Empress of the Fall

The Sunsurge Quartet #1

by David Hair

Empress of the Fall – Book One of The Sunsurge Quartet, the sequel series to The Moontide Quartet, which concluded in 2015.

The Emperor is dead - long live the Empress! Emperor Constant is dead and his rivals are scrabbling for power - but any misstep could plunge the land, already devastated by the shocking outcome of the Third Crusade, into a calamitous civil war. The Imperial throne is not the only one in jeopardy. Two brothers, imprisoned veterans of the Crusades, finally return home to find their father's kingdom being plundered - but the price of regaining their birthright will have far-reaching implications for the entire empire. In the East, Sultan Salim, peacemaker and visionary ruler, faces his greatest challenge as his people demand an invasion of the West in retribution for the Rondian Crusades And lurking in the darkness, orchestrating both the power struggles and the inevitable conflicts, is a shadowy group threatening to destroy civilisation itself. Once more, Urte stands on the brink of cataclysm.

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks, Adult

688 pages, Hardcover

First published March 9, 2017

About the author

David Hair is the author of The Bone Tiki, winner of Best First Novel (Young Adult Fiction section) at the 2010 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. The Bone Tiki and its sequel The Taniwha's Tear are fantasy novels set in New Zealand. David is a New Zealander, who has worked primarily in financial services. He has a degree in History and Classical Studies. He has lived from 2007 to 2010 in New Delhi, India, but usually resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from writing, he is interested in folklore, history, and has a passion for football.

Reviews

[Jenna Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF after ~150 pages.

Edit of review: When I entered the giveaway from Netgalley, I was not aware that reading this series first was like jumping into the Kharkanas Trilogy without reading MBotF or Malazan Empire first. Terrible mistake on my part. I'm sure some of my opinions on this book would still be the same (for example, a cast of one-dimensional characters and the overuse of exclamation marks), but perhaps don't use my review as a reason not to pick up this series. Just don't make the same mistake I did - read the first series first.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I was sent this for free from the publisher *

This is the first book in a new quartet by David Hair. I was super excited for this book because of just how much I loved the Moontide Quartet series (which is set before this in the same world). Sadly, although I did enjoy this as an epic fantasy still, it didn't stand out quite as much as the Moontide Quartet and in the end it was just a 3* likeable read rather than a 4-5* read like all of the Moontide Quartet books were.

The good stuff:
- Returning characters - I always like seeing crossover between series and this definitely had some characters who featured in the first series popping their heads back into the plot and changing/influencing things.
- The world - I still think that the world and set up in this series is great becuase the mix of cultures, Eastern-inspired and Western-inspired, really helps this to feel like it is somewhere that could be real if only magic existed.
- The magic - we get some really cool new additions to the magic we've previously learned of including some new types of power. We also get shown a lot more of the battle magic, and necromancy, and I found the Jousting tournaments and the crazy siege really exciting.

The not as great as the first series:
- The lady characters - In the first 4 books I LOVED some of the ladies for really pushing the boundaries, being themselves, and just keeping me so intrigued. I felt for them and got emotionally invested, this book I just didn't ever fully 'click' with any and lots of them (including Lyra and Coramore - both major players) just had whiney moments which irritated me more than their 'good' moments... :/
- The plot - I just feel as if this plot is reaaaally battle and politic-heavy. We get a lot of underhanded moves and players, many people who sneak around and double-cross, and it's interesting to a points...but...then it just was lacking the real emotional depth and connection I wanted to see.

I think I will continue the series, as I did enjoy the read overall, but for me personally it didn't gel in the same way as the first series and I think the biggest factor was the characters. I just don't feel as emotionally into their plots as I was with books #1-4, but I hope that maybe as the series goes on we could get into some really exciting things... 3*s from me.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I loved the first 3 books of the original quartet (2 were in my top 5 in their year, 3rd #6), book 4 left me a bit cold as it was a bit stale - the twists of books 1-3 lost power after 2000 pages and neat - the major series villains lost, the good guys won etc so I actually read only the ending on publication and thought I was done with the series, but then this one came and rekindled my interest in the universe, so I first read Ascendant's rite end to end and then started on this one.

