laurla's review
"it is when we are exposed in our entirety that we have truly set aside all fear."
"there are no right choices. make one of the wrong choices instead, and make it decisively."
"i am always caught between two voices, two powers. at another time i might choose to listen to yours."
"you'll pardon me if i pray to whatever joke of a god governs my life that there will never be another time."
"gods dont govern mortal lives. but pray if you like. its never done me any good."
"the memory is painful in two ways. because of the loss, and because of what it tells you about yourself. accept both. you cannot flee from your own truths."
"there is no truth that is absolute. not even yours. there are goals, yes - but memory is a funny thing. any ten people can view the same battle; they can watch events unfold around them without taking their eyes from whatever occurs. but question them later, and they will give you ten different versions of the fight; they have watched, but selectively, and their memory has hoarded and embellished those details of import."
"the less of ourselves we understand the more prone we are to manipulations by others who understand us better."
"i think that there is no damnation she could face that is worse than the one she faces daily."
"what might have happened has long since passed; the possibilities vanished."
"i lose everyone i loved in a single night, and i lose them over and over again without pause. i lose them when i sleep, and nightmare takes me. i lose them when i wake, alone. i lose them when i see something that would have drawn a smile from their faces. i lose them when i watch your children, and i hear them speak a new word or take a new step, and i think of all the things that my child will never do."
"i thought the world had died when they died. it did. but it was my world, not *the* world."
"there are no right choices. make one of the wrong choices instead, and make it decisively."
"i am always caught between two voices, two powers. at another time i might choose to listen to yours."
"you'll pardon me if i pray to whatever joke of a god governs my life that there will never be another time."
"gods dont govern mortal lives. but pray if you like. its never done me any good."
"the memory is painful in two ways. because of the loss, and because of what it tells you about yourself. accept both. you cannot flee from your own truths."
"there is no truth that is absolute. not even yours. there are goals, yes - but memory is a funny thing. any ten people can view the same battle; they can watch events unfold around them without taking their eyes from whatever occurs. but question them later, and they will give you ten different versions of the fight; they have watched, but selectively, and their memory has hoarded and embellished those details of import."
"the less of ourselves we understand the more prone we are to manipulations by others who understand us better."
"i think that there is no damnation she could face that is worse than the one she faces daily."
"what might have happened has long since passed; the possibilities vanished."
"i lose everyone i loved in a single night, and i lose them over and over again without pause. i lose them when i sleep, and nightmare takes me. i lose them when i wake, alone. i lose them when i see something that would have drawn a smile from their faces. i lose them when i watch your children, and i hear them speak a new word or take a new step, and i think of all the things that my child will never do."
"i thought the world had died when they died. it did. but it was my world, not *the* world."
kmj91's review
4.0
4 stars, this one dragged a bit and it felt like the narrative was just spinning its wheels at times but there's still few better character writers than West so even a bit of running in place is still enjoyable in her capable hands.
coolcurrybooks's review
3.0
Sea of Sorrows is the fourth book in Michelle West’s Sun Sword series, and you absolutely need to start from the beginning. If you aren’t familiar with the series, it’s a traditional epic fantasy series with plenty of female characters and begins with The Broken Crown.
Like all other installments in the series, Sea of Sorrows is long, numbering some 800 odd pages. My experience with this series has been that the beginnings might feel like they’re dragging, but by the half way mark things speed up. Unfortunately that wasn’t my experience with Sea of Sorrows. There were large sections that I felt like I was slogging through.
The focus of Sea of Sorrows is on the Voyani, their allies, and their journey into the desert to find the lost Cities of Men. To be honest, I didn’t really understand the point of the journey, and I felt like even when they reached the cities there was still a lot of exposition. For a book that’s 800 pages long, I’m not sure how much happened that was actually plot relevant.
However, West excels at creating emotionally resonant scenes. I especially loved the bond that formed between Margret and Diora and how Margret was eventually able to see beyond Diora’s pretty face. Diora is hands down my favorite character in the series, and I love how her strength is portrayed as feminine. The other good news about Sea of Sorrows is that there was less of Avandar than in the last book. I really hate Avandar. If he winds up in a romantic relationship with Jewel, you will see some ranting in my reviews.
I found Sea of Sorrows to be the weakest installment in the Sun Sword series. However, I am most certainly planning on continuing the series. I look forward to what the next two books will bring.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Like all other installments in the series, Sea of Sorrows is long, numbering some 800 odd pages. My experience with this series has been that the beginnings might feel like they’re dragging, but by the half way mark things speed up. Unfortunately that wasn’t my experience with Sea of Sorrows. There were large sections that I felt like I was slogging through.
The focus of Sea of Sorrows is on the Voyani, their allies, and their journey into the desert to find the lost Cities of Men. To be honest, I didn’t really understand the point of the journey, and I felt like even when they reached the cities there was still a lot of exposition. For a book that’s 800 pages long, I’m not sure how much happened that was actually plot relevant.
However, West excels at creating emotionally resonant scenes. I especially loved the bond that formed between Margret and Diora and how Margret was eventually able to see beyond Diora’s pretty face. Diora is hands down my favorite character in the series, and I love how her strength is portrayed as feminine. The other good news about Sea of Sorrows is that there was less of Avandar than in the last book. I really hate Avandar. If he winds up in a romantic relationship with Jewel, you will see some ranting in my reviews.
I found Sea of Sorrows to be the weakest installment in the Sun Sword series. However, I am most certainly planning on continuing the series. I look forward to what the next two books will bring.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
tatere's review
5.0
Thoughts on rereading: For as much as this story is carried by what people are thinking and feeling, there are some parts that just cry out to be turned into showstopping blockbuster movie scenes. Like early on, when Valedan explains by way of example why the Ospreys are the only real choice for his bodyguards. Oh to see that done well...
For people who have already read this:
The first hints at Jewel+Avandar start here, DO NOT WANT. Not only do I not ship this, I put that ship in dry dock, set it on fire, put the ashes in a bucket, and launched it into the sun. I don't remember how much worse it gets because I've purged that from my mind, but I don't expect to be pleased.
For people who have already read this:
Spoiler
The first hints at Jewel+Avandar start here, DO NOT WANT. Not only do I not ship this, I put that ship in dry dock, set it on fire, put the ashes in a bucket, and launched it into the sun. I don't remember how much worse it gets because I've purged that from my mind, but I don't expect to be pleased.
evakristin's review
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not gonna lie, I'm struggling a bit with this series. The thing is I'm deeply fascinated with West's world building, which I think comes close to Steven Eriksons Malazan series, but, with two or three exceptions, I couldn't give a damn about any of her characters. And one of them, Jewel, just annoys me like no other fictional character has ever done before.
While the second book, The Uncrowned King, was an absolute low point for me (so boring!) this one, like the third, was pretty good by comparison. I enjoyed learning more about the Tuatha'an Voiani history and culture, and the action scenes at the end of the book were very well written and thrilling to read.
Every time I pick up a book in this series I know I'm in for weeks of masochism, still I know I'm going to do it again. I have to know more about the Winter Queen, damn it! Help.
While the second book, The Uncrowned King, was an absolute low point for me (so boring!) this one, like the third, was pretty good by comparison. I enjoyed learning more about the Tuatha'an Voiani history and culture, and the action scenes at the end of the book were very well written and thrilling to read.
Every time I pick up a book in this series I know I'm in for weeks of masochism, still I know I'm going to do it again. I have to know more about the Winter Queen, damn it! Help.
More...