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Blacktongue #0
The Daughters' War
The goblins have killed all of our horses and most of our men.
They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and still they wage war.
Now, our daughters take up arms.
Galva - Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill - has defied her family's wishes and joined the army's untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted - not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side.
But some hopes are worth any risk.
A fraught, shattering fantasy adventure, this standalone novel is set during the war-torn, goblin-infested years just before The Blacktongue Thief.
They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and still they wage war.
Now, our daughters take up arms.
Galva - Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill - has defied her family's wishes and joined the army's untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted - not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side.
But some hopes are worth any risk.
A fraught, shattering fantasy adventure, this standalone novel is set during the war-torn, goblin-infested years just before The Blacktongue Thief.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2024
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July 24, 2024
I took a day off and read the last three quarters of this in one go. That's a very rare occurence, reserved for the tiny number of novels that really get their teeth into me.
I'm sure I overvalue my own talent and read many books that I could not have written - but Buehlman is one of those writers who rubs it in my face. I'm constantly aware of my own failings as a wordsmith when reading his work.
I loved this book. To be fair, I also loved The Blacktongue Thief, to which this is a prequel. The Daughters' War is both similar and different to Blacktongue.
It's similar because it's set in the same world (ten or twenty years earlier), the same alien foe (the goblins) are a big factor (much bigger here), and it carries the same brutal, uncompromising edge ... in fact a large fraction of it is edge. And Galva, the character through whose eyes we see the world, was the #2 (non-point-of-view) character in Blacktongue.
It's different because it focuses on a war, but primarily because Galva is a very different person to our black-tongued friend, and Beuhlman, being a brilliant writer, is all about character, letting it colour everything.
Where Kinch was pragmatic, experienced beyond his years, humorous, and a thief in his bones, Galva is unflinchingly honest, rigidly moral, and touchingly vulnerable despite her martial skills. She's 20 in the book and the horrors she witnesses are somehow more impactful precisely because of her tendency for understatement and her difficulty with expressing emotion.
We see Galva in a troop of women each with two giant ravens, bred specifically to kill goblins. This is an experiment and the birds have been magically enhanced by Fulvir - a magician who plays a significant role in the other book.
Despite their stabby/pecky habits the ravens are "animal companions" and your eyes will mist if/when any of them come to harm.
Galva's story is both broadened and deepened by the fact that three of her brothers are in the army that is launched against the goblin hordes. This allows for all manner of family dynamics, both the fair and the foul (I will resist the fowl pun here).
Anyone who has read the first (second?) book will know that goblins are nasty NASTY nasty fuckers, and that's leaned into here. They are not, however, the "problematic" kind of evil race that modern fantasy tries to avoid - these are an alien race from ... somewhere "beyond". Their bodies don't rot, flies won't touch them. They view us as meat and their actions, however horrid, have a logic to them. They have their own culture and are intelligent. And it's quite easy to imagine that if they were just a little less good at killing us, the human armies would be doing almost as horrific shit in the goblin world.
Whilst Blacktongue had a strong undercurrent of humour to leven the terror, this book is more harrowing. It's an exercise in grief, both on the small scale of individual humans, lost friends, atrocities witnessed, and on the scale of humanity. We grieve with Glava for lost cities, for vanished generations, for the works of our kind lying in ruin, unvalued by the foe. It is very moving.
This is not unremittingly sad though. There are plenty of moments of hope, of victories both small and large (although the underlying trend feels sharply downwards at most points). And there's love too - the love of family, of friends, of her people, and even small but poignant elements of romance (with a tasteful veil drawn across the sex - which I appreciated, not from prudishness, but because it felt appropriate).
The battles and individual combats are exciting and inventive - the goblins are a great foe in terms of imagination and possibilities.
It's a bitter sweet story, with a lot more bitter than sweet, but enough sweet that it was (for me at least) a pleasure rather than an ordeal to read.
Buehlman tells the story in a fresh and engaging way. Galva addresses us as a friend or family member to whom she's retelling this story years later, albeit in a frank and very honest way. We see letters from her younger brother and father that provide different views and context.
As always (again: at least for me) the key to a great book is great writing. Buehlman's prose is always powerful, never purple, he paints clear pictures and reaches into the heart of things making it all real (too real sometimes).
A truly excellent book.
If you loved Blacktongue you will very likely love this one for the same reasons.
If you didn't love Blacktongue you might well find enough differences here to love this one.
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September 6, 2024
A wonderful book. Gripping from the first page. I loved the characters, and Buehlman’s prose is beautiful. Highly recommended.
June 6, 2024
ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review.
The Daughters’ War is a very different kind of prequel novel to The Blacktongue Thief.
When I first heard about the announcement for The Daughters’ War, my initial thought was that this felt like a novel I didn’t know I needed. For those who don’t know, The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman came out in 2021. Three years ago. Back then, before the publication day, there was a lot of hype and praise gifted by many amazing epic fantasy authors. And The Blacktongue Thief became one of the most entertaining novels I’ve read with the right balance of darkness and laughing-out-loud humor. In that book, Galva is one of the distinct supporting characters from The Blacktongue Thief who accompanies Kinch Na Shannack, the protagonist, in his quest. The Daughters’ War is a prequel novel about Galva and her participation in the Goblin’s war. Unfortunately, as much as I want to like it, I did not enjoy this book as much as The Blacktongue Thief.
The goblins have killed mercilessly. They have enslaved cities, burned fields, and still they wage war. Now, the daughters take up arms. Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
And that’s really it. Not only that’s the premise of the The Daughters’ War, that’s the entire novel in a nutshell. Of course, being a prequel novel, if you’ve read The Blacktongue Thief, you’ll know the fate of Galva and her family. It is all about the details. But reading The Daughters’ War, at the end of the day, did not grant me with many things I didn’t know plot-wise. It might make rereading The Blacktongue Thief more enriching, though, because we learn so much more about Galva, the world-building, and the war mentioned relatively often in that book. The entire story is told (mostly) from the first-person perspective of Galva in a memoir format. Occasionally, we’ll be switching to reading a journal written by Amiel, one of Galva’s beloved brothers. This provided me with a variety of reading experiences. And believe me, the story in The Daughters’ War did get dark and brutal. Much more than The Blacktongue Thief. However, this became one of the weaknesses of the book for me. Not because of the darkness per se, but because the only characters I cared about and felt invested in were Galva and Amiel.
I highly enjoyed reading about Galva’s character development and her complex relationship with her family and The Raven Knights. But it is worth noting that, as I said at the beginning of this review, The Daughters’ War is very different when compared to The Blacktongue Thief. Two other main reasons other than the storytelling format, Galva is a stoic character with few words, and I believe The Daughters’ War is more rooted in military fantasy rather than epic fantasy quest demonstrated in the Blacktongue Thief. I won’t lie. For more than half of the book, I did not feel there was a clear goal of Galva’s memoir other than to, well, inform readers about her past. Personally, I found Galva’s stoic demeanor and this factor to decrease my reading enjoyment.
It is not all bad, though. As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about The Daughters’ War. Some parts did not click with me, and some parts did. One of my favorite things about The Daughters' War, similar to The Blacktongue Thief, is reading Buehlman’s writing. There's always something about his prose, even though this is a different kind of book to its predecessor (or sequel), that feels charming and compelling. I had a great time reading Buehlman’s prose. The goblins are still terrifying as hell, and as I said earlier, the world-building in The Daughters’ War is incredible. Additionally, if you are a reader who loves reading military fantasy, I think you will get a kick out of the tactics, battles, and the character's struggles.
Overall, I will conclude by saying The Daughters’ War is a good prequel novel that did not feel fully compatible with me. It is difficult to top Kinch Na Shannack’s distinct narration and storytelling. Humor is one of the most challenging things to nail in fantasy fiction, in my opinion, and my admiration of The Blacktongue Thief improved a lot because of how good Buehlman is at including humor in his narrative. It is unfortunate and understandable that we do not have that in The Daughters' War. However, I will remind you who's reading this review right now. I am certainly on the unpopular side with my lukewarm reaction to The Daughters' War. Most reviews and ratings I've seen toward this book are incredibly positive, and I urge you to read The Daughters' War regardless of my review. It is undoubtedly a tale of war, betrayal, and vengeance. I look forward to reading the sequel of The Blacktongue Thief.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Sophia, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
The Daughters’ War is a very different kind of prequel novel to The Blacktongue Thief.
“One who has studied and thinks oneself capable might be undone to discover how much less one knows than one thinks.”
When I first heard about the announcement for The Daughters’ War, my initial thought was that this felt like a novel I didn’t know I needed. For those who don’t know, The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman came out in 2021. Three years ago. Back then, before the publication day, there was a lot of hype and praise gifted by many amazing epic fantasy authors. And The Blacktongue Thief became one of the most entertaining novels I’ve read with the right balance of darkness and laughing-out-loud humor. In that book, Galva is one of the distinct supporting characters from The Blacktongue Thief who accompanies Kinch Na Shannack, the protagonist, in his quest. The Daughters’ War is a prequel novel about Galva and her participation in the Goblin’s war. Unfortunately, as much as I want to like it, I did not enjoy this book as much as The Blacktongue Thief.
“Give the Mouth of the Storm to Galvicha, for that is truly where she is going.”
The goblins have killed mercilessly. They have enslaved cities, burned fields, and still they wage war. Now, the daughters take up arms. Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
“I think now that I acted pridefully, that I was showing off. But I would forgive another twenty-year-old this, and so I forgive myself. This has been a hard skill to learn, the forgiving of self, and it is not always easy to know when it is good and when it is indulgent. But there is not so much time in life that we should spend it being sorry. It was a glorious hour or so, in a time of fear and horror, and I would not trade the memory of it for a feeling that I had behaved more properly. Such things are good, in moderation. Moderation, too, is good in moderation.
