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The Seven Kennings #3
A Curse of Krakens
From the New York Times bestselling creator of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes the final book in the epic fantasy trilogy that began with A Plague of Giants, about a war that broke a continent—and opened the door to a new world.Seeker and SowerPen Yas ben Min’s cousin was one of the legendary heroes of the wars against the giants until her untimely death. Pen has grown up in her famous cousin’s shadow, but when she’s given a quest to plant the seed of the magical Fourth Tree, she has a chance to step into the light—and usher in a new age for her country.Fighter and FriendAbhi’s life—and the world—changed when he discovered a lost the power to speak to animals. After fighting so many battles, he’s weary and longs for home and his love, Tamhan. But before he can return, there is one last mission that only Abhi can to speak to the colossal creatures who wait beneath the waves—the krakens.Sailor and ExplorerKoesha and her shipmates have already made an impossible journey by navigating the Northern Yawn, at the end of which she secured an unusual cloak. But when that cloak turns out to be the key to unlocking the mystery of the Seventh Kenning, Koesha has to risk everything on another life-threatening journey and hope that she can steer her crew to safety.Don’t miss any of Kevin Hearne’s action-packed Seven Kennings seriesA PLAGUE OF GIANTS A BLIGHT OF BLACKWINGS A CURSE OF KRAKENS
512 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2023
222 people are currently reading
5870 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Hearne
72 books12.8k followersKevin is the NYT bestselling author of the Iron Druid Chronicles, as well as The Seven Kennings, an epic fantasy trilogy, and the Tales of Pell, a humorous fantasy series co-authored with Delilah S. Dawson. INK & SIGIL, a new urban fantasy series set in the Iron Druid universe, will be out in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
November 1, 2023
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
A Curse of Krakens completes Hearne's intricate high fantasy trilogy. I won't delve into spoilers, and hence will avoid a full recap of events. What I will say: read the series from the start. Fall in love with everyone's favorite mustard-loving scholar. Boggle at the uniqueness of the magic systems (I especially love the mad skills of bards). Enjoy how Hearne focuses on positivity through his broad cast of characters. These books, despite the honest depictions of war and loss, lean into hope, and through the end, a sense of idealism. That feel really sets this trilogy apart.
A Curse of Krakens completes Hearne's intricate high fantasy trilogy. I won't delve into spoilers, and hence will avoid a full recap of events. What I will say: read the series from the start. Fall in love with everyone's favorite mustard-loving scholar. Boggle at the uniqueness of the magic systems (I especially love the mad skills of bards). Enjoy how Hearne focuses on positivity through his broad cast of characters. These books, despite the honest depictions of war and loss, lean into hope, and through the end, a sense of idealism. That feel really sets this trilogy apart.
December 19, 2023
I know that writing endings is hard, and this novel certainly did not live up to the first two books, but I’ll get to the actual meat of the review later. First, let me touch on an issue that may not be a problem for the majority of the readers, but which seriously marred my reading experience – the “Eculan” language.
A word of advice for writers: if you are going to make the questionable choice of basing one of your fantasy cultures/languages on real-life ones, do not rely on your own research (or gods forbid on Google Translate). Find an actual native speaker of the language in question – I bet the internet will be more than happy to help. That way you will avoid having your glorious fantasy cast of Fintan, Tallynd and Koesha face the terrible villains Bubba, Jenny and Stevie (Gojko, Milena and Draško, in case you were wondering). Hearne has opted to base Eculan on a loose amalgam of Serbo-Croatian mixed with random bits of other “Slavish”, which in itself is not an issue, the problem is that out of all the wonderful options for names those languages provide (e.g. Vuk, Ognjen, etc.) he picked extremely silly ones for people that are supposed to be rough and tough and scary.
While occasionally Hearne has very clearly and precisely translated words, names and sentences, oftentimes he uses gibberish phrases that probably sound vaguely OK to him, but really trip up a reader that actually knows those languages. He also uses Slavic words to name places, but he does so by using plain infinitives – one of the islands is called “Drvo” (“Tree”) because, well, it has a lot of trees, but not even English speakers name places that way – just as in English you would name a place like that “/Something/ Wood”, or “Lumber Island” or something other than just “Tree”, in Serbo-Croatian we have a bunch of places such as “Drvar” or “Drvenik” that have “tree” or “wood” as a base. He also tends to do the English thing of smashing two nominatives together to get a compound place name (“Riba Oči” – “Fish Eyes”), which just plain doesn’t work in Slavic languages (the correct name would be “Riblje Oči” or maaaaybe “Oči Riba”, although I cannot imagine anyone sane naming a town/city something like that). And then for whatever reason once it comes to the districts within an Eculan city, he just gives up on the “woo factor” and gives their names as translated into English.
Of course, if you’ve decided to write your fantasy novel in this manner and don’t give a fig about the fact that someone might actually speak those languages as they are reading the novel and find all of this weird and silly, that’s cool and you are free to do so, but then be ready to be mercilessly mocked when we actually do read it.
Now, as for the book, after the pleasant surprise of the first one and emotional impact of the second, this was a massive letdown. Hearne has basically written a “post-9/11 Western coalition liberates Middle-Eastern country and brings democracy to their oppressed populace” fantasy brimming with the stereotype of the enlightened US soldier suffering oh-so-much because of the fact that he must go to a third-world country and kill all those poor people there to prevent them from oppressing themselves. Graft onto this an almost masturbatory wish-fulfilment fantasy where every social system that works is an idealized western-style liberal-leftist democracy, while all other social systems are failing miserably and their populaces are suffering until, either by dint of revolution or sudden change of power by other means, a western-style liberal-leftist democracy is installed, ushering in a golden age for everyone which is both wildly unrealistic and really, really irritating, and I say this as someone who thinks a western-style liberal leftist democracy is one of the best social systems there is.
Furthermore, most of the characters have been reduced to mere caricatures (“clever but silly gay dude obsessed with mustard”), and throughout the book there is no real sense of danger, as every plan works out perfectly, every event works out in favor of our heroes, and though some people die, they have been made so two-dimensional that we don’t really care and I was just waiting for everyone to finish up and get their wishes fulfilled so I can move on to the next book on my to-read pile.
A word of advice for writers: if you are going to make the questionable choice of basing one of your fantasy cultures/languages on real-life ones, do not rely on your own research (or gods forbid on Google Translate). Find an actual native speaker of the language in question – I bet the internet will be more than happy to help. That way you will avoid having your glorious fantasy cast of Fintan, Tallynd and Koesha face the terrible villains Bubba, Jenny and Stevie (Gojko, Milena and Draško, in case you were wondering). Hearne has opted to base Eculan on a loose amalgam of Serbo-Croatian mixed with random bits of other “Slavish”, which in itself is not an issue, the problem is that out of all the wonderful options for names those languages provide (e.g. Vuk, Ognjen, etc.) he picked extremely silly ones for people that are supposed to be rough and tough and scary.
