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Blood of Gods and Royals #3
Reign of Serpents
Reign of Serpents by Eleanor Herman will be available May 29, 2018. Preorder your copy today!
A PRINCE WILL RISE TO POWER OR MADNESS,
A PRINCESS WILL BECOME A QUEEN...
AND BLOOD MAGIC WILL RULE THEM ALL
Prince Alexander of Macedon’s mind has been touched by an incomprehensible evil, even as his betrothed travels from afar to unite their kingdoms against a terrible darkness that threatens both realms: the Spirit Eaters.
From the distant shores of Illyria to a small deserted island, the deadly consequences of Smoke Blood magic loom and lost civilizations emerge to reveal the existence of a weapon that may do the impossible—kill the last living god. As magic rises and warriors clash, the fate of all Macedon rests in the hands of the unstable prince and those whose loyalty can no longer be trusted.
A PRINCE WILL RISE TO POWER OR MADNESS,
A PRINCESS WILL BECOME A QUEEN...
AND BLOOD MAGIC WILL RULE THEM ALL
Prince Alexander of Macedon’s mind has been touched by an incomprehensible evil, even as his betrothed travels from afar to unite their kingdoms against a terrible darkness that threatens both realms: the Spirit Eaters.
From the distant shores of Illyria to a small deserted island, the deadly consequences of Smoke Blood magic loom and lost civilizations emerge to reveal the existence of a weapon that may do the impossible—kill the last living god. As magic rises and warriors clash, the fate of all Macedon rests in the hands of the unstable prince and those whose loyalty can no longer be trusted.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2017
31 people are currently reading
4040 people want to read
About the author
Eleanor Herman
16 books1,028 followersNew York Times best-seller Eleanor Herman's new non-fiction book, The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul, is set to come out in June 2018. Think royal palaces were beautiful places to live? Think again!
Herman offers a rare combination of skills for a historian – her research is intensely scholarly, yet she writes the story in a colorful, witty manner. “History is so fascinating that it never has to be presented in a boring way,” she explains. “These were flesh and blood people, just like you and me, facing war and plague, falling in love, living among splendid art and gut-wrenching poverty. Sometimes people ask me if I plan to write novels. And I say, with all the things that really happened, who needs to make stuff up?”
Reviewers agree. The New York Times Book Review wrote that Eleanor writes “enlightening social history that is great fun to read.”
The Boston Globe wrote, “Herman’s writing sparkles off the pages.”
The Washington Post called Eleanor Herman “A lot more fun than Danielle Steel or Dan Brown.”
Eleanor, a New York Times bestseller, has also written Sex with Kings (a history of royal mistresses), Sex with the Queen (a look at queens' love affairs), Mistress of the Vatican (a biography of an influential papal mistress), and a four-part YA fantasy series on Alexander the Great, called The Blood of Gods and Royals.
Eleanor is a frequent commentator in the media about royal scandals, and has hosted episodes for The History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, and America: Fact vs. Fiction. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Eleanor graduated with a degree in journalism from Towson University, studied languages in Europe, and for thirteen years worked for NATO’S Nations & Partners for Peace magazine. She is married and lives in McLean, VA with four very demanding cats
.
Herman offers a rare combination of skills for a historian – her research is intensely scholarly, yet she writes the story in a colorful, witty manner. “History is so fascinating that it never has to be presented in a boring way,” she explains. “These were flesh and blood people, just like you and me, facing war and plague, falling in love, living among splendid art and gut-wrenching poverty. Sometimes people ask me if I plan to write novels. And I say, with all the things that really happened, who needs to make stuff up?”
Reviewers agree. The New York Times Book Review wrote that Eleanor writes “enlightening social history that is great fun to read.”
The Boston Globe wrote, “Herman’s writing sparkles off the pages.”
The Washington Post called Eleanor Herman “A lot more fun than Danielle Steel or Dan Brown.”
Eleanor, a New York Times bestseller, has also written Sex with Kings (a history of royal mistresses), Sex with the Queen (a look at queens' love affairs), Mistress of the Vatican (a biography of an influential papal mistress), and a four-part YA fantasy series on Alexander the Great, called The Blood of Gods and Royals.
Eleanor is a frequent commentator in the media about royal scandals, and has hosted episodes for The History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, and America: Fact vs. Fiction. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Eleanor graduated with a degree in journalism from Towson University, studied languages in Europe, and for thirteen years worked for NATO’S Nations & Partners for Peace magazine. She is married and lives in McLean, VA with four very demanding cats
.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 1, 2017
4.5 stars!
I am shook to the max. This is definitely the best of the three books since there were sooooooo many twists and turns that I didn't suspect at all. I'm just so SHOOK! Like wow. This book was incredible.
So many people don't like this series and I honestly don't understand why. There's a lot of POVs though which can get a bit much at times BUT I like every single one of the characters. There are 10 POVs. T E N! It's a lot to keep up with BUT they're all great so I have no regrets.
Zo is still my favourite character and her storyline got way more attention this book and her life is wild! I definitely have a soft spot for Cyn too but my overall love for all of the characters definitely grew. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book (even though goodreads doesn't have the next book up yet) because I know it will be action packed and wild af.
I am shook to the max. This is definitely the best of the three books since there were sooooooo many twists and turns that I didn't suspect at all. I'm just so SHOOK! Like wow. This book was incredible.
So many people don't like this series and I honestly don't understand why. There's a lot of POVs though which can get a bit much at times BUT I like every single one of the characters. There are 10 POVs. T E N! It's a lot to keep up with BUT they're all great so I have no regrets.
Zo is still my favourite character and her storyline got way more attention this book and her life is wild! I definitely have a soft spot for Cyn too but my overall love for all of the characters definitely grew. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book (even though goodreads doesn't have the next book up yet) because I know it will be action packed and wild af.
August 17, 2017
Again, so, so good!
August 8, 2017
*Source* Library
*Genre* Historical Fiction, Young Adult
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
Reign of Serpents, by author Eleanor Herman, is the third installment in the authors Blood of Gods and Royals series. This is a series that combines historical fiction, with a bit of myth and magic. Your main characters are Alexander, Katerina, Hephaestion, Jacob,Cynane, and Zofia. Each has been set on an adventure that has led them into uncharted territory where you really can't trust anyone to have your back
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Historical Fiction, Young Adult
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
Reign of Serpents, by author Eleanor Herman, is the third installment in the authors Blood of Gods and Royals series. This is a series that combines historical fiction, with a bit of myth and magic. Your main characters are Alexander, Katerina, Hephaestion, Jacob,Cynane, and Zofia. Each has been set on an adventure that has led them into uncharted territory where you really can't trust anyone to have your back
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
September 11, 2017
3.5/5 stars.
This book felt like a filler book. I remember hearing that initial this was going to be a 6 book series, but now I think it is down to a quartet. This book definitely feels like it suffered because of that.
We had this big bad villain at the forefront of the first and second books, with a mysterious larger power lurking in the background. At the end of the second book, this villain comes to power. However, nothing really major or catastrophic came as a result of this. No empires were destroyed, no one really died. Nothing with consequence happened. Additionally, this villain was defeated in such an unimpressive and quick way. It felt like Herman set up for there to be these two all-power evils in this series. One to vanquish first, that served as a distraction to the larger problem at hand. Then the second to be the real threat and antagonist of the final book. Because the series was shortened, that first villain did not receive the arc that they deserved. The true threat is not receiving the buildup that they deserve either. It felt very rushed. I would have preferred this first villain to not be included in the series at all, and just focus on the threat of the magic in this world.
Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with this installment. I don't really feel like a lot happened, but everything that did happen felt rushed. Some major plot lines that we've been following since book one still have not been wrapped up. They are still left dangling to address in the final book. I feel like the series needs more time to appropriately address everything Herman set up so beautifully in books one and two.
I will also mention that I read this over the span of three weeks where I was EXTREMELY busy. I couldn't fit more than a couple pages in at a time. Usually, this detracts from my overall enjoyment of a book. I really need to be immersed in a novel, fully, to enjoy it. I will be interested to see how I feel about this book next week when I reread it before the final book comes out.
This book felt like a filler book. I remember hearing that initial this was going to be a 6 book series, but now I think it is down to a quartet. This book definitely feels like it suffered because of that.
We had this big bad villain at the forefront of the first and second books, with a mysterious larger power lurking in the background. At the end of the second book, this villain comes to power. However, nothing really major or catastrophic came as a result of this. No empires were destroyed, no one really died. Nothing with consequence happened. Additionally, this villain was defeated in such an unimpressive and quick way. It felt like Herman set up for there to be these two all-power evils in this series. One to vanquish first, that served as a distraction to the larger problem at hand. Then the second to be the real threat and antagonist of the final book. Because the series was shortened, that first villain did not receive the arc that they deserved. The true threat is not receiving the buildup that they deserve either. It felt very rushed. I would have preferred this first villain to not be included in the series at all, and just focus on the threat of the magic in this world.
Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with this installment. I don't really feel like a lot happened, but everything that did happen felt rushed. Some major plot lines that we've been following since book one still have not been wrapped up. They are still left dangling to address in the final book. I feel like the series needs more time to appropriately address everything Herman set up so beautifully in books one and two.
I will also mention that I read this over the span of three weeks where I was EXTREMELY busy. I couldn't fit more than a couple pages in at a time. Usually, this detracts from my overall enjoyment of a book. I really need to be immersed in a novel, fully, to enjoy it. I will be interested to see how I feel about this book next week when I reread it before the final book comes out.
October 24, 2017
Full review to come!
January 13, 2020
Title: Herman, Eleanor. Reign of Serpents. Harlequin, 2017.
Date: 09/07/19
Personal Response: I really enjoy this book because there is lots of action and adventure. I think Zo or Heph or Cyn are my favorite characters. They are both determined and spirited.
