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layla87's review
5.0
4.75 stars
Ugh it was worth the tears to reread Eryx's POV!
It's been years since I read Axios and I still cried in the end.
It's not a spoiler that this book, and Axios, don't have an HEA.
Both our MCs die in the end...
But to follow their relationship from the moment they met as kids and growing up with them as their feelings shift from friends and comrades to lovers and soulmates is as epic as their love story.
More than 16 years of them together, training, hurting, in love and besotted.
This book is an experience and it's hard to read while simultaneously be unputdownable.
I know that some may not like to read it because it's an almost exact replica of Axios, but the ending of this one made all the difference for me. they both still die... but we get a glimpse of more. Their afterlife and how life moved on after their death... It was beautiful.
Now as for Adam Stubbs' narration... All I can say is that it was PHENOMENAL.
The tones, voices, inflections, emotions... Wow! What a performance that was. He raised this book to a higher level for sure.
The only reason I shaved off a quarter of a star was Axios and the King's relationship. For me, the effect the king had on Axios was too much and not really understandable.
Ugh it was worth the tears to reread Eryx's POV!
It's been years since I read Axios and I still cried in the end.
It's not a spoiler that this book, and Axios, don't have an HEA.
Both our MCs die in the end...
But to follow their relationship from the moment they met as kids and growing up with them as their feelings shift from friends and comrades to lovers and soulmates is as epic as their love story.
More than 16 years of them together, training, hurting, in love and besotted.
This book is an experience and it's hard to read while simultaneously be unputdownable.
I know that some may not like to read it because it's an almost exact replica of Axios, but the ending of this one made all the difference for me. they both still die... but we get a glimpse of more. Their afterlife and how life moved on after their death... It was beautiful.
Now as for Adam Stubbs' narration... All I can say is that it was PHENOMENAL.
The tones, voices, inflections, emotions... Wow! What a performance that was. He raised this book to a higher level for sure.
The only reason I shaved off a quarter of a star was Axios and the King's relationship. For me, the effect the king had on Axios was too much and not really understandable.
teresab78's review
4.0
Hot spartan warriors....
I really enjoyed getting to see Axios from Eryx’s perspective as well as seeing into Eryx’s thoughts. It repeats most of book one but adds extra scenes here and there. The only draw back was that there were too many sexual encounters that I didn’t feel added anything to the story. Otherwise I enjoyed this coin flip.
I really enjoyed getting to see Axios from Eryx’s perspective as well as seeing into Eryx’s thoughts. It repeats most of book one but adds extra scenes here and there. The only draw back was that there were too many sexual encounters that I didn’t feel added anything to the story. Otherwise I enjoyed this coin flip.
gabrielmoshe's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Ugh. I made a mistake reading this on a plane. My poor heart has never known such sorrow and love. I'm not crying at all.
mel_read_that's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
loulou87's review against another edition
5.0
4.75 stars
Ugh it was worth the tears to reread Eryx's POV!
It's been years since I read Axios and I still cried in the end.
It's not a spoiler that this book, and Axios, don't have an HEA.
Both our MCs die in the end...
But to follow their relationship from the moment they met as kids and growing up with them as their feelings shift from friends and comrades to lovers and soulmates is as epic as their love story.
More than 16 years of them together, training, hurting, in love and besotted.
This book is an experience and it's hard to read while simultaneously be unputdownable.
I know that some may not like to read it because it's an almost exact replica of Axios, but the ending of this one made all the difference for me. they both still die... but we get a glimpse of more. Their afterlife and how life moved on after their death... It was beautiful.
Now as for Adam Stubbs' narration... All I can say is that it was PHENOMENAL.
The tones, voices, inflections, emotions... Wow! What a performance that was. He raised this book to a higher level for sure.
The only reason I shaved off a quarter of a star was Axios and the King's relationship. For me, the effect the king had on Axios was too much and not really understandable.
Ugh it was worth the tears to reread Eryx's POV!
It's been years since I read Axios and I still cried in the end.
It's not a spoiler that this book, and Axios, don't have an HEA.
Both our MCs die in the end...
But to follow their relationship from the moment they met as kids and growing up with them as their feelings shift from friends and comrades to lovers and soulmates is as epic as their love story.
More than 16 years of them together, training, hurting, in love and besotted.
This book is an experience and it's hard to read while simultaneously be unputdownable.
I know that some may not like to read it because it's an almost exact replica of Axios, but the ending of this one made all the difference for me. they both still die... but we get a glimpse of more. Their afterlife and how life moved on after their death... It was beautiful.
Now as for Adam Stubbs' narration... All I can say is that it was PHENOMENAL.
The tones, voices, inflections, emotions... Wow! What a performance that was. He raised this book to a higher level for sure.