And that’s really it. Not only that’s the premise of the The Daughters’ War, that’s the entire novel in a nutshell. Of course, being a prequel novel, if you’ve read The Blacktongue Thief, you’ll know the fate of Galva and her family. It is all about the details. But reading The Daughters’ War, at the end of the day, did not grant me with many things I didn’t know plot-wise. It might make rereading The Blacktongue Thief more enriching, though, because we learn so much more about Galva, the world-building, and the war mentioned relatively often in that book. The entire story is told (mostly) from the first-person perspective of Galva in a memoir format. Occasionally, we’ll be switching to reading a journal written by Amiel, one of Galva’s beloved brothers. This provided me with a variety of reading experiences. And believe me, the story in The Daughters’ War did get dark and brutal. Much more than The Blacktongue Thief. However, this became one of the weaknesses of the book for me. Not because of the darkness per se, but because the only characters I cared about and felt invested in were Galva and Amiel.
“First I saw Pol, and we embraced, and I felt glad. Then I saw Galva and my heart lit from within. I do not know if it is because she is my full sister, or because she has always watched over me, at least those early years, and those holiday visits when she was home from the Academy of Sword, but I have always felt her to be something more than just a sister. Something between a sister and a best friend and a guardian spirit. She is more precious to me than cool water and a roof.”
I highly enjoyed reading about Galva’s character development and her complex relationship with her family and The Raven Knights. But it is worth noting that, as I said at the beginning of this review, The Daughters’ War is very different when compared to The Blacktongue Thief. Two other main reasons other than the storytelling format, Galva is a stoic character with few words, and I believe The Daughters’ War is more rooted in military fantasy rather than epic fantasy quest demonstrated in the Blacktongue Thief. I won’t lie. For more than half of the book, I did not feel there was a clear goal of Galva’s memoir other than to, well, inform readers about her past. Personally, I found Galva’s stoic demeanor and this factor to decrease my reading enjoyment.
“When a member of the family first begins to hurt you, they may choose from many weapons, all sharp, all sure to draw blood. The first cuts are the worst, though every cut will hurt, no matter how well you learn to hide it.”
It is not all bad, though. As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about The Daughters’ War. Some parts did not click with me, and some parts did. One of my favorite things about The Daughters' War, similar to The Blacktongue Thief, is reading Buehlman’s writing. There's always something about his prose, even though this is a different kind of book to its predecessor (or sequel), that feels charming and compelling. I had a great time reading Buehlman’s prose. The goblins are still terrifying as hell, and as I said earlier, the world-building in The Daughters’ War is incredible. Additionally, if you are a reader who loves reading military fantasy, I think you will get a kick out of the tactics, battles, and the character's struggles.
“To move an army well is more difficult than to win a battle. Many battles are lost before they are fought because soldiers are starving, or they have not slept, or they are so mad for water they cannot be kept in formation near a stream.”
Overall, I will conclude by saying The Daughters’ War is a good prequel novel that did not feel fully compatible with me. It is difficult to top Kinch Na Shannack’s distinct narration and storytelling. Humor is one of the most challenging things to nail in fantasy fiction, in my opinion, and my admiration of The Blacktongue Thief improved a lot because of how good Buehlman is at including humor in his narrative. It is unfortunate and understandable that we do not have that in The Daughters' War. However, I will remind you who's reading this review right now. I am certainly on the unpopular side with my lukewarm reaction to The Daughters' War. Most reviews and ratings I've seen toward this book are incredibly positive, and I urge you to read The Daughters' War regardless of my review. It is undoubtedly a tale of war, betrayal, and vengeance. I look forward to reading the sequel of The Blacktongue Thief.
“I did not know what to say to this, so I grunted, which made him laugh one quiet ha, which in turn made me smile. To love someone well is to know their small noises, and to hear home in them. This is not a small thing on foreign soil.”
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Sophia, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
July 23, 2024
Watch my video review by clicking here.
4.5 stars. A wonderful prequel story to Blacktongue Thief that substituted the swashbuckling adventure story, for a horrific war story. Very different tone, but every bit as good (if not better).
4.5 stars. A wonderful prequel story to Blacktongue Thief that substituted the swashbuckling adventure story, for a horrific war story. Very different tone, but every bit as good (if not better).
June 25, 2024
Although this is a prequel to The Blacktongue Thief, I found the tone and writing style quite different.
It is told almost entirely from the point of view of Galva, soldier in a special women's regiment who trains birds of war, the Corvids. Through her eyes, we experience the third Goblin War.
The story was interesting but it's the fantastic writing and the wide range of emotions this book made me feel that will stay with me.
I felt horror, fear and rage. I felt love and compassion, friendship and attraction. And I felt them so deeply.
I listened to the audiobook version and I must say that once again it was a wonderful adaptation by Macmillan audio. Everything about the narrator, her voice, accent, tone, etc. went perfectly with the story and only served to enhance my experience.
I highly recommend this audiobook.
It is told almost entirely from the point of view of Galva, soldier in a special women's regiment who trains birds of war, the Corvids. Through her eyes, we experience the third Goblin War.
The story was interesting but it's the fantastic writing and the wide range of emotions this book made me feel that will stay with me.
I felt horror, fear and rage. I felt love and compassion, friendship and attraction. And I felt them so deeply.
I listened to the audiobook version and I must say that once again it was a wonderful adaptation by Macmillan audio. Everything about the narrator, her voice, accent, tone, etc. went perfectly with the story and only served to enhance my experience.
I highly recommend this audiobook.
October 21, 2024
BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
My September Book of the Month
This is what modern epic fantasy should be! One of the best books I have ever read. The Daughters' War perfectly balances an intimate heart with an epic backdrop. From the standout characters to the warfare to the world we are thrown into, it is truly unique. In every way, this is a masterpiece.
In The Daughter's War we follow Galva as she, and her three brothers, are part of a new army that has been formed from a variety of countries and regions. This force must under all circumstances halt the seemingly unstoppable advance of the goblin armies. This seems even more unlikely the more you learn, as we see that the majority of this army are the dregs of society. They have been forced to pull on the old and young, as most of those in their prime are now dead. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Galva falls into one of these gambles. She is part of a group of 'war corvids' which are basically a mix of ostriches and ravens that have been bred specifically for war. These huge, powerful, clever creatures may represent a new hope in the war, but that hope is small, and can only be achieved as their guardians, including Galva, keep them alive and under control.
This is going to be a review of superlatives. Galva is one of the best leading characters I've ever had the pleasure of following. The war corvids are some of the best animal companions I've come across. The goblins are beyond terrifying. The world feels gritty and real and immersive. The surrounding cast leap off of the page. And the prose is just lyrical. It sucks you in and makes you really feel what it going on, whether that be the purity of a character exchange, the chaos of battle, the terror of death, the pain of grief and beyond.
After hearing Papa John Gwynne and my brother, Ed, rave about The Daughter's War, I knew I had to pick it up ASAP! And boy am I so glad I did. They were both right. This is truly epic fantasy, with huge armies, creatures bred for war, goblins, magic and more. But, it is also gritty and dark and grounded to a whole new level from most books I have read. It really is the perfect blend of fantasy and realism.
I have to dedicate a few words to the goblins. Do not let your previous conceptions of goblins cloud your judgement. These are not your usual goblins. These are nasty, built for war, brutal, terrifying goblins that are intelligent and horrifying. You feel scared when they are on the page, and for good reason. I cannot think of another creature in a fantasy tale that makes as much of an impression.
At the risk of repeating myself, The Daughter's War is, in my mind, as close to perfect as you can get. We have characters we love, and we have villains we hate, but all the characters feel so natural and organic. The tension is palpable, the twists make you gasp, the losses bring a tear to your eye, the action makes your heart thump, and when you close that final page, you are embraced by the bitter-sweet book hangover. It is a rare experience, and one I have treasured.
100/5 STARS
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
My September Book of the Month
This is what modern epic fantasy should be! One of the best books I have ever read. The Daughters' War perfectly balances an intimate heart with an epic backdrop. From the standout characters to the warfare to the world we are thrown into, it is truly unique. In every way, this is a masterpiece.
In The Daughter's War we follow Galva as she, and her three brothers, are part of a new army that has been formed from a variety of countries and regions. This force must under all circumstances halt the seemingly unstoppable advance of the goblin armies. This seems even more unlikely the more you learn, as we see that the majority of this army are the dregs of society. They have been forced to pull on the old and young, as most of those in their prime are now dead. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Galva falls into one of these gambles. She is part of a group of 'war corvids' which are basically a mix of ostriches and ravens that have been bred specifically for war. These huge, powerful, clever creatures may represent a new hope in the war, but that hope is small, and can only be achieved as their guardians, including Galva, keep them alive and under control.
This is going to be a review of superlatives. Galva is one of the best leading characters I've ever had the pleasure of following. The war corvids are some of the best animal companions I've come across. The goblins are beyond terrifying. The world feels gritty and real and immersive. The surrounding cast leap off of the page. And the prose is just lyrical. It sucks you in and makes you really feel what it going on, whether that be the purity of a character exchange, the chaos of battle, the terror of death, the pain of grief and beyond.
After hearing Papa John Gwynne and my brother, Ed, rave about The Daughter's War, I knew I had to pick it up ASAP! And boy am I so glad I did. They were both right. This is truly epic fantasy, with huge armies, creatures bred for war, goblins, magic and more. But, it is also gritty and dark and grounded to a whole new level from most books I have read. It really is the perfect blend of fantasy and realism.
I have to dedicate a few words to the goblins. Do not let your previous conceptions of goblins cloud your judgement. These are not your usual goblins. These are nasty, built for war, brutal, terrifying goblins that are intelligent and horrifying. You feel scared when they are on the page, and for good reason. I cannot think of another creature in a fantasy tale that makes as much of an impression.