Plot: Zophia has to escape Kohinoor whos giving her tainted drinks to make her hazy and sick. Zo escapes with her child who Kohinoor said had died earlier. She then flies away on her pegasus and goes to Persia where she finds Ochus and is sent to Macedon to be married to Alex. Alex is overtaken by Reil who is actually his (and Kat’s) father. He was stuck in a snake who lived in Olympias' room for a while. Now that he has Alex he can make decisions and act like a king as long as King Philip is gone. Jacob goes to find Reil and ends up finding Pythia in Delphi where Alex/Reil often goes. Pythia helps Jacob try to trick Alex/Reil and ends up getting hurt. The whole city of Delphi is in ruins and Jacob goes back to the Aeresians. After Cyn’s stay with the Aresians, Cyn is sent to Illyria because she wanted to rule over a city. Olympias betrayed her and sent her there to be married to a crazy king who only takes advice from a horse. There she is forced to kill some people and do some things for the king's amusement. She really wants to obtain the smoke blood that her grandfather has so she kills him to get it and does end up obtaining it herself. Kat and Heph find themselves on Aristotle’s island picking up tiny bits of metal to build a machine to find the last earth blood. (hint: it's Jacob) They need to speed up the process so Kat connects herself to a whale and she used the whale to kill this beast whos scales were the tiny bits of metal. They built a real-sized mechanism and it pointed to where they needed to go. Alex’s little brother (who is rightful to the throne since he’s the firstborn son of King Philip) is re-named Rat to protect him.
Characterization: there’s like 8 main characters so I'm just going to do 2:
Cyn has always been strong-willed, by the end she still is. She starts off in a prison protected (sort of) by Jacob, but mostly protected by her smoke blood grandfather who gave he the ability to heal. Whether it was a small paper cut or all her bones were crushed it would be healed. When her step-mother betrays her to get rid of her, she goes to a new place with a demented ruler. Here she learns to be patient and think outside the box.
Alex was trying to prove himself at the beginning, but now he has been consumed by his father who is a god. Once in a while, Alex comes back to himself and tries to fix some things but most of the time he's in the background and not able to do much. I'm excited to maybe see if he comes back in the next book.
Setting: This book is fiction, it's a kind of medieval times with swords and horse carriages and magic. It's was really all over the place because there's like 7 or 8 people that it moves around with. Kat and Heph were on the island with Aristotle most of the time. Cyn was sent to her new home, Illyria. Alex went back and forth between Macedon and Delphi and now he's off to Byzantium with Olympias. Jacob spent most of his time in Delphi.
Recommendation: I think anyone would love this book. It's more for 13+ however because little children might not understand some of it. All the different viewpoints get kind of confusing sometimes.
Date: 09/07/19
Personal Response: I really enjoy this book because there is lots of action and adventure. I think Zo or Heph or Cyn are my favorite characters. They are both determined and spirited.
Plot: Zophia has to escape Kohinoor whos giving her tainted drinks to make her hazy and sick. Zo escapes with her child who Kohinoor said had died earlier. She then flies away on her pegasus and goes to Persia where she finds Ochus and is sent to Macedon to be married to Alex. Alex is overtaken by Reil who is actually his (and Kat’s) father. He was stuck in a snake who lived in Olympias' room for a while. Now that he has Alex he can make decisions and act like a king as long as King Philip is gone. Jacob goes to find Reil and ends up finding Pythia in Delphi where Alex/Reil often goes. Pythia helps Jacob try to trick Alex/Reil and ends up getting hurt. The whole city of Delphi is in ruins and Jacob goes back to the Aeresians. After Cyn’s stay with the Aresians, Cyn is sent to Illyria because she wanted to rule over a city. Olympias betrayed her and sent her there to be married to a crazy king who only takes advice from a horse. There she is forced to kill some people and do some things for the king's amusement. She really wants to obtain the smoke blood that her grandfather has so she kills him to get it and does end up obtaining it herself. Kat and Heph find themselves on Aristotle’s island picking up tiny bits of metal to build a machine to find the last earth blood. (hint: it's Jacob) They need to speed up the process so Kat connects herself to a whale and she used the whale to kill this beast whos scales were the tiny bits of metal. They built a real-sized mechanism and it pointed to where they needed to go. Alex’s little brother (who is rightful to the throne since he’s the firstborn son of King Philip) is re-named Rat to protect him.
Characterization: there’s like 8 main characters so I'm just going to do 2:
Cyn has always been strong-willed, by the end she still is. She starts off in a prison protected (sort of) by Jacob, but mostly protected by her smoke blood grandfather who gave he the ability to heal. Whether it was a small paper cut or all her bones were crushed it would be healed. When her step-mother betrays her to get rid of her, she goes to a new place with a demented ruler. Here she learns to be patient and think outside the box.
Alex was trying to prove himself at the beginning, but now he has been consumed by his father who is a god. Once in a while, Alex comes back to himself and tries to fix some things but most of the time he's in the background and not able to do much. I'm excited to maybe see if he comes back in the next book.
Setting: This book is fiction, it's a kind of medieval times with swords and horse carriages and magic. It's was really all over the place because there's like 7 or 8 people that it moves around with. Kat and Heph were on the island with Aristotle most of the time. Cyn was sent to her new home, Illyria. Alex went back and forth between Macedon and Delphi and now he's off to Byzantium with Olympias. Jacob spent most of his time in Delphi.
Recommendation: I think anyone would love this book. It's more for 13+ however because little children might not understand some of it. All the different viewpoints get kind of confusing sometimes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2018
REIGN OF SERPENTS is the third installment of Eleanor Herman's series, Blood of Gods and Royals. This epic young adult series combines historical fiction with myth, magic, and intrigue. The stories center around a young Alexander the Great and a mysterious prophecy that began in Legacy of Kings, with each book building into grand adventures and individual quests. Joining him are a cast of friends ( Katerina, Jacob, Hephaestion, Zofia, and Cynane ) as they battle both men and monsters, in order to save the ancient world from a dangerous enemy, know as the Spirit Eaters.
What makes this series such a standout is the seamless way Eleanor Herman weaves together the historical and with the fantastical.
The ancient world comes alive as Herman sweeps across ancient Macedon, the Persian Empire, and Egypt bringing readers right along with her. Exotic and vivid, REIGN OF SERPENTS takes off immediately from the ending in EMPIRE OF DUST where twists and turns await.
“Ancient Greece was a world alive with myths, gods, and magic.”
The book continues to be narrated by six core characters (with a few extras thrown in!!) namely Alexander and his cast of friends; with their shifting perspectives giving readers an intimate look into each character's thoughts and emotions.
In each book, and it continues here as well, Herman takes on major story arc and sets the characters on mini-quests, and in each book, the arrangement changes. I love this overall story method as the characters take on new personality traits with each experience; often changing and surprising the reader.
The many POV used in Blood of Gods and Royals series seems to be either hit or miss with readers, but for me, the added depth and scope reminds me of what one usually expects in the epic fantasy genre. A wide terrain and multiple point-of-views to savor.
REIGN OF SERPENTS is packed with the exciting and the strange. It's hard to believe so many of the fantasy elements are inspired by archaeology and history.
The magic and fantasy exploded in this segment, which may be my favorite book in the series to date. There is a possession by a god, dark magic known as Smoke Blood, a mad king reminiscent of Caligula, and betrayal at every page it seems. Watery sea creatures, an Atlantean clockwork device—warriors, philosophers, and sibyls who rub elbows with gods and monstersKings and Queens.
Recommended for:
I highly recommend this book and series for lovers of historical fiction and fantasy, especially those fascinated by Greek mythology and the legendary figure of Alexander the Great.
What makes this series such a standout is the seamless way Eleanor Herman weaves together the historical and with the fantastical.
The ancient world comes alive as Herman sweeps across ancient Macedon, the Persian Empire, and Egypt bringing readers right along with her. Exotic and vivid, REIGN OF SERPENTS takes off immediately from the ending in EMPIRE OF DUST where twists and turns await.
“Ancient Greece was a world alive with myths, gods, and magic.”
The book continues to be narrated by six core characters (with a few extras thrown in!!) namely Alexander and his cast of friends; with their shifting perspectives giving readers an intimate look into each character's thoughts and emotions.
In each book, and it continues here as well, Herman takes on major story arc and sets the characters on mini-quests, and in each book, the arrangement changes. I love this overall story method as the characters take on new personality traits with each experience; often changing and surprising the reader.
The many POV used in Blood of Gods and Royals series seems to be either hit or miss with readers, but for me, the added depth and scope reminds me of what one usually expects in the epic fantasy genre. A wide terrain and multiple point-of-views to savor.
REIGN OF SERPENTS is packed with the exciting and the strange. It's hard to believe so many of the fantasy elements are inspired by archaeology and history.
The magic and fantasy exploded in this segment, which may be my favorite book in the series to date. There is a possession by a god, dark magic known as Smoke Blood, a mad king reminiscent of Caligula, and betrayal at every page it seems. Watery sea creatures, an Atlantean clockwork device—warriors, philosophers, and sibyls who rub elbows with gods and monstersKings and Queens.
Recommended for:
I highly recommend this book and series for lovers of historical fiction and fantasy, especially those fascinated by Greek mythology and the legendary figure of Alexander the Great.
May 21, 2018
Plot: In the beginning of another FANTASTIC book The Queen hires Cyn to kill Kat. after Cyn brings back a finger tip (didn't actually kill Kat), the Queen is skeptical but takes it anyway. Alex's General commits suicide by throwing himself off a cliff and shortly after Alex is possessed by a god. Throughout the book Heph and Kat make a Device to detect Earth Blood and complete it towards the end of the book. Possessed Alex is suspected of not being the real Alex because of the sudden change. At the end of the book everyone is at Byzantium celebrating the wedding of Alex's father and Cleopatra. Kat steals the device from Heph to find Alex, Possessed Alex attacks her and closely kills her but not before she scratches him with a hairpin, killing Alex. Shortly before, in the same room Jacob Killed the Queen who was plotting to kill the King (we have yet to figure out if she succeeded) but before Jacob killed the Queen, she scratched Jacob with the same hairpin, getting his blood on it (Jacob has Earth Blood). The Earth Blood was like a poison to the god possessing Alex, fortunately, it only killed the god and not Alex who woke up shortly after. (sorry Mr. Sherwinski, there's ALOT to this book). Cyn earned Smoke Blood by killing an entity who helped her escape the Assyrians in the last book. and was very closely killed by the Assyrians (but not after a fight that ended 6 Assyrian Lord's lives) at the end of the book.
Personal Response: This was an insane book, (insane as in really good). the author is doing a really good job of keeping her readers on the edge, almost every single chapter there is a surprise that you never saw coming. Cliff hangers throughout, and a cliff hanger at the end of the book which leads me to believe there is going to be another one? I have no idea but I really hope so cause it did kind of leave off on a bad and good note...
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to Sophomores/juniors because of the sexual themes and other battle related things wouldn't be appropriate for 8th graders. it also describes some very cruel ways of torturing people, so again, not really appropriate for 8th-freshmen.