With a prologue set immediately after the ending of the 1st quartet, Empress of the Fall while technically separate from the Moontide Quartet (so far only minor characters from there appear), will make much more sense to a reader of the first 4 books; the main action starts 5 years after and while it has the somewhat annoying standard fantasy story-line (evil puppet master planning to conquer the universe for his own ends - in this case a godlike power allowing unfettered experiments which for now are frowned upon by the main powers of the world and their religions), most of the main characters were very interesting and reading about them kept my interest till the end; also for once there is no love conquers all subplot but a more realistic view of long term relationships and the main villain we see (not the puppet master who is mostly behind the scene) has a lot of similarities with Gurvon Gyle who was by far the most interesting character of the first quartet; the action takes place in a few places and the identities of the un-revealed masks are a main draw for the second volume (whose title clearly hints who the book will focus on next), while the hints of different kinds of powers are also of interests, but again finding out what happens with the characters is what makes me await book 2 with great interest

[RR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empress of the Fall was advertised by saying it was similar to the Song of Ice and Fire series. I didn't really take that personally but I'm a huge fan of the series and I though, ' Will this really be as good as Song of Ice and Fire?'

I decided it was not. There are only a few reasons for this, though.

I really enjoyed the writing style and it kept me at it even though I really didn't understand anything of the first chapter. I was in the mood, so I went on reading and it was really good that I did.

I loved the characters. They were so divers and interesting. The cultures I got to know were really fascinating even though it did resemble our current situation around Europa and the Middle East pretty much. So it wasn't really anything new culture-wise, but the characters and the royal courts, the schemes and wars were fascinating.

What kind of made me give it only 3.5 Ribbons is that there wasn't really any plot. I was over half of the almost 700 pages and I still couldn't see where this was going. It seems to me that this book will be part of a bigger series but I still felt a little discouraged by tha fact that the first book was only establishing all the characters.

Even though I enjoyed the characters and their struggles and schemes, my heart wasn't really in it.

But I can recommend the book to anyone who likes complex settings and places and lot's of characters. Classic immersive fantasy here. The book will be released on March 9th so go and get yourself a copy and try it out ;)

[Anindita, A Bohemian Mind at Work · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review: A Bohemian Mind at Work

Empress of the Fall by David Hair is an epic fantasy with the skeleton of historical fiction. This book has been written in a multiple POV structure with entire chapters and sections of the books allotted for each major player, gore, violence, all this follow the structure of ASOIAF. Once the reader gets past the initial pages of the glossary (pages of unique terms and their explanations almost made me shut the book and run), the book becomes increasingly addictive. Relationship plays a significant role in this book, though never really taking the front. Brothers with bitter life experience, couples forced into a marriage of politics, a son seeking answers for his mother's death, a young, convent-educated heiress who struggles against becoming a puppet-Empress, the book is about ordinary individuals who become extraordinary through magic or fate. But each is tied to the other half, be it a sibling, a spouse, or friends, even enemies disguised as friends. Facts and legends jump out of the pages of history and fog your mind with magic and mayhem. The author's powerful imagination creates a world of fantasy where the jihadis and Crusades have the power of magic. Masked humans pose as Gods of legends to instill fear in people. Masked humans pose as Gods of legends to instill fear in people. They are powerful mages under demonic influence, of course, and make formidable enemies.
As I said before, after reading the first few pages of explanations, glossary, trivia, I dozed off. The command, "Kill the prisoner," woke me up. Since then, I was unable to stop.
This book is an epic journey of ordinary people destined to change the course of history (historical fantasy, whatever you will) and David Hair's no-nonsense, straightforward writing style makes it more alluring. David Hair is no GRRM. Don't seek the beauty of GRRM in brutality and scenic expressions. Mr. Hair knows how to capture the reader's interest. The author doesn't sugarcoat the horror. The emotional scenes are relatable and expressive. The action scenes are gripping, and nail-biting situations are exactly so. But the book lacks a single focus. It's like reading three books parallelly, each with an agenda of its own. The focal point shows up towards the end. None of the three parts have anything earth-shattering as GRRM killing off Ned Stark. But they are well plotted and greater than any of the individual characters. The chain of events has the potential to become living, breathing things moving the story and the reader's curiosity forward. I am going to read the next one in the series to find out more.

