads like a video game - there's a quest to complete and the gang run into various other problems along the way. Once again, I was impressed with the how the writing quality improves as the books get bigger and more ambitious. I didn't think much of the side characters though, and was a little disappointed we only got to meet Miss Smith briefly. She seemed cool.
Although still just as funny, the structure of this book felt too meandering. I do trust the author to stick the landing (and he did), but at one point I remembered wondering where this was going. But yes, the ending. My god, do I love a good time loop. Those last couple of chapters cranked up the depth of this series, and I absolutely loved them. I'm glad I didn't check the titles of the other books in the series, because the cliffhanger was a nice surprise!
hpstrangelove's review against another edition
4.0
Audibook - really enjoyed this narrator the best; very nice voice and able to change it reasonable well for different characters (and no falsetto for the female characters either!).
This book seemed like it was two books combined into one. I had some trouble staying focused as I was listening while traveling, but that was my fault and not the book's. I should go back one day and listen to it again as I'm sure there's plenty of details I missed.
And I was not expecting what happened in the end. The story is pretty much self-contained but leads very well into the next book.
This book seemed like it was two books combined into one. I had some trouble staying focused as I was listening while traveling, but that was my fault and not the book's. I should go back one day and listen to it again as I'm sure there's plenty of details I missed.
And I was not expecting what happened in the end. The story is pretty much self-contained but leads very well into the next book.
arcticelegy's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
julialoupratt's review against another edition
5.0
My quest in babygirlifying Johannes Cabal continues and I am not dissatisfied (several instances of GIGGLING are now canon and I love that for me). I was much more drawn to this than the second book, and felt it returned to the supernatural, fantastical and absurdist nature of the first book. Two main cons: the first half of this book definitely harped on some problematic orientalist tropes. Also the ending ran around in circles for a bit and wasn’t a very satisfying wrap up to the rest of the story.
Obviously we all know who returns to us in the next book (in part thanks to the CORNY final line and in part to the title of the next book) and I am kicking my little feet in excitement over it. All in all, TFI was a fun Lovecraft meets Indiana Jones meets Sherlock story and I lived for it. All hail the chaos god.
Obviously we all know who returns to us in the next book (in part thanks to the CORNY final line and in part to the title of the next book) and I am kicking my little feet in excitement over it. All in all, TFI was a fun Lovecraft meets Indiana Jones meets Sherlock story and I lived for it. All hail the chaos god.
riffmonkey's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The adventures of Johannes Cabal were great to read yet again. The beginning of the book was a bit slow and when he was travelling with the Fear Institute in the beginning I had some trouble distinguishing the characters. They seemed very similar at the start but soon it became very clear who was who.
We got a lot more insight into the Cabal in this one, the last book already showed a more empathic side but some interesting things about his past and character were relieved that I really enjoyed. And although I didn't gasp at the reveal near the end I loved it either way. The ending also would probably have been less predictable if I didn't know the title of the second book. Just as funny as the last although a little less fast.
We got a lot more insight into the Cabal in this one, the last book already showed a more empathic side but some interesting things about his past and character were relieved that I really enjoyed. And although I didn't gasp at the reveal near the end I loved it either way. The ending also would probably have been less predictable if I didn't know the title of the second book. Just as funny as the last although a little less fast.
djvuuu's review
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5