While occasionally Hearne has very clearly and precisely translated words, names and sentences, oftentimes he uses gibberish phrases that probably sound vaguely OK to him, but really trip up a reader that actually knows those languages. He also uses Slavic words to name places, but he does so by using plain infinitives – one of the islands is called “Drvo” (“Tree”) because, well, it has a lot of trees, but not even English speakers name places that way – just as in English you would name a place like that “/Something/ Wood”, or “Lumber Island” or something other than just “Tree”, in Serbo-Croatian we have a bunch of places such as “Drvar” or “Drvenik” that have “tree” or “wood” as a base. He also tends to do the English thing of smashing two nominatives together to get a compound place name (“Riba Oči” – “Fish Eyes”), which just plain doesn’t work in Slavic languages (the correct name would be “Riblje Oči” or maaaaybe “Oči Riba”, although I cannot imagine anyone sane naming a town/city something like that). And then for whatever reason once it comes to the districts within an Eculan city, he just gives up on the “woo factor” and gives their names as translated into English.
Of course, if you’ve decided to write your fantasy novel in this manner and don’t give a fig about the fact that someone might actually speak those languages as they are reading the novel and find all of this weird and silly, that’s cool and you are free to do so, but then be ready to be mercilessly mocked when we actually do read it.
Now, as for the book, after the pleasant surprise of the first one and emotional impact of the second, this was a massive letdown. Hearne has basically written a “post-9/11 Western coalition liberates Middle-Eastern country and brings democracy to their oppressed populace” fantasy brimming with the stereotype of the enlightened US soldier suffering oh-so-much because of the fact that he must go to a third-world country and kill all those poor people there to prevent them from oppressing themselves. Graft onto this an almost masturbatory wish-fulfilment fantasy where every social system that works is an idealized western-style liberal-leftist democracy, while all other social systems are failing miserably and their populaces are suffering until, either by dint of revolution or sudden change of power by other means, a western-style liberal-leftist democracy is installed, ushering in a golden age for everyone which is both wildly unrealistic and really, really irritating, and I say this as someone who thinks a western-style liberal leftist democracy is one of the best social systems there is.
Furthermore, most of the characters have been reduced to mere caricatures (“clever but silly gay dude obsessed with mustard”), and throughout the book there is no real sense of danger, as every plan works out perfectly, every event works out in favor of our heroes, and though some people die, they have been made so two-dimensional that we don’t really care and I was just waiting for everyone to finish up and get their wishes fulfilled so I can move on to the next book on my to-read pile.
November 13, 2023
A Curse of Krakens is the third and final book in the wonderful Seven Kennings fantasy series from one of my favorite authors, Kevin Hearne. The massive story is set in a world where certain members of the population are blessed with Kennings: the ability to manipulate one of the four elements, plants, or animals. The six nations of Teldwen are dealing with the aftermath from an invasion of a previously unknown race, the Eculans, also known as the Bone Giants, and the knowledge that a second invasion is being planned. The book picks up immediately after the conclusion of the second book, A Blight of Blackwings, on Day 40 of the Bard’s tales. Reading the books of the series in order is a MUST.
As with the previous books, over half of A Curse of Krakens is shared in two ways within each chapter: both in present day and in flashbacks that cover the past several months (and are getting closer to current time). The present day narrative is shared by Dervan, a Brynt scholar and historian. Dervan continues to accompany Fintan, the Raelic Master Bard, creating a written record of the knowledge and tales Fintan shares with the masses on Survivor Field. A Raelic bard has perfect memory recall and the ability to transform shape into the character whose story he shares.
Which leads to the second method of storytelling: Fintan’s recounting of the events of the very recent past. By taking on the personas of key figures of the invasion and its aftermath and sharing their stories, Fintan allows the survivors (and readers) to slowly learn about how the lands arrived in their current state. Each character is carefully selected, and over the course of the book, we begin to see important connections that aren’t obvious at first. There is action and personal growth, grieving and joy, all serving to paint an accurate picture of what life is like. I appreciate that not everyone has a larger-than-life persona and some heroes are everyday people. The stories are both informative and personal, not only providing important puzzle pieces, but also creating a heart for this epic tale.
Fintan’s stories allow the survivors to learn about the discovery of two new Kennings, the birth of two cities, meeting people from across the sea, and witnessing a god in action. Hearne gives readers an original and completely satisfying history to his world, and my mind may have exploded a few times in the telling. About midway through A Curse of Krakens, Fintan completes his stories, and at this point, the joint forces of Teldwen and their allies take the fight to Ecula, and the story is shared in the first person of several key players that support the confrontation.
Overall, A Curse of Krakens and the Seven Kennings series share the stories of a world at the point of tremendous change: the uprising of the oppressed who demand a new government, relationships reevaluated, making new friends and allies, finding new ways to navigate the globe, and learning that the world is much bigger than the lands of Teldwen. The story is epic, but told in a way that makes it personal and intimate. I have come to care about these characters, following them on their journey, and I am thankful to witness them through a trial for the ages. The world is diverse and amazing, with so many peoples, animals, settings, and manifestations of the Kennings. Mr. Hearne created a full and lush world that fills my mind with awe, and the truths discovered in this book continue to blow me away days after finishing the story.
Narration: The performances of Luke Daniels and Xe Sands are phenomenal! As I mentioned, the story is shared in two different ways. Dervan is shared via his first person POV, with Fintan’s seemings and stories shared via first person of that character. Most of the narrative is read by Mr. Daniels. He is the primary voices of Dervan and Fintan, as well as all male flashback/memories. Ms. Sands jumps in to share all female-centric stories and POVs. Both provide a massive array of accents and tones, ranging heavy and deep, to airy and light, giving each character and race unique and identifiable traits. Both provide such a variety of inflections and emotions; their ranges wow’d me. It was so easy to get lost in their storytelling, enabling me to sit back and enjoy this story.
In the end, I have fallen in love with the world of the Seven Kennings. Mr. Hearne brings his epic tale to a satisfying close and allows readers a glimpse of where the world is headed after so many changes. I appreciate that the author checks in with most everyone by the end of the book, whether for good or bad, there is closure. I have laughed and cried along side many of the characters, parting ways until the next time I jump in for a re-read.
My Rating: A
Narration: A
Review copy provided by Penguin Random House Audio
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
October 12, 2023
The Seven Kennings has been a really satisfying trilogy to read. I've loved the diversity of characters of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and abilities. It feels like this series was written for me as someone with a history degree and minors in political science and religious studies. Kevin Hearne did an amazing job of thinking through how the different cultures would have impacted how religions developed, how politics played out in different regions, and how seemingly insignificant individuals play a role in history.
