2.5

My dudes, this was so boring and it makes me sad! The premise sounded so interesting but the execution was dry as hell.
The back and forth between past and present drags the pacing and the world building/magic is dense. I couldn’t connect to any of the morally grey characters.
I only finished it because I had a pretty copy from illumicrate.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@starkissedstories ( )

This is a really interesting setting, in several ways: the different peoples and cultures of the known world (especially in the "past" storyline), at least three different kinds of magic (intentions and demon stuff and summoning minor spirits), and the beginnings and aftermath of fighting an occupying force and building something new. It took me a while to get up to speed on all the different things going on, and I was glad for the map and list of people, although I could have also used a glossary to remind me about e.g. cohorts and cadres and vanguarders, Imperials and legionaries and the Rising World. But it was worthwhile and I loved the slow-burn relationships between Kai and various people, and the throughline with Zeide and Tahren, and a bunch of other people. ( )

Like Murderbot, this fantasy ends most chapters on a cliffhanger, and keeps you turning pages to see what happens next. Which can be frustrating, as it is a book that alternates between the backstory and the current action, and I definitely found myself in places annoyed that I'd jumped back to the 'other' story!

It does a lovely job of entwining the two though, and introducing us to a complex and well imagined fantasy world, populated by interesting peoples with their own powers and histories.

It might be the first book in a longer series, but it does a good job of being a self contained story despite that. ( )

Martha Wells knows how to write, no doubt about it. Everything makes sense, it's well rounded and well paced. As she admits, she had trouble finding a conclusion and it shows. This is merely a starting off point for a bigger series.

But oh. my. god. Why? Why does everyone has to have weird pronouns? Everyone starts off with they/them which then switches to their preferred pronouns (without any indication when they told anyone of their preference). This is confusing as hell. And it adds nothing to the story.

Also, why does she spend a paragraph or two on clothing for every. single. new. character. Not even character, just a bunch of people standing around have their clothes described in detail. Adds nothing but fluff.

I read two short books in the meantime because I could not get myself to pick up this book, it was that boring. ( )

Kinda boring book if I'm being honest. The flashbacks were much more interesting than the modern story. That said, the world was very interesting and as an epic fantasy reader I want to know more about it. The stories here didn't do much for me, but the world was so interesting and I wish we had more insight into it. In fact, I think if the book had been 50-100 page longer and had had more scenes from the world (and significantly more exposition) I would have enjoyed it more. it's a shame that Martha Wells intends this to be a standalone novel. There is so much more to explore here ( )