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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Kameron Hurley’s Worldbreaker Saga is that rarest of fantasy beasts – a successful mainstream epic fantasy that is also boldly, brashly, and brazenly diverse.
If I had to describe the The Broken Heavens in a single word, ‘deceptive’ would be it. This is a book that’s deceptive in just about every way, and I can’t think of a better way to end the epic intensity of Worldbreaker Saga.
As the book opens, we’re presented with what feels like a smaller, more intimate tale, one that is focused on a few key players and a pair of key conflicts – Lilia and the Dhai versus Kirana and the Tai Mora – but (of course) it’s not that simple. Lilia is just as much in conflict with the Dhai, challenging an entire philosophy of pacifism with her desire for revenge, and her followers are standing in the way of the nation’s retreat. Then there’s the matter of Lilia’s own deceit, hiding the fact that she burned herself out.
Layered on top of all that is the reminder that, when you’re dealing with multiple worlds, with parallel people crossing over between mirror universes, deception is everywhere. Compounding that confusion is the surprise return of characters thought dead, cloaked in questions of whether they really are the characters we think, or just mirror counterparts from another world. Adding to that doubt is a kind of self-deception, with one of those most surprising characters suffering from a sort of short-term amnesia, leaving us to wonder if they even know whether they’re the real deal.
“There’s always another monster, another and another, behind them. You kill them, you become them, you lose everything you ever cared for.”
And self-deception is not just limited to amnesiacs. There are so many characters here lumbering under their own sense of self-deception, fooling themselves as to what their true motives and goals might be. They have become so adept at spinning lies, at presenting the right illusion to those around them, that when it comes time to choose sides, to decide upon a course of action, they’re not even sure what they want. Of course, even the illusion of choice is a deception, as Roh reminds us:
“There are more than two choices. It’s not all good or evil, this or that. We have the power to find other choices . . . I thought I had two choices, always, but there were more than that, always.”
Perhaps the book’s biggest deception, however, is allowing us to believe that the conflict could ever be so simple, just one leader versus another, one race against another. There are glimpses of other worlds throughout, literal drop-in reminders of just how many people are fleeing the destruction of their own worlds, but the first real clue that there may be a third power to contend with almost sneaks by. It isn’t fully appreciated until after the fact . . . and by then it’s far too late.
In terms of characters, I really like how Hurley brought Lilia to a natural conclusion, allowing her growth, self-revelation, and moments of both triumph and tragedy. We see her full potential here, and she rises to the occasion. Kirana becomes even more well-rounded in this final chapter and, despite all that horrors for which she’s responsible, it becomes increasingly harder to simply see her as a villain. Taigan was always a favorite, and I really like their arc here, free from the magical compulsions of the first two books, and what Hurley does with their immortality is immensely satisfying. Roh gets back into the action, becoming a voice of reason and a guiding influence, if not quite the hero we might have expected, and Anavha becomes a character in his own right, defined by neither Zezili nor Natanial, and yet still very much cringing in their shadows.
“Owned. I know it’s wrong. I know you and Natanial don’t like it, but I miss it. I miss other people telling me what to do. I hate having choices…”
While I truly wondered how, or even if, the saga could end – the cyclical nature of sagas like The Dark Tower kept lurking in my thoughts – I think that is where The Broken Heavens shines brightest. It’s not just the characters and the conflicts that come to a head here, but the entire mythology of the worlds, the gates, and the temples. Given all the build-up to the temples, the satellites, and the breaking of worlds, there’s a lot to deliver here, and Hurley delivers on all of it. More importantly, she looks beyond the end, giving us a thoughtful meditation on all that’s happened and what it means going forward. Outstanding in every respect.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/03/26/worldbreaker-saga-by-kameron-hurley-fantasy/
If I had to describe the The Broken Heavens in a single word, ‘deceptive’ would be it. This is a book that’s deceptive in just about every way, and I can’t think of a better way to end the epic intensity of Worldbreaker Saga.
As the book opens, we’re presented with what feels like a smaller, more intimate tale, one that is focused on a few key players and a pair of key conflicts – Lilia and the Dhai versus Kirana and the Tai Mora – but (of course) it’s not that simple. Lilia is just as much in conflict with the Dhai, challenging an entire philosophy of pacifism with her desire for revenge, and her followers are standing in the way of the nation’s retreat. Then there’s the matter of Lilia’s own deceit, hiding the fact that she burned herself out.
Layered on top of all that is the reminder that, when you’re dealing with multiple worlds, with parallel people crossing over between mirror universes, deception is everywhere. Compounding that confusion is the surprise return of characters thought dead, cloaked in questions of whether they really are the characters we think, or just mirror counterparts from another world. Adding to that doubt is a kind of self-deception, with one of those most surprising characters suffering from a sort of short-term amnesia, leaving us to wonder if they even know whether they’re the real deal.
