beaubaggins's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-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? It's complicated
4.25
saunteringvaguelydownward's review against another edition
Book not holding my interest
poleksya's review
2.0
Kakva jedna potpuno prosečna tralala knjiga. Nedavno sam je završila, a već mi bledi u sećanju. Toliko je sve površno i ne razrađeno. Nisam nikad čitala knjigu u kojoj je glavni lik ork, pa me The Unspoken Name zainteresovala. Međutim, glavni lik je mogao biti i vanzemaljac. Činjenica da je ork ništa nije uticalo na priču ili na bilo koji način doprinosilo. Ponekad se spomenu njene kljove i to je to. Kao što rekoh, sve je površno. Od religije do politike i likova. Još kad se priča u poslednjoj trećini fokusirala na ljubavni aspekt, onda me potpuno izgubila. Ono baš tralala priča sa krindž sarkastičnim dijalogom koju možete čitati sa pola mozga. Tu i tamo ima neka psovka, ali ja bih ovo bez problema svrstala u YA kategoriju. Nisam sad sigurna, ali mi se čini da sam pročitala da spada u adult fantastiku.
geengeenreads's review
adventurous
slow-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
choccyfish's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book a lot. The map at the start, titled chapter(!) and quotes relating to in lore texts at the start of each act. Brilliant choices. Chefs kiss.
I liked the pacing but I can see why people have issues with it. It’s very fast in the beginning, when I thought I had realised what the whole plot was going to be that section of the story wrapped up. But it felt like a lot happened in the story and it didn’t get bogged down by having to describe the whole years of training Csorwe undertook in lengthy detail. Overall I think it used its time and page count well.
The world building is one of my favourite parts of this book. It’s such a fresh and unique world and plays with some great ideas. Dying worlds becoming consumed by the Maze, a vast network of gates between those worlds. Then there’s the Gods and magic system, full of mystery and not totally laid out for you but enough to establish the rules and the limits by which each mage has to abide. I am hungry for more, I want to get more in-depth looks. I want to see more of the different civilisations and their specific cultures.
The characters and the relationships they have are great. I like the different perspectives we get throughout the book. Csorwe is a little bland but it works well and is exceptionally well justified. I wanted to hit Tal for most of the book, he’s an angry yet funny little rat.. Shuthmili is probably my favourite, I enjoy the many facets to her and I really hope to see more of her. . And I too would probably pledge my allegiance to good ol Belthandros.
There’s just a lot to love with this book. I’m really excited to see there is a sequel.
There are so many fantastic quotes from this book but honestly the one that made me laugh out loud:
No hard feelings
I liked the pacing but I can see why people have issues with it. It’s very fast in the beginning, when I thought I had realised what the whole plot was going to be that section of the story wrapped up. But it felt like a lot happened in the story and it didn’t get bogged down by having to describe the whole years of training Csorwe undertook in lengthy detail. Overall I think it used its time and page count well.
The world building is one of my favourite parts of this book. It’s such a fresh and unique world and plays with some great ideas. Dying worlds becoming consumed by the Maze, a vast network of gates between those worlds. Then there’s the Gods and magic system, full of mystery and not totally laid out for you but enough to establish the rules and the limits by which each mage has to abide. I am hungry for more, I want to get more in-depth looks. I want to see more of the different civilisations and their specific cultures.
The characters and the relationships they have are great. I like the different perspectives we get throughout the book. Csorwe is a little bland but it works well and is exceptionally well justified. I wanted to hit Tal for most of the book, he’s an angry yet funny little rat.
Spoiler
His development in the final act of the book made me love him and I hope he continues to rest on nice beachesSpoiler
Oranna was an unexpected favourite of mine.There’s just a lot to love with this book. I’m really excited to see there is a sequel.
There are so many fantastic quotes from this book but honestly the one that made me laugh out loud:
No hard feelings
noemie_serene's review
5.0
Amazing fantasy book, I dont think ive ever been so invested in a fantasy book. Ive been in a reading slump since last October (and its currently June) and this book got me out of it so super grateful
libertyreads789's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
It's probably not a great sign when I don't even want to write the book review for a book I've read for the first time. I've been doing book reviews for almost a decade. It's practically in my bones. But the way I absolutely never wanted to pick this book up the entire time I was reading it. And before that! Because I picked up a different book before this one just to get out of reading it for a few more days. Yikes. This is a Fantasy novel following Csorwe who was destined to be sacrificed to a deity but is saved at the last moment by a stranger who teaches her how to become an assassin instead.
When I tell you that I hate this man, please, do not take that lightly. If Belthandros Sethennai were a real live human being, it wouldn't last very long because I (or someone close to him) would kill him instantly. As Csorwe is growing up, she feels indebted to him and this lasts for years despite him showing a clear apathy towards her outside of her acting as his hitman. Everything he does is manipulative and tricky and I absolutely hate him. But besides these characters who are all pretty flat, I also hated this writing style. The lack of world building is astounding given the sheer scope of the plot. The only, only way to make this work as a story is to make this one book into three. I know that I always say that books should be longer but this needed to be three full novels for this story. I couldn't picture anything very well because of the lack of detail. The magic system doesn't really make sense. Especially how it works one way for people from this part of the world, but a completely different way for people from other parts o the world. I get that the main character that we're following isn't capable of doing magic so she doesn't get it. But you would think after sticking around this wizard for 8 years she would pick up at least a little theoretical knowledge.
I also just didn't like the plot. We spent a lot of time on a quest that would have been okay enough on its own if it weren't for the fact that getting this object after years of searching gets little to no fanfare. I understand that Sethennai had to keep what exactly this object contained secret but there was no reward for everything we saw Csorwe and her rival go through. And it was a lot. They got the object around the 60%? Maybe 70% mark? So, it was a majority of the story. The writing style was annoying in a way that a lot of the other stuff I didn't like about the book wasn't. It was dense but somehow also didn't do much world building or setting of the scene. I had to lean on my knowledge of Fantasy books I've already read to make this book as enjoyable as I could given what it was. I could not imagine a newbie to Fantasy picking this book up and managing to finish it. And maybe that isn't the way I should measure Fantasy novels, but shit, you got to give the reader something. There's no world building, no magic system building, no characters I really loved. I don't now what this book was doing for almost 500 pages.
I give the author credit for the small amount of world building she did. I think there were aspects of this world that the author has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about and it showed. Those were probably the best parts of the novel for me. I think there's going to be a beautiful story arc for a couple of the main characters that really has the potential to take the story to another level. I just don't think I'm going to be hanging around to see if it happens.
jordypin's review
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
joshgauthier's review
5.0
With The Unspoken Name, Larkwood delivers some of the most distinct worldbuilding in recent memory. The story is broad and complex while never becoming convoluted. The characters are engaging to watch from early on, and there are some great twists in a plot and character dynamics that aren't always easy to predict. The novel moves with a little slower pace than some, but I think this works to its benefit as threads of secrets and sleeping gods unspool across the worlds, chased and untangled by those seeking power--and those who merely want to find their place in the world.
Along with a gripping story, Larkwood's characters face resonant themes about identity and purpose--characters marked for death and sworn to service asking the simple question, "Is this all that I desire to be?"
The book captured me from page one, and Larkwood is a true talent in craft and storytelling.
Along with a gripping story, Larkwood's characters face resonant themes about identity and purpose--characters marked for death and sworn to service asking the simple question, "Is this all that I desire to be?"
The book captured me from page one, and Larkwood is a true talent in craft and storytelling.
nekopersona's review
3.0
I didn't really care for the MC I thought she was dull and bland. I didn't care for the love interest either. All the other characters were far more interesting