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The Emperor's Edge #7
Forged in Blood II
Amaranthe Lokdon survives her reckless plan to destroy the enemy’s weapon-filled super aircraft only to learn that thousands of people perished when it crash landed. Half of her team is missing...or dead. Meanwhile, the fighting in the capital has escalated, the Imperial Barracks have been taken by a pretender, and a deadly new danger threatens the populace. Amaranthe’s hopes of returning Emperor Sespian to the throne and bringing peace to the empire are dwindling by the hour.
To make matters worse, her strongest ally—and closest friend—has been captured and is under a powerful wizard’s control. If she can’t figure out a way to free Sicarius, he may kill them all when next they meet...
To make matters worse, her strongest ally—and closest friend—has been captured and is under a powerful wizard’s control. If she can’t figure out a way to free Sicarius, he may kill them all when next they meet...
442 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2013
316 people are currently reading
1367 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Buroker
198 books6,236 followersI'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
July 27, 2020
Previous rating: 4 stars .
New rating: 5 stars .
➽ And the moral of this reread is: Why aren’t more people reading this series? WHY? Admittedly, puny humans are renowned for their Despicable Book Taste (DBT™), but that alone simply cannot account for their most revolting disregard towards this Most Scrumptious Series. I mean, it has everything! One of the mostdeliciously insane engaging ensemble casts ever (poof gone harem and stuff), amazing characterization, crazy scheming galore, an ingenious use of frozen corpses, explosions aplenty, some of the mostest hilariousest dialogues and banter in the history of mostest hilariousest dialogues and banter, non-stop action, wonderfully nail-biting stuff, riotously enthusiastic adverbs (pretty cool that), diabolically magnificently heart-breaking stuff—only that I don't have a heart, ergo it wasn't horribly crushed by said heart-breaking stuff —and a slooooooowwwwwww-burning romance that redefines the concept of slooooooowwwwwww-burning romance. What more do you bloody shrimping want, that's what I'd like to know!
P.S. I could threaten to unleash my murderous children on you if you don't read this series, but I'm not like that, so I won't. You are quite welcome.
P.P.S. This installment is one of the most satisfying series ending in the history of most satisfying series endings. Well, it was until Lindsay Buroker decided to write two more books in the series . So now it's not anymore. Only that it still is. And forever shall be. Because I said so and stuff.
👋 To be continued and stuff.
• Book 1: The Emperor’s Edge ★★★★
• Book 2: Dark Currents ★★★★
• Book 3: Deadly Games ★★★★
• Book 4: Conspiracy ★★★★
• Book 5: Blood and Betrayal ★★★★
• Book 5.5: Beneath the Surface ★★★★
• Book 6: Forged in Blood I ★★★★
• Book 8: Republic ★★★★
• Book 9: Diplomats and Fugitives ★★★★
[April 2014]
So this is the end! Why oh why? I love this series so much I can’t bear the thought of this being the very last instalment. I’m not ready to let the characters go just yet, they are too much fun to read about!
The first two books in the series weren’t entirely convincing but I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to Amaranthe and her team. I’m really glad I didn’t give up because the series is very well crafted and completely addictive. It’s exciting, fun, funny, has a fantastic cast of characters and Amaranthe is one of my favorite butt-kicking heroines ever!
The strength of this series is definitely character development. Buroker has done a fantastic job with each and every character
This last instalment is yet another crazy ride with the team trying to defeat Forge in the hopes of returning Sespian to the throne. Non-stop action, wacky schemes, armies, wizards, things being blown up, aliens, friendship, love, loss, humour, trains, planes, lorries, submarines and assassins… One grand finale this is! Yes, it is a bit unrealistic and over the top at times but I just do not care as this is one of the most entertaining series I have read in a long time.
I still can’t believe this is the end of it all and I will miss Amaranthe & her dysfunctional family a lot. Now off to read everything else Buroker has written to try & fill the void!
New rating: 5 stars .
➽ And the moral of this reread is: Why aren’t more people reading this series? WHY? Admittedly, puny humans are renowned for their Despicable Book Taste (DBT™), but that alone simply cannot account for their most revolting disregard towards this Most Scrumptious Series. I mean, it has everything! One of the most
P.S. I could threaten to unleash my murderous children on you if you don't read this series, but I'm not like that, so I won't. You are quite welcome.
P.P.S. This installment is one of the most satisfying series ending in the history of most satisfying series endings. Well, it was until Lindsay Buroker decided to write two more books in the series . So now it's not anymore. Only that it still is. And forever shall be. Because I said so and stuff.
👋 To be continued and stuff.
• Book 1: The Emperor’s Edge ★★★★
• Book 2: Dark Currents ★★★★
• Book 3: Deadly Games ★★★★
• Book 4: Conspiracy ★★★★
• Book 5: Blood and Betrayal ★★★★
• Book 5.5: Beneath the Surface ★★★★
• Book 6: Forged in Blood I ★★★★
• Book 8: Republic ★★★★
• Book 9: Diplomats and Fugitives ★★★★
[April 2014]
So this is the end! Why oh why? I love this series so much I can’t bear the thought of this being the very last instalment. I’m not ready to let the characters go just yet, they are too much fun to read about!
The first two books in the series weren’t entirely convincing but I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to Amaranthe and her team. I’m really glad I didn’t give up because the series is very well crafted and completely addictive. It’s exciting, fun, funny, has a fantastic cast of characters and Amaranthe is one of my favorite butt-kicking heroines ever!
The strength of this series is definitely character development. Buroker has done a fantastic job with each and every character
This last instalment is yet another crazy ride with the team trying to defeat Forge in the hopes of returning Sespian to the throne. Non-stop action, wacky schemes, armies, wizards, things being blown up, aliens, friendship, love, loss, humour, trains, planes, lorries, submarines and assassins… One grand finale this is! Yes, it is a bit unrealistic and over the top at times but I just do not care as this is one of the most entertaining series I have read in a long time.
I still can’t believe this is the end of it all and I will miss Amaranthe & her dysfunctional family a lot. Now off to read everything else Buroker has written to try & fill the void!
July 15, 2020
*** 4.66 ***
"..."Do many people try? To hug you?”
“Few. Usually women.”
“Ah. Amaranthe.” Sespian’s face grew wistful, though it seemed accepting as well.
“Infrequently.” Sicarius headed for the ladder leading to the top of the tower.
“Really? If a girl was inclined to hug me, I’d encourage her to do it frequently.”
“I am not good at… encouragement.” Sicarius climbed the ladder and found the harpoon launcher where he’d left it.
“I’ve noticed,” Sespian said, reaching the top behind him. “It’s easy though. You spread your arms like this and give a girl your most inviting smile. Do you… have an inviting smile?”
“No.”
“Any sort of smile at all?”
“No.”
“I can see where you’d have a problem then,” Sespian said."..."
Why did this series have to end??? What will I do without those characters, who with their likability and their propensity towards insanity and a whole a lot of trouble could easily belong to my family, have completely stolen my heart! The insanity is part of their charm and allure in this situation... I will miss them terribly!!!
"...“There are times like this when I wish I’d gone to the military academy and joined the army.” “Why?” “Because there’s a soldier axiom about not sharing a foxhole with anyone crazier than yourself. If I’d actually joined, I’d be able to quote it precisely. That would be apt right now.” “Ha ha.”
― Lindsay Buroker, Forged in Blood II"..."
The last two books were very intense and exceedingly nerve-wrecking . The series as a whole was full of action and crazy schemes, but the main draw was the chemistry between the main characters and the ever growing and developing relationships among them. It was an ensemble cast in the true meaning of the term. No mater which of the gang you liked best, you would have had someone to really grab your attention and make you root for them throughout the seven books. In this ark we got a new family of secondary characters in the Starcrests, whom I was also very taken with and would love to read a series dedicated to them as well. I hope the author gift us with something of this nature:)
"...“Utter foolery shouldn’t be delegated; one should take the risk and accept the consequences oneself.”
― Lindsay Buroker, Forged in Blood II"..."
I would recommend this series to all who enjoy Light Fantasy with some flint-lock and steam-punk elements and a very, very slow-burn romance, which is in the background, but is just enough to keep you wishing for its fulfillment. There is plot-appropriate amount of violence and some torture, but all is done in a very palatable way, and this is coming from someone who has torture as an emotional trigger. The author handles it well, mostly by informing us, but not creating extra angst or unnecessary drama, and always lightening the darkest places with light banter and just the right amount of humor. Give it a try, it is an easy read and will let you experience a very rich and poignant example of friendship, love and trust. I will sure miss the gang...
"...“As you pointed out, I was recently in a non-respirating state. I remain grievously weakened.” “A non-respir… you are socially awkward. Now I see the real reason you’ve never talked much.”
― Lindsay Buroker, Forged in Blood II"..."
Now I wish you Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a good Book!!!
"..."Do many people try? To hug you?”
“Few. Usually women.”
“Ah. Amaranthe.” Sespian’s face grew wistful, though it seemed accepting as well.
“Infrequently.” Sicarius headed for the ladder leading to the top of the tower.
“Really? If a girl was inclined to hug me, I’d encourage her to do it frequently.”
