lilyelement's review against another edition
4.0
Thunderbird is book four in the Miriam Black series. I've been dying to get my hands on this book for awhile now and I was so happy to see it come out. I've read the other books in this series in the ebook format but I thought I'd try the audiobook for this installment. It was a bit odd switching it up mid series but it wound up working really well once I adjusted.
A refresher in case you don't remember or haven't started this series is that Miriam Black is a foul-mouthed lady that can touch someone and see how/when they die. She also recently figured out she can enter the minds of different birds and control them. Her powers are pretty interesting but with all the events that have happened throughout the series, she's tired of it all. So this installment Miriam is seeking a lady named Mary that is rumored to be able to remove her powers. After striking out several times Miriam finally catches up with Mary only to find a group of domestic terrorists that are interested in what she can do. Miriam has to figure out how to stop the group before it's too late while also finding out how to remove her powers.
Thunderbird is a bit different from the other books in this series. We've had this foul-mouthed lady throughout the other books that really didn't care about anything or anyone. In this book we see Miriam wanting to change, she's trying to stop smoking, taking up running and trying to remove her powers. It's an interesting change of pace and had me wondering if she's be able to change herself so thoroughly. All in all, this was a solid installment and has me intrigued on where the series will go. If you're a fan of darker type Urban Fantasies you might enjoy this series.
A refresher in case you don't remember or haven't started this series is that Miriam Black is a foul-mouthed lady that can touch someone and see how/when they die. She also recently figured out she can enter the minds of different birds and control them. Her powers are pretty interesting but with all the events that have happened throughout the series, she's tired of it all. So this installment Miriam is seeking a lady named Mary that is rumored to be able to remove her powers. After striking out several times Miriam finally catches up with Mary only to find a group of domestic terrorists that are interested in what she can do. Miriam has to figure out how to stop the group before it's too late while also finding out how to remove her powers.
Thunderbird is a bit different from the other books in this series. We've had this foul-mouthed lady throughout the other books that really didn't care about anything or anyone. In this book we see Miriam wanting to change, she's trying to stop smoking, taking up running and trying to remove her powers. It's an interesting change of pace and had me wondering if she's be able to change herself so thoroughly. All in all, this was a solid installment and has me intrigued on where the series will go. If you're a fan of darker type Urban Fantasies you might enjoy this series.
chukg's review against another edition
5.0
Still great 4 (I think) books in. I love the language and the character of Miriam. Things don't always go very well for her but there is progress made in her life. Great prose, moves fast and even the occasional dream sequence or hallucination doesn't bring things to a halt the way they so often do in other books.
prettyinpapercuts's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The best Miriam Black book yet! Wendig just drops an A-bomb on us and dips? How dare he. Good thing I have book 5 close by
andrewbenesh1's review against another edition
5.0
Thunderbird, the fourth novel of Chuck Wendig’s Blackbirds series, follows anti-hero Miriam Black as she barrels haphazardly down another path of personal growth and destruction. We’ve followed Miriam down these paths before – in Blackbirds Miriam discovered herself as a person with agency rather than purely a victim of fate; in Mockingbird Miriam began to learn the value of caring for others unconditionally; and in Cormorant Miriam began to understand forgiveness. Now, in Thunderbird, Miriam must wrestle with self-acceptance and commitment to others. The results, as always, are painful; but following Miriam along the journey is always rewarding.
Thunderbird does depart from the themes of the prior Miriam Black novels in few ways which may be of interest to readers. First, and perhaps most important, is that this is the first novel driven entirely by Miriam herself. While fate still plays a hand, the conflicts Miriam is embedded in are those that she has chosen – not that she has been guided to by friend, lovers, or past ghosts. The result is a story that feels more linear than previous books. There are still unexpected plot twists, and Miriam’s newfound autonomy makes these disruptions feel more forceful. The second is a shift in the character of Miriam’s powers. The new active powers we witness in Cormorant continue to develop in this novel, resulting in Miriam becoming a very literal force of nature. This growth results in the book’s most powerful images, but makes me question what could possibly oppose her in book five.
Chuck Wendig’s writing continues to delight. His gift for capturing the vivid sensory experiences of the world around his characters, of playing with perspective and perception to tell dramatic moments in surreal ways, and kinetic writing style are all on display and masterfully used. Readers will feel the weight of each punch, the taste of dry sand in Miriam’s mouth, and the sensory horror of death itself. The new, almost universal lens of Miriam’s life in birds adds an unexpected dimension to all of this. As always, Wendig peppers humor and attitude throughout the book to excellent effect.
