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Cradle #4
Skysworn
With his duel fast approaching, Lindon is locked away in prison.
As a Blackflame, he is too dangerous to remain free. The Skysworn, protectors of the Empire, have imprisoned him to keep him under control until the day of his promised fight arrives.
When it does, he will face Jai Long.
But a new danger approaches the Empire, closer every day. Only the Skysworn stand between the people of the land and total annihilation.
And Lindon may be forced to join them.
As a Blackflame, he is too dangerous to remain free. The Skysworn, protectors of the Empire, have imprisoned him to keep him under control until the day of his promised fight arrives.
When it does, he will face Jai Long.
But a new danger approaches the Empire, closer every day. Only the Skysworn stand between the people of the land and total annihilation.
And Lindon may be forced to join them.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2017
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5376 people want to read
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August 2, 2022
4.5/5 stars
Wei Shi Lindon may not have any advancement happening to him in this book, but the series did. Skysworn, just like each respective previous books, once again upgraded the overall quality of the Cradle series.
I honestly think that Skysworn was even better than Blackflame; imagine my surprise when I found out that many readers thought of this one as a downgrade for the series. I respectfully disagree. What happened in Skysworn is the direction that the series needs, although I highly enjoyed Blackflame, I didn’t have that uncontrollable urge to continue with the series. But now? I might be having nightmares if I don’t continue with the series.
The previous three books have focused the main storyline on Lindon’s advancement towards a greater power, and yes, at its core this is the main strength of Cradle and Progression Fantasy. However, the series was starting to get stale and repetitive for me, Will Wight made the right choice by making Skysworn an action-packed and thrilling installment, and I loved it very much. Reading this was the first time in my time of reading through the series that I had utter difficulty putting the book down; the actions were incredibly well-written, vivid, imaginative, and superbly paced.
Skysworn focuses its narrative on the long-awaited duel that Lindon has to confront since the end of Soulsmith, but that’s not all, the duel was exciting but what elevated the series was the monstrous and gigantic new threats brought forth by the appearance of the Dreadgods. It is by far the most intense installment in the series so far. The horror and overwhelming sheer power displayed by the Dreadgods made the breakneck pacing in Skysworn bloody delightful to read. This marks the fourth book in a twelve book series, and the large-scale event and crimson disaster unveiled in Skysworn pretty much showed the amazing potential of the series.
The characterizations were better, and I continue to love Eithan, Jai Long, Yerin, and the side characters of the series, maybe even more now. The brilliant actions aside, another huge improvement that occurred in Skysworn was the scale of emotions the main character, Lindon, exhibited. I was indifferent towards Lindon; he felt like an empty vessel written merely to show the gradual rise in power and magic system of the series, but now I’m starting to care about his journey, and this is a crucial aspect for me in my reading experience.
The world-building has also been expanded, and the ending of this book made me super excited to continue with the series. I know it feels repetitive for me to keep on saying “this is my favorite book in the series so far” in my reviews of the series, but it is my honest assessment. You might as well get used to it; there’s a huge chance I’m going to repeat this statement again in my review of Ghostwater, Underlord, and the rest of the series. Skysworn was gripping in every sense of the word, it was the most pulse-pounding book in the series so far, and if the next books ended up being better than this, I know I’ll be including Cradle in my list of favorite series. It’s quite terrifying to think that I have only three published books left in the series so far to read, I will do my best to prolong my journey through Cradle, which I’m damn sure I’ll fail.
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Mike, Hamad, Miracle, Devin, Nicholas.
Wei Shi Lindon may not have any advancement happening to him in this book, but the series did. Skysworn, just like each respective previous books, once again upgraded the overall quality of the Cradle series.
I honestly think that Skysworn was even better than Blackflame; imagine my surprise when I found out that many readers thought of this one as a downgrade for the series. I respectfully disagree. What happened in Skysworn is the direction that the series needs, although I highly enjoyed Blackflame, I didn’t have that uncontrollable urge to continue with the series. But now? I might be having nightmares if I don’t continue with the series.
“I don’t have any love for the Jai clan, but as for you, if I saw you on fire I’d hold an umbrella for you so the rain didn’t put you out.”
The previous three books have focused the main storyline on Lindon’s advancement towards a greater power, and yes, at its core this is the main strength of Cradle and Progression Fantasy. However, the series was starting to get stale and repetitive for me, Will Wight made the right choice by making Skysworn an action-packed and thrilling installment, and I loved it very much. Reading this was the first time in my time of reading through the series that I had utter difficulty putting the book down; the actions were incredibly well-written, vivid, imaginative, and superbly paced.
“When a horse carries a man, which of them is the stronger party? It is only suitable that a dragon should carry lesser creatures.”
Skysworn focuses its narrative on the long-awaited duel that Lindon has to confront since the end of Soulsmith, but that’s not all, the duel was exciting but what elevated the series was the monstrous and gigantic new threats brought forth by the appearance of the Dreadgods. It is by far the most intense installment in the series so far. The horror and overwhelming sheer power displayed by the Dreadgods made the breakneck pacing in Skysworn bloody delightful to read. This marks the fourth book in a twelve book series, and the large-scale event and crimson disaster unveiled in Skysworn pretty much showed the amazing potential of the series.
The characterizations were better, and I continue to love Eithan, Jai Long, Yerin, and the side characters of the series, maybe even more now. The brilliant actions aside, another huge improvement that occurred in Skysworn was the scale of emotions the main character, Lindon, exhibited. I was indifferent towards Lindon; he felt like an empty vessel written merely to show the gradual rise in power and magic system of the series, but now I’m starting to care about his journey, and this is a crucial aspect for me in my reading experience.
“After an injury like this, it is your thoughts that are most deadly. Your fears, your pain, your despair, they are deadly poison. Do not let them rule you.”
The world-building has also been expanded, and the ending of this book made me super excited to continue with the series. I know it feels repetitive for me to keep on saying “this is my favorite book in the series so far” in my reviews of the series, but it is my honest assessment. You might as well get used to it; there’s a huge chance I’m going to repeat this statement again in my review of Ghostwater, Underlord, and the rest of the series. Skysworn was gripping in every sense of the word, it was the most pulse-pounding book in the series so far, and if the next books ended up being better than this, I know I’ll be including Cradle in my list of favorite series. It’s quite terrifying to think that I have only three published books left in the series so far to read, I will do my best to prolong my journey through Cradle, which I’m damn sure I’ll fail.
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Mike, Hamad, Miracle, Devin, Nicholas.
July 3, 2022
Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions upon finishing reading fantasy books.
A book with some flaws that don't matter because it is so dang fun to read!
The mark of a truly great fantasy series in my opinion is when it continues to get better the longer it goes on - and this is exactly the trajectory that Cradle has gone with these first four books. I have no doubt that while there may be some small bumps in the road along the way of this long journey, that this trajectory will ultimately continue to climb, as Will Wight has figured out how to write literary crack.
Have I read better books than this? Of course I have. But I can honestly say that I have never been so addicted to reading a book series and it's making me put down my entire TBR list to just grind through all these books as fast as physically possible.
Story: 4/5
The story was very good in this book - the best so far in the series. The duel that has been promised since the 2nd book is finally here, and without spoiling anything, the stakes are higher than ever with the appearance of some absolute existential threats.
The pacing is almost too fast, but it works for a series like this where the books are rather short and the expectation is that events will come quickly. Given that we are essentially given a snapshot into how powerful these characters will be by the end of the series, things have to go quickly in order to realistically get to that point.
World Building: 5/5
The worldbuilding is phenomenal in this series, and it's finally getting to the point where the reader has a good grasp of the geo-political landscape. Looking back on the earlier books in this series where I was frustrated by the rather narrow scope that was given, I appreciate it more now that the slow build of revealing the world made it worth the wait.
As is true for books that excel in this regard, as a reader you can completely visualize the different locations that are given here, and it makes you get lost in the world with that incredible sense of wonder. I cannot wait for more books to explore the other parts of this world that have been briefly described, and meet the characters that live there.
Fantasy Elements: 5/5
The fantasy aspects of this book are where things shines the most here. The "magic system" is complex in a good way, because it's simultaneously easy to understand, but extremely large in scope. It feels like you are playing a video game where the characters are constantly levelling up and learning more moves that make them more powerful the more you progress. Think of what makes RPG video games so hard to put down, where you look outside and realize that morning has arrived and you were playing all night - and you have that here in literary form.
Characters: 3/5
The characters remain the weakest part of this book, and while I do feel that the character work here is improving - the main cast still feels a little on the dull side. There wasn't enough work put in towards the beginning of this series to give compelling backstories that explain how and why these characters think the way they do, and it suffers as a result. I'm not in love with any of the characters like I am in some other fantasy works, but over time I begin to like them more.
Writing Style: 4/5
The writing is a little on the "simple" side, and while I do enjoy books that span the spectrum of difficulty, I do end up wishing that the author would expand his prose more. The average word length is rather short and the sentence structure leaves a bit to be desired.
That being said though, the ability for the author to write in a way that lures in the reader in such a captivating manner is awe-inspiring. It's not done with cliffhangers, it's done with wonderful pacing and a wonderful story - and he deserves immense praise for his ability to suck in the reader into this world.
Enjoyment: 5/5
Even though this book has some flaws, I literally couldn't enjoy myself more here. I'm someone who almost never reads books in the same series back to back, and typically read 5-6 series by alternating between them. But this book has forced me to abandon that strategy and just read these back-to-back-to-back-to-back and I couldn't be happier as a result.
A book with some flaws that don't matter because it is so dang fun to read!
