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Threadlight #1-3
The Threadlight Trilogy
★★★★★
The complete, award-winning Threadlight trilogy, filled with unique magic, exotic creatures, and deep themes of family and parenthood.
THEIR CHILD WILL SAVE THE WORLD, IF THEY CAN KEEP THE DAMN KID ALIVE.
A protective father with a voice in his head.
A sheltered young woman addicted to threadlight.
A reckless young man whose life changes after he dies.
Together, they will change the world—whether they intend to or not.
INCLUDES: 1) Voice of War, 2) Stones of Light, 3) Bonds of Chaos
The complete, award-winning Threadlight trilogy, filled with unique magic, exotic creatures, and deep themes of family and parenthood.
THEIR CHILD WILL SAVE THE WORLD, IF THEY CAN KEEP THE DAMN KID ALIVE.
A protective father with a voice in his head.
A sheltered young woman addicted to threadlight.
A reckless young man whose life changes after he dies.
Together, they will change the world—whether they intend to or not.
INCLUDES: 1) Voice of War, 2) Stones of Light, 3) Bonds of Chaos
1029 pages, ebook
Published November 1, 2022
132 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 26, 2022
This ranks among the top fantasy trilogies ever written. My review is broken down by individual books.
Voice of War (Threadlight Book I)
This book was really really REALLY great. I honestly don’t know where to begin. Our main protagonists, Chrys, is a fully fleshed out character whose motivations are both relatable and believable. I truly felt his feelings as I read. His affection for his wife, for example, resembled many of feels about my own. Side Question: Is it plagiarism if I steal a few lines for a homemade Valentine’s Day Card? There’s also Chrys’ protective paternal instinct, his love of a child not yet born which is equally powerful. Even his desire to please his superior, who has protected and elevated him to a higher status than he could have ever hoped to achieve on his own. Argyle uses these emotional connections to move the plot to places of danger that might otherwise have been difficult to navigate in a believable way.
Our other main protagonist is a youngish girl named Laurel. She is a bit of a rebel whose life is essentially torn apart piece by piece at the beginning. I felt her frustration, her desire to scream and shout at the silent sky above. Every stable piece of her existence is taken from her until she takes her life into her own hands. Her fiery spirit is palpable and it’s easy to root for her even as her impulsiveness gets her into trouble. These character differences add a wonderful variety to the narrative, though I think either would be strong enough to pull off their own story without the other. Together, they make for an engaging experience rarely found in literature. Seriously, it’s THAT good.
We are introduced to a third POV character, Alverax, a little later on in the story. He is used to great effect to give readers another angle at some of the magical and political happenings that drive a lot of the tension of the main plot. He’s a bit of a wild card. Funny, impulsive with lots of vices, yet he’s extremely likable. He’s the sort of person you sit back and watch, living vicariously through as they do the things no one else would dare. If they fail, it justifies your having not done these things. If they succeed, well, good for them! And it will be entertaining either way! He is a critical weave in the threads that make this story so great.
So this is great, we have three really solid, well-developed characters whose motivations make sense. That’s fantastic. But what about the story? What about the magic? There is magic, right?
A resounding yes to magic! And I’m skipping to the magic because . . . I want to. Threadweaving. If you’ve read enough fantasy, the name alone provides some basic idea of what it likely entails. The author doesn’t have to take up painful pages of exposition to explain how it works. Plus, we see it in action early on in the story and after it’s used a few times, the reader has a general sense of what it is and how it works. It’s based on light, and not everyone can do it, and those who can have a higher status within society. Threadweavers can push and pull on the threads that connect everything so things like jumping really high, or softening a landing after leaping from a building, or tying someone to the ground with threadlight are all things that can be done. It felt very intuitive to me as I read. As the story progresses we learn more about the cost of threadweaving, the rules, etc. Additionally, there are hidden layers within these rules of nature. Secrets lost in the past, and bad guys tampering with the ethical boundaries in search of bending and breaking these known rules. This makes for lots of fun plot twists and tension.