At the risk of repeating myself, The Daughter's War is, in my mind, as close to perfect as you can get. We have characters we love, and we have villains we hate, but all the characters feel so natural and organic. The tension is palpable, the twists make you gasp, the losses bring a tear to your eye, the action makes your heart thump, and when you close that final page, you are embraced by the bitter-sweet book hangover. It is a rare experience, and one I have treasured.
100/5 STARS
July 21, 2025
*2nd read* - this is truly one of the most powerful, impactful and intense fantasy books out there. Buehlman writes such such individuality, in both world-building and story beats. It's so hard to predict what is coming, so heartbreaking, horrifying and shocking to read. He's at the top of his game here.
This is what modern fantasy should be! The Brothers Gwynne YouTube
This book is a masterpiece.
War-corvids.
The horrifying Goblin Wars.
Galva 😢
This is the military fantasy I've always wanted to read.
This is what modern fantasy should be! The Brothers Gwynne YouTube
This book is a masterpiece.
War-corvids.
The horrifying Goblin Wars.
Galva 😢
This is the military fantasy I've always wanted to read.
June 15, 2024
For my review of The Daughters' War, I’m going to start with a quote from Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.
‘At the temple there is a poem called ‘Loss’ carved into the stone.
It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out.
You cannot read loss, only feel it.’
Sometimes quotes stay with you forever. This is one such quote. Even in my late teens, I knew this to be a truth. Now that I’m nearly forty, I know it.
Or at least, I thought I did.
The Daughters' War is an ode to loss, and I can now say that I’ve read what loss is. The poet was wrong, after all.
But come closer, let me explain.
The Daughters' War is the story of Galva. It is the same world as The Blacktongue Thief, but perspective is everything.
The Blacktongue Thief was the story of Kinch Na Shannock, a thief who is alive after the Daughters' War. He is a boy who has grown to manhood in a spoiled and ruined world, yet one where kynd has won. His humour is dark, gallow-like, and at times I found myself crying with laughter amongst the gore.
But Galva is a warrior and survivor and fought in the Daughters' War. There is little humour in her story. It is a tale of short lives and bloody hands. There is love, yes. For there to be deep sorrow, a deep love must have come first. And it is a fantastic story. Horrific. Destructive. Full of despair… but you will not be able to look away.
A beautiful cast of characters await you. Galva, my heart is hers. Amiel, I adore. Innocenta and Pol, too. The corvids are seriously my favourite new fantasy animal. Dalgatha and Bellu are magnificent, as was the whole corvid army.
There are villains. Goblins being the most horrendous, but the worst of villains are always those closer to home. This storyline was perhaps my favourite.
But alas, I can tell you no more. I do not wish to spoiler you. I shall have to wait until the book is released to discuss all the things I want to.
For now, all you need to know is this – Christopher Buehlman has created two masterpieces. Both stories in this world I will read and read again.
And I shall leave you with a final thought…
Prepare yourself, dear readers. There will be tears. Many.
It is an ode to loss, after all.
‘At the temple there is a poem called ‘Loss’ carved into the stone.
It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out.
You cannot read loss, only feel it.’
Sometimes quotes stay with you forever. This is one such quote. Even in my late teens, I knew this to be a truth. Now that I’m nearly forty, I know it.
Or at least, I thought I did.
The Daughters' War is an ode to loss, and I can now say that I’ve read what loss is. The poet was wrong, after all.
But come closer, let me explain.
The Daughters' War is the story of Galva. It is the same world as The Blacktongue Thief, but perspective is everything.
The Blacktongue Thief was the story of Kinch Na Shannock, a thief who is alive after the Daughters' War. He is a boy who has grown to manhood in a spoiled and ruined world, yet one where kynd has won. His humour is dark, gallow-like, and at times I found myself crying with laughter amongst the gore.
But Galva is a warrior and survivor and fought in the Daughters' War. There is little humour in her story. It is a tale of short lives and bloody hands. There is love, yes. For there to be deep sorrow, a deep love must have come first. And it is a fantastic story. Horrific. Destructive. Full of despair… but you will not be able to look away.
A beautiful cast of characters await you. Galva, my heart is hers. Amiel, I adore. Innocenta and Pol, too. The corvids are seriously my favourite new fantasy animal. Dalgatha and Bellu are magnificent, as was the whole corvid army.
There are villains. Goblins being the most horrendous, but the worst of villains are always those closer to home. This storyline was perhaps my favourite.
But alas, I can tell you no more. I do not wish to spoiler you. I shall have to wait until the book is released to discuss all the things I want to.
For now, all you need to know is this – Christopher Buehlman has created two masterpieces. Both stories in this world I will read and read again.
And I shall leave you with a final thought…
Prepare yourself, dear readers. There will be tears. Many.
It is an ode to loss, after all.
July 7, 2024
At first, I was a bit disappointed to learn that Christopher Buehlman himself was not narrating this. I loved his performance of The Blacktongue Thief, and I was looking forward to hearing that accent again. Once I got over that and started listening though, I felt myself being pulled in by Galva's narrative.
Instead of being a sequel, this is a prequel. Galva, the battle weary tattooed woman from the first book, takes over the storytelling and boy is her story a grim one. There are quite a few differences between this book and the first. Number one for me being the nearly total lack of humor. Kinch Na Shannack's POV from Blacktongue was often funny and off kilter. I loved it! But this story is from Galva's POV and she has very little to laugh about.
The second big difference is that Kinch's tale was unknown to us, while Galva's is not. We already know what happens, if in only a somewhat vague way. Now, all the details of Galva's history are revealed through her eyes. It is a grim history, filled with heartache, death, family betrayals, and a lost love. One thing I really love about her is that she never gives up. Another thing I love is her love of her war corvid. The female army and their platoon of giant war corvids is such a sight to imagine! Mr. Buehlman brings it to life and as I listened, it all unfolded like a film in my brain.
I felt Galva's pain and I wanted to give her a big hug so many times. I also felt her love and her heartbreak and her doggedness to keep on keeping on. Galva has become one of my favorite characters of all time.
The audio of this was narrated by Nikki Garcia and she was marvelous! Her intonations conveyed sadness, hatred and humor, (though little of that there was), and inspired me to cheer for and cry with Galva. She imbued her narration with a slight accent and now this will forever be the voice of Galva to me. BRAVO to Ms. Garcia!
Once I got over the absence of Kinch, I relaxed and let Galva's story unfold before me. I loved it and have come away with a much deeper understanding of her character and why she is like she is. I am now ready and eager to continue the story of them both, but to be honest? I need Kinch to return now and lift me from the darkness that is Galva's history.
My highest recommendation! 4.5/5 stars!
*Audio ARC from publisher.*
Instead of being a sequel, this is a prequel. Galva, the battle weary tattooed woman from the first book, takes over the storytelling and boy is her story a grim one. There are quite a few differences between this book and the first. Number one for me being the nearly total lack of humor. Kinch Na Shannack's POV from Blacktongue was often funny and off kilter. I loved it! But this story is from Galva's POV and she has very little to laugh about.
The second big difference is that Kinch's tale was unknown to us, while Galva's is not. We already know what happens, if in only a somewhat vague way. Now, all the details of Galva's history are revealed through her eyes. It is a grim history, filled with heartache, death, family betrayals, and a lost love. One thing I really love about her is that she never gives up. Another thing I love is her love of her war corvid. The female army and their platoon of giant war corvids is such a sight to imagine! Mr. Buehlman brings it to life and as I listened, it all unfolded like a film in my brain.
I felt Galva's pain and I wanted to give her a big hug so many times. I also felt her love and her heartbreak and her doggedness to keep on keeping on. Galva has become one of my favorite characters of all time.
The audio of this was narrated by Nikki Garcia and she was marvelous! Her intonations conveyed sadness, hatred and humor, (though little of that there was), and inspired me to cheer for and cry with Galva. She imbued her narration with a slight accent and now this will forever be the voice of Galva to me. BRAVO to Ms. Garcia!
Once I got over the absence of Kinch, I relaxed and let Galva's story unfold before me. I loved it and have come away with a much deeper understanding of her character and why she is like she is. I am now ready and eager to continue the story of them both, but to be honest? I need Kinch to return now and lift me from the darkness that is Galva's history.
My highest recommendation! 4.5/5 stars!
*Audio ARC from publisher.*
August 16, 2024
The Daughters’ War is an unconventional fantasy novel—it’s more a series of vignettes, written like an autobiography of a woman at war. Galva’s story is predictable in many ways, but I believe the appeal lies in the vividness of each moment, good and bad, and the quiet but undeniable strength of the main character, her resilience and faith, how much she loves (a trait humble Galva is careful not to mention but one that is evident in the devotion her friends show her). The most interesting part of the book wasn’t what I expected, which was Galva’s relationship with Mireya—it was Galva’s family dynamic, and her understated narrative style that depicts much through what it leaves out. Even though her life is extraordinary, it is still a life—there is no hero’s journey here, no questing, and I think that makes it feel very real. Every layer of this story is about women; maybe that’s why I like it so much.
4/5
4/5
November 15, 2024
I mean... Who wouldn't follow Galva into goblin-infested war with a giant corvid?
_________
Oh yes, I would. Totally.
Written from Galva's point of view, the book covers the entirety of her time in the third Goblin's war, nicknamed The Daughters' War as a member of experimental military force, First Lanza of His Majesty’s Corvid Knights.
So, if you are asking was this book necessary and should you care and what was the point of it, here are some things to note.
This book is really not integral to following Kinch's adventure started in The Blacktongue Thief. This book is written for readers like me who got this tidbits about the war from TBT and had all these questions:
"But how did goblins kill all the horses?"
"Goblin warS?"
"What are the events that led Kalith on the throne of Ispanthia?"
"No, really, where did the bird go?" :)
I was intrigued by all of this. For me, it's what makes this fantasy world a world lived in. Not just a a canvas this adventure is taking place in, it's a place determined by its history and events past.
