Reviews

The Bird of the River by Kage Baker

decafplease's review

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4.0

No review yet? Oh my goodness I'm falling behind. Uh...thoughtsthoughtsthoughts...'worthwhile' thughts...(sighs).

What can I say? Through reading The Anvil of the World and then The Bird of the River I'm becoming a Kage Baker fan. Her books have a mean sense of wit, journeys through precarious lands and forests, a vividly depicted fantasy realm, and characters that stay with you after you've closed the book.

At the same time...I know that the fame of Kage Baker's fantasy is really built on her sci-fi books. While reading fantasy is somewhat of a necessity to me...I tend to avoid sci-fi and cyberpunk novels. I can't really say why. This conundrum has me baffled to no ends.

I guess I'll get around to it when I get around to it. In the meantime, back to classics and YA fantasy.

catberks's review

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

epersonae's review

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5.0

LOVE. Totally different from "The Company" books, except in the quality of the writing and the quirky realness of the characters. The main character's complicated relationship with her mother, her brother, and the rest of the world is delicately and thoughtfully drawn. Plus it's got just enough plot to keep pulling you forward.

(I almost cried after finishing, seeing "1952-2010" under her name. So very sad that there won't be any more of these.)

skipjack's review

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5.0

One of my favorite books of the past few years. Just all-around excellently written, with an engaging main character.

lisalark's review

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4.0

Really loved this, set in the same world as The Anvil of the World and The House of the Stag, which I also adored. It is perfectly dreadful that I have now read all that has or will be written by Kage Baker in this universe. At least in the form of novels.

You know what would convince me of divinity? A whole library full of books you've never read that all your favorite authors wrote post-mortem. That's grace for you.

The book is lovely, great main character, fabulous secondary and supporting characters, both good and evil, a vibrant wholecloth world. Fabulous.

doodlebuginarug's review

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adventurous funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

taciturn_sprocket's review

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5.0


The worst part about starting a new series by Kage Baker is that you know there aren't going to be any more volumes in it.

wordnerdy's review

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4.0

https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2021/02/2021-book-44.html

The third book in this series is set in the same world as the first two, but focuses on completely new characters. And while it’s not really humorous, it is a gentler fantasy book. It centers on a young girl who, with her mother and little brother, ends up working on a river barge. Adventures, a mystery, and a little bit of romance ensue. Very enjoyable, really liked the characters here a lot. A-.

traceyvj's review

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4.0

4 1/2 stars from me. Very gentle meandering book, but a few solid truths buried in it along the way. I didn't discover Kage Baker's books until after she died, and it saddens me there will be no more.

ferrumage's review

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4.0

Fair-play mystery.