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Creature Court #3
Reign of Beasts
The Creature Court is dangerous and deadly, but Velody must unite them for everyone's sake ... A beautiful and compelling story of finding one's heart's desire. 'Raze it to the ground ... No amount of ritual can return fortune to this place.' the Creature Court are at war with each other. three kings fight bitterly for power and dominance over Aufleur and the streets run red with blood. Some believe that Velody has betrayed them as a new Power and Majesty rises, one who has no hesitation in torturing or killing those he should protect. At Saturnalia, the fate of the city will be decided. If Velody cannot persuade Ashiol to trust her again, Aufleur will fall. Praise for tansy Rayner Roberts: 'utterly compelling ... with hints of "Gormenghast", goth and anime, this is a book that oozes with contemporary cool' Bookseller+Publisher on the Shattered City 'sensual and descriptive' West Australian on the Shattered City 'a quite extraordinary flight of imagination' AurealisXpress on Power and Majesty
512 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2012
3 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Tansy Rayner Roberts
133 books315 followersTansy Rayner Roberts is a fantasy and science fiction author who lives in southern Tasmania, somewhere between the tall mountain with snow on it, and the beach that points towards Antarctica.
Tansy has a PhD in Classics (with a special interest in poisonous Roman ladies), and an obsession with Musketeers.
You can hear Tansy talking about Doctor Who on the Verity! podcast. She also reads her own stories on the Sheep Might Fly podcast.
Tansy has a PhD in Classics (with a special interest in poisonous Roman ladies), and an obsession with Musketeers.
You can hear Tansy talking about Doctor Who on the Verity! podcast. She also reads her own stories on the Sheep Might Fly podcast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 12, 2016
I finished this book today. I've read the trilogy over an extended period of time, not because I wanted to, but because other stuff kept getting in the way.
Like the other two books, I really enjoyed it. It was a bit raunchy in spots, which I sometimes find a bit 'in your face,' but the characters continued to develop very satisfyingly, and the story continued to take twists and turns in all kinds of directions.
Sadly, some of my favourite characters didn't survive, but that's sort of satisfying in a weird kind of way, because it makes the story bittersweet, and more memorable. Happy endings for everyone don't occur in the real world, and they certainly didn't in Aufleur.
I really enjoyed the emergence of a certain as more of a main character with a focus on that character's perspective. It was a very effective way of providing the missing back history.
Like the other two books, I really enjoyed it. It was a bit raunchy in spots, which I sometimes find a bit 'in your face,' but the characters continued to develop very satisfyingly, and the story continued to take twists and turns in all kinds of directions.
Sadly, some of my favourite characters didn't survive, but that's sort of satisfying in a weird kind of way, because it makes the story bittersweet, and more memorable. Happy endings for everyone don't occur in the real world, and they certainly didn't in Aufleur.
I really enjoyed the emergence of a certain as more of a main character with a focus on that character's perspective. It was a very effective way of providing the missing back history.
July 28, 2020
I was really curious what the last book in this series would bring. There were so many characters who had to go somewhere. There were so many stories needing an explanation or needing to be wrapped up. And then there was the whole skybattle that of course needed to be solved, because what else was gonna be the point of this series. And when I was only a 150 pages away from the end I was really wondering how she was gonna solve everything in so few pages.
However, although a lot of this book is still building up, it does come together eventually. Everything comes together. The missing pieces of the mythology, that were clearly missing for a reason. All the individual storylines of the characters, some with more satisfying ends than others. The issue of the battle with the sky and the parties in the daylight. And the highly dysfunctional and clearly not healthy power battle within the Creature Court.
This book gave us a few more backstories, backstories making the picture complete (well, almost, but there are prequels and short stories, so...). And every character, everyone we met along the way, everyone we heard about and learned about, they all somehow are important. Either because they are part of the solution, or because they formed the characters playing an active part in the solution, or because somehow they have some influence ON the solution.
And every character has their own journey to take, their own lessons to learn, their own personal battles to fight. And all those journeys and all those battles lead to a fitting end for everyone I've grown to care about. Because yes, that's what I realized while reading the finale. I've grown to care about these characters. Some I care a little more about than others, but they all had something interesting to tell and live through.
I'm glad that I picked up the second and third book in this series too. I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.
However, although a lot of this book is still building up, it does come together eventually. Everything comes together. The missing pieces of the mythology, that were clearly missing for a reason. All the individual storylines of the characters, some with more satisfying ends than others. The issue of the battle with the sky and the parties in the daylight. And the highly dysfunctional and clearly not healthy power battle within the Creature Court.
This book gave us a few more backstories, backstories making the picture complete (well, almost, but there are prequels and short stories, so...). And every character, everyone we met along the way, everyone we heard about and learned about, they all somehow are important. Either because they are part of the solution, or because they formed the characters playing an active part in the solution, or because somehow they have some influence ON the solution.
And every character has their own journey to take, their own lessons to learn, their own personal battles to fight. And all those journeys and all those battles lead to a fitting end for everyone I've grown to care about. Because yes, that's what I realized while reading the finale. I've grown to care about these characters. Some I care a little more about than others, but they all had something interesting to tell and live through.
I'm glad that I picked up the second and third book in this series too. I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.
February 20, 2012
I devoured all three books of The Creature Court over the course of the past week. They're all incredibly easy to read (especially after coming to them straight from the density of the prose in Kraken and the ?translational problems of The Stranger) and very more-ish. I found myself chewing through a third of a book at a single sitting, and it was an absolute pleasure to be able to let the images and writing flicker past at that speed and still retain everything.