My recommendation: 3.5 bohostars. Taking away points for the first few pages of distracting explanation which could easily follow the main storyline; lack of characters who make you go back for them and them alone (I couldn't isolate a single protagonist or antagonist as my favorite). Added points for pace, action, narration, plot, and historical influence.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl.... I've said it every time I review one of David Hair's books, and I will gladly say it again to the masses: he has a very addictive writing style that's nearly impossible to put down!! If I didn't have to work, I would easily breeze through these tomes in a day or two. EASILY.

Now, that said, the Sunsurge Quartet would lose a majority of its charm without first reading the Moontide Quartet. There are a lot of old characters that return in this one and a lot of excitement as a result. Not only that, but some of the stakes don't feel quite as high unless you know the previous events and exactly what they mean in the long term! In other words, this series is seeped in spoilers for the Moontide Quartet that are impossible to escape. I would highly, highly recommend reading Moontide FIRST.

Onward!!!

The characterization in every one of his works are just stellar! You can't help but love the characters, even those the reader considers a villain. It's difficult not to see the villains side of things with reminders of their humanity sprinkled here and there, with their version of events communicated in their own POVs. We all have our secret battles and motivations, right? And sometimes circumstances force our hand outside of what we might have otherwise decided to do....

There are some reviewers who are turned off by the character Lyra and her naive embrace of the world at large.

.... the woman has spent twenty years of captivity in a convent. That isn't a spoiler, that's where she's found to be at the very beginning of her storyline. She was not only born in the convent, she remained there until her 'rescue.' So, naturally, her way of viewing the world would be wholly skewed by that way of life. A woman character doesn't always have to be strong, that is sooooo stupid to think or to even say that a female character has to be warrior and a fighter in every text that one is mentioned. Sometimes a female is weak. Sometimes a MALE is weak. That's realistic. And just because a female or a male character is weak, doesn't make their characterization shit. How fucking exciting would a story be if every character had the strength of will and power to combat every challenge? I don't even know if that's exactly why some dislike her character or if I'm reading it wrong. But I don't think a 'whiny' character is at all a detriment to a story.

UNLESS it's just there as a motivator of some variety. Like sometimes happens with 'bully' characters. A bully character who is just shit for no reason other than to try to motivate the main character into action is really deserving of the 'shit' label.

In summary: not all female characters have to be warriors or strong enough to argue against the powers that try to suppress them. Sometimes they aren't. Sometimes they wish to cling to their savior male love. Sometimes they like to be loose and sexual. Sometimes they're flighty. It's all good!!!

This story is great and just as wondrous as the Moontide!!!

[Joseph Elderkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So before I start I think I should point out this is not an entry point novel. By that I mean that although this is the first book in a quartet it is not really the first book in this series or world.
Quite a bit is assumed and hinted at from the previous quartet so for anyone who hasn't read the MoonTide Quartet, Stop! Read this truly fantastic quartet first. Everything will make more sense and flow better once you have.
This book is less introductory than its previous equivalent Mage's Blood, but it's interesting nonetheless. I admittedly do so far prefer the old series but that also took me a while to come to love it and when I did it really climbed in my estimation.
David Hair is an author worth staying with, he builds his world's fastidiously and by the end you may well feel you've ended up in a very different place than when the book started.
All in all thoroughly enjoyable but I have this delightful feeling that the best is yet to come in the quartet and eagerly await the next installment.
So I fully suggest you read this book, but only after you've read the moontide quartet

[Anna Spark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful.

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of the second quartet of books, that I have read, by David Hair. This Quartet (The Sun Surge Quartet) Begins where the story in the first (The Moon Tide Quartet) finishes but with new main characters (although there are a few familiar faces).