“I am not good at… encouragement.” Sicarius climbed the ladder and found the harpoon launcher where he’d left it.
“I’ve noticed,” Sespian said, reaching the top behind him. “It’s easy though. You spread your arms like this and give a girl your most inviting smile. Do you… have an inviting smile?”
“No.”
“Any sort of smile at all?”
“No.”
“I can see where you’d have a problem then,” Sespian said."..."
Why did this series have to end??? What will I do without those characters, who with their likability and their propensity towards insanity and a whole a lot of trouble could easily belong to my family, have completely stolen my heart! The insanity is part of their charm and allure in this situation... I will miss them terribly!!!
"...“There are times like this when I wish I’d gone to the military academy and joined the army.” “Why?” “Because there’s a soldier axiom about not sharing a foxhole with anyone crazier than yourself. If I’d actually joined, I’d be able to quote it precisely. That would be apt right now.” “Ha ha.”
― Lindsay Buroker, Forged in Blood II"..."
The last two books were very intense and exceedingly nerve-wrecking . The series as a whole was full of action and crazy schemes, but the main draw was the chemistry between the main characters and the ever growing and developing relationships among them. It was an ensemble cast in the true meaning of the term. No mater which of the gang you liked best, you would have had someone to really grab your attention and make you root for them throughout the seven books. In this ark we got a new family of secondary characters in the Starcrests, whom I was also very taken with and would love to read a series dedicated to them as well. I hope the author gift us with something of this nature:)
"...“Utter foolery shouldn’t be delegated; one should take the risk and accept the consequences oneself.”
― Lindsay Buroker, Forged in Blood II"..."
I would recommend this series to all who enjoy Light Fantasy with some flint-lock and steam-punk elements and a very, very slow-burn romance, which is in the background, but is just enough to keep you wishing for its fulfillment. There is plot-appropriate amount of violence and some torture, but all is done in a very palatable way, and this is coming from someone who has torture as an emotional trigger. The author handles it well, mostly by informing us, but not creating extra angst or unnecessary drama, and always lightening the darkest places with light banter and just the right amount of humor. Give it a try, it is an easy read and will let you experience a very rich and poignant example of friendship, love and trust. I will sure miss the gang...
"...“As you pointed out, I was recently in a non-respirating state. I remain grievously weakened.” “A non-respir… you are socially awkward. Now I see the real reason you’ve never talked much.”
― Lindsay Buroker, Forged in Blood II"..."
Now I wish you Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a good Book!!!
July 19, 2013
Mixed feelings - 3.5 stars rounding up.
It wrapped up nicely, but this book was my least favorite of the series. Not gonna lie -- I was a little disappointed.
First of all, the story dragged on a little too long. I know what you’re thinking - What do you mean “dragged”? There was non-stop action! And yes, there definitely was, but it was a little TOO much action. It was all Go! Go! Go! and while that’s exciting, after more than 100 pages of it, you get kind of numb to it. Well, I did anyway. To the point where it was no longer quite so exciting and I started skimming a little (just a little! I’m sorry but...I did.)
Then there’s Sicarius. I was really impressed with how Buroker handled his POV in the last book, but this time around, it felt a little...off. As a small example, at one point in the book, he berates himself by calling himself a dolt. What? There were several moments like this in his POV that had me cringing (more moments than I care to remember) and thinking, who IS this guy? I mean, I get that this was probably done so that we could see the growth in his character, see how much he’s changed and how far he’s come from the old Sicarius. But to me, the transition was a little too awkward. And yes, I also get that it SHOULD feel awkward to have Sicarius be more human - unfamiliar territory that it is for him - but this wasn’t that kind of awkward. It was just...awkward awkward. Towards the end of the book he seems to become more like himself again, which was a relief but also a little strange given what we saw earlier. (you know what, I’m not sure I’m explaining myself right, so nevermind.)
But the story is definitely not without its awesome moments. Quite the contrary, there were a great many of them. (Holy crap, chapter 12! My heart was pounding in my chest the entire time. It was very well done and to me, maybe even a tiny bit more exciting and tense than the actual climax at the end of the book.) Another thing I really liked in this last book was having my heartstrings pulled by Amaranthe’s character. From the very beginning of this series, the girl has had to teeter on a tightrope of morality, the ends justifying the means is something she has had to constantly struggle with and in this book, we really get to see the effects of its weight on her. It was heartwrenching and I’ll say this -- while I may have had some issues with Sicarius here, Amaranthe’s character growth from book 1 to now was, to me, absolutely perfect.
Anyway, despite my slight disappointment with this book, it was still a nice conclusion to an overall fantastic series. No, better than fantastic. I find myself going back and re-reading these books whenever I’m in a reading slump, they’re that good. Thank you Buroker for giving us these charming, flawed, UNFORGETTABLE characters, and this wonderful, smart story. You know, Buroker was one of my first tastes of what a quality indie author could be like (Karina Halle was the other), and helped pave the way to my being more open with my wallet to self-published work. There’s a lot of crap out there, but it’s worth wading through to find gems like this.
It wrapped up nicely, but this book was my least favorite of the series. Not gonna lie -- I was a little disappointed.
First of all, the story dragged on a little too long. I know what you’re thinking - What do you mean “dragged”? There was non-stop action! And yes, there definitely was, but it was a little TOO much action. It was all Go! Go! Go! and while that’s exciting, after more than 100 pages of it, you get kind of numb to it. Well, I did anyway. To the point where it was no longer quite so exciting and I started skimming a little (just a little! I’m sorry but...I did.)
Then there’s Sicarius. I was really impressed with how Buroker handled his POV in the last book, but this time around, it felt a little...off. As a small example, at one point in the book, he berates himself by calling himself a dolt. What? There were several moments like this in his POV that had me cringing (more moments than I care to remember) and thinking, who IS this guy? I mean, I get that this was probably done so that we could see the growth in his character, see how much he’s changed and how far he’s come from the old Sicarius. But to me, the transition was a little too awkward. And yes, I also get that it SHOULD feel awkward to have Sicarius be more human - unfamiliar territory that it is for him - but this wasn’t that kind of awkward. It was just...awkward awkward. Towards the end of the book he seems to become more like himself again, which was a relief but also a little strange given what we saw earlier. (you know what, I’m not sure I’m explaining myself right, so nevermind.)
But the story is definitely not without its awesome moments. Quite the contrary, there were a great many of them. (Holy crap, chapter 12! My heart was pounding in my chest the entire time. It was very well done and to me, maybe even a tiny bit more exciting and tense than the actual climax at the end of the book.) Another thing I really liked in this last book was having my heartstrings pulled by Amaranthe’s character. From the very beginning of this series, the girl has had to teeter on a tightrope of morality, the ends justifying the means is something she has had to constantly struggle with and in this book, we really get to see the effects of its weight on her. It was heartwrenching and I’ll say this -- while I may have had some issues with Sicarius here, Amaranthe’s character growth from book 1 to now was, to me, absolutely perfect.
Anyway, despite my slight disappointment with this book, it was still a nice conclusion to an overall fantastic series. No, better than fantastic. I find myself going back and re-reading these books whenever I’m in a reading slump, they’re that good. Thank you Buroker for giving us these charming, flawed, UNFORGETTABLE characters, and this wonderful, smart story. You know, Buroker was one of my first tastes of what a quality indie author could be like (Karina Halle was the other), and helped pave the way to my being more open with my wallet to self-published work. There’s a lot of crap out there, but it’s worth wading through to find gems like this.
August 7, 2019
I've just finished one of the best series I've ever read.
How will I ever get over my book funk now?!
[image error]
What you have to know is that yes, the series, the actual plot, ends here. We have two more books to read, but everything ends here.
Oh, how I will miss these characters!
I wanted to see more action at the end, I wanted to see more of Sicarius, I wanted to see what he'll do with his son. I wanted more!
But, alas, it has come to an end.
Goodbye, my friends!
How will I ever get over my book funk now?!
[image error]
What you have to know is that yes, the series, the actual plot, ends here. We have two more books to read, but everything ends here.
Oh, how I will miss these characters!
I wanted to see more action at the end, I wanted to see more of Sicarius, I wanted to see what he'll do with his son. I wanted more!
But, alas, it has come to an end.
Goodbye, my friends!
March 6, 2025
The best several book series I have ever read and I'm still not finished! Every book was a 4-5 star read for me and it captured such an amazing found family aspect. I loved how every character, every book was different and unique in their own way.
The Emperor's Edge series is about an enforcer, turned outlaw, that gathers a group of other outlaws. In an attempt to clear their names, they become a family quickly along the wild ride of explosions, insane plans and adventures.
There is the perfect hint of romance that doesn't even really take place till this specific book (note: this is NOT a romance book series)! If you want a slow burn...well I don't think it will get any slower that this. Every little hint of it has you screaming and jumping for joy!
The humor and light heartedness to the whole series was a fresh breath from the stereotypical fantasies currently being written. Every single novella was amazing (and I still got a few to read, how exciting!!) and I just loved this series more than any other.
If anyone is considering this series, just take this as a sign and start it! You won't be bored with it and will be laughing the whole time!
