Scan barcode
astateofgrace's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
k_winchester's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
There were a lot of things I liked about this: being inside Vex and Vax's heads, the flashbacks to Syngorn and Byroden (I feel like this especially really beautifully set up the stuff Vex goes through with Saundor in C1), and it set up a situation that was complicated with no "good answer" or really a clear villain, which was interesting (and well done in that most of the time I really did feel the conflict with the twins trying to figure out how to navigate it). I REALLY liked the first quarter or so, and the stuff with the Clasp was appropriately intense!!
That being said... I also feel like a looot of this dragged, and while the set up of no easy answer was good, it then felt like almost the entire rest of the book was just kind of repeating that same initial set up/message over and over without even a hint of some sort of resolution or compromise (I was waiting/hoping for a deeper mystery to unfold but it didn't really?).
The action in the last quarter was good and intense, but also kinda made the entire dragging/repetitive/no easy answer lead up (which was basically 2/3 of the book it seemed) feel ultimately rather pointless when it's revealed that, oh, there *is* a (mostly) easy answer/specific villain after all (but not in an 'unfolded mystery/a-ha moment' kind of way that made sense and was satisfying. More in a very muddy, indecisive, unclear but 'you get the gist anyways, it's complicated' kind of way 😂).
The twins kinda felt the same all the way through - which on one hand, was lovely because I know and love them from C1 as many other fans do. But on the other, I was really looking forward to seeing the twins we know and love at the END - on the road to meet Vox Machina - and I was really wanting to see how they start, how they change to end THERE, but it kinda felt like they started and ended as mostly the same. It worked way better seeing how they changed from Byroden to Syngorn to this adventure's start. I don't overly mind that, as it kinda makes it feel basically like simply another (D&D) adventure in thier life, but I think I was hoping for more because it's supposed to be a prequel to Vox Machina.
In any event, overall, Vax and Vex's voices were done really well, and that was really key for me enjoying any of it. I also have listened to a little bit of the audio book and while I still don't 100% love the story itself overall, I deeply love hearing Robbie, Liam, and Laura narrate. ❤
That being said... I also feel like a looot of this dragged, and while the set up of no easy answer was good, it then felt like almost the entire rest of the book was just kind of repeating that same initial set up/message over and over without even a hint of some sort of resolution or compromise (I was waiting/hoping for a deeper mystery to unfold but it didn't really?).
The action in the last quarter was good and intense, but also kinda made the entire dragging/repetitive/no easy answer lead up (which was basically 2/3 of the book it seemed) feel ultimately rather pointless when it's revealed that, oh, there *is* a (mostly) easy answer/specific villain after all (but not in an 'unfolded mystery/a-ha moment' kind of way that made sense and was satisfying. More in a very muddy, indecisive, unclear but 'you get the gist anyways, it's complicated' kind of way 😂).
The twins kinda felt the same all the way through - which on one hand, was lovely because I know and love them from C1 as many other fans do. But on the other, I was really looking forward to seeing the twins we know and love at the END - on the road to meet Vox Machina - and I was really wanting to see how they start, how they change to end THERE, but it kinda felt like they started and ended as mostly the same. It worked way better seeing how they changed from Byroden to Syngorn to this adventure's start. I don't overly mind that, as it kinda makes it feel basically like simply another (D&D) adventure in thier life, but I think I was hoping for more because it's supposed to be a prequel to Vox Machina.
In any event, overall, Vax and Vex's voices were done really well, and that was really key for me enjoying any of it. I also have listened to a little bit of the audio book and while I still don't 100% love the story itself overall, I deeply love hearing Robbie, Liam, and Laura narrate. ❤
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Torture
procrastinating_lit_student's review against another edition
I listened to about half of this book and just couldn't get into it. It's unfortunate, I love Critical Role but this was just boring.
heatherllama's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.0
witchery's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
kspann's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ecadamiak's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
ncscienic's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
youmeandem's review against another edition
3.0
vex'halia, my beloved, please know that i'm not only willing but eager to consume any content that features you, but man this was a rough read.
while i'm sure marieke nijkamp writes great contemporary YA fiction, i'm not entirely sure as to why critical role decided to have them write this, for as far as i understood it, adult fantasy novel. the entire book felt off to me, with the writing just not being good enough to support the complicated political storyline the author tried to get across. the characters of derowen and thorn that were introduced to us were decently interesting, but it was so obvious they both had to be “morally gray” to make both sides of the conflict equal to each other and as a result have neither vex nor vax seem like an idiot for siding with either party that they just fell off. in the end i didn’t care about the center conflict and its involved parties at all, regardless of how much vex and vax did.
there was also just so much emphasis on certain things (the miners were responsible for the ash walkers & the ring on derowen’s finger was at the center of the “simple quest” that had brought them there in the first place) that, on top of the weak descriptions and the vague characterization of vex and vax that i jus can’t say the writing was at all close to the quality we’re used to seeing from these characters in this world. it was just... not good, in my opinion.
what helped a lot was the fact that robbie daymond narrated this novel, supported by laura bailey and liam o’brien to reprise their roles as vex and vax, which, while at times clunky because of situations where laura or liam would say their dialogue and robbie would have to add the dialogue tags, were a delight to listen to. if it weren’t for them, i’m not sure i would’ve continued to struggle through the novel.
anyways, i would not necessarily recommend this read to anyone, and even less to those without prior attachment to vex and/or vax, but i don’t regret reading at all. i just wish i had enjoyed my time with this book a bit more. 2.5 stars rounded up because 2 stars seems overly harsh on someone who got hired to write this book rather than writing out of their own accord.
while i'm sure marieke nijkamp writes great contemporary YA fiction, i'm not entirely sure as to why critical role decided to have them write this, for as far as i understood it, adult fantasy novel. the entire book felt off to me, with the writing just not being good enough to support the complicated political storyline the author tried to get across. the characters of derowen and thorn that were introduced to us were decently interesting, but it was so obvious they both had to be “morally gray” to make both sides of the conflict equal to each other and as a result have neither vex nor vax seem like an idiot for siding with either party that they just fell off. in the end i didn’t care about the center conflict and its involved parties at all, regardless of how much vex and vax did.
there was also just so much emphasis on certain things (the miners were responsible for the ash walkers & the ring on derowen’s finger was at the center of the “simple quest” that had brought them there in the first place) that, on top of the weak descriptions and the vague characterization of vex and vax that i jus can’t say the writing was at all close to the quality we’re used to seeing from these characters in this world. it was just... not good, in my opinion.
what helped a lot was the fact that robbie daymond narrated this novel, supported by laura bailey and liam o’brien to reprise their roles as vex and vax, which, while at times clunky because of situations where laura or liam would say their dialogue and robbie would have to add the dialogue tags, were a delight to listen to. if it weren’t for them, i’m not sure i would’ve continued to struggle through the novel.
anyways, i would not necessarily recommend this read to anyone, and even less to those without prior attachment to vex and/or vax, but i don’t regret reading at all. i just wish i had enjoyed my time with this book a bit more. 2.5 stars rounded up because 2 stars seems overly harsh on someone who got hired to write this book rather than writing out of their own accord.
ashbash_567's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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