Characterization: The main characters the book follows are, Alex, Heph, Kat, and many others. Alex did not develop much as he was possessed the entire book. Heph and Kat are developing at a rapid pace romantically. Jacob defected from the Assyrian Lords and killed the Queen. Cyn(my Favorite character) gains smoke blood after training with an eternal entity and killing him to release him.
Personal Response: This was an insane book, (insane as in really good). the author is doing a really good job of keeping her readers on the edge, almost every single chapter there is a surprise that you never saw coming. Cliff hangers throughout, and a cliff hanger at the end of the book which leads me to believe there is going to be another one? I have no idea but I really hope so cause it did kind of leave off on a bad and good note...
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to Sophomores/juniors because of the sexual themes and other battle related things wouldn't be appropriate for 8th graders. it also describes some very cruel ways of torturing people, so again, not really appropriate for 8th-freshmen.
Characterization: The main characters the book follows are, Alex, Heph, Kat, and many others. Alex did not develop much as he was possessed the entire book. Heph and Kat are developing at a rapid pace romantically. Jacob defected from the Assyrian Lords and killed the Queen. Cyn(my Favorite character) gains smoke blood after training with an eternal entity and killing him to release him.
July 27, 2018
I enjoyed it... the plot was engaging, but at the same time I'm left wondering if anything even happened? Shifting so many times between ten (10) perspectives was a lot, but really meant that the actual storyline for each character was only a few short chapters long. It did keep everything moving, I guess, but it's a little annoying when I have some favourite characters or plot lines I would like more time with.
Writing is still annoying at times, but I still really appreciate the historical setting and research! It makes me miss studying for my Ancient Greek history class, but I guess there's still the last book to get to soon~
Writing is still annoying at times, but I still really appreciate the historical setting and research! It makes me miss studying for my Ancient Greek history class, but I guess there's still the last book to get to soon~
September 14, 2018
This book was okay. Definitely better then the second one. All of the twists that happen were good. The characters were alright, some kind of boring but Alex is my favorite and he was hardly in it. If you like Greek Mythology, give it a try and see how you like it.
October 16, 2020
Felt very filler-y. Like not a lot happened.
October 13, 2017
Better than the last one! The stories are so fun, each intertwining into the next.
The adventures continue in Reign of Serpents, the third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series. Alexander is not acting himself, not only has he gone back on everything he has fought so hard to accomplish while in power, but his eyes have changed color. Something seems amiss. When Princess Cynane’s ship docks on her betrothed’s land, she soon realizes her husband-to-be is insane. She must be cautious in her plan to gain the power that is her birthright. Eleanor Herman, once again, surprises readers with gorgeous stories and well-written characters that intricately weave fact into fiction.
It wouldn't be a book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series without a gigantic cast of characters. Herman does a fantastic job at making each of her characters’ point-of-views unique enough to differentiate between. Although, the perspectives change with every chapter. At first, it is a bit confusing; however, readers will quickly adapt, falling prey to the complex and developed plot.
I highly recommend binge reading this series. This way, you won't need a refresher and you can jump into each storyline without confusion.
There seemed to be several time gaps. To disguise them, Herman adds even more perspectives to the ever growing cast. However, I wished the book was a bit longer, not only to stay in the immersive world of true history and fiction but also to fill in the time gaps so the plot flows even more elegantly.
Aristotle makes his character debut in Empire of Dust. Aristotle is given a much larger role in Reign of Serpents. It's such a surprise. Herman captures Aristotle's curiosity gorgeously, having his character stay true to life in his research but also developing further when faced with magical obstacles.
Exactly as the two previous books—since there is such a large cast of characters—readers will not know when the story of each character will end. Unfortunately, readers are left with so many questions regarding different characters because of this. A "wait, but what about this character" sort of reaction which will have you returning for the next and final installment.
The book begins with a bang. When Herman starts the book nearly right where readers left off with each character, I knew right then we were in for a treat. She wasted absolutely no time in setting up the story, just threw us right into the action, amongst all the stories happening simultaneously.
With each book in the series, I've always picked a favorite story arc but with Reign of Serpents, I couldn't find a favorite. Each story was action packed with on-the-edge-of-your-seat entertainment, it would be too difficult to pick just one.
I can imagine how fun this book must have been to write as it was tons of fun to read. With high expectations and even higher stakes, Reign of Serpents does not disappoint.
Don’t miss the author’s note in the back of the book. Not only does it emphasize how Herman has intertwined true history with that of her fiction, but the facts are extremely interesting.
Reign of Serpents is an unforgettable adventure. Eleanor Herman sweeps readers off their feet. The novel will have them hungry for more, eagerly awaiting the sequel.
The adventures continue in Reign of Serpents, the third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series. Alexander is not acting himself, not only has he gone back on everything he has fought so hard to accomplish while in power, but his eyes have changed color. Something seems amiss. When Princess Cynane’s ship docks on her betrothed’s land, she soon realizes her husband-to-be is insane. She must be cautious in her plan to gain the power that is her birthright. Eleanor Herman, once again, surprises readers with gorgeous stories and well-written characters that intricately weave fact into fiction.
It wouldn't be a book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series without a gigantic cast of characters. Herman does a fantastic job at making each of her characters’ point-of-views unique enough to differentiate between. Although, the perspectives change with every chapter. At first, it is a bit confusing; however, readers will quickly adapt, falling prey to the complex and developed plot.
I highly recommend binge reading this series. This way, you won't need a refresher and you can jump into each storyline without confusion.
There seemed to be several time gaps. To disguise them, Herman adds even more perspectives to the ever growing cast. However, I wished the book was a bit longer, not only to stay in the immersive world of true history and fiction but also to fill in the time gaps so the plot flows even more elegantly.
Aristotle makes his character debut in Empire of Dust. Aristotle is given a much larger role in Reign of Serpents. It's such a surprise. Herman captures Aristotle's curiosity gorgeously, having his character stay true to life in his research but also developing further when faced with magical obstacles.
Exactly as the two previous books—since there is such a large cast of characters—readers will not know when the story of each character will end. Unfortunately, readers are left with so many questions regarding different characters because of this. A "wait, but what about this character" sort of reaction which will have you returning for the next and final installment.
The book begins with a bang. When Herman starts the book nearly right where readers left off with each character, I knew right then we were in for a treat. She wasted absolutely no time in setting up the story, just threw us right into the action, amongst all the stories happening simultaneously.
With each book in the series, I've always picked a favorite story arc but with Reign of Serpents, I couldn't find a favorite. Each story was action packed with on-the-edge-of-your-seat entertainment, it would be too difficult to pick just one.
I can imagine how fun this book must have been to write as it was tons of fun to read. With high expectations and even higher stakes, Reign of Serpents does not disappoint.
Don’t miss the author’s note in the back of the book. Not only does it emphasize how Herman has intertwined true history with that of her fiction, but the facts are extremely interesting.
Reign of Serpents is an unforgettable adventure. Eleanor Herman sweeps readers off their feet. The novel will have them hungry for more, eagerly awaiting the sequel.
July 24, 2017
Well, this didn't get any better for me. I wanted to like these, but I just couldn't get into them. Don't get me wrong the author did her research and I feel like probably had fun writing this....but I felt there were too many characters to keep track of. I felt like we didn't need to have that many people. Why couldn't we just have a book with Zofia or Katerina?
July 20, 2017
Well, boo. That was disappointing. Too many POVs and not enough story. I'll still read the last book, because Zofia is a great character and I want to see if she ends up in Macedonia or not, but this series has unfortunately gone downhill for me.
October 28, 2021
2021 update: changed my mind, I don't actually like these books. This review means nothing.
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Once again, this series has blown me away. I feel like it's almost sacrilegious for me not to give this book 5 stars since I've given it to the previous two but it's also completely justified in my opinion. This book entertained me so much and just made me love the series even more. I love how each of the characters are developing, whether it's in a good or bad way, and I feel like everyone continues to be in character. I'm also super happy that my ship, Katerina and Hephaestion, is sailing and they're in love (even if Kat doesn't want to admit it) and they just deserve to be happy. However I was worried that I would be annoyed when I saw there were different POVs being introduced, like Rat and the Dardanian fool, but they actually turned out to be so important and contained so many plot twists!! Honestly this book had me yelling and gasping almost every since chapter. I love this super underrated series so much and I cannot wait to see how it's going to end.
You can check out a more detailed review of this book on my blog!
https://bookstrustandpixiedust.wordpr...
-------
Once again, this series has blown me away. I feel like it's almost sacrilegious for me not to give this book 5 stars since I've given it to the previous two but it's also completely justified in my opinion. This book entertained me so much and just made me love the series even more. I love how each of the characters are developing, whether it's in a good or bad way, and I feel like everyone continues to be in character. I'm also super happy that my ship, Katerina and Hephaestion, is sailing and they're in love (even if Kat doesn't want to admit it) and they just deserve to be happy. However I was worried that I would be annoyed when I saw there were different POVs being introduced, like Rat and the Dardanian fool, but they actually turned out to be so important and contained so many plot twists!! Honestly this book had me yelling and gasping almost every since chapter. I love this super underrated series so much and I cannot wait to see how it's going to end.
You can check out a more detailed review of this book on my blog!
https://bookstrustandpixiedust.wordpr...
August 6, 2017
Ready to be transported to an ancient world of war and magic? Reign of Serpents continues the journey of young Alexander of Macedon, as he works his way towards becoming Alexander the Great. Historical knowledge and fantasy are twisted together to form an enchanting series that will be sure to enrapture its readers.
Reign of Serpents is the third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series. As mentioned previously this series follows Alexander before he became the Great. It seamlessly mixes fantasy with history, creating a fascinating story. The first two books are two of my favorites, if you have yet to read this series? What are you waiting for?! Go pick Legacy of Kings up now, if you need more convincing, I do have book reviews up for both of the previous books, so feel free to go check them out. (Legacy of Kings & Empire of Dust)
Now, if I'm being completely honest here, this book was a little bit of a disappointment for me. A lot of the elements of the story felt rushed, or just too easy. Like a problem would be introduced, just to be resolved in the next few pages. For me, there wasn't much suspense in the story, because after a few times I realized all the issues would quickly be fixed.
Also, while the unique use of third person present tense worked for the most part in the past books, it made the narrative feel strange at points as well as the reader feel a bit disconnected from the story.
One of my biggest issues, though, was the way the story would cut out some of the most interesting scenes. For example, a character breaks out of being captured and must find a way to safely get away from their captor. This escape is not actually shown in the story, only described later as an after thought after they were already in relative safety. Then, another big time this showed up was when a character was killing someone, only it didn't show that happening. Just descried it later as, again, an afterthought. In fact, it seemed like a lot of the action didn't actually occur when our main characters present, or if it did, it wasn't described as it was happening.