The Emperor's Edge series is about an enforcer, turned outlaw, that gathers a group of other outlaws. In an attempt to clear their names, they become a family quickly along the wild ride of explosions, insane plans and adventures.
There is the perfect hint of romance that doesn't even really take place till this specific book (note: this is NOT a romance book series)! If you want a slow burn...well I don't think it will get any slower that this. Every little hint of it has you screaming and jumping for joy!
The humor and light heartedness to the whole series was a fresh breath from the stereotypical fantasies currently being written. Every single novella was amazing (and I still got a few to read, how exciting!!) and I just loved this series more than any other.
If anyone is considering this series, just take this as a sign and start it! You won't be bored with it and will be laughing the whole time!
July 18, 2013
Seven books, a novella and several shorts stories -- nearly a million words -- and we're finally here, at the conclusion to the Emperor's Edge saga.
For longtime fans, this is the ending you've been waiting for. Amaranthe has discovered what happened to Forge's purloined alien ship after she and her team escaped, and has to cope with the destruction she caused. But other parts of her team are missing, and she doesn't know if Sicarius is alive or dead. For her, the struggle will be to survive when her heart isn't really in the game, when she's just so tired, she's not sure how she'll get to the end, whatever that end might be.
Sicarius, captured by a Nurian wizard, has been turned into a deadly weapon. His struggles to escape are poignant and powerful...and he learns a great deal about his "frail human side" because he believes Sespian and Amaranthe to be dead. Having seen his character change and grow over the series, watching him struggle with grief and the understanding that he is, indeed, human, brings Sicarius to full realization. His story is perhaps my favorite so far.
The book is a nonstop ride through a warring capital, bounty hunters, relic raiders, armies, love, loss and the power of deep friendship forged (yeah, I said it) through hard circumstances. The camaraderie within Amaranthe's team is tested and made stronger. And her relationship with the man she's come to love becomes unbreakable. In the end, you realize, too, that this was as much Sicarius's story as Amaranthe's, and the changes they've wrought upon each other make them both stronger, and more vulnerable (in a good way). There's heartbreak in this tale, and some truly dark moments of the soul, but the ending is bittersweet and concludes on a note of joy, with a good future unfolding. You'll walk away satisfied, with a little lump in your throat.
What's really fun about the book is a lot of characters from previous stories make an appearance, from cameos to integral parts of the story line (I love me some Rias Starcrest, y'all. No, seriously, I love that man). It brings the series full circle from it's prequel days in Encrypted all the way to the final showdown in Stumps.
All in all, Buroker has created a fully-drawn world, with characters you'll care about, in The Emperor's Edge. It's quite an achievement.
For longtime fans, this is the ending you've been waiting for. Amaranthe has discovered what happened to Forge's purloined alien ship after she and her team escaped, and has to cope with the destruction she caused. But other parts of her team are missing, and she doesn't know if Sicarius is alive or dead. For her, the struggle will be to survive when her heart isn't really in the game, when she's just so tired, she's not sure how she'll get to the end, whatever that end might be.
Sicarius, captured by a Nurian wizard, has been turned into a deadly weapon. His struggles to escape are poignant and powerful...and he learns a great deal about his "frail human side" because he believes Sespian and Amaranthe to be dead. Having seen his character change and grow over the series, watching him struggle with grief and the understanding that he is, indeed, human, brings Sicarius to full realization. His story is perhaps my favorite so far.
The book is a nonstop ride through a warring capital, bounty hunters, relic raiders, armies, love, loss and the power of deep friendship forged (yeah, I said it) through hard circumstances. The camaraderie within Amaranthe's team is tested and made stronger. And her relationship with the man she's come to love becomes unbreakable. In the end, you realize, too, that this was as much Sicarius's story as Amaranthe's, and the changes they've wrought upon each other make them both stronger, and more vulnerable (in a good way). There's heartbreak in this tale, and some truly dark moments of the soul, but the ending is bittersweet and concludes on a note of joy, with a good future unfolding. You'll walk away satisfied, with a little lump in your throat.
What's really fun about the book is a lot of characters from previous stories make an appearance, from cameos to integral parts of the story line (I love me some Rias Starcrest, y'all. No, seriously, I love that man). It brings the series full circle from it's prequel days in Encrypted all the way to the final showdown in Stumps.
All in all, Buroker has created a fully-drawn world, with characters you'll care about, in The Emperor's Edge. It's quite an achievement.
November 6, 2025
Forged in Blood II is the conclusion of The Emperor’s Edge series. If you haven’t read it I HIGHLY recommend this series, it has been a fabulous ride. I’ve been here from the beginning and I’m sad to see it end. In my pre-review note, I mentioned that bereft feeling after you finish a series you’ve taken in as your own...The Emperor’s Edge is just such a collection of writing for me.
In the final installment Amaranthe Lokdon, Sicarius and the gang once again are facing insurmountable odds. These odds include one of their own controlled by the enemy. Multiple armies are amassing ready to take advantage of the issues in the capital. An older, banished war hero has returned...making things very interesting. For those who have loved the side books to this series...It Finally All Comes Together!
This was probably my least favorite of all the books in this series, don’t get me wrong it was still awesome but it was a little less awesome and here is why I felt that way. This book lacks the amazing, convoluted Amaranthe created extreme plan to save the day. Yes, it still is a combination of other characters creating the plans but I missed her flamboyant scheming. Now, for the reason for her lack of scheming...the crash that caused her loss of confidence. I wasn’t crazy with Amaranthe lack of her normal confidence either. Ok, I’m being harsh because greatness is judge harsher and I still found this book reaching greatness.
Lindsay Buroker created another brilliant book. She left us wanting more. Making us grieve the loss, the loss of experiencing more of this fantastic steampunk world she created. I personally find every one of these books re-readable and that means 5 stars from me.
In the final installment Amaranthe Lokdon, Sicarius and the gang once again are facing insurmountable odds. These odds include one of their own controlled by the enemy. Multiple armies are amassing ready to take advantage of the issues in the capital. An older, banished war hero has returned...making things very interesting. For those who have loved the side books to this series...It Finally All Comes Together!
This was probably my least favorite of all the books in this series, don’t get me wrong it was still awesome but it was a little less awesome and here is why I felt that way. This book lacks the amazing, convoluted Amaranthe created extreme plan to save the day. Yes, it still is a combination of other characters creating the plans but I missed her flamboyant scheming. Now, for the reason for her lack of scheming...the crash that caused her loss of confidence. I wasn’t crazy with Amaranthe lack of her normal confidence either. Ok, I’m being harsh because greatness is judge harsher and I still found this book reaching greatness.
Lindsay Buroker created another brilliant book. She left us wanting more. Making us grieve the loss, the loss of experiencing more of this fantastic steampunk world she created. I personally find every one of these books re-readable and that means 5 stars from me.
August 3, 2016
A wrap up review for The Emperor's Edge series.
This is one of the non-romance series that I'm still following and can't wait to read the finale. After 7 books, 5 novellas and 2 spin-offs, we are finally here. The grand finale for The Emperor's Edge. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm following purely for its romantic subplot and craving for the long awaited HEA for Sicarius and Amaranthe. (Romance < 20%)
Most of the time when I'm reading this series, is hard to fathom that it was written by a female author. This series is full of action, explosive and shenanigans with all its detailed description down to the nuts and bolts. But what really drew me in is the character Sicarius, the imperial assassin and Amaranthe Lokdon, the leader of their team of outlaws. She recruited Sicarius and the rest of the team members who are the heart and soul of the book to clear the bounty on their heads and help Emperor Sespian regain his throne.
Along the way, they hijacked a train, chased by man-incinerating machines, flung from an aircraft so alien the science can't begin to fathom it, and hurtled hundreds of miles to crash on a mountainside. The outrageous mission that they did reminds me so much of A-team. Is over the top, yet entertaining.
I absolutely love book 1 to 5 because both Sicarius and Amaranthe were always in mission together. Although there isn't any romance element, we can see how their relationship evolve from her wanting to kill him, to being a partner in crime and learning to trust each other. Sicarius is one of the most socially inept character that I ever read. He can hardly communicate with someone, so the way he slowly changes for Amaranthe is fascinating to read.
After Amaranthe had made her feelings to him known, they had a mutual understanding and commitment to each other. They are always together, yet they didn't further pursue their relationship due to a lot of circumstances. What with being a fugitive, constantly being shot at and having a son who had a crush on your potential lover.
Forged in Blood I and II are told in Sicarius and Amaranthe POV. With both of them separated most of the time, I find myself skipping pages just to know how they will be reunited. Yes, I skipped pages. I find the action is a tad too detail and I wanted it to be done asap. That's a bummer for me. Thank goodness by 50%, they had found each other. Phew. I love how it ended for the team, of course there were a lot sacrifices to be made, but in the end is a HEA for Sicarius and that's all it matters for me. Regarding the sex scene that every fans in the forum was so eager to read since like forever, it is not fade to black, as we might had expected. Initially we thought is going to be fade to black and we had to resort to dousing ourselves with fanfics. I absolutely love how Lindsay wrote it. Yes, 7 freaking books, I can't imagine I waited that long for it to happen. Is unbelievable.
