“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.”
Finally, I see what all the fuss is about.
“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.”
Finally, I see what all the fuss is about. Brandon Sanderson is a masterful author, capable of bringing into being every emotion, scene or type of character, in the best possible and realistic way, with the most difficult of genres, that of high-epic fantasy.
Excellent prose, amazing quotes, and memorable characters that keep humanity and its values intact. I would refer to Mr. Sanderson as the contemporary J. R. R. Tolkien, because he has all the realism Tolkien had but at the same time, he built a world, so original and so magical, with fantasy overflowing from every single sentence, just like Tolkien.
First and foremost, I'd like to point out that despite the length of the book, it's not at all tiring, and no matter when you decide to pick it up, you'll read it pleasantly. Even when you put it down and decide to pick it up again after a full week or two, every word said by Mr. Sanderson will be as fresh in your mind as it was two weeks ago, and that takes talent to achieve.
This book is mainly about history being repeated. Events that happened long ago are now brewing anew again. There are so many characters in this book, and they're all connected somehow, through history, old and new. Some come together, some not but they all have one thing in common. Their lives have changed dramatically over the past few years, either because of choices they made, or because someone decided on their behalf.
We have Roshar. A kingdom, I'll call it, because there are many people living there, of different nationality. Some are unknown to many and some are famous for their prowess to rule. In this case, it's the Alethi, the people who rule, Dalinar and his sons, Adolin and Renarin, are Highprinces, Dalinar is the uncle of the Alethi king, Elhokar, and brother of the former, assassinated king, Gavilar. Alethkar is at war with the people who allegedly killed Gavilar, the Pashendi.
Meanwhile, the sister of Elhokar, Jasnah, is far away from the war, doing a research that is later revealed to us, and I was certainly surprised by the discovery she's made. She takes in a young ward, Shallan, but what Jasnah doesn't know is that Shallan has plans of her own.
Actively a bridgeman, practically a slave, Kaladin risks his life every day to assist in a war he's not interested in dying for. Far away from his home, devastated by recent events and a future brighter than he expects, he discovers he's not at all what he thought he was. Through slavery and darkness, a leader is born.
I'm so overwhelmed by this book, I didn't expect to like it half as much as I did. Five stars are not enough to give this book to. What I described, poorly to you above, is nothing compared to what this book is truly about. There's a lot of magic, through shards, magic, that I, personally, had never heard or read about before reading this book. It perplexed me at first, and I'm most certain it will baffle you too, but it'll whet your appetite and leave you wanting more and more of this.
The twists are many, the battles plenty, and the character delepment is in abundance. If you attempt to read this and end up hating it then I personally vow to let you stab me in the eye. xD...more
It's every bit as interesting as the tv series and I hope the rest of the book series is just as thrilling as this one. This is the kind oBOOM. [image]
It's every bit as interesting as the tv series and I hope the rest of the book series is just as thrilling as this one. This is the kind of book that blows your mind away by the writing and the characters and the flow of it all and how all of these stories join together to create this magnificent world.
Mr. Martin is a genius. I now see why everyone is calling him the 'J. R. R. Tolkien of the US' and I can undoubtedly tell that he does justice to his nickname and holds true to it. It takes lots and lots of fantasy and imagination to create a world as huge and complex as this one. A world with history and religions and wars and thrones, Kings and Queens.. Lords and Ladies and lordlings. Magic and tragedy and honor. And my personal favorite; dragons. I so love dragons and cannot wait to read about them other than seeing them on my screen. ...more
Having read the first book back in Christmas and feeling confused about the reading order I'll say that this was a very enjoyable and easy to read chiHaving read the first book back in Christmas and feeling confused about the reading order I'll say that this was a very enjoyable and easy to read children's book. I'm still struggling to find out who the reading order of Narnia is. I've seen that this is either the 2nd or the 5th book but then again I've seen it being named the 3rd book. I'm just going to read it however I want and hope it'll all be fine. At least, I don't there was any missing detail from the book, so that must be a good thing.
