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pjonsson's review
4.0
Christopher Nuttall have a habit of bringing down the worlds that he builds up. Usually with equal measures of chaos and mayhem. I did not expect him to do it with the Bookworm universe though. Unfortunately I have to say that I do not like the direction this book took. Now, do not misunderstand me. This is a good book. I just do not like the path the story took.
Elaine is back, obviously, and the story continues more or less where the previous book left off with Lady Spinner as the new Grand Sorceress. Then all goes to hell more or less right away when the new Emperor shows up and ascends to power. Needless to say the new Emperor is not one of the nice fellows.
From there on most of the book focuses on Elaine and her friends escaping the clutches of the emperor. Death and mayhem accompanies the new Emperor’s regime and there are a few losses and victims, not all of them mortal, during our friends journey that did indeed sadden me.
Mr. Nuttall also pits magic against science in this book. He even goes as far as to question the future of magic in this world. This is parts that I am not really very thrilled about. I was quite happy that this book series had its foots fairly solidly planted in a magic fantasy land. It made it nicely different from other book series from Mr. Nuttall. Maybe this is why I am not too thrilled with the turn of events.
Having said all the above, this is a good book. It is very very far from being a bad book. As usual Mr. Nuttall is very good at his world building, or in this case maybe I should say destruction instead of building. The characters are well done and on the whole it is a very good adventure story. My gripes with this particular book are quite subjective to my tastes and expectations of course.
The book ends pretty much in the middle of the particular story arc that it started. It is not really a cliffhanger ending but it has less of a satisfying conclusion than the previous books. Obviously that also means that the stage is set for the next chapter of the adventure. I for certain hope that a fourth book will be written. One where Elaine and her friends strikes back, preferably without bringing down the rest of this magical world.
Elaine is back, obviously, and the story continues more or less where the previous book left off with Lady Spinner as the new Grand Sorceress. Then all goes to hell more or less right away when the new Emperor shows up and ascends to power. Needless to say the new Emperor is not one of the nice fellows.
From there on most of the book focuses on Elaine and her friends escaping the clutches of the emperor. Death and mayhem accompanies the new Emperor’s regime and there are a few losses and victims, not all of them mortal, during our friends journey that did indeed sadden me.
Mr. Nuttall also pits magic against science in this book. He even goes as far as to question the future of magic in this world. This is parts that I am not really very thrilled about. I was quite happy that this book series had its foots fairly solidly planted in a magic fantasy land. It made it nicely different from other book series from Mr. Nuttall. Maybe this is why I am not too thrilled with the turn of events.
Having said all the above, this is a good book. It is very very far from being a bad book. As usual Mr. Nuttall is very good at his world building, or in this case maybe I should say destruction instead of building. The characters are well done and on the whole it is a very good adventure story. My gripes with this particular book are quite subjective to my tastes and expectations of course.
The book ends pretty much in the middle of the particular story arc that it started. It is not really a cliffhanger ending but it has less of a satisfying conclusion than the previous books. Obviously that also means that the stage is set for the next chapter of the adventure. I for certain hope that a fourth book will be written. One where Elaine and her friends strikes back, preferably without bringing down the rest of this magical world.
jreason's review
4.0
I bought this book as soon as it was released but only just got around to reading it as the last book wasn't all that exciting. I have to say though that this book is the best one yet. It was full of fighting, sneaking, death and arguments. The writing flowed perfectly and was extremely exciting.
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