The mark of a truly great fantasy series in my opinion is when it continues to get better the longer it goes on - and this is exactly the trajectory that Cradle has gone with these first four books. I have no doubt that while there may be some small bumps in the road along the way of this long journey, that this trajectory will ultimately continue to climb, as Will Wight has figured out how to write literary crack.
Have I read better books than this? Of course I have. But I can honestly say that I have never been so addicted to reading a book series and it's making me put down my entire TBR list to just grind through all these books as fast as physically possible.
Story: 4/5
The story was very good in this book - the best so far in the series. The duel that has been promised since the 2nd book is finally here, and without spoiling anything, the stakes are higher than ever with the appearance of some absolute existential threats.
The pacing is almost too fast, but it works for a series like this where the books are rather short and the expectation is that events will come quickly. Given that we are essentially given a snapshot into how powerful these characters will be by the end of the series, things have to go quickly in order to realistically get to that point.
World Building: 5/5
The worldbuilding is phenomenal in this series, and it's finally getting to the point where the reader has a good grasp of the geo-political landscape. Looking back on the earlier books in this series where I was frustrated by the rather narrow scope that was given, I appreciate it more now that the slow build of revealing the world made it worth the wait.
As is true for books that excel in this regard, as a reader you can completely visualize the different locations that are given here, and it makes you get lost in the world with that incredible sense of wonder. I cannot wait for more books to explore the other parts of this world that have been briefly described, and meet the characters that live there.
Fantasy Elements: 5/5
The fantasy aspects of this book are where things shines the most here. The "magic system" is complex in a good way, because it's simultaneously easy to understand, but extremely large in scope. It feels like you are playing a video game where the characters are constantly levelling up and learning more moves that make them more powerful the more you progress. Think of what makes RPG video games so hard to put down, where you look outside and realize that morning has arrived and you were playing all night - and you have that here in literary form.
Characters: 3/5
The characters remain the weakest part of this book, and while I do feel that the character work here is improving - the main cast still feels a little on the dull side. There wasn't enough work put in towards the beginning of this series to give compelling backstories that explain how and why these characters think the way they do, and it suffers as a result. I'm not in love with any of the characters like I am in some other fantasy works, but over time I begin to like them more.
Writing Style: 4/5
The writing is a little on the "simple" side, and while I do enjoy books that span the spectrum of difficulty, I do end up wishing that the author would expand his prose more. The average word length is rather short and the sentence structure leaves a bit to be desired.
That being said though, the ability for the author to write in a way that lures in the reader in such a captivating manner is awe-inspiring. It's not done with cliffhangers, it's done with wonderful pacing and a wonderful story - and he deserves immense praise for his ability to suck in the reader into this world.
Enjoyment: 5/5
Even though this book has some flaws, I literally couldn't enjoy myself more here. I'm someone who almost never reads books in the same series back to back, and typically read 5-6 series by alternating between them. But this book has forced me to abandon that strategy and just read these back-to-back-to-back-to-back and I couldn't be happier as a result.
January 26, 2021
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Unsouled ★★★ 3/4
Soulsmith ★★★ 1/2
Blackflame ★★★★
Skysworn ★★★★ 1/4
Holy Guacamole! I can’t believe I almost skipped reading this series because I always thought it was something else and I am very thankful for my friends David and Chan for “forcing” me to read this! Honestly guys, I am very grateful that you made me discover this epic series.
Looking at my ratings above, you can see that I am loving this series more and more witch each and every new entry into the series! Skysworn has been the best book in the series so far in terms of how everything was balanced and yet it was such a fun, addicting read!
I can’t recommend this enough for those looking for a faster fantasy read, the books are all around 300 pages, very easy to read and very addicting too, I usually finish these books in two days! The writing is very available for readers of all ages, the story keeps getting better so I can’t ask for more.
There are not many new characters in this book but I think that was a good choice. The author instead decided to focus on the characters we already had and develop them as much as possible. Lindon develops a bit more and I like how the author is brutal to the characters and he doesn’t hold back and make them go through all kind of horrors that makes me stop reading to see if what happened really happened or I misunderstood something. Lindon jumped many levels the previous book and I thought it was a bit rushed so I am glad it was slowed down a bit here! Yerin gets to shine a bit more in this book and Eithan is Eithan, still sarcastic, powerful and great as usual! I liked Akura as soon as she appeared and I think she will be my favorite character soon.
Wight is a master at world-building and with each books, I am just amazed more! I think it is hard to make the world-building more complex and yet he succeeds in doing it every single time. I still am convinced there are similarities to Naruto but I am not implying anything! It is just there! I love the weapons, the magic, the creatures and I am looking forward to see where this is going!
The pace is fast, the chapters are almost all the same size of 15 pages and it is so easy to fly through this! I think I just missed the reports that we had in the previous books and we only had like two in this one!
Summary: A fast-paced, addicting fantasy read that just keeps getting better with every new book! The characters and world-building are excellent. Do yourself a favor and read it!
“After an injury like this, it is your thoughts that are most deadly. Your fears, your pain, your despair, they are deadly poison. Do not let them rule you.”
Unsouled ★★★ 3/4
Soulsmith ★★★ 1/2
Blackflame ★★★★
Skysworn ★★★★ 1/4
Holy Guacamole! I can’t believe I almost skipped reading this series because I always thought it was something else and I am very thankful for my friends David and Chan for “forcing” me to read this! Honestly guys, I am very grateful that you made me discover this epic series.
Looking at my ratings above, you can see that I am loving this series more and more witch each and every new entry into the series! Skysworn has been the best book in the series so far in terms of how everything was balanced and yet it was such a fun, addicting read!
I can’t recommend this enough for those looking for a faster fantasy read, the books are all around 300 pages, very easy to read and very addicting too, I usually finish these books in two days! The writing is very available for readers of all ages, the story keeps getting better so I can’t ask for more.
There are not many new characters in this book but I think that was a good choice. The author instead decided to focus on the characters we already had and develop them as much as possible. Lindon develops a bit more and I like how the author is brutal to the characters and he doesn’t hold back and make them go through all kind of horrors that makes me stop reading to see if what happened really happened or I misunderstood something. Lindon jumped many levels the previous book and I thought it was a bit rushed so I am glad it was slowed down a bit here! Yerin gets to shine a bit more in this book and Eithan is Eithan, still sarcastic, powerful and great as usual! I liked Akura as soon as she appeared and I think she will be my favorite character soon.
“If I have to choose between disappointing you or my disciple…well, I’m sorry, but I don’t like you very much.”
Wight is a master at world-building and with each books, I am just amazed more! I think it is hard to make the world-building more complex and yet he succeeds in doing it every single time. I still am convinced there are similarities to Naruto but I am not implying anything! It is just there! I love the weapons, the magic, the creatures and I am looking forward to see where this is going!
The pace is fast, the chapters are almost all the same size of 15 pages and it is so easy to fly through this! I think I just missed the reports that we had in the previous books and we only had like two in this one!
“Even dragons,” Orthos said, “know when to bow.”
Summary: A fast-paced, addicting fantasy read that just keeps getting better with every new book! The characters and world-building are excellent. Do yourself a favor and read it!
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May 29, 2023
4.5 stars. I’m so glad I decided to continue with this series! Now that I’m fully invested, I’m having so much fun watching Lindon, Yerin, and Eithan inexorably make their way through dangers, both expected and unexpected. Turns out, I can enjoy books that don’t primarily focus on character growth of the MCs – that instead focus more on action that is character-driven.
SPOILERS BELOW!
And there was a lot of action: three quarters of the book were immensely fast-paced and gripping, while serving the larger purpose of advancing our characters’ competence. My biggest surprise was that the duel between Lindon and Jai Long happened so soon – at the beginning of the book – and that it happened at all. After the last installment, I was kind of hoping it wouldn’t come to that, especially since Lindon healed Jai Long‘s sister; instead I figured we‘d get something different. You know, as Bran San would say, initially you’re promised a toy car, but you get a toy plane instead. But in this case, if you want to continue the analogy (which I do), it turns out the toy car you get is merely a different brand of car than expected – a Lamborghini instead of a Ferrari. Ultimately, you still get a car/duel, but the premise is different than anticipated: Jai Long no longer seeks revenge for his friend and is actually forced to duel. That changes everything; it also potentially removes Jai Long as an antagonist, making room for someone/something else. To sum up and in case I lost you along the way: I thought the duel was fucking cool.
Another highlight from the rest of the book were the Blood Shadows: Apart from the awesome visual, I felt the issue of Yerin’s uninvited guest was nicely resolved and it felt good to make progress in that regard. I also really liked the addition of Akura Mercy’s character and I’m curious to see which role she will play in future books. And finally, seeing the contents of Eithan’s marble was just the icing on the carrot cake.
I was a bit disappointed, however, that Jai Long and Jai Chen disappear after the attack of the Blood Shadow/Spawns. I really hope we do get to see them make their way to Sacred Valley. And I hope that Lindon will one day return and wow everyone with his amazing powers. That would be beyond satisfying!
Onward!
PS: As for the eponymous Skysworn, I’m not a fan.
1 Unsouled – 4 stars
2 Soulsmith – 3.75 stars
3 Blackflame – 4.25 stars
4 Skysworn – 4.5 stars
SPOILERS BELOW!
