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Cradle #8
Wintersteel
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2020)As the Uncrowned King tournament reaches its final rounds, tensions between the competing factions are higher than ever. The outcome may determine the power balance throughout the rest of the world.
Each Monarch schemes to seize any advantage they can...while far away, a Dreadgod stirs.
When the tournament ends, the Dreadgod will rise. Whether it will be driven back into the sea or allowed to rampage depends on the Monarchs.
And on which of them is left standing.
Each Monarch schemes to seize any advantage they can...while far away, a Dreadgod stirs.
When the tournament ends, the Dreadgod will rise. Whether it will be driven back into the sea or allowed to rampage depends on the Monarchs.
And on which of them is left standing.
15 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 6, 2020
2575 people are currently reading
7105 people want to read
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October 12, 2020
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Wintersteel is the most action-packed volume, with some of the finest action scenes, within the series so far.
The story in Wintersteel focuses mostly on the second half of the unfinished Uncrowned King tournament. The conflict and tensions between the remaining competitors are very high, and far away, there’s a Dreadgod rising. Wintersteel, in every sense of the content, is a direct continuation of Uncrowned, and I know it would go against the nature of the series to do this, but I did feel that both Uncrowned and Wintersteel would’ve been even better as one tome. Unlike many readers of the series, I actually considered Uncrowned to be one of the best installments in the series despite the abrupt ending. If you’re reading this review but haven’t started the series or read Uncrowned yet, I strongly suggest you binge-read Uncrowned and Wintersteel back to back. I truly believe this would benefit your reading experience because, despite my enjoyment of Wintersteel, I think the six months gap since I read the previous book did diminish my enjoyment.
The reason why I mentioned that I needed a reread is that I didn’t realize how much of my investment in this series rides on the main characters. Wintersteel featured a LOT of other side character’s POV, and because it’s been a while since I read Uncrowned and the previous books in the series, I didn’t find myself invested in reading any of these characters. I’ve never been a huge fan of Lindon in the previous books, but I do feel that his characterizations are getting better and better with each book. After the events that happened in Underlord and Uncrowned, it’s great to see more personality and emotions from him. Also, I loved what Wight has done with the story and the main characters here. I personally think that the main characters of this series aren’t only Lindon, but Yerin as well, and I think Wight has done an incredible job on building her character, strength, and her relationship with Lindon here. As for Eithan, nothing needed to be said; he’s still the best character of the entire series.
The best thing about Wintersteel, in my opinion, lies within the battles; I wish I could talk about the details here, but it’s seriously better for you to find out for yourself. Wight displayed some of the best actions within the series so far, and this was especially true in the last 20% of the novel where all hell break loose. There were a few sluggish pacing moments in the middle of the book—the hunting for points game thing was boredom to me—but overall, the superbly-written battle scenes definitely overshadowed some of the boring parts.
I do feel that the main reason why this book didn’t work for me as much as I hoped—not the book’s fault—was the overwhelming hype for the release of this novel that increased my expectations unreasonably high. Honestly, in my reading journey, this is one of, if not, the most hyped books I’ve ever seen on social media; Wight’s fanbase is hugely devoted and loyal. I mean, one day after Wintersteel was released, it hit the number one best-selling book on the entire Kindle store, and now it has more than 1,200 reviews (Average rating of 4.9/5 stars) on Amazon already. Less than a week of release! Let that sink in. Three of my co-bloggers practically ignored our group chat for days until they're done with it, and some people have even mentioned that they don’t need The Stormlight Archives anymore now that they have Wintersteel! The hype and love for this series was (and is) THAT immense.
Overall, I loved Wintersteel; the characterizations and development for the main characters were good, the actions were magnificent, and the ending was satisfying. I’m sure many readers of Wintersteel would find this as their favorite book in Cradle so far. It is such a lovely thing for Wight and the series to be this well-loved and popular; I’m truly happy that so many readers are so vocal about their love for this series. However, for the sake of my own reading experience, I have learned that in future installments, I will wait for a month or two after the hype died down a bit before I read a new release in the series.
P.S: I’m quite confident I’ll love this book even more on reread. Also, please read the bloopers.
You can order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Michelle, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe.
Wintersteel is the most action-packed volume, with some of the finest action scenes, within the series so far.
“There are a million Paths in this world, Lindon, but any sage will tell you they can all be reduced to one. Improve yourself.”
The story in Wintersteel focuses mostly on the second half of the unfinished Uncrowned King tournament. The conflict and tensions between the remaining competitors are very high, and far away, there’s a Dreadgod rising. Wintersteel, in every sense of the content, is a direct continuation of Uncrowned, and I know it would go against the nature of the series to do this, but I did feel that both Uncrowned and Wintersteel would’ve been even better as one tome. Unlike many readers of the series, I actually considered Uncrowned to be one of the best installments in the series despite the abrupt ending. If you’re reading this review but haven’t started the series or read Uncrowned yet, I strongly suggest you binge-read Uncrowned and Wintersteel back to back. I truly believe this would benefit your reading experience because, despite my enjoyment of Wintersteel, I think the six months gap since I read the previous book did diminish my enjoyment.
“Failure can be a teacher, and of course one can try one’s best and still fail. There is no such thing as an undefeated warrior.”
The reason why I mentioned that I needed a reread is that I didn’t realize how much of my investment in this series rides on the main characters. Wintersteel featured a LOT of other side character’s POV, and because it’s been a while since I read Uncrowned and the previous books in the series, I didn’t find myself invested in reading any of these characters. I’ve never been a huge fan of Lindon in the previous books, but I do feel that his characterizations are getting better and better with each book. After the events that happened in Underlord and Uncrowned, it’s great to see more personality and emotions from him. Also, I loved what Wight has done with the story and the main characters here. I personally think that the main characters of this series aren’t only Lindon, but Yerin as well, and I think Wight has done an incredible job on building her character, strength, and her relationship with Lindon here. As for Eithan, nothing needed to be said; he’s still the best character of the entire series.
“There is no physical punishment that could motivate you.” Malice went on, “but you must feel the sting of failure if you are ever to appreciate success.”
The best thing about Wintersteel, in my opinion, lies within the battles; I wish I could talk about the details here, but it’s seriously better for you to find out for yourself. Wight displayed some of the best actions within the series so far, and this was especially true in the last 20% of the novel where all hell break loose. There were a few sluggish pacing moments in the middle of the book—the hunting for points game thing was boredom to me—but overall, the superbly-written battle scenes definitely overshadowed some of the boring parts.
I do feel that the main reason why this book didn’t work for me as much as I hoped—not the book’s fault—was the overwhelming hype for the release of this novel that increased my expectations unreasonably high. Honestly, in my reading journey, this is one of, if not, the most hyped books I’ve ever seen on social media; Wight’s fanbase is hugely devoted and loyal. I mean, one day after Wintersteel was released, it hit the number one best-selling book on the entire Kindle store, and now it has more than 1,200 reviews (Average rating of 4.9/5 stars) on Amazon already. Less than a week of release! Let that sink in. Three of my co-bloggers practically ignored our group chat for days until they're done with it, and some people have even mentioned that they don’t need The Stormlight Archives anymore now that they have Wintersteel! The hype and love for this series was (and is) THAT immense.
Overall, I loved Wintersteel; the characterizations and development for the main characters were good, the actions were magnificent, and the ending was satisfying. I’m sure many readers of Wintersteel would find this as their favorite book in Cradle so far. It is such a lovely thing for Wight and the series to be this well-loved and popular; I’m truly happy that so many readers are so vocal about their love for this series. However, for the sake of my own reading experience, I have learned that in future installments, I will wait for a month or two after the hype died down a bit before I read a new release in the series.
