VineReviewerMH

*SPOILERS Below* Bored and Confused

Reviewed: 10-18-17

Let me just say first, I ADORE Tamora Pierce's books. I have re-read most of her books many times over. This was my first run through with this series, and it was very frustrating. ***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Short version: If I could go back and read this book first, before Will of the Empress and Melting Stones, I would not be as irritated as I am right now. Glaring book order issue aside, so much of this book is slow. First hour alone is 90% manners of the cities, very dull to listen to. (i.e. "I can't believe they only bowed 10 times instead of 11!" or Evvy being scolded for standing a certain way, and other such dialogue repeated over and over...)


Long version: My irritation with this book isn't helped by confusion with the first two before Battle Magic. The first thing that had been bothering me about this series was the sudden appearance of a seemingly unknown traumatic backstory for Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy. I kept stopping to make sure I hadn't missed a book somewhere. The way it's written, it's alluded that we should already know what happened to the group before Will of the Empress. The first two in the series don't tell you much, but keep referencing these unknown events. (I found it was like hearing an inside joke, or being left out of a conversation.) I kept wanting to scream, "Just tell us what happened!!". Story was great though, so I kept going. Second book, Melting Stones, was even worse in the beginning, with the sudden appearance of another new, important character, Luvo, with almost no introduction or backstory. Also ended at a weird spot. More frustration. This book however, Battle Magic, irritated me the most.

Battle Magic starts off, no Luvo. Where is Luvo? I kept waiting for a time reference, or an explanation. ONE HOUR into the book, all I can think of is how I really didn't need to know this much about the manners in these cities, so much bowing and scraping. No mention still of events that occurred in the last two books. Finally, when they get out of the city, over an hour into the audiobook, it hits me (with the help of a particular city name) that this book is covering the traumatic events talked about in the first two books. I had to shut the audiobook off for awhile.

This REALLY should have been book 1 in this series. I don't know what the logic was for ordering them this way, but it kind of ruined it for me. The characters are wonderful, the stories are usually well done. This book left me feeling, in a word, irritated.

Side note about the narrator: Extremely monotone. Not sure what the cause was for the loss of the Full Cast Audio, but they were sorely missed. Coupled with the slow start, her way of reading was very disjointed, slow, and confusing. After so many books with a group, it became hard to figure out who was speaking in the book. Maybe reading the physical copy would be better.

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FANTASTIC.

Reviewed: 07-01-17

Both the book and readers were incredible. By far the best audiobook I've listened to so far!

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2 people found this helpful

Narrator

Reviewed: 06-29-17

The narrator was very good, her voices were excellent, but she did sound like she had a bit of a cold.

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