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kevinscorner's review against another edition
3.5
I had a tough time getting through the first half of The Cold Commands. It just felt meandering and a bit aimless because I had no idea where the story was going. Once again, we start off with the 3 main characters from The Steel Remains mostly doing their own thing (despite Egar and Archeth actually being together). I don’t know, but maybe I just want more narrative structure out of the story so I can actually get into the book. I also hated where Ringil’s storyline went with his dream-like hallucinations/travel into the Gray Space that just really confused me because I had no idea what was actually happening versus what he was just experiencing. I had thought that I already understood most of the intricacies after getting through the first book, but this just added another layer of confusion.
A little over the halfway point is finally when the main story actually gets going when all 3 characters are finally together again (at least they are in the same location). The pacing got much faster, the story clearer, and I could appreciate what was going on. But like the first book, the climax was again confined to the last few pages of the book, and it ended quite abruptly, so I wasn’t really left satisfied.
I feel like even more warnings are necessary. There are again multiple graphic gay (and lesbian) carnal scenes, which did not bother me. The egregious one is the facilitation and condoning of a gang rape of an enemy by one of our heroes. I don’t feel like it was necessary to have added this even in a grimdark fantasy.
Overall, The Cold Commands’ first half was a struggle to get through, and although it gets better later on, I was still left wanting.
A little over the halfway point is finally when the main story actually gets going when all 3 characters are finally together again (at least they are in the same location). The pacing got much faster, the story clearer, and I could appreciate what was going on. But like the first book, the climax was again confined to the last few pages of the book, and it ended quite abruptly, so I wasn’t really left satisfied.
I feel like even more warnings are necessary. There are again multiple graphic gay (and lesbian) carnal scenes, which did not bother me. The egregious one is the facilitation and condoning of a gang rape of an enemy by one of our heroes. I don’t feel like it was necessary to have added this even in a grimdark fantasy.
Overall, The Cold Commands’ first half was a struggle to get through, and although it gets better later on, I was still left wanting.
natniss's review against another edition
5.0
Eternally grateful to the colleague who loaned me the first volume and got me on the Richard Morgan train. I've ordered the third in this series and recently bought four of his other novels.
Like the first in this series, this is relentlessly thrilling and has such exhilarating fights. It has characters that are fleshed out and believable, from the leads through to those who only have a fleeting appearance. The world-building is basically perfect (although I'd love if there was a map included!).
There's a horrific scene near the start that I struggled to make it through but I'm glad I persevered.
Like the first in this series, this is relentlessly thrilling and has such exhilarating fights. It has characters that are fleshed out and believable, from the leads through to those who only have a fleeting appearance. The world-building is basically perfect (although I'd love if there was a map included!).
There's a horrific scene near the start that I struggled to make it through but I'm glad I persevered.
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
3.0
My reaction to this book was almost exactly the same as it was to the first book. I LOVE the writing style, there are some very cool visuals and ideas, the world feels real but the plot seems a little scattered. It's maybe a little to much like real-life, the hero starts to kind of have a purpose, then almost dies, there's a bunch of surreal kind of wandering, forget about that - change course, then there's something going on on an island, then forget about that he kind of dies, and then kinda saves the world (or at least the city). Not sure what to make of some of it. Just seemed kind of disjointed.
Seriously though, if I could pick a style of writing to emulate it would be this. His words flow when they're supposed to flow and cut when they're supposed to cut. It's tight, gritty writing and the narrator fits perfectly.
Seriously though, if I could pick a style of writing to emulate it would be this. His words flow when they're supposed to flow and cut when they're supposed to cut. It's tight, gritty writing and the narrator fits perfectly.
llona_llegaconlalluvia's review against another edition
1.0
che potenziale!
tre protagonisti così promettenti! veterani decorati, eroi di una guerra incredibile contro una razza rettiliana, ognuno con il proprio diverso bagaglio di traumi, shock culturali, abbandoni e tradimenti:
una giovane semi-aliena di 200(?) anni
un nobile reietto
un selvaggio delle steppe
così tanta diversità in cui scavare profondamente...e invece no!!
queste tre persone così diverse pensano nello stesso modo, agiscono nello stesso modo, parlano nello stesso modo e cioè come un adolescente meschino ottuso e volgare
poteva essere un capolavoro ed è solo una cialtronata di 1400 pagine, fanculo!!!
e a proposito di cialtroneria:
concludere (ripetutamente) un azione che non si sa come chiudere con "e dopo tutto si fece buio" è veramente da cialtroni!!!!!