P.S: I’m quite confident I’ll love this book even more on reread. Also, please read the bloopers.
You can order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Michelle, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Zoe.
September 7, 2021
3rd Reading:
Yes, this is one of my top 3 books in the series. The end of this is amazing.
The tournament in this book starts to get stale and a little boring just seeing two people fight. It's cool, but I found myself wanting to skip forward, unless it was Eithan. The final match was amazing. The focus of the book is when LIndon gets to Sky's Edge and then I'm on the edge of my seat. It's so good.
I will have to say, it's hard to see Lindon being so much better by the end than in the tournament. He's just leaps and bounds better, but it's always been that way. Lindon is amazing when he needs to be. He does grow and learn new techniques, so it can also be plausible.
There are some great revelations in this book from Eithan. We learn about Sacred Valley badges and what that used to be about. Man, Will had all this together before he started the series. It's beautiful writing.
Eithan is still the best there he. He is like one of my top characters in fantasy.
2nd reading:
I only read this at the beginning of the month, but I read all the series and so I had to finish the series again and it was great to read the story all the way through. Lindon and Yerin make a leap in power and it's interesting. Eithan is my favorite storyline in this book. He is absolutely amazing.
I can't wait for the 9th book, Bloodline.
Previously,
I believe this is my favorite book in the series. I feel like Will listened to some of the fans critiques and gave us a little more. This is the longest book and I have been waiting for a more fleshed out story.
Each character has some pages and we see what is happening all over the world. The tournament comes to a satisfying conclusion. I do wonder where we go from here. How can characters keep powering up when they are about at the upper limits. There are few people to challenge them. I would now like to see our group begin to take on their own students and help them in the sacred arts.
I know Will loves his fast relentless pace, but it tires me out. I feel the book is not perfect and one of the problems is that Will hacks his work to pieces to keep the pace fast. He could give us a few more words or phrases to make sense of a character or what is happening and instead he clips it all to keep the pace up. I feel like it's Lindon in a bloody fight he is barely winning and there is blood and guts all strew behind us and we have to keep going and on get a moment or two to rest.
We finally had a moment in the story where 2 characters aren't training for the scared arts, but are having a moment between them and we got little of that. It was skipped over. Will won't sacrifice is pushing fast pace for anything, personal moments be damned. I'm a reader who likes more personal information and time. I don't mind a slower pace. I mean, you don't get slower than Dune and I enjoyed that book. I don't want slow, but I don't like all the sacrifices made. There is actually too much cute out in this series.
Yet, I still really enjoy the series and have to finish it. I read this book in basically 2 days. Of the series, we get the most out of his book and things are finally happening. It is so satisfying. It's my favorite in the series so far and so much better than the let down ending that happened in book 7.
I hope people will check this out. It is a most entertaining story and Lindon, Yerin, Eithan and company really grow on you.
Yes, this is one of my top 3 books in the series. The end of this is amazing.
The tournament in this book starts to get stale and a little boring just seeing two people fight. It's cool, but I found myself wanting to skip forward, unless it was Eithan. The final match was amazing. The focus of the book is when LIndon gets to Sky's Edge and then I'm on the edge of my seat. It's so good.
I will have to say, it's hard to see Lindon being so much better by the end than in the tournament. He's just leaps and bounds better, but it's always been that way. Lindon is amazing when he needs to be. He does grow and learn new techniques, so it can also be plausible.
There are some great revelations in this book from Eithan. We learn about Sacred Valley badges and what that used to be about. Man, Will had all this together before he started the series. It's beautiful writing.
Eithan is still the best there he. He is like one of my top characters in fantasy.
2nd reading:
I only read this at the beginning of the month, but I read all the series and so I had to finish the series again and it was great to read the story all the way through. Lindon and Yerin make a leap in power and it's interesting. Eithan is my favorite storyline in this book. He is absolutely amazing.
I can't wait for the 9th book, Bloodline.
Previously,
I believe this is my favorite book in the series. I feel like Will listened to some of the fans critiques and gave us a little more. This is the longest book and I have been waiting for a more fleshed out story.
Each character has some pages and we see what is happening all over the world. The tournament comes to a satisfying conclusion. I do wonder where we go from here. How can characters keep powering up when they are about at the upper limits. There are few people to challenge them. I would now like to see our group begin to take on their own students and help them in the sacred arts.
I know Will loves his fast relentless pace, but it tires me out. I feel the book is not perfect and one of the problems is that Will hacks his work to pieces to keep the pace fast. He could give us a few more words or phrases to make sense of a character or what is happening and instead he clips it all to keep the pace up. I feel like it's Lindon in a bloody fight he is barely winning and there is blood and guts all strew behind us and we have to keep going and on get a moment or two to rest.
We finally had a moment in the story where 2 characters aren't training for the scared arts, but are having a moment between them and we got little of that. It was skipped over. Will won't sacrifice is pushing fast pace for anything, personal moments be damned. I'm a reader who likes more personal information and time. I don't mind a slower pace. I mean, you don't get slower than Dune and I enjoyed that book. I don't want slow, but I don't like all the sacrifices made. There is actually too much cute out in this series.
Yet, I still really enjoy the series and have to finish it. I read this book in basically 2 days. Of the series, we get the most out of his book and things are finally happening. It is so satisfying. It's my favorite in the series so far and so much better than the let down ending that happened in book 7.
I hope people will check this out. It is a most entertaining story and Lindon, Yerin, Eithan and company really grow on you.
March 19, 2021
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Unsouled ★★★ 3/4
Soulsmith ★★★ 1/2
Blackflame ★★★★
Skysworn ★★★★ 1/4
Ghostwater ★★★★
Underlord ★★★★ 1/4
Uncrowned ★★★★ 1/2
Wintersteel ★★★★ 1/2
Wintersteel is currently my favorite book in this series which has been improving with each and every entry. Since I am up to date now with all the releases in the series, I should thank my friends David and TS Chan who insisted on me reading the series because I did not know what I was missing and I thought it was a historical fiction series and was not very interested. I am so glad I listened because I just gave Wintersteel my first 5 stars rating of the year 2021(4.5 rounded up but still…)
I am also kind of grateful for not reading the series earlier because it allowed me to binge read the last two books which I think is a must do. I think those are better read as one big volume rather than 2 separate ones. The ending of Uncrowned was kind of abrupt and left many fans frustrated and book 8 just continues exactly from that moment.
I love Tournament in anime and since those books have those vibes, part of me knew that I would love the tournament Arc. The writing is as good as always I can’t seem to add anything new after 8 books but the fact that this book was slightly larger than the average 300 pages in the previous books and it is 500+ pages! But the pacing and action and drama makes it a fast read and the 500 pages felt much less than that!
The stakes are higher, the plot is more intense and everything is on the line in this volume. There were definitely a lot of surprises and I was so happy with how things went. The story rounds up the tournament but it also moves the bigger story forward which was put in a halt with the previous volume of two!
Summary: I loved everything about this volume from the writing to the characters to the plot and all the twists that were there! I can’t wait for book 9 to come out but I think the author should stick with the usual book size and don’t start turning them into huge tomes now!
“The only true defeat is death.”
Unsouled ★★★ 3/4
Soulsmith ★★★ 1/2
Blackflame ★★★★
Skysworn ★★★★ 1/4
Ghostwater ★★★★
Underlord ★★★★ 1/4
Uncrowned ★★★★ 1/2
Wintersteel ★★★★ 1/2
Wintersteel is currently my favorite book in this series which has been improving with each and every entry. Since I am up to date now with all the releases in the series, I should thank my friends David and TS Chan who insisted on me reading the series because I did not know what I was missing and I thought it was a historical fiction series and was not very interested. I am so glad I listened because I just gave Wintersteel my first 5 stars rating of the year 2021(4.5 rounded up but still…)
I am also kind of grateful for not reading the series earlier because it allowed me to binge read the last two books which I think is a must do. I think those are better read as one big volume rather than 2 separate ones. The ending of Uncrowned was kind of abrupt and left many fans frustrated and book 8 just continues exactly from that moment.
