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The Library Trilogy #2
The Book That Broke the World
The second volume in the bestselling, ground-breaking Library Trilogy, following The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.
We fight for the people we love. We fight for the ideas we want to be true.
Evar and Livira stand side by side and yet far beyond each other's reach. Evar is forced to flee the library, driven before an implacable foe. Livira, trapped in a ghost world, has to recover her book if she's to return to her life. While Evar's journey leads him outside into the vastness of a world he's never seen, Livira's destination lies deep inside her own writing, where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.
And all the while, the library quietly weaves thread to thread, bringing the scattered elements of Livira's old life – friends and foe alike – back together beneath new skies.
Long ago, a lie was told, and with the passing years it has grown and spread, a small push leading to a chain of desperate consequences. Now, as one edifice topples into the next with ever-growing violence, it threatens to break the world. The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe, or lose everything.
The Library Trilogy is about many things: adventure, discovery, and romance, but it's also a love letter to books and the places where they live. The focus is on one vast and timeless library, but the love expands to encompass smaller more personal collections, and bookshops of all shades too.
We fight for the people we love. We fight for the ideas we want to be true.
Evar and Livira stand side by side and yet far beyond each other's reach. Evar is forced to flee the library, driven before an implacable foe. Livira, trapped in a ghost world, has to recover her book if she's to return to her life. While Evar's journey leads him outside into the vastness of a world he's never seen, Livira's destination lies deep inside her own writing, where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.
And all the while, the library quietly weaves thread to thread, bringing the scattered elements of Livira's old life – friends and foe alike – back together beneath new skies.
Long ago, a lie was told, and with the passing years it has grown and spread, a small push leading to a chain of desperate consequences. Now, as one edifice topples into the next with ever-growing violence, it threatens to break the world. The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe, or lose everything.
The Library Trilogy is about many things: adventure, discovery, and romance, but it's also a love letter to books and the places where they live. The focus is on one vast and timeless library, but the love expands to encompass smaller more personal collections, and bookshops of all shades too.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
Mark Lawrence
89 books54.2k followersMy books vary a LOT - so
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[My new book The Book That Broke The World is out now!]
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Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. Before becoming a fulltime writer in 2015 day job was as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'.
Mark used to have a list of hobbies back when he did science by day. Now his time is really just divided between writing and caring for his disabled daughter. There are occasional forays into computer games too.
[My new book The Book That Broke The World is out now!]
Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/marklawrencea...
Blog here: http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.co.uk/
I'm on Youtube now! *excitement!*
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIrB...
Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/MarkLawrence...
https://www.instagram.com/mark___lawr...
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@mark___lawrence
Blue Sky
https://bsky.app/profile/marklawrence...
Three-emails-a-year newsletter here:
http://eepurl.com/cimnK1 #Prizes #FreeContent
I'm even on Tumblr!
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/marklawre...
Pintrest!
https://uk.pinterest.com/princeofthor...
Plus I have free stuff on Wattpad!
https://www.wattpad.com/user/MarkLawr...
Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. Before becoming a fulltime writer in 2015 day job was as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'.
Mark used to have a list of hobbies back when he did science by day. Now his time is really just divided between writing and caring for his disabled daughter. There are occasional forays into computer games too.
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April 12, 2024I'm giving away pretty copies on Twitter!
https://twitter.com/Mark__Lawrence/st...
I have my special editions from the Locked Library!
Look at that blue (US edition)!
Don't forget Overdue & Returns if you want more Library stories in the mean time.
"Livira had dropped into Arpix’s life unexpectedly and, like a stone hitting the surface of a pool, she had disturbed the order of things. His order. Sending ripples to his farthest shores. She had been an unwelcome intrusion, a small, dark child, awkward in clothes that seemed to have been imposed upon her wildness much as she had been imposed upon his serenity.
It hadn’t taken long for Arpix to admit that, although many had praised his intelligence and even whispered of genius, this girl from the Dust with her bruised face and cut hands was of a different order. A higher shelf. Livira hadn’t so much disdained the library’s rules as wholly failed to acknowledge their existence. She had spied, stolen, trespassed, and run wild. And, in the end, Arpix had come to the conclusion that she was the breath that he hadn’t understood was required to keep him from suffocating."
& do let people know if you enjoyed THE BOOK THAT WOULDN'T BURN - it helps a lot.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
https://twitter.com/Mark__Lawrence/st...
I have my special editions from the Locked Library!
Look at that blue (US edition)!
Don't forget Overdue & Returns if you want more Library stories in the mean time.
"Livira had dropped into Arpix’s life unexpectedly and, like a stone hitting the surface of a pool, she had disturbed the order of things. His order. Sending ripples to his farthest shores. She had been an unwelcome intrusion, a small, dark child, awkward in clothes that seemed to have been imposed upon her wildness much as she had been imposed upon his serenity.
It hadn’t taken long for Arpix to admit that, although many had praised his intelligence and even whispered of genius, this girl from the Dust with her bruised face and cut hands was of a different order. A higher shelf. Livira hadn’t so much disdained the library’s rules as wholly failed to acknowledge their existence. She had spied, stolen, trespassed, and run wild. And, in the end, Arpix had come to the conclusion that she was the breath that he hadn’t understood was required to keep him from suffocating."
& do let people know if you enjoyed THE BOOK THAT WOULDN'T BURN - it helps a lot.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
August 2, 2024
My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.
The Book That Broke the World? More like the book that broke my brain and shattered my soul.
Mark Lawrence strikes the perfect balance between intellect and heart in this second volume of his Library Trilogy, which began with last year’s highly acclaimed The Book That Wouldn’t Burn. Although The Book That Broke the World follows several major plot twists from the end of the first book, I promise to keep this review completely spoiler-free for readers who have not yet started the trilogy.
The Library Trilogy revolves around the Athenaeum, the legendary library instituted by Irad, the grandson of Cain and the great-grandson of Adam and Eve. While Adam and Eve committed the first sin by disobeying God and eating fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge, Cain took sin to the next level by murdering his brother in a fit of jealous rage. Following the family tradition, Irad argued bitterly with his own brother, Jaspeth, who believed Irad’s library to be a temple glorifying the original sin of knowledge and was determined to tear it down.
Subsequent generations have inherited this struggle between Irad and Jaspeth as an epic battle between knowledge and ignorance, a war that is happening all around us today, tearing families and societies apart. The Library has become a literal and figurative battleground over who controls access to knowledge or whether information should be passed down at all:
“An ideological war between those who believe the library should serve as a kind of universal memory. A memory we can easily access after we obliterate ourselves, which is something we appear to do on a regular basis as soon as we discover the means to do it efficiently. And, on the other side, those who believe we should start from scratch each time. Those who think that the handful of ignorant children who survive the periodic calamities should start again in a place like this. Banging the rocks together.”
In The Book That Broke the World, the Library is an endlessly large labyrinth of information containing the collective memory of humankind and other intelligent species. The Library warps space and time in ways that are only starting to become clear to the protagonists of the story.
Enter Livira, an irrepressible young woman who, like the resilient weed for which she is named, simply cannot be kept down. Despite coming from an impoverished background and suffering unspeakable tragedy as a young girl, Livira overcomes the odds to become a librarian in the bustling Crath City.
The second lead protagonist is Evar, a young man who grew up trapped in the Library, surrounded by impossibly tall towers of books, with only his four adopted siblings as companions. The Library children were raised by two android-like figures known as the Assistant and the Soldier.
While Evar and Livira’s stories pick up immediately following the shocking conclusion of the first book, The Book That Broke the World actually begins with a new point-of-view character, Celcha, who was born into slavery alongside her brother, Hellet. While excavating at the Athran dig, the slaves discover a long-lost trove of books. Echoing the Adam and Eve narrative, Hellet is punished severely for opening one of these books, since knowledge is forbidden to the slaves. Celcha and Hellet are also haunted by two ghostlike figures, who might provide a path toward salvation. Mark Lawrence takes the time for readers to establish an emotional connection with Celcha and Hellet before switching back to the characters we already know and love.
Arpix, the intensely serious librarian who tutored Livira in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, also gets point-of-view privileges in this second book of the series. His lively young apprentice always had a way of testing his patience:
“Arpix led them through the bean fields where he had spent so many months pulling strands of questing livira from the ground.”
I love how Arpix develops as a character in The Book That Broke the World, especially as his path intersects that of Evar’s siblings, who also get more page time in this second volume. Evar’s volatile sister, Clovis, is a particular highlight, developing a great deal of depth in The Book That Broke the World.
