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The Crimson Empire #2
A Blade of Black Steel
The sequel to Alex Marshall's A Crown for Cold Silver, an outstanding, game-changing epic adventure featuring an unforgettable female warrior.
After five hundred years, the Sunken Kingdom has returned, and brought with it a monstrous secret that threatens to destroy every country on the Star.
As an inhuman army gathers on its shores, poised to invade the Immaculate Isles, the members of the Cobalt Company face an ugly choice: abandon their dreams of glory and vengeance to combat a menace from another realm, or pursue their ambitions and hope the Star is still there when the smoke clears.
Five villains. One legendary general. A battle for survival.
After five hundred years, the Sunken Kingdom has returned, and brought with it a monstrous secret that threatens to destroy every country on the Star.
As an inhuman army gathers on its shores, poised to invade the Immaculate Isles, the members of the Cobalt Company face an ugly choice: abandon their dreams of glory and vengeance to combat a menace from another realm, or pursue their ambitions and hope the Star is still there when the smoke clears.
Five villains. One legendary general. A battle for survival.
592 pages, Hardcover
First published May 24, 2016
118 people are currently reading
1580 people want to read
About the author
Alex Marshall
8 books267 followersAlex Marshall is a pseudonym for Jesse Bullington who has previously published several novels in different genres. - See more at: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/auth...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
July 11, 2016
This one surprised the hell out of me.
I mean, I liked a lot of the aspects of the first in the series, all the cussing, girl-chasing, older matron ex-queen bent on reclaiming her lost queendom, the heavy-metal aspects of getting the evil band back together and being the underdog villains amidst wonderful dialogue and demon-strewn wastelands (that they may or may not have had a part in bringing about). I was even thrilled by the effortless way that the world-building automatically assumes that sexual orientation or even reorientation or simple desire is never a negative thing. Women and men are pretty much people who do whatever the hell they want to do, and it's all grown-up choices without cultural or religious bullshit getting in the way. F/F, M/F, M/M, transgender, it doesn't matter. Things swing with story, circumstance, and plain surprising desire. I swear, if this series wasn't all about war, revenge, murder, torture, and all sorts of hellish magic and demons running the land (or sitting on one's shoulders), I'd be yelling from the treetops that this whole world was an easy, unstrained utopia that even Star Trek couldn't touch on any one of its pleasure planets.
That being said, all of this is even more evident in the second book, only it seems even more effortless and I'm loving ALL of these crazy characters even more than before.
What? The whole action from the first novel has just been superseded by a whole rising island of demons? Oh hell, what are our badass bad-guys going to do? Finish what they started, or freaking save the land?
Seriously, this book is too interesting to miss. I didn't even know which way the coin was going to toss, and I frankly didn't even care. This ride was just too fun.
It may be coming off the heels of grimdark epic fantasy, but this feels like something a lot more genuine and funny and emotional than most of the stuff I've read. Yeah, funny grimdark. Whodavethunk? I think it's the old matron's cursing as she swings her heavy metal around. Or the way her eyes can't get pried by that pretty girl's bottom while two brawny old men who'd lay their lives down for her look on like puppydogs in the old woman's direction, forlorn. Awwww.
And then there's so much awesome demon shit, warlocks, totally nasty battles, and totally emotional battles, too, wrenching the way only a good story can wrench.
I've gone over, pretty fully, to this dark side, this bad boy (or girl) of epic fantasy. I've read quite a few and somehow, this one is just kicking my ass in a really good way.
Now, I'm pretty much going crazy with the idea that I'm going to have to wait for the next. Grrrrr...
I mean, I liked a lot of the aspects of the first in the series, all the cussing, girl-chasing, older matron ex-queen bent on reclaiming her lost queendom, the heavy-metal aspects of getting the evil band back together and being the underdog villains amidst wonderful dialogue and demon-strewn wastelands (that they may or may not have had a part in bringing about). I was even thrilled by the effortless way that the world-building automatically assumes that sexual orientation or even reorientation or simple desire is never a negative thing. Women and men are pretty much people who do whatever the hell they want to do, and it's all grown-up choices without cultural or religious bullshit getting in the way. F/F, M/F, M/M, transgender, it doesn't matter. Things swing with story, circumstance, and plain surprising desire. I swear, if this series wasn't all about war, revenge, murder, torture, and all sorts of hellish magic and demons running the land (or sitting on one's shoulders), I'd be yelling from the treetops that this whole world was an easy, unstrained utopia that even Star Trek couldn't touch on any one of its pleasure planets.
That being said, all of this is even more evident in the second book, only it seems even more effortless and I'm loving ALL of these crazy characters even more than before.
What? The whole action from the first novel has just been superseded by a whole rising island of demons? Oh hell, what are our badass bad-guys going to do? Finish what they started, or freaking save the land?
Seriously, this book is too interesting to miss. I didn't even know which way the coin was going to toss, and I frankly didn't even care. This ride was just too fun.
It may be coming off the heels of grimdark epic fantasy, but this feels like something a lot more genuine and funny and emotional than most of the stuff I've read. Yeah, funny grimdark. Whodavethunk? I think it's the old matron's cursing as she swings her heavy metal around. Or the way her eyes can't get pried by that pretty girl's bottom while two brawny old men who'd lay their lives down for her look on like puppydogs in the old woman's direction, forlorn. Awwww.
And then there's so much awesome demon shit, warlocks, totally nasty battles, and totally emotional battles, too, wrenching the way only a good story can wrench.
I've gone over, pretty fully, to this dark side, this bad boy (or girl) of epic fantasy. I've read quite a few and somehow, this one is just kicking my ass in a really good way.
Now, I'm pretty much going crazy with the idea that I'm going to have to wait for the next. Grrrrr...
January 3, 2025
Marshall's second of the trilogy serves to move the story along, but not very far; the first half of the novel covers about two days narrating the various exploits of the numerous characters. I think you have to be in the right mood for this series to really enjoy it. Do not expect 'serious' fantasy here, but yet this does not quite descend into farce territory either.
Marshall has a knack (or annoying habit) of leaving each chapter with a massive cliff hanger, and even more so the completion of each installment in the trilogy. Marshall also builds a very wide cast here, with only a few additions/subtractions from the first book in the series. This series reads more like detailed character studies, with these rather OTT characters placed into bizarre and threatening situations over and over.
The first book ended with the Cobalt army recovering from the treacherous sacrifice of the Imperial 15th army. The Crimson Empire has both a queen and an official religion, the Chain, lead by the Black Pope, who is actually a rather young woman. A brutal civil war between the Crown and Chain ended just a few years ago after the Chain tried to usurp total power, but now bows to the Crown, or at least in theory. In practice, the Chain planned and carried out a brutal sacrifice-- before the Imperials battled the beleaguered Colbolt army, they were anointed with something provided by the Chain advisors who came with the 15th army. When the battle started, the anointed Imperial seemed to go insane, killing each other, eating each other, until finally a new gate opened up on the battle ground and sucked down the few survivors. Clearly, the Chain has some nasty plan in store, as the great rite/sacrifice raised the 'Sunken Kingdom' 500 years after it sunk. Meanwhile, we follow the exploits of our merry band of heroes/anti-heroes and their various schemes and plots.