I love Tournament in anime and since those books have those vibes, part of me knew that I would love the tournament Arc. The writing is as good as always I can’t seem to add anything new after 8 books but the fact that this book was slightly larger than the average 300 pages in the previous books and it is 500+ pages! But the pacing and action and drama makes it a fast read and the 500 pages felt much less than that!
The stakes are higher, the plot is more intense and everything is on the line in this volume. There were definitely a lot of surprises and I was so happy with how things went. The story rounds up the tournament but it also moves the bigger story forward which was put in a halt with the previous volume of two!
Summary: I loved everything about this volume from the writing to the characters to the plot and all the twists that were there! I can’t wait for book 9 to come out but I think the author should stick with the usual book size and don’t start turning them into huge tomes now!
April 6, 2021
4.5 stars.
Wintersteel was yet another immensely addictive, fun and fantastic continuation in the Cradle series, which just keeps getting more epic with each book.
We’ve arrived at the pinnacle of the second act of the series (on the basis that I’m breaking up the planned 12 books into three acts of four books each), and true to its sub-genre as a progression fantasy, everything about the story has been progressing to increasingly more spectacular levels. Looking back to the first book, Unsouled, I was just mind-blown by how far we’ve come, and also how brilliantly Wight crafted the gradual unveiling the scope of the story to such epic levels right now.
Even as the biggest book in the series by far, I made short work of Wintersteel as once again it was simply unputdownable. The story picked up immediately after the abrupt ending of Uncrowned, and while I think both these books make up one incredible arc that could have been better served as one volume, it would have to be much more than twice the length of the usual Cradle books. With hindsight, it was not an easy task for Wight to end the narrative where it did for Uncrowned as it took another 500+ pages to complete the entire arc for this epic tournament.
The worldbuilding, the scope of the story and the stakes have grown immensely by this instalment, as did the incredible action scenes which kept getting bigger, better and bolder. However, the progression is not limited to those aspects, as character growth and development were just as pivotal in advancement up the ranks. Once a sacred artist achieved Underlord, every step up to the higher Lord stages again require something more than power accumulation. It requires a deeper understanding or insight into the path of the individual sacred artist.
While Lindon continued to feature prominently as the main protagonist of the series, Yerin pretty much took centre stage in Wintersteel. This was a good thing for me as Lindon has never been a favourite and having too much him can get under my skin. Sure enough, there was a section in the middle of the book which I didn’t enjoy as much as Lindon’s greed and impatience to gain more power was emphasized again. Don’t get me wrong, I do empathise with his underdog origins which coupled with his desire to save his home contributed to this trait of his, but it still annoys me. What I did appreciate was how the budding romantic relationship between Lindon and Yerin finally had its payoff. Both of them also achieved rather unconventional advancement in their powers and it will be most interesting to see how it plays out in future books.
On to the one character which is my absolute favourite in the entire series. Wight always kept him at an enigmatic arm’s length in the narrative and that’s probably the biggest reason why he is such a draw as I could never get enough of him. So, the ending of the previous book held a certain promise - that we may see Eithan Arelius stop holding back (let’s face it, we all know he’s hiding his true abilities). That was the one thing that I was most anticipating going into Wintersteel. And the scene where Eithan finally “showed up” was as glorious as I hoped it will be. On top of that, there was also a bit more Eithan viewpoint chapters, which elevated my overall enjoyment and helped balance out my not-so-positive feels about part of Lindon’s story.
We are down to the final four books of the series, and it’s looking to be an insanely fun ride to the end. Not that it hasn’t been already, but I just can’t wait to see where Wight is taking this.
You can purchase the book from Book Depository (Free Shipping) | Bookshop.Org (Support Independent Bookstores | Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Wintersteel was yet another immensely addictive, fun and fantastic continuation in the Cradle series, which just keeps getting more epic with each book.
We’ve arrived at the pinnacle of the second act of the series (on the basis that I’m breaking up the planned 12 books into three acts of four books each), and true to its sub-genre as a progression fantasy, everything about the story has been progressing to increasingly more spectacular levels. Looking back to the first book, Unsouled, I was just mind-blown by how far we’ve come, and also how brilliantly Wight crafted the gradual unveiling the scope of the story to such epic levels right now.
Even as the biggest book in the series by far, I made short work of Wintersteel as once again it was simply unputdownable. The story picked up immediately after the abrupt ending of Uncrowned, and while I think both these books make up one incredible arc that could have been better served as one volume, it would have to be much more than twice the length of the usual Cradle books. With hindsight, it was not an easy task for Wight to end the narrative where it did for Uncrowned as it took another 500+ pages to complete the entire arc for this epic tournament.
The worldbuilding, the scope of the story and the stakes have grown immensely by this instalment, as did the incredible action scenes which kept getting bigger, better and bolder. However, the progression is not limited to those aspects, as character growth and development were just as pivotal in advancement up the ranks. Once a sacred artist achieved Underlord, every step up to the higher Lord stages again require something more than power accumulation. It requires a deeper understanding or insight into the path of the individual sacred artist.
While Lindon continued to feature prominently as the main protagonist of the series, Yerin pretty much took centre stage in Wintersteel. This was a good thing for me as Lindon has never been a favourite and having too much him can get under my skin. Sure enough, there was a section in the middle of the book which I didn’t enjoy as much as Lindon’s greed and impatience to gain more power was emphasized again. Don’t get me wrong, I do empathise with his underdog origins which coupled with his desire to save his home contributed to this trait of his, but it still annoys me. What I did appreciate was how the budding romantic relationship between Lindon and Yerin finally had its payoff. Both of them also achieved rather unconventional advancement in their powers and it will be most interesting to see how it plays out in future books.
On to the one character which is my absolute favourite in the entire series. Wight always kept him at an enigmatic arm’s length in the narrative and that’s probably the biggest reason why he is such a draw as I could never get enough of him. So, the ending of the previous book held a certain promise - that we may see Eithan Arelius stop holding back (let’s face it, we all know he’s hiding his true abilities). That was the one thing that I was most anticipating going into Wintersteel. And the scene where Eithan finally “showed up” was as glorious as I hoped it will be. On top of that, there was also a bit more Eithan viewpoint chapters, which elevated my overall enjoyment and helped balance out my not-so-positive feels about part of Lindon’s story.
We are down to the final four books of the series, and it’s looking to be an insanely fun ride to the end. Not that it hasn’t been already, but I just can’t wait to see where Wight is taking this.
You can purchase the book from Book Depository (Free Shipping) | Bookshop.Org (Support Independent Bookstores | Amazon US | Amazon UK
You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
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June 30, 2023
What a marvelous ending to the best book of the series yet! It delivered and promised so many things I had been looking forward to.
First and foremost, seeing bad-ass – and admittedly slightly creepy – Lindon through the eyes of others has exactly been what I’ve been waiting for; it was as awesome as I’d hoped. Indirect characterization for the win.
Then the later rounds of the Uncrowned King Tournament with their “no final death”/resurrection-upon-death rule nicely set up the fight at Sky’s Edge at the end, where death was most definitely final. One would think that such fights where death is (mostly) off the table would be less suspenseful, but even when seen in juxtaposition with the final battle, WW knows how to write a good action scene. (To my mind, though, there can be a thing as too much action. As old Shakespeare said, “too much of a good thing”...)