Other returning favorites include Yute, the deputy head librarian whose daughter has been lost in the Library for over a decade, and Malar, the grizzled veteran with a tough exterior, wicked sense of humor, and heart of gold. But the real scene-stealer is Wentworth, Yute’s feline of unusual size who, much to my delight, plays a supersized role in The Book That Broke the World:
“Tell us about this Wentworth. It seems a formidable weapon.”
And then there’s King Oanold, the thin-skinned monarch who values affirmation over true knowledge and will never admit defeat:
“Lost to dog soldiers? No, child, we’re going back. My throne’s secure. You’ve fallen for the big lie.”
As in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, the worldbuilding incorporates both humans and caniths, a race whom King Oanold derogatively dubs “dog soldiers.” The Book That Broke the World also features another species called ganar, a race of furry, intelligent beings whose civilization has had its own magnificent rise and collapse. Ganar are described as resembling small, furry bears; in my mind, I picture them like Ewoks from Return of the Jedi.
As always, Mark Lawrence is a master of blending fantasy and science fiction. Normally the fantasy part comes to the foreground, with a sci-fi foundation hiding just beneath the surface, e.g., as in the post-apocalyptic Broken Empire and Red Queen’s War trilogies, where remnants of lost technology are viewed as magical. Lawrence explores a heavier sci-fi focus in his more recent series, including the Impossible Times trilogy, a pure sci-fi featuring D&D-playing teens in Thatcher-era England, and the Book of the Ice trilogy, which has a strong steampunk (or icepunk) flair.
The Library Trilogy is Mark Lawrence’s most balanced effort yet between fantasy and science fiction. Although many of the sci-fi elements were already evident in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, these are brought even more to the surface in The Book That Broke the World, often to dizzying effect.
As in Limited Wish, the middle volume of his Impossible Times trilogy, there is a paradox at the center of The Book That Broke the World:
“There is a book that is also a loop. A book that has swallowed its own tale. It is a ring, a cycle, burning through the years, spreading cracks through time, fissures that reach into its past and future. And through those cracks things that have no business in the world of flesh can escape.”
Following this paradox, The Book That Broke the World seems to expand along multiple dimensions and then ingeniously fold in on itself.
The Book That Broke the World addresses philosophical questions while delivering plenty of fast-paced action. Some of the recurring antagonists are the skeer, insectoid creatures that come in both flying and running varieties. The intense level of action here reminds me of that in Grey Sister, the second volume of Lawrence’s much-loved Book of the Ancestor trilogy.
As in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, every chapter of The Book That Broke the World begins with a clever and beautifully written epigraph. Mark Lawrence demonstrates a lyrical wit that would make even the dour and disapproving Vladimir Nabokov smile:
“One fine day Truth met with Lies upon a mountainside with all of Hantalon spread beneath them: field, and town, and city stretching to the sparkle of the sea. With a disapproving frown, Truth asked of Lies how many she had slain. And true to her nature she answered with a lie. ‘More than you, brother.’ –The Basics of Deductive Logic, by I.P. Franchise”
The Book That Broke the World has plenty of Easter eggs for the seasoned Mark Lawrence fan, including many obscure references to his other work. Those of you playing “I Spy a Taproot” will also be duly rewarded in The Book That Broke the World.
This brings me to the ending. I’ve read close to two thousand books during my lifetime, and I’ve never seen an ending like this. Most novels are largely derivative, employing similar character archetypes, plot structures, narrative motifs, etc., as those written before. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that: it’s just very difficult to write something truly new. But Mark Lawrence does exactly that with The Book That Broke the World, culminating with an ending that left me intellectually and emotionally destroyed in ways I never knew possible.
Mark Lawrence has crafted a tale that is novel in the truest sense of the word. The Book That Broke the World is a triumph of imagination and a deeply thought-provoking meditation on the nature of memory, the value of knowledge, and the degree of self-determination we may or may not have in our lives.
Do we write our own stories or are they written for us? I, for one, couldn’t be happier that Mark Lawrence has written this masterpiece for us all.
The Book That Broke the World? More like the book that broke my brain and shattered my soul.
Mark Lawrence strikes the perfect balance between intellect and heart in this second volume of his Library Trilogy, which began with last year’s highly acclaimed The Book That Wouldn’t Burn. Although The Book That Broke the World follows several major plot twists from the end of the first book, I promise to keep this review completely spoiler-free for readers who have not yet started the trilogy.
The Library Trilogy revolves around the Athenaeum, the legendary library instituted by Irad, the grandson of Cain and the great-grandson of Adam and Eve. While Adam and Eve committed the first sin by disobeying God and eating fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge, Cain took sin to the next level by murdering his brother in a fit of jealous rage. Following the family tradition, Irad argued bitterly with his own brother, Jaspeth, who believed Irad’s library to be a temple glorifying the original sin of knowledge and was determined to tear it down.
Subsequent generations have inherited this struggle between Irad and Jaspeth as an epic battle between knowledge and ignorance, a war that is happening all around us today, tearing families and societies apart. The Library has become a literal and figurative battleground over who controls access to knowledge or whether information should be passed down at all:
“An ideological war between those who believe the library should serve as a kind of universal memory. A memory we can easily access after we obliterate ourselves, which is something we appear to do on a regular basis as soon as we discover the means to do it efficiently. And, on the other side, those who believe we should start from scratch each time. Those who think that the handful of ignorant children who survive the periodic calamities should start again in a place like this. Banging the rocks together.”
In The Book That Broke the World, the Library is an endlessly large labyrinth of information containing the collective memory of humankind and other intelligent species. The Library warps space and time in ways that are only starting to become clear to the protagonists of the story.
Enter Livira, an irrepressible young woman who, like the resilient weed for which she is named, simply cannot be kept down. Despite coming from an impoverished background and suffering unspeakable tragedy as a young girl, Livira overcomes the odds to become a librarian in the bustling Crath City.
The second lead protagonist is Evar, a young man who grew up trapped in the Library, surrounded by impossibly tall towers of books, with only his four adopted siblings as companions. The Library children were raised by two android-like figures known as the Assistant and the Soldier.
While Evar and Livira’s stories pick up immediately following the shocking conclusion of the first book, The Book That Broke the World actually begins with a new point-of-view character, Celcha, who was born into slavery alongside her brother, Hellet. While excavating at the Athran dig, the slaves discover a long-lost trove of books. Echoing the Adam and Eve narrative, Hellet is punished severely for opening one of these books, since knowledge is forbidden to the slaves. Celcha and Hellet are also haunted by two ghostlike figures, who might provide a path toward salvation. Mark Lawrence takes the time for readers to establish an emotional connection with Celcha and Hellet before switching back to the characters we already know and love.
Arpix, the intensely serious librarian who tutored Livira in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, also gets point-of-view privileges in this second book of the series. His lively young apprentice always had a way of testing his patience:
“Arpix led them through the bean fields where he had spent so many months pulling strands of questing livira from the ground.”
I love how Arpix develops as a character in The Book That Broke the World, especially as his path intersects that of Evar’s siblings, who also get more page time in this second volume. Evar’s volatile sister, Clovis, is a particular highlight, developing a great deal of depth in The Book That Broke the World.
Other returning favorites include Yute, the deputy head librarian whose daughter has been lost in the Library for over a decade, and Malar, the grizzled veteran with a tough exterior, wicked sense of humor, and heart of gold. But the real scene-stealer is Wentworth, Yute’s feline of unusual size who, much to my delight, plays a supersized role in The Book That Broke the World:
“Tell us about this Wentworth. It seems a formidable weapon.”
And then there’s King Oanold, the thin-skinned monarch who values affirmation over true knowledge and will never admit defeat:
“Lost to dog soldiers? No, child, we’re going back. My throne’s secure. You’ve fallen for the big lie.”
As in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, the worldbuilding incorporates both humans and caniths, a race whom King Oanold derogatively dubs “dog soldiers.” The Book That Broke the World also features another species called ganar, a race of furry, intelligent beings whose civilization has had its own magnificent rise and collapse. Ganar are described as resembling small, furry bears; in my mind, I picture them like Ewoks from Return of the Jedi.
