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zoeelizabethk's Reviews (642)
The Kingdom of Back is a beautifully told historical fantasy (Is this what we mean by magical realism today?) inspired by Nannerl Mozart, Wolfgang’s older sister. Their father teaches Nannerl the piano and she becomes known in her own right as a musical prodigy but is eventually joined and somewhat eclipsed by her younger brother. Nannerl knows that her success is bounded by being a woman of her time and that when she grows up her musical days will be over. The siblings play and compose together, but Nannerl yearns for the immortality of being remembered. What begins as a bedtime story, turns into a beautiful magical world that breaks into the real world and gives Nannerl a chance for everything she wishes, but she must ultimately face herself and choose what’s most important - her ambition or her brother.
This is part fairy tale, part a coming of age tale of confronting our deepest desires and the importance of family and love. The world is beautifully crafted, combining the magic of Peter Pan with some the whimsy of Alice, all written in elegant, magical prose reminiscent of Naomi Novik, Catherynne Valente, Erin Morgenstern, and Alix Harrow.
Throughout you find wonderful musical easter eggs that make you want to learn more about Mozart and speculate upon his inspirations. The magic, like most in most fairy tales, is not all explained, it simply is, and the story is more magical for it.
I will say that this story ended up being a little creepier than I expected, and there’s a rather disturbing (but not super graphic) scene near the end, so if that bothers you, be warned. There were a couple places where I felt like Lu overexplained a little bit, and I thought the subtext and suggestions made things clear enough without having to state things right out. But most of the story was so well crafted, and I would definitely read The Kingdom of Back again.
This is part fairy tale, part a coming of age tale of confronting our deepest desires and the importance of family and love. The world is beautifully crafted, combining the magic of Peter Pan with some the whimsy of Alice, all written in elegant, magical prose reminiscent of Naomi Novik, Catherynne Valente, Erin Morgenstern, and Alix Harrow.
Throughout you find wonderful musical easter eggs that make you want to learn more about Mozart and speculate upon his inspirations. The magic, like most in most fairy tales, is not all explained, it simply is, and the story is more magical for it.
I will say that this story ended up being a little creepier than I expected, and there’s a rather disturbing (but not super graphic) scene near the end, so if that bothers you, be warned. There were a couple places where I felt like Lu overexplained a little bit, and I thought the subtext and suggestions made things clear enough without having to state things right out. But most of the story was so well crafted, and I would definitely read The Kingdom of Back again.
After taking several books to set things up, Jordan takes us into the main action for a couple of arcs that have been looming for a long time, but we have yet to see the real consequences yet. It was good to have most of our characters, and Winter’s Heart felt satisfying because we actually see some progress in things. I’m all for a book full of scheming, but it was nice to feel like more of the main action was happening in this book.
Fireborne follows Lee and Annie, who have both faced unspeakable violence and cruelty, as they train and protect the new order that toppled the previous right-by-blood order and established a new order based on skill or potential which places people into Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold ranks. Lee and Annie are chosen dragon riders. According to the author the world is inspired by the Aeneid and the Republic, and to me there was a mix of dystopian and How to Train Your Dragon vides, with a splash of Marxism maybe. If you like political intrigue and real, nuanced character development, you will like Fireborne. It had plenty of action as well.
I’ve heard some people describe this as a grimdark setting, but I really don’t think it is. The world is dark because of the atrocities that have been committed, but the characters - and even the revolution itself - are complex in terms of their motives and what their end goals are, and what they are willing to do and sacrifice. One of the GREAT strengths of this novel is that it really makes you think about class, leadership, and power in a real way. But it doesn’t bludgeon you over with the head with it. You think about it because the characters are wrestling with power and justice, and and the desire for reconciliation and redemption.
And all of this is because of the stunning character work. Honestly, I wouldn’t describe myself as a primarily character driven reader, but the characters were written so well, you really come to care for them, and you feel their agony and their doubts. I thought the relationships were done well. There’s some romance, but even better friendship and camaraderie. There were a couple times where misunderstandings and anger could have been avoided if certain characters and just TALKED directly instead of assuming, but I suppose we do that too.
I thought the pacing was pretty good. The world was interesting, but I really didn’t feel like I got a great sense of it, and there were some weird potential continuity/anachronistic errors, but perhaps there’s a reasonable explanation and we just didn’t get it. I loved so much about this book and will definitely recommend it and read the next one, but I’m also not sure if it was quite special enough to be 5 stars. So, 4.5.