I was worried in how Miriam’s interpersonal relationships would be handled in this novel; while Wendig writes relationship anxieties well he’s been able to dodge sustained relationships due to Miriam’s unstable nature. However, I think he ultimately did well on this, bringing Miriam to place that feels both like a somewhat healthy dynamic that’s still grounded in her feelings of distrust and guilt. We see compelling embers of commitment that I hope will continue to develop.
In the past I have criticized the Miriam Black novels for being a bit unrealistic in the level of injury Miriam sustains; there’s no way she should have survived book one in a world of realistic medicine. Thunderbird addresses those issues head on, with Miriam sustaining major injuries that require both medical and supernatural intervention. These solutions don’t feel forced, and provide some of the more moving moments.
My only complaint about this book is that there are so many characters I wish we’d have seen more of. We are treated to a veritable buffet of troubled people with unique powers, but we only get a small sample of each. I do appreciate the continuity that’s brought about by appearances from Miriam’s past acquaintances.
I normally conclude a review like this by talking about my hopes and excitement for the next book, but this time I’m a little anxious about what the future holds. We’ve seen incredible growth in Miriam – she’s gone from a metaphorical tumbleweed to a person who cares for others, values herself, and has a meaningful support system. I trust Wendig to tell her story well and bring the series to a meaningful and satisfying conclusion, but I also wouldn’t complain if he decided to just write another 10 books or so…
Thunderbird does depart from the themes of the prior Miriam Black novels in few ways which may be of interest to readers. First, and perhaps most important, is that this is the first novel driven entirely by Miriam herself. While fate still plays a hand, the conflicts Miriam is embedded in are those that she has chosen – not that she has been guided to by friend, lovers, or past ghosts. The result is a story that feels more linear than previous books. There are still unexpected plot twists, and Miriam’s newfound autonomy makes these disruptions feel more forceful. The second is a shift in the character of Miriam’s powers. The new active powers we witness in Cormorant continue to develop in this novel, resulting in Miriam becoming a very literal force of nature. This growth results in the book’s most powerful images, but makes me question what could possibly oppose her in book five.
Chuck Wendig’s writing continues to delight. His gift for capturing the vivid sensory experiences of the world around his characters, of playing with perspective and perception to tell dramatic moments in surreal ways, and kinetic writing style are all on display and masterfully used. Readers will feel the weight of each punch, the taste of dry sand in Miriam’s mouth, and the sensory horror of death itself. The new, almost universal lens of Miriam’s life in birds adds an unexpected dimension to all of this. As always, Wendig peppers humor and attitude throughout the book to excellent effect.
I was worried in how Miriam’s interpersonal relationships would be handled in this novel; while Wendig writes relationship anxieties well he’s been able to dodge sustained relationships due to Miriam’s unstable nature. However, I think he ultimately did well on this, bringing Miriam to place that feels both like a somewhat healthy dynamic that’s still grounded in her feelings of distrust and guilt. We see compelling embers of commitment that I hope will continue to develop.
In the past I have criticized the Miriam Black novels for being a bit unrealistic in the level of injury Miriam sustains; there’s no way she should have survived book one in a world of realistic medicine. Thunderbird addresses those issues head on, with Miriam sustaining major injuries that require both medical and supernatural intervention. These solutions don’t feel forced, and provide some of the more moving moments.
My only complaint about this book is that there are so many characters I wish we’d have seen more of. We are treated to a veritable buffet of troubled people with unique powers, but we only get a small sample of each. I do appreciate the continuity that’s brought about by appearances from Miriam’s past acquaintances.
I normally conclude a review like this by talking about my hopes and excitement for the next book, but this time I’m a little anxious about what the future holds. We’ve seen incredible growth in Miriam – she’s gone from a metaphorical tumbleweed to a person who cares for others, values herself, and has a meaningful support system. I trust Wendig to tell her story well and bring the series to a meaningful and satisfying conclusion, but I also wouldn’t complain if he decided to just write another 10 books or so…
gillygab's review against another edition
4.0
Miriam is really starting to come into her own. She still manages to mess things up, and nearly get herself killed (again) in the process, but she's found her purpose. Mostly. Wendig leaves us with a hell of cliffhanger here, so I'm glad the library had #5 on the shelves.
vita_zeta's review against another edition
2.0
I was tragically not feeling this one. The story chugged along fast enough. Chuck Wendig makes it easy to plow through every page with Miriam in all her acidity and bullishness. But I wasn't really with her. Miriam wants to get rid of her ability, and she has discovered a woman who might be able to help her - Mary Scissors. Not only that but she's trying to be...better. Healthier, less awful. Normal people stuff, you know. But somehow, instead, Miriam discovers a plot of domestic terrorism and a militia built around people with abilities like hers.