And there was a lot of action: three quarters of the book were immensely fast-paced and gripping, while serving the larger purpose of advancing our characters’ competence. My biggest surprise was that the duel between Lindon and Jai Long happened so soon – at the beginning of the book – and that it happened at all. After the last installment, I was kind of hoping it wouldn’t come to that, especially since Lindon healed Jai Long‘s sister; instead I figured we‘d get something different. You know, as Bran San would say, initially you’re promised a toy car, but you get a toy plane instead. But in this case, if you want to continue the analogy (which I do), it turns out the toy car you get is merely a different brand of car than expected – a Lamborghini instead of a Ferrari. Ultimately, you still get a car/duel, but the premise is different than anticipated: Jai Long no longer seeks revenge for his friend and is actually forced to duel. That changes everything; it also potentially removes Jai Long as an antagonist, making room for someone/something else. To sum up and in case I lost you along the way: I thought the duel was fucking cool.
Another highlight from the rest of the book were the Blood Shadows: Apart from the awesome visual, I felt the issue of Yerin’s uninvited guest was nicely resolved and it felt good to make progress in that regard. I also really liked the addition of Akura Mercy’s character and I’m curious to see which role she will play in future books. And finally, seeing the contents of Eithan’s marble was just the icing on the carrot cake.
I was a bit disappointed, however, that Jai Long and Jai Chen disappear after the attack of the Blood Shadow/Spawns. I really hope we do get to see them make their way to Sacred Valley. And I hope that Lindon will one day return and wow everyone with his amazing powers. That would be beyond satisfying!
Onward!
PS: As for the eponymous Skysworn, I’m not a fan.
1 Unsouled – 4 stars
2 Soulsmith – 3.75 stars
3 Blackflame – 4.25 stars
4 Skysworn – 4.5 stars
October 5, 2020
4.5 stars.
Holy moly, this series is seriously fun and addictive!
I was initially planning to read an ARC for a soon-to-be-released book, but temptation drew me to start Skysworn instead, which I duly finished in just over a day. Verdict: Will Wight has a new adoring fan.
In Skysworn, the narrative continued to reveal more about the fantastic world of Cradle and its awesome magic system. The author did this ever so skillfully through the storytelling while dropping hints and teases about even more epic stuff to come. Trust me, the power levels in this series are insane! And it kept on levelling up from one book to another, making it immensely fun to read. This was how I fell in love in fantasy in the first place - new intriguing worlds with powerful magic (and skills) beyond imagining. What made it better in Cradle was that there are rules and a structured system in place to achieve power upgrades. As side note, those two Chinese characters depicted on the book cover translate to "power".
From dreadbeasts to Dreadgods, and Underlords to Overlords to Archlords/Sages to Monarchs - keeping up with the complex and imaginative worldbuilding of Cradle took my breath away. There was just so much about this world that is fascinating and so cool. On top of that, the action scenes and the imagery of the sacred arts were superb. Let me give an example. Each Path manifests a distinct Goldsign when its sacred artists reach Gold. For the Path of Grasping Sky, this Goldsign is a pair of shimmering emerald wings. Of course, as a symbol of power, the wings would become larger and more impressive as the sacred artist advanced through the sublevels of Gold and on to the Lords stages.
The characterisation continued to improve as well. While the story was primarily about Lindon's journey, I would consider Yerin and Eithan as part of the main cast as well. A good thing for sure, as I can put my hand to my heart now and say that Eithan is my absolute favourite character of the series. He was such a wildcard amongst the whole lot of serious and uppity Underlords; I loved how his irreverent demeanour annoyed most of them. Out of all the characters, he was the one who made me laugh, alongside with the fire-breathing turtle whom I am growing fond of. (Yes, you read that right - a fire-breathing turtle!)
By the end of this book, I had an inkling about Eithan's grand plans, albeit no idea how it can be done. I've also begun to wonder how long this series might be. The leveling up to achieve his plans will be a monstrous leap, and I suspected that two more books will not be sufficient to make it believable. But then again, I kept being surprised, and delighted, with new knowledge with every instalment so far.
I know I will suffer if I start and finish the next book while the sixth book is still in the works. Resistance is, however, futile.
You can purchase a copy of the book, or read it free via Kindle Unlimited on Amazon US.
You can also find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Holy moly, this series is seriously fun and addictive!
I was initially planning to read an ARC for a soon-to-be-released book, but temptation drew me to start Skysworn instead, which I duly finished in just over a day. Verdict: Will Wight has a new adoring fan.
In Skysworn, the narrative continued to reveal more about the fantastic world of Cradle and its awesome magic system. The author did this ever so skillfully through the storytelling while dropping hints and teases about even more epic stuff to come. Trust me, the power levels in this series are insane! And it kept on levelling up from one book to another, making it immensely fun to read. This was how I fell in love in fantasy in the first place - new intriguing worlds with powerful magic (and skills) beyond imagining. What made it better in Cradle was that there are rules and a structured system in place to achieve power upgrades. As side note, those two Chinese characters depicted on the book cover translate to "power".
From dreadbeasts to Dreadgods, and Underlords to Overlords to Archlords/Sages to Monarchs - keeping up with the complex and imaginative worldbuilding of Cradle took my breath away. There was just so much about this world that is fascinating and so cool. On top of that, the action scenes and the imagery of the sacred arts were superb. Let me give an example. Each Path manifests a distinct Goldsign when its sacred artists reach Gold. For the Path of Grasping Sky, this Goldsign is a pair of shimmering emerald wings. Of course, as a symbol of power, the wings would become larger and more impressive as the sacred artist advanced through the sublevels of Gold and on to the Lords stages.
The characterisation continued to improve as well. While the story was primarily about Lindon's journey, I would consider Yerin and Eithan as part of the main cast as well. A good thing for sure, as I can put my hand to my heart now and say that Eithan is my absolute favourite character of the series. He was such a wildcard amongst the whole lot of serious and uppity Underlords; I loved how his irreverent demeanour annoyed most of them. Out of all the characters, he was the one who made me laugh, alongside with the fire-breathing turtle whom I am growing fond of. (Yes, you read that right - a fire-breathing turtle!)
By the end of this book, I had an inkling about Eithan's grand plans, albeit no idea how it can be done. I've also begun to wonder how long this series might be. The leveling up to achieve his plans will be a monstrous leap, and I suspected that two more books will not be sufficient to make it believable. But then again, I kept being surprised, and delighted, with new knowledge with every instalment so far.
I know I will suffer if I start and finish the next book while the sixth book is still in the works. Resistance is, however, futile.
You can purchase a copy of the book, or read it free via Kindle Unlimited on Amazon US.
You can also find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
August 28, 2021
3rd Reading
I really don't enjoy this book in the series, but I have to say that there are a ton of important bits of information that are shared that is so important for the series. We find out several things about the world, how things are connected and about Eithan. We learn a tad about Ozriel.
There are about 4 scenes, the fight with Lindon and Jai Long, Redmoon Hall attack, Stormrock City with the quick trials for Skysworn and then the ending battle with blood spawn. That's about all there is.
The next book is one of my favorites, so I can't wait to go on to book 5.
2nd reading
I am reading this a 2nd time. The first time through, it's good as the characters keep going, but knowing the series now, it is the weakest book in the series and I am taking a star off the rating. Lindon does not advance in this book and not a whole lot really happens. Eithan is still amazing, but this simply is set-up for the next 4 books. It should have been combined with book 3 maybe.
Previously,
So, I can't pause this series. I love it. I just want to know more, but this is the weakest book in the series I thought. It didn't feel like a whole story. It felt like it was left hanging at the half-way point. Also, this is a leveling up story and neither Lindon nor Yerin went up another level. I felt cheated. Nothing really helped them to advance. I'm sure this is a set up book in the series, but it really let me down. The 3rd book was 368 pages or so and this one was back down to 285 pages.
Spoilers:
We start off with the big fight that has been hanging over Lindon for a year. We see him in prison and then we see him in the ring. He does the best that he can, but he is no match for a Truegold, which is what Jai Long has moved up too. He is actually working on becoming an Underlord we find out. The match is rough and it's really between Eithan and the Jai clan Underlord, which Eithan does kill, but before he does, the Jai leader pulls out the Archstone which is a forbidden object because it calls to the Dreadgods, or the blood phoenix. So the Phoenix does awaken and oh, that is a bad thing.
Eithan is compelled into service of the Skysworn and he has to go talk to the Monarch. We start to see the power levels here. There is Gold, the Lord, then Herald and Monach. Lindon and Yerin join the forces of the Skysworn and just as they join Yerin is thrown of the Cloud ship and Lindon saves her and they have to fight off the Blood spawn. The whole last half didn't feel like an ending, but a set-up.
I am really let down by this story, but it makes me want to find out more.
The best thing we learn is that Eithan shares how he got his marble like Lindon's from Suriel. Eithan's marble came from Ozriel and there is a story with it. They are being asked to be an even greater force if they are willing to leave their paths. I am very interested to see where this is going.
I'm going to go ahead and start book 5. Yes Ma'am.
Here is a snippet from the end of the book when Eithan shares his marble with Lindon and Yerin and they see the message Eithan has been working under. It basically tells us what Eithan's plan is and where the end of the series is heading. They are all trying to get to this level.
“This is one part of my plan,” he said softly. “Only one seed planted of many, in the hopes that some might one day bear fruit. I need you to join me.” He raised black-armored fingers to his head, and Lindon could see endless weariness written there. “Not as Abidan. I want to raise you outside their rules. I want you to go where we can’t: into dying worlds, to save those we have abandoned.”
Wight, Will. Skysworn (Cradle Book 4) (p. 279). Hidden Gnome Publishing. Kindle Edition.
I really don't enjoy this book in the series, but I have to say that there are a ton of important bits of information that are shared that is so important for the series. We find out several things about the world, how things are connected and about Eithan. We learn a tad about Ozriel.