The story. There are lots of different types of storytellers. Based on my listening to Voice of War, I would classify Mr. Argyle as the architect type, which after reading his bio, makes total sense. Every single detail fits right where it should, events unfolding right where the tension leads them. If some stories are a garage band, this is an orchestra. There is a grace and flow to the events that can only be described as genius design. And I think that’s what makes this story such a breath of fresh air for me. It checks all of the boxes, then goes above and beyond. The story is masterful, complex, with overlapping storylines that converge in a spray of action.
Two powerhouse fantasy series that most closely resemble this in quality and style would be Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, and Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer.
Stones of Light (Threadlight Book II)
The character arcs for Chrys, Laurel, and Alvarax were different from what we saw in the Voice of War, and yet all were compelling. Stones of Light takes us deeper into the history of the ‘gods’, we see variations in what is possible for the established magic (threadlight), and learn that the heralds of old may not have been what people in this world are taught to believe. I could feel the struggle of each protagonist, and what I enjoyed most was Argyle’s ability to take a villain and humanize them, turning them into more of a grey character. I enjoy stories where heroes and villains are forced to team up out of necessity. This tension we feel whenever our heroes are working with the person we previously despised keeps a story interesting and real.
Something many of my favorite epic fantasy authors include in their stories is well-placed lore that ties into the story at hand. An old blind guy who knows more than he should, or the isolated tribe of people who have passed down oral stories that turn out to be at least partially true. These little clues from the past help the characters and the reader prepare for what is to come. The best of these nougats sometimes even facilitates one or more major twist. An established author who I think does this particularly well is Michael J. Sullivan and I make no secret that he is one of my favorite authors. Argyle is now in this category for me.
Bonds of Chaos (Threadlight Book III)
This review is brief because at this point, Argyle is mostly just building upon the foundation he laid in the first two volumes of the trilogy. This is a good thing. I applaud the author’s restraint in keeping some of the secrets about the certain pivotal events hidden for so long! The payoff was significant. Without giving much away, I’ll give a few generic expectations: We see sacrifice of the greatest sort, unlikely alliances brought together against the terrible might of the Heralds and their minions, and as satisfying an ending as readers could have hoped for.
So as much as I did not want this series to end, I am happy with the way it did. This was a well-designed story from start to finish with some excellent twists and triumphant stages of character growth. I stand by my previous Mistborn comparison, though I think those few readers who find Sanderson a bit tedious at times (I am not among them) will not feel this way about Threadlight. This series will stand the test of time.
*I listened to the audiobook and have to add that the narration is PERFECTION. Adam Gold’s voice is deep, rich, and versatile. I could listen to him read books all day. His performance brings out the best in this story, making the experience all the better!
Voice of War (Threadlight Book I)
This book was really really REALLY great. I honestly don’t know where to begin. Our main protagonists, Chrys, is a fully fleshed out character whose motivations are both relatable and believable. I truly felt his feelings as I read. His affection for his wife, for example, resembled many of feels about my own. Side Question: Is it plagiarism if I steal a few lines for a homemade Valentine’s Day Card? There’s also Chrys’ protective paternal instinct, his love of a child not yet born which is equally powerful. Even his desire to please his superior, who has protected and elevated him to a higher status than he could have ever hoped to achieve on his own. Argyle uses these emotional connections to move the plot to places of danger that might otherwise have been difficult to navigate in a believable way.
Our other main protagonist is a youngish girl named Laurel. She is a bit of a rebel whose life is essentially torn apart piece by piece at the beginning. I felt her frustration, her desire to scream and shout at the silent sky above. Every stable piece of her existence is taken from her until she takes her life into her own hands. Her fiery spirit is palpable and it’s easy to root for her even as her impulsiveness gets her into trouble. These character differences add a wonderful variety to the narrative, though I think either would be strong enough to pull off their own story without the other. Together, they make for an engaging experience rarely found in literature. Seriously, it’s THAT good.