The characters were all intriguing, if not necessarily entertaining; and the relationships between them all, minor and major players, complex and filling. Tansy Rayner Roberts certainly does like her male characters brooding and messed-up though, and Garnet remained a cancerous little fuck that managed to poison everything that he came in contact with right up until the very end. I woudn't have bothered trying to redeem him in any way, shape, or form myself (either as the writer or as a character within the story, but since it wasn't my story to live or tell, it's only a reader's gripe). The fact that not everyone wound up with the the obvious choice, if anyone, or even survived felt satisfying, if sad. All that mangled intrigue, sexuality, and romance made for both compelling and understandable reading; feeling much truer to real life than a lot of other fantasy, amd reminding me of many friends and acquaitances over the years.
The anachronistic elements that pervaded the whole series were occasionally surprising, but never actually jarred me so much that I 'fell out' of the experience. The author managed to make a culture based on something somewhere between ancient and renaissance Italy work surprisingly well with steam trains, clockwork automatons, jazz, flappers, and cocktails. Sometimes the concepts just seemd to fit perfectly fine together, an in others I suspect it only really worked because the author didn't bat an eyelid while juxtaposing them; offering no explanation, and simply expecting the reader to go with the flow. It worked for me, but I imagine some others may struggle with the ideas, or want to haggle. They can deal with it as they please.
The overall structure of the trilogy also worked well, I think. The multiple resolutions in Reign of Beasts may have left a few threads hanging (which is fine - the universe is like that and it allows for a lingering sense of 'what if...') but made sense in some cases, were mildly and amusingly surprising in others, and terrible and beautiful in one. Those last two adjectives don't actually do too badly to some up the series when I think about it. For those qualities alone these three books go in the same general bookspace in our house as Rats and Gargoyles, which is high praise coming from me. It's inventive, clever, nasty, ugly and beautiful.
The characters were all intriguing, if not necessarily entertaining; and the relationships between them all, minor and major players, complex and filling. Tansy Rayner Roberts certainly does like her male characters brooding and messed-up though, and Garnet remained a cancerous little fuck that managed to poison everything that he came in contact with right up until the very end. I woudn't have bothered trying to redeem him in any way, shape, or form myself (either as the writer or as a character within the story, but since it wasn't my story to live or tell, it's only a reader's gripe). The fact that not everyone wound up with the the obvious choice, if anyone, or even survived felt satisfying, if sad. All that mangled intrigue, sexuality, and romance made for both compelling and understandable reading; feeling much truer to real life than a lot of other fantasy, amd reminding me of many friends and acquaitances over the years.
The anachronistic elements that pervaded the whole series were occasionally surprising, but never actually jarred me so much that I 'fell out' of the experience. The author managed to make a culture based on something somewhere between ancient and renaissance Italy work surprisingly well with steam trains, clockwork automatons, jazz, flappers, and cocktails. Sometimes the concepts just seemd to fit perfectly fine together, an in others I suspect it only really worked because the author didn't bat an eyelid while juxtaposing them; offering no explanation, and simply expecting the reader to go with the flow. It worked for me, but I imagine some others may struggle with the ideas, or want to haggle. They can deal with it as they please.
The overall structure of the trilogy also worked well, I think. The multiple resolutions in Reign of Beasts may have left a few threads hanging (which is fine - the universe is like that and it allows for a lingering sense of 'what if...') but made sense in some cases, were mildly and amusingly surprising in others, and terrible and beautiful in one. Those last two adjectives don't actually do too badly to some up the series when I think about it. For those qualities alone these three books go in the same general bookspace in our house as Rats and Gargoyles, which is high praise coming from me. It's inventive, clever, nasty, ugly and beautiful.
February 6, 2012
A cracker of an ending to a cracker of a trilogy - Tansy has outdone herself with intense action, excellent characters and an engaging plot that has spanned three books. Awesome stuff! Highly recommend reading the three in close succession for best impact - and by that I mean, GO READ THEM NOW!
February 27, 2012
A fantastic final instalment in the Creature Court trilogy. My only regret is that there aren't any more to read.
July 30, 2020
This was truly a worthy last book of the series. Again, we have development of the mythology, and of the characters (I really loved what was happening with Rhian, already in book 2, but definitely here). Everything comes together beautifully with a huge twist at the end, and it's a very satisfying one... (and I'm not sure how popular the opinion is, but I really loved the Ashiol-Velody ending...)
June 12, 2022
This book had a lot of flashbacks telling Poet's story, which took away from the urgency of the main story. But I love Velody and I was glad
July 17, 2012
This review forms part of my contribution to the Australian Women Writers 2012 Reading Challenge. All my AWWC reviews can be found here.
Reign of Beasts by Tansy Rayner Roberts is the final book in her Creature Court trilogy. I've reviewed the previous two books elsewhere on my site (here for Power and Majesty and here for The Shattered City). To be honest I've been putting off this review for a bit - not because I didn't enjoy the book (I did) but mainly because I'm finding it hard to come up with anything fresh to say about the third book in a trilogy.
Once again, I won't give much of a plot synopsis for fear of spoiling this or the earlier books. From the Goodreads description - "The Creature Court are at war with each other. Three kings fight bitterly for power and dominance over Aufleur and the streets run red with blood."
That about sums it up.
