moberndaseball's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
only 4 stars bc it was difficult to continue at certain points since the story is told from the POV of colonizers. i really hope that later in the series there will be some sort of acknowledgement of that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Genocide
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.25
This book was not easy to get into and made me question why I even like fantasy or plot-driven books — bc goddamn is this book action-driven, we don't get actual plot until 80% in 😭. Anyway, I came so close to dnfing so many times bc I was not caring about the invasive Omehi or Tau and his journey but I kept reading positive reviews and I didn't want to start another book so I committed and hell yeah it paid off. After 84 years I finished this but what a chaotic treat it eventually was! Tau's journey is frenetic as hell and you really start rooting for him. Narrative-wise the book is one huge fight/training sequence after another with a few tidbits of world building info scattered throughout which can be very off putting and frustrating if you're a more character- and plot-driven reader who wants extensive and intensive world building writing and dialogue, which I've realized I now am, to some extent. Like teenage, early 20s me would've loved every single action-packed packed sequence with little plot and inner monologue and unpolished character development but now I need all that in equal measure and this book doesn't fully deliver in that front. Or maybe I still dig this type of writing as is but in shorter doses, this book would've been great if it were 200 pages fewer. Anyway, this book begs to be adapted to the screen, especially as an anime bc the visuals of the Ingonyama and the Enragers, the Gifted, and the nonstop training and fighting sequences would really shine in that medium. In the end the book is an enthralling fantasy ride and I'm glad to have stuck to it. This book does suffer from the "read the sequel if you MUST know more" style of writing and I'm not sure if I'm rushing to read the follow-up. I have to sit with my feelings for a few days but Tau is so badass (there's a point he channels Ip Man, bruh lmao) that maybe I wanna stick around and see where he goes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Violence, Classism, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Fatphobia
decembermagpie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, War, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
blacksphinx's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Death of parent, War, Violence, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual content and Vomit
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
emi_book_stack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Death, and War
astrochem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
revenant_tomato's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, and Violence
nerdkitten's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Murder, Violence, War, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Genocide, Medical content, Vomit, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Deportation, Torture, Excrement, and Misogyny
lochanreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A vividly imagined warrior type fantasy about two races of people, Omehi and Hedeni, locked in a never-ending war until one of them is completely exterminated. Tau Solarin is a commoner born into the unfalteringly classist Omehi tribe and wants nothing to do with the war. That is until he witnesses his father being killed in front of his very eyes by haughty Nobles and in his effort to seek revenge, Tau is thrown into the thick of battle as he strives to become a stronger fighter. Rage of Dragons is darkly magical, beastly and unrelenting.
I thought for what was supposed to be a matriarchy, the writing did convey some typically male-dominant narratives such as when Tau refers to a woman character he meets towards the end of the book as a "child" and continues to infantalise her despite acknowledging that they are about the same age and height, as well as other bits of dialogue throughout. A high level of reverence is given to women in this fantasy but their representation didn't always hit the right notes.
I was however, pulled into the story and the ending lends itself nicely to the sequel.
I thought for what was supposed to be a matriarchy, the writing did convey some typically male-dominant narratives such as when Tau refers to a woman character he meets towards the end of the book as a "child" and continues to infantalise her despite acknowledging that they are about the same age and height, as well as other bits of dialogue throughout. A high level of reverence is given to women in this fantasy but their representation didn't always hit the right notes.
I was however, pulled into the story and the ending lends itself nicely to the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War
Moderate: Colonisation
olityr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, Gore, Death, Blood, War, and Violence