We are introduced to a third POV character, Alverax, a little later on in the story. He is used to great effect to give readers another angle at some of the magical and political happenings that drive a lot of the tension of the main plot. He’s a bit of a wild card. Funny, impulsive with lots of vices, yet he’s extremely likable. He’s the sort of person you sit back and watch, living vicariously through as they do the things no one else would dare. If they fail, it justifies your having not done these things. If they succeed, well, good for them! And it will be entertaining either way! He is a critical weave in the threads that make this story so great.
So this is great, we have three really solid, well-developed characters whose motivations make sense. That’s fantastic. But what about the story? What about the magic? There is magic, right?
A resounding yes to magic! And I’m skipping to the magic because . . . I want to. Threadweaving. If you’ve read enough fantasy, the name alone provides some basic idea of what it likely entails. The author doesn’t have to take up painful pages of exposition to explain how it works. Plus, we see it in action early on in the story and after it’s used a few times, the reader has a general sense of what it is and how it works. It’s based on light, and not everyone can do it, and those who can have a higher status within society. Threadweavers can push and pull on the threads that connect everything so things like jumping really high, or softening a landing after leaping from a building, or tying someone to the ground with threadlight are all things that can be done. It felt very intuitive to me as I read. As the story progresses we learn more about the cost of threadweaving, the rules, etc. Additionally, there are hidden layers within these rules of nature. Secrets lost in the past, and bad guys tampering with the ethical boundaries in search of bending and breaking these known rules. This makes for lots of fun plot twists and tension.
The story. There are lots of different types of storytellers. Based on my listening to Voice of War, I would classify Mr. Argyle as the architect type, which after reading his bio, makes total sense. Every single detail fits right where it should, events unfolding right where the tension leads them. If some stories are a garage band, this is an orchestra. There is a grace and flow to the events that can only be described as genius design. And I think that’s what makes this story such a breath of fresh air for me. It checks all of the boxes, then goes above and beyond. The story is masterful, complex, with overlapping storylines that converge in a spray of action.
Two powerhouse fantasy series that most closely resemble this in quality and style would be Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, and Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer.
Stones of Light (Threadlight Book II)
The character arcs for Chrys, Laurel, and Alvarax were different from what we saw in the Voice of War, and yet all were compelling. Stones of Light takes us deeper into the history of the ‘gods’, we see variations in what is possible for the established magic (threadlight), and learn that the heralds of old may not have been what people in this world are taught to believe. I could feel the struggle of each protagonist, and what I enjoyed most was Argyle’s ability to take a villain and humanize them, turning them into more of a grey character. I enjoy stories where heroes and villains are forced to team up out of necessity. This tension we feel whenever our heroes are working with the person we previously despised keeps a story interesting and real.
Something many of my favorite epic fantasy authors include in their stories is well-placed lore that ties into the story at hand. An old blind guy who knows more than he should, or the isolated tribe of people who have passed down oral stories that turn out to be at least partially true. These little clues from the past help the characters and the reader prepare for what is to come. The best of these nougats sometimes even facilitates one or more major twist. An established author who I think does this particularly well is Michael J. Sullivan and I make no secret that he is one of my favorite authors. Argyle is now in this category for me.
Bonds of Chaos (Threadlight Book III)
This review is brief because at this point, Argyle is mostly just building upon the foundation he laid in the first two volumes of the trilogy. This is a good thing. I applaud the author’s restraint in keeping some of the secrets about the certain pivotal events hidden for so long! The payoff was significant. Without giving much away, I’ll give a few generic expectations: We see sacrifice of the greatest sort, unlikely alliances brought together against the terrible might of the Heralds and their minions, and as satisfying an ending as readers could have hoped for.
So as much as I did not want this series to end, I am happy with the way it did. This was a well-designed story from start to finish with some excellent twists and triumphant stages of character growth. I stand by my previous Mistborn comparison, though I think those few readers who find Sanderson a bit tedious at times (I am not among them) will not feel this way about Threadlight. This series will stand the test of time.