I believe that some of my issues with this book could have been resolved if it had only been a bit longer. The story was too crammed together. It was in a hurry to just get to the BIG moments, that it missed the small ones the hold a good tale together.
I'm going to give Reign of Serpents 6/10 stars, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I wasn't left yearning for the next book as the last two have left me. I was just done with the book, and that felt okay with me. I would recommend reading this one, though, if you've already read the first two. There are some very rewarding moments for fans of certain characters, and like I said before, it wasn't horrible. I certainly won't be quitting the series, I've come to far and am too invested in these characters' fates to leave them now.
Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy in this action-packed follow-up to EMPIRE OF DUST.
In REIGN OF SERPENTS, the ancient power of Snake Blood threatens the known world. While Prince Alexander struggles with a very deadly inner demon, his betrothed, Zofia, is on her way to him, to unite their kingdoms…even as she begins to realize where her true allegiance lies. The fierce Cynane meets her match-not in her future husband, the deranged king of Illyria, but in her great-great-grandfather, Talus, possessor of Smoke Blood, who will teach her the true meaning of betrayal. And marooned together on an island in the Mediterranean, romantic tension blooms between Katerina and Hephaestion as they learn of lost civilizations and discover a device that could help them do the impossible: kill the last living god.
SPOILERS BELOW FOR REIGN OF SERPENTS
One of the easiest *get out* scenarios that was in this book was the way Riel was killed. Sure, he might not actually be dead, but if he is... Really? That's how a God will go out? WITH A COMB? (Yes, I do realize that Jacob's blood is on the comb, but really? I think a God should go out in a more epic way.)
Another easy scenario is when Kat uses the whale to kill the hydra. She got out before the hydra was actually killed, which also is an example of how the story doesn't actually show the good action moments.
I have to say the only tie I was held in suspense and actually excited for the story was when I thought there would be a Kat Jacob reunion. AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. Honestly really looking forward to the next book because I want my Kat Jacob reunion. I still can't tell what endgame is, I thought it was Kat and Heph, but after reading this book... It seemed like Jacob still had a decent shot.
I didn't really care for the oracle of delphi character, I would have flipped out if she and Jacob became a thing-- I thought it was going in that direction, but thankfully no. She left so thanks oracle character.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Alex in the next book-- I do love his character. And I was perfectly okay with us not seeing too much of Cyn, she aggravates the hell out of me, and Zofia? yeah, I still don't love her. She annoys me.
Anyway, thanks for reading,
Anj
Reign of Serpents is the third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series. As mentioned previously this series follows Alexander before he became the Great. It seamlessly mixes fantasy with history, creating a fascinating story. The first two books are two of my favorites, if you have yet to read this series? What are you waiting for?! Go pick Legacy of Kings up now, if you need more convincing, I do have book reviews up for both of the previous books, so feel free to go check them out. (Legacy of Kings & Empire of Dust)
Now, if I'm being completely honest here, this book was a little bit of a disappointment for me. A lot of the elements of the story felt rushed, or just too easy. Like a problem would be introduced, just to be resolved in the next few pages. For me, there wasn't much suspense in the story, because after a few times I realized all the issues would quickly be fixed.
Also, while the unique use of third person present tense worked for the most part in the past books, it made the narrative feel strange at points as well as the reader feel a bit disconnected from the story.
One of my biggest issues, though, was the way the story would cut out some of the most interesting scenes. For example, a character breaks out of being captured and must find a way to safely get away from their captor. This escape is not actually shown in the story, only described later as an after thought after they were already in relative safety. Then, another big time this showed up was when a character was killing someone, only it didn't show that happening. Just descried it later as, again, an afterthought. In fact, it seemed like a lot of the action didn't actually occur when our main characters present, or if it did, it wasn't described as it was happening.
I believe that some of my issues with this book could have been resolved if it had only been a bit longer. The story was too crammed together. It was in a hurry to just get to the BIG moments, that it missed the small ones the hold a good tale together.
I'm going to give Reign of Serpents 6/10 stars, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I wasn't left yearning for the next book as the last two have left me. I was just done with the book, and that felt okay with me. I would recommend reading this one, though, if you've already read the first two. There are some very rewarding moments for fans of certain characters, and like I said before, it wasn't horrible. I certainly won't be quitting the series, I've come to far and am too invested in these characters' fates to leave them now.
Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy in this action-packed follow-up to EMPIRE OF DUST.
In REIGN OF SERPENTS, the ancient power of Snake Blood threatens the known world. While Prince Alexander struggles with a very deadly inner demon, his betrothed, Zofia, is on her way to him, to unite their kingdoms…even as she begins to realize where her true allegiance lies. The fierce Cynane meets her match-not in her future husband, the deranged king of Illyria, but in her great-great-grandfather, Talus, possessor of Smoke Blood, who will teach her the true meaning of betrayal. And marooned together on an island in the Mediterranean, romantic tension blooms between Katerina and Hephaestion as they learn of lost civilizations and discover a device that could help them do the impossible: kill the last living god.
SPOILERS BELOW FOR REIGN OF SERPENTS
One of the easiest *get out* scenarios that was in this book was the way Riel was killed. Sure, he might not actually be dead, but if he is... Really? That's how a God will go out? WITH A COMB? (Yes, I do realize that Jacob's blood is on the comb, but really? I think a God should go out in a more epic way.)
Another easy scenario is when Kat uses the whale to kill the hydra. She got out before the hydra was actually killed, which also is an example of how the story doesn't actually show the good action moments.
I have to say the only tie I was held in suspense and actually excited for the story was when I thought there would be a Kat Jacob reunion. AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. Honestly really looking forward to the next book because I want my Kat Jacob reunion. I still can't tell what endgame is, I thought it was Kat and Heph, but after reading this book... It seemed like Jacob still had a decent shot.
I didn't really care for the oracle of delphi character, I would have flipped out if she and Jacob became a thing-- I thought it was going in that direction, but thankfully no. She left so thanks oracle character.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Alex in the next book-- I do love his character. And I was perfectly okay with us not seeing too much of Cyn, she aggravates the hell out of me, and Zofia? yeah, I still don't love her. She annoys me.
Anyway, thanks for reading,
Anj
September 7, 2017
Eleanor Herman’s Reign of Serpents is the third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series. The events of Empire of Dust scattered the protagonists across the Mediterranean. Alexander was ruling in Pella, until he found himself imprisoned inside his own body. Olympias marries Cynane to the king of Dardania. Katerina and Hephaestion wait for Ada on the small island of Meninx. Jacob hides his Earth Blood magic from his fellow Aesarian Lords and Zofia continues her quest to fight fate. As fate, once again, draws the protagonists together, everyone can sense a growing evil approaching on the horizon and the dying of the era of Gods.
As expected, this book is full of POVs. No less than 10 people have their voices heard in this fantastical historical retelling, but, keeping with consistency, only the main six will be mentioned here.
King Phillip of Macedon left Alexander in charge of Pella. While it got off to a rocky start, his decisions began to establish the amazing leader he would become. Unfortunately, his leadership was cut short when a dying god decides to possess his body, leaving him trapped in inescapable darkness. With control of his body belonging to someone else, all his hard work begins to come undone.
In attempt to regain Alexander’s loyalty, he embarked on a journey with Katerina. During the journey he fell in love with Alexander’s long lost twin, but carries the burden of a powerful prophecy: Kat will be the death of Alexander.
While on her journey, Kat learned a lot about her powers as a Snake Blood, but as she spends weeks and months on the island of the Lotus Eaters, she soon learns the burden and curse of her magic. In her weeks on the lonely island, Kat must decide to accept her growing abilities or deny them in order to reject the evil and loss associated with them.
Jacob is in trouble. The Aesarians are known for their hatred towards magic users, but in reality, they collect magic users and sacrifice them to the Spirit Eaters, evil monsters that bring destruction and despair. With the discovery of his powerful Earth Blood magic, Jacob must find a way to destroy his magic or offer up a powerful sacrifice in his place.
Despite being married off to a faraway country, Cynane refuses to give up on her dream to become a queen and obtain Smoke Blood magic. Unfortunately, Dardania is ruled by King Amyntas, a psychotic sadist. While surviving the King’s bloodthirsty insanity, Cynane develops a strategy to steal the kingdom and obtain her coveted Smoke Blood.
Zofia has had a pretty rough time. In her attempt to escape fate, the Persian Princess was kidnapped, enslaved, and left to die. Her sister was also murdered which doesn’t make her life any better, and now she’s pregnant and showing. While Zofia does get to ride a Pegasus, she soon falls off and wakes up bruised and with little memory of her experiences. But her journey is far from over, as fate brings her ever closer to the Prince of Macedon.
Reign of Serpents is another great book by Eleanor Herman. The book maintains a constant sense of intensity and urgency, but has an awkward pacing. The pacing problems are due to two reasons.
The first is inherent in the time period. Things in ancient times took a while, but in order to maintain urgency, Eleanor has to make the events feel like they are happening quickly. She succeeds at this until she casually mentions that there is a several week time skip between the POVs of particular characters. For people who don’t notice it, the pacing carries on as normal, but for those who do, the timing of events can be enough to jerk them out of the book and make the fast pacing feel unnatural for a book that should have a slow and steady progression.
The second problem with the pacing is the sheer amount of events Eleanor Herman tries to cram into this short book that barely breaks 300 pages. So much happens in the book that many events lose their vibrancy and are turned into short and dry retellings. This is one of the few books that could have benefitted from 100 extra pages to enhance the emotional trials each character faces. While all the characters had individual arcs, all of them suffered from dry abbreviated writing that sucked the life out of them. This is a real shame as each character faced a deep emotional challenge that was undercut by dry writing.
Despite my disappointments with this book, it was an exciting story full of unpredictable twists and turns and ends the promise of much more in future installments.
I give this book 321 page book 4 stars.
For more reviews like this:
http://readershiddenparadise.weebly.com/
As expected, this book is full of POVs. No less than 10 people have their voices heard in this fantastical historical retelling, but, keeping with consistency, only the main six will be mentioned here.
King Phillip of Macedon left Alexander in charge of Pella. While it got off to a rocky start, his decisions began to establish the amazing leader he would become. Unfortunately, his leadership was cut short when a dying god decides to possess his body, leaving him trapped in inescapable darkness. With control of his body belonging to someone else, all his hard work begins to come undone.
