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djorgenson112358's review against another edition
5.0
This was good. The post-magical apocalypse setting where ancient civs have left remnants of their advanced nature around but current civs are just getting by due to whatever caused the trouble. It leads to some interesting world-building where you can mix and match fantasy and sci-fi a bit. The first half was slower and I wasn't in a hurry to finish it. But I did gobble up the second half when more of the plot really came into focus.
amberflo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
ink_and_fury's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
3.0
pine_wulf's review against another edition
3.5
I like the world-building and the characters. I really liked the Kris and thought put into interspecies relationships. It's a really fun book. I listened to this on audio though, and I know I missed some plot stuff near the end. I tend to zone out during long action scenes, of which there are quite a few.
jeannelynne24's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
shadyeglenn's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
herbsttage's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
miraclemarg's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
broomgrass's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.75
I do love a grungy but well-educated sometimes-thief who deals in relics and has trauma in the past but a noble heart! Wells does a lot to flesh out the world in this book, and it is a great standalone fantasy. Some points did get a bit confusing, and perhaps the twist was visible from a mile away, but I still enjoyed it overall.
morganpearcy's review against another edition
1.5
This is definitely an early book of Wells’. I read it with that context in mind. However, it fell flat for me. The wrap up did not match several of the characters’ stories and relationships up to that point. It felt… disappointing and half-assed and unnatural.
Additionally, I nearly DNFed the book at the beginning when the Wells has the main character think through reasons for not raping someone. Not only was it gross, but it was unnecessary to the story. When rape culture is explored through a critical lens then it’s one thing. When rape culture is a significant part of the world building, it’s something else entirely - and one hopes part of the story looks at it through a critical lens and it’s all burned down by the end. But this was completely irrelevant to the cultures in the world, the character building, the storyline, etc.
There wasn’t much of a critical lens on anything in the book, which is fine, even though it makes for a flat read. The world building was fun. The mystery was enjoyable. But overall I put the proverbial book down wondering why I’d devoted so much time to it, and wishing it had been at all satisfying.
Additionally, I nearly DNFed the book at the beginning when the Wells has the main character think through reasons for not raping someone. Not only was it gross, but it was unnecessary to the story. When rape culture is explored through a critical lens then it’s one thing. When rape culture is a significant part of the world building, it’s something else entirely - and one hopes part of the story looks at it through a critical lens and it’s all burned down by the end. But this was completely irrelevant to the cultures in the world, the character building, the storyline, etc.
There wasn’t much of a critical lens on anything in the book, which is fine, even though it makes for a flat read. The world building was fun. The mystery was enjoyable. But overall I put the proverbial book down wondering why I’d devoted so much time to it, and wishing it had been at all satisfying.