*I listened to the audiobook and have to add that the narration is PERFECTION. Adam Gold’s voice is deep, rich, and versatile. I could listen to him read books all day. His performance brings out the best in this story, making the experience all the better!
September 25, 2023
The fact that the author is combining these so soon after the release of book 3 is not only mind blowing, but absolutely stellar for new fans as I’m sure the price will be incredible! Not only should you read this trilogy, you should also snatch all three at once because you cannot read one without needing the others. It’s that simple. Read these all in one place on kindle, fall in love, find a new auto buy author…
Voice of War: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is book 1 of the Threadlight Trilogy and it’s an epic debut. I received a free audio copy for signing up for the author’s newsletter, you should do the same!! Although my iPhone really did not agree with audio on Book Funnel, free is free, and support is support!
This is a multi-perspective debut in the fantasy word. It definitely teeters between epic and high fantasy. It is absolutely character driven, but the weight of nations/worlds is most definitely in the balance (or about to be). The author definitely created a huge world that still feels small enough to be grounded in realness. From violence and kidnapping, to childbirth, you will see and care about it all.
The magic in this series, called Threadlight, has to be one of the most intriguing that I’ve read in a good amount of time. Those with the ability to use it can either push or pull threads, which connect everything. It doesn’t sound all that complex or crazy, but to those who can’t use it, the options are endless, and dangerous.
The writing is good, and frankly much of this is a blast. For a second there I thought this was going to turn into a sort of fantasy detective novel (and there’s still time…). The author uses distinct voices for each character, not just driving the chapters through description alone.
Personally a 4.5/5*. Worth your money, time, and effort to read. Don’t forget you can sign up for the newsletter. The narrator is insane! Most gravelly voice of all time.
—
Stones of Light: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is book 2 of the Threadlight trilogy. I listened to the first entry, Voice of War, via the author’s newsletter…which made it free! (Get yours here: https://download.zackargyle.com/voice...) I wanted to continue with it, so I went with audio for the second too. Adam Gold is a fantastic narrator.
No smack talking, but I did find the sequel to be leaps and bounds better than the first! There was amped up action, dialogue, and emotion. The writing was a nice step up as well. Certainly an improvement on what was already a great start. The author did a great job of continuing to pull on all the threads he started with in the first, and creating some others!
Again, this is just truly one of the most intriguing magic systems I’ve read in a long time. Called Threadlight, there are even bigger and badder things to deal with and learn about in this sequel, and the magic just kept getting bigger and better.
The author continues on with the multi-perspective narrative. He does so with the same success as the first, while even the side characters are incredibly fleshed out and real. And did I mention death? Deaths? Deathses? None of them feel good, and each of them hurt in their own way. I was impressed.
Totally worth it, and definitely sold me even more on the first. Check it, and the author out!
—
Bonds of Chaos: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is Threadlight book 3, and the finale in the trilogy. I was fortunate enough to not only be picked for the ARC group, but also for the special edition physical ARC.
Firstly, this book is brilliant, and a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. If you remember or check out my review of book two, I said the author had amped up the action, dialogue, and emotion…well he’s done so again. And this is once again leaps and bounds better than the second! (Which was also a 5* read.) The author really subverted my expectations for the finale, nothing was the easy route, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was proven wrong. The multi-perspective changing of chapters made the pace absolutely explosive at the climax. Grip the edge of your seat…fall off anyway…continue reading from the floor.
Secondly, the amount of emotion this author drives home is insane. Did you not see this side character for a book and a half? Did you just meet this one, or this creature, in this one? Don’t care, doesn’t matter, prepare for tears. I’m so impressed because you can tell the author cares, these characters are his own. Therefore, the reader feels it too, and he destroys us.
Personally, a great conclusion and 5/5*. I will probably also listen to it when the audio drops to hear Adam Gold conclude his fantastic narration. I’ve got my eyes on the signed hardcover trilogy now for my collection!
Voice of War: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is book 1 of the Threadlight Trilogy and it’s an epic debut. I received a free audio copy for signing up for the author’s newsletter, you should do the same!! Although my iPhone really did not agree with audio on Book Funnel, free is free, and support is support!