“There’s always another monster, another and another, behind them. You kill them, you become them, you lose everything you ever cared for.”
And self-deception is not just limited to amnesiacs. There are so many characters here lumbering under their own sense of self-deception, fooling themselves as to what their true motives and goals might be. They have become so adept at spinning lies, at presenting the right illusion to those around them, that when it comes time to choose sides, to decide upon a course of action, they’re not even sure what they want. Of course, even the illusion of choice is a deception, as Roh reminds us:
“There are more than two choices. It’s not all good or evil, this or that. We have the power to find other choices . . . I thought I had two choices, always, but there were more than that, always.”
Perhaps the book’s biggest deception, however, is allowing us to believe that the conflict could ever be so simple, just one leader versus another, one race against another. There are glimpses of other worlds throughout, literal drop-in reminders of just how many people are fleeing the destruction of their own worlds, but the first real clue that there may be a third power to contend with almost sneaks by. It isn’t fully appreciated until after the fact . . . and by then it’s far too late.
In terms of characters, I really like how Hurley brought Lilia to a natural conclusion, allowing her growth, self-revelation, and moments of both triumph and tragedy. We see her full potential here, and she rises to the occasion. Kirana becomes even more well-rounded in this final chapter and, despite all that horrors for which she’s responsible, it becomes increasingly harder to simply see her as a villain. Taigan was always a favorite, and I really like their arc here, free from the magical compulsions of the first two books, and what Hurley does with their immortality is immensely satisfying. Roh gets back into the action, becoming a voice of reason and a guiding influence, if not quite the hero we might have expected, and Anavha becomes a character in his own right, defined by neither Zezili nor Natanial, and yet still very much cringing in their shadows.
“Owned. I know it’s wrong. I know you and Natanial don’t like it, but I miss it. I miss other people telling me what to do. I hate having choices…”
While I truly wondered how, or even if, the saga could end – the cyclical nature of sagas like The Dark Tower kept lurking in my thoughts – I think that is where The Broken Heavens shines brightest. It’s not just the characters and the conflicts that come to a head here, but the entire mythology of the worlds, the gates, and the temples. Given all the build-up to the temples, the satellites, and the breaking of worlds, there’s a lot to deliver here, and Hurley delivers on all of it. More importantly, she looks beyond the end, giving us a thoughtful meditation on all that’s happened and what it means going forward. Outstanding in every respect.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/03/26/worldbreaker-saga-by-kameron-hurley-fantasy/
It was an interesting concept, but I spent a lot of time confused by the huge cast of characters, despite the glossary at the back. I think that now is not my season in life to be reading large complex books with lots of characters - just too many interruptions from my Velcro Toddler and other busy-life stuff. I had a really hard time with the male-female relationships as exemplified by Zezili and Anhava. I guess I just didn't think it was OK to portray a relationship in that way just to make readers uncomfortable. Those two characters weren't particularly complex, so it didn't work, it just came off as preachy to me. I also thought the ending was poorly written - there wasn't the closure you'd get in a standalone book, and I think all books should give a reader closure, series books included. Interesting concept, but I don't see myself reading further in the series.
Poor choice for an audiobook in that half a sentence of distraction means having no idea which of two parallel universes/characters are being referenced. A little heavy-handed in its play on gender roles. Characters you never quite connect with or care about. If this is a first novel, it holds promise of an unrefined, inexperienced author who is soon to produce good things in the world of edgy fantasy. If not, it's a book. That wasn't terrible, but that I wouldn't recommend and won't recall for long.
He heard someone swear and stab out into the darkness at some flailing thing. The woman came back from the shadow beyond her table carrying a limp flower, its sticky tentacles still seething. She tossed it into her outdoor fireplace. Even from a hundred paces away, Ahkio heard the plant hissing.
This book has:
- Carnivorous agressive flora
- amazing and creative worldbuilding & magic system
- heaps of heartbreak
- cannibalism
- intriguing grey characters
- discussions of consent
- polyamorous families
- sapphic lusting
- gender-flipped oppression
- genocide
- intriguing genderbending (that is very much not supposed to be utopian)
- women with swords
- disabled MC
- neopronouns (I have qualms with how this part is handled)
- dark humour
I mean... this book kind of has everything. Kameron Hurley is my queen. Really this is a challenging read in a similar way [b:A Game of Thrones|13496|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562726234l/13496._SY75_.jpg|1466917] is a challenging read, the beginning can be tough. You can't be sure what some of the things mean, the magic system can be confusing, the characters and politics are plentiful. But I absolutely love it.
