Scan barcode
kitvaria_sarene's review against another edition
3.0
Decent, but didn't blow me away.
The bad:
The main character was a bit too great at everything he does and a bit too sure of his own sexual prowess for me to really click with him fully.
I didn't care much for how the action scene in the prologue was written... Really small spoiler,
as it is the prologue, so right at the start of the book, but if you hate any sort of spoiler,
I'll hide it. Also too much talking in the action scene - didn't really feel very fluent or get my adrenaline up.
Some plot parts really annoyed me. They felt very improbable and a bit hasty.
Example:
And 1/3 later another rich man picking him up in another seedy pub, without having spoken one word. But he just KNOWS Akiri is the only one for the job!... Both wanting a (different) medallion... Seriously??
Cringe worthy romance - or rather sex scenes. One example of this:
"Akiri shoved her aside without even bothering to look her in the eye. He heard her spit and curse, but paid it no attention. Even if he had been in the mood to bed a woman, she was not the type he would have chosen. He grudgingly accepted that they had their uses, but the idea of their presence in camp just before battle disturbed him. He knew that he could not expect most men to live without pleasurable company for long periods, but he was different – he was Akiri, leader of the Dul’Buhar. His seed was not spent without careful consideration. The women who shared his bed were of a certain quality, chosen specifically for him by the king."
Characters sometimes changed a bit too suddenly. From full assault to "oh I'd better retreat..." in one second. Felt a bit rough at times.
The good:
I liked the old school feel to it, and I am always a sucker for dragons. I liked the action scenes, once past the prologue and I was interested enough in the plot to read the whole book in just a matter of days. Besides the above mentioned gripes I found the writing to be fluent and the world engaging.
Verdict: I liked it, it's the basic "can read it without regretting the time spent, won't miss anything if you read something else though" book.
The bad:
The main character was a bit too great at everything he does and a bit too sure of his own sexual prowess for me to really click with him fully.
I didn't care much for how the action scene in the prologue was written... Really small spoiler,
as it is the prologue, so right at the start of the book, but if you hate any sort of spoiler,
I'll hide it.
Spoiler
Why would they wait around so long instead of just killing/immobilizing him straight away. They ruthlessly killed all the others, but happily waited around for him to get suspicious?Some plot parts really annoyed me. They felt very improbable and a bit hasty.
Example:
Spoiler
Just meet a random stranger in a pub and just know right away this is THE man for you, without knowing anything about him. Really?And 1/3 later another rich man picking him up in another seedy pub, without having spoken one word. But he just KNOWS Akiri is the only one for the job!... Both wanting a (different) medallion... Seriously??
Cringe worthy romance - or rather sex scenes. One example of this:
"Akiri shoved her aside without even bothering to look her in the eye. He heard her spit and curse, but paid it no attention. Even if he had been in the mood to bed a woman, she was not the type he would have chosen. He grudgingly accepted that they had their uses, but the idea of their presence in camp just before battle disturbed him. He knew that he could not expect most men to live without pleasurable company for long periods, but he was different – he was Akiri, leader of the Dul’Buhar. His seed was not spent without careful consideration. The women who shared his bed were of a certain quality, chosen specifically for him by the king."
Characters sometimes changed a bit too suddenly. From full assault to "oh I'd better retreat..." in one second. Felt a bit rough at times.
The good:
I liked the old school feel to it, and I am always a sucker for dragons. I liked the action scenes, once past the prologue and I was interested enough in the plot to read the whole book in just a matter of days. Besides the above mentioned gripes I found the writing to be fluent and the world engaging.
Verdict: I liked it, it's the basic "can read it without regretting the time spent, won't miss anything if you read something else though" book.
thinde's review against another edition
3.0
3.25 Stars
This is a well-written fantasy with hints of a broad and complex world. The plot is well-paced and there's enough foreshadowing to draw the reader forward.
I found the characters to be shallow, and while the protagonist is sympathetic he's not particularly admirable. Unconditional loyalty is not a strength. Loyalty must be reciprocated to be rational.
This is a well-written fantasy with hints of a broad and complex world. The plot is well-paced and there's enough foreshadowing to draw the reader forward.
I found the characters to be shallow, and while the protagonist is sympathetic he's not particularly admirable. Unconditional loyalty is not a strength. Loyalty must be reciprocated to be rational.
More...