So, beside the giants who are a threat, what we saw of goblins from TBT was a terrifying scene, one of inevitability of death. But what we saw in The Daughters' War of goblins was the sheer devastation that gave the credence to that feeling of inevitability of death. That initial introduction to goblins didn't really prepare me for how serious threat they are and just how much humans are having hard time fighting against them. There were three wars, each more devastating than the one before because both goblins and humans learned from their enemies and I mentioned this in TBT already, but making them believably scary instead of just ugly brainless mob is Buehlman at his most confident. These goblins are pure horror and war is a stuff of nightmares. And while we're on that subject, I've read in the Acknowledgment Notes that Buehlman consulted with Christian Cameron (also known to fantasy readers as Miles Cameron) which makes sense considering how detailed, well thought and constructed military operations against goblins were, especially the notorious battle of Goltay, the Kingsdoom. Military battles are Cameron's specialty after all and it reads like both authors had a great time exchanging ideas and flexing their writing muscles creating something amazing.
But, getting to know more the events that preceded TBT is not really the selling point of the book, nor something I took with me from it, no matter how much I appreciated it. It thoroughly pleased curiosity about the mechanics and workings of the world and explained why are some things as they are and why are some people as they are.
No. It's Galva.
I know that authors sometimes have side-characters who grip them and push them to tell their story and for once, I am glad it happened to Buehlman. A lot of Galva's character from TBT was ascribed to her being from Ispanthia, specifically being a Spanth soldier. Her stoicism, sometimes chivalry, sometimes brutality, but fairly intact moral compass were these facets of her, like she is a template, a paladin character to Kinch's chaotic neutral. In truth, there are layers to Galva. As a soldier of Ispanthia, she is deeply affected by the war and loss and by the disappointment of people and institutions in charge contrasted with the camaraderie and bravery of those you would least expect it from. As a member of the Braga family, she is a perfectly imperfect daughter who deserves admiration and a loving sister and bitter rival. As a human she is forever scarred by brutality she witnessed. So, she is as much shaped by everything she lived through in Daughters' War as she is the product of Ispanthia's upbringing and a Calar Bajat student. She is such a badass and when you get back and read that first chapter where she and Kinch meet you really understand why he had a feeling she is not a target you should mess with. And also why the shield made thieves foolish enough to try. The shield ties into her family background and it made me so melancholic by the end. Every scene with her brothers was so electric and emotionally charged and, most of all, their conversations were written to sound so organic, like they are a family. They sound real, which I guess is the highest compliment you can give to an author. For example, Galva's reminiscence would occasionally include letters from her brothers Pol and Amiel which was a great tool to develop them more than just vehicles for plot to happen.
So, as much as this story is not necessary and doesn't have the purpose in the main adventure with Kinch, it was a book I had no idea I would love as much. It's the best thing I've read this year and it made TBT a better book on a reread. And to be clear, Galva is not Kinch, so you would not get his witty narration nor dark humor. She is very matter of the fact, but she had a story to tell and I am glad Beuhlman listened to her because it's a hell of a story.
I love Galva. I would follow her to any war with her skinny girl.
_________
Oh yes, I would. Totally.
Written from Galva's point of view, the book covers the entirety of her time in the third Goblin's war, nicknamed The Daughters' War as a member of experimental military force, First Lanza of His Majesty’s Corvid Knights.
So, if you are asking was this book necessary and should you care and what was the point of it, here are some things to note.
This book is really not integral to following Kinch's adventure started in The Blacktongue Thief. This book is written for readers like me who got this tidbits about the war from TBT and had all these questions:
"But how did goblins kill all the horses?"
"Goblin warS?"
"What are the events that led Kalith on the throne of Ispanthia?"
"No, really, where did the bird go?" :)
I was intrigued by all of this. For me, it's what makes this fantasy world a world lived in. Not just a a canvas this adventure is taking place in, it's a place determined by its history and events past.
So, beside the giants who are a threat, what we saw of goblins from TBT was a terrifying scene, one of inevitability of death. But what we saw in The Daughters' War of goblins was the sheer devastation that gave the credence to that feeling of inevitability of death. That initial introduction to goblins didn't really prepare me for how serious threat they are and just how much humans are having hard time fighting against them. There were three wars, each more devastating than the one before because both goblins and humans learned from their enemies and I mentioned this in TBT already, but making them believably scary instead of just ugly brainless mob is Buehlman at his most confident. These goblins are pure horror and war is a stuff of nightmares. And while we're on that subject, I've read in the Acknowledgment Notes that Buehlman consulted with Christian Cameron (also known to fantasy readers as Miles Cameron) which makes sense considering how detailed, well thought and constructed military operations against goblins were, especially the notorious battle of Goltay, the Kingsdoom. Military battles are Cameron's specialty after all and it reads like both authors had a great time exchanging ideas and flexing their writing muscles creating something amazing.
But, getting to know more the events that preceded TBT is not really the selling point of the book, nor something I took with me from it, no matter how much I appreciated it. It thoroughly pleased curiosity about the mechanics and workings of the world and explained why are some things as they are and why are some people as they are.
No. It's Galva.
I know that authors sometimes have side-characters who grip them and push them to tell their story and for once, I am glad it happened to Buehlman. A lot of Galva's character from TBT was ascribed to her being from Ispanthia, specifically being a Spanth soldier. Her stoicism, sometimes chivalry, sometimes brutality, but fairly intact moral compass were these facets of her, like she is a template, a paladin character to Kinch's chaotic neutral. In truth, there are layers to Galva. As a soldier of Ispanthia, she is deeply affected by the war and loss and by the disappointment of people and institutions in charge contrasted with the camaraderie and bravery of those you would least expect it from. As a member of the Braga family, she is a perfectly imperfect daughter who deserves admiration and a loving sister and bitter rival. As a human she is forever scarred by brutality she witnessed. So, she is as much shaped by everything she lived through in Daughters' War as she is the product of Ispanthia's upbringing and a Calar Bajat student. She is such a badass and when you get back and read that first chapter where she and Kinch meet you really understand why he had a feeling she is not a target you should mess with. And also why the shield made thieves foolish enough to try. The shield ties into her family background and it made me so melancholic by the end. Every scene with her brothers was so electric and emotionally charged and, most of all, their conversations were written to sound so organic, like they are a family. They sound real, which I guess is the highest compliment you can give to an author. For example, Galva's reminiscence would occasionally include letters from her brothers Pol and Amiel which was a great tool to develop them more than just vehicles for plot to happen.
So, as much as this story is not necessary and doesn't have the purpose in the main adventure with Kinch, it was a book I had no idea I would love as much. It's the best thing I've read this year and it made TBT a better book on a reread. And to be clear, Galva is not Kinch, so you would not get his witty narration nor dark humor. She is very matter of the fact, but she had a story to tell and I am glad Beuhlman listened to her because it's a hell of a story.
I love Galva. I would follow her to any war with her skinny girl.
March 14, 2024
Quite possibly the best book I've read in the last couple of years. It's gorgeously written, horrifying in parts, inspiring in others, and terribly sad in all the best ways. A masterpiece, and one I expect to see adapted into a successful TV series by 2030 or so (feel free to bookmark this review for posterity!).
Want to read
October 17, 2023If its Christopher Buehlman; I add it; no questions asked.
March 16, 2024
I was under sail, on my way to war. On my way to fall in love with death, and with a queen. On my way to lose all of my friends, and two of my brothers. I would see a great city fall in blood and fire, betrayed by a false god. Later, I would be commanded to die on a high stone bridge, but I would fail in this.
This opening sets up the rest of the story as Galva narrates her adventure. Her downfall.
Galva is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Braga with three brothers, all fighting in the war against the goblins. She is in an experimental regiment using raven-like birds the size of stags and is basically resigned to dying a bloody death.
This has been a hard skill to learn, the forgiving of self, and it is not always easy to know when it is good and when it is indulgent.
This was rich in world-building. Buelhman is self-aware that he lays the world-building on thick at the start but it is done creatively through different mediums so it doesn’t feel like an information dump: flashbacks, letters, observations.
Not to mention, Buelhman has a way with poetry. Normally, I find multiple verses of poetry included in a fantasy book annoying and worthless, yet I was enraptured by his words and how it added to the story.
Buelhman builds a gritty, dark world, full of the horrors, depravity, and cruelty of war.
Told from a first person point of view, Galva offers many rich observations and depth to this world and her humanity really shows.
To be loved by a man is to be issued a decree he has written in advance, and has presented to others; to receive a woman's love is to have a very personal letter written on one's body.
What I immensely enjoyed was that the goblins weren’t the traditional stupid creatures usually sent to overwhelm. They actually seem scarier, smarter, and crueler than humans.
Magic also has a price to pay for its usage, and this raises stakes and doesn’t guarantee victory so each step forward is hard-won and questionable.
The ending felt rushed, however, as this is a prequel book, I don’t feel as cheated as I might have.
I think you could totally read this without reading the Blacktongue thief. You might miss some allusions and details, but you wouldn’t miss out on any plot.
Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing an archive of in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
This opening sets up the rest of the story as Galva narrates her adventure. Her downfall.
Galva is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Braga with three brothers, all fighting in the war against the goblins. She is in an experimental regiment using raven-like birds the size of stags and is basically resigned to dying a bloody death.
This has been a hard skill to learn, the forgiving of self, and it is not always easy to know when it is good and when it is indulgent.
This was rich in world-building. Buelhman is self-aware that he lays the world-building on thick at the start but it is done creatively through different mediums so it doesn’t feel like an information dump: flashbacks, letters, observations.
Not to mention, Buelhman has a way with poetry. Normally, I find multiple verses of poetry included in a fantasy book annoying and worthless, yet I was enraptured by his words and how it added to the story.
Buelhman builds a gritty, dark world, full of the horrors, depravity, and cruelty of war.
Told from a first person point of view, Galva offers many rich observations and depth to this world and her humanity really shows.