In attempt to regain Alexander’s loyalty, he embarked on a journey with Katerina. During the journey he fell in love with Alexander’s long lost twin, but carries the burden of a powerful prophecy: Kat will be the death of Alexander.
While on her journey, Kat learned a lot about her powers as a Snake Blood, but as she spends weeks and months on the island of the Lotus Eaters, she soon learns the burden and curse of her magic. In her weeks on the lonely island, Kat must decide to accept her growing abilities or deny them in order to reject the evil and loss associated with them.
Jacob is in trouble. The Aesarians are known for their hatred towards magic users, but in reality, they collect magic users and sacrifice them to the Spirit Eaters, evil monsters that bring destruction and despair. With the discovery of his powerful Earth Blood magic, Jacob must find a way to destroy his magic or offer up a powerful sacrifice in his place.
Despite being married off to a faraway country, Cynane refuses to give up on her dream to become a queen and obtain Smoke Blood magic. Unfortunately, Dardania is ruled by King Amyntas, a psychotic sadist. While surviving the King’s bloodthirsty insanity, Cynane develops a strategy to steal the kingdom and obtain her coveted Smoke Blood.
Zofia has had a pretty rough time. In her attempt to escape fate, the Persian Princess was kidnapped, enslaved, and left to die. Her sister was also murdered which doesn’t make her life any better, and now she’s pregnant and showing. While Zofia does get to ride a Pegasus, she soon falls off and wakes up bruised and with little memory of her experiences. But her journey is far from over, as fate brings her ever closer to the Prince of Macedon.
Reign of Serpents is another great book by Eleanor Herman. The book maintains a constant sense of intensity and urgency, but has an awkward pacing. The pacing problems are due to two reasons.
The first is inherent in the time period. Things in ancient times took a while, but in order to maintain urgency, Eleanor has to make the events feel like they are happening quickly. She succeeds at this until she casually mentions that there is a several week time skip between the POVs of particular characters. For people who don’t notice it, the pacing carries on as normal, but for those who do, the timing of events can be enough to jerk them out of the book and make the fast pacing feel unnatural for a book that should have a slow and steady progression.
The second problem with the pacing is the sheer amount of events Eleanor Herman tries to cram into this short book that barely breaks 300 pages. So much happens in the book that many events lose their vibrancy and are turned into short and dry retellings. This is one of the few books that could have benefitted from 100 extra pages to enhance the emotional trials each character faces. While all the characters had individual arcs, all of them suffered from dry abbreviated writing that sucked the life out of them. This is a real shame as each character faced a deep emotional challenge that was undercut by dry writing.
Despite my disappointments with this book, it was an exciting story full of unpredictable twists and turns and ends the promise of much more in future installments.
I give this book 321 page book 4 stars.
For more reviews like this:
http://readershiddenparadise.weebly.com/
August 24, 2018
***More reviews at https://offtoamazingplacesblog.wordpr...***
SPOILER WARNING
Hi, it’s Aashna! Today I am going to be reviewing Reign of Serpents by Eleanor Herman. If you haven’t read by review for the previous book in this series, Empire of Dust, I will summarize my feelings towards this series before beginning my review. I love history, so of course, I love the idea behind this series. I think ancient history is a neglected gold mine for YA. That being said, I am having a difficult time with this series. The books have shown trends of being slow and somewhat anticlimactic. I finish each book being excited for the next one, and am left bored when I finally get my hands on the next installment. Reign of Serpents was the fastest-paced out of all the books, meaning I was able to finish it all in one flight. Upon completion, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the book was missing something. I read it, and felt nothing. All of the anticipation built up in Empire of Dust was such a waste. I wish there had been more conclusive substance. This has to be my least favorite installment in the Blood of Gods and Royals series.
As I have said many times before, the setting of this book is really cool. There are not many books that are set in the ancient world. There are such rich backgrounds to put these characters in. I know that Herman is a historian, and I felt that passion for the historical world in her settings of the past book. This book went a little off the rails, with plot lines that could have been set anywhere. I did not see the dynamic culture or scenery that Herman worked with in past books.
The plot fell flat. The characters did not intertwine as smoothly as in past books. They were all separate and did not move the overarching storyline of all the characters. The events of this book were dragged on and on with no clear purpose. I was not interested in what the characters were doing after a certain point and was just waiting for something big to happen. That’s not how books should be, The plot should carry itself over the entirety of the book.
I absolutely hate how slow the pacing of this book is. I cannot handle reading about the same things for chapters and chapters that could easily be resolved in a shorter amount of time. It is very frustrating.
While I only know the basic history of Alexander the Great, I have never questioned the historical accuracy of these books. Herman is a historian, so I assumed she took liberties with all of the magical aspects of her book, and stayed true to Alexander’s life for everything else. I had the impression that this book ignored much of the history about Alexander. I will do further research on this, but it all seems different from the careful tone that was taken before. It’s not a problem that the book is not a stickler for history. The problem is that I felt an abrupt change from the previous book.
There are about a million perspectives in this book. I don’t even know how to remember what goes on with all of these characters. On top of reading chapters about our core characters that are spread very far apart, we now also have to read small chapters to get glimpses at more minor characters. And I would enjoy those smaller chapters if I was not focusing on all of the main characters. I don’t mind so many perspectives with authors such as Rick Riordan, because the chapters are not nearly as long or far apart. I hate reading about one character for 25 pages and having to wait 100 more before seeing how the cliffhanger end to that chapter worked out.
Onto all of our characters. Overall, there was a concerning lack of development. All of the situations were dire enough to cause characters to change and to grow as a result. However, the characters even seemed to lose some of their more interesting aspects. I missed the compelling personalities set up in the previous books. I strongly believe that characters above all should drive a story, and these characters did no such thing. I was bored by how they fell into cliches. If this book focused more on why the characters were doing things they did instead of just trying to wow the reader with intense storylines, the book would have seriously improved.
Alex was so lame. He just let Riel take over his body! How could we not have read about his fear of becoming evil or more about his panic between his few moments of consciousness. His traumatic experience was just brushed over. On top of that, the “true” Alex is not really seen in this book. The few moments we have should not have been taken so lightly. Herman should have made me care about what happened to Alex by making him interesting. I don’t understand how a character with such depth was reduced to a shell of his former self, and not even for the purpose of his response to the event.
What happened to Kat? Our cool, smart, talented heroine became stock romantic interest #7,438. I will admit Kat was never my favorite, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading about her. Now, all of her thoughts lack any of her spunk from before. She was traumatized by Ada’s disappearance. Are we told why? Of course not. What a missed opportunity to show another side of Kat. Not to forget all of the one-sidedness to her relationships. She has not expressed anything special about either Heph, Jacob, or even Alex. With Heph and Jacob, I don’t mind if she doesn’t tell them anything about her feelings, but we should be getting more than indecisiveness when actually reading from her perspective. With Alex, she just goes on and on about how much she loves him. I get it. Don’t waste the word count telling us what we already know if nothing more complex will be added.
Heph is the most boring character out of them all. I used to think that his past and insecurities made him an interesting character with all the potential to grow. Now, I’m sick of hearing how much he’s in love with Kat and wants to prove himself to Alex. Look, I get it, but there is a limit to how much a reader can handle.
Jacob was fine. I don’t have any specific complaints besides his obsession with Kat. I don’t care as much about him, and this book did not give me any incentive to start caring.
Cyn used to be my favorite. Sure, she could be a real pain, but I believed that she was the one character who had true purpose and the conviction to carry it out. The main problem in this book was not what she was doing as much as how much time was spent on that. I think I saw some growth, which was sadly covered up by the large time jumps. I didn’t understand her sudden changes of heart.
Zo is absolutely infuriating. Literally all of her thoughts revolve around wither being pregnant, the pegasus, or Ochus. That’s it. Why would Herman waste such a character on menial problems, like those? Zo could be doing so much more, yet choses not to in favor of being lovesick and useless. She just waits for Ochus to come and save her, and that is a complete 180 from everything she at least wanted to stand for in the first book.
Ochus sucks. Does he love Zo? Do I care? Absolutely not. Even the romantic things that he says sound really fake to me. I actually hope that all of the romance is an elaborate ruse. And when you think about it, we don’t know any thing about Ochus’ character. All we know is what Zo projects onto him.
Olympias did essentially nothing in this book. She also became lovesick and insecure, like the slump most of our characters fell into in this book. All of the hate I built up for her in the previous books was for nothing, because there is no reason to love or even hate her in this book. She is there with no purpose except to die dramatically in the end.
Riel was killed by A COMB. A god was killed by a comb. That is absolutely absurd. It makes no sense that Herman would set up a character to be so powerful and then kill him off in that offhanded way. His death became only a convenient way for Alex to return back to normal, which was such a waste.
The many romances all fell into the same traps. They became more full of cliches and hopelessly boring. I did not see any chemistry between the characters, which you would think is key in managing so many romances. I am not invested in any of the couples, nor did any of the romances do anything to advance the plot. If going through the trouble of talking about millions of couples, they should at least do something to the story besides sidetrack it.
I think the ending was supposed to be this grand, inspiring cliffhanger. In reality, I was already so done with the book that I did not care.
I really don’t know why I continue with this series. It’s not the worst I’ve read, but there are most certainly better series out there for me to pick up. I think it’s that the books are never really terrible, more just full of wasted potential. I keep waiting for Herman to do something amazing with her setting and characters. With just one book left, you can bet that I will be finishing this series, even though this was only a 3 star read.
Thank you for reading my review and I hope you will join me again as we go off to amazing places.
SPOILER WARNING
Hi, it’s Aashna! Today I am going to be reviewing Reign of Serpents by Eleanor Herman. If you haven’t read by review for the previous book in this series, Empire of Dust, I will summarize my feelings towards this series before beginning my review. I love history, so of course, I love the idea behind this series. I think ancient history is a neglected gold mine for YA. That being said, I am having a difficult time with this series. The books have shown trends of being slow and somewhat anticlimactic. I finish each book being excited for the next one, and am left bored when I finally get my hands on the next installment. Reign of Serpents was the fastest-paced out of all the books, meaning I was able to finish it all in one flight. Upon completion, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the book was missing something. I read it, and felt nothing. All of the anticipation built up in Empire of Dust was such a waste. I wish there had been more conclusive substance. This has to be my least favorite installment in the Blood of Gods and Royals series.
