The Spider's War

The Dagger and the Coin #5

by Daniel Abraham

The epic conclusion to The Dagger and The Coin series, perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin.

Lord Regent Geder Palliako's great war has spilled across the world, nation after nation falling before the ancient priesthood and weapon of dragons. But even as conquest follows conquest, the final victory retreats before him like a mirage. Schism and revolt begin to erode the foundations of the empire, and the great conquest threatens to collapse into a permanent war of all against all.

In Carse, with armies on all borders, Cithrin bel Sarcour, Marcus Wester, and Clara Kalliam are faced with the impossible task of bringing a lasting peace to the world. Their tools: traitors high in the imperial army, the last survivor of the dragon empire, and a financial scheme that is either a revolution or the greatest fraud in the history of the world.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Audiobook, Dragons, Science Fiction Fantasy

592 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 8, 2016

About the author

Daniel James Abraham, pen names M.L.N. Hanover and James S.A. Corey, is an American novelist, comic book writer, screenwriter, and television producer. He is best known as the author of The Long Price Quartet and The Dagger and the Coin fantasy series, and with Ty Franck, as the co-author of The Expanse series of science fiction novels, written under the joint pseudonym James S.A. Corey.

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

The best of the series; The Spider’s War is an unconventional and incredibly satisfying conclusion to an underrated fantasy series.

“The world has never been fair. Often beautiful. Sometimes kind when kindness was not deserved. But never fair.”

With this, I’m caught up with reading all the SFF novels written by Daniel Abraham. I can also confirm that The Spider’s Path made The Dagger and the Coin excluded from my personal curse with five books series. For those of you who don’t know, I have this unexplainable curse with five books fantasy series; often, either the final book of the series disappointed me, or the entire series just felt like it’s one book longer than it should. That’s definitely not the case with The Spider’s War and this series. This is, in my opinion, the best of the series.

“I find that unless we are very, very careful there can be a difference between who we are and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.”

The Spider’s War takes place immediately after the exciting ending of The Widow’s House. I did feel like the majority of the previous book was designed to be a preparation for the big conclusion to happen in The Spider’s War, and Abraham successfully delivered. I do believe that The Dagger and the Coin is one of the most underrated fantasy series; the same thing can also be applied to The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham. I’ve mentioned it times and times again, but Abraham’s fantasy books deserve more audience. Despite the similarities in storytelling style to George R. R. Martin, which is a positive thing for me, I feel that Abraham’s fantasy books can be described as distinct, unconventional, and clever. The Spider’s War heightened everything good about the previous books to a new level. The Tyrant’s Law and The Widow’s House brought powerful meaning to the title of the series; money and wealth have an equal destructive capability to influence a war as blades. The result of this confrontation of daggers, coins, and faith reached a seriously thrilling result in this novel. And in the midst of it all, the themes of compassion, hope, faith, redemption, mercy, and justice were never excluded.

“Thoughtfulness and kindness and love, I contend, are so much the way we expect the world to be that they become invisible as air. We only see war and violence and hatred as something happening, I suggest, because they stand out as aberrations. In my experience, even in the midst of war, many lives are untouched by battle. And even in a life of conflict, violence is outweighed by its absence.”

The entire series is a character-driven epic fantasy series, and the pacing in the series is relatively slower than other epic fantasy series. If character-driven fantasy isn’t your thing, I have a feeling you’ll have a hard time getting into this series. Frankly speaking, there were several moments in the first half of The Spider’s War where I thought the series won’t be able to escape the five-books curse. The travelogue and military fantasy aspects in Marcus and Clara’s POV chapters during the first half of the novel felt a bit too long for me; they weren’t bad per se, they just didn’t feel crucial in comparison to Geder and Cithrin’s chapters. Thankfully, I’m already invested in every POV character, and I can certainly tolerate minor hiccups in the pacing. And as I mentioned, there were Cithrin and Geder’s POV chapters; they completely stole the show from the beginning to the end. In hindsight, it’s ridiculous and believable to witness how far Cithrin and Geder developed. The character developments in this series—especially Cithrin and Geder—are superbly executed, and it genuinely makes me sad that so many fantasy readers haven’t witnessed their story.

“The story of a person could never be as complex as they actually were because then it would take as much time to know someone as it did to be them. Reputation, even when deserved, inevitably meant simplification, and every simplification deformed.”

This isn’t to say that Marcus and Clara’s chapters were underwhelming; Cithrin’s and Geder’s were just too good, that’s all. And remember, the minor hiccups in pacing happened only in the first half of the novel. Once the POV character’s story converged in this novel, the rest of the narrative was an unputdownable thrill; packed with emotions and absolutely breathtaking. Abraham is so good at weaving politics and engaging character’s relationships. The buildup, politics, and mind games were fully established to make sure the second half of this novel shine so brilliantly. Emotions and stakes were constantly high, and I can’t speak spoilers here, but it always felt like everyone’s just one step away from imminent failure. It was that intense. Plus, the brief moment of respite, such as the night before the battle talk, were implemented magnificently; these characters have come so far, and these moments further amplified that feeling. It’s all incredible, really, and let me just say once again that Geder Palliako is one of the most interesting and well-written I’ve come across in fantasy.

“I don't know what justice is," she said.
"That's because it isn't the sort of thing you discover. It's a thing you make." She looked at him, and he shrugged. "There are things you find out in the world. Rocks and streams and trees. And there are things you make. Like a house, or a song. It's not that houses and songs aren't real, but you don't just find them in a field someplace and haul them back home with you. They have to be worked at. Made.”

Words of advice, though, The Dagger and the Coin is not a fantasy series filled with battle scenes. The pulse-pounding moments in The Spider’s War and this series can be found in the schemings, politics, relationship dynamics, and compelling dialogues. These are some of Abraham’s main fortes as a writer, not his battle scenes. Reading what drive the characters, and the internal conflicts they have, to do the actions they did bring so much tension to the narrative that battle scenes often fail to replicate. Abraham also widens the scope of the story in The Spider’s War by having Entr’acte’s chapters; these chapters allow the readers to see what’s going on in the world of the series beyond what our main characters are dealing with. Lastly, I also think that The Spider’s War has some of Abraham’s best writing in his career. I highlighted so many passages throughout the series; they’re too good to ignore. For example, in The Spider’s War, there’s a passage about how a war was made from individual lives, and this goes the same for all endeavors. Abraham also gives power to the word “probably,” we frequently think of the word “probably” as being indecisive, but from another perspective, “probably” means we have options and the freedom to choose.

