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shaeilidh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
the_only_bunny's review
5.0
Hands down this book had a wonderful journey from start to finish. Highly recommend it.
adrzeck's review against another edition
5.0
A year plus after the end of the Way of the Argosi, Ferius Parfax continues her path in this great western/fantasy duology. This one hits up lots of the western motifs, with some flashbacks to fill in the pain and damage these characters have encountered. This series gives me lots of "Firefly" nostalgia vibes. "I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar."
Any relationship scenes are chaste and fade to black. This series is standalone and you don't have to read the rest of the Spellslinger to get into these characters.
Any relationship scenes are chaste and fade to black. This series is standalone and you don't have to read the rest of the Spellslinger to get into these characters.
tandemjon's review against another edition
3.0
I absolutely loved the spellslinger series, but this prequel isn't nearly as good. It's a fab idea and I was very excited to be able to read the origin of the main character, but it was very very slow, too depressing and bleak. The Spellslinger series was in a similar vein, but faster, less depressing and macabre and managed to stay a real page turner whereas by the end of this one I had to force myself not to skip bits. I'm not sure I will read the follow up, even though I've bought it!
chrstn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
daffz's review against another edition
5.0
Whoa.
I've read the entire Spellslinger series and the first book in this duology, but this is by far the best book out of all of them. Maybe I like it so much because I've always liked Ferius the most, and in this book you really see her come into her own, but I also think it just has a really strong story.
Everything about this book was amazing. I had a hard time putting it down, honestly. The antagonist is incredibly threatening and there's a dark atmosphere in the whole book. But unlike the first one, I didn't think it ever went too dark. I still mostly remember being miserable reading the first book in this duology because everything was so terrible for Ferius. I don't think I'm very likely to reread it because of that reason, and I don't have the same feelings about this book at all.
The relationship between Ferius and Rosie is SO GOOD. It almost makes me want to reread the spellslinger series to see their interactions as adults in a new light. So. Good. I loved them so much. I also love how explicit it was made, as I feel like a lot of the fans of the original series ignored or didn't notice the romance between them. Now it's impossible to miss.
All in all, honestly a masterpiece IMO.
I've read the entire Spellslinger series and the first book in this duology, but this is by far the best book out of all of them. Maybe I like it so much because I've always liked Ferius the most, and in this book you really see her come into her own, but I also think it just has a really strong story.
Everything about this book was amazing. I had a hard time putting it down, honestly. The antagonist is incredibly threatening and there's a dark atmosphere in the whole book. But unlike the first one, I didn't think it ever went too dark. I still mostly remember being miserable reading the first book in this duology because everything was so terrible for Ferius. I don't think I'm very likely to reread it because of that reason, and I don't have the same feelings about this book at all.
The relationship between Ferius and Rosie is SO GOOD. It almost makes me want to reread the spellslinger series to see their interactions as adults in a new light. So. Good. I loved them so much. I also love how explicit it was made, as I feel like a lot of the fans of the original series ignored or didn't notice the romance between them. Now it's impossible to miss.
All in all, honestly a masterpiece IMO.
becca1909's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
i really enjoyed this. ferius was one of my favourite characters i meet last year and reading her backstory has been fascinating. Seeing her meet rosie and their relationships was fun. Also enjoyed the parts where rosie told us her story from her point of view, was not expecting that last one to go that way.
seanpatricklittle's review against another edition
5.0
Sebastien de Castell's great gift to writing is that he somehow crafts those heroic moments, those "Avengers Assemble" moments that raise the hair on the back of your neck and make tears prick at the corners of your eyes because you know the hero is likely standing up to a fate they cannot possibly beat.
And then he somehow figures out a way to let the hero win that you did not see coming.
He did it repeatedly through his Greatcoats series. He did it with his Spellslinger series. And now, with the inscrutable Ferius Parfax, we get to see one of her great hero moments where she stands up to the world as it crumbles around her and says, "What else you got?"
de Castell writes the books I wish I could write. He crafts the heroes I want to read. His work lies hard in the same veins as Dumas, Thorndike, and Sabatini, and he understands the brazen hero who laughs at the oncoming storm. For that, I will always enjoy his books.
And then he somehow figures out a way to let the hero win that you did not see coming.
He did it repeatedly through his Greatcoats series. He did it with his Spellslinger series. And now, with the inscrutable Ferius Parfax, we get to see one of her great hero moments where she stands up to the world as it crumbles around her and says, "What else you got?"
de Castell writes the books I wish I could write. He crafts the heroes I want to read. His work lies hard in the same veins as Dumas, Thorndike, and Sabatini, and he understands the brazen hero who laughs at the oncoming storm. For that, I will always enjoy his books.
s3lece's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
utholdenhet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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? No
4.0