Mícheál > Recent Status Updates

Slow burn but I’m enjoying the character development while the plot builds. Not thrilled with the mom’s potential FMA storyline given it doesn’t suit her political intrigue skills but everything else is pretty good! Jorge winning the elder over by simply not being a dick was great!

Enjoying so far! The world is interesting and discovering the old kingdom kept it moving fast at the start. Dichotomy of tech between Ancelsior and the kingdom is neat. Glad more characters have joined, that was needed! Unexpected: Mogget’s schizophrenia (vs ding evil); Abhorsen is a title not Father’s name. I like Touchstone, think he’s banished royalty. Dead are incredibly creepy, effective antagonists.

The Kile backstory ending was great. Trilos can go suck it. I am heartbroken by Brin's ending. I did not see that coming, and the disappearance of the book killed me. Made her sacrifice seem worthless, but it did fit with her character, and will allow her to help Tesh. Overall, loved mythos and how the characters all rose to the occasion. The Nyphron Raithe fight was great.

Favorite book so far! Can’t believe so much has happened and only halfway through—hope that’s a good sign there will be a nice conclusion, not rushed. Enjoying the mythos reveals and the character development. Main cast is really shining. I fanboyed over the returning cast in Alysin, even more so with Minna reveal. Very heartwarming while maintaining adrenaline rush!

It’s getting good! Love Merlin! Welcome change in tone for part 2. Not sure what Ambrosius is up to but I like him. Interested in Uther’s role. Creepy tutor and the forest adventure is creeping me out, not sure what Merlin is gonna find at the other end of the chanting. Appreciate the historical research done to enrich the setting. Even details like the bakers starting the ovens past midnight add to it.

Enjoying so far. Slowish start, but set the setting well. I like Merlin, and am relieved he finally has a friend. Camlach confuses me for now. The king is trash. Something big is about to go down at the palace. Hate stopping here but sleep calls! G,as the pace is picking up!

Really good characters. Strong female leads. Sigrud and Mulaghesh cracked me up. Vo was an excellent character. The divinities were fascinating and uncovering the history of the Kaj was fun! Shara was an excellent narrator. Her personality was unique and refreshing. She’s a good judge of character, a perceptive observer, and amused by her companions. Strong introverts for the win!

So I was right on the dead king! Series was good. I liked this book, but I’ll admit it had a very different tone story, as book 2 did from 1, but even more so. A little slower. Jorg matured, and I liked that fact. You could really see the growth from book 1. I’ll miss the characters, but it was time for the series to come to an end, though I’ll miss Jorg’s sassy antics.

Anti-villain. For sure. I stand corrected haha.

Holy scheisters! Did not see that twist coming at all. I mean, I guess he was never named, and looking back it makes sense… but still… well played! I hope Katherine survives, but I think it unlikely. Awesome ending. Love Jorg’s admission re: Orrin at the end. He’s definitely less of a villain in this book. I thought it was going to be the villain defeating the hero, but Jorg is definitely an anti hero today

Frost giants, fire breathers, love the Norse vibe of the north. Learning how magic came into this world is interesting. Wonder if the dead king is maybe William? Crazy, probably not… but that’d a cool twist vs some rando. Love Jorg’s maternal family. His antics have a Jack Sparrow vibe sometimes.

The Dead King? And more players are being named. And this new fire guy. Mythos is building and it’s fascinating. Liked the circus peeps. Finally at parts I haven’t read before. Trying to piece together the geography and what some of these places are in the real world, like the Rhyme river or the bridge. Love this medieval post apocalyptic setting! Also poor Maical. Jorg got justice for him.

Hooked so far! Need to know what happened with Katherine and Olidan… tho I’m sure I’ll regret it after. The lack of mention on Olidan in the present day has me hoping he’s dead. I know the Prince of Arrow is technically the present day “antagonist” but I mean, he’s better than Olidan. Like Jorg’s ingenuity to stop the watchers for reading his thoughts. He’s medieval Lelouch and I love it!

It’s cool how the author describes people’s different types of vision, like the halfling’s heat vision, or Jie’s night vision as muted greens, etc. I like the subtlety of it.

