Dying well is easy, it only takes a moment of courage. It’s living well that I couldn’t do. What’s death compared to that.
2.5 stars
I have no introduction because we’re not going to beat about the bush for this one.
NICE THINGS:
1. Plot
-well-knit, if I ever needed a phrase to describe it.
-I’m a fan of intrigue and scheming and moving pieces on the board (I’ve said this before) and Weeks did that really well in this (well enough that I had to reread certain passages)
-I liked it a lot, no complaints here
NOT SO NICE THINGS:
2. Cover
-*pinches eyebrows*
-*sighs*
3. Writing
-I’ve only read the first book in the Lightbringer series (and I’ve sang praise for it) but I know what you can do, Weeks. We both know.
-And because that was published after this, I will refrain from comparison.
-But the flashback sequences (I didn’t even think how Rat died was important, good grief) and the jumping back and forth between POVs…
-where’s Nysos, god of the night, when you need things to disappear?
4. Points of view
-almost every character I met had a POV scene not long after.
-characters whose POVs were unnecessary: everyone except Kylar Stern, Doll Girl, Durzo Blint, Mrs K, Jarl and Logan Gyre because that man literally carried this entire book on his shoulders (but I digress)
-still, this already seems like a lot.
5. Character arcs
-big cast=fewer rounded-out arcs (more often than not)
-characters with good arcs: Logan Gyre, Jarl, Kylar Stern.
-notice how Mrs K and Doll Girl – the only women on the previous list – are missing from this one? yeah me too
-Also, the whole Acaeleus Thorne storyline was unnecessary (why couldn’t Durzo just be a good assassin? Did he have to be immortal? Did he have to have some mysterious powers? Did he have to possess some pearl-like thing?)
(I don’t know how to describe a ka’kari or what it does, sorry)
-The Godking Ursuul
*takes deep breath*
I needed a showdown to save this book, to boost interest and get me through, I don’t know, the last 300 pages?! But no, Ursuul didn’t march to war and chose strategy instead.
I don’t mind a bit of strategy but if the other team is using slightly similar strategy too (i.e. they’re on an even plane) then I get agitated, who’s going to make the dumb moves? Who’s going to say fuck it and charge into battle? Someone needed to because I needed that rush.
Instead we got pages and pages of build up and very little pay off.
-Kylar Stern x Durzo Blint
A collaboration (without collaboration)
We got scenes of them fighting (all those learning montages you tuck away in your mind for future reference on how strong a character should be) we got those.
But where was the downtime? What do they do when they’re no assassin jobs? Does someone have a garden? Does someone love to brew tea? Do we have a painter or a reader or a philosopher in our midst?
I wanted a “dynamic duo” kind of friendship between these two and I wanted to see the “just hanging around scenes” (it would have done more for the emotional bond, I think)
Because spoiler alert! he dies in the end! We didn’t have much time to begin with
(also, don't get me started on the "philosophy scenes")
-To Dorian, Solon and Feir, the true triumphant trio (in my eyes): I am truly sorry I won’t get to find out more about you.
6. Themes
-I'm none the wiser after a period of reflection, I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to take away from this.
In conclusion, this book was right up my alley (I have no problem with assassin fantasy and would actually like to explore the sub-genre more) but I didn’t like this enough to continue with the series.