Scan barcode
trinforeman's review against another edition
5.0
First off, I'd like to thank Zack for allowing me early access to the audio for Bonds of Chaos. Adam Gold has absolutely stepped up his game for this book. I enjoyed the first two but this one is exceptionally well done. From the voice acting to really understanding these characters and bringing their voices to the forefront, it was brilliant.
Now, for the book. It is rare that I find a series that can touch my top two favorite series of all time. Some have come close and simply missed the mark. However, with Bonds of Chaos, Threadlight has knocked Lightbringer from the number two spot.
So much has happened up to this point that I don't want to spoil but let me just say that this book is hard hitting. Emotions are running high in this book. Stakes are at the highest they've been in the series. Zack did an excellent job of not only wrapping up the events of the series but giving us a reason to miss these characters now that it's over.
Some of my favorite moments in this book are from Iriel, through books one and two, we see her on the run with a baby in tow. So many times Chrys and the others talk about what a fine warrior she is but we never see it. That changes when she becomes a little put out by the fact that everyone seems to have forgotten that fact and she's been relegated to "baby carrier" while everyone around her takes huge risks. Her turmoil hit home for me because so often, especially in fantasy, women seem to become "less" when they bear a child. I love how Zack handled every instance of her feeling this way and how Chrys handled it as well.
The ending had me in tears, to the point that my son was cuddling me on the couch, asking me what was wrong.
If you haven't picked up Threadlight yet, what are you waiting for?
Now, for the book. It is rare that I find a series that can touch my top two favorite series of all time. Some have come close and simply missed the mark. However, with Bonds of Chaos, Threadlight has knocked Lightbringer from the number two spot.
So much has happened up to this point that I don't want to spoil but let me just say that this book is hard hitting. Emotions are running high in this book. Stakes are at the highest they've been in the series. Zack did an excellent job of not only wrapping up the events of the series but giving us a reason to miss these characters now that it's over.
Some of my favorite moments in this book are from Iriel, through books one and two, we see her on the run with a baby in tow. So many times Chrys and the others talk about what a fine warrior she is but we never see it. That changes when she becomes a little put out by the fact that everyone seems to have forgotten that fact and she's been relegated to "baby carrier" while everyone around her takes huge risks. Her turmoil hit home for me because so often, especially in fantasy, women seem to become "less" when they bear a child. I love how Zack handled every instance of her feeling this way and how Chrys handled it as well.
The ending had me in tears, to the point that my son was cuddling me on the couch, asking me what was wrong.
If you haven't picked up Threadlight yet, what are you waiting for?
theemptybookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
Wow
What an absolutely amazing ending to the Threadlight trilogy! I finished book 2 only 2 days ago and rushed straight into this final volume. I read the last 70% in one sitting because I could not put it down.
I am so satisfied with everything that I just read. The characters drove the magic infused breakneck plot to an explosive finale. My favourite character Alverax just got cooler and cooler and along with the found family they all got to really stretch their legs. I only wish that there was more Threadlight. Book hangover, hello.
What an absolutely amazing ending to the Threadlight trilogy! I finished book 2 only 2 days ago and rushed straight into this final volume. I read the last 70% in one sitting because I could not put it down.
I am so satisfied with everything that I just read. The characters drove the magic infused breakneck plot to an explosive finale. My favourite character Alverax just got cooler and cooler and along with the found family they all got to really stretch their legs. I only wish that there was more Threadlight. Book hangover, hello.
kbc1239's review against another edition
3.0
It was better than Stones of Light but still not as strong as the Voice of War. Liked the magic, the pacing was good but after the first book never became invested in the characters. Overall a good trilogy and I would recommend.
humbles's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
combativeroboreader's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
Threadlight is like candy, but with a punch. I feel like this trilogy is so vibrant with color and I think it's because that second cover in particular has such a gorgeous chromawolf. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for wolves.