As to why I gave this 3 stars is because I found it less adventurous than the first one, I felt this one was a bit rushed and yes that's the way children's books usually are but it was a bit too much for me. I loved the characters, although some of the characters of the first book were missing, but we had a new one on the children side, and several new ones on the world of Narnia.
A journey in the sea on a ship named Dawn Treader. C. S. Lewis is a masterful author, very laconic but at the same time his words are utterly descriptive. The thing with children's books is that they always make me feel nostalgic and give me this feeling we all had as children, I feel carefree....more
Well, can you blame me for loving this? I certainly hope not. It's Christmas and I feel like a little kid and I was craving something to make me feel Well, can you blame me for loving this? I certainly hope not. It's Christmas and I feel like a little kid and I was craving something to make me feel like I am one, indeed, and this book travelled me to a wondrous world full of heroes and of course a villain. The ride was awesome and I found the characters warm and fuzzy despite the eternal cold that had been placed upon Narnia. Now, they're all free of the curse of the White Witch thanks to Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. The kings and queens of Narnia.
“Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia.”
This is remarkable. It's amazing how short it is, I only read it in one and a half hour, I simply devoured it. It's short but so detailed and concentrated. It's like a fairytale. I'll certainly be reading this to my kids in the future.
“I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be your
Coming to its end, this series was overall amazing and made me feel so cozy and at home that I won't ever My feelings right now: [image] [image] [image]
Coming to its end, this series was overall amazing and made me feel so cozy and at home that I won't ever be able to part with it.
I cannot begin to describe my love for the protagonist, Eragon, who is by far my favorite male lead character. Paolini created a character and managed to make us grasp Eragon's entity. He is not just a fictional character to me, he is more, he is real and if you try to contradict me I will hurt you. This series had so many aspects to the things and it may have sometimes grown boring but that doesn't make it any less perfect.
I got to know to many characters, I grew to love many characters and in each of them I find a little bit of myself and for that I'm grateful to Paolini. I am pretty happy with the way the series came to end and I full understand why the author chose to do it this way.. Eragon is responsible and he is afraid of power and what it does to people (check Galbatorix) and he is also selfless and puts everyone before himself and he, of course, would choose to do something that would benefit the entire Alagaësia.
What I'm not content with is the way Eragon and Arya parted. He loves her so much and I'm not sure he will ever be able to forget his feelings about her and I'm also sure that she is every bit in love with him as he is with her and I would have liked, at least, a kiss before they parted. Not words. Just a kiss in order to hold on to the thought that in some AU Arya joins Eragon in the unknown and have many babies. I'm so helplessly cheesy, I know.
Lastly, this book has wrecked me for life. This entire world. I love it. It's a part of me....more
4 stars because despite the fact that it's perfect it's quite long and slow-paced.
Nevertheless, it is indeed perfect. Paolini has managed to create a4 stars because despite the fact that it's perfect it's quite long and slow-paced.
Nevertheless, it is indeed perfect. Paolini has managed to create a world and I dare even to compare it to the vastness of Tolkien's middle-earth. Alagaësia is a very solid world, with lots of history and of course magic. It's what I love about it so much.
Magic adds so much to its perfection. It's what makes me love epic fantasy novels. You get to experience and feel a new world that's simultaneously old. When I first started reading 'The Inheritance Cycle' I must admit that I had my doubts because of the many comparisons made with 'Lord of the Rings' but after pouring much thought into it the two worlds are entirely different and so are the characters; the only similar trait I can spot is the fact that both heroes, them being Frodo and Eragon, must bear burdens heavier than their bulk.
This book proved to be much better than I anticipated. I loved it for two reasons; first and foremost there was lots of history revealed and secondly we got the chance to see the entire process of the training which was, undoubtedly, very exhilarating. I grew to love Eragon and I got so bonded with him and at times I would feel very overprotective of him which only accounts for Paolini's extraordinary writing style.
