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garrettcz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
aberut's review against another edition
3.0
So I'm of two minds with this book .First this book adds to the world and that was enjoyable . However the story was just ok . But I'm going to stick with it and read the next one.
katie_j's review against another edition
2.0
Good writing, but difficult to get invested in the story.
gabrielrobartes's review against another edition
3.0
Simply not quite as good as the first one though still entertaining. There just wasn't the same 'oomph' somehow. Worthwhile if you enjoyed the first in the series but I hope the next one ramps up the characterisation to the level of the first.
practisingmothman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
celyncodex's review against another edition
5.0
Gladstone took more risks with Serpents and it really payed off. The writing is more evocative than the first book, and the plot more outlandish. I loved the way it framed the conflict between tradition and modernity. The ending was just perfect, delightfully satisfying with just enough bitterness to make it interesting.
I got a China Meville vibe from this one, instead of the Jim Butcher vibe from 3 Parts Dead.
I got a China Meville vibe from this one, instead of the Jim Butcher vibe from 3 Parts Dead.
shdnx's review against another edition
4.0
Two Serpents Rise was a tough nut to crack. It's a book with a very inconsistent intensity, with pacing changes several times throughout the story. The first about 40% is an okay story - incomplete, by itself, but entertaining, moderately paced. Then comes a very slow ~20%, during which almost nothing happens, except for a botched love story. I did not like this phase, was really bored and very strongly considered giving up. Still, this too is needed, it's also a critical part of the whole, and it builds up to the final 40%, which is just awesome.
This is no direct continuation of [b:Three Parts Dead|13539191|Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence #1)|Max Gladstone|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333049511s/13539191.jpg|19101555], but is rather a different book set in the same world. Most of the plot is focused around the conflict between gods and craftsmen - men, who have learned to bend the universe to their will much like gods do, and after having (mostly) defeated the gods, try to make the world work.
While the concept is sound, I did not like the implementation. Most of it manifested in Caleb's stubborn refusal to kill people - even people who wanted to die, or deserved to die. While this imperfection does work from a character-building perspective, it reduces the whole conflict to a ridiculous teenager-stubbornness kind of conflict.
The writing is very graphic, almost artistic, when describing Craft ("magic"), and it rather enjoyable to read. The world-building was also very solid, re-using much from Three Parts Dead, but also adding new components, new depth. A true living-breath world.
Overall, I was not disappointed. Can't wait for the next book in sequence, [b:Full Fathom Five|16148208|Full Fathom Five (Craft Sequence, #3)|Max Gladstone|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1385068358s/16148208.jpg|21982690].
This is no direct continuation of [b:Three Parts Dead|13539191|Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence #1)|Max Gladstone|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333049511s/13539191.jpg|19101555], but is rather a different book set in the same world. Most of the plot is focused around the conflict between gods and craftsmen - men, who have learned to bend the universe to their will much like gods do, and after having (mostly) defeated the gods, try to make the world work.
While the concept is sound, I did not like the implementation. Most of it manifested in Caleb's stubborn refusal to kill people - even people who wanted to die, or deserved to die. While this imperfection does work from a character-building perspective, it reduces the whole conflict to a ridiculous teenager-stubbornness kind of conflict.
The writing is very graphic, almost artistic, when describing Craft ("magic"), and it rather enjoyable to read. The world-building was also very solid, re-using much from Three Parts Dead, but also adding new components, new depth. A true living-breath world.
Overall, I was not disappointed. Can't wait for the next book in sequence, [b:Full Fathom Five|16148208|Full Fathom Five (Craft Sequence, #3)|Max Gladstone|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1385068358s/16148208.jpg|21982690].