"Once she'd likened Sicarius to a caged tiger, too dangerous to keep around if one didn't want people hurt. Others had called him a trained dog, ready to kill at the drop of a flag. He was neither of course. He was a human being. Once scarred by life, by fate. Just like her."
This is one of the non-romance series that I'm still following and can't wait to read the finale. After 7 books, 5 novellas and 2 spin-offs, we are finally here. The grand finale for The Emperor's Edge. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm following purely for its romantic subplot and craving for the long awaited HEA for Sicarius and Amaranthe. (Romance < 20%)
Most of the time when I'm reading this series, is hard to fathom that it was written by a female author. This series is full of action, explosive and shenanigans with all its detailed description down to the nuts and bolts. But what really drew me in is the character Sicarius, the imperial assassin and Amaranthe Lokdon, the leader of their team of outlaws. She recruited Sicarius and the rest of the team members who are the heart and soul of the book to clear the bounty on their heads and help Emperor Sespian regain his throne.
Along the way, they hijacked a train, chased by man-incinerating machines, flung from an aircraft so alien the science can't begin to fathom it, and hurtled hundreds of miles to crash on a mountainside. The outrageous mission that they did reminds me so much of A-team. Is over the top, yet entertaining.
I absolutely love book 1 to 5 because both Sicarius and Amaranthe were always in mission together. Although there isn't any romance element, we can see how their relationship evolve from her wanting to kill him, to being a partner in crime and learning to trust each other. Sicarius is one of the most socially inept character that I ever read. He can hardly communicate with someone, so the way he slowly changes for Amaranthe is fascinating to read.
After Amaranthe had made her feelings to him known, they had a mutual understanding and commitment to each other. They are always together, yet they didn't further pursue their relationship due to a lot of circumstances. What with being a fugitive, constantly being shot at and having a son who had a crush on your potential lover.
Forged in Blood I and II are told in Sicarius and Amaranthe POV. With both of them separated most of the time, I find myself skipping pages just to know how they will be reunited. Yes, I skipped pages. I find the action is a tad too detail and I wanted it to be done asap. That's a bummer for me. Thank goodness by 50%, they had found each other. Phew. I love how it ended for the team, of course there were a lot sacrifices to be made, but in the end is a HEA for Sicarius and that's all it matters for me. Regarding the sex scene that every fans in the forum was so eager to read since like forever, it is not fade to black, as we might had expected. Initially we thought is going to be fade to black and we had to resort to dousing ourselves with fanfics. I absolutely love how Lindsay wrote it. Yes, 7 freaking books, I can't imagine I waited that long for it to happen. Is unbelievable.
"Once she'd likened Sicarius to a caged tiger, too dangerous to keep around if one didn't want people hurt. Others had called him a trained dog, ready to kill at the drop of a flag. He was neither of course. He was a human being. Once scarred by life, by fate. Just like her."
October 27, 2024
4.5⭐️ I finished 🥲
August 17, 2016
OH MY GOOOOSSSHHH!!!! THIS BOOK WAS SO AWESOME!!!! It was a great ending to the series and I'm so sad to have finished this series!
Okay, first let's start off with the way the 6th book ended.... WOW!! WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!! Thank God I had the 7th book or I would have blown my brains out! I loved looking through Sicarius's point of view these last two books. And those little moments when he thought/talked to or about Amaranthe warmed my heart. I was a little sad in the beginning of the book that he and Sespian were stiff to each other again. Cause in the 6th book Sespian was finally starting to let Sicarius in. But I did like the hug in the end, even though that wasn't usually like him.
I did not foresee Starcrest coming into the book, although I guess I should have because she (the author) did mention him a few times. At first for some reason I didn't really like him (or his wife) probably because I read about them during Amaranthe's point of view, and I didn't really care about her view while Sicarius was still trapped with that Shamen. But anyway, Starcrest did grow on me, although his wife not that much.
I loved when the makarovi came into the picture (mostly because it brought out Sicarius's protective side) but I had a hard time imagining what they looked like. A lot of the time the author said they had a lot of hair but then one time she said they had rubbery skin (of course I can't find that part in the book when I need to) but it was just confusing. I really wished someone with artistic skills could have draw what (or at least what they thought) it looked like.
So I was looking at other peoples reviews and hardly anybody talked about Books' death. Like come on! I know he wasn't the most loved character, but he was with us through 7 books people! I was reading it in class I just stopped reading and looked at the book in horror. I quickly flipped through the last pages to see if he was really dead, and I landed on the page when Maldynado asked where Book is and Amaranthe just says "He was our price." And them I promptly burst into tears. (Yeah yeah call me a baby) But I just kept remembering all the times he and Maldynado would bicker back and forth and then Maldynado was like "Our price?" and then he finally realized and he just went limp as the drooping tendrils of his hat.
And then of course Akstyr has to make that comment to make me cry even harder. '"That was..." Akstyr was staring down at the carnage in the street. Sicarius expected him to say, "brilliant," or, "the best revenge ever," but he wiped his eyes instead and finished with, "not worth the price." He walked over, sat beside Books's body, and buried his face in his hands.'
Needless to say, I needed many tissues. Okay. I'm okay. I've stopped crying. But what makes me cry so hard is that Books was saving Akstyr. Books always was going on about how he was a lout and uneducated and he sacrificed himself for him.
'"Well, I never thought anybody would sacrifice anything for me," Akstyr said. "How do you... What do you do if you're not sure their, uhm, sacrifice... was worth it?" "You make it worth it." Amaranthe said.'
So on a happier note, I'm glad that Amaranthe and Sicarius finally got together. And they finally held hands in public for all to see. I loved how Maldynado was talking about his statue and was all like "You wouldn't want to to scare away all those tourists by sticking up some dour-faces assassin. Not that anyone would think an assassin heroic enough for a statue anyway. People would probably come up in the middle of the night and drape washout paper all over it." And when Maldynado finally realizes Sicarius is standing behind him. "Washout paper?" "Er. Uhm. Yes, to polish it of course. To make sure it stays shiny."
It really was sad that the team broke up. Akstyr was going to the Kyatt islands to study the Science, Basilard going back to his homeland to see his daughter. But thank God there is another book (that's thick!) but the original team won't all be in there, but enough will. And new people too. See after I finished Forged in Blood II and stopped crying, I just pulled the Republic out of my book bag and started reading again. I don't think I'll ever be ready to let go of these characters.
But, overall, I loved this book and all the characters and of course I would recommend this book to everyone.
Okay, first let's start off with the way the 6th book ended.... WOW!! WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!! Thank God I had the 7th book or I would have blown my brains out! I loved looking through Sicarius's point of view these last two books. And those little moments when he thought/talked to or about Amaranthe warmed my heart. I was a little sad in the beginning of the book that he and Sespian were stiff to each other again. Cause in the 6th book Sespian was finally starting to let Sicarius in. But I did like the hug in the end, even though that wasn't usually like him.
I did not foresee Starcrest coming into the book, although I guess I should have because she (the author) did mention him a few times. At first for some reason I didn't really like him (or his wife) probably because I read about them during Amaranthe's point of view, and I didn't really care about her view while Sicarius was still trapped with that Shamen. But anyway, Starcrest did grow on me, although his wife not that much.
I loved when the makarovi came into the picture (mostly because it brought out Sicarius's protective side) but I had a hard time imagining what they looked like. A lot of the time the author said they had a lot of hair but then one time she said they had rubbery skin (of course I can't find that part in the book when I need to) but it was just confusing. I really wished someone with artistic skills could have draw what (or at least what they thought) it looked like.
So I was looking at other peoples reviews and hardly anybody talked about Books' death. Like come on! I know he wasn't the most loved character, but he was with us through 7 books people! I was reading it in class I just stopped reading and looked at the book in horror. I quickly flipped through the last pages to see if he was really dead, and I landed on the page when Maldynado asked where Book is and Amaranthe just says "He was our price." And them I promptly burst into tears. (Yeah yeah call me a baby) But I just kept remembering all the times he and Maldynado would bicker back and forth and then Maldynado was like "Our price?" and then he finally realized and he just went limp as the drooping tendrils of his hat.
And then of course Akstyr has to make that comment to make me cry even harder. '"That was..." Akstyr was staring down at the carnage in the street. Sicarius expected him to say, "brilliant," or, "the best revenge ever," but he wiped his eyes instead and finished with, "not worth the price." He walked over, sat beside Books's body, and buried his face in his hands.'
Needless to say, I needed many tissues. Okay. I'm okay. I've stopped crying. But what makes me cry so hard is that Books was saving Akstyr. Books always was going on about how he was a lout and uneducated and he sacrificed himself for him.
'"Well, I never thought anybody would sacrifice anything for me," Akstyr said. "How do you... What do you do if you're not sure their, uhm, sacrifice... was worth it?" "You make it worth it." Amaranthe said.'
So on a happier note, I'm glad that Amaranthe and Sicarius finally got together. And they finally held hands in public for all to see. I loved how Maldynado was talking about his statue and was all like "You wouldn't want to to scare away all those tourists by sticking up some dour-faces assassin. Not that anyone would think an assassin heroic enough for a statue anyway. People would probably come up in the middle of the night and drape washout paper all over it." And when Maldynado finally realizes Sicarius is standing behind him. "Washout paper?" "Er. Uhm. Yes, to polish it of course. To make sure it stays shiny."
