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subparcupcake's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book in the Acacia series, so it's hard to review it without spoilers of the first book, but I'll try my best.
I rated the first book four stars. Why? It was a very slow start. Durham spent a lot of time laying the ground work for the series. It was still interesting, but I can see how it would be hard to get through for a lot of people. It was definitely worth it to push through, as by the end the plot was moving along quite nicely and I was throughly enchanted by the characters. I still only rated it four stars, because I couldn't really predict if the payoff of the entire series would be worth the slowness of the first book.
This one is five stars for sure. It picked up, pace-wise, right where the first book left off and didn't slow for a minute. There was even a quick little summary of the first book before the story even began - I really like it when authors do that, it helps to avoid having to recap everything within the story line and thereby bog down the pace. Some have said, and it is true, that this one ends in a cliff hanger. I can see why that might make some people avoid this, at least until the third book is out. For me though, that's not really an issue. Sure, I'd prefer to have the third book in hand to continue on right now.. But it's not going to kill me to wait a while.
Durham has a very smooth and engaging writing style that I really enjoy, and his character development is very well done. I found myself becoming attached to even minor characters, who were rarely in the story line. The characters seemed very real and well rounded to me.
To wrap it up, I would definitely recommend this book. But if you are the type that can't deal with a cliffhanger? Maybe wait until the third book comes out before digging into this one.
I rated the first book four stars. Why? It was a very slow start. Durham spent a lot of time laying the ground work for the series. It was still interesting, but I can see how it would be hard to get through for a lot of people. It was definitely worth it to push through, as by the end the plot was moving along quite nicely and I was throughly enchanted by the characters. I still only rated it four stars, because I couldn't really predict if the payoff of the entire series would be worth the slowness of the first book.
This one is five stars for sure. It picked up, pace-wise, right where the first book left off and didn't slow for a minute. There was even a quick little summary of the first book before the story even began - I really like it when authors do that, it helps to avoid having to recap everything within the story line and thereby bog down the pace. Some have said, and it is true, that this one ends in a cliff hanger. I can see why that might make some people avoid this, at least until the third book is out. For me though, that's not really an issue. Sure, I'd prefer to have the third book in hand to continue on right now.. But it's not going to kill me to wait a while.
Durham has a very smooth and engaging writing style that I really enjoy, and his character development is very well done. I found myself becoming attached to even minor characters, who were rarely in the story line. The characters seemed very real and well rounded to me.
To wrap it up, I would definitely recommend this book. But if you are the type that can't deal with a cliffhanger? Maybe wait until the third book comes out before digging into this one.
tani's review
3.0
Kind of a disappointment, after the first book. Definitely dropped the ball a little. Hoping the last book is an improvement.
oursinculte's review against another edition
4.0
Le tome 2 d’Acacia est la suite du tome 1 d’Acacia… Ça vous la coupe, hein ? Et bien oui, l’histoire reprend quelques années après la guerre contre les Meins (et non pas les mains) et on retrouve avec plaisir la famille Akaran à travers ce bon gros pavé.
Ce volume va surtout se concentrer sur un des aspects mystérieux du premier tome qui était resté dans l’ombre : le quota et le trafic de brume, cette drogue permettant aux rois de garder le peuple sous contrôle. On va partir à la découverte du commerce auquel se livrent le Lothan Aklun, la Ligue et l’empire Acacian en suivant la mission diplomatique de Dariel qui va rencontrer les représentants Auldeks, alors que pendant ce temps, Mena finit de nettoyer l’empire des abominations qui sont apparues après la bataille un peu horrible qui clôt le tome précédent.
David Anthony Durham continue de nous dépeindre son monde avec une précision d’horloger suisse monomaniaque et parvient à prolonger son univers tout en conservant l’équilibre et la construction exemplaire du début. On garde vraiment les qualités du premier roman, tout en faisant évoluer ses personnages qui ont bien grandi. Corinn tient maintenant l’empire d’une main de fer et son caractère devient encore plus intéressant. Tout comme Hanish Mein, elle représente à elle seule toute la complexité de la saga, à la fois humaine, aimante, cruelle, manipulatrice et protectrice, chaque personnage est ainsi très solide et leurs actes cohérents et compréhensibles.