As I have said many times before, the setting of this book is really cool. There are not many books that are set in the ancient world. There are such rich backgrounds to put these characters in. I know that Herman is a historian, and I felt that passion for the historical world in her settings of the past book. This book went a little off the rails, with plot lines that could have been set anywhere. I did not see the dynamic culture or scenery that Herman worked with in past books.
The plot fell flat. The characters did not intertwine as smoothly as in past books. They were all separate and did not move the overarching storyline of all the characters. The events of this book were dragged on and on with no clear purpose. I was not interested in what the characters were doing after a certain point and was just waiting for something big to happen. That’s not how books should be, The plot should carry itself over the entirety of the book.
I absolutely hate how slow the pacing of this book is. I cannot handle reading about the same things for chapters and chapters that could easily be resolved in a shorter amount of time. It is very frustrating.
While I only know the basic history of Alexander the Great, I have never questioned the historical accuracy of these books. Herman is a historian, so I assumed she took liberties with all of the magical aspects of her book, and stayed true to Alexander’s life for everything else. I had the impression that this book ignored much of the history about Alexander. I will do further research on this, but it all seems different from the careful tone that was taken before. It’s not a problem that the book is not a stickler for history. The problem is that I felt an abrupt change from the previous book.
There are about a million perspectives in this book. I don’t even know how to remember what goes on with all of these characters. On top of reading chapters about our core characters that are spread very far apart, we now also have to read small chapters to get glimpses at more minor characters. And I would enjoy those smaller chapters if I was not focusing on all of the main characters. I don’t mind so many perspectives with authors such as Rick Riordan, because the chapters are not nearly as long or far apart. I hate reading about one character for 25 pages and having to wait 100 more before seeing how the cliffhanger end to that chapter worked out.
Onto all of our characters. Overall, there was a concerning lack of development. All of the situations were dire enough to cause characters to change and to grow as a result. However, the characters even seemed to lose some of their more interesting aspects. I missed the compelling personalities set up in the previous books. I strongly believe that characters above all should drive a story, and these characters did no such thing. I was bored by how they fell into cliches. If this book focused more on why the characters were doing things they did instead of just trying to wow the reader with intense storylines, the book would have seriously improved.
Alex was so lame. He just let Riel take over his body! How could we not have read about his fear of becoming evil or more about his panic between his few moments of consciousness. His traumatic experience was just brushed over. On top of that, the “true” Alex is not really seen in this book. The few moments we have should not have been taken so lightly. Herman should have made me care about what happened to Alex by making him interesting. I don’t understand how a character with such depth was reduced to a shell of his former self, and not even for the purpose of his response to the event.
What happened to Kat? Our cool, smart, talented heroine became stock romantic interest #7,438. I will admit Kat was never my favorite, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading about her. Now, all of her thoughts lack any of her spunk from before. She was traumatized by Ada’s disappearance. Are we told why? Of course not. What a missed opportunity to show another side of Kat. Not to forget all of the one-sidedness to her relationships. She has not expressed anything special about either Heph, Jacob, or even Alex. With Heph and Jacob, I don’t mind if she doesn’t tell them anything about her feelings, but we should be getting more than indecisiveness when actually reading from her perspective. With Alex, she just goes on and on about how much she loves him. I get it. Don’t waste the word count telling us what we already know if nothing more complex will be added.
Heph is the most boring character out of them all. I used to think that his past and insecurities made him an interesting character with all the potential to grow. Now, I’m sick of hearing how much he’s in love with Kat and wants to prove himself to Alex. Look, I get it, but there is a limit to how much a reader can handle.
Jacob was fine. I don’t have any specific complaints besides his obsession with Kat. I don’t care as much about him, and this book did not give me any incentive to start caring.
Cyn used to be my favorite. Sure, she could be a real pain, but I believed that she was the one character who had true purpose and the conviction to carry it out. The main problem in this book was not what she was doing as much as how much time was spent on that. I think I saw some growth, which was sadly covered up by the large time jumps. I didn’t understand her sudden changes of heart.
Zo is absolutely infuriating. Literally all of her thoughts revolve around wither being pregnant, the pegasus, or Ochus. That’s it. Why would Herman waste such a character on menial problems, like those? Zo could be doing so much more, yet choses not to in favor of being lovesick and useless. She just waits for Ochus to come and save her, and that is a complete 180 from everything she at least wanted to stand for in the first book.
Ochus sucks. Does he love Zo? Do I care? Absolutely not. Even the romantic things that he says sound really fake to me. I actually hope that all of the romance is an elaborate ruse. And when you think about it, we don’t know any thing about Ochus’ character. All we know is what Zo projects onto him.
Olympias did essentially nothing in this book. She also became lovesick and insecure, like the slump most of our characters fell into in this book. All of the hate I built up for her in the previous books was for nothing, because there is no reason to love or even hate her in this book. She is there with no purpose except to die dramatically in the end.
Riel was killed by A COMB. A god was killed by a comb. That is absolutely absurd. It makes no sense that Herman would set up a character to be so powerful and then kill him off in that offhanded way. His death became only a convenient way for Alex to return back to normal, which was such a waste.
The many romances all fell into the same traps. They became more full of cliches and hopelessly boring. I did not see any chemistry between the characters, which you would think is key in managing so many romances. I am not invested in any of the couples, nor did any of the romances do anything to advance the plot. If going through the trouble of talking about millions of couples, they should at least do something to the story besides sidetrack it.
I think the ending was supposed to be this grand, inspiring cliffhanger. In reality, I was already so done with the book that I did not care.
I really don’t know why I continue with this series. It’s not the worst I’ve read, but there are most certainly better series out there for me to pick up. I think it’s that the books are never really terrible, more just full of wasted potential. I keep waiting for Herman to do something amazing with her setting and characters. With just one book left, you can bet that I will be finishing this series, even though this was only a 3 star read.
Thank you for reading my review and I hope you will join me again as we go off to amazing places.
September 8, 2023
Plot:
Zo knew that her time in the wild with Ochus was over, as she had to tell some kingdom about the Spirit Eaters and have them follow her into battle to save the world. But who to tell? Her supposed husband Alex was preoccupied, not that Zo knew, as he was being possessed by the final remaining god Riel, who turned out to be his father and Olympia's lover. When Alex comes through periodically, he is at the mercy of Riel, whose goal is to kill his “father” Philip to prevent him from marrying and producing an heir that would take Alex's spot in line for king. Meanwhile, Olympias's plan worked and sent Cyn away to marry a mad king, leaving her too busy trying to survive, leaving her unable to help her friends. As Kat and Heph return, they become closer as more-than-friends. However, Heph is keeping the prophecy from Kat that she is destined to kill Alex. Jacob is also here, periodically, with his plan for the lords to be taken down by Alex but get back into the good grace of Kat, whom he still loves. As the characters travel far across the known world, the Spirit Eaters are getting restless as they wait for a god to devour or just destroy the general humanity.
Thoughts:
As Eleanor Herman progresses the main plotline of the series, she sets up the next and final novel to have the epic battle of the Spirit Eaters, leaving this novel to build up suspense. Which Herman did by having way too many points of view - like more than the previous novels. With eleven different points of view, some just once but others are recurring, at least Herman finally started giving characters names alongside chapter numbers as it can get confusing. With many points of view, the entire acts of the novel are built off of different points of view, making the whole book about switching characters and not enough of an actual plot line. For Cyn, who is in her own entire world throughout the novel, you only see a total of four times from chapters three, fifteen, twenty-one, and thirty. This is more than you see of Alex, who is preoccupied with being possessed, making his voice only heard three times. This can be similar to Herman's previous books. This one makes it more obvious as none of the characters are together - besides Heph and Kat. So within this novel, you go hundreds of pages before returning to these unique storylines of Jacob, Cyn, Alex, and Zo while getting one-off chapters of people you do not care about, like Darius and Rat. With so much space, not a lot of action can happen. The big surprises that Herman pulled out are things we have learned from previous books that some characters know, but others do not. Like Jacob finding out his entire family was dead, Herman pulls it out near the ending of this big novel to shock Jacob/readers. Still, that news is so old that reading Jacob's reaction was not as touching as when Kat and the readers found out a while ago. Like these twists and turns are happening, but there are things we know about, so it's only a shock to the character that you only see every hundred pages. The only major twist is the ones that end the novel and where they build the plot. We will see repercussions in the next book - they do not add anything to this novel's story as they all leave any reaction for the next installment. This was not a bad read, as significant gaps between a character's appearance made it a fast read, as there are so many plot lines and characters to disappear; Herman's writing was smooth, making this book fly by. Yet, with all the negatives I have listed, it seems Herman bit off a bit more than they can chew with this one, with the same amount of characters appearing less because they are all separated, with big plans going to happen that did not appear in this novel. Overall, this book suffers from the middle of the series dullness. This book builds off the second novel and sets up the fourth for an epic finale without actually contributing anything to the plot line itself.
Zo knew that her time in the wild with Ochus was over, as she had to tell some kingdom about the Spirit Eaters and have them follow her into battle to save the world. But who to tell? Her supposed husband Alex was preoccupied, not that Zo knew, as he was being possessed by the final remaining god Riel, who turned out to be his father and Olympia's lover. When Alex comes through periodically, he is at the mercy of Riel, whose goal is to kill his “father” Philip to prevent him from marrying and producing an heir that would take Alex's spot in line for king. Meanwhile, Olympias's plan worked and sent Cyn away to marry a mad king, leaving her too busy trying to survive, leaving her unable to help her friends. As Kat and Heph return, they become closer as more-than-friends. However, Heph is keeping the prophecy from Kat that she is destined to kill Alex. Jacob is also here, periodically, with his plan for the lords to be taken down by Alex but get back into the good grace of Kat, whom he still loves. As the characters travel far across the known world, the Spirit Eaters are getting restless as they wait for a god to devour or just destroy the general humanity.
