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Chronicles of Elantra #14
Cast in Oblivion
POLITICS ARE HELL
Kaylin wasn’t sent to the West March to start a war. Her mission to bring back nine Barrani might do just that, though. She traveled with a Dragon, and her presence is perceived as an act of aggression in the extremely hostile world of Barrani-Dragon politics. Internal Barrani politics are no less deadly, and Kaylin has managed—barely—to help the rescued Barrani evade both death and captivity at the hands of the Consort.
Before the unplanned “visit” to the West March, Kaylin invited the Consort to dinner. For obvious reasons, Kaylin wants to cancel dinner—forever. But the Consort is going to show up at the front door at the agreed-upon time. The fact that she tried to imprison Kaylin’s guests doesn’t matter at all…to her.
A private Barrani Hell, built of Shadow and malice, exists beneath the High Halls. It is the High Court’s duty to jail the creature at its heart—even if it means that Barrani victims are locked in the cage with it. The Consort is willing to do almost anything to free the trapped and end their eternal torment. And she needs the help of Kaylin’s houseguests—and Kaylin herself. Failure won’t be death—it will be Hell. And that’s where Kaylin is going.
Kaylin wasn’t sent to the West March to start a war. Her mission to bring back nine Barrani might do just that, though. She traveled with a Dragon, and her presence is perceived as an act of aggression in the extremely hostile world of Barrani-Dragon politics. Internal Barrani politics are no less deadly, and Kaylin has managed—barely—to help the rescued Barrani evade both death and captivity at the hands of the Consort.
Before the unplanned “visit” to the West March, Kaylin invited the Consort to dinner. For obvious reasons, Kaylin wants to cancel dinner—forever. But the Consort is going to show up at the front door at the agreed-upon time. The fact that she tried to imprison Kaylin’s guests doesn’t matter at all…to her.
A private Barrani Hell, built of Shadow and malice, exists beneath the High Halls. It is the High Court’s duty to jail the creature at its heart—even if it means that Barrani victims are locked in the cage with it. The Consort is willing to do almost anything to free the trapped and end their eternal torment. And she needs the help of Kaylin’s houseguests—and Kaylin herself. Failure won’t be death—it will be Hell. And that’s where Kaylin is going.
427 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2019
391 people are currently reading
2310 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Sagara
54 books1,803 followersSee also:
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle West
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle West
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
February 3, 2019
3.5 stars
After reading fourteen books, I’m pretty well invested in this series. I love the world Sagara has built and have come to care about the characters who inhabit it. But...
This book suffers from the same problems as its predecessors, primarily too much talk about magic and not enough action. For about half the book (hundreds of pages!) Kaylin and the cohort work up to the dinner with the Consort (while talking about magic), then during the get-together talk more about magic, and afterwards talk about it some more. Lots of speculation about what might happen during the Test of Name and what lies in the Tower. For almost two thirds of the book, there are perhaps a couple of minor conflicts, each resolved within a scant number of pages. For most of the book I wanted to scream, “Get on with it already!”
One of my other primary gripes about this series has been the lack of personal growth on Kaylin’s part. To my relief, she appears in this book at least to be annoyed by the fact that others see her as a child (or a mascot) and that she (finally!) needs to learn more about what it means to be Chosen. We’ll see if she actually does something about her ignorance in the next book. As far as her personal life, she does finally seem to be looking a bit more at Severn, but it’s very early stages and, as with the other books, he largely disappears in this one even when ostensibly he is present. Poor guy.
Despite my frustrations, I enjoyed when things actually did happen in this book and no doubt will read the next one. I just hope I’ll have to wade through less talk and pondering to get to the meat of it.
After reading fourteen books, I’m pretty well invested in this series. I love the world Sagara has built and have come to care about the characters who inhabit it. But...
This book suffers from the same problems as its predecessors, primarily too much talk about magic and not enough action. For about half the book (hundreds of pages!) Kaylin and the cohort work up to the dinner with the Consort (while talking about magic), then during the get-together talk more about magic, and afterwards talk about it some more. Lots of speculation about what might happen during the Test of Name and what lies in the Tower. For almost two thirds of the book, there are perhaps a couple of minor conflicts, each resolved within a scant number of pages. For most of the book I wanted to scream, “Get on with it already!”
One of my other primary gripes about this series has been the lack of personal growth on Kaylin’s part. To my relief, she appears in this book at least to be annoyed by the fact that others see her as a child (or a mascot) and that she (finally!) needs to learn more about what it means to be Chosen. We’ll see if she actually does something about her ignorance in the next book. As far as her personal life, she does finally seem to be looking a bit more at Severn, but it’s very early stages and, as with the other books, he largely disappears in this one even when ostensibly he is present. Poor guy.
Despite my frustrations, I enjoyed when things actually did happen in this book and no doubt will read the next one. I just hope I’ll have to wade through less talk and pondering to get to the meat of it.
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June 2, 2019WARNING! This rant is a personal opinion.
As you can see from my review on book 1 I wrote a few months ago, I'm a huge fan of the series, but that doesn't mean I don't get annoyed after 14 books. Back to the review:
Repetition - there was a lot of it. "It was the wrong kind of" repetition. To the point where we lose the identity of the character as they are all saying the same or similar sentences throughout the 14 books.
Infro dump - a lot. A lot of info dump. It made Gergana very mad. In all senses of the word.
Logic- who needs it, when you have magic that fixes everything when the plot is stuck for 9 hours. The author does try to provide us with logic about the world and magic that, sadly, is still illogical to Gergana. Maybe Gergana is just stupid. It is a possibility. (Yes, there were many short sentences in this book. Fullstops everywhere.)
Characaters - so many. Gergana is confused, she no longer cares enough to remember all of them. Gergana wishes she knew more about some of the characters, but the content of the books is mainly infodumps, expositions and remembering events from previous books we have already read and remember anyway.
This book was boring, it was the wrong kind of boring. Demonstrably. Especially considering how much I love the world and the side-characters inhabiting it. There were so many words. 18 hours worth of audiobook, to be precise. And yet, nothing was said. Again. Despite numerous characters rambling to their hearts' content. I didn't even know who, out of the 15+ characters, was talking 70% of the time. (not audiobook narrator's fault, they were just too many now) But I also didn't care...
Ok, all joking aside, I realize that I'm being selfish. Since the first book, I had these PERSONAL expectations of seeing Kaylin do actual detective work that doesn't involve a powerful entity trying to destroy the world with magic. I wanted to see more politics and interactions between the races, misunderstanding and more mundane stuff that the characters do in their everyday life in this amazing world. Most of all, I wanted to see change - what if Kaylin got fired, or changed jobs, or, God forbid, get a promotion. What about relationships (it's been 14 books, Goddammit!). What if two races actually started a war with each other (that didn't involve a villain or magic or some random destructive force) and Kaylin had to come up with a compromise. What if she ... GREW UP??!?! What kind of person she can change to? Will she become too full of herself for a book and realize her mistake by the end of it, will she fail miserably in another and have to overcome her fear and disappointment in herself, in order to grow even more and then save the world? Will she abuse her power on purpose and then wonder whether she is deserving of it? Will she get an annoying fan club that worships her as the Chosen and drives her nuts, especially when she's trying to do her job.
What do we get instead for 14 books? Lots of actions! That happens, as usual, somewhere else, as Kaylin is stuck in her own mind, thinking about her past, about her friends, about how she feels about...EVERYTHING? We already know how she feels, we read the same stuff in every single book! We hear lots of thought about names and magic and how Kaylin feels that we really don't need and ~ and that's what I mean by me being selfish.
The only reason, I got so triggered, was not because I couldn't bear the book itself. After all, if it was that bad I would just stop reading and move on to something else. I got triggered because the book (and many of its predecessors) weren't meeting my PERSONAL expectations. Sure, there were repetitions, info dumps etc. but that...didn't use to bother me in the past, back when I believed the books will one day head towards the way I wanted. It was the main force that kept me going, even when I could feel losing brain cells reading stuff such as:
- "[...] said nothing" - 28 tmes in this book. Not as bad as "[...] said nothing. Loudly." - (2-3 times) what does this even mean???
- "Demonstrably!"-was used only 10 times now. I'm sure there are synonyms, but why bother.
- "Barrani blue" - (6 times) what is Barrani Blue? I thought they had a certain blue for hate, a darker blue for murderous intent, a lighter blue for excitement, etc. Which one is it? And why are we suddenly talking about "missing whites and pupils" in their eyes? Since when is THAT a Barrani Blue? Why do I feel so stupid?
- "You should not be here. You are here." ...
Ok, back to my point - Authors shouldn't feel the need to conform to other people's expectations. I don't want Michelle Sagara to change her writing style and plans for future books to please me, or even the majority of the readers. Writing, like any creative art, should be done to please the creator first.
And I don't think we should feel guilty for expressing a negative opinion on books we've read, especially after we've invested so much of our time, money and emotions. From what I've seen, people who have complained about Cast in Oblivian are people who feel personally attached to the series, who want to see more reason for them to continue reading. We've reached 14 books after all, if that's not dedication and love I don't know what is.
But at the end of the day... we don't always have 18 hours available to listen to mainly info dumps and boring reminiscence.
PROS:
- The first half can put you to sleep. Fast. Or give you a headache.
- The cover is pretty, as usual. These series are rather colourful, so they look nice on a shelf...
- IT DOES get better after around 60%, and there were a few scenes, less than 5, that made me remember why I loved the Elantra Chronicles so much.
CONS:
-...
-...
-...What is even the point anymore?