No one will rival Miriam Black in character magnetism, but her stories typically work best when the supporting cast gives it their best shot. From Louis to Ingersol to Ashley Gaines, whether they are better, worse or try to be her equal, they are characters worthy of a Miriam Black story. But this time? Gabby was mostly an obligation to Miriam, a sexy obligation, but not much more. The bad guys were mostly a bland mix of new abilities, no matter how snarky they could be. There's nothing really that caught my attention. The action and plot beats felt haphazard and disjointed, and while I was interested in Miriam's quest to get better, it was so obviously futile. Not just because you know she's not supposed to get rid of her ability, but because of every disaster she encounters and creates along the way.
At the end of The Cormorant, Wendig teased bringing Louis back into the story. That tease is almost immediately tossed out the window in Thunderbird, only to be essentially repeated at the end of the book. Unsurprisingly, I'm a little wary now of getting excited. Though Miriam is at a much different point at the end of this story, and I think there's a lot of potential for the next book. But unfortunately this one fell way short for me.
No one will rival Miriam Black in character magnetism, but her stories typically work best when the supporting cast gives it their best shot. From Louis to Ingersol to Ashley Gaines, whether they are better, worse or try to be her equal, they are characters worthy of a Miriam Black story. But this time? Gabby was mostly an obligation to Miriam, a sexy obligation, but not much more. The bad guys were mostly a bland mix of new abilities, no matter how snarky they could be. There's nothing really that caught my attention. The action and plot beats felt haphazard and disjointed, and while I was interested in Miriam's quest to get better, it was so obviously futile. Not just because you know she's not supposed to get rid of her ability, but because of every disaster she encounters and creates along the way.
At the end of The Cormorant, Wendig teased bringing Louis back into the story. That tease is almost immediately tossed out the window in Thunderbird, only to be essentially repeated at the end of the book. Unsurprisingly, I'm a little wary now of getting excited. Though Miriam is at a much different point at the end of this story, and I think there's a lot of potential for the next book. But unfortunately this one fell way short for me.
bonnienoire's review against another edition
5.0
They made a goddamn mistake deciding to not make this series into a tv show (which obviously should have cast Tatiana Maslany as Miriam tbh). There's a lot in this book that is just really cool to imagine. Amazing imagery.
The only gripe I have about this book is actually also one of the good points - Chuck Wendig has very specific patterns and aesthetics that he employs in his writing for Miriam books that are consistent, but that grate for me because it's a little like a broken record in my ear. I start to notice them a little too much. But filmwise, that's the mark of a great auteur right? To have something markedly distinct about your style, something that calls attention to itself through its use is supposed to signify great film-making. I can't say this isn't also true for authors in the written medium, I mean -- look at Faulkner, look at Twain, look at Poe, right? But still something about how obvious it was made me wince.
But then, I did just read all four of these books in a row, and that makes any kind of pattern noticable.
The only gripe I have about this book is actually also one of the good points - Chuck Wendig has very specific patterns and aesthetics that he employs in his writing for Miriam books that are consistent, but that grate for me because it's a little like a broken record in my ear. I start to notice them a little too much. But filmwise, that's the mark of a great auteur right? To have something markedly distinct about your style, something that calls attention to itself through its use is supposed to signify great film-making. I can't say this isn't also true for authors in the written medium, I mean -- look at Faulkner, look at Twain, look at Poe, right? But still something about how obvious it was made me wince.
But then, I did just read all four of these books in a row, and that makes any kind of pattern noticable.
vailynst's review against another edition
4.0
*Need to Review
Note: Tempted to 5 Star just for the end.
Note: Tempted to 5 Star just for the end.
triley115's review against another edition
4.0
This book might be my favorite in the series so far. The story moved very quickly and just continues to hit closer to home as the books progress. I am definitely looking forward to reading The Raptor and the Wren.
cnvair's review against another edition
3.0
It took me a little while to warm up to this one. Wendig's writing is as good as ever and Miriam's still a great character, but she spent a lot of this book being kind of wishy-washy and I wanted the Keys to get their comeuppance, STAT. It was just about worth the wait and, as always, I'm excited for the next book, but this one isn't exactly unputdownable.