As always, Mark Lawrence is a master of blending fantasy and science fiction. Normally the fantasy part comes to the foreground, with a sci-fi foundation hiding just beneath the surface, e.g., as in the post-apocalyptic Broken Empire and Red Queen’s War trilogies, where remnants of lost technology are viewed as magical. Lawrence explores a heavier sci-fi focus in his more recent series, including the Impossible Times trilogy, a pure sci-fi featuring D&D-playing teens in Thatcher-era England, and the Book of the Ice trilogy, which has a strong steampunk (or icepunk) flair.
The Library Trilogy is Mark Lawrence’s most balanced effort yet between fantasy and science fiction. Although many of the sci-fi elements were already evident in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, these are brought even more to the surface in The Book That Broke the World, often to dizzying effect.
As in Limited Wish, the middle volume of his Impossible Times trilogy, there is a paradox at the center of The Book That Broke the World:
“There is a book that is also a loop. A book that has swallowed its own tale. It is a ring, a cycle, burning through the years, spreading cracks through time, fissures that reach into its past and future. And through those cracks things that have no business in the world of flesh can escape.”
Following this paradox, The Book That Broke the World seems to expand along multiple dimensions and then ingeniously fold in on itself.
The Book That Broke the World addresses philosophical questions while delivering plenty of fast-paced action. Some of the recurring antagonists are the skeer, insectoid creatures that come in both flying and running varieties. The intense level of action here reminds me of that in Grey Sister, the second volume of Lawrence’s much-loved Book of the Ancestor trilogy.
As in The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, every chapter of The Book That Broke the World begins with a clever and beautifully written epigraph. Mark Lawrence demonstrates a lyrical wit that would make even the dour and disapproving Vladimir Nabokov smile:
“One fine day Truth met with Lies upon a mountainside with all of Hantalon spread beneath them: field, and town, and city stretching to the sparkle of the sea. With a disapproving frown, Truth asked of Lies how many she had slain. And true to her nature she answered with a lie. ‘More than you, brother.’ –The Basics of Deductive Logic, by I.P. Franchise”
The Book That Broke the World has plenty of Easter eggs for the seasoned Mark Lawrence fan, including many obscure references to his other work. Those of you playing “I Spy a Taproot” will also be duly rewarded in The Book That Broke the World.
This brings me to the ending. I’ve read close to two thousand books during my lifetime, and I’ve never seen an ending like this. Most novels are largely derivative, employing similar character archetypes, plot structures, narrative motifs, etc., as those written before. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that: it’s just very difficult to write something truly new. But Mark Lawrence does exactly that with The Book That Broke the World, culminating with an ending that left me intellectually and emotionally destroyed in ways I never knew possible.
Mark Lawrence has crafted a tale that is novel in the truest sense of the word. The Book That Broke the World is a triumph of imagination and a deeply thought-provoking meditation on the nature of memory, the value of knowledge, and the degree of self-determination we may or may not have in our lives.
Do we write our own stories or are they written for us? I, for one, couldn’t be happier that Mark Lawrence has written this masterpiece for us all.
April 23, 2024
Stunning, heartbreaking, and powerful. Vastly different from book one and all the better for it.
A brilliant follow-up to The Book That Wouldn't Burn, Lawrence takes a sharp turn with this sequel, providing the reader with a much narrower focus on fewer characters and plot threads while answering many questions raised throughout the series thus far. While new interesting characters and timelines eat up many chapters of the story, they are welcome and help bind together many of the open mysteries of the previous entry.
What surprised me most was how little of the story took place within the Library itself. Much world-building along different paths of the timeline helped establish structure before the final act's devastating sequence of events and revelations that twisted my brain in fun and exciting ways. It's a wonder to think that Mark writes these stories without much of a plan, and it somehow all ties together in a sensical and elevated fashion.
This trilogy is about the power of books, the history of words, the meaning of letters, and communications throughout space and time. So many themes are covered that it's almost hard to keep up, but the pages keep turning and the wonders never cease. It is a thrilling journey, and quite possibly Mark's most meaningful, most powerful work yet.
A brilliant follow-up to The Book That Wouldn't Burn, Lawrence takes a sharp turn with this sequel, providing the reader with a much narrower focus on fewer characters and plot threads while answering many questions raised throughout the series thus far. While new interesting characters and timelines eat up many chapters of the story, they are welcome and help bind together many of the open mysteries of the previous entry.
What surprised me most was how little of the story took place within the Library itself. Much world-building along different paths of the timeline helped establish structure before the final act's devastating sequence of events and revelations that twisted my brain in fun and exciting ways. It's a wonder to think that Mark writes these stories without much of a plan, and it somehow all ties together in a sensical and elevated fashion.
This trilogy is about the power of books, the history of words, the meaning of letters, and communications throughout space and time. So many themes are covered that it's almost hard to keep up, but the pages keep turning and the wonders never cease. It is a thrilling journey, and quite possibly Mark's most meaningful, most powerful work yet.
April 8, 2024
My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. After book 1 was so good, how is the sequel so bad?
Now, I've very aware that this is going to be an unpopular opinion. The main difference between book 1 and 2 is that while book 1 was very character-led, this one is more focused on exploring the ideological war of knowledge thru yanking the characters around. You can see the emphasis in other people's reviews on praising the brain-breaking worldbuilding and thematic depth. That is not going to be in this one.
I think a microcosm for why I hated this book is in our new POV character: Celcha. She is a slave (with a new fantasy race) who is put to work in the library. There is supposed to be a mystery with her but the book blatantly gives too many hints and spoils itself. No more intrigue. Can you root for her? Also no, because she doesn't do anything but react. Oh no, slavery is bad! She gets manipulated, and none of her decisions mean anything because she isn't really making any informed decisions. Celcha's plotline is consistently boring, and adds nothing to the narrative except thematic depth and worldbuilding.
I need some actual character development and compelling plot to enjoy something, and this book gave me nothing. In the end, it felt like we were in the same spot as the beginning of the book. Except I care much less about all of the characters.
This book also tried to pull off not one but two romances. Not enough really given for me to believe in them or be invested.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy to review. All opinions are my own.
Now, I've very aware that this is going to be an unpopular opinion. The main difference between book 1 and 2 is that while book 1 was very character-led, this one is more focused on exploring the ideological war of knowledge thru yanking the characters around. You can see the emphasis in other people's reviews on praising the brain-breaking worldbuilding and thematic depth. That is not going to be in this one.
I think a microcosm for why I hated this book is in our new POV character: Celcha. She is a slave (with a new fantasy race) who is put to work in the library. There is supposed to be a mystery with her but the book blatantly gives too many hints and spoils itself. No more intrigue. Can you root for her? Also no, because she doesn't do anything but react. Oh no, slavery is bad! She gets manipulated, and none of her decisions mean anything because she isn't really making any informed decisions. Celcha's plotline is consistently boring, and adds nothing to the narrative except thematic depth and worldbuilding.
I need some actual character development and compelling plot to enjoy something, and this book gave me nothing. In the end, it felt like we were in the same spot as the beginning of the book. Except I care much less about all of the characters.
This book also tried to pull off not one but two romances. Not enough really given for me to believe in them or be invested.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy to review. All opinions are my own.
June 25, 2024
It took me a more time than usual between finishing this book and writing the review, and I’m somehow still looking for the right words to do it
It doesn’t really matter, ”All of these words are noise. The only role the brain plays in these decisions is to come up with the explanation after the heart has chosen”, and my heart stands for the first words I’ve found: It was brilliant!
In the Book That Broke the World we see the world-building expand, while remaining claustrophobic in its vastness, we are introduced to new characters and sides of the conflict, we follow the characters we are already fond of, and get to unexpectedly fall in love with characters we already knew and couldn’t imagine how much they would mean to us.
This series has been the perfect mix of entertaining, thought provoking, devastating and heartwarming. I have no idea where the story is going, but it has been a hell of a ride.
Thank you Charles for buddy reading this with me!
It doesn’t really matter, ”All of these words are noise. The only role the brain plays in these decisions is to come up with the explanation after the heart has chosen”, and my heart stands for the first words I’ve found: It was brilliant!
In the Book That Broke the World we see the world-building expand, while remaining claustrophobic in its vastness, we are introduced to new characters and sides of the conflict, we follow the characters we are already fond of, and get to unexpectedly fall in love with characters we already knew and couldn’t imagine how much they would mean to us.
This series has been the perfect mix of entertaining, thought provoking, devastating and heartwarming. I have no idea where the story is going, but it has been a hell of a ride.
Thank you Charles for buddy reading this with me!
June 24, 2024
The greater tragedy of our world is not the victims of cruelty, but that so many of those victims would, given the opportunity, stand in the shoes of their oppressors and wield the same whip with equal enthusiasm.