A Curse of Krakens lets us follow up with our favorite characters from A Plague of Giants and A Blight of Blackwings. We find out the trajectory of Hanima and Nent after the discovery of a kenning in that country (and why it was discovered when it was). We also find out about Koesha and her crew, more about Ecula and the people there and about Gondel Vedd and his mustards. I really appreciate the humor in these books and that different characters find different things funny. Some have childish/crass senses of humor, some are more cerebral, and some find more physical things funny.
I'll probably read this one again sooner than later. I appreciate having gained early access from Netgalley and the publisher for a review, but I really want to listen to the audio version! I love the narration from Luke Daniels and Xe Sands and I don't want to miss it on this installment.
A Curse of Krakens lets us follow up with our favorite characters from A Plague of Giants and A Blight of Blackwings. We find out the trajectory of Hanima and Nent after the discovery of a kenning in that country (and why it was discovered when it was). We also find out about Koesha and her crew, more about Ecula and the people there and about Gondel Vedd and his mustards. I really appreciate the humor in these books and that different characters find different things funny. Some have childish/crass senses of humor, some are more cerebral, and some find more physical things funny.
I'll probably read this one again sooner than later. I appreciate having gained early access from Netgalley and the publisher for a review, but I really want to listen to the audio version! I love the narration from Luke Daniels and Xe Sands and I don't want to miss it on this installment.
November 14, 2023
Author forces his beliefs on reader,
- We get you hate religion and everyone should just chill and eat mustard
- Child understanding of politic, economy and human behavior
I blame the editor
- Terrible dialogues
- Exposition dialogue are outrageous
- So much telling little showing
- So much repetition and explanation, readers are smart enough to figure it out.
Who are these people
- The convos do not feel natural, no character has a unique language pattern
- Characters do stupid things that they should know better
- The good guys are paragons of virtue and the villains are irredeemable
- Hearne doesn’t know how to create endearing traits or wit or humor.
How not to world build 101
- Don’t explain magic with science
- Should have dropped the Fintan storytelling model
- Diches the plot, world building and characterization for weak half-assed philosophy
- The Eculans were disappointing and uninteresting.
Note my review is this harsh because my hopes were higher
- We get you hate religion and everyone should just chill and eat mustard
- Child understanding of politic, economy and human behavior
I blame the editor
- Terrible dialogues
- Exposition dialogue are outrageous
- So much telling little showing
- So much repetition and explanation, readers are smart enough to figure it out.
Who are these people
- The convos do not feel natural, no character has a unique language pattern
- Characters do stupid things that they should know better
- The good guys are paragons of virtue and the villains are irredeemable
- Hearne doesn’t know how to create endearing traits or wit or humor.
How not to world build 101
- Don’t explain magic with science
- Should have dropped the Fintan storytelling model
- Diches the plot, world building and characterization for weak half-assed philosophy
- The Eculans were disappointing and uninteresting.
Note my review is this harsh because my hopes were higher
November 15, 2023
the epic finale for a great fantasy series. the final battle of the seven kennings did not disappoint. as an overview... sure there were a ton of characters and side stories but I've read the wheel of time so a whole bunch of characters with names that you can kind of sort of remember but then immediately forget is not a big deal for me. par for the course in a fantasy novel. i appreciate the real sense of diversity in this book like its not all just white elves, or white giants, or white little dwarves. there is cultural and ethnic diversity and its not just in there with no actual merit to the story. each of the characters really teach you about how their different cultures/peoples live and it works for them. or they experience social changes due to interacting with others. i loved the tree peoples and the peoples that established a new type of government thanks to talking to animals. *see i already forgot their names cause i listened to the audiobook* and regarding the audiobook. wowowowowow. kudos to the narrators. they really did an awesome job with this material. i hope someone creates more illustrations in the future because the map and few drawings i've seen online are not enough.
I highly recommend this to fans of fantasy books that take you on a journey and leave you with satisfying endings and hope for future stories
I highly recommend this to fans of fantasy books that take you on a journey and leave you with satisfying endings and hope for future stories
January 10, 2024
An absolutely incredible finale to Hearne's epic fantasy series. Loved this series, the character development and world building were both excellent. I'm sad it's over, I thoroughly enjoyed living in this world for three (long) books.
Read
April 15, 2024I really enjoyed the first two books but either it’s been too long and I have forgotten everything or this book was really boring.
July 18, 2025
This completes the very long and ambitious trilogy. It's a tale of war, revolution, cults, kings, and a world of clashing cultures and personalities. Oh, and some gods. And it even has real-world relevance on top of all that. The unique way it's told essentially has several first person POV characters, which provides a broad and interesting view of this world of change, but it also necessitates a drawn out conclusion to provide a final update on everyone's stories. It's a good read for fans of complex epic fantasy.
April 29, 2024
A fitting end to the seven kennings trilogy. Beautifully written, with compelling characters and expertly crafted action, Hearne ended things in the nest manner possible.
My only, minor, gripe is that it took a little while to get back into it because of the time between books. There is no delay getting started and if you don't remember the characters well, you'll briefly be a little adrift. Recommend re-reading the first two before this one. Definitely not required, but might be a good idea.
I'll be eagerly awaiting what Mr. Hearne comes up with next!
My only, minor, gripe is that it took a little while to get back into it because of the time between books. There is no delay getting started and if you don't remember the characters well, you'll briefly be a little adrift. Recommend re-reading the first two before this one. Definitely not required, but might be a good idea.
I'll be eagerly awaiting what Mr. Hearne comes up with next!
December 20, 2025
3.3 Stars
Characters felt way more one dimensional than the past books like they were going backwards in terms of development
overall ending was entirely too cozy and a little lame for my taste.
A lot less excitement and conflict than the first two it felt
Great series overall, glad I read them
Characters felt way more one dimensional than the past books like they were going backwards in terms of development
overall ending was entirely too cozy and a little lame for my taste.
A lot less excitement and conflict than the first two it felt
Great series overall, glad I read them
December 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this series. I loved the world building and all the different kennings. I was very happy with this conclusion as it tied up all the loose ends. Kevin Hearne did not disappoint.
January 11, 2024
Really good conclusion to the series. Maybe a little less "dark" than I would've wanted but still a good read.
December 27, 2023
Great ending of a great trilogy.
Hearne knew what he was doing during worldbuilding the world of Teldwen. Revelation part of the book was simply mind-blowing After the encounter with Lorson in 2nd volume, I thought I knew everything important, but it wasn´t even half of it.