I'm a huge fan of the series, despite all of the flaws. And yet, this is the first time I'm on the verge of giving up. For me, personally, this book was just lazy. It screamed boredom. But... I am selfish. I have expectations, I've been having them since book 1, and now, after 14 books I realize my expectations will never be met. And who am I to dictate to a person how to write the book they want to write. It's my fault for keep hoping the series will progress one way when they actually never do...progress.
As you can see from my review on book 1 I wrote a few months ago, I'm a huge fan of the series, but that doesn't mean I don't get annoyed after 14 books. Back to the review:
Repetition - there was a lot of it. "It was the wrong kind of" repetition. To the point where we lose the identity of the character as they are all saying the same or similar sentences throughout the 14 books.
Infro dump - a lot. A lot of info dump. It made Gergana very mad. In all senses of the word.
Logic- who needs it, when you have magic that fixes everything when the plot is stuck for 9 hours. The author does try to provide us with logic about the world and magic that, sadly, is still illogical to Gergana. Maybe Gergana is just stupid. It is a possibility. (Yes, there were many short sentences in this book. Fullstops everywhere.)
Characaters - so many. Gergana is confused, she no longer cares enough to remember all of them. Gergana wishes she knew more about some of the characters, but the content of the books is mainly infodumps, expositions and remembering events from previous books we have already read and remember anyway.
This book was boring, it was the wrong kind of boring. Demonstrably. Especially considering how much I love the world and the side-characters inhabiting it. There were so many words. 18 hours worth of audiobook, to be precise. And yet, nothing was said. Again. Despite numerous characters rambling to their hearts' content. I didn't even know who, out of the 15+ characters, was talking 70% of the time. (not audiobook narrator's fault, they were just too many now) But I also didn't care...
Ok, all joking aside, I realize that I'm being selfish. Since the first book, I had these PERSONAL expectations of seeing Kaylin do actual detective work that doesn't involve a powerful entity trying to destroy the world with magic. I wanted to see more politics and interactions between the races, misunderstanding and more mundane stuff that the characters do in their everyday life in this amazing world. Most of all, I wanted to see change - what if Kaylin got fired, or changed jobs, or, God forbid, get a promotion. What about relationships (it's been 14 books, Goddammit!). What if two races actually started a war with each other (that didn't involve a villain or magic or some random destructive force) and Kaylin had to come up with a compromise. What if she ... GREW UP??!?! What kind of person she can change to? Will she become too full of herself for a book and realize her mistake by the end of it, will she fail miserably in another and have to overcome her fear and disappointment in herself, in order to grow even more and then save the world? Will she abuse her power on purpose and then wonder whether she is deserving of it? Will she get an annoying fan club that worships her as the Chosen and drives her nuts, especially when she's trying to do her job.
What do we get instead for 14 books? Lots of actions! That happens, as usual, somewhere else, as Kaylin is stuck in her own mind, thinking about her past, about her friends, about how she feels about...EVERYTHING? We already know how she feels, we read the same stuff in every single book! We hear lots of thought about names and magic and how Kaylin feels that we really don't need and ~ and that's what I mean by me being selfish.
The only reason, I got so triggered, was not because I couldn't bear the book itself. After all, if it was that bad I would just stop reading and move on to something else. I got triggered because the book (and many of its predecessors) weren't meeting my PERSONAL expectations. Sure, there were repetitions, info dumps etc. but that...didn't use to bother me in the past, back when I believed the books will one day head towards the way I wanted. It was the main force that kept me going, even when I could feel losing brain cells reading stuff such as:
- "[...] said nothing" - 28 tmes in this book. Not as bad as "[...] said nothing. Loudly." - (2-3 times) what does this even mean???
- "Demonstrably!"-was used only 10 times now. I'm sure there are synonyms, but why bother.
- "Barrani blue" - (6 times) what is Barrani Blue? I thought they had a certain blue for hate, a darker blue for murderous intent, a lighter blue for excitement, etc. Which one is it? And why are we suddenly talking about "missing whites and pupils" in their eyes? Since when is THAT a Barrani Blue? Why do I feel so stupid?
- "You should not be here. You are here." ...
Ok, back to my point - Authors shouldn't feel the need to conform to other people's expectations. I don't want Michelle Sagara to change her writing style and plans for future books to please me, or even the majority of the readers. Writing, like any creative art, should be done to please the creator first.
And I don't think we should feel guilty for expressing a negative opinion on books we've read, especially after we've invested so much of our time, money and emotions. From what I've seen, people who have complained about Cast in Oblivian are people who feel personally attached to the series, who want to see more reason for them to continue reading. We've reached 14 books after all, if that's not dedication and love I don't know what is.
But at the end of the day... we don't always have 18 hours available to listen to mainly info dumps and boring reminiscence.
PROS:
- The first half can put you to sleep. Fast. Or give you a headache.
- The cover is pretty, as usual. These series are rather colourful, so they look nice on a shelf...
- IT DOES get better after around 60%, and there were a few scenes, less than 5, that made me remember why I loved the Elantra Chronicles so much.
CONS:
-...
-...
-...What is even the point anymore?
I'm a huge fan of the series, despite all of the flaws. And yet, this is the first time I'm on the verge of giving up. For me, personally, this book was just lazy. It screamed boredom. But... I am selfish. I have expectations, I've been having them since book 1, and now, after 14 books I realize my expectations will never be met. And who am I to dictate to a person how to write the book they want to write. It's my fault for keep hoping the series will progress one way when they actually never do...progress.
February 4, 2019
Audible version.
I find Kailyn puerile, in all things if I’m honest. This book did little to assuage me of that feeling. I should disclose this isn’t a new feeling. I listened to the audible version of this book & although the narrator did well, through no fault of her own this book was a monotonous if not prosaic listen. However, the alternative is reading it myself & I’m sure the audible version is the better option. All that said, I’m invested in the world & find the secondary characters interesting. I will in all likelihood continue the series.
My one wish would be the author does away with Kailyn’s willfully bovine attitude & speeds up the overall arc going forward.
Should the character growth continue at the pace of molasses I’ll eventually lose interest & cut my loses.
This reader’s ability to look past Kailyn’s bovine attitude has an expiration date & the author is getting precariously close to that date.
———controversial rant———
I know many readers feel Kailyn’s continuously playing hero is deserving of a promotion & respect.
I’d wager to point out Kailyn’s treatment is a direct reflection of her attitude. She uses her station as an excuse for her ignorance. Kailyn has been given every opportunity to move past her self imposed box by the dragons & now by the consort herself. She refuses to apply herself past learning the very basics to prevent the Hawkes or Emperor embarrassment. She doesn’t take the lessons seriously. As a result of her behavior & attitude, the hawkes treat her like a lucky favorite pet & the emperor treats her like a troubled child that needs to be curtailed. I feel perhaps if Kailyn takes an interest in herself & her career (past wishing) she could become a relevant political power in all courts. IMO Readers are taking more of an interest than Kailyn does in herself, her accomplishments, & more importantly her potential. I’m not sure why this is appropriate 14 books in.
You can take a dehydrated horse to water but you can’t force it to drink. Ultimately the horse needs to take the initiative to survive.
I find Kailyn puerile, in all things if I’m honest. This book did little to assuage me of that feeling. I should disclose this isn’t a new feeling. I listened to the audible version of this book & although the narrator did well, through no fault of her own this book was a monotonous if not prosaic listen. However, the alternative is reading it myself & I’m sure the audible version is the better option. All that said, I’m invested in the world & find the secondary characters interesting. I will in all likelihood continue the series.
My one wish would be the author does away with Kailyn’s willfully bovine attitude & speeds up the overall arc going forward.
Should the character growth continue at the pace of molasses I’ll eventually lose interest & cut my loses.
This reader’s ability to look past Kailyn’s bovine attitude has an expiration date & the author is getting precariously close to that date.
———controversial rant———
I know many readers feel Kailyn’s continuously playing hero is deserving of a promotion & respect.
I’d wager to point out Kailyn’s treatment is a direct reflection of her attitude. She uses her station as an excuse for her ignorance. Kailyn has been given every opportunity to move past her self imposed box by the dragons & now by the consort herself. She refuses to apply herself past learning the very basics to prevent the Hawkes or Emperor embarrassment. She doesn’t take the lessons seriously. As a result of her behavior & attitude, the hawkes treat her like a lucky favorite pet & the emperor treats her like a troubled child that needs to be curtailed. I feel perhaps if Kailyn takes an interest in herself & her career (past wishing) she could become a relevant political power in all courts. IMO Readers are taking more of an interest than Kailyn does in herself, her accomplishments, & more importantly her potential. I’m not sure why this is appropriate 14 books in.
You can take a dehydrated horse to water but you can’t force it to drink. Ultimately the horse needs to take the initiative to survive.
October 19, 2019
I hate everyone who reads this book before me!! :)
Very good end of arc. The beginning of a new one coming soon. I always like the way the (elf queen) sorry I'm an audiobook reader so I have no idea about spelling half the time. I enjoy how she reads. When they spend time in court I always find those books the most fun. I wish the dragon could go with her. I think I figured out the dragon's hoard. The fight to hold off shadows. I 'm not sure how it's going to play out though. I've reread the series for the 3 time. Still enjoyable.
Very good end of arc. The beginning of a new one coming soon. I always like the way the (elf queen) sorry I'm an audiobook reader so I have no idea about spelling half the time. I enjoy how she reads. When they spend time in court I always find those books the most fun. I wish the dragon could go with her. I think I figured out the dragon's hoard. The fight to hold off shadows. I 'm not sure how it's going to play out though. I've reread the series for the 3 time. Still enjoyable.
February 4, 2019
So, I obviously like the series because I'm reading book #14, but much of the book felt like a very large info dump. We have stuff from the dragon court's background info on the Barrani. We have more from the Arkon. We get more from all the people in Kaylin's head.