Mark Lawrence continues his wonderful story of the Library that serves as a “universal memory”, that can be accessed easily after we “obliterate ourselves, which is something we appear to do on a regular basis as soon as we discover the means to do it efficiently." On the other side of this equation stand those who believe the library should be destroyed and that we should be forced to “start from scratch” each time we destroy our civilizations. In the middle ground are those few who believe a reasonable compromise would be saving the library but limiting its access to a selected few…The Librarians.
The wisdom to use knowledge must be earned rather than given. That takes time. Lifetimes. Millennia. Knowledge without wisdom is fire in the hands of children.
This story is told through a mixture of characters from multiple species that have access to and have had dominion over the library at some point in time.
The species all use the term Sabbers for their enemies, and the sabbers change as the point of view in the story changes. And isn’t that one of our universal truths? Hard to know who the bad guy is sometimes.
There are some who have literally spent their entire lives in a section of the library, unable to open the doors because each door can only be opened by a particular species and sometimes the next door for your species is 200 miles away, and its in a different section. And there are some who have come to the library because they had nothing left, their community was slaughtered by the sabbers.
All these inter-mingled stories. Stories full of relatable truths. Love, and belonging, hate and revenge. Those who are only interested in destroying and those only interested in preserving. All of these stories told around the framework of a library that holds all the books in all the languages of all the worlds that touch this one and the dimensions bordering this one.
Like many, I am always cautious of the “second book syndrome” of a trilogy. The first book in this trilogy, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was a masterpiece of fantasy writing and I am very happy to tell you, this book is too.
Note: along the way, Mark Lawrence gives you bits and pieces of what it like to be an author: One of the characters has written a book.
“a kind of immortality, that they would outlast her flesh and wait out the millennia on library shelves, occasionally being discovered and rediscovered by intrepid explorers. Maybe her ideas would even find another mind in which they echoed and took on weight as the reader wrapped pieces of his own soul around the pieces of hers that rested on the page”
I had the very wonderful experience of buddy reading this with Sara
Mark Lawrence continues his wonderful story of the Library that serves as a “universal memory”, that can be accessed easily after we “obliterate ourselves, which is something we appear to do on a regular basis as soon as we discover the means to do it efficiently." On the other side of this equation stand those who believe the library should be destroyed and that we should be forced to “start from scratch” each time we destroy our civilizations. In the middle ground are those few who believe a reasonable compromise would be saving the library but limiting its access to a selected few…The Librarians.
The wisdom to use knowledge must be earned rather than given. That takes time. Lifetimes. Millennia. Knowledge without wisdom is fire in the hands of children.
This story is told through a mixture of characters from multiple species that have access to and have had dominion over the library at some point in time.
The species all use the term Sabbers for their enemies, and the sabbers change as the point of view in the story changes. And isn’t that one of our universal truths? Hard to know who the bad guy is sometimes.
There are some who have literally spent their entire lives in a section of the library, unable to open the doors because each door can only be opened by a particular species and sometimes the next door for your species is 200 miles away, and its in a different section. And there are some who have come to the library because they had nothing left, their community was slaughtered by the sabbers.
All these inter-mingled stories. Stories full of relatable truths. Love, and belonging, hate and revenge. Those who are only interested in destroying and those only interested in preserving. All of these stories told around the framework of a library that holds all the books in all the languages of all the worlds that touch this one and the dimensions bordering this one.
Like many, I am always cautious of the “second book syndrome” of a trilogy. The first book in this trilogy, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was a masterpiece of fantasy writing and I am very happy to tell you, this book is too.
Note: along the way, Mark Lawrence gives you bits and pieces of what it like to be an author: One of the characters has written a book.
“a kind of immortality, that they would outlast her flesh and wait out the millennia on library shelves, occasionally being discovered and rediscovered by intrepid explorers. Maybe her ideas would even find another mind in which they echoed and took on weight as the reader wrapped pieces of his own soul around the pieces of hers that rested on the page”
I had the very wonderful experience of buddy reading this with Sara
February 28, 2024
*copy from the publisher in exchange for a review*
As long time readers know, I've always been a fan of Mark Lawrence. He's got a knack for writing a richly imagined, immersive universe. For making the stage feel like a real, lived in place. And for putting characters on it who you can feel. Who are working on their own wants and needs, not just marching through the narrative motions. A knack for stories that ask big questions, and challenge the reader to go on the journey to, if not find the answer, at least find an answer. Which brings us to The Book That Broke The World.
In part, this is a book about The Library. Not a library, but the library. It squats on its world, pulling in knowledge and focus like a gravity well. It's a monstrous thing, a collection of more knowledge than anyone can bear. Constructed over aeons, pulling in different peoples, different species, from all across its geography. The library squats within a mountain, and plumbs its depths. And while its physically imposing, its cultural weight is larger. Wars are fought for the knowledge of the library. People broken and forced out of the city. Which changes hands again, and again, and again. On a long enough timeline, the library draws everything to it, and then sets it aflame. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is open to debate. But the library itself has a warm, cosy, only slightly horrifying feel to it. As people step between different rooms, which can be feet or miles across. As they uncover secret knowledge, and terrifying defence mechanisms, those people step deeper into the space which is at once confined and limitless, chambers going ever deeper into the bedrock, each turn and each open door promising more understanding, greater knowledge. Greater power. And that's a promise which in this world carries costs. The story isn't afraid to explore those, looking at the systemic oppression enacted by those in control, at one time or another. At the efforts to make changes, gradual or otherwise, violent or otherwise. It's a text that gives us a world about which it often seems fiercely angry, a world where knowledge is available if you're willing to kill for it, where keeping people down is a survival strategy and also inevitably ends in blood and fire. From the dark tunnels of mines worked by slaves, pulling out layers of shattered civilisations, to iron shelves in the library, torn apart by murderous automatons, there's layer after layer of history, of politics of compromise of blood. This is a world in thrall to its past, unwilling or unable to walk away from it. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is one of the questions this book is asking, as it shows you the consequences of both knowledge and ignorance (and perhaps, quietly, understanding).
We get to see some of our friends from the previous book once again. Livira and Evar are back, each one looking for the other, in their own way. Something Lawrence does well is show us characters changing, not just telling us about it. So we can see Livira, marked by her actions in the previous story, trying to find a way home, find a way back to Evar, to hold tight to a connection that might slip away forever. Whether she's willing to bear the costs of doing that is uncertain. But like Evar, she finds her family in those around her, and you can feel her becoming something more by osmosis. Evar, of course, has his own family, from hardened killers to schemers and back around again, victims of ancient trauma that they struggle with every day. He's a person willing to guide and be guided, growing from a lost boy into a leader, but still holding to curiosity, to vulnerability, to a quiet hurt that draws sympathy. They're both delightful in their empathy for others and fierce love for each other, and sympathetic in their struggle against their environment, their circumstances, and their struggle against antagonists that include malevolent ghosts, automatons, and, of course, other people. But this book also gives us a breath of fresh air in Celcha, someone brought up as a slave, mining knowledge, crushed into despair that hides a lively intelligence, and a strength of feeling likely to shatter worlds. Her journey, along with her brother, is a searingly painful one with flashes of joy, of understanding and belonging - and it's also a story of suffering, of the conflict between becoming what you hate and fighting back against it. Celcha is fiery, unyielding, thoughtful, and every page she's on is better for it.
The story. Well. No spoilers. But this is Lawrence at his best. Weaving strands of narrative across different moments of time and space, across multiple books, setting up convergences, letting people make choices that move them toward fraught, occasionally bloody conclusions. There's more action here than you can shake a stick at, and a slyly leering horror, and on the other side, there's the best of people, coming together to try to make something better. And, of course, the big questions - like how much knowledge is enough, how much is too much, is there such a thing, and should we let other people decide that for us, even if they look like they know what they're doing? It's a story that wants to give the reader room to think, while pacing the story so that you have to run to keep up at the same time. This is smart, wonderfully written fantasy that asks big questions about the kind of world we want, and about ourselves. It's also bloody good fun. So as ever, I thoroughly recommend it - though you could stand to read the first book in the series beforehand. Anyway, absolutely brilliant book, go, read.
As long time readers know, I've always been a fan of Mark Lawrence. He's got a knack for writing a richly imagined, immersive universe. For making the stage feel like a real, lived in place. And for putting characters on it who you can feel. Who are working on their own wants and needs, not just marching through the narrative motions. A knack for stories that ask big questions, and challenge the reader to go on the journey to, if not find the answer, at least find an answer. Which brings us to The Book That Broke The World.