I also enjoyed climaxes of characters (especially my favourite Koesha Gansu) and the general climax of the story.
As Slovak, I find it amusing that Hearne chose Slavic language (probably Croatian or Serbian) as a base for the eculan tongue. To see words like "Saavić", "Žalost", "Riba oči" or "Sveto selo" scattered in the english text is... specific :)
Only negative is the epilogue part, where everything is suddenly so positive and great and intentions of (remaining) characters are so pure and compassionate... Meh. That is the only reason I am giving 4*, but it is surely awesome book worth reading.
Hearne knew what he was doing during worldbuilding the world of Teldwen. Revelation part of the book was simply mind-blowing After the encounter with Lorson in 2nd volume, I thought I knew everything important, but it wasn´t even half of it.
I also enjoyed climaxes of characters (especially my favourite Koesha Gansu) and the general climax of the story.
As Slovak, I find it amusing that Hearne chose Slavic language (probably Croatian or Serbian) as a base for the eculan tongue. To see words like "Saavić", "Žalost", "Riba oči" or "Sveto selo" scattered in the english text is... specific :)
Only negative is the epilogue part, where everything is suddenly so positive and great and intentions of (remaining) characters are so pure and compassionate... Meh. That is the only reason I am giving 4*, but it is surely awesome book worth reading.
March 17, 2024
This was a great end to the series. I loved where all the characters ended up and some of the ways they choose to remember characters that didn't make it. I think the whole world and magic in this world was very clever and well thought through. This book made me cheer at points, shout at others and come very close to tears a number of times. I'm so sad that my time in the world is over.
April 29, 2024
A perfect wrap-up for a damn fine trilogy. I loved every minute of it.
July 13, 2024
Below is broken down into the good, the bad, the ugly, and the plot holes. I'd give this 3.5 stars if I could.
The Good: Well written and an interesting story. There are lots of disparate stories that blend together into a delightful whole. The world building is interesting, and the new complex magic system, the kennings are well thought out and engaging.
The Bad: Too many complex names, a lot of characters. The names are so complex that you easily and often forget them. This means you often can't recall whose who or what their back story to this point is. It's more complicated than it needs to be. However, here's where it shows how well written it is. Within a page or two, the author will include a few reminiscent references to remind you who is who. However, even with this, it often just feels overwhelming wondering who the heck this particular 3 barreled name is, especially when it's so similar to another 3 barrelled name mentioned earlier.
The story is beautifully crafted, and the skill in which the disparate stories are broken down into little pieces and interwoven with other little stories is extremely well done. However, there are so many different threads that it can sometimes feel overwhelming and too complicated. For me, with each new book, within a few chapters i was lost and I had to reread the previous books again to remind myself who all the various characters were from last time, and of the many many different overlapping plots and stories. If I put the book down for a few days going back to it could feel a tad overwhelming trying to get all the threads into a workable order in my head again.Yes, that's a contradiction, but it's a genuine reflection of how I found all these books. I both loved the stories and the complex interwoven plots and simultaneously hated them and found it aggravating. Whilst reading I was enthralled and engaged, but if I put down the book just for just a few days, I would go back to it feeling lost and overwhelmed, until I got back into the story. I struggle to recall all the many many plot threads and little stories from the first two books that are referenced here in this one. Sometimes, the author gives us reminders, often not though. Luckily, the passing references aren't needed in the context of the current stories, so although it's an annoyance, it isn't enough to ruin the story.
The Ugly: Tries too hard to be politically correct. Almost all the main characters are in same sex relationships. The men have husbands, the women wives. To the point that you wonder how there was even a population to be invaded. This is emphasised as all the same sex relationships have big portions where they interact or think about their partners. Which is then repeated often for each character in same sex relationships.The very rare characters not in same sex relationships don't get to interact, mention, or think about their partners barely at all, if they even do! Just a passing mention at most that so and so is their wife. This imbalance makes it feel like it's trying too hard to be politically relevant. The same consideration to none same sex partners and you probably wouldn't notice how imbalanced all the main characters are in this regard. Instead, it becomes grating as it feels forced and wedged into the story. This makes it stand out too much and distracts from a well crafted story. There was an awareness of this in the first two books, but there the none same sex relations got almost equal mention so it felt more natural and less glaring and so not worth mentioning.
The plot holes: For the most part, this story is beautifully crafted. It is a master piece in many regards. But some things are so daft they do annoy. And there are a few. Without ruining the story, one such example. A monumentally important cloak, key to saving an entire nation, property of said nation is acquired under suspect conditions by a foreign national. Who did an unfair trade, knowing they were ripping off the other, with a gullable official who did not own it or have the right to trade it. Yet they honour this trade? On what planet would this occur? At best, it's dealing in stolen goods. You would explain it wasn't theirs to trade. Thereby, you have illegally obtained our property. Here's your items back, now give us back our property that's extremely important for national security. But no, they don't do this. What occurs instead is illogical and unbelievable.
The Good: Well written and an interesting story. There are lots of disparate stories that blend together into a delightful whole. The world building is interesting, and the new complex magic system, the kennings are well thought out and engaging.
The Bad: Too many complex names, a lot of characters. The names are so complex that you easily and often forget them. This means you often can't recall whose who or what their back story to this point is. It's more complicated than it needs to be. However, here's where it shows how well written it is. Within a page or two, the author will include a few reminiscent references to remind you who is who. However, even with this, it often just feels overwhelming wondering who the heck this particular 3 barreled name is, especially when it's so similar to another 3 barrelled name mentioned earlier.
The story is beautifully crafted, and the skill in which the disparate stories are broken down into little pieces and interwoven with other little stories is extremely well done. However, there are so many different threads that it can sometimes feel overwhelming and too complicated. For me, with each new book, within a few chapters i was lost and I had to reread the previous books again to remind myself who all the various characters were from last time, and of the many many different overlapping plots and stories. If I put the book down for a few days going back to it could feel a tad overwhelming trying to get all the threads into a workable order in my head again.Yes, that's a contradiction, but it's a genuine reflection of how I found all these books. I both loved the stories and the complex interwoven plots and simultaneously hated them and found it aggravating. Whilst reading I was enthralled and engaged, but if I put down the book just for just a few days, I would go back to it feeling lost and overwhelmed, until I got back into the story. I struggle to recall all the many many plot threads and little stories from the first two books that are referenced here in this one. Sometimes, the author gives us reminders, often not though. Luckily, the passing references aren't needed in the context of the current stories, so although it's an annoyance, it isn't enough to ruin the story.
