ilereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.5
"Non sono la dolce promessa di una lunga vita negli anni a venire, sono la ferrea promessa di non essere mai uno schiavo."
Mi è piaciuto più del secondo anche se il primo per me rimane il migliore della trilogia. Ci sono tante cose che ho apprezzato di questa storia; Ringil è un vero protagonista da grimdark, un personaggio complesso che rovescia gli stereotipi del classico eroe. Troppo spesso vengono chiamati "grigi" personaggi che in realtà non lo sono, non è il caso di Ringil che invece compie sì azioni buone ma è anche capace di vere e proprie crudeltà, motivate ma non giustificabili. Bello anche il worldbuilding e l'atmosfera generale che si respira a ogni pagina. Tuttavia ci sono anche degli aspetti che mi hanno delusa; l'amicizia tra i tre protagonisti rimane un grande potenziale sprecato. Da grande fan dei rapporti di amicizia più che del romance avrei voluto un maggior approfondimento ma le scene dove i tre interagiscono tra loro sono relativamente poche e il loro passato condiviso è dato un po' troppo per scontato. Inoltre il ritmo della storia sarebbe forse stato più efficace con qualche centinaia di pagine in meno anche se in realtà la lentezza non mi è pesata più di tanto in questo terzo volume. Nel complesso è una trilogia che sono felice di aver letto e che consiglierei a tutti gli amanti del genere.
Mi è piaciuto più del secondo anche se il primo per me rimane il migliore della trilogia. Ci sono tante cose che ho apprezzato di questa storia; Ringil è un vero protagonista da grimdark, un personaggio complesso che rovescia gli stereotipi del classico eroe. Troppo spesso vengono chiamati "grigi" personaggi che in realtà non lo sono, non è il caso di Ringil che invece compie sì azioni buone ma è anche capace di vere e proprie crudeltà, motivate ma non giustificabili. Bello anche il worldbuilding e l'atmosfera generale che si respira a ogni pagina. Tuttavia ci sono anche degli aspetti che mi hanno delusa; l'amicizia tra i tre protagonisti rimane un grande potenziale sprecato. Da grande fan dei rapporti di amicizia più che del romance avrei voluto un maggior approfondimento ma le scene dove i tre interagiscono tra loro sono relativamente poche e il loro passato condiviso è dato un po' troppo per scontato. Inoltre il ritmo della storia sarebbe forse stato più efficace con qualche centinaia di pagine in meno anche se in realtà la lentezza non mi è pesata più di tanto in questo terzo volume. Nel complesso è una trilogia che sono felice di aver letto e che consiglierei a tutti gli amanti del genere.
davidscrimshaw's review against another edition
4.0
I think this is supposed to be the last book in this series, but it doesn't feel like it's over.
thearbiter89's review against another edition
4.0
What it's about: The last book in the trilogy sees the three heroes achieve their respective destinies, and the truth of the world is revealed.
Notes:
Verdict: The Dark Defiles is a thematically satisfying conclusion to the series, and ties off the various loose ends in a pleasingly ambiguous fashion.
I give this: 4/5 smart daggers
Notes:
- Reading this book has been a long time coming - one could say that I started the series way back in 2008 when the first book came out, and I've only just finished the third book in 2017.
- The Dark Defiles, by and large, shares many of the flaws of the series as a whole - notably its tendency to get stuck in somewhat repetitive plot loops in which characters get pulled into dire situations only to be rescued by plot armour - Ringil with his terrifying spirit vanguard, and Archeth with her growing proficiency with her magic knives.
- But the last book does take the series in an interesting direction, most notably in the culmination of its long running attempt to set up Ringil for on the path of the classic hero's journey, only to have him realise this and reject it in soundly characteristic fashion. It is revealed that the plot has a meta-plot - the events that happen to the characters are all orchestrated by higher deities that have to intrude into worldly affairs in a narratively circuitous fashion in order to follow a set of rules imposed by an even more inscrutable set of beings that have set the laws of that present reality after it was almost torn apart by a cataclysmic war.