All in all, I found this more amusing than the first installment, with the 'not quite farce' aspect on slightly stronger ground. I also found myself getting more vested in the characters, although few are really likeable. If you like your fantasy a little wild and not too serious, you may really enjoy these books! 3.5 OTT stars!
Marshall has a knack (or annoying habit) of leaving each chapter with a massive cliff hanger, and even more so the completion of each installment in the trilogy. Marshall also builds a very wide cast here, with only a few additions/subtractions from the first book in the series. This series reads more like detailed character studies, with these rather OTT characters placed into bizarre and threatening situations over and over.
The first book ended with the Cobalt army recovering from the treacherous sacrifice of the Imperial 15th army. The Crimson Empire has both a queen and an official religion, the Chain, lead by the Black Pope, who is actually a rather young woman. A brutal civil war between the Crown and Chain ended just a few years ago after the Chain tried to usurp total power, but now bows to the Crown, or at least in theory. In practice, the Chain planned and carried out a brutal sacrifice-- before the Imperials battled the beleaguered Colbolt army, they were anointed with something provided by the Chain advisors who came with the 15th army. When the battle started, the anointed Imperial seemed to go insane, killing each other, eating each other, until finally a new gate opened up on the battle ground and sucked down the few survivors. Clearly, the Chain has some nasty plan in store, as the great rite/sacrifice raised the 'Sunken Kingdom' 500 years after it sunk. Meanwhile, we follow the exploits of our merry band of heroes/anti-heroes and their various schemes and plots.
All in all, I found this more amusing than the first installment, with the 'not quite farce' aspect on slightly stronger ground. I also found myself getting more vested in the characters, although few are really likeable. If you like your fantasy a little wild and not too serious, you may really enjoy these books! 3.5 OTT stars!
September 25, 2018
I admit I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first hence the one star rating. There were moments where the dialogue was clever and witty but it seemed much more sparse than it was in the first.
It also seemed like there was a lot of woe-is-me attitudes and not as much action. I was expecting more out of this book than it gave me.
Hopefully the third installment is good.
It also seemed like there was a lot of woe-is-me attitudes and not as much action. I was expecting more out of this book than it gave me.
Hopefully the third installment is good.
May 30, 2016
Honestly I was both excited and nervous when I started this - how could it possibly live up to the triumph that was A Crown for Cold Silver?
But rest assured it did.
I never thought I would see the day when I said "how about instead of this love triangle we have polyamory" and the creator of the work said, "hoo boy are you gonna be pleased with this."
How am I going to survive the wait until the next instalment?
But rest assured it did.
I never thought I would see the day when I said "how about instead of this love triangle we have polyamory" and the creator of the work said, "hoo boy are you gonna be pleased with this."
How am I going to survive the wait until the next instalment?
February 25, 2022
4.5*
I have to say, this series has some of the most casual occurring LGBT+ rep I have ever seen. Never once do the descriptions allude to it nor does it ever seem to be a personality trait. It’s just very clearly who these characters are
I have to say, this series has some of the most casual occurring LGBT+ rep I have ever seen. Never once do the descriptions allude to it nor does it ever seem to be a personality trait. It’s just very clearly who these characters are
February 14, 2021
I really try and give every book as fair a chance as possible.
Unfortunately I think this is the end of the road for me with this series.
Book one was OK, but it felt like it was all over the place for me and I struggled to engage with the characters. Book 2 has gotten a lot worse.
Nothing really happens for the most part and I find myself not caring about the majority of the POV characters. Additionally it feels all over the place, some of the POV chapters are left for 100 to 200 pages at a time and you find yourself trying to remember what they were doing.
Add to that a lot of world building and history that for all intents and purposes comes out of nowhere.
And the actual characters themselves. They are all different and yet almost the same. Strong, direct, joke filled internal monologues. This sounds good but when it is every character there's not enough difference for me.
I can't put my finger on it but I really did not enjoy this book and, life's too short for me to read book 3. It could be an all timer and I'm missing out on it. I am OK with that.
3/10
Unfortunately I think this is the end of the road for me with this series.
Book one was OK, but it felt like it was all over the place for me and I struggled to engage with the characters. Book 2 has gotten a lot worse.
Nothing really happens for the most part and I find myself not caring about the majority of the POV characters. Additionally it feels all over the place, some of the POV chapters are left for 100 to 200 pages at a time and you find yourself trying to remember what they were doing.
Add to that a lot of world building and history that for all intents and purposes comes out of nowhere.
And the actual characters themselves. They are all different and yet almost the same. Strong, direct, joke filled internal monologues. This sounds good but when it is every character there's not enough difference for me.
I can't put my finger on it but I really did not enjoy this book and, life's too short for me to read book 3. It could be an all timer and I'm missing out on it. I am OK with that.
3/10
July 16, 2016
Almost deserves the 5 stars, very entertaining.
April 13, 2017
Just finished but it had Some things I really liked Ill get the review done soon
July 24, 2020
“A Blade of Black Steel” is the second book of a series—a follow-up to the excellent “A Crown for Cold Silver,” which absolutely must be read before this book. The transition between the two is meant to be the responsibility of the reader as the author begins the new story with no summary of the first novel, and some may find this to be a problem. For those who don’t, there is a prologue that subtly sets the stage for the story in a fashion as black and strong as the title. And it does so deceptively, misdirecting the reader in a way that reminded me of the equally sharp misdirection of the “prologue” (titled “The End”) of Joe Abercrombie’s “The Blade Itself”: a low gun aimed at the tight tropes of high fantasy.
“A Blade of Black Steel” has character; it’s about people coping with their perceptions—perceptions that guide and mislead them into actions that have consequences that become lost in time and space. It’s a very character-driven story, more so than "A Crown for Cold Silver," and each of the surviving individuals from "A Crown for Cold Silver" develop in unexpected ways, opening new perspectives and understandings about them, with some secrets getting revealed; in most cases, we are left with an opposite view of who these beings are or have become, when compared with their “A Crown for Cold Silver” versions, making them seem like different creatures altogether. And they are fascinating to watch. I especially had a lot of fun seeing the witchy, twitchy Hoartrap get in touch with others while being out of touch with how he is viewed in his touching relationships… At times he acted more like a Whoretrap than a Hoartrap, even getting in bed with a more-than-major character… There are also new characters introduced with their own quiddities, quirks, and queer mysteries. Are they as interesting as the original ones? Best of all, you might say. There is a lot of interactive conversation between everybody throughout the novel, which is needed for character movement; the trade-off is that the pacing suffers from it.
The plot is full of enormity, and it centers on the aftermath and results of the Battle of the Lark’s Tongue, the climactic, caliginous clash of “A Crown for Cold Silver.” New subplots and twists are introduced, and the story moves inexorably forward. And when there is fighting, it’s often on a devilishly grand scale. Hoartrap gets to spin quite a tail :) that is a prelude to a ludic tall tale worthy of singing about.