Eragon is that shy, humble and good-hearted kid who in short time had to grow up and take the weight of the world on his shoulders. Like every other teenager he fell in love, maybe with the wrong person but he did and now he can't undo it, and felt as if he would break with all the responsibilities suddenly being thrust upon his shoulders. It's basically how every teenager feels at some point when they believe they have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.
This was a breathtaking book all along. It was not as slow paced as the former two books. It was, as the previous books, adventurous and full of thrilThis was a breathtaking book all along. It was not as slow paced as the former two books. It was, as the previous books, adventurous and full of thrilling feelings. Reading this series, so far, has been just as exciting as Eragon and Saphira's journey.
I am glad I decided to read this series. It's every bit as amazing as a friend of mine has several times told me. It's an incredible world, and a very solid one. An exhilarating story and characters, secondaries or not, that you grow attached to so much that you feel deeply their feelings. 'Brisingr' was the most devastating book. It ruined me actually. The chapter before the last when Oromis and Glaedr died I was bawling so hard and I had not even realized how much I've grown to love these two until I had to bite down the bile that has formed in my mouth from the grief.
This was the best book yet. It's absolutely breath-taking and exhilarating from the start to the end. It was action-packed and despite its many pages I never once felt myself go bored or even grow tired of this. It got to me, and it touched me more than any other book and it was overall, the most complete one, I think.
5/5 stars and I hope the next and final book is just as worth of a 5-star rating just as 'Brisingr' was....more
I had heard many bad things about it. First and foremore, I'd heard that it's a copy of Lord of The Rings and This book was such a pleasant surprised.
I had heard many bad things about it. First and foremore, I'd heard that it's a copy of Lord of The Rings and to clear the air, it's not at all like Lord of The Rings. I'll admit there were many similarities but that's just that, there were similarities. No copying. This book was just as original as I'd thought it'd be.
There were twists and the narrative was good enough. The writing wasn't perfect but it wasn't bad either. What I loved the most were the dragons, OF COURSE. And the characters, they're all bloody interesting and I can't wait to read more about them. They intrigued, everyone in their own way.
This is a world of wonders, of magic, and dragons and knights and kingdoms, of evil and good. It's an incredible world, and a well-built one, at that.
My mind is blown away. I didn't expect to feel the way I do after reading the last pages. The last few pages of the book made my heart race and gave mMy mind is blown away. I didn't expect to feel the way I do after reading the last pages. The last few pages of the book made my heart race and gave me goosebumps all over. From the beginning and up until half of the book I was all like "okay, a nice follow-up to Throne of Glass" and then it all went to hell, it was like the first half of the book was a storm brewing up and then that storm broke out and shit went down, alright.
As for the characters, they remain just as amazing as in the first novel in the series and even more so. I actually bonded with the characters, and I find it an excellent idea for this series to be multi-pov and get insight of what all of our characters think about. Celaena is still the badass she used to be, a forged assassin made to bend everyone and everything to their knees. I love the presentation of her as a hollowed out human shell when she's fighting, it makes that much more.. uhmm, special.
Chaol. What is there to be said about our wonderful, loving, caring Chaol, who can be just as controlling as Celaena, and they fit all too well at that, and many more. Their chemistry is all over the place. The fact that they have this love-hate relationship that just keeps getting kickstarted, it makes me love them that much more.
Dorian, he evolved a lot, and despite his heartbroken status, he is not annoying (thank you Sarah for that) and there is lots of juice regarding that one. Including something you won't see coming.
The book, after the first half, is a never ending plot twist. The ending is breathtaking. If you've read the first book and loved it then don't think twice about reading this, you may end up loving this even more. This series has definitely grown on to me and I can't wait to read about what's to come. I'm so glad there's already a published sequel!...more
A heart of ice. A will of steel. Meet the assasin.
This is a very nice description of this novel.
How to make an amazing young-adult, high-fantasy book.A heart of ice. A will of steel. Meet the assasin.
This is a very nice description of this novel.