PS: copierò questo commento su ogni libro della trilogia perchè proprio come non c'è nessuna differenziazione ne crescita nei protagonisti non ce n'è nei tre libri
ancora fanculo!
tre protagonisti così promettenti! veterani decorati, eroi di una guerra incredibile contro una razza rettiliana, ognuno con il proprio diverso bagaglio di traumi, shock culturali, abbandoni e tradimenti:
una giovane semi-aliena di 200(?) anni
un nobile reietto
un selvaggio delle steppe
così tanta diversità in cui scavare profondamente...e invece no!!
queste tre persone così diverse pensano nello stesso modo, agiscono nello stesso modo, parlano nello stesso modo e cioè come un adolescente meschino ottuso e volgare
poteva essere un capolavoro ed è solo una cialtronata di 1400 pagine, fanculo!!!
e a proposito di cialtroneria:
concludere (ripetutamente) un azione che non si sa come chiudere con "e dopo tutto si fece buio" è veramente da cialtroni!!!!!
PS: copierò questo commento su ogni libro della trilogia perchè proprio come non c'è nessuna differenziazione ne crescita nei protagonisti non ce n'è nei tre libri
ancora fanculo!
yatosuz's review against another edition
2.0
The rating should be more like 2 1/2 stars, and difficult to give considering how much I enjoyed The Steel Remains. I like the world Morgan has created. I really like the three main characters. I like the grit and darkness. And I like where I think the story is heading. However, so little happened in so many pages. The pacing of this "middle" novel was glacial until perhaps the last third of the book. Oh, the tedium.
grid's review against another edition
4.0
Liked this quite a bit. More than the first, I think. It is clearly set up for the next one. I can't wait.
laviskrg's review
5.0
4 overall due to a tinge of middle book syndrome but 5 stars for the ending. This man can write battles, violence and sex. So 5 stars, my friend.
marklpotter's review against another edition
3.0
Morgan continues the clumsy sex scenes in The Cold Commands but luckily for us this is a dark fantasy romance novel so they are few and far between. Ringil et al are back and with their enemies still plotting and scheming.
Building even more on the world created in The Steel Remains we are privy to more of the machinations of the Dwenda and it's a glorious revelation. It's a little harder to write about this one without spoilers but I'll give it a shot.
After crafting the world in the first book, Morgan deepens the colors and adds to the hopelessness by slowly revealing that some of our protagonists are being moved along by the forces of the world, caught up in an undertow that thy themselves can't see. While there was sense of that in The Steel Remains, it becomes even more clear in The Cold Commands.
There is a scene, a moment, a completely understated blip, where surrender is the only option and it's so well done and subtle, that even with the clumsy attempt at sex scenes, took this to higher level than the opening salvo in the series.
My only advice is to ignore what appears to be the main plot because that's the drag on this story. It's not the main plot and I think that if it were meant as a distraction that Morgan failed on that point. I suspect the third book in the installment will follow up on what appeared, for most of the book, to be the main plot but if Morgan were wishing for an "AHA" moment from the readers that he failed to deliver.
I didn't have a lot of expectations going in to this one because of the some of the clumsiness of the first book and was pleasantly surprised. It still doesn't rise to a four star review but and some the same issues remain. However it's good read and the clumsiness can be overlooked. While not a perfect book it's enough of an improvement that I'm looking forward to reading The Dark Defiles. Morgan has raised both my hopes and my expectations.
Building even more on the world created in The Steel Remains we are privy to more of the machinations of the Dwenda and it's a glorious revelation. It's a little harder to write about this one without spoilers but I'll give it a shot.
After crafting the world in the first book, Morgan deepens the colors and adds to the hopelessness by slowly revealing that some of our protagonists are being moved along by the forces of the world, caught up in an undertow that thy themselves can't see. While there was sense of that in The Steel Remains, it becomes even more clear in The Cold Commands.
There is a scene, a moment, a completely understated blip, where surrender is the only option and it's so well done and subtle, that even with the clumsy attempt at sex scenes, took this to higher level than the opening salvo in the series.
My only advice is to ignore what appears to be the main plot because that's the drag on this story. It's not the main plot and I think that if it were meant as a distraction that Morgan failed on that point. I suspect the third book in the installment will follow up on what appeared, for most of the book, to be the main plot but if Morgan were wishing for an "AHA" moment from the readers that he failed to deliver.
I didn't have a lot of expectations going in to this one because of the some of the clumsiness of the first book and was pleasantly surprised. It still doesn't rise to a four star review but and some the same issues remain. However it's good read and the clumsiness can be overlooked. While not a perfect book it's enough of an improvement that I'm looking forward to reading The Dark Defiles. Morgan has raised both my hopes and my expectations.
scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
3.0
2.5
Slow start but when it got going, it was so good and hard to put down. Much better then the first one.
Slow start but when it got going, it was so good and hard to put down. Much better then the first one.
luckbe's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I really, really did. The pace is slow, the plot is thin, and yet... Morgan continues to wow me with his excellent prose and non-awkward dialogue. This book is clearly meant to be a bridge to the end of the story, which is a purpose it serve very well. If you need something to happen in your stories, this one is sure to disappoint, but I loved it all the same.