The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates #1) by A.K. Larkwood - Restarting March 10th 2024

[Dannii]

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

[Kelly]

I will be starting this soon :)

[Dannii]

Hi Kelly, sorry I'm so late to this. I had a bit of bad news and fallen behind on my reading. I'm hoping to start tomorrow.

[Kelly]

Dannii wrote: "Hi Kelly, sorry I'm so late to this. I had a bit of bad news and fallen behind on my reading. I'm hoping to start tomorrow."

No worries! I want to finish a couple of things but I should start it tomorrow as well.

[Kelly]

Part One - (view spoiler)[I'm listening to the audiobook so I have no idea how to spell those names. They're really original, maybe too much and sometimes I have a hard time figuring out who is who. I'm only listening at 1.75 speed to not be lost though. I'm glad this book only has one point of view.

So far, I'm having a hard time grasping the overall plot and the way this world is functioning and what kind of people there are. The main character seem to follow her mentor along without questioning his motives too much. I have questions about him. I feel like he's hiding something but I'm just not sure what.

I haven't connected with the FMC yet. She doesn't seem very fleshed out or at least I didn't sense a lot of personality from her. If I hadn't read somewhere that she was an Orc, I would have missed it. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

I'm just starting so will catch up with your comment in a bit :)

[Dannii]

First quarter - (view spoiler)[I loved the concept of the fourteen-year-old sacrifices to the gods and how Csorwe escaped this fate, but I guess I don't really know why she was chosen for escape. Unless I missed it, it hasn't yet been explained. I also feel the reader spent too little time with this group of people before moving on so I don't really get their religion or what purpose the sacrifice serves.

The place of mazes was another just as interesting concept but, again, I felt it was too little explored for me to conjure an image or really understand where we were travelling through. There was much I longed to linger at and explore. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Second quarter - (view spoiler)[I'm not NOT enjoying this, but I feel some parts are glossed over and I'm constantly trying to catch up before a new element or place is introduced. What is the sought after Reliquary? What exactly are the serpent-like Atharaisse? Why and how was Tlaanthothe overthrown?

I'm hoping all is answered soon, now the city has been reached and a five year gap has passed. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Kelly wrote: "Part One - I'm listening to the audiobook so I have no idea how to spell those names. They're really original, maybe too much and sometimes I have a hard time figuring out who is who. I'm only list..."

I agree. I'm reading on my kindle and I had to highlight so many names as I kept getting them confused and I knew there was no way I was going to remember them or spell them correctly.

(view spoiler)[I'm having the same issues as you. I'm liking this, but feel constantly a step behind the events occurring. I think I'd rather this be a little slower and deliver more background for me to really get to grips with the world, as it is an interesting one. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Exactly. It's like we miss a part of the book. I'll be listening to the second part today. I'm going to do one part a day I think :)

[Dannii]

Kelly wrote: "Exactly. It's like we miss a part of the book. I'll be listening to the second part today. I'm going to do one part a day I think :)"

I've sat in the sun all morning and somehow have finished the book off. I definitely think I'd get through it so quickly!

[Dannii]

Third quarter - (view spoiler)[The pacing definitely feels like it has picked up and more is occurring that is introducing other facets of the gods and this world, but I think my early discontent with the lack of foundations set is stopping me from getting truly invested. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Fourth quarter - (view spoiler)[I really enjoyed the ending. In fact, the entire second half was better than the first, for me. I loved learning Oranna's discovery of Sethennai's true self, and the segments of Iriska Vaal that resides inside of him. It was interesting to get this information from Tal's perspective too, and to see Csorwe and he escape and bond together, without Sethannai's influence over them. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Dannii wrote: "Second quarter - "

(view spoiler)[ I still have the same problems as earlier but I'm trying to get past those to enjoy the book a little but it's difficult ^^. I have no idea what this reliquary is either. I wish the author would have been more specific / explained it better. I wonder if it was done on purpose to make it or if she wasn't aware that what she was writing would be confusing for the readers. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Finally picked it back up. I wasn't in the mood to listen to audios in the last few days so I took a little break.

Third quarter (view spoiler)[ I like when there's more action. I didn't expect the romance between the two women. That could have been awesome but I wish I could care about these characters. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Finished - (view spoiler)[I'm so glad I got to the end ^^ It was easier than the first two parts, that's for sure. The plot twist about Sethannai wasn't surprising but it was like we were waiting for so long to get to it. I'm glad Csorwe got a happy ending with her love interest. If there's a sequel someday, I won't be reading it. It feels like it could be a standalone, tbh. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Kelly wrote: "Finished - [spoilers removed]"

These were all exactly my feelings, at the end!

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting March 10th 2024. Happy Reading ☺

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[Janna]

Finishing up the book I'm currently reading. Sorry I'm a bit late, I should be able to start this book tomorrow.

[Janna]

Up to chapter 11

(view spoiler)[Not sure what to think of it yet. The names the author uses are original, but it makes it hard to remember who is who. I keep mixing up some characters.

Up to this point I'm still confused by the plot, I'm not sure what Csorwe's goal is and I'm definitely missing more info about the world-building ... I hope it gets better as I continue. (hide spoiler)]

[Danique]

I’ve started as well, but I’m not really feeling it so far :/

[Janna]

Danique wrote: "I’ve started as well, but I’m not really feeling it so far :/"

I completely understand. I'm halfway through and I still have a "meh" feeling so far ... I'm afraid it won't get any better. I still think some parts are very confusing and are hardly explained.

[Danique]

Janna wrote: "Danique wrote: "I’ve started as well, but I’m not really feeling it so far :/"

I completely understand. I'm halfway through and I still have a "meh" feeling so far ... I'm afraid it won't get any ..."

Ah shit, then I'm really going to DNF :( Sorry!

[Danique]

Ch 4
(view spoiler)[Okay judging from the pronunciation guide and character list at the beginning, I’m going to be quite confused while reading 🤣 don’t have a clue what this was about again so we’ll see! Csorwe what a name damn. So she lives in the house of silence and some sort of god speaks through her? Intense what the hell. Wait so when she turns fourteen, she’ll just disappear when she enters the dais of the unspoken one? I wonder what the meeting between Oranna and Sethennai meant, it’s clearly important.

Sethennai came to her ritual damn, but is the unspoken one an actual thing then? Since she said it lives in the mountain? But what does he do with the 14 year old girls ew omg? They ran! Also, why isn’t she wondering why someone like Sethennai wanted her to come with him in the first place? She’s a literal child, it must have a reason. I don’t trust this guy idk why. The world is very detailed, but I like it. And it’s kinda cool that she’s such an odd character, including tusks and grey skin. Cool! The magic letter was intense.

I’m not sure why I’m not really feeling this right now, I think I’ll alternate between this and another BR so I’ll hopefully enjoy it more. I still don’t trust Sethennai. He slept with Oranna, the librarian? Lol okay then. And she’s the one who send the cursed letter. She’ll be trouble. So they’re going to find this box - I still don’t have a clue what’s going on, they’re just traveling from city to city. I’m not really in the mood for high fantasy at all, so I’m going to DNF this :/ sorry! (hide spoiler)]

[Janna]

I get why you would DNF this book, no problem.

I gave up around 70%. I listened to the audiobook but I just couldn't focus any more. The story didn't capture my interest, lots of parts just remained vague and weren't explained and I felt myself not caring at all.