The Trials of Empire (spoiler free review) by Richard Swan

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
  • My review of the final book in the "Empire of the Wolf" trilogy.
    𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥: (I get a commission when you use the links)
    📚 Pick my next book on Patreon: / mattsfantasybookreviews
    💻 Join channel for custom emojis/badges: / @mattsfantasybookreviews
    👕 Merch store: matts-fantasy-...
    🎧 Free Audible trial: www.audibletri...
    📗 View/buy my favorite books: www.amazon.com...
    𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬:
    💻 Discord: / discord
    🐦 Twitter: / mattbookreviews
    📖 Goodreads: / mattsfantasybookreview
    📱 Facebook: / mattsfantasybookreviews
    𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:
    docs.google.co...
    𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐞:
    💌 mattsfantasybookreviews@gmail.com
    𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠?
    Matt's Fantasy Book Reviews
    2435 Iron Point Rd #1015
    Folsom, CA 95630
    𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀:
    • Welcome to Nev's Book ...
    / 75673728
    / myrandasbookshelf
    𝐌𝐲 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
    Camera: amzn.to/40kJyMS
    Lighting: amzn.to/3L5bSOW
    Microphone: amzn.to/3UHWg78
    Kindle: amzn.to/3KJ1J9l
    Kindle Case: amzn.to/40lbrV8
    Kindle Page Turner: amzn.to/3KMI3Bx
    Kindle Holder: amzn.to/3MOE3mu
    #fantasybooks #bookreview #bestbooks #fantasybooks #booktube #booktuber #books #bookstagram #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #bookish #book #reading #read #booktubers

КОМЕНТАРІ • 40

  • @blankface911
    @blankface911 7 місяців тому +17

    I know it's a matter of opinion and you've been really spot on with the way I feel about the books I've read but.. sheesh, I'm a little surprised to the degree to which we disagree on this one. I didn't find the first half a slog at all, I enjoyed all of the character moments and how their feelings for one another changed. I sort of wish you had done a spoiler review to give full context to your feelings but I know that would take a lot of extra work and I don't expect it but I really enjoyed this book and it seems that you really did not. I appreciate your time and effort though! I never would have tried this series out if you hadn't reviewed the first and second and I am happy to say it's still one of my favorite trilogies. I look forward to your recommendations still!

  • @misternegative4918
    @misternegative4918 7 місяців тому +2

    I liked it a bit more. Gave it 4 stars. While the first half was a bit of a slog, I really enjoyed and found the world building being done fascinating. It definitely was too much in too little of time, but I found it interesting. I really liked the second half. Just didn’t really like Helena’s final decision.
    I think the first half seemed like setup for where Swan might be taking the characters to in another trilogy.

    • @zackattack366
      @zackattack366 7 місяців тому

      I think Swan has stated that he may stay in this world but push it forward about 200 years into a flintlock fantasy era. So I don't believe we'll see any of these characters again.

  • @mattwestphal5517
    @mattwestphal5517 Місяць тому +1

    I'm with you on this review, and I hate to say that, because I loved the first one and quite liked the second. But when reading this one at one point I felt the need to check to see whether I had somehow missed a previous book in the series. I got past that, but about half way through I put it down. I can be ruthless about DNFing, because I don't have enough time to read all the books I'd like, and I felt I'd given this one a decent shot. All that said, I would 100% read Swan's next book.

  • @andrewf7732
    @andrewf7732 7 місяців тому +5

    100% agree with this review. I wanted more from Helena and Vonvalt relationship. I felt the promise of the trilogy was the implied fallout between these characters and I dont think the ending delivered on this in a satisfying way.
    I also felt the supernatural elements weren't developed enough. I think the books were published too quickly. I think this book needed another six months of developmental editing.
    But I love Swan's writing. I just hope he lays a more thought out foundation in his future series. The first book is my favorite in this series and I still think it's overall four stars, but it had the potential to be a five stars series

    • @JJ-nu8qi
      @JJ-nu8qi 7 місяців тому

      I agree that the super natural stuff wasn't fleshed out enough. I didn't really care or know enough about those super natural characters to really care or understand what they were about.

  • @ezzydeen1
    @ezzydeen1 19 днів тому

    The books should be longer but not 2 more books extra long, but i do agree the ending felt rushed, especially the other worldly characters that just sorta came out of nowhere. Overall its a very good series thou.

  • @zackattack366
    @zackattack366 7 місяців тому +12

    I disagree entirely about this needed to be 4 or 5 books. This book would have been entirely boring and painfully slow if it was stretched two or three books. I disagree that the first half was a bore and the second half was too crammed. We slowed down to set up the ending conflict and then once it was set up we picked up the pace. That totally make sense to me.

  • @jeremycamp0206
    @jeremycamp0206 7 місяців тому +4

    Well I ended up really enjoying it but my tastes in books seem to differ from most 😂 🤷🏻‍♂️

  • @jadapandy
    @jadapandy Місяць тому

    By far the best of the 3!
    Totally disagree with you, bub.

  • @itsagoddam.pandamic
    @itsagoddam.pandamic 7 місяців тому +2

    I'm going to be honest, I think I'm going to love this based on what people have been saying. I've been wanting what it sounds like you're describing since it was introduced in the first book. But I'm sorry you didn't like it, that always sucks.