This is a multi-perspective debut in the fantasy word. It definitely teeters between epic and high fantasy. It is absolutely character driven, but the weight of nations/worlds is most definitely in the balance (or about to be). The author definitely created a huge world that still feels small enough to be grounded in realness. From violence and kidnapping, to childbirth, you will see and care about it all.
The magic in this series, called Threadlight, has to be one of the most intriguing that I’ve read in a good amount of time. Those with the ability to use it can either push or pull threads, which connect everything. It doesn’t sound all that complex or crazy, but to those who can’t use it, the options are endless, and dangerous.
The writing is good, and frankly much of this is a blast. For a second there I thought this was going to turn into a sort of fantasy detective novel (and there’s still time…). The author uses distinct voices for each character, not just driving the chapters through description alone.
Personally a 4.5/5*. Worth your money, time, and effort to read. Don’t forget you can sign up for the newsletter. The narrator is insane! Most gravelly voice of all time.
—
Stones of Light: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is book 2 of the Threadlight trilogy. I listened to the first entry, Voice of War, via the author’s newsletter…which made it free! (Get yours here: https://download.zackargyle.com/voice...) I wanted to continue with it, so I went with audio for the second too. Adam Gold is a fantastic narrator.
No smack talking, but I did find the sequel to be leaps and bounds better than the first! There was amped up action, dialogue, and emotion. The writing was a nice step up as well. Certainly an improvement on what was already a great start. The author did a great job of continuing to pull on all the threads he started with in the first, and creating some others!
Again, this is just truly one of the most intriguing magic systems I’ve read in a long time. Called Threadlight, there are even bigger and badder things to deal with and learn about in this sequel, and the magic just kept getting bigger and better.
The author continues on with the multi-perspective narrative. He does so with the same success as the first, while even the side characters are incredibly fleshed out and real. And did I mention death? Deaths? Deathses? None of them feel good, and each of them hurt in their own way. I was impressed.
Totally worth it, and definitely sold me even more on the first. Check it, and the author out!
—
Bonds of Chaos: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is Threadlight book 3, and the finale in the trilogy. I was fortunate enough to not only be picked for the ARC group, but also for the special edition physical ARC.
Firstly, this book is brilliant, and a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. If you remember or check out my review of book two, I said the author had amped up the action, dialogue, and emotion…well he’s done so again. And this is once again leaps and bounds better than the second! (Which was also a 5* read.) The author really subverted my expectations for the finale, nothing was the easy route, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was proven wrong. The multi-perspective changing of chapters made the pace absolutely explosive at the climax. Grip the edge of your seat…fall off anyway…continue reading from the floor.
Secondly, the amount of emotion this author drives home is insane. Did you not see this side character for a book and a half? Did you just meet this one, or this creature, in this one? Don’t care, doesn’t matter, prepare for tears. I’m so impressed because you can tell the author cares, these characters are his own. Therefore, the reader feels it too, and he destroys us.
Personally, a great conclusion and 5/5*. I will probably also listen to it when the audio drops to hear Adam Gold conclude his fantastic narration. I’ve got my eyes on the signed hardcover trilogy now for my collection!
June 23, 2024
For me, this trilogy is somewhere between 3/5 and 4/5. It definitely has an interesting magic system that reminds me of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, some strong world building and interesting characters.
However, there is something missing that I cannot really put my finger on, as I wasn't really as engaged into the story as I could or should have been, but overall I slightly tend forwards a 4/5 rating (instead of a 3/5 rating).
However, there is something missing that I cannot really put my finger on, as I wasn't really as engaged into the story as I could or should have been, but overall I slightly tend forwards a 4/5 rating (instead of a 3/5 rating).