Reign of Beasts seemed more plot driven than character driven. There wasn't as much sense of the characters developing or evolving as in the previous books, more reacting to circumstances in order to bring the overarching story to a conclusion. The conclusion itself was satisfying, with most of the questions raised throughout the series answered.
The one exception to the lack of character development was the threading of Poet's back story throughout the book. These sections were very effective, even though the reader has seen how Poet turns out, his journey was very interesting and fleshed out some of the history of the Creature Court itself.
The previous books focused on the one city - Aufleur, with very little exploration of the world outside the city. Reign of Beasts has an expanded sense of place, with the city of Bazeppe featuring much more strongly. This broader landscape strengthened the story, providing a heightened sense of urgency as the consequences of failure increased.
The writing is very tight, with a good balance of drama and humour. The dialogue was particularly effective - the interplay between some of the minor characters was very entertaining. In fact, the minor characters somewhat stole the show generally, I found myself much more invested in them than some of the more major characters.
This book has lots of raunch. I mean lots. But then, if you didn't like a bit of raunch in your reading diet I suspect you wouldn't have got this far through the trilogy. So what are you complaining about?
I thought so.
Overall I found this a very satisfying end to the trilogy. Highly recommended.
I also reviewed this book on my website.
Reign of Beasts by Tansy Rayner Roberts is the final book in her Creature Court trilogy. I've reviewed the previous two books elsewhere on my site (here for Power and Majesty and here for The Shattered City). To be honest I've been putting off this review for a bit - not because I didn't enjoy the book (I did) but mainly because I'm finding it hard to come up with anything fresh to say about the third book in a trilogy.
Once again, I won't give much of a plot synopsis for fear of spoiling this or the earlier books. From the Goodreads description - "The Creature Court are at war with each other. Three kings fight bitterly for power and dominance over Aufleur and the streets run red with blood."
That about sums it up.
Reign of Beasts seemed more plot driven than character driven. There wasn't as much sense of the characters developing or evolving as in the previous books, more reacting to circumstances in order to bring the overarching story to a conclusion. The conclusion itself was satisfying, with most of the questions raised throughout the series answered.
The one exception to the lack of character development was the threading of Poet's back story throughout the book. These sections were very effective, even though the reader has seen how Poet turns out, his journey was very interesting and fleshed out some of the history of the Creature Court itself.
The previous books focused on the one city - Aufleur, with very little exploration of the world outside the city. Reign of Beasts has an expanded sense of place, with the city of Bazeppe featuring much more strongly. This broader landscape strengthened the story, providing a heightened sense of urgency as the consequences of failure increased.
The writing is very tight, with a good balance of drama and humour. The dialogue was particularly effective - the interplay between some of the minor characters was very entertaining. In fact, the minor characters somewhat stole the show generally, I found myself much more invested in them than some of the more major characters.
This book has lots of raunch. I mean lots. But then, if you didn't like a bit of raunch in your reading diet I suspect you wouldn't have got this far through the trilogy. So what are you complaining about?
I thought so.
Overall I found this a very satisfying end to the trilogy. Highly recommended.
I also reviewed this book on my website.
February 23, 2012
The final book in the Creature Court trilogy, and an excellent conclusion to the story - and I find it impossible to say anything specific about it without being spoilery. However, Roberts does a wonderful job of tying up plot threads and finishing her characters' stories without making anything too pat or easy. In fact, easy is the last word you would apply to Reign of Beasts - sometimes it feels like the characters are trudging uphill through wet cement as everything goes wrong around them. All in all, a most satisfying and enjoyable conclusion to the trilogy.
January 24, 2024
The first half of this final book in the trilogy alternates between past and present story lines and although the past ones were relevant I often felt a bit impatient with them and the structure seemed to break the pacing. But then it all comes together in the second half, and it's sad and it's sweet and we now know it complete. This story has a lot of dark edges and broken people and I think the ending reflects that.
April 2, 2012
Hopeless fangirl here! Upset evil, evil Tansy is evil and kills all my favourite characters. And yes, this is the most useful review in the world of reviews, I know. It's beautiful that way. Almost as beautiful as Ashiol I'm sure.
January 14, 2013
I felt so cheated by the ending of this series :(
September 28, 2014
I read this series and thought "The only way that this could be resolved to my satisfaction is for the main characters to get into a threesome."
There was no threesome. :-(
There was no threesome. :-(
April 14, 2019
A suitably grandiose conclusion to an imaginative story arc. The Creature Court continues to be difficult to categorise in any particular genre, but is a marvelously enjoyable piece of work.
As with the first two books, much of the ending is broadly unpredictable, yet mostly seamless, with the story flowing along freely. There are definitely unanswered questions in regards to some plot points, but not so much as to affect overall enjoyment of the story.
There are characters that are so beautifully yet sparsely drawn that you can't help but want to know more about them - yet they turn out to be merely supporting players to the bigger picture. This is a testament to the beautiful prose that infuses these books without wasting time on endless exposition.
Overall, this is the weakest of the three books in the core trilogy, with some aspects of the grandiose conclusion not completely making sense or being suitably explained, but overall it works superbly well.
I wish I could give half stars, this would be 3.5.
As with the first two books, much of the ending is broadly unpredictable, yet mostly seamless, with the story flowing along freely. There are definitely unanswered questions in regards to some plot points, but not so much as to affect overall enjoyment of the story.
There are characters that are so beautifully yet sparsely drawn that you can't help but want to know more about them - yet they turn out to be merely supporting players to the bigger picture. This is a testament to the beautiful prose that infuses these books without wasting time on endless exposition.