Honestly, very little happens in most of the book.
Even though there's a lot of info dump, you definitely can't start here. This is all building on things you should already know and people you've already encountered. None of it would make sense without earlier books.
I miss her doing active Hawk stuff. I miss her doing midnight runs as a midwife. I can understand how work can stop (although, really? Tain, Teela, Kaylin, and Severn are ALL excused from work?), but I don't understand how she's suddenly not necessary as a midwife right now. I miss Tara.
I'm frustrated that people think she should figure out the Chosen stuff all on her own. I'm glad she's making progress, but it's still not fair.
And Severn has pretty much no personality at all in this book. He's present when needed, fights when needed, and provides a set of eyes for Kaylin to see through when needed. That's it.
Honestly, very little happens in most of the book.
Even though there's a lot of info dump, you definitely can't start here. This is all building on things you should already know and people you've already encountered. None of it would make sense without earlier books.
I miss her doing active Hawk stuff. I miss her doing midnight runs as a midwife. I can understand how work can stop (although, really? Tain, Teela, Kaylin, and Severn are ALL excused from work?), but I don't understand how she's suddenly not necessary as a midwife right now. I miss Tara.
I'm frustrated that people think she should figure out the Chosen stuff all on her own. I'm glad she's making progress, but it's still not fair.
And Severn has pretty much no personality at all in this book. He's present when needed, fights when needed, and provides a set of eyes for Kaylin to see through when needed. That's it.
January 31, 2019
Originally published at Reading Reality
Things are like other things. The stories we’ve read in the past affect how we view the stories we read in the present. There was a point in Cast in Oblivion where one of the characters describes Ravellon as the spike that is holding all of the parallel worlds together and I had an OMG moment and realized that Ravellon might be Amber. In Roger Zelazny’s incredible epic/urban fantasy series, beginning with Nine Princes in Amber, Amber is the one true world and all the other worlds, including ours, are mere shadows of it.
Ironically, in Elantra, Shadow seems to come out of Ravellon. But the analogy might still hold. Or hold enough to serve as metaphor. Which is an often raised topic in Cast in Oblivion, as so much of what Kaylin experiences is described as being a metaphor. She doesn’t see the world the way the others in her life – and even in her house – even the house itself – see it. And while her metaphors are frequently frustrating to her companions, and often not strictly true, they usually turn out to be right.
For select values of right. Generally right enough to fix whatever has recently gone wrong – even if, or occasionally especially because, Kaylin is at the heart of what went wrong in the first place. At least she often feels like it is. And that idea, like Kaylin’s metaphorical view of her circumstances, may not be strictly true, they are also usually right – or at least point her in the right direction.
Sometimes like a knife.
The Chronicles of Elantra by this point, 14 books in, is a densely packed epic fantasy. Packed to the point where no reader could possibly start here and have any of it make sense. Because this book in particular feels very insular – in the sense that the events and issues that are at the forefront in Cast in Oblivion have been bubbling along since book 8, Cast in Peril – if not before. In fact, much of the action in every book since Cast in Peril has its roots in the journey that begins in that book.
In other words, don’t start here. If any of the above or below sound interesting, start with either the prequel novella, Cast in Moonlight, or the first book in the series, Cast in Shadow.
At the beginning of the series, it felt like urban fantasy, albeit urban fantasy set in a high fantasy world. As the series, and Kaylin, have evolved, it has become an epic fantasy, with Kaylin Nera, human, mortal, flawed, young and “Chosen” as the point of view into a world that is run by “people” much more powerful than she. Kaylin is always operating way above her weight class and suffering through impostor syndrome at every turn.
She’s awesome, not because she’s powerful, but because she never stops trying – no matter how scared she is or how many of those powerful people either underestimate or overprotect her at every turn.
In the end, this is a story about friendship, and the heights and depths that people can and will reach in its name. It’s also a story about family-of-choice and the ties that one chooses to bind oneself with.
And it’s about the power of truth and honesty. And especially about the dangerous nature, and painful truth, of the power of choice.
Escape Rating A-: I love this series, but you can’t get into it here. And I’ll confess that it takes a while each year to get back into it. The story is like a spider’s web, sticky and interlocked at every turn.
It’s also difficult to review. I can say that I love this series, and I do, but that’s not informative. Trying to say why I love this series is awkward. But I’ll try.
I do love a highly convoluted political fantasy, and this series has certainly become that. The Barrani, who are this series equivalent of elves (sorta/kinda) are immortal. They hold grudges for millennia. As do their ancestral enemies, the dragons. Who are also immortal. And currently ruling the empire the Barrani are part of.
The part of the story that we are in revolves around family politics and a sibling rivalry that has literally gone on for centuries. But even though the Barrani are immortal, it has not made them wise – not in any way.
Kaylin is in the position that she is in because one Barrani hoped against all hope that she might be able to save his brother. The brother that he became outcaste for – and that word means exactly what you think it means. And this in a society where people are much more likely to kill their siblings than either love or trust them.
This series also has its roots in urban fantasy, complete with the requisite snark – although that snarkitude has become oddly similar to that in both J.D. Robb’s In Death series and Lindsay Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge series. It’s the kind of smirky and sometimes gallows humor that draws its rueful chuckles from how much we have come to know, and care for, these characters. They aren’t telling jokes, they are telling on each other – with honest love, honest regard and occasionally an honest desire to put one over on their friends and frenemies.
But in the end what draws me back to this series is the character at its heart, Kaylin Nera. She began the series in Cast in Moonlight attempting to commit a really grand suicide by cop, only to find herself adopted instead of imprisoned.
She is a character who has broken far, far out of her original setting in the crime and shadow riddled fiefs – where she learned to keep her head down and became one of the criminals. At first, she seemed as if she was just plain grateful to have become a very young and very immature Hawk, one of the law enforcers of this world. But her circumstances keep forcing her to become more, and her internal voice is the scared, uncertain yet determined voice of anyone who has ever come so far and so fast from where they began that they are just certain that it all not merely can be taken away, but should.
And she tries anyway.
One final note, one of the interesting themes in this particular entry is about the power, and the responsibility of choice, and just how different that perspective of choice is depending on where the chooser stands on any scale of wealthy, poverty, power and responsibility. Kaylin knows that in her early life, even her terrible decisions were her choice. Her alternative choice to committing the crimes of her early years was death, but it was still her choice. The Adversary of this story is not, strictly speaking, evil. Instead, it offers choices to people who choose to take a path that seems evil in pursuit of power. But the choice, and the offering of that choice, is not evil in and of itself – only the result.
I’m still thinking about that, and probably will be when the untitled 15th book in this series comes out, hopefully this time next year. And not nearly soon enough.
Things are like other things. The stories we’ve read in the past affect how we view the stories we read in the present. There was a point in Cast in Oblivion where one of the characters describes Ravellon as the spike that is holding all of the parallel worlds together and I had an OMG moment and realized that Ravellon might be Amber. In Roger Zelazny’s incredible epic/urban fantasy series, beginning with Nine Princes in Amber, Amber is the one true world and all the other worlds, including ours, are mere shadows of it.
Ironically, in Elantra, Shadow seems to come out of Ravellon. But the analogy might still hold. Or hold enough to serve as metaphor. Which is an often raised topic in Cast in Oblivion, as so much of what Kaylin experiences is described as being a metaphor. She doesn’t see the world the way the others in her life – and even in her house – even the house itself – see it. And while her metaphors are frequently frustrating to her companions, and often not strictly true, they usually turn out to be right.
For select values of right. Generally right enough to fix whatever has recently gone wrong – even if, or occasionally especially because, Kaylin is at the heart of what went wrong in the first place. At least she often feels like it is. And that idea, like Kaylin’s metaphorical view of her circumstances, may not be strictly true, they are also usually right – or at least point her in the right direction.
Sometimes like a knife.
The Chronicles of Elantra by this point, 14 books in, is a densely packed epic fantasy. Packed to the point where no reader could possibly start here and have any of it make sense. Because this book in particular feels very insular – in the sense that the events and issues that are at the forefront in Cast in Oblivion have been bubbling along since book 8, Cast in Peril – if not before. In fact, much of the action in every book since Cast in Peril has its roots in the journey that begins in that book.
In other words, don’t start here. If any of the above or below sound interesting, start with either the prequel novella, Cast in Moonlight, or the first book in the series, Cast in Shadow.
At the beginning of the series, it felt like urban fantasy, albeit urban fantasy set in a high fantasy world. As the series, and Kaylin, have evolved, it has become an epic fantasy, with Kaylin Nera, human, mortal, flawed, young and “Chosen” as the point of view into a world that is run by “people” much more powerful than she. Kaylin is always operating way above her weight class and suffering through impostor syndrome at every turn.
She’s awesome, not because she’s powerful, but because she never stops trying – no matter how scared she is or how many of those powerful people either underestimate or overprotect her at every turn.
In the end, this is a story about friendship, and the heights and depths that people can and will reach in its name. It’s also a story about family-of-choice and the ties that one chooses to bind oneself with.
And it’s about the power of truth and honesty. And especially about the dangerous nature, and painful truth, of the power of choice.
Escape Rating A-: I love this series, but you can’t get into it here. And I’ll confess that it takes a while each year to get back into it. The story is like a spider’s web, sticky and interlocked at every turn.
It’s also difficult to review. I can say that I love this series, and I do, but that’s not informative. Trying to say why I love this series is awkward. But I’ll try.
I do love a highly convoluted political fantasy, and this series has certainly become that. The Barrani, who are this series equivalent of elves (sorta/kinda) are immortal. They hold grudges for millennia. As do their ancestral enemies, the dragons. Who are also immortal. And currently ruling the empire the Barrani are part of.
The part of the story that we are in revolves around family politics and a sibling rivalry that has literally gone on for centuries. But even though the Barrani are immortal, it has not made them wise – not in any way.
Kaylin is in the position that she is in because one Barrani hoped against all hope that she might be able to save his brother. The brother that he became outcaste for – and that word means exactly what you think it means. And this in a society where people are much more likely to kill their siblings than either love or trust them.
This series also has its roots in urban fantasy, complete with the requisite snark – although that snarkitude has become oddly similar to that in both J.D. Robb’s In Death series and Lindsay Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge series. It’s the kind of smirky and sometimes gallows humor that draws its rueful chuckles from how much we have come to know, and care for, these characters. They aren’t telling jokes, they are telling on each other – with honest love, honest regard and occasionally an honest desire to put one over on their friends and frenemies.
But in the end what draws me back to this series is the character at its heart, Kaylin Nera. She began the series in Cast in Moonlight attempting to commit a really grand suicide by cop, only to find herself adopted instead of imprisoned.
She is a character who has broken far, far out of her original setting in the crime and shadow riddled fiefs – where she learned to keep her head down and became one of the criminals. At first, she seemed as if she was just plain grateful to have become a very young and very immature Hawk, one of the law enforcers of this world. But her circumstances keep forcing her to become more, and her internal voice is the scared, uncertain yet determined voice of anyone who has ever come so far and so fast from where they began that they are just certain that it all not merely can be taken away, but should.
And she tries anyway.
One final note, one of the interesting themes in this particular entry is about the power, and the responsibility of choice, and just how different that perspective of choice is depending on where the chooser stands on any scale of wealthy, poverty, power and responsibility. Kaylin knows that in her early life, even her terrible decisions were her choice. Her alternative choice to committing the crimes of her early years was death, but it was still her choice. The Adversary of this story is not, strictly speaking, evil. Instead, it offers choices to people who choose to take a path that seems evil in pursuit of power. But the choice, and the offering of that choice, is not evil in and of itself – only the result.
I’m still thinking about that, and probably will be when the untitled 15th book in this series comes out, hopefully this time next year. And not nearly soon enough.
January 30, 2019
When you are fourteen books into a series, obviously, there is something that you like about the series and has kept you reading book after book. I am no exception. I love the overall premise and potential of the story. I like several of the characters. Kaylin, Nightshade, and Mandoran being my top three favorites. I find myself liking Hope and Spike a little bit more after this book, when previously I found the familiar very annoying. I also liked Evarrim, Ynpharion, and Emmerian in this one. The world building is well done. The overall story continues at a slow build. My biggest gripe with this particular book is that over 60% of it is comprised of discussion and introspection. Okay now, granted, at this point it’s book 14 and I have the grudging expectation that there is going to be a great deal of the main character, Kaylin, navel gazing. This author loves to do it. The first half of the book is largely a long winded discussion rehashing everything, we as readers, have learned from previous books with a light sprinkling of new information. I wanted less telling and more doing. There are also a few technical word errors that need editing. I DID like that Kaylin figures out some things about her abilities as Chosen (and can finally understand other things as well). Yes, thank you! It’s about time. She also has some brief and, almost but not quite, satisfying interaction with Nightshade. I am glad that she doesn’t completely ignore him and there is some minuscule resolve there. I like that Nightshade actually gets a face to face moment with Kaylin, it’s been several books now, and even an interpersonal comment instead of just being a source of information related to the immediate problem at hand. The situation with Severn, well, if you follow the pattern then he’s up next. Quite possibly the best moment in the book is had between Ynpharion and Kaylin. Haha!
November 16, 2024
I am still enjoying this series, and love the characters immensely. This installment seemed a bit slow, though. There is a LOT of repetition - going over and over things readers who have read all the previous books (pretty much everyone at this point) already know. There isn’t a lot going on through most of the book but when that final big thing happens, it drags for over 200 pages!! Yep, the climax goes on FOREVER! It’s one of those “oh, just get it over with already!” types.
Yet still, none of this stops me from wanting to continue! That’s how good the overall series, characters and world is.
P.S. As long as I’m whining… I WILL give up on this series soon if there isn’t more growth in the Kaylin department - and in the Kaylin and Severn department, however. Those have been woefully lacking for, oh… about 10 books now.
Yet still, none of this stops me from wanting to continue! That’s how good the overall series, characters and world is.
P.S. As long as I’m whining… I WILL give up on this series soon if there isn’t more growth in the Kaylin department - and in the Kaylin and Severn department, however. Those have been woefully lacking for, oh… about 10 books now.
May 21, 2019
2.5 stars
The last quarter of this was quite good. Until then, however, it was kind of excruciating to get through. At about the halfway point I realized I felt like I was listening to an on-going info-dump being framed as an on-going mental masturbation exercise.
I also had a very difficult time figuring out which character was speaking and whether or not they were speaking out loud to everyone or mentally to one specific person, or several specific persons.
And yeah, I'm REALLY tired of an MC that's been unwilling to embrace her own issues and power for fourteen freaking books. I'm tired of it as a pacing device, I'm tired of her always saving the day by bumbling/intuiting her way through it. I'm ready for Sagara to stick a fork in this trope because it's way over done.
The last quarter of this was quite good. Until then, however, it was kind of excruciating to get through. At about the halfway point I realized I felt like I was listening to an on-going info-dump being framed as an on-going mental masturbation exercise.
I also had a very difficult time figuring out which character was speaking and whether or not they were speaking out loud to everyone or mentally to one specific person, or several specific persons.
And yeah, I'm REALLY tired of an MC that's been unwilling to embrace her own issues and power for fourteen freaking books. I'm tired of it as a pacing device, I'm tired of her always saving the day by bumbling/intuiting her way through it. I'm ready for Sagara to stick a fork in this trope because it's way over done.
September 26, 2019
Loved reading this book again, there's so many big reveals, and yeah, can't wait for Cast in Wisdom! Especially since there was mention of the fiefs and the boundaries in this book, which is what the next book is going to be about!
*First read November 7th, 2018*
Loved reading this book! I just love this series so much! This book dived into another aspect of Barrani, with the test since the Cohort is taking it! So great, and I enjoyed it so much! Can't wait for the next book!
*First read November 7th, 2018*
Loved reading this book! I just love this series so much! This book dived into another aspect of Barrani, with the test since the Cohort is taking it! So great, and I enjoyed it so much! Can't wait for the next book!
January 31, 2019
*Need to Review
Note: There were a few moments when I argued at the book. I know. It's silly. You can't argue with a book but I did. This series is one where I can safely say that I'll wait till the end to see how I feel.
Those parts where I argued with the book? I'll probably do it again the next time I read it but it doesn't matter because I finished. The book is what it is because I want to argue with it.
Note: There were a few moments when I argued at the book. I know. It's silly. You can't argue with a book but I did. This series is one where I can safely say that I'll wait till the end to see how I feel.
Those parts where I argued with the book? I'll probably do it again the next time I read it but it doesn't matter because I finished. The book is what it is because I want to argue with it.
February 17, 2019
Raw instinctual compassion!
Kaylin as always terrifies me even as I admire her woundness and the place her understandings come from. Very much like her various companions who also love her, even as she annoys the heck out of them.
This story continues the Barrani exiles search for their true names and in the doing of, opens up Pandora's box.
I do feel one needs to have read previous titles to fully appreciate Oblivion.
Kaylin as always terrifies me even as I admire her woundness and the place her understandings come from. Very much like her various companions who also love her, even as she annoys the heck out of them.
This story continues the Barrani exiles search for their true names and in the doing of, opens up Pandora's box.
I do feel one needs to have read previous titles to fully appreciate Oblivion.
January 31, 2019
Have I really given this book four stars? Yes, yes I have and I mean it despite how frustrating it was, how frustrating this entire series is. Never have I had so much information about a fantasy world and its magical system hurled at me and yet been left me feeling so ignorant about how it all actually works. It’s deep and complex and wordy and opaque. Something about true names and runes and sigils, the need to fit them together or something.
Kaylin’s character arc is also frustrating. In fourteen books she’s intervened in all the races affairs and been a force for good in all of them. She’s managed somehow to save the world, the entire world, several times and yet she still can’t get a promotion in the Hawks. She still seems to get very little respect and not nearly enough self-respect. She’s constantly underestimating herself and operating by instinct. She doesn’t seem to believe in her own ability to learn what she needs to know to truly get a handle on this Chosen business. If there ever was a “Chosen” in the history of that world that accomplish nearly as much as she did in twice the time I would be amazed. It’s a fictional world, but I’m still given that impression. I’m sick of characters constantly telling her how she’s only mortal and merely has a few decades. Anything can happen in these fantasy worlds so I still hold out hope that one day she’ll shed her mortality and proved to them her true worth. If all those beings around her can be immortal then why can’t she who saved them all multiple times over?
I get impatient with it all sometimes. The story moves ahead very slowly and there are so many characters that, even if I went back and started from the beginning of the series and read my way all away though, I’m still not sure I could keep it all straight. A lot of the names are so similar that I mix them up. I don’t know how many times I’ve asked myself “Who was that again?” or digressed just to figure out who was talking to who. I might’ve given up if I cared less about these characters.
So there you go. I’m clearly emotionally invested in these books despite how annoying they are at times, maybe because of it. Kaylin and her friends have managed to worm their way into my heart, though it escapes me exactly how they did it. So much about this series seems to defy logical examination. I’m sure there ought to be a destination, somewhere where Kaylin will end up where she can stop beating herself up for always being inadequate, though she never is. Anyway, I can’t tell you why these books are terrific. They just are so Michelle Sagara must be doing something right.