Spoilers below!
And finally, the ending gave and promised so much. My favorite moment was when Eithan hands Lindon his new badge as is tradition in Lindon’s homeland – and we then segue to Orthos training Wei Shi Kelsa in Sacred Valley. That was just so brilliantly done! And then, of course, let’s not forget the appearance of Jai Long which I’ve been also been waiting for. All of this promises great things for the next book! I can’t wait!
Onward!
1 Unsouled – 4 stars
2 Soulsmith – 3.75 stars
3 Blackflame – 4.25 stars
4 Skysworn – 4.5 stars
5 Ghostwater – 4.5 stars
6 Underlord – 4.25 stars
7 Uncrowned – 4.5 stars
8 Wintersteel – 4.75 stars
PS: A big thank you to the amazing audiobook read by Travis Baldree which put this book on a whole other level – and to my friend Aaron who recommended them to me!
First and foremost, seeing bad-ass – and admittedly slightly creepy – Lindon through the eyes of others has exactly been what I’ve been waiting for; it was as awesome as I’d hoped. Indirect characterization for the win.
Then the later rounds of the Uncrowned King Tournament with their “no final death”/resurrection-upon-death rule nicely set up the fight at Sky’s Edge at the end, where death was most definitely final. One would think that such fights where death is (mostly) off the table would be less suspenseful, but even when seen in juxtaposition with the final battle, WW knows how to write a good action scene. (To my mind, though, there can be a thing as too much action. As old Shakespeare said, “too much of a good thing”...)
Spoilers below!
And finally, the ending gave and promised so much. My favorite moment was when Eithan hands Lindon his new badge as is tradition in Lindon’s homeland – and we then segue to Orthos training Wei Shi Kelsa in Sacred Valley. That was just so brilliantly done! And then, of course, let’s not forget the appearance of Jai Long which I’ve been also been waiting for. All of this promises great things for the next book! I can’t wait!
Onward!
1 Unsouled – 4 stars
2 Soulsmith – 3.75 stars
3 Blackflame – 4.25 stars
4 Skysworn – 4.5 stars
5 Ghostwater – 4.5 stars
6 Underlord – 4.25 stars
7 Uncrowned – 4.5 stars
8 Wintersteel – 4.75 stars
PS: A big thank you to the amazing audiobook read by Travis Baldree which put this book on a whole other level – and to my friend Aaron who recommended them to me!
March 24, 2023
The Uncrowned King tournament comes closer to conclusion while a Dreadgod is preparing to rise. Monarchs and their followers scheme and train to see who will claim a power great enough to destroy a Dreadgod.
Wintersteel was a very enjoyable story. It was the longest book in the series and that allowed the author room for a lot of developments to take place. The story begins with Yerin, Mercy, Eithan, and the other Uncrowned train for their upcoming matches for a month. Lindon is left out and is grasping for ways to advance on his own. He has caught the attention of Northstrider and Lindon isn't sure if that's a good thing or not.
This book made up for all the political maneuvering that the previous book left out. I wish some of this information would have been shared earlier as it would have provided needed context to Uncrowned. Still better late than never.
I have to say I love to see the ingenuity and training in this series. Characters developing new ways to make themselves powerful is always fun. Some characters made significant jumps which was fun to see.
Wintersteel was really good and perhaps the best thing I learned is the series isn't finished yet. There's at least one more book coming. I'm excited to see where things go from here.
Wintersteel was a very enjoyable story. It was the longest book in the series and that allowed the author room for a lot of developments to take place. The story begins with Yerin, Mercy, Eithan, and the other Uncrowned train for their upcoming matches for a month. Lindon is left out and is grasping for ways to advance on his own. He has caught the attention of Northstrider and Lindon isn't sure if that's a good thing or not.
This book made up for all the political maneuvering that the previous book left out. I wish some of this information would have been shared earlier as it would have provided needed context to Uncrowned. Still better late than never.
I have to say I love to see the ingenuity and training in this series. Characters developing new ways to make themselves powerful is always fun. Some characters made significant jumps which was fun to see.
Wintersteel was really good and perhaps the best thing I learned is the series isn't finished yet. There's at least one more book coming. I'm excited to see where things go from here.
May 23, 2025
"I am the end."
Goddamn. What a book. So much pay off in this one. Especially with Eithan, I loved every moment with him. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Goddamn. What a book. So much pay off in this one. Especially with Eithan, I loved every moment with him. I can't wait to see what happens next.
March 19, 2020
Lol, not even out yet but 5/5. Great series.
April 25, 2022
Buddy read with Snezana
This is the best book I’ve read this year.
Wintersteel is book 8 of the Cradle series and it began with a bang, given that Uncrowned ended with a cliffhanger, I love how the author began this book. The book opened with an interesting prologue about what took the Sage of the Endless sword to Sacred Valley, it was very informative.
Moving on, the author took the readers(me) back to the tournament and omg, it is the best thing I’ve read in forever, the fight scenes and battle sequences are like nothing I’ve ever read before, ever. It’s like an anime, and how I love the Sacred Arts, now that’s a magic system.
Then there’s the politics, the winner of the tournament will determine the fate of their race, the world(Cradle) has 8 Monarchs and only 2 care what happens to the humans, so if the dragons or Cat wins, it’ll suck for humans, don’t even get me started on the problem with the dread gods, that’s a whole other problem that’s apocalyptic. Then there’s the Abidan, just when I thought I know all the players, Will Wight adds more to that.
There was more information about the Sacred acts, I learnt more here than I did in the other books, most things finally made sense, especially the difference between a Herald and a Sage.
Finally, the characters, my beloved characters, I thought I’ve already decided and picked the people I want to survive then the author throws in more players.
Lindon and Yerin are my favorite, the two of them deserve to be where they are, they worked for it and they are very lucky it paid off.
I still don’t know Eithan’s endgame but I have a glimpse of his plan and I have to say that not only is it bold, it’s also selfless.
Mercy is definitely my favorite Akura but Charity, Fury and Pride, yes Pride is growing on me, I want them all to survive, their survival is very vital.
Northstrider is my favorite Monarch, I don’t like or even know most of his plans but the end result aren’t too bad, Malice is also a good Manarch.
Honourable mentions- Sophara because she is awesome, she is strong, I know she is against the humans but you have to admire her, Then there’s Yan Shoumei, Akura Grace, Naru Saeya and the Winter Sage.
This is the best book I’ve read this year.
Wintersteel is book 8 of the Cradle series and it began with a bang, given that Uncrowned ended with a cliffhanger, I love how the author began this book. The book opened with an interesting prologue about what took the Sage of the Endless sword to Sacred Valley, it was very informative.
Moving on, the author took the readers(me) back to the tournament and omg, it is the best thing I’ve read in forever, the fight scenes and battle sequences are like nothing I’ve ever read before, ever. It’s like an anime, and how I love the Sacred Arts, now that’s a magic system.
Then there’s the politics, the winner of the tournament will determine the fate of their race, the world(Cradle) has 8 Monarchs and only 2 care what happens to the humans, so if the dragons or Cat wins, it’ll suck for humans, don’t even get me started on the problem with the dread gods, that’s a whole other problem that’s apocalyptic. Then there’s the Abidan, just when I thought I know all the players, Will Wight adds more to that.
There was more information about the Sacred acts, I learnt more here than I did in the other books, most things finally made sense, especially the difference between a Herald and a Sage.
Finally, the characters, my beloved characters, I thought I’ve already decided and picked the people I want to survive then the author throws in more players.
Lindon and Yerin are my favorite, the two of them deserve to be where they are, they worked for it and they are very lucky it paid off.
I still don’t know Eithan’s endgame but I have a glimpse of his plan and I have to say that not only is it bold, it’s also selfless.