At first I thought that this story would be a story about family, and it is, but it is not only a tale of family. It is a study of grief first and foremost. This book started off by throwing me straight into the action and I think it perfectly shows both of the central themes of this trilogy. A child is forced into the church and away from his family whilst being blinded. I think that was a fantastic way to begin this narrative. It gave a scope of religion and immediately after we get the setup for the rest of the story.
Now I want to get into some vague cons before I jump into the spoiler portion of my review. First of all, I read this in the leatherbound omnibus version. And I read it as one book. Don't do that. It was a bad way to experience the trilogy because the climaxes of the first two novels just feel weird if you jump straight into the next part. It did not give me time to sit and consider the full weight of what had occurred and the epilogues felt like nothing because there was no suspense for me. I guess that may be a problem with the fact that they left off on cliffhangers and this does not work well if you jump straight into the next book in my opinion. The second problem I had was the italics. I know I am nitpicking but this actually pulled me out of the story. In the writing, when pushing and pulling is mentioned as part of threadweaving, the magic, it is in italics which made my brain immediately go straight to- "oh that word is supposed to have emphasis" but oh well. My third problem is probably my biggest. None of the female characters feel like they had arcs except for Laurel and I think that was a weird one, but I'll elaborate on my thoughts later. I felt like they did have enough input in the story, but Willow for example didn't feel like she had a flaw which she overcame or a way in which she grew over the course of the trilogy.
**SPOILER TIME for all of Threadlight**
At first I thought that this story would be a story about family, and it is, but it is not only a tale of family. It is a study of grief first and foremost. This book started off by throwing me straight into the action and I think it perfectly shows both of the central themes of this trilogy. A child is forced into the church and away from his family whilst being blinded. I think that was a fantastic way to begin this narrative. It gave a scope of religion and immediately after we get the setup for the rest of the story.
Now I want to get into some vague cons before I jump into the spoiler portion of my review. First of all, I read this in the leatherbound omnibus version. And I read it as one book. Don't do that. It was a bad way to experience the trilogy because the climaxes of the first two novels just feel weird if you jump straight into the next part. It did not give me time to sit and consider the full weight of what had occurred and the epilogues felt like nothing because there was no suspense for me. I guess that may be a problem with the fact that they left off on cliffhangers and this does not work well if you jump straight into the next book in my opinion. The second problem I had was the italics. I know I am nitpicking but this actually pulled me out of the story. In the writing, when pushing and pulling is mentioned as part of threadweaving, the magic, it is in italics which made my brain immediately go straight to- "oh that word is supposed to have emphasis" but oh well. My third problem is probably my biggest. None of the female characters feel like they had arcs except for Laurel and I think that was a weird one, but I'll elaborate on my thoughts later. I felt like they did have enough input in the story, but Willow for example didn't feel like she had a flaw which she overcame or a way in which she grew over the course of the trilogy.
**SPOILER TIME for all of Threadlight**
Alverax: Alverax is easily the best character in this trilogy without contest. I loved how he grew to accept death- to accept that he isn't the one in control of the death which surrounds him. Jissena was the most heartbreaking part of his story and seeing how the end of the second book just hit him again and again with her death then his father returning. Seeing how Jissena affected him was probably my favorite part of the story with how it affects his survivor's guilt. Then how he went and met his Grandfather again just gave me goosebumps. That reunion was beautiful in how his grandfather comforts him and tells him, "most people we forgive are undeserving- but the only person a grudge hurts is the one who carries it. If you want to live a life hunched over in pain, go ahead. But if you want to stand as tall as the world deserves to see you stand, then you need to shed your burden" (Threadlight 586). His words on forgiveness were easily the most poignant and powerful lines in the entire trilogy for me. I resonated deeply with them, because forgiving people is a HARD thing to do especially when that person causes great pain to you and Alverax is put in a position where he must forgive. This is his father and their relationship was the highlight for me. Alverax's slow acceptance that he loved his father when he thought he was dead was just beautiful then how he had to learn to love his father after he had realised his father lived was just SO GOOD. The only problem I have with Alverax's plotline is the God of the Wastelands thing in book three. I get it, it's typical for the "man born of two peoples" to unite said peoples, but I really wish we had been given some setup so that this revelation could feel like a greater payoff. Another thing about that I am not sure of, was there any setup regarding the wastelanders having gills so that we as the reader could connect the dots? Maybe It but I not notice it at all in the earlier points, mostly because it makes no sense to me as to why they would have gills of all things in a desert.
