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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Continues at the same level. No real change. The three key characters continue on their somewhat misanthropic way, the "elves" try something again, and the Navigators (AI or something magical) remain trivially annoying. No much really happens and I almost dropped this to two stars.
A worthy follow-up to the refreshing "The Steel Remains," this is a fun swords and sorcery romp with a little social consciousness. I liked it a lot and am looking forward to the third book. There is a deep mythology behind the stories which is I can't pretend I fully understood. Magic, maybe-gods, maybe aliens, some confusing different sorts of races. But it's a fun ride nonetheless. And a bit of social consciousness that would have stood out a few years ago and maybe still does. Characters of color and of different sexual preferences mixed in with a lot of fairly familiar fantasy tropes.
Better than [b:The Steel Remains|3314369|The Steel Remains (A Land Fit for Heroes, #1)|Richard K. Morgan|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348251475s/3314369.jpg|3352006] this was let down a little with a rushed ending relying on some awesomeness with Ringil. It also left it unclear whether the story buildup for a possible next book is was a convenient device to pull the three protagonists together, or actually something that will be continued in a third book.
Less so than the first book Morgan still has a deliberate ploy of trying to shock the norms with his sexual orientation of characters. Its more ham-fisted (!) than the rest of the writing and is more distracting than value add to me. But it probably sells.
Definitely will read the next, with more confidence this time (I had Cold Commands on wait for a long time before reading it)
Less so than the first book Morgan still has a deliberate ploy of trying to shock the norms with his sexual orientation of characters. Its more ham-fisted (!) than the rest of the writing and is more distracting than value add to me. But it probably sells.
Definitely will read the next, with more confidence this time (I had Cold Commands on wait for a long time before reading it)
Il Gelo Comanda è il secondo volume della trilogia Cosa Resta degli Eroi, e se siete arrivati fin qui, sconvolti dagli eventi ma non ancora vinti e desiderosi di sapere cos'altro può accadere, sappiate che il peggio deve tuttavia arrivare. O il meglio, a seconda dei punti di vista.
Non potendomi addentrare negli oscuri meandri della storia, approfitterò dello spazio per elogiare la scelta dei titoli per tutti e tre i libri: titoli che definirei parlanti, perché non trasmettono un unico concetto, ma una gamma di sensazioni, fisiche e mentali, provate tanto dai Luoghi trafitti dalla magia quanto dai personaggi che si trovano ad attraversarli.
Vi sono molteplici piani di lettura, e mentre i personaggi proseguono con una coerente quanto dolorosa crescita, gli eventi travolgono ciò che non si credeva possibile.
Il ritmo si mantiene elevato, l'interesse costante, riusciendo per la quasi totalità del volume a non farlo sembrare il classico "libro di mezzo", come sovente capita con le opere di genere.
Ma sarà sul finale, con le ultime cento, incredibili pagine, a lasciarci con il folle desiderio di avviarci, tristemente felici, verso l'ultima imboccatura del sentiero.
Fin dove termina la strada.
Non potendomi addentrare negli oscuri meandri della storia, approfitterò dello spazio per elogiare la scelta dei titoli per tutti e tre i libri: titoli che definirei parlanti, perché non trasmettono un unico concetto, ma una gamma di sensazioni, fisiche e mentali, provate tanto dai Luoghi trafitti dalla magia quanto dai personaggi che si trovano ad attraversarli.
Vi sono molteplici piani di lettura, e mentre i personaggi proseguono con una coerente quanto dolorosa crescita, gli eventi travolgono ciò che non si credeva possibile.
Il ritmo si mantiene elevato, l'interesse costante, riusciendo per la quasi totalità del volume a non farlo sembrare il classico "libro di mezzo", come sovente capita con le opere di genere.
Ma sarà sul finale, con le ultime cento, incredibili pagine, a lasciarci con il folle desiderio di avviarci, tristemente felici, verso l'ultima imboccatura del sentiero.
Fin dove termina la strada.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A three or a four? I honestly don't know. The writing is a four but the pacing and plotting are the very definition of "mid-trilogy".
Some of my favorite Fantasy novels are by Science Fiction authors. Ringil is such a good character. He's angry, passionate, gay, an outcast who has a sense of honor but not to his kingdom or even his father, instead his honor is to himself in a way that will rebel the most against his heritage. It's likability in a real way.
I don't think this second book was quite as good as the first in the series, The Steel Remains. I also don't think Ringil is as good a character as Tekashi Kovacs - from Morgan's Cyberpunk far future stack swapping adventures. But it's still better than 95% of the books in this genre.
I don't think this second book was quite as good as the first in the series, The Steel Remains. I also don't think Ringil is as good a character as Tekashi Kovacs - from Morgan's Cyberpunk far future stack swapping adventures. But it's still better than 95% of the books in this genre.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Zero stars for transphobs
dark, gritty, dark, like the first in the series. However, I found that the story didn't seem as tight, and I noticed more deus ex machina rescues than in the first book. I still look forward to the conclusion of the story, though. This book felt more like an interlude between the first and third.