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Sorcery Ascendant Sequence #3
A Shattered Empire
In this gritty and breathtaking conclusion to the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, the award-winning fantasy series, a young sorcerer must learn to wield his extraordinary powers to defeat two warring empires
In a battle of armies and sorcerers, empires will fall.
After young Caldan’s parents were slain, a group of monks raised the boy and initiated him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery. But when the Mahruse Empire was attacked, and the lives of his friends hung in the balance, he was forced to make a dangerous choice.
Now, as two mighty empires face off in a deadly game of supremacy, potent sorcery and creatures from legend have been unleashed. To turn the tide of war and prevent annihilation, Caldan must learn to harness his fearsome and forbidden magic. But as he grows into his powers, the young sorcerer realizes that not all the monsters are on the other side.
And though traps and pitfalls lie ahead, and countless lives are at stake, one thing is certain: to save his life, his friends, and his world, Caldan must risk all to defeat a sorcerer of immense power.
Failure will doom the world. Success will doom Caldan.
A Shattered Empire is the epic conclusion to the acclaimed Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, by Mitchell Hogan.
In a battle of armies and sorcerers, empires will fall.
After young Caldan’s parents were slain, a group of monks raised the boy and initiated him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery. But when the Mahruse Empire was attacked, and the lives of his friends hung in the balance, he was forced to make a dangerous choice.
Now, as two mighty empires face off in a deadly game of supremacy, potent sorcery and creatures from legend have been unleashed. To turn the tide of war and prevent annihilation, Caldan must learn to harness his fearsome and forbidden magic. But as he grows into his powers, the young sorcerer realizes that not all the monsters are on the other side.
And though traps and pitfalls lie ahead, and countless lives are at stake, one thing is certain: to save his life, his friends, and his world, Caldan must risk all to defeat a sorcerer of immense power.
Failure will doom the world. Success will doom Caldan.
A Shattered Empire is the epic conclusion to the acclaimed Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, by Mitchell Hogan.
592 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2016
164 people are currently reading
1782 people want to read
About the author
Mitchell Hogan
38 books941 followers
*** Signup to Mitchell's New Release mailing list to be the first to hear about new releases, and for bonus chapters of A Crucible of Souls! ***
When he was eleven, Mitchell Hogan was given the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to read, and a love of fantasy novels was born. He spent the next ten years reading, rolling dice, and playing computer games, with some school and university thrown in. Along the way he accumulated numerous bookcases' worth of fantasy and sci-fi novels and doesn’t look to stop anytime soon.
His first attempt at writing fantasy was an abysmal failure and abandoned after only one page. But ideas for characters and scenes continued to come to him and he kept detailed notes of his thoughts, on the off chance that one day he might have time to write a novel. For a decade he put off his dream of writing until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew he would regret not having tried to write the novel percolating inside his head for the rest of his life. Mitchell quit his job and lived off dwindling savings, and the support of his fiancé, until he finished the first draft of A Crucible of Souls.
He now writes full time and is eternally grateful to the readers who took a chance on an unknown author.
A Crucible of Souls won the 2013 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Mitchell lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, Angela, and daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte.
When he was eleven, Mitchell Hogan was given the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to read, and a love of fantasy novels was born. He spent the next ten years reading, rolling dice, and playing computer games, with some school and university thrown in. Along the way he accumulated numerous bookcases' worth of fantasy and sci-fi novels and doesn’t look to stop anytime soon.
His first attempt at writing fantasy was an abysmal failure and abandoned after only one page. But ideas for characters and scenes continued to come to him and he kept detailed notes of his thoughts, on the off chance that one day he might have time to write a novel. For a decade he put off his dream of writing until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew he would regret not having tried to write the novel percolating inside his head for the rest of his life. Mitchell quit his job and lived off dwindling savings, and the support of his fiancé, until he finished the first draft of A Crucible of Souls.
He now writes full time and is eternally grateful to the readers who took a chance on an unknown author.
A Crucible of Souls won the 2013 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Mitchell lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, Angela, and daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
February 28, 2017
A Shattered Empire is the perfect closure for an excellent sequence (that's right, a sequence. And when there is a sequence, there are more to follow) by a relatively new author that decided to get famous. And you can't stop him.
To begin with, this is a book that isn’t just about magic and fighting, but about rightness, ideals and values, desires and reality, compulsion and free will. Trust, and realizing that appearances can be deceiving in more than one way. You could say that Mitchell Hogan stole a lot of elements from another book, it being none other than the book of life.
"A morsel of knowledge. Either shown out of friendship, or they were trying to manipulate him. Caldan regretted doubting them, but such was his existence now. Doubt everything. Trust no one."
Characters, world building and magic system are further developed, something you don't usually see in the final chapter of a series. A lot of elements (such as magic and reality, creation and destruction, friendship and treason, fear and courage, and finally acceptance of one's nature) are masterfully intertwined, creating a plot that keeps you hooked and determined to reach the truth behind all lies. But you don't get to learn them all. A lot of situations are left unexplained (i can't tell if this was intentionally or by mistake) such as:
I really hope my questions are legit that they haven't already been answered in the book, because I would hate to make a joke of myself. Anyway, this was but a small part of the story, and doesn't really affect my rating. All in all, if you are reading this review, you probably have read my reviews about the first two installments as well, so you should probably already know my opinion about the series. If not, i'm sure you completely got the point. Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is nice, Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is good, Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is a must read. So go read it.
*I wrote this review with a heavy heart, because i fucking wrote it 1 hour ago, and closed the tab without saving.
You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/
To begin with, this is a book that isn’t just about magic and fighting, but about rightness, ideals and values, desires and reality, compulsion and free will. Trust, and realizing that appearances can be deceiving in more than one way. You could say that Mitchell Hogan stole a lot of elements from another book, it being none other than the book of life.
"A morsel of knowledge. Either shown out of friendship, or they were trying to manipulate him. Caldan regretted doubting them, but such was his existence now. Doubt everything. Trust no one."
Characters, world building and magic system are further developed, something you don't usually see in the final chapter of a series. A lot of elements (such as magic and reality, creation and destruction, friendship and treason, fear and courage, and finally acceptance of one's nature) are masterfully intertwined, creating a plot that keeps you hooked and determined to reach the truth behind all lies. But you don't get to learn them all. A lot of situations are left unexplained (i can't tell if this was intentionally or by mistake) such as:
I really hope my questions are legit that they haven't already been answered in the book, because I would hate to make a joke of myself. Anyway, this was but a small part of the story, and doesn't really affect my rating. All in all, if you are reading this review, you probably have read my reviews about the first two installments as well, so you should probably already know my opinion about the series. If not, i'm sure you completely got the point. Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is nice, Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is good, Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is a must read. So go read it.
*I wrote this review with a heavy heart, because i fucking wrote it 1 hour ago, and closed the tab without saving.
You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/
November 5, 2017
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
After being a bit disappointed by the second book in this series I decided to give the third one a chance to redeem this series and now that I’m done I have to say that this one succeeded, it succeeded in taking my precious time away, time that I should have been spending on a better book.
