After some dull in-between during the trip to China and through Africa, we're finally back to the action-packed adventures of Temeraire and Laurence! After some dull in-between during the trip to China and through Africa, we're finally back to the action-packed adventures of Temeraire and Laurence! No book learning or customs-learning, simply some good old-fashioned fighting for rights other than those of rich white men.
After surrendering to Britain to atone for the treasonous act of trying to save every dragon in the world from a near-incurable plague, Laurence is held prisoner on his old ship the Goliath while Temeraire is relegated to the breeding grounds. Napoleon's sudden invasion of the British Isles turns their situation topsy-turvy as Temeraire breaks out of the grounds with his own little dragon army and Laurence trying to come to terms with his new status as a traitor. They needed this time apart to grow and learn some things about their past actions and unique situation, so that when they come together to give Napoleon and Lien a run for their money, they're doing so for the right reasons and the appropriate manners.
Today, I learned that [crazy] King George III was the British King during the Napoleonic Wars...are we going to see a hint of the Napoleonic Wars in Bridgerton?! That's an aside.
Back to His Majesty's Dragon, the well-mannered beastie with the freaky, the clever and charismatic and also completely naïve Temeraire! I'm quite proud of him for starting his own little army of dragons at the breeding grounds; it's a role well-suited for him, and if anyone can talk to dragons to want things more for themselves and to be maybe just a bit more loyal to the barbaric British treatment of dragons, it's Temeraire. He's finally realized that all the changes he wants to have and make are useless if he can't get a bigger target audience to appreciate the difference some effort and arrangement can be. And along with this self-promotion and forced military promotion and contribution to the war effort as an individual, comes Temeraire's growing understanding of the consequences of his actions; (view spoiler)[as a superior officer, he is now responsible for every dragon and action under his command, so he is at fault for things that go wrong and their behavior. And as an accomplice or even the persuader of Laurence to deliver the cure, he's stained his captain and crew's reputation. Some like him enough to want to return to him, but others refuse to be acknowledged or associated with him, like former mid-wingman Martin. And of course, the impact on Laurence. (hide spoiler)] Temeraire's evolved now to be a more mature partner and even counterpart to Laurence, along with his growing self-awareness about his decisions and actions.
Laurence, the honorable fool, has expended more thought and reflective introspection after committing treason; his crew disbanded and re-assigned, and one even removed from service (view spoiler)[it's sweet Lieutenant Ferris, whom I hope will be requisitioned back into service somehow. It is definitely unjust and also a weird choice for the Admiralty to decide to let go; though, I guess they had to fire somebody and somehow Ferris was the choice? I don't want him to have to be back with his really awkward and awful family, I hope he shows back up again in the series. (hide spoiler)]. He can blame himself all he wants for treason and Temeraire's behavior and doing the right thing, but he still can't make peace with himself despite knowing that he was trying to do good. Bless Jane Roland and Tharkey for (view spoiler)[knocking some proper sense into him. Jane Roland telling him he could have been so much subtler by leaking the information to a French spy, instead of writing her an apologetic love letter to be dissected and read by the Admiralty as part of the court-martialing, also humiliating Jane Roland who already has to fight for a sensible woman's voice as an aviator in front of these military blockheads. Tharkey for being the voice of reason that he can't consent to being a part of the "no quarter" guerilla-fighting-style banded attacks against French scouts that could perpetuate a rumor or stereotype that Chinamen or even half-breed Chinamen are savages; and for being the one to voice what everyone else in the company was uncomfortable questioning: if these orders and decisions made out-of-character by Laurence was really the right way to be doing things? (hide spoiler)] And most heartwrenchingly is the events with Laurence's past coming back: Woolvey, his former love rival (view spoiler)[dying in his arms while trying to break Granby out. How is Laurence going to tell his childhood friend and former almost-fiancée and Woolvey's actual wife Edith? (hide spoiler)], and his home Wollington Hall (view spoiler)[not being pillaged when every other large country estate was being pillaged, as a gift from Napoleon for the cure. Laurence seems so appalled by this payment and reminder of his treason that he vows never to return to his family home. (hide spoiler)]
And of course, a good measure of time and character development is the growing organization of Arkady and his relative ferals, and the comprehension of Iskierka. We've reached a great turning point (or two) for her. The turning point I care about is when (view spoiler)[she gets captured when she goes rogue and tries to fight Napoleon head-on but gets herself captured while the ferals have the good sense of self-preservation to flee. And while she habitually ignores the reprimands of Temeraire and Granby, when the haughty and weirdly sensible General Wellesley threatens to send her away and remove her from service while giving Granby another dragon if she disobeys again, Iskierka is finally...manageable! She's obedient, less whiny, and even surprisingly slightly scolds Temeriare for questioning Laurence's out-of-character commands during their raiding arc. Getting captured and then threatened by the Wellesley was really, really good for her. (hide spoiler)] The other arguable turning point is (view spoiler)[egg. Iskierka wants an egg by Temeraire not for romantic reasons, but more for like...firepower. Literally fire + power. She'll supply the fire, and hopefully Temeraire will supply the power of the divine wind. Maybe it's too early to dismiss the romantic angle, maybe she's hiding it behind the mask of gifting herself and an egg to Temeraire as a reward, and also a way to get another title for herself as the first dragon in the world to have an egg by Temeraire. (hide spoiler)]
This was a great, great addition to the story and the series. Next, it looks like we're going to Australia....more
Right so...I don't think I can actually remember a lot of what happened in this book. It's a lot of atmospheric description, and then the 2 most imporRight so...I don't think I can actually remember a lot of what happened in this book. It's a lot of atmospheric description, and then the 2 most important things happen and the resulting fallout. But hey, somehow everyone's getting a happy ending.
Kestrel, betrayed by her father, is sent to the work camp in the northern tundra while Arin successfully forges an alliance with Dacra. The united Herrani-Dacran army skirmishes with the Valorian forces headed by General Trajan, though Arin does his best to forget about Kestrel and how she hurt him. Kestrel, clever girl, managers to send a sign of her presence to Arin and hangs onto hope that he'll come save her as the mines drag her consciousness down to oblivion.
Not even going to try to synopsize the whole book because predictably, it's about fighting with the Valorian empire. Sudden thought: how unrealistic and totally YA is it for only Kestrel to defect to the Herrani-Dacran alliance, when there should and could be plenty more Valorian defectors? And what about Herrani defectors? Low-lifes like Cheat who might have had satisfactory winnings from coming up roses with the Valorian conquest, or like the employment and place to sleep as a slave when they might not have had a place in society as a Herrani vagabond?
Back to the point: it's war. War, strategy, slow-burn wanting and rediscovering...Kestrel. We're rediscovering Kestrel fresh after her betrayal and imprisonment and enslavement and "seeing how it changed her" by (view spoiler)[giving her freaking AMNESIA like a soap opera. And then a long time for Kestrel to "learn from her mistakes" as that noble lady, logically making her have to grow up and take up a weapon to defend herself and her beliefs, and totally and utterly rebel against her father. (hide spoiler)] thereby adding more...length and...discovery?...of how much Arin loves her and misses her and realizes he needs to not be so...gullible? I'm receiving mixed messages about how these two are developing.
