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elizabethberger's review
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
novoaust's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Horns of Grief is the sequel to The Fangs of War, which was one of my favorite reads of 2022. As a result, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this one and it didn't disappoint.
With every Doble book I read, I can't help but gush about the writing. It's beautiful in every sense of the word. His prose allows the reader to truly savour every detail, while still reading in an accessible way. I am currently reading my way through Malazan, and Doble's writing style reminds me of Erikson's, and that's right up my alley.
Similar to the first book, we follow 4 main points of views, with some others sprinkled in here and there. Savanta was my favorite POV to follow while Revek was my least, and that switched around completely this time around. Revek is a fantastic villain who is truly easy to hate, and yet following him was exciting. Cavara's storyline brought the fantastical elements, and as a result, was very interesting. Where I thought Jinx would end up getting her own perspective, we instead follow Eli, her brother's husband.
The Horns of Grief expands this world, keeping everything unique about it. Be it the various cultures or creatures, Doble is building something massive and epic, while still creating a world that feels familiar. This one reads like military fantasy due to the world being wartorn, but there are so many little complexities to it that this isn't simply a book about war.
The only reason this one wasn't a 5 star read is that I felt less story was told as a whole, and as a result, some storylines dragged to me. With Savanta and Eli, it felt as though no progression really happened. With Savanta, she remained angry and bitter, trying to push back against the Iron Queen but to no avail. There were some interesting twists with her story, but the direction of her storyline didn't become clear until the very last chapter. With Eli, he was simply engrossed in a battle for the entirety of the book, and I personally wished it would have ended sooner.
Like the first book, this one ends on a bang, and will have readers eagerly awaiting the third installment.
With every Doble book I read, I can't help but gush about the writing. It's beautiful in every sense of the word. His prose allows the reader to truly savour every detail, while still reading in an accessible way. I am currently reading my way through Malazan, and Doble's writing style reminds me of Erikson's, and that's right up my alley.
Similar to the first book, we follow 4 main points of views, with some others sprinkled in here and there. Savanta was my favorite POV to follow while Revek was my least, and that switched around completely this time around. Revek is a fantastic villain who is truly easy to hate, and yet following him was exciting. Cavara's storyline brought the fantastical elements, and as a result, was very interesting. Where I thought Jinx would end up getting her own perspective, we instead follow Eli, her brother's husband.
The Horns of Grief expands this world, keeping everything unique about it. Be it the various cultures or creatures, Doble is building something massive and epic, while still creating a world that feels familiar. This one reads like military fantasy due to the world being wartorn, but there are so many little complexities to it that this isn't simply a book about war.
The only reason this one wasn't a 5 star read is that I felt less story was told as a whole, and as a result, some storylines dragged to me. With Savanta and Eli, it felt as though no progression really happened. With Savanta, she remained angry and bitter, trying to push back against the Iron Queen but to no avail. There were some interesting twists with her story, but the direction of her storyline didn't become clear until the very last chapter. With Eli, he was simply engrossed in a battle for the entirety of the book, and I personally wished it would have ended sooner.
Like the first book, this one ends on a bang, and will have readers eagerly awaiting the third installment.
rebeccareader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
The Horns of Grief! The second book in the Blood & Steel Saga. The Fangs of War I devoured, so I was honoured to be sent a copy of this book to review in the sequel’s book tour.
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The Horns of Grief follows in its predecessors booksteps. Complex, grim dark, military fantasy at its finest. But it’s also different. It brings a classical feel to this fantasy world. Monsters, knights. This feels like the home of fantasy.
.
The Horns of Grief picks up after the events of The Fangs of War. The neighbouring nations of Provenci and Tarraz are at war. The militia rule of Provenci holds, with vile people gripping power. Pillaging their way to Tarraz, we witness battles and the powerful encountering rebellions. Civil war brims.
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We see far more into Tarraz itself. Sitting in the Northern fortress capital, the ruthless Iron Queen, wants all the power, including that from the God like All-Mother. She wants the world.
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The Horns of Grief expands a chaotic dark world. Few here are good and many are bad. The world is falling apart.
Credit to the author. The complexity within this series is insane! Ethan’s writing is one of my current standout favourites, descriptive and sharp. He’s created some of the most awesomely dark characters, Revek, Savanta, the list goes on. Each character gets the respect it deserves on the page, time spent with them making you develop attachments to people you have no right to attach too! Grim dark character driven excellence.
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If you want to support indie, this is where you should be!
23harryb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
5.0
sporadicbooks's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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