Overall, this is the weakest of the three books in the core trilogy, with some aspects of the grandiose conclusion not completely making sense or being suitably explained, but overall it works superbly well.
I wish I could give half stars, this would be 3.5.
November 10, 2018
I loved the character parts of this book. The flashbacks worked very well and really added to the characterizations, and there was some good character development. These people are so messed up but in very compelling ways, and so much of it is about loyalty and duty and power etc., which I enjoy a lot.
I was less impressed by the plot, especially in the second half. Several developments could have used a lot more foreshadowing, like the clockwork problem and the final solution, and some very important things were barely or not at all explained, like what happened with Topaz and with Livilla and with Rhian.
Overall I really liked the trilogy, it has fascinating characters and relationships and cool worldbuilding.
I was less impressed by the plot, especially in the second half. Several developments could have used a lot more foreshadowing, like the clockwork problem and the final solution, and some very important things were barely or not at all explained, like what happened with Topaz and with Livilla and with Rhian.
Overall I really liked the trilogy, it has fascinating characters and relationships and cool worldbuilding.
March 1, 2019
I don’t know what is about book three, but several of the plot developments didn’t connect with me. Rhian in particular had a bizarre journey. I didn’t understand how and why her powers came to be. Maybe I just missed all the hints.
I didn’t care for the flashbacks. They dragged on. Kind of interesting but for me there was not a whole lot to sink my teeth into.
An all right conclusion but not what I was hoping for. But then that might be my fault.
I didn’t care for the flashbacks. They dragged on. Kind of interesting but for me there was not a whole lot to sink my teeth into.
An all right conclusion but not what I was hoping for. But then that might be my fault.
March 21, 2020
I thought Tansy did a great job giving enough answers to explain the why and how but not too much to ruin the darker atmosphere of the story. With a resolution that I thought was appropriate but some may not like.
August 23, 2018
I found it disappointing in comparison to the first two books. Neatly wrapped up in a way that wasn't satisfying.
January 20, 2024
Perfect finish to the trilogy
April 6, 2016
I've been on a Tansy Rayner Roberts jag lately, reading the entire Cafe La Femme series she writes under the name Livia Day and finally getting to the third book in her fabulous fantasy Creature Court trilogy. I have no idea why I waited so long to get to Reign of Beasts, but it was worth the wait!
I have previously waxed exceedingly lyrical about Tansy Rayner Roberts' skills as a storyteller, particularly with her plotting. You can never tell where the story's going to go (in an entirely good way) and each revelation unfurls a dozen possibilities with it. Like the seers seeing a multiverse of futures, it takes a while for the possibilities to be narrowed down - and even then, there's really no predicting the outcome.
Except that it'll be satisfying. Oh yes, it will.
Reign of Beasts continues in this magnificent trend, as we run fleet-footed in the wake of everyone's terrible decisions and rapid beating of their fragile, mistrustful hearts, towards an ending that is epic and utterly satisfying.
This novel brings to a conclusion the beautifully and densely crafted world where humans with incredible powers, gifted to them by a nebulous energy called animor, can turn into animals - hence their name of the Creature Court. Every night they fight a little known enemy from the sky, and by day conduct themselves and their courtesi like it's the last days of Rome. Which it sort of is, as the Creature Court of Aufleur (and the courts of other cities) are slowly losing their war. The city of Tierce has already been swallowed by the sky, and the people of the daylight don't even remember it existed.
And now we have the tyrannical Garnet - perhaps worse than Nero ever was - who has returned with dressmaker and surprise Power and Majesty (head of the Court), Velody. They'd both been swallowed by the sky and their return throws the Creature Court into disarray. Well. More disarray than usual.
But the final battle with the sky is coming, and everyone has to work out where their loyalties lie, and it may not be in the same place as where their love resides. Distrust, betrayal, prophesies, love triangles (and pyramids - some of this is much too complex for 3D geometry) and desperation are the obstacles. Not to mention the greatest mystery of them all: why is there a sky war at all?
Reign of Beasts begins in the past, with the Creature Court oddity, Poet, telling the story of his beginnings as an orphan in a theatre show and how he came to join the Creature Court. His story is interwoven with the current troubles and machinations of the Court, until it's very clear exactly how much he's had to do with the mess they're all in, and the schemes surrounding what's to come.Power and Majesty cover
Once we're all caught up, the story barrels on ahead at breakneck speed once more. Even the quiet parts are somehow vibrant with the waiting for what happens next?! We're also never entirely 'all caught up' because Roberts continues to cleverly weave in the history of characters and cities that are utterly in tune with everything we've known to date, but shed fresh light on current events and coming conclusion.
And even when we finally understand the war and its cause and how it ends, nothing ends obviously. Not everyone gets a happy ending, but perhaps everyone gets a satisfying one. One that makes sense within who they are and what they need.
I could blather on for a bit, but that would be taking up time you should be spending on reading this trilogy. Go. Go now. Off you go. Read this award-winning magnificence! Shoo!
I have previously waxed exceedingly lyrical about Tansy Rayner Roberts' skills as a storyteller, particularly with her plotting. You can never tell where the story's going to go (in an entirely good way) and each revelation unfurls a dozen possibilities with it. Like the seers seeing a multiverse of futures, it takes a while for the possibilities to be narrowed down - and even then, there's really no predicting the outcome.
Except that it'll be satisfying. Oh yes, it will.
