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galacticvampire's Reviews (366)
slow-paced
I rate books based on delivery of what was promised. I do not require High Literature from teen romances. Therefore, I'd be perfectly happy if this had admitted to itself that it was arabic twilight. Because it is. And it didn't.
If I hadn't bought the ebook I wouldn't have passed the 20% mark because it was so unbelievably nonsense!! The girl keep repeating that she wants to kill the caliph but not for a second I believed she actually wanted to. She didn't have a plan, she didn't hate him, and the narrative tries too hard to make it seem like she's this witty mastermind.
It takes 60% of the book for the plot to start. And once it does it's fun in a very twilight way: it's predictable and quite tacky, but the characters get charming enough that you roll with it. BUT IT TAKES 250 PAGES TO GET THERE. I'd rate the last 150 about 4 stars, because indeed delivered what I expected (and I know I would've enjoyed as a teen, which is the point), but I cannot ignore that this book stalled itself for the most part.
(I'll give to the author that the scents, colors and foods descriptions are very beautiful and lively, but pretty words a story does not make)
(I'm not even going to comment on how the logic and the romance are toxic and possessive because 1- already stabilshed this is arabic twilight so duh, 2- it'll never end, there's and entire book of ??? decisions and 3- I don't think future me will care and that's who I write reviews for)
If I hadn't bought the ebook I wouldn't have passed the 20% mark because it was so unbelievably nonsense!! The girl keep repeating that she wants to kill the caliph but not for a second I believed she actually wanted to. She didn't have a plan, she didn't hate him, and the narrative tries too hard to make it seem like she's this witty mastermind.
It takes 60% of the book for the plot to start. And once it does it's fun in a very twilight way: it's predictable and quite tacky, but the characters get charming enough that you roll with it. BUT IT TAKES 250 PAGES TO GET THERE. I'd rate the last 150 about 4 stars, because indeed delivered what I expected (and I know I would've enjoyed as a teen, which is the point), but I cannot ignore that this book stalled itself for the most part.
(I'll give to the author that the scents, colors and foods descriptions are very beautiful and lively, but pretty words a story does not make)
(I'm not even going to comment on how the logic and the romance are toxic and possessive because 1- already stabilshed this is arabic twilight so duh, 2- it'll never end, there's and entire book of ??? decisions and 3- I don't think future me will care and that's who I write reviews for)
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was cool, but I don't think it was memorable. It does have a clear plotline in counterpoint to the previous two, which made the experience more seamless, but the end result wasn't nearly as interesting.
If we didn't know of Thrawn's eminent fate in Rebels, the story would have no stakes; and was left with little answers. Even with incoming projects, the trilogy should stand better on it's own.
That being said, seeing Eli again was amazing (even if severely lacking interactions with Thrawn), and I'm always interested in the inner workings and expansion of the universe.
If we didn't know of Thrawn's eminent fate in Rebels, the story would have no stakes; and was left with little answers. Even with incoming projects, the trilogy should stand better on it's own.
That being said, seeing Eli again was amazing (even if severely lacking interactions with Thrawn), and I'm always interested in the inner workings and expansion of the universe.
adventurous
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Star Wars dudebros hate this book and that's why I liked it
The plot is basically non-existent and the premise is "what if we throw Vader and Thrawn on a ship and make them work together" and you know what? I had fun and that's what matters
The plot is basically non-existent and the premise is "what if we throw Vader and Thrawn on a ship and make them work together" and you know what? I had fun and that's what matters
- This book is unintentionally (I think) hilarious. There's some dialogue that could've been pulled straight out of fanfiction because I never thought canon would dare to set Vader to this lighter tone
- For another moment Vader was silent. "That makes no sense."
- Loved seeing a more talkative Vader and a bit of Anakin peeking out
- He is SO DRAMATIC. Saw some reviews saying it was out of character but come on, Anakin is on brand over-the-top and boohoo if your big sith villain is not stoic all the time
- Younger Thrawn was certainly more snappy and while I understand why that changed I wish some of it was kept
- "is falling into enemy hands part of your style?"
Thrawn casually dropping on the conversation that he knows Vader is Anakin is both a sexy and a religious experience
Now, I had some issues; manly with the "past" timeline, that was waay slower and harder to care about
- Why do we have a Padmé pov here? I love her but it didn't fit the story and I didn't care
- Look, if you're going to show war crimes you have to like...not brush it over? IDK how am I supposed to sympathize with a senator that's just kinda "oh well shucks, i can't control my husband" when he destroys a community
- I agree with the reviews that say Thrawn's character would benefit from some flaws. It was not something that bothered me while reading but it would give us more insight on him
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“And what happens when the ruthlessness breeds more chaos?”
The more Star Wars content I engage with the more flabbergasted I am with people complaining about how politics shouldn't be in it. Thrawn's storyline is very obviously surrounded by racism, xenophobia, and overall governmental corruption in favor of those sticking to the status quo. Star Wars will always be political.
Being able to see the works of Thrawn's perception and strategizing is amazing, but Eli being there as a reference for how unusual from the universe he is is definitely the high point of the narrative. Pryce's part was really...eh. She's not meant to be likeable but I also couldn't care about what was happening on her side of the story.