It really was sad that the team broke up. Akstyr was going to the Kyatt islands to study the Science, Basilard going back to his homeland to see his daughter. But thank God there is another book (that's thick!) but the original team won't all be in there, but enough will. And new people too. See after I finished Forged in Blood II and stopped crying, I just pulled the Republic out of my book bag and started reading again. I don't think I'll ever be ready to let go of these characters.
But, overall, I loved this book and all the characters and of course I would recommend this book to everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2023
3.5
when your man surprises you with his first ever smile and a proposition to trim his hair in the most sexually charged way after 7 books of being a deadly emotionless assassin 🙈😳🙊🥰
when your man surprises you with his first ever smile and a proposition to trim his hair in the most sexually charged way after 7 books of being a deadly emotionless assassin 🙈😳🙊🥰
February 9, 2014
"You're the only person who's ever wanted to give me happiness," Sicarius said.
"You were thinking of all that when you wrote that letter? I had... no idea you cared as to who ended up on the throne."
"I did not foresee Sespian winning the position when word of his heritage got out. I thought he would approve of this alternative."
"All along, I thought I was running things," Amaranthe said, "and here it turns out you're the mastermind."
Sicarius touched his chin.
"Here."
"Pardon?"
"Your gaze of adoration. It's focused on the window currently."
She grinned and gazed at him.
"I apologize."
Oh, this series...The feels...I can't express how much I loved Sicarius and the last two books, which were half in his PoV, just cemented that feeling that much more. I think from now on I'll be comparing every assassin character I come across with Sicarius and I'm sure that most are going to fall painfully short. He was exactly how an assassin should be. Killing with no regret, a badass with knives, sneaky, smart, silent, and deadly. It took so long and so much work on Amaranthe's part to get him to even joke around as he did in that quote and that was half the fun of these books. And that second to last chapter! Totally worth the slow, but sure progression of their relationship <3
Sicarius strode out, utterly naked except for a technical manual in his hands. He didn’t bother to wield it strategically to hide...anything.
Amaranthe gaped at him. After a startled moment of surprise, she forced herself to keep her eyes focused on his face. Mostly. “Sicarius. I, ah...” Have always wanted to see you like this, she thought. No, she couldn’t say that. Was wondering if you were blond all over. No, definitely not that.
As I've said before I'm a girl that needs awesome characters, or at least believable ones, and Buroker was a genius at creating all the characters in The Emperor's Edge. Their interactions and just livliness of them was amazing. I felt like they were there with me and I was a part of their group. It was painful to say goodbye to such great characters. I'll miss them.
"He eyed Amaranthe - and her revealing attire. "If she's here, can we say you're my..."
He groped for a relation that would suggest absolutely no sexual connotations.
"Daughter?" Amaranthe suggested.
"Dear ancestors, no. She'll think I'm ancient. Er, my age, anyway. And what would she think of my parenting influence if she saw you in that outfit?"
"Did you just, in the same breath, call me old and promiscuous?"
"Uhm."
"Should this turn...confrontational, we don't have our two most proficient fighters here."
Maldynado propped his hand on his hips. "You have me."
Books looked him up and own, then focused on Amaranthe again.
"We don't have our two most proficient fighters here."
Amaranthe, could be said, was the glue of the group. She brought them together and kept them together. Through all their bickering, ribbing, and teasing.
"Akstyr, is there a way to keep them uncounscious?"
"Shoot them?", Akstyr said.
"You're supposed to be a Science advisor," Books told him, "not a Sicarius acolyte."
Maldynado cleared his throat.
"For the record, that would have been my response, too."
"You've tested the mask?" Yara finally asked.
"Ah, sort of. We tested its ability to block out noxious fumes."
A few feet away, Maldynado snickered.
"Let me guess who supplied them," Yara grumbled.
None of them really knew how to deal with Sicarius half the time. The only one that really treated him as a fellow companion and human being was Amaranthe. The rest just kept a healthy dose of wariness when dealing with him. But Sespian came a long way though, and if you have read the first one you would know why that's important ;)
"Everyone without diving suits drowns down here?"
He seemed to realize he was talking to someone without a suit, for he added, "And, er, just so you know, this wouldn't fit you, Sicarius, so there's no need to stab me in the back for it."
"I wouldn't do that," Sicarius said as they turned into another corridor.
"That's a relief," Maldynado said.
"It would compromise the suit"
“Do many people try? To hug you?”
“Few. Usually women.”
“Ah. Amaranthe.” Sespian’s face grew wistful, though it seemed accepting as well.
“Infrequently.” Sicarius headed for the ladder leading to the top of the tower.
“Really? If a girl was inclined to hug me, I’d encourage her to do it frequently.”
“I am not good at… encouragement.” Sicarius climbed the ladder and found the harpoon launcher where he’d left it.
“I’ve noticed,” Sespian said, reaching the top behind him. “It’s easy though. You spread your arms like this and give a girl your most inviting smile. Do you… have an inviting smile?”
“No.”
“Any sort of smile at all?”
“No.”
“I can see where you’d have a problem then,” Sespian said.
While the books weren't perfect in any stretch of the imagination, they were incredibly addicting, entertaining and just plain fun to read. The world building wasn't fantastic but it was more than good enough. The readers get the information they need as the books progress. We learn tid bits of the political problems each regions went through in each book and we get one step closer to dealing with the main for, Forge, as well, till the final show down in the last book. It was one hell of a mess. What I liked the most where always Amaranthe's crazy plans and her knack in talking people into the craziest things. She paid a price in the end for it, but the whole journey was great to watch.
In case you didn't get the message. I loved this series! xD
February 4, 2016
This book was a mess. 6 good books, some ok spin offs, then this one blows up. Non stop action, each more contrived than the the last, and no breaks. New characters added, but no time to get to know them. If you did not like the end of book 6, you should stop there. The story blew up, burned down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp.
July 27, 2016
4.5 stars. It’s hard to think of a saying more apt for the conclusion to the Emperor’s Edge series than that, sadly, “all good things must come to an end.” What had started off as a humorous, high-flying adventure turned out to be a truly emotional ride for everyone involved as it becomes clear that even the grandest goals and righteous motivations come with pitfalls and painful consequences. Amaranthe and her team had wormed its way into readers’ hearts over the course of the seven books and there’s plenty of joy and heartbreak in Forged in Blood II as they rush head-first into one last fight: To survive and win against virtually insurmountable odds and achieve some semblance of peace for the empire.
The series finale brings together all the elements that made the Emperor’s Edge series such a joy to read – heart-stopping action thrills (as everyone has come to expect), magic and technology, daring feats and, most importantly, a wonderful cast of vivid characters that complement each other. It never ceases to amaze me that these books don’t feel crowded, despite the number of characters occupying its pages. The only downside is, for all that the author has called this the “Forge arc” and the focus on the very organization in the team’s adventures, it turned out that one “assassinly” sweep by Sicarius was really enough to bring the organization down rapidly and the battles of the book’s second half was less about Forge or any of the other contenders for the throne, but instead dealing with the chaotic fallout. It was, however, exceedingly clever how incidents Amaranthe’s team had experienced in previous books were woven in by the author – the makarovi from Dark Currents, the ice camp from Ice Cracker and even Amaranthe and Sicarius’ narrow escape from the wizard’s control in The Assassin’s Curse – everything has been factored in, even the seemingly incidental short stories. Through this, it is also clear how much has changed and how far the team members have come from their earlier adventures; the team venturing back into the Imperial Barracks and dungeons virtually brings the series full circle to where Amaranthe’s life had first veered away from the straight and narrow path of an enforcer with her escape from Hollowcrest.
Amaranthe and Sicarius, of course, are the two characters who came the furthest both individually and together from their hostile first meeting. Amaranthe is no longer the bright-eyed and optimistic girl who led her team of outlaws to reckless feats; the events following her “private time” with Pike and the multiple deaths that she’d inadvertently caused in Forged in Blood I will forever haunt her and dampen her headstrong tendencies – realistic, but sadly so. Sicarius, on the other hand, have perhaps benefited more positively from the experiences of the past year than Amaranthe, since his exposure to her has taught him trust, given him love and allowed him to understand, appreciate and actively establish firmer human ties that will finally give him the happiness that he’d never experienced before. More importantly, now that the walls he’d built around his human emotions had been slowly but surely brought down by Amaranthe, we see Sicarius feeling the first stirrings of remorse when taking lives and even actively avoiding having to do so. And his often-awkward and uncertain attempts at levity or emoting in order to make Amaranthe happy? Adorable.