Reign of Beasts continues in this magnificent trend, as we run fleet-footed in the wake of everyone's terrible decisions and rapid beating of their fragile, mistrustful hearts, towards an ending that is epic and utterly satisfying.
This novel brings to a conclusion the beautifully and densely crafted world where humans with incredible powers, gifted to them by a nebulous energy called animor, can turn into animals - hence their name of the Creature Court. Every night they fight a little known enemy from the sky, and by day conduct themselves and their courtesi like it's the last days of Rome. Which it sort of is, as the Creature Court of Aufleur (and the courts of other cities) are slowly losing their war. The city of Tierce has already been swallowed by the sky, and the people of the daylight don't even remember it existed.
And now we have the tyrannical Garnet - perhaps worse than Nero ever was - who has returned with dressmaker and surprise Power and Majesty (head of the Court), Velody. They'd both been swallowed by the sky and their return throws the Creature Court into disarray. Well. More disarray than usual.
But the final battle with the sky is coming, and everyone has to work out where their loyalties lie, and it may not be in the same place as where their love resides. Distrust, betrayal, prophesies, love triangles (and pyramids - some of this is much too complex for 3D geometry) and desperation are the obstacles. Not to mention the greatest mystery of them all: why is there a sky war at all?
Reign of Beasts begins in the past, with the Creature Court oddity, Poet, telling the story of his beginnings as an orphan in a theatre show and how he came to join the Creature Court. His story is interwoven with the current troubles and machinations of the Court, until it's very clear exactly how much he's had to do with the mess they're all in, and the schemes surrounding what's to come.Power and Majesty cover
Once we're all caught up, the story barrels on ahead at breakneck speed once more. Even the quiet parts are somehow vibrant with the waiting for what happens next?! We're also never entirely 'all caught up' because Roberts continues to cleverly weave in the history of characters and cities that are utterly in tune with everything we've known to date, but shed fresh light on current events and coming conclusion.
And even when we finally understand the war and its cause and how it ends, nothing ends obviously. Not everyone gets a happy ending, but perhaps everyone gets a satisfying one. One that makes sense within who they are and what they need.
I could blather on for a bit, but that would be taking up time you should be spending on reading this trilogy. Go. Go now. Off you go. Read this award-winning magnificence! Shoo!
December 16, 2015
It always takes me ages to review Tansy's books, because there are so many things I want to say that they get in the way of each other and I know it will take ages and then I put it off and... you get to this point, where it's five months since I read the book and I've forgotten half the things I wanted to say. So this is just a few comments, really, about things I enjoyed (because I did enjoy it, and there's not much I didn't).
Spoiler for book 1 and 2; why on earth would you read this review if you haven't already read them?? Also, I'm friends with Tansy, if it makes a difference to you.
Roberts takes a different narrative tack with this novel: she introduces a reminiscing point of view, the identity of whom is hidden for most of the book. Of course I think it's obvious in hindsight, but there really were a number of people it could have been! It is clearly someone currently involved in the Creature Court, but who... yeh, that's clever. This serves a really important purpose: the perspective of an outsider becoming an insider. Velody sort of performs this task in the first two books, but she is older than this perspective (at least at the start), and also comes from a different background - in terms of family, and class, and expectations too. Also gender. So seeing the Creature Court from this (also much earlier) view gives a whole new angle on the interactions between various characters, and the events preceding our events, too. This was a very excellent part of the novel.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say that there's a lot of catastrophe in this novel. This should not be a surprise. Velody has returned with Garnet, which was always going to bring down ruination and destruction of one sort or another, on the city or the Court or both and/or the sky. Also, Rhian starts telling everyone that everything will be decided at Saturnalia, which is awfully soon when the novel opens. So, there's that. Plus Garnet in full flight (heh, literally), other members of the Creature Court acting as only they can, and Rhian and Delphine... well. Acting as we've come to expect. Except when they don't. Roberts does seem really interesting things character-wise that are quite unexpected but at the same time entirely in keeping. Which is awesome.
It might also be a slight spoiler to say that Velody actually leaves Aufleur for a brief period in this novel, which is another quite different and awesome aspect. Too often third books are merely, if awesome, conclusions to a series, following on from everything that has come before. Roberts manages to introduce entirely new elements of her world, which - as with the characters - are still entirely in keeping. Seeing more of this world, outside the jaded, familiar, decayed and corrupt Aufleur, adds a whole new dimension to our understanding of Aufleur and our characters - just as understanding its history does, with the new point of view.
Keep in mind that Roberts is a bit mean, and you won't be surprised that few if any of her characters escape without scars (literally) from this novel. That said, it's a worthy and brilliant conclusion to the trilogy, even if you might not be entirely happy with some of the resolutions. I mean, really, would you expect to be? It's not like she has been in the two earlier novels.
Spoiler for book 1 and 2; why on earth would you read this review if you haven't already read them?? Also, I'm friends with Tansy, if it makes a difference to you.