To be loved by a man is to be issued a decree he has written in advance, and has presented to others; to receive a woman's love is to have a very personal letter written on one's body.
What I immensely enjoyed was that the goblins weren’t the traditional stupid creatures usually sent to overwhelm. They actually seem scarier, smarter, and crueler than humans.
Magic also has a price to pay for its usage, and this raises stakes and doesn’t guarantee victory so each step forward is hard-won and questionable.
The ending felt rushed, however, as this is a prequel book, I don’t feel as cheated as I might have.
I think you could totally read this without reading the Blacktongue thief. You might miss some allusions and details, but you wouldn’t miss out on any plot.
Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing an archive of in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
December 10, 2024
2.5 stars. Gutted
I was really looking forward to this one as I had a great time with The Blacktongue Thief. I knew this book would be different though, as we would focus on a different character – the first book was from the point of view of Kinch, and I absolutely loved the humour that came through his narration, whereas this book would tell an earlier story, from the perspective of Galva – and being something of a prequel, I expected that Kinch wouldn’t feature at all.
Being a first-person narrative from a different character, I think the difference in style is both a good thing and a bad thing. On the good side, it shows that the POV is from someone else, and that the narrators of the two books are two very different people. That was done well, and you can see the character “voice” in each of the two books. The bad side, for me, is that where I loved Kinch’s narration, I really didn’t get on with Galva’s. Part of that was the story and the narrative style itself, but a big part of it was the lack of that humour that I enjoyed so much.
I like Galva as a character, but she comes across here (to me) as an awful narrator. It meant the book just really didn’t work for me at all. There were various points where, while telling her story, Galva would say “I received a letter from… [typically one of her brothers],” and then would go on to read the entire letter verbatim, sign-off and all. Elsewhere, it would say “I’ll let [another brother] tell this part, because he was there,” and it would shift the narrative, for a single chapter, to that other character, in whose head we have spent absolutely no time up to that point.
I didn’t like this (either example) as a narrative style at all, it would really throw me off my reading stride when I came across them. Another example that really didn’t work for me was some odd narrative signposting. At one point for instance, Galva said “I’ll tell you what it looked like, and then I’ll tell you what it did,” and then she immediately went on to tell us what this thing looked like, and then tell us what happened. It was a peculiar piece of narrative for me that just had me looking away in confusion as I was reading it.
The story itself was decent, and I liked meeting some characters who had been mentioned in The Blacktongue Thief, and I liked the expansion of the world and its history as well. All in all though, this was a big disappointment for me. It wasn’t even that I was disappointed because I didn’t love it, I could live with that, but rather, I was disappointed because I didn’t even like it.
I was really looking forward to this one as I had a great time with The Blacktongue Thief. I knew this book would be different though, as we would focus on a different character – the first book was from the point of view of Kinch, and I absolutely loved the humour that came through his narration, whereas this book would tell an earlier story, from the perspective of Galva – and being something of a prequel, I expected that Kinch wouldn’t feature at all.
Being a first-person narrative from a different character, I think the difference in style is both a good thing and a bad thing. On the good side, it shows that the POV is from someone else, and that the narrators of the two books are two very different people. That was done well, and you can see the character “voice” in each of the two books. The bad side, for me, is that where I loved Kinch’s narration, I really didn’t get on with Galva’s. Part of that was the story and the narrative style itself, but a big part of it was the lack of that humour that I enjoyed so much.
I like Galva as a character, but she comes across here (to me) as an awful narrator. It meant the book just really didn’t work for me at all. There were various points where, while telling her story, Galva would say “I received a letter from… [typically one of her brothers],” and then would go on to read the entire letter verbatim, sign-off and all. Elsewhere, it would say “I’ll let [another brother] tell this part, because he was there,” and it would shift the narrative, for a single chapter, to that other character, in whose head we have spent absolutely no time up to that point.
I didn’t like this (either example) as a narrative style at all, it would really throw me off my reading stride when I came across them. Another example that really didn’t work for me was some odd narrative signposting. At one point for instance, Galva said “I’ll tell you what it looked like, and then I’ll tell you what it did,” and then she immediately went on to tell us what this thing looked like, and then tell us what happened. It was a peculiar piece of narrative for me that just had me looking away in confusion as I was reading it.
The story itself was decent, and I liked meeting some characters who had been mentioned in The Blacktongue Thief, and I liked the expansion of the world and its history as well. All in all though, this was a big disappointment for me. It wasn’t even that I was disappointed because I didn’t love it, I could live with that, but rather, I was disappointed because I didn’t even like it.
February 15, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I read a book this fast and this enthusiastically. And I’ve read some fantastic books!
Every so often a book comes along that makes you think about it while you’re away from actually reading it and this is one of those books. I absolutely loved The Daughter’s War from start to finish and it’s hard to pinpoint one particular reason when everything just feels so polished, but I’ll try.
I actually haven’t read The Blacktongue Thief (the first book in the series) but since this is a prequel I didn’t think it would matter. Obviously this makes my reading experience a little different from those who’ve already read The Blacktongue Thief but it certainly didn’t negatively impact my enjoyment whatever the case. I asked myself why I hadn’t read it and I can vaguely remember being put off at the time by the reviews saying it was a humorous book. I’m not a fan of fantasy that tries to be funny and I’m pretty sure this is why I gave it a miss. Forgetting all about this and being pulled in by the stunning cover, I went ahead with the prequel. What I can say is the book has some funny parts, but only so much in that life is funny in parts. The author isn’t trying hard to force humour, but when it naturally occurs, it genuinely made me smile with amusement and provides sparse comic relief within a book that is actually extremely dark and gritty.
And this is something that stands out to me now having finished it; it made me feel such a wide range of emotions that it was immersive and real. I felt all of these emotions strongly. There was a scene I read before bed – one last chapter – that I actually screamed “No!” in as much of a whisper as I could manage at about 1:30 in the morning. I then lay in bed disbelieving the scene and feeling sad, angry and vengeful. Not at the author – but at how events had transpired and one of the characters in the book. Taking a step backwards, I realised how rare it is for a book to be able to provoke those sorts of emotions in me when I’m not even sat reading it and how immersed I must have been in the story to feel that way.
I felt the love and camaraderie between characters. I felt the despair, hope and wisdom. Speaking of which, there are many quotable words of wisdom in this book you’ll be tempted to highlight if you’re reading on ebook (or if you’re a monster who writes in the margins physical books). It all adds together in the witch’s cauldron to make the recipe; those essential ingredients that tell you the author has it together, that you can trust them to guide you through an amazing story, that they just know things.
The protagonist Galva I understand is a character other readers will be familiar with, but it was my first introduction and I actually think I enjoyed her development all the more not knowing anything about her beforehand. I love her character and the strength combined with humility she possesses. She’s deadly but also compassionate. She thinks about how other people might feel and what the right thing to do is but she’s also a trained killer. She’s a young adult finding her way in the world and there are certainly themes we might associate with New Adult subgenres on first glance; exploration of sexual experiences, identity and gender; Figuring out relationships – familial, platonic and romantic; starting out on an unfamiliar and dangerous path in a world of older and more experienced people. Yet this book is most certainly aimed at readers who are ready for horrifying, visceral Grimdark or those who already feel comfortable reading harrowing situations with at times quite nightmarish realities. It’s not for the faint hearted or unprepared. It’s actually pretty bleak most of the way through – but the moments of kindness, the clever humour and enjoyable world building keep your spirits up despite the carnage surrounding most of the story.
The bringers of said carnage are the Goblin horde – the biters. I’ve felt for a while that goblins are underused in fantasy – I don’t mean the type from the mines of Moria – I mean the goblins of European folklore, a group of pointy-nosed, sharp toothed malevolent humanoids that I’ve always been incredibly creeped out by. Whether this spoke to me personally or not, the horror elements are prevalent. I know the author has written a historical horror and his ability with these scary elements as well as obvious knowledge of historical battle tactics really adds extra layers of enjoyment to a book that already features a main character whose journey I loved to be on board with. The author is able to make you really hate the goblin foe with a passion while also making them terrifying. Rather than actually being sadistic for the sake of it, the goblins see humans – named kynd here – as little more than cattle. They treat humans as some humans treat animals in the real world. Hung up for meat, transported with the army in cages for food, bodies defiled after death. They make no attempt to talk or taunt – killing and eating is their main concern. To me, this makes them even more horrific.
I can’t mention all the other great stuff in this book without talking about the sentient war Corvids that have been bred to fight the goblins. Basically unruly giant ravens that are trained but still pretty unpredictable. Buehlman has expertly crafted their temperaments and traits to make them almost as important as the people, but not quite. To the rest of the army who don’t really understand them, they’re just simply beasts. To their bonded human sisters, they’re more than horses or dogs and these relationships play an important part in the story.
At 416 pages, it isn’t the longest fantasy standalone ever but there is enough substance to incorporate an awful lot of world building and depth. I enjoyed that some chapters were letters from other characters – something I usually dislike but thought worked excellently in this book. I thought the page count allowed the story to be concise; I’d have been more than happy to read this book again if it had double the number of pages and would look forward to all the extra battle tactics and character relationship development. 400 pages is my ideal page count, but I would have welcomed even more from this book because I enjoyed it so much. A very minor gripe is that there were a couple of characters whose stories were ended quite abruptly in the final chapter, years after the events of the main story. I get why their stories had to be closed quite finally, but I would have liked a little more explanation. However, this didn’t detract at all from my overall enjoyment.
What I am left replaying in my head is actually an incredible scene right towards the end of the book with some vengeance that is cold AF and left me open mouthed. So dark but so well written.
This is a book I wish I’d been part of a book club for and could sit around a table and chat about with others because I just keep thinking of it and wanting to talk about it! Will it be spoken about as a fantasy classic? I’m not saying that necessarily, but sometimes you just have to take a step back and think about your enjoyment of a book as a whole reading experience rather than critically assess each aspect and ask yourself how much you enjoyed it. This is one of my all time faves.