At first, I found this book a little hard to get into but it was for the same reason that I found the first book of the last quartet a little hard to get into so I knew it would be worth persevering. This author doesn't write on a small scale. He's built a huge world with a complex political situation and has multiple well fleshed out main characters as well as a multitude of lesser characters that are still well developed... and that requires a fair bit of introduction, which is why you have to wade a bit into these quartets before the real action can begin. It's worth it.

I think reading this book straight away after finishing the Moon Tide quartet detracted a little from my first impressions as well. It took a little getting used to this world which I was now so familiar with, without the main characters I had come to care about in the previous story but the new main characters grow on you quickly enough. With a little time spent between the two quartets, this wouldn't even be a factor.

I noticed another thing going straight from one series to the next as well. This is a minor point but worth mentioning. The author has had to dial back the power of his mages a little for this series. By the end of the previous, a few of the main characters had become quite overpowered almost godlike... That's a good way to finish a book but not a good place to start from so the power of the Gnosis (The main magic system in this world) has been dialled back just a bit, or so it seems to me.
The author has also added some new elements to the magic system that didn't exist (Or at least, were not a factor) in the first series. I like the changes.

As with the first series, I can't really give you a synopsis- this world is far too big, with far too many characters and far too complex a plot. It's just too much to cover in a review and still do it justice. I will talk about one thing about the author's world that I really love though. All the races, cultures and religions in this world are very obviously based on real races, cultures and religions and the author has done a great job of it.

I had one criticism of every book in the first series and that was that they were rife with typos and while it doesn't seem to be quite as bad in this second quartet, there are still rather a lot... not enough to have me knock off a star though although other readers who are less tolerant may find them more of a factor.

Solid start to another quartet. Four and a half well-earned stars.

Adam:)

[Shane Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful reread. Just perfect. Now on to book 2.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

c20 FWFTB: war, retribution, Crusade, Urte, veterans. For the past few years, a new David Hair book is one of the first ones that I read in the new year. And, they are all doorstoppers. This one is no different but seems to have been published a little later than the others. Waiting only added to the anticipation and I was not disappointed. The fight scenes and characters are all exquisitely drawn with the only drawback for me was that the geography was a little disjointed. I could find the places referred to on the map but not how they all influenced each other. But that is more my fault than the books, I am sure. 3 major characters stood out for me in this the first of a future quartet and I did miss a strong female character. There are certainly female characters of which one stands out but =, alas, she did not have a major part to play in the story (although she certainly could have). Definitely recommended to the normal crew. "When he stood before the masses and screamed at them, there was no fear in his face, only hunger to subdue all who listened."

[Alicia Huxtable · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long live the Empress indeed!!! Lyra is a strong female character who faces her battles head on. Ril and the other characters definately make this book worth the read. I loved it, even though I didn't think I would but seriously worth the time. Book 2, here I come.

[bhavya · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We argue openly, while they speak with one voice, Ostevan noted, and they see this as a virtue. Our divisions and disputes are our strength: we argue and reach compromises; together, we find better ways. They just grovel and resent; the ruler imagines he has unquestioned support right up until the moment he is knifed in the back."

In the aftermath of the third Crusade, the empire is already on the brink of chaos, but with the Emperor dead, it is now more than necessary to have someone on the throne. Enter: Lyra, the only daughter of the former heir. No one knew of Lyra's existence; her mother had disappeared before Lyra was born, leaving her in the hands of the convent, a prisoner, unaware of her true identity, her entire world limited to the four walls of her prison and what she knew from the tales of the Fables. Slaughter and death ensue before Lyra is brought to the Imperial Throne. It's now been years since Empress Lyra's coronation, but her troubles aren't over yet as uprisings brew on the land...

There were many things I didn't like about this book. I didn't like the amount of info dump that happened in the first few pages; I skipped those. I didn't particularly like Waqar's perspective. I didn't like that there were no important deaths.

