lookingforvheissu's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.0
Glad I picked this up. The first book really was just an inviting incident, and it seems that this is where the story really picks up. If you kinda liked the first and are curious, the world building feels the strongest, and the characters have grown and changed in this book
jocdillo's review
4.0
More fast paced than the first one, but definitely interesting as far as the war and fighting dynamics.
isr's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-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
3.5
sherrybomb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
4.5
booksandstarss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.0
ariaslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Take away my machines and they would be at each other’s throats with swords and knives instead. Then take away their steel and they would pick up rocks and clubs. There is no saving them: they are merely the fuel for war’s engines. Only we, Totho – we are the point, the reason. We, because, alone amongst this destruction, we create, and we create so that they may destroy, so that we may create anew.
Let me scream in the pure bliss that I experienced while reading this book. Oh, the sieges. The beautiful, monstrous, life-ending sieges!!! AHHH! Okay. Okay. Let me try and put all my thoughts somewhat coherently.
“Dragonfly Falling” is the second instalment in the Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, who has now cemented himself as one of my favourite authors. The man outdid himself. Now, the book picks up after the end of Empire in Black and Gold but we are introduced to a new character, the Emperor of the Wasp Kinden. Different from the first instalment, Dragonfly Falling has an array of characters, many of them having recurring point of views throughout the book. These different characters give us a needed point of view of the other side of the story.
The book is definitely more plot-driven than character-driven with what I feel is Tchaikosvky setting up the rest of the series. There are multiple battles in this book as the characters are spread out in the Lowlands. While Salma and Totho are in the Ant city state of Tark, Stenwold, Tynisa and Tisamon remain in Collegium with Che and Achaeos having been sent out to try and get the rest of the Lowlands to band together. We are introduced to another character named Felise Mienn, a dragonfly hunting down Thalric across the Lowlands and she is the definition of a slightly deranged girlboss. Dariandrephos (Drephos) is an artificer working for the wasp empire. A half-breed of wasp and moth and he is the mad scientist character who just wants to invent weapons. He may be a bit mad but it’s a quirky trait you grow to love. Thalric continues to work for the Rekef and serving his empire.
We are all grown now. Che, when the Wasps enslaved her and put her before their torture machines. Tynisa when she discovered her birthright. To me on the point of a sword . . . and to Totho here and now. We have put childish things behind us, and look at the world we have grown into.
Che and Achaeos are barely in the book so there’s not much to say about them other than I am so excited for Achaeos’ storyline in the next book. Let’s see that awesome Inapt magic. I sadly still don’t care for Tisamon and Tynisa which sucks, cause the next book is named Blood of the Mantis and I just don’t care about them (lol). Though I am excited for the certain journey they will be taking. In this book, we see Tisamon take Tynisa back to his homeland for her Mantis’ rite of passage. Thalric isn’t well explored in this book with little to no screen time and that slightly disappointed me because I found his character fascinating and he was a favourite in the first book along with Stenwold, but those two were quickly swept away by a certain character’s incredible character arc. The characters I want to focus on are Salma, Stenwold and Totho.
I was severely disappointed by Salma’s storyline in this book. Despite the fact that the title references Dragonflies, our very own dragonfly character barely gets screen time and when he does, he’s just pining over what’s her name. I am excited for where his character ended up and is heading towards. I just hope he gets the attention he deserves in the later books. As Salma said:
‘In the Lowlands they don’t understand it. In the Empire too I’d guess. I’d almost forgotten it myself, but I am a prince and that still means something, wherever I am.’You better remember Salma, you better.
The “Defence of Collegium” was one of the best parts of this book. It was a perfect representation of what I love so much about military fantasy. The siege was so well-done and executed that I found myself crying in some instances. The only thing I hated was whatever the hell Stenwold was doing. I understand the reasoning for the whole situation and I’m happy he actually has a flaw but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. That whole situation removed him from my favourite character of the series. I was rolling my eyes the whole time.
Totho. Totho! Totho!! In the span of time it took me to finish the audiobook, Totho just swooped in and became one of my favourite characters. Being a half-breed, he is used to being ignored and taken for granted, even by those considered his friends and family such as Stenwold, Che, Salma and Tynisa. And this resentment has been unknowingly growing in him and when he meets Drephos (I love this mad scientist so much), it all goes to hell and I loved every single second of it. That last scene with Drephos was so chilling to the bone and I just UGH!!!. I can’t wait to see where his character goes and I’m honestly rooting for him.
*sweeps Stenwold and Thalric (still have hope for him) aside*
SLAMS TOTHO ON THE TABLE!
I’M ROOTING FOR YOU TOTHO!
The themes explored in this book about war are glorious. Especially the relation between scientific advancement and war. As the quote I first highlighted explained, it is during war that most weapons are invented. Look at our own world and the nuclear bomb. Look at Oppenheimer’s reaction to the weapon he created. Look at that parallel reaction between Master Graden and Drephos with that character. Adrian Tchaikovksy you genius. I love you. I can’t wait for the next book.
But he was an artificer and this war was an artificer’s thing, a mechanical process cranked over and over by the constant refinement of the weaponsmith and the armourer, the automotive engineer and the volatiles chemist. Seen in that light, in that harsh but clear light, the whole business became somehow admirable. If he looked past the meat, contrived not to see it, then it was just another process that sharpened and honed itself each time it was set in motion.
titusfortner's review
3.0
I had more difficulty getting into this book. I think because it expanded the cast of characters, and it's a little harder to keep track of everything via audio. It did pick up, though, and is a better book than the previous one in most regards. The author made some very interesting character choices here that I'm really looking forward to seeing how they play out.
Alas, in my excitement to finally get to consume these books via audio, I didn't realize that the final installments won't be released until November 2021... So I'm going to wait until later this year to pick these back up and hope I don't forget too many of the rich details Tchaikovsky has created for this world.
2022 reread - refreshing the plot in my mind to read the rest of the series.
Alas, in my excitement to finally get to consume these books via audio, I didn't realize that the final installments won't be released until November 2021... So I'm going to wait until later this year to pick these back up and hope I don't forget too many of the rich details Tchaikovsky has created for this world.
2022 reread - refreshing the plot in my mind to read the rest of the series.
brents's review against another edition
5.0
Another absolutely fantastic book in this series. If the quality of the books stays this high it will make my all time favorite series list. It's such a great mix of action, politics, and characterization there really don't seem to be any weaknesses. Oh yeah and the extremely creative worldbuilding gets even better here as more kinden and characters are introduced. If you like fantasy read this series.