“There’s only one utter ending for each of us, and it isn’t one we reach toward. Until then, it’s the next change, and the next change, and the next. And profound change, even when it’s the one you prayed for, is displacing.”

There’s still a lot of things I want to elaborate upon, but this should suffice; I hope I’ve kept things vague enough in this review. Let me end this review by saying that with The Spider’s War, in addition to The Long Price Quartet and The Expanse, I’ve read 17 novels written by Abraham. At the moment, he’s my fourth most-read author, just after Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, and Jim Butcher. I can’t wait to read more of his books, especially Leviathan’s Fall this year and Age of Ash next year. The Spider’s War ending was so satisfying, and Abraham also left some room in the story to explore should he choose to return to this world. This is one of the most underrated fantasy series I’ve read, and Abraham is a new addition to my growing list of favorite authors. I highly recommend The Dagger and the Coin to readers who want to read a character-driven epic fantasy series that’s different.

Series review:

The Dragon’s Path: 3.5/5 stars
The King’s Blood: 4.5/5 stars
The Tyrant’s Law: 4/5 stars
The Widow’s House: 4/5 stars
The Spider’s War: 4.5/5 stars

The Dagger and the Coin: 20.5/25 stars

You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

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[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic ending to a great series!! 🐲

[Mayim de Vries · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Everyone loves peace when they are losing the battle.”

As much as Daniel Abraham is one of my favourite authors, he is also somebody bent on destroying his own series in the final instalment. Just for the fun of it, it seems.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very very glad to have read The Dagger and the Coin; I think it is one of the better reads out there in the fantasy fields. However, just like in The Long Price Quartet, this book is merely a 3-star and quite an underwhelming finale to an otherwise great story.

“It seems to me that what makes us human is our ability to create a dream and live within it.”

If you ask me why I recommend Mr Abraham as a writer, the first thing I will tell you is that I love his prose. Oh, I have read that it is either not enough sophisticated or blunt, too mellifluous or trivial, altogether unremarkable and monotonous. For me, it just hits the spot somewhere between shrewd political observation and philosophical poetry. And I like my books to find these crossroads: Like wine poured into water, the war stained the world… An opening like that can steal me away for whole chapters.

Although, this series is not about the lightness (or, indeed, heaviness) of prose. From the very beginning, it has been about (four) character(s) development. But when you opt for a character-driven story, character-consistency is a must not a whim that might or might not be kept, like a souvenir from an exotic journey. And this is true for both, protagonists and antagonists alike. This is also what makes plot-twists so incredibly complicated: they must be believable and unbelievable at the same time.

And I have seen some amazing thing happening throughout the books. Mainly, it concerns the females (oh, these females are almost better than those living ones I know, only one thing that beats them are the couples, most definitely better than the ones I know!). But also Geder redefined all my preconceptions regarding scary monsters. He really did. Only…

“It isn’t mercy if you deserve it. Mercy justified is only justice.”

I kept thinking that things go too smoothly. Somewhere between book four and book five the momentum was lost. The concatenation dissipated. Even worse, the convergence felt redundant. In the finale! How come? Because of one giant flip-flop that squished the whole thing into meaninglessness. Something akin to a psychological U-turn that just happened when it was needed, and because it was necessary.

From book to book, I have been wondering which one to bet on: the dagger or the coin? (Have you not?)

Well, pardon my French spoiling but in the end, it turned out that it was neither of those!.

Armies did not redeem the world because “how many swords does it take to defeat an idea? Millions and none, that much was obvious. But equally, Cithrin’s brilliant scheme that bared naked our own modern lunacy of a belief invested in worthless pieces of paper (or, more often now, in objectively non-existing virtual symbols) and conviction that these are a legitimate equivalent of gold, even though they are fraud in the best and daylight robbery in the worst scenario, even the war gold intrigue proved to be spurious in the end.

What has done the trick was theatrics, a spectacle written and choreographed especially for a one-person audience. And while the troupe has been a crucial element of the plot, from the very beginning both means and an end of many off shots of the main tale, the main title suggested that a combination of economy and military power will do the trick. There is no explanation for what has eventually transpired in Camnipol, and most definitely none justification for the ease of it.

The whole thing should just be renamed as The Dagger, the Coin, and the Mask. Otherwise everything is equally inconsequential.

This is one of my greatest peeves against this book aside from how the potential of Inys has been squandered, and I hate dragons! so I cannot even imagine how those readers who actually like them must feel!: I think Mater Kit pivotal to the whole story and I really wish we had his POV. Indeed, I hoped he would back in the second book (why not, Clara was introduced late too, after all). In the end, Mr Abraham kept him as a sort of a bracket that brought the whole tale together but at the same time, the rightful place Master Kit had played (and he played beautifully!) was denied to him. Without any reason.

I finished The Dagger and the Coin series with real pleasure even if I am somewhat disappointed. Part of me is glad that the Author kept the door open for further forays into this world although I will certainly not read anything about how Marcus became another Stormcrow figure and finished what the first Stormcrow left unattended. But what I really want to read is a series by Mr Abraham that will leave me crying a river of stars as opposed to warring with conflicted feelings.

Something like that, listen to my voice friend, is even worse than spiders.

Also in the series:

1. The Dragon's Path ★★★★☆
2. The King's Blood ★★★☆☆
3. The Tyrant's Law ★★★★★
4. The Widow's House ★★★★☆

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Executive Summary: A really satisfying ending to an excellent series. I hope that Expanse doesn't keep Mr. Abraham away from fantasy for too long (even though I love that too). 4.5 stars.

Audiobook: Pete Bradbury does an excellent job with the narration. I love his voices and the inflections when he reads. My only minor complaint is at times he can be difficult to hear. He's a bit soft spoken, and I wish they had adjusted the volume up a bit to compensate. Overall though, I think audio is an excellent option for this series.

Full Review
After reading and falling in love with the Expanse books a few years ago, I went looking for other books by the authors I might enjoy. I opted to go with this series over his completed Long Price Quartet for some reason, though I ended up reading that too while waiting for this book to come out.