To be fair, this was a better book than the previous one but in the end I’m left with an impression that a lot of things that happened were unnecessary, like the story arcs with a dead end and the side characters that ultimately proved to be insignificant.
This book had a much darker tone, and the main reason is Caldan’s development. How can I put it without spoiling too much; he went from being a naive goody two shoes to becoming someone he was afraid of becoming. Maybe the best description would be this quote: ‘’Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.’’
Although this was a somewhat satisfying conclusion to the story, the ending felt a little abrupt and it left a little window opened for a possible sequel, a window I will close and put a lock on it.
After being a bit disappointed by the second book in this series I decided to give the third one a chance to redeem this series and now that I’m done I have to say that this one succeeded, it succeeded in taking my precious time away, time that I should have been spending on a better book.
To be fair, this was a better book than the previous one but in the end I’m left with an impression that a lot of things that happened were unnecessary, like the story arcs with a dead end and the side characters that ultimately proved to be insignificant.
This book had a much darker tone, and the main reason is Caldan’s development. How can I put it without spoiling too much; he went from being a naive goody two shoes to becoming someone he was afraid of becoming. Maybe the best description would be this quote: ‘’Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.’’
Although this was a somewhat satisfying conclusion to the story, the ending felt a little abrupt and it left a little window opened for a possible sequel, a window I will close and put a lock on it.
June 19, 2017
Prologue: 2* (Read after book 1)
Book 1: 4.5*
Book 2: 2.75*
Book 3: 4*
Such an up and down series. Reading book three it reiterated to me how much of a disappointment book 2 was and why it took me so long to get around to finishing the series. So much wasted motion much of which could have been eliminated or condensed. Had this been a duology it would have read much better.
As for book three it definitely was darker. Really each book trended in that direction. If book one was a dark Harry Potter book three had some torture entering the Broken Empire realm. The author did redeem himself in the finale and I’m glad because I really like his writing style. For future series he really needed to map out his sequences and make sure they tie into the storyline and aren’t just superfluous ramblings to get to a certain page count. The ending was awesome and I've love to see it on the big screen.
The magic in this series was really well thought out and Caldan’s crafting were very inventive and interesting. The world was also very intriguing and blended with the story of the magic quite well. Lots of different groups and agendas and nobody came through with their white gloves not charred.
Overall I’d recommend the series but be forewarned again book two is all over the place.
Book 1: 4.5*
Book 2: 2.75*
Book 3: 4*
Such an up and down series. Reading book three it reiterated to me how much of a disappointment book 2 was and why it took me so long to get around to finishing the series. So much wasted motion much of which could have been eliminated or condensed. Had this been a duology it would have read much better.
As for book three it definitely was darker. Really each book trended in that direction. If book one was a dark Harry Potter book three had some torture entering the Broken Empire realm. The author did redeem himself in the finale and I’m glad because I really like his writing style. For future series he really needed to map out his sequences and make sure they tie into the storyline and aren’t just superfluous ramblings to get to a certain page count. The ending was awesome and I've love to see it on the big screen.
The magic in this series was really well thought out and Caldan’s crafting were very inventive and interesting. The world was also very intriguing and blended with the story of the magic quite well. Lots of different groups and agendas and nobody came through with their white gloves not charred.
Overall I’d recommend the series but be forewarned again book two is all over the place.
December 11, 2016
Great conclusion to an amazing trilogy.
I want to give a decent comprehensive feedback but in essence, action packed, story driven and character development are there.
I genuinely loved most of the main characters (Lady Felicienne first of all!) and I was particularly fond of the magic system.
Also, Mitchell Hogan had the ability to make (almost) every single character likeable. In addition to this, throughout the series new and different elements are introduced and they pretty much work!
If you like fantasy, a different magic system, if you like character development, this is a great series for you!
I want to give a decent comprehensive feedback but in essence, action packed, story driven and character development are there.
I genuinely loved most of the main characters (Lady Felicienne first of all!) and I was particularly fond of the magic system.
Also, Mitchell Hogan had the ability to make (almost) every single character likeable. In addition to this, throughout the series new and different elements are introduced and they pretty much work!
If you like fantasy, a different magic system, if you like character development, this is a great series for you!
October 4, 2016
Woof! I barely got through this mess. I really liked this series when I read book one and two last year but even then a few things niggled at me. Those seeds of dissatisfaction grew into a tremendous tree of terribleness in this last installment.
First of all, most of the characters in this series are barely two dimensional and sometimes vestigial. There were a glut of characters who added little to the story and in turn slowed the action of the plot unnecessarily. The main character, Caldan, was my biggest disappointment. He's a hypocritical, hesitant nerd whose arrogant stupidity runs riot through each book. If he were a character in the Hundred Acre Wood he would be the bastard son of Piglet and Eeyore but less interesting than both characters put together.
Besides Caldan being unlikable and boring, the plot and story is really what destroys this series. Mr. Hogan had a plethora of awesome ideas for a story but lacked the talent to make me care. Caldan does so many cool things but this story has a total drama deficit. The action and story telling make plot points which should fulfill and dazzle fall flat and leave you feeling cold. It's like I was being told a story of amazing events by Ben Stein.
I am still giving two stars because though I struggled at times I still finished this book.
Recommended if you've read everything else.
First of all, most of the characters in this series are barely two dimensional and sometimes vestigial. There were a glut of characters who added little to the story and in turn slowed the action of the plot unnecessarily. The main character, Caldan, was my biggest disappointment. He's a hypocritical, hesitant nerd whose arrogant stupidity runs riot through each book. If he were a character in the Hundred Acre Wood he would be the bastard son of Piglet and Eeyore but less interesting than both characters put together.
Besides Caldan being unlikable and boring, the plot and story is really what destroys this series. Mr. Hogan had a plethora of awesome ideas for a story but lacked the talent to make me care. Caldan does so many cool things but this story has a total drama deficit. The action and story telling make plot points which should fulfill and dazzle fall flat and leave you feeling cold. It's like I was being told a story of amazing events by Ben Stein.
I am still giving two stars because though I struggled at times I still finished this book.
Recommended if you've read everything else.
June 7, 2017
Solid ending for a series I really enjoyed!
As always with later books in a series, this will be a shorter review, as I assume you have already read the earlier books of the series, and liked them enough to check out later sequels.
It was a really good read, and kept me well entertained all the way through. We meet some new characters and are reacquainted with others from the earlier books. The characters keep growing and changing over the course of the story, and felt real to me.
The magic was a bit hard to swallow for me at times, as there was a point when I couldn't really say what could or couldn't be done by magic anymore. I like a magic system, so you'll know the boundaries of what people can do, and it seemed like there was one in the earlier books. In this one the magicians start building and building power until it seems just two people are more capable than the rest of the world combined. (Only slightly exaggerated.) It might not be a problem for others though - just a pet peeve of mine.
I liked the conclusion of the series, that resolved enough to have me satisfied, but kept enough other things open to have your thoughts linger in the world.
If you liked the first two books, this one is definitely worth your time!
As always with later books in a series, this will be a shorter review, as I assume you have already read the earlier books of the series, and liked them enough to check out later sequels.
