Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

O Império Final by Brandon Sanderson

10 reviews

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

This is a re-read and now that I have read more of the cosmere the little bits that nod and hint to other things are actually really fun to notice.  I still love the world building and the magic system but the characters are pretty meh.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

schoha01's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Abandonment

mads_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Does not pass The Bechdel Test

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and War

missgarceau's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

seanml's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An enjoyable fantasy novel, and one that I understand the immense popularity of. Sanderson's writing feels fast paced and easily followable. The world is fleshed out and of course there is the magic system, which is the series' principal selling point. Much of the plot focuses on the interactions of this magic system though, and sometimes entire scenes will be dedicated to explaining why a sudden plan works. It means most of the plot is airtight, but the trade-off is that other things don't get the same attention. The setting is a familiar one that we've all seen before - the elite rule over the inferior masses, and only the special few can save them. It's a recognizable structure, but that doesn't at all mean it's bad or poorly done. I liked all of the characters, though I can't say I loved any one. Hopefully the sequels can fix that! 8/10.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Blood, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Stalking, Abandonment, and Alcohol

dragonbornsandwaffles's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

It lulls for the first third of the book or so while he's worldbuilding, but once things started to pick up, I quickly couldn't put it down. It's a very intense gritty fantasy (see content warnings for details - it's...a lot), and the characterization is so good that they feel like old friends. It does have a shock twist at the end, so if you don't like those, I'd stay away. It made me absolutely bawl like a baby for a good hour after I finished it. Fantastic book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol

coulro's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cannibalism

kirbylover16's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny slow-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

4.0

After years of people telling me to read a Brandon Sanderson book and the whole Kickstarter fiasco, I have finally got around to it. Thus this is my first book ever by Sanderson; I don't know how this book score could change based on the rest of the series or the rest of the Cosmere. (yet) My overall feeling is mixed. It was a good read, and I did relate to the main character, Vin. Most of my problems are just nitpicks and my preferences for faster, more romantic, and shorter stories. However, the plot suffers from a very repetitive and slow style that can really be insufferable.
Vin is practically illiterate, as are most skaa, and it comes off quirky? Especially with Vin and Spook, and that rubs me wrong. The whole free will theme and religious tones are huge turnoffs. (apparently, Sanderson is a Mormon) Vin's mentor Kelsior is supposed to be charming, but he's not. He got worse as the story goes. Maybe I'm biased tho? Every mentor, grandfather/or father figure in media tends to be manipulative.

his fight dragged on way too long. When Vin and Elend showed up, I thought it would finally end, but nope it dragged some more.

I am more invested in all the other characters. Which there are too many. I kept going back and forth on if I liked Sazed but I think I warmed up to him. 
 What made me want to read this book was the idea that the prophetic hero fails and the evil rules, but that's all in the background. The bad guy won centuries ago! We slowly get the hero's journal, but the story would be the same without it. (shorter at least) The better description is a magical heist with politics and slavery thrown in. I enjoyed the romance and sexual tension, but I don't think he met latter.

even tho there are not many interactions between Elend and Vin or Spook. The sexual tension I meant with Ham and Bree. Perhaps he realized that in the editing phase, and that's why towards the end, they make Ham have an off-scene wife and kids he hasn't seen in months. :(

The world-building is the best part of the book. For example, the different ways metal and magic interact, the flying by dropping coins, and people looking like hellraisers walking around. The last 20% is fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

There isn't really any sex/skin, just one brief kiss described, some mentions of rape, whore houses, and underage sex. Vin does run around in boys' clothes and in her undergarments. Mostly for comic effect. Also, mental health/postpartum depression/suicide as Vin's mother kills her baby sibling and herself. Oh, and lots of murder, which we get to see very graphically. A shocking amount of beheading.

awxiee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

the world-building is great and the mysteries are there but not to the point that i can't understand anything. the characters are flawed and realistic, and i love them sm. The storyline is amazing, especially the last few parts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Child abuse and Fire/Fire injury

blynecessity's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

Y'all, this read felt reeeal tone-deaf when it came to the topics of poverty and dealing with trauma. Also, very clunky writing. And why was there basically one woman in this whole book? Outside of random socialites, a couple of unnamed maids, and a girl who was about to be assaulted (who was also not named, just referred to as so-and-so's child), there are basically no women in this book. And the main woman was inexplicably and instantly in love with a mediocre and kinda rude man, who btw was a 21 years old to her 16 years old. Anywaaaayyy, non-noble women also seem to have almost no role in society aside from literally popping out "a dozen children"??? Where were they all the rest of the time?? Every background character seemed to be a man, and (with one exception) every foreground character was a man too. I just did not love this book, tbh. Maybe this was really progressive to the cis-het white men who were looking to expand their grimdark fantasy reads when it first came out, but this has nooot aged well!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body horror, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity, Trafficking, Stalking, and Death of parent