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pezski's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I'm very much enjoying the Shadows of the Apt series. While perhaps not quite as well written as Tchaikovsky's later work (there is the occasional clumsiness, and I did start rolling my eyes at the number of times swords went in "to the hilt") the plotting and characterisation is excellent - and the world-building, I love in particular that there is much of the world that is unknown to even the most knowledgeable and well-travelled person.
In this second volume, the Wasp empire encounters the Spiderlands, about whom they know nothing and seems more than a match for them. It felt perhaps like the Romans suddenly butting up to the Seleucid/Parthian empires, the first time they encountered another true world power, one which they would never conquer. The author gives us huge battles, intrigue, treachery, along with personal tragedy and often heart-breaking moments of personal conscience.
I was switching between the paperback and audiobook, and must say that Ben Allen's reading is amongst the best I've come across. He is clearly a classically trained actor, with a superb pacing and delivery, but the voicework is truly extraordinary - the decision to give particular accents to the various factions is perfect, and perfectly executed. So, the Beetles are solid Yorkshiremen, the Spiders upper-class American, right out of Gatsby, the Wasps cut-glass English received pronunciation, and the genius of making the Mantids Northern Irish is exceptional. The only "race" that seems to vary are the Ants, who live in discrete city-states mostly at war with each other - one lot are Lancastrian, another Brummie, the late-arriving Fire Ants a more down-home, working-class US accent. Within these, Allen has the skill to voice several different characters with a subtle variance that keeps the accent but distinguishes the character.
I'm reading this series with Beyond Reality group on Goodreads, and we're reading a volume each month, so will be jumping into part 3, Blood of the Mantis, in a couple of weeks.
In this second volume, the Wasp empire encounters the Spiderlands, about whom they know nothing and seems more than a match for them. It felt perhaps like the Romans suddenly butting up to the Seleucid/Parthian empires, the first time they encountered another true world power, one which they would never conquer. The author gives us huge battles, intrigue, treachery, along with personal tragedy and often heart-breaking moments of personal conscience.
I was switching between the paperback and audiobook, and must say that Ben Allen's reading is amongst the best I've come across. He is clearly a classically trained actor, with a superb pacing and delivery, but the voicework is truly extraordinary - the decision to give particular accents to the various factions is perfect, and perfectly executed. So, the Beetles are solid Yorkshiremen, the Spiders upper-class American, right out of Gatsby, the Wasps cut-glass English received pronunciation, and the genius of making the Mantids Northern Irish is exceptional. The only "race" that seems to vary are the Ants, who live in discrete city-states mostly at war with each other - one lot are Lancastrian, another Brummie, the late-arriving Fire Ants a more down-home, working-class US accent. Within these, Allen has the skill to voice several different characters with a subtle variance that keeps the accent but distinguishes the character.
I'm reading this series with Beyond Reality group on Goodreads, and we're reading a volume each month, so will be jumping into part 3, Blood of the Mantis, in a couple of weeks.
katmarhan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.75
9.5/10
A lot happens in this second book of the Shadows of the Apt series: the author sheds more insight into the strengths and failings of the various kinden, includes plenty of intrigue and action, and introduces challenges that are both personal to individual characters and broader to groups of allies and even cities. I think however, there are layers to several kinden that have yet to be peeled away and revealed.
Several characters end up sorely tested and grievously wounded, yet none have died. While I don’t like to see characters killed off needlessly, neither do I think they should survive when they realistically shouldn’t.
Several of the main characters appear to be outliers of their kinden, loners, outsiders, even outcasts. I find that commonality intriguing, but I hope the author doesn’t overuse it.
A lot happens in this second book of the Shadows of the Apt series: the author sheds more insight into the strengths and failings of the various kinden, includes plenty of intrigue and action, and introduces challenges that are both personal to individual characters and broader to groups of allies and even cities. I think however, there are layers to several kinden that have yet to be peeled away and revealed.
Several of the main characters appear to be outliers of their kinden, loners, outsiders, even outcasts. I find that commonality intriguing, but I hope the author doesn’t overuse it.
mordshunger's review
Professor student pairing.
It is very uncomfortable and inevitable from the first interaction. (Unpleasant self insert?)
"He had always reserved the greatest of contempt for masters who prayed on their students in this way (...) But it wasn't like that. (...) It was ever the dream to sleep with a spiderkinden woman before you die."
Fuck this forever. I suppose we are to find this okay because she is a spy. I will not, thanks.
It is very uncomfortable and inevitable from the first interaction. (Unpleasant self insert?)
"He had always reserved the greatest of contempt for masters who prayed on their students in this way (...) But it wasn't like that. (...) It was ever the dream to sleep with a spiderkinden woman before you die."
Fuck this forever. I suppose we are to find this okay because she is a spy. I will not, thanks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
andre93na's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tadhgerman's review against another edition
5.0
This second installment in the series sees our protagonists having to grow up pretty fast as they are faced, each in their own way, with the horrors of war. Book 2 is definitely better than book one with a tighter pacing and more exciting happenings. I feel that the war and fighting in it is also treated as suitably horrifying and never really glorified except by people that we are clearly not meant to empathise with.
Definitely would recommend.
Definitely would recommend.
booleancat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
enbypirate's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jaydoncornell's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
4.25
poorlywordedbookreviews's review against another edition
reflective
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
4.0
Book 2 in the Shadows of the Apt series, and a return to the political and war machinations of the many insect-kinden. This huge book continues to build on the first’s foundation of a sprawling, factional world, and large cast of characters, but the pace of the action speeds up considerably. That said, despite all the action and conflict, it’s a slow read - as there are so many characters to establish. At times I felt my interest waning, but all that investment in character arcs means that the emotional beats land well.
If you like political/military fantasy then the series is worth a go - the overarching plot so far feels unoriginal, but the world building with its insect influence feels fresh, and Tchaikovsky (in his debut series) shows his skill at both believable characterisation and weaving many threads with dropping any.
noranne's review against another edition
3.0
Wow this one took forever. It's not a bad book, exactly, but it's long and so much of it is about fighting. I do not really like reading about fighting. I wish I could have read an abridged version of this book that was about half as long but covered the same plot and character points. The pacing was also strange, the battles in the first half are lovingly detailed and then the last quarter of the book it's like "this happened, this happened, this happened."
I find the overall plot to be pretty straightforward, but it's not uninteresting. The characters feel sketched in still even after two books.
Not sure if I'll continue with this series or not, but it's not terrible or anything.
I find the overall plot to be pretty straightforward, but it's not uninteresting. The characters feel sketched in still even after two books.
Not sure if I'll continue with this series or not, but it's not terrible or anything.