The only reason I shaved off a quarter of a star was Axios and the King's relationship. For me, the effect the king had on Axios was too much and not really understandable.
bwood95's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
fearsomethings's review
5.0
Junio, 2022
Nunca pensé que Eryx fuese tan vulnerable. Este libro fue como "Todas las cosas que nunca te dije" para Axios. Aunque me gustó leer cómo Ery se refería a Ax como "my raven", fue la misma historia y me resultó un poco agotador leer la misma historia otra vez (hey, pero amé leer a Ax desde el punto de vista de Ery, o sea literalmente Axios es etéreo). Considero que hubiese sido mejor un solo libro con ambos POV.
- 4 estrellitas
Julio, 2023
POR DIOS ESTABA LOCA, LOCA, QUEJÁNDOME DE MI BEBÉ ERYX POV. EL FINAL DOLIÓ TANTO COMO LA PRIMERA VEZ *SOLLOZA* Yo creo que el problema es que estaba DELULU y que mi cerebro esta medio mal y no puede centrarse en la misma cosa otra vez. SIN EMBARGO, leer este POV un año después me dio una perspectiva distinta y me permitió ver la historia como si fuera la primera vez <3. Creo que para muchas personas, el secreto para disfrutar esta bilogía es no leer este POV inmediatamente después de Axios, sino esperar un tiempo, ya que sí es la misma historia per se entonces a veces the novelty can wear off. Pero de ahí, el mundo interior y la complejidad de Ery es fenomenal.
- 5 estrellitas <3 <3
P.S. Ahora pienso que Ery es Capri y Ax sigue siendo Piscis. Ay, Don Armando tan divinos <3
AY, MIS HIJOS QUILL Y THEON :,(
Nunca pensé que Eryx fuese tan vulnerable. Este libro fue como "Todas las cosas que nunca te dije" para Axios. Aunque me gustó leer cómo Ery se refería a Ax como "my raven", fue la misma historia y me resultó un poco agotador leer la misma historia otra vez (hey, pero amé leer a Ax desde el punto de vista de Ery, o sea literalmente Axios es etéreo). Considero que hubiese sido mejor un solo libro con ambos POV.
- 4 estrellitas
Julio, 2023
POR DIOS ESTABA LOCA, LOCA, QUEJÁNDOME DE MI BEBÉ ERYX POV. EL FINAL DOLIÓ TANTO COMO LA PRIMERA VEZ *SOLLOZA* Yo creo que el problema es que estaba DELULU y que mi cerebro esta medio mal y no puede centrarse en la misma cosa otra vez. SIN EMBARGO, leer este POV un año después me dio una perspectiva distinta y me permitió ver la historia como si fuera la primera vez <3. Creo que para muchas personas, el secreto para disfrutar esta bilogía es no leer este POV inmediatamente después de Axios, sino esperar un tiempo, ya que sí es la misma historia per se entonces a veces the novelty can wear off. Pero de ahí, el mundo interior y la complejidad de Ery es fenomenal.
- 5 estrellitas <3 <3
P.S. Ahora pienso que Ery es Capri y Ax sigue siendo Piscis. Ay, Don Armando tan divinos <3
AY, MIS HIJOS QUILL Y THEON :,(
chrismn4422's review
4.0
"One day, when I died in battle with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other...."
This book made me cry more the than Axios. Being in Eryx's head and watching the model soldier have real regrets about his blind obedience was inspiring but heartbreaking. He didn't have his happily ever after until he put his weapons down, stopped fighting in the midst of battle, and held his dying lover allowing death to take them into the afterlife together for all eternity.
"If we fall today, my soul will find yours. For I am eternally yours… in this life and the next.”
So I had to create some fanart for these two lovers that you can see on my Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_YBHu8Hx8D/
They live on ⭐ (the idea for the art came to me after reading both books and while listening to 'Now we are free' from the movie Gladiator)
This book made me cry more the than Axios. Being in Eryx's head and watching the model soldier have real regrets about his blind obedience was inspiring but heartbreaking. He didn't have his happily ever after until he put his weapons down, stopped fighting in the midst of battle, and held his dying lover allowing death to take them into the afterlife together for all eternity.
"If we fall today, my soul will find yours. For I am eternally yours… in this life and the next.”
So I had to create some fanart for these two lovers that you can see on my Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_YBHu8Hx8D/
They live on ⭐ (the idea for the art came to me after reading both books and while listening to 'Now we are free' from the movie Gladiator)
lenoreo's review
4.0
https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/06/07/eryx-by-jaclyn-osborn/
3.5 stars — I have not read the first book, Axios, so I can verify this one can be completely read as a standalone. From the reviews, it sounds like there’s a LOT of repeat, instead of just a few fill in the gaps scenes from a different POV. Which makes it great for those who haven’t read the other book, but makes it less likely that I’ll want to go back and read Axios, even just for those few scenes.
