Scan barcode
laurentined's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
High point of the series by a long shot—these are Kushner's best characters, plot, and execution in Riverside and it's worth getting to.
The very imagery heavy, flowing, sensual prose of Swordspoint makes a return here and the clarity of plot from Privilege of the Sword as well. We'd not gotten any nod to magic in the series thus far and I appreciate that she tackles it obliquely without every explaining it, the way I'd expect of this world.
This still isn't a queer normative setting but it's queer permissive, maybe. But with a lot of societal pressure and taboos remaining to create tension between all its characters.
This one is heavily involved in The University, which the prior two books mostly stayed away from, which almost gives it a dark academia type flair.
As usual, it's a cast of imperfect people, full of angst, navel-gazing their way through events of political upheaval. A total pleasure to read.
The very imagery heavy, flowing, sensual prose of Swordspoint makes a return here and the clarity of plot from Privilege of the Sword as well. We'd not gotten any nod to magic in the series thus far and I appreciate that she tackles it obliquely without every explaining it, the way I'd expect of this world.
This still isn't a queer normative setting but it's queer permissive, maybe. But with a lot of societal pressure and taboos remaining to create tension between all its characters.
This one is heavily involved in The University, which the prior two books mostly stayed away from, which almost gives it a dark academia type flair.
As usual, it's a cast of imperfect people, full of angst, navel-gazing their way through events of political upheaval. A total pleasure to read.
katieinca's review against another edition
4.0
I preferred it to [b:Swordspoint|68485|Swordspoint (Riverside, #1)|Ellen Kushner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388903158s/68485.jpg|1453593] but not to [b:The Privilege of the Sword|821583|The Privilege of the Sword (Riverside, #2)|Ellen Kushner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389595637s/821583.jpg|4003]. Hooray for finally incorporating some wizards into this world. Frustrating that a book/series that plays with certain gender role restrictions so comfortably still incorporates others that don't seem necessary.
crimsoncor's review
3.0
I was so excited by the first half of this book. Academic in-fighting AND political machinations. What more could a reader want. But there are two things that really pulled this book down, for me. The first is that the core emotional plot really ended up being a less effective retread of the Swordspoint plot. Theron is (literally and narratively) a bargain bin version of Alec and his relationship with St Cloud doesn't tread any new ground. But my bigger complaint--and I guess I'll stick it behind a spoiler tag even though this is twenty years old now--is . If you took all that out, then even with the least original plot of the three Riverside books, this still would have been excellent. As it stands, it was fine, but definitely not what is it should have been.
Spoiler
the magic! I mean come on. The entire thing I loved about the Riverside world is that magic isn't a thing. Sure, people might hint at magic some mystical shit, but it is always bullshit because this is a real world. The big reveal that "magic has always been real but the land lost it moved the needle for me, but in the wrong direction. The erasure of the big debate on the scientific method (and yes, I'm weird, but I was looking forward to that) because St Cloud used magic to make his opponent bark like a dog was just massively disappointing.3rdtimelucky's review against another edition
3.0
Morpeth mentioned!!! Basically imagine Lud-in-the-Mist if it was 19 hours long because the characters constantly pause for dark academia themed blowjobs or to start a brawl in a gay bar
strayfe_angel's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book - and yet I hated the ending - but I'd still recommend it. Weird huh...
I think I hated it because for nearly the whole book I get to be inside Theron and Basil's heads - but then - nothing. The major climactic moment and I don't get them from the inside - and almost even cursorily from the outside.
I hated that.
Yet I still love this book.
I think I hated it because for nearly the whole book I get to be inside Theron and Basil's heads - but then - nothing. The major climactic moment and I don't get them from the inside - and almost even cursorily from the outside.
I hated that.
Yet I still love this book.
bea_reads78's review
3.0
Fun return to the Riverside world from the previous 2 books, but let down by the plot. Unfortunately I didn't care much about the two main characters--much preferred the supporting cast. Also a severe lack of female characters which was not the case in the author's past books so idk what happened here!
sandygx260's review
2.0
I wanted to love this book, which is why I went in with too-high expectations.
Beautiful writing. The trouble is too much of the beautiful writing repeats events and descriptions until you want to scream, "YES, we understand the point!"
The sad thing the point becomes more of a fizzle.It reminds me of a grand tempest which boils down to a few raindrops on cement.
Beautiful writing. The trouble is too much of the beautiful writing repeats events and descriptions until you want to scream, "YES, we understand the point!"
