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mjporterauthor's review
4.0
So Book 2 in the series. I found it a bit frustrating. It was slightly too long and went off at some funny angles, and, my biggest problem is that there just wasn't enough Snorri! I know that Book 3 is already written and I'm hoping that Snorri will have some sort of resurgence (please).
songwind's review against another edition
5.0
Note: I listened to this series as audio books, so my spellings of names may be inaccurate.
The Story
Once again, Mark Lawrence makes us root for a horrible human being by making them witty, charming, and in the middle of important events.
The story picks up not long after we left off in [b:Prince of Fools|18693743|Prince of Fools (The Red Queen's War, #1)|Mark Lawrence|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385072473s/18693743.jpg|25595312]. As usual, Jalan has spent time in the wrong bed at the wrong time and it's come to bite him in ass. Snorri is making preparations to set sale to see the witch Skilfar, to ask her how he can use Loki's Key to open the door into Hel.
What follows is one part adventure, one part travelogue, one part slapstick comedy, and a healthy portion of fleeing for their lives. The book ranges from the far north to the Florentine banking town of Omburtide.
Lawrence makes use of one of his signature devices, the story-within-the-story, to great effect. First as Snorri relates what happened while they were split up, and later as Jalan has reason to learn about the past of his family.
More things come to light about the Broken Empire, the forces and people that manipulate it from the shadows, and its possible fate. Jalan continues to grow as a person due to his experiences, though he does go kicking and screaming.
I found the ending to be awkward. While listening, I couldn't remember for certain if this was going to be a trilogy or duology, and near the end I thought the entire story was nearly over. Just when I thought we'd entered the final resolution, the story jerks abruptly back into motion and then ends.
Despite this small complaint, the book was extremely entertaining, and I am looking forward to seeing where we go next.
The Performance
Tim Gerald Reynolds could produce an audio book of an OSHA safety manual and I would listen to it. 'Nuff said.
The Story
Once again, Mark Lawrence makes us root for a horrible human being by making them witty, charming, and in the middle of important events.
The story picks up not long after we left off in [b:Prince of Fools|18693743|Prince of Fools (The Red Queen's War, #1)|Mark Lawrence|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385072473s/18693743.jpg|25595312]. As usual, Jalan has spent time in the wrong bed at the wrong time and it's come to bite him in ass. Snorri is making preparations to set sale to see the witch Skilfar, to ask her how he can use Loki's Key to open the door into Hel.
What follows is one part adventure, one part travelogue, one part slapstick comedy, and a healthy portion of fleeing for their lives. The book ranges from the far north to the Florentine banking town of Omburtide.
Lawrence makes use of one of his signature devices, the story-within-the-story, to great effect. First as Snorri relates what happened while they were split up, and later as Jalan has reason to learn about the past of his family.
More things come to light about the Broken Empire, the forces and people that manipulate it from the shadows, and its possible fate. Jalan continues to grow as a person due to his experiences, though he does go kicking and screaming.
I found the ending to be awkward. While listening, I couldn't remember for certain if this was going to be a trilogy or duology, and near the end I thought the entire story was nearly over. Just when I thought we'd entered the final resolution, the story jerks abruptly back into motion and then ends.
Despite this small complaint, the book was extremely entertaining, and I am looking forward to seeing where we go next.
The Performance
Tim Gerald Reynolds could produce an audio book of an OSHA safety manual and I would listen to it. 'Nuff said.
mwplante's review
3.0
Perhaps the weakest of Mark Lawrence's novels thus far, but still a fabulous good time, with plenty of optimism buried under the barest layer of cynicism. Any reader will appreciate the wonderful characterization and fantastic action.
horoxv's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic book. I'm pretty biased, because I love all of Mark Lawrence's books, however this one was just great. Better than Prince of Fools, and I absolutely loved that one as well...
If there's one thing that I love about Mark Lawrences writing, it's actually two things;
His characters never sway from who they truly are. They are true to themselves, always.
He is a master of metaphors. Seriously, some of the stuff he compares, I never would have though up in a million years.
Thank you for another great tale Mark.
Onto the Wheel of Osheim!
If there's one thing that I love about Mark Lawrences writing, it's actually two things;
His characters never sway from who they truly are. They are true to themselves, always.
He is a master of metaphors. Seriously, some of the stuff he compares, I never would have though up in a million years.
Thank you for another great tale Mark.
Onto the Wheel of Osheim!
simonson13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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
4.5
An easy read where Jalan continues to do things the Jalan way. I think that the jokes were slightly better in the first book tho.
Jalan grows as a character and goes through more hardships than before, slowly shaping him into a new person. Oh, and that end was really good as it came somehow surprisingly. Love the cliffhanger!
Jalan grows as a character and goes through more hardships than before, slowly shaping him into a new person. Oh, and that end was really good as it came somehow surprisingly. Love the cliffhanger!
sandygx260's review against another edition
4.0
Prince Jalan continues being an epic asshole and Sorri the tragic hero in this travelogue of a book. I continue to enjoy the series due to the crazy scenarios and vivid action.
Lawrence toys with the flash back idea via Jalan's "blood magic" dreams, but it's because he wants to tell two stories at once. I don't mind the dream sequences. I do want to learn more about the Red Queen's past.
I will pick up The Wheel of Osheim from the library tomorrow. Yes!
Lawrence toys with the flash back idea via Jalan's "blood magic" dreams, but it's because he wants to tell two stories at once. I don't mind the dream sequences. I do want to learn more about the Red Queen's past.
I will pick up The Wheel of Osheim from the library tomorrow. Yes!
saanaart's review against another edition
4.0
I will admit that there was a bit of a boring bit in the midst of adventure but it was thankfully short enough that it didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of the book quite a lot. Excited to read the next one!
crispy98's review against another edition
2023- Despite the title, this novel centers not around an excessively powerful artifact but the power struggle of interesting characters vying for their vision of the future. A few times magic seemed too convenient but this in itself adds depth and justification to a world falling into a state of chaos. This book wastes no time in providing a strong transition from its predecessor while introducing characters like Kara that make great additions. Just like last book, I was yearning to learn more about the unique characters like Kelem and Skillfar but was happily entranced by the breadcrumbs of answers that was found hidden among a captivating story.
Memories play a powerful role in this story in a way that enhances the plot instead of stalling out the current action. Characters make illogical choices in a way that makes them more human, each with their own motivations and stances. Snorri and Tuttuga are a prime example of this as their motivations could inspire a philosophical book on the nature of value itself. Lawrence sprinkles in such gems of wisdom while simultaneously providing an action packed adventure. The most impressive part of this read was how different the setting evolves without feeling over saturated. Traveling from the cold North to the south in Umbertide provides a tale that feels like several dozen masterpieces rolled into one.
Memories play a powerful role in this story in a way that enhances the plot instead of stalling out the current action. Characters make illogical choices in a way that makes them more human, each with their own motivations and stances. Snorri and Tuttuga are a prime example of this as their motivations could inspire a philosophical book on the nature of value itself. Lawrence sprinkles in such gems of wisdom while simultaneously providing an action packed adventure. The most impressive part of this read was how different the setting evolves without feeling over saturated. Traveling from the cold North to the south in Umbertide provides a tale that feels like several dozen masterpieces rolled into one.