In part, this is a book about The Library. Not a library, but the library. It squats on its world, pulling in knowledge and focus like a gravity well. It's a monstrous thing, a collection of more knowledge than anyone can bear. Constructed over aeons, pulling in different peoples, different species, from all across its geography. The library squats within a mountain, and plumbs its depths. And while its physically imposing, its cultural weight is larger. Wars are fought for the knowledge of the library. People broken and forced out of the city. Which changes hands again, and again, and again. On a long enough timeline, the library draws everything to it, and then sets it aflame. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is open to debate. But the library itself has a warm, cosy, only slightly horrifying feel to it. As people step between different rooms, which can be feet or miles across. As they uncover secret knowledge, and terrifying defence mechanisms, those people step deeper into the space which is at once confined and limitless, chambers going ever deeper into the bedrock, each turn and each open door promising more understanding, greater knowledge. Greater power. And that's a promise which in this world carries costs. The story isn't afraid to explore those, looking at the systemic oppression enacted by those in control, at one time or another. At the efforts to make changes, gradual or otherwise, violent or otherwise. It's a text that gives us a world about which it often seems fiercely angry, a world where knowledge is available if you're willing to kill for it, where keeping people down is a survival strategy and also inevitably ends in blood and fire. From the dark tunnels of mines worked by slaves, pulling out layers of shattered civilisations, to iron shelves in the library, torn apart by murderous automatons, there's layer after layer of history, of politics of compromise of blood. This is a world in thrall to its past, unwilling or unable to walk away from it. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is one of the questions this book is asking, as it shows you the consequences of both knowledge and ignorance (and perhaps, quietly, understanding).
We get to see some of our friends from the previous book once again. Livira and Evar are back, each one looking for the other, in their own way. Something Lawrence does well is show us characters changing, not just telling us about it. So we can see Livira, marked by her actions in the previous story, trying to find a way home, find a way back to Evar, to hold tight to a connection that might slip away forever. Whether she's willing to bear the costs of doing that is uncertain. But like Evar, she finds her family in those around her, and you can feel her becoming something more by osmosis. Evar, of course, has his own family, from hardened killers to schemers and back around again, victims of ancient trauma that they struggle with every day. He's a person willing to guide and be guided, growing from a lost boy into a leader, but still holding to curiosity, to vulnerability, to a quiet hurt that draws sympathy. They're both delightful in their empathy for others and fierce love for each other, and sympathetic in their struggle against their environment, their circumstances, and their struggle against antagonists that include malevolent ghosts, automatons, and, of course, other people. But this book also gives us a breath of fresh air in Celcha, someone brought up as a slave, mining knowledge, crushed into despair that hides a lively intelligence, and a strength of feeling likely to shatter worlds. Her journey, along with her brother, is a searingly painful one with flashes of joy, of understanding and belonging - and it's also a story of suffering, of the conflict between becoming what you hate and fighting back against it. Celcha is fiery, unyielding, thoughtful, and every page she's on is better for it.
The story. Well. No spoilers. But this is Lawrence at his best. Weaving strands of narrative across different moments of time and space, across multiple books, setting up convergences, letting people make choices that move them toward fraught, occasionally bloody conclusions. There's more action here than you can shake a stick at, and a slyly leering horror, and on the other side, there's the best of people, coming together to try to make something better. And, of course, the big questions - like how much knowledge is enough, how much is too much, is there such a thing, and should we let other people decide that for us, even if they look like they know what they're doing? It's a story that wants to give the reader room to think, while pacing the story so that you have to run to keep up at the same time. This is smart, wonderfully written fantasy that asks big questions about the kind of world we want, and about ourselves. It's also bloody good fun. So as ever, I thoroughly recommend it - though you could stand to read the first book in the series beforehand. Anyway, absolutely brilliant book, go, read.
May 6, 2024
"The library puts knowledge in your hands and it's up to you to understand it, judge it, use it. It gives you opportunity and leaves you to take it or ignore it."
Superb this second volume too! I just love the story, an allegory on how books take you to so many worlds in space and back and forth along the timeline, allowing you to live so many lives, fall in love, and witness history being created under your own eyes.
It's the kind of book which you don't want to ever end, and even if I would be scared to death in some of the circumstances, I truly, madly, deeply want to be a part of it! As a ghost will be just fine...
The war continues, the library still holds innumerable mysteries, some secrets are revealed, however the closure still awaits us in the final volume which can't come soon enough.
Just read it!
Superb this second volume too! I just love the story, an allegory on how books take you to so many worlds in space and back and forth along the timeline, allowing you to live so many lives, fall in love, and witness history being created under your own eyes.
It's the kind of book which you don't want to ever end, and even if I would be scared to death in some of the circumstances, I truly, madly, deeply want to be a part of it! As a ghost will be just fine...
The war continues, the library still holds innumerable mysteries, some secrets are revealed, however the closure still awaits us in the final volume which can't come soon enough.
Just read it!
March 30, 2024
This book goes way beyond jumping between different timelines or placing stories within stories. It’s an intricate, cleverly knotted ribbon of both of those features tied through many interlocking loops to present the riveting adventure this tale is.
While I loved getting to know Evar and Livira even more and watching their feelings for each other grow in the midst of all the action and excitement, quite a few side characters also shone brightly for me here. Right at the start, we are introduced to Celcha and Hellet, whose heart-wrenching story hooks the reader clean off straight away, as the author delves into yet another dark theme: slavery.
On a lighter note, two of my favourite side characters get tangled up in an unexpected romance, eventually forming my favourite fantasy couple ever and we also get to see a lot more of Wentworth, the charismatic yet mysterious hero of the books.
This second book continues to explore questions of knowledge, information, fact, truth, and the understanding and application of those, making the story sharply relevant to our times. The prose is sparklingly beautiful and profound, as always, the author flexing his poetic muscles whenever the high-powered plot allows a breather. Despite its chunky size, this tome will leave you craving for more.
While I loved getting to know Evar and Livira even more and watching their feelings for each other grow in the midst of all the action and excitement, quite a few side characters also shone brightly for me here. Right at the start, we are introduced to Celcha and Hellet, whose heart-wrenching story hooks the reader clean off straight away, as the author delves into yet another dark theme: slavery.
On a lighter note, two of my favourite side characters get tangled up in an unexpected romance, eventually forming my favourite fantasy couple ever and we also get to see a lot more of Wentworth, the charismatic yet mysterious hero of the books.
This second book continues to explore questions of knowledge, information, fact, truth, and the understanding and application of those, making the story sharply relevant to our times. The prose is sparklingly beautiful and profound, as always, the author flexing his poetic muscles whenever the high-powered plot allows a breather. Despite its chunky size, this tome will leave you craving for more.
June 19, 2024
Everything is about this book is brilliant
I love the mixture of fantasy, science fiction, and philosophy that Mark Lawrence brings to his books. This series leaves me wanting more and I try to read slower to savor the story.
I love the mixture of fantasy, science fiction, and philosophy that Mark Lawrence brings to his books. This series leaves me wanting more and I try to read slower to savor the story.
April 18, 2024
2.5 stars rounding up to 3 because I think the book itself isn't bad, I personally just didn't enjoy the direction it took and the overall narrative.
My dislike is 2 fold. Firstly this book focuses on the overall theme/ideological conflict of the story and that theme/conflict is just not very nuanced nor complex and I feel like we got a a decent amount of fleshing it out in the in the first book. I'm fine with continuing to flesh it out a bit more, but this book really focused on it and I felt like everything else suffered more in this book because of it; world building, characterization, narrative, etc. By the time the ending rolled around I feel like it was just beating a dead horse. The overall conflict that is driving the theme home also just feels forced. Several characters tell other characters they need to pick a side and I'm not feeling the flash point or urgency of why any of it needs to actually happen other than that the narrative and theme dictates so.
My second issue was just a lot of the author choices and directions that took place. I wasn't a fan of bringing the nobles back and being the 2nd antagonistic driving force in the conflict, they just feel like a lame distraction of everything else that's going on. I know it's another loop/cycle that ties up some threads from the first book, but it just doesn't feel like a satisfying closing of the loop. Secondly another main driving conflict point was the miscommunication trope which I just absolutely detest. Especially because the character who is deceived in this one ends up being this savant of the exchange and has centuries to reflect and hone her craft, but still plods along and completely falls into a simple trap hook, line, and sinker. You can't be that gullible/stupid if you want them to also be this sage like savant. It makes the trope even more irritating to me. Lastly the book ends up a stupid cliffhanger where all lame ass nobles are still toiling around and seem set up to still be driving stuff in the third book and then all of our main characters were forced to pick a side and everyone just half heartedly does so because they're being told they need to. It just doesn't feel like a whole lot of progression or narrative momentum actually happened in this book.