There are about 4 scenes, the fight with Lindon and Jai Long, Redmoon Hall attack, Stormrock City with the quick trials for Skysworn and then the ending battle with blood spawn. That's about all there is.
The next book is one of my favorites, so I can't wait to go on to book 5.
2nd reading
I am reading this a 2nd time. The first time through, it's good as the characters keep going, but knowing the series now, it is the weakest book in the series and I am taking a star off the rating. Lindon does not advance in this book and not a whole lot really happens. Eithan is still amazing, but this simply is set-up for the next 4 books. It should have been combined with book 3 maybe.
Previously,
So, I can't pause this series. I love it. I just want to know more, but this is the weakest book in the series I thought. It didn't feel like a whole story. It felt like it was left hanging at the half-way point. Also, this is a leveling up story and neither Lindon nor Yerin went up another level. I felt cheated. Nothing really helped them to advance. I'm sure this is a set up book in the series, but it really let me down. The 3rd book was 368 pages or so and this one was back down to 285 pages.
Spoilers:
We start off with the big fight that has been hanging over Lindon for a year. We see him in prison and then we see him in the ring. He does the best that he can, but he is no match for a Truegold, which is what Jai Long has moved up too. He is actually working on becoming an Underlord we find out. The match is rough and it's really between Eithan and the Jai clan Underlord, which Eithan does kill, but before he does, the Jai leader pulls out the Archstone which is a forbidden object because it calls to the Dreadgods, or the blood phoenix. So the Phoenix does awaken and oh, that is a bad thing.
Eithan is compelled into service of the Skysworn and he has to go talk to the Monarch. We start to see the power levels here. There is Gold, the Lord, then Herald and Monach. Lindon and Yerin join the forces of the Skysworn and just as they join Yerin is thrown of the Cloud ship and Lindon saves her and they have to fight off the Blood spawn. The whole last half didn't feel like an ending, but a set-up.
I am really let down by this story, but it makes me want to find out more.
The best thing we learn is that Eithan shares how he got his marble like Lindon's from Suriel. Eithan's marble came from Ozriel and there is a story with it. They are being asked to be an even greater force if they are willing to leave their paths. I am very interested to see where this is going.
I'm going to go ahead and start book 5. Yes Ma'am.
Here is a snippet from the end of the book when Eithan shares his marble with Lindon and Yerin and they see the message Eithan has been working under. It basically tells us what Eithan's plan is and where the end of the series is heading. They are all trying to get to this level.
“This is one part of my plan,” he said softly. “Only one seed planted of many, in the hopes that some might one day bear fruit. I need you to join me.” He raised black-armored fingers to his head, and Lindon could see endless weariness written there. “Not as Abidan. I want to raise you outside their rules. I want you to go where we can’t: into dying worlds, to save those we have abandoned.”
Wight, Will. Skysworn (Cradle Book 4) (p. 279). Hidden Gnome Publishing. Kindle Edition.
January 6, 2020
4.5 stars
The cradle series is officially the newest member on my list of favourite fantasy series.
If you have seen my previous reviews for Cradle series books, you will know that I have already described it as the crack of the fantasy world and Skysworn is no different, delivering some of the best moments in the series so far while continuing Lindon’s quest of becoming a force to be reckoned with. Plot-wise I will keep it sparse to avoid spoilers, and just say that there is a highly anticipated duel that the previous book was building up to, and Skysworn starts off with this deadly fight scheduled to take place in the very near future.
Skysworn is packed from cover to cover and has a lot happening in a short time. The duel delivers a nice twist and actually takes up a very small share of the plot, but serves as a catalyst in more ways than one. What follows brings with it the stark realization that levelling up will become of much more importance to everyone, as the story continues the trend of every book showcasing new levels of power and wielders of it. You thought Underlords were scary? What about Overlords? Archlords? Sages? Heralds? MONARCHS? And those are just the good guys. Well goodish. Who knows the motivations of super-powerful beings anyway. In Skysworn though, Will Wight has at last given us a glimpse of his cards, revealing villainous beings of such unimaginable power that it beggars belief and has me simultaneously deeply worried and overly excited for the future of this tale. The inevitable confrontation is going to be spellbinding.
While gripping, the packed plot does not leave much room for the author to spend on the characterization, but he does what he can with the page time available. Where Cradle started off with a single main character, the series has undeniably become the story of Lindon, Yerin and Eithan, and even Orthos, and everything is better for it. While Lindon was initially a very frustrating character to follow, his exposure to new people, ideas and friends has helped him evolve into a much more palatable protagonist as he absorbs everything around him. Here’s to hoping this trend continues. As mentioned though, Yerin and Eithan are not mere supporting cast and were they written out of the story at this moment, I would happily pick up any solo spin-off series’ of them. For the record that was my best behaviour reaction. If that actually DID happen I would not want to be Mr Wight. Seriously, don’t do that. Also, MOAR EITHAN.
"...if I saw you on fire I'd hold out an umbrella for you so the rain didn't put you out."
Great characters who continuously evolve with the story, detailed worldbuilding that keeps on expanding in so many ways and a magic system that feels like it’s a growing beast, thrilling and astounding continuously with new nuances and unexplored avenues around every corner or page. That’s what you are missing if you have not yet picked up the Cradle series.
Read it, please. I want to rave about it with you.
"You'd be surprised how often people listen to me when they're left with no choice."
The cradle series is officially the newest member on my list of favourite fantasy series.
If you have seen my previous reviews for Cradle series books, you will know that I have already described it as the crack of the fantasy world and Skysworn is no different, delivering some of the best moments in the series so far while continuing Lindon’s quest of becoming a force to be reckoned with. Plot-wise I will keep it sparse to avoid spoilers, and just say that there is a highly anticipated duel that the previous book was building up to, and Skysworn starts off with this deadly fight scheduled to take place in the very near future.
Skysworn is packed from cover to cover and has a lot happening in a short time. The duel delivers a nice twist and actually takes up a very small share of the plot, but serves as a catalyst in more ways than one. What follows brings with it the stark realization that levelling up will become of much more importance to everyone, as the story continues the trend of every book showcasing new levels of power and wielders of it. You thought Underlords were scary? What about Overlords? Archlords? Sages? Heralds? MONARCHS? And those are just the good guys. Well goodish. Who knows the motivations of super-powerful beings anyway. In Skysworn though, Will Wight has at last given us a glimpse of his cards, revealing villainous beings of such unimaginable power that it beggars belief and has me simultaneously deeply worried and overly excited for the future of this tale. The inevitable confrontation is going to be spellbinding.
While gripping, the packed plot does not leave much room for the author to spend on the characterization, but he does what he can with the page time available. Where Cradle started off with a single main character, the series has undeniably become the story of Lindon, Yerin and Eithan, and even Orthos, and everything is better for it. While Lindon was initially a very frustrating character to follow, his exposure to new people, ideas and friends has helped him evolve into a much more palatable protagonist as he absorbs everything around him. Here’s to hoping this trend continues. As mentioned though, Yerin and Eithan are not mere supporting cast and were they written out of the story at this moment, I would happily pick up any solo spin-off series’ of them. For the record that was my best behaviour reaction. If that actually DID happen I would not want to be Mr Wight. Seriously, don’t do that. Also, MOAR EITHAN.
"...if I saw you on fire I'd hold out an umbrella for you so the rain didn't put you out."
Great characters who continuously evolve with the story, detailed worldbuilding that keeps on expanding in so many ways and a magic system that feels like it’s a growing beast, thrilling and astounding continuously with new nuances and unexplored avenues around every corner or page. That’s what you are missing if you have not yet picked up the Cradle series.
Read it, please. I want to rave about it with you.
"You'd be surprised how often people listen to me when they're left with no choice."
April 6, 2023
This fourth instalment of Cradle by Will Wight follows its predecessors with more of the same. Crazy events, greater exploration of the magic system, more mysteries, and more creatures! So, if you've enjoyed this series up to this point, it is almost certain that will continue with Skysworn, but if you're not a fan of Cradle, this will not change your mind.
June 3, 2024
This is part of a series and it is not a stand alone. In this one the long awaited battle between Lindon and Jai Ling is finally on. The problem is that something happens during this battle that results in a bigger threat to the whole world.
I have liked this series but it is not grabbing me like it has to many readers on this website. I have a coworker that says this is his favorite and I am just not seeing it. I thought this one was the weakest book so far. I didn't think I would be saying that when I started it because I was really enjoying the long awaited battle and I finally thought this is why people love this series. The after effects is what got to me. One of my complaints so far for this series is I had no idea what the goal was for this series. I believe the after effect is the goal which should have pleased me. The problem is that it was dropped out of nowhere. And I believe that sums up this series for me. Everything is just dropped on the reader with no buildup. We jump quickly from one thing to another without any exposition or build up. I can see why readers like this way of story telling as it is relentless. For me I like my reading experience to build up the tension and I am not seeing that in this series. This book was a prime example of that. Also the ending in this book was nonsensical. We have this titantic battle that happens off screen. The result?
Once again I have to use the word "potential" when I am describing a book in this series. Everything has it. The characters and the story have potential. The problem is that I should not be using that word anymore when I am four books into a series. I am glad that this book finally laid out what we are doing here. Unfortunately I have to question if I want to continue with this series. It is not landing with me like it has with its many devoted fans.