It was a really good read, and kept me well entertained all the way through. We meet some new characters and are reacquainted with others from the earlier books. The characters keep growing and changing over the course of the story, and felt real to me.
The magic was a bit hard to swallow for me at times, as there was a point when I couldn't really say what could or couldn't be done by magic anymore. I like a magic system, so you'll know the boundaries of what people can do, and it seemed like there was one in the earlier books. In this one the magicians start building and building power until it seems just two people are more capable than the rest of the world combined. (Only slightly exaggerated.) It might not be a problem for others though - just a pet peeve of mine.
I liked the conclusion of the series, that resolved enough to have me satisfied, but kept enough other things open to have your thoughts linger in the world.
If you liked the first two books, this one is definitely worth your time!
September 17, 2016
It's an ending I guess
I have honestly wanted this series to do well since the first book. Sadly the quality deteriorates as the series progresses. The motivations and the actions of the various antagonists is unbelievable and frequently veers into the absurd. It was a very frustrating read. But credit to the author, at least he mercifully brought us some closure. A rare thing in the fantasy genre today. That earns this book 2 stars.
I have honestly wanted this series to do well since the first book. Sadly the quality deteriorates as the series progresses. The motivations and the actions of the various antagonists is unbelievable and frequently veers into the absurd. It was a very frustrating read. But credit to the author, at least he mercifully brought us some closure. A rare thing in the fantasy genre today. That earns this book 2 stars.
November 24, 2016
I can't be bothered with a long winded review. This whole series is really good.
August 30, 2023
Rozbite Imperium to satysfakcjonujące zamknięcie trylogii Hierarchia Magii. Rzadko się zdarza, żeby w finałowym tomie autor tak bardzo jeszcze rozbudowywał świat, relacje między bohaterami i sam system magiczny, a tutaj bardzo się to sprawdziło! Rozwijając fabułę przez dwa pierwsze tomy autor nierzadko powodował, że czytelnik często zostawał z większą liczbą pytań, niż na początku. Tym razem jest zupełnie odwrotnie, a wszystkie niejasności zostają sensownie wyjaśnione.
W serii Mitchella Hogana pojawia się klimat znany z klasycznych opowieści spod znaku magii i miecza, gdzie na szali staje los całego królestwa. Nie brakuje tu jednak ciekawych rozwiązań fabularnych, które sprawiają, że całość daje poczucie świeżości i angażuje. Po skończonej lekturze muszę powiedzieć, że to nie tylko historia z klasycznymi motywami. To również opowieść o szukaniu własnego miejsca, podejmowaniu decyzji w zgodzie ze swoimi przekonaniami, pięknej przyjaźni, bolesnej zdradzie i pogoni za władzą, która korumpuje.
Powtarzam to przy każdym tomie, ale system magiczny bardzo przypadł mi do gustu. Bohaterowie wykorzystują różne narzędzia, by korzystać ze swoich zasobów mocy, zwanych tu studniami. Obserwując akcję głównie za sprawą Caldana, który systematycznie rozwija swoje umiejętności, czytelnik ma okazję poznawać możliwości magów coraz lepiej. Wciąż jednak pojawiają się inne punkty widzenia, które dopełniają cały obraz i przedstawiając nie mniej interesujące wydarzenia.
Tygiel Dusz to emocjonujący początek, Krew Niewinnych popycha całą historię naprzód, ale to Rozbite Imperium stawia taką kropkę nad i, świetnie domykając wszystkie wątki. Cała trylogia pokazuje jak debiutujący autor świetnie si�� rozwinął, nie tylko pod względem tworzenia samej historii i postaci, ale nawet budowania napięcia, którego w finale nie brakuje! Co tu więcej pisać… CZYTAJCIE!
W serii Mitchella Hogana pojawia się klimat znany z klasycznych opowieści spod znaku magii i miecza, gdzie na szali staje los całego królestwa. Nie brakuje tu jednak ciekawych rozwiązań fabularnych, które sprawiają, że całość daje poczucie świeżości i angażuje. Po skończonej lekturze muszę powiedzieć, że to nie tylko historia z klasycznymi motywami. To również opowieść o szukaniu własnego miejsca, podejmowaniu decyzji w zgodzie ze swoimi przekonaniami, pięknej przyjaźni, bolesnej zdradzie i pogoni za władzą, która korumpuje.
Powtarzam to przy każdym tomie, ale system magiczny bardzo przypadł mi do gustu. Bohaterowie wykorzystują różne narzędzia, by korzystać ze swoich zasobów mocy, zwanych tu studniami. Obserwując akcję głównie za sprawą Caldana, który systematycznie rozwija swoje umiejętności, czytelnik ma okazję poznawać możliwości magów coraz lepiej. Wciąż jednak pojawiają się inne punkty widzenia, które dopełniają cały obraz i przedstawiając nie mniej interesujące wydarzenia.
Tygiel Dusz to emocjonujący początek, Krew Niewinnych popycha całą historię naprzód, ale to Rozbite Imperium stawia taką kropkę nad i, świetnie domykając wszystkie wątki. Cała trylogia pokazuje jak debiutujący autor świetnie si�� rozwinął, nie tylko pod względem tworzenia samej historii i postaci, ale nawet budowania napięcia, którego w finale nie brakuje! Co tu więcej pisać… CZYTAJCIE!
August 1, 2017
A Shattered Empire (Sorcery Ascendant Sequence #3) was rather frustrating for me. My problem was with just one character for the most part and I never noticed it in the first 2 books but I almost gave up half way through. The main POV, Caldan cannot make a decision about anything. If he comes to a fork in the road the next 3 pages are him thinking what might go wrong if he goes left then the next 6 pages are what might go wrong if he goes right but 3 of the pages are practically the same 3 from the left choice. I was listening to the audio book while grocery shopping and At one point I yelled out just make a fucking choice man. I was the only "man" in the aisle it must have looked like I was yelling at myself to pick a cereal ......
But other than the extreme amounts of POVs inside the head of people thinking things out in detail over and over again, thinking things out in their heads in detail thinking things inside....(you see where I am going with this?) there were a few other small things that annoyed me. These kind of things are in most books and I don't usually mention them in reviews but since I was bored while Caldan was thinking about things here goes.
1. A guy loses his sword in a river his friends think he is dead. later on he has the sword again.
2. The guy that lost his sword and another guy both have severely broken arms. as they are waiting for a DR. at one point sword guy puts his HANDS on the other guys shoulders and asked what happened.
3. Caldan makes one completely rash decision without a single thought about it and it is to kill the guy that just saved thousands of people including Caldan from a magic attack.
4. Miranda...... just everything about her and Caldan
5. at one point everyone comes to a conclusion that Someone is also a bad guy so we have a total of 3, a chapter or two later they meet to discuss what to do about the 2 bad guys then a chapter later he come to the conclusion that that one guy is a bad guy again but i can't tell my friends .... that knew 4 chapters ago that he is a bad guy.
I did like the ending and the series as a whole helps this one just make 3 stars for me. Oh ok ill end this review now Caldan made a decision about right or left he said he wants to go left but while walking backwards....go figure.