No clue how Tomas can save his village. Peris really was a full blown traitor. Fooled me. And of course Elaryn is still a jackass. Maybe Koryn and Aryn can form some sort of alliance and depose him.

Fleet the Halfling is my new favorite character. I want a spin off with him and Jie. Also, halflings exist, so that’s cool!

Still puzzled as to how Jie figured this out, but I buy it. Clearly it’s from her past experiences. Koryn and Jie are awesome, and at least Aryn is admitting his brother’s fault now. Tomas is in for some more nasty trouble. I’m interested to see if or how is little adventure will tie him back to our characters. Aryn was looking into the ancient crown, so maybe that’s the connection

It’s hard to choose. I prefer the Tarkothi values of hard work over bloodline, but I empathize with Serikoth’s royal family more. Tarkoth is Machiavellian while Koryn and Alaena are my type of people, just trying to live their lives they way they want to. So I’m siding with Serikoth. Nicely done by author making it a hard choice.
I like Sabine’s addition to Tomas, cool development.

“Short” Boyvan spies = good twist, but still not sure how Jie figured it out... Loyalty can be faked but Peris seemed to care for Aryn so Idk if I buy him being a traitor, tho if he loves for Karyna why have Alaena drug her? Jie’s right that something is up.
Getting intense. Jie is killing with her blunt ninja act, Koryn is free and taking charge, and Tomas may finally have a fighting chance!

Could it be as simple as the Bovyans doing all of this assassinating? That seems too obvious. I don’t know why, but I’m suspicious of Aryn now. Aryn was very eager to throw Peris under the bus, making me think he’s acting the fool while playing everyone. Super intense though. Hope Koryn and Alaena escape. Also poor Tomas is really having a terrible week. He needs a win.

Still awesome. Wish Koryn had more chapters, but luckily Jie and Alaena do. Good pacing of revealing the empires history, slowly building into something epic as plot lines tie together. I think Aryn is secretly conniving something worse than Elaryn, that Nadya is the pirate queen, and the Boyvan threat may be connected to Tarkoth. Could explain why Elaryn rushed into battle earlier. Seems odd.

Pretty good so far, fast paced, enjoyable main character and very good audiobook narrator who gets all the sarcastic tones just right. Conspiracy is going a different angle than I predicted which is cool. I feel I only know the other characters superficially but I’m hoping this changes going forward, and doesn’t just turn into a breakfast club of “each person has a superficial issue” thing.

Countries/ethnicities were confusing in first chapter, but by now I have a firm grip on the world. Really like the characters so far. For multiple narrators, I’m surprisingly invested in all of them. Good mix so far. Also enjoying the different mythological creatures and races.

Very solid. The fact that I’m over 60% done yet I feel like I’m still in the beginning bothers me, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s been an enjoyable read thus far. Abriel and Hadrius are well developed and characterized well. The plot keeps moving. The world building is unique and absorbing. Interested to see where this unseen guardian and stormbrien stuff goes.

Science experiments, creation of angels, demons, what have you... Laila’s a doctor and did something to Urushihara, and his mother is in charge of this whole mess... clearly we’re missing a big piece, but it’s all starting to fit. Can’t believe that Gabriel has become a fun character. The mythology is growing. Excited for 14

Really nice to have the gang back together. The mythology is truly growing, hope it continues as Laila reveals her agenda. Interested in how she’s responsible for Urushihara’s downfall. Rika is cracking me up, glad she’s part of the gang now

Red better still be Red in book 2. Or I’ll be pissed. I do like that Lin didn’t turn out to be an antagonist like they made it look like she’d be. Really excited for the next book. Tho it’d be more fun with Red.

The Brigga Lin part seemed rushed. I felt more was needed to bond her and Hope together as allies. Which is sad, as her character is really growing on me, even though she’s only had maybe 3 chapters. But the fight is exciting. Gotta love Sadie. Her brutal honestly cracks me up

They’re forming a pirate crew, with all the good ole wags! I love this sort of coalescence of fun, side characters!
Interesting that this empire is made of islands. I suspected as much.

I like Alash. They better not kill him off. Good side characters are hard to come by. And using them as cannon fodder is never cool. Never.