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lizshayne's review
4.0
This book took a while to get into, both because I had to get past my initial dislike of one of the three main characters (he was a whiny teenage boy and there are SO MANY OF THEM) and my annoyance at the descriptions of this book as "If Tolkien Was American". It is and isn't, which I'll get to later.
Fortunately, Leicht skips all of Nels learning not to be whiny and moves straight into him learning that he has to take command and be responsible, which is a welcome change and definitely helps the narrative. The two women, Ilta and Suvi, who are the other two main characters are also excellent to follow and Leicht balances their perspective to tell one very good coherent story.
(Although she should just stop describing amorous encounters. Just...fade to black. Fortunately, that took up maybe 2 pages in the entire book)
Re. the American Tolkien line, Leicht explains in the acknowledgements that her actual inspiration involved wondering what a fantasy would be like were it not, like Tolkien inspired by British monarchic longing for the return of the king, but by American history.
And suddenly this book makes so much more sense.
Fortunately, Leicht skips all of Nels learning not to be whiny and moves straight into him learning that he has to take command and be responsible, which is a welcome change and definitely helps the narrative. The two women, Ilta and Suvi, who are the other two main characters are also excellent to follow and Leicht balances their perspective to tell one very good coherent story.
(Although she should just stop describing amorous encounters. Just...fade to black. Fortunately, that took up maybe 2 pages in the entire book)
Re. the American Tolkien line, Leicht explains in the acknowledgements that her actual inspiration involved wondering what a fantasy would be like were it not, like Tolkien inspired by British monarchic longing for the return of the king, but by American history.
And suddenly this book makes so much more sense.
orbitingpluto's review
5.0
Ahhhh I loved this book. This is fantasy at it's finest, and reminded me why I love this genre so much! (Full review: https://orbitingpluto.wordpress.com/2017/06/22/cold-iron-stina-leicht/)
rhodered's review
2.0
DNFed at page 253 out of 643 after leaving it by my bedside for a couple of months.
Part of it’s me — coming of age (which this starts as) and male lead adventure characters don’t interest me all that much. Plus, I’m well enough read that if it’s not unusual, it can be a bore. There weren’t that many unusual things in the world building.
So it’s fine. It’s pleasantly written. It moves along. There are aristocrats and armies and unpleasant people trying to take over kingdoms with armies and underhanded shenanigans, while our underdog heroes grow up, marshall resources and fight back.
So what? What’s learned? What’s revealed about human nature or political nature or the nature of history? Not much. It’s epically, eipicing along. Sorry, but I was bored.
Part of it’s me — coming of age (which this starts as) and male lead adventure characters don’t interest me all that much. Plus, I’m well enough read that if it’s not unusual, it can be a bore. There weren’t that many unusual things in the world building.
So it’s fine. It’s pleasantly written. It moves along. There are aristocrats and armies and unpleasant people trying to take over kingdoms with armies and underhanded shenanigans, while our underdog heroes grow up, marshall resources and fight back.
So what? What’s learned? What’s revealed about human nature or political nature or the nature of history? Not much. It’s epically, eipicing along. Sorry, but I was bored.
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