The Ugly: Tries too hard to be politically correct. Almost all the main characters are in same sex relationships. The men have husbands, the women wives. To the point that you wonder how there was even a population to be invaded. This is emphasised as all the same sex relationships have big portions where they interact or think about their partners. Which is then repeated often for each character in same sex relationships.The very rare characters not in same sex relationships don't get to interact, mention, or think about their partners barely at all, if they even do! Just a passing mention at most that so and so is their wife. This imbalance makes it feel like it's trying too hard to be politically relevant. The same consideration to none same sex partners and you probably wouldn't notice how imbalanced all the main characters are in this regard. Instead, it becomes grating as it feels forced and wedged into the story. This makes it stand out too much and distracts from a well crafted story. There was an awareness of this in the first two books, but there the none same sex relations got almost equal mention so it felt more natural and less glaring and so not worth mentioning.
The plot holes: For the most part, this story is beautifully crafted. It is a master piece in many regards. But some things are so daft they do annoy. And there are a few. Without ruining the story, one such example. A monumentally important cloak, key to saving an entire nation, property of said nation is acquired under suspect conditions by a foreign national. Who did an unfair trade, knowing they were ripping off the other, with a gullable official who did not own it or have the right to trade it. Yet they honour this trade? On what planet would this occur? At best, it's dealing in stolen goods. You would explain it wasn't theirs to trade. Thereby, you have illegally obtained our property. Here's your items back, now give us back our property that's extremely important for national security. But no, they don't do this. What occurs instead is illogical and unbelievable.
October 29, 2023
A very satisfactory and enjoyable reading experience has come to an end. This book continued a good story. that was easy to read throughout the series. The characters were all likable and interesting really fun getting know. There were surprises that I did not see coming and I always love that. Everything seems to have worked out for most of the characters but didn't really see as much of some of them in this last book as I would have wanted either. I wonder how the countries and this world will continue in the future. Will there be more countries to explore or will the countries we know go to war at some point in the future. This will be a series people will enjoy for multiple reads hopefully. four stars for this book and four and half stars for the entire series. Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read another good book.
October 23, 2025
It's hard to wrap up a story that you're building for over two books. So I am not as thrilled about the third book as I was with the first and the second book. Still, I love it. The elegant narrative situation with the bard telling what happened in the past somehow had to be transcended into the future for the military expedition towards Ecula, the home of the Bone Giants. The solution is not as elegant, but I would not have known how to do it better.
Also, the battles (the climatic fight with the Eculans on their own territory) feel a little anti-climatic. Maybe the author wanted that as the peaceloving person he seems to be (another great thing about the book I will come to in a moment), but still, I ask myself how Tolkien or George R. Martin made their battles realistic and (even though I dread that word in this context) entertaining. But the fact that I compare Kevin Hearne to those two shows already where I put him and this series on my shelf. And granted, it feels a little like Hearne had a moment of "Oh shit, if they put all their kennings together Ecula won't stand any chance against them at all", even with the limits and restraints he puts into place there is no way they wouldn't win that final battle.
So it's not the battle that makes this book(s) so special, but other things: The well-thought world, it's just so much fun exploring the kennings and what they do and where they come from in the first books. And discovering the new kenning together with Abhi and his friends. But even more what makes this all special is the goodness of the people. Not in a hippie sense, people die, some people have bad intentions. But there are many good intentions, the protagonists treat each other well just because they want each other to be happy. They help each other out. "And then we were smiling until our faces started to hurt" is one of the sentences I would like to underline, it's just so nice. And it's such a good message in times like these with conflicts all around and people not trusting each other. These books say: Hey, do good to others, and this world will be a much nicer place. Ok, now that sounds hippie. Still nice and just so needed.
I'd also point out some parallels to the Iron Druid series, the importance of having restaurants and pubs where they brew or cook the best xy of the world (chowder for example) and have their own merchandise. And the bellyrub thing, what a relief when Abhi finally gets to do a belly rub on his feral cat like Atticus does so often on Oberon.
All in all... one of the best books of the year. I'll definitely read it again.
Update 10/2025: And I did read it again, still loving it for all the reasons above. Still having the feeling that the victory over the Eculans and the homecoming were somehow anticlimatic, but I have no clue how it all could/should have played out better.
And again I enjoyed how kind the characters are to each other. At one point, one arrives on a barge or ferry somewhere, and a fellow passenger asks: Do you have a place to stay? - People care for other people even if they don't know them, they have positive assumptions about one another, and more than once if there is a discussion they say: "I don't agree with what you said, but maybe you can explain how you come to your opinion so I can understand you better." - so nice !
Also, the battles (the climatic fight with the Eculans on their own territory) feel a little anti-climatic. Maybe the author wanted that as the peaceloving person he seems to be (another great thing about the book I will come to in a moment), but still, I ask myself how Tolkien or George R. Martin made their battles realistic and (even though I dread that word in this context) entertaining. But the fact that I compare Kevin Hearne to those two shows already where I put him and this series on my shelf. And granted, it feels a little like Hearne had a moment of "Oh shit, if they put all their kennings together Ecula won't stand any chance against them at all", even with the limits and restraints he puts into place there is no way they wouldn't win that final battle.
So it's not the battle that makes this book(s) so special, but other things: The well-thought world, it's just so much fun exploring the kennings and what they do and where they come from in the first books. And discovering the new kenning together with Abhi and his friends. But even more what makes this all special is the goodness of the people. Not in a hippie sense, people die, some people have bad intentions. But there are many good intentions, the protagonists treat each other well just because they want each other to be happy. They help each other out. "And then we were smiling until our faces started to hurt" is one of the sentences I would like to underline, it's just so nice. And it's such a good message in times like these with conflicts all around and people not trusting each other. These books say: Hey, do good to others, and this world will be a much nicer place. Ok, now that sounds hippie. Still nice and just so needed.
I'd also point out some parallels to the Iron Druid series, the importance of having restaurants and pubs where they brew or cook the best xy of the world (chowder for example) and have their own merchandise. And the bellyrub thing, what a relief when Abhi finally gets to do a belly rub on his feral cat like Atticus does so often on Oberon.
All in all... one of the best books of the year. I'll definitely read it again.
Update 10/2025: And I did read it again, still loving it for all the reasons above. Still having the feeling that the victory over the Eculans and the homecoming were somehow anticlimatic, but I have no clue how it all could/should have played out better.
And again I enjoyed how kind the characters are to each other. At one point, one arrives on a barge or ferry somewhere, and a fellow passenger asks: Do you have a place to stay? - People care for other people even if they don't know them, they have positive assumptions about one another, and more than once if there is a discussion they say: "I don't agree with what you said, but maybe you can explain how you come to your opinion so I can understand you better." - so nice !
December 25, 2023
This series was interesting, I thought it was worth sticking with, but it's not a favourite. The notes below are for the series overall.
