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pemdas97's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
samara59's review
4.0
Characters: 3/5
Story: 4/5
Personal Enjoyment: 4/5
Average Rating: 3.66, rounds up to four stars
Story: 4/5
Personal Enjoyment: 4/5
Average Rating: 3.66, rounds up to four stars
adventures_thru_reading's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cheloboo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? No
3.5
rahni_a's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
witchkingreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
2/5
“Somewhere between right and wrong, there is a garden. That is where we shall meet.”
This journey I’ve taken through the Fatemarked Epic has had it’s ups and downs, but I’ve always managed to come out of each book on a high note. There’s a lot to love about what I’ve experienced so far, but unfortunately, as with many series, sometimes there’s a sequel that just doesn’t live up to expectations.
In Deathmark Annise Garic is on the march to rescue her castle and aunt from the sellswords known as the Brotherhood. The Sleeping Knights are a mighty force, but the control Lisbeth Lorne has over them is waning, foreshadowing the death and destruction her Soulmark has shown her. In the west, Rhea Loren has a choice to make. Reveal the truth of her actions to herself and her people, or continue on the path to war. The newly crowned King Gareth Ironclad is trying to bridge the gap between war and peace, but Gwendolyn Storm has other plans. Raven Sandes is in the fighting pits of Zune, battling for her life, but it’s not her opponents that she should be worrying about. Roan Loren continues his search for answers to the Western Oracles prophecies, taking him to Teran for hidden truths. In the Southern Empire of Phanes, Jai Jiroux fights to maintain order now that slavery is abolished, but an army is marching towards them, and their leader is Bane.
It truly pains me to write this review. I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately there were just too many issues overpowering what could’ve made Deathmarked a worthy addition to the Fatemarked Epic. Let’s start with what I liked. The northern characters such as Zelda, Annise, Tarin, and many others have maintained being a highlight in every single book in this series. I love their interactions and their growth. Deathmarked is no exception to this, and made a story I might’ve hated into something that was tolerable. Their arcs made an impact on the story that I could not find anywhere else, and their characters stayed true to who they are.
In every book there are epigraphs that grace the page whenever the reader ends parts 1, 2, 3 ect. I’ve enjoyed these epigraphs, but the ones in Deathmarked have been the best in my opinion. I found them to be memorable as well as impactful when reading. At the end of each book there are always postludes of events and characters that give the reader information they previously didn’t have, or new insights into happenings that weren’t entirely explained. They’ve always been a joy to read, and I haven’t come across one that I didn’t enjoy. These postludes are where Estes truly shows his mettle as a writer. The postludes at the end of Deathmarked are fantastic! My favorite one I’ve read thus far can be found here. It was not only insightful but emotional and thrilling. Showing me that classic Estes writing I’d been missing from the book itself.
Now, we come to the crux of my problems. This book has so much happening. There isn’t a dull moment, and I had no issue being bored. The core of my criticisms comes down to a single character arc. I could not stand this character. Deathmarked dedicated so much time to a redemption arc for them that honestly did not feel earned in the slightest. I enjoyed following this character in their villain arc because of their unpredictability and impulsive tendency to make rash decisions in the heat of anger. They were fun to hate! The redemption arc they were handed turned them into a wet blanket, crying for approval from everyone they’d ever wronged. This was some book one behavior that had no business being in book four. I found this to be an issue with a lot of the characters in this book. So many regressed in ways that were just not believable. Confrontations and decisions that these characters had already battled and overcome came back and suddenly I was having Game of Thrones season 8 PTSD. One character suffered what I’d call the Jaime Lannister Effect and completely disregarded everything they’d ever learned and worked towards, becoming the exact same person we were introduced to in book 1.
Another character that was introduced in book 2 was a joy to follow through the series! I fell in love with their personality and involvement in the story. They’re a secondary character but strong in their influence over the main ones. They were reduced to a plot device in Deathmarked, completely being disregarded in their arc and adding to the regression in others. This character was far too good to be so neglected. I hated what was done with their development. For the first time in reading this series I wanted to skim over pages because I had become so disappointed in the interactions between these characters that I had so loved.
This is the longest addition to the Fatemarked Epic, and yet the entire story felt rushed. There were a lot of confrontations that were added just to create conflict but not truly resolve anything. Some plot points that I thought were relevant took a hard left turn and suddenly became obsolete. I wish I had a better word to describe this book, but messy is the only one that can properly encapsulate what I felt while reading. It felt like the first draft to a novel. The story was there, but it needed two or three more drafts before being ready. Deathmarked does not feel ready. There were just so many character decisions that made no sense, and their journeys truly left me baffled that these characters regressed so hard into arcs that had already been dealt with.
This does not mean that I will not continue the series. I will say that if book 1 had been written like, this I probably wouldn’t have continued onto book 2. I know that Estes is capable of so much more than this! He has the talent, and the postludes at the end of Deathmarked prove that to me. I’ve praised this series as one that I cannot believe hasn’t been picked up for traditional publication, and I stand by that statement! Estes is a great writer! This one was just not up to par with the rest of the series. I am excited to continue onto Lifemarked and I hold onto the hope that the final book will renew that Estes flame I missed in Deathmarked.
“Somewhere between right and wrong, there is a garden. That is where we shall meet.”