It’s incredible to consider how much their relationship has changed, which Sicarius had noted (I do love his POV for all the insight it has provided to his thoughts and feelings) – he has gone from initially regarding Amaranthe with cold disinterest in earlier books to developing grudging respect for her, then hesitant trust, attraction, and finally love and the knowledge that she gave his life warmth and meaning. As he acknowledged, it was chilling how close he had come to losing Amaranthe to Hollowcrest before he knew how much she’d mean to him. Amaranthe, meanwhile, has learnt to love and accept Sicarius for what he is and has thankfully outgrown her tendency for girlish insecurity and uncertainty to become far more confident and expressive about her love for him. This is perhaps why they have firmly established themselves as one of my favourite literary pairings of all time – their interactions are refreshingly open and honest, marked by a desire to express and communicate their feelings despite Sicarius’ disadvantages in the sphere of interpersonal interactions. Perhaps this is helped by the continuous danger present throughout their adventures and both Amaranthe and Sicarius’ preference for pragmatism, but it’s a nice change from the reliance on lies, misunderstandings and noble idiocy that many authors favour as a source of conflict.
Instead, it was clearly past the time for pretenses or exaggerated relationship obstacles and Sicarius’ acknowledgement of the depth of his feelings for Amaranthe (at least internally) leads to the developments that all fans of the couple have been waiting for. Absence clearly makes the heart grow fonder in Amaranthe and Sicarius’ case and the heartbreakingly sweet reunion after their enforced separation as well as their subsequent romantic encounters (initiated by Sicarius more often than not, which is just adorable) is well worth the wait.
One of the greatest highlights of the final book is the appearance of Admiral Starcrest, Tikaya Komitopis and their children, which many fans of Lindsay Buroker might know from Encrypted – Starcrest in particular is truly fascinating and the family adds new dimension to the final adventure, since Amaranthe’s team had previously worked exclusively due to their outlaw status. In many ways, it struck me that Starcrest (and not just his daughter Mahliki) is very much like Amaranthe; charismatic, quick-witted, prone to action and a natural leader, though with the benefit of years of experience and wisdom. I rather like the idea that he might be around to offer more fatherly advice for Amaranthe in her future activities (I doubt she’d be able to stay away from another leadership or planning role for long) as well as Sicarius. In fact, his loving relationship with Tikaya, their continued adventures together and their gaggle of children makes me contemplate how awesome it would be if Amaranthe and Sicarius themselves could one day be like Starcrest and Tikaya – travelling together, having adventures and eventually appearing in future Lindsay Buroker novels as equally happy but older versions of themselves, a pile of children (as Basilard had suggested) in tow. Fingers crossed.
The victorious ending to this adventure arc, unfortunately, is not without its heavy price – as Amaranthe commented, it is easy to put the deaths of thousands of strangers behind you, but that of a dear friend hits far harder. Despite the melancholic touch to everyone’s happy endings, however, there is a general sense of hopeful expectancy as lives move forward in the aftermath and it is perhaps sweetest of all that Sicarius is the one to conclude with an optimistic note. It’s hard to say goodbye to the team – Amaranthe, Sicarius, Maldynado, Books, Basilard, Akstyr (yes, even Akstyr) and Sespian and Yara – even knowing that there are exciting developments ahead because they will never be quite the “Emperor’s Edge” team of old, but I’m nevertheless looking forward to any future Amaranthe, Sicarius & Co. adventures that Lindsay Buroker may plot. At least I can be certain that they will be full of action, adventure and daring deeds.
The series finale brings together all the elements that made the Emperor’s Edge series such a joy to read – heart-stopping action thrills (as everyone has come to expect), magic and technology, daring feats and, most importantly, a wonderful cast of vivid characters that complement each other. It never ceases to amaze me that these books don’t feel crowded, despite the number of characters occupying its pages. The only downside is, for all that the author has called this the “Forge arc” and the focus on the very organization in the team’s adventures, it turned out that one “assassinly” sweep by Sicarius was really enough to bring the organization down rapidly and the battles of the book’s second half was less about Forge or any of the other contenders for the throne, but instead dealing with the chaotic fallout. It was, however, exceedingly clever how incidents Amaranthe’s team had experienced in previous books were woven in by the author – the makarovi from Dark Currents, the ice camp from Ice Cracker and even Amaranthe and Sicarius’ narrow escape from the wizard’s control in The Assassin’s Curse – everything has been factored in, even the seemingly incidental short stories. Through this, it is also clear how much has changed and how far the team members have come from their earlier adventures; the team venturing back into the Imperial Barracks and dungeons virtually brings the series full circle to where Amaranthe’s life had first veered away from the straight and narrow path of an enforcer with her escape from Hollowcrest.
Amaranthe and Sicarius, of course, are the two characters who came the furthest both individually and together from their hostile first meeting. Amaranthe is no longer the bright-eyed and optimistic girl who led her team of outlaws to reckless feats; the events following her “private time” with Pike and the multiple deaths that she’d inadvertently caused in Forged in Blood I will forever haunt her and dampen her headstrong tendencies – realistic, but sadly so. Sicarius, on the other hand, have perhaps benefited more positively from the experiences of the past year than Amaranthe, since his exposure to her has taught him trust, given him love and allowed him to understand, appreciate and actively establish firmer human ties that will finally give him the happiness that he’d never experienced before. More importantly, now that the walls he’d built around his human emotions had been slowly but surely brought down by Amaranthe, we see Sicarius feeling the first stirrings of remorse when taking lives and even actively avoiding having to do so. And his often-awkward and uncertain attempts at levity or emoting in order to make Amaranthe happy? Adorable.
It’s incredible to consider how much their relationship has changed, which Sicarius had noted (I do love his POV for all the insight it has provided to his thoughts and feelings) – he has gone from initially regarding Amaranthe with cold disinterest in earlier books to developing grudging respect for her, then hesitant trust, attraction, and finally love and the knowledge that she gave his life warmth and meaning. As he acknowledged, it was chilling how close he had come to losing Amaranthe to Hollowcrest before he knew how much she’d mean to him. Amaranthe, meanwhile, has learnt to love and accept Sicarius for what he is and has thankfully outgrown her tendency for girlish insecurity and uncertainty to become far more confident and expressive about her love for him. This is perhaps why they have firmly established themselves as one of my favourite literary pairings of all time – their interactions are refreshingly open and honest, marked by a desire to express and communicate their feelings despite Sicarius’ disadvantages in the sphere of interpersonal interactions. Perhaps this is helped by the continuous danger present throughout their adventures and both Amaranthe and Sicarius’ preference for pragmatism, but it’s a nice change from the reliance on lies, misunderstandings and noble idiocy that many authors favour as a source of conflict.
Instead, it was clearly past the time for pretenses or exaggerated relationship obstacles and Sicarius’ acknowledgement of the depth of his feelings for Amaranthe (at least internally) leads to the developments that all fans of the couple have been waiting for. Absence clearly makes the heart grow fonder in Amaranthe and Sicarius’ case and the heartbreakingly sweet reunion after their enforced separation as well as their subsequent romantic encounters (initiated by Sicarius more often than not, which is just adorable) is well worth the wait.
One of the greatest highlights of the final book is the appearance of Admiral Starcrest, Tikaya Komitopis and their children, which many fans of Lindsay Buroker might know from Encrypted – Starcrest in particular is truly fascinating and the family adds new dimension to the final adventure, since Amaranthe’s team had previously worked exclusively due to their outlaw status. In many ways, it struck me that Starcrest (and not just his daughter Mahliki) is very much like Amaranthe; charismatic, quick-witted, prone to action and a natural leader, though with the benefit of years of experience and wisdom. I rather like the idea that he might be around to offer more fatherly advice for Amaranthe in her future activities (I doubt she’d be able to stay away from another leadership or planning role for long) as well as Sicarius. In fact, his loving relationship with Tikaya, their continued adventures together and their gaggle of children makes me contemplate how awesome it would be if Amaranthe and Sicarius themselves could one day be like Starcrest and Tikaya – travelling together, having adventures and eventually appearing in future Lindsay Buroker novels as equally happy but older versions of themselves, a pile of children (as Basilard had suggested) in tow. Fingers crossed.
The victorious ending to this adventure arc, unfortunately, is not without its heavy price – as Amaranthe commented, it is easy to put the deaths of thousands of strangers behind you, but that of a dear friend hits far harder. Despite the melancholic touch to everyone’s happy endings, however, there is a general sense of hopeful expectancy as lives move forward in the aftermath and it is perhaps sweetest of all that Sicarius is the one to conclude with an optimistic note. It’s hard to say goodbye to the team – Amaranthe, Sicarius, Maldynado, Books, Basilard, Akstyr (yes, even Akstyr) and Sespian and Yara – even knowing that there are exciting developments ahead because they will never be quite the “Emperor’s Edge” team of old, but I’m nevertheless looking forward to any future Amaranthe, Sicarius & Co. adventures that Lindsay Buroker may plot. At least I can be certain that they will be full of action, adventure and daring deeds.
January 31, 2024
Everything we have read this series for! All the best points and none of the drawbacks from previous books are present. Loved it!
July 18, 2013
All Hail the Empress! Emperor's edge is an underrated but addictive series. The author takes time to interact with her readers and only takes a few months to churn out the next novel! And I think we all know the withdrawal pains from our favorite unfinished series. (Green Rider and Game of Thrones anyone?)