I’ve heard some people describe this as a grimdark setting, but I really don’t think it is. The world is dark because of the atrocities that have been committed, but the characters - and even the revolution itself - are complex in terms of their motives and what their end goals are, and what they are willing to do and sacrifice. One of the GREAT strengths of this novel is that it really makes you think about class, leadership, and power in a real way. But it doesn’t bludgeon you over with the head with it. You think about it because the characters are wrestling with power and justice, and and the desire for reconciliation and redemption.
And all of this is because of the stunning character work. Honestly, I wouldn’t describe myself as a primarily character driven reader, but the characters were written so well, you really come to care for them, and you feel their agony and their doubts. I thought the relationships were done well. There’s some romance, but even better friendship and camaraderie. There were a couple times where misunderstandings and anger could have been avoided if certain characters and just TALKED directly instead of assuming, but I suppose we do that too.
I thought the pacing was pretty good. The world was interesting, but I really didn’t feel like I got a great sense of it, and there were some weird potential continuity/anachronistic errors, but perhaps there’s a reasonable explanation and we just didn’t get it. I loved so much about this book and will definitely recommend it and read the next one, but I’m also not sure if it was quite special enough to be 5 stars. So, 4.5.
The Throne of the Gods is a beautiful and epic conclusion to the Raven Son trilogy. In this book, more than any of the others, the focus shifts away from nations, locations and even sometimes specific characters and instead shifts to the broader picture that involves the gods and saving the world. There's a journey to the underworld, Baba Yaga "the Hag" (one of my personal favorites) features again, prophecies are fulfilled, the stakes are high, and it's a very enjoyable, fast-paced story. As always I love the Russian setting, and learn new things about Russian folklore and medieval Russia.
At times I struggled with this series and this book because not everything is entirely realistic and the magical things that happen aren't always explained - though throughout the series more and more things get revealed. But I think that fairy tales often have this sense of magic and purpose that lends them eternality, makes them speak to us, and allows us to see ourselves in them.
This book hit me in all the right places. There are some simply stunning moments when characters who have made not-so-great decisions are forced to confront themselves and come to powerful moments of realization. Perhaps these simply echo my own life, and that's why I find this book so compelling; but I think good stories are supposed to do just this, and Kotar does a really good job of telling stories with (a) purpose.
I found the structure of The Throne of the Gods to be very compelling; it's broken into 4 parts with an interlude before each section that are flashbacks from a character who seemed like an extra in a previous book, but turns our to be vital to the endgame. I liked the ending - although I think I found other moments more powerful - and there definitely seems to be room for more stories, which is exciting. The pacing and the writing were a little inconsistent or heavy handed for me in places, but The Throne of the Gods is definitely a book I will be coming back to.
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
At times I struggled with this series and this book because not everything is entirely realistic and the magical things that happen aren't always explained - though throughout the series more and more things get revealed. But I think that fairy tales often have this sense of magic and purpose that lends them eternality, makes them speak to us, and allows us to see ourselves in them.
This book hit me in all the right places. There are some simply stunning moments when characters who have made not-so-great decisions are forced to confront themselves and come to powerful moments of realization. Perhaps these simply echo my own life, and that's why I find this book so compelling; but I think good stories are supposed to do just this, and Kotar does a really good job of telling stories with (a) purpose.
I found the structure of The Throne of the Gods to be very compelling; it's broken into 4 parts with an interlude before each section that are flashbacks from a character who seemed like an extra in a previous book, but turns our to be vital to the endgame. I liked the ending - although I think I found other moments more powerful - and there definitely seems to be room for more stories, which is exciting. The pacing and the writing were a little inconsistent or heavy handed for me in places, but The Throne of the Gods is definitely a book I will be coming back to.
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Song of the Sirin is a wonderfully epic take on a Russian fairy tale. Nicholas Kotar writes a tale that goes beyond the magical land of Vasyllia and delves into the human heart. It not simply the tale of a quest, but of the struggle between good and evil in the human heart and the search for beauty. I enjoyed the emotional depth of the characters and seeing them make their choices, both good and bad. The novel grew into an intense, epic ending, of the type that I rarely find in books anymore. If you like epic fantasy, J.R.R. Tolkien, or fairy tales, you will enjoy this book!
I think one of the great strengths of this novel is the variety of viewpoints and the quartet of main characters, as opposed to remaining with Voran the entire time. This allows the readers to understand the world as a whole, and the changing viewpoints were never jarring or out of place. I found myself preferring the other three members of the main quartet to Voran, a testament to how well-rounded his other characters were. I also really enjoyed the Russian folk and fairy tale elements that came up throughout the book. If you know Russian or Russian culture, there will be a number of familiar and amusing elements, but you will not miss much if you don’t. And knowing the fairy tales won’t spoil the ending of the book.