The story teller narrator approach was very good, but with the audiobook I found it hard to distinguish between characters at times, until at least a couple minutes into each section. The switch to diaries at the end was a little easier to follow.
While the characters are interesting, the motivations and actions of these characters are very surface level, there's a lot of instant trust, and not a lot explored beneath the surface of their individual stories... Fun, but not very deep.
I didn't really connect with the "explanation" for some of the mysteries of the world, e.g. the rift, not a big deal but it could have added additional layers of complexity and enjoyment if this had been explored rather than "told".
The story teller narrator approach was very good, but with the audiobook I found it hard to distinguish between characters at times, until at least a couple minutes into each section. The switch to diaries at the end was a little easier to follow.
While the characters are interesting, the motivations and actions of these characters are very surface level, there's a lot of instant trust, and not a lot explored beneath the surface of their individual stories... Fun, but not very deep.
I didn't really connect with the "explanation" for some of the mysteries of the world, e.g. the rift, not a big deal but it could have added additional layers of complexity and enjoyment if this had been explored rather than "told".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
If there was only one word I could use to describe the reading experience of The Seven Kennings series it would be ‘Joyous’. The writer described it as a labour of love and that is very clearly evident throughout. I’m not usually a fan of endings that are tied neatly in a pretty bow but this book is the exception for the happy endings here are all well earned. It is the literary gift basket Hearne gifts his readers. A Chef’s Kiss of a conclusion to the trilogy.
January 1, 2024
The book is well written. It’s beautiful. The author interposes too much of his politics/world view, so the reader often feels that he/she is being preached too.
February 11, 2024
Anyways, Kevin Hearne: The Seven Kennings trilogy (A Plague of Giants, A Blight of Blackwings and A Curse of Krakens.)
Somehow this epic fantasy series had flown under my radar -- the upside is that I did eventually read it, and got to enjoy the entire series in one sitting. And I do consider it to be one of the more remarkable fantasy epics.
The setting is a pre-industrial fantasy world with several nations, each with their own magic or "kenning" bestowerd upon select individuals by a specific deity. Individuals who want to voluntarily seek the blessing of such magic undergo a trial of some sort, which is most likely fatal, but select few receive the deity's blessing and various levels of magic powers.
A big reason that makes this series stand out is that the narrative structure is unusual and complex. The story is told from the perspective of a narrator, the historian Dervan, recounting the tales the bard Fintan tells over 54 days to entertain crowds in a city under siege. These tales in turn are typically the biographical stories of various protagonists. There are layers of stories to Dervan and Fintan themselves as well, of course. And the tales the bard tells aren't in strict chronological order, but in whatever order he deems them to make most sense. Some of the protagonists have a very distinct individual voice, as Hearne attempts to give the protagonists and their cultures individual character; some are more neutral and hard to tell apart.
Very mild spoilers:
Somehow this epic fantasy series had flown under my radar -- the upside is that I did eventually read it, and got to enjoy the entire series in one sitting. And I do consider it to be one of the more remarkable fantasy epics.
The setting is a pre-industrial fantasy world with several nations, each with their own magic or "kenning" bestowerd upon select individuals by a specific deity. Individuals who want to voluntarily seek the blessing of such magic undergo a trial of some sort, which is most likely fatal, but select few receive the deity's blessing and various levels of magic powers.
A big reason that makes this series stand out is that the narrative structure is unusual and complex. The story is told from the perspective of a narrator, the historian Dervan, recounting the tales the bard Fintan tells over 54 days to entertain crowds in a city under siege. These tales in turn are typically the biographical stories of various protagonists. There are layers of stories to Dervan and Fintan themselves as well, of course. And the tales the bard tells aren't in strict chronological order, but in whatever order he deems them to make most sense. Some of the protagonists have a very distinct individual voice, as Hearne attempts to give the protagonists and their cultures individual character; some are more neutral and hard to tell apart.
Very mild spoilers:
February 4, 2024
This is the end of a trilogy and yes, you do need to start with book #1!
I really enjoyed the entire journey through all three books. This is a world where some are blessed with magical abilities based on the different gods worshipped in the different countries. There are terrible monsters on land and sea (reminded me of Australia where it seems everything is trying to kill you!). The trilogy is a history of a war that starts with an invasion by people never seen before who traveled over the sea.
I really liked the format of the book. You are taken through events that happen throughout the countries by a bard with the ability to have perfect recall and take on the form of the speaker. He is performing the entire story to a group of refugee survivors over the course of 54 days. At the same time a historian is writing down the entire story so that other will be able to read it and future generations will have the story. The very end of this book is slightly different but follow the same format.
I loved the world building here. There are twists and turns that are unexpected and shocking. The characters are very well written and interesting.
There are some things that took away from my overall enjoyment but they may be non-issues for you. There is a heavy anti-religion bent that is very heavy handed. The implication being organized religion is the reason for the horrible things people do to each other. There is also a shining and perfect example of socialism and how it is the best form of government. Both of these beliefs assume that man is inherently good and empathetic which is a stretch.
Overall this was a really good epic fantasy with many pages of enjoyment. If you are looking for a long series that you can really sink into this is a good one to choose.
I really enjoyed the entire journey through all three books. This is a world where some are blessed with magical abilities based on the different gods worshipped in the different countries. There are terrible monsters on land and sea (reminded me of Australia where it seems everything is trying to kill you!). The trilogy is a history of a war that starts with an invasion by people never seen before who traveled over the sea.
I really liked the format of the book. You are taken through events that happen throughout the countries by a bard with the ability to have perfect recall and take on the form of the speaker. He is performing the entire story to a group of refugee survivors over the course of 54 days. At the same time a historian is writing down the entire story so that other will be able to read it and future generations will have the story. The very end of this book is slightly different but follow the same format.
I loved the world building here. There are twists and turns that are unexpected and shocking. The characters are very well written and interesting.
There are some things that took away from my overall enjoyment but they may be non-issues for you. There is a heavy anti-religion bent that is very heavy handed. The implication being organized religion is the reason for the horrible things people do to each other. There is also a shining and perfect example of socialism and how it is the best form of government. Both of these beliefs assume that man is inherently good and empathetic which is a stretch.
Overall this was a really good epic fantasy with many pages of enjoyment. If you are looking for a long series that you can really sink into this is a good one to choose.
November 16, 2023
When I started reading this series I was at first worried about the format - I don't really like stories that jump around from one narrator to another and also in time. At the end of the first book I said that I actually really enjoyed the format and that has just gotten better throughout the series.
With the build up from the second book and the new characters I was really looking forward to this one.
I knew we would get a couple of other new storytellers in this book, but for me there is also the hidden storyteller of the characters Sage and Sprout from Leafsong (don't worry you'll understand very quickly what I'm talking about). Whilst not telling the story of the Seven Kennings their little interludes are well used in both the narrative that includes them, and in some of the other characters stories. (I hope that M. Hearne will think about either a Leafsong book or even just short stories.)
