Scan barcode
kthomas16's review against another edition
5.0
Third book and going strong!
Such a good series! Can't wait for the next one!!!! Adventure, dueling, suspense, magic, romance, this series has it all!
Such a good series! Can't wait for the next one!!!! Adventure, dueling, suspense, magic, romance, this series has it all!
pandothiel's review against another edition
2.0
I'm sorry to anyone who's loved this book but to me... it was such a bore.
We start off right where we left during the previous instalment and the beginning is full of action and events happening one after the other. Siv and Dara know no rest for the first few pages, and then arrive in all safety in Rallion City where they are being taken care of. The beginning also introduces us to Sora's POV chapters so the reader can have an insight into what's happening in Vertigon after the coup operated by Rafe Ruminor and the other Fire Workers.
And then... it all goes downhill. Here's the recipe for each and every chapter:
Siv:
- Blames himself for abandoning Vertigon / his Kingdom / Sora
- Spending an awful lot of time thinking about Dara and how he doesn't deserve her
- Have an impulse to break free and go back to Rallion city / Vertigon
- Only to give up and give into his current situation
Dara:
- Goes to the places Siv went
- Vine leads her but she doesn't really know where
- Dara realises but tells Vine it's fine
- They go back onto their journey because they miraculously know again where to go
- All the while thinking about Siv and a bit about her father
Wash, cleanse, rinse, and repeat.
This is very much a middle book more intended as world building and to put our characters deeper into problems so they can't meet Rafe Ruminor and solve this situation; but it was, roughly, 300 pages too long. Siv and Dara get caught up in thoughts that repeat themselves several times per chapter, every single chapter of the book. All the places are not introduced once, but twice. It drags on and on when simple editing could've really tightened the pace without losing anything.
The other thing that struck me is how unlike themselves the characters acted. I loved King Siv when his father had just died and he took control of the situation pretty successfully, no matter what happen in "King of Mists" afterward. And now he just abandons, not just once but in every single chapter, his kingdom, and his family. Sora, as much as I like her, political and smart Sora, turns into a little girl with no clue as to what she should do and breaks under the pressure of the Ruminors; the same character who played the kingship game well and gave extremely good advice to Siv. She ends up relying so much on her bodyguards that she does't do much by herself. As for the new ship, she swoons over one guy then the next, and doesn't really make it believable. No problem with it (even though she prides herself on not letting her feelings get in the way...) but she ends up appearing a bit like a Romeo where her attachment is not that deep or believable. Do you like the guy for who he is, or the next knight in shining armor is going to make you fall head over heels?
As for Siv's family... they're pretty useless. The Peace of Vertigon is broken but they don't even send spies, try to look a bit more into the situation even though Sora is alive and they know it. Siv is kidnapped but they don't make a move... I mean Dara did not encounter a single Truren guard who was looking for Siv during the entire journey... talk about efficiency! Talking about Dara, she escapes the prison and, a chapter later, the fact that she's a fugitive is completely forgotten because not even once does she have to fight against Truren guards. How has Rallion city stood for so long next to Soole and Pendark?
The entire book I was waiting for the climax to happen. Really, they are the parts that made me want to read this series from start to finish because they were so well executed in the first and second instalment. But in Dance of Steel... the climax took approximately 3 pages. It was extremely short, unlike Duel of Fire and King of Mists the stakes were really low (I mean, we knew how it was going to finish...) and I felt robbed of a good action-packed chapter. Sora is only a witness throughout the events and is mainly told what to do. Saying the outcome of the short fight in which Siv and Dara are placed is predictable is an understatement.
The thought of Siv and Dara's reunion was the only thing that kept me going throughout this book. I generally don't skip lines or paragraphs but found myself gliding over some because I just couldn't be bothered. Lucky those books are part of Kindle Unlimited, or I wouldn't keep reading them for the life of me.