Hey though, we like Roshar, we like Verex, we kind of like Risha, definitely like Sarsine, and Trajan is complicated (view spoiler)[but is he really? Considering his response to his daughter finally indirectly saying "no" to him in a love letter he stole off a dead spymaster, is to turn her over to his "buddy" the emperor and "didn't expect it to totally destroy what he loved." (hide spoiler)]
I think I'm getting to negative. This book SCREAMS YA like there's no tomorrow. If I was younger I'd probably be totally in love. As I am right now, I'm just amused. And full disclosure, my favorite part of the book is when Kestrel was in the mines. It gives "Celaena Sardothien's been sent to Endovier!" vibes....more
A better continuation to the story than book 2 and book 3 were! This time, we're going to Africa and there's nothing boring about Africa.
Fresh from thA better continuation to the story than book 2 and book 3 were! This time, we're going to Africa and there's nothing boring about Africa.
Fresh from the Prussian's failing line of defense against the united brains of Napoleon and Lien, Laurence and Temeraire narrowly manage to escape their pursuers to England, accompanied by Arkady's feral gang. Unfortunately they're redirected away from the covert and informed that the missing British forces were trying to hide the extent of a mysterious illness plaguing all of Britain's dragons; a great many number died, and only Temeraire remains unaffected. Itching for action that isn't related to fending off curious French patrols, Laurence and Temeraire determine that the cure, or cause of Temeraire's immunity, could be found in southern Africa. Their foray into the fraught country is only the beginning of another harrowing discovery of a new dragon culture.
Of the four Temeraire books I've read so far, this is the second-best. There's a lot more action in this book. The wittiest and most curious Temeraire remains, of course, in the first two books, but Temeraire has grown into his status as a Celestial and is able to make more and more decisions without Laurence. This newfound independence, which had made Laurence nervous in the beginning, is now infectious as Temeraire's revolutionary thoughts balk Laurence's British sensibility but now make more and more sense to pursue.
This journey into Africa doesn't require as much decision-making for Laurence, when it comes to what to do with Temeraire; the job is big enough that it requires teamwork and true partnership between the aviator and the dragon. Laurence handling the details of the operation, and Temeraire making the more practical decisions and analyses needed to comfort his friends as they test the area for the cure.
The African synergy with their local dragons is a marvel to behold; far, far from the beasts in Western Europe, but also more down-to-earth than the erudites in China, the African dragons are highly mystical and held in such close familiarity with the African tribes that does beg for the British researchers to label it "pagan". Particularly, the (view spoiler)[dragon ancestor reincarnation (hide spoiler)]; it's weird to get used to the idea, and the afterword of the book does help immensely in understanding how their belief system works. If these African tribes chose to take a more active role in global politics, Napoleon and Lien better watch out!...more
Nothing against the overall story, it's just that miles and miles of travel gets kind of boring. We need it to show how Laurence and Temeraire are devNothing against the overall story, it's just that miles and miles of travel gets kind of boring. We need it to show how Laurence and Temeraire are developing and maturing into their roles and bi-nationality, but my goal was to read something fun with dragons and this one was just a lot, a lot of journeying and travel. And politicians. Political buttholes.
A few weeks after imperial prince Yongxing's death, Temeraire and Laurence set off from China to return home to Britain. Unexpectedly, their departure is sped up due to unexpected orders to travel to Istanbul and transport three dragon eggs back to Britain via overland travel through deserts and enemy lines. There is no time to delay, as Napoleon's forces encroach upon the surrounding countries and one of the eggs is close to hatching. Temeraire and Laurence may be facing their most challenging battles yet.
A lot of ground is covered metaphorically and literally throughout the course of this book. Literally, the crew is flying from Peking across China, through two deserts, crossing into Persia, then into Istanbul to Prussia and finally somehow, closer to the Channel home. Metaphorically, Temeraire's learned about how much better life is in China and would love to improve it for his friends and compatriots back home in England. Laurence is thoroughly preoccupied with diplomatic matters as the British ambassadors have, ahem, been assassinated or evacuated from the countries he's been arriving in; so, he's in charge of trying not to cause international incidents (view spoiler)[with no help from his crewmates sneaking into the Sultan's harem, among other activities (hide spoiler)], maintaining discipline and military order as they journey through battle, curbing Temeraire's radical revolutionary thoughts about dragon rights, and of course, following orders.
Temeraire is now two years old and he's had so much adventure, compounded by the fact that as a Celestial he's genetically more intelligent and a faster learner than the other Western breeds, his sense of self and place in society is thrown into complete turmoil when he realizes how respected dragons are in the East. He and Laurence have come to an understanding in the previous book, but in this book he's trying to translate his new experience and ideas to a continent in turmoil and with a completely different value system in-place for their dragons. He's probably the equivalent of a middle-schooler, or a pre-teen with all his brooding and sulking and optimistic naivete.
Laurence, meanwhile, is finding himself having to handle matters he normally wouldn't need to handle because hierarchy; there's always someone else there doing all the flower diplomatic work. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and I personally think Laurence would be a great general because of how he's handled all the absurdity and ridiculousness of politicians lining their own pockets and saving their own necks. He's very much a soldier/disciplinarian/military man, and seeing how other countries and governments operate from a closer perspective has allowed him to see the own flaws in Parliament more clearly. And while he does like disobeying orders or chain of command, it's clear from Temeraire and his own observations that imbeciles can be found in every Western country and every Western country is willing to turn a blind eye when it comes to dragon rights and power.
I liked watching how Temeraire is now absorbing new languages like the dragon language Durzagh (view spoiler)[no matter what that essayiest at the back of this book says, it is definitely its own language! Take a linguistics course buddy! (hide spoiler)], and how he's nursemaiding the dragon eggs (view spoiler)[sorry about the one that was lost, but Iszierka is hilariously fiery! Think Andarna from Fourth Wing haha, childish belligerence mixed with covetous firepower (hide spoiler)], and how his wake-up call from Laurence has made him realize he needs to adapt or at least moderate his ideas about dragon reform, to fit within the current geopolitical environment, before he can call for major changes post-war. (view spoiler)[Thankfully, because Lien is seeking vengeance and allied with the French, re-organizing their transportation strategy that's allowed Napoleon to defeat the Russians, I'm hoping Laurence and Temeraire will be able to bring this up as a prime example to the government that dragons and humans can live in harmony (hide spoiler)].
The new character Tharkey...they're definitely going to make him the mysterious man of the Orient living in Britain and doing mysterious Oriental things, and also disappearing to do his own thing. Also a great guide and translator and whatnot because Laurence is unconsciously hopeless without a great spy on-hand....more
As expected another brilliant adventure for Temeraire and Laurence as they both learn about Temeraire's heritage and Napoleon Bonaparte's encroaching As expected another brilliant adventure for Temeraire and Laurence as they both learn about Temeraire's heritage and Napoleon Bonaparte's encroaching military takeover.
A special envoy from China has come to persuade the British government to return Temeraire. However, Temeraire and Laurence are determined not to be parted. They've weathered the Air Corps' previous attempts to match Temeraire to an aircorpsman, they're certainly ready to refuse a foreign government as well. However, for diplomatic reasons, Temeraire and Laurence are invited to court with the Emperor of China to plead their case; thus, undergoing a long and eventful sea voyage to the Far East.