In this volume the Bards tale comes to it's final conclusion but the story continues with the rest of the events told in "current" POV.
There are a number of good plot twists, a few surprises and a satisfactory conclusion to this epic tale.
I personally would have liked a little more from the finale, but this format of storytelling doesn't really lend it's self to the sort of long descriptive battle scenes that can appear in other stories.
The ending is a nice conclusion that wraps up most of the open stories in a deserved manner but still left me wanting a little more, especially as a couple of my favorite characters seemed to be missing. This however also lends the possibility of eventually returning sometime in the future.
Having read the books I also listened to the audiobook versions, and can not wait to listen to this one too.
With the build up from the second book and the new characters I was really looking forward to this one.
I knew we would get a couple of other new storytellers in this book, but for me there is also the hidden storyteller of the characters Sage and Sprout from Leafsong (don't worry you'll understand very quickly what I'm talking about). Whilst not telling the story of the Seven Kennings their little interludes are well used in both the narrative that includes them, and in some of the other characters stories. (I hope that M. Hearne will think about either a Leafsong book or even just short stories.)
In this volume the Bards tale comes to it's final conclusion but the story continues with the rest of the events told in "current" POV.
There are a number of good plot twists, a few surprises and a satisfactory conclusion to this epic tale.
I personally would have liked a little more from the finale, but this format of storytelling doesn't really lend it's self to the sort of long descriptive battle scenes that can appear in other stories.
The ending is a nice conclusion that wraps up most of the open stories in a deserved manner but still left me wanting a little more, especially as a couple of my favorite characters seemed to be missing. This however also lends the possibility of eventually returning sometime in the future.
Having read the books I also listened to the audiobook versions, and can not wait to listen to this one too.
January 27, 2024
If books were food, then what a delightful meal this was. Incredible variety, huge amounts of story without feeling overdone, the same quality of writing as the last two books, and an ending as satisfying as any I've read. There's really nothing more I need to say about how good this book was, but since it's the last of a trilogy it deserves something extra I suppose.
The book:
I was thrilled to have this book continue exactly as the last two had- it's a winning formula and instantly brings me back into the world. I love the bard telling stories, and I made a game out of trying to imagine how each song would be sung and what the music sounded like. I was honestly worried when it switched from him retelling to events unfolding in real time, but the transition was seamless. My only issue with the book is that my brain just couldn't keep up with all the names sometimes- Brynt and Fornish ones especially. Treat me like a child and give me an illustrated edition with characters drawn for each chapter, and that would be perfect!
The series:
This was such a worthwhile read, and with so many stories woven so well together, I look forward to rereading it with equal enjoyment someday. There was action and adventure, relationships you can root for, highs and lows that hit you right in the feels, and such a variety of stories that it always feels new and exciting. The ending is very fulfilling as well. It almost seemed too good at times until I thought about how much each character struggled to get where they were and how hard-won their own battles were.
I finished feeling this series was complete in every way, BUT I sure wouldn't complain about having a new story set in this world!
The book:
I was thrilled to have this book continue exactly as the last two had- it's a winning formula and instantly brings me back into the world. I love the bard telling stories, and I made a game out of trying to imagine how each song would be sung and what the music sounded like. I was honestly worried when it switched from him retelling to events unfolding in real time, but the transition was seamless. My only issue with the book is that my brain just couldn't keep up with all the names sometimes- Brynt and Fornish ones especially. Treat me like a child and give me an illustrated edition with characters drawn for each chapter, and that would be perfect!
The series:
This was such a worthwhile read, and with so many stories woven so well together, I look forward to rereading it with equal enjoyment someday. There was action and adventure, relationships you can root for, highs and lows that hit you right in the feels, and such a variety of stories that it always feels new and exciting. The ending is very fulfilling as well. It almost seemed too good at times until I thought about how much each character struggled to get where they were and how hard-won their own battles were.
I finished feeling this series was complete in every way, BUT I sure wouldn't complain about having a new story set in this world!
November 13, 2023
FABULOUS
The Seven Kennings as a complete work is masterful. Kevin Hearne maintains a balance of 1) the action at the heart of the story, and 2) the slower, delicious pace of what is going on around and behind the scenes of the story and its characters. I wanted to know so bad "what happens next" by the third book, that I almost lost the original frame of mind in which I fell in love with this story. That is to say, it is important to enjoy these books at their pace instead of yours. I started the whole series over, in order to more completely embrace each character's story and role to play in the main event. I am so glad I did, because I was reminded of sub-plots I had forgotten about.
Kevin did a re-read of the books on Instagram, and explained the storytelling device as he saw and used it, and it helped me to explain it to other people. For folks who think that the person telling a story in which they participates somehow takes out the mystery because "you already know how it ends" does not, in fact, know how it ends. That isn't how this book uses the storyteller method.
I will say for those of you who have struggled to get your teeth into it, or don't get it at first, it does take a little patience and understanding that you are going to be spending a good portion of the front of the series getting to know all the different main characters and Kennings to a degree. It may take a few tries to get it (it took me a few, and then I was hooked once I understood) but once you do (get it) you will be so glad you stuck with it.
The Seven Kennings as a complete work is masterful. Kevin Hearne maintains a balance of 1) the action at the heart of the story, and 2) the slower, delicious pace of what is going on around and behind the scenes of the story and its characters. I wanted to know so bad "what happens next" by the third book, that I almost lost the original frame of mind in which I fell in love with this story. That is to say, it is important to enjoy these books at their pace instead of yours. I started the whole series over, in order to more completely embrace each character's story and role to play in the main event. I am so glad I did, because I was reminded of sub-plots I had forgotten about.
Kevin did a re-read of the books on Instagram, and explained the storytelling device as he saw and used it, and it helped me to explain it to other people. For folks who think that the person telling a story in which they participates somehow takes out the mystery because "you already know how it ends" does not, in fact, know how it ends. That isn't how this book uses the storyteller method.
I will say for those of you who have struggled to get your teeth into it, or don't get it at first, it does take a little patience and understanding that you are going to be spending a good portion of the front of the series getting to know all the different main characters and Kennings to a degree. It may take a few tries to get it (it took me a few, and then I was hooked once I understood) but once you do (get it) you will be so glad you stuck with it.
October 8, 2024
I don't have the energy to do a detailed review of this book or the trilogy as a whole – I'll just revert to, I really liked it and I recommend it. I admit I was surprised that it actually ended definitively at the end of Book 3. I've gotten so accustomed to fantasy stories that go on and on for the length of at least five books, so wrapping up in just three books has become amazing to me.
