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its_kievan's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The book had a ton of potential, but was completely undermined by Wragg's inability to write convincing character arcs - or, hell, even convincing characters. Chel sleepwalks through the plot, never quite convincing himself or the readers that he actually has a reason for defending Tarfel. Tarfel bounces from bewildered fop to war-weary leader and back multiple times, before finally settling on arrogant, authoritarian emperor for... reasons. Rennic, who spent the previous book moaning about money, risks his own life and those of his only friends in a doomed siege for a prince he openly hates, only to turn around and try to kill him once the battle's over . Nothing that anyone does has any weight to it, because their actions aren't driven by their own characterization but by the demands of the plot. There were some cool settings, the siege had great descriptive writing, and I did genuinely love some of the characters before the plot took over, but overall this was a definite step down from The Black Hawks.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, and Pregnancy
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