I read this digital arc in exchange for my honest review. Thankyou for the opportunity!
Every so often a book comes along that makes you think about it while you’re away from actually reading it and this is one of those books. I absolutely loved The Daughter’s War from start to finish and it’s hard to pinpoint one particular reason when everything just feels so polished, but I’ll try.
I actually haven’t read The Blacktongue Thief (the first book in the series) but since this is a prequel I didn’t think it would matter. Obviously this makes my reading experience a little different from those who’ve already read The Blacktongue Thief but it certainly didn’t negatively impact my enjoyment whatever the case. I asked myself why I hadn’t read it and I can vaguely remember being put off at the time by the reviews saying it was a humorous book. I’m not a fan of fantasy that tries to be funny and I’m pretty sure this is why I gave it a miss. Forgetting all about this and being pulled in by the stunning cover, I went ahead with the prequel. What I can say is the book has some funny parts, but only so much in that life is funny in parts. The author isn’t trying hard to force humour, but when it naturally occurs, it genuinely made me smile with amusement and provides sparse comic relief within a book that is actually extremely dark and gritty.
And this is something that stands out to me now having finished it; it made me feel such a wide range of emotions that it was immersive and real. I felt all of these emotions strongly. There was a scene I read before bed – one last chapter – that I actually screamed “No!” in as much of a whisper as I could manage at about 1:30 in the morning. I then lay in bed disbelieving the scene and feeling sad, angry and vengeful. Not at the author – but at how events had transpired and one of the characters in the book. Taking a step backwards, I realised how rare it is for a book to be able to provoke those sorts of emotions in me when I’m not even sat reading it and how immersed I must have been in the story to feel that way.
I felt the love and camaraderie between characters. I felt the despair, hope and wisdom. Speaking of which, there are many quotable words of wisdom in this book you’ll be tempted to highlight if you’re reading on ebook (or if you’re a monster who writes in the margins physical books). It all adds together in the witch’s cauldron to make the recipe; those essential ingredients that tell you the author has it together, that you can trust them to guide you through an amazing story, that they just know things.
The protagonist Galva I understand is a character other readers will be familiar with, but it was my first introduction and I actually think I enjoyed her development all the more not knowing anything about her beforehand. I love her character and the strength combined with humility she possesses. She’s deadly but also compassionate. She thinks about how other people might feel and what the right thing to do is but she’s also a trained killer. She’s a young adult finding her way in the world and there are certainly themes we might associate with New Adult subgenres on first glance; exploration of sexual experiences, identity and gender; Figuring out relationships – familial, platonic and romantic; starting out on an unfamiliar and dangerous path in a world of older and more experienced people. Yet this book is most certainly aimed at readers who are ready for horrifying, visceral Grimdark or those who already feel comfortable reading harrowing situations with at times quite nightmarish realities. It’s not for the faint hearted or unprepared. It’s actually pretty bleak most of the way through – but the moments of kindness, the clever humour and enjoyable world building keep your spirits up despite the carnage surrounding most of the story.
The bringers of said carnage are the Goblin horde – the biters. I’ve felt for a while that goblins are underused in fantasy – I don’t mean the type from the mines of Moria – I mean the goblins of European folklore, a group of pointy-nosed, sharp toothed malevolent humanoids that I’ve always been incredibly creeped out by. Whether this spoke to me personally or not, the horror elements are prevalent. I know the author has written a historical horror and his ability with these scary elements as well as obvious knowledge of historical battle tactics really adds extra layers of enjoyment to a book that already features a main character whose journey I loved to be on board with. The author is able to make you really hate the goblin foe with a passion while also making them terrifying. Rather than actually being sadistic for the sake of it, the goblins see humans – named kynd here – as little more than cattle. They treat humans as some humans treat animals in the real world. Hung up for meat, transported with the army in cages for food, bodies defiled after death. They make no attempt to talk or taunt – killing and eating is their main concern. To me, this makes them even more horrific.
I can’t mention all the other great stuff in this book without talking about the sentient war Corvids that have been bred to fight the goblins. Basically unruly giant ravens that are trained but still pretty unpredictable. Buehlman has expertly crafted their temperaments and traits to make them almost as important as the people, but not quite. To the rest of the army who don’t really understand them, they’re just simply beasts. To their bonded human sisters, they’re more than horses or dogs and these relationships play an important part in the story.
At 416 pages, it isn’t the longest fantasy standalone ever but there is enough substance to incorporate an awful lot of world building and depth. I enjoyed that some chapters were letters from other characters – something I usually dislike but thought worked excellently in this book. I thought the page count allowed the story to be concise; I’d have been more than happy to read this book again if it had double the number of pages and would look forward to all the extra battle tactics and character relationship development. 400 pages is my ideal page count, but I would have welcomed even more from this book because I enjoyed it so much. A very minor gripe is that there were a couple of characters whose stories were ended quite abruptly in the final chapter, years after the events of the main story. I get why their stories had to be closed quite finally, but I would have liked a little more explanation. However, this didn’t detract at all from my overall enjoyment.
What I am left replaying in my head is actually an incredible scene right towards the end of the book with some vengeance that is cold AF and left me open mouthed. So dark but so well written.
This is a book I wish I’d been part of a book club for and could sit around a table and chat about with others because I just keep thinking of it and wanting to talk about it! Will it be spoken about as a fantasy classic? I’m not saying that necessarily, but sometimes you just have to take a step back and think about your enjoyment of a book as a whole reading experience rather than critically assess each aspect and ask yourself how much you enjoyed it. This is one of my all time faves.
I read this digital arc in exchange for my honest review. Thankyou for the opportunity!
May 26, 2025
Oh, Galva 😭
August 5, 2024
When I excitedly opened the package that contained my copy of this book, I couldn’t help but snort gleefully: the cover says “Goblins. Guts. Glory.” I love Christopher Buehlman.
I am, as a general rule, not that big of an epic fantasy person. It often feels too formulaic and some of the tropes get on my nerves, so while I occasionally dip my toes into the genre out of curiosity, it’s not the main fare of my reading habits. Luckily for me (and for everyone, really), some writers are absolute wizards at subverting tropes and the lovely Mr. Buehlman is one of them – in every genre he has explored. “The Blacktongue Thief” was a delight to read a couple of years ago, and I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of the second book of his series/prequel, "The Daughters War”.
This novel is the story of Galva, the very tattooed warrior we met in the first book. Tonally, it’s a bit different from the first book, inasmuch as Kinch’s voice was wry and humorous. Galva’s voice is quite different, which is fitting, given that hers is a brutal story of war and loss. Other reviewers have noted this, and I quite agree with them, that Buehlman’s great talent when it comes to character building and development, makes both the similarities and the differences between the two books of this series remarkable. Exploring the same world through different characters with such drastically different personalities and backgrounds, while remaining not only consistent, but very interesting and engaging, is no easy feat. Galva had led a very different life from Kinch, and her motivations are nourished by the experience we uncover through these pages.
Her story begins during the third goblin war, in which she is a soldier who fights as part of an all-female unit of warriors who fight with war corvids; huge, magically enhanced ravens created and trained to fight against goblins. And this is not a pretty war: Buehlman’s goblins are truly gross, with terribly sharp teeth, cruelly designed weapons, and merciless warfare tactics. I’m not sure what goblins are like in most fantasy novels, but I had never seen them described like this, as a smart, utterly alien species that lays absolute waste in its path, like super icky Uruk-hai.
If you have read any books by Mr. Buehlman before, you might be aware that he is not afraid of making things grim and fucked up. And this book is a dark one, set in an unforgiving war zone and filled with loss and betrayal aplenty. It might be his most brutal work since “Between Two Fires” and while that’s one of my favorite books ever, it’s also a book that puts you through the wringer. This is still a very different book from “Between Two Fires”: Thomas was a seasoned, cynical, and disillusioned knight, Galva is a 20-year-old woman who is not ignorant of the realities of war, but who has never seen them from this close before and who defies her family’s wishes by joining the Raven Knights. But her resilience, loyalty and deep love for her family and her very big bird are the perfect thread to hold on to as we go through this story.
Another thing you might have noticed if you have read other books by Christopher Buehlman, it’s that this dude can WRITE! He is incredibly talented and builds his stories with wonderful intricacies and details, and this book showcases his talent as surely as the rest of his catalogue goes. If you aren’t prepared to have your heart crushed like an empty soda can, well, be careful around this book, because he will remind you what loss felt like when you were twenty and everything felt raw.
One aspect I wasn’t expecting, in such a detailed military fantasy setting, was how attached I would get to the corvids. I am definitely a animals > people kind of person, so these very smart birds who are clearly so attached to the warrior that trained them and who fights alongside them were full characters in their own rights in my head and when anything bad happened to any of them, my poor heart was pummeled. Whenever that happened, I would go find my cat and pet her and tell her she’s the most amazing thing in the universe and that I would take a bullet for her (and she predictably just got peeved I woke her up). So yeah, if violence against animals triggers you, consider yourself warned.
I hope Buehlman expands this universe, which I found to be richly built and full of fascinating people and customs. If you liked the first book, this one won’t let you down. Highly recommended.
I am, as a general rule, not that big of an epic fantasy person. It often feels too formulaic and some of the tropes get on my nerves, so while I occasionally dip my toes into the genre out of curiosity, it’s not the main fare of my reading habits. Luckily for me (and for everyone, really), some writers are absolute wizards at subverting tropes and the lovely Mr. Buehlman is one of them – in every genre he has explored. “The Blacktongue Thief” was a delight to read a couple of years ago, and I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of the second book of his series/prequel, "The Daughters War”.
