401 pages
Published Sept. 15, 2015 by Tor Books.
What a ride. It's really cloak'n'dagger'n'taxes: the novel. But far from a dry treatise on the geopolitics, economics and logistics of insurrection, it is a very intimate novel about what Empire does to a country, and to people. I've seldom been so hooked by so apparently slow a book. A definite must read for anyone who likes complex fantasy and company ledgers.
Exciting, feels realistic, war strategy, a lot of innuendo (and smugness? — everyone feels very clever). Passages of feeling powerful, passages of feeling completely powerless. I would recommend it with a content warning: "Cruel and depressing".
An incredible read, unlike anything I've ever read before. And that ending! Like a punch to the heart. I've never been as scared as I am eager to read a sequel as I am to read The Monster…
On second listen - I don't think I praised this book enough on the first listen. It's really cool and unique and I enjoyed it a lot.
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It was interesting because I felt like I haven't heard this type of book before. My main issue was the transitions or maybe their lack. Several times I felt confused as to what was happening now and how did we come here.
By "this type" I mean completely fantastical (as in empires and secret societies and nobles and the protagonist being op) and down to earth (as in accountancy and invaders bringing advancements in some regards as well as oppression).
If I felt less confused listening to this book it would have been great.
I don't like the exposition style, which (at least very early on, since I didn't get far) is precocious child Baru explaining to random adults what she's figured out about how the world works.
Did not really enjoy this book, I don't know why I stuck with it I should have given up a lot earlier. It's a Game of Thrones-like story, without the magic and endless feast descriptions, we've got our protagonist growing up on an island as a hegemonic power rolls into town and takes over and puts her in their educational system. She decides to defeat this empire from within and we follow her moves to do that
I'm already not super interested in this kind of story, but the characters outside of the protagonist get so little detail that it left me cold on top of that. It's more about my own personal interests and preferences, I'm sure friends would enjoy this.
There's a second book and I'm grateful that the first chapter or two was included at the end, it helped remove any doubt about whether I should continue …
Did not really enjoy this book, I don't know why I stuck with it I should have given up a lot earlier. It's a Game of Thrones-like story, without the magic and endless feast descriptions, we've got our protagonist growing up on an island as a hegemonic power rolls into town and takes over and puts her in their educational system. She decides to defeat this empire from within and we follow her moves to do that
I'm already not super interested in this kind of story, but the characters outside of the protagonist get so little detail that it left me cold on top of that. It's more about my own personal interests and preferences, I'm sure friends would enjoy this.
There's a second book and I'm grateful that the first chapter or two was included at the end, it helped remove any doubt about whether I should continue reading them (I will not).
Excellent. Beyond the story is a tale that parallels some real-world issues that have always affected our society. The review printed on the cover is accurate. I would read again, and I would recommend this to fantasy and sci-fi fans.