If I wasn't BRing this series, I would be reading the second book already, because what the hell did I just read?!
I'm clearly not able to write coherent review for this book, so... just know that: this is awesome if challenging read that definitely isn't for everyone, the violence in this can get... tough (there is a genocide going on after all) and some of the pieces of the worldbuilding don't fit together so well at this point, but those are only cosmetic details. I loved it and now want to read everything from Hurley (this is my second Hurley read, after [b:Meet Me in the Future: Stories|43801821|Meet Me in the Future Stories|Kameron Hurley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548985771l/43801821._SY75_.jpg|68154157]).
BRed at WBtM: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22494976-the-mirror-empire-sff-botm---may-2023
4.5/5 stars rounded up.
This book was great, just maybe a little too short? A lot of the characters go through some pretty intense and complex arcs, and I think a couple of them could have used a little more time. But you know what?? They were some really good character arcs! The action in this book is fantastic, the characters were fantastic, the world took some getting used to but once I was used to it I *loved* it. The premise of parallel world invasions took a bit to get used to as well but by the end had some of the coolest concepts and scenes I've read in fiction. Glad I finally gave this one a read and I'm really looking forward to getting and reading the rest of them.
This book was great, just maybe a little too short? A lot of the characters go through some pretty intense and complex arcs, and I think a couple of them could have used a little more time. But you know what?? They were some really good character arcs! The action in this book is fantastic, the characters were fantastic, the world took some getting used to but once I was used to it I *loved* it. The premise of parallel world invasions took a bit to get used to as well but by the end had some of the coolest concepts and scenes I've read in fiction. Glad I finally gave this one a read and I'm really looking forward to getting and reading the rest of them.
The world-building is lush, provocative, and a cultural anthropologist's delight. Alternate universes, carniverous plants and walking trees, star magic, diverging skies and histories... It's fun, even if I'm now jaded about multiverses after years of Marvel and Sanderson content.
The prose is dialogue and action-heavy, but is also filled with unfamiliar terminology and world-building related jargon. This results in a text that is simultaneously fast-paced yet challenging to immerse in initially. It admittedly feels clunky in spots.
The character work, though... I consider this to be one of Kameron Hurley's weaknesses across her works, but it's more pronounced here. This is a grimdark series - or a rebuttal/reversal of the misogyny found in grimdark. I have a hard time imagining the large, unlikable cast developing in a direction in future instalments that I find particularly compelling or enjoyable. However, I'll probably continue on when I'm in that special mood that allows me to bask in a storyline consisting of terrible people making terrible choices.
3.5 stars, rounded up — even though it's not my favourite of her works, Hurley writes excellent dark fantasy, grimdark, and worldbuilding SFF. She incorporates perspectives (ex - queer, women, people with disabilities, poc, etc) and socio-political systems that most authors in the subgenre fail to consider - especially around the time of this book's publication (2014).
The prose is dialogue and action-heavy, but is also filled with unfamiliar terminology and world-building related jargon. This results in a text that is simultaneously fast-paced yet challenging to immerse in initially. It admittedly feels clunky in spots.
The character work, though... I consider this to be one of Kameron Hurley's weaknesses across her works, but it's more pronounced here. This is a grimdark series - or a rebuttal/reversal of the misogyny found in grimdark. I have a hard time imagining the large, unlikable cast developing in a direction in future instalments that I find particularly compelling or enjoyable. However, I'll probably continue on when I'm in that special mood that allows me to bask in a storyline consisting of terrible people making terrible choices.
3.5 stars, rounded up — even though it's not my favourite of her works, Hurley writes excellent dark fantasy, grimdark, and worldbuilding SFF. She incorporates perspectives (ex - queer, women, people with disabilities, poc, etc) and socio-political systems that most authors in the subgenre fail to consider - especially around the time of this book's publication (2014).
Amazing stuff! You will never find anything like The Mirror Empire in all the epic-fantasy genre. A deep and fascinating discussion about gender is a sign of a genre's maturity, and what great conversations are triggered by this novel!
There was some great world-building here, but I ultimately stopped reading about halfway through because I didn't care about any of the characters. The point-of-view jumped around a lot and as soon as I would start to understand the story of one character, the POV would switch to another character with another story. It was hard to get a full understanding of the world. I really wanted to love this book and while I think others may enjoy it, it's not for me.
After reading so many good reviews, I wanted to like this book. I tried to like this book. But after slogging through 15 chapters I'm *still* confused about what is meant to be happening in the plot. I can barely keep the characters straight, I have no sense of where they are geographically in relation to each other, the political maneuvering seems pointless, and the magic system is totally arbitrary. The POV hasn't stayed with any one character long enough for me to learn who they are and start caring about what happens to them.
Bleagh.
Bleagh.