Roberts takes a different narrative tack with this novel: she introduces a reminiscing point of view, the identity of whom is hidden for most of the book. Of course I think it's obvious in hindsight, but there really were a number of people it could have been! It is clearly someone currently involved in the Creature Court, but who... yeh, that's clever. This serves a really important purpose: the perspective of an outsider becoming an insider. Velody sort of performs this task in the first two books, but she is older than this perspective (at least at the start), and also comes from a different background - in terms of family, and class, and expectations too. Also gender. So seeing the Creature Court from this (also much earlier) view gives a whole new angle on the interactions between various characters, and the events preceding our events, too. This was a very excellent part of the novel.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say that there's a lot of catastrophe in this novel. This should not be a surprise. Velody has returned with Garnet, which was always going to bring down ruination and destruction of one sort or another, on the city or the Court or both and/or the sky. Also, Rhian starts telling everyone that everything will be decided at Saturnalia, which is awfully soon when the novel opens. So, there's that. Plus Garnet in full flight (heh, literally), other members of the Creature Court acting as only they can, and Rhian and Delphine... well. Acting as we've come to expect. Except when they don't. Roberts does seem really interesting things character-wise that are quite unexpected but at the same time entirely in keeping. Which is awesome.
It might also be a slight spoiler to say that Velody actually leaves Aufleur for a brief period in this novel, which is another quite different and awesome aspect. Too often third books are merely, if awesome, conclusions to a series, following on from everything that has come before. Roberts manages to introduce entirely new elements of her world, which - as with the characters - are still entirely in keeping. Seeing more of this world, outside the jaded, familiar, decayed and corrupt Aufleur, adds a whole new dimension to our understanding of Aufleur and our characters - just as understanding its history does, with the new point of view.
Keep in mind that Roberts is a bit mean, and you won't be surprised that few if any of her characters escape without scars (literally) from this novel. That said, it's a worthy and brilliant conclusion to the trilogy, even if you might not be entirely happy with some of the resolutions. I mean, really, would you expect to be? It's not like she has been in the two earlier novels.
February 27, 2012
Reign of Beasts, by Tansy Rayner Roberts, is the final instalment of the Creature Court trilogy.
The series is excellent and a testament to how fantastic a writer Roberts is.
However, it’s not the kind of series where you can pick up the third (or second) book without having read the first two.
I really felt this series improved with each book. Where the first two books were spent building the world and setting up all manner of conflicts, in the final instalment Roberts meticulously dismantles her world. It’s quite masterfully done and I will be surprised if Reign of Beasts doesn’t win any awards.
Throughout the series, Roberts sets up a variety of conflicts of all magnitudes. In the first book the challenge for Velody seems to be overcoming prejudice, expectations and the established group dynamics to become the first female Power and Majesty. While this bleeds into the second and third books, priorities shift and by the end of Reign of Beasts we learn who the true enemy really is. (No spoilers, but it takes a lot of twists and turns to get there.)
Roberts has populated her world with a variety of strong, wilful, petty, manipulative, animalistic, brutal, loyal characters who all elicit our sympathy at some point and our distaste at others. They are all far from perfect, yet none are quite pure evil. (Incidentally, of the three original girls, Rhian was my least favourite in Reign of Beasts and Delphine, unexpectedly, my favourite.)
A review of Reign of Beasts would be incomplete without some comment on the structure of the novel. There are two simultaneous time lines running through the book, the main one in the “present” immediately following on from The Shattered City, and the other recounting events from the Creature Court’s (pre start of main events) past. All the threads were expertly woven together to enhance the present story and convey interesting (as well as relevant) backstory.
The Creature Court trilogy is definitely worth a read for all fans of fantasy. It’s dark and brutal and pretty dresses are relevant to the plot.
5 / 5 stars
The series is excellent and a testament to how fantastic a writer Roberts is.
However, it’s not the kind of series where you can pick up the third (or second) book without having read the first two.
I really felt this series improved with each book. Where the first two books were spent building the world and setting up all manner of conflicts, in the final instalment Roberts meticulously dismantles her world. It’s quite masterfully done and I will be surprised if Reign of Beasts doesn’t win any awards.
Throughout the series, Roberts sets up a variety of conflicts of all magnitudes. In the first book the challenge for Velody seems to be overcoming prejudice, expectations and the established group dynamics to become the first female Power and Majesty. While this bleeds into the second and third books, priorities shift and by the end of Reign of Beasts we learn who the true enemy really is. (No spoilers, but it takes a lot of twists and turns to get there.)
Roberts has populated her world with a variety of strong, wilful, petty, manipulative, animalistic, brutal, loyal characters who all elicit our sympathy at some point and our distaste at others. They are all far from perfect, yet none are quite pure evil. (Incidentally, of the three original girls, Rhian was my least favourite in Reign of Beasts and Delphine, unexpectedly, my favourite.)
A review of Reign of Beasts would be incomplete without some comment on the structure of the novel. There are two simultaneous time lines running through the book, the main one in the “present” immediately following on from The Shattered City, and the other recounting events from the Creature Court’s (pre start of main events) past. All the threads were expertly woven together to enhance the present story and convey interesting (as well as relevant) backstory.
The Creature Court trilogy is definitely worth a read for all fans of fantasy. It’s dark and brutal and pretty dresses are relevant to the plot.
5 / 5 stars
April 21, 2012
I was waiting for all three of the Creature Court trilogy to come out before I read them because I am a dreadful whinger about things that are to be continued (Mira Grant, I am looking at you, but in a very fond way). Finally all three were out and I could devour them. But I was depressed and down when I opened Power and Majesty, so I was afraid I wasn't going to enjoy the books as much as I might.
Boy, was I wrong.