I have liked this series but it is not grabbing me like it has to many readers on this website. I have a coworker that says this is his favorite and I am just not seeing it. I thought this one was the weakest book so far. I didn't think I would be saying that when I started it because I was really enjoying the long awaited battle and I finally thought this is why people love this series. The after effects is what got to me. One of my complaints so far for this series is I had no idea what the goal was for this series. I believe the after effect is the goal which should have pleased me. The problem is that it was dropped out of nowhere. And I believe that sums up this series for me. Everything is just dropped on the reader with no buildup. We jump quickly from one thing to another without any exposition or build up. I can see why readers like this way of story telling as it is relentless. For me I like my reading experience to build up the tension and I am not seeing that in this series. This book was a prime example of that. Also the ending in this book was nonsensical. We have this titantic battle that happens off screen. The result?
Once again I have to use the word "potential" when I am describing a book in this series. Everything has it. The characters and the story have potential. The problem is that I should not be using that word anymore when I am four books into a series. I am glad that this book finally laid out what we are doing here. Unfortunately I have to question if I want to continue with this series. It is not landing with me like it has with its many devoted fans.
February 12, 2023
The Blackflame Empire fears a user of the black flame path. Because of that the Skysworn imprisoned Lindon. Unfortunately his duel with Jai Long is still looming. Meanwhile Jai Daishou is desperate to find a way to destroy Eithan. He is so desperate that he's willing to risk the destruction of his clan and the empire in the process.
Skysworn felt like a transition book to me. The book begins with Jai Daishou searching for a way to kill Eithan while becoming increasingly desperate. We also see Lindon imprisoned and preparing to face Jai Long. Their duel takes place shortly afterward and then the tale moves on quickly. A new threat emerges that has been hinted at since the start of the series. The rest of the story is wrapped up in dealing with this new threat.
Skysworn does expand the world of the Cradle. We see more factions that make up the Blackflame Empire and learn about more powerful sacred artists nearby. All this raises the stakes and increases the danger. The more the readers learn of the Blackflame Empire, the greater the danger Eithan, Yerin, and Lindon face.
I wish I could get into more without spoiling things, but I don't believe I can. A lot of unexpected events take place as Skysworn prepares us for the future.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Skysworn felt like a transition book to me. The book begins with Jai Daishou searching for a way to kill Eithan while becoming increasingly desperate. We also see Lindon imprisoned and preparing to face Jai Long. Their duel takes place shortly afterward and then the tale moves on quickly. A new threat emerges that has been hinted at since the start of the series. The rest of the story is wrapped up in dealing with this new threat.
Skysworn does expand the world of the Cradle. We see more factions that make up the Blackflame Empire and learn about more powerful sacred artists nearby. All this raises the stakes and increases the danger. The more the readers learn of the Blackflame Empire, the greater the danger Eithan, Yerin, and Lindon face.
I wish I could get into more without spoiling things, but I don't believe I can. A lot of unexpected events take place as Skysworn prepares us for the future.
3.5 out of 5 stars
March 24, 2025
I couldn’t tell you why I rated Skysworn so low the first time I read it, but my impression was much improved the second time around. Not only does this feel like the conclusion to the first big arc of the series with Lindon’s long awaited battle with Jai Long, but it’s also the first sighting of the Akura and the rise of the Bleeding Phoenix. While this wasn’t as stellar as Blackflame it definitely has some exciting parts that I just couldn’t fully appreciate the first time around. Rereading has helped me pick out these little moments that didn’t stand out as significant the first time through, but really represent some of my favorite aspects of the later half of the series. I’m only more excited to keep moving forward now as I absolutely love these later books and can’t wait to reflect on how much higher they have risen in my esteem this time through.
December 13, 2023
4.25 stars.
This series is literally crack in book form. It only leaves you wanting for more. We get the long awaited duel between our characters which was kind of a letdown though it couldn’t have gone better. But I kinda expected some twist.
The rest of the book is a setup for sequels now that the stakes of the duel are gone. The story behind Eithan’s sphere is finally revealed. Really loving the side plot development with Abidan.
The only thing missing here is the depth of characters. Yerin could do with some work, being one of the biggest players. Even Lindon could use some fleshing out besides the advancement in power.
Excited to see where the series goes from here given the addition of new powerful players!
This series is literally crack in book form. It only leaves you wanting for more. We get the long awaited duel between our characters which was kind of a letdown though it couldn’t have gone better. But I kinda expected some twist.
The rest of the book is a setup for sequels now that the stakes of the duel are gone. The story behind Eithan’s sphere is finally revealed. Really loving the side plot development with Abidan.
The only thing missing here is the depth of characters. Yerin could do with some work, being one of the biggest players. Even Lindon could use some fleshing out besides the advancement in power.
Excited to see where the series goes from here given the addition of new powerful players!
July 19, 2022
Absolutely no complaints. I want to tear through these like they were paper to a blackflame.
Honestly, the quick progression, most of it in training, while seeing all these new lands and facing all these badasses, is a real treat. What could be tiresome in lesser hands is just plain fun, here.
High-Gold, here we go! Pure popcorn fiction. Let's GOOOOOO....
Honestly, the quick progression, most of it in training, while seeing all these new lands and facing all these badasses, is a real treat. What could be tiresome in lesser hands is just plain fun, here.
High-Gold, here we go! Pure popcorn fiction. Let's GOOOOOO....
March 26, 2022
After a great start, with an action-packed set piece with high stakes, it was all very very downhill. The bulk of this book felt like a whole lotta filler, very similar to bk 2 in that way. Based on the engaging ending of the last book, I was at least hoping for another good last act, but alas, twas not to be. The ending missed the mark for me in an epic fashion, with all kinds of big stuff going down that I cared less than nothing about.
There's something substantial missing from Wight's writing for me--I think it has to do with not having enough description and set up to help me care about what I'm seeing happen, which mostly just feels like completely random sh*t after completely random sh*t. And I have never once worried about any of the main characters actually being in trouble, so that saps a lot of the drama out of the proceedings.
After the slight step up that was bk 3, to go backwards at this point is pretty disheartening, and the Cradle experiment seems like it's failing.
There's something substantial missing from Wight's writing for me--I think it has to do with not having enough description and set up to help me care about what I'm seeing happen, which mostly just feels like completely random sh*t after completely random sh*t. And I have never once worried about any of the main characters actually being in trouble, so that saps a lot of the drama out of the proceedings.
After the slight step up that was bk 3, to go backwards at this point is pretty disheartening, and the Cradle experiment seems like it's failing.
October 29, 2017
Out of laziness I haven't been reviewing Mr. Wight's latest series. It's too easy to just give a star rating on my Kindle and let technology do the rest. It's a shame actually because this is easily Will Wight's best series yet.
This is not just Mr. Wight's best series but it's easily the best indie fantasy series ever. If manga was written well and didn't rely so heavily on big eyed artwork, it would be the Cradle series.
BRAVO, MR. WIGHT.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
This is not just Mr. Wight's best series but it's easily the best indie fantasy series ever. If manga was written well and didn't rely so heavily on big eyed artwork, it would be the Cradle series.
BRAVO, MR. WIGHT.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
December 9, 2021
Buddy read with Snezana
Another great addition to the series. Skysworn is the fourth book in the cradle series. This series is fast becoming one of my favorite series of all time. It’s fast paced, has great world building, awesome unique characters and finally the magic system.
What I admire most about this series is the relationship between the characters, it’s so real, they are like a family.
There are lots of revelations in this, I finally know what Eithan’s endgame is and more about the Abidan and how they manipulate humans, they are just like gods. The author also explored the empire more, there’s more information about the noble houses.
Just like the previous books, this also took place in a new location, the heart of the empire itself, the Skysworn headquarters. The Skysworn is kind of like police but more, they are the elite fighters and it’s very hard to become a member, they also work for the emperor to uphold law and justice.
The plot picked up from where Blackflame ended with Lindon in a Skysworn prison. With the duel fast approaching Lindon is not confident in his success, with good reason. Apart from the duel, the empire has another enemy in the form of a god waking, that is never a good thing.
All our characters are still here with Lindon having 75% of the POV.
Yerin’s POV was awesome, it gave insight on her red belt and what actually happened to her family. Eithan’s own gave more information about his endgame. Lindon is still focused on advancing and with good reason, given the vision that Suriel gave him, I love that even with that hanging over his head, he is still loyal to his friends. Then there’s Mercy Akura, a new character that I’m loving.
Another great addition to the series. Skysworn is the fourth book in the cradle series. This series is fast becoming one of my favorite series of all time. It’s fast paced, has great world building, awesome unique characters and finally the magic system.
What I admire most about this series is the relationship between the characters, it’s so real, they are like a family.
There are lots of revelations in this, I finally know what Eithan’s endgame is and more about the Abidan and how they manipulate humans, they are just like gods. The author also explored the empire more, there’s more information about the noble houses.
Just like the previous books, this also took place in a new location, the heart of the empire itself, the Skysworn headquarters. The Skysworn is kind of like police but more, they are the elite fighters and it’s very hard to become a member, they also work for the emperor to uphold law and justice.
The plot picked up from where Blackflame ended with Lindon in a Skysworn prison. With the duel fast approaching Lindon is not confident in his success, with good reason. Apart from the duel, the empire has another enemy in the form of a god waking, that is never a good thing.
All our characters are still here with Lindon having 75% of the POV.
Yerin’s POV was awesome, it gave insight on her red belt and what actually happened to her family. Eithan’s own gave more information about his endgame. Lindon is still focused on advancing and with good reason, given the vision that Suriel gave him, I love that even with that hanging over his head, he is still loyal to his friends. Then there’s Mercy Akura, a new character that I’m loving.
March 10, 2025
Reread: Still 5 stars. Still oh so good
This was an absolute joy to read. Literally could not take my eyes off of it at all. It has an explosive beginning, and by the time it started to slow down at all I was over 40% done with the book. Literally was thinking "Oh, that was a good beginning. Surely that was just the opening!" just to find out I was already nearly halfway finished without realizing it. This book is action packed, fun, and will fly by. I really look forward to continuing the rest of the series.