Terres étrangères aura son lot de complots, retournements de situation, révélations et mystères, tout en basculant plus dans le côté fantasy avec les nouveaux peuples exotiques qu’on va découvrir et leurs créatures magiques, ainsi que le sort réservé aux enfants du quota qui ont été vendus pour la paix du royaume. On aura des explications sur pas mal de points qui étaient restés dans l’ombre mais qui participent maintenant à la construction du monde et à sa découverte. L’auteur arrive à esquiver le syndrome « 2e tome de trilogie un peu plat » en jouant avec tous ces équilibres de forces et en disséminant des révélations satisfaisantes et des nouveaux dangers inconnus au compte-goutte, mais toute la magie est là, dans l’art du dosage.
Encore une fois, cette série prouve le talent de l’auteur en nous emportant dans des intrigues politiques, militaires et humaines, sans jamais faiblir et en gardant la maitrise et la cohérence de son univers. Bon, je remarque que mon article ressemble vachement à ma critique du tome 1 mais c’est pas ma faute si il a gardé les mêmes qualités tout de même ! Et quelque chose me dit que je vais pas tarder à me plonger dans le 3e et dernier livre…
Lire la critique sur mon site
Ce volume va surtout se concentrer sur un des aspects mystérieux du premier tome qui était resté dans l’ombre : le quota et le trafic de brume, cette drogue permettant aux rois de garder le peuple sous contrôle. On va partir à la découverte du commerce auquel se livrent le Lothan Aklun, la Ligue et l’empire Acacian en suivant la mission diplomatique de Dariel qui va rencontrer les représentants Auldeks, alors que pendant ce temps, Mena finit de nettoyer l’empire des abominations qui sont apparues après la bataille un peu horrible qui clôt le tome précédent.
David Anthony Durham continue de nous dépeindre son monde avec une précision d’horloger suisse monomaniaque et parvient à prolonger son univers tout en conservant l’équilibre et la construction exemplaire du début. On garde vraiment les qualités du premier roman, tout en faisant évoluer ses personnages qui ont bien grandi. Corinn tient maintenant l’empire d’une main de fer et son caractère devient encore plus intéressant. Tout comme Hanish Mein, elle représente à elle seule toute la complexité de la saga, à la fois humaine, aimante, cruelle, manipulatrice et protectrice, chaque personnage est ainsi très solide et leurs actes cohérents et compréhensibles.
Terres étrangères aura son lot de complots, retournements de situation, révélations et mystères, tout en basculant plus dans le côté fantasy avec les nouveaux peuples exotiques qu’on va découvrir et leurs créatures magiques, ainsi que le sort réservé aux enfants du quota qui ont été vendus pour la paix du royaume. On aura des explications sur pas mal de points qui étaient restés dans l’ombre mais qui participent maintenant à la construction du monde et à sa découverte. L’auteur arrive à esquiver le syndrome « 2e tome de trilogie un peu plat » en jouant avec tous ces équilibres de forces et en disséminant des révélations satisfaisantes et des nouveaux dangers inconnus au compte-goutte, mais toute la magie est là, dans l’art du dosage.
Encore une fois, cette série prouve le talent de l’auteur en nous emportant dans des intrigues politiques, militaires et humaines, sans jamais faiblir et en gardant la maitrise et la cohérence de son univers. Bon, je remarque que mon article ressemble vachement à ma critique du tome 1 mais c’est pas ma faute si il a gardé les mêmes qualités tout de même ! Et quelque chose me dit que je vais pas tarder à me plonger dans le 3e et dernier livre…
Lire la critique sur mon site
graculus's review
Started reading this in August, put it to one side and now it's October. I think I have to accept that I'm not coming back to this any time.
mferrante83's review
4.0
Durham, known for his historical fiction novels, burst onto the fantasy scene in 2007 with Acacia: The War with the Mein the first in a new fantasy series. Released back in September The Other Lands is the second book in Durham’s Acacia series continuing the saga of the Akaran family and their empire. Like the first book The Other Lands is a different from many fantasy novels today and its pacing structure and themes all seem informed by Durham’s experience with historical fiction. If you’ve yet to read the first book there are definite spoilers here.
We pick up nine years after Corinn’s coup and reclamation of the Akaran throne from her husband. What we get is very much a middle novel as the characters work through the tumultuous events of the previous book and how, or if, those events have changed them. Mena, has been tasked by her sister to track down and destroy the horrific foulthings spawned by the unleashed fury of Santoth magic and she still struggles with her desire for love and family as well as her violent role as the goddess Maeban on Earth. Dariel bears the guilt of his actions following Aliver’s death when he foreswore his brother’s word and attacked the Meinish army and has thrown himself into helping the common folk rebuild after the war. Summoned back to his sister’s side he is quickly tasked to journey across the sea to the titular Other Lands and meet with the mysterious Lothun Aklun. Corinn meanwhile has grasped the control of the Empire with an iron fist becoming something of a distant figure willing to use anyone and everyone to guide her empire to the destiny she foresees. In the process she now wields powerful magic capable of both creation and destruction.