General Problems: Iriel is character who I could easily have loved but she did almost nothing in the entire trilogy. She only started to do stuff in the last half of book two and we didn't see her really grow on this journey in any mental way. I am certain there are ways that we could have been in her head more whilst giving her conflict and a way to grow since she is away from home and alone in book two. We get like two pages in her head. I think she as a character needed more page time for me to connect. Now Willow felt like she remained static, she was already willing to sacrifice everything for her family so while the line "My son is mine!" Had an impact- it wasn't because Willow had overcome some obstacle and this is our payoff. Another thing, she just abandoned Iriel at the end of book one without a word to her daughter-in-law. That's horrible and this is pretty much never mentioned again. She could have at least gone to Iriel and said "Hey, I'm going to go look for your husband" and let her know what she thinks of the situation. I don't know, it felt wrong for her character to abandon her grandson and her daughter in law. Another thing I disliked was that it felt as if we had been given no warning as to what the nexus was until like halfway into book three. We could have been given a theory about it a while back and I did not remember seeing that. It felt as if Willow had just pulled that out of her ass. Now this a perfect transition to talk about Laurel.
Laurel: I am very miffed about my feelings on Laurel. I think Mr. Argyle was trying to make it feel like her arc is the worst outcome. She was unable to accept what she had lost was unable to come to terms with her grief, hence why she essentially committed suicide. You know what, I take it back. I like her character arc if I put it in that light. She was unable to really come to terms with her lost Threadlight and unable to come to terms with the fact that her grandfather, as an inevitability of life, had to die. I hated that she seemingly spared no though for her brother who most certainly would have needed her as he grieved alongside her. I dislike Laurel deeply as a person but I think her arc was pretty well done when all is said and done.
Conclusion
Threadlight is a fantastic trilogy which encompasses the power of acceptance and forgiveness. It shows the power of the familial bonds we have by blood and that we make through our interactions with others. As a whole, I think it is a solid 4/5.
bl0ndekitten's review
informative
medium-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
1.0
A very predictable poorly written book.
zeph1337's review
adventurous
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
2.5
I was actually fairly excited getting into this one after the improvements in the second book and it being the final book of the Trilogy.
However I felt like the first half was really rough. To me the series kind of lost all its momentum right there. To a point where I was seriously considering DNF'ing or atleast reading something else in between. Apparantly slowing down is not very good for this series. I can't really pinpoint it exactly but somehow having all the characters together in one place really wasn't good for the story.
I decided to push though and thankfully during the second half and with things leading up to the climax were much improved and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending was also fine. Nothing to groundbreaking but everything neatly tied up.
With this being a final book of a series, I can help but feel disappointed overall. So I'm giving it the lowest rating of all the books in this Trilogy.
However I felt like the first half was really rough. To me the series kind of lost all its momentum right there. To a point where I was seriously considering DNF'ing or atleast reading something else in between. Apparantly slowing down is not very good for this series. I can't really pinpoint it exactly but somehow having all the characters together in one place really wasn't good for the story.
I decided to push though and thankfully during the second half and with things leading up to the climax were much improved and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending was also fine. Nothing to groundbreaking but everything neatly tied up.
With this being a final book of a series, I can help but feel disappointed overall. So I'm giving it the lowest rating of all the books in this Trilogy.