This novel is the story of Galva, the very tattooed warrior we met in the first book. Tonally, it’s a bit different from the first book, inasmuch as Kinch’s voice was wry and humorous. Galva’s voice is quite different, which is fitting, given that hers is a brutal story of war and loss. Other reviewers have noted this, and I quite agree with them, that Buehlman’s great talent when it comes to character building and development, makes both the similarities and the differences between the two books of this series remarkable. Exploring the same world through different characters with such drastically different personalities and backgrounds, while remaining not only consistent, but very interesting and engaging, is no easy feat. Galva had led a very different life from Kinch, and her motivations are nourished by the experience we uncover through these pages.
Her story begins during the third goblin war, in which she is a soldier who fights as part of an all-female unit of warriors who fight with war corvids; huge, magically enhanced ravens created and trained to fight against goblins. And this is not a pretty war: Buehlman’s goblins are truly gross, with terribly sharp teeth, cruelly designed weapons, and merciless warfare tactics. I’m not sure what goblins are like in most fantasy novels, but I had never seen them described like this, as a smart, utterly alien species that lays absolute waste in its path, like super icky Uruk-hai.
If you have read any books by Mr. Buehlman before, you might be aware that he is not afraid of making things grim and fucked up. And this book is a dark one, set in an unforgiving war zone and filled with loss and betrayal aplenty. It might be his most brutal work since “Between Two Fires” and while that’s one of my favorite books ever, it’s also a book that puts you through the wringer. This is still a very different book from “Between Two Fires”: Thomas was a seasoned, cynical, and disillusioned knight, Galva is a 20-year-old woman who is not ignorant of the realities of war, but who has never seen them from this close before and who defies her family’s wishes by joining the Raven Knights. But her resilience, loyalty and deep love for her family and her very big bird are the perfect thread to hold on to as we go through this story.
Another thing you might have noticed if you have read other books by Christopher Buehlman, it’s that this dude can WRITE! He is incredibly talented and builds his stories with wonderful intricacies and details, and this book showcases his talent as surely as the rest of his catalogue goes. If you aren’t prepared to have your heart crushed like an empty soda can, well, be careful around this book, because he will remind you what loss felt like when you were twenty and everything felt raw.
One aspect I wasn’t expecting, in such a detailed military fantasy setting, was how attached I would get to the corvids. I am definitely a animals > people kind of person, so these very smart birds who are clearly so attached to the warrior that trained them and who fights alongside them were full characters in their own rights in my head and when anything bad happened to any of them, my poor heart was pummeled. Whenever that happened, I would go find my cat and pet her and tell her she’s the most amazing thing in the universe and that I would take a bullet for her (and she predictably just got peeved I woke her up). So yeah, if violence against animals triggers you, consider yourself warned.
I hope Buehlman expands this universe, which I found to be richly built and full of fascinating people and customs. If you liked the first book, this one won’t let you down. Highly recommended.
July 3, 2024
A master class on what not to do to keep tension in your story. Our main character is constantly looking at us in the face and telling us "this changed me" and summarizing events that haven't happened and spoiling points of high drama in her own story. Every time I would find a mystery or a point of tension, it is immediately diffused. Gets 2 because it's a fun world to have another story in, but a real let down compared to the other book in this series.
Skip it and let the other story shine.
Skip it and let the other story shine.
July 1, 2024
The Blacktongue Thief was a 5 star book for me it was so fun but I really struggled with this one. I just found that Kinch's narration in Blacktongue is what made the book for me and I missed him in this. Galva makes a fantastic side character but not a great pov. I was excited to learn more about her but I don't think this really added much to the story. For me I think this would have worked better as a short novella.
July 16, 2024
yo goblins are scary
Want to read
December 3, 2023Only leaving a review to say that ratings before a book is released are silly at best, for shame. Really enjoyed the first book and looking forward to this one, even though I generally prefer sequels to prequels.
July 6, 2024
The Daughters’ War delivers powerful writing, that is rife with pain, anger, sadness and melancholy. The way we experience war through the eyes of a young noble woman, who still carries some of her childhood innocence and naivety with her at the start of the story is an emotional journey.
Buehlman, a clear master of his craft, still manages to pull some threads of humour through the heavy fabric of this tale, somehow making a desperate fight against legions of monsters even more real and human.
Buehlman, a clear master of his craft, still manages to pull some threads of humour through the heavy fabric of this tale, somehow making a desperate fight against legions of monsters even more real and human.
August 29, 2025
This book is not The Blacktongue Thief. It’s a different book, with a different narrator, a different tone, and a different emotional valence. Galva’s story is darker and more tragic than Kinch Na Shannock’s. Galva’s no-BS personality is different than the wise-cracking Kinch’s personality; she’s more serious, more melancholy, less overtly humorous. Therefore, do not expect the experience of reading The Daughters’ War to be the same as the experience of reading The Blacktongue Thief. It is not the same. Adjust your expectations.
Don’t get me wrong; Galva’s story is not without humor and fun. Kinch’s story is certainly not without loss and grief. But The Daughters’ War is a tragedy with heroic elements, whereas The Blacktongue Thief is a heroic tale with tragic elements. Adjust your expectations.
Both stories are told in prose that often verges on poetry. Both take place in a richly realized world with diverse cultures and a deep and mysterious history. Both feature characters who feel more real and complex and believable than many of the actual human beings you know.
While I admit that The Blacktongue Thief was more fun to read, The Daughters’ War hit me harder. It moved me more deeply. I wept for Galva. This is one of those books that becomes a part of you.
The Daughters’ War is Galva’s own story about how she, at the age of 20, enlisted in an experimental company of war-corvid troops, to fight in humanity’s third war against the goblins. It follows her through the difficult early stages of that war, when things looked most bleak for humanity.
While Kinch’s name is never explicitly mentioned, there are a number of clues throughout the narrative that what we are reading is Galva’s verbal account to Kinch about her past, supplemented with some precious letters she has kept. Since they had set off on a long journey at the end of The Blacktongue Thief, we can guess that this is the tale she is telling him as they travel.
Galva’s story is not merely about the war. She also tells how she became a follower of Dal-Gaata, the goddess of death, how she and the beautiful witch Queen Mireya became lovers, and how one of her two beloved war corvids lost its life — all things referenced in The Blacktongue Thief. One of the main storylines is a tragic family drama involving Galva, her father (a duke), her three brothers, and her grandfather’s springwood shield, and it tells how Galva (and not any of her brothers) came to possess the shield.
Galva’s brothers have also found themselves pressed into military service. Her eldest (half-)brother is a feckless drunk and gambler, given a generalship based only on his royal station. Her next eldest (half-)brother is a genuinely competent and honorable leader. Her sensitive, artistic, intellectual younger brother is an assistant to Fulvir Lightningbinder, the powerful mage who created the war-corvids and who featured also in The Blacktongue Thief. As the story unfolds, all of them have their own tragic arcs.
As it says on the book cover: “Goblins. Betrayal. Revenge.” Indeed, all three of these loom large in this story. You can guess which two of them feature in the family drama.
At the beginning of the book, 20-year old Galva is not the same as the Galva we know from The Blacktongue Thief. She is, as you would expect, greener and less mature and more innocent. By the end of the book, trials and loves and losses have forged her into someone much closer to the Galva we and Kinch first encounter on the first few pages of The Blacktongue Thief.
I love Kinch and will always root for him, but after reading this book I feel almost fiercely protective of Galva. I want peace and justice so badly for her. I hope she’ll be able to spend some quality years with her beloved Mireya before the Bride of Death takes her away. But Galva is one of those characters for whom tragedy is written in her skin. She may well find a more permanent peace with her Bride before the end of these books.
Don’t get me wrong; Galva’s story is not without humor and fun. Kinch’s story is certainly not without loss and grief. But The Daughters’ War is a tragedy with heroic elements, whereas The Blacktongue Thief is a heroic tale with tragic elements. Adjust your expectations.
Both stories are told in prose that often verges on poetry. Both take place in a richly realized world with diverse cultures and a deep and mysterious history. Both feature characters who feel more real and complex and believable than many of the actual human beings you know.
While I admit that The Blacktongue Thief was more fun to read, The Daughters’ War hit me harder. It moved me more deeply. I wept for Galva. This is one of those books that becomes a part of you.
The Daughters’ War is Galva’s own story about how she, at the age of 20, enlisted in an experimental company of war-corvid troops, to fight in humanity’s third war against the goblins. It follows her through the difficult early stages of that war, when things looked most bleak for humanity.
While Kinch’s name is never explicitly mentioned, there are a number of clues throughout the narrative that what we are reading is Galva’s verbal account to Kinch about her past, supplemented with some precious letters she has kept. Since they had set off on a long journey at the end of The Blacktongue Thief, we can guess that this is the tale she is telling him as they travel.
Galva’s story is not merely about the war. She also tells how she became a follower of Dal-Gaata, the goddess of death, how she and the beautiful witch Queen Mireya became lovers, and how one of her two beloved war corvids lost its life — all things referenced in The Blacktongue Thief. One of the main storylines is a tragic family drama involving Galva, her father (a duke), her three brothers, and her grandfather’s springwood shield, and it tells how Galva (and not any of her brothers) came to possess the shield.
Galva’s brothers have also found themselves pressed into military service. Her eldest (half-)brother is a feckless drunk and gambler, given a generalship based only on his royal station. Her next eldest (half-)brother is a genuinely competent and honorable leader. Her sensitive, artistic, intellectual younger brother is an assistant to Fulvir Lightningbinder, the powerful mage who created the war-corvids and who featured also in The Blacktongue Thief. As the story unfolds, all of them have their own tragic arcs.
As it says on the book cover: “Goblins. Betrayal. Revenge.” Indeed, all three of these loom large in this story. You can guess which two of them feature in the family drama.
At the beginning of the book, 20-year old Galva is not the same as the Galva we know from The Blacktongue Thief. She is, as you would expect, greener and less mature and more innocent. By the end of the book, trials and loves and losses have forged her into someone much closer to the Galva we and Kinch first encounter on the first few pages of The Blacktongue Thief.