Mercy is definitely my favorite Akura but Charity, Fury and Pride, yes Pride is growing on me, I want them all to survive, their survival is very vital.
Northstrider is my favorite Monarch, I don’t like or even know most of his plans but the end result aren’t too bad, Malice is also a good Manarch.
Honourable mentions- Sophara because she is awesome, she is strong, I know she is against the humans but you have to admire her, Then there’s Yan Shoumei, Akura Grace, Naru Saeya and the Winter Sage.
September 3, 2025
5.0 stars---
"Wintersteel" is everything I've wanted from this series. It has been a slow build, but the ride has been fun. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes action and what I like to call Kung-fu fantasy. The action and the characters' personal growth are what make this series fun, the books have slowly been getting better since I enjoyed "Unsouled" (book 1) a few months ago. This is my first series I've read in the "Progression?" genre and I enjoy it, but I'm not sure that I'll explore the genre further (I also enjoyed Iron Prince a lot). The first 8 books of this series were free on Audible Unlimited so the enjoyment I got from this series alone made the membership worth it.
This is the funniest book in the series in my opinion, and it is my favorite overall (UPDATE: 2nd favorite behind Reaper).
"Wintersteel" is everything I've wanted from this series. It has been a slow build, but the ride has been fun. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes action and what I like to call Kung-fu fantasy. The action and the characters' personal growth are what make this series fun, the books have slowly been getting better since I enjoyed "Unsouled" (book 1) a few months ago. This is my first series I've read in the "Progression?" genre and I enjoy it, but I'm not sure that I'll explore the genre further (I also enjoyed Iron Prince a lot). The first 8 books of this series were free on Audible Unlimited so the enjoyment I got from this series alone made the membership worth it.
This is the funniest book in the series in my opinion, and it is my favorite overall (UPDATE: 2nd favorite behind Reaper).
January 23, 2023
Ah wow, what a BOOK. Some of the best fight scenes I've ever read. Seriously, other fantasy authors should take note. Also, that ending was INSANE.
Alright, on to the next ✌🏻
Alright, on to the next ✌🏻
December 22, 2023
4.75 stars.
This was as amazing as ever. Though the book dragged in some places, it was wonderful to see all our characters advance.
Pride thinking that Lindon and Mercy are together is wayyyy too funny LMFAO.
THE ENDING has me in a chokehold!!! I’m soooo excited to see THE reunion of the series!
This was as amazing as ever. Though the book dragged in some places, it was wonderful to see all our characters advance.
Pride thinking that Lindon and Mercy are together is wayyyy too funny LMFAO.
THE ENDING has me in a chokehold!!! I’m soooo excited to see THE reunion of the series!
October 7, 2020
Legendary!
Oh man. I can't even begin for this one and really anything I say is going to pale in comparison to actually reading the book. All I'll say is that Will is an absolute God at his craft, and I one day hope to channel a fraction of his power.
Oh man. I can't even begin for this one and really anything I say is going to pale in comparison to actually reading the book. All I'll say is that Will is an absolute God at his craft, and I one day hope to channel a fraction of his power.
August 9, 2023
Continuing my goal of reading 1 instalment of Cradle a month! Really enjoyed the 7th instalment of this series, and Wintersteel almost feels like part 2 of that. It is linked in plot points and storylines far more so than the previous instalments have been, and that slight change was very refreshing. Will Wight keeps finding little ways to make the story feel rewarding and unique in each instalment, and I thoroughly enjoyed this eight instalment to the series!
February 24, 2021
Awesome!
This is the best one yet! Will really outdid himself this time! The ending almost had me in tears. Wow.
This is the best one yet! Will really outdid himself this time! The ending almost had me in tears. Wow.
October 6, 2020
Wow.
Wow wow wow.
I had a lot of expectations coming into this book. A year of waiting, of reading through the whole series multiple times, of listening to the audiobooks, of spending time in the fan communities on Reddit and Discord, talking about Cradle and speculating about what we would get in Wintersteel, what questions would be answered.
Wintersteel delivered everything I had hoped for and then some. I had hoped for a book on the level of Underlord or Ghostwater, and then I got a book that was both of them combined plus a bit extra.
It's packed full of incredible action, hilarious moments, touching character scenes, and answers to just about every unanswered question I have had over the past year.
It's the best Cradle book, by far.
Wow wow wow.
I had a lot of expectations coming into this book. A year of waiting, of reading through the whole series multiple times, of listening to the audiobooks, of spending time in the fan communities on Reddit and Discord, talking about Cradle and speculating about what we would get in Wintersteel, what questions would be answered.
Wintersteel delivered everything I had hoped for and then some. I had hoped for a book on the level of Underlord or Ghostwater, and then I got a book that was both of them combined plus a bit extra.
It's packed full of incredible action, hilarious moments, touching character scenes, and answers to just about every unanswered question I have had over the past year.
It's the best Cradle book, by far.
October 9, 2020
4.5 stars. That was a TON of exhilarating fun.
August 27, 2021
This book was so damn good.
Let's talk about Eithan Aurelius for a second. For 7 books now, Eithan has been continuously the best part of this series. I daresay he's one of the most fascinating characters I've ever read about. Whenever you expect him to zig, he zags. Whenever youve caught on, and expect him to zig, he zigs, and challenges your expectations. Every scene with him is great, and he was used superbly in this book.
Yerin...goddamn Yerin. Just such a good character. I don't have much to say about her here because of spoilers, except that she reminds me of a grown up Toph from Avatar, and that is a supreme compliment.
But that's not all! Even LINDON was great in this book. Since Book 6 and onwards, I've started genuinely liking Lindon. And in this book, he completely won me over. He is just such a badass now and he has done some soul searching to figure out what is important to him.
The world building and stakes to this book were very well done. The book made shocking choices; the tournament does not go in the way I expected it to. The villains do not do what I expected them to. The results are not what I expected.
This series went from "eh, it's entertaining" to "Holy shit, I'm gonna put everything else on hold to catch up" very quickly.
Let's talk about Eithan Aurelius for a second. For 7 books now, Eithan has been continuously the best part of this series. I daresay he's one of the most fascinating characters I've ever read about. Whenever you expect him to zig, he zags. Whenever youve caught on, and expect him to zig, he zigs, and challenges your expectations. Every scene with him is great, and he was used superbly in this book.
Yerin...goddamn Yerin. Just such a good character. I don't have much to say about her here because of spoilers, except that she reminds me of a grown up Toph from Avatar, and that is a supreme compliment.
But that's not all! Even LINDON was great in this book. Since Book 6 and onwards, I've started genuinely liking Lindon. And in this book, he completely won me over. He is just such a badass now and he has done some soul searching to figure out what is important to him.
The world building and stakes to this book were very well done. The book made shocking choices; the tournament does not go in the way I expected it to. The villains do not do what I expected them to. The results are not what I expected.
This series went from "eh, it's entertaining" to "Holy shit, I'm gonna put everything else on hold to catch up" very quickly.
October 7, 2023
What can I say? The promise made by the previpus book was kept. The new heights of Cradle were built upon further, creating my new favourite book in the series.
This review basically just is a continuation of what I had to say about the last book, Uncrowned. My praises are pretty much equal for both of them, as well as my critizisms (which are only minor).
What is it now, that makes me put this one above Uncrowned?
Basically just what I already said in that review: The payoff.
Uncrowned built the foundation for an amazing second half of a story and last act in the series as a whole. And Wintersteel now sticks to that plan and delivers all the carthasis and payoff I could have expected.
It felt a slight bit less fast-paced, but only because one of the plotthreads of this novel feels a bit seperated from all the rest - which it isn't. But it does fall into the more typical Crdale-formula.
