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caseythereader's review against another edition
I realized I no longer had any idea who was who and how they were related to each other and that I no longer cared.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Incest
christinecc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I feel torn.
On the one hand, the story is perfectly serviceable even if it slips into enough cliche to lose my total, undivided interest.
But on the other hand, the writing keeps wrestling it away from those problems and giving readers little moments of humanity and humor and suspense. Mostly in dialogue. Lyons is good at dialogue. It's really fun that in spite of the very, very heavy-handed fantasy worldbuilding going on (with kings and multiple undying species and magic and dragons and whatnot), the dialogue sounds fairly grounded and is often the highlight of the story.
The POV switches between two timelines every chapter, and I could NOT handle how every time I started to get into the story, the chapter would end on a cliffhanger and then switch me over to the other POV. It was like slamming into a wall Wiley Coyote-style every time we turned a corner. And while I kind of enjoyed the dual storytelling (it does create suspense), the way the two timelines connected felt a little clumsy by the time it happened.
As for the characters... they're fine? Kihrin and Teraeth are excellent, even if I wish Teraeth had more time to be developed because he's simply DROWNED out by the massive cast. Same for basically everyone, including the various antagonists and all the people the mimic/shapeshifter Talon absorbs. And that doesn't even touch all the historical and mythical figures populating the story and switching bodies and having kids WHILE possessing someone. Who's the parent in that case, by the way? Seriously, who?
All in all, I feel like the worldbuilding got in the way of the story & characters. Will I read the rest?... I mean... yeah, probably. But fair warning: the next book does NOT pick up where this one left off, so if you're biting your nails about the twist at the end of this first installment, temper your expectations. We're not getting the answer in volume 2.
Recommended if you're looking for a really fun epic fantasy with a heavy helping of lore. But it's good lore! I'm sure someone with a better capacity for absorbing exposition would enjoy this a lot.
On the one hand, the story is perfectly serviceable even if it slips into enough cliche to lose my total, undivided interest.
But on the other hand, the writing keeps wrestling it away from those problems and giving readers little moments of humanity and humor and suspense. Mostly in dialogue. Lyons is good at dialogue. It's really fun that in spite of the very, very heavy-handed fantasy worldbuilding going on (with kings and multiple undying species and magic and dragons and whatnot), the dialogue sounds fairly grounded and is often the highlight of the story.
The POV switches between two timelines every chapter, and I could NOT handle how every time I started to get into the story, the chapter would end on a cliffhanger and then switch me over to the other POV. It was like slamming into a wall Wiley Coyote-style every time we turned a corner. And while I kind of enjoyed the dual storytelling (it does create suspense), the way the two timelines connected felt a little clumsy by the time it happened.
As for the characters... they're fine? Kihrin and Teraeth are excellent, even if I wish Teraeth had more time to be developed because he's simply DROWNED out by the massive cast. Same for basically everyone, including the various antagonists and all the people the mimic/shapeshifter Talon absorbs. And that doesn't even touch all the historical and mythical figures populating the story and switching bodies and having kids WHILE possessing someone. Who's the parent in that case, by the way? Seriously, who?
All in all, I feel like the worldbuilding got in the way of the story & characters. Will I read the rest?... I mean... yeah, probably. But fair warning: the next book does NOT pick up where this one left off, so if you're biting your nails about the twist at the end of this first installment, temper your expectations. We're not getting the answer in volume 2.
Recommended if you're looking for a really fun epic fantasy with a heavy helping of lore. But it's good lore! I'm sure someone with a better capacity for absorbing exposition would enjoy this a lot.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse