Scan barcode
jankben's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was an absolutely lovely, well written and well narrated book. Keep in mind, it is a fantasy, and can be very dark. Pay attention to the content warnings if you have triggers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Trafficking, Violence, Drug abuse, and Suicide
thecanadianbookworm's review
4.0
The first 20% ish or so I had a hard time getting into. It had a lot of info, names, characters etc to absorb. But getting through that is worth it!
A great story, wonderful characters. I'm not much for pirates usually, but this one was very enjoyable.
A great story, wonderful characters. I'm not much for pirates usually, but this one was very enjoyable.
jfreud's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Loved the mythic scale of this, and the love story is beautiful!
lillist's review against another edition
5.0
5 Stars - Utterly beautiful
Content warning: murder, child abuse, rape, physical violence. There is plenty of seriously dark stuff.
What a beautiful book this is. First of all there's the writing, that is just utterly beautiful, poetic, full of truth. I haven't read writing so lovely for quite a while and it brought me so much joy.
Then the worldbuilding and the world itself just made me happy. Suanne Laqueur has brought together parts of different mythologies and combined them to create a whole, complex culture, including a unique language (based on Esperanto, which I just love!) to create a world you want to immerse yourself into and never leave again. There's a tree of life, there are gods that make stupid mistakes, there are all sorts of horsefolk.
The story I loved - it's a modern take on a legend or tale in that there is a prophecy, a destiny, a fated love. But there is so much more to it than a formulaic checking off of all of the plot elements the genre would require. The different elements of the story come together so beautifully and I am in awe of just how well constucted the plot was. Laqueur is also cares about the characters that are destined to become more than they ever intended. She cares about them deeply and we understand that fate can ask a lot and maybe too much and that it hurts. But they persist, and, if I may spoil a tiny bit: all will be (pretty) well in the end and that is how such a story should end indeed.
Which brings me to the next point: the characters! Good grief, I find it really hard to put into words just how WONDERFUL they all were. Some of them really are put through the wringer and they become damaged, and badly so. But still, they stay honest, vulnerable, open. While reading this I kept thinking that Laqueur captured just so well how being the best version of yourself is really the only way to go. Don't be petty, don't be a jerk, if you like someone, open up to that person, be vulnerable. And it will reward you with true, meaningful relationships. Big love, but also real friendship, honest companionship. You know a book is special when it inspires you to want to be a better person.
Honestly, the longer I kept reading, the more I wanted this book to never, ever end. This ist most definitely one of the best books of the year for me, and it is likely that I will reread. (Which happens very rarely these days.)
If you even remotely like Fantasy (and even if you don't) this is very, very heartily recommended.
I have received a review copy via NetGalley and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
Content warning: murder, child abuse, rape, physical violence. There is plenty of seriously dark stuff.
What a beautiful book this is. First of all there's the writing, that is just utterly beautiful, poetic, full of truth. I haven't read writing so lovely for quite a while and it brought me so much joy.
Then the worldbuilding and the world itself just made me happy. Suanne Laqueur has brought together parts of different mythologies and combined them to create a whole, complex culture, including a unique language (based on Esperanto, which I just love!) to create a world you want to immerse yourself into and never leave again. There's a tree of life, there are gods that make stupid mistakes, there are all sorts of horsefolk.
The story I loved - it's a modern take on a legend or tale in that there is a prophecy, a destiny, a fated love. But there is so much more to it than a formulaic checking off of all of the plot elements the genre would require. The different elements of the story come together so beautifully and I am in awe of just how well constucted the plot was. Laqueur is also cares about the characters that are destined to become more than they ever intended. She cares about them deeply and we understand that fate can ask a lot and maybe too much and that it hurts. But they persist, and, if I may spoil a tiny bit: all will be (pretty) well in the end and that is how such a story should end indeed.
Which brings me to the next point: the characters! Good grief, I find it really hard to put into words just how WONDERFUL they all were. Some of them really are put through the wringer and they become damaged, and badly so. But still, they stay honest, vulnerable, open. While reading this I kept thinking that Laqueur captured just so well how being the best version of yourself is really the only way to go. Don't be petty, don't be a jerk, if you like someone, open up to that person, be vulnerable. And it will reward you with true, meaningful relationships. Big love, but also real friendship, honest companionship. You know a book is special when it inspires you to want to be a better person.
Honestly, the longer I kept reading, the more I wanted this book to never, ever end. This ist most definitely one of the best books of the year for me, and it is likely that I will reread. (Which happens very rarely these days.)
If you even remotely like Fantasy (and even if you don't) this is very, very heartily recommended.
I have received a review copy via NetGalley and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
daine_'s review against another edition
4.0
Copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was a bit leery of starting this book with it being part of an existing series. However, I'm very glad I picked this up because I enjoyed The Voyages of Trueblood Cay more than I was expecting to.
The worldbuilding was good and the writing engaging. Side characters were well fleshed out, though I did wish there was a bit more focus on Raj and Lejo towards the end—after all their screentime early on they seemed to fade into the background even during the climax of the story they were actively participating in.
My primary hangup was pacing. The beginning to middle of the book felt a bit slow, and the end seemingly rushed to catch up (but still in the slow, long book type of way).
All in all, I'll be recommending this to friends who enjoy the genre and don't mind a longer read.
I was a bit leery of starting this book with it being part of an existing series. However, I'm very glad I picked this up because I enjoyed The Voyages of Trueblood Cay more than I was expecting to.
The worldbuilding was good and the writing engaging. Side characters were well fleshed out, though I did wish there was a bit more focus on Raj and Lejo towards the end—after all their screentime early on they seemed to fade into the background even during the climax of the story they were actively participating in.
My primary hangup was pacing. The beginning to middle of the book felt a bit slow, and the end seemingly rushed to catch up (but still in the slow, long book type of way).
All in all, I'll be recommending this to friends who enjoy the genre and don't mind a longer read.
jaime_of_gryffindor's review
4.0
This was a pretty good romantic fantasy read. It took me a little bit to get into this book, but after I got used to the writing, I really enjoyed the writing style of this one. The author pulls you into a world filled with centaurs, kheiron (a creature able to shift between human and horse), and giants. There was a lot of new names and words to learn and remember, so I really appreciated the glossary in the back of the book and I also liked having a book map in the beginning. This book is part of the series Venery, but it can easily be read as a standalone (I haven’t read any other books in this series) If you like high fantasy and romance you may want to give this one a try.
talesfromthedragonslair's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book took me by surprise. It's such an original story and I loved the concept of the storytelling in the storytelling…in the storytelling? The tale starts based on the journal of the main character, Pé. At the beginning, for example, we get introduced to the different characters via his list of favourite people on board. Furthermore, several of the characters tell tales, and legends and myths are interwoven throughout the narration. But to top it off, the entire book itself is actually the book that is being written by one of the characters of another series by the same author. Are you intrigued yet?
The worldbuilding is very rich and reminded me a lot of ancient mythology. Some of the main characters are kheirons, magical creatures who can shift between man and horse forms. I loved this, it made everything even more fascinating. I also appreciated the way the author deals with gender and sexuality as it made the story feel very inclusive.
Although this is clearly an adult fantasy, it does not feel as heavy as many other fantasy books do. Part of that is likely due to the use of humour and the fact that it has a bit of a coming-of-age theme as well.
It is clear from the writing that the author loves language. The vocabulary, the linguistic jokes, the almost philosophical (and yet still easy to read) prose, everything shouts "language lover". Being a linguist myself, I genuinely enjoyed this aspect of the storytelling, almost as much as I enjoyed the tale as such. It reminded me a bit of the way in which bards used to tell stories. There was something strangely spellbinding about it. I also quite liked the way in which the journal entries and the short chapters were interwoven.
Edit: After having written this review, I read on the author's Goodreads profile that she used to be a dancer and that she went from choreographing music to words. That's exactly what I tried to describe!
For those who have read the book: Especial is now my new favourite word ;)
I will absolutely reread this book!
claudiereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This might just be the BEST fantasy book I’ve ever read. It was incredible. Enchanting. Magical. Exquisite. I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved it. Xia Xia, you have my undying gratitude for bringing this amazing book — and series, because now that I know The Voyages of Trueblood Cay was a ‘book within a book,’ I’m in danger of becoming obsessed — to my attention. Thank you SO MUCH for this recommendation!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Fantasy has been my go-to genre for as long as I can remember, and I’ve read a LOT of good books over the years. Still, a couple of pages in, I knew this one would outclass them all. The worldbuilding was excellent, and very elaborate. It was so wonderfully crafted, that despite the complex mythology and language — and kheirons, the flying horse shifters — it was very approachable and reader-friendly, not at all over-the-top. Also, let’s not forget the stellar character and relationship development. It doesn’t get much better than this.
As is my wont, I instantly bonded with the most tragic character here — Fen. I was not prepared for the emotional minefield of his backstory! It flayed me alive, but it also gave everything that happened later deeper meaning. I loved his relationship with Trueblood, and the way it changed them both. They were far from perfect, but they were perfect together.
Fantasy has been my go-to genre for as long as I can remember, and I’ve read a LOT of good books over the years. Still, a couple of pages in, I knew this one would outclass them all. The worldbuilding was excellent, and very elaborate. It was so wonderfully crafted, that despite the complex mythology and language — and kheirons, the flying horse shifters — it was very approachable and reader-friendly, not at all over-the-top. Also, let’s not forget the stellar character and relationship development. It doesn’t get much better than this.
As is my wont, I instantly bonded with the most tragic character here — Fen. I was not prepared for the emotional minefield of his backstory! It flayed me alive, but it also gave everything that happened later deeper meaning. I loved his relationship with Trueblood, and the way it changed them both. They were far from perfect, but they were perfect together.
hannahhenryhaas's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kcsunshine25's review
5.0
Once upon a time a legantos (that means a reader) didn’t like fantasy books. Along came a beautiful especial rakantistos (that means a story teller) and the legantos changed her ways.
My fellow legantos, gather around and listen because this is a story you haven’t heard before but it is one you need to.
It is a tale of ships and tall trees. Of winged centaurs and witches. Stealers of stars and twins who know the way to go morally and geographically. Giants with the bluest jackets. Moonstones and silver rings.
Sit and listen.
The fact that a book character with a pseudonym wrote a book based on beloved book characters had my head spinning. Hi Stef, I see you. And Trueblood, it’s so lovely see you again. Hi twins! Oh and there’s a lark.
I laughed and cried. Godsdammit what is this whore shit, it’s horseshit. And I was in awe of the especial penmanship of the rakantistos.
Listen to tell it. Tell it to learn it. Learn it to teach it.
This book is magic. It’s like a voyage on the Iliad with Sinbad the sailor and some myths and legends thrown in along with biblical references.
It is one of those books that you will want to read again and again and again and at each re-read you will find something new, something a bit more magical.
I highlighted the life out of this book:
"We can't sit around and wait for the world to be made beautiful for us. We must find beauty in a troubled world. We must be the goodness."
"A story asks for little. Really at it wants and needs is a listener."
"It's all making love to me. All of it. If we lie down and go to sleep, it'll feel like making love. If we stand here and stare at each other all night, it;s making love."
"If you throw a rock at my head, making love?"
"If you shit on my feet, making love."
"You are my trueblood...And I love nothing the way I love you."
My fellow legantos, gather around and listen because this is a story you haven’t heard before but it is one you need to.
It is a tale of ships and tall trees. Of winged centaurs and witches. Stealers of stars and twins who know the way to go morally and geographically. Giants with the bluest jackets. Moonstones and silver rings.
Sit and listen.
The fact that a book character with a pseudonym wrote a book based on beloved book characters had my head spinning. Hi Stef, I see you. And Trueblood, it’s so lovely see you again. Hi twins! Oh and there’s a lark.
I laughed and cried. Godsdammit what is this whore shit, it’s horseshit. And I was in awe of the especial penmanship of the rakantistos.
Listen to tell it. Tell it to learn it. Learn it to teach it.
This book is magic. It’s like a voyage on the Iliad with Sinbad the sailor and some myths and legends thrown in along with biblical references.
It is one of those books that you will want to read again and again and again and at each re-read you will find something new, something a bit more magical.
I highlighted the life out of this book:
"We can't sit around and wait for the world to be made beautiful for us. We must find beauty in a troubled world. We must be the goodness."
"A story asks for little. Really at it wants and needs is a listener."
"It's all making love to me. All of it. If we lie down and go to sleep, it'll feel like making love. If we stand here and stare at each other all night, it;s making love."
"If you throw a rock at my head, making love?"
"If you shit on my feet, making love."
"You are my trueblood...And I love nothing the way I love you."