Thoughts:
As Eleanor Herman progresses the main plotline of the series, she sets up the next and final novel to have the epic battle of the Spirit Eaters, leaving this novel to build up suspense. Which Herman did by having way too many points of view - like more than the previous novels. With eleven different points of view, some just once but others are recurring, at least Herman finally started giving characters names alongside chapter numbers as it can get confusing. With many points of view, the entire acts of the novel are built off of different points of view, making the whole book about switching characters and not enough of an actual plot line. For Cyn, who is in her own entire world throughout the novel, you only see a total of four times from chapters three, fifteen, twenty-one, and thirty. This is more than you see of Alex, who is preoccupied with being possessed, making his voice only heard three times. This can be similar to Herman's previous books. This one makes it more obvious as none of the characters are together - besides Heph and Kat. So within this novel, you go hundreds of pages before returning to these unique storylines of Jacob, Cyn, Alex, and Zo while getting one-off chapters of people you do not care about, like Darius and Rat. With so much space, not a lot of action can happen. The big surprises that Herman pulled out are things we have learned from previous books that some characters know, but others do not. Like Jacob finding out his entire family was dead, Herman pulls it out near the ending of this big novel to shock Jacob/readers. Still, that news is so old that reading Jacob's reaction was not as touching as when Kat and the readers found out a while ago. Like these twists and turns are happening, but there are things we know about, so it's only a shock to the character that you only see every hundred pages. The only major twist is the ones that end the novel and where they build the plot. We will see repercussions in the next book - they do not add anything to this novel's story as they all leave any reaction for the next installment. This was not a bad read, as significant gaps between a character's appearance made it a fast read, as there are so many plot lines and characters to disappear; Herman's writing was smooth, making this book fly by. Yet, with all the negatives I have listed, it seems Herman bit off a bit more than they can chew with this one, with the same amount of characters appearing less because they are all separated, with big plans going to happen that did not appear in this novel. Overall, this book suffers from the middle of the series dullness. This book builds off the second novel and sets up the fourth for an epic finale without actually contributing anything to the plot line itself.
January 3, 2019
Reign of Serpents is the third installment of the Blood of Gods and Royals series whose previous books I've reviewed here and here. This series follows the exploits of Alexander the Great in his youth within an ancient Greek/ancient world setting tinged with fantasy creatures and events in keeping with the myths and beliefs of the ancient people.
I read somewhere that this series was originally meant to be six books but partway through was reduced to four. The structure of this book supports this suggestion, for it read like two books in one, and unfortunately not in a good way. Every chapter seemed to start with a flashback of an event that happened off-screen rather than the action occurring in real time. This was all the more jarring for the story being written in present tense. As well, the resolution felt condensed and the villain defeated too quickly and easily for the buildup he was given throughout the book.
This installment felt significantly more fantastical than previous, with such things as a Pegasus and body possession being presented as fact rather than merely suggested while remaining something that could still be logically explained away. I've all along felt that this series had too many POV characters and that not all of them are equally interesting. One of my least favourite storylines was that of Zofia the Persian princess. This is unfortunate because while I enjoyed the portrayal of the wealth and culture of the Persian Empire, her story involved the trope of a romance between a female captive and her abusive male captive, which I dislike greatly.
The strength of this series continues to be the author’s portrayal of setting. In this book, aside from Macedon where Alexander the Great was born and ruled, we also visited Persia, Egypt, the shrine at Delphi, Illyria, and the lost city of Atlantis. There were a lot of interesting ideas and events in this book, but it really just tried to do too much. This series would indeed have read better in six books with no more than four POVs. With one book left to go, I intend to finish the series.
I read somewhere that this series was originally meant to be six books but partway through was reduced to four. The structure of this book supports this suggestion, for it read like two books in one, and unfortunately not in a good way. Every chapter seemed to start with a flashback of an event that happened off-screen rather than the action occurring in real time. This was all the more jarring for the story being written in present tense. As well, the resolution felt condensed and the villain defeated too quickly and easily for the buildup he was given throughout the book.
This installment felt significantly more fantastical than previous, with such things as a Pegasus and body possession being presented as fact rather than merely suggested while remaining something that could still be logically explained away. I've all along felt that this series had too many POV characters and that not all of them are equally interesting. One of my least favourite storylines was that of Zofia the Persian princess. This is unfortunate because while I enjoyed the portrayal of the wealth and culture of the Persian Empire, her story involved the trope of a romance between a female captive and her abusive male captive, which I dislike greatly.
The strength of this series continues to be the author’s portrayal of setting. In this book, aside from Macedon where Alexander the Great was born and ruled, we also visited Persia, Egypt, the shrine at Delphi, Illyria, and the lost city of Atlantis. There were a lot of interesting ideas and events in this book, but it really just tried to do too much. This series would indeed have read better in six books with no more than four POVs. With one book left to go, I intend to finish the series.
May 9, 2020
I love Alexander the Great. He may be my favourite person in history so I was pumped to find about this series a couple of years back when a friend gave me an ARC.
The first book was...okay. I was intrigued enough to get the second book when I remembered the series a year or so after I finished the first book.
The second book was disappointing. This third one continues the trend of mediocrity. Somewhere this series was described as being ‘Games of Thrones-esque’.
Well, sure, if we they’re talking about both having multiple POVs. But that is where the similarity ends. Yes, Martin’s prose can grate on the nerves as he spends ever so much time describing each blade of grass and individual soldier in a battle. But for the most part, you care about the characters so the shifting POV doesn’t much affect you as you are relieved to find those you’ve invested in still alive lol.
I cannot say the same for Herman’s characters. I don’t care about any of them. Not a single one. I will say that for the most part the cliffhangers are not long for the solving, and characters stumbling around with false assumptions are soon apprised of the truth. So, two stars for avoiding those pitfalls that usually irk me.
But the language is not captivating, though it strives to be. The magic/fantasy aspects are poorly fleshed out and not as interesting as they could be. That’s a real downfall as this of kind of story has been told time and again, so it is really the delivery that will set it apart from all the similar books out there. Sadly, it fails to distinguish itself from the pack.
But there is only one book left so I’ll see the series through to the end.
The first book was...okay. I was intrigued enough to get the second book when I remembered the series a year or so after I finished the first book.
The second book was disappointing. This third one continues the trend of mediocrity. Somewhere this series was described as being ‘Games of Thrones-esque’.
Well, sure, if we they’re talking about both having multiple POVs. But that is where the similarity ends. Yes, Martin’s prose can grate on the nerves as he spends ever so much time describing each blade of grass and individual soldier in a battle. But for the most part, you care about the characters so the shifting POV doesn’t much affect you as you are relieved to find those you’ve invested in still alive lol.
I cannot say the same for Herman’s characters. I don’t care about any of them. Not a single one. I will say that for the most part the cliffhangers are not long for the solving, and characters stumbling around with false assumptions are soon apprised of the truth. So, two stars for avoiding those pitfalls that usually irk me.
But the language is not captivating, though it strives to be. The magic/fantasy aspects are poorly fleshed out and not as interesting as they could be. That’s a real downfall as this of kind of story has been told time and again, so it is really the delivery that will set it apart from all the similar books out there. Sadly, it fails to distinguish itself from the pack.
But there is only one book left so I’ll see the series through to the end.
July 16, 2017
The marvelous third installment of this exquisite series brings our beloved characters farther than they've ever been. Alexander, Katerina, Hephaestion, Jacob, and Zofia foray into previously uncharted territory - physically, spiritually, and mentally. Bonds deepen and heal. New dynamics are explored. Those who have been missing in action for a while enter the fray again.
I was particularly impressed by two twists that were deftly executed by Eleanor Herman, who has once again outdone herself and woven another masterful installment. We see the struggles of Olympias, the pawn who no longer has pawns - and as she spirals downward into desperate times, we are reminded that to be human means to be intriguingly complex and ambiguous. Along with Cynane, characters who the masses may be quick to label as antagonists are not without their relatable moments.
Alexander's plight reminded me of what happened to Prince Dorian Havilliard in Queen of Shadows, especially with the eventual mental shield mechanism that Alex resigns to - but I digress. I was rather charmed by the way both prophecies were realized simultaneously.
It was interesting to see the development of the bond between Kat and Heph, as well as the most recent leg of Jacob's magic-infused journey. These elements did not blot out the plot in any manner.
Overall, I've been swept off my feet by this marvelous series. I immensely look forward to the fourth and final episode. Thank you so much to Eleanor Herman for sharing her poignant reimagining of one of the most influential monarchs of all time.
I was particularly impressed by two twists that were deftly executed by Eleanor Herman, who has once again outdone herself and woven another masterful installment. We see the struggles of Olympias, the pawn who no longer has pawns - and as she spirals downward into desperate times, we are reminded that to be human means to be intriguingly complex and ambiguous. Along with Cynane, characters who the masses may be quick to label as antagonists are not without their relatable moments.
Alexander's plight reminded me of what happened to Prince Dorian Havilliard in Queen of Shadows, especially with the eventual mental shield mechanism that Alex resigns to - but I digress. I was rather charmed by the way both prophecies were realized simultaneously.
It was interesting to see the development of the bond between Kat and Heph, as well as the most recent leg of Jacob's magic-infused journey. These elements did not blot out the plot in any manner.
Overall, I've been swept off my feet by this marvelous series. I immensely look forward to the fourth and final episode. Thank you so much to Eleanor Herman for sharing her poignant reimagining of one of the most influential monarchs of all time.
July 8, 2017
4.5 stars
Riel, the Last God, is now in control of Alexander's body and is obsessed with finding a way to regain his immortality, neglecting the kingdom in the process. But enemies are all around him. The Aesarian Lords suspect that Riel still lives and decide to capture him as an offering to the Spirit Eaters. Jacob, having discovered that Riel is in Alexander's body, makes a plan to capture him so that he can hide the fact that he is an Earth Blood from the Aesarian Lords. Kat and Heph still await Ada on the island in the Mediterranean along with Aristotle as they seek a way to kill the last living god.
Reign of Serpents is mostly Alexander's novel. Cynane's arc is also interesting as she continues in her quest to obtain Smoke Blood while keeping her wits about her deranged husband Amyntas, the King of Dardania. There isn't much of Zofia's storyline this time around, but hopefully that will change though I'm yet to understand the point of her being in this story at all. Also, there was far less Kat and Heph than I liked. Neither of them had much in the way of significant storyline until the end of the book. All the stuff on the island felt very much like filler plot and it dragged on. Unlike the first two books though, this was a faster paced plot right from the very beginning. I however did like the way Reign of Serpents ended, setting up what promises to be an epic final installment.
Riel, the Last God, is now in control of Alexander's body and is obsessed with finding a way to regain his immortality, neglecting the kingdom in the process. But enemies are all around him. The Aesarian Lords suspect that Riel still lives and decide to capture him as an offering to the Spirit Eaters. Jacob, having discovered that Riel is in Alexander's body, makes a plan to capture him so that he can hide the fact that he is an Earth Blood from the Aesarian Lords. Kat and Heph still await Ada on the island in the Mediterranean along with Aristotle as they seek a way to kill the last living god.
