the_pale_woman's reviews
479 reviews

This sequel was slightly better than its predecessor. In spite of that, the ending here is ridiculous. It goes beyond a cliffhanger. This ending just cuts the story off at the climax. It's cheap and disrespectful to the readers. What about the fans who read this upon release? Shameful.

You might think a two and a half star rating indicates a poor literary work. For me, it represents a state of mediocrity. This interpretation can be applied in a general sense or, as in the case of the book in question, it may reflect the state of my internal conflict. I'd categorize my reading experience here as positive, yet the content falls well below average. The scientific elements are virtually nonexistent and, at times, are plain absurd. The plot is unremarkable. While the characters may fulfill certain criteria, they lack depth and substance beyond their superficial quirks and hastily formed relationships. Collectively, these factors could easily be deemed cringeworthy.

Despite these valid criticisms, I found this read enjoyable and intend to continue with the series. Having read Illuminae, I knew what I was picking up. My expectations met reality, and ultimately, I was not disappointed. I'd call that a win. Just don't take that as a recommendation. It's more akin to a confession.

I'm not even mad that it took 10 books to get here. Uhtred of Bebbanburg for the win! He's easily one of my favorite characters of all time. This inevitable entry into his tale was tremendously satisfying. Wyrd bið ful āræd. Fate is inexorable. 

I quite enjoyed this entry. Uhtred is back in the fight, and we even get to see him sailing again. Finan, Uhtred's best bud, finally gets some long-overdue backstory. Stiorra proves why she deserves to be Uhtred's favorite. Even Brida is back in this one to cause trouble. Yet the best part of all is that Uhtred is doing what he wants for once, instead of acquiescing to some pious, uptight ruler.

After a short break from this series, I'm ecstatic to be back on the shield wall. This one starts with a prologue from the perspective of Uhtred's son, Uhtred. But don't worry, after the prologue, we're back with Papa Uhtred. He is still injured from previous events, but he won't let it get him down. This is Uhtred we're talking about here, and we haven't even taken Bebbanburg back yet. 

This one felt less eventful while I was reading it, but now that I'm looking back, it has an interesting quest and some significant political developments as well. Plus, Uhtred gets a new woman. She's not my favorite, but at least she's useful. I guess she deserves some compensation for services rendered.

It's always exciting to explore a new universe in its inception, but it's also torturous to wait for the continuation and, ultimately, the conclusion of a new book series. I spotted that there will be a new novella for this series out later this year, but how long will I have to wait for the conclusion of this story? I think The Expanse was nine books and seven novellas. Will this new series truly be a trilogy? You could argue that they failed that prompt already with the addition of a novella before the other two books are even out. Regardless, you guys got me; I'll wait and read.

This story surprised me multiple times. I find avoiding the back blurb to be a generally good practice when you already like the writer. I'd highly recommend going into this one blind, just as I did, if possible. The twists were unexpected and quite interesting. I'm hoping that theme continues throughout the series. Blindside me, please. I like it.

If you're a hard sci-fi reader or familiar with game theory, then I'd recommend reading this with someone else so you can debate the scientific quandaries this story creates. I enjoyed it, but I could also pull it apart for hours. I'd wager you'll feel the same way. 

Jefferson Mays does a great job with the audiobook. That's not surprising, as he also narrated The Expanse. However, I think this type of sci-fi might lend itself better to physical reading. There were names and descriptions I wanted to flip back to, and that's just not feasible with audio.

This is easily the worst book I've read this year. I can't give you a coherent explanation as to why I read it or why I finished it. Masochistic curiosity, sure, but why did I spend time reading this when there are so many great books out there?

The core books of the series aren't the worst. I actually like this type of schlock occasionally. But I read the extra novella. I should have known that any more additions to this story would just be a cash grab, something cobbled together because one must always capitalize on popularity. But I was hoping it would just be like the first book. It's not. It's boring, redundant, repetitive, and just too annoying. Any additional tidbit this perspective gives to the story is just surrounded and smothered by a recurring, spiraling diatribe. It was truly a torture to finish, but I did it to myself.

I'd say this was a step up from the previous book, but the victories and defeats still felt somewhat weak compared to earlier books. I still love it, but I think a few palate cleansers might be in order before I continue with the series. I think I need something that's less episodic. Not all stories work in a binge.

I'm having a rollercoaster of feelings about this book. It's probably my least favorite of the series so far. I'm not entirely sure if that has to do with the plot and progression, other external factors, or even some combination. This book felt like more setup than progress. There were a few great moments, but I wanted more out of some of the scenes. Overall, I love reading Uhtred's story, but this one had me feeling slightly burned out.

My other issue was that I hated the audiobook narrator. "Hated" might be a strong word, but I'm growing increasingly nostalgic for the perfect tone set in the beginning of the series by Jonathan Keeble and more averse to these milk toast, generic British narrators with their atrocious pronunciations. When in doubt, stick with how the words have been pronounced for the past five books instead of going your own way. It's about the readers' enjoyment of the story, not your chance to try to prove you're smarter than the previous guy.

I don't usually enjoy novellas, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Lorian's experiences on Belusha. In the sixth book, Lorian provides Hadrian Marlowe with very little information about his time on Belusha, which obviously piqued my curiosity. Plus, Lorian is a well-developed character who deserves more attention, so having an entire story centered around him was fantastic. The plot had intriguing twists and complexities. I found it to be well-crafted, and it has made me want to read the other sun eater novellas I haven't gotten around to as well. It would be convenient if all of them were available in one collection. But that would be too easy.