But other than the extreme amounts of POVs inside the head of people thinking things out in detail over and over again, thinking things out in their heads in detail thinking things inside....(you see where I am going with this?) there were a few other small things that annoyed me. These kind of things are in most books and I don't usually mention them in reviews but since I was bored while Caldan was thinking about things here goes.
1. A guy loses his sword in a river his friends think he is dead. later on he has the sword again.
2. The guy that lost his sword and another guy both have severely broken arms. as they are waiting for a DR. at one point sword guy puts his HANDS on the other guys shoulders and asked what happened.
3. Caldan makes one completely rash decision without a single thought about it and it is to kill the guy that just saved thousands of people including Caldan from a magic attack.
4. Miranda...... just everything about her and Caldan
5. at one point everyone comes to a conclusion that Someone is also a bad guy so we have a total of 3, a chapter or two later they meet to discuss what to do about the 2 bad guys then a chapter later he come to the conclusion that that one guy is a bad guy again but i can't tell my friends .... that knew 4 chapters ago that he is a bad guy.
I did like the ending and the series as a whole helps this one just make 3 stars for me. Oh ok ill end this review now Caldan made a decision about right or left he said he wants to go left but while walking backwards....go figure.
October 24, 2016
Enjoyable trilogy- Couldn't quite get into this final book however. Not sure if its me, or the book but it didn't grab me on this occasion and despite all his skills, the main character lacked personality. 3.5 stars from me
July 24, 2022
trilogia con 3 libri di troppo, storia interessante scritta e/o tradotta veramente di merda!!!!!!!!!!!
May 9, 2025
czy mg przeczytac tą trylogie znowu po raz pierwszy pls bo ja juz tesknie
June 14, 2017
I really liked the first two books of this series. The third one was even better. I spent the last third of the book glued to the pages because I had no clue how things were going to play out. There were so many things working against Caldan in this one, and it was really fun to watch how he tried to untangle himself from bad situation after bad situation.
Overall, this is a series that I think should have a lot more readers than it does. I think fans of Sanderson will find a lot to like in Hogan's stories. The magic is very interesting and an integral part of the plot, and the stakes just get higher and higher.
Rating: 9.5/10
Overall, this is a series that I think should have a lot more readers than it does. I think fans of Sanderson will find a lot to like in Hogan's stories. The magic is very interesting and an integral part of the plot, and the stakes just get higher and higher.
Rating: 9.5/10
August 24, 2017
I need this book to drop like tomorrow!!! 1st 2 were mesmerizing. Can't wait... (nail biting anxious lol)
July 1, 2020
After reading again the first two books before this one I have to admit that I was too generous in giving them 5 stars. Probably it was a period in which I had read only bad books and finding something good made me add a star or two.
Still....back to this book. It was better than the second one in the story. Let me give you some insights:
In conclusion I can say that the author seems to have talent in his writing, but he still need some experience since there are flaws which should not be repeated if he wants his works to be really successfull.
So to Mitchell I say:
- Make the main character cooler from the beginning;
- Improve the way relationships between characters develops (MirandaxCaldan lovestory was really too fast considering that they met just 5 times at most before she became a puppet, but Caldan treats her as if they had been married for a lifetime);
- Let time flow in the story in a more realistic pattern;
- Keep writing because I trust that your stories will get better and better.
Still....back to this book. It was better than the second one in the story. Let me give you some insights:
In conclusion I can say that the author seems to have talent in his writing, but he still need some experience since there are flaws which should not be repeated if he wants his works to be really successfull.
So to Mitchell I say:
- Make the main character cooler from the beginning;
- Improve the way relationships between characters develops (MirandaxCaldan lovestory was really too fast considering that they met just 5 times at most before she became a puppet, but Caldan treats her as if they had been married for a lifetime);
- Let time flow in the story in a more realistic pattern;
- Keep writing because I trust that your stories will get better and better.
December 10, 2019
This book was a considerable improvement over the second novel in the trilogy, but unfortunately there was just too much ground that needed to be recovered after that book and this novel just wasn't up to the task.
By far my favourite aspect of this book was that the author once again focused on Caldan's story more so than any other. As the central character in this series his is the story I cared about most and it should never have been pushed aside in the second book. The problem is that it was pushed aside so as a result his story felt rushed in this book to make up for lost time. Therefore Caldan turns from the character we have known over the course of this series to a new creature he needed to become for the climax through a series of abrupt jumps rather than a gradual, smooth change. As a result it felt uncomfortable to say the least.
I also felt that some storylines were summed up abruptly because the author needed to bring all the pieces in place for the climax. Again this was rushed and didn't do the story the justice it deserved.
Overall though I did enjoy this book and the series as a whole. Had the second book been better and accomplished more then the trilogy of novels might just have been great, not just good. However, pacing issues (too slow at times and too fast at others) combined with Caldan's story suffering in book 2 meant this series didn't live up to its potential.
That being said this book was a good try at course correcting and proves that the brilliant first book want a fluke. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
By far my favourite aspect of this book was that the author once again focused on Caldan's story more so than any other. As the central character in this series his is the story I cared about most and it should never have been pushed aside in the second book. The problem is that it was pushed aside so as a result his story felt rushed in this book to make up for lost time. Therefore Caldan turns from the character we have known over the course of this series to a new creature he needed to become for the climax through a series of abrupt jumps rather than a gradual, smooth change. As a result it felt uncomfortable to say the least.
I also felt that some storylines were summed up abruptly because the author needed to bring all the pieces in place for the climax. Again this was rushed and didn't do the story the justice it deserved.
Overall though I did enjoy this book and the series as a whole. Had the second book been better and accomplished more then the trilogy of novels might just have been great, not just good. However, pacing issues (too slow at times and too fast at others) combined with Caldan's story suffering in book 2 meant this series didn't live up to its potential.
That being said this book was a good try at course correcting and proves that the brilliant first book want a fluke. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
February 28, 2017
Actual rating 4.5 stars
I have enjoyed this series. The first book was easily my favourite but this book did finish the series off well.
The world building took a bit if a back seat as this was.much more about the characters and their ultimate goal. It was still good though and really described what was going on. There was a lot of destruction of places, people, things, etc in this book and it really was well described.
The characters were interesting and again Caldan was at the forefront but lots of characters were involved in the action. Miranda, Aidan, and Vasile were important and good additions to.the story. Kelhak too was an Interesting character. My favourite though was Felice, Lady Felicienne Shyrise. For me she always stole the show and was such an interesting character.
There was a lot of action in this one, especially in some very violent and destructive battle scenes. It was descriptive and graphic but that fitted into the storyline well. It had to be dark to give it more impact.
Some really good twists and surprises as well and it moved along at a much quicker pace than the second one. The ending was also good and a fitting finale.
I recommend this to those who like sword and sorcery fantasy novels which are a little on the dark and foreboding side. Well worth reading although I suggest reading them one after the other as I think it flows better that way.
I have enjoyed this series. The first book was easily my favourite but this book did finish the series off well.