The story takes a little while to pick up the pace but my main complaint is that they really tried to hammer the point that Thrawn was "politically analphabet" when really he was just really blunt and found the bureaucracies ineffective. Can't say I disagree.
Being able to see the works of Thrawn's perception and strategizing is amazing, but Eli being there as a reference for how unusual from the universe he is is definitely the high point of the narrative. Pryce's part was really...eh. She's not meant to be likeable but I also couldn't care about what was happening on her side of the story.
The story takes a little while to pick up the pace but my main complaint is that they really tried to hammer the point that Thrawn was "politically analphabet" when really he was just really blunt and found the bureaucracies ineffective. Can't say I disagree.
funny
lighthearted
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
YOUR HONOR I LOVE THEM!!!
Two awkward introverts having to interact is the representation I needed in my life. Both Luc and Oliver are extremely compelling, specially because of how flawed they are.
This is everything I need in a rom-com: it's funny (surprisingly so), sweet, the conflict is not so stupid I want to bang the character's heads together, and the humor is not filled with millennial pop culture slang that is already cringe to read in the year of publication.
I rest my case.
Two awkward introverts having to interact is the representation I needed in my life. Both Luc and Oliver are extremely compelling, specially because of how flawed they are.
This is everything I need in a rom-com: it's funny (surprisingly so), sweet, the conflict is not so stupid I want to bang the character's heads together, and the humor is not filled with millennial pop culture slang that is already cringe to read in the year of publication.
I rest my case.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Art is not one great act of creation, but many small ones. [...] All you see, in the end, is what I want you to see. Such is politics.
The last 200 pages were surprisingly interesting, which makes me wonder what in the world happened to the other 600.
The world building was amazing, but the plot took too long to actually start and I found really difficult to care about most of the characters. I've faced this problem with both Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, so it's plausible that the epic fantasy writing style just isn't for me, but Priory was so predictable in every single plot-twist and turn that I wouldn't dare to compare to the previous two in anything other than the ordeal that is to milk away the story from the stalling of descriptions and alternating points of view.
The world building was amazing, but the plot took too long to actually start and I found really difficult to care about most of the characters. I've faced this problem with both Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, so it's plausible that the epic fantasy writing style just isn't for me, but Priory was so predictable in every single plot-twist and turn that I wouldn't dare to compare to the previous two in anything other than the ordeal that is to milk away the story from the stalling of descriptions and alternating points of view.
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest, Rape, Suicide
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
I really like how this explored the consequences of Paul's Jihad. Like Dune, the concepts are incredible and way deeper than you would expect.
But. There isn't much actually going on, and the text spends too much time dwelling over and over on the same thoughts from the characters. In Dune at least there was more action to break through the monotony.
Overall, Herbert's writing style feels to me like he had this cool idea and told me about it, but I didn't really had the chance to see the story playing out.
But. There isn't much actually going on, and the text spends too much time dwelling over and over on the same thoughts from the characters. In Dune at least there was more action to break through the monotony.
Overall, Herbert's writing style feels to me like he had this cool idea and told me about it, but I didn't really had the chance to see the story playing out.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Each man is a little war"
This book is the perfect example of "great to have read, not great to read". I LOVED the world building and concept, it's clear why it shaped the genre and is still innovative decades later. I overall enjoyed the religious themes and anti-war message, how there's no real saviours or Messiahs. Paul is a great unrealiable narrator and I am very glad the story didn't make him a "perfect choosen one".
Even then, it felt like reading the longest Wikipedia page ever: the story is very chuncky and relies too much on inner monologues, ending up telling more than showing what's happening.
I can understand some issues since this was written 60 years ago, but it still pulled me out of the story how subservient the women are, the blatant trope of the villain being extremely fat, homosexual AND a pedophile, and the use of arab culture without ever making clear if the Freeman are in fact POC.
Even then, it felt like reading the longest Wikipedia page ever: the story is very chuncky and relies too much on inner monologues, ending up telling more than showing what's happening.
I can understand some issues since this was written 60 years ago, but it still pulled me out of the story how subservient the women are, the blatant trope of the villain being extremely fat, homosexual AND a pedophile, and the use of arab culture without ever making clear if the Freeman are in fact POC.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
This was the perfect balance between lore and pacing! The book gives insight on the flaws of the New Republic and rise of the First Order that wasn't really explained in the movies; while still presenting an interesting narrative with both well known characters and new ones.
I also really appreciate the references to other Gray's works, Lost Stars and Leia: Princess of Alderaan, and nods to comics and other author's details; it makes the universe feel much more real and full of life!
I also really appreciate the references to other Gray's works, Lost Stars and Leia: Princess of Alderaan, and nods to comics and other author's details; it makes the universe feel much more real and full of life!
adventurous
dark
It was a nice story, nothing astonishing and I could see the plot twists from miles away.
But the Persian setting and sapphic turn offered enough to be a entertaining read
But the Persian setting and sapphic turn offered enough to be a entertaining read