Kaylin’s character arc is also frustrating. In fourteen books she’s intervened in all the races affairs and been a force for good in all of them. She’s managed somehow to save the world, the entire world, several times and yet she still can’t get a promotion in the Hawks. She still seems to get very little respect and not nearly enough self-respect. She’s constantly underestimating herself and operating by instinct. She doesn’t seem to believe in her own ability to learn what she needs to know to truly get a handle on this Chosen business. If there ever was a “Chosen” in the history of that world that accomplish nearly as much as she did in twice the time I would be amazed. It’s a fictional world, but I’m still given that impression. I’m sick of characters constantly telling her how she’s only mortal and merely has a few decades. Anything can happen in these fantasy worlds so I still hold out hope that one day she’ll shed her mortality and proved to them her true worth. If all those beings around her can be immortal then why can’t she who saved them all multiple times over?
I get impatient with it all sometimes. The story moves ahead very slowly and there are so many characters that, even if I went back and started from the beginning of the series and read my way all away though, I’m still not sure I could keep it all straight. A lot of the names are so similar that I mix them up. I don’t know how many times I’ve asked myself “Who was that again?” or digressed just to figure out who was talking to who. I might’ve given up if I cared less about these characters.
So there you go. I’m clearly emotionally invested in these books despite how annoying they are at times, maybe because of it. Kaylin and her friends have managed to worm their way into my heart, though it escapes me exactly how they did it. So much about this series seems to defy logical examination. I’m sure there ought to be a destination, somewhere where Kaylin will end up where she can stop beating herself up for always being inadequate, though she never is. Anyway, I can’t tell you why these books are terrific. They just are so Michelle Sagara must be doing something right.
February 4, 2019
It pains me greatly to write this, but… I didn’t love this book. I have adored this series (and pretty much every single thing put out by this author) from the very beginning, but…
There really wasn’t anything new in this book. Kaylin does all the same kinds of things that Kaylin has always done. There really wasn’t any real growth for her in this book. That and like the last one, I don’t feel like I got enough of the other characters that I want to have page time, mostly Severn and Nightshade. We didn’t even get to see Marcus or the Hawklord in this book. I’m not dissing this. It was not a bad book at all. It was still really good. I just didn’t feel like it did much to move the series forward. There was so much time spent on dealing with the cohort, in this and the last one, that nothing else has room to develop.
Things seem to be getting crowded for Kaylin in this series. She has become a collector, of people and magical creatures, and there are only so many new people/things you can introduce before you lose the important ones that have been there from the beginning. You see it heavily in this book.
I would love to see the next book having more of the feel of the earlier books where more time is spent with Kaylin actually doing things rather than massive chunks of time spent in her head. Characters need to grow. Absolutely. But there are things about characters that readers fall in love with and if you leave those things behind, you may end up leaving the readers behind as well. This book rides very close to that line for me.
There really wasn’t anything new in this book. Kaylin does all the same kinds of things that Kaylin has always done. There really wasn’t any real growth for her in this book. That and like the last one, I don’t feel like I got enough of the other characters that I want to have page time, mostly Severn and Nightshade. We didn’t even get to see Marcus or the Hawklord in this book. I’m not dissing this. It was not a bad book at all. It was still really good. I just didn’t feel like it did much to move the series forward. There was so much time spent on dealing with the cohort, in this and the last one, that nothing else has room to develop.
Things seem to be getting crowded for Kaylin in this series. She has become a collector, of people and magical creatures, and there are only so many new people/things you can introduce before you lose the important ones that have been there from the beginning. You see it heavily in this book.
I would love to see the next book having more of the feel of the earlier books where more time is spent with Kaylin actually doing things rather than massive chunks of time spent in her head. Characters need to grow. Absolutely. But there are things about characters that readers fall in love with and if you leave those things behind, you may end up leaving the readers behind as well. This book rides very close to that line for me.
February 19, 2019
Again, like some of the other reviews, I think there was too much talk and not enough action. I also want to note that Kaylin does NOT need to end up with either Severn or Lord Nightshade, she is fine on her own. Lord Nightshade is thousands of years older than she is and it strikes me his affection for a virtual baby to him is kinda creepy but he really loves her power. Severn quietly seems to have ended up in the friend zone. We will have to see what happens next.
February 25, 2019
A review mostly for those who are into the series--absolutely will not help anyone trying to decide to begin it.
I love this series, and patiently wait for each installment. It honestly doesn't matter what the subject is about, I truly mainline the audiobook--even losing sleep and avoiding work to finish it.
That said, though I have been waiting for the return to the lake of names and to see the cohort take the test of names, this was not the best of the series. It is very complicated--or I should say, there is a lot of explication particularly of Kaylin figuring her s**t out. Usually, this comprises some of my favorite bits of the book because it includes the philosophy of words; however, in this book, it seemed almost tedious, as if every step Kaylin had to make required stopping and philosophizing with yet another character. There are so many interesting and compelling characters in Sagara's world--and this story brings together the majority of them in their best form-- that the sections that focus on Kaylin berating herself, or reliving her choices, seemed to divert from the more interesting parts of the story.
I think I am ready for Kaylin to grow up.
Though, of course, am already eager for the next installment.
I love this series, and patiently wait for each installment. It honestly doesn't matter what the subject is about, I truly mainline the audiobook--even losing sleep and avoiding work to finish it.
That said, though I have been waiting for the return to the lake of names and to see the cohort take the test of names, this was not the best of the series. It is very complicated--or I should say, there is a lot of explication particularly of Kaylin figuring her s**t out. Usually, this comprises some of my favorite bits of the book because it includes the philosophy of words; however, in this book, it seemed almost tedious, as if every step Kaylin had to make required stopping and philosophizing with yet another character. There are so many interesting and compelling characters in Sagara's world--and this story brings together the majority of them in their best form-- that the sections that focus on Kaylin berating herself, or reliving her choices, seemed to divert from the more interesting parts of the story.
I think I am ready for Kaylin to grow up.
Though, of course, am already eager for the next installment.
November 20, 2024
3.5 stars.
Nov 2024 - re-listened.
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Dec 2023 - re-listened. Now at 1.75 speed.
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Re-listened in Aug 2021.
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Re-listened in 2020. I downgraded the rating slightly as even though I still believe my previous review was fair, when listening to the whole series end to end, the constant repetition of Kaylin's internal monologues becomes quite tiresome.
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3.75 stars.
This was a pretty long book, even listening at 1x4 speed. To me, it was basically split into 3 parts. The first is Kaylin obsessing about the Consort's visit, the second is the visit and dinner itself and finally the battle.
It's been a while since I listened to the previous book, so it took some time to get all the players straight in my head again. It doesn't help that a lot of them have similar sounding names. With basically only 3 scenes, they did feel somewhat long. I understand we needed the chatter to provide an understanding of what's happening but there are sections that felt repetitive.
Overall, it's another fun and enjoyable instalment. I'm still interested in finding out what happens to the cohort next.
Nov 2024 - re-listened.
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Dec 2023 - re-listened. Now at 1.75 speed.
__________________________
Re-listened in Aug 2021.
__________________________
Re-listened in 2020. I downgraded the rating slightly as even though I still believe my previous review was fair, when listening to the whole series end to end, the constant repetition of Kaylin's internal monologues becomes quite tiresome.
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3.75 stars.
This was a pretty long book, even listening at 1x4 speed. To me, it was basically split into 3 parts. The first is Kaylin obsessing about the Consort's visit, the second is the visit and dinner itself and finally the battle.
It's been a while since I listened to the previous book, so it took some time to get all the players straight in my head again. It doesn't help that a lot of them have similar sounding names. With basically only 3 scenes, they did feel somewhat long. I understand we needed the chatter to provide an understanding of what's happening but there are sections that felt repetitive.
Overall, it's another fun and enjoyable instalment. I'm still interested in finding out what happens to the cohort next.
February 1, 2019
This #14 installment of the Cast series delves deeply into Barrani politics, the "lost" children of the green, and the Test of Name that all Barrani Lords must pass. It is in no way the book for a new reader to join the series, as the first couple hundred pages are mostly exposition into the background of various Barrani lines and their relationships with the Consort and the High Lord, which would be very confusing without having read the earlier novels. Action doesn't truly begin to unfold until the Consort comes to dinner and asks Kaylin, Teela, and the cohort to carry out a long-wished-for task. The second half of the novel moves more rapidly, although Kaylin's inner anxieties bog the prose down at times. Still, I always enjoy this character-driven series, and it definitely had some wonderful (and humorous) moments with Ynpharion, Nightshade, and Mandoran's interactions with Kaylin. Looking forward to book #15!
July 2, 2019
$2.99 Kindle and Kobo sale, July 2, 2019.
May 4, 2025
Lots of repetition (of facts, monologues and conversation) in this one, which made it a slow read. I think this should have been edited and merged with previous book for a complete, tighter story about the Cohort’s journey to the High Halls.
I did like the conclusion and final confrontation - some of this has been set up many books ago, and paid off. Getting to know the Cohort and the tangled Barrani inheritance politics (and how they went haywire with their reappearance) was interesting.
Kaylin keeps repeating things she’s not good at and acknowledging she should learn (magic, her gifts, politics, racial studies, etc). I do wish we could see her making a consistent effort at one of these things and improving across the books. I feel she’s been lectured at the importance of stuff so many times by now while also reprimanding herself.
She does get more powerful, and collects powerful allies too, but it doesn’t have a feeling of a consistent, directed effort that would also grow her as a character in a way I’d appreciate more.
