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A review by carlyxdeexx
Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce
3.0
I would like to fully acknowledge that Tamora Pierce’s Immortals series was the cornerstone of my childhood reading. I saw myself in Daine and had (have?) a powerful crush on Numair, so in summary, this book was written for readers like me.
What I mean by that is, if you’d never read any Immortals books, I’m not sure how interested you’d feel reading this one. I couldn’t put it down as I was deeply interested in knowing more about Arram’s young life and his childhood friendships with Ozorne and Varice. For an outsider, these details might seem unmoored and a bit dull? There are small points of conflict throughout the story, but they are tidily resolved each time with the sense that there could be some kind of overarching connection between them, but no real indication or acknowledgment that there is? There’s no arching issue that ends up resolved by the end, except perhaps a romance that finally begins to blossom? But it only just starts and the story is over, and you’re left wondering, hmmm, what the heck is going on, as if the whole book has been a prologue and not a book in and of itself.
Despite this, I enjoyed the ride, because I love these characters and hearing details about their young lives, and the writing is still solid. I would’ve loved a bit more development for Varice. There were lots of sweet and not-so-sweet moments with Ozorne.
Much of what I think the book lacks would likely be made up for if there is indeed at least one sequel on the horizon. There is a subtitle that indicates this book is to be part of a series—I’m just always skeptical of a series until all its parts are present and accounted for (cough cough GoT). For sure, this book doesn’t stand up super well on its own—it ends as if the story is just beginning. Even so, I know myself and readers like me, and this book is a great read for us, and a bit of a tease, ‘cause now I could not be more ready for book two!
So, I would give this 4 stars, because personally, for me, it was a 4-star book. But if you’re new to these characters and this world, it’s definitely more of a 3-star book, hence my change in rating.
What I mean by that is, if you’d never read any Immortals books, I’m not sure how interested you’d feel reading this one. I couldn’t put it down as I was deeply interested in knowing more about Arram’s young life and his childhood friendships with Ozorne and Varice. For an outsider, these details might seem unmoored and a bit dull? There are small points of conflict throughout the story, but they are tidily resolved each time with the sense that there could be some kind of overarching connection between them, but no real indication or acknowledgment that there is? There’s no arching issue that ends up resolved by the end, except perhaps a romance that finally begins to blossom? But it only just starts and the story is over, and you’re left wondering, hmmm, what the heck is going on, as if the whole book has been a prologue and not a book in and of itself.
Despite this, I enjoyed the ride, because I love these characters and hearing details about their young lives, and the writing is still solid. I would’ve loved a bit more development for Varice. There were lots of sweet and not-so-sweet moments with Ozorne.
Much of what I think the book lacks would likely be made up for if there is indeed at least one sequel on the horizon. There is a subtitle that indicates this book is to be part of a series—I’m just always skeptical of a series until all its parts are present and accounted for (cough cough GoT). For sure, this book doesn’t stand up super well on its own—it ends as if the story is just beginning. Even so, I know myself and readers like me, and this book is a great read for us, and a bit of a tease, ‘cause now I could not be more ready for book two!
So, I would give this 4 stars, because personally, for me, it was a 4-star book. But if you’re new to these characters and this world, it’s definitely more of a 3-star book, hence my change in rating.