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echoslitteraires's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cedrisc's review against another edition
4.0
A solid 4-star read for me.
I enjoyed the backstory and the world-building a lot. It was so interesting that I found myself telling family and friends about the tree god, vampires and maggots. Although nothing was really 'unique' it was a unique blend.
That said, nothing that happened at the end surprised me. The hints were enough that I suspected most of the plot.
I wish there were a stronger romance in it. That is why I am not in a rush to go straight to book 2. I think I will continue, but I will have a break.
I enjoyed the backstory and the world-building a lot. It was so interesting that I found myself telling family and friends about the tree god, vampires and maggots. Although nothing was really 'unique' it was a unique blend.
That said, nothing that happened at the end surprised me. The hints were enough that I suspected most of the plot.
I wish there were a stronger romance in it. That is why I am not in a rush to go straight to book 2. I think I will continue, but I will have a break.
margyyy06's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
alyssasaurus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
phersace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sketchydoodle's review against another edition
5.0
I was excited to read another Jen Williams series - I absolutely love the way she writes her characters, and for me, characters are the #1 thing I look for in writing.
Her characters are always a little dysfunctional, very human (or, er, other species... you know what I mean. Relatable) and have their own clear voices. By far the most outstanding one in the Ninth Rain is Vintage. Yes, hello, an older, POC, lgbt female lead? All I needed. Vintage is a scholar, a researcher, bold and unabashed, no nonsense and canny. I love her to pieces.
While the Copper Cat series was more of a 'traditional' fantasy made modern in terms of swashbuckling adventure themes, the Ninth Rain brings some interesting new worldbuilding with an alien threat (or is it? I don't know - where do they come from?! Plot twists expected in future books, perhaps. Brandon Sanderson has done a number on my plot expectations), a mysterious kind of magic in Winnowfire and a God-tree with strange power. Because of the wars that ravaged the world, a lot of knowledge has been lost, and I hope dearly that I can follow Vintage and her party in a quest to explain it!
Definitely looking forward to the next in the series :D
Her characters are always a little dysfunctional, very human (or, er, other species... you know what I mean. Relatable) and have their own clear voices. By far the most outstanding one in the Ninth Rain is Vintage. Yes, hello, an older, POC, lgbt female lead? All I needed. Vintage is a scholar, a researcher, bold and unabashed, no nonsense and canny. I love her to pieces.
While the Copper Cat series was more of a 'traditional' fantasy made modern in terms of swashbuckling adventure themes, the Ninth Rain brings some interesting new worldbuilding with an alien threat (or is it? I don't know - where do they come from?! Plot twists expected in future books, perhaps. Brandon Sanderson has done a number on my plot expectations), a mysterious kind of magic in Winnowfire and a God-tree with strange power. Because of the wars that ravaged the world, a lot of knowledge has been lost, and I hope dearly that I can follow Vintage and her party in a quest to explain it!
Definitely looking forward to the next in the series :D
calyps0ph's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
great sci-fantasy. disappointed by Tor and Noon's seamlessly perfect sex scene. I get Tor studied to be a sex master yada yada, but Noon has been locked up in the Winnowry since she was 12 (if I'm remembering correctly), and I KNOW she didn't get a comprehensive sex ed behind bars... I would've appreciated a little more fumbling between the two of them because it would've been more realistic and endearing. the twists were good, but I predicted EVERYTHING pretty early on, so I agree with the reviews saying the foreshadowing was heavy-handed. the ending definitely set up the sequel, and I'm curious to see where the author takes Hest's character. binged about 80% very quickly but the last 20% was harder to get through—these chapters didn't have the same momentum as the beginning.
borjabilbao's review against another edition
4.0
Aunque llevaba años viendo esta trilogía como una futurible lectura gracias su doble galardón como mejor obra de fantasía British Fantasy en 2018 y 2019 en Reino Unido, la edición de la librería online inglesa The Broken Binding terminó por provocar que haya empezado a leerla definitivamente.
La novela promete una historia oscura. La de una ciudad, Ebora, caída en desgracia tras una guerra contra una especie rival llamada Jure'lia. Un equipo de tres personajes unidos para recuperar unos antiguos artefactos y enfrentarse por el camino a monstruosos seres. Parece una fantasía épica tradicional, ¿verdad?
Bueno, pues, aunque efectivamente van por ahí los tiros el resultado ha sido mucho más interesante. Es cierto que las primeras 150 o 200 páginas no terminan por aclarar ni el rumbo ni el tono de la novela. La estructura temporal de los primeros capítulos no ayuda a terminar de situarse y no es hasta que el worldbuilding empieza a desplegarse que la historia terminó por llamar mi atención. A esto ayudan unas cartas que inician la mayoría de los capítulos y que permiten enlazar muchas de las ideas sueltas que se mencionan durante el primer tercio de lectura.
La novela tiene arboles mágicos, murciélagos enormes con los que transportarse, vampiros, artefactos con aspecto steampunk, experimentos biológicos, espíritus y, todo ello, en un ambiente de posguerra casi apocalíptica que crea una tensión creciente desde la mitad del libro en adelante. Los tres protagonistas de esta historia son completamente distintos entre sí. Pasados y habilidades muy distintas que se complementan en el puñado de batallas que tienen lugar antes del desenlace.
¿Desenlace? Bueno, en realidad es un primer punto de control porque la historia continúa en The Bitter Twins y The Poisong Song, segunda y tercera entrega de una trilogía que voy a continuar leyendo con total seguridad. A pesar del irregular inicio, The Ninth Rain es una fantasía épica que recomiendo.
La novela promete una historia oscura. La de una ciudad, Ebora, caída en desgracia tras una guerra contra una especie rival llamada Jure'lia. Un equipo de tres personajes unidos para recuperar unos antiguos artefactos y enfrentarse por el camino a monstruosos seres. Parece una fantasía épica tradicional, ¿verdad?
Bueno, pues, aunque efectivamente van por ahí los tiros el resultado ha sido mucho más interesante. Es cierto que las primeras 150 o 200 páginas no terminan por aclarar ni el rumbo ni el tono de la novela. La estructura temporal de los primeros capítulos no ayuda a terminar de situarse y no es hasta que el worldbuilding empieza a desplegarse que la historia terminó por llamar mi atención. A esto ayudan unas cartas que inician la mayoría de los capítulos y que permiten enlazar muchas de las ideas sueltas que se mencionan durante el primer tercio de lectura.
La novela tiene arboles mágicos, murciélagos enormes con los que transportarse, vampiros, artefactos con aspecto steampunk, experimentos biológicos, espíritus y, todo ello, en un ambiente de posguerra casi apocalíptica que crea una tensión creciente desde la mitad del libro en adelante. Los tres protagonistas de esta historia son completamente distintos entre sí. Pasados y habilidades muy distintas que se complementan en el puñado de batallas que tienen lugar antes del desenlace.
¿Desenlace? Bueno, en realidad es un primer punto de control porque la historia continúa en The Bitter Twins y The Poisong Song, segunda y tercera entrega de una trilogía que voy a continuar leyendo con total seguridad. A pesar del irregular inicio, The Ninth Rain es una fantasía épica que recomiendo.
tizianav's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.75