Reign of Serpents is mostly Alexander's novel. Cynane's arc is also interesting as she continues in her quest to obtain Smoke Blood while keeping her wits about her deranged husband Amyntas, the King of Dardania. There isn't much of Zofia's storyline this time around, but hopefully that will change though I'm yet to understand the point of her being in this story at all. Also, there was far less Kat and Heph than I liked. Neither of them had much in the way of significant storyline until the end of the book. All the stuff on the island felt very much like filler plot and it dragged on. Unlike the first two books though, this was a faster paced plot right from the very beginning. I however did like the way Reign of Serpents ended, setting up what promises to be an epic final installment.
August 26, 2017
All told, I was expecting more. In previous books in the series, the chapters at least seemed to be well-timed to coincide with what the reader needed and wanted to see from the story. Here, it too often felt like the first parts of chapters were devoted to summing up the high points of what the reader missed, much of which would have been of interest. In other words, the characters go through so much while outside of the reader's view, because of all of the divergent chapters, that there's a constant need to play catch-up--and with the focus seeming to have turned to love and emotion, what's most often shown is focused there, as opposed to on action or anything that could really develop character and plot.
Simply enough, as you'd expect from this review, I wouldn't recommend the series, and I don't see myself reading the next installment or reading anything more by Herman. I think, probably, that she simply tried to cram too much into too few books, and that this could have been a wonderful series if given more time and focus, but as is, it's just too rushed and wandering to have the impact it should.
Simply enough, as you'd expect from this review, I wouldn't recommend the series, and I don't see myself reading the next installment or reading anything more by Herman. I think, probably, that she simply tried to cram too much into too few books, and that this could have been a wonderful series if given more time and focus, but as is, it's just too rushed and wandering to have the impact it should.
September 4, 2017
It pains me to admit that this was not my favorite book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series.
1) There were too many characters, story lines and plots being carried out ... without enough 'screen time' 📺 for any character to really shine. My personal favorite only had 3 chapters in the whole book (Or was it 2?). And yes there are a cast of interesting characters; but it felt overwhelming.
2) There was character development, but also unraveling; Queen Olympia went from being an evil queen and main nemesis of many to being a boring love struck puppet.
3) Jacob became the 'chosen one'... sorta.
4) The 'main villain' of the novel, Riel, was defeated fare too easily. Come on, you can't beat him on your first try! Though I do like WHO finished the deed.
5) because of the many storylines happening in this book, none of the characters MOVED very far forward in their storylines. 😪 nothing has been resolved and left up in the air. 🙅🏼
I dunno. Overall, it just wasn't GREAT for me, as the other books in this series were.
-still planning to read book four when it comes out in a year though. 🙏🏻 hoping for a good close to a great tale.
1) There were too many characters, story lines and plots being carried out ... without enough 'screen time' 📺 for any character to really shine. My personal favorite only had 3 chapters in the whole book (Or was it 2?). And yes there are a cast of interesting characters; but it felt overwhelming.
2) There was character development, but also unraveling; Queen Olympia went from being an evil queen and main nemesis of many to being a boring love struck puppet.
3) Jacob became the 'chosen one'... sorta.
4) The 'main villain' of the novel, Riel, was defeated fare too easily. Come on, you can't beat him on your first try! Though I do like WHO finished the deed.
5) because of the many storylines happening in this book, none of the characters MOVED very far forward in their storylines. 😪 nothing has been resolved and left up in the air. 🙅🏼
I dunno. Overall, it just wasn't GREAT for me, as the other books in this series were.
-still planning to read book four when it comes out in a year though. 🙏🏻 hoping for a good close to a great tale.
July 24, 2018
After a year of putting this book off and letting it gather dust on my bookshelf, I finally got around to reading it. It had been long time since I finished the 2nd book, so it was harder to get into the story, but I'm glad I continued with the series.
There's something about her writing style that I find so captivating- but also there are SO many characters that I felt like I was reading different short stories published in one book. Which wasn't a bad thing- I actually really enjoyed it.
This book was good- I liked it. It still carried some of my favorite aspects of the 2 other books: beautiful setting, historical groundwork, and character development. Reading the first 2 books back-to-back helped me to create a love for the many relationships found in this book, but I sorta lost interest in most of their stories in this 3rd book.
Well, except for Cynane, I loved her story. Besides that, Kate/Heph were boring, Rat was confusing, Jacob was irritating, Zofia was unrealistic, Riel was unnecessary, and Olympias was... well, interesting?
I will be reading the 4th book, but I'm in no rush to continue with the story.
There's something about her writing style that I find so captivating- but also there are SO many characters that I felt like I was reading different short stories published in one book. Which wasn't a bad thing- I actually really enjoyed it.
This book was good- I liked it. It still carried some of my favorite aspects of the 2 other books: beautiful setting, historical groundwork, and character development. Reading the first 2 books back-to-back helped me to create a love for the many relationships found in this book, but I sorta lost interest in most of their stories in this 3rd book.
Well, except for Cynane, I loved her story. Besides that, Kate/Heph were boring, Rat was confusing, Jacob was irritating, Zofia was unrealistic, Riel was unnecessary, and Olympias was... well, interesting?
I will be reading the 4th book, but I'm in no rush to continue with the story.
December 6, 2017
In my opinion, this series is one of the most underrated. It has everything a good fantasy series should have.
A lot of people agree on the fact that it has too many povs (10 in this one). It doesn't bother me. I love multiple povs books. In fact, I'd rather read this kind of book instead of a book where you're stuck with an insufferable main character (I have a few in minds but won't mention them since it's not the place or the time). Plus, multiple povs are in a way useful for a more detailed story. And keep in mind that some of them are only 2 pages long in this one.
This book is full of actions, of twists and turns. And before you know it, you have finished it. It is still well written with a great set of characters. I can't wait to read the final one as I am sure it's gonna be once again mind-blowing.
A lot of people agree on the fact that it has too many povs (10 in this one). It doesn't bother me. I love multiple povs books. In fact, I'd rather read this kind of book instead of a book where you're stuck with an insufferable main character (I have a few in minds but won't mention them since it's not the place or the time). Plus, multiple povs are in a way useful for a more detailed story. And keep in mind that some of them are only 2 pages long in this one.
This book is full of actions, of twists and turns. And before you know it, you have finished it. It is still well written with a great set of characters. I can't wait to read the final one as I am sure it's gonna be once again mind-blowing.
July 8, 2017
3.75 stars
This is a great series with a rich plot set in a complex world. It's a really unique, creative, fantastical reselling of the story of Alexander the Great. My only problem with it is not really the author's fault at all, bit merely the way things go. I find it really difficult to keep up with the details of a complex series like this when the books come out a year apart. Not only do I forget the details of the plot and who's who, but also I tend to lose momentum and interest. I do wish author's installed more of a recap at the beginning to remind readers of plot points and who minor characters are. I also wish authors would state from the beginning how long a series is planned to be.
This is a great series with a rich plot set in a complex world. It's a really unique, creative, fantastical reselling of the story of Alexander the Great. My only problem with it is not really the author's fault at all, bit merely the way things go. I find it really difficult to keep up with the details of a complex series like this when the books come out a year apart. Not only do I forget the details of the plot and who's who, but also I tend to lose momentum and interest. I do wish author's installed more of a recap at the beginning to remind readers of plot points and who minor characters are. I also wish authors would state from the beginning how long a series is planned to be.
August 3, 2017
Wow was this a case of 'I thought this was the end of the series' or what??? Apparently there's a fourth book? Okay. Okay. This was a pretty solid addition to the series, I think. Herman's historical knowledge continues to be one of my favorite things about this book, as well as the dynamic and differentiation of each of the characters. Man they all have such a unique voice and it makes me so happy. Plus, they're all so interesting. Kat and Zo and Cynane are definitely my favorites still, but hearing from Heph and Alex and even other more minor characters gave this story a lot of dimension. It's a massive-scale story, but Herman definitely does it justice. Now apparently I just need to wait for book 4!
July 8, 2018
I love this series. I was so disappointed that they didn't at least have any physical ARCs of this third book, especially when it turned out there is fourth book, that came out this year! So I gave in finally, and purchased the paperback copy so that I could try to read it before the 4th book came out, and I could read that e-galley. Well, paperback matches the first two ARCs. However, since I finished this while I was in New Orleans for ALA, I put it in the extra duffel bag I bought to help transfer all my books home on the plane. Unfortunately, that bag got caught out in the rain at the airport I guess, because when I got home and grabbed it from the luggage carousel, it was all wet, the whole bag. And so my paperback is in pretty bad shape. I'll probably buy another copy of it. I want it in halfway decent shape on my shelf.
Enough about that, more review of the actual book. As I mentioned, I love this series. You can read my reviews of the first two books here: Legacy of Kings and Empire of Dust. Now, it had been about 2 years since I'd read the 2nd one, but really, I got caught up pretty quickly with the way the author writes each chapter. Each chapter is from a different character's viewpoint, and we do get several characters to follow. But by now, you can tell who is who pretty easily. Once again the author so seamlessly wove history throughout this magical fantasy of a story that I was putting the book down every once in awhile as I was reading so that I could Google a specific historical name to find out just what they might really have been through or done. At least as far as records show. Even things that were changed were done in such a way that it didn't change the overall historical facts or knowledge in any major way. In a way we got a couple new characters' viewpoints this time, but again, the author makes sure they are written in a way you know it is a different person.
This is another series I will always highly recommend. Now to find time to fit the e-galley of book 4 in before it possibly expires! If it does, I'll just buy it next year when it comes out in paperback I guess!
Enough about that, more review of the actual book. As I mentioned, I love this series. You can read my reviews of the first two books here: Legacy of Kings and Empire of Dust. Now, it had been about 2 years since I'd read the 2nd one, but really, I got caught up pretty quickly with the way the author writes each chapter. Each chapter is from a different character's viewpoint, and we do get several characters to follow. But by now, you can tell who is who pretty easily. Once again the author so seamlessly wove history throughout this magical fantasy of a story that I was putting the book down every once in awhile as I was reading so that I could Google a specific historical name to find out just what they might really have been through or done. At least as far as records show. Even things that were changed were done in such a way that it didn't change the overall historical facts or knowledge in any major way. In a way we got a couple new characters' viewpoints this time, but again, the author makes sure they are written in a way you know it is a different person.
This is another series I will always highly recommend. Now to find time to fit the e-galley of book 4 in before it possibly expires! If it does, I'll just buy it next year when it comes out in paperback I guess!
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