The sad thing the point becomes more of a fizzle.It reminds me of a grand tempest which boils down to a few raindrops on cement.
lexxluthor's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rebeccacider's review
3.0
Reread, and adjusting the rating a bit. This novel reads like contemporary urban fantasy set in Kushner's Riverside setting. It does a lot to expand the world of Riverside, giving it folk customs and ancient history and a lively academic scene, and I definitely had fun rereading it. But as a narrative it didn't totally gel for me, especially the second time round.
The Fall of the Kings follows the messy romance of a young nobleman who hasn't quite figured himself out and a young scholar who is really, really bad at departmental politics. Their attempts to realize their destinies get tangled up in ancient magic. I liked Theron and Basil an awful lot, but their lack of self-awareness (and self-preservation!) is frustrating. They are both such earnest, clueless guys and as a result they become passive characters, swept along by magic and the engine of the story. I have a notion that Kushner and Sherman didn't have an ending in mind when they started writing, and the plot, while pleasingly organic, lacks the intensity of the other Riverside novels.
That said, after a muddy middle, there was a lot to enjoy in the third act. Theron's swashbuckling art dealer/pirate half-sister Jessica is a delightful character who absolutely works despite showing up late in the game. I found Theron's resolution satisfying as well, even if it's a bit out of left field.
As for Basil, this time round I realized this is a novel about dealing with the legacy of problematic intellectual pioneers, who are brilliant one moment and weighed down with scandal and junk theories the next. I think this is one of the strongest themes in the book and would have liked to see it more in the forefront.
At the end of the day, The Fall of the Kings is a book as messy and fascinating as Basil St. Cloud's scholarship. I wouldn't recommend it to those who haven't read Kushner and Sherman's other works, but it's certainly a must-read for Riverside completists.
The Fall of the Kings follows the messy romance of a young nobleman who hasn't quite figured himself out and a young scholar who is really, really bad at departmental politics. Their attempts to realize their destinies get tangled up in ancient magic. I liked Theron and Basil an awful lot, but their lack of self-awareness (and self-preservation!) is frustrating. They are both such earnest, clueless guys and as a result they become passive characters, swept along by magic and the engine of the story. I have a notion that Kushner and Sherman didn't have an ending in mind when they started writing, and the plot, while pleasingly organic, lacks the intensity of the other Riverside novels.
That said, after a muddy middle, there was a lot to enjoy in the third act. Theron's swashbuckling art dealer/pirate half-sister Jessica is a delightful character who absolutely works despite showing up late in the game. I found Theron's resolution satisfying as well, even if it's a bit out of left field.
As for Basil, this time round I realized this is a novel about dealing with the legacy of problematic intellectual pioneers, who are brilliant one moment and weighed down with scandal and junk theories the next. I think this is one of the strongest themes in the book and would have liked to see it more in the forefront.
At the end of the day, The Fall of the Kings is a book as messy and fascinating as Basil St. Cloud's scholarship. I wouldn't recommend it to those who haven't read Kushner and Sherman's other works, but it's certainly a must-read for Riverside completists.
interrowhimper's review
4.0
I tried to read Swordspoint after seeing Kushner speak at the University of Tulsa years ago, and really couldn't get into it. This one was recommended to me by a friend and I read it despite not having read the first two Riverside books. It kept me entertained, and there was something captivating and weird about the magic, like the magic is something that happens to you instead of something you do. I liked that part.
However, this book fails the Bechdel test hard. There's a lot of gay love, and so I expected a pretty progressive presentation of gender and sexuality. But basically, replacing all the romantic leads with other men left a total dearth of women characters central to the plotline. There is a subplot about women fighting to get entry to their academy, but we don't get to know any of them, and the only conversations we hear are about the male main characters. Everything important seems to happen because someone is "the seed of kings" -- the most weirdly semen-driven book I think I've ever read.
Mixed feelings, for sure.
However, this book fails the Bechdel test hard. There's a lot of gay love, and so I expected a pretty progressive presentation of gender and sexuality. But basically, replacing all the romantic leads with other men left a total dearth of women characters central to the plotline. There is a subplot about women fighting to get entry to their academy, but we don't get to know any of them, and the only conversations we hear are about the male main characters. Everything important seems to happen because someone is "the seed of kings" -- the most weirdly semen-driven book I think I've ever read.
Mixed feelings, for sure.