This was an absolute joy to read. Literally could not take my eyes off of it at all. It has an explosive beginning, and by the time it started to slow down at all I was over 40% done with the book. Literally was thinking "Oh, that was a good beginning. Surely that was just the opening!" just to find out I was already nearly halfway finished without realizing it. This book is action packed, fun, and will fly by. I really look forward to continuing the rest of the series.
Read
October 9, 2021DNF at 48%
This will be unpopular. I wasn't enjoying the other books in this series all that much and then came this line:
"My Master had a pill for everything."
A pill for re-growing limbs? Really!? Sorry, but I like at least a small amount of realism in my fantasy tales. This reads more like a kid's cartoon in my opinion.
Short review as I don't think most people bother to read them anyway.
This will be unpopular. I wasn't enjoying the other books in this series all that much and then came this line:
"My Master had a pill for everything."
A pill for re-growing limbs? Really!? Sorry, but I like at least a small amount of realism in my fantasy tales. This reads more like a kid's cartoon in my opinion.
Short review as I don't think most people bother to read them anyway.
February 27, 2024
Right off the bat, I noticed an increase of pacing with Skysworn. As is the trademark of progression fantasy, the previous three entries have had "training montages" as Lindon and Yerin have had specific moments to learn new abilities through trials or challenges. I was expecting to have another training montage with how Blackflame ended and with Lindon having time on his hands leading up to the long anticipated duel with Jai Long. Fortunately, Will Wight hit the fast forward button on that and gave a succinct recap of some of what happened leading up to the duel, which happens within the first few chapters. This then transitions wonderfully into setting up the main conflict of the book and we move rapidly along.
I've heard from many Cradle fans that give the elevator pitch for the series as being "fantasy on crack" and I think I just dipped into that. The book is brisk, brief romp that keeps the plot moving quickly with intriguing chapters showing some background machinations (I want everything Abidan that he has, books of it, I love it so much), and more setup for the future. We do get a brief challenge for Yerin and Lindon to prove their might but thankfully there's no slow down in the story. Seeing just how far Lindon has come already in the 4th installment, I am salivating at what's to come as he continues to progress.
My only complaint with the book is how it ends, although I understand why Will Wight wrote it this way. We, unfortunately, only see a smaller scale conflict far apart from the larger conflict with the big bad of the book. It was a bit unsatisfying even though it concluded one part of a character arc that has been only hinted at to this point and I was hoping for more full scale battle with the enemies. What we did get was solid, but I hope in the future as Lindon gains in power we see more of the full scale battles. I'm certainly locked in on the series and look forward to continuing. The slow burn of the first few books is officially over and now we are hurtling downhill at breakneck speed.
Cradle
Unsouled - 7.5/10
Soulsmith - 8/10
Blackflame - 8.5/10
Skysworn - 9/10
Ghostwater - 8/10
Underlord - 9.5/10
Uncrowned - 10/10
Wintersteel - 10/10
Bloodline - 9.5/10
Reaper - 10/10
I've heard from many Cradle fans that give the elevator pitch for the series as being "fantasy on crack" and I think I just dipped into that. The book is brisk, brief romp that keeps the plot moving quickly with intriguing chapters showing some background machinations (I want everything Abidan that he has, books of it, I love it so much), and more setup for the future. We do get a brief challenge for Yerin and Lindon to prove their might but thankfully there's no slow down in the story. Seeing just how far Lindon has come already in the 4th installment, I am salivating at what's to come as he continues to progress.
My only complaint with the book is how it ends, although I understand why Will Wight wrote it this way. We, unfortunately, only see a smaller scale conflict far apart from the larger conflict with the big bad of the book. It was a bit unsatisfying even though it concluded one part of a character arc that has been only hinted at to this point and I was hoping for more full scale battle with the enemies. What we did get was solid, but I hope in the future as Lindon gains in power we see more of the full scale battles. I'm certainly locked in on the series and look forward to continuing. The slow burn of the first few books is officially over and now we are hurtling downhill at breakneck speed.
Cradle
Unsouled - 7.5/10
Soulsmith - 8/10
Blackflame - 8.5/10
Skysworn - 9/10
Ghostwater - 8/10
Underlord - 9.5/10
Uncrowned - 10/10
Wintersteel - 10/10
Bloodline - 9.5/10
Reaper - 10/10
September 7, 2024
5.0 stars—-
Eithan will be hard to top as my favorite character in fantasy, and this book solidifies it. He’s just a lonely guy looking for friends, and has moments of humor that shine throughout the series.
The best addition in this book is Mercy. Ghostwater and my favorite mind spirit are up next.
Eithan will be hard to top as my favorite character in fantasy, and this book solidifies it. He’s just a lonely guy looking for friends, and has moments of humor that shine throughout the series.
The best addition in this book is Mercy. Ghostwater and my favorite mind spirit are up next.
September 22, 2024
With Skysworn, book #4 in the series, Cradle cements the new magnificence found in it's predecessor, 'Blackflame'. It is now safe to say, that Will Wight knew what he was doing and we were all wrong. Cradle slaps and is now my new palette-cleanser series!
Almost every reader complains about the first book in Cradle to be... Boring. To be weakly written, to lack clarity, to lack any sense of engagement, .....
And those who don't complain about that, critizise the second book even harsher. And rightfully so, in my opinion.
Book 1, 'Unsouled', was okay. Promising, but lacking in most mentioned factors.
Book 2, 'Soulsmith', was lacking heavily. Like many others, I was at the point of giving up the series, but I decided to trust in the many people insisting of not forming an opinion until book 3.
And so it happened. Blackflame tore my face off and Will Wight managed to turn a series I felt indifferent towards - if not even dislike - into one I could not get enough of. And all of that within barely over 300 pages.
What a bold bold move.
It is for that exact reason, I give Skysworn "only" a 4* rating. It's basically an impossible thing to pull of the same thing as with Blackflame once again. This is not a game changer; this is just what the game-changer leads to. And with this book, the reader is now fully thrown into the epic adventure, that the author had in mind all this time. The curtain falls further.
If Blackflame did not fully convince you yet, Skysworn should do the rest. All the improvements of the previous entry are developed further.
Most important of them all - in my opinion - is the depth of the characters and their dynamics.
Where Blackflame made me care, Skysworn now built up even more underlay to the supporting cast.
Highlights here are especially Eithan (once again lol) and of course Yerin. Eithan like before delivers mysterious atmosphere, combined with wise mentor and comic-relief woven in simultaneously. He is truly a masterwork and having these elements work together in one character is really inpressive by Will Wight - even more, as he actually has POVs!
And Yerin, who was my personal anchor for the pervious books now gets more to do than just being supporting cast and creating interactions.
The events happening in the plot as well as her being a more prevalent POV character, make it possible to explore her backstory further. It gets clear, what lies beneath the harsh and unforgiving surface of this warrior. The groundwork is laid for some serious emotions in the later entries - if that is, what Will Wight wants to do at some point.
What I also found quite refreshing for the series was the addition of even more side-characters; and interesting ones at that!
I don't want to spoil things, but there are some individuals, connected to certain Top-Tier level Powerhouses functioning as new sidekicks in here. Really cool to see these things this "early" in the series.
Oh and of course lets not forget the coolest animal companions EVER. This is the first full book we have the delight of seeing/hearing/witnessing Orthos and Little Blue. Especially Orthos is a true scene-stealer.
A giant, sentient, overpowered, sleepy, fireturtle with aggression-problems, that takes a bite of everything he comes across is not what I thought I needed in my life. But I want an Orthos myself.
And Little Blue is just sweet.
The companionship these two form with Lindon is really what saves him from being the most dull character here.
Because on his own, Lindon is basically nothing but a device for the author, to advance us - the reader - through is world and magic-system. The "fish-out-of-water" so to say. He has just one character-trait, and that is that he wants to prove himself and get stronger. But with these two beast/ghost-companions, he surpasses that. So for the first time in the series, there are some great interactions for him that don't involve Eithan and/or Yerin. Now they all function as a sort of extension of his character.
So far, so good. But what about Plot and Worldbuilding? And what a bout prose?
Well for prose, don't expect anything suprising. It is once again better than the previous one, while still only limiting itself to be as approachable and as clear as possible. The magic is complex enough, Will only wants everyone to have a good time and be able to follow the happenings.
I have to say though, that the more the scale of everything increases, the more we get of the cosmic-stuff going on, the cooler the proseatic descriptions get. Especially the Suriel scenes and those, where our main POVs get glimpses into the cosmic-scale are written really well and thought-provoking.
Also how the author reveals and places information is - once again - pulled off very neatly. Especially in hindsight, how he unveils everything and in which order events happen and are explaines, is very deliberate.
As for the plot, this continues, what Blackflame started. The bigger picture is unveiled, the different factions start to play a role and our characters are in the position, to actually witness, what is going on. I don't know how true this is, as this series might evolve far beyond what I can grasp right now, but it certainly feels like the end goals and stakes are finally revealed here. And not only as a looming shawdow somewhere in the future, but as a true danger that is starting to gain influence *right now*.
And I tell you, the display of power with this opponent... It's really quite scary and actually pulls off some Lovecraftian vibes. These entities are so far beyond comprehension, that what I mentioned earlier sets in: The descriptions getting really abstract and thought-provoking.
But what I have to say for this one is, that there is not the big "revelation" of a plot at play like it was in Blackflame. Maybe that is bias from my side, but how that book slowly introduced the politics of the Blackflame Empire and then unleashes a full-on coup between the houses, really got me.