I thought the first book was going to have the most action. Nope, it's definitely this one! The first book is growing pains, learning about the culture and dragon husbandry and setting the tone for a war against Napoleon with dragons. And while we've only heard that dragon rearing in China is superior, we finally get to see evidence of it in this book and wow wow wow (view spoiler)[it's like Dinotopia! Independent, studious, contributing dragons! Smart, gloriously adorned, and living in harmony with humans in the big city. It's such a departure from the West that I fully expect the rest of the series to be Temeraire turning into a politician for dragon rights. Except, maybe, to continue to allow them to serve because he finds it fun (hide spoiler)].
Naomi Novik did an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of how dragons are portrayed differently between Western and Eastern media. In the West, they are firebreathing ferocious beasts preying on livestock and humans. In the East, they are dignified and powerful heralds of heaven and symbolically equivalent to the emperor himself. I imagine this to be the true adopted/immigrant experience for Temeraire, and I'm eager to see how he develops; we're able to see growth in both Laurence and Temeraire, (view spoiler)[who is still growing more wise with each new experience and even gets busy with a cute Imperial named Mei! While for Laurence, he has grown more relaxed and open-minded compared to the tightly-jacked British naval officer he was before. (hide spoiler)]
Most of the book takes place at sea; after all the sea voyage from England to China is nothing to sneeze at, especially when it's all done by boat and to be removed from Napolean's forces. We all remember how Temeraire was literally hatched on the sea; well, more sea antics for him!
I will say though, being so heavily flooded with both British and Chinese attitudes towards politics and polite society makes me want to reread Babel....more
This book is only worth reading if Aeduan is your sole reason for continued persistance in reading this book. Are we supposed to be surprised that theThis book is only worth reading if Aeduan is your sole reason for continued persistance in reading this book. Are we supposed to be surprised that there's still mystery revolving around the Sightwitches and the Paladins? If you were hoping for clarity, it's not found here. Read this for muddled Aeduan content because for some reason, we still care about other characters.
What even happened in this book? The story is so broken-up.
Safi enters Marstok with Vaness and becomes the official Truthwitch, rooting out lies just as the empress wants. But Truthwitchery really isn't as powerful as everyone thinks; and Safi learns that all those years of hiding her ability has been hindering its application and development.
Aeduan gets gravely injured as he and Iseult take care of a lost little girl named Owl, with great and mysterious powers hunted by the Carawen Monks and the mercenaries of the Raider King. The three move as a small, mobile, pseudo-family unit, and against all odds they still manage to find each other again. This is literally the only story worth following in this entire hodgepile of events. Aeduan and Iseult kinda realize they love each other and it's frigging cute.
Merik is captured by the real Fury, re-awakened in his Threadbrother's locked memories of a time a thousand years past. The Fury is collaborating with the Puppeteer Esme, under the banner of the Raider King. Merik struggles to break past the Puppeteer's manipulations to no avail. He needs to dig deep and understand the truth of himself, his magic, and his past, before he can finally begin his long-awaited "I'm no longer an immature noble prince" redemption arc.
Vivia, ever the father's daughter, is forced to reckon with the truth of her situation and perhaps even her mother's situation as war looms on the horizon and nobles continue to disrespect her. Forging agreements with foreign powers, delving deeper into the royal family's secret well, and weathering betrayal, her best friend Stix probably had it right, that "Noden and the Hagfishes ought to bend to a woman's rule."
This whole story is barely comprehensible mush inside my brain. Reading this is almost harder than reading a history textbook. It doesn't matter that everything's happening in the present, but it does matter that every paragraph break or chapter break makes the separation between events that much harder to follow. Thankfully I'm reading on Kindle, so a search bar makes it extremely easy for me to check back as to why/how Stix got to where she is after she re-appears after like 2-3 chapters, including paragraph breaks switching between characters.
There's so much potential for this story to be good, but it's so broken up and disjointed and hard to follow. The connections aren't coming together fast enough. What's the point of the Carawen Monks? Why are there (view spoiler)[insurgents, like who are they even fighting for? Is it the secular vs. spiritual side? And then the Raider King is making use of this religious conflict to destroy his former fortress? (hide spoiler)]
Vivia isn't really doing anything, just hanging around her well all day. Safi plays ultimate middle school shoujo trained damsel is trying to fight her way out of a politically charged situation (view spoiler)[and learns that she's been lied to her entire life and she's just been a pawn (hide spoiler)]. Hence, Aeduan and Iseult are the only ones worth following because they're going places! They're maturing, they're fighting, they're seeing things and learning things that answer the question that engulfs my mind: How does Sightwitch fit into here? Also we're barely getting anything from Ryber, despite her supposed to have a bigger role here as a Sightwitch Sister.
They also revealed the Raider King Ragnor as the same general/soldier from Sightwitch in the most unspectacular way possible. And Dysi's death...that's rough buddy. He's what I'd imagine Sokka to be if Sokka didn't have a family or any other obligations left in the world.
Still going to trudge through the series because Aeduan and Iseult man, they're MVPs....more
Okay, so it looks like it's going to delve into the information that we've wanted all along: what's the history behind this weird prophecy that's not Okay, so it looks like it's going to delve into the information that we've wanted all along: what's the history behind this weird prophecy that's not even mentioned in the books? What's the lore, the legend, the lugnuts holding all their mythology together?
Twelve Paladins, reincarnators in the olden times, great holders of power that are now so ingrained into the Witchlands that they're saints. And they do have things named after them in other cities, like Baile was a Paladin, and there was Baile's Slaughter in the Windwitch. Six of them got tired of watching kingdoms and nations rise and fall, and wanted power, so they rebelled. Then, after the winners locked the losers away, there was one more final betrayal; that one, I think, is covered in this book.
I think that the winners were not on the same side as Eridysi Gochienka, the famous Sightwitch; I think the winners were the Exalted Ones who wanted power. By the way, looks like they're hibernating and gonna return soon; the underground city, it seems, was used to save all those families trapped in ice. Kullen turns out to have already Cleaved before, and was a Paladin in a past life so he's still a Paladin. Is he the Rook King? I think the shadow man, or maybe the Raider King, are Paladins because I don't trust them.
Ryber is a Sightwitch Sister! So exciting! And prequel to the story about how she and Kullen joined up! Time to skim and cross-reference some details....more
Am I done? YAY I'M DONE. This book was so unstimulating. How did this book feel like more exposition than the first book?! The short chapters set-up iAm I done? YAY I'M DONE. This book was so unstimulating. How did this book feel like more exposition than the first book?! The short chapters set-up is working against the story, hard.
Iseult and Safi are still separated; one is being pursued by a Bloodwitch, and one is being pursued by an entire empire. One runs through forests dreaming of Cleaved witches, and one is captured by a foreign empress. Yet somehow, all roads lead back to a dark force rising in the north, and dead men aren't really dead; nor are Cleaved really cleaving. Merik and Vivia are finding this truth out for themselves, as they uncover more and more Nubrevnan secrets.
We're involved with a bunch of characters now, and the chapters are short and within the subsections still shorter. How are the chapters even divided at this point? It doesn't feel like there's a particular rhyme or reason, and all it serves to do is break off the story once something even vaguely cool happens.