But I liked Empress of the Fall for the most part. I absolutely loved the fight scenes. Every time the writing culminated in a duel, I would straighten in my seat and tune out everything else. I'd get lost in these pages, in time. To be honest I loved Lyra's POV the most, and I totally look forward to learning more about Ostevan and Lyra's dynamic in the future.


Also, what is this I hear about having to read the previous quartet first? Everyone's like "Stop if you haven't read the Moontide Quartet, you'll definitely not like this one otherwise" or "this series pales in comparison to its predecessor." Now I don't know what to feel: should I be excited about discovering a new series that I'd probably like? Or tamp it down so it doesn't disappoint me later? Either way, Moontide will have to wait. First, I have to read book two.

"[Sacrista] pressed against the back of a heavy boulder, looking up in disbelief as Neuston simply stood his ground, placating his mare.
'A commander never hides,' he declared. Then three arrows slammed into him at once, two tearing through his wards and the third taking him in the left eye.
< Oh, bad luck! > she told his dying mind.

[Anindita, A Bohemian Mind at Work · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empress of the Fall by David Hair is an epic fantasy with the skeleton of historical fiction written in a multiple POV structure with chapters and sections of the books allotted for each major player, gore, violence, after the structure of ASOIAF.

The publishers rightly claim this book to be in line with A Song of Ice and Fire. A few of the POV characters narrate the events with such emotional indifference that the reader is allowed to make his/her conclusion. Adds to the charm, I must admit.

The author’s background in history shows in his writing.
Once the reader gets past the first pages of the glossary (pages of unique terms and their explanations almost made me shut the book and run), the book becomes increasingly addictive.

The novel has familiar themes of religion holding a significant influence in people’s life and wars, detailed accounts of various heirs and power-groups playing the game of thrones, unusual but inspiring love stories that make your heart melt.

Relationship plays a significant role in this book, though never really taking the front. Brothers with bitter life experience, couples forced into a marriage of politics, a son seeking answers for his mother’s death, a young, convent-educated heiress who struggles against becoming a puppet-Empress, the book is about ordinary people who become extraordinary through magic or fate. But each is tied to the other half, be it a sibling, a spouse, or friends, even enemies disguised as friends.

Facts and legends jump out of the pages of history and fog your mind with magic and mayhem.

The author’s powerful imagination creates a world of fantasy where the Muslim jihadis and Christian Crusades have the power of magic. Masked humans pose as Gods of legends to instill fear in people.

As I said before, after reading the first few pages of explanations, glossary, trivia, I dozed off. The command, “Kill the prisoner,” woke me up. Since then, I was unable to stop.

This book is an epic journey of ordinary people destined to change the course of history (historical fantasy, whatever you will) and David Hair’s no-nonsense, straightforward writing style makes it more alluring. David Hair is no GRRM. Don’t seek the beauty of GRRM in brutality and scenic expressions.

Mr. Hair knows how to capture the reader’s interest.
The author doesn’t sugarcoat the horror. The emotional scenes are relatable and expressive. The action scenes are gripping, and nail-biting situations are exactly so.

The book lacks a single focus in the plot, but I believe that is intentional. It’s like reading three books parallelly, each with an agenda of its own. The chain of events acts as a living, breathing thing moving the story and the reader’s curiosity forward. All the principal characters, though mostly unrelated by other means, are revealed to be connected through a common enemy.

None of the three parts have anything earth-shattering as GRRM killing off Ned Stark. But they are well plotted and greater than any of the characters who never really get a chance to develop. However, this is the first book in the series, and there is ample scope for the young protagonists to shine and evolve into heroes, as is for the antagonists to become legendary lords and ladies of evil. I couldn’t isolate a single protagonist or antagonist as my favorite as of now.

A few points I noted:

Shihad means honey, but the word usage in the story strongly suggests ‘jihad.’
Sal-ahm is used instead of Salam.
I am not well-conversed in Urdu or Arabic so really can’t comment on the usage of these words but they did catch my attention.

My recommendation
Adult fantasy lovers who enjoy historical fiction and intricate political plots will love this book. Just don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by the first few pages. The rest is epic.