April 17, 2024
Just finished the audiobook and wow did I enjoy these books! The audiobook is one of the best, and I listen to nearly a book a day. What a treat to be able to listen to all three books back to back when the last book is so recent. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed them nearly as much if I had read them a year apart, but putting the whole story together allowed me to focus on the characters and not get lost in the very complex plot. But this story is also very deep and philosophical. It makes you think about the nature of faith and why we believe what we believe. I’m definitely a Zack Argyle fan. You will be, too, if you enjoy good old fashioned fantasy stories.
March 8, 2023
It was okay. It just seemed to me that there were a lot of great opportunities to take advantage of and every one of them is missed, or avoided.
Anyway. It was just okay.
Anyway. It was just okay.
January 13, 2025
The sacrifice.
Excellent trilogy, but I didn't agree with the penultimate sacrifice made at the end. A pivotal character in the trilogy states his plan to eliminate the big bads, involving waiting for their unique power to fade after a generation passes away so as to avoid a genocide, in order to kill the big bads.
Sadly, that pivotal character dies, and the remaining characters seem to just forget that plan, and instead of genocide, the people that were tied to that unique power sacrificed themselves instead.
Sure, they avoided genocide, but they didn't need to sacrifice themselves either. The original plan could've worked, despite that pivotal character dying, if only they remembered his plan.
Imprison the big bads, wait for that generation to pass away of natural causes or what-have-you, then kill the big bads because their unique power would've been inert once that generation passed.
I loved the whole story, but seeing this plothole or this plan just being forgotten, didn't make sense to me and didn't sit well.
Also, I would've liked more on Xucan and the Wastelanders rebuilding their society since they did survive. They could rebuild, and breed with humans so as to cement their commitment to peace and bridging the divide.
Excellent trilogy, but I didn't agree with the penultimate sacrifice made at the end. A pivotal character in the trilogy states his plan to eliminate the big bads, involving waiting for their unique power to fade after a generation passes away so as to avoid a genocide, in order to kill the big bads.
Sadly, that pivotal character dies, and the remaining characters seem to just forget that plan, and instead of genocide, the people that were tied to that unique power sacrificed themselves instead.
Sure, they avoided genocide, but they didn't need to sacrifice themselves either. The original plan could've worked, despite that pivotal character dying, if only they remembered his plan.
Imprison the big bads, wait for that generation to pass away of natural causes or what-have-you, then kill the big bads because their unique power would've been inert once that generation passed.
I loved the whole story, but seeing this plothole or this plan just being forgotten, didn't make sense to me and didn't sit well.
Also, I would've liked more on Xucan and the Wastelanders rebuilding their society since they did survive. They could rebuild, and breed with humans so as to cement their commitment to peace and bridging the divide.
May 19, 2025
I listen to the collected audiobook version and the first thing to say is that the audiobook is very well done. Adam Gold did a real good job. The book itself is a bit less impressive. The books in this collection are Zack Argyle's first three books. And I have to say that in the beginning this really showed. He did get better in his later books but weird phrases or clunky story structure kept showing up. To me this book felt like a SyFy or Starz version of the type of fantasy Brandon Sanderson got famous with.
The characters where one dimensional but enjoyable, the world building was lazy in an RPG setting kind of way. (A few hours to move from jungle to mountains, hidden civilization within a days travel of a major city etc...), quite some plot armor and people accidentally running into each other in time to see major events happening.
On the other hand quite some of the major characters are older and there is quite some focus on parenthood, mothership and sacrifices for family.
If you are in the mood for a pulpy, action driven fantasy story this is a good one to pick up.
The characters where one dimensional but enjoyable, the world building was lazy in an RPG setting kind of way. (A few hours to move from jungle to mountains, hidden civilization within a days travel of a major city etc...), quite some plot armor and people accidentally running into each other in time to see major events happening.
On the other hand quite some of the major characters are older and there is quite some focus on parenthood, mothership and sacrifices for family.
If you are in the mood for a pulpy, action driven fantasy story this is a good one to pick up.
October 16, 2024
With an interesting magic system that grows as you read the trilogy to unique characters you root for, this is a fantasy series that will keep you hooked from the first chapter. There are mysteries to uncover, monsters to fight, and people to save. I listened to this as audiobooks and give my full support to the narrator as well: his pacing and rendition of voices lulled me into the story the entire time. Worth the read or listen!
