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creativelifeofliz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
A delightful addition to the world of Valdemar.
Kelvren, a gryphon whose near-fatal self-sacrifice made him popular amongst Valdemar's group troops, is struggling since his actions also caused a diplomatic crisis and way fewer hero's accolades than he hoped. His friend Firesong pulls Kel into an expedition to solve the mystery at the center of legendary Lake Evendim. But things are a bit more complicated than they seem.
First off, if you are familiar with Valdemar and the gryphon stories within that world, then this new trilogy will certainly be an enjoyable read. If you haven't read books set in Valdemar before, you will definitely be confused. At the start of the book, I was really worried that it was going to be too war focused and I wouldn't enjoy it, but as we got further into the story I really get drawn into the characters and the adventure. We also get a chance to read from multiple perspectives, which gives a more well-rounded story. Kel is great, but also very much a typical gryphon in this world and tends to feel everything strongly and from solely his perspective. The nuance of others' was helpful to fully enjoying the story. It also makes it feel more like a group quest, which it is, even if the trilogy is centered around Kel.
If you've enjoyed other Valdemar stories, definitely pick this one up! It has all the fun of many of the other stories and we get a chance to interact with so many of the beloved characters and communities.
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Kelvren, a gryphon whose near-fatal self-sacrifice made him popular amongst Valdemar's group troops, is struggling since his actions also caused a diplomatic crisis and way fewer hero's accolades than he hoped. His friend Firesong pulls Kel into an expedition to solve the mystery at the center of legendary Lake Evendim. But things are a bit more complicated than they seem.
First off, if you are familiar with Valdemar and the gryphon stories within that world, then this new trilogy will certainly be an enjoyable read. If you haven't read books set in Valdemar before, you will definitely be confused. At the start of the book, I was really worried that it was going to be too war focused and I wouldn't enjoy it, but as we got further into the story I really get drawn into the characters and the adventure. We also get a chance to read from multiple perspectives, which gives a more well-rounded story. Kel is great, but also very much a typical gryphon in this world and tends to feel everything strongly and from solely his perspective. The nuance of others' was helpful to fully enjoying the story. It also makes it feel more like a group quest, which it is, even if the trilogy is centered around Kel.
If you've enjoyed other Valdemar stories, definitely pick this one up! It has all the fun of many of the other stories and we get a chance to interact with so many of the beloved characters and communities.
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Grief, and Gaslighting
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