The worldbuilding, which was a huge focus of “A Crown for Cold Silver,” continues on, part of which includes exploring new places, in particular the Sunken Kingdom, Jex Toth, where Maroto gets some bang-up action. And if you love craft, you’ll get a cosmic share.
The writing style is quite ingenious, varying from section to section, depending on who is the focus. The prose can be intentionally twee, or full of contemporary urban slang, or deadly formal. My favorite sections are those dealing with Indsorith, which range in tone from dark to horrific.
The book’s themes, on the other hand, are consistently serious. This includes dealing with religious fundamentalism through irony, and illustrating how even the benevolent use of power can be corrupted by those acting in its name, leaving everyone involved with blame. There is plenty of crimson blood to spare and share. I found this to be a powerful examination of power.
This is a series that will definitely have an immaculate third book, and I’ll be buying it (as will, in all likelihood, several of the protagonists).
“A Blade of Black Steel” has character; it’s about people coping with their perceptions—perceptions that guide and mislead them into actions that have consequences that become lost in time and space. It’s a very character-driven story, more so than "A Crown for Cold Silver," and each of the surviving individuals from "A Crown for Cold Silver" develop in unexpected ways, opening new perspectives and understandings about them, with some secrets getting revealed; in most cases, we are left with an opposite view of who these beings are or have become, when compared with their “A Crown for Cold Silver” versions, making them seem like different creatures altogether. And they are fascinating to watch. I especially had a lot of fun seeing the witchy, twitchy Hoartrap get in touch with others while being out of touch with how he is viewed in his touching relationships… At times he acted more like a Whoretrap than a Hoartrap, even getting in bed with a more-than-major character… There are also new characters introduced with their own quiddities, quirks, and queer mysteries. Are they as interesting as the original ones? Best of all, you might say. There is a lot of interactive conversation between everybody throughout the novel, which is needed for character movement; the trade-off is that the pacing suffers from it.
The plot is full of enormity, and it centers on the aftermath and results of the Battle of the Lark’s Tongue, the climactic, caliginous clash of “A Crown for Cold Silver.” New subplots and twists are introduced, and the story moves inexorably forward. And when there is fighting, it’s often on a devilishly grand scale. Hoartrap gets to spin quite a tail :) that is a prelude to a ludic tall tale worthy of singing about.
The worldbuilding, which was a huge focus of “A Crown for Cold Silver,” continues on, part of which includes exploring new places, in particular the Sunken Kingdom, Jex Toth, where Maroto gets some bang-up action. And if you love craft, you’ll get a cosmic share.
The writing style is quite ingenious, varying from section to section, depending on who is the focus. The prose can be intentionally twee, or full of contemporary urban slang, or deadly formal. My favorite sections are those dealing with Indsorith, which range in tone from dark to horrific.
The book’s themes, on the other hand, are consistently serious. This includes dealing with religious fundamentalism through irony, and illustrating how even the benevolent use of power can be corrupted by those acting in its name, leaving everyone involved with blame. There is plenty of crimson blood to spare and share. I found this to be a powerful examination of power.
This is a series that will definitely have an immaculate third book, and I’ll be buying it (as will, in all likelihood, several of the protagonists).
Read
July 9, 2016WOW. Easily the best book I've read all year.
I am in LOVE with this series. This is one of those reviews where I'll have to try really hard not to ramble excitedly and I'll surely forget half of what I want to say.
I am absolutely amazed by the depth of this story, both in its themes and its character development. Unbelievably satisfying character development, at that. Alliances shift, and what originally seems to be a sinister act turns out to have a rational purpose; likewise, something rational ends up being quite sinister. There is no black and white, but instead several intriguing shades of grey. There is heartbreak and triumph. Plenty of adventure, exploration, mystery, and drama.
Once again. Alex Marshall impresses me immensely with this fantasy world where women are men have the same rights and opportunities, where sexual orientation is not an issue in the slightest (gay, straight, bi, etc... all accepted and completely normal) There are several really awesome gay characters, women and men both, who are not stereotypical in the least and are both kicka$$ and original. Totally a breath of fresh air. And now, I'm even more floored by the addition of not just one, but several transgender characters, all of whom are extremely formidable and treated with complete dignity. This is unheard of and I LOVE IT. I love how Alex Marshall turns every single fantasy trope on its head. It is a delight to read.
Characters come together in groups, then events happen and they're split apart in different pairings and combinations, and the effect is always to enrich them all. I love that about a story. As a reader, you really feel as if you're getting to know these characters well, and personally, I can't help but love most of them, not in spite of but because of their flaws.
This book--and the entire story arc--gets better with each page. I am awestruck. WELL DONE, ALEX MARSHALL. I can't WAIT to see what comes next.
I am in LOVE with this series. This is one of those reviews where I'll have to try really hard not to ramble excitedly and I'll surely forget half of what I want to say.
I am absolutely amazed by the depth of this story, both in its themes and its character development. Unbelievably satisfying character development, at that. Alliances shift, and what originally seems to be a sinister act turns out to have a rational purpose; likewise, something rational ends up being quite sinister. There is no black and white, but instead several intriguing shades of grey. There is heartbreak and triumph. Plenty of adventure, exploration, mystery, and drama.
Once again. Alex Marshall impresses me immensely with this fantasy world where women are men have the same rights and opportunities, where sexual orientation is not an issue in the slightest (gay, straight, bi, etc... all accepted and completely normal) There are several really awesome gay characters, women and men both, who are not stereotypical in the least and are both kicka$$ and original. Totally a breath of fresh air. And now, I'm even more floored by the addition of not just one, but several transgender characters, all of whom are extremely formidable and treated with complete dignity. This is unheard of and I LOVE IT. I love how Alex Marshall turns every single fantasy trope on its head. It is a delight to read.
Characters come together in groups, then events happen and they're split apart in different pairings and combinations, and the effect is always to enrich them all. I love that about a story. As a reader, you really feel as if you're getting to know these characters well, and personally, I can't help but love most of them, not in spite of but because of their flaws.
This book--and the entire story arc--gets better with each page. I am awestruck. WELL DONE, ALEX MARSHALL. I can't WAIT to see what comes next.
August 29, 2016
4.5 stars. This was everything I wanted the first book in the series to be.
I did like the first book, but had a number of issues with it. I also think some of the characters took some warming up to, and I came around to most of them in this installment.
We're clearly in the Empire Strikes Back phase of the series, which I usually find to be the best part of a fantasy trilogy. The story became more compelling in this book as well, and you can't beat Marshall's sense of humor. Bonus points because despite all the jokes and ridiculousness, the story never becomes farcical. It's still a pretty dope epic fantasy, it just adds humor and levity, which most of the genre severely lacks.
I still have a few quibbles: still too many long stretches where nothing of import happens, and WAY too much of the Dead! No, not Dead! thing, which is a plague run rampant through this genre and the most obnoxious thing ever. I get the value of it upon occasion, but here we see it upwards of ten times in one chapter. "And then Purna was decapitated. Except she wasn't." REALLY? And then there's Ji-hyeon...ugh. Double ugh.