I haven't read another series quite like this one. Most fantasy series completely ignore economics all together and focus on magic and combat. If they do include economic issues they are a minor issue most of the time. Mr. Abraham not only includes economics, but he makes it front and center. Some people might read that and think the story would be boring, but I think Mr. Abraham does an excellent job.

This series at its core is about power. The power of military strength (dagger) and the power of the banks (coin). Through some of the best character development I've ever read, we follow the story of two people on their path to power by very different means.

More than anything, it's the characters and their development that makes this series shine for me. I've never been so conflicted by an antagonist as from this series. Geder's an absolute monster, with largely good intentions. I started out liking him for the most part. He's a bit of a nerd with self esteem issues, something I can identify with. But he's got a really bad temper. Given power, he's quick to make those he feels are laughing at him pay.

Meanwhile you have Cithrin who started out a bit flat and annoying for me, but grew to be a really interesting and complex character. I never really identified with her and her motivations at all, but I always enjoyed reading about them. Through Cithrin, Mr. Abraham made economics pretty interesting for me.

Marcus is on the surface a standard fantasy trope character. The grizzled military veteran haunted by his past. However, Mr. Abraham does a great job giving him depth that elevates him above a mere trope. Some of my favorites bits of dialogue in the whole series are the banter between him and Master Kit, Yardem, or Inys.

My favorite character though has to be Clara. Her development as the series goes on outdoes even Geder's. In a genre that is severely lacking in female characters, Mr. Abraham decides to focus on a 50-something women. She offers a nice contrast to the other characters. She's conflicted about her place in the world, but doesn't let that stop her from accomplishing her goals. She's politically savvy without being unlikable or conniving. She's not quite as good as Avasarala from the expanse, but is definitely a close second.

In addition to the excellent POV characters, the supporting cast was well done too. I'm particularly fond of Yardem, Master Kit and all of the actor company. This world feels large in scope and it's minor characters and a lot of depth to the story.

This book was delayed a few times, likely due to Mr. Abraham's involvement in both the Expanse novels and the TV series. I felt it was worth the wait. The book comes to a decent stopping place, and resolving many of the major conflicts, without wrapping things up in a nice bow. There are still issues to be resolved, but I'm perfectly content leaving them where they are.

And on top of all that, I LOVED the epilogue of the book. It was not only very satisfying, but I felt it offered really nice symmetry with the prologue of The Dragon's Path. Overall, I really enjoyed this series, and I hope that Mr. Abraham will start on a new fantasy series at some point in the near future.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A logical and satisfying end to a fascinating epic fantasy series dealing with the sources, uses and abuses of power and the checks that a society can (or can't) bring to bear on that power.

Gedder Palliako and the Priests of the Spider Goddess are finally getting meaningful opposition because of Cithrin bel Sarcour's economic innovation, but the war of the Antean Empire versus the World is nothing compared to the endless battle that will come if the Spider Priests consolidate their foothold in human society. Marcus Wester, Clara Kalliam and Cithrin strike out on desperate missions to make sure that the Antean Wars don't become eternal.

As with a lot of books I've been reading lately the parallels with current world politics are quite disturbing, in this case the demonisation of a racial minority for ulterior reasons, and the repeating of lies by compelling speakers becoming "truth".

All of the characters in this book are well-served, including Gedder who hasn't been much more than crazy and a pathetic pawn since the first book. In this one he gets to be his utterly evil self (uninfluenced by the Priests like his initial burning of Cithrin's home city) and also gets an almost heroic redemption. Clara, Cithrin and Marcus have long been the series stars and all get great sendoffs here as well.

A satisfying end to what has been a great epic fantasy series.

[Andrei(Drusca) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5/5

[Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spider’s war was an unconventional series-ender, and I’m still not totally sure how I feel about it. On one hand, the atypical resolution was satisfying because it was so far outside the norm. Many of the series I’ve been reading lately have ended with formulaic story arcs, so Spider’s War felt refreshing by contrast. On the other hand, I think it still could’ve ended with a bit more fanfare… the story kind of petered out, missing any sort of momentum. My favorite series tend to be the ones with that amazing snowball careen towards the end where the energy is poignantly felt. This one rolled steadily out the way it rolled in – plodding and consistent. Which I suppose isn’t a bad thing, it just didn’t leave me with a lot of takeaway (which is in stark contrast to how other works by this author have left me – I’m still reeling from those!!).

I think in part it lacked the external momentum because the majority of the focus was on character dynamics and individual story arcs. This is actually my favorite part of Abraham’s writings because he always manages to make me feel connected to the characters – even the villains. The human connection is very much the driving force behind the plot, and that’s why the series is still very much worth reading….

But even so, there were some missed opportunities.

The end of book three introduced a couple of new incredible dynamics to the series that never got expanded on to my satisfaction. In fact, they were almost afterthoughts within the story and added no real value to the final destination. What an opportunity wasted!!! This also could be part of the reason I felt the lack of momentum because my imagination of where it could go was incredible.

Without going into too much detail, I also had trouble with some character inconsistency in this final book. While I love the fact that the series drew me in enough to even care about inconsistencies (I’ve been really apathetic lately with that… meaning I’ve also had nothing to contribute to buddy read discussions lol), a lot of my dissatisfaction stems from not liking where the characters ended up. Some were perfection, some not so much.

Overall, I’m glad to have read this series, and I’ve come away with a stronger than usual love for the characters. I think, however, I’m going to have a difficult time remembering how the series ended a few years from now.

Series status: COMPLETE!

Recommendations: the Dagger & Coin is not your typical fantasy series. It’s highly character-driven and focuses more on the small moments between people than any grand external conflicts. I would probably only suggest it to seasoned fantasy readers who need a break from the formulaic, cookie-cutter series out there. On the whole, it’s worth the read.

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

Other books you might like:

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

'... I warn you, not all that are good end well. Not all that are evil are punished...'

Well, we can't say he didn't warn us!

DAMN, but that was a bloody good series! I honestly think it may be my favourite fantasy series this side of Middle-Earth.

I absolutely loved all the characters and, boy, am I going to miss them. Please tell me you're going to take us back to these folks again someday, Mr. Abraham? Pretty please? Seriously, I loved these characters so much I even shed a tear when one of the bad guys died! That, my friends, is good writing.

I don't hesitate to recommend this to anybody who loves the fantasy genre. I'm absolutely gutted this series is over... Damn... I'm going to have to read something completely different now...

[Algernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "Dagger" meets the "Coin" in the ultimate confrontation that will either push the world into endless war, or it will usher in a long period of peace and prosperity. The fifth and final volume of Daniel Abraham's epic fantasy series puts the Dagger in the hands of the Antean empire under the twin rule of Geder Palliako and of the priests of the Spider goddess. In the opposite corner an alliance led by the Medean Bank and the last dragon still alive in the world, Ynis. If you would like a longer synposis, tough luck. You need to start at the beginning, with book one in the series.

At first (and second) glance the good guys and the bad guys are easy to identify. The previous four volumes made it aboundantly clear that the warrior's path leads to destruction, and that the commerce path leads to peace and prosperity. But Daniel Abraham is still capable of muddling the waters and raising ethical questions, even this late in the script.

There had been a time, not even very long ago, when winning a war had meant crushing an enemy, killing them, lighting their cities afire. She, like the others around her, had imagined redeeming the world with the point of a dagger. It was, after all, the story everyone told of how a war ended: a righteous victor, a conquered evil, order restored. It was a lie in every particular. Every war was the precursor for the wars that followed, a slaughter that justified the slaughters to come.

Can you still get up on that high horse of moral rectitude if you use the same methods or even worse than your adversary in order to win the last battle? How will you define victory? What comes after the tyrant is brought down? Will you kill everybody else on his side in revenge? How can you make sure that history will not repeat itself with the next generation?

It's too large, isn't it? War, history. Each battle growing from the quarrels that came before and sowing the seeds of the ones that come after.

Philosophical debates are all fine and dandy, especially under the pen of a talented storyteller like mr. Abraham. I can't help observing though that these BIG issues manage to slow down the pace and to dominate the action part that many fantasy readers expect in the final issue of a major epic. I really like this final chapter, and I thought it was a fitting conclusion of the chess game that started with "The Dragon's Path". But from mr. Abraham I was expecting more than 'great'. I was hoping for 'amazing' and 'original', something along the lines of the excellent "Long Price" quartet. "The Dagger and the Coin" is neither very original, nor very surprising in its final form. I have had a similar reaction in the past to a lot of fantasy epics, so this slight disappointment may not be mr. Abraham's fault, but mine. I very much prefer the beginning of a journey to its end. I love the thrill of exploring for the first time a new world, with its geography, its different races, its old mythologies and its ancient histories, its legendary heroes and its intriguing magic systems. I also like to meet the actors that would play the major roles in the adventure. After a few books though I start to notice that all of these building bricks of speculative fiction seem familiar (been there, done that, got the t-shirt).

It usually helps when I really care about these heroes and heroines, out to save the world from some unspeakable evil. I can them ignore the clyches and the predictable end battles. Characterization is another aspect of the story where I think Abraham did great, but could have done better.




>><<>><<>><<

A word of warning before proceeding further: talking about the main characters and their role in the final battle can be considered a spoiler, so tread carefully from now on.

>><<>><<>><<




What I mean is, Abraham has learned from his mentor (George R R Martin) to draw in shades of grey and to create interesting (read shocking) situations. There are plenty of wow moments, especially in the early episodes of the series, but when I draw the line I notice that the POV characters are in the end in basically the same position they were when the story started:

- Cithrin bel Sarcour - she's the young prodigy with the revolutionary ideas about doing business. She has gained some self-confidence and some acting chops to help her in trade negotiations, but she remains a bit of a Mary Sue who can take no wrong step.

- Marcus Wester - is the same world weary mercenary, having nightmares about his lost family and having snarky conversations with his laconic and trusty sidekick, Yardem Hane

- Clara Kalliam is the poster image of medieval times feminism, out to succeed in a men's world. She's supposed to have doubts about her abilities, but for me she's just an older version of Cithrin, specialized in palace intrigue.

- Geder Palliako is the most interesting guy in the whole epic, but he is also the most despicable. He has numerous flaws, some good intentions and a truly bad case of 'revenge of the nerds' atitude against the whole world who is making fun of him. The attempt to redeem him in a final scene fell flat for me, given the long list of atrocities that preceded this single honorable gesture. The author does put the question to the reader, to find out if we can accept or not the possibility of mercy. I guess I'm a failed subject of study, because my verdict is still guilty as hell:

We'll pUt this on his tombstone. Here lies a vicious, petty tyrant who damn near broke the world. He did one brave thing at the end.

- Master Kit, the leader of the itinerant actors troupe is the character who utters the opening and the closing lines of the grand epic, in an elegant gesture of circular storytelling (Wheel of Time, anyone?). In between these parenteses, Kitap rol Keshmat reveals hidden depths and unexpected resources of strenth and moral fiber, but the cranky commentator in me still sees Kit as the ever present fantasy 'white wizard' borrowed from the pen of Tolkien.

The story of a person could never be as complex as they actually were because then it would take as much time to know someone as it did to be them. Reputation, even when deserved, inevitably meant simplification, and every simplification deformed.

I have greatly simplified the nature of the main characters for the purpose of this brief review. The author deserves better, for he truly spent a lot of time and attention going over the motivations and the conflicting emotions that lead these people to action. Time will tell how memorable Cithrin, Marcus, Clara, Geder and Kit will be, down a road so crowded with new fantasy offerings every year.

For all these critical notes, I did enjoy the journey to a magical world of twelve competing humanoid races designed by a long gone dragon civilization. Abraham juggles with a lot of balls high up in the air and he manages to bring his act to a close gracefully , with a touch of humour here, with a fine dose of romance there, a chilling note of horror to really scare the audience, swashbuckling action and twisted political maze running. The reader is challenged often on the subject of violence, religion, tolerance, gender, politics, civilization and anarchy.

Soldiers of the glorious empire or monsters of violence and suffering. So much depended on the story one told about them.

>><<>><<>><<

- I don't know what justice is, she said.
- That's because it isn't the sort of thing you discover. It's a thing you make. There are things you find out in the world. Rocks and streams and trees. And there are things you make. Like a house or a song. It's not that houses and songs aren't real, but you don't find them in a field someplace and haul them back home with you. They have to be worked at. Made.

>><<>><<>><<

The war was over, but humanity was still itself. The hatred might last forever. The injustice. The petty cruelty and moral blindness.