I did like the conclusion and final confrontation - some of this has been set up many books ago, and paid off. Getting to know the Cohort and the tangled Barrani inheritance politics (and how they went haywire with their reappearance) was interesting.
Kaylin keeps repeating things she’s not good at and acknowledging she should learn (magic, her gifts, politics, racial studies, etc). I do wish we could see her making a consistent effort at one of these things and improving across the books. I feel she’s been lectured at the importance of stuff so many times by now while also reprimanding herself.
She does get more powerful, and collects powerful allies too, but it doesn’t have a feeling of a consistent, directed effort that would also grow her as a character in a way I’d appreciate more.
March 3, 2019
This book was so hard to read! I read some of the passages out loud to others and they groaned, too - the writing is so tortured! I've read the whole series so far, and I know that the author has some major shortcomings in her writing style. She gets bogged down in conversations about what words do and mean, and what people mean when they use words to communicate. And these conversations go on FOREVER. It's like listening to a freshmen in philosophy class late at night who is trying to get into a girl's pants by being deep. Her editor should have cut 3/4 of the book and made her write some action. It was dreary and boring. There were only 2 settings in the entire 530+ page book: Kaylin's house and the high halls. In the first half of the book at Kaylin's house, all the characters did was worry, research and plot how they were going to deal with the visit to the high halls. Literally hundreds of pages of wringing hands, slowly (painfully) revealed details about the upcoming visit, and hypothetical scenarios. And when they finally got to the action at the end of the book, even that was made extra dull by the mystical aspects of the fight scenes. BORING. BORING. BORING. If you're not into this series, there is no reason at all to read this book. And this installment really tested my commitment to the series as a whole.
February 4, 2019
Ooh -- that definitely cleared a plot point. :)
February 26, 2020
Fourteenth in The Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series and revolving around Private Lord Kaylin Neya, a naive peacekeeper with powers she doesn't understand and a house full of guests.
My Take
It's about choices, and the freedom it brings. And several characters learn that the grass is not always greener. It's also about trust and relationships, as Kaylin, Sedarias, and Terrano learn. It was Sedarias who had wanted to build a family of the cohort. To have a family that wouldn't betray her or try to kill her. Ain't that a sad state of affairs...
As for Kaylin, nope, Kaylin is not getting out of the Consort coming to dinner. Poor girl. She's a friendly girl, and in a moment of weakness, Kaylin invited the Consort to dinner. And then the Consort tried to capture her friends. Oops.
It's huge in the potential of its political disastrousness with all the high muckety-mucks of Elantra worrying about this dinner. Especially Diarmat, lol, as he's sent a HUGE packet of rules for Kaylin to memorize. And the Emperor wants Bellusdeo to come back to the Imperial Palace to stay. Another oops.
On the other hand, Kaylin tends to take offense when any of her friends or the dragons make fun of her lacks — it's that third person protagonist point-of-view from Kaylin's perspective that helps there. Then the Consort wants Kaylin to learn the etiquette of the Barrani Court. Poor baby.
Bellusdeo is a fascinating character. She's so strong and with such power in herself, and yet, dang, she's prickly. And she's frustrated that she has nothing, so Kaylin and her problems gives her something to do, to protect.
Interesting. Edelonne suggests that Shadow may be a fifth element.
That greener grass is pretty elusive, as Edelonne is telling Kaylin how awful her life and others like her have it. Bootlicking those who have power. Edelonne may be Barrani, but it does show Kaylin that there are levels of power everywhere.
It's a weird fantasy world filled with a nasty, twisty mess of betrayals and politics. Sagara has created a story filled with action...but most of it is cerebral, and most definitely character-driven. It's the prose that most drives me nuts. Sagara writes in such a convoluted fashion that it can be difficult to make connections with what's been happening. Or why!
A good, if small, example of my frustration with Sagara's roundabout writing is that scene when Kaylin recounts her conversation with David. I couldn't figure out if Leila was the wife or the lover. And David's "arguments" as to why he cheated on his wife made absolutely no sense.
The Story
It's the cohort. They're a threat to the High Halls, and when one of them insists on undergoing the Test of Name, the rest intend to test themselves as well. Tain is one of them.
The Consort is determined to assess whether the cohort will be a threat to those High Halls. To the High Lord. To the Barrani. Then there are those plotting against the High Lord and the Consort.
All aim to free the dead, for their own purposes.
The Characters
Private Lord Kaylin Neya is a Hawk, the Chosen with magic and yet she is allergic to some magics. Hope, a.k.a., small and squawky, is Kaylin's small familiar who can morph into a really big dragon. Helen is the altered Avatar of the house in which Kaylin lives. Helen needs a "master", a tenant, to thrive, and she can rearrange the house to suit her tenant and/or guests. Lord Bellusdeo is a dragon and a former queen of another world, one taken by Shadow. She's also the only female dragon and insists on staying with Kaylin, which drives the Emperor crazy. Mandoran and Annarion have been Kaylin's housemates as well.
The cohort were/are...
...twelve Barrani sent to the green 900 years ago to gain power. They are also known as the forsaken, the children of the green. That experiment didn't work. The remaining eleven did, however, forget about privacy in their success at living in each other's minds; they thought they would only ever have each other. Sedarias Mellarionne is their "captain", a very bossy one. Mandoran is the least reverent. Annarion is Nightshade's brother and the last Solanance and so very angry with him. Terrano is the most changed of them and can no longer hear them in his mind. Because he no longer has a name. The rest include Allaron, who is the tallest of them, Torrisant, Serralyn, Karian Reymar, Valliant, Eddorian Gennave, and Fallessian.
The Barrani are...
...enemies of the dragons. They're arrogant, immortal, and "know" they're superior to anyone. The Consort, a.k.a., the Lady, is the mother of all Barrani, and she likes Kaylin. The ruling center of the Barrani is the High Halls in Elantra where the High Lord, the Consort's older brother, rules. Lord Ynpharion is forced to communicate with Kaylin because she holds his True Name. He really hates Kaylin. Lord Evarrim is an Arcanist and Kaylin's enemy.
Coravante An'Mellarionne is Sedarias' brother and the head of the family. Sedarias' sister had tried to kill her before she was sent to the green. Lord Bressarian is adjutant to An'Mellarionne; his father is Lord Lorimar Veranelle. Lord Fianora is Bressarian's sister who has been missing for three days.
Karellan Coravalle is Annarion's uncle of the Solanace line. Reyenne is Karellan's daughter. Illmarin Reymar is the head of Karian's line. An'Gennave is Eddorian's sister; his brother is Lord Iberrienne who had tried to save Eddorian. Lumennar An'Casarre, Lord Edelonne, and Lord Averen are part of the plot.
The Adversary is the Shadow trapped in the cage the Tower created. Passing the Test of Name proves you are immune to the corruption of what is caged beneath the Tower, and the successful become a Lord of the High Court.
Alsanis, the Hallionne where the cohort used to live in the West March, is one of the way stations created by the Ancients. Winston is brother to the Hallionne Bertolle.
The Halls of Law
There are three halls: the Hawks which investigate and walk a beat; the Swords who perform riot control; and, the Wolves who are the black ops branch.
The Hawks are...
...commanded by Lord Grammayre, the Hawklord, an Aerian. Corporal Teela Danelle, a.k.a., Lord An'Teela of the High Halls, is a Barrani Hawk and currently living at Kaylin's. Teela also carries one of the three, Kariannos . Corporal Tain Korrin is Teela's Barrani Hawk partner.
Corporal Severn Handred has been seconded to the Hawks from the Wolves; he and Kaylin have known each other since childhood. David is a Sword who cheated on his wife with Leila, a Hawk.
The Dragons
The Eternal Emperor rules in Elantra, a city/state. The Arkon is the oldest existing dragon and is in charge of the Imperial Library, his hoard. His actual name is Lannagaros, and he's an old friend of Bellusdeo — and actually likes Kaylin. Lord Diarmat does not like Kaylin and must teach her court etiquette, so the Emperor doesn't have to kill her. Lord Sanabalis is a mage and is teaching Kaylin magic...when she shows up. Lord Emmerian is another dragon at court.
I think a Dragon Flight is like an air battalion.
The Fiefs
When Ravellon became threatening with Shadows, six Towers rose up to surround it, each with an Avatar to protect Elantra against those Shadows. Each fief, think of it as a large neighborhood, chooses a fieflord who then gives their name to the name of the fief. The Ferals, Shadow dogs who kill, come from Ravellon, and are shape-changed Barrani.
Nightshade is...
...the fief we first experienced and Lord Nightshade, an outcast Barrani, is its fieflord who lives in Castle Nightshade. His True Name is Calarnenne, and he holds Melianos , one of the three swords that can kill dragons. He has marked Kaylin in such a way that has offended all Barrani. But we still haven't a clue why.
Tiamaris had been...
...the fief of Barren but Lord Tiamaris, a dragon, took it over in Cast in Silence , 5, and now runs it in partnership with his Tower's Avatar, Tara, who loves to garden. Both are friends with Kaylin. Morse is Tiamaris' second-in-command; she'd been friends with Kaylin.
Maggaron is Bellusdeo's personal Ascendant, a bodyguard, who now lives in Tamaris with his people, the Norannir .
Candallar is...
...a fief where Barrani messengers meet to avoid the eye of the Barrani Court.
Ravellon is...
...a fief filled with Shadow and that appears in all worlds, is considered the heart of all worlds. Makkuron, the Dragon outcaste, lives there and can leave it as he desires.
Gilbert is of Shadow and had been a guest in Kaylin's house. Spike is another being from Shadow in Ravellon, an historian who was carried out by a Barrani lord and is concerned for Kaylin's safety ( Cast in Deception , 13).