February 18, 2023
l really wanted to give this at least a 4.
But the editing would not let me. When I have to reread a phrase, sentence or a paragraph more than once to try and determine what the author meant the editing is not good.
It’s so sad when what could have been a totally awesome trilogy is downed by improper editing.
But the editing would not let me. When I have to reread a phrase, sentence or a paragraph more than once to try and determine what the author meant the editing is not good.
It’s so sad when what could have been a totally awesome trilogy is downed by improper editing.
August 31, 2024
Great story
Chrys and Iriel have quite an amazing journey on their way to try and save the world. The friends they meet, and the ones they lose, are heart warming and heart breaking. In depth characters that are relatable and lovable.
Chrys and Iriel have quite an amazing journey on their way to try and save the world. The friends they meet, and the ones they lose, are heart warming and heart breaking. In depth characters that are relatable and lovable.
Read
January 15, 2025DNF.
While the writing is pretty okay, the story reads as generic and unnecessarily slowed down by irrelevant expo. I tried to give it a chance, but when I’m 16 chapters in and still bored, it’s not worthwhile.
While the writing is pretty okay, the story reads as generic and unnecessarily slowed down by irrelevant expo. I tried to give it a chance, but when I’m 16 chapters in and still bored, it’s not worthwhile.
February 17, 2023
A little bit over-dramatic and ‘hand-wringing’, especially towards the end; repetitive and slowed the pace. A good story with interesting characters and world-building.
March 22, 2023
I listened to this in audiobook. Loved the world building, the characters, and how they all come together. Great epic fantasy. The narration is well done.
November 18, 2023
It is an excellent series in the vein of the best books from Sanderson's Cosmere. I loved the ending, the magic, and the characters.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
January 5, 2024
Writing was good but I never got fully invested in the characters
June 4, 2024
Threadlight is frequently promoted as Mistborn-lite. To me the only similarity is in the hard magic system as Zack Argyle and Brandon Sanderson deal with quite different themes and have quite different writing styles. I did enjoy reading Threadlight, but it is also a less polished read - the prose is less refined and particularly the dialogue is a bit stilted. That being said I think the comparison here is a bit unfair as there is plenty to love as well - some very good ideas are played with and this is an indie author still working on finding their voice.
The magic system is front and central to everything in Threadlight. Your ability to do magic is determined by your eye colour, and the way you can interact with it is very rigid in its rules - everything is bound by threads. Pushing or pulling on these threads allows users to have telekinetic like abilities which make a certain physical sense, and whether you can push or pull is determined by eye colour. This idea of predetermination becomes part of the main themes.
The big bad is also cleverly dealt with - the idea of a malign influence that has severely curtailed the people of the world yet as somehow managed to become worshipped almost as godlike. This implicit criticism of religion is intriguing.
This was a fun enough read, with some interesting themes and ideas. The writing style is a little naïve at times but overall it was enjoyable enough to keep me through the entire trilogy.
The magic system is front and central to everything in Threadlight. Your ability to do magic is determined by your eye colour, and the way you can interact with it is very rigid in its rules - everything is bound by threads. Pushing or pulling on these threads allows users to have telekinetic like abilities which make a certain physical sense, and whether you can push or pull is determined by eye colour. This idea of predetermination becomes part of the main themes.
The big bad is also cleverly dealt with - the idea of a malign influence that has severely curtailed the people of the world yet as somehow managed to become worshipped almost as godlike. This implicit criticism of religion is intriguing.
This was a fun enough read, with some interesting themes and ideas. The writing style is a little naïve at times but overall it was enjoyable enough to keep me through the entire trilogy.
April 13, 2024
I stopped reading after a couple of chapters. I just couldn’t get into the story. I was not pulled in by the writing; it was a bit mediocre, honestly. I felt the characters were…uncompelling, dull. The plot, I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe I will give it another shot in the future. I don’t know, though.
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