How to make an amazing young-adult, high-fantasy book. Create a wondrous world all of your own. Throw in an incredibly badass, swoon-worthy, female lead who happens to be a bone-shattering assasin. Throw in two amazing male leads, some magic, some annoying villains, a bitch-king, a love/hate relationship which takes time for the two to realize they actually like each other a lot.
Voila.
An incredible novel, I loved too much.
I had this waiting on my bookcase for nearly two months, so, I decided last night to pick it and give it a chance. I couldn't ignore longer its amazing, breath-taking cover which caught my eye all this time ago. We all know that a pretty cover doesn't entail a good book but it's just that sometimes a beautiful cover makes the book that much more enticing. This book lived up to its wonderful cover and narrated a very nice story.
The storyline was actually really good, easy to grasp but, nonetheless, it remained complex on a level that it didn't bring on a headache but rather a constant hunger to finish page after page and go to the next one because it had me that much entranced that I couldn't move an inch from my bed for hours.
As I previously said, I enjoyed the plot and the characters were very well-built and I found myself loving some of them from the very first pages. Celaena, Chaol, Dorian, Nehemia. Ugh, they're all unique in their own way of awesomeness. They're all presented as human beings and not perfect other-wordly entities which is a thing I loved about the book.
The writing is very good and it has a very nice flow which can't be denied. Altogether, it's an amazing book and adds a nice touch to the entire young-adult book genre.
Can't wait to get my hands on book 2 and devour it....more
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”
The quote above is just one reason to get yourself to read this. This was the second part in one of the most-beloved series of every fantasy lover. If you're a person who loves a good adventure, with twists, surprises, great characters, fun & drama then you cannot continue living on this earth without reading this piece of dream.
It explores the dark & full of wonders world that is Middle-Earth. It just goes on to show us that there is hope even in the bleakest of moments. Our characters never lose their hope, they are endlessly brave and courageous. There is war and action, it's a must-read.
“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.”
“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost
“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.”
This is a world of wonder that Mr. Tolkien created more than 60 years ago and it leaves me at a loss for words to think he created something that then was considered to be 'nothing at all' but now still continues to inspire thousands and thousands of authors to begin their own epic fantasy series set in a world like this. J.R.R. Tolkien was innovative without ever realising it.
This is just fun, fun, fun. Fun to read. Fun to create the image in your head where imagination runs wild. I loved reading about Frodo & Sam and how it all began. I loved reading about Bilbo and his family. I loved getting to know Pippin & Merry & Gandalf & Aragorn & Legolas & Gimli. About the One Ring & how they set out into the adventure that would change their lifes.
The prose is one of the most stunning writings I've ever had the luck of reading. It is such a well-written book and it makes sense why it took him so long to write this, after The Hobbit. He wanted to make this as much detailed as possible. And he did it.
I couldn't omit to mention this in my review:
“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”
“What do you fear, lady?", Aragorn asked. "A cage,", Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing g
“What do you fear, lady?", Aragorn asked. "A cage,", Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
Writing this review I have a wild hunger to re-read this series again just to get to feel that excitement and the rush of emotions that these books instill in me.
The epic conclussion to it all. The war. The great fight. The way it all ends. The sacrifice. The obsession. The act of overcoming the inredible.
This series has it all. I couldn't be more satisfied by reading a book, a final book at that. I love what J.R.R. Tolkien does with his characters. He knows how to handle his characters that he so passionately created.
I am so in love witht his, I don't want to let go. Middle-Earth never ceased to surprise and inspire me. Making me imagine things. It's truly a must-read, a one-of-a-kind book that sets your imagination to motion and creates images.
«In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, san
«In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort.»
This date marks the first time I completed the Middle-Earth Universe, but something tells me there are still many second, third, and fourth times to come. I had read the LOTR trilogy not a year ago because I chose to read LOTR first and then get on with TH at my own pace. With the third and final movie coming out in two weeks I thought it was just the right time for me to read the book and be blown away by Mr. Tolkien's incredible world, which for me is one of the most exciting, most exhilarating, breathtaking, magnificent worlds ever created. This man, almost a hundred years ago, created something that is still considered innovative, unique and much ahead of its times.
