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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
medium-paced
slow-paced
This book took me months to finish. I kept putting it down to read other things.
The tower lord is long and slow, but doesn't capitalise on that to be nuanced or compelling.
The characters were mostly reactive without clear goals or conflicts. All the characters felt superficial with no real depth.
There were a few interesting ideas but they weren't explored.
I've seen everything in this book before but done better.
Probably won't read the next one.
The tower lord is long and slow, but doesn't capitalise on that to be nuanced or compelling.
The characters were mostly reactive without clear goals or conflicts. All the characters felt superficial with no real depth.
There were a few interesting ideas but they weren't explored.
I've seen everything in this book before but done better.
Probably won't read the next one.
Had to get used to the way this book was written compared to the first, but loved the second half.
Will add all of Anthony Ryan books to my tbr immediately!
Will add all of Anthony Ryan books to my tbr immediately!
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
adventurous
dark
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:
No
This series contains many of my favorite elements such as a variety of creeds/religions, brothers, politics, monarchy, gore, and addiction.
This is the sequel to **Blood Song** in the **Raven's Shadow Trilogy**. I think it could be read as a stand alone, but I surely appreciated exposition and development from the first book. I am excited to finish the series soon.
Michael J Sullivan comments on a book cover, "A new Master Storyteller has hit the seen." I can see inspirational elements in Anthony Ryan's style pulled from MJS.
It's 3rd Person POV multi perspective. This is my absolute favorite type of POV. There are many major characters, but the ultimately main character is Vaelin Al Sorna.
I love the characters. All characters grow and develop with their own exposition.
Although there are many plots within the plot, there is no climate that puts me on the edge of my seat. There are many surprises, but there are no shell shocking plot twists, tears, or white knuckling.
This is the sequel to **Blood Song** in the **Raven's Shadow Trilogy**. I think it could be read as a stand alone, but I surely appreciated exposition and development from the first book. I am excited to finish the series soon.
Michael J Sullivan comments on a book cover, "A new Master Storyteller has hit the seen." I can see inspirational elements in Anthony Ryan's style pulled from MJS.
It's 3rd Person POV multi perspective. This is my absolute favorite type of POV. There are many major characters, but the ultimately main character is Vaelin Al Sorna.
I love the characters. All characters grow and develop with their own exposition.
Although there are many plots within the plot, there is no climate that puts me on the edge of my seat. There are many surprises, but there are no shell shocking plot twists, tears, or white knuckling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture
Minor: Child death, Sexual content, Grief
Pleased to go against the general trend on this one, which has this as an inferior piece of work to Book One, the popular Blood Song. I beg to differ.
I read [b:Blood Song|13569581|Blood Song (Raven's Shadow, #1)|Anthony Ryan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1421573407l/13569581._SY75_.jpg|19148922] some years ago now and it was a very impressive work - especially in worldbuilding and prose - but for me it had its issues. The Coming of Age storyline clearly has its fans but it rarely gets me going and this was a book primarily set in a school for young warriors. There is one POV, a boy named Vaelin, who becomes an impossibly gifted young warrior - again, something that's been done so many times - maybe more often a wizard, but essentially the same storyline. And when you have a perfect character who has to carry the storyline themselves I can get quite bored. Meanwhile, the other characters - primarily his brothers in the Sixth Order - I felt were never especially well fleshed out.
On to Book Two and we now have an expanded storyline, expanded worldbuilding, with 3 other POVs and many more female characters, a great improvement on Book One. The Unified Realm is under threat - and this is a very real threat, with plenty of danger, action and warfare to satisfy yours truly. The character list is huge - this is epic fantasy after all and I love it - but there were times when I felt there were too many, spread too thin.
The problem critics have had is that a book crowded with stories means much less time to be with Vaelin - arguably a necessary step for the story and as you'll tell from my thoughts above, no bad thing. I think in addition, the bit parts afforded most of the other Brothers probably didn't help with some people's expectations either. Of course, what Ryan did here was a very brave thing - moving from one POV to four - and no doubt he expected some kind of backlash. But I wonder what people really wanted from Book Two. The Coming of Age arc was clearly over after Book One. What the author had on his hands was a perfect, almost invincible warrior - in other words, he had a bit of a problem. Full marks from me for his solution. It makes the series better.
I read [b:Blood Song|13569581|Blood Song (Raven's Shadow, #1)|Anthony Ryan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1421573407l/13569581._SY75_.jpg|19148922] some years ago now and it was a very impressive work - especially in worldbuilding and prose - but for me it had its issues. The Coming of Age storyline clearly has its fans but it rarely gets me going and this was a book primarily set in a school for young warriors. There is one POV, a boy named Vaelin, who becomes an impossibly gifted young warrior - again, something that's been done so many times - maybe more often a wizard, but essentially the same storyline. And when you have a perfect character who has to carry the storyline themselves I can get quite bored. Meanwhile, the other characters - primarily his brothers in the Sixth Order - I felt were never especially well fleshed out.
On to Book Two and we now have an expanded storyline, expanded worldbuilding, with 3 other POVs and many more female characters, a great improvement on Book One. The Unified Realm is under threat - and this is a very real threat, with plenty of danger, action and warfare to satisfy yours truly. The character list is huge - this is epic fantasy after all and I love it - but there were times when I felt there were too many, spread too thin.
The problem critics have had is that a book crowded with stories means much less time to be with Vaelin - arguably a necessary step for the story and as you'll tell from my thoughts above, no bad thing. I think in addition, the bit parts afforded most of the other Brothers probably didn't help with some people's expectations either. Of course, what Ryan did here was a very brave thing - moving from one POV to four - and no doubt he expected some kind of backlash. But I wonder what people really wanted from Book Two. The Coming of Age arc was clearly over after Book One. What the author had on his hands was a perfect, almost invincible warrior - in other words, he had a bit of a problem.
Spoiler
A problem he perhaps partially solves by removing his song at the end of the book.
Great second book. The battles are as cross between Lord of the Rings and GoT.
Even a second time, this book is incredible.
I like the way the world has life. And intrigue. And it always surprises. It is a place I would like to live in, if simply for the sight of the main characters.
I like the way the world has life. And intrigue. And it always surprises. It is a place I would like to live in, if simply for the sight of the main characters.