I love Kinch and will always root for him, but after reading this book I feel almost fiercely protective of Galva. I want peace and justice so badly for her. I hope she’ll be able to spend some quality years with her beloved Mireya before the Bride of Death takes her away. But Galva is one of those characters for whom tragedy is written in her skin. She may well find a more permanent peace with her Bride before the end of these books.
June 27, 2024
An intense experience, packed with emotion. Melancholic, horrifying and thrilling in equal measures. The writing is densely packed. There's a lot to absorb from the richly detailed world and characters, and it felt overwhelming at times. This is just as wildly inventive as The Blacktongue Thief though darker for sure, yet lacks the bawdy humor and wit that have always made Buehlman's writing so intensely amusing in my opinion
July 31, 2024
The Daughters' War was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. I'd loved The Blacktongue Thief way back when I first read it for its clever plot, hilarious narrator, and uniquely gritty fantasy world that wasn't steeped in woe and misery in the way that grim dark often is. So, I eagerly anticipated its follow-up and was happy to go along for whatever Buehlman had in store. Much to my surprise, a prequel to the original story was up next!
The Daughters' War follows Galva dom Braga, our war-hardened, war corvid carrying heavy from the first book as she sets off for the eponymous war. The goblin hordes have pushed into unceded territory, turned human beings into cattle, AND they killed all the horses. In response, Galva and her squadron launch off with their giant birds to face the goblins and all their evil. I quite enjoyed seeing the goblin warfare expanded upon as it does hammer home the brutality and alienness hinted at in the first book.
While Galva is cutting her teeth in this book, her family both blood and found make up a large part of the supporting cast. Galva's relationship to her family brings the book heart and sorrow in equal measure. There's a few letters and journals written by Galva's youngest brother that were some of the most charming passages in the entire book. I also really enjoyed the religion of death that Galva follows which enriches the world with real culture.
Though I found a lot to like, this is very different from the first book. Indeed, I think that the departure was likely a palate cleanser for Buehlman before he sets into the true sequel to The Blacktongue Thief. So, in short: Blacktongue was really, especially good. This is good, but not in the same way.
[3.5 Stars ]
The Daughters' War follows Galva dom Braga, our war-hardened, war corvid carrying heavy from the first book as she sets off for the eponymous war. The goblin hordes have pushed into unceded territory, turned human beings into cattle, AND they killed all the horses. In response, Galva and her squadron launch off with their giant birds to face the goblins and all their evil. I quite enjoyed seeing the goblin warfare expanded upon as it does hammer home the brutality and alienness hinted at in the first book.
While Galva is cutting her teeth in this book, her family both blood and found make up a large part of the supporting cast. Galva's relationship to her family brings the book heart and sorrow in equal measure. There's a few letters and journals written by Galva's youngest brother that were some of the most charming passages in the entire book. I also really enjoyed the religion of death that Galva follows which enriches the world with real culture.
Though I found a lot to like, this is very different from the first book. Indeed, I think that the departure was likely a palate cleanser for Buehlman before he sets into the true sequel to The Blacktongue Thief. So, in short: Blacktongue was really, especially good. This is good, but not in the same way.
[3.5 Stars ]
December 26, 2024
DNF 30%
This was surprisingly very boring with poor pacing. The entire story telling is very distant and passive. The plot is kind of there but shrouded by mundane interactions that made this a slog. This was such an odd choice of story telling especially giving the Blacktongue Thief was told in a very different and compelling way. Whatever tension builds up immediately gets diffused. The narrative voice is simply very, very boring. Black tongue was amazing and I found this very lack luster. 3 stars because the prose is well done but I’m very puzzled by the choices here.
This was surprisingly very boring with poor pacing. The entire story telling is very distant and passive. The plot is kind of there but shrouded by mundane interactions that made this a slog. This was such an odd choice of story telling especially giving the Blacktongue Thief was told in a very different and compelling way. Whatever tension builds up immediately gets diffused. The narrative voice is simply very, very boring. Black tongue was amazing and I found this very lack luster. 3 stars because the prose is well done but I’m very puzzled by the choices here.
January 19, 2025
Christopher Buehlman is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The way he writes characters and dialogue is incredible. His plotting and world building are great, but these are books for people who love characters and dialogue. 5/5 stars, will read everything he writes.
If Christopher Buehlman writes 1000 of these books I will read every. Single. One.
Simply amazing.
If Christopher Buehlman writes 1000 of these books I will read every. Single. One.
Simply amazing.
August 3, 2024
I didn't like it!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!
I really loved the book this is a prequel to, The Blacktongue Thief, so I'd been really looking forward to this book dropping. I really enjoyed how Blacktongue Thief was a *fun* book to read. Daughter's War isn't fun!! Or funny!!
I know that sometimes people are criticized for being disappointed in a book because they expect it to be like another of the author's work. But in this case, I think it was reasonable for me to expect a prequel to be like the main book.
The Blacktongue Thief is a fun story of a rascal going on adventures. This book is a story of a serious woman going into a horrific war against an inhuman enemy. And it's not fun.
As best as I can figure it out, BT was a fun book to read not because it is inherently funny, but because it is from the point of view of a funny guy. This is from the point of view of a serious woman, and therefore it's not fun? Due to the good reviews, I thought side characters were going to come in and be entertaining, but no not really.
I also still don't really get the point of this book. It's 400+ pages and mainly about horrible wars with goblins. Like, obviously it's probing into the backstory of a main character from the main book, but like, is that it? There's got to be more reason than that to write a 400 page book. A 'descriptive depiction of the horrors of war' doesn't really make sense, because the war is not very relevant to human warfare due to the inhuman behavior of the enemy. Maybe it's like 'monsters are horrible but only humans can hurt your feelings'? If so, it really didn't need that much horrible goblin violence. Dear god.
I feel comfortable rating this low because the book currently has a 4.37 average. I know there's a difference between "I didn't like this book" and "this is a bad book" and I'm not sure which one I'm generally supposed to be rating as - but again this is rated high enough I don't think I need to tease that apart. I didn't like it, don't get why it is like how it is, wasn't like the main book. I have no idea why the description calls it "luminous".
I really loved the book this is a prequel to, The Blacktongue Thief, so I'd been really looking forward to this book dropping. I really enjoyed how Blacktongue Thief was a *fun* book to read. Daughter's War isn't fun!! Or funny!!
I know that sometimes people are criticized for being disappointed in a book because they expect it to be like another of the author's work. But in this case, I think it was reasonable for me to expect a prequel to be like the main book.
The Blacktongue Thief is a fun story of a rascal going on adventures. This book is a story of a serious woman going into a horrific war against an inhuman enemy. And it's not fun.
As best as I can figure it out, BT was a fun book to read not because it is inherently funny, but because it is from the point of view of a funny guy. This is from the point of view of a serious woman, and therefore it's not fun? Due to the good reviews, I thought side characters were going to come in and be entertaining, but no not really.
I also still don't really get the point of this book. It's 400+ pages and mainly about horrible wars with goblins. Like, obviously it's probing into the backstory of a main character from the main book, but like, is that it? There's got to be more reason than that to write a 400 page book. A 'descriptive depiction of the horrors of war' doesn't really make sense, because the war is not very relevant to human warfare due to the inhuman behavior of the enemy. Maybe it's like 'monsters are horrible but only humans can hurt your feelings'? If so, it really didn't need that much horrible goblin violence. Dear god.
I feel comfortable rating this low because the book currently has a 4.37 average. I know there's a difference between "I didn't like this book" and "this is a bad book" and I'm not sure which one I'm generally supposed to be rating as - but again this is rated high enough I don't think I need to tease that apart. I didn't like it, don't get why it is like how it is, wasn't like the main book. I have no idea why the description calls it "luminous".
August 19, 2024
If Malazan were written by a poet rather than an archeologist/anthropologist, it would be this.
Melancholy, brutal, haunting, vicious and beautiful. A prequel to The Blacktongue Thief but you need not read that first (although I still advise it, if merely to whet your appetite); Galva as narrator tells you how this story ends at the start. Besides, this one's about the journey. It's not about the giant ravens (and any attempts to explain the ravens to an outsider invariably makes the book sound silly,) it's about Galva's relationship with them. It's not about goblins or the brutality of war, it's about Galva's experience of those. It is about Galva falling in love with two women at the same time, both of them deadly and beautiful. It is about Galva, a noble daughter, sister, and soldier, coming of age and forging her path. It is marvelous and terrible and heartfelt.
Goblins, man. These are not your low-level D&D cannon fodder goblins. Or maybe they are, if they got tired of being trod on and got their shit together and spent generations getting even. The goblins were the most memorable part of Blacktongue but their viciousness there was just the tip.
This book makes extensive use of italics, and they didn't even bother me. Unlike
certain other books the usage was standard, and even when they ran for pages they were still eminently readable. I'll chalk that up to a wise font choice by the publisher.
Melancholy, brutal, haunting, vicious and beautiful. A prequel to The Blacktongue Thief but you need not read that first (although I still advise it, if merely to whet your appetite); Galva as narrator tells you how this story ends at the start. Besides, this one's about the journey. It's not about the giant ravens (and any attempts to explain the ravens to an outsider invariably makes the book sound silly,) it's about Galva's relationship with them. It's not about goblins or the brutality of war, it's about Galva's experience of those. It is about Galva falling in love with two women at the same time, both of them deadly and beautiful. It is about Galva, a noble daughter, sister, and soldier, coming of age and forging her path. It is marvelous and terrible and heartfelt.
Goblins, man. These are not your low-level D&D cannon fodder goblins. Or maybe they are, if they got tired of being trod on and got their shit together and spent generations getting even. The goblins were the most memorable part of Blacktongue but their viciousness there was just the tip.
This book makes extensive use of italics, and they didn't even bother me. Unlike
certain other books the usage was standard, and even when they ran for pages they were still eminently readable. I'll chalk that up to a wise font choice by the publisher.
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