The Cover and Title
The cover is gorgeous in its subtle yet rich lilac grays. Kaylin's back is to us as she prepares to ascend a wide flight of gray stone stairs that end at a huge arch that frames the Towers of the fiefs. She's wearing a sari-like gown of purples and teal with embroidered bands that form the right half of the upper back, another band around the top edge, and another shaped band at the hip. The glyphs of the Chosen are visible on her bare back and arms. Her long dark hair is pulled back in a long ponytail. On her left forearm, her bracer is visible even as her open hand seems to caress a spreading explosion of light. Two more sparkles are on the right. Most of the text is in white starting with an info blurb at the very top with the author's name immediately below it and above Kaylin's head. The series information is below Kaylin's knees with the title immediately below that. At the very bottom of the cover is a testimonial in two shades of lilac.
I suspect the title refers to the lost, Terrano as well as the Adversary, for they seem Cast in Oblivion.
My Take
It's about choices, and the freedom it brings. And several characters learn that the grass is not always greener. It's also about trust and relationships, as Kaylin, Sedarias, and Terrano learn. It was Sedarias who had wanted to build a family of the cohort. To have a family that wouldn't betray her or try to kill her. Ain't that a sad state of affairs...
As for Kaylin, nope, Kaylin is not getting out of the Consort coming to dinner. Poor girl. She's a friendly girl, and in a moment of weakness, Kaylin invited the Consort to dinner. And then the Consort tried to capture her friends. Oops.
It's huge in the potential of its political disastrousness with all the high muckety-mucks of Elantra worrying about this dinner. Especially Diarmat, lol, as he's sent a HUGE packet of rules for Kaylin to memorize. And the Emperor wants Bellusdeo to come back to the Imperial Palace to stay. Another oops.
"A perfect world didn't exist because perfect people didn't exist."Kaylin truly is a sweetheart with a strong sense of right and wrong. But she hasn't a clue about diplomacy or etiquette. Nor does she want to learn. She really doesn't want to learn how to deal with her magic. Which is one of the issues I have with her character. She's stuck with it. Why not learn how to best use it? To deal with it? At least to understand it better??
On the other hand, Kaylin tends to take offense when any of her friends or the dragons make fun of her lacks — it's that third person protagonist point-of-view from Kaylin's perspective that helps there. Then the Consort wants Kaylin to learn the etiquette of the Barrani Court. Poor baby.
Bellusdeo is a fascinating character. She's so strong and with such power in herself, and yet, dang, she's prickly. And she's frustrated that she has nothing, so Kaylin and her problems gives her something to do, to protect.
Interesting. Edelonne suggests that Shadow may be a fifth element.
That greener grass is pretty elusive, as Edelonne is telling Kaylin how awful her life and others like her have it. Bootlicking those who have power. Edelonne may be Barrani, but it does show Kaylin that there are levels of power everywhere.
It's a weird fantasy world filled with a nasty, twisty mess of betrayals and politics. Sagara has created a story filled with action...but most of it is cerebral, and most definitely character-driven. It's the prose that most drives me nuts. Sagara writes in such a convoluted fashion that it can be difficult to make connections with what's been happening. Or why!
A good, if small, example of my frustration with Sagara's roundabout writing is that scene when Kaylin recounts her conversation with David. I couldn't figure out if Leila was the wife or the lover. And David's "arguments" as to why he cheated on his wife made absolutely no sense.
"Choice is the defining factor of independent life."Sigh...everybody has bad days.
The Story
It's the cohort. They're a threat to the High Halls, and when one of them insists on undergoing the Test of Name, the rest intend to test themselves as well. Tain is one of them.
The Consort is determined to assess whether the cohort will be a threat to those High Halls. To the High Lord. To the Barrani. Then there are those plotting against the High Lord and the Consort.
All aim to free the dead, for their own purposes.
The Characters
Private Lord Kaylin Neya is a Hawk, the Chosen with magic and yet she is allergic to some magics. Hope, a.k.a., small and squawky, is Kaylin's small familiar who can morph into a really big dragon. Helen is the altered Avatar of the house in which Kaylin lives. Helen needs a "master", a tenant, to thrive, and she can rearrange the house to suit her tenant and/or guests. Lord Bellusdeo is a dragon and a former queen of another world, one taken by Shadow. She's also the only female dragon and insists on staying with Kaylin, which drives the Emperor crazy. Mandoran and Annarion have been Kaylin's housemates as well.
The cohort were/are...
...twelve Barrani sent to the green 900 years ago to gain power. They are also known as the forsaken, the children of the green. That experiment didn't work. The remaining eleven did, however, forget about privacy in their success at living in each other's minds; they thought they would only ever have each other. Sedarias Mellarionne is their "captain", a very bossy one. Mandoran is the least reverent. Annarion is Nightshade's brother and the last Solanance and so very angry with him. Terrano is the most changed of them and can no longer hear them in his mind. Because he no longer has a name. The rest include Allaron, who is the tallest of them, Torrisant, Serralyn, Karian Reymar, Valliant, Eddorian Gennave, and Fallessian.
The Barrani are...
...enemies of the dragons. They're arrogant, immortal, and "know" they're superior to anyone. The Consort, a.k.a., the Lady, is the mother of all Barrani, and she likes Kaylin. The ruling center of the Barrani is the High Halls in Elantra where the High Lord, the Consort's older brother, rules. Lord Ynpharion is forced to communicate with Kaylin because she holds his True Name. He really hates Kaylin. Lord Evarrim is an Arcanist and Kaylin's enemy.
Coravante An'Mellarionne is Sedarias' brother and the head of the family. Sedarias' sister had tried to kill her before she was sent to the green. Lord Bressarian is adjutant to An'Mellarionne; his father is Lord Lorimar Veranelle. Lord Fianora is Bressarian's sister who has been missing for three days.
Karellan Coravalle is Annarion's uncle of the Solanace line. Reyenne is Karellan's daughter. Illmarin Reymar is the head of Karian's line. An'Gennave is Eddorian's sister; his brother is Lord Iberrienne who had tried to save Eddorian. Lumennar An'Casarre, Lord Edelonne, and Lord Averen are part of the plot.
The Adversary is the Shadow trapped in the cage the Tower created. Passing the Test of Name proves you are immune to the corruption of what is caged beneath the Tower, and the successful become a Lord of the High Court.
Alsanis, the Hallionne where the cohort used to live in the West March, is one of the way stations created by the Ancients. Winston is brother to the Hallionne Bertolle.
The Halls of Law
There are three halls: the Hawks which investigate and walk a beat; the Swords who perform riot control; and, the Wolves who are the black ops branch.
The Hawks are...
...commanded by Lord Grammayre, the Hawklord, an Aerian. Corporal Teela Danelle, a.k.a., Lord An'Teela of the High Halls, is a Barrani Hawk and currently living at Kaylin's. Teela also carries one of the three, Kariannos . Corporal Tain Korrin is Teela's Barrani Hawk partner.
Corporal Severn Handred has been seconded to the Hawks from the Wolves; he and Kaylin have known each other since childhood. David is a Sword who cheated on his wife with Leila, a Hawk.
The Dragons
The Eternal Emperor rules in Elantra, a city/state. The Arkon is the oldest existing dragon and is in charge of the Imperial Library, his hoard. His actual name is Lannagaros, and he's an old friend of Bellusdeo — and actually likes Kaylin. Lord Diarmat does not like Kaylin and must teach her court etiquette, so the Emperor doesn't have to kill her. Lord Sanabalis is a mage and is teaching Kaylin magic...when she shows up. Lord Emmerian is another dragon at court.
I think a Dragon Flight is like an air battalion.
The Fiefs
When Ravellon became threatening with Shadows, six Towers rose up to surround it, each with an Avatar to protect Elantra against those Shadows. Each fief, think of it as a large neighborhood, chooses a fieflord who then gives their name to the name of the fief. The Ferals, Shadow dogs who kill, come from Ravellon, and are shape-changed Barrani.
Nightshade is...
...the fief we first experienced and Lord Nightshade, an outcast Barrani, is its fieflord who lives in Castle Nightshade. His True Name is Calarnenne, and he holds Melianos , one of the three swords that can kill dragons. He has marked Kaylin in such a way that has offended all Barrani. But we still haven't a clue why.
Tiamaris had been...
...the fief of Barren but Lord Tiamaris, a dragon, took it over in Cast in Silence , 5, and now runs it in partnership with his Tower's Avatar, Tara, who loves to garden. Both are friends with Kaylin. Morse is Tiamaris' second-in-command; she'd been friends with Kaylin.
Maggaron is Bellusdeo's personal Ascendant, a bodyguard, who now lives in Tamaris with his people, the Norannir .
Candallar is...
...a fief where Barrani messengers meet to avoid the eye of the Barrani Court.
Ravellon is...
...a fief filled with Shadow and that appears in all worlds, is considered the heart of all worlds. Makkuron, the Dragon outcaste, lives there and can leave it as he desires.
Gilbert is of Shadow and had been a guest in Kaylin's house. Spike is another being from Shadow in Ravellon, an historian who was carried out by a Barrani lord and is concerned for Kaylin's safety ( Cast in Deception , 13).
The Cover and Title
The cover is gorgeous in its subtle yet rich lilac grays. Kaylin's back is to us as she prepares to ascend a wide flight of gray stone stairs that end at a huge arch that frames the Towers of the fiefs. She's wearing a sari-like gown of purples and teal with embroidered bands that form the right half of the upper back, another band around the top edge, and another shaped band at the hip. The glyphs of the Chosen are visible on her bare back and arms. Her long dark hair is pulled back in a long ponytail. On her left forearm, her bracer is visible even as her open hand seems to caress a spreading explosion of light. Two more sparkles are on the right. Most of the text is in white starting with an info blurb at the very top with the author's name immediately below it and above Kaylin's head. The series information is below Kaylin's knees with the title immediately below that. At the very bottom of the cover is a testimonial in two shades of lilac.