This one was tough for me…because it was so violent and brutal. And that’s, I believe, realistic of the Spartan boy experience. But wow. I didn’t want my heroes to be okay with that. It’s like my delicate 21st Century sensibilities just couldn’t handle the realities of their life. The way those boys were beaten and tortured as part of their training was just…sickening. The way the slaves were treated. The liberties afforded to men who won battles (wrt the women of a village). It was all just….hard. It was hard because Axios was so gentle, and held the beliefs that aligned more closely with my own, and for his own safety, Eryx had to encourage him to abandon those ideals, and not speak up. That’s not what you want to read, you know? So that was hard, to say the least.
I’m not a historical reader, and I don’t know all that much about history…but I can say that there were the occasional things that stood out even to me as being possibly inaccurate (like them saying “Huah” in response in formation). Do I know for sure? Meh, nope. But basically just a vague warning to the truly picky — this one may take a few liberties.
The other thing preventing this from being a complete winner for me was just the length — there were parts that felt a bit drawn out. And I hate to say it, but after a certain point I was done with the steamy scenes. Which is not to say that there weren’t moments later in the story that I wanted, but maybe if a few more insignificant scenes were cut, it would flow better.
Now, saying all that, there were pieces of this book that I just LOVED! This was a true friends to lovers story, where you got to watch Eryx and Axios grow up and grow together. They balanced each other out perfectly…and while, like I said, I would have preferred Axios’s ideals to win, I got why Eryx’s were the safer choice in that time. This was not a story of revolutions afterall. I just seriously loved them as a couple. Eryx was an interesting hero on his own, but it was them together that really made this story.
But honestly? The complete STAND OUT of this book for me was the brotherhood that developed between Eryx, Axios, Haden, Quill and Theon (with various other characters thrown in as well). That core group of boys went through so much together, and I truly believed in their bond. I loved watching them struggle and fight, and play and find love. I loved the way they teased one another. I loved how much they cared about one another. This book would not have been the same without those other 3 boys as well.
And it wasn’t just the core group — they were lots of other memorable characters. I adored Leanna (and her two boys). Paris and Galen brought some interesting perspectives. I loved the mentorship Eryx got from Nikias, and the mentoring he did with Demetrius and Cassius. And even though it made me super uncomfortable, and I wasn’t a huge fan, I appreciated what King Agis brought to the story.
So yeah. Mixed bag. Maybe not the best choice to get me back into reading after a hiatus, but it brought out my feels in the end.
3.5 stars — I have not read the first book, Axios, so I can verify this one can be completely read as a standalone. From the reviews, it sounds like there’s a LOT of repeat, instead of just a few fill in the gaps scenes from a different POV. Which makes it great for those who haven’t read the other book, but makes it less likely that I’ll want to go back and read Axios, even just for those few scenes.
This one was tough for me…because it was so violent and brutal. And that’s, I believe, realistic of the Spartan boy experience. But wow. I didn’t want my heroes to be okay with that. It’s like my delicate 21st Century sensibilities just couldn’t handle the realities of their life. The way those boys were beaten and tortured as part of their training was just…sickening. The way the slaves were treated. The liberties afforded to men who won battles (wrt the women of a village). It was all just….hard. It was hard because Axios was so gentle, and held the beliefs that aligned more closely with my own, and for his own safety, Eryx had to encourage him to abandon those ideals, and not speak up. That’s not what you want to read, you know? So that was hard, to say the least.
I’m not a historical reader, and I don’t know all that much about history…but I can say that there were the occasional things that stood out even to me as being possibly inaccurate (like them saying “Huah” in response in formation). Do I know for sure? Meh, nope. But basically just a vague warning to the truly picky — this one may take a few liberties.
The other thing preventing this from being a complete winner for me was just the length — there were parts that felt a bit drawn out. And I hate to say it, but after a certain point I was done with the steamy scenes. Which is not to say that there weren’t moments later in the story that I wanted, but maybe if a few more insignificant scenes were cut, it would flow better.
Now, saying all that, there were pieces of this book that I just LOVED! This was a true friends to lovers story, where you got to watch Eryx and Axios grow up and grow together. They balanced each other out perfectly…and while, like I said, I would have preferred Axios’s ideals to win, I got why Eryx’s were the safer choice in that time. This was not a story of revolutions afterall. I just seriously loved them as a couple. Eryx was an interesting hero on his own, but it was them together that really made this story.
But honestly? The complete STAND OUT of this book for me was the brotherhood that developed between Eryx, Axios, Haden, Quill and Theon (with various other characters thrown in as well). That core group of boys went through so much together, and I truly believed in their bond. I loved watching them struggle and fight, and play and find love. I loved the way they teased one another. I loved how much they cared about one another. This book would not have been the same without those other 3 boys as well.
And it wasn’t just the core group — they were lots of other memorable characters. I adored Leanna (and her two boys). Paris and Galen brought some interesting perspectives. I loved the mentorship Eryx got from Nikias, and the mentoring he did with Demetrius and Cassius. And even though it made me super uncomfortable, and I wasn’t a huge fan, I appreciated what King Agis brought to the story.
So yeah. Mixed bag. Maybe not the best choice to get me back into reading after a hiatus, but it brought out my feels in the end.
constancechloe's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0