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A review by h4wke
The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Abraham proves he's a master of the craft; The Price of Spring is the conclusion authors should strive for.
The Long Price Quartet is one of the most unique works of fiction I've experienced. It avoids most tropes, taking its time to show the story of a man's life, his consequences laid bare against the tapestry of time.
Abraham uses only two main POVs for the bulk of this final entry, which was initially surprising — the last two books had quite a bit more. Fortunately they're the two focal points of the entire series, zooming in on these characters was ultimately a fantastic decision. The scale of the world was effectively built (mostly with An Autumn War), getting so close and introspective within that foundation was a wise choice. The core of the story has always really been the dynamic between these two characters.
The book is slow, to be sure, but it's incredibly purposeful with its pace. There are revelations that recontextualise character actions in the past; it's not so much the plot clicking together but motivations. This is the most character-focused series I've ever read, anyone that prioritises character over plot (a smaller pool than it should be, I expect) needs to give this a shot. The story is clearly planned out; the prologue of the very first book is just as relevant in chapter one in that entry as it is the ending of this one. The final chapters here are beautifully done, and I'm not afraid to admit I got especially emotional. In fact, I went for a drive an hour after putting the book down, thinking about it and it happened all over again.
Abraham has secured my interest in whatever he has done and plans to do in the future. I know that Dagger and the Coin is more traditional, but I'm excited to see the character work on display in more familiar grounds. I suppose this isn't my first experience with his writing, I've seen The Expanse and it is the best sci-fi show of recent years.
I'm very surprised this story isn't talked about more, is the first book really that off-putting for people? Judge the product as the whole, it's not that long. I couldn't recommend it more.
The Long Price Quartet is one of the most unique works of fiction I've experienced. It avoids most tropes, taking its time to show the story of a man's life, his consequences laid bare against the tapestry of time.
Abraham uses only two main POVs for the bulk of this final entry, which was initially surprising — the last two books had quite a bit more. Fortunately they're the two focal points of the entire series, zooming in on these characters was ultimately a fantastic decision. The scale of the world was effectively built (mostly with An Autumn War), getting so close and introspective within that foundation was a wise choice. The core of the story has always really been the dynamic between these two characters.
The book is slow, to be sure, but it's incredibly purposeful with its pace. There are revelations that recontextualise character actions in the past; it's not so much the plot clicking together but motivations. This is the most character-focused series I've ever read, anyone that prioritises character over plot (a smaller pool than it should be, I expect) needs to give this a shot. The story is clearly planned out; the prologue of the very first book is just as relevant in chapter one in that entry as it is the ending of this one. The final chapters here are beautifully done, and I'm not afraid to admit I got especially emotional. In fact, I went for a drive an hour after putting the book down, thinking about it and it happened all over again.
Abraham has secured my interest in whatever he has done and plans to do in the future. I know that Dagger and the Coin is more traditional, but I'm excited to see the character work on display in more familiar grounds. I suppose this isn't my first experience with his writing, I've seen The Expanse and it is the best sci-fi show of recent years.
I'm very surprised this story isn't talked about more, is the first book really that off-putting for people? Judge the product as the whole, it's not that long. I couldn't recommend it more.