This one doesn't really have that, it deals with the consequences of these events and ties off the loose ends you expect to come (such as the duel between Lindon and Jai Long), but the focus is on how an even greater danger messes with all the other events and reshifts the focus for every faction we know so far.
I preferred what book 3 did, but I heavily appreciate what this one then continued it with.
And also I can see, why people prefer this one to Blackflame, but it's probably all a matter of taste.
Cradle is a pretty simple, fun and enjoyable Blockbuster SFF series now. Easy to follow, enjoyable, engaging and with many fist-bumping and jaw-dropping moments. And most importantly, it is very digestible. These books rarely get over 300 pages long and never get really dark or depressing - which I feel like makes it as popular as it is.
It knows what it is and excells in that.
And now, it is my next pallet-cleanser series. Cheers and onward!
Now reach that stupid Truegold Lindon!
Almost every reader complains about the first book in Cradle to be... Boring. To be weakly written, to lack clarity, to lack any sense of engagement, .....
And those who don't complain about that, critizise the second book even harsher. And rightfully so, in my opinion.
Book 1, 'Unsouled', was okay. Promising, but lacking in most mentioned factors.
Book 2, 'Soulsmith', was lacking heavily. Like many others, I was at the point of giving up the series, but I decided to trust in the many people insisting of not forming an opinion until book 3.
And so it happened. Blackflame tore my face off and Will Wight managed to turn a series I felt indifferent towards - if not even dislike - into one I could not get enough of. And all of that within barely over 300 pages.
What a bold bold move.
It is for that exact reason, I give Skysworn "only" a 4* rating. It's basically an impossible thing to pull of the same thing as with Blackflame once again. This is not a game changer; this is just what the game-changer leads to. And with this book, the reader is now fully thrown into the epic adventure, that the author had in mind all this time. The curtain falls further.
If Blackflame did not fully convince you yet, Skysworn should do the rest. All the improvements of the previous entry are developed further.
Most important of them all - in my opinion - is the depth of the characters and their dynamics.
Where Blackflame made me care, Skysworn now built up even more underlay to the supporting cast.
Highlights here are especially Eithan (once again lol) and of course Yerin. Eithan like before delivers mysterious atmosphere, combined with wise mentor and comic-relief woven in simultaneously. He is truly a masterwork and having these elements work together in one character is really inpressive by Will Wight - even more, as he actually has POVs!
And Yerin, who was my personal anchor for the pervious books now gets more to do than just being supporting cast and creating interactions.
The events happening in the plot as well as her being a more prevalent POV character, make it possible to explore her backstory further. It gets clear, what lies beneath the harsh and unforgiving surface of this warrior. The groundwork is laid for some serious emotions in the later entries - if that is, what Will Wight wants to do at some point.
What I also found quite refreshing for the series was the addition of even more side-characters; and interesting ones at that!
I don't want to spoil things, but there are some individuals, connected to certain Top-Tier level Powerhouses functioning as new sidekicks in here. Really cool to see these things this "early" in the series.
Oh and of course lets not forget the coolest animal companions EVER. This is the first full book we have the delight of seeing/hearing/witnessing Orthos and Little Blue. Especially Orthos is a true scene-stealer.
A giant, sentient, overpowered, sleepy, fireturtle with aggression-problems, that takes a bite of everything he comes across is not what I thought I needed in my life. But I want an Orthos myself.
And Little Blue is just sweet.
The companionship these two form with Lindon is really what saves him from being the most dull character here.
Because on his own, Lindon is basically nothing but a device for the author, to advance us - the reader - through is world and magic-system. The "fish-out-of-water" so to say. He has just one character-trait, and that is that he wants to prove himself and get stronger. But with these two beast/ghost-companions, he surpasses that. So for the first time in the series, there are some great interactions for him that don't involve Eithan and/or Yerin. Now they all function as a sort of extension of his character.
So far, so good. But what about Plot and Worldbuilding? And what a bout prose?
Well for prose, don't expect anything suprising. It is once again better than the previous one, while still only limiting itself to be as approachable and as clear as possible. The magic is complex enough, Will only wants everyone to have a good time and be able to follow the happenings.
I have to say though, that the more the scale of everything increases, the more we get of the cosmic-stuff going on, the cooler the proseatic descriptions get. Especially the Suriel scenes and those, where our main POVs get glimpses into the cosmic-scale are written really well and thought-provoking.
Also how the author reveals and places information is - once again - pulled off very neatly. Especially in hindsight, how he unveils everything and in which order events happen and are explaines, is very deliberate.
As for the plot, this continues, what Blackflame started. The bigger picture is unveiled, the different factions start to play a role and our characters are in the position, to actually witness, what is going on. I don't know how true this is, as this series might evolve far beyond what I can grasp right now, but it certainly feels like the end goals and stakes are finally revealed here. And not only as a looming shawdow somewhere in the future, but as a true danger that is starting to gain influence *right now*.
And I tell you, the display of power with this opponent... It's really quite scary and actually pulls off some Lovecraftian vibes. These entities are so far beyond comprehension, that what I mentioned earlier sets in: The descriptions getting really abstract and thought-provoking.
But what I have to say for this one is, that there is not the big "revelation" of a plot at play like it was in Blackflame. Maybe that is bias from my side, but how that book slowly introduced the politics of the Blackflame Empire and then unleashes a full-on coup between the houses, really got me.
This one doesn't really have that, it deals with the consequences of these events and ties off the loose ends you expect to come (such as the duel between Lindon and Jai Long), but the focus is on how an even greater danger messes with all the other events and reshifts the focus for every faction we know so far.
I preferred what book 3 did, but I heavily appreciate what this one then continued it with.
And also I can see, why people prefer this one to Blackflame, but it's probably all a matter of taste.
Cradle is a pretty simple, fun and enjoyable Blockbuster SFF series now. Easy to follow, enjoyable, engaging and with many fist-bumping and jaw-dropping moments. And most importantly, it is very digestible. These books rarely get over 300 pages long and never get really dark or depressing - which I feel like makes it as popular as it is.
It knows what it is and excells in that.
And now, it is my next pallet-cleanser series. Cheers and onward!
Now reach that stupid Truegold Lindon!
December 14, 2022
My boy Mr. Wight can't miss! This book FLEW, no pun intended. I'm already barreling onward. No time to look back. Ghostwater, here we come 🙌🏻
October 2, 2017
My least favourite book in the series I'm afraid. All of a sudden the pace of the story becomes frantic and abrupt: [Infodump] ACTION SCENE!!! [Touching emotional moment] ACTION SCENE!!! It was like reading a Micheal Bay movie and it made the whole book feel like a string of unconnected vignettes or like the author wrote it as an after thought.
But even though the pace seems to have inexplicably changed for the worse, the content still largely remains as good as ever. Infact, perhaps its better than ever- its just hard to tell with this damnable pacing. The setting is endlessly imaginative, the various backstories and over-arching plots are still desperately intriguing and Will reveals what he will as coyly as a blushing milkmaid. And the ACTION SCENES!!! definitely do what they set out to do. Its just a shame that there isn't more to this story, or perhaps more holding this story together.
But even though the pace seems to have inexplicably changed for the worse, the content still largely remains as good as ever. Infact, perhaps its better than ever- its just hard to tell with this damnable pacing. The setting is endlessly imaginative, the various backstories and over-arching plots are still desperately intriguing and Will reveals what he will as coyly as a blushing milkmaid. And the ACTION SCENES!!! definitely do what they set out to do. Its just a shame that there isn't more to this story, or perhaps more holding this story together.
November 8, 2021
3.5
I didn't enjoy this as much as Blackflame, for just the simple reason that I was a bit uninterested for the majority of the book. I mean, by the first 30%, I thought this one was going to be the best, but after that things didn't slow down, which I think was a bit of the problem. Felt rushed, like this whole book was just a bunch of martial art fight scenes conpacted in one volume. I needed a bit more story, I think.
Still enjoyed, nonetheless. That first 30% was such a treat, and the ending wasn't half bad, but still fell short. I am excited for Ghostwater, though, cause this book seemed like a stepping stone for the next. And also a goodreads friend said that some other great characters are introduced as well.
I didn't enjoy this as much as Blackflame, for just the simple reason that I was a bit uninterested for the majority of the book. I mean, by the first 30%, I thought this one was going to be the best, but after that things didn't slow down, which I think was a bit of the problem. Felt rushed, like this whole book was just a bunch of martial art fight scenes conpacted in one volume. I needed a bit more story, I think.
Still enjoyed, nonetheless. That first 30% was such a treat, and the ending wasn't half bad, but still fell short. I am excited for Ghostwater, though, cause this book seemed like a stepping stone for the next. And also a goodreads friend said that some other great characters are introduced as well.
May 16, 2025
I never reviewed this one originally. I liked it a lot the second time around. I kinda liked how the big duel with Jai Long didn't end up taking much of the book, and Lindon handily lost it. It was more about the Bleeding Phoenix. And I always loved it's first appearance, and how terrifying it was. Not to mention Ozriels marbal scene. I do hope Lindon and friends get to ascend by the end of the series.
March 8, 2023
Damn, these last two books have been greattt
July 4, 2020
This is the book where the Cradle series takes a big leap towards betterment in terms of the story, worldbuilding, and characterization. I'm of the opinion that this book is a vast improvement from Blackflame. It has amazing action, adrenaline fueled tension, and bigger threats to increase the stakes in the story.