The ending better be worth it. Because the only interesting things that even happened in this book is enemies-to-lovers (maybe?!?!?!) I'm hard shipping Iseult with Aeduan because they're both kinda bringing the best out of each other. And Safi...Safi's off doing her own thing and growing up. And Merik is a jerk. And Vivia is older-sister-struggling here. Oh yeah, and like (view spoiler)[Kullen is maybe "alive" because I think his threads are being pulled by that Weaverwitch. So Iseult maybe is a Voidwitch, and she's learning to do the same things now too (hide spoiler)].
Hmmm, I think this might just be all that happened. Oh yeah mysterious shadowy guy with weird vibes. And a mysterious kidnapped girl who can control mountain bats. There's so much exposition in this series....more
An unexpectedly consuming work with communicative dragons who aren't treated as pets or simply as animals, but as intelligent beings and combat partneAn unexpectedly consuming work with communicative dragons who aren't treated as pets or simply as animals, but as intelligent beings and combat partners during...some time period in the 1800's or something when Napolean is trying to invade Great Britain. I'd been losing confidence in the dragon rider genre, this series is renewing it.
Out at sea, a mysterious egg of unknown origin is captured and confiscated from a haggard French ship. Captain Laurence is pleased to claim it for England, but is worried when his ship's surgeon announces the egg is close to hatching. Laurence is intent to harness it to an officer on his ship to draft it for the Air Corps; he wasn't expecting that he himself would be chosen by the dragonet. And so, Captain Laurence is forced to leave his position in the Navy to join the Corps as a new handler, a Corps captain in his own right, learning to care for and also to discover his new dragon's capabilities and how to best protect his country from invasion.
I think I fully prefer talking dragons. That book series that I read a while back, Fireborne the Aurelian Cycle? Nope, non-talking dragons don't hit the same way. (view spoiler)[The deaths definitely hit different because there's a different type of love assigned to non-verbal intelligence beings and verbal sentient beings (hide spoiler)] and nevertheless, I like talking dragons more. Temeraire isn't as witty as Tairn and Andarna from Fourth Wing and he doesn't exactly come out of the shell as intelligent and wise as Saphira from Eragon, but he sure is interesting. He's giving a brand new outlook for dragon care, likely because of the unusual tendencies of Laurence to impart his meticulous Navy mannerisms into everything he does.
There's a noticeable shift in dialogue and narration as Temeraire grows and as Laurence grows accustomed to things. It's a subtle sign of change as they both grow used to their new life together, and offers a subconscious break from the monotony of reading one particular style over and over. Arguably, this could be a bildungsroman for the newly-hatched Temeraire and inducting Laurence into the Air Corps....more
I'm sorry NO. The series should not have ended like this. I'm offended that even while it's sucking me in every chapter for five books straight, THIS I'm sorry NO. The series should not have ended like this. I'm offended that even while it's sucking me in every chapter for five books straight, THIS is how the story ends. It's endings like this why fanfiction is a necessary component of every fandom.
The old corrupt Archivist is officially exiled from The Great Library, taking with him a number of defectors and all the High Garda Elite. With the newly installed Curia and Archivist Murasaki in-place, the priorities of the new administration are split between hunting down the fanatical vestiges of the Archivist-in-Exile, and the "friendly" militia knocking on the gates of Alexandria to "defend" it against other world powers. Jess is still in shock from the death of his twin brother, and now really isn't a good time for him to be putting himself through the ringer when he's distracted and a small misstep can cause his death.
Buuuut unfortunately for us, missteps and delusional heroics happen. Jess is HANDS DOWN the best character in the book, and Dario is a close second, because neither of these schemers have made any bad decisions! They're two different flavors of reckless and are in fact more like mirrors of each other than Brendan and Jess ever could be; while visually they were twins, Dario is like what Jess could have been if he hadn't met Morgan or if he was more stunningly naive about the underworld's practices. This difference and my righteously justified favoritism is evidenced by this entire book, when we've split off into following each of the characters as they split up to actually contribute to their little rebel party and defend the Great Library.
Morgan's still carrying all the Obscurist duties despite warnings against burnout, (view spoiler)[but the ever-mysterious Eskander arrives with a magic ring that checks her power and helps her with her sanity. And in the end I guess it sucks in her essence like how remnants of Minato and Kushina's chakra were sealed in Naruto's Jinchuuriki seal and so they could independently think and communicate with their loved one. (hide spoiler)] If anyone was wondering about her romance with Jess, (view spoiler)[Morgan's decided that she's not actually in love with Jess, they're just intensely trauma-bonded and also close exposure to each other after not really interacting with ppers in their age group or social class. Morgan kinda reaches some sort of "enlightenment", where she's now in semi-control of herself and pursuing protecting the greater good, being controlled by a magic ring so she doesn't go dark. (hide spoiler)] With Jess losing his family left-and-right, (view spoiler)[is now a good time for Morgan to be breaking up with him? No, it just piles on the misfortune. Especially at the end when she dies and Jess is alive because of the events of the entire book and because (hide spoiler)] she's literally been doing all the Obscurist heavy-lifting. Seriously, she's like a genie in everyone's back pocket throughout this entire series ever since Philadelphia.
Jess, dear Jess, I was fully convinced that (view spoiler)[he would die and it would have been a great ending for him and his heroics (hide spoiler)] as he's literally been carrying the entire cast of characters on his back and mooching off of his smuggler royalty! So the fact that he doesn't die, and instead remains employed with the Great Library as the chief printer or whatever, sure maybe this is the best job for Jess but I don't think it's a good ending! I think he deserves a more dramatic, exciting ending because of all the hard work he's had to put in with these rule-followers.
Khalila has somehow just gained more politically-minded and stubborn. I think she's remained unchanged since her postulate days, just add on the confidence and power.
Dario's kind of evolved as a person and it's sweet to watch. A combination of love, environment, and circumstance, I suppose.
Glain, as expected, is a big ole softie underneath her spiky hard exterior.
Santi and Wolfe remain largely unchanged. Wolfe is as dramatic as ever, honestly. Santi remains the guy who's military and waving around credentials and recognition to protect his lover from danger etc. etc. nothing new.
In the end, I'm just aggravated at what's happened with Jess and I wish it had ended differently for him. But hey, (view spoiler)[the corrupt old dude is dead and progress is going to be reviewed for the purpose of good. And Jess and Celia (his mom) can now stand up to his father. I hope Jess finds love again. (hide spoiler)]...more
All the characters have split, and the excessive optimism of most of these characters is so YA vibes that's why I switched this book and only this booAll the characters have split, and the excessive optimism of most of these characters is so YA vibes that's why I switched this book and only this book to my YA shelf. It is a necessary change to see through the other characters' eyes, but I miss being only with Jess, even if his friends are off being revolutionaries.
Unbeknownst to everyone except Dario and Morgan, Jess has taken his brother Brendan's place as the Brightwell betrayer and accompanied Morgan and Wolfe to Alexandria to scheme closer to the heart of the Library's corruption. If his and Dario's plan is going to work, it is necessary for the group to be captured to clear the board and reset the pieces. Clearer lines are drawn between the Library defectors and radicalists, and the group of friends must do their best to recruit outside help and convince the world that they only want to excise the cancer, not bring down the whole Library system. Each member of the group has their own part to play in the battle ahead.