3.7 bohostars. Taking away points for the first few pages of distracting explanation which could easily follow the main storyline; lack of characters who make you go back for them and them alone (I couldn’t isolate a single protagonist or antagonist as my favorite). Added points for pace, action, narration, plot, and historical influence.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was interested in this book, but I was disappointed. It starts with a chapter of exposition, of all things, which doesn't really help when you're trying to get into the book. The characters that were introduced never felt that... special, or nuanced, or anything, really. In short, not that good.

[Vexation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it felt like a slow starter and at some points the pace in uneven, this was a very fresh return to High Fantasy. Solid world building, complex characters, magic and violence served in a masterfully unveiling plot.

Solidly hooked at diving into the next book of the series.

[Jon Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts out slow just like the first book of the moontide, then it starts to pull you in.....just have to keep going!

[Mark Smith-briggs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Empress of the Fall (book one in a four part series) has so many of the things a great fantasy novel should have; an epic, sprawling storyline, a world rich in history and mythology and a myriad of characters. It's got warring political allegiances, fantastical beasts, a well-constructed magical system and plenty of double crosses, political games and forbidden romances.
Yet it fails in one vital element. Readability.
For all its promise Empress of the Fall a dull chore of a tome that fails to capture your attention like the novels it seeks to emulate, the Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan's Wheels of Time.
The writing is slathered in exposition and its action scenes are dull and lifeless. The characters – and there are so many – lack original voices, tending to blur into a mass of sameness.
It’s the type of novel you soldier through; waiting for the story to take hold – but it never grips you by the horns and takes you along for the ride.
There’s so much promise in this world but it’s a book that never delivers.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 61%.

Man this could've been good, but unfortunately there are just too many Horny Men Writing (TM). No, seriously: the author really decided to say "screw it, I'm horny" and completely disrespect a character's past experiences for the sake of Hot Steamy Sausage Action (TM). Oh, and there was also a scene in chapter 28 that gave me, An Asexual, some mad acephobic vibes and - honestly? That was the last straw.

And remember, kids: one typo is an accident, thirty is a tragedy.

One Complete and Utter Failure to Secure Mother Church/5

[lossendae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book of 2017 so far.

World building is not the best because the lands, religions, peoples and languages are so similar to ours but despite that, everything else is delightful.

Once you pick one the book, you can't stop until you reach the last page. It the 5th book of David Hair that produce this kind of addictive effect for me.

I can't wait for the next one !

[L. Glama]

It's great to be back in this world. I didn't quite love it as much as the original series, though - I think it's because it lacks the sense of discovery of being introduced to a new universe. It seems to be darker in tone, too (which makes sense, given that the main villain this time actually has demonic powers or something), and focuses more on political intrigue (probably because almost every main character is royalty of some land or another - still not sure how I feel about this), which is a pleasant change, to be honest, but at the cost of aforementioned sense of discovery. The introduction of dwyma was a bit strange (where was it in all the first four books? Retroactively claiming it was involved in one event in the original series doesn't really count...), though I suppose it's to level the playing field. It's set only a few years after the events of the Moontide Quartet, so I doubt we'll get to see many of the old characters or their children. I was kind of hoping for the latter but they're all, like, 5 years' old or something. Maybe a third quartet? Also, by similar reasoning, I guess we're not going to find out what happened to the missing Meiros twin, sigh. Though the choice of Tarita as a main-ish character was a pleasant surprise. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this and argh I can't binge-read this series because the last book doesn't exist yet.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunsurge is a Good Follow-up to the Moontide Quartet

Most of the initial reviewers were correct, Sunsurge cannot be fully appreciated unless you read the Moontide Quartet. Blame the publishers, not the author. David Hair has written another engaging story about Urte - a world of two lands -one white and one black-divided by an ocean and magic. This time our heroine was raised in a nunnery! Her entry into Urte 's mainstream is steeped with vengeance, jealously, betrayal, love and hate. If you are an adult fantasy lover, you'll enjoy this tale, it's characters, the politics, and the twists. David Hair's world building is superb and his descriptions of people and their cultures are first rate. This book is ideal for juniors or seniors in high school, and adults. This is not a story for tweens or younger teens.. This book contains sex and graphic violence. In some sections women, the poor and blacks are abused and portrayed as stupid and unclean. There are references to homosexuality. While such is the reality of life, it's too much for tweens or the meek. I look forward to David Hair's next installment. After reading Queen of the Fall, you will too. Sunsurge is a great adult read!