I couldn't help but feel the connection between TH and LOTR. Something about the narrative, something about Mr. Tolkien's prose in the TH prepares you for what it's about to come in LOTR. In TH there is not mention of Sauron, we know he is referred to as the Necromancer of Dol Guldur who Gandalf and others incapacitated (not indefinitely for sure) but just the mention of the Necromancer is eerie enough to make you, it certainly made me, want to re-read LOTR again and re-discover all over again who Sauron is.
In a way, 'The Hobbit' is so much more adventurous than 'LOTR', it's a mini adventure compared to the 'LOTR' one but just as risky and even more so. There is an unexpected party, trolls who are hungry (yet idiotic), goblins who are hateful (yet idiotic), huge spiders who are simply idiotic, elves (simply majestic), lots and lots of dwarves, men (yes that's us), wizards and, oh, Smaug, our wonderful yet flawed dragon. ...more
“History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging. What has happened before will perforce happen again.”
I think this may be m
“History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging. What has happened before will perforce happen again.”
I think this may be my favorite novel in the series. Not because it was the best but because I felt so connected to the story, more than I have ever felt before while reading this series. And while I can admit that the plot was poorer in comparison with its predecessors and there weren't all of the characters we've grown accustomed to reading about, I still feel like Mr. Martin is one of a kind and his writing is one of the best I've ever had the luck of reading and I could never ever give this book anything less than 5 stars for the simple reason that with this book, the series has finally found a place in my heart.
This book, as many of you may already know, is mainly focused upon King's Landing and some might say the South but I'm not so sure about that. In this book we read for the first time from Cersei's perspective and I have to admit that getting inside her head and seeing firsthand how her brain works, well, it was truly amazing. We see every single bit of malice the lovely Queen Regent has and how far she's willing to go to ensure that Tommen remains safe and sound from whoever tries to do him harm.
The story, despite the absence of some of the characters, such as Tyrion, Daenerys & Jon, was still just as riveting and I think that was principally because of the fact that the plot twists and revelations were scattered throughout the book so it actually kept me on the edge and had me intrigued the entire time.
In addition to Cersei, there's also quite lots of Jaime and I clearly saw him changing throughout the entire novel, from the tiny bits of details regarding how his brain works to the fact that he finally distances himself from Cersei and sees her for what she really is. He's sent to do Cersei's bidding and his last chapter in the novel, left my brain whirring.
Apart from Cersei & Jaime's perspectives, there are bits and pieces of the Iron Islands, told from the point of view of Asha, Victarion & such. Balon Greyjoy is dead and someone has to succeed him.
In the South, Oberyn's daughters, the Sand Snakes, want to avenge their father, so Doran is forced to prison them before they do something that will jeopardize everything. There's also a little bit of plotting from Arianne's side, who's Doran's daughter and his rightful heir. I never thought I'd like Arianne that much. She's quite bold and she has the guts to do what her father refuses to.
This book was big enough and I understand why Mr. Martin divided the story into two parts. It would just be too huge if he had tried to write about all of the characters in one book and I understand he has a lot to write and a lot to give to us through his stories so honestly I'm not disappointed, if anything, I'm happy that he did that. The more the books, the merrier I'll be.
The fact, that a person can build such an amazing world, with the tiniest of details, it's truly amazing and inspirational. I don't get how he does it and honestly I get why his books take so long to come out, I mean they're huge, they're full of made-up history. I mean I wouldn't even be able to remember the names if I were him. I admire his talent and I hope there are more amazing books to come. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book, I'm anxious and ready for Jon, Dany & Tyrion's stories in the next book....more
And then I read the last 4 chapters and I was like:
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What I loved about this book was the fact that it never, not even for a second, made you think of the tv series. I felt like reading and experiencing all these effing events for the first time even though I've watched all of the seasons of the tv series.