I still like really like the base ideas and concepts that are in the series. I think this book introduced some more cool worldbuilding, which is this series greatest strength. I like the characters well enough too. I just don't know that I like where this is going. I'm hoping the last book can pull me back in and narratively "pull off" the ending, but I'm not sure how confident I am in that at this point.
My dislike is 2 fold. Firstly this book focuses on the overall theme/ideological conflict of the story and that theme/conflict is just not very nuanced nor complex and I feel like we got a a decent amount of fleshing it out in the in the first book. I'm fine with continuing to flesh it out a bit more, but this book really focused on it and I felt like everything else suffered more in this book because of it; world building, characterization, narrative, etc. By the time the ending rolled around I feel like it was just beating a dead horse. The overall conflict that is driving the theme home also just feels forced. Several characters tell other characters they need to pick a side and I'm not feeling the flash point or urgency of why any of it needs to actually happen other than that the narrative and theme dictates so.
My second issue was just a lot of the author choices and directions that took place. I wasn't a fan of bringing the nobles back and being the 2nd antagonistic driving force in the conflict, they just feel like a lame distraction of everything else that's going on. I know it's another loop/cycle that ties up some threads from the first book, but it just doesn't feel like a satisfying closing of the loop. Secondly another main driving conflict point was the miscommunication trope which I just absolutely detest. Especially because the character who is deceived in this one ends up being this savant of the exchange and has centuries to reflect and hone her craft, but still plods along and completely falls into a simple trap hook, line, and sinker. You can't be that gullible/stupid if you want them to also be this sage like savant. It makes the trope even more irritating to me. Lastly the book ends up a stupid cliffhanger where all lame ass nobles are still toiling around and seem set up to still be driving stuff in the third book and then all of our main characters were forced to pick a side and everyone just half heartedly does so because they're being told they need to. It just doesn't feel like a whole lot of progression or narrative momentum actually happened in this book.
I still like really like the base ideas and concepts that are in the series. I think this book introduced some more cool worldbuilding, which is this series greatest strength. I like the characters well enough too. I just don't know that I like where this is going. I'm hoping the last book can pull me back in and narratively "pull off" the ending, but I'm not sure how confident I am in that at this point.
August 13, 2023
April. you. come. faster PLS
April 29, 2024
Another book from Mark Lawrence that grabs you from the beginning; pulls you right back into The Library and its amazing characters; to fill your mind with its mysteries, puzzles and possible solutions to their problems… and maybe even thoughts on ours. I loved this second book every bit as much as the first!
April 10, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the early copy. Below is my honest review.
Mark Lawrence is the master of plotting trilogies, and this middle book in his latest trilogy, The Library Trilogy, is no exception.
The last one ended with everyone scattered in the wind. This one documents them finding their way back together, but all the perils and pitfalls along the way.
I can't spoil anything for this one, but I will say - the twists and turns were wild, and I loved it. I can't wait for the final book, and I really hope we get more stories set in the world of the Library afterwards.
Highly recommended, but please read The Book That Wouldn't Burn first.
Mark Lawrence is the master of plotting trilogies, and this middle book in his latest trilogy, The Library Trilogy, is no exception.
The last one ended with everyone scattered in the wind. This one documents them finding their way back together, but all the perils and pitfalls along the way.
I can't spoil anything for this one, but I will say - the twists and turns were wild, and I loved it. I can't wait for the final book, and I really hope we get more stories set in the world of the Library afterwards.
Highly recommended, but please read The Book That Wouldn't Burn first.
June 14, 2024
Lawrence's Library Trilogy is a slow-burn mind f*@#. Every Lawrence book I have read has discussed the concept of 'time' in a unique way and this one is no different. What stands out more for me than perhaps most of the prior novels that Lawrence has written is that the cast of characters are much more appealing even if alien to us. He has always excelled at creating complicated characters - characters who operate in the 'grey' rather than black/white. He kicks up that element to an 11 in this series as we can sympathize and understand why certain characters take certain actions even when we are screaming at the page for them to stop. We find ourselves rooting for one side knowing that it is at the expense of another side that is equally deserving of our support. And that is what lay at the heart of this series - how do we navigate in a world where we have a near infinite amount of choice, that all boils down to a few decisions that are neither bad nor good.
My words cannot do these books justice. They are not only a pleasure to read, from the standpoint of appreciating the artistic value of their worth, but are just as equally entertaining and stimulating. If I can impart one thing to those who are thinking about continuing this series it is a point I made in my last review of book one: read the preludes to each chapter. Some of Lawrence's finest writing is contained before a chapter starts in a quote from a book contained in the Library. Even if I did not find the writing impeccable, authors are not known for putting in content that has no meaning - if it is there, read it, and I encourage you to discover why he decided to put it where he did.
My only regret is that I will need to wait some six months to a year to finish this wonderful series. I will reiterate that I sometimes marvel and struggle to believe that the same person who wrote The Prince of Thorns (at the time, among one of the grittiest books that I actually enjoyed) authored this wonder.
My words cannot do these books justice. They are not only a pleasure to read, from the standpoint of appreciating the artistic value of their worth, but are just as equally entertaining and stimulating. If I can impart one thing to those who are thinking about continuing this series it is a point I made in my last review of book one: read the preludes to each chapter. Some of Lawrence's finest writing is contained before a chapter starts in a quote from a book contained in the Library. Even if I did not find the writing impeccable, authors are not known for putting in content that has no meaning - if it is there, read it, and I encourage you to discover why he decided to put it where he did.
My only regret is that I will need to wait some six months to a year to finish this wonderful series. I will reiterate that I sometimes marvel and struggle to believe that the same person who wrote The Prince of Thorns (at the time, among one of the grittiest books that I actually enjoyed) authored this wonder.
August 2, 2024
always brilliant
June 29, 2024
This book quite possibly is better than the first! ♥️. And most IMPORTANTLY ... I LOVED "The Story so Far" that was a recap of The Book that Wouldn't Burn!! Why don't all authors do this for books in a series!!!!?? Thank you Mark Lawrence for realizing people read books! MOre than one a year! and don't always remember plot details from each book of a series!!
June 6, 2024
3.5
I am a Mark Lawrence fan. This is the 9th book of his I have read, and I expected to love it as much as the first book in the Library Trilogy. Sadly, that was not the case. That's not to say this is a bad book, not at all. I just found it disappointing. I think there's too much going on. We follow 4 different story threads -- one of which is completely new-- and although they do eventually converge, I found myself struggling to keep them straight. This is particularly true since an element of time travel is present in this series, and I wasn't always sure WHEN something was occurring. There are moments of wonderment and beauty in this book, but too much of it felt tedious. And I wish he provided more lore about the library, instead of dangling it like a carrot.
As I said, I am a Lawrence fan. I intend to read the third book in this trilogy, and I have faith that he will stick the landing. He always has so far.
I am a Mark Lawrence fan. This is the 9th book of his I have read, and I expected to love it as much as the first book in the Library Trilogy. Sadly, that was not the case. That's not to say this is a bad book, not at all. I just found it disappointing. I think there's too much going on. We follow 4 different story threads -- one of which is completely new-- and although they do eventually converge, I found myself struggling to keep them straight. This is particularly true since an element of time travel is present in this series, and I wasn't always sure WHEN something was occurring. There are moments of wonderment and beauty in this book, but too much of it felt tedious. And I wish he provided more lore about the library, instead of dangling it like a carrot.
As I said, I am a Lawrence fan. I intend to read the third book in this trilogy, and I have faith that he will stick the landing. He always has so far.
June 9, 2024
These books are just strange in all the good sense of the word. I found myself intrigued and horrified at times throughout the wandering stacks of this magic library. I also think Lawrence's phony quotes at the top of each chapter might be my favorite element of the book. As an archivist by training I struggle with Jaspeth's ancient version of "right to be forgotten" but the warnings of knowledge being a dangerous gift are strong in this story. Really neat series.