A few other observations:
Maroto and Purna get most of the best lines, and that makes them the most likable for the most part, but a nod to Singh as well, who is underused as a character, and to Zosia, who is terrific as ever. Hoartrap isn't exactly, um, likable, but he's a great character.
Someone needs to smack Sullen. Several times if necessary.
The hell gerbil? And the action sequence surrounding the hell gerbil? Brilliant.
Teenagers make terrible popes. Shocker.
Excited for the next installment.
I did like the first book, but had a number of issues with it. I also think some of the characters took some warming up to, and I came around to most of them in this installment.
We're clearly in the Empire Strikes Back phase of the series, which I usually find to be the best part of a fantasy trilogy. The story became more compelling in this book as well, and you can't beat Marshall's sense of humor. Bonus points because despite all the jokes and ridiculousness, the story never becomes farcical. It's still a pretty dope epic fantasy, it just adds humor and levity, which most of the genre severely lacks.
I still have a few quibbles: still too many long stretches where nothing of import happens, and WAY too much of the Dead! No, not Dead! thing, which is a plague run rampant through this genre and the most obnoxious thing ever. I get the value of it upon occasion, but here we see it upwards of ten times in one chapter. "And then Purna was decapitated. Except she wasn't." REALLY? And then there's Ji-hyeon...ugh. Double ugh.
A few other observations:
Maroto and Purna get most of the best lines, and that makes them the most likable for the most part, but a nod to Singh as well, who is underused as a character, and to Zosia, who is terrific as ever. Hoartrap isn't exactly, um, likable, but he's a great character.
Someone needs to smack Sullen. Several times if necessary.
The hell gerbil? And the action sequence surrounding the hell gerbil? Brilliant.
Teenagers make terrible popes. Shocker.
Excited for the next installment.
July 7, 2016
Like the opener Marshall crafts some great characters and puts them into multitudinous plotlines that all have good bones---then buries the whole enterprise beneath reeking tons of verbiage that, waaaay more often than not, serves not to advance any part of the story but only fill up the pages. I found that the best way to read this was just to skim anything that wasn't dialog. What a waste of effort on the author's part. I'll still probably tackle the sequels, at least until the main story starts to lose steam.
Lines to savor:
"See, we've cooked up another desperate fight against insurmountable odds, just for you! Doesn't that put a little spring in your step?"
"...sure, y0u tore open a hole in this world leading straight to hell, to say nothing of summoning back the Sunken Kingdom, but hey, at least you've got your health."
But just when you think you've seen everything, a giant hell gerbil shows up to broaden your horizons.
They landed together, anyway, on a bed of squealing, biting, clawing monsters, and it said a lot about the day she'd been having that this came as an improvement.
"...he's about as subtle as a hobnail boot to the snatch."
...that just goes to show you never really know anybody until you've spent some time hiding under their bed.
"Well, damn. I've seen ugly and I know stupid, but I didn't know they had a baby."
"Threatened by devil dogs, dragged about by giants, dragged about and threatened by giant devil dogs--enough, I say, enough."
Lines to savor:
"See, we've cooked up another desperate fight against insurmountable odds, just for you! Doesn't that put a little spring in your step?"
"...sure, y0u tore open a hole in this world leading straight to hell, to say nothing of summoning back the Sunken Kingdom, but hey, at least you've got your health."
But just when you think you've seen everything, a giant hell gerbil shows up to broaden your horizons.
They landed together, anyway, on a bed of squealing, biting, clawing monsters, and it said a lot about the day she'd been having that this came as an improvement.
"...he's about as subtle as a hobnail boot to the snatch."
...that just goes to show you never really know anybody until you've spent some time hiding under their bed.
"Well, damn. I've seen ugly and I know stupid, but I didn't know they had a baby."
"Threatened by devil dogs, dragged about by giants, dragged about and threatened by giant devil dogs--enough, I say, enough."
October 10, 2017
In Een kroon voor Koud Zilver maakten we kennis met de op wraak beluste Zosia en de Trawanten die samen met haar een eenheid vormen die alom bekend was. Deze eerste kennismaking eindigde met een grootschalige veldslag en het is de dag na het slagveld bij de Leeuwerikstong dat dit tweede deel meteen weer verder gaat.
Ook dit keer duurde het eventjes vooraleer ik in het verhaal kon wegduiken. Grotendeels vermits de gebeurtenissen uit het eerste boek niet meer al te helder in mijn geheugen zaten. Bij een luchtiger boek is dat niet meteen een probleem maar bij een serie als deze, die bijna uit zijn voegen barst van alle politieke discussies, intriges en onbetrouwbare personages die je met veel plezier een mes in de rug steken zodra je je omdraait, is het wel degelijk belangrijk om bij de les te blijven.
Toch voelde het boek meteen vertrouwd aan. De manier waarop de gekende hoofdpersonages handelen en spreken sluit nog steeds perfect aan bij hoe ze in Een kroon voor Koud Zilver werden geïntroduceerd. Ook in deze opvolger wordt het verhaal verteld vanuit meerdere perspectieven. Niet minder als acht zelfs in dit boek. Sommige van hen komen heel frequent aan bod, andere slechts sporadisch. De perspectieven die enkel terloops aan bod kwamen spraken me iets minder aan. Soms voelde hun belevenissen aan als een onderbreking van het werkelijke verhaal dat verteld wordt.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
Ook dit keer duurde het eventjes vooraleer ik in het verhaal kon wegduiken. Grotendeels vermits de gebeurtenissen uit het eerste boek niet meer al te helder in mijn geheugen zaten. Bij een luchtiger boek is dat niet meteen een probleem maar bij een serie als deze, die bijna uit zijn voegen barst van alle politieke discussies, intriges en onbetrouwbare personages die je met veel plezier een mes in de rug steken zodra je je omdraait, is het wel degelijk belangrijk om bij de les te blijven.
Toch voelde het boek meteen vertrouwd aan. De manier waarop de gekende hoofdpersonages handelen en spreken sluit nog steeds perfect aan bij hoe ze in Een kroon voor Koud Zilver werden geïntroduceerd. Ook in deze opvolger wordt het verhaal verteld vanuit meerdere perspectieven. Niet minder als acht zelfs in dit boek. Sommige van hen komen heel frequent aan bod, andere slechts sporadisch. De perspectieven die enkel terloops aan bod kwamen spraken me iets minder aan. Soms voelde hun belevenissen aan als een onderbreking van het werkelijke verhaal dat verteld wordt.
...
Mijn volledige recensie kan je hier terugvinden.
January 20, 2018
I love this book (and the first) so much that I bought it in hardback and ebook. I haven't read the third yet, but this series is so good I bought that one twice too. And my husband used an Audible credit on the first one.
The Song of the Lioness quartet were the queer books I needed when I was a tween. The Crimson Empire books are the queer books I need as an adult. I know different people are going to take different things away from these books, and I want to say that this is one of the most engaging sword and sorcery type fantasy series I have ever read. The characters are easy to relate to, even if their problems are on a much bigger scale (except Hoartrap because wtf?). And the story is fun AF. But for me, my favorite thing, is that the Star doesn't give a shit about gender. A lot of things can hold a character back in this messed up world but gender isn't one of them. A lot of really awesome gender and sexuality stuff is going on in YA fiction, but it's important for adults to relate to that stuff too. It's not like we grow out of queerness.