Tansy has created an incredible world that is indeed filled with power and majesty in this trilogy. I couldn't read it fast enough. I was constantly going 'oh my gods' as the twists and turns popped up, and I loved how I as the reader was dumped into the middle of everything just as the lead characters were thrown unexpectedly into the reality of the night world that the daylight world rarely sees. Usually when I'm depressed I can't manage anything above the level of a Baby-sitter's Club book (I'm more likely to be lying in bed not reading at all), but these books were just so well realised that they pulled me up out of the darkness and helped me get through the black patch I was going through.
I especially liked Tansy's treatment of queer characters. For one thing, they existed! And it wasn't weird! It was so good to see characters ranging across the sexual spectrum, especially the inclusion of bisexual characters.
I'd recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes their fantasy darker than usual; there are more layers here than just the good guys and the bad guys, and it can be hard to tell who's on whose side. If you like strong, well fleshed out characters, you'll appreciate the hard work Tansy has put in. And if you like plots that are filled with more intrigue and twists than Labyrinth, then this is for you.
Boy, was I wrong.
Tansy has created an incredible world that is indeed filled with power and majesty in this trilogy. I couldn't read it fast enough. I was constantly going 'oh my gods' as the twists and turns popped up, and I loved how I as the reader was dumped into the middle of everything just as the lead characters were thrown unexpectedly into the reality of the night world that the daylight world rarely sees. Usually when I'm depressed I can't manage anything above the level of a Baby-sitter's Club book (I'm more likely to be lying in bed not reading at all), but these books were just so well realised that they pulled me up out of the darkness and helped me get through the black patch I was going through.
I especially liked Tansy's treatment of queer characters. For one thing, they existed! And it wasn't weird! It was so good to see characters ranging across the sexual spectrum, especially the inclusion of bisexual characters.
I'd recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes their fantasy darker than usual; there are more layers here than just the good guys and the bad guys, and it can be hard to tell who's on whose side. If you like strong, well fleshed out characters, you'll appreciate the hard work Tansy has put in. And if you like plots that are filled with more intrigue and twists than Labyrinth, then this is for you.
November 8, 2016
Forgive me while I pull my hair and scream profanities a bit.
Seriously, yee of tender ears (eyes?) may wish to close them now. I am not one to swear often, but I am about to go all sorts of Kevin Smith Movie on this post. You have been warned.
Holy shit mother of all flying fuckers am I glad it is finally fucking over!
I was indecisive about the first two, wobbling on the fence between "this is kind of excellent" and "this is kind of really fucking terrible". In the third, I think I have fallen firmly on the side of the later.
Not because it was awful (it really was) or poorly written (the writing was actually awesome enough to keep me reading WHEN I HATED WHERE IT WAS GOING. Very impressive, Ms. Roberts), but for exactly the same reasons I predicted in my review of the second book - everything goes wrong, there is All the Angst, and the ending - while lovely in and of itself - is Just. Not. Worth it.
I mean, it is a great ending... I really cannot see it ending any other way while still staying true to the series, but seriously... It is not the kind of Happy Ever After I feel we (and the characters, even if they were assholes) deserve after all the shit we (and they. Mostly they) went through to get there.
If you like angst and gritty and dark and compelling and real life levels of bitter truths (in so much as a court full of crazies who can turn into animals can be 'real life', of course), this is the series for you. If you don't, run away. Run away now while you still can.
(that last sentence, right there above this one, is totally going to be added to my review of the first book. Because really... It needs to be done.)
I mean fuck. Fuck it all. Never have I ever been more entranced by a series I, in all honesty, kind of hated. A lot. I mean, it was a very good series, but I still hated it. May it never darken my bookshelf again.
Seriously, yee of tender ears (eyes?) may wish to close them now. I am not one to swear often, but I am about to go all sorts of Kevin Smith Movie on this post. You have been warned.
Holy shit mother of all flying fuckers am I glad it is finally fucking over!
I was indecisive about the first two, wobbling on the fence between "this is kind of excellent" and "this is kind of really fucking terrible". In the third, I think I have fallen firmly on the side of the later.
Not because it was awful (it really was) or poorly written (the writing was actually awesome enough to keep me reading WHEN I HATED WHERE IT WAS GOING. Very impressive, Ms. Roberts), but for exactly the same reasons I predicted in my review of the second book - everything goes wrong, there is All the Angst, and the ending - while lovely in and of itself - is Just. Not. Worth it.
I mean, it is a great ending... I really cannot see it ending any other way while still staying true to the series, but seriously... It is not the kind of Happy Ever After I feel we (and the characters, even if they were assholes) deserve after all the shit we (and they. Mostly they) went through to get there.
If you like angst and gritty and dark and compelling and real life levels of bitter truths (in so much as a court full of crazies who can turn into animals can be 'real life', of course), this is the series for you. If you don't, run away. Run away now while you still can.
(that last sentence, right there above this one, is totally going to be added to my review of the first book. Because really... It needs to be done.)
I mean fuck. Fuck it all. Never have I ever been more entranced by a series I, in all honesty, kind of hated. A lot. I mean, it was a very good series, but I still hated it. May it never darken my bookshelf again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2012
The conclusion to the Creature Court trilogy is a quick, absorbing read. As usual with a trilogy, it's difficult to describe the final volume without spoiling the first two. This part begins with I've enjoyed this fascinating world and the complicated plot and the evolution of so many engaging characters, monsters though many of them are. I especially liked how this volume gave much insight into a few of the lesser players, to explain their choices. The resolution of the biggest conflict in the story--saving the city, and the world--was a little quick but still satisfying and I particularly liked the denouement. I do have quibbles, though, the greatest of which was wishing that
June 8, 2015
25.2.2015 - 4,5*
Oh my. Ten konec. Netuším, jestli se mi chce řvát, nebo být šťastná, že to nedopadlo o sedm pekel hůř.