[Micha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a DNF for me. I got to around page 210, and thought I could push on through, and then decided that what the heck, I read for enjoyment, I should not have to be forcing myself this hard to keep going.

When I picked up this book I had not realised that there was a prior quartet (Moontide), and I think had I started there I would have been a heck of a lot less confused. I had just grabbed the book off of a library shelf, and it said 'book 1', when it's actually kind of book 5.

Too many characters, too many places, and I wasn't overly invested in any of them, and just got lost.

Then there were the snippets of 'Mills and Boon' 'thrusting c**ks' and 'engorged members'. Not a lot, up to where I got up to, but enough I was wary as I read on. They aren't my thing, and I usually find they just aren't required in the story, to that level of crassness (yes I am a prude). I tend to find they get overused as, I'm not sure what, for shock value perhaps.

So I'm a bit disappointed in myself for not persevering, and youthful me would never not finish a book. Older me says 'life's too short, next!'

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've tried several times to start this book.. I'm through a third of it now, and I give up
I can understand a young woman know nothing of the world, bei g brought up in a convent, but it's still a stretch to be THAT naive.. Then there's the whole romance... It's a 10 year Olds idea of what women want. Seriously. Jumping 4 years ahead. She's an empress and STILL clueless.. In the midst of a court filled with conspiracy....

All characters in the book are, without a doubt, some of the most idiotic brainless people I've read in a book.
We have these slave brothers... I would say, after several years of abuse, trust is a no go
But here they have it, and is deeply surprised, when shit hits the fan... Really?
So... Horrible characters, you can't relate to or even imagine, reeeally horrible romance and the play between characters just don't hit home

[Luke Breakwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

The original series Moontide Quartet are among my favorite books. They have a well rounded and deeply thought out magic system, a good variety of compelling characters, intelligent combat and a good measure of well placed mature moments.

Imagine my disappointment when I get to this sequel series, set straight after the events of Moontide and it is simply flat. I don’t know how else to describe it, we went from smart use of a broad magic system to “throw magic bolt at bad guy”. The main characters are bland and two dimensional and the writing just feels lazy.

In the books defense I didn’t make it more than a third of the way through before giving up so maybe it turns it around but I doubt the writing style magically corrects mid book.

That said I couldn’t write a book and I’m sure for some it will be s pleasant read.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading a David Hair book and well it was enjoyable BUT I started this book and had to put it down pretty quickly as I did not give a fig about Lyra.. she annoyed me and basically did through the whole book!!! But I picked it back up and I am glad I did because once it shifts away to other lands/characters things started to get real interesting! Then once things started to fall into place it was rather good!

[Nigel Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a random pick from the library. It's not bad, but could be better.
The world building is ok, but nothing spectacular; it's basically Middle East vs The West, with the West having Roman, Norse and Germanic tribes. Even the names are generic; e.g. Rimoni, Argundy, Schlessen.
There's some interesting characters, but again they're unimpressive; the wronged hero, the naive queen, the mysterious puppeteer.
I'll try the 2nd book and see if it gets better......

[Bree Pye]

I really wish Hair used a little more imagination in creating his world, instead of borrowing literally everything from what already exists in ours (even our collective imagination). Vampires and zombies in my high fantasy were not very welcome or exciting.

[Farès · Rating 4 out of 5]

all the things that I hated about this book were discarded.. now it improved a lot, and I enjoyed reading it

[Derek Slattery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roll on book two

Excellent read great set up for the rest of the series . Can't wait to read more about this world