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crimsoncor's review against another edition
4.0
Really torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book as I found the ending profoundly dissatisfying. Going with 4 due to my overall enjoyment of the series, but this was by far the weakest entry in the trilogy.
winterscape's review against another edition
4.0
As a whole, I love the series.
I also love the first 3/4 of The Dark Defiles. It's intimate. You know the characters, their motivations, their quirks, and what they're setting out to do. It's a darkly fun quest fantasy with plot twists, pirates, dragons, gods, and demonic machinery. There's extremely unique settings that delve further into the mysteries of ancient Kiriath society, craftsmanship, and architecture. There's love, friendship, and intense battles. It all feels as though it's leading up to an ending in the same vein - something that builds on the promises of the first two books and the beginning of this one.
Unfortunately, I have to admit that it really loses itself in the end.
The story pans out. Unfocuses itself on the characters and fixes onto a vast, complex, and deeply impersonal backstory of the world itself. Sure, Gil is there, but he's fuzzy. It doesn't feel as though the story is about him, Archeth, or Egar anymore. He becomes a question-asker for some grander, info-dumping idea that - I think - had never been the point of the narrative.
The final scenes are left purposely ambiguous. They're alright, but not great. I liked the implication surrounding Archeth.
The second book is, in my opinion, head-and-shoulders above the first and last. The first third of this book keeps that momentum going, but ultimately, doesn't deliver an ending that matches the rest in style.
I would definitely still recommend the series, as the ending doesn't undo the greatness of the whole.
I also love the first 3/4 of The Dark Defiles. It's intimate. You know the characters, their motivations, their quirks, and what they're setting out to do. It's a darkly fun quest fantasy with plot twists, pirates, dragons, gods, and demonic machinery. There's extremely unique settings that delve further into the mysteries of ancient Kiriath society, craftsmanship, and architecture. There's love, friendship, and intense battles. It all feels as though it's leading up to an ending in the same vein - something that builds on the promises of the first two books and the beginning of this one.
Unfortunately, I have to admit that it really loses itself in the end.
The story pans out. Unfocuses itself on the characters and fixes onto a vast, complex, and deeply impersonal backstory of the world itself. Sure, Gil is there, but he's fuzzy. It doesn't feel as though the story is about him, Archeth, or Egar anymore. He becomes a question-asker for some grander, info-dumping idea that - I think - had never been the point of the narrative.
Spoiler
I'm talking about the 2-page slog of confusion about sister source codes and Commander of the Core Codes and whatnot. It felt so irrelevant, like a broken remnant of a science-fiction subplot gone wrong.The final scenes are left purposely ambiguous. They're alright, but not great. I liked the implication surrounding Archeth.
The second book is, in my opinion, head-and-shoulders above the first and last. The first third of this book keeps that momentum going, but ultimately, doesn't deliver an ending that matches the rest in style.
I would definitely still recommend the series, as the ending doesn't undo the greatness of the whole.
lissblake's review
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
librarian_of_trantor's review against another edition
4.0
When you finish a series and immediately consider starting over, either it is a very good series or the ending left you a bit confused. When I finished Richard K. Morgan’s The Dark Defiles, the last book of the A Land Fit for Heroes trilogy, it was a bit of both. An article, with numerous comments, on Morgan’s own website, helped with the confusion. Most readers took the same view that I did, invoking Clarke’s Third Law about magic and advanced technology. And many tried to connect A Land Fit for Heroes to Morgan’s SF novels about Takeshi Kovacs. The best comment/response in the whole discussion was a reader who commented that he did not like or finish the Kovacs novel Altered Carbon so he was glad he had downloaded a pirated audiobook. Morgan responded that there were loads of other people who liked the book and, luckily for him, believed in paying for what they take off the shelf. I loved, and paid for, the Kovacs novels and A Land Fit for Heroes.
terst's review against another edition
2.0
Just like the Takeshi Kovac's trilogy, the first book is really good, the second one is fine and the third one is really boring.
pjwhyman's review against another edition
4.0
A nice finish to a nasty but good trilogy. Doesn't pull punches.
fantastiskfiktion's review against another edition
4.0
https://fantastiskfiktion.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/a-land-fit-for-heroes/
kevinscorner's review
challenging
dark
5.0
The Dark Defiles is the final book in Richard Morgan’s A Land Fit For Heroes trilogy and what a finale it was! This is by far my favorite of the three books and is the best one by miles.
We join Ringil, Egar and Archeth as they are months in on the mission discussed in The Cold Commands. Events come to a head as the book opens, and they are separated once again. Ringil struggles with his new power as a dark mage, Egar holds together a fragile alliance between factions forced together by circumstance, and Archeth aims to decipher the path the Helmsmen have laid out for her. Unexpected surprises and deaths, meddling gods, and prophecies fulfilled make for a truly fantastic read.
Most issues I had from The Steel Remains and The Cold Commands were not present in this book. There was no long meandering first half. It was actually very eventful with steady, reliably brisk pacing. There was a lot of action spread throughout and not just at the final 10%. The book was also not as confusing because all the plots are finally unfolding, and we finally get some answers (although some are not as straightforward). Richard Morgan also restrained himself since there was only one graphic gay carnal scene in this entire book.
The Dark Defiles delivers a great conclusion to the trilogy and made my slight struggle through the first two books completely worthwhile.
We join Ringil, Egar and Archeth as they are months in on the mission discussed in The Cold Commands. Events come to a head as the book opens, and they are separated once again. Ringil struggles with his new power as a dark mage, Egar holds together a fragile alliance between factions forced together by circumstance, and Archeth aims to decipher the path the Helmsmen have laid out for her. Unexpected surprises and deaths, meddling gods, and prophecies fulfilled make for a truly fantastic read.
Most issues I had from The Steel Remains and The Cold Commands were not present in this book. There was no long meandering first half. It was actually very eventful with steady, reliably brisk pacing. There was a lot of action spread throughout and not just at the final 10%. The book was also not as confusing because all the plots are finally unfolding, and we finally get some answers (although some are not as straightforward). Richard Morgan also restrained himself since there was only one graphic gay carnal scene in this entire book.
The Dark Defiles delivers a great conclusion to the trilogy and made my slight struggle through the first two books completely worthwhile.
tmarthal's review against another edition
5.0
The best high fantasy/technological meanderings and magic system I've ever read. Great protagonists, amazing antagonist characters and a perfect wrap to a trilogy.
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
4.0
I love Morgan's writing and I love fantasy, so I was very excited about this series. Unfortunately I was often confused reading the first two books. This one seemed to be much clearer, but the ending was a let down. Still definitely worth the read. They're all available on audio and the narrator is great.
I don't usually like the blend of sci-fi with fantasy, but what he's doing here works for me. It's kind of "grimdark" too, which I like. I could do without the graphic sex scenes, straight and gay. I understand they add to the grittiness, but a little less detail would be good. It's almost embarrassing to be in line at the post office listening to (basically) porn.
Morgan will be sorely missed as a writer. I think I've read all but one of his books now. Still waiting on this Kovacs novels to become a TV show or movie.
I don't usually like the blend of sci-fi with fantasy, but what he's doing here works for me. It's kind of "grimdark" too, which I like. I could do without the graphic sex scenes, straight and gay. I understand they add to the grittiness, but a little less detail would be good. It's almost embarrassing to be in line at the post office listening to (basically) porn.
Morgan will be sorely missed as a writer. I think I've read all but one of his books now. Still waiting on this Kovacs novels to become a TV show or movie.