- These gods have been grooming Ringil (and similarly, the Helmsmen have been grooming Archeth) - so that he can fulfill the destiny they have in store and thereby achieve their inscrutable objectives. And Ringil follows the tracks and grows in power akin to some shounen anime protagonist, protected by the plot armour bestowed upon him by the gods, until he reaches that crucial point where he is expected to seize the reins of his destiny - but he acts, in true bloody-minded fashion, opposite to what is intended, to grasp his own destiny.
- Similarly, Archeth was maneuvered by the Helmsmen into embarking on a quixotic quest north, which was a facade for their machinations to set her up as Empress - but she instead goes in a completely different direction.
- Egar, out of the three, had no greater destiny, and his death was genuinely quite shocking, although in the context of the greater character carnage Morgan was wreaking on his characters, not entirely discordant with the theme. He was a normal bloke after all, and he, too, was manipulated like a pawn by the gods and used to serve a tangential purpose in the larger scheme of things. But it is Egar's death that derails Archeth's particular pre-set destiny chosen for her, although events conspire to suggest that she may heave closer to that fate than she thinks (as she rides back to Yhelteth, not knowing that her Emperor Jhiral has reclaimed Ishgrim for his own).
- There are echoes of a technological past and a tenuous connection with Morgan's Altered Carbon series of books too, connections that are more spiritual than suggestive of an actual canonical relation. But the parallels and hints are exactly the kind of thing I like in fantasy.
- All in all, a well-executed conclusion to the series, both in terms of its thematic payoffs as well as the way in which the various plot threads were ultimately tied together - in what I must say was quite a miraculous fashion, considering that 50 pages to the end I was starting to wonder if there was supposed to be a sequel to this book.
Verdict: The Dark Defiles is a thematically satisfying conclusion to the series, and ties off the various loose ends in a pleasingly ambiguous fashion.
I give this: 4/5 smart daggers
adelemoltedo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
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
bookishcharlotte's review against another edition
5.0
(Also available on my WP blog, chatterverse.wordpress.com)
The Dark Defiles is the third and final book in Richard K Morgan’s ‘A Land Fit for Heroes’ series, and it is an incredibly detailed, startlingly evocative, and wonderfully atmospheric fantasy novel gifted with an intriguing plot, extremely vibrant, well-written characters, and a premise fit for a King.
(Or a Queen.)
The Dark Defiles shrugs away every single trope that might be overly-optimistically applied to it, and utterly defied my expectations. It is unapologetically dark, inducing an admirable sense not only of intrigue, and despair at what might befall our plucky heroes, should the bad guys prevail, but also of sincere and worrying jeopardy, and the very real presence of the kind of consequences that the characters would surely struggle to come back from, if they even managed it at all.
(In short: this novel deserves a round of applause, and I’m leading the wave.)
The premise is simple. Powerful forces are gathering, poised to attack, and our ragtag band of heroes, anti-heroes, and those that loiter somewhere in the middle of the two groups move to defend against them, making a feverish, last-ditch attempt to save the world they know and understand, if not love. This is by all accounts standard fantasy fare, but Morgan’s execution is flawless, ultimately producing a profoundly original take on a familiar structure.
Ringil, the protagonist of the series, returns in The Dark Defiles, to grow, develop, and, of course, suffer, as the lengthy narrative draws neatly to a close. His path might be determined by the heavy weight of prophecy, but he refuses to yield, stubbornly clawing out a fate for himself. His story is then certainly not a happy one, in perfect keeping with the aforementioned delightfully dark atmosphere, but although he subsequently fits neatly into the ‘bloody tragic backstory’ trope that has become a staple of fantasy novels – not to name names, but I’m glancing in your direction, Robin Hobb – he is not defined by what he has suffered, or what he has yet to suffer, but by what he has achieved, instead, and how he has grown and changed as a result of it. Despite the constant sense of impending doom (and gloom), Ringil is written with arguably a palpable sense of power and potential, and, at least initially, of a destiny as yet unwritten.
Ringil is extremely well characterised (this is not flattery, I promise, but the truth as I see it), as is every other character. The Dark Defiles has interesting character arcs in abundance, in a kind of equal measures arrangement seemingly intended to prevent anyone and everyone from stumbling across even the slightest hint of a remotely cheerful ending. It’s decidedly satisfying, in the sense that it adheres not only to the stipulated dark and vicious atmosphere and general style, but also to some standard of realism, as Morgan’s depicted universe doesn’t seem the kind to subscribe to happy endings and friendly woodland characters, and as such including them wouldn’t mesh.