(Huh, a na tohle spojení jsem přišla kde? :D)
Charaktery zatraceně propracované. Živé a každá dýchala a snažila se vás nalákat na svou stranu.
Atmosféra příběhu mi brala dech.
Nápady a to, jak autorka vytvořila svět, mě nadchlo.
Je to skvělá, neobyčejná série, kterou jsem si...
Užívala není to správné slovo, protože na to bylo psaní Roberts příliš temné a místy prostě příliš děsivé. Vyžívat se v šílenství není nejlepší cesta jak zůstat příčetný. Ale příběh, který jsem četla, mě okouzlil a získal si mě, svým jedinečným způsobem.
Útržky vzpomínek, děj, který se kroutil jakoby do ulity, to vše podtrhovalo dojem, který jsem z trilogie měla, trilogie, která si mě nárokovala a která se mi zažrala pod kůži. Nebo do mě možná zaťaly drápy a čelisti postavy, které mě odmítaly pustit. Tak nepředvídatelné, zářivé a děsivé ve své kráse, každá jedna z nich.
líbilo se mi to, pro nedostatek správných výrazů. Fascinovalo.
Oh, a v mé hlavě je zarputilá představa, jak to skončilo, a té se nevzdám, ať si písmena na papíře říkají, cokoli chtějí.
(Což je přirozeně důvod, proč ode mě příběh dostal milión plusových bodíků. Myšlena samozřejmě propracovanost a věrohodnost. ;)
Oh my. Ten konec. Netuším, jestli se mi chce řvát, nebo být šťastná, že to nedopadlo o sedm pekel hůř.
(Huh, a na tohle spojení jsem přišla kde? :D)
Charaktery zatraceně propracované. Živé a každá dýchala a snažila se vás nalákat na svou stranu.
Atmosféra příběhu mi brala dech.
Nápady a to, jak autorka vytvořila svět, mě nadchlo.
Je to skvělá, neobyčejná série, kterou jsem si...
Užívala není to správné slovo, protože na to bylo psaní Roberts příliš temné a místy prostě příliš děsivé. Vyžívat se v šílenství není nejlepší cesta jak zůstat příčetný. Ale příběh, který jsem četla, mě okouzlil a získal si mě, svým jedinečným způsobem.
Útržky vzpomínek, děj, který se kroutil jakoby do ulity, to vše podtrhovalo dojem, který jsem z trilogie měla, trilogie, která si mě nárokovala a která se mi zažrala pod kůži. Nebo do mě možná zaťaly drápy a čelisti postavy, které mě odmítaly pustit. Tak nepředvídatelné, zářivé a děsivé ve své kráse, každá jedna z nich.
líbilo se mi to, pro nedostatek správných výrazů. Fascinovalo.
Oh, a v mé hlavě je zarputilá představa, jak to skončilo, a té se nevzdám, ať si písmena na papíře říkají, cokoli chtějí.
(Což je přirozeně důvod, proč ode mě příběh dostal milión plusových bodíků. Myšlena samozřejmě propracovanost a věrohodnost. ;)
May 15, 2012
The Creature Court now has three kings. Garnet is back and is still mad, Ashiol believes that Velody and Garnet are working together. Velody knows that something is really wrong but can't get the other two kings to work together. Rian, now the seer is changing sides to Garnets team. Things are spiralling out of control unless Velody can get Ashiol to trust her.
I couldn't put this book down, I loved it so much. I'm going to have to go out and buy it so I can reread it. I couldn't wait to find out how she was going to end this series and I wasn't disappointed. I am very sad to see the characters go though, they were so original and I became very attached to them.
I couldn't put this book down, I loved it so much. I'm going to have to go out and buy it so I can reread it. I couldn't wait to find out how she was going to end this series and I wasn't disappointed. I am very sad to see the characters go though, they were so original and I became very attached to them.
July 8, 2014
I take back everything mean I said about the writing in the first two books!!! Maybe it's not "great literature" but in the genre fantasy world writing quality can be a mixed bag and in the grand scheme of things this novel is actually reasonably well-written.
This novel was SO EXCITING.
Seriously, go read the first two if you haven't yet and then read this one. I was utterly engrossed in it. It was hard to put down especially towards the climax which was just brilliant.
It's been a few days since I finished it and I'm still not over how great it was.
Brilliant fantasy novel. Worth a read for sure.
This novel was SO EXCITING.
Seriously, go read the first two if you haven't yet and then read this one. I was utterly engrossed in it. It was hard to put down especially towards the climax which was just brilliant.
It's been a few days since I finished it and I'm still not over how great it was.
Brilliant fantasy novel. Worth a read for sure.
February 24, 2013
Not even gonna completely review this. I dont even think its worth it.
Everything from my review of the last book definitely applies here.
I will say it lost a star for
The ending was crap. It was confusing and poorly explained.
Yup, thats about it.
Everything from my review of the last book definitely applies here.
I will say it lost a star for
The ending was crap. It was confusing and poorly explained.
Yup, thats about it.
July 17, 2014
This is my first book read and reviewed as part of the Australian Women Writer's Challenge for 2012. I've reviewed this over at my blog The Conversationalist: Reign of Beasts by Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book #3 in the Creature Court series).
Note: This review is safe from spoilers.
Note: This review is safe from spoilers.
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