Other non-spoilery things I like:
Zosia calling Hoartrap a bag of dicks
Diggleby calling the Pope a dog butt
Bang's look
The fact that Best wouldn't bother threatening to turn this car around - she'd just do it
The love of a woman for her war hammer
The Song of the Lioness quartet were the queer books I needed when I was a tween. The Crimson Empire books are the queer books I need as an adult. I know different people are going to take different things away from these books, and I want to say that this is one of the most engaging sword and sorcery type fantasy series I have ever read. The characters are easy to relate to, even if their problems are on a much bigger scale (except Hoartrap because wtf?). And the story is fun AF. But for me, my favorite thing, is that the Star doesn't give a shit about gender. A lot of things can hold a character back in this messed up world but gender isn't one of them. A lot of really awesome gender and sexuality stuff is going on in YA fiction, but it's important for adults to relate to that stuff too. It's not like we grow out of queerness.
Other non-spoilery things I like:
Zosia calling Hoartrap a bag of dicks
Diggleby calling the Pope a dog butt
Bang's look
The fact that Best wouldn't bother threatening to turn this car around - she'd just do it
The love of a woman for her war hammer
June 22, 2016
A Crown For Cold Silver was my favorite book of 2016. I loved that it relished in subverting epic fantasy tropes and having a sense of humor. Felt a bit more relatable and modern than most swords and sorcery. It had a gobsmacking weird cliffhanger and I was excited to see where it would go in the middle volume. Somewhere I saw this called Empire Strikes Back and that's pretty apt. There is a lot of swashbuckling here, but it's also a dark hour for our heroes, with foes new and old coming at all angles. There's even some Boba Fetts and Yodas if you squint your eyes.
That said, I didn't have quite as much fun with this one as the first one. I wager that's because it's a more known world and a bit of the mystery and build-up are gone. There's some stagnation happening in one plotline that feels like some wheel spinning, but then on the other side, there is the balls-out insanity that happens at the end of Part One. The WTF chapter I've ever seen in a fantasy book, I think.
Not entirely sure where this is going to wrap up, but I have no doubt it's going to be one fun ride in the concluding volume. Marshall (or Jesse Bullington) is surely throwing in the kitchen sink on this one and I can only imagine it escalates further.
Also, Zosia is still cranky.
That said, I didn't have quite as much fun with this one as the first one. I wager that's because it's a more known world and a bit of the mystery and build-up are gone. There's some stagnation happening in one plotline that feels like some wheel spinning, but then on the other side, there is the balls-out insanity that happens at the end of Part One. The WTF chapter I've ever seen in a fantasy book, I think.
Not entirely sure where this is going to wrap up, but I have no doubt it's going to be one fun ride in the concluding volume. Marshall (or Jesse Bullington) is surely throwing in the kitchen sink on this one and I can only imagine it escalates further.
Also, Zosia is still cranky.
May 12, 2018
Like the most perfect LGBTQ+ Dungeons and Dragons campaign ever. Funny, full of thrilling action, and constantly surprising, the only complaint I have is that it gets a little bogged down in the middle.
June 5, 2019
Das erfreulich emanzipierte Frauenbild in der „The Crimson Empire“-Trilogie ist kein Versehen, sondern Absicht. Der Autor Alex Marshall konzipierte bewusst ein tolerantes Setting voller Diversität. Auf dem Stern gibt es keine Homophobie, keine Transphobie, keine sexualisierte Gewalt und bis auf eine Ausnahme auch keinen institutionalisierten Rassismus. Sein Ziel war, die Vielfalt der Realität zu repräsentieren und Diskriminierung durch deren Abwesenheit zu thematisieren. Er wollte beweisen, dass moderne Fantasy spannend und actionreich sein kann, ohne die Defizite unserer Gesellschaft zu reproduzieren. Ich finde, das ist ein mutiger Schritt, der dem Genre guttut. Umso mehr freute ich mich auf den zweiten Band „A Blade of Black Steel“.
Der Sieg der Kobalt-Kompanie war teuer erkauft. Zahllose Soldat_innen wurden von dem schwarzen Portal, das die Burnished Chain heraufbeschwor, verschluckt. Ji-hyeon und ihre Berater_innen müssen entscheiden, wie es für ihre stark dezimierten Truppen weitergehen soll. Eine erneute Offensive der königlichen Streitkräfte würden sie nicht überstehen. Doch nach dem unheilvollen Ritual sind die Fronten unklar. Es besteht die Chance, die gegnerische Generalin davon zu überzeugen, dass die Chain Pläne verfolgt, die die Autorität der Karmesinroten Königin gefährden. Um sich aus dem Patt zu manövrieren, müssen sie geeint auftreten – leider ist Maroto noch immer verschwunden und Zosia sucht von Rachedurst getrieben die Konfrontation mit ihrer Nachfolgerin. Streit und Intrigen lähmen die Kobalt-Kompanie. Gerade, als alle glauben, schlimmer könne es nicht kommen, erreichen sie Gerüchte, dass das Ritual der Chain weit bedeutendere Folgen hatte als nur ein neues Portal. Das Versunkene Königreich Jex Toth soll sich erhoben haben. Angeblich sammelt sich dort eine unmenschliche Armee, bereit, den Stern anzugreifen. Die Kobalts müssen wählen: werden sie helfen, den Stern zu schützen oder nutzen sie Gunst der Stunde für ihre eigenen Ziele?