>><<>><<>><<

With the last quote, and with an enraged dragon still on the loose in the world , Daniel Abraham leaves the door open for a sequel, with or without the current cast of heroes. I believe I will be as eager to find out what happens next as I was when I read the opening lines of "The Dragon's Path". The show must go on!

Stop now, and come near! Hear the tale of Allren Mankiller and the Sword of Dragons! Or if you are faint of heart, move on. For our tale is one of grand adventure. Love, war, betrayal, and vengeance shall spill out now upon these poor boards, and I warn you, not all that are good end well. Not all that are evil are punished. Come close, my friends, and know that in our tale as in the world, 'anything' may happen ...

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Abraham has made my list of male authors I trust to write female characters.

No spoiler review for the whole series:
No five stars in the series, but ultimately one I tore through.
If you like political fantasy, character-driven stories, people you don’t expect to be protagonists taking the centre stage, satire and wit - you might like this series.

If you like Traitor Baru Cormorant, Daughter of the Empire, Daniel Abraham’s other quartet - you will enjoy this.

I have seen it compared to Game of Thrones (especially as the author works with GRRM), but I would not have thought of that had I not seen the comparison. Yes, it is about court, about subtle manipulation, about storytelling.

Yet, underlying this is the price of war and peace (call back to his other series). The difference between justice and mercy. Loyalty and honour.
A loyal traitor is a title I would give to a few of the characters in this series.

“Thoughtfulness and kindness and love, I contend, are so much the way we expect the world to be that they become invisible as air. We only see war and violence and hatred as something happening, I suggest, because they stand out as aberrations. In my experience, even in the midst of war, many lives are untouched by battle. And even in a life of conflict, violence is outweighed by its absence.”

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the role of the bank and how we see how one clever misfit girl manages to change the course of the war and the world through her strategic mind. Not war strategy, but money.

This is not a series focused on the battles, on the epic moments. It is in the quiet actions that decide the outcome.


Don’t read on if you haven’t read up to book 4!

Geder… I don’t even know what to say. An incredible character arc that I still don’t know how to feel about. Quite like the characters within this world who knew him.

Whilst the ending was immensely satisfying, I think it was over too fast for a five book series. However, I also like how Abraham subverts expectations all the time in his book.

A repeat of one of my previous paragraphs to hammer in what I took away:
This is not a series focused on the battles, on the epic moments. It is in the quiet actions that decide the outcome.

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[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quality ending to a quality series. Wonderful, complex characters without exception. A unique and well-crafted low-magic, but not low-wonder, fantasy world that mirrors our own well enough for the themes to be eminently relevant.

This is a series definitely worth checking out. Daniel Abraham is a superb author. He’s not flashy, but his work is deservedly well-regarded.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star finale to this superlative 5 book series. I found the series to be original and clever: how wars can be fought, won and lost, not only with lives but through currency and economics.
I loved all the characters: their flaws and varied motivations; their justifications for their actions; their moral codes; their insecurities, hopes and fears. All are thoroughly explored across the books.
Abraham includes 13 races in his world -building- just begging for cinematic exploration. The previous four books always took a little time to get going but this led straight in to the race for the finishing line.
My only disappointment overall was how little the dragon ( that's right- just the one!) was a part of the story line although the whole story only comes into being as part of the underlying legacy of the dragons. It was hilarious that although the dragon only made brief appearances in the last 2 books of the series, he turned out to be a bit of a drama queen and a whiny baby!
I can't wait to read more by this author. I've been thoroughly impressed by this series.
Recommended.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Antean empire has reached that stage familiar to anybody who's ever played Risk -- it's very late in the game, you've sent your pieces swarming across almost the entire board, leaving effectively no reserves to hold the territory you've taken, and your opponent, having cashed in cards, is ready to start sweeping right back over the territory you took.

Well, except in this case on one side you have the priests of the Spider Goddess (who have become the actual driving force behind the Antean Empire's conquest; well, them, plus the massive walking insecurity complex that is the Regent, Geder Palliako (the guy who brought them back out of the desert in the first place)). And on the other side you have, well, pretty much everybody else, including Clara and Cithrin and Marcus and Master Kit and other characters we've been following over the past four books, and Inys, the last surviving dragon, reawakened after a millennia-long sleep. (Come to find out, there's a ... relationship between the aforementioned Spider Goddess priests and the now all-but-extinct dragons who once ruled the world and shaped the thirteen races of Humanity from the original stock. And that relationship is ... not a good one.)

And as in the previous books, events stubbornly refuse to unfold in the way you're conditioned to expect after reading mountains of other epic fantasy novels; and the characters can be brave, noble, heroic, playful, vindictive, petty, awkward and shallow, sometimes all at the same time.

And the economics -- so much economics ... [Which, he hastened to add, aren't presented in a Neal Stephenson-style series of hundred-page disquisitions and asides; but the changes being wrought by one Cithrin bel Secour may turn out to be the most significant, world-altering part of the entire enterprise.]

[Emelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This journey began with The Dragon's Path and ended with The Spider's War and what a journey it has been ! This has to be one of the best series I have ever read.

Abraham introduces us to a world filled with the 12 crafted races made by The Dragons. "Firstbloods" are the feral, near-bestial form from which all humanity arose, and the most populous race. "The Eastern Triad" composed of the Jasuru, Yemmu, and Tralgu. "The Western Triad" composed of the Cinnae, Dartinae, and the Timzinae. "The Master Races" considered the finest of the Dragon races composed of the Kurtadam, Raushadam, and the Huanadam. Lastly "The Decadent Races" composed of the bizarre Haaverkin, Southling, and the Drowned. Each race has it's own unique form. Ranging from Dragon-like form to "human" form.

Now that I have introduced you to the races, not going into detail, that would ruin the review. You'll just have to read the book ;). Going into the first book I didn't think banking would make for an interesting story but was I wrong ! We meet Cithrin, an orphaned child who ends up being adopted by the head of the entire realms banking system. Then we meet Marcus who is a well known military genius and one of the most likable characters I have ever read whose closest friend is Yardem Hane a Tralgu. These two have to be one of the greatest and most unlikely duos written, and who end up as Cithrin's personal body guards as she rises through the ranks of banking and ends up saving the world...that's right...through banking. Interested now?