The Other Lands is a transitory novel. On the one hand Corinn makes claim to follow through with some of her brother Aliver’s wishes but in truth become a tyrant whose lies and subterfuge are as great as any of her ancestors. While there is a perceived sense of change in leadership and governance is, in truth, more of the same tyranny that existed before. On the other hand the war of the previous volume and Aliver’s actions have allowed the cunning League of Ships to set into action and chain of events that will change things forever. As the various main characters work through what has happened to them in the past each either begins to affirm who they believed they are or begin to forge a new destiny.
Dariel is perhaps the greatest example of this. The guilt of his final actions in the war rests heavy on his shoulders. He is pushed to contemplation and introspection where, as pirate, he has been more prone to action. He is confronted with more consequences with his actions when Sire Neen, a leader in the League, reminds him that the League platforms he destroyed not only contained League members but their families and the quota slaves as well. Later Dariel is captured by individuals looking in exact vengeance on his family for the quota trade (a levy of child slaves given over to the League, who traded them to Lothun Aklun, who traded them in to their clients, all for a drug called mist that kept the population of the Akaran empire docile) and is again brought face to face with the past actions of his family. This time however Dariel is questioned by, and in turn questions, his captors in a fascinating use of, or at least something similar to, the Socratic method. While this manages to gives a nice bit of exposition regarding the history of his captors it also allows for some significant development on Dariel’s part the conclusion of which I thought was ironic: intellectual discourse, thought not action, leads a man to realize he is defined by what he does not what he says.
Corinn’s narrative was equally fascinating though spoiled somewhat when another character, Barad the Lesser, quickly dissects her motives and personality. The analysis is spot on but I think it denies the reader their own discovery of the same facts. She is a hard woman, but is hardness that is brittle and prone to cracking. I read her section with trepidation waiting for the moment when she finally breaks. While there was one close call in that regard it never really comes to fruition but some late revelations by the Santoth later in the novel, followed by some clever language in Corinn’s last chapter or two manage to evoke a nice sense of dread about what is to come.
I may have mentioned this in other reviews but I always find the introduction of certain Lovecraftian elements endear to fiction. Intentional or not that is the case hear as well not only in the foulthings Mena fights but in certain revelations late in the novel as well (I don’t want to spoil it though I hinted at it above). There are other elements of horror hear as well, particularly as we learn how Lothun Aklun magic actually functions. While not as ground breaking and engaging as I had hoped The Other Lands is still an exciting, well-crafted read that leaves me eager to see if things explode quite as large as I expect them to in the next volume. In addition to a fascinating plot and tangled (in a good way) politics Durham has created what I think is an excellent study on the nature of leadership and family, particularly as the two pertain to one another, in additional to providing some vibrant portraits of our three main characters and their relationship to one another. If there is one thing that Durham, and the Acacia series at large, does is craft a narrative that is both epic in scope and intimate in nature; a saga of family and empire that I highly recommend fans of fiction from all genres experience.
We pick up nine years after Corinn’s coup and reclamation of the Akaran throne from her husband. What we get is very much a middle novel as the characters work through the tumultuous events of the previous book and how, or if, those events have changed them. Mena, has been tasked by her sister to track down and destroy the horrific foulthings spawned by the unleashed fury of Santoth magic and she still struggles with her desire for love and family as well as her violent role as the goddess Maeban on Earth. Dariel bears the guilt of his actions following Aliver’s death when he foreswore his brother’s word and attacked the Meinish army and has thrown himself into helping the common folk rebuild after the war. Summoned back to his sister’s side he is quickly tasked to journey across the sea to the titular Other Lands and meet with the mysterious Lothun Aklun. Corinn meanwhile has grasped the control of the Empire with an iron fist becoming something of a distant figure willing to use anyone and everyone to guide her empire to the destiny she foresees. In the process she now wields powerful magic capable of both creation and destruction.
The Other Lands is a transitory novel. On the one hand Corinn makes claim to follow through with some of her brother Aliver’s wishes but in truth become a tyrant whose lies and subterfuge are as great as any of her ancestors. While there is a perceived sense of change in leadership and governance is, in truth, more of the same tyranny that existed before. On the other hand the war of the previous volume and Aliver’s actions have allowed the cunning League of Ships to set into action and chain of events that will change things forever. As the various main characters work through what has happened to them in the past each either begins to affirm who they believed they are or begin to forge a new destiny.