We start off right where we left during the previous instalment and the beginning is full of action and events happening one after the other. Siv and Dara know no rest for the first few pages, and then arrive in all safety in Rallion City where they are being taken care of. The beginning also introduces us to Sora's POV chapters so the reader can have an insight into what's happening in Vertigon after the coup operated by Rafe Ruminor and the other Fire Workers.
And then... it all goes downhill. Here's the recipe for each and every chapter:
Siv:
- Blames himself for abandoning Vertigon / his Kingdom / Sora
- Spending an awful lot of time thinking about Dara and how he doesn't deserve her
- Have an impulse to break free and go back to Rallion city / Vertigon
- Only to give up and give into his current situation
Dara:
- Goes to the places Siv went
- Vine leads her but she doesn't really know where
- Dara realises but tells Vine it's fine
- They go back onto their journey because they miraculously know again where to go
- All the while thinking about Siv and a bit about her father
Wash, cleanse, rinse, and repeat.
This is very much a middle book more intended as world building and to put our characters deeper into problems so they can't meet Rafe Ruminor and solve this situation; but it was, roughly, 300 pages too long. Siv and Dara get caught up in thoughts that repeat themselves several times per chapter, every single chapter of the book. All the places are not introduced once, but twice. It drags on and on when simple editing could've really tightened the pace without losing anything.
The other thing that struck me is how unlike themselves the characters acted. I loved King Siv when his father had just died and he took control of the situation pretty successfully, no matter what happen in "King of Mists" afterward. And now he just abandons, not just once but in every single chapter, his kingdom, and his family. Sora, as much as I like her, political and smart Sora, turns into a little girl with no clue as to what she should do and breaks under the pressure of the Ruminors; the same character who played the kingship game well and gave extremely good advice to Siv. She ends up relying so much on her bodyguards that she does't do much by herself. As for the new ship, she swoons over one guy then the next, and doesn't really make it believable. No problem with it (even though she prides herself on not letting her feelings get in the way...) but she ends up appearing a bit like a Romeo where her attachment is not that deep or believable. Do you like the guy for who he is, or the next knight in shining armor is going to make you fall head over heels?
As for Siv's family... they're pretty useless. The Peace of Vertigon is broken but they don't even send spies, try to look a bit more into the situation even though Sora is alive and they know it. Siv is kidnapped but they don't make a move... I mean Dara did not encounter a single Truren guard who was looking for Siv during the entire journey... talk about efficiency! Talking about Dara, she escapes the prison and, a chapter later, the fact that she's a fugitive is completely forgotten because not even once does she have to fight against Truren guards. How has Rallion city stood for so long next to Soole and Pendark?
The entire book I was waiting for the climax to happen. Really, they are the parts that made me want to read this series from start to finish because they were so well executed in the first and second instalment. But in Dance of Steel... the climax took approximately 3 pages. It was extremely short, unlike Duel of Fire and King of Mists the stakes were really low (I mean, we knew how it was going to finish...) and I felt robbed of a good action-packed chapter. Sora is only a witness throughout the events and is mainly told what to do. Saying the outcome of the short fight in which Siv and Dara are placed is predictable is an understatement.
The thought of Siv and Dara's reunion was the only thing that kept me going throughout this book. I generally don't skip lines or paragraphs but found myself gliding over some because I just couldn't be bothered. Lucky those books are part of Kindle Unlimited, or I wouldn't keep reading them for the life of me.
kdeshaies's review against another edition
5.0
A great continuation of the series. Love the continued romance and the amped up adventure. Can’t wait to see where this series is going with the hints given at the end.
the_one_krissy's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
shinysylveon's review against another edition
3.0
This was unfortunately pretty boring for most of the book, especially in comparison to the first two novels. It was closer to a 2.5 stars than 3 but I rounded up.
elizabethcaneday's review against another edition
I just couldn't finish this. The series is far too long - I can't take 41 more hours of my precious time just to have Siv and Dara finally get together (the main reason I'm listening is because I totally ship them). I did enjoy the first two though! It's not terrible but I won't ever return to the Steel and Fire audiobooks.