We also come to meet Gedar Palliako who becomes Lord Regent to Aster, the dead Kings son. Gedar plummets the realm into chaos when he journeys to a lost ancient city and discovers the missing Cult of The Spider Goddess. Basrahip is the head Priest of the cult and he, like the rest, have spiders in their blood, that's right I said spiders; Who give them the ability to recognize lies when people speak and the ability to make people believe anything they say. Basrahip soon has Gedar under his control and the rest is history. A history carved in blood, deceit, murder, mayhem, and war that will shatter the realm.

It is hard to write a review on 5 books, so I decided to just set the books up hoping you would be intrigued enough to read them. I have read many series, but none like this. It is just a remarkably stunning series and I urge those of you who have read the likes of Erickson, Sanderson, and Gemmell to read this series. I promise you will not be disappointed.

[Liviu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing as it is bland and predictable with no real emotional moments or twists (the epilogue is fairly predictable too); a (comparative) fairy tale ending to a fantasy series that wanted to be more "realistic" without being of the totally-grim sort and the ending is way too cute for that

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid end to an impressive series that nicely ties up the story.

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at a later date.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Abraham's series really resonate with me - they are so character driven, and every character is complex. This series has my all time favorite villain too :)

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Daniel Abraham is like putting on my favorite, comfy pajamas and snuggling in to bed with a nice cup of coffee. He is so smooth in these fantasy books, and I hope he doesn't shy away from continuing to write epic fantasy because that would be sad.

I couldn't have wanted more from this book, it was everything I hoped the end of the series would be. The story lines we've followed were wrapped up well, and I continued to enjoy my time with our characters.

I didn't mean to read this book so fast, but it just flowed so well that I couldn't help it. I like where the series has ended, but feel there is room for more exploration if he decides it needs it

All in all this series was an excellent ride. We had major conflicts and great relationships and interesting politics, which together formed an excellent story that I'll be sure to revisit at some point!

[Shane Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is epic fantasy at its best! To call this series AMAZING just would not do it justice. This is a series I know I will never forget. Yeah, that good!

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

What waste of a good series

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler-free review of the entire Dagger & Coin series

The author is Daniel Abraham, whom I've only ever encountered before as half of James SA Corey, the pen name Abraham and Ty Franck use as the authors of the Expanse series. I love that series, and the connection is obvious - especially in terms of readability and how easy it is to relate to the characters. This series is almost compulsively readable - even though there were stretches when I felt like not much was happening, I still was unable to put it down. And the characters are every bit as well-realized - I might not have liked all of them (and there were parts of the books where I didn't like any of them) but I always understood them. Sometimes too well, it felt like.

The books are set in a world where, thousands of years ago, an empire of dragons ruled over everything. Humanity was a slave race, and the dragons bred them so there were a total of 13 different races, each with their own characteristics. Firstbloods are your standard, boring old humans, and the most numerous, but you also have everything from the scaled, dragonlike Jasuru (bred to serve as overseers to the slave races), doglike Tralgu (bred for hunting and war), the pale, slight Cinnae (intelligent, but physically weak), the Dartinae with their glowing eyes and ability to see in total darkness, and the chitin-covered Timzinae (the youngest of the races, but what exactly the dragons bred them for is unclear). The dragons destroyed themselves in a civil war, leaving humans to inherit their world and their legacy.

What I found most interesting about this worldbuilding (which is screaming to be made into an RPG of one sort or another) was that Abraham didn't do what seemed like the screaming obvious thing and have the different races all be their own separate nations. Different nations might be dominated by one race or another, but they're none of them monolithic. Every race regards the others as being equally human, despite their differing appearances and the fact that all of them can't necessarily interbreed. It was totally unexpected, and I was actually startled to discover how difficult it was for me to shed my assumptions that the races would necessarily be in conflict to one degree or another. This isn't to say that everything is fully harmonious - mixed race unions are frowned upon at the least, and stereotypes certainly exist, but nowhere to the degree I kept assuming they must.

The books entirely occur from the perspectives of four characters, with a fifth added a bit later (aside from the odd interlude or prologue): Marcus, an older mercenary with a tortured past; Cithrin, a half-Cinnae orphan, being raised as the ward of a banking house; Dawson, an arrogant powerful nobleman; and Geder, the awkward son of a minor nobleman. Later, Dawson’s wife Clara becomes the fifth POV character.

The series begins with the army of Antea (including Geder and Dawson & Clara’s son Jorey) invading the Free City of Vanai (home of Cithrin, and where Marcus happens to be at the time). It’s business-as-usual for the most part: Antea will invade, they status of Vanai will be a bargaining chip in the games of greater powers, and things will settle back down soon enough. But then Cithrin gets tasked with smuggling out the wealth of the bank to ensure neither side seizes it, and the occupation doesn’t proceed as everyone assumes it will, and off we go.

The series is called “Dagger & Coin” because the two driving forces behind most of the action in this series are the competing powers of finance and martial might, and how the one can be used to counter the other – all while the forces that ended the empire of the dragons are becoming active in the world again.

This series can be compared to lots of things, while mapping precisely to none of the. It’s not quite grimdark, but it’s got leanings in that direction. It’s not quite as intricate as A Song of Ice and Fire, but it’s certainly got lots of moving pieces. Fans of Malazan will probably appreciate this one as well.

I said I empathized with all the characters even though I didn’t necessarily always like them. This got especially interesting once I realized who the primary antagonist of the series was going to be, though the term “primary antagonist” doesn’t really fit. I’ve never managed to despise someone and pity them so much at the same time, and the series is worth reading for that alone.

[Natalie Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was too open for my tastes. The series spent so much time discussing the ramifications of justice vs revenge, but the outcome seems too lenient. Yes, Antea was brainwashed by the spider priests but it doesn't erase what they did. They still enslaved and murdered thousands of Timzinae, raped and plundered half a dozen (or more) cities. Abraham's idea of justice seems to be reparations, but I don't think that's enough. I would've preferred something akin to the Nuremberg trials. Those that occupied leadership roles should be trialed and/or imprisoned for their crimes against humanity.

I also hate that Geder died a hero. He deserved to be unmasked before everyone and have everyone laughing at him as he is executed for being a petty little incel tyrant. Instead he dies thinking that he is loved by his friends and Cithrin. Unforgivable.

We get never get any resolution with Inys either, or Marcus and Yardem's quest to track him down. I feel like it's being set up for a sequel series, but it's been six years since this came out and there hasn't been any news.