Oh oh oh. Ob das noch was wird? Alex Marshall sollte wirklich an Tempo zulegen. „A Blade of Black Steel“ ist noch langatmiger und schwerfälliger als der erste Band A Crown for Cold Silver. Während ich die inhaltliche Trägheit des Auftakts verzeihen konnte, weil die Etablierung eines neuen Universums und neuer Figuren diese rechtfertigt, mache ich mir jetzt Sorgen, dass der Autor zu zaghaft vorgeht. Die Geschichte macht dermaßen langsam Fortschritte, dass ich nicht sicher bin, ob es ihm gelingen wird, die „The Crimson Empire“-Trilogie zu einem befriedigenden Abschluss zu bringen. Meinem Gefühl nach gibt es noch unheimlich viel zu erzählen, doch statt im zweiten Band in die Vollen zu gehen, druckst Marshall herum. Ich hatte den Eindruck, dass die Handlung lange feststeckte, weil sich die Figuren einfach nicht vom Fleck bewegten. Die Dynamik stagnierte und büßte jeglichen Schwung ein. Nach der Schlacht gegen die 15. Kavallerieeinheit befindet sich die Kobalt-Kompanie in einer desolaten Zwickmühle. Sie können sich keinen weiteren Kampf leisten, es scheint jedoch, als sei eine erneute Konfrontation unvermeidbar, ob sie ihre Position nun halten oder verlassen. Sie können weder vor noch zurück. Ihr einziger Ausweg besteht darin, sich mit den royalen Regimentern gegen die Burnished Chain zu verbünden. Eine riskante Strategie, denn niemand versteht, was die Chain damit bezweckt, Jex Toth zurückzubringen. Ich übrigens auch nicht. Marshall bietet leider nur sehr vage Informationen zu den Glaubenssystemen des Sterns. Ich weiß nicht, was das Auftauchen des ehemals Versunkenen Königreichs bedeutet und inwiefern es die Pläne der Chain, die Karmesinrote Königin Indsorith vom Thron zu stürzen, unterstützt. Die allgemeine Ahnungslosigkeit führt dazu, dass die Kobalt-Kompanie Jex Toth weitgehend ignoriert und sich ihren akuten Problemen widmet. Der Generationskonflikt, der sich im Vorgänger bereits andeutete, tritt in „A Blade of Black Steel“ deutlich zu Tage. Ji-hyeon und Zosia streiten sich und werden sogar handgreiflich. Es gefiel mir, wie ernsthaft Marshall diese Auseinandersetzung gestaltet und dadurch abermals das emanzipierte Frauenbild seines Universums betont. Ich fühle mich als Frau in der „The Crimson Empire“-Trilogie gut repräsentiert. Die Prügelei zwischen Ji-hyeon und Zosia ist natürlich nicht die einzige actionreiche Szene. Obwohl das Buch generell eher zäh ist, schenkte mir der Autor eine der besten Schlachten meiner Literaturkarriere. Es ist ein Kampf mit einem riesigen, dämonischen Opossum. Ja, richtig. Ein Opossum. Diese Stelle war aufregend, herrlich freakig und erfrischend witzig. Marshalls Humor entschädigte mich für vieles. Er zeigt ein inspirierendes Gespür für Absurdität, Sarkasmus und die Ironie des Schicksals, das er nutzt, um die tiefliegenden Konflikte seiner liebenswürdigen Figuren ungezwungen zu thematisieren. Dennoch bezweifle ich, dass er ihnen erlauben wird, diese innerhalb der Trilogie zu überwinden. Sie haben schließlich nur noch ein Buch Zeit dafür.
„A Blade of Black Steel“ wartet nicht mit den inhaltlichen Fortschritten auf, die ich mir im zweiten Band der „The Crimson Empire“-Trilogie erhofft hatte. Teils ist das sicher der äußerst komplizierten politischen und religiösen Situation auf dem Stern geschuldet. Der Autor Alex Marshall trug jedoch ebenfalls seinen Teil dazu bei. Er manövrierte die Handlung in eine Sackgasse, wodurch ich lange das Gefühl hatte, dass rein gar nichts passierte und auch nichts passieren konnte. Erst gegen Ende der Fortsetzung involvierte er neue, externe Impulse, die die Geschichte aus ihrem Patt herauskatapultieren. Die alles entscheidende Frage lautet nun: wird Marshall diese Bummelei in „A Blade of Black Steel“ daran hindern, die Trilogie im Finale zufriedenstellend abzuschließen? Die Antwort werde ich erst in A War in Crimson Embers finden, aber eines ist gewiss. Er muss zu Potte kommen.
March 22, 2022
Yes, absolutley brilliant follow up to A Crown For Cold Silver. Black Steel still has the hilarity and dark humour that made me fall in love with the first book. The story continues to give the reader plenty of intrigue and develops the characters deftly, some of the characters you will love to hate and others will have you crying with laughter. The worldbuilding, plot and setting is excellent, with bigger monsters, mad wizards and drug induced nobles. If you haven't read yet, check it out you will not regret it. I can't wait to get stuck into book three. In the story so far, there is a new young Cobalt general and everything has gone to hell basically. The Black pope's chain nite witches have opened a gate to a new dark world bringing monsters, the dead and some really messed up shit. Can Zosia, her villains and the Cobalt company save the Empire from the religious fanatics. I'm about to find out, I very highly recommend....😁💥🖤🗡
January 13, 2024
Due stelle a malapena..
Purtroppo tutto ciò che mi era piaciuto del primo libro qui non c'è più..
Su 540 pagine, ce ne saranno in centinaio e basta utili alla storia.. il resto sono tutte chiacchiere inutili, battutine ripetitive, enormi flussi di pensiero banali e continui punti in cui fa il riepilogo di ciò che è successo.. praticamente dalla fine della battaglia del primo libro, non succede nulla, solo i personaggi si disperdono in varie avventure che proseguiranno nel terzo volume ma che qui portano a un nulla di fatto.. nelle ultime 50 pagine poi succedono diverse cose senza senso, tipo due guerrieri che iniziano a baciarsi all improvviso e senza motivo, e altre cose..
Se non fosse che la storia di fondo mi interessa e che voglio sapere cosa succede ai vari personaggi che comunque mi sono piaciuti, non proseguirei con l'ultimo volume.. Spero solo sia decente.. poteva fare una duologia ed evitare questo volume centrale puramente riempitivo!!
Purtroppo tutto ciò che mi era piaciuto del primo libro qui non c'è più..
Su 540 pagine, ce ne saranno in centinaio e basta utili alla storia.. il resto sono tutte chiacchiere inutili, battutine ripetitive, enormi flussi di pensiero banali e continui punti in cui fa il riepilogo di ciò che è successo.. praticamente dalla fine della battaglia del primo libro, non succede nulla, solo i personaggi si disperdono in varie avventure che proseguiranno nel terzo volume ma che qui portano a un nulla di fatto.. nelle ultime 50 pagine poi succedono diverse cose senza senso, tipo due guerrieri che iniziano a baciarsi all improvviso e senza motivo, e altre cose..
Se non fosse che la storia di fondo mi interessa e che voglio sapere cosa succede ai vari personaggi che comunque mi sono piaciuti, non proseguirei con l'ultimo volume.. Spero solo sia decente.. poteva fare una duologia ed evitare questo volume centrale puramente riempitivo!!
April 9, 2017
This is the second book in a series, so you probably know what you'll think of it based on the first, so I'll keep it brief:
Pros: All the cool relationship and sexual orientation stuff from the first book is back and bigger and better than ever. The big bad appears and things start rolling.
Cons: The split up party that means the story has to jump from location to location to follow all the action is also back (and there's a even a couple of new characters introduced). It's not necessarily bad, but it slows things down.
Overall, gave it five stars because I like spending time with these characters and there is some good character growth, but more plot advancement would have been really, really nice. High hopes that everything is set up and in place and the third book moves more quickly.
Pros: All the cool relationship and sexual orientation stuff from the first book is back and bigger and better than ever. The big bad appears and things start rolling.
Cons: The split up party that means the story has to jump from location to location to follow all the action is also back (and there's a even a couple of new characters introduced). It's not necessarily bad, but it slows things down.
Overall, gave it five stars because I like spending time with these characters and there is some good character growth, but more plot advancement would have been really, really nice. High hopes that everything is set up and in place and the third book moves more quickly.
