ghostmuppet's review against another edition
3.0
Third book in the series is a lot better than the other 2, with a fairly standard story and better characters. However, its just still too violent for my liking. I will look at getting the other books in the series - but only if they are on offer.
thinde's review against another edition
2.0
DNF 42%
I've continued with this series despite the stupidity of most of the characters. One flaw doesn't make a book unreadable. However, it's getting worse and now I have to put up with 50% of the narrative being told from the point of view of assh*les. I want to occupy the protagonist's POV. Is that so hard?
Haern has spent the last decade killing criminals and corrupt oligarchs, outside of the law. Now he's asked to kill an assassin that supposedly murdered the heir to one of those oligarchies. Does he stop for one second to consider if the "victims" were actually deserving of death? Of course not. The mother of the slain couple offers no word of condemnation for the assassin, instead pitting herself against the people that have come to hunt him down. The Wraith wants to recruit someone to his murderous cause but offers no logic, facts, or arguments... just threats.
This disconnect, between a character's good sense and the actual narrative, is typically a sign that the author is forcing the plot. A thing needs to happen, therefore the characters will bring it about, regardless of whether it suits their self-interest, common-sense or prior behavior. When the reader's internal dialogue seems to be running on a loop crying out, "But why didn't they just..." then you know something's wrong. The frustration builds until it's just not worth continuing.
I've continued with this series despite the stupidity of most of the characters. One flaw doesn't make a book unreadable. However, it's getting worse and now I have to put up with 50% of the narrative being told from the point of view of assh*les. I want to occupy the protagonist's POV. Is that so hard?
Haern has spent the last decade killing criminals and corrupt oligarchs, outside of the law. Now he's asked to kill an assassin that supposedly murdered the heir to one of those oligarchies. Does he stop for one second to consider if the "victims" were actually deserving of death? Of course not. The mother of the slain couple offers no word of condemnation for the assassin, instead pitting herself against the people that have come to hunt him down. The Wraith wants to recruit someone to his murderous cause but offers no logic, facts, or arguments... just threats.
This disconnect, between a character's good sense and the actual narrative, is typically a sign that the author is forcing the plot. A thing needs to happen, therefore the characters will bring it about, regardless of whether it suits their self-interest, common-sense or prior behavior. When the reader's internal dialogue seems to be running on a loop crying out, "But why didn't they just..." then you know something's wrong. The frustration builds until it's just not worth continuing.
kjanie's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 stars
Wow, I have to say this is the best book in the series
Wow, I have to say this is the best book in the series
zoeamac's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
sue_b's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jdowner's review against another edition
3.0
It was ok, but I prefer my mass-murdering assassins to be a little less 'the karate kid' and a little more 'the professional'.
kueltzo's review against another edition
3.0
The third book in the trilogy left me strangely unsatisfied.
chaoticonomist's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable third book in the series. Interesting and didn't end as planned. I'm excited to dig into the fourth book to see where it goes.
ghostmuppet's review
3.0
Third book in the series is a lot better than the other 2, with a fairly standard story and better characters. However, its just still too violent for my liking. I will look at getting the other books in the series - but only if they are on offer.
behindthepages's review
5.0
Well Dalglish topped his previous book A Dance of Blades with this one! He has crafted a stunning plot with the perfect balance between characters, seamlessly switching from one character’s POV to another, building up the tension and storyline with each chapter. And Dalglish makes sure to eliminate characters artfully, putting us on the edge of our seats, waiting to see what will happen to our favorites. He is unafraid to write about the darkness inside of people and the conflictions they face with the choices made each day for the supposed greater good. With this novel we see both sides of the story, good and evil, finding that the line between each isn’t as far away as we would like to believe.
Now for a bit about the plot…confronted with a new character called the Wraith, Haern witnesses firsthand how someone can feel justified when killing to better a city and people. Haern’s guilt from killing wears on not only himself but the reader as well. I know I felt satisfied when witnessing Haern kill members of the Trifect and dole out his own form of punishment, but when perspectives change with a new city, I began questioning his role as a hero. When an author can dive into my head as much as their character’s, you know they are skilled in writing.
I am glad that I continued with this series, despite the hang ups I felt about the first book.
Now for a bit about the plot…confronted with a new character called the Wraith, Haern witnesses firsthand how someone can feel justified when killing to better a city and people. Haern’s guilt from killing wears on not only himself but the reader as well. I know I felt satisfied when witnessing Haern kill members of the Trifect and dole out his own form of punishment, but when perspectives change with a new city, I began questioning his role as a hero. When an author can dive into my head as much as their character’s, you know they are skilled in writing.
I am glad that I continued with this series, despite the hang ups I felt about the first book.
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