April 10, 2024
I've had my heart ripped out and put back so many times in this book. This is continuing to be one of my favorite series, and I am going to die waiting for the third book to come out. This was as cleverly done as the first book, but it definitely moved along at a quicker pace. Despite being shorter than the first book, I feel like so much more happened in this book as well. And of course, another cliffhanger ending! 😮💨
March 31, 2024
Mark Lawrence's Library Trilogy, (books 1 and 2 -The Book That Wouldn't Burn and The Book That Broke The World), is a contemplative fantasy series about a library and the nature of knowledge. It reminds me of Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series in that I wanted to read it slowly and take time to sit in the story so I could begin to see the layers buried under the words and understand what they wanted to say to me.
While I haven't fully unraveled all the intricate layers, allusions, and connections, I can sense their presence, which only fuels my eagerness to uncover the truths they hold. I know that the conclusion (book 3) will bring even more revelations, and I can't wait to read it.
Lawrence's world-building is exceptionally thoughtful and intelligently drawn. Every element is essential to the story and understanding what's not being directly said. His world within the world and timelines make quantum physics seem as easy as addition and subtraction. It can be challenging to grasp occasionally, but I felt more secure with my understanding as long as I stuck with it.
What sets Lawrence's character development apart is the relatability of each character, no matter their contribution to the story. Their layers are built from unique life experiences, making them all the more intriguing. Livira, the main character, is a force to be reckoned with, refusing to conform to others' expectations. She's a personal favorite, but many others, like Evar, his sister Clovis, and more, are equally captivating and relatable.
Thank you to Berkley Publishers for providing me with a free copy of The Book that Broke the World! I can’t wait for the final installment.
While I haven't fully unraveled all the intricate layers, allusions, and connections, I can sense their presence, which only fuels my eagerness to uncover the truths they hold. I know that the conclusion (book 3) will bring even more revelations, and I can't wait to read it.
Lawrence's world-building is exceptionally thoughtful and intelligently drawn. Every element is essential to the story and understanding what's not being directly said. His world within the world and timelines make quantum physics seem as easy as addition and subtraction. It can be challenging to grasp occasionally, but I felt more secure with my understanding as long as I stuck with it.
What sets Lawrence's character development apart is the relatability of each character, no matter their contribution to the story. Their layers are built from unique life experiences, making them all the more intriguing. Livira, the main character, is a force to be reckoned with, refusing to conform to others' expectations. She's a personal favorite, but many others, like Evar, his sister Clovis, and more, are equally captivating and relatable.
Thank you to Berkley Publishers for providing me with a free copy of The Book that Broke the World! I can’t wait for the final installment.
June 30, 2024
The Book That Broke the World is the second in Lawrence's Library trilogy, continuing the story of Livira and Evar. We are reunited with many old faces, some of whom take more centre stage now with point of view chapters, such as Arpix. We are also introduced to some new characters, the most important of them being siblings, Hellet and Celcha, whose story slowly intertwines with the other strands.
I loved the first book of the series and had been very much anticipating its follow up, however, I am afraid to say that personally I was rather disappointed with this second offering.
It got off to a promising start as we are introduced to Celcha and Hellet, two Ganar, who have lived their lives as slaves on an excavation site, but suddenly find themselves being brought to work for the Library. Whilst I never connected to either Hellet or Celcha as much as I did Livira and Evar, finding both a bit dislikable to be honest, I will say that ultimately I thought their story was probably the strongest aspect of this second book, even if I didn't think it was perfectly executed.
Livira herself, who was the heart and soul of the first book, has far less to do here, and I think the book suffers for that. Whilst Evar has a far more prominent role throughout the book, and probably remains one of the most likable characters, I didn't really get much character development for him.
Indeed for me personally, too much of this book was repetitive action sequences and chase scenes that seemed to be just there for the sake of it. We barely get much time of Livira and Evar together, and whilst Lawrence does have a new Canith/human relationship that he sets up here, it felt rather forced, even if it did provide some humour.
The cast overall is too vast, such that I loose sight of Livira's various friends. Also whilst the first book had time-travel elements, here it just got far too confusing and the plot just felt convoluted. In all honesty a lot of this book felt like filler, with needless side quests that didn't really add anything to the story or further the characters' development.
The war between the Library's founder and his brother, remains an interesting aspect, and in indeed the wider ideology behind this remains an intriguing point of debate, in terms of the danger posed by knowledge that is not earned, and I liked how we see this occur first hand with Hellet. However, I will say that these ideas had already been firmly established in the first book, and that Lawrence perhaps rather hammers home the themes he is exploring a little too hard.
Perhaps Lawrence will turn it around in the final book of the series, though whether I will read it or not I'm uncertain. His world-building remains impressive, but it was the story itself and poor character development that let this instalment down for me personally. 2.5 stars
I loved the first book of the series and had been very much anticipating its follow up, however, I am afraid to say that personally I was rather disappointed with this second offering.
It got off to a promising start as we are introduced to Celcha and Hellet, two Ganar, who have lived their lives as slaves on an excavation site, but suddenly find themselves being brought to work for the Library. Whilst I never connected to either Hellet or Celcha as much as I did Livira and Evar, finding both a bit dislikable to be honest, I will say that ultimately I thought their story was probably the strongest aspect of this second book, even if I didn't think it was perfectly executed.
Livira herself, who was the heart and soul of the first book, has far less to do here, and I think the book suffers for that. Whilst Evar has a far more prominent role throughout the book, and probably remains one of the most likable characters, I didn't really get much character development for him.
Indeed for me personally, too much of this book was repetitive action sequences and chase scenes that seemed to be just there for the sake of it. We barely get much time of Livira and Evar together, and whilst Lawrence does have a new Canith/human relationship that he sets up here, it felt rather forced, even if it did provide some humour.
The cast overall is too vast, such that I loose sight of Livira's various friends. Also whilst the first book had time-travel elements, here it just got far too confusing and the plot just felt convoluted. In all honesty a lot of this book felt like filler, with needless side quests that didn't really add anything to the story or further the characters' development.
The war between the Library's founder and his brother, remains an interesting aspect, and in indeed the wider ideology behind this remains an intriguing point of debate, in terms of the danger posed by knowledge that is not earned, and I liked how we see this occur first hand with Hellet. However, I will say that these ideas had already been firmly established in the first book, and that Lawrence perhaps rather hammers home the themes he is exploring a little too hard.
Perhaps Lawrence will turn it around in the final book of the series, though whether I will read it or not I'm uncertain. His world-building remains impressive, but it was the story itself and poor character development that let this instalment down for me personally. 2.5 stars
April 30, 2024
It pains me on multiple levels to say that I kind of hated this book.
I am very fond of Mark Lawrence because he is very concerned and caring for the indie author scene and in general seems like a likeable dude. Also, I spent so long trying to get ahold of this book, but no bookstore in my vicinity seemed to get it.
Also, while I didn't love the first book while reading it (as evident by my review of it), I grew fonder of it in retrospective.
You might imagine my disappointment when this book did nothing for me. Even worse, it flat out annoyed me. I found myself confused at most of the storylines, because chapters did not seem to connect to one another, events happened without me really noticing them and a plethora of characters cluttered the story. Also, characters suddenly healing even while a chapter beforehand it was stated that they were not liekly to heal and reasons were presented why and then just thrown out the window the next chapter.
All of this let this story feel like it was longer than a stormlight book when it only had a very slim 370 pages.
Whereas Lawrence, in the last book, found so many profound strings of words to convey his ideas to the reader, in this sequel such occurences are very rare, if they ever happen at all. I marked so many passages in the book that wouldn't burn, and only a handful here. In fact, the writing her was somehow obtuse in a way I found my attention constantly dripping away from the pages.
By the end of the book, I just wanted it to be over and to read something else. In fact, I would've dnf'ed it if it was not that I had spent actual money on a physical copy.
The last third of this book has one good scene and that's about it.
On top of all of that stands the decision to tell this very incoherent stories by yanking characters around and telling no real story but rather just a whole lot of nothing to reveal... I don't know? Honestly, I felt stupid while reading because I just could not get what this was getting at. I mean, I could not tell you what the ganar were even in here for. They serve no purpose, none that I can make out, at least.
So, overall, sadly one of the most frustrating reads I had in a while.
I am very fond of Mark Lawrence because he is very concerned and caring for the indie author scene and in general seems like a likeable dude. Also, I spent so long trying to get ahold of this book, but no bookstore in my vicinity seemed to get it.
Also, while I didn't love the first book while reading it (as evident by my review of it), I grew fonder of it in retrospective.