That said, even that plotthread was exciting for the most parts and converged with the others in a really satisfying way.
And about those others... Well that's where the mindless praise starts, because holy shit was everything else exciting.
I absolutely adore, what Will WIght was able to do with his characters here, and not only the main ones. Finally, Cradle feels like a fully fleshed out story full of individual characters, that are more than just devices to power up those who really matter.
Hell, even the formerly flat tournament opponents became... Likable? Understandable? I never expected to feel sorry for *Sophara*!!!
And when all these plot-threads, all these schemes and hidden agendas, finally unleash themself and collide in the final act... Wow, I was stunned and glued to the page.
Every moment just hit.
And as you probably expect from my review of Uncrowned: THAT moment happened!!!!!!
I was cheering so hard when m boy and my girl finally met again... And when they finally fucking DID IT!!! Oh my god that was satisfying.
I'm still not over it.
I love Yerin.
And Lindon+Yerin is just... Perfection. I love it.
Did I mention, I really rooted for them?
Well it was great. And Eithan obviously increasing the scene even more. Like the hero he is.
Damn that felt good.
Okay I'll stop now.
But wow I loved that... How ironic, progression fantasy, where my highlight so far has been a vaguely implemented romance plot. Fantastic.
The rest also rules, though. I just really want to see this haha
But before I can't stop myself anymore, I present you the good part:
Updated Cradle Ranking (so far):
1. Wintersteel
2. Uncrowned
3. Blackflame
4. Underlord
5. Ghostwater
6. Skysworn
7. Unsouled
8. Soulsmith
This review basically just is a continuation of what I had to say about the last book, Uncrowned. My praises are pretty much equal for both of them, as well as my critizisms (which are only minor).
What is it now, that makes me put this one above Uncrowned?
Basically just what I already said in that review: The payoff.
Uncrowned built the foundation for an amazing second half of a story and last act in the series as a whole. And Wintersteel now sticks to that plan and delivers all the carthasis and payoff I could have expected.
It felt a slight bit less fast-paced, but only because one of the plotthreads of this novel feels a bit seperated from all the rest - which it isn't. But it does fall into the more typical Crdale-formula.
That said, even that plotthread was exciting for the most parts and converged with the others in a really satisfying way.
And about those others... Well that's where the mindless praise starts, because holy shit was everything else exciting.
I absolutely adore, what Will WIght was able to do with his characters here, and not only the main ones. Finally, Cradle feels like a fully fleshed out story full of individual characters, that are more than just devices to power up those who really matter.
Hell, even the formerly flat tournament opponents became... Likable? Understandable? I never expected to feel sorry for *Sophara*!!!
And when all these plot-threads, all these schemes and hidden agendas, finally unleash themself and collide in the final act... Wow, I was stunned and glued to the page.
Every moment just hit.
And as you probably expect from my review of Uncrowned: THAT moment happened!!!!!!
I was cheering so hard when m boy and my girl finally met again... And when they finally fucking DID IT!!! Oh my god that was satisfying.
I'm still not over it.
I love Yerin.
And Lindon+Yerin is just... Perfection. I love it.
Did I mention, I really rooted for them?
Well it was great. And Eithan obviously increasing the scene even more. Like the hero he is.
Damn that felt good.
Okay I'll stop now.
But wow I loved that... How ironic, progression fantasy, where my highlight so far has been a vaguely implemented romance plot. Fantastic.
The rest also rules, though. I just really want to see this haha
But before I can't stop myself anymore, I present you the good part:
Updated Cradle Ranking (so far):
1. Wintersteel
2. Uncrowned
3. Blackflame
4. Underlord
5. Ghostwater
6. Skysworn
7. Unsouled
8. Soulsmith
October 7, 2020
Solid entry in the series. I liked it far more than Uncrowned but less than the others.
So, Will Wight said, soon after the release of Uncrowned that despite the title, this was going to be "A Lindon book".
It's not.
It's almost completely focused on Yerin and if you like the character that's great and you will love Wintersteel so much. But I can't stand her and I think she is a blatant Mary Sue with a terrible personality and little character.
Will loves her a lot, and it shows. Always had.
But Lindon is the main character, and in Wintersteel he is sulking for half of the book (of course he is, Will robbed him in the previous book by giving Yerin access to the Sword Icon and a glimpse of the Authority of a Sage which made zero sense) and then advances in five pages. Lindon's and Yerin's advancements felt cheap and sudden I almost didn't like those parts.
In the end, Cradle is still Cradle. It's addictive, fast paced and well written. I didn't like the book as much but that doesn't mean I didn't read it in half a day all the same. And I enjoyed my time with it, no doubt. So, I would have rated this book 3/5 but I would do the author a disservice just because I don't like a character he is invested in and that's stupid. But I do think the pacing has some issues and that the ending felt rushed so 4/5 is honest work.
So, Will Wight said, soon after the release of Uncrowned that despite the title, this was going to be "A Lindon book".
It's not.
It's almost completely focused on Yerin and if you like the character that's great and you will love Wintersteel so much. But I can't stand her and I think she is a blatant Mary Sue with a terrible personality and little character.
Will loves her a lot, and it shows. Always had.
But Lindon is the main character, and in Wintersteel he is sulking for half of the book (of course he is, Will robbed him in the previous book by giving Yerin access to the Sword Icon and a glimpse of the Authority of a Sage which made zero sense) and then advances in five pages. Lindon's and Yerin's advancements felt cheap and sudden I almost didn't like those parts.
In the end, Cradle is still Cradle. It's addictive, fast paced and well written. I didn't like the book as much but that doesn't mean I didn't read it in half a day all the same. And I enjoyed my time with it, no doubt. So, I would have rated this book 3/5 but I would do the author a disservice just because I don't like a character he is invested in and that's stupid. But I do think the pacing has some issues and that the ending felt rushed so 4/5 is honest work.
July 9, 2022
*** 4.36 ***
“The only true defeat is death.”
This was fun, as have the whole series been so far:) The steaks of the competition are high and the competitors are finding new and inventive ways to better themselves and destroy their opponents.
Our main characters are still mostly humble and not accustomed to their growing powers and positions in the Cradle world's hierarchy. However, as much as they have grown in strength, there are still creatures out there magnitudes stronger... And even the strongest can be brought down. Things are getting perilous for Lindon's home and if our guys win, then they have a better chance at going to their aid... Can't wait to see what happens:))))
“The only true defeat is death.”
This was fun, as have the whole series been so far:) The steaks of the competition are high and the competitors are finding new and inventive ways to better themselves and destroy their opponents.
Our main characters are still mostly humble and not accustomed to their growing powers and positions in the Cradle world's hierarchy. However, as much as they have grown in strength, there are still creatures out there magnitudes stronger... And even the strongest can be brought down. Things are getting perilous for Lindon's home and if our guys win, then they have a better chance at going to their aid... Can't wait to see what happens:))))
December 23, 2022
Truly, truly phenomenal. Will Wight somehow managed to make the progression journey in his series PEAK higher than it already has in the series. Not only was that accomplished; Will Wight made the training scenes just as rewarding as any result would be. This part of the book is done so subtly well, building up to an ending that screws your mind into whimpering moans while making you go "Holy shit this makes so much sense."
Characters were AMAZING too!!! I love d about 95% of character interactions and conversations in this book; they'd probably make up for at least 5 of my top 10 moments in this entry.
That's about it for now, Cradle's wonderful man
Characters were AMAZING too!!! I love d about 95% of character interactions and conversations in this book; they'd probably make up for at least 5 of my top 10 moments in this entry.
That's about it for now, Cradle's wonderful man
March 2, 2021
What a GLORIOUS apotheosis!