I loved this series and I had tears in my eyes at the conclusion of it. (WHY LINDSAY?! WHY?) To me, the characters have always driven the plot and their growth (one in particular) was satisfying. One small thing that bothered me was that there was too much growth squeezed into this book for Sicarius. He spent 6 books not really budging then BAM, there was emoting. Maybe because it was the extenuating circumstances our heroes found themselves in and the fact that we were in his POV. Nonetheless, it was a great ending to the series and I will forever thank my lucky stars that I came across it. I don't know why you'd be looking at a review for the seventh book in the series to see if you'd like to read it or not, but in case you need further convincing... her books are reasonably priced, she will respond to your tweets, messages, emails etc, she writes faster than the speed of a dying Stark in Westeros, and all her series are funny and action packed with a hint of hubba hubba :)
Also vague spoiler reference coming up... but Lindsay needs to write a novella detailing the events after those keys to the sub get used by their new and temporary owners. Just saying.
June 8, 2015
Oh, NOOOOO!!!! I cried like crazy!!! Why did it has to happen???? Whyyyy????!!!
A very sad ending... OK, other characters are happily together and finally Sicarius and Amaranthe are together and he's more "human" and so in love, but, still... I didn't wanted that to happen... :(((((
Now I must read also the 8th book because I'm missing all of them!
A wonderful, wonderful series!
A very sad ending... OK, other characters are happily together and finally Sicarius and Amaranthe are together and he's more "human" and so in love, but, still... I didn't wanted that to happen... :(((((
Now I must read also the 8th book because I'm missing all of them!
A wonderful, wonderful series!
February 12, 2019
The last book in the series is finished and I feel so sad that is over...
As I said in the previous reviews of the previous volumes the best part of this series were the awesome characters that pulled me in this unforgettable journey of many adventures and witty dialogue that made me burst laughing. This book in my opinion was the best of the best in the series and the reason is that I could follow the action with a clarity that I did not have in the previous volumes. This book made me read each page with a hungry eagerness that I never knew.
I loved all the characters development, the relationship between them (and I am not talking only about the romantic ones), the plot, the world, the humor. I loved how they evolved from strangers and even enemies to true friends that are loyal, helpful and comical to each other. Loved the slow romance between Amaranthe & Sicarius and also the growing relationship between Sicarius and his son. Loved Amaranthe's schemes and OCD behavior, loved Sicarius's dry lines and coolness, loved Maldynado's narcissism, loved Bas's soft heart, loved Yara's nagging, loved Books's boring over-explanations, loved Akstyr's cranky replies, loved Sespian's gentleness. Oh man I will really miss this characters so much !!!! 😭😭😭
I really applaud Lindsay Buroker for her original characters and I thank her for creating a remarkable heroine that has a witty humor, is not over dramatic or over powered with a good heart and imaginative and smart mind that changed the people around her in better persons with her insanely courage and plans!
The good news is that there is an after book of the series named Republic that I plan to read and for the fans of Six of Crows I totally recommend this series!
Book Trailer
Amaranthe & Sicarius
As I said in the previous reviews of the previous volumes the best part of this series were the awesome characters that pulled me in this unforgettable journey of many adventures and witty dialogue that made me burst laughing. This book in my opinion was the best of the best in the series and the reason is that I could follow the action with a clarity that I did not have in the previous volumes. This book made me read each page with a hungry eagerness that I never knew.
I loved all the characters development, the relationship between them (and I am not talking only about the romantic ones), the plot, the world, the humor. I loved how they evolved from strangers and even enemies to true friends that are loyal, helpful and comical to each other. Loved the slow romance between Amaranthe & Sicarius and also the growing relationship between Sicarius and his son. Loved Amaranthe's schemes and OCD behavior, loved Sicarius's dry lines and coolness, loved Maldynado's narcissism, loved Bas's soft heart, loved Yara's nagging, loved Books's boring over-explanations, loved Akstyr's cranky replies, loved Sespian's gentleness. Oh man I will really miss this characters so much !!!! 😭😭😭
I really applaud Lindsay Buroker for her original characters and I thank her for creating a remarkable heroine that has a witty humor, is not over dramatic or over powered with a good heart and imaginative and smart mind that changed the people around her in better persons with her insanely courage and plans!
The good news is that there is an after book of the series named Republic that I plan to read and for the fans of Six of Crows I totally recommend this series!
Book Trailer
Amaranthe & Sicarius
June 30, 2016
Let me tell you something really quick. I hate steampunk.
I really REALLY don't like it. Perhaps it's because even though I have tried to dive headfirst into the style and understand why gears are necessary for a top hat, I still don't really KNOW what it is.
But I ripped through every single one of these Emperors Edge books in a matter of days. DAYS.
I never thought I would like anything "steampunk". But three books in, a couple of Maldynado and Akstyr's conversations and a few brooding Sicarius stares later, I was absolutely hooked. Amaranthe is a wonder. And I'm a tough cookie with female protagonists because I usually fkking hate them. Sicarius was an extremely entertaining assassin to read about (especially after I had to sludge through Maas' "assassin" Celaena who was a damn disgrace) and the rest of the characters were just so damn loveable.
As the "conclusion" of sorts, though I know she writes more after this, this was the first book to make me cry. As a whole, I lost count of how many times I laughed at these books, bonded with the characters and felt like I lost my best friends as I turned the last page.
How an author like this isn't published, I can't fathom, because I think Lindsay Buroker is one of the most wonderful authors I have ever read.
I really REALLY don't like it. Perhaps it's because even though I have tried to dive headfirst into the style and understand why gears are necessary for a top hat, I still don't really KNOW what it is.
But I ripped through every single one of these Emperors Edge books in a matter of days. DAYS.
I never thought I would like anything "steampunk". But three books in, a couple of Maldynado and Akstyr's conversations and a few brooding Sicarius stares later, I was absolutely hooked. Amaranthe is a wonder. And I'm a tough cookie with female protagonists because I usually fkking hate them. Sicarius was an extremely entertaining assassin to read about (especially after I had to sludge through Maas' "assassin" Celaena who was a damn disgrace) and the rest of the characters were just so damn loveable.
As the "conclusion" of sorts, though I know she writes more after this, this was the first book to make me cry. As a whole, I lost count of how many times I laughed at these books, bonded with the characters and felt like I lost my best friends as I turned the last page.
How an author like this isn't published, I can't fathom, because I think Lindsay Buroker is one of the most wonderful authors I have ever read.
September 1, 2013
It's over. Oh no. I just finished the last book. I'm a little sad because I absolutely love The Emperor's Edge series. I adored Amarenthe from the get go. She is the best heroine ever! Spunky, funny, OCD, resourceful, clever and a little crazy. And Sicarious. OMG, cold, dangerous, impossibly strong, intimidating and highly intelligent is her perfect foil and partner. The rest of them; Maldynado, Books, Basilard, and even surly Akstyr made a zany steam punk A-Team.
Ok, now to the actual review of THIS book. The last installment felt rushed and uneven in content. The action, which there were a lot of was repetitive and identical to many scenes we've read in prior volumes. Hide-dodge-fight-escape. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. And there were some situations where I thought it impossible to survive much less quickly heal from. But I've come to take this series as pure entertainment and implausible in most situations. Do not do copy these feats at home kids!
Starcrest & Tikaya who are characters from LB's Encrypted series make a supporting appearance and add some back history. There were other characters - villains - who only appear for a time and easily dispatched. I wanted to see more of Sespian who was growing as a leader. Oh well. But LB kept the best for last. There was a character death, so sad. But we finally see Amarenthe and Sicarious get their act together. Yay! I will miss reading about this duo. I do hope LB will start another series about them, like Rick Riordan did with his Olympian characters.
Thank you Lindsay Buroker for writing an excellent and very entertaining, fun series! You give indie authors a great rep, and do a far better job than most published writers out there. Bravo.
Ok, now to the actual review of THIS book. The last installment felt rushed and uneven in content. The action, which there were a lot of was repetitive and identical to many scenes we've read in prior volumes. Hide-dodge-fight-escape. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. And there were some situations where I thought it impossible to survive much less quickly heal from. But I've come to take this series as pure entertainment and implausible in most situations. Do not do copy these feats at home kids!
Starcrest & Tikaya who are characters from LB's Encrypted series make a supporting appearance and add some back history. There were other characters - villains - who only appear for a time and easily dispatched. I wanted to see more of Sespian who was growing as a leader. Oh well. But LB kept the best for last. There was a character death, so sad. But we finally see Amarenthe and Sicarious get their act together. Yay! I will miss reading about this duo. I do hope LB will start another series about them, like Rick Riordan did with his Olympian characters.
Thank you Lindsay Buroker for writing an excellent and very entertaining, fun series! You give indie authors a great rep, and do a far better job than most published writers out there. Bravo.
September 3, 2016
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S OVER. Those Amaranthe and Sicarius scenes were definitely worth the wait. Yet, my heart is broken, and I still can't come to terms that Amaranthe's story is complete. WHAT IS READING? I guess I should get started on my pile of books I bought back in June. Thank you to Megan for recommending this series to me when I was asking about another random book I can't remember now. This series has been an amazing journey, and I already want to go back to book one and reread them all over again.
November 29, 2014
I don't know to properly review this final installment.