You might imagine my disappointment when this book did nothing for me. Even worse, it flat out annoyed me. I found myself confused at most of the storylines, because chapters did not seem to connect to one another, events happened without me really noticing them and a plethora of characters cluttered the story. Also, characters suddenly healing even while a chapter beforehand it was stated that they were not liekly to heal and reasons were presented why and then just thrown out the window the next chapter.
All of this let this story feel like it was longer than a stormlight book when it only had a very slim 370 pages.
Whereas Lawrence, in the last book, found so many profound strings of words to convey his ideas to the reader, in this sequel such occurences are very rare, if they ever happen at all. I marked so many passages in the book that wouldn't burn, and only a handful here. In fact, the writing her was somehow obtuse in a way I found my attention constantly dripping away from the pages.
By the end of the book, I just wanted it to be over and to read something else. In fact, I would've dnf'ed it if it was not that I had spent actual money on a physical copy.
The last third of this book has one good scene and that's about it.
On top of all of that stands the decision to tell this very incoherent stories by yanking characters around and telling no real story but rather just a whole lot of nothing to reveal... I don't know? Honestly, I felt stupid while reading because I just could not get what this was getting at. I mean, I could not tell you what the ganar were even in here for. They serve no purpose, none that I can make out, at least.
So, overall, sadly one of the most frustrating reads I had in a while.
April 25, 2024
There’s so much I could say on the mixed feelings I have for The Book That Broke the World, but I’m honestly not up to writing it all down and figuring out every reason why.
But I guess I’ll just leave it to one simple conclusion. 282 of the 364 pages of this book honestly take you no further into this story than where The Book That Wouldn’t Burn left you. They definitely contribute to a good ending of the book, but it’s effectively a side quest. A side quest with totally new characters and lots of chase scenes, which are by far my least favorite kind of action scene. Whatever kinds of tension Mark tried to make me feel here weren’t very effective. We went from an engrossingly intriguing theme heavy narrative in book one, to an overloaded plot heavy first 80% of book two and I never fully regained my investment.
There was one moment around the 60-70% mark that was very dark and devastating and kind of serves as a partial conclusion to the new characters’ arc, and I liked that part a lot. The beginning and setup of the book was good too. I’m just not the biggest fan of how much mark was trying to do with the plot and how repetitive the action started to feel for me.
Also, reader be aware: Mark is still info dumping like he started to do in the second half of TBTWB. I’m not a huge fan of narrator to reader to begin with but the multiple paragraph info dumps were numerous, here. And the characters philosophical musings got kinda boring and long winded too.
I do give praise to the themes and they ring very true for me. All throughout reading these first two books I kept yelling at the characters that they didn’t have ENOUGH knowledge. And unfortunately, I think the ending over-forecasts where Mark is going with the final lessons as well as the conclusion of the trilogy, therefore, I don’t particularly feel compelled to read the final volume. But I might anyway. I will see how I feel in a year.
But I guess I’ll just leave it to one simple conclusion. 282 of the 364 pages of this book honestly take you no further into this story than where The Book That Wouldn’t Burn left you. They definitely contribute to a good ending of the book, but it’s effectively a side quest. A side quest with totally new characters and lots of chase scenes, which are by far my least favorite kind of action scene. Whatever kinds of tension Mark tried to make me feel here weren’t very effective. We went from an engrossingly intriguing theme heavy narrative in book one, to an overloaded plot heavy first 80% of book two and I never fully regained my investment.
There was one moment around the 60-70% mark that was very dark and devastating and kind of serves as a partial conclusion to the new characters’ arc, and I liked that part a lot. The beginning and setup of the book was good too. I’m just not the biggest fan of how much mark was trying to do with the plot and how repetitive the action started to feel for me.
Also, reader be aware: Mark is still info dumping like he started to do in the second half of TBTWB. I’m not a huge fan of narrator to reader to begin with but the multiple paragraph info dumps were numerous, here. And the characters philosophical musings got kinda boring and long winded too.
I do give praise to the themes and they ring very true for me. All throughout reading these first two books I kept yelling at the characters that they didn’t have ENOUGH knowledge. And unfortunately, I think the ending over-forecasts where Mark is going with the final lessons as well as the conclusion of the trilogy, therefore, I don’t particularly feel compelled to read the final volume. But I might anyway. I will see how I feel in a year.
April 14, 2024
A labyrinthine story of the highest quality.
Mark Lawrence weaves many threads through multiple POVs, creating one of his most imaginative and complex plots yet.
A genre-defying work of genius.
Mark Lawrence weaves many threads through multiple POVs, creating one of his most imaginative and complex plots yet.
A genre-defying work of genius.
April 27, 2024
4.5/5
Mark Lawrence is an excellent, quotable writer. In The Book That Broke The World he ups the stakes and delivers a fast-paced and surprising sequel. The story shifts between four POV characters (including two new) and different points in time.
It’s also darker than the first book in the series, shockingly so in places. Livira and Malar aren’t happy with their new circumstances. Rather unpleasant insectoids and a mechanical monster try to kill Evar and his siblings. New POV characters can’t can't complain about boredom either.
In short, it’s well-written, engaging, and wildly imaginative.
Mark Lawrence is an excellent, quotable writer. In The Book That Broke The World he ups the stakes and delivers a fast-paced and surprising sequel. The story shifts between four POV characters (including two new) and different points in time.
It’s also darker than the first book in the series, shockingly so in places. Livira and Malar aren’t happy with their new circumstances. Rather unpleasant insectoids and a mechanical monster try to kill Evar and his siblings. New POV characters can’t can't complain about boredom either.
In short, it’s well-written, engaging, and wildly imaginative.
July 11, 2024
4.5⭐
A really satisfying sequel with new mysteries and twists. It certainly also made me think again. There were many quotable thoughts.
The second book added more POVs, and I loved them all. There are stories of vengeance and of love, of despair and of hope. The book managed both to make me laugh and to make me cry.
My only gripe was that after it successfully leads the reader with hints to pretty much uncover all the mysteries, it still goes on and explains everything in a way that I found somewhat annoying. Maybe it's because it ruined for me a bit the sense that I put things together by myself, but also because it just gets explained so suddenly and plainly without letting any uncertainty linger. But it was a minor issue and I get that it's a choice of not writing the kind of book that might leave some readers confused and without answers.
Things are all set for the conclusion and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
A really satisfying sequel with new mysteries and twists. It certainly also made me think again. There were many quotable thoughts.
The second book added more POVs, and I loved them all. There are stories of vengeance and of love, of despair and of hope. The book managed both to make me laugh and to make me cry.
My only gripe was that after it successfully leads the reader with hints to pretty much uncover all the mysteries, it still goes on and explains everything in a way that I found somewhat annoying. Maybe it's because it ruined for me a bit the sense that I put things together by myself, but also because it just gets explained so suddenly and plainly without letting any uncertainty linger. But it was a minor issue and I get that it's a choice of not writing the kind of book that might leave some readers confused and without answers.
Things are all set for the conclusion and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
May 14, 2024
My brain is still catching up. And though it may be hurting right now, it’s a good hurt. 🤣 Sometimes when you have different times and places involved in a story it can leave you feeling less than intelligent, but in this case, some connections are made in the second book allowing to you wrap your mind around the rest of it. Don’t get me wrong, I still have questions and feel the need to start over and create my own timeline of events. BUT I love that this feels like a puzzle I need to figure out. However, that means I need the third book now. I’m looking at you, Mark Lawrence. It’s a matter of life and death (well, more so for the characters than me, and I may be overreacting here, but, I need it).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 30, 2024
It’s very rare that I would write a review of any kind. Perhaps I’d leave a rating here and there, but every once in a while, these brilliant minds of authors give us something that is complete and utter genius.
This series, in my opinion, and it is my opinion that I’m talking about here, never mind what you lot think, is genius and it's not even finished yet. It left me in suspense, shock, and grief. It also gave me confusion in the form of Mayland whose lack of presence was not lacking at all.
Brilliant! can't wait for book 3.
This series, in my opinion, and it is my opinion that I’m talking about here, never mind what you lot think, is genius and it's not even finished yet. It left me in suspense, shock, and grief. It also gave me confusion in the form of Mayland whose lack of presence was not lacking at all.
Brilliant! can't wait for book 3.
May 13, 2024
Mark Lawrence does not miss. Another amazing book. Everything you want in a book is present. Engaging story, compelling characters, a vibrant world, beautiful prose and much more!
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