(Sorry, Disney.)
Additionally, Morgan touches upon many disparate (and interesting) themes throughout the course of his series, from concepts such as honour and loyalty, to considerations of friendship and family, and, especially in The Dark Defiles, discrimination and prejudice. He ticks many, many lovely boxes when it comes to representation, as several of his main characters, both male and female, admit to preferences that are not widely shared in their respective societies, and do openly suffer for their choices – this is no enlightened world of acceptance – but the bulk of their character development comes from other reasons and other choices, and as such they are neither defined nor eclipsed by their sexualities.
To take a slightly different perspective, although The Dark Defiles is the startling conclusion to an established series, it can easily be read and enjoyed by anyone unfamiliar with the context provided by the other two novels. Naturally, reading the first two will inform one’s reading of the third, and provide the enterprising consumer with a wealth of background knowledge that the newcomer will lack, but it can be enjoyed equally well in isolation.
(Which was, incidentally, how I enjoyed it, as I was late to the party yet again.)
In keeping with my general attempt at flattery, this is, again, a clear indicator of Morgan’s genius. His efforts at world building are exceptional, and his novels immerse the reader in entirety into his depicted setting. From small-town prejudices to farming practices, no stone is left unturned, no detail left to fall helplessly by the wayside, and the result is an incredibly detailed setting that is vivid enough that it practically springs off the page. Morgan’s mastery of intense imagery is particularly noticeable here, presenting a picture into which his equally vivid characters fit with consummate ease.
The plot is admirable for similar reasons, with arguably breathtaking scope, bringing together the numerous disparate threads from across the series into an understandable, cohesive whole. No character arc is left incomplete, no storyline unfinished and abandoned, and the conclusion is undoubtedly climatic, brimming with drama.
Morgan keeps the reader guessing until the very last page, and he doesn’t pull his punches.
Finally, then, I think it is at least approaching safe to say that I enjoyed The Dark Defiles. I expected to, of course, because not only am I extremely clever, it also sits squarely into one of my favourite genres, and as such is in possession of many of the attributes that I find to be particularly enjoyable in the books I read. On the other hand, however, I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did, as despite a fundamentally intriguing premise and a decidedly persuasive blurb, I was concerned that it wouldn’t live up to my soaring expectations.
Needless to say, The Dark Defiles didn’t just live up to them, it exceeded them in entirety, blasting straight past (to infinity and beyond). I could not fail to give it five stars, and would not hesitate in picking up anything by Morgan in the future. This is an exceptional novel from a profoundly accomplished author whose contributions to the genre, and to fiction in general, just keep giving.
The Dark Defiles is the third and final book in Richard K Morgan’s ‘A Land Fit for Heroes’ series, and it is an incredibly detailed, startlingly evocative, and wonderfully atmospheric fantasy novel gifted with an intriguing plot, extremely vibrant, well-written characters, and a premise fit for a King.
(Or a Queen.)
The Dark Defiles shrugs away every single trope that might be overly-optimistically applied to it, and utterly defied my expectations. It is unapologetically dark, inducing an admirable sense not only of intrigue, and despair at what might befall our plucky heroes, should the bad guys prevail, but also of sincere and worrying jeopardy, and the very real presence of the kind of consequences that the characters would surely struggle to come back from, if they even managed it at all.
(In short: this novel deserves a round of applause, and I’m leading the wave.)
The premise is simple. Powerful forces are gathering, poised to attack, and our ragtag band of heroes, anti-heroes, and those that loiter somewhere in the middle of the two groups move to defend against them, making a feverish, last-ditch attempt to save the world they know and understand, if not love. This is by all accounts standard fantasy fare, but Morgan’s execution is flawless, ultimately producing a profoundly original take on a familiar structure.