Want to read
December 18, 2020I'm transcribing a bunch of my old Post-It quotes and 15-year-old me really copied down Sullen's entire interaction with the Jackal fortune-teller <3 Time to re-read the instalment in this series that corrected all my mistaken character impressions from the first one methinks
February 2, 2021
This second book of the Crimson Empire rocked and rolled!
Some very fun characters, epic battles and crazy magic.
I cannot understand how this series isn't better known.
Fans of Abercrombie, Lawrence, Erikson, Durfee and so forth should definitely check this series out.
Some very fun characters, epic battles and crazy magic.
I cannot understand how this series isn't better known.
Fans of Abercrombie, Lawrence, Erikson, Durfee and so forth should definitely check this series out.
November 13, 2017
Largely a continuation of the first volume in substance and quality. There's more magic and monsters, and things have gotten a LOT more queer and sexy, but for the most part things are chugging along as they were. Which is to say, a huge cast of great characters being emotionally vulnerable and caring and fun in the face of some vast and frightening and demanding circumstances. And despite a plot that sometimes feels relatively static, there are a lot of meaningful and surprising twists here, too.
A few quibbles. The cast is so big that a lot of characters are getting pushed out of the picture too far for the roles expected of them. Din and Hassan's deaths don't feel meaningful because I barely have a concept of what they were like, but also because Diggelby is kind of thin himself. The Villains and their successors are all great, but the loss of Sister Portoles makes the whole thing feel more homogeneous. Hjortt is still around, technically, and Best has another new outsider viewpoint, but they're both kind of marginalized/bit parts and I wanted more. I'm not sure which of the other characters I'd cut in particular--I love Purna but I think she brings the least to the table as a POV? And while it redeems itself in spades by the end, the Purna-Diggelby-Keun Ju-Sullen side trip meanders a decent amount in the first half (illustrating just how consistently entertaining every change of perspective has been otherwise).
The tap opens up a little more on the brutal creatures and imaginative magic, too. There's a truly epic (or epicly lovable) demon confrontation in the middle, though despite the heavy horror influence (it seems like an overt reference to Ito's Thing That Drifted Ashore) it still feels like it's pulling some punches? The jokiness sometimes keeps it from sinking into moments of appropriately awed terror. The floating dam zombies seemed like a cooler idea at first (when dams seemed more central to their whole deal) but ended up fizzling out into a pretty forgettable monster. On the other hand, that segment segues into one of the most fun sequences in the series thus far. It weaves a whole bunch of big character moments into an extended and messy fight that finally shows off what the ever-charismatic Hoartrap the Touch can do if really pressed. Hopefully the next volume will bring more of Nemi; her shrouded birds and their weird egg magic add a welcome new flavor. The one thing that didn't work all that well for me in this sequence was Purna's reveal; neither her relationship with Digs and the nobles nor the class dynamics of this universe were established well enough beforehand for this to feel like a big deal (and maybe we aren't meant to, given Digs' reaction). Digs' own revelation is a lot more interesting, given what we know of its implications, though.
A few quibbles. The cast is so big that a lot of characters are getting pushed out of the picture too far for the roles expected of them. Din and Hassan's deaths don't feel meaningful because I barely have a concept of what they were like, but also because Diggelby is kind of thin himself. The Villains and their successors are all great, but the loss of Sister Portoles makes the whole thing feel more homogeneous. Hjortt is still around, technically, and Best has another new outsider viewpoint, but they're both kind of marginalized/bit parts and I wanted more. I'm not sure which of the other characters I'd cut in particular--I love Purna but I think she brings the least to the table as a POV? And while it redeems itself in spades by the end, the Purna-Diggelby-Keun Ju-Sullen side trip meanders a decent amount in the first half (illustrating just how consistently entertaining every change of perspective has been otherwise).
The tap opens up a little more on the brutal creatures and imaginative magic, too. There's a truly epic (or epicly lovable) demon confrontation in the middle, though despite the heavy horror influence (it seems like an overt reference to Ito's Thing That Drifted Ashore) it still feels like it's pulling some punches? The jokiness sometimes keeps it from sinking into moments of appropriately awed terror. The floating dam zombies seemed like a cooler idea at first (when dams seemed more central to their whole deal) but ended up fizzling out into a pretty forgettable monster. On the other hand, that segment segues into one of the most fun sequences in the series thus far. It weaves a whole bunch of big character moments into an extended and messy fight that finally shows off what the ever-charismatic Hoartrap the Touch can do if really pressed. Hopefully the next volume will bring more of Nemi; her shrouded birds and their weird egg magic add a welcome new flavor. The one thing that didn't work all that well for me in this sequence was Purna's reveal; neither her relationship with Digs and the nobles nor the class dynamics of this universe were established well enough beforehand for this to feel like a big deal (and maybe we aren't meant to, given Digs' reaction). Digs' own revelation is a lot more interesting, given what we know of its implications, though.
September 7, 2020
A Blade of Black Steel builds on the story that was begun in A Crown for Cold Silver and does so in brilliant fashion. Again, Alex Marshall really impresses with his pacing and dialogue that had me laughing out loud at some points and on the edge of my seat at others.
In the second book of this series we are now familiar with a great ensemble cast of characters that were introduced in the first book and we are able to follow them as the plot begins to build towards its climax in the trilogy and there is not a single character I didn't find myself rooting for and even some more ancillary characters who get further fleshing out and that I really started to enjoy (Diggleby is the man). I also am starting to really like the scenes featuring Hoartrap the Touch who has the ability to be disturbing, menacing and hilarious, all at once. I have never enjoyed a magic wielding character as much since The Ten Who Were Taken from the Black Company series by Glenn Cook. That doesn't mean we don't get to meet and get familiar with even more characters either which are also introduced in this book as well and continue to impress.
As I said, this book ups the stakes and it sets the table for the conclusion to the series in A War in Crimson Embers and I'm very excited to see how things work out.
I would also like to take a moment to comment on something about this series that has been done so well, and a lot of other reviewers and book tubers have mentioned and this is that this author has created world where there are same sex relationships, bi-sexuals, homosexuals, poly amorous relationships and transgender characters and he manages to depict them in a society where they just 'are' without having to be preachy or without these situations being any kind of focal point to the plot. Instead it's just accepted by the public at large and draws characters together, creates meaningful relationships, and increases what is at stake for these characters who have been tested throughout this series. I'm not necessarily someone who needs or looks for 'diversity' in the books I read, but I think few have handled the subject as well as Alex Marshall and possibly showing how society should handle it, in other words, treat people like people regardless of what gender they are and who they love because those things don't make the story any less worth telling.
In the second book of this series we are now familiar with a great ensemble cast of characters that were introduced in the first book and we are able to follow them as the plot begins to build towards its climax in the trilogy and there is not a single character I didn't find myself rooting for and even some more ancillary characters who get further fleshing out and that I really started to enjoy (Diggleby is the man). I also am starting to really like the scenes featuring Hoartrap the Touch who has the ability to be disturbing, menacing and hilarious, all at once. I have never enjoyed a magic wielding character as much since The Ten Who Were Taken from the Black Company series by Glenn Cook. That doesn't mean we don't get to meet and get familiar with even more characters either which are also introduced in this book as well and continue to impress.