The blinding optimism is grating considering how large the stakes are getting between the Library and literally everyone else. How could Khalila, Wolfe, Santi, and Thomas fully believe they would be safe with the Brightwells even after Jess' warnings about his family and the number of times they've been betrayed by Callum? How could they hope to win against such a powerful foe if they do not lose some real battles against them and put themselves into even closer danger? I miss Jess' logical calculations, even when they were blinded by friendship and dependency on his friends. He at least had a planning mind to make the most of what is a very bad situation. In the end, it feels like despite his choices and wish to be a Scholar, he's learned that he's more suited to the role of thief as he fully embraces his family's connections and his experience to transport and protect his friends as best as he can.
I eagerly await for more details about Eskander and what else goes on in the Iron Tower. In this new setting, in a tower and a building filled with Obscurists and its own politics, there has to be more secrets and grudges to uncover!...more
Compared to the other books in the series, it's not doing much. Riding on the hype of the previous books, this one just keeps the thrill train going.
PCompared to the other books in the series, it's not doing much. Riding on the hype of the previous books, this one just keeps the thrill train going.
Predictably for Jess, being betrayed by his father and brother is no surprise, not even when it sends him and his friends to the Burner capitol Philadelphia in the rebellious American colonies. Jess' smuggler connections, Morgan's Obcurist abilities, and Thomas' forbidden enterprising knowledge as well as the precious books taken from the Black Archives are now their only hope for survival in a place where fanatics desperately try to break everything the Library associates itself with, including books.
Philadelphia is more of a war-zone than Oxford was, and it shows in the people and their desperation and malnourishment. Philadelphia is the reason why this book can carry the name "Ash and Quill", because where else would you find such an interesting oxymoron: in our reality it is the city of brotherhood, a quill for being a birthplace of revolution, but ashes for the burners and the bombardments from the permanent Library encampents stationed right outside the city walls.
Jess is the MVP of the series. Sure, (view spoiler)[he's accepted the truth that he's not really built for research scholarship, but he's got his street smarts and life experience of a book smuggler and powerful family connects he can kind of rely on (hide spoiler)] and that's been getting them out of trap and trap and prison and life-threatening situations. In this book, it feels like he's definitely thrown away the mask of being a Scholar of this corrupt Library system, to embrace the hard truths he didn't really want to face when he became a postulate. And his friends, well, he's learned to categorize which ones he can rely on for the reactions he wants, and which ones he just doesn't trust at all. (view spoiler)[Happily him and Morgan seem to be getting on well, except maybe, I'd love it if Morgan didn't have such a heavy heroine complex and getting sent back to the Iron Tower or to prisons. This girl deserves a break. (hide spoiler)]
My favorite part of the book besides Philadelphia and Jess' cleverness? (view spoiler)[TWINSIES. Twin switcheraoo! The Parent Trap, but more dangerous! (hide spoiler)] Can't wait for the next one....more
As digestible as the first book, but not as soul-consuming. Incredible fun, and just the right amount of obsesssion.
Jess Brightwell knows he's treadinAs digestible as the first book, but not as soul-consuming. Incredible fun, and just the right amount of obsesssion.
Jess Brightwell knows he's treading on thin ice with the Library higher-ups, and he's being constantly watched for signs of betrayal. The automatons, who'd always made him nervous, seem to be actively hunting him and waiting for for the right moment to pounce. On one of his illegal runs, Jess finally retrieves enough proof that his best friend Thomas is still alive and secretly being held and tortured in an Library prison somewhere for future exploitation. Carefully and quietly, Jess gets his friends, Scholar Wolfe, and Captain Santi, to uncover more and more of the Library's dark secrets.
I think it's incredibly ironic that Jess Brightwell, book-lover and wannabe Scholar, is now a foot soldier and even more a physical runner than he was before. Especially since we've got multiple ongoing assassination attempts for all of the cohort because of their association with Wolfe and their loyalty to Thomas.
World expansion, world expansion, it's learning more working systems in the Library and how Jess and his young group of new rebels stick unnervingly close with their mentor (like seriously, how many other young people stick to their proctor/mentors this much in real life?) and defend them from assassination attempts because...loyalty and leverage somehow? No, I still find it very weird they're close friends with Wolfe.
I have some lingering questions about the characters of the Iron Tower, because I've read Tigers in the Cage and I was under the impression that (view spoiler)[Gregory is Keria's age, was he actually five years old when Wolfe was born or something? Where is Wolfe's father Eskander? And is Eskander and Iskander related?! I hope this old Gregory is Keria's Gregory's son or something, why else are they recycling names unless there's another secret of the Iron Tower going around? (hide spoiler)]
Another spoiler, (view spoiler)[OTP OTP OTP Jess and Morgan forgiving each other YES (hide spoiler)] and cute that Dario is probably low-key jealous of Jess's pirate life and trying to be like him. Smart, petty, vindictive, and maybe he's dependable? Jess and Dario are like Harry and Draco, they could turn out to be great friends in the future....more
I mean...the story moves. Does it add anything new? Not really, it's just...French. And gathering allies. In a way, we're right back at the beginning I mean...the story moves. Does it add anything new? Not really, it's just...French. And gathering allies. In a way, we're right back at the beginning TBH. Oh yeah, some more acquaintances-to-possibly-lovers slow burn. Just send me the next book already.
The mysterious Domino network orders their newest recruit, the infamous Paige Mahoney, to rest and recuperate in one of their Paris safe houses before assigning her with new jobs as an intelligence officer. Mostly amaurotic, Paige knows that this network could be another possibly ally in the fight against the Rephaim. However, she still needs to think about finding more powerful voyants to gain support with and fully conduct a coup; onwards, she goes digging through the ancient catacombs to find the Parisian syndicate. But once she does, she finds herself in a very familiar situation.
Paige's companion, her support during her recuperation, is Arcturus. They've helped each other through painful and bloody injuries and talked through their darkest memories. However, there's still some dark secrets Arcturus is hiding and Paige can't afford to let herself be consumed by the Rephaim, or her revolution.
If there are several good things that go on in this book, is the gradual resolution of some loose ends from the previous books. For example, in book 1, who is Rackham and why is Paige supposed to look for him? (view spoiler)[He's the Rag and Bone Man! The Man in the Iron Mask! And startingly, the seemingly-innocent printer friend Alfred. Who'da thunk he was actually a very clever human trafficker? (hide spoiler)] Who does that oracle David really work for? (view spoiler)[Actually, still unclear. But at his reappearance we're assuming he's working for the French, under his real name Cade Fitzours. Also, potentially NOT and oracle and potentially ANOTHER DREAMWALKER?! Send the next book!! (hide spoiler)] What happened to Michael? (view spoiler)[A month after he gets separated from Paige when they return to London, he's captured and sent to Sheol II. Paige arrives just a few hours too late and misses him. Current whereabouts unknown, I supposed. (hide spoiler)]
I like the new characters, I suppose. They're just a little more fun to follow than their English counterparts. More mysterious and moody, too, because Paige is just another person to them and a foreigner as well; no grudging respect or leftover fear from her mollisher days, they only know her as the Underqueen resurrected.
It's almost a bit too obvious that this series is being made longer on purpose with three reasons:
1. The introduction of the Domino network. (view spoiler)[We only see like 4 characters from the entire network and while this is like a safety precaution to keep things siloed off in case of compromised agents and leaking information, killing some of the characters and keeping others is a blindingly obvious ploy (hide spoiler)] to keep interest in Domino as far as the next book. Speaking of which, still unclear how the Mannequin or whatever relates to Domino, I suspect it's like the French sub-section of Domino?