Ringil, the protagonist of the series, returns in The Dark Defiles, to grow, develop, and, of course, suffer, as the lengthy narrative draws neatly to a close. His path might be determined by the heavy weight of prophecy, but he refuses to yield, stubbornly clawing out a fate for himself. His story is then certainly not a happy one, in perfect keeping with the aforementioned delightfully dark atmosphere, but although he subsequently fits neatly into the ‘bloody tragic backstory’ trope that has become a staple of fantasy novels – not to name names, but I’m glancing in your direction, Robin Hobb – he is not defined by what he has suffered, or what he has yet to suffer, but by what he has achieved, instead, and how he has grown and changed as a result of it. Despite the constant sense of impending doom (and gloom), Ringil is written with arguably a palpable sense of power and potential, and, at least initially, of a destiny as yet unwritten.
Ringil is extremely well characterised (this is not flattery, I promise, but the truth as I see it), as is every other character. The Dark Defiles has interesting character arcs in abundance, in a kind of equal measures arrangement seemingly intended to prevent anyone and everyone from stumbling across even the slightest hint of a remotely cheerful ending. It’s decidedly satisfying, in the sense that it adheres not only to the stipulated dark and vicious atmosphere and general style, but also to some standard of realism, as Morgan’s depicted universe doesn’t seem the kind to subscribe to happy endings and friendly woodland characters, and as such including them wouldn’t mesh.
(Sorry, Disney.)
Additionally, Morgan touches upon many disparate (and interesting) themes throughout the course of his series, from concepts such as honour and loyalty, to considerations of friendship and family, and, especially in The Dark Defiles, discrimination and prejudice. He ticks many, many lovely boxes when it comes to representation, as several of his main characters, both male and female, admit to preferences that are not widely shared in their respective societies, and do openly suffer for their choices – this is no enlightened world of acceptance – but the bulk of their character development comes from other reasons and other choices, and as such they are neither defined nor eclipsed by their sexualities.
To take a slightly different perspective, although The Dark Defiles is the startling conclusion to an established series, it can easily be read and enjoyed by anyone unfamiliar with the context provided by the other two novels. Naturally, reading the first two will inform one’s reading of the third, and provide the enterprising consumer with a wealth of background knowledge that the newcomer will lack, but it can be enjoyed equally well in isolation.
(Which was, incidentally, how I enjoyed it, as I was late to the party yet again.)
In keeping with my general attempt at flattery, this is, again, a clear indicator of Morgan’s genius. His efforts at world building are exceptional, and his novels immerse the reader in entirety into his depicted setting. From small-town prejudices to farming practices, no stone is left unturned, no detail left to fall helplessly by the wayside, and the result is an incredibly detailed setting that is vivid enough that it practically springs off the page. Morgan’s mastery of intense imagery is particularly noticeable here, presenting a picture into which his equally vivid characters fit with consummate ease.
The plot is admirable for similar reasons, with arguably breathtaking scope, bringing together the numerous disparate threads from across the series into an understandable, cohesive whole. No character arc is left incomplete, no storyline unfinished and abandoned, and the conclusion is undoubtedly climatic, brimming with drama.
Morgan keeps the reader guessing until the very last page, and he doesn’t pull his punches.
Finally, then, I think it is at least approaching safe to say that I enjoyed The Dark Defiles. I expected to, of course, because not only am I extremely clever, it also sits squarely into one of my favourite genres, and as such is in possession of many of the attributes that I find to be particularly enjoyable in the books I read. On the other hand, however, I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did, as despite a fundamentally intriguing premise and a decidedly persuasive blurb, I was concerned that it wouldn’t live up to my soaring expectations.
Needless to say, The Dark Defiles didn’t just live up to them, it exceeded them in entirety, blasting straight past (to infinity and beyond). I could not fail to give it five stars, and would not hesitate in picking up anything by Morgan in the future. This is an exceptional novel from a profoundly accomplished author whose contributions to the genre, and to fiction in general, just keep giving.
elisasophie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
elfsara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-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
3.0
levanmatthew's review against another edition
5.0
Denouement? Who needs a denouement? A more than satisfying end to the series. I really like the way Morgan is able to write these fantastic characters and environments with super interesting world building while keeping parts of all three shrouded and mysterious. Is it Fantasy or actually SciFi, I don't know! and not knowing is awesome!
wishanem's review against another edition
4.0
A fitting conclusion to the series. This continued the theme of complicated dismal and novel Fantasy begun in "The Steel Remains" and continued in "The Cold Commands". The most impressive aspect of the writing to me is that characters became interesting quickly, often with only a handful of words.