February 27, 2024
Wintersteel is my favorite Cradle entry to this point and continued the hot streak Will Wight was on at this point in the series. The previous book, aptly named, dealt with the first few rounds of the Uncrowned Tournament that has been mentioned since book 5, Ghostwater. This entry features the completion of that tournament, and then some, and it's all glorious. I'm always a bit leery about "tournament" or "arena" sections in a book, but I enjoyed this one immensely. I honestly didn't know how this would end, even if I had a 70/30 feeling one of the good guys would come out on top. Still, it wasn't guaranteed given all of the twists that happened in the first few rounds. I mean, it got to a point where I was anticipating reading what the next matchup would be so I could think of all the possibilities.
It's hard to write this as a spoiler-free review as I can't mention names or who beats who without giving it all away. Suffice it to say, every outcome and matchup was satisfying and earned. I absolutely loved how Wight used a plot device to essentially have this tournament be high-stakes without seriously detrimental effects with a "respawn" system of sorts implemented. It allows the reader to have the feel of high stakes for the outcome of each 1-on-1 matchup without the fear of their favorite characters dying (or knowing they can't "die" and so ascribing them plot armor). This whole event truly showcased Wight's chops at writing action and how thoroughly thought out and executed his magic system is.
The scenes in between matchups were also entertaining with some light-hearted banter lightening the mood or funny situations (I LOVE EITHAN) providing a deep breathe and relief from the high stakes tournament. Also, these scenes allowed Wight to setup the main plot arc for the next book. After the tournament is over, the action is just getting started as the final few chapters are as intense as they get to close out this masterful book. I was genuinely afraid for a number of characters as chaos breaks loose and all bets were off on who would survive. It all made for an extremely thrilling read that was easy to plow through. I've heard this series called "fantasy on crack" and, well, Wintersteel is that crack and it's glorious.
Cradle
Unsouled - 7.5/10
Soulsmith - 8/10
Blackflame - 8.5/10
Skysworn - 9/10
Ghostwater - 8/10
Underlord - 9.5/10
Uncrowned - 10/10
Wintersteel - 10/10
Bloodline - 9.5/10
Reaper - 10/10
It's hard to write this as a spoiler-free review as I can't mention names or who beats who without giving it all away. Suffice it to say, every outcome and matchup was satisfying and earned. I absolutely loved how Wight used a plot device to essentially have this tournament be high-stakes without seriously detrimental effects with a "respawn" system of sorts implemented. It allows the reader to have the feel of high stakes for the outcome of each 1-on-1 matchup without the fear of their favorite characters dying (or knowing they can't "die" and so ascribing them plot armor). This whole event truly showcased Wight's chops at writing action and how thoroughly thought out and executed his magic system is.
The scenes in between matchups were also entertaining with some light-hearted banter lightening the mood or funny situations (I LOVE EITHAN) providing a deep breathe and relief from the high stakes tournament. Also, these scenes allowed Wight to setup the main plot arc for the next book. After the tournament is over, the action is just getting started as the final few chapters are as intense as they get to close out this masterful book. I was genuinely afraid for a number of characters as chaos breaks loose and all bets were off on who would survive. It all made for an extremely thrilling read that was easy to plow through. I've heard this series called "fantasy on crack" and, well, Wintersteel is that crack and it's glorious.
Cradle
Unsouled - 7.5/10
Soulsmith - 8/10
Blackflame - 8.5/10
Skysworn - 9/10
Ghostwater - 8/10
Underlord - 9.5/10
Uncrowned - 10/10
Wintersteel - 10/10
Bloodline - 9.5/10
Reaper - 10/10
October 8, 2020
Think of everything that means "awesome" and apply it to this book.
Honestly this is one of my favorite series that I've happened upon and surprisingly I first found it on Unlimited with a few free books. I do wish that every book in the series was as long as this one so that I can enjoy it all the more. It is still a fast read that if I had had the time could have devoured in a day or so. We experience a bit more point of view this go around but the story again remains engaging.
This series is clean and appropriate for young adults and above. There is no language nor really situations in which an age requirement would be needed. There are plenty of fight scenes and emotion filled pages. The characters are as engaging as always even more so as changes occur quickly. It was interesting to see some of the antagonist be a little bit deeper than bad guys who are going to bad. He has done this in the past couple books and it does give a little bit more depth to the story because of it.
in previous books I believe this series could go along for quite some time or could spawn off other series should they leave the world of cradle. With how fast the characters are growing I'm not sure how many more books we will have in this initial series. That said it seems as if it could be another 10 or as little as 3 or 4. In either case I look forward to each and every one of the books and wish the author would chain himself to a desk and never come up for air until the series is finished lol.
As a hobby writer is amazing to see how easily the story flows. They're not too many times in the series that I have been pulled out of the story at all. From beginning to end this book covers a good chunk of time has our characters grow and go through the ringer. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good action-packed fantasy.
Honestly this is one of my favorite series that I've happened upon and surprisingly I first found it on Unlimited with a few free books. I do wish that every book in the series was as long as this one so that I can enjoy it all the more. It is still a fast read that if I had had the time could have devoured in a day or so. We experience a bit more point of view this go around but the story again remains engaging.
This series is clean and appropriate for young adults and above. There is no language nor really situations in which an age requirement would be needed. There are plenty of fight scenes and emotion filled pages. The characters are as engaging as always even more so as changes occur quickly. It was interesting to see some of the antagonist be a little bit deeper than bad guys who are going to bad. He has done this in the past couple books and it does give a little bit more depth to the story because of it.
in previous books I believe this series could go along for quite some time or could spawn off other series should they leave the world of cradle. With how fast the characters are growing I'm not sure how many more books we will have in this initial series. That said it seems as if it could be another 10 or as little as 3 or 4. In either case I look forward to each and every one of the books and wish the author would chain himself to a desk and never come up for air until the series is finished lol.
As a hobby writer is amazing to see how easily the story flows. They're not too many times in the series that I have been pulled out of the story at all. From beginning to end this book covers a good chunk of time has our characters grow and go through the ringer. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good action-packed fantasy.
September 13, 2023
5/5
Wintersteel somehow manages to take everything that was excellent in Uncrowned, and make it that much better. Another incredible entry for this series that I have unquestionably fallen in love now. It’s just epic in every sense. It’s filling that hole in my heart that was left after finishing the Avatar series for the first time years ago. Cradle shares so many similarities with that show, with Wintersteel encompassing the very best of those similarities yet. This entry has so much heart, soul, humour and all round extraordinary vibes.
Much like the books in this series, the characters of Cradle go from strength to strength with each book. Eithan is easily one of the most fascinating characters I’ve come across in fantasy. He just has so much raw charisma that you can’t help but feel entranced whenever he’s on page. Combine that with his unpredictability and hilarious demeanour and you have this special, unique character. Lindon is undergoing Herculean development; originally starting off as a bland, tepid character of one dimension, to becoming this incredibly powerful character whilst struggling with serious internal conflict in regards to not just his own development but that of those who surround him.
However, where Eithan is the series intrigue, and Lindon that who drives the story; Yerin is unquestionably the heart and soul of Cradle with Wintersteel being her best outing yet. We get an incredible prologue detailing some of her backstory which sets the stage for Wintersteel being Yerin’s starring role. Throughout the rest of the book her arc tugs at the heart strings but also provides the books peak moments, amongst a sea of fantastic moments. I get huge Ahsoka Tano vibes from Yerin and I’m all for it. Just like Ahsoka has the best character development from Star Wars; Yerin has the same from Cradle.
I can see why this is regarded as the best book in this series - Wintersteel is nothing short of spectacular.