That being said, I did have a couple problems with the book. I found the beginning and set up a bit rushed and the characters’ feelings, especially Voran’s, a bit heavy handed at points. To be fair, I’ve been reading 1000 pages epics recently, so my problems with the pacing may only be reflecting that. At times I found the writing a little patchy, but once he settles into the story properly, Kotar’s writing evens out and I really enjoyed his narration and writing style. Overall I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel.
I think one of the great strengths of this novel is the variety of viewpoints and the quartet of main characters, as opposed to remaining with Voran the entire time. This allows the readers to understand the world as a whole, and the changing viewpoints were never jarring or out of place. I found myself preferring the other three members of the main quartet to Voran, a testament to how well-rounded his other characters were. I also really enjoyed the Russian folk and fairy tale elements that came up throughout the book. If you know Russian or Russian culture, there will be a number of familiar and amusing elements, but you will not miss much if you don’t. And knowing the fairy tales won’t spoil the ending of the book.
That being said, I did have a couple problems with the book. I found the beginning and set up a bit rushed and the characters’ feelings, especially Voran’s, a bit heavy handed at points. To be fair, I’ve been reading 1000 pages epics recently, so my problems with the pacing may only be reflecting that. At times I found the writing a little patchy, but once he settles into the story properly, Kotar’s writing evens out and I really enjoyed his narration and writing style. Overall I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel.
Kotar’s new novel does everything that good fiction should do. The Heart of the World takes the reader out of the real world and shows us all the good and bad that we can do, that actions have consequences, and that what is in our hearts matters. But we also see hope and we leave at the end ready to emerge back into our world as warriors. Kotar has really come into his own with this novel. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and felt like he maintained his momentum and purpose throughout the novel. I was a little thrown off guard by the fact that the events of The Heart of the Wolrd take place 20 years after The Song of the Siren, but Kotar seamlessly weaves all the stories and characters together to create a brilliant narrative. This one of the most impactful novels I have read in recent years and I can’t wait to see what Kotar does next!
I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Update from a reread:
I have been going back through the novels so as to get myself into the world again before jumping into book 4. Perhaps because I kept starting and restarting this book, the first third was difficult for me, but once all the characters are really in action, it’s a wild, magical ride and I could not put it down. I love that Kotar is not afraid to weave worldview, mythology, history, and philosophy into his novels: I love the classic slavic folktale characters and the parallels to Soviet history are almost shocking and thought provoking. I also really appreciate Kotar’s willingness to write actual battle scenes, and, combined with the struggles of morals and conscience as the characters struggle against themselves for good, this really is an epic heroic tale.
I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Update from a reread:
I have been going back through the novels so as to get myself into the world again before jumping into book 4. Perhaps because I kept starting and restarting this book, the first third was difficult for me, but once all the characters are really in action, it’s a wild, magical ride and I could not put it down. I love that Kotar is not afraid to weave worldview, mythology, history, and philosophy into his novels: I love the classic slavic folktale characters and the parallels to Soviet history are almost shocking and thought provoking. I also really appreciate Kotar’s willingness to write actual battle scenes, and, combined with the struggles of morals and conscience as the characters struggle against themselves for good, this really is an epic heroic tale.
It was such a thrill to return to Vasyllia in the Curse of the Raven. It's a short read, with a different set of main characters, who I really enjoyed getting to know. This novella has all the wonderful things I loved from The Song of the Sirin, and is a great read! I loved the depth of the characters and ideas. I think it's a testament to the strength of Nicholas Kotar's world-building that this novella seems to be simultaneously both independent of and closely tied to the first novel. Highly recommended!
This novella takes place before the first novel in the Raven Son series and will make more sense if you’ve read the first novel but can stand alone. It starts as a sort of vignette from the life of Otchigen and see a man whose anger is starting to eat away at him. I really enjoyed learning more of his character arc. I also got a better sense of Voran, Lebia, and Mirnian from this and I’m looking forward to reading the next book with this in mind.
What I like most about this series is that Kotar is not afraid to have characters who doubt and fail. They come to realize the consequences their choices and thoughts on their loved ones and the world around them. Though difficult, there is always a choice to act for others, to deny oneself. Despite their weaknesses, they (and us) are not doomed to be weak forever. We can always choose the good, and that starts by fighting the evil in our hearts.
