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meant2breading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Thanks Evan Winter, I now think about Tau and this series EVERY day!! š© Utterly galvanizing. We picked up right where one left off and Winter found a way to make everything I loved about The Rage of Dragons even better in book two!!
"How is that good enough?"He took her hands in his. āIt isn't. It isn't good enough and nothing will be for a while, because that's part of what loss is, an absence of goodness and happiness that can't be reasoned with or diminished."
This story was an incredibly exhilarating and emotional. Many folks who had gripes on wanting more world building and character development will definitely see that here. The Fires of Vengeance was more of a slow burn in comparison, but still a wild ride nonetheless!! Easy back to back 5āļø whether via audiobook or physical copy. One of my favorite reads and series this year by far.
"How is that good enough?"He took her hands in his. āIt isn't. It isn't good enough and nothing will be for a while, because that's part of what loss is, an absence of goodness and happiness that can't be reasoned with or diminished."
This story was an incredibly exhilarating and emotional. Many folks who had gripes on wanting more world building and character development will definitely see that here. The Fires of Vengeance was more of a slow burn in comparison, but still a wild ride nonetheless!! Easy back to back 5āļø whether via audiobook or physical copy. One of my favorite reads and series this year by far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
roaming_enn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
"The lie isn't that we can't be their equals. The lie is that they were ever anything but our equals."
Yes, if the measure of a man was height, then Nobles were taller. If the measure of a man was physical strength, then Nobles were stronger. But Tau knew who decided what needed to be measured, and they'd chosen things in which they already had an advantage. They said, "This matters more than that," making it seem as if their edicts sprang from natural law when they were little more than self-serving choices. They wrote the rules in their favor, succeeded more often than others, and pointed to that as proof of their superiority. It was all a lie.
WOW THAT QUOTE! Reminds me of Plato's Noble Lie!
But Jabari's pain was still there. He thrived not because his pain was gone, but because he had found a way to use it against the forces that were trying to break him.
Tau wondered if that was part of what it took to survive the underworld. He wondered if those who could stand Isihogo's privations were the same ones who had something to claim on the other side of the suffering it heaped upon them.
OMG that quote gives me CHILLS!
"How is that good enough?"
He took her hands in his. "It isn't. It isn't good enough and nothing will be for a while, because that's part of what loss is, an absence of goodness and happiness that can't be reasoned with or diminished."
Another incredible book to accompany the Burning series! I think I cried more in this one than the first one. I didn't care for the plot in this one as much as the first, but it was still fantastic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
badbadwolf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
misterwisp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
This is an epic and intense sequel. It was hard to put down and easy to inhale.
The pace stays fast and engaging. The main character's revenge quest continues and he also gets wrapped up in bigger picture events of the rebellion that took place at the end of the first book.
The world gets some interesting new background lore that was compelling.
In a pivotal part of the story, the point of view changes to a side character which added depth and perspective to the actions of the main character in a worthwhile moment. The characters continue to be written well even if the main one gets most of the page time. The book is more about the action than the characters but it all works.
The ending is satisfying on it's own, while at the same time setting up what promises to be an even more intense book 3. There are some interesting threads set up here with great potential to develop in the next book. A great heroic fantasy series so far.
The pace stays fast and engaging. The main character's revenge quest continues and he also gets wrapped up in bigger picture events of the rebellion that took place at the end of the first book.
The world gets some interesting new background lore that was compelling.
In a pivotal part of the story, the point of view changes to a side character which added depth and perspective to the actions of the main character in a worthwhile moment. The characters continue to be written well even if the main one gets most of the page time. The book is more about the action than the characters but it all works.
The ending is satisfying on it's own, while at the same time setting up what promises to be an even more intense book 3. There are some interesting threads set up here with great potential to develop in the next book. A great heroic fantasy series so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
doctormon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
sipping_tea_with_ghosts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
ehmannky's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
So! Good! It's just as fast-paced and intense as book one. I loved the further development of the characters, the plot moved at the right pace, and it was just so! good! Everything I liked about book 1 is here, but now there's more female characters and they are all so different and awesome. One additional thing that I love about this book is that even though it is so bloody and violent, there's not really any rape/sexual assault other than some references. Like, we have this brutal world and you aren't subjected to multiple women being hypersexualized or brutalized (other than the death). Like, again if you don't like war books, it's not going to be something you particularly enjoy, but I couldn't stop reading it.
Also,I just about shrieked when we learn that Uduak, my favorite background character, is gay and in a relationship with Hadith! And it did feel like a natural revelation since so much of book 1 is just Tua being a "no thoughts just vengeance vibes" character that he only just barely starts paying attention to his friends in this book.
Also,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Genocide, Torture, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
maelikesbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
3.75
I loved this book and breezed through it. Really engaging plot and characters are compelling. That said, I did think it was a little weaker than the first book. Itās themes are a little messy and there isnāt as much character development. I also didnāt care for the main romance and thought it was given way too much page time that I wouldāve rather spend with characters like Uduak and Hadith who didnāt get as many character moments. I missed the friendship and brotherhood we got to see in Book 1 with Scale Jayeed.
For example, Jabariās storyline and relationship with Tau was a high point for me, and yet it still felt rushed and a little under-explored.
There is a distinctive tonal shift (Iām not really sure if tonal is the right word here) from the first book, specifically when it comes to violence. While the first book did focus a lot on combat and violence and didnāt shy away from showing messed up things (Lekanās action at the start for example), Book 2 feels like itās jumping into the grimdark deep end. I donāt think this is a problem, and it never feels gratuitous - but it did feel more brutal than I was expecting going into it.
Overall, this book feels like itās doing a lot of setting up for the next installations. And while itās not the most polished approach, it remains damn entertaining every step of the way. If this is what middle book syndrome feels like for this series, I canāt imagine how much fun the final book will be!
For example, Jabariās storyline and relationship with Tau was a high point for me, and yet it still felt rushed and a little under-explored.
There is a distinctive tonal shift (Iām not really sure if tonal is the right word here) from the first book, specifically when it comes to violence. While the first book did focus a lot on combat and violence and didnāt shy away from showing messed up things (Lekanās action at the start for example), Book 2 feels like itās jumping into the grimdark deep end. I donāt think this is a problem, and it never feels gratuitous - but it did feel more brutal than I was expecting going into it.
Overall, this book feels like itās doing a lot of setting up for the next installations. And while itās not the most polished approach, it remains damn entertaining every step of the way. If this is what middle book syndrome feels like for this series, I canāt imagine how much fun the final book will be!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Genocide, Torture, Vomit, and Medical content
Minor: Slavery and Suicidal thoughts
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