As I said, this book ups the stakes and it sets the table for the conclusion to the series in A War in Crimson Embers and I'm very excited to see how things work out.
I would also like to take a moment to comment on something about this series that has been done so well, and a lot of other reviewers and book tubers have mentioned and this is that this author has created world where there are same sex relationships, bi-sexuals, homosexuals, poly amorous relationships and transgender characters and he manages to depict them in a society where they just 'are' without having to be preachy or without these situations being any kind of focal point to the plot. Instead it's just accepted by the public at large and draws characters together, creates meaningful relationships, and increases what is at stake for these characters who have been tested throughout this series. I'm not necessarily someone who needs or looks for 'diversity' in the books I read, but I think few have handled the subject as well as Alex Marshall and possibly showing how society should handle it, in other words, treat people like people regardless of what gender they are and who they love because those things don't make the story any less worth telling.
February 4, 2022
I'm very frustrated with this book - It has some very high highs but also some very low lows.
As with A Crown for Cold Silver, there are far too many POV characters, and a disproportionate amount of time was spent with some over others, to the detriment of the story. A few of them can be very frustrating - I'm looking at you Ji-hyeon, Keun-ju, and Sullen. That love triangle is grossly unnecessary, even if it's finally shaping up to be more interesting than is usual for the trope. But, honestly, if I wanted to read this YA shit, I would have picked up a YA book instead of this.
Maroto, a high point in A Crown for Cold Silver, spends this book angst-ing over a character we know is not dead, and bumbling around on an island with a bunch of pirates. Oh, and obviously, every woman and her grandmama wants to sleep with him. Magic dick for everyone.
Zosia did almost fuck all for a big chunk of the book. In the first half, she had one good idea- cave that brat Ji-hyeon's face in, take command of the Cobalt Company, and rain death and destruction upon her enemies, like she planned all the way back in the beginning of book one. She gets a surprisingly small amount of page time, but she does some opportunities to shine in the later half of the book - in battle against the devil queen, and in the very last chapter.
Jo'hyeon is only tolerable when she is not being overly contemplative over her love life. Which is not often.
On to the positive, the prose is very engaging and witty. The humor, which was primarily experienced through Maroto in A Crown for Cold Silver, is still present, especially in the dialogue. The battle scenes, even though there are a few unnecessary ones, are well written and very entertaining. Zosia, what little we get of her, is great. Hoartrap is insane as ever. The world remains very queer-friendly, and that aspect of it get greatly expanded upon in A Blade of Black Steel.
Overall, though I found A Blade of Black Steel disappointing and inferior to A Crown for Cold Silver, I'm already two thirds of the way finished with the trilogy, so I'll be reading the third installment.
As with A Crown for Cold Silver, there are far too many POV characters, and a disproportionate amount of time was spent with some over others, to the detriment of the story. A few of them can be very frustrating - I'm looking at you Ji-hyeon, Keun-ju, and Sullen. That love triangle is grossly unnecessary, even if it's finally shaping up to be more interesting than is usual for the trope. But, honestly, if I wanted to read this YA shit, I would have picked up a YA book instead of this.
Maroto, a high point in A Crown for Cold Silver, spends this book angst-ing over a character we know is not dead, and bumbling around on an island with a bunch of pirates. Oh, and obviously, every woman and her grandmama wants to sleep with him. Magic dick for everyone.
Zosia did almost fuck all for a big chunk of the book. In the first half, she had one good idea- cave that brat Ji-hyeon's face in, take command of the Cobalt Company, and rain death and destruction upon her enemies, like she planned all the way back in the beginning of book one. She gets a surprisingly small amount of page time, but she does some opportunities to shine in the later half of the book - in battle against the devil queen, and in the very last chapter.
Jo'hyeon is only tolerable when she is not being overly contemplative over her love life. Which is not often.
On to the positive, the prose is very engaging and witty. The humor, which was primarily experienced through Maroto in A Crown for Cold Silver, is still present, especially in the dialogue. The battle scenes, even though there are a few unnecessary ones, are well written and very entertaining. Zosia, what little we get of her, is great. Hoartrap is insane as ever. The world remains very queer-friendly, and that aspect of it get greatly expanded upon in A Blade of Black Steel.
Overall, though I found A Blade of Black Steel disappointing and inferior to A Crown for Cold Silver, I'm already two thirds of the way finished with the trilogy, so I'll be reading the third installment.
December 13, 2016
A great continuation from the previous book A Crown for Cold Silver which follows the established characters from the previous book and expands heavily on their backstories as well as continuing on with their war against the chained! :D
The revival of the Sunken Kingdom of Jex Toth is handled well and in a kind of insect way in that slowly start to take a more dominant role as the book carries on and this is sure to have an impact in later books! :D
We also get to see Zosia and Indsorith's relationship explored which adds much depth to the characters! :D Morato also takes centre stage introducing us first had to the pirate Queen Bang who some proclivities that will make you laugh hard as well as giving us a closer look at the Sunken Kingdom as he 'assigned' take a closer look! :D
A Blade of Black Steel is great book with a roller-coaster ride of events taking place and set things up for future books brilliantly as well as expanding the character at the same time! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
The revival of the Sunken Kingdom of Jex Toth is handled well and in a kind of insect way in that slowly start to take a more dominant role as the book carries on and this is sure to have an impact in later books! :D
We also get to see Zosia and Indsorith's relationship explored which adds much depth to the characters! :D Morato also takes centre stage introducing us first had to the pirate Queen Bang who some proclivities that will make you laugh hard as well as giving us a closer look at the Sunken Kingdom as he 'assigned' take a closer look! :D
A Blade of Black Steel is great book with a roller-coaster ride of events taking place and set things up for future books brilliantly as well as expanding the character at the same time! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2016
The characters are growing on me but there are serious pacing issues and plot progression issues here.
Basically fu*k all happened in the middle third. And the pace only picked up in the last 15% of the book, and then what did happen totally overturned everything else that had happened.
If anyone knows what on earth is happening with the plot then please tell me.
Basically fu*k all happened in the middle third. And the pace only picked up in the last 15% of the book, and then what did happen totally overturned everything else that had happened.
If anyone knows what on earth is happening with the plot then please tell me.
May 7, 2023
perfection I love this series so much please read it I love keun-ju and sullen sooooo much
May 2023: Continuing the reread, continuing the love. This def has middle book syndrome in that it's a lot of set-up for things to come in the final book, but it also has Sullen and Keun-Ju's whole thing, AND it has Purna pov, so it's a win imo.
May 2023: Continuing the reread, continuing the love. This def has middle book syndrome in that it's a lot of set-up for things to come in the final book, but it also has Sullen and Keun-Ju's whole thing, AND it has Purna pov, so it's a win imo.
August 29, 2021
Probably closer to a 2.5 than a 2 but still this was not something I could recommend reading. It was less convoluted that the first one, but I'm sitting here at the end of two books and nothing has really happened. Nearly all the characters are pretty uninteresting, and the dialogue remains stuck in teenager trying to do grimdark. Will be giving the final book a miss
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