2. Paige and Arcturus (view spoiler)[let Jaxon live after they've cornered him in Versailles. (hide spoiler)] They literally had one verbally assigned job to do, to (view spoiler)[kill the Grand Overseer, and they couldn't complete it because of morals?! Are you really telling me they didn't think to bring an actual cold-hearted killer with them into the room to kill this guy because they didn't think they'd decide to give him mercy either because a) he's a father figure to Paige or b) literal MORALS?! (hide spoiler)] Big, big flag that there'll be another book.
3. Paige (view spoiler)[doesn't manage to rescue a possessed (hide spoiler)] Arcuturus. This really speaks for itself.
Hmmm, what else am I annoyed at? Hmmm, still made at David/Cade. Oh yeah! The cards, THE CARDS. Liss' reading still pervades through this book. Mainly, it's the Devil and the Lovers that keeps coming up over, and over, and over again. I thought we'd established their meanings earlier, that the Devil is Jaxon, or Nashira, or whatever, but really we keep rehashing this. And also, the Lovers is fairly obvious who it's representing, but Paige is still kind of fighting it and trying to resolve her connection to Arcturus and her obligations to the syndicate and voyants. So yeah, bored of trying to figure out who the Devil is; every time Paige gets betrayed or feels grief she goes like "...so this must be the Devil from the reading..." And really, let's get this girl to another cartomancer in Paris (where apparently it's very highly regarded) and get a fresh pair of eyes on her future....more
This one is probably the most satisfying read of the series so far. There's less wishy-washy indecision and more "POW-POW BOOOM!" actions happening toThis one is probably the most satisfying read of the series so far. There's less wishy-washy indecision and more "POW-POW BOOOM!" actions happening to fight the alien incursion. As a result, this book just wooshes by super fast.
Paige's first act as the the new Underqueen of the Scion Citadel of London is to get her newly-reformed Mime Order to protection as the Senshield is deployed around basic services around London. A new player has entered the game, Hildred Vance, the mastermind behind several successful Scion invasions in places like Ireland and Bulgaria. Vance has been tasked by Nashira to capture and incapacitate Paige and her Mime Order. As the noose tightens around the voyants of London, Paige throws herself farther and farther away from her syndicate to distract Vance's operatives and locate the source and manufacturing of the Senshield to prevent the Rephaim from total world domination.
*dramatic music* World Domination! Yes, the goal of every baddie in YA fiction, ever. Except, when, if ever, did President Snow or President Coin ever want world domination? Or even Supreme Commander Anderson? It's a propaganda and supporter-recruitment game as Nashira appeals to foreign powers to create more penal colonies and set up their own Scion citadels, and Paige is trying to get all the foreign voyant powers to band together and buck the reins right off these psychic vampires.
The best part of this book probably has to do with all the travel and world expansion Paige is doing. We've seen the basic citadel and penal colony set-up, we've solved the mystery of who murdered Hector the Underlord and the mafia politics of the syndicate, and now we're exploring more parts of the UK and how different or similar the voyant community survives away from the capital hotspot.
Unexpectedly, (view spoiler)[Paige accidentally does a Trojan Horse and destroys Senshield at the end of the book, and in the next book she'll be shipped off to work with some secret spy network to...I guess, uncover the Rephaim's true aim or something? (hide spoiler)] Things are changing fast and so far Paige has done a great job keeping up....more
I was prepared to be miffed again at the writing style (the dancing around open secrets, the aggravation that there isn't enough intra-character commuI was prepared to be miffed again at the writing style (the dancing around open secrets, the aggravation that there isn't enough intra-character communication going on). Man am I surprised that this book...doesn't do any of that at all. Instead, it's a solid straightforward "we're taking back our country! And dragons!"
Antigone sur Aela has successfully facilitated the Norcian coup against their dragonborn occupants, saving Griff Gareson from his drop. She didn't expect that those missing dragons and riders from the coup actually executed a countercoup in Callipolis, just as Lee sur Pallor wrenched public opinion and power from the First Protector Atreus. It seems like once again, it's Antigone and the other Guardians against the cruelty of Ixion and the other dragonborn successors, but this time occupying home territory. Across the sea, the commoners and under both lands must unite to protect themselves from serfdom and foreign occupation.
I'm not inclined to think more about the relationship between Annie and Lee because what's slow burn is so slow burn that it's no longer slow burn and is instead denial. How are they still in denial?! (view spoiler)[At the end...is it still denial?! Annie chooses to be a rider, forsaking her wish to live a domestic life with Lee, because frankly the new charter of peace between the commoners and the dragonborn survivors would fall apart without her morality and enforcement. And Lee, widowed because Pallor that amazing puppy of a dragon sacrificed himself to protect Aela to ensure the victory of their civil war, decides to rebuild his old estate as an orphanage/dragonriding training center?! (hide spoiler)] I can't fault their choices logically because it's for a greater good, but I can scream and rage that because the real adults can't get keep their business together to manage peace without falling to corruption, what should have been a happy ending really wasn't a happy ending. It's a big impact on us as the readers because there hasn't been a single satisfying thing happening for these folks (view spoiler)[besides revealing Lee's parentage and revealing everything Annie did to protect the people from the harshest of the rationing (hide spoiler)] and I really, really wanted a win. Arguably (view spoiler)[Lee and Annie could retire sometime in the far future, and Aela can retire too, but why couldn't it happen NOW. It would have been loads more satisfying if we could see them happily retire and watch the new government...actually do something good. (hide spoiler)]
Okay, I think most of the anger is out. Now for the processing. No, actually, still mad. But mad at some of the other characters like how it feels like Duck (view spoiler)[betrayed Callipolis, when Ixion says "Duck sends his regards". Like, WHY. Why did they even bother keeping him alive, when, Ixion clearly had others (The Black Clovers) in Callipolis feeding him information? Duck's function becomes showing Lee that the world doesn't end by taking away dragonriding. Otherwise, don't see any interaction between Duck and the other dragonborn to warrant any reason for him to be alive and a prisoner. (hide spoiler)]
Power...Power is so convoluted. He's so twisted a character, and I guess he almost got a redemption arc that was ruined, and now he's still a jerk, but secretly he's good? Power playing both sides is so...annoying that it's hard to cut him some slack. (view spoiler)[He's a bastard son of Kit Skyfish, a former Triarch, but his mother seemingly died in a poorhouse. If so, he theoretically should have nothing to lose besides his adoptive family and his dragon. While the politics of the book and the city require him to stay on the surviving side, the way he acts the entire time is as a self-serving all-around self-satisfied jerk. (hide spoiler)] And so by the end when I think we're supposed to be surprised that he's actually a nice guy, well, the journey to realizing his truth was so bumpy and twisty and turny that the only way to change opinion is to have a side story from his point of view. As if we're supposed to understand he has self-loathing or something because he has an unrequited love of Annie, so that's why he's spent the entire series bullying her but low-key protecting her and trying to make her strong to prove those bigots wrong? His character-building stagnated terribly.
