erica_sff's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted so badly to love this book. I'm not sure if it helped or hindered that I dove right in after a decade away from the characters. On the one hand, I was indeed struggling to remember the current status of various characters as we left them last, or even about how old the kids were supposed to be. On the other hand, I think the endless re-capping and re-hashing of previous events would have been even more painful had I just read it all. They even re-hash a few things multiple times. In the first half of the book, people go talk to other people. (Nameless tertiary people go run actual errands, kill people, are killed; but the main characters mostly just get reports about it).
*** Vague Spoilers to Follow ***
Dead center in the book, one faction takes drastic action to gather information at the same moment that their rival faction takes drastic action to gather information and sees the first group's information gathering. Yes, this is the biggest action in the first half of the book.
It does pick up from there, and things actually start moving. The remainder still felt a bit melodramatic, but since there was less hand-wringing and more doing, I could cope better. The last scene was pretty much worth the entire slog though. So, if you liked the earlier books but are having a hard time with this one, don't just give up...skip to the end!
I loved the first three books of this series. The next ones were good, but not as good. I was incredibly excited for Assassin King because Achmere is one of the most fascinating characters in the series and I was waiting to really see him shine...except he didn't get to. That book was the beginning of the pace seriously slowing down. Very little was accomplished by the end, and the book didn't feel like it could stand on its own at all. It lacked its own arc in a meaningful way, instead feeling like the latest update in a larger arc. Merchant Emperor had that same feeling, but worse. I'm still interested in that larger arc enough that I will keep reading, but I still found this one a disappointing slog of a read.
*** Vague Spoilers to Follow ***
Dead center in the book, one faction takes drastic action to gather information at the same moment that their rival faction takes drastic action to gather information and sees the first group's information gathering. Yes, this is the biggest action in the first half of the book.
It does pick up from there, and things actually start moving. The remainder still felt a bit melodramatic, but since there was less hand-wringing and more doing, I could cope better. The last scene was pretty much worth the entire slog though. So, if you liked the earlier books but are having a hard time with this one, don't just give up...skip to the end!
I loved the first three books of this series. The next ones were good, but not as good. I was incredibly excited for Assassin King because Achmere is one of the most fascinating characters in the series and I was waiting to really see him shine...except he didn't get to. That book was the beginning of the pace seriously slowing down. Very little was accomplished by the end, and the book didn't feel like it could stand on its own at all. It lacked its own arc in a meaningful way, instead feeling like the latest update in a larger arc. Merchant Emperor had that same feeling, but worse. I'm still interested in that larger arc enough that I will keep reading, but I still found this one a disappointing slog of a read.
reasonpassion's review against another edition
5.0
The characters in this series are such that they not only come alive in the telling (which is brilliant), but as people who, despite their fantasy-nature, the reader would know if passed on the street. There is no cardboard cutouts here, no simplicity. This is raw living and the sometimes horrible decisions that need to be made to fight evil. There was not a moment that this could be put down and the ending is, well, utterly perfect and a great way to assuage the reader from the acknowledgement that there will be some time before the next (last?) book comes out.
texaswolfman's review against another edition
4.0
Love this series. The author took a plus 5 year hiatus between books. Missed my 3 warriors. One criticism the action with the three did not pick up till the end. Hopefully the next book balances this out. Their has to be one since this was a set up book!
felinity's review
4.0
It finally looks as if the disparate races might be drawing together, despite (or maybe because of) Talquist. Dragon- and Namer-lore are coming together, and old enmities forgotten as they must concentrate on the ultimate goal. Meanwhile Talquist's casual cruelty seems unending, the ultimate sociopath: nothing will stop him getting what he wants, and everything/everyone else is disposable.
Rhapsody was the big surprise. You know her so well by this point that the impact of her changing roles was huge, and yet still true to her. Understanding more of the price she paid was a shock, but it showed how much she tempered just by being her.
Let's just say I'm glad I've got the next 2 waiting for me!
Rhapsody was the big surprise. You know her so well by this point that the impact of her changing roles was huge, and yet still true to her. Understanding more of the price she paid was a shock, but it showed how much she tempered just by being her.
Let's just say I'm glad I've got the next 2 waiting for me!
lindsey_the_fae's review against another edition
5.0
OH SWEET MOTHER OF ALL THINGS HOLY!!!!!! I have NEVER been this excited over a book in all my life! This series is *the* reason I am an avid devourer of books. I had completely given up any hope of Hayden ever finishing it. And in fact it is due to the MIA #7 that I outright refuse to read incomplete series. I heartbreak I experienced was so much that about 100 pages before finishing Assassin King I had to stop because I couldn't bare leaving the story where it was headed. I've looked longingly and lovingly at Assassin King for the past 8yrs and NOW i can FINALLY re-read it in preparation for Merchant Emperor.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
tikimoof's review against another edition
2.0
Once again, only Achmed is marginally cool, and even that was mostly lacking this book. I'm tired of how magical it is to be a mother, and oh my god NOTHING HAPPENED. This book was pointless!
malmalisme's review against another edition
3.0
This seemed to take a very long time to get going. On the one hand, it was good as it has been almost a decade since I read the previous book and it took a little bit to remember everyone... But on the other hand, I didn't really enjoy hearing about Talquist's raping and pillaging. I do hate him pretty thoroughly now though. And I did love when it finally got back around to Rhapsody. It was good, just a lot of set up for the finale.
rumpfie's review against another edition
4.0
Seems like she just wrote one huge book and is now just dividing it randomly. Enjoyed it regardless.
mmelibertine's review against another edition
3.0
A beautiful world with some very unique elements, but overall just not my bag. A lot of buildup and conversation and foundation-laying, but not much HAPPENING. Not a great entry point into the series for new readers.