The world building took a bit if a back seat as this was.much more about the characters and their ultimate goal. It was still good though and really described what was going on. There was a lot of destruction of places, people, things, etc in this book and it really was well described.
The characters were interesting and again Caldan was at the forefront but lots of characters were involved in the action. Miranda, Aidan, and Vasile were important and good additions to.the story. Kelhak too was an Interesting character. My favourite though was Felice, Lady Felicienne Shyrise. For me she always stole the show and was such an interesting character.
There was a lot of action in this one, especially in some very violent and destructive battle scenes. It was descriptive and graphic but that fitted into the storyline well. It had to be dark to give it more impact.
Some really good twists and surprises as well and it moved along at a much quicker pace than the second one. The ending was also good and a fitting finale.
I recommend this to those who like sword and sorcery fantasy novels which are a little on the dark and foreboding side. Well worth reading although I suggest reading them one after the other as I think it flows better that way.
February 7, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, but it was just too boring. To be honest I haven't even finished reading it. I decided to stop 3/4 of the way through because I'm just not paying attention to it.
I didn't care for the second in the series either, I had hoped it would get better. I feel like there are to many excess characters with no real purpose. This entire story overall could of been cut in half and been fantastic. Same type characters doing same type evil things. it's just pointless. One of those characters could of been enough to make a great series. It's REALLLLY noticeable in the third book because of how it switches around to different characters but them doing nearly the same things.
Someday maybe I will get through the last quarter of this. Hoping the author comes out with something more refined and not so dredged down.
I didn't care for the second in the series either, I had hoped it would get better. I feel like there are to many excess characters with no real purpose. This entire story overall could of been cut in half and been fantastic. Same type characters doing same type evil things. it's just pointless. One of those characters could of been enough to make a great series. It's REALLLLY noticeable in the third book because of how it switches around to different characters but them doing nearly the same things.
Someday maybe I will get through the last quarter of this. Hoping the author comes out with something more refined and not so dredged down.
January 6, 2024
Recenzja zawiera nawiązania do tomów poprzednich.
Rozbite imperium to trzeci i ostatni tom cyklu pt "Hierarchia magii". W ogólnym rozrachunku uważam tę serię za dobrą, ale dość przeciętną, a tom trzeci uznałabym chyba jako najsłabszy z nich.
Czytając recenzje innych czytelników natknęłam się na opinie, że Caldan jest bohaterem nudnym, a wszystko przychodzi mu zbyt łatwo.
Co do pierwszego zarzutu to nie uważam, żeby był to nudny czy zły bohater. Mamy tu trop wybrańca i typowe od zera do bohatera. Jest to inteligentny chłopak, może trochę zbyt pochłonięty analizowaniem wszystkiego do koła, co nie ukrywam daje efekt przegadania i momentami się dłuży. Mimo to podróż i rozwój Caldana śledziłam z przyjemnością. Jego ocena sytuacji również jest dość interesująca, zważywszy na to, że nie wie komu ufać, ma świadomość, że jest pionkiem na planszy potężniejszych od siebie i narzędziem, które inni chcą wykorzystać. Wraz z własnym rozwojem i szerszym zrozumieniem swojej mocy stara się nie ulec pokusie i pozostać sobą. Mimo, że niewinność zatracił już gdzieś na etapie tomu pierwszego.
Co do tego, że wszystko przychodzi mu dość wygodnie i łatwo zgadzam się w całej rozciągłości. I mimo, że nie przeszkadzało mi to przy poprzednich tomach historii tak w tym bardzo rzucało się w oczy i momentami mnie denerwowało.
Wyobraźcie sobie scenę, w której ktoś przyciska was do ziemi i unieruchomionych dusi, mielibyście czas na skomplikowane rozważania na temat działania magii i jej zależności? Śmiem twierdzić, że raczej nie. Ale nasz bohater dokonuje przełomowych odkryć, w przeciągu sekund, które oczywiście ratują go z opresji. Inna scena, gdzie wygodnym splotem wypadków poznaje nową sztuczkę, która to przydaje mu się parę stron dalej i jest kluczowa dla dalszej fabuły i rozwiązania akcji. I takie wybiegi fabularne są tu nagminne.
Największym moim rozczarowaniem tego tomu było jednak rozwiniecie wątku Mirandy. Po tych trzech tomach została z niej wydmuszka postaci, która w tomie pierwszym miała wielki potencjał. Z silnej, wygadanej, kobiecej bohaterki została sprowadzona do bycia powodem działań. Motywacją stojąca za podejmowanymi decyzjami. Tłem.
Plusy należą się za to za wątek Amerdana, czyli postaci najbardziej wg mnie złożonej i interesującej, której motywacje do końca nie były dla mnie oczywiste.
Inne postacie poboczne jak np Aidan, nie miały w moim odczuciu za dużej roli do odegrania w tym tomie i równie dobrze mogłyby się nie pojawić, a nie miałoby to żadnego znaczenia dla fabuły.
Liczyłam, że trochę bardziej poznamy cesarza imperatora i wroga imperium numer jeden i choć dostajemy epicką walkę na koniec, to te postaci nie dostają wystarczająco dużo czasu żebyśmy je poznali i zrozumieli. Samo rozwinięcie akcji wydało mi się pośpieszone w stosunku do reszty fabuły. Książka zdecydowanie ma problem z proporcjami. I nie ustrzegła się kilku luk fabularnych. Brakowało mi także zamknięcia dla niektórych wątków jak na przykład wątku obdarzonych. No i liczyłam, że dominion będzie miał większe znaczenie w rozwiązaniu akcji. Co prawda co jakiś czas jest wzmianka o tej grze. Ale przy nabudowaniu jej znaczenia w tym świecie w tomie pierwszym, tom trzeci zawierał jej szczątkowe ilości.
Biorąc pod uwagę, że ta seria jest debiutem autora, to uważam, że dobrze mu poszło. Wymyślił wyjątkowy system magiczny i ciekawą fabułę. Na pewno będę śledzić jego dalsze poczynania. Co do serii to jest to dość fajna historia, szczególnie dla początkujących z fantastyką. Jeśli nie przeszkadzają wam takie drobne potknięcia to warto dać jej szansę. Ja lektury nie żałuję i cieszę się że poznałam tą historię.
Rozbite imperium to trzeci i ostatni tom cyklu pt "Hierarchia magii". W ogólnym rozrachunku uważam tę serię za dobrą, ale dość przeciętną, a tom trzeci uznałabym chyba jako najsłabszy z nich.
Czytając recenzje innych czytelników natknęłam się na opinie, że Caldan jest bohaterem nudnym, a wszystko przychodzi mu zbyt łatwo.