With the first 6 books in the series, there was a mad rush to sprint through all of them. But I found myself slowing down and really experiencing every aspect of this book. It definitely is a fitting end to the overall story arc.
With the first 6 books in the series, there was a mad rush to sprint through all of them. But I found myself slowing down and really experiencing every aspect of this book. It definitely is a fitting end to the overall story arc.
September 17, 2022
Well the series demonstrated characters who grew and developed over time in a positive way. There were no developed antagonists, although the general background of the emperor's succession was antagonistic. Amaranth's team also gradually grew to where she had an army with her, but then she kind of lost control of the leadership role. Good series of stories. Naturally, there is another story, probably a series as well. I'll consider it later.
September 5, 2018
Brilliant series. I see why she had to write two more as add-ons. But if this is the end, can I count it as a series finished, or do I have to wait to read the 'extras'?
Proper review to follow
Proper review to follow
Read
September 6, 2016This covers both halves of Forged in Blood as they really are one very long book split into two.
The wild ride ends! Things I loved: the banter, Amaranthe being bad-ass, but when she gets reckless and causes spectacular damage, she pays the emotional cost. I loved having more female characters, and the ending was deeply satisfying. I loved getting into Sicarius's head at last, and thought his total emotional disconnect very well done. I especially loved his scenes with Sespian, when he kept trying, and screwing up, in spite of his intellectualizing and analyzing every interaction.
Things that I thought maybe needed another pass: sometimes the action sequences seemed to go on too long. Even though the stakes were high, they were high on that same note, which can be oddly fatiguing, at least for me, if there are fewer different types of scenes to break up the pacing.
Also, perhaps it was written too fast, or the copy editor was too excited by the story to catch the glitches, because there were a lot more grammatical mistakes, typos, and words used incorrectly. Plus small infelicities like "faint nuance" (a nuance is faint) that I think Buroker's ear would have caught at less of a headlong pace. And, finally, , but still and all a terrific read overall when it is fit into place at the end of the entire roman fleuve.
The end left me wishing for more with these characters, and I am glad to see that that is indeed the case.
The wild ride ends! Things I loved: the banter, Amaranthe being bad-ass, but when she gets reckless and causes spectacular damage, she pays the emotional cost. I loved having more female characters, and the ending was deeply satisfying. I loved getting into Sicarius's head at last, and thought his total emotional disconnect very well done. I especially loved his scenes with Sespian, when he kept trying, and screwing up, in spite of his intellectualizing and analyzing every interaction.
Things that I thought maybe needed another pass: sometimes the action sequences seemed to go on too long. Even though the stakes were high, they were high on that same note, which can be oddly fatiguing, at least for me, if there are fewer different types of scenes to break up the pacing.
Also, perhaps it was written too fast, or the copy editor was too excited by the story to catch the glitches, because there were a lot more grammatical mistakes, typos, and words used incorrectly. Plus small infelicities like "faint nuance" (a nuance is faint) that I think Buroker's ear would have caught at less of a headlong pace. And, finally, , but still and all a terrific read overall when it is fit into place at the end of the entire roman fleuve.
The end left me wishing for more with these characters, and I am glad to see that that is indeed the case.
July 18, 2013
I laughed, I cried, I grinned like an idiot the whole time. I am so sad that this adventure is over, but what a great adventure it was. FiB2 gives us another look into the mind of Sicarius as did FiB1, which left off with a nasty cliffhanger.
In the beginning the team is separated with many thinking the others are dead. For Sicarius this is especially devastating since he is starting to finally open the door to his human emotions. Captured by a Nurian practitioner, Sicarius is forced into actions he no longer wishes to do, but with the thoughts of his son and Amaranthe dead, what choice does he have?
After their crash from the Behemoth, Amaranthe, Books and Akstyr find themselves a new ally with Fleet Admiral Starcrest. After fearing the worst for her men, especially Sicarius, Amaranthe is determined to not only save them; but to put an end to this quest once and for all.
I won't give away too much, but why why why couldn't everyone survive?? I cried, it wasn't fair. I could see the poetic side in his death, but it still broke my heart.
On the upside, Amaranthe and Sicarius FINALLY got to sheet wrestle. I won't not give that away since it's just a given that it would happen ;) Really happy for Sicarius and how much he has grown. Hoping this isn't the end for Amaranthe and Sicaruis and the rest of the gang <3
In the beginning the team is separated with many thinking the others are dead. For Sicarius this is especially devastating since he is starting to finally open the door to his human emotions. Captured by a Nurian practitioner, Sicarius is forced into actions he no longer wishes to do, but with the thoughts of his son and Amaranthe dead, what choice does he have?
After their crash from the Behemoth, Amaranthe, Books and Akstyr find themselves a new ally with Fleet Admiral Starcrest. After fearing the worst for her men, especially Sicarius, Amaranthe is determined to not only save them; but to put an end to this quest once and for all.
I won't give away too much, but why why why couldn't everyone survive?? I cried, it wasn't fair. I could see the poetic side in his death, but it still broke my heart.
On the upside, Amaranthe and Sicarius FINALLY got to sheet wrestle. I won't not give that away since it's just a given that it would happen ;) Really happy for Sicarius and how much he has grown. Hoping this isn't the end for Amaranthe and Sicaruis and the rest of the gang <3
July 7, 2018
I actually finished this book a couple of days ago already but just now found the time to finally write a review of sorts. The story gets better with each book and I'm really satisfied knowing that I decided to continue with the series although the first one wasn't the best book around.
This book finally manages to introduce the reader to some points we have very anxiously waited for since book II, maybe even book I the earliest. So far Buroker teased us with one or other way but she finally delivered and I'm actually very happy with the result. (I guess I can't be more vague about the topic, but since I do not want to spoil it for others I'll leave it at that and will not clarify anything...)
Some of the things we have waited the resolution for since book IV also find their solution and I'm quite happy with the way the bad guys found their end, but I'm less satisfied with the ending for Amaranthe's team. There are two more full-length stories in the series and I'm somewhat curious as to how Buroker intends to solve this issue of sorts.
Maybe I should look into acquiring my dead tree copies as well as I feel that I could enjoy reading this series more than once, but I tend to like to re-read books in the dead tree copy format rather than the ebook format.
Hope to find the time for the next book as soon as possible.
This book finally manages to introduce the reader to some points we have very anxiously waited for since book II, maybe even book I the earliest. So far Buroker teased us with one or other way but she finally delivered and I'm actually very happy with the result. (I guess I can't be more vague about the topic, but since I do not want to spoil it for others I'll leave it at that and will not clarify anything...)
Some of the things we have waited the resolution for since book IV also find their solution and I'm quite happy with the way the bad guys found their end, but I'm less satisfied with the ending for Amaranthe's team. There are two more full-length stories in the series and I'm somewhat curious as to how Buroker intends to solve this issue of sorts.
Maybe I should look into acquiring my dead tree copies as well as I feel that I could enjoy reading this series more than once, but I tend to like to re-read books in the dead tree copy format rather than the ebook format.
Hope to find the time for the next book as soon as possible.
July 3, 2013
I liked most of this book, and most of it felt like a really good conclusion to the series. But I found the denouement really unsatisfying, in a dramatic and emotional sense.
Rather than have the pivotal, concluding battle be against any of the pretenders to the throne, it was against wild beasts and a mob of citizens and gang members. And Books death, the only member of Amaranthe's direct crew to die, happened off screen and lost a lot of the emotional impact if should have had. Finally, calling the death of all those people, even if they were gang members, a net good didn't sit well with me.
The epilogue was more in keeping with the rest of the book, but that big fight scene really left a bad taste in my brain and lessened some of my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
I still recommend this series, it's just too bad the last book doesn't quite live up to the promise of the whole.
Rather than have the pivotal, concluding battle be against any of the pretenders to the throne, it was against wild beasts and a mob of citizens and gang members. And Books death, the only member of Amaranthe's direct crew to die, happened off screen and lost a lot of the emotional impact if should have had. Finally, calling the death of all those people, even if they were gang members, a net good didn't sit well with me.
The epilogue was more in keeping with the rest of the book, but that big fight scene really left a bad taste in my brain and lessened some of my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
I still recommend this series, it's just too bad the last book doesn't quite live up to the promise of the whole.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2014
A touching end to a series I've been obsessed over for the entire weekend and a weekday. I'm sad that the series is over but also relieved that I can sleep for more than a couple hours now. Heh.
It wasn't the best book in the series, and I do admit that a few scenes were dragged a lot; but on a whole this has been a pretty addictive and adventurous journey.
Now.. I can catch up to novellas and the other two books in the Emperor's Edge world, eh? Who needs sleep anyway? *gives a slight deranged laugh*
It wasn't the best book in the series, and I do admit that a few scenes were dragged a lot; but on a whole this has been a pretty addictive and adventurous journey.
Now.. I can catch up to novellas and the other two books in the Emperor's Edge world, eh? Who needs sleep anyway? *gives a slight deranged laugh*
December 21, 2019
Very good ending! No OTT ideas from Amaranthe. Just a straight conclusion to everything set into motion. Ms. Burocker created an engaging cast of characters. Now, if only she’d write tighter, leaner books.
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