I continue to recommend that you vread these back to back to back because there's no recap or any break in the story telling. It's functionally one 2,000-page story that's been divided into three parts for publishing.
My main complaint is that Hearne's notion of everything being hunky-dory in Ghurana Nent after the revolution that occurred in Book 2 is so optimistic it strikes me as outright silly. I've seen other reviews here bashing him for advancing the idea that neo-liberal governments work better, but let's put this in perspective in the fantasy genre - how many fantasy authors ever come up with ANY meaningful political changes in their story worlds of any kind? (I mean, other than wars that replace one absolute monarch with another, which isn't really a meaningful change.) Most of them are obsessed with writing stories about hereditary absolutist monarchies that last for thousands of years for no apparent reason except that it never occurs to anyone that there's any other way. So inserting some leftist revolutions into a fantasy world is a breath of fresh air for this fantasy vreader, and I'll gladly take it.
I continue to recommend that you vread these back to back to back because there's no recap or any break in the story telling. It's functionally one 2,000-page story that's been divided into three parts for publishing.
My main complaint is that Hearne's notion of everything being hunky-dory in Ghurana Nent after the revolution that occurred in Book 2 is so optimistic it strikes me as outright silly. I've seen other reviews here bashing him for advancing the idea that neo-liberal governments work better, but let's put this in perspective in the fantasy genre - how many fantasy authors ever come up with ANY meaningful political changes in their story worlds of any kind? (I mean, other than wars that replace one absolute monarch with another, which isn't really a meaningful change.) Most of them are obsessed with writing stories about hereditary absolutist monarchies that last for thousands of years for no apparent reason except that it never occurs to anyone that there's any other way. So inserting some leftist revolutions into a fantasy world is a breath of fresh air for this fantasy vreader, and I'll gladly take it.
September 8, 2025
Okay so, I didn't go into much detail with my review of "A Blight of Blackwings" because i wanted to see how the author would bring it all together in the third book and, i gotta say, he did not disappoint. The world building in this series was amazing, the cultures felt so well thought out, the magic system felt organic and balanced... I loved every chapter. I felt that, with each new character, we got a broader look at the world the author had built.
La historia que el autor contó en esta trilogía se sintió muy rica y profunda. Todo lo que pasaba se sentía conectado de una manera u otra y te permitía hacerte una imagen bien concreta de lo que pasaría después sin spoilear los otros capítulos del libro. Todo se sintió bien pensado y fríamente calculado. Yo amé, amé, amé el desarrollo de los personajes through out los tres libros and i felt like, as the story came to ahead, so did the characters in their own ways. I was all beautiful to read.
Algo que yo quiero resaltar es la manera en que el autor did no shy away from exploring complicated topics like PTSD and anxiety. Todos los diálogos con el Priest of the Gale se sintieron como conversaciones con un terapeuta; jurado que creo que, en algún momento u otro, mi terapeuta me ha señalado cosas que ese personaje dijo y la manera en que las comunicó se sintió tan real, tan precisa, tan bien planeada y ejecutada que leerlo se sintió enriquecedor...
the whole book felt really well executed and i have no qualms with it: it was detailed enough so you could get a clear picture of what was going on without feeling overwhelmed or bored. Would totally recommend to anyone looking for a high fantasy trilogy with excellent world building.
La historia que el autor contó en esta trilogía se sintió muy rica y profunda. Todo lo que pasaba se sentía conectado de una manera u otra y te permitía hacerte una imagen bien concreta de lo que pasaría después sin spoilear los otros capítulos del libro. Todo se sintió bien pensado y fríamente calculado. Yo amé, amé, amé el desarrollo de los personajes through out los tres libros and i felt like, as the story came to ahead, so did the characters in their own ways. I was all beautiful to read.
Algo que yo quiero resaltar es la manera en que el autor did no shy away from exploring complicated topics like PTSD and anxiety. Todos los diálogos con el Priest of the Gale se sintieron como conversaciones con un terapeuta; jurado que creo que, en algún momento u otro, mi terapeuta me ha señalado cosas que ese personaje dijo y la manera en que las comunicó se sintió tan real, tan precisa, tan bien planeada y ejecutada que leerlo se sintió enriquecedor...
the whole book felt really well executed and i have no qualms with it: it was detailed enough so you could get a clear picture of what was going on without feeling overwhelmed or bored. Would totally recommend to anyone looking for a high fantasy trilogy with excellent world building.
October 2, 2023
This book was wholly satisfying and equally unsatisfying, because I desperately want to continue to live in this world with these characters... But I know this is the end.
I will forever be in awe of Kevin's ability to build such a vast world with so many cultures rich in beliefs and their own unique idioms built around the god/goddess of their kenning.
So much was revealed in this final installment that was shrowded in mystery up until now; I am glad I decided to reread the first two books prior to picking this one up. It allowed me to trully appreciate the one, long story that Kevin masterfully carve and shape - likely at the cost of his own sanity at times.
There was joy and hope and humor - because there is always humor with Kevin - but it also absolutely gutted me on many occasions with silent, ugly tears. The loss felt by the characters is painted so artfully you cant help but feel the loss yourself.
I will accept this is the end, because I know this was always meant to be a trilogy, but I will live in the dream that Kevin will be unable to stay away. I hope that we will get short stories in the years to come, if nothing else (I'm not greedy, I'll take anything. Even more cock sonnets!)
If you like fantasy this is a must read. I have been ranting about it to anyone who would listen since I read the first book back in 2019; this conclusion will only make my ranting increase. It's insanely good, so just accept you will lose a few days of your life and read this series. Trust when I say you wont regret that decision.
I will forever be in awe of Kevin's ability to build such a vast world with so many cultures rich in beliefs and their own unique idioms built around the god/goddess of their kenning.
So much was revealed in this final installment that was shrowded in mystery up until now; I am glad I decided to reread the first two books prior to picking this one up. It allowed me to trully appreciate the one, long story that Kevin masterfully carve and shape - likely at the cost of his own sanity at times.
There was joy and hope and humor - because there is always humor with Kevin - but it also absolutely gutted me on many occasions with silent, ugly tears. The loss felt by the characters is painted so artfully you cant help but feel the loss yourself.
I will accept this is the end, because I know this was always meant to be a trilogy, but I will live in the dream that Kevin will be unable to stay away. I hope that we will get short stories in the years to come, if nothing else (I'm not greedy, I'll take anything. Even more cock sonnets!)
If you like fantasy this is a must read. I have been ranting about it to anyone who would listen since I read the first book back in 2019; this conclusion will only make my ranting increase. It's insanely good, so just accept you will lose a few days of your life and read this series. Trust when I say you wont regret that decision.
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