Co do pierwszego zarzutu to nie uważam, żeby był to nudny czy zły bohater. Mamy tu trop wybrańca i typowe od zera do bohatera. Jest to inteligentny chłopak, może trochę zbyt pochłonięty analizowaniem wszystkiego do koła, co nie ukrywam daje efekt przegadania i momentami się dłuży. Mimo to podróż i rozwój Caldana śledziłam z przyjemnością. Jego ocena sytuacji również jest dość interesująca, zważywszy na to, że nie wie komu ufać, ma świadomość, że jest pionkiem na planszy potężniejszych od siebie i narzędziem, które inni chcą wykorzystać. Wraz z własnym rozwojem i szerszym zrozumieniem swojej mocy stara się nie ulec pokusie i pozostać sobą. Mimo, że niewinność zatracił już gdzieś na etapie tomu pierwszego.
Co do tego, że wszystko przychodzi mu dość wygodnie i łatwo zgadzam się w całej rozciągłości. I mimo, że nie przeszkadzało mi to przy poprzednich tomach historii tak w tym bardzo rzucało się w oczy i momentami mnie denerwowało.
Wyobraźcie sobie scenę, w której ktoś przyciska was do ziemi i unieruchomionych dusi, mielibyście czas na skomplikowane rozważania na temat działania magii i jej zależności? Śmiem twierdzić, że raczej nie. Ale nasz bohater dokonuje przełomowych odkryć, w przeciągu sekund, które oczywiście ratują go z opresji. Inna scena, gdzie wygodnym splotem wypadków poznaje nową sztuczkę, która to przydaje mu się parę stron dalej i jest kluczowa dla dalszej fabuły i rozwiązania akcji. I takie wybiegi fabularne są tu nagminne.
Największym moim rozczarowaniem tego tomu było jednak rozwiniecie wątku Mirandy. Po tych trzech tomach została z niej wydmuszka postaci, która w tomie pierwszym miała wielki potencjał. Z silnej, wygadanej, kobiecej bohaterki została sprowadzona do bycia powodem działań. Motywacją stojąca za podejmowanymi decyzjami. Tłem.
Plusy należą się za to za wątek Amerdana, czyli postaci najbardziej wg mnie złożonej i interesującej, której motywacje do końca nie były dla mnie oczywiste.
Inne postacie poboczne jak np Aidan, nie miały w moim odczuciu za dużej roli do odegrania w tym tomie i równie dobrze mogłyby się nie pojawić, a nie miałoby to żadnego znaczenia dla fabuły.
Liczyłam, że trochę bardziej poznamy cesarza imperatora i wroga imperium numer jeden i choć dostajemy epicką walkę na koniec, to te postaci nie dostają wystarczająco dużo czasu żebyśmy je poznali i zrozumieli. Samo rozwinięcie akcji wydało mi się pośpieszone w stosunku do reszty fabuły. Książka zdecydowanie ma problem z proporcjami. I nie ustrzegła się kilku luk fabularnych. Brakowało mi także zamknięcia dla niektórych wątków jak na przykład wątku obdarzonych. No i liczyłam, że dominion będzie miał większe znaczenie w rozwiązaniu akcji. Co prawda co jakiś czas jest wzmianka o tej grze. Ale przy nabudowaniu jej znaczenia w tym świecie w tomie pierwszym, tom trzeci zawierał jej szczątkowe ilości.
Biorąc pod uwagę, że ta seria jest debiutem autora, to uważam, że dobrze mu poszło. Wymyślił wyjątkowy system magiczny i ciekawą fabułę. Na pewno będę śledzić jego dalsze poczynania. Co do serii to jest to dość fajna historia, szczególnie dla początkujących z fantastyką. Jeśli nie przeszkadzają wam takie drobne potknięcia to warto dać jej szansę. Ja lektury nie żałuję i cieszę się że poznałam tą historię.
September 15, 2023
Historia Caldana dobiega końca w finalnym tomie Hierarchii Magii. Chłopak musi stanąć przed trudnymi wyborami, a także obnażyć się ze swoich zalet i słabości, aby przywrócić w Imperium spokój oraz porządek. Aczkolwiek jeśli przeżyje, będzie musiał zapłacić za zwycięstwo... A jeśli przegra, to pogrąży w cieniu cały świat.
Cóż to była za emocjonująca przygoda prowadzona przez Mitchella Hogana! Autor stworzył świat pełen magii, rozbudowanych systemów magicznych oraz skomplikowanych relacji politycznych; które w międzyczasie dokładnie rozpisał i pozwolił nam się z nimi zaznajomić. Podał nam Imperium nieidealne i pełne ciemności, a w nim bohaterów przepełnionych marzeniami, lękami i chęcią przetrwania.
"Rozbite Imperium" jest przykładem typowego fantasy, gdzie magia oraz walka rozwiązują konflikty, ale mogą być również motorem napędzającym domino nieszczęść. Schematy znane z innych powieści również są tutaj powielane, ale nie nudzą czytelnika i jednocześnie potrafią zaskoczyć! Autor sięga po klasykę gatunku, ale miesza ją z nowymi rzeczami i nie pozwala na to, aby historia była przewidywalna i nieangażująca... A wręcz przeciwnie! Nadaje jej smaku i klimatu, przez który pragniemy poznać zachowania bohaterów, ich decyzje, a także w jaki sposób powstały pewne stworzenia.
Dodatkowo na uwagę zasługuję bohaterowie - zwłaszcza, że ich charaktery z każdym tomem nabierają głębi. Caldan nie jest już nieumiejętnym młodzieńcem, a mężczyzną znającym swoją wartość, ale i słabości - walczy z nimi, poprawia je, a także za wszelką cenę walczy o bezpieczeństwo osób, które kocha najmocniej. I tu mogłabym tylko pomarudzić, że postać Mirandy nie została do końca wykorzystana i rozbudowana. Byłam jej bardzo ciekawa już od pierwszego tomu, ale czułam lekki niedosyt. Zaś co do innych bohaterów, to ceniłam w książce fakt, że można śledzić w niej historię z kilku perspektyw. Dzięki temu obrazuje to lepiej konflikt, a także interesy oby stron.
Jeżeli szukacie wciągającej trylogii fantasy z motywem walki, nauki magii oraz intrygujących zwrotów wydarzeń, to "Rozbite Imperium" sprosta Waszym oczekiwaniom! Pozwoli Wam zanurzyć się w fantastycznym świecie pełnym artefaktów i zła, które czai się bardzo blisko...
Cóż to była za emocjonująca przygoda prowadzona przez Mitchella Hogana! Autor stworzył świat pełen magii, rozbudowanych systemów magicznych oraz skomplikowanych relacji politycznych; które w międzyczasie dokładnie rozpisał i pozwolił nam się z nimi zaznajomić. Podał nam Imperium nieidealne i pełne ciemności, a w nim bohaterów przepełnionych marzeniami, lękami i chęcią przetrwania.
"Rozbite Imperium" jest przykładem typowego fantasy, gdzie magia oraz walka rozwiązują konflikty, ale mogą być również motorem napędzającym domino nieszczęść. Schematy znane z innych powieści również są tutaj powielane, ale nie nudzą czytelnika i jednocześnie potrafią zaskoczyć! Autor sięga po klasykę gatunku, ale miesza ją z nowymi rzeczami i nie pozwala na to, aby historia była przewidywalna i nieangażująca... A wręcz przeciwnie! Nadaje jej smaku i klimatu, przez który pragniemy poznać zachowania bohaterów, ich decyzje, a także w jaki sposób powstały pewne stworzenia.