Griff and Delo, well, they're the couple we should have followed from the first place. They know their feelings, they know themselves, they know their limitations. They're so cute together, there's not a lot of too-complicated angst and duty, reading through them is coasting through the book. They're pawns executing Annie's big plans and Lee's strategies, and all we have to worry about is if they're going to be together and their relationship issues.
The true MVPs in this series are Aela and Pallor (view spoiler)[RIP Pallor (hide spoiler)]. They do all the flying, tactical maneuvers, protecting, and keeping things simple. Aela loves Pallor, Pallor loves Aela, this is the simplicity we've been missing in their entire relationship. If I have anything to be miffed about with them, it's the idea that all the dragons in this series are written like overgrown flying firebreathing dogs; not exactly satisfying my dragonriding reader needs, but it fits a bit....more
If there's one consistency above all else between the first book and the second, it's Lee and Annie's proclivity for managing OPEN SECRETS. Annoying, If there's one consistency above all else between the first book and the second, it's Lee and Annie's proclivity for managing OPEN SECRETS. Annoying, aggravating, not really a good plot device, but there's some thing that propels me to continue reading. It's like holding a hostage but I don't know who or what that hostage is. In terms of plot and character development though, loads better than the first book for sure.
Lee proves his loyalty to Callipolis, Atreus, and the ideals of the new government as he brings back his cousin Julia's corpse. Racked with guilt, he recuses himself from office and Annie finally gets the position and recognition she deserves as the first female Firstrider in Callipolis history. Along with that position, comes the responsibility and jobs Lee had been managing all along. But even if they've saved Callipolis from foreign invasion in the time being, flames of rebellion are fanned as the citizens starve and Lee and Annie are forced to choose sides between morality and duty.
Meanwhile, across the sea, Griff Gareson grieves the death of his master and lover Julia. Temporarily free from obligation to her, Griff has little time to find peace until he is transferred back to become Julia's sadistic brother Ixion's squire again. Having seen the promise of meritocracy and freedom in Annie's mantle as Firstrider, Griff plots his own revolution to overthrow their bigoted dragonborn leaders and free Norcia from their grasp. Unfortunately, the dragonborn are cunning and cruel, and Griff must read carefully as he walks behind enemy lines.
There is a lot going on in this book, in the various subplots experienced by every character. Annie's trying to prove her place as a woman, a former serf, and as Firstrider (view spoiler)[not to mention, still processing her relationship with Lee, Power's surprise crush, and losing Duck. Girl's got game but she ain't got time for it (hide spoiler)]. Lee battles PTSD, growing disillusionment with Atreus' behavior, and being emotionally overwhelmed at serving the government who killed his family who are at the moment doing the exact same things they'd taken up power to stop (view spoiler)[leading to him ironically running for power to uphold the values that Atreus and the government have been turning away from, and ironically usurping the current power structure (hide spoiler)]. And Griff's lead is transferred from one dragonborn to another, when he wants to be free again and not have his people be pawns in sadistic grabs for power.
The only character I'm not annoyed at is Griff. Everyone else is like wildly flying between the axes of likability and annoyance. These teenage dragonriders are just trying to do the right thing, but the right thing is hard for even the adults to determine and so it's messier with the teenagers. They're being asked to hold back riots, to maintain peace and control the rationing, and also to prepare for upcoming war with an island boasting a larger fleet and foreign allies on their side.
The world is messy, messy, messy, and it doesn't get better. Not even at the end. Book 3 better be doing massive clean-up....more
Better than I expected but also not as good as I was expecting. It can catch me by surprise at the plot twists, it can be written in an unexpected styBetter than I expected but also not as good as I was expecting. It can catch me by surprise at the plot twists, it can be written in an unexpected style and world structure that is familiar, but its pacing is slow and it doesn't feel like it's living up to a potential. Still enough to read the whole series though!
Years after the Rebellion that overthrew the dragonlords, the First Protector of Callipolis, Atreus, is still looking for a successor and finally, the dragons and children are old enough to bolster the military. Whoever wins the title of Firstrider is almost guaranteed to be Atreus' protector. Among those vying for the position are Annie and Lee, orphans who tested out of their social class and were chosen by dragons to become Guardians, new dragon riders. Annie wants to overcome her village's prejudices against dragonriders and prove that even lowborn former serfs like her can work their way up to prestige, just as the Atreus' meritocracy promises. But Lee has a secret; he's a survivor of the rebellion, and a son of a dragonlord. Rumors of surviving dragonborn living on the island New Pythos become truth as the old families mount aggressively towards their usurpers. Lee needs to choose between his old family and his new family, and Annie needs to reconcile her past as a former serf with her present and future as a dragonrider.
If one is experiencing Fourth Wing hangover, I don't know if I could recommend this, solely because the level of interaction between the riders and the dragons is minimal. The dragons are sentient, but it's not as magic-based and closely intertwined as even Eragon. Now, if you had just finished reading An Ember in the Ashes and were hoping to read Fourth Wing, this is perhaps good transitionary material. It's a similar level of furtiveness to decide if the ruling regime is truly better than the old, there's a hint of Roman government in all the titles, and there's a similar close-friend relationship between the main characters.
Whoever thought this book was like "Game of Thrones meets Red Rising" NO it doesn't feel like Game of Thrones at all. Focusing on Game of Thrones is only because there are dragons (view spoiler)[and betrayals and family-killing, I guess? (hide spoiler)], which is totally superficial. If anything, it is more like "An Ember in the Ashes meets Red Rising". The Red Rising part, I think is fairly accurate. The regime claims to be a meritocracy but we all know there's classist feelings behind all of it and there's prejudice all around and stereotype-crushing.
However, the level of angst in Fireborne doesn't match up to the same righteous fury in Red Rising. Red Rising has the benefit of...not being completely gray. Fireborne tries to introduce clashing opinions by pointing out strengths and opinions of either regime. I can't support either of them; instead, I'll support Emperor Qin-like like approach of war and forced unification for complete peace and truce between the two, and becoming less of a morally gray society as a whole. Hmmm, sounds a bit like (view spoiler)[some real-life political views doesn't it...I guess I'm problematic... (hide spoiler)] What I mean is, I think that neither of these governments deserve Lee and Annie, I think Lee and Annie have the organization and will to shape their own country.
The pacing was abysmal, in my opinion. It's an open secret that Lee is dragonborn for the ENTIRE book, but only between Annie and Lee. Aspects of his identity are so close to being revealed (but are they?! Are they REALLLY?!) and Lee panics and that's what's giving Annie the clues to piece together which dragonborn family he's really from. I just wanted to start slamming the book into a pillow because really, WE GET IT. Lee is dragonborn and hiding and there's something bad about the dragonborn and Annie that will tear the two apart. Why are we repeating this every single chapter?! It's not a tease, it's an annoying fly, a groupie, a die-hard detail that should feel insignificant so that when something finally happens then THINGS finally happen and the story can move forward without taking the entire book to prolong this super, super slow reveal.