I loved the addition of the skysworn, a group of elite warriors that safeguard the empire. And, our protagonists are caught in their midst viewed with anger, suspicion, and hostility. The duel for which Lindon has prepared comes as a surprise. It was brief, and showed Lindon to his stretching point. The appearance of the Dreadgod, bloodspawns, and the Monarch was an ultimate treat.
What made this book notable was the fantastic action with explosive power-levels that reminds me of One Punch Man and Dragonball. It was so bloody good. Mercy is a new character whom I'm happy to see, and is a welcome addition to Eithan's group. Yerin is still stiff, but gradually comes i to terms with her terrifying parasite. Orthos still cracks me up with his behavior and rough talks, and Little Blue is an innocent delight that does wonders to my spirit as a reader.
This was a book which was full-throttle entertainment from start to the finish. I'm now more eager to continue with the series. What I liked about this book was that it has delved deeper into the world of Cradle and showed some of its intriguing aspects. And, this is just the beginning I think. I have completed reading Ghostwater, and it's even better.
I loved the addition of the skysworn, a group of elite warriors that safeguard the empire. And, our protagonists are caught in their midst viewed with anger, suspicion, and hostility. The duel for which Lindon has prepared comes as a surprise. It was brief, and showed Lindon to his stretching point. The appearance of the Dreadgod, bloodspawns, and the Monarch was an ultimate treat.
What made this book notable was the fantastic action with explosive power-levels that reminds me of One Punch Man and Dragonball. It was so bloody good. Mercy is a new character whom I'm happy to see, and is a welcome addition to Eithan's group. Yerin is still stiff, but gradually comes i to terms with her terrifying parasite. Orthos still cracks me up with his behavior and rough talks, and Little Blue is an innocent delight that does wonders to my spirit as a reader.
This was a book which was full-throttle entertainment from start to the finish. I'm now more eager to continue with the series. What I liked about this book was that it has delved deeper into the world of Cradle and showed some of its intriguing aspects. And, this is just the beginning I think. I have completed reading Ghostwater, and it's even better.
June 16, 2023
I blazed through this one in less than a week... which is quick going on my end. Probably helps that they're fairly short books. :D
The first half of Skysworn is riveting, pulling you along page after page as it deals with the consequences from the previous books. The second half slows down a bit, but that's because it's introducing new things for future books. Definitely the best in the series so far even if the action is sometimes a bit hard to follow.
The first half of Skysworn is riveting, pulling you along page after page as it deals with the consequences from the previous books. The second half slows down a bit, but that's because it's introducing new things for future books. Definitely the best in the series so far even if the action is sometimes a bit hard to follow.
May 11, 2023
'Skysworn' (Cradle #4) by Will Wight.
Status: First Read.
Dates Read: 14th January to 17th January 2022.
Rating: 3.25/5.
Review:
This turned out to be my least favorite entry in the series so far. The entire book gave vibes of a filler episode.
Most of the action takes place in the second quarter of the book. And the action moments are spectacular! Not only do we get the much-awaited duel between Lindon and Jai Long, but also a fight between the two Underlords as the cherry on the cake. That, and the arrival of Longhook of the Redmoon Hall. But all of that takes place in the second quarter of the book.
The narrative structure is haywire. The pacing is clunky. And most of the book is filled with info dump after info dump. While I'm addicted enough to gobble it all up, it still came across as a mess of an interesting story. The main action sequence towards the end of the book happens off-screen. I felt it would have been better had the first half of this book been a part of the third book, and the second half shifted to the next book. All this would have provided a better narrative structure.
The whole book is riddled with info dump after info dump and only serves as a launchpad for setting up future arcs and characters. In short, I was disappointed with this book considering how strong the previous two entries were. Nonetheless, moving on to the next one!
📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚
Status: Second Read.
Dates Read: 7th May to 11th May 2023.
Rating: 3.75/5.
Review:
Whenever I ponder about the time I first read the Cradle series, I have hazy memories of enjoying every book once I read past 'Soulsmith'. I do remember the series getting better and better with each successive installment. However, to my great surprise (and dejection), I realized that I had given 'Skysworn' merely three stars (out of five) when I checked my initial review of it a few days ago. Thus, with great trepidation, I jumped into the current re-read of this book expecting yet another disappointment. However, having just finished re-reading this book, I must confess that I enjoyed it a lot more the second time around.
The book isn't perfect; it has its share of issues. Most of the action, as stated in my initial review, takes place in the second quarter of the book. The fight between Jai Long and Lindon, as well as the one between the Underlords, followed by an eventual conflict between Eithan and Longhook, make up for a thoroughly riveting read. Unfortunately, all these fights take place within the second quarter of the book. The climatic battle between the Akura Monarch and the fearsome Dreadgod (Bleeding Phoenix) happens off-screen, thus contributing to a bland and disappointing climax after an action-packed first half. Eithan's vision at the end is the saving grace that finally washes the bitter taste left after the drab climax of this book.
It was blatantly obvious during my initial read that I didn’t enjoy this book owing to its clunky pacing and haywire narrative structure. However, re-reading this book as a part of a group read-along (with a small number of chapters allotted for reading each day) helped me savor the story in a much more palatable manner. As a result, I was able to pick up on some clever foreshadowing, dive deep into the worldbuilding elements, and laugh my heart out at some hilarious moments – and thus, ended up enjoying this book a lot better than I did during my first read.
Overall, 'Skysworn' is yet another worthy addition to the Cradle canon. Being riddled with some pacing issues and valuable info-dumps, it isn't the best book out there, yet it still makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read for those newly initiated into the Cradle fandom. And, if you are revisiting the series just like me, the book offers a great re-read value for all the Cradle nerds out there.
📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚
Status: First Read.
Dates Read: 14th January to 17th January 2022.
"You'd be surprised how often people listen to me when they're left with no choice."
Rating: 3.25/5.
Review:
This turned out to be my least favorite entry in the series so far. The entire book gave vibes of a filler episode.
Most of the action takes place in the second quarter of the book. And the action moments are spectacular! Not only do we get the much-awaited duel between Lindon and Jai Long, but also a fight between the two Underlords as the cherry on the cake. That, and the arrival of Longhook of the Redmoon Hall. But all of that takes place in the second quarter of the book.
The narrative structure is haywire. The pacing is clunky. And most of the book is filled with info dump after info dump. While I'm addicted enough to gobble it all up, it still came across as a mess of an interesting story. The main action sequence towards the end of the book happens off-screen. I felt it would have been better had the first half of this book been a part of the third book, and the second half shifted to the next book. All this would have provided a better narrative structure.
The whole book is riddled with info dump after info dump and only serves as a launchpad for setting up future arcs and characters. In short, I was disappointed with this book considering how strong the previous two entries were. Nonetheless, moving on to the next one!
📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚
Status: Second Read.
Dates Read: 7th May to 11th May 2023.
Rating: 3.75/5.
Review:
Whenever I ponder about the time I first read the Cradle series, I have hazy memories of enjoying every book once I read past 'Soulsmith'. I do remember the series getting better and better with each successive installment. However, to my great surprise (and dejection), I realized that I had given 'Skysworn' merely three stars (out of five) when I checked my initial review of it a few days ago. Thus, with great trepidation, I jumped into the current re-read of this book expecting yet another disappointment. However, having just finished re-reading this book, I must confess that I enjoyed it a lot more the second time around.
The book isn't perfect; it has its share of issues. Most of the action, as stated in my initial review, takes place in the second quarter of the book. The fight between Jai Long and Lindon, as well as the one between the Underlords, followed by an eventual conflict between Eithan and Longhook, make up for a thoroughly riveting read. Unfortunately, all these fights take place within the second quarter of the book. The climatic battle between the Akura Monarch and the fearsome Dreadgod (Bleeding Phoenix) happens off-screen, thus contributing to a bland and disappointing climax after an action-packed first half. Eithan's vision at the end is the saving grace that finally washes the bitter taste left after the drab climax of this book.
It was blatantly obvious during my initial read that I didn’t enjoy this book owing to its clunky pacing and haywire narrative structure. However, re-reading this book as a part of a group read-along (with a small number of chapters allotted for reading each day) helped me savor the story in a much more palatable manner. As a result, I was able to pick up on some clever foreshadowing, dive deep into the worldbuilding elements, and laugh my heart out at some hilarious moments – and thus, ended up enjoying this book a lot better than I did during my first read.
Overall, 'Skysworn' is yet another worthy addition to the Cradle canon. Being riddled with some pacing issues and valuable info-dumps, it isn't the best book out there, yet it still makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read for those newly initiated into the Cradle fandom. And, if you are revisiting the series just like me, the book offers a great re-read value for all the Cradle nerds out there.
📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚 📚
September 27, 2021
4* for this short but explosive installment in the Cradle series
Another gripping read in the series which starts to up the ante as far as the powerful beings who are crossing paths with our protagonists. I enjoyed this book but it seemed very short and in reflection I am not sure how much plot progression was really made.
Still it was enjoyable and there were some epic battles and at least one new and very interesting character was introduced to us who I feel will continue in the story line.
The battle at the end was pretty crazy and I don't want to spoil it for you but our protagonists were merely specks of dust in the hugeness of it all. So that in alone was worth the read! On to the next one.
Another gripping read in the series which starts to up the ante as far as the powerful beings who are crossing paths with our protagonists. I enjoyed this book but it seemed very short and in reflection I am not sure how much plot progression was really made.
Still it was enjoyable and there were some epic battles and at least one new and very interesting character was introduced to us who I feel will continue in the story line.
The battle at the end was pretty crazy and I don't want to spoil it for you but our protagonists were merely specks of dust in the hugeness of it all. So that in alone was worth the read! On to the next one.
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