Dodatkowo na uwagę zasługuję bohaterowie - zwłaszcza, że ich charaktery z każdym tomem nabierają głębi. Caldan nie jest już nieumiejętnym młodzieńcem, a mężczyzną znającym swoją wartość, ale i słabości - walczy z nimi, poprawia je, a także za wszelką cenę walczy o bezpieczeństwo osób, które kocha najmocniej. I tu mogłabym tylko pomarudzić, że postać Mirandy nie została do końca wykorzystana i rozbudowana. Byłam jej bardzo ciekawa już od pierwszego tomu, ale czułam lekki niedosyt. Zaś co do innych bohaterów, to ceniłam w książce fakt, że można śledzić w niej historię z kilku perspektyw. Dzięki temu obrazuje to lepiej konflikt, a także interesy oby stron.
Jeżeli szukacie wciągającej trylogii fantasy z motywem walki, nauki magii oraz intrygujących zwrotów wydarzeń, to "Rozbite Imperium" sprosta Waszym oczekiwaniom! Pozwoli Wam zanurzyć się w fantastycznym świecie pełnym artefaktów i zła, które czai się bardzo blisko...
September 24, 2023
„Rozbite Imperium” Mitchella Hogana to bardzo dobre zamknięcie trylogii „Hierarchia Magii”. Choć nie jest pozbawiona wad, książka ta wyróżnia się w tworzeniu bogatego i wciągającego świata wypełnionego złożonymi postaciami i zawiłymi intrygami politycznymi.
Mitchell Hogan pokazał, że potrafi tworzyć szczegółowy świat. Każde otoczenie w książce wydaje się żywe i skrupulatnie przemyślane. Ta zdolność budowania świata jest dodatkowo wzmocniona przez talent autora do przekazywania różnorodnych kultur i społeczeństw, które go zamieszkują, dodając głębi i autentyczności historii.
Rozwój postaci w „Rozbitym Imperium” to kolejny mocny jej punkt. Bohaterowie są wielowymiarowi, ewoluują w całej historii. Najbardziej widoczne jest to w przypadku Caldana. Młody mężczyzna staje się bardziej pewny siebie, nie jest już tym zagubionym chłopcem, którego poznaliśmy w „Tyglu dusz”. Musi podejmować ciężkie decyzje, które niosą ze sobą bardzo poważne konsekwencje, czasami sprzeczne z jego sumieniem. Staje się również bardziej brutalny w swoim postępowaniu.
Polityczne intrygi i walki o władzę, które napędzają fabułę, są zarówno ekscytujące, jak i prowokujące do myślenia. Hogan umiejętnie splata ze sobą wiele wątków i perspektyw, pozwalając czytelnikom zgadywać prawdziwe motywacje bohaterów. Zwroty akcji są dobrze wykonane. Chociaż czasami tempo może być nierówne. Ponadto sama liczba postaci i wątków pobocznych może być przytłaczająca dla niektórych czytelników. No i te minimalnie przewidywalne zakończenie.
Zdolność Mitchella Hogana do tworzenia tętniącego życiem i skomplikowanego świata, w połączeniu z jego umiejętnością tworzenia złożonych postaci i intryg politycznych, sprawia, że jest to fascynująca lektura. Fani epickiego fantasy z pewnością znajdą w tej książce wiele powodów do radości, a ja z chęcią zapoznam się z dalszą twórczością tego autora.
Mitchell Hogan pokazał, że potrafi tworzyć szczegółowy świat. Każde otoczenie w książce wydaje się żywe i skrupulatnie przemyślane. Ta zdolność budowania świata jest dodatkowo wzmocniona przez talent autora do przekazywania różnorodnych kultur i społeczeństw, które go zamieszkują, dodając głębi i autentyczności historii.
Rozwój postaci w „Rozbitym Imperium” to kolejny mocny jej punkt. Bohaterowie są wielowymiarowi, ewoluują w całej historii. Najbardziej widoczne jest to w przypadku Caldana. Młody mężczyzna staje się bardziej pewny siebie, nie jest już tym zagubionym chłopcem, którego poznaliśmy w „Tyglu dusz”. Musi podejmować ciężkie decyzje, które niosą ze sobą bardzo poważne konsekwencje, czasami sprzeczne z jego sumieniem. Staje się również bardziej brutalny w swoim postępowaniu.
Polityczne intrygi i walki o władzę, które napędzają fabułę, są zarówno ekscytujące, jak i prowokujące do myślenia. Hogan umiejętnie splata ze sobą wiele wątków i perspektyw, pozwalając czytelnikom zgadywać prawdziwe motywacje bohaterów. Zwroty akcji są dobrze wykonane. Chociaż czasami tempo może być nierówne. Ponadto sama liczba postaci i wątków pobocznych może być przytłaczająca dla niektórych czytelników. No i te minimalnie przewidywalne zakończenie.
Zdolność Mitchella Hogana do tworzenia tętniącego życiem i skomplikowanego świata, w połączeniu z jego umiejętnością tworzenia złożonych postaci i intryg politycznych, sprawia, że jest to fascynująca lektura. Fani epickiego fantasy z pewnością znajdą w tej książce wiele powodów do radości, a ja z chęcią zapoznam się z dalszą twórczością tego autora.
January 21, 2018
Book 1 - 5 stars
Book 2 - 4 stars
Book 3 - 3 stars (barely)
This book (the last in the series) starts immediately after the ending to Book 2 which means instead of the usual story (beginning, middle & end) we really only have a middle and an end to the book which left me aggravated and not really able to get into this book until about page 200+
All of the usual characters are here and all the storylines progress and grow but something was just missing. It felt forced which made me have to force myself to read it and that really isn't what you want your reader to do on the finale of your series.
Not going to spend a lot of time on the plot but we've got all the heroes and the Emperor in the final showdown with the God-King. Things don't end well for all but we do get a conclusion.
I had really high hopes for this series and I did enjoy it but it did seem that the longer it went on, the less I liked it. It's Hogan's first series so I'm not ready to write him off, let's see what he does next.
Book 2 - 4 stars
Book 3 - 3 stars (barely)
This book (the last in the series) starts immediately after the ending to Book 2 which means instead of the usual story (beginning, middle & end) we really only have a middle and an end to the book which left me aggravated and not really able to get into this book until about page 200+
All of the usual characters are here and all the storylines progress and grow but something was just missing. It felt forced which made me have to force myself to read it and that really isn't what you want your reader to do on the finale of your series.
Not going to spend a lot of time on the plot but we've got all the heroes and the Emperor in the final showdown with the God-King. Things don't end well for all but we do get a conclusion.
I had really high hopes for this series and I did enjoy it but it did seem that the longer it went on, the less I liked it. It's Hogan's first series so I'm not ready to write him off, let's see what he does next.
October 18, 2024
2.5 Stars...MAYBE 3
Oh no! I hated this ending.... So so many character arches led literally no where. Their motivations were never revealed and so their actions in the final chapters made no sense. Super disappointed, especially because the descriptions of magic were excellent. This book read like a really good first draft.