Kotar wrote a Writer’s Manifesto a while back that talks in part about the transformative role of fantasy in changing us and challenging us. This is my measure of good fiction and fantasy, but I’m always very pleased when an author can do it without it feeling forced and Kotar consistently does that with this series.
What I like most about this series is that Kotar is not afraid to have characters who doubt and fail. They come to realize the consequences their choices and thoughts on their loved ones and the world around them. Though difficult, there is always a choice to act for others, to deny oneself. Despite their weaknesses, they (and us) are not doomed to be weak forever. We can always choose the good, and that starts by fighting the evil in our hearts.
Kotar wrote a Writer’s Manifesto a while back that talks in part about the transformative role of fantasy in changing us and challenging us. This is my measure of good fiction and fantasy, but I’m always very pleased when an author can do it without it feeling forced and Kotar consistently does that with this series.
This wasn’t as bad as I was expecting from the reviews but it was rather frustrating to have two books in basically the same timeline. Necessary plot development and maneuvering, but there was pretty much no climax or sense of plot within this book itself. Hopefully this means that the pieces are in place to make next one good.
"The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon." --Chapter 57
Brandon Sanderson is a wonderful worldbuilder. Having read Mistborn, I knew to expect great things of his worldbuilding, but the world he has created here is amazing. The book is advertized as following in the tradition of the Wheel of Time, but having read about half of the Wheel of Time, I already prefer this universe. I love the complexity and the adventure of learning more about this world. I think what struck me most about this world was not that I understood everything, but that after a thousand pages, I still have questions about the world. There is definitely more to discover about this world and the magic system in the coming books.
Furthermore, I found most of the characters and ideas presented complex and satisfying. I particularly like Dalinar, for his musings and struggle with what's real and what's honorable. Sanderson raises interesting questions about honor, consequences of action, narration of history, and more. All in a non-preachy manner, in a way that fits the characters. It's the kind of book that is enjoyable simply for the story, but also raises questions that are important to life in our world if you care to pay attention.
Overall I loved this book. It's long but I never felt like it dragged or that Sanderson spent too much time developing. The plot developed while the worldbuilding was taking place so it never felt like the plot was put on hold for the worldbuilding. If you don't like 1000 page wondrous monstrosities, however, this may be difficult for you. However, as one who proudly proclaims Lord of the Rings as her favorite series, I loved the Way of Kings. I'm already excited to see what Brandon Sanderson will do with the rest of the series and already sad that I cannot binge read the entire series now!
Reread #2: Just as epic, and wowza some of the best fight/battle sequences ever! There's a couple scenes that just come to life in my mind as if they were a movie. Also it was incredibly fun to go through this time round being more Cosmere-aware and finding lots of foreshadowing, hints, and cool little things. Gonna make myself stick to my reading schedule and not rush on ahead to WoR...sigh...
Brandon Sanderson is a wonderful worldbuilder. Having read Mistborn, I knew to expect great things of his worldbuilding, but the world he has created here is amazing. The book is advertized as following in the tradition of the Wheel of Time, but having read about half of the Wheel of Time, I already prefer this universe. I love the complexity and the adventure of learning more about this world. I think what struck me most about this world was not that I understood everything, but that after a thousand pages, I still have questions about the world. There is definitely more to discover about this world and the magic system in the coming books.
Furthermore, I found most of the characters and ideas presented complex and satisfying. I particularly like Dalinar, for his musings and struggle with what's real and what's honorable. Sanderson raises interesting questions about honor, consequences of action, narration of history, and more. All in a non-preachy manner, in a way that fits the characters. It's the kind of book that is enjoyable simply for the story, but also raises questions that are important to life in our world if you care to pay attention.
Overall I loved this book. It's long but I never felt like it dragged or that Sanderson spent too much time developing. The plot developed while the worldbuilding was taking place so it never felt like the plot was put on hold for the worldbuilding. If you don't like 1000 page wondrous monstrosities, however, this may be difficult for you. However, as one who proudly proclaims Lord of the Rings as her favorite series, I loved the Way of Kings. I'm already excited to see what Brandon Sanderson will do with the rest of the series and already sad that I cannot binge read the entire series now!
Reread #2: Just as epic, and wowza some of the best fight/battle sequences ever! There's a couple scenes that just come to life in my mind as if they were a movie. Also it was incredibly fun to go through this time round being more Cosmere-aware and finding lots of foreshadowing, hints, and cool little things. Gonna make myself stick to my reading schedule and not rush on ahead to WoR...sigh...