This book had an edge that the first book had but the second lacked completely. It's an extraordinary novel which is full of twists and treachery, bravery and cowardry, faith and love, erroneous and righteous, gallantry and thievery, insanity and sanity, war and peace. Kings and queens, bastards and first-borns, lords and ladies. Yes, yes, I can go on for hours.
Ummm, what else? Oh, yes, there is an abundance of "what the fuck" moments that are just to the point and leave you, well, I couldn't be more depicting with the gifs I posted above.
Mr. Martin leaves the readers breathless once more as he delves more into this fantastic world he's created from scratch. It's incredible to see the ordeals everyone is going through and it's even more incredible to see how he doesn't hesitate to kill a character, even important ones.
If you ask me which I think the best book in the series is I'll reply "the third" without even blinking because it indeed was.
What was special about this book was how Mr. Martin woves certain things into a character's personality and then how he loves making stubborn characters who won't ever change for anyone and for anything. What is more, it's also exemplary, regarding some characters, how much character development there is, and what is even more worth applauding is the fact that even though the characters are too many there is still a balance at how he delivers the chapters.
The enormity of this book scared me in the beginning but while reading more into this I wished it was longer because at some point you get lost in the story and you just can't part with it.
What I love about these books is how we see both sides of the world. The one which feels too real and the one which is full of magic and wonders. There is a harmony between the two and the one is joined by the other. The lines are both blurred and kept at bay in an odd way. I bet it's the ice and fire thingy.
Well, wow, the next book in the series is one I haven't even seen on screen yet. I'm that much more excited about it....more
I loved it & there are not enough words to express my opinion about Mr. Martin's amazing writing. I just loved it a little less than the first book. NI loved it & there are not enough words to express my opinion about Mr. Martin's amazing writing. I just loved it a little less than the first book. Nevertheless it was an amazing sequel!
The book was uneventful compared to all the chaos taking place in the first book. There were still lots of things that took your breath away, I won't lie, but some scenes were unnecessary and added nothing more to the book. It was longer than the first novel but that's what I liked about Mr. Martin. No matter how long his books are you enjoy them at the fullest.
I cannot wait to get into the next book since I've been told by everyone that it's the best book in the series and since season 3 and 4 of the tv show are my favorite and they're both based on the 3rd book I'm most positive that I'll won't be able to read anything else after reading it! ...more
“We can never be gods, after all - but we can become something less than human with frightening ease.”
Such a pleasant, pleasant surprise. I loved
“We can never be gods, after all - but we can become something less than human with frightening ease.”
Such a pleasant, pleasant surprise. I loved this so much.
There may be some minor spoilers in this, so, go ahead & read at your own volition. No big, spoily spoilers, though! Just explaining things a little.
I'm not sure where to begin. Should I may begin by how much well-written this was? N. K. Jemisin is one hell of an author, that is most certain. It was detailed without being tiring, it had many characters & each of them was well-made. I loved the world, it was nicely-crafted. The history was breathtaking & I loved every part of it. From Godswar to how it all came down to the Enefadeh being prisoners of the Arameri.
Yeine Darr is an Arameri. Her mother was one & she's one by inheritance. She's called to the 'Sky' (a floating palace, that's a sight to build in your head) by her grandfather who's, in a way, the King though the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms are not ruled by just one person. There we'll see what a nice person her grandfather is & I'm sure you'll all despise him. Yeine is one of the three contenders for her grandfather's position. Two cousins of her are also in the run. The problem is that she is in danger, from the moment her grandfather got her in the competition. Her cousins are dangerous & will stop at nothing to destroy - kill - her.
In her first day at the palace she meets the Gods. Let's go back a minute. It all stars when the God of Light, the Bright Itempas, killed Enefa, the Goddess of Twilight & Dawn & punished his brother, the Nightlord, Nahadoth & all the lesser Gods by confining them in human bodies. Let's just say that all the Gods, except for Bright Itempas, are bound to do whatever the Arameri want & must obey them at all costs. Scimina, Yeine's cousin, unleashes Nahadoth, one of the Three & the firs to be created for he is the very embodiment of darkness & chaos, & another God, Sieh saves her. Sieh is the God of Mischief.
