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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
N/A
I thoroughly enjoyed **Tower Lord** (second volume of *Anthony Ryan's* Raven's Shadow series). It's good fantasy, with a careful mix of known elements (the weary hero who is always right, the young fighting gutter princess, the clever queen, superstitions everywhere, evil religion, good agnostics, magic coming true, prophecies, etc), but mixes it up sufficiently that the story arc is never completely clear. We get good character development on two major and a couple of minor fronts, and I enjoyed how the pieces came together in the end. Even though it's no high literature, I'm looking forward to the conclusion.
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Rep: male MC with dyslexia, lesbian MC, gay side character, lesbian side character, mute side character, achilliean side character, BIPOC-coded characters
I miss Vaelin as a protagonist, okay? :( The author kinda did himself dirty because many people (me included) was very invested in Vaelin as MC and he just... kinda took this away from us?? The other POVs are okay, but I want just Vaelin's POV back :((( I want this won't happen and this is technically the better fantasy of the two BUT VAELIN
Ok, despite not being too happy with the POVs thing, I may have considered giving the book 5 stars just because it's well-build. BUT I'M MAD ALL THE POVS MET IN THE END EXCEPT THE ONE I WANTED THE MOST TO BE THERE
Basically, did I just take away a star because Vaelin and Frentis don't meetfor seven hundred freaking pages? Yes, what about it?
Also, that 0.25 is for Norta and Norta alone. Ok, and maybe a little for the good building of the plot. But just 0.05
I miss Vaelin as a protagonist, okay? :( The author kinda did himself dirty because many people (me included) was very invested in Vaelin as MC and he just... kinda took this away from us?? The other POVs are okay, but I want just Vaelin's POV back :((( I want this won't happen and this is technically the better fantasy of the two BUT VAELIN
Ok, despite not being too happy with the POVs thing, I may have considered giving the book 5 stars just because it's well-build. BUT I'M MAD ALL THE POVS MET IN THE END EXCEPT THE ONE I WANTED THE MOST TO BE THERE
Basically, did I just take away a star because Vaelin and Frentis don't meet
Also, that 0.25 is for Norta and Norta alone. Ok, and maybe a little for the good building of the plot. But just 0.05
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture
Minor: Child death, Sexual content, Grief
adventurous
dark
fast-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
The books in this series continue to defy my expectations, I came out of Blood Song enjoying it more than I thought I would knowing what it was about and my preferences then I came into it's sequel knowing the rest of the series comes as a bit of a disappointment to many readers and ended up enjoying Tower Lord probably as much as I did Blood Song. Firstly in this book we get more than one POV which is what I mostly prefer in fantasy books. We get more of the world, more of the magic which is also a big plus for me. I also really liked the new characters we follow in this book which I gather is not a popular opinion, especially Lyrna. There were some plot convivences that did bother me though, not enough to completely ruin my enjoyment of the book, except Lyrna potentially getting healed at the end?? What was the point of the burning then except for keeping her from getting raped and recognized as long as the plot demanded it... but I am willing to wait for the third book to see how things go from here.
adventurous
dark
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
The second book in this series, and every bit as good or better. It transitions the hero from a simple commander into a lord, with some complexity to the role. More importantly, side characters are evolved to become real characters. Splitting the story into three solid arcs, and weaving it back together again. I am very, very happy to have the plot strengthen beyond the arc of a single man, no matter how compelling his story was. Without giving away too much, the previously hinted at gifts also take a well defined place in the tale. In all, a solid expansion to the world he's built.
Just not good enough to keep going. The first in the series was worthwhile.
Really, really great sequel. Ryan has proven himself a fantastic author with this book -- the first book's success was no fluke. In Tower Lord, Ryan tells the tale from more than just Vaelin's perspective -- five characters outline the story. That normally fails for all but a great writer, as it's easy to overwrite one character while leaving the others bland or forgettable. Not so here! Each character's chapters leave me groaning at the end, knowing I'm moving on to another's tale instead of eagerly continuing theirs. This is really tricky to do, especially when one of the four characters is brand new to this book. Her storyline was probably my favorite outside Vaelin's.
I truly loved all five story lines we follow in Tower Lord, especially how they slowly piece together in the end. We see the characters grow and progress, though their true nature never really changes. The story lines start off seemingly totally separate, but end up merged or at least related in the end. Everything is cohesive and meticulously written.
Overall, just a really, really great book. The last sentence leaves me screaming for the next book — here's to hoping Ryan's not George RR Martin and doesn't take too long to publish the next book. I'm eagerly waiting.
I truly loved all five story lines we follow in Tower Lord, especially how they slowly piece together in the end. We see the characters grow and progress, though their true nature never really changes. The story lines start off seemingly totally separate, but end up merged or at least related in the end. Everything is cohesive and meticulously written.
Overall, just a really, really great book. The last sentence leaves me screaming for the next book — here's to hoping Ryan's not George RR Martin and doesn't take too long to publish the next book. I'm eagerly waiting.