This series took me to places I didn't know I needed or wanted to go. I feel like I just processed so much, and I understand a lot more about people and the world.
While this second novel of the trilogy does suffer a bit from ‘Middle Book Syndrome’, this does not detract from what is a powerful and effective story.
As with the previous novel, there is a lot packed into the narrative and the author doesn’t expect to wait for you to catch up. As such, you need to pay attention while reading this. That attention is well rewarded, though, with some superb worldbuilding being both expands and deepens the reader’s understanding of the environment in which this novel takes place.
We also spend a lot more time with the additional characters, those that were mentioned or briefly encountered in the earlier book, and most of whom will clearly become a great deal more important in the next novel.
While this novel is not quite as outstanding as the first novel — and for narrative reasons it probably can’t be — it …
While this second novel of the trilogy does suffer a bit from ‘Middle Book Syndrome’, this does not detract from what is a powerful and effective story.
As with the previous novel, there is a lot packed into the narrative and the author doesn’t expect to wait for you to catch up. As such, you need to pay attention while reading this. That attention is well rewarded, though, with some superb worldbuilding being both expands and deepens the reader’s understanding of the environment in which this novel takes place.
We also spend a lot more time with the additional characters, those that were mentioned or briefly encountered in the earlier book, and most of whom will clearly become a great deal more important in the next novel.
While this novel is not quite as outstanding as the first novel — and for narrative reasons it probably can’t be — it is an excellent story in its own right and one that sets things up for a superb, and possibly world shattering, trilogy.
Great second book in the series. The plot thickens, and characters I had written off in the first book have their stories filled in and woven back into the main storyline again. Masterfully done - again, this book won a Hugo for a very good reason.
This was both a fun and satisfying read, and a thoughtfully appropriate ending to the series. It was also a harrowing read, as little goes well in the short term, and hard choices are the flavor of the day.
A great conclusion to a great series. I can not say much in order to have people who read this review enjoy the act of discovery.
A war that has been raging for 40,000 years still rages. Are you on the Right side? Your sons are dead. Will they be avenged? Your 10-year-old daughter has joined the forces of the enemy. Can you rescue her? Your world has been split in two by a volcano that your mentor created that reaches from the sea on the east, to the sea on the west. Can you close the rift? And you are slowly turning into stone.
I can not recommend this book more highly.