Though I'm not looking forward to an entire book revolving around Marcus. He was my least favorite POV character, after Dawson. He has zero character development; Book 1 Marcus is indistinguishable from Book 5 Marcus. He's such a cliche too: the war hero traumatized over his dead wife and daughter.

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Please get some therapy. It's not manly to mourn and brood for over a decade. It's low-key pathetic and an indictment on toxic masculinity.

Cithrin's character arc felt very unfinished. Her last POV chapter sees her mulling the question, "Where would you be happy?" She comes to the conclusion that she's not happy anywhere, but she knows that she is good at the work she does and somehow that's better than happiness. Like what?? What does that even mean? It might be suggesting that she's a workholic, but I don't get the feeling that she always derives joy from working. She's good at her job and that makes her happy, but it's not the answer to the question she was asking. She hasn't found the solution to true happiness, which is why I feel like her arc is incomplete.

Clara is by far my favorite character, but oof, she can be so mean to Vincen. She basically told him, "You are socially beneath me and that's why I have to dump you." He is a saint for still wanting to be with her.

A great series overall, but stumbled at the finishing line.

[Ints · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nolēmu saņemties un pabeigt vismaz vienu iesākto sēriju. Šo biju marinējis plauktos jau veselu gadu, un nu beidzot ir pienācis brīdis, kad viņa ir pabeigta. Jāatzīst, ka ar grāmatu sērijām man tas negadās bieži – vairāk tiek iesāktas nekā pabeigtas. Jāatzīst, ka piekto un ceturto grāmatu autors varēja publicēt vienā biezā grāmatā kopā. Neviens pat i neaizdomātos, ka tur ir divas. Tādēļ arī rakstu par abām uzreiz.

Šīs grāmatas ir veltītas konflikta beigu fāzei. Geders ar saviem Zirnekļu dievietes priesteriem ir savu nāciju vedis pretī uzvarai. Drīz vien viņi būs iekarojuši visu pasauli. Šķiet, ka arī mērķis – miers visā pasaulē, ir rokas stiepiena attālumā. Taču nodevēji nesnauž, viņi izlien no pakšķiem un dara savus melnos darbus. Piemēram, Citrīna baņķiere, kas atraidījusi Gedera mīlestību meklē veidus, kā sakaut topošo tirānu. Markuss dodas ceļojumā, lai atrastu līdzekli pret Zirnekļu tempļa priesteru sērgu. Līdzeklis atrodas, bet tas ir visnotaļ savdabīgs. Beidzot pienāk arī tas brīdis, kad lasītājam tiek atklāts visa konflikta tūkstošgadu senā vēsture.

Centrālais temats paliek nemainīgs – varas aspekti. Te tiek apskatīti divi galvenie – militārā un finansiālā. Lai veiksmīgi karotu, nemaz nevajag armiju kaujas laukā, pietiek ar finanšu impēriju un izdomu. Tas vienā ziņa sanāk pat lētāk. Autors ir pacenties, lai parādītu abu stratēģiju plusus un mīnusus. Militārā vara ir atkarīga no karavīriem un loģistikas. Gedera armijai nav problēmu ar motivāciju, priesteri nomotivēs pat kropli. Taču ir problēmas ar iekarotās teritorijas noturēšanu. Stratēģiskais armijas izvietojums ļoti atgādināja Otrā pasaules kara beigu fāzi, kad Hitleram armija vēl it kā bija, taču tā bija tik sadrumstalota pa iekarotajām teritorijām, ka nespēja pārgrupēties.

Arī baņķieriem uzvarēt karu nav viegli, jo nauda kā resurss tomēr ir ierobežots. Patika veids, kā autors atrisināja šo problēmu, modernizējot finanšu sistēmu. Citrīnas mērķis nav sakaut Gederu, viņa vēlas tādu iznākumu, kas neierautu gan iekarotājus, gan iekarojamos jaunā visaptverošā karā. Tas ir diezgan nereāls pasākums, ņemot vērā, ka šoreiz ļaunuma sakne nav tikai cilvēku ambīcijas.

Ja runājam par varoņiem, tad autoram viņi visi ir izdevušies. Sērijai ritot varoņi ir izauguši gan raksturā, gan pieņēmušies prātā. Citrina sāka kā pablāvs tēls, bet lēnā garā, notikumiem attīstoties, viņa kļuva par nopietnu spēlētāju. Varbūt tieksme iemest pa graķītim bija diezgan netradicionāla sievietei fantāzijas pasaulē. Ekonomika un finanšu sistēmas ir viņas dzīves neatņemama sastāvdaļa. Var tikai pabrīnīties, cik daudz fantāzijas darbu palaiž garām tik nozīmīgu dzīves sastāvdaļu kā preču apriti un pievienoto vērtību. Šajā sērijā autors ekonomiku ir padarījis par neatņemamu sižeta sastāvdaļu, un ar to vien būtu pelnījis uzslavu. Pat šodien autori nemaz neapjēdz, ko tas nozīmē ekonomikai sapulcēt miljons orku armiju, lai cik viņi nebūtu izturīgi, tie apsprāgtu no dizentērijas vai bada jau pēc pāris nedēļām. Šeit ar to viss ir kārtībā, karš maksā naudu, un ja naudas nav, nav arī kara. Citrīnai labākajās mūsu pasaules tradīcijās nākas izgudrot zelta aizstājēju.

Geders savukārt joprojām ietur nūģu atriebības līniju. Viņš arī r izaudzis no grāmatu tārpa līdz milzīgas impērijas vadītājam. Darbs ir grūts, lai noturētu jauniekarotās teritorijas, ir jāķeras pie genocīda un citiem briesmu darbiem. Taču ideja par mieru pēc tam ir pārāk vilinoša, lai atteiktos no soda ekspedīcijām. Geders neprot uzņemties atbildību par saviem darbiem, viņam vienmēr atrodas citi, kurus vainot, lai tikai pats paliktu balts un pūkains. Turklāt viņš vēl grib būt mīlēts. Tas ļauj autoram viņam sagatavot izcilu finālu, kurš ļoti labi saskan ar pirmās grāmatas notikumiem. Iespējams, ka Gedera beigu darbs patiešām ir saucams par varoņdarbu, bet cilvēki ir vieni nepateicīgi salašņas.