Yeine, at first, isn't even aware of who they are but when the feeling sinks in & they make her an offer she has to decide whether she should side with those who are prisoned or those who want to kill her. Though, the decision is easy to make she must not be quick to do so because she really doesn't know why the Enefadeh want to assist her.
I won't delve more into this. I'll just say that Yeine is an amazing character & I loved her thoughts & I loved being inside her head & I loved the relationship she built with all of the Enefadeh, how she loved them & found friends & lovers in them. The romance was not a usual one, it was unusual, it was all about attraction & lust at first & it felt kind of weird but then I grew accustomed to it & the romance showed itself.
From the Gods, I must say I loved Nahadoth the most. He was just so mysterious, he had so many aspects. He has lost all of his compassion towards any human and he's vulgar & hard at first & it's difficult to understand him. He's all kinds of fucked-up & there's so much to him. Including how at night, when the sun goes down, he goes into full kickass mode & loses every bit of humanity he has during the day. It's nice to see how Yeine gets through to him. Also, Sieh, that little boy-man, may be the cutest thing ever. He always wanted to hug & cuddle & he developed the most beautiful friendship with Yeine.
The ending was satisfying & I can't wait to get into the second book & read more of this amazing, broken world & the characters.
Don't be doubtful about reading this. Just grab & read it, I'm sure you'll relish this.
Thanks for reading my review, bookworms. :)...more
“Listen. The Sanctuary of the Redeemers on Shotover Scarp is named after a damned lie for there is no redemption that goes on there and less sanctu
“Listen. The Sanctuary of the Redeemers on Shotover Scarp is named after a damned lie for there is no redemption that goes on there and less sanctuary.”
The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because I'm saving it for the rest of the series. Gotta admit that this came as a surprise. I was most positive that I would not like this & I've been holding back. So, when I picked it up & immediately lost myself in it, I couldn't help feeling stupid for not having read this earlier.
This is epic, high fantasy meeting dystopia which is an amazing combination, if I'm being truthful. It's incredibly dark & twisted, the details are gory, the writing is gory & it has a tendency towards the macabre. I liked how the author did not hold back from writing all the horrid, gruesome details. It is very gloomy.
The Redeemers are a group of people, supposedly sent by God to do his work & recruit little kids, train them, turn them into killing machines. If you're a religious person then stop reading this review & do not read the book, you'll most likely hate this book.
I loved it though, I loved all the mention of God & how he is perceived in this book. What he has supposedly assigned to his agents to do.
Cale is a boy of 14, he is the prodigy of 'The Sanctuary of the Redeemers' & the best in the camp. There's something special about him. The Redeemers have taken a special interest to him. What for, you'll find out by reading the book.
The writing is very complicated. Paul Hoffman sure knows how to write. His writing, while it's all over the place, sometimes told from the perspective of our heroes & at other times told by an omnipotent narrator, it is incredble. He can write just about anything, without holding anything back.
The plot was actually pretty rich and that surprised me even more. It's a well-built world that Mr. Hoffman has created and very solid at that. While Cale, our hero, is supposed to be a killing machine, we get the feeling he wants to be more, wants to be something that he alone can define for himself, not letting what he's meant to be tear him down.
There's romance in that one. More like a love/hate relationship. Other times hating each other, other times loving each other dearly. While it's a bit messed up, I liked and understood where it was coming from. They're different, they're afraid. Cale afraid of what she turns him into & Arbell afraid of not being able to change his core.
What striked me as impressive is really the fact that Cale is a little boy, a kid who's been tortured, beaten, disciplined & punished his entire life. All he knows is pain. All he knows is how to inflict pain but still there's humanity in him & that's all the hope this book offers you. Will humanity drown out all of his pain? Will his love for Arbell overcome his need to destroy all that's good?
If you're a fan of epic/high fantasy & love yourself a good, dark, twisty read about a well-built world full of amazing characters? If you love fast-paced reads, then this book is ideal for you. ...more
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