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knittyreader's review
3.0
I received a free copy through Netgalley, in return of an honest review.
I loved the characters. They had depth and realness, which made they were mostly likeable, whatever their actions were. The mechbeast was my favourite though, it being a little cat-like in behaviour.
Still, I believe the story itself could have been done better. It often was too crammed with characters, action and background info for a book of 200 pages, which means it was often chaotic at best. I can have a lot when it comes to all this info, and as I said it definately served a purpose, but a lengthier book with a more even pacing would have done this great story a world of good.
I loved the characters. They had depth and realness, which made they were mostly likeable, whatever their actions were. The mechbeast was my favourite though, it being a little cat-like in behaviour.
Still, I believe the story itself could have been done better. It often was too crammed with characters, action and background info for a book of 200 pages, which means it was often chaotic at best. I can have a lot when it comes to all this info, and as I said it definately served a purpose, but a lengthier book with a more even pacing would have done this great story a world of good.
schwarmgiven's review
4.0
A fantastic first novel from the world of Numenera! The story revolves around Talia who is a great character with a dark tragic past whose currently living a lie and attempting to navigate the challenges of the Ninth World.
Strongly recommended for fans of weird fiction + the Numenera setting.
Strongly recommended for fans of weird fiction + the Numenera setting.
kadomi's review against another edition
4.0
4 to 4.5 stars. I genuinely loved this, but think people who have never had any contact with the Ninth World setting of Numenera will have their issues with this book.
The first Numenera novel has a kickass protagonist, a queer woman of color, and there's a lovely f/f romance in the story. The protagonist is Talia, who has flown from the vordcha, a nebulous antagonist people who abduct or trade in humans to put lots of tech into their bodies. For what purpose never becomes clear. Talia has fled from them, freeing a sort of half-mech dog called Khee to come with her. In the city of Enthait, she is now the Poison Eater. The Poison Eater is next in line to the throne but has to survive eating 10 poisons first that give her visions about threats to Enthait. Only that Talia doesn't get any such visions. But she wants to push through with it and survive all poisons, to stop the vordcha.
The ending was super-abrupt, but all in all, the novel pushed all my buttons with what I love about Numenera. Its never-ending weirdness, the mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and more diversity than I am used to from your average tabletop RPG setting. If you like Numenera already, read this book. If you don't, maybe try playing the game first to see if it gels.
The first Numenera novel has a kickass protagonist, a queer woman of color, and there's a lovely f/f romance in the story. The protagonist is Talia, who has flown from the vordcha, a nebulous antagonist people who abduct or trade in humans to put lots of tech into their bodies. For what purpose never becomes clear. Talia has fled from them, freeing a sort of half-mech dog called Khee to come with her. In the city of Enthait, she is now the Poison Eater. The Poison Eater is next in line to the throne but has to survive eating 10 poisons first that give her visions about threats to Enthait. Only that Talia doesn't get any such visions. But she wants to push through with it and survive all poisons, to stop the vordcha.
The ending was super-abrupt, but all in all, the novel pushed all my buttons with what I love about Numenera. Its never-ending weirdness, the mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and more diversity than I am used to from your average tabletop RPG setting. If you like Numenera already, read this book. If you don't, maybe try playing the game first to see if it gels.
thinde's review
3.0
This world makes so little sense as to go beyond mystery into the surreal.
If you enjoy unbelievable settings like "The Maze Runner" or "Divergent," then you may like this series.
The book takes the reader immediately into a city where the protagonist is the Poison Eater. We learn the protagonist's origins in flashbacks. Apparently, she has a plan to use her position to defeat an old enemy. The trouble is, she had this plan before taking on the mantle of Poison Eater, but we never learn how she secured the job. She's one person in a large city and there's only one Poison Eater... Is that a sound plan?
I think the key to enjoying these books is to question nothing. Just have faith that it will all make sense in the end... or that you'll have forgotten the plot holes by then.
If you enjoy unbelievable settings like "The Maze Runner" or "Divergent," then you may like this series.
The book takes the reader immediately into a city where the protagonist is the Poison Eater. We learn the protagonist's origins in flashbacks. Apparently, she has a plan to use her position to defeat an old enemy. The trouble is, she had this plan before taking on the mantle of Poison Eater, but we never learn how she secured the job. She's one person in a large city and there's only one Poison Eater... Is that a sound plan?
I think the key to enjoying these books is to question nothing. Just have faith that it will all make sense in the end... or that you'll have forgotten the plot holes by then.
pastathief's review
3.0
I really think that this was a good start for the fiction line based on the Numenera tabletop RPG. It has enough of the feel of the world to be satisfying to people looking to flesh out their understanding of the game's setting, but really didn't focus on being a tie-in product. It stood alone as a novel in its own right fairly well, although I don't know if it's one I would have chosen to read without the relation.
Taken on its own rights, this is a good, enjoyable, but not great fantasy story with sci-fi elements. The focus is definitely on the characters and their bonds. That said, with a couple of exceptions, most of the characters don't seem to go through much of a development arc. Also, the end seemed rushed, both in that it came very quickly and in that most of its epic nature, promised for the whole book, happens off-camera. It leaves possible hooks for a Poison Eater II, but part of me hopes they leave it as it stands. And occasionally I think the author over-estimated my ability to follow her train of thought, which is surprising in that it's usually quite the opposite. Where I'm used to being sledgehammered with an idea until even people near me get it by osmosis, in this book there were many conversational points where the main character decides that the subtext of a conversation was so clear it didn't need to be said, whereas whatever it was, I totally missed it. Sometimes this came across as social sophistication that was over my head, but more often it just felt like a lack of rigour and hand-waving where perhaps there was nothing to back up a turn that had to happen.