I suspect the title refers to the lost, Terrano as well as the Adversary, for they seem Cast in Oblivion.
July 3, 2021
This fourteenth in the Chronicles of Elantra dives deeply into Barrani politics. Since Kaylin's return from the West March with nine Barrani who had been chosen to take part in a ceremony centuries earlier and kept as prisoners in one of the March's sentient buildings, politics has been even more at the forefront of Kaylin's life.
Barrani life moved on while the children were gone. But, now adults, those nine want what they should have had had they never been lost or forsaken. Their first step is to pass the Test of Names but they are facing lots of opposition. The Consort who is the one who gives names to new-born Barrani that she gathers from a magical lake has very mixed feelings about their quest.
The feelings become even more mixed when it is learned that the Barrani High Halls are actually a broken tower that now imprisons a part of Shadow. Worse yet, some Barrani are trying to negotiate with that piece of Shadow for more power. One of the main negotiators is the brother of Sedarias who is the leader of Kaylin's Barrani. He attempted to kill her before she left and is more than willing to kill her now that she has returned. Sedarias completely returns his feelings.
When the Cohort begins the Test of Names, Kaylin, the Consort, Nightshade, Severin, and some others go along to try to get rid of the Barrani who are trying to corrupt the test and free the Shadow. This was a complex and fascinating journey for all of them. Kaylin has special powers because of being the Chosen and having marks on her body. She doesn't really understand them or know how to use them. However, use them she must if her friends are going to survive this peril.
Because this episode continues plot threads begun in earlier books, I don't think it would be a good place for someone to jump into this series. For those who are up to date, it was an entertaining and exciting episode.
Barrani life moved on while the children were gone. But, now adults, those nine want what they should have had had they never been lost or forsaken. Their first step is to pass the Test of Names but they are facing lots of opposition. The Consort who is the one who gives names to new-born Barrani that she gathers from a magical lake has very mixed feelings about their quest.
The feelings become even more mixed when it is learned that the Barrani High Halls are actually a broken tower that now imprisons a part of Shadow. Worse yet, some Barrani are trying to negotiate with that piece of Shadow for more power. One of the main negotiators is the brother of Sedarias who is the leader of Kaylin's Barrani. He attempted to kill her before she left and is more than willing to kill her now that she has returned. Sedarias completely returns his feelings.
When the Cohort begins the Test of Names, Kaylin, the Consort, Nightshade, Severin, and some others go along to try to get rid of the Barrani who are trying to corrupt the test and free the Shadow. This was a complex and fascinating journey for all of them. Kaylin has special powers because of being the Chosen and having marks on her body. She doesn't really understand them or know how to use them. However, use them she must if her friends are going to survive this peril.
Because this episode continues plot threads begun in earlier books, I don't think it would be a good place for someone to jump into this series. For those who are up to date, it was an entertaining and exciting episode.
February 28, 2019
3.5
I have to sadly agree with many of those who have already left reviews for this book. If I have to read one more line of how “adult” Kaylin is, I may scream. Geezus. I get it might be needed sometimes, but every other page (or felt that way throughout this book)? Also… this far in the series, the author could do away with a LOT of the backstory. It takes up way too much of the first handful chapters and just becomes boresome (and I hate skipping things).
I love this author, and maybe it’s because I read these last two books back to back and they felt very stilted/no forward movement, that I am extremely frustrated with this one in particular. Kaylin has barely grown as a character these last few books and it’s so frustrating to see that .. want more for her… but get the same ole crap. We get it… she’s MORTAL… mortals SUCK compared to everyone else. Can we please end the ad nauseum of this repetition in the next book? Thank you!
I love this world, I love the characters, I’ve loved every book before these last two, and I’d really love to see some forward movement with our beloved Kaylin and maybe have her grow a little and maybe for ONCE learn something about these damn marks on her ? I think we’re far enough into a series that SOME hint of her role should be disclosed.
I also wouldn't mind a little more going on between her and Nightshade. He's become relegated to a background noise and while he was more present in this book, it just wasn't nearly enough. I'm not even saying getting a romance hot and heavy... I like slow and steady (and romance would be nice even if it's not with Nightshade). Just some progression in her life would be a nice change.
Overall, the second half of the book was definitely better and why it's not getting 2 or 1 stars ... but still a lot of repetition that could have easily been cleaned out.
I have to sadly agree with many of those who have already left reviews for this book. If I have to read one more line of how “adult” Kaylin is, I may scream. Geezus. I get it might be needed sometimes, but every other page (or felt that way throughout this book)? Also… this far in the series, the author could do away with a LOT of the backstory. It takes up way too much of the first handful chapters and just becomes boresome (and I hate skipping things).
I love this author, and maybe it’s because I read these last two books back to back and they felt very stilted/no forward movement, that I am extremely frustrated with this one in particular. Kaylin has barely grown as a character these last few books and it’s so frustrating to see that .. want more for her… but get the same ole crap. We get it… she’s MORTAL… mortals SUCK compared to everyone else. Can we please end the ad nauseum of this repetition in the next book? Thank you!
I love this world, I love the characters, I’ve loved every book before these last two, and I’d really love to see some forward movement with our beloved Kaylin and maybe have her grow a little and maybe for ONCE learn something about these damn marks on her ? I think we’re far enough into a series that SOME hint of her role should be disclosed.
I also wouldn't mind a little more going on between her and Nightshade. He's become relegated to a background noise and while he was more present in this book, it just wasn't nearly enough. I'm not even saying getting a romance hot and heavy... I like slow and steady (and romance would be nice even if it's not with Nightshade). Just some progression in her life would be a nice change.
Overall, the second half of the book was definitely better and why it's not getting 2 or 1 stars ... but still a lot of repetition that could have easily been cleaned out.
March 16, 2019
This book was so hard to read! I read some of the passages out loud to others and they groaned, too - the writing is so tortured! I've read the whole series so far, and I know that the author has some major shortcomings in her writing style. She gets bogged down in conversations about what words do and mean, and what people mean when they use words to communicate. And these conversations go on FOREVER. It's like listening to a freshmen in philosophy class late at night who is trying to get into a girl's pants by being deep. Her editor should have cut 3/4 of the book and made her write some action. It was dreary and boring. There were only 2 settings in the entire 530+ page book: Kaylin's house and the high halls. In the first half of the book at Kaylin's house, all the characters did was worry, research and plot how they were going to deal with the visit to the high halls. Literally hundreds of pages of wringing hands, slowly (painfully) revealed details about the upcoming visit, and hypothetical scenarios. And when they finally got to the action at the end of the book, even that was made extra dull by the mystical aspects of the fight scenes. BORING. BORING. BORING. If you're not into this series, there is no reason at all to read this book. And this installment really tested my commitment to the series as a whole.
February 24, 2019
3.5 Stars
I love many things about this book. Severn and Nightshade are my dream men, each very attractive for different reasons. Teela, Bellusdeo, and Tain are amazing friends. The Cohort, particularly Mandoran and Terrano, are fun; I even warmed to Sedarias. The dryness of Kaylen’s interactions with Ynpharion, the Arkon, Teela, and Nightshade made me laugh. And, I love the world or Elantra and the various races.
However, I did not enjoy reading pages and pages and pages of Kaylen’s inner doubts while everyone else is fighting what I’m sure would be a much more interesting battle.
I get that Kaylen has had a really tough life, she didn’t choose to be “Chosen,” and she doubts her ability to save a world full of much more knowledgeable immortals, but must she have a crisis of confidence that goes on for a dozen pages with only the briefest mention of the battle around her in every single book?
Every Chronicles of Elantra book would be 5-stars if the climax were shorter and sharper with more focus on the actual battle and less on Kaylen’s inner monologue.
I love many things about this book. Severn and Nightshade are my dream men, each very attractive for different reasons. Teela, Bellusdeo, and Tain are amazing friends. The Cohort, particularly Mandoran and Terrano, are fun; I even warmed to Sedarias. The dryness of Kaylen’s interactions with Ynpharion, the Arkon, Teela, and Nightshade made me laugh. And, I love the world or Elantra and the various races.
However, I did not enjoy reading pages and pages and pages of Kaylen’s inner doubts while everyone else is fighting what I’m sure would be a much more interesting battle.
I get that Kaylen has had a really tough life, she didn’t choose to be “Chosen,” and she doubts her ability to save a world full of much more knowledgeable immortals, but must she have a crisis of confidence that goes on for a dozen pages with only the briefest mention of the battle around her in every single book?
Every Chronicles of Elantra book would be 5-stars if the climax were shorter and sharper with more focus on the actual battle and less on Kaylen’s inner monologue.
February 10, 2019
It takes this story a long time to get rolling - but in a way that was good for me since, unlike the other books in the series which I did as a series binge last year, I needed to come back up to speed on Kaylin's world. I enjoyed this overall, but since this was a wrap up of the cohort arc, the Birani are front and center for this and I missed seeing the Hawks and other parts of Elantra - only token appearances of Sevrin and Nightshade as well. Still I really like listening to these, so I will be on the look out for the next one.
February 2, 2019
I love this series for the world building and the characters, but the unbelievably slow plot progression in this book had me very frustrated. The first five hours of the book are just one long winding discussion, and the dream sequences also drag abominably. The magic system doesn't have any established rules (Kaylin always goes off instinct), so why must we suffer through such long descriptions that don't add to the story? The ending was nice, but I felt like it was a chore to get there.
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