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A review by alexandrapierce
Pieces of Hate by Tim Lebbon
3.0
I received this from the publisher at no cost.
Having read the first story, I was expecting another with an uninvolved narrator. So when it turned out to be Gabriel himself, I was surprised and a little disappointed. I can see why Lebbon did this; this story, which certainly felt much longer than the first (not sure if it really was), gave Gabriel's backstory and motivation for his quest to kill Temple. But I think that this could have been done in discussion with someone else, perhaps while on the voyage to Port Royal (the scene this time: en route to, and briefly in, Port Royal). That would have made it seem a bit less like Gabriel was moping around, and simultaneously wallowing in his fury and hate which were a little distasteful. I'm not saying he shouldn't be angry for what happened, just that I got impatient and a little bored with all of the WOE FOR ME bits.
There was a lot going on in this story that didn't involve the search for Temple. Some of it was showing Gabriel to be a bad-ass, which actually I didn't need; it's clear he is, and I think it would have been more impressive to have the clash between him and Temple show his chops, rather than killing maiming... well, not innocents, but not-Temple. Gabriel knows that he's no saint and doesn't claim to be, but it is hard to really be on the side of someone who is not-quite-as-bad-as the villain.
It wasn't a bad story, although the pacing felt a bit off; I'm not sure I care enough to read the third in the series.
Having read the first story, I was expecting another with an uninvolved narrator. So when it turned out to be Gabriel himself, I was surprised and a little disappointed. I can see why Lebbon did this; this story, which certainly felt much longer than the first (not sure if it really was), gave Gabriel's backstory and motivation for his quest to kill Temple. But I think that this could have been done in discussion with someone else, perhaps while on the voyage to Port Royal (the scene this time: en route to, and briefly in, Port Royal). That would have made it seem a bit less like Gabriel was moping around, and simultaneously wallowing in his fury and hate which were a little distasteful. I'm not saying he shouldn't be angry for what happened, just that I got impatient and a little bored with all of the WOE FOR ME bits.
There was a lot going on in this story that didn't involve the search for Temple. Some of it was showing Gabriel to be a bad-ass, which actually I didn't need; it's clear he is, and I think it would have been more impressive to have the clash between him and Temple show his chops, rather than killing maiming... well, not innocents, but not-Temple. Gabriel knows that he's no saint and doesn't claim to be, but it is hard to really be on the side of someone who is not-quite-as-bad-as the villain.
It wasn't a bad story, although the pacing felt a bit off; I'm not sure I care enough to read the third in the series.