Wintersteel somehow manages to take everything that was excellent in Uncrowned, and make it that much better. Another incredible entry for this series that I have unquestionably fallen in love now. It’s just epic in every sense. It’s filling that hole in my heart that was left after finishing the Avatar series for the first time years ago. Cradle shares so many similarities with that show, with Wintersteel encompassing the very best of those similarities yet. This entry has so much heart, soul, humour and all round extraordinary vibes.
Much like the books in this series, the characters of Cradle go from strength to strength with each book. Eithan is easily one of the most fascinating characters I’ve come across in fantasy. He just has so much raw charisma that you can’t help but feel entranced whenever he’s on page. Combine that with his unpredictability and hilarious demeanour and you have this special, unique character. Lindon is undergoing Herculean development; originally starting off as a bland, tepid character of one dimension, to becoming this incredibly powerful character whilst struggling with serious internal conflict in regards to not just his own development but that of those who surround him.
However, where Eithan is the series intrigue, and Lindon that who drives the story; Yerin is unquestionably the heart and soul of Cradle with Wintersteel being her best outing yet. We get an incredible prologue detailing some of her backstory which sets the stage for Wintersteel being Yerin’s starring role. Throughout the rest of the book her arc tugs at the heart strings but also provides the books peak moments, amongst a sea of fantastic moments. I get huge Ahsoka Tano vibes from Yerin and I’m all for it. Just like Ahsoka has the best character development from Star Wars; Yerin has the same from Cradle.
I can see why this is regarded as the best book in this series - Wintersteel is nothing short of spectacular.
September 11, 2023
Goddamn.
Will Wight is maybe the best action-scene writer I’ve ever encountered. He knows how to pack emotional weight behind fights, and have those fights be dynamically written, excellently choreographed, and insanely intense. Wintersteel is easily my favorite entry in the Cradle Series so far.
It feels as though all of the pieces for the overarching narrative have come together, and now not only are our characters clashing and interacting with some of the highest powers of this universe, their emotional journeys are beginning to reach their peaks.
Yerin was the MVP of this book for me. Her storyline and relationship with Lindon has become one of the most compelling aspects of the series. But she is just one of many characters that I am absolutely floored by.
Lindon continues to grow, change, and become a totally new beast with each entry. Seeing how far he’s come is extremely satisfying, as we’ve been with him on every step of his advancement. Being able to track how every little decision and chance that he’s taken throughout the series has set him up for success in the long run is, in my opinion, one of the best things Will Wight has pulled off. It’s difficult to write an OP protagonist without it feeling forced or shoehorned in. Lindon’s power fits perfectly within the rules of the universe while also being unique and interesting.
But my favorite character will never not be Eithan Aurelius. Every single goddamn scene he is in is brilliant. He’s made me laugh out loud several times in each of these books. I delight in every page he appears on. It’s one of those cases where a character’s mere presence is enough to entertain me.
I can’t wait to see where the series goes from here. Major forces are on the move, and our characters are more closely tied to them than ever. I know I’ve said it before, but I love this series. I’m only sad that I’m nearing its final act.
Will Wight is maybe the best action-scene writer I’ve ever encountered. He knows how to pack emotional weight behind fights, and have those fights be dynamically written, excellently choreographed, and insanely intense. Wintersteel is easily my favorite entry in the Cradle Series so far.
It feels as though all of the pieces for the overarching narrative have come together, and now not only are our characters clashing and interacting with some of the highest powers of this universe, their emotional journeys are beginning to reach their peaks.
Yerin was the MVP of this book for me. Her storyline and relationship with Lindon has become one of the most compelling aspects of the series. But she is just one of many characters that I am absolutely floored by.
Lindon continues to grow, change, and become a totally new beast with each entry. Seeing how far he’s come is extremely satisfying, as we’ve been with him on every step of his advancement. Being able to track how every little decision and chance that he’s taken throughout the series has set him up for success in the long run is, in my opinion, one of the best things Will Wight has pulled off. It’s difficult to write an OP protagonist without it feeling forced or shoehorned in. Lindon’s power fits perfectly within the rules of the universe while also being unique and interesting.
But my favorite character will never not be Eithan Aurelius. Every single goddamn scene he is in is brilliant. He’s made me laugh out loud several times in each of these books. I delight in every page he appears on. It’s one of those cases where a character’s mere presence is enough to entertain me.
I can’t wait to see where the series goes from here. Major forces are on the move, and our characters are more closely tied to them than ever. I know I’ve said it before, but I love this series. I’m only sad that I’m nearing its final act.
March 18, 2025
re-reread: Going with 5 stars this time.
Reread: Honestly loved it this time through. Again on the border of 4 and 5 stars.
This book was fun. Really the only issues I have with this book is that the middle part with the points game was lame. Also, the tournament didn't feel like it had a lot at stake until the very end. After the last book, we knew who would be the final two so the rest felt a bit like a waste of time. The ending is phenomenal, and really sets up the next book well. Can't wait to continue on.
Reread: Honestly loved it this time through. Again on the border of 4 and 5 stars.
This book was fun. Really the only issues I have with this book is that the middle part with the points game was lame. Also, the tournament didn't feel like it had a lot at stake until the very end. After the last book, we knew who would be the final two so the rest felt a bit like a waste of time. The ending is phenomenal, and really sets up the next book well. Can't wait to continue on.
July 23, 2022
This one stepped up to the plate. The whole Underlord and Overlord and Heralds are just insane. Not to mention the Monarchs. Or the waking DreadLords. :)
I'm really loving this LitRPG series.
Yes, it's mostly just tournament stuff and even a bit of political/family stuff, trying to snag our little heroes into ties that truly bind, but it was the end and the huge action that was the real payoff.
Good stuff.
I'm really loving this LitRPG series.
Yes, it's mostly just tournament stuff and even a bit of political/family stuff, trying to snag our little heroes into ties that truly bind, but it was the end and the huge action that was the real payoff.
Good stuff.
March 28, 2022
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📖/🎧 Kindle Whispersync
This was an incredible addition to the series and completely filled with nonstop, epic action. Some truly glorious fights! I took my time reading this one, mainly because it’s coming to an end very soon and I wanted to soak it all up before having to wait for the next book.
There’s not really much more I can say other than if you have reached this point in the series, I know you’re in love with it the way that I and many, many others are, and will continue on! So to that I say, welcome to the fandom!
“Putting a good-looking man in a Dreadgod cult was like putting a dress on a hog. Didn’t make it any less a pig.”
I wasn’t too excited the way the previous book ended, but after reading this one, I’m completely ok with Will having them separate. By far my favorite of the series, and I feel like I keep saying this with each book, so that makes me happy that the latter is better than the former each time. Also, I don’t really feel like I need to say this, but out of respect I think it should be mentioned. Travis Baldree puts on another fantastic performance with his narration of the characters and story itself.
📖/🎧 Kindle Whispersync
This was an incredible addition to the series and completely filled with nonstop, epic action. Some truly glorious fights! I took my time reading this one, mainly because it’s coming to an end very soon and I wanted to soak it all up before having to wait for the next book.
There’s not really much more I can say other than if you have reached this point in the series, I know you’re in love with it the way that I and many, many others are, and will continue on! So to that I say, welcome to the fandom!
“Putting a good-looking man in a Dreadgod cult was like putting a dress on a hog. Didn’t make it any less a pig.”
I wasn’t too excited the way the previous book ended, but after reading this one, I’m completely ok with Will having them separate. By far my favorite of the series, and I feel like I keep saying this with each book, so that makes me happy that the latter is better than the former each time. Also, I don’t really feel like I need to say this, but out of respect I think it should be mentioned. Travis Baldree puts on another fantastic performance with his narration of the characters and story itself.
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