The final fight (because there's always a final fight in a book) was demoralizing. If it was supposed to be the climax of the story, well, I felt nothing. (view spoiler)[I thought for sure Julia would be able to shoot Lee into submission given her natural ability and superior dragonborn training, and age! But for Lee to somehow get a killshot like that? It hurts because of plot armor and because Julia deserved better. Lee's character development here was pushed too fast too soon. (hide spoiler)] These things are going to have to be answered for in the next book because I am FUMING....more
It did what I expected it to do, but taking a lot longer to develop. The story itself is fairly structured and the lore is long and interesting, but bIt did what I expected it to do, but taking a lot longer to develop. The story itself is fairly structured and the lore is long and interesting, but being constantly flooded with names and people and places is not fun. It served the purpose of "repetition, repetition, repetition" to instill knowledge into the reader, but then what's the purpose of the maps in the beginning? Useless and unnecessary. It does some thing well, but in my opinion it does most other things not as well.
Every religion in the world agrees, the fire-breathing chaos wrym known as The Nameless One was killed and banished long ago, and should never rise again. But that's where the agreement stops. The small island nation of the Seikii respect and honor their Eastern water dragons, and discount the Westerner's misguided perception that all wyrms are evil. But most countries belonging to the Virtudom believe Galian Berethnet killed the wyrm and it is his blood, the royal House of Berethnet in Inys, is the only thing keeping it locked in sleep. A secret order, the Priory of the Orange Tree, knows a different truth entirely; that it was princess Cleolind who bound the wyrm, and her descendents and followers of the Orange Tree are what remains from the wyrms rising again.
There's so much going on in this book it's hard to track. Its short chapters are a saving grace, a permission to take a break from all the names and happenings in the chapter. But in terms of clarify, I don't think I fully understood what was going on until barely halfway through the book once I was done sifting through the current events and the useful vs. useless lore and in-world fairy tales. Once that was over, where I expected actual action to be happening, we just get more political movements and slowness to even reach a conclusion because realistically and thankfully, there's power-hungry greedy humans in every universe and they just have to mess things up for everyone.
I tried hard not to actively hate each and every character in the book, and indeed the only character I didn't form some bit of dislike for is Ead. Ead's actions are faith- and loyalty-based, which in my eyes makes her the easiest character to follow because she was on the same path of truth discovery. Everyone else: Niclays, Loth, Sabran, and even Tané were righteously flawed characters because they let their own ambitions and political means get in the way of defending the world against the Nameless One. It makes sense, why else would such important and pessimistic people want to concern themselves with the ramblings of myths and heresy, like Truyde and Triam (who I'm still annoyed at, (view spoiler)[even if they both died horribly. Because they weren't mature enough to convey their beliefs succinctly and clearly to people in power, blinded by naivete, they got what was coming to them. (hide spoiler)])
Every story has to have some sort of climax or something before it winds down to a time-crunch big fight resolution. So where's the climax of this book? Could it just be when (view spoiler)[Ead, Loth, and some others work to save Sabran from Igrain Crest, who orchestrated not only Aubrecht's assassination, but also Queen Rosarion's assassination and imprisoned Sabran to get her to abdicate (hide spoiler)]? Or was it (view spoiler)[telling Sabran her entire faith, and family history is a lie thanks to the Witch of Inysca, the surrogate mother of their blessed Saint, who tricked him into making her the first Queen of Inys (hide spoiler)]? The latter of which happens much, much later and that leads to a kind of rush into following Tané and the Easterners connect the final puzzle pieces into the past. Or maybe this book is long enough to support two climaxes in a bimodal plot.
I'm not in any rush to reread this book because there was so much going on in the beginning, that probably could have been explained better and more succinctly so the final story comes out much cleaner and drawn out. I can understand why this book is so popular, but it's one that's just not for me. I am curious how this is "book 1", like, what kind of things are going to happen in the other books? And also, what if this is similar to my experience with the Grishaverse where the Shadow and Bone Trilogy are my least favorite, but Six of Crows was great and every side-story was better than any of the original stories? Yes, this means I'll probably still follow this series a little bit longer....more
i was NOT PREPARED FOR THIS. i thought i was prepared BUT I WAS NOT. How is it actually possible for this book to be just as good and even better thani was NOT PREPARED FOR THIS. i thought i was prepared BUT I WAS NOT. How is it actually possible for this book to be just as good and even better than the first book?!
After barely surviving Colonel Aetos' plot in War Games, Violet and her relic-marked friends slip back to Basgiath in time for graduation, and death roll. Violet and Xaden have made enemies, and with imminent attacks from venin, wyvern, and neighboring countries threatening to destroy Navarre, both Violet and Xaden have to make difficult choices about who to save: each other, their countries, or the good of humanity.
No, no, no, no, I won't say any more about the synopsis. Because there's no way anyone would be reading this book if Fourth Wing wasn't such a hook.
I don't even have questions, I'm just freaking out inside. Because most importantly, VENIN. (view spoiler)[Let's forget about Jack Barlowe coming the fuck back to life because he somehow turned venin just before he challenged Violet (?!), XADEN TURNED VENIN. XADEN TURNED VENIN. XADEN TURNED VENIN. Major Blood Promise vibes, hot boyfriend turns into evil-version of the warrior he once was. XADEN TURNED VENIN. (hide spoiler)]*big breaths*. Still freaking out.
Okay, okay, how about...the fact that this book satisfied some serious power trips? But not in an annoying way like "I will burn the world because everyone's an idiot" or "You don't control me, because I'm a legendary power." More like "You pompous asses thought you could do what you wanted with me, but listen here, you're all cowards and I've got powerful friends who know the truth so check yourself." (view spoiler)[Looking at how vice-commandant Varrish was dispatched. If you ever read JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World (Manga) Vol. 6, I imagine Varrish to be like the commander. Distinguished reputation, an authoritarian and sadist, and in the end, just a weakling threatened by powerful women. Watching him die after torturing Violet for five days, forcing her to burnout, thinking that he could command dragons to show up, and just for overall being an ass, yeah finally having Violet and Xaden, and Dain fight back felt amazing!
Oh yeah, Dain is a good guy because he's a a goody-two-shoes and apparently was not in on his father's plan. And like he was in the first book, was in complete denial until push came to shove and maybe he's finally stopped following the rules so much? (hide spoiler)]
Focusing on the pacing...what's an emotional rollercoaster without anger and suppression? That's basically all of Part 1, which actually takes up a little more than half of the book. Grief from losing friends in the first year, rage towards Navarrian propaganda and the government officials, righteous anger about lying to and killing innocents, being forced to lie to almost everyone because after the latest betrayal caused someone's death, do you really know who you can trust? Poor Violet, so strung-out. Xaden's not helping with the will-we-won't-we-be-together, lovable Andarna is hitting her growth spurt hibernation period, and also there's two whole new powerful administrations to have to negotiate with before anyone can actually do any saving: the Assembly of Tyrrendor, and Viscount Tecarus from Braevick. Oh yeah, and we meet (view spoiler)[Xaden's ex. Juicy conflict! Wouldn't it be fun if Xaden can meet Violet's exes too?! (hide spoiler)]
And Part 2 is war. War, war, war. Glorious, strategic, and almost all of the logic and battle maneuvers missing from Part 1 all present. Kind of similar to Empire of Storms, (view spoiler)[everyone's got to put on their history hats and ancient runes skills to even begin to figure out how to activate the wards and replenish the defenses (hide spoiler)] before the big baddies come to kill.
I don't know how this book ended up being everything I wanted and more, but somehow it did and now I'm ever-so-slightly anxious that with how much I enjoyed the last two books, what's going to happen in the third? Will my head actually be blown off my body? Will I even have a body?! Or a head?!...more
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