This journey I’ve taken through the Fatemarked Epic has had it’s ups and downs, but I’ve always managed to come out of each book on a high note. There’s a lot to love about what I’ve experienced so far, but unfortunately, as with many series, sometimes there’s a sequel that just doesn’t live up to expectations.
In Deathmark Annise Garic is on the march to rescue her castle and aunt from the sellswords known as the Brotherhood. The Sleeping Knights are a mighty force, but the control Lisbeth Lorne has over them is waning, foreshadowing the death and destruction her Soulmark has shown her. In the west, Rhea Loren has a choice to make. Reveal the truth of her actions to herself and her people, or continue on the path to war. The newly crowned King Gareth Ironclad is trying to bridge the gap between war and peace, but Gwendolyn Storm has other plans. Raven Sandes is in the fighting pits of Zune, battling for her life, but it’s not her opponents that she should be worrying about. Roan Loren continues his search for answers to the Western Oracles prophecies, taking him to Teran for hidden truths. In the Southern Empire of Phanes, Jai Jiroux fights to maintain order now that slavery is abolished, but an army is marching towards them, and their leader is Bane.
It truly pains me to write this review. I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately there were just too many issues overpowering what could’ve made Deathmarked a worthy addition to the Fatemarked Epic. Let’s start with what I liked. The northern characters such as Zelda, Annise, Tarin, and many others have maintained being a highlight in every single book in this series. I love their interactions and their growth. Deathmarked is no exception to this, and made a story I might’ve hated into something that was tolerable. Their arcs made an impact on the story that I could not find anywhere else, and their characters stayed true to who they are.
In every book there are epigraphs that grace the page whenever the reader ends parts 1, 2, 3 ect. I’ve enjoyed these epigraphs, but the ones in Deathmarked have been the best in my opinion. I found them to be memorable as well as impactful when reading. At the end of each book there are always postludes of events and characters that give the reader information they previously didn’t have, or new insights into happenings that weren’t entirely explained. They’ve always been a joy to read, and I haven’t come across one that I didn’t enjoy. These postludes are where Estes truly shows his mettle as a writer. The postludes at the end of Deathmarked are fantastic! My favorite one I’ve read thus far can be found here. It was not only insightful but emotional and thrilling. Showing me that classic Estes writing I’d been missing from the book itself.
Now, we come to the crux of my problems. This book has so much happening. There isn’t a dull moment, and I had no issue being bored. The core of my criticisms comes down to a single character arc. I could not stand this character. Deathmarked dedicated so much time to a redemption arc for them that honestly did not feel earned in the slightest. I enjoyed following this character in their villain arc because of their unpredictability and impulsive tendency to make rash decisions in the heat of anger. They were fun to hate! The redemption arc they were handed turned them into a wet blanket, crying for approval from everyone they’d ever wronged. This was some book one behavior that had no business being in book four. I found this to be an issue with a lot of the characters in this book. So many regressed in ways that were just not believable. Confrontations and decisions that these characters had already battled and overcome came back and suddenly I was having Game of Thrones season 8 PTSD. One character suffered what I’d call the Jaime Lannister Effect and completely disregarded everything they’d ever learned and worked towards, becoming the exact same person we were introduced to in book 1.
Another character that was introduced in book 2 was a joy to follow through the series! I fell in love with their personality and involvement in the story. They’re a secondary character but strong in their influence over the main ones. They were reduced to a plot device in Deathmarked, completely being disregarded in their arc and adding to the regression in others. This character was far too good to be so neglected. I hated what was done with their development. For the first time in reading this series I wanted to skim over pages because I had become so disappointed in the interactions between these characters that I had so loved.
This is the longest addition to the Fatemarked Epic, and yet the entire story felt rushed. There were a lot of confrontations that were added just to create conflict but not truly resolve anything. Some plot points that I thought were relevant took a hard left turn and suddenly became obsolete. I wish I had a better word to describe this book, but messy is the only one that can properly encapsulate what I felt while reading. It felt like the first draft to a novel. The story was there, but it needed two or three more drafts before being ready. Deathmarked does not feel ready. There were just so many character decisions that made no sense, and their journeys truly left me baffled that these characters regressed so hard into arcs that had already been dealt with.
This does not mean that I will not continue the series. I will say that if book 1 had been written like, this I probably wouldn’t have continued onto book 2. I know that Estes is capable of so much more than this! He has the talent, and the postludes at the end of Deathmarked prove that to me. I’ve praised this series as one that I cannot believe hasn’t been picked up for traditional publication, and I stand by that statement! Estes is a great writer! This one was just not up to par with the rest of the series. I am excited to continue onto Lifemarked and I hold onto the hope that the final book will renew that Estes flame I missed in Deathmarked.
pagesofash's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
howie70's review
5.0
Wow! Another fantastic ride from David Estes. Deathmarked continues the Fatemarked saga and does not disappoint. Just as great as any of its predecessors, it’s a real testament to the author that this tale has never waned in action quality and character development. Am so excited to be heading into the final instalment!
amac_reads's review
5.0
David Estes continues to not disappoint. This work was a strong continuation to the Fatemarked series, following many of the same characters as the previous works while introducing a few new ones. Estes is amazing at juggling so many characters and stories while keeping it fresh, engaging, and without overlapping too much. The characters continue to develop and grow throughout, creating realistic and relatable characters. I really can't recommend this series enough! I'm sad there's only one more book left.