Scan barcode
saoki's review against another edition
4.0
So many terrible choices. I kinda like that in Sykes' characters, it's very human to do something stupid and tell yourself it's going to be alright because you mean well or you had no other choice or anyone else would have done this (but of course my favorite character is Asper).
Edit: Wait, wait, I have an actual comment to make! It's not about the story, though. It's that the author doesn't seems to grasp what exactly is a fresco. It breaks my art school heart to see him describe a mosaic to the tile, or a bas-relief's careful sculpting, and call all of it a fresco. I know it's Lenk's perspective and that he isn't exactly an artsy person, but this is not a first person book on which the author is justified in calling things the character doesn't have a name for "thingie".
Edit: Wait, wait, I have an actual comment to make! It's not about the story, though. It's that the author doesn't seems to grasp what exactly is a fresco. It breaks my art school heart to see him describe a mosaic to the tile, or a bas-relief's careful sculpting, and call all of it a fresco. I know it's Lenk's perspective and that he isn't exactly an artsy person, but this is not a first person book on which the author is justified in calling things the character doesn't have a name for "thingie".
dustinderefield's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
banjax451's review against another edition
5.0
Broken people. Broken people make life interesting. Broken people make bad decisions based on the same evidence that "unbroken" (boring) people make. Broken people then compound their bad decisions with mistakes and bad actions. Every step of this story, you want to scream at the main characters - and I mean that as a compliment. Because while you can see that the decisions they're making are the wrong decisions...it completely makes sense to them and to you. This is how people behave.
That's the biggest compliment I can give to a work of fiction. These broken characters seem so real in their pain, sadness, anger, confusion, and "broken-ness" that the bad decisions they make, which compound on each other, completely make a certain kind of sense. Anxiously looking forward to reading installment #3.
That's the biggest compliment I can give to a work of fiction. These broken characters seem so real in their pain, sadness, anger, confusion, and "broken-ness" that the bad decisions they make, which compound on each other, completely make a certain kind of sense. Anxiously looking forward to reading installment #3.
sixwing's review
5.0
Sympathy for the devil. And the devil is in the details.
This is a great read, full of characters with fully realized and nuanced motivations. If you enjoy adventure without clear good and evil, this is for you.
This is a great read, full of characters with fully realized and nuanced motivations. If you enjoy adventure without clear good and evil, this is for you.
redmarten83's review against another edition
4.0
This book didn't grab me the way The City Stained Red did, it didn't have as much wit or charm, but the places we find ourselves in during the events of this book wouldn't work with a lot of wit or charm. Mr. Sykes has an odd ability to make his characters despicable and petty, and yet somehow I still want to know what's going to happen to them next.
trystonwebb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
brokenfiction's review against another edition
4.0
Too many trilogies suffer from a weak middle book syndrome. This is not one of them. Sam deftly shows us how our stalwart pack of adventurers can be broken apart and then stepped upon, shat upon, and punted down the street, and we come back asking for more.
lshykula's review against another edition
4.0
Our poor heroes are half dead, mostly dead, soon to be dead, and regrettably releasing demons. I can’t wait to see how the band will get back together in the final book!
triplzer0's review against another edition
DNF
I'm 18 chapters in and everybody is miserable and separated. Like I get this is "grimdark" but I don't think I can finish. This is the 2nd time this has happened in this series, so joke's on me I guess. I don't think this is for me. Shame because I like a lot of aspects of the worldbuilding -- The Old Man is particularly cool.
I'm 18 chapters in and everybody is miserable and separated. Like I get this is "grimdark" but I don't think I can finish. This is the 2nd time this has happened in this series, so joke's on me I guess. I don't think this is for me. Shame because I like a lot of aspects of the worldbuilding -- The Old Man is particularly cool.
depleti's review
4.0
Phew, things just went from bad to worse! Which is great for a story, haha. These always take me some time to get through, but they're always worth it and it never feels like a slog. Can't wait to get the next book.