Dariel is perhaps the greatest example of this. The guilt of his final actions in the war rests heavy on his shoulders. He is pushed to contemplation and introspection where, as pirate, he has been more prone to action. He is confronted with more consequences with his actions when Sire Neen, a leader in the League, reminds him that the League platforms he destroyed not only contained League members but their families and the quota slaves as well. Later Dariel is captured by individuals looking in exact vengeance on his family for the quota trade (a levy of child slaves given over to the League, who traded them to Lothun Aklun, who traded them in to their clients, all for a drug called mist that kept the population of the Akaran empire docile) and is again brought face to face with the past actions of his family. This time however Dariel is questioned by, and in turn questions, his captors in a fascinating use of, or at least something similar to, the Socratic method. While this manages to gives a nice bit of exposition regarding the history of his captors it also allows for some significant development on Dariel’s part the conclusion of which I thought was ironic: intellectual discourse, thought not action, leads a man to realize he is defined by what he does not what he says.
Corinn’s narrative was equally fascinating though spoiled somewhat when another character, Barad the Lesser, quickly dissects her motives and personality. The analysis is spot on but I think it denies the reader their own discovery of the same facts. She is a hard woman, but is hardness that is brittle and prone to cracking. I read her section with trepidation waiting for the moment when she finally breaks. While there was one close call in that regard it never really comes to fruition but some late revelations by the Santoth later in the novel, followed by some clever language in Corinn’s last chapter or two manage to evoke a nice sense of dread about what is to come.
I may have mentioned this in other reviews but I always find the introduction of certain Lovecraftian elements endear to fiction. Intentional or not that is the case hear as well not only in the foulthings Mena fights but in certain revelations late in the novel as well (I don’t want to spoil it though I hinted at it above). There are other elements of horror hear as well, particularly as we learn how Lothun Aklun magic actually functions. While not as ground breaking and engaging as I had hoped The Other Lands is still an exciting, well-crafted read that leaves me eager to see if things explode quite as large as I expect them to in the next volume. In addition to a fascinating plot and tangled (in a good way) politics Durham has created what I think is an excellent study on the nature of leadership and family, particularly as the two pertain to one another, in additional to providing some vibrant portraits of our three main characters and their relationship to one another. If there is one thing that Durham, and the Acacia series at large, does is craft a narrative that is both epic in scope and intimate in nature; a saga of family and empire that I highly recommend fans of fiction from all genres experience.
kegriese1's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
davidsakh's review
2.0
This series frustrates me because a decent story is hampered by stilted prose and unrealistic dialogue that's rarely clever or insightful...just painful to read. It's unfortunate because I've always viewed the 'Mist' as a workable analog for our culture of consumption that distracts us from the world at large, and I'm a little invested in the characters...but I think I'm done.
agrantmas's review
4.0
I enjoyed it better than the first one, but thought the ending was incredibly abrupt. The twist was nice, though
jennieartemis's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
3.75
TL;DR: A fantasy continuation with plenty of originality and potential, but a rather loose structure and focus
The Other Lands is more consistent than book 1 (which had a sluggish opening before a dynamic second half), but the overall effect is not as strong as I was expecting. Lots of ideas are thrown in and not really given enough development (the book lacking any real climax or resolution to most threads). I would have preferred a tighter focus on a few characters and ideas, building on momentum from the last book, because there is some great stuff there, particularly with Corinn and Kelis. I really didn't like all the time given to unnecessary gross and creepy characters, who were too cartoonish for me in this narrative, and there's still something iffy in the approach to female characters. But book 3 has the potential to take the best elements of the first two, so fingers crossed.
6/10 in personal rating system
The Other Lands is more consistent than book 1 (which had a sluggish opening before a dynamic second half), but the overall effect is not as strong as I was expecting. Lots of ideas are thrown in and not really given enough development (the book lacking any real climax or resolution to most threads). I would have preferred a tighter focus on a few characters and ideas, building on momentum from the last book, because there is some great stuff there, particularly with Corinn and Kelis. I really didn't like all the time given to unnecessary gross and creepy characters, who were too cartoonish for me in this narrative, and there's still something iffy in the approach to female characters. But book 3 has the potential to take the best elements of the first two, so fingers crossed.
6/10 in personal rating system