Grāmatai lieku 9 no 10 ballēm, beigas bija pārāk neitrālas un fantastiskas, lai pilnīgi atbilstu manai gaumei. Sērijai kopumā gan lieku 10 no 10 ballēm, ja vēlies palasīt kaut ko no fantastikas, kurā ir episks stāsts, vēsture un armijas nerodas no zila gaisa, silti iesaku.

[Myke Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's little more to say on The Spider's War that I haven't already said about the other Dagger and Coin books. What you need to know is this: Abraham sticks the landing. Everything that makes this series one of the very best in epic fantasy, certainly worthy of the level of success enjoyed by a Martin or a Sanderson, is present in this amazing conclusion.

Dagger and Coin is truly a groundbreaking work, with some of the best characterization I've ever read in the genre, and the kind of semi-nihilistic (but ultimately redemptive), realpolitik narrative style that makes the best entries in the field resonate. Dagger and Coin is the best kind of fantasy - the kind that feels *real*.

Abraham joins Polansky as one of those writers I will continually stump for until the enjoy the success they so richly deserve (Abraham sort of already enjoys it as 50% of James S.A. Corey, but I want him to enjoy it in his own right and under his own name), which is, frankly, limitless.

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great conclusion to a very good series. All of the main characters had appropriate endings. I do think Abraham left the door open for a future series in the same world. The direction he would take it is obvious upon completion and I’d be all-in if he did so.

Dagger & Coin is an appropriate name for the series as its very Cloak & Dagger. It’s a series about nuances. Nuances of people, their character, their desires, faults, dreams, grief and everything else that plays into human nature. I generally like a lot more action tied into my fantasy, and that’s not to say this didn’t have it, but Abraham is such a smooth writer and made you feel those nuances that it never had that plodding which other writers get stuck in when doing this style of book.

[Jason Schneeberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute fantastic series this was! I'm sad that's it's over and I really hope at some point Daniel Abraham returns to this wonderful world that he has created.

If you are looking for a realistic take on the fantasy genre, then look no further than The Dagger and The Coin series! I loved every minute of this amazing story.

[Laura Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a finale! The Spider’s War is a worthy – though somewhat bittersweet – ending to an original and (at times) unpredictable fantasy series. Abraham demonstrates how alternating PoVs *should* be used: switching back and forth with skill and cunning, heightening tension and uncertainty in the build-up to the big finish. Moreover, he also takes the time to thoroughly wrap up surviving characters’ story arcs in a variety of (mostly) satisfying ways, striking a fine balance between breathless action and patient closure.

There isn’t much else I can say without repeating what I've said in my reviews of the rest of this series. The characters are developed consistently and intriguingly (although, amazingly, they can still surprise us . . . even after spending five books in their company, and even when their actions are in no way at odds with what we know about them as a character), and the writing style remains as engaging as ever. The Spider’s War is certainly one of the strongest Dagger and Coin instalments, and is pretty much everything you could ask for in a finale. And while there’s nothing remotely resembling a cliffhanger, there are plenty of plot threads that are tied off less tightly than others – welcoming (but not demanding) an eventual return to the Dagger & Coin universe.

I happily recommend Daniel Abraham’s work to any and all readers of SFF, and I’ll certainly be taking a look at his Long Price Quartet in the near future. Some people say the best writers are the ones who, at the end of a series, leave you desperate for more. However, much rarer (and arguably more special) are the voices and the tales that we choose to revisit. And having finished The Spider’s War I know for a certainty that I’ll be returning to Cithrin, Clara, Geder and co. in the future. I miss them already.

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Τελευταίο μέρος και το μεγάλο φινάλε της σειράς. Δεν ξέρω βέβαια αν μπορεί να χαρακτηριστεί μεγάλο, σίγουρα όμως αυτό το τέλος είναι αρκετά ασυνήθιστο. Υπάρχει φυσικά το μεγάλο μαχητικό ξεκαθάρισμα, η λύση όμως στο τέλος είναι περισσότερο... εγκεφαλική. Στο τέλος αποφασιστική σημασία δεν έχει τόσο η δύναμη των όπλων αλλά αυτή της αμφισβήτησης, της λογικής σκέψης και γιατί όχι και της καλοσύνης. Οπότε μπροστά μας έχουμε ένα ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον και αισιόδοξο μήνυμα για τη φύση του πολέμου και για τον τρόπο που μπορεί να χτυπηθεί ο παραλογισμός του στη ρίζα του. Ίσως υπερβολικά αισιόδοξο για τον πραγματικό κόσμο αλλά για αυτό υπάρχει η φαντασία.

Κάνοντας πάντως έναν απολογισμό για όλη τη σειρά μπορώ να πω οριστικά ότι ο χρόνος που κάποιος θα αφιερώσει την ανάγνωση αυτών των πέντε βιβλίων δεν θα είναι καθόλου χαμένος. Εντάξει, σίγουρα σε σύγκριση με κάποια αλλά πρόσφατα έργα του είδους είναι κάτι υποδεέστερο, αυτό όμως δεν σημαίνει ότι δεν έχει την αξία του. Σε όλους τους τομείς που βασίζεται ένα έργο υψηλής φαντασίας τα πάει αρκετά καλά. Ο κόσμος που δημιουργεί ο συγγραφέας είναι χτισμένος με αρκετή μαστοριά - αν και σίγουρα θα μπορούσε να αφιερώσει περισσότερο χώρο στην περιγραφή του -, οι χαρακτήρες είναι αρκετά τρισδιάστατοι με κάποιους από αυτούς να παρουσιάζουν μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον - ειδικά οι γυναίκες -, ενώ δε λείπουν οι σκέψεις πάνω στα διάφορα ερωτήματα που δημιουργεί η εξέλιξη της ιστορίας.

Οπότε καλά πέρασα αυτές τις μέρες, έκανα μερικούς νέους φίλους και αφήνω τη σειρά ικανοποιημένος - για να πάω σε κάποια άλλη προφανώς.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series has been in a slow downward spiral of blandness since the first book. There was always just enough to keep me reading, but I was never captivated by the plot or the characters. I got sick of reading about Clara and her boytoy Vincen Coe or Cithrin the "good" banker (is there such a thing?)Geder was an interesting character for the first couple of books but he became more whiny and pathetic as the series went on. Overall, I can't recommend this series.