Oh no! I hated this ending.... So so many character arches led literally no where. Their motivations were never revealed and so their actions in the final chapters made no sense. Super disappointed, especially because the descriptions of magic were excellent. This book read like a really good first draft.
November 3, 2017
3.5 stars here.
Book three picks up right from the end of book 2.
Our hero Caldan returns as he seeks to find a cure for Miranda, and battle the corrupt Emperor, and try to save the world.
With this series there is great world building, a solid magic system, and compelling characters.
Book three picks up right from the end of book 2.
Our hero Caldan returns as he seeks to find a cure for Miranda, and battle the corrupt Emperor, and try to save the world.
With this series there is great world building, a solid magic system, and compelling characters.
March 30, 2024
Najlepsza z całej trylogii, nie mniej dla mnie to wciąż bardzo średnia seria. :(
Niestety.
Miała kilka bardzo ciekawych wątków. Niemniej całość nie wzbudziła we mnie żadnychwiększych emocji.
Niestety.
Miała kilka bardzo ciekawych wątków. Niemniej całość nie wzbudziła we mnie żadnychwiększych emocji.
December 7, 2019
For a book with maybe 20-30 total characters, only 1-2 of them have as much depth as a puddle... maybe. Okay, maybe that is doing the puddle a disservice. This is some of the flattest, most generic trope-copying fantasy I've ever read. It's basically an outline of a fantasy novel, never filled in with any actual characters.
There's a main character who is the flat "eh, I'm not really ambitious, but geez, I guessssss I'll do whatever if it'll save the planet, geeeez mom, can I just be normal yet?" stretched over 3 bland novels. Thinking to himself "man, it'd be nice to just leave this stuff, but I really can't" isn't enough to be interesting, flawed, realistic or entertaining. The entire novel comes off as a disney ride where nothing unexpected happens, they just always go straight forward, entirely directly towards the villain who was pointed out right away in the first book. Some minor spooky little goobers pop up on the way, but are always basically inconsequential.
Then there's a supporting character, Felice, who really has no personality except "I want to save the world, I'll just say or do whatever until we save the world" What does she desire for herself? Never says. What are her guilty pleasures? Never says. What flaws does she have? Never says. Half to 3/4th the series she's not even near the main character, and they don't actually have a relationship of any kind except "eh, guess that person is probably okay" so the story wouldn't be all that different if she was completely removed.
It's rather telling that the first two I mention aren't even the love interest, because she's an AFK mcguffin lying comotose in a bed not talking and not thinking for 90% of the total page count... so she's not even actually a main character. Progressing from an inanimate object lying in beds for novels to waking up as a generic "please don't hurt my new boyfriend he's all that matters in the world" isn't a character arc at all. If fantasy had a yearly awards show like the raspberries, the author could win an award for the Worst use of the main love interest in any fantasy novel. She has less depth and less screen-time than a 5-page long fanfiction by a random fan and it's not like the romance part, which is basically the few seconds she has, is even titillating or anything.
The rest of the 20-30 ensemble are somehow even more badly written. It's like someone just wrote down "This is Caitlyn, uhh, she hates EVIL so bad that she'll torture babies" and then literally never decided to develop that into something more than the outline page. They're all one-dimensional props with zero progression.
Flat badly-written characters might be fine if the plot was some amazing novel non-trope surprise, but it's not. The main character just always goes straight forward, butts his head against the enemy and goes "urghhhh... let me use my magic, hahhhh, uses my super strength and my magic, okay, I won" repeated every few chapters.
Goes right on the "don't waste your time reading this" list.
There's a main character who is the flat "eh, I'm not really ambitious, but geez, I guessssss I'll do whatever if it'll save the planet, geeeez mom, can I just be normal yet?" stretched over 3 bland novels. Thinking to himself "man, it'd be nice to just leave this stuff, but I really can't" isn't enough to be interesting, flawed, realistic or entertaining. The entire novel comes off as a disney ride where nothing unexpected happens, they just always go straight forward, entirely directly towards the villain who was pointed out right away in the first book. Some minor spooky little goobers pop up on the way, but are always basically inconsequential.
Then there's a supporting character, Felice, who really has no personality except "I want to save the world, I'll just say or do whatever until we save the world" What does she desire for herself? Never says. What are her guilty pleasures? Never says. What flaws does she have? Never says. Half to 3/4th the series she's not even near the main character, and they don't actually have a relationship of any kind except "eh, guess that person is probably okay" so the story wouldn't be all that different if she was completely removed.
It's rather telling that the first two I mention aren't even the love interest, because she's an AFK mcguffin lying comotose in a bed not talking and not thinking for 90% of the total page count... so she's not even actually a main character. Progressing from an inanimate object lying in beds for novels to waking up as a generic "please don't hurt my new boyfriend he's all that matters in the world" isn't a character arc at all. If fantasy had a yearly awards show like the raspberries, the author could win an award for the Worst use of the main love interest in any fantasy novel. She has less depth and less screen-time than a 5-page long fanfiction by a random fan and it's not like the romance part, which is basically the few seconds she has, is even titillating or anything.
The rest of the 20-30 ensemble are somehow even more badly written. It's like someone just wrote down "This is Caitlyn, uhh, she hates EVIL so bad that she'll torture babies" and then literally never decided to develop that into something more than the outline page. They're all one-dimensional props with zero progression.
Flat badly-written characters might be fine if the plot was some amazing novel non-trope surprise, but it's not. The main character just always goes straight forward, butts his head against the enemy and goes "urghhhh... let me use my magic, hahhhh, uses my super strength and my magic, okay, I won" repeated every few chapters.
Goes right on the "don't waste your time reading this" list.
November 18, 2016
I really, really wanted to like this book more than I do. Mitchell Hogan can write, I know because Harper Voyager has sent me a copy of each book in this series for review and I picked up the free audiobook of the associated short story on my own. (Definitely check out At the Sign of the Crow and Moon, it'll hook you into the series.) Hogan did lag a bit in the first book, yes, and this one still has plenty to like, but that's part of my problem. On occasion it felt patched together, jumpy, and that kept me from dropping fully into the story, and then the ending just kind of...ends.
Straight up No BS Assessment: Caldan was one of my least favorite characters. Felicienne takes the #1 spot easily and a handful of side characters seem more fleshed out than Caldan after the first book. The Big Bads feel a little underwhelming, but the magic battles are pretty cool so they balance out. Hogan has a lot to work with in this world and I know he can write so, even though I'm dinging him for two stars on this installment, I know to keep an eye out for more goods down the pipeline.
Seriously though, check out the short story.
Straight up No BS Assessment: Caldan was one of my least favorite characters. Felicienne takes the #1 spot easily and a handful of side characters seem more fleshed out than Caldan after the first book. The Big Bads feel a little underwhelming, but the magic battles are pretty cool so they balance out. Hogan has a lot to work with in this world and I know he can write so, even though I'm dinging him for two stars on this installment, I know to keep an eye out for more goods down the pipeline.
Seriously though, check out the short story.
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