Lastly, what character development did happen felt a little like going 0-100 on 0 seconds flat. Like, the character was at point A, and then was just at point B, with nothing in between. So it didn't always feel natural to me.
Nonetheless, the world is rich, and the book had a lot of atmosphere. And it did manage to not feel entirely like a tie-in product. I think if you're a fan of Numenera and looking to flesh out your experience of the world, it's a no-brainer, but for people outside of that, maybe pick it up if you really need something to read or if you can get it inexpensively. I enjoyed it, but I don't feel a need to buy copies for all my friends.
Taken on its own rights, this is a good, enjoyable, but not great fantasy story with sci-fi elements. The focus is definitely on the characters and their bonds. That said, with a couple of exceptions, most of the characters don't seem to go through much of a development arc. Also, the end seemed rushed, both in that it came very quickly and in that most of its epic nature, promised for the whole book, happens off-camera. It leaves possible hooks for a Poison Eater II, but part of me hopes they leave it as it stands. And occasionally I think the author over-estimated my ability to follow her train of thought, which is surprising in that it's usually quite the opposite. Where I'm used to being sledgehammered with an idea until even people near me get it by osmosis, in this book there were many conversational points where the main character decides that the subtext of a conversation was so clear it didn't need to be said, whereas whatever it was, I totally missed it. Sometimes this came across as social sophistication that was over my head, but more often it just felt like a lack of rigour and hand-waving where perhaps there was nothing to back up a turn that had to happen.
Lastly, what character development did happen felt a little like going 0-100 on 0 seconds flat. Like, the character was at point A, and then was just at point B, with nothing in between. So it didn't always feel natural to me.
Nonetheless, the world is rich, and the book had a lot of atmosphere. And it did manage to not feel entirely like a tie-in product. I think if you're a fan of Numenera and looking to flesh out your experience of the world, it's a no-brainer, but for people outside of that, maybe pick it up if you really need something to read or if you can get it inexpensively. I enjoyed it, but I don't feel a need to buy copies for all my friends.
a_h_haga's review
3.0
I picked up this book for free with the new Audible-inclusion-program. I didn't know the story was set in the world of an RPG before reading some of the reviews, and I wouldn't have noticed if no-one told me about it. This book easily stood on its own. It made me want to play the RPG, though.
The writing is good and the explanation of the world makes sense. It does a good job of giving the informaton needed and nothing more, leaving the reader wondering and wanting more.
The story was a little slow, but the world-building and character-arcs were interesting enough to keep me listening.
I'm not sure I'll be picking up book 2, as it's not part of the inclusion-program, but I don't feel like I'm missing out. Sure, this book had an open ending-ish, but it also felt like it finished what it set out to do.
The writing is good and the explanation of the world makes sense. It does a good job of giving the informaton needed and nothing more, leaving the reader wondering and wanting more.
The story was a little slow, but the world-building and character-arcs were interesting enough to keep me listening.
I'm not sure I'll be picking up book 2, as it's not part of the inclusion-program, but I don't feel like I'm missing out. Sure, this book had an open ending-ish, but it also felt like it finished what it set out to do.
provostjoe's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
4.0
prested's review
2.0
Talia is the poison eater, a person who foretells the dangers for the city of Enthait.
However, Taila isn't seeing anything when she's poisoned.
And so she lies.
Telling everyone false dangers in hopes of accessing the city's weapons to get vengeance on those who wronged her in the past.
------------------------
Alrighty, I know my review of this book is really late. I finished it at the beginning of the month,
Over all, it wasn't a bad book. It was okay.
The pacing was a little weird at times and some of the plot was a little clunky.
The ending was kinda abrupt and I felt there wasn't a lot of buildup to it.
I also didn't get why she suddenly disliked the previous poison eater and thought she was evil.
The world itself is so vibrant and the characters are fascinating but the plot was meh.
The plot concept is interesting but it was executed poorly.
However, Taila isn't seeing anything when she's poisoned.
And so she lies.
Telling everyone false dangers in hopes of accessing the city's weapons to get vengeance on those who wronged her in the past.
------------------------
Alrighty, I know my review of this book is really late. I finished it at the beginning of the month,
Over all, it wasn't a bad book. It was okay.
The pacing was a little weird at times and some of the plot was a little clunky.
The ending was kinda abrupt and I felt there wasn't a lot of buildup to it.
Spoiler
The reason given for why everyone suddenly supported her was because she was the poison eater. Even though, just a few chapters ago, they didn't trust her.I also didn't get why she suddenly disliked the previous poison eater and thought she was evil.
Spoiler
They had one conversation and because she didn't seemed to believe in the system and Taila thought she was sooo bad because of it.The world itself is so vibrant and the characters are fascinating but the plot was meh.
The plot concept is interesting but it was executed poorly.
silene's review
adventurous
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? It's complicated
5.0
This holds fascinating world building slowly and exquisitely revealed through Talia’s experience as the Poison Eater- and all the emotional turmoil and trauma that involves. Read slowly to savor the world if you’re not familiar with it, or you’ll miss something important.
noysh's review
4.0
I read this book as an attempt to get my head around the Numenera tabletop game setting. And, while, I think it did a great job of detailing how the world works, it also served as a surprisingly complex science fantasy novel in it's own right. As I closed the book today, it dawned on me how well this book works as an abuse narrative as well. it's a hallmark of a good book when you finish it and realize it told more than one story to you.