briarrose1021's review
5.0
Picking up where book 1 left off, Zorian is still looping through the same month of his life, over and over again, with no apparent end in sight. Though Zorian is still using the time to learn as much as he can, and he is definitely going to be avoiding Red Robe by staying away from the academy for a while, he still doesn't know why he is in the time loop or how to possibly stop it.
While many of Zorian's classmates and other characters that we saw in the first book do tend to take a bit of a backseat in this story, many of them do have cameo appearances so we don't forget who they are. The worldbuilding also continues, providing more information and filling out the plot in several places. I will say that after the ending of the first book, the start of this one can seem a bit slow.
It's true that the pace does slow down a bit, but it does so in a way that suits the story. And while Zorian does continue studying and learning as much magic as he can, the author does a good job of balancing that growth with increased difficulty, which helps prevent the power creep that many progressive fantasy characters tend to have. At the same time, we see a great deal of character development for Zorian as he experiences the time loops, and he grows from a somewhat whiny teenager to an introspective character who learns from his failures. Even with his ability, he has experiences that help him realize that he's not always the best, and that helps humble him and keep his ego in check.
I liked the way this story ended, though it wasn't as big of a surprise as the end of the first book. I am definitely looking forward to seeing how Zorian handles the new information and moves forward.
As with the first book, I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Jack Voraces. He again gave a great performance, and I will absolutely be continuing to listen to the audiobook going forward.
While many of Zorian's classmates and other characters that we saw in the first book do tend to take a bit of a backseat in this story, many of them do have cameo appearances so we don't forget who they are. The worldbuilding also continues, providing more information and filling out the plot in several places. I will say that after the ending of the first book, the start of this one can seem a bit slow.
It's true that the pace does slow down a bit, but it does so in a way that suits the story. And while Zorian does continue studying and learning as much magic as he can, the author does a good job of balancing that growth with increased difficulty, which helps prevent the power creep that many progressive fantasy characters tend to have. At the same time, we see a great deal of character development for Zorian as he experiences the time loops, and he grows from a somewhat whiny teenager to an introspective character who learns from his failures. Even with his ability, he has experiences that help him realize that he's not always the best, and that helps humble him and keep his ego in check.
I liked the way this story ended, though it wasn't as big of a surprise as the end of the first book. I am definitely looking forward to seeing how Zorian handles the new information and moves forward.
As with the first book, I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Jack Voraces. He again gave a great performance, and I will absolutely be continuing to listen to the audiobook going forward.
samlov's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sparkling's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
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