The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
lizzy_22's review
5.0
This is the third installment of the Seven Swords series of shorter stories. It continues to be a great adventure that satisfys despite its length. I hope that Ryan continues to write these adventures, they are like delicious, fantasy candy.
adamsw216's review
4.0
Continuing their quest to unite The Seven Swords, Guyime, Seeker, Lexius and their companions travel to Atheria, the City of Songs. There, the nobility wear ornate masks that cover their faces and the group quickly discover that the individual they came seeking an audience with is dead. In order to continue on their quest, they must solve the mystery of his murder.
This book takes on a slightly different tone from the previous books. Author Anthony Ryan slips into the world of murder/mystery fairly well. The set up is well-done, and the integration of magical elements wasn't overtly used to obfuscate the solution. There also a clever way used to give us a glimpse into Guyime's past without the need of a flashback. My only complaint is that the final reveal was slightly confusing and not everything was explicitly laid out at once. We were given scenes that seemed to deliberately side-step the usual "ah-ha" moment, and then the details were filled in later in more casual circumstances. This might have avoided some clichés, but it was perhaps not as satisfying as it could have been.
In any case, I am still glad that Ryan is trying new things with the series and I am looking forward to continuing on this quest.
This book takes on a slightly different tone from the previous books. Author Anthony Ryan slips into the world of murder/mystery fairly well. The set up is well-done, and the integration of magical elements wasn't overtly used to obfuscate the solution. There also a clever way used to give us a glimpse into Guyime's past without the need of a flashback. My only complaint is that the final reveal was slightly confusing and not everything was explicitly laid out at once. We were given scenes that seemed to deliberately side-step the usual "ah-ha" moment, and then the details were filled in later in more casual circumstances. This might have avoided some clichés, but it was perhaps not as satisfying as it could have been.
In any case, I am still glad that Ryan is trying new things with the series and I am looking forward to continuing on this quest.
skydhash's review
4.0
A new location, new characters, and a shift from action to investigation. I won't say I dislike the book, but I appreciated The Kraken's Tooth more. While I guessed some elements from the plot before they are revealed, despite that, it managed to surprise me in the end. Concerning characters, you continue to have that ephemeral feeling. Like people you met in an important party and the few moments you spent with them gave you enough glimpse that you yearn for a few more reveals, but are denied by the constraints of time. A most concise and pleasant story.
wolfmantula's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.25
Each one of these novellas improve more than the previous, and Ryan continues to tell a fascinating story of searching for the Seven Swords. What I really appreciate is that to keep each book fresh and a little different, he has changed up the story telling style. In book 1 it was more about the mystery of who the characters were, in book 2 he introduced the dungeon-crawl style, and this time weaved in a murder/mystery type of tale, while the overarching quest based story stays intact.Â
âWe are all creations,â Guyime returned. âOne way or another. And life is still life, regardless of the vessel that carries it.â
The action wasnât as prevalent, but what action it lacked, it made up for with Ryanâs exception storytelling ability. The action that it did have was great, although I did feel that the ending was a bit anticlimactic compared to the lead up it had. It was still good, just didnât go out with a bang.Â
The banter between Guyime and Lakorath continues to be great, and the banter in general with all the characters. I was happy that Seeker got a little more growth as well as her part of the story of searching for her daughter which is starting to play an even bigger role in the story.Â
dragontomes2000's review
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
City of Songs is now our third adventure in the Seven Swords novella series and it is my favorite installment so far. Anthony Ryan manages to pack a whole murder mystery element into City of Songs and it was so so much fun. I mean to truly keep me on my toes and guessing for 160 pages, bravo. I think one thing that has been really refreshing for this series, (and I think I am just now noticing it) every story has been a different structure. Whether it be a heist, mystery, war, you get the picture. With Ryan telling each story in this novella series in a different way is what's going to give this series an edge. It will always be something new.
As for my one issue I have been having, I do think these novellas could be a tad longer. I will survive though. Like I said in my last review, this sandbox is really quite entertaining. Anthony Ryan has a clear vision for what he wants to accomplish with this novella series and I am having such a blast.
As for my one issue I have been having, I do think these novellas could be a tad longer. I will survive though. Like I said in my last review, this sandbox is really quite entertaining. Anthony Ryan has a clear vision for what he wants to accomplish with this novella series and I am having such a blast.
More...