isigfethera's review against another edition
4.0
I love Kate Elliot's writing, she has a great historical perspective and turns fantasy settings that could be quite generic (a world based on Medieval Europe, a world based on 19th century Britain)into such dynamic settings, with something to say about power relations, society and culture that is quite specific. I fell in love with Cat and Bee, Rory and Andevai early on in this series, and this wraps it up satisfyingly, with plenty of tension and a wide canvas as the political tinderbox of the earlier books ignites. If there's one criticism I have, it would be that the Wild Hunt plotline wraps up a bit neatly, and a bit quickly- it's the main focus for the first half of the book, then it seems to fade from view. But overall a strong conclusion to the series.
bookhaulin's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Is this the last book in the series? Because the ending felt very, very open-ended. All of the things that I really wanted to know (how the war's going to turn out, if the dragons and the newly unleashed Master of the Wild Hunt will impact the world in any way etc) remain unanswered. I'm predicting separate sequels set in the same world with different main characters.
Anyways, the first book of the series alas remains the best for me. I just felt like Elliot had, at this point, created too many characters and were trying to cram them all in. 400 pages does not a small book make, but it felt like the trilogy would have benefited from a longer length, so that I felt like I knew all the characters better. Also, the novel feels like it suffers from a lack of structure. There was build-up, and then a quiet little let-down, build-up, and then another small climax etc. The tension needed to be more tightly reined and the end more climatic. It was -there-, but nothing in the book really made me bite my nails in nervous anticipation.
I also wasn't too fond of how the relationship between Vai and Cat played out either, there was just a little too much bland affection (call each other love one more time) and too little of the actual spark and wit between them from earlier books.
I still think the series is great overall and highly recommend it for its incredible world building, lore, and diversity, but the entire series also felt like the expositional first novel in a fantasy series. Ah well.
Is this the last book in the series? Because the ending felt very, very open-ended. All of the things that I really wanted to know (how the war's going to turn out, if the dragons and the newly unleashed Master of the Wild Hunt will impact the world in any way etc) remain unanswered. I'm predicting separate sequels set in the same world with different main characters.
Anyways, the first book of the series alas remains the best for me. I just felt like Elliot had, at this point, created too many characters and were trying to cram them all in. 400 pages does not a small book make, but it felt like the trilogy would have benefited from a longer length, so that I felt like I knew all the characters better. Also, the novel feels like it suffers from a lack of structure. There was build-up, and then a quiet little let-down, build-up, and then another small climax etc. The tension needed to be more tightly reined and the end more climatic. It was -there-, but nothing in the book really made me bite my nails in nervous anticipation.
I also wasn't too fond of how the relationship between Vai and Cat played out either, there was just a little too much bland affection (call each other love one more time) and too little of the actual spark and wit between them from earlier books.
I still think the series is great overall and highly recommend it for its incredible world building, lore, and diversity, but the entire series also felt like the expositional first novel in a fantasy series. Ah well.
emmascc's review
5.0
This is such a satisfying end to a brilliant trilogy, I will never get tired of this series.
itabar's review
2.0
It starts with lots of action, so somewhat promising after the 3 month slog through the second book. And then you find out it's a fucking dream!! A DREAM!! I was so angry I almost stopped listening.
I persevered and fortunately the ending saves the book. Everything is tied up nicely.
I persevered and fortunately the ending saves the book. Everything is tied up nicely.
siria's review
3.0
The pacing was wildly uneven and a better editor would have whittled this book down by at least a hundred pages, improving both the dialogue and the prose. (Did we need so many descriptions of Vai's clothing, of Cat doing Vai's laundry, of the fabric of Vai's dash jackets? We did not. It started to feel as if Elliott had mistaken clothing descriptions for characterisation.) Both as a book and as a conclusion to a trilogy, I liked Cold Steel well enough, but didn't love it, which I suppose must be my conclusion for the trilogy as a whole. I think Elliott is the kind of author whose books I'd like well enough to check out if I spotted them in the library, but not enough to buy.
paper_mache's review
adventurous
funny
relaxing
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
aleanil's review
5.0
A thoroughly enjoyable finish to the trilogy; one that kept me up far later than I wanted in order to finish it.
eatingfiction's review
2.0
It's finally over. It's done.
This book had an incoherent plot. A revolving list of dramas that cropped up and were resolved within a chapter. MORE weird things than the last two books combined. I love me some weird things but these just went too far and did not gel with the serious tone.
I still have to give props to the author for the putting whatever the heck crazy ideas she had in here. Every trope, every genre mash up. Slay or something.
This book had an incoherent plot. A revolving list of dramas that cropped up and were resolved within a chapter. MORE weird things than the last two books combined. I love me some weird things but these just went too far and did not gel with the serious tone.
I still have to give props to the author for the putting whatever the heck crazy ideas she had in here. Every trope, every genre mash up. Slay or something.
rachelini's review
3.0
I feel like I should have quit after the first book, which I enjoyed so much. This book lacked direction or purpose, I was never sure why Cat was doing anything she did. Some great moments but overall didn't hold together well for me.