  • @moev29
    @moev29 7 місяців тому +2

    Agreed. I needed this one split. It felt like it rushed through things that mattered. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t perfect.

  • @2GunsUpZ
    @2GunsUpZ 6 місяців тому

    At a certain point, I just wanted it to end. Hated all the dream sequences. Agreed on the big bad. And Helena seems to have very little agency. How many times did he say "I froze"? SMH. I liked the ending but it didn't really flow to me. Great review.

    • @mattwestphal5517
      @mattwestphal5517 Місяць тому +1

      Dream sequences are a pet peeve of mine. I have been known to say to myself "So help me, if the author does another dream sequence, I'm out!" And I generally keep my word.

  • @jamiethomas4165
    @jamiethomas4165 7 місяців тому +1

    I agree with this. The plot felt so erratic for the first half, I kind of liked the actual ending but the first half was messy

  • @MaxFidler
    @MaxFidler 7 місяців тому +1

    Its really funny. I preordered this and I havent read it yet but i was sitting at my desk yesterday thinking about this. It seemed so odd that this time last year The Tyranny of Faith was setting BookTube on fire and I havent heard anything about this one. Its been crickets. I REALLY hope that I wind up disagreeing with this but quite a few reviews on Goodreads are also mixed.

  • @scottv5587
    @scottv5587 7 місяців тому +1

    That’s a shame. I still plan on giving this series a shot later this year

  • @kurjan1
    @kurjan1 7 місяців тому

    Man, I've always enjoyed your reviews, but damn... I think you and I have read completly different books!

  • @alexvaldiers9788
    @alexvaldiers9788 7 місяців тому

    This was my most anticipated book of the year and sadly it did not deliver. This felt rush and lacklustre. There was no climax... ahhhh It's disappointing. I still love the 1st book and the 2nd though.

  • @jan2bratt
    @jan2bratt 5 місяців тому

    I'm on the last pages of this book and remembered you did this review. I agree with you. I gave the first two either 4 or 5 stars and I might give this one a 2, I was so bored with it.

  • @bradykathol8806
    @bradykathol8806 7 місяців тому

    I was totally engrossed with the first 2 and couldn’t put them down I loved them, I’m about half way through this one and I agree completely. I feel lost in it and my brain can’t retain most of it, it’s a very sad time

  • @mattamant915
    @mattamant915 7 місяців тому

    Not what I like to hear when I'm on page 373 of the physical copy (almost 70%).

  • @readbykyle3082
    @readbykyle3082 7 місяців тому

    Totally agree with all of this

  • @nestorcaceres8928
    @nestorcaceres8928 6 місяців тому

    "Alot of fantasies aren't done"...I felt that to my core.

  • @jessezigg
    @jessezigg 7 місяців тому

    Respect your forthright honesty, as always.

  • @KindlesandKicks
    @KindlesandKicks 7 місяців тому +4

    Aw man! I was looking forward to this series because of the overwhelming love the first two books recieved, but with the lukewarm reviews from Booktube on the third book, I’m a bit hesitant now.

    • @alexvaldiers9788
      @alexvaldiers9788 7 місяців тому

      Read the first book at least. It's a masterpiece.

  • @noname3609
    @noname3609 7 місяців тому +1

    Comment 4 youtube algorhythm

    • @Raddon
      @Raddon 7 місяців тому

      I will never waste my time on comments like that.

    • @TheMrNukeman
      @TheMrNukeman 7 місяців тому +4

      @@Raddon wasted your time commenting on it though...

    • @noname3609
      @noname3609 7 місяців тому +2

      @@Raddon I think Mat is an awesome dude and deserves more subscribers 😊

    • @Raddon
      @Raddon 7 місяців тому

      @@TheMrNukeman Sarcasm is never a waste of time

    • @Roondawg_Valhalla
      @Roondawg_Valhalla 7 місяців тому

      Goof

  • @laurac56
    @laurac56 7 місяців тому

    I loved the first one and own the second. I haven’t read it yet. I almost purchased the third when available, but held off. Do you think I should read the second without the third? Does it end the story enough without the third? Third book doesn’t sound like it’s for me.

    • @MattsFantasyBookReviews
      @MattsFantasyBookReviews  7 місяців тому

      Just read them all honestly, my opinion probably isn't the predominant one!

    • @peternewman9606
      @peternewman9606 6 місяців тому

      ​@@MattsFantasyBookReviewswill u stil review Bakker? Curious what u think of the rest of the books

  • @noteuser15
    @noteuser15 7 місяців тому +2

    I completely agree. In fact I feel like I tried to read this before you reviewed it, so your opinion didn’t influence mine 😂. But I completely felt the same way you did. The pacing was way off, the character work was thrown mostly out the window, and it was just too different from the first two. It’s a real shame because I also gave the first two five stars, and this had the potential to be one of my favorite trilogies of all time. It just didn’t land for me either. I gave it four stars though just because I am biased and love the characters too much. But I logically agree more with a three star rating

  • @geoffjohnston6066
    @geoffjohnston6066 7 місяців тому +2

    Agree. I just reviewed it on your discord. Gave it 4 stars. But I was feeling generous. Couldn't agree more that the first half was a painful slog.

  • @caitlinl2750
    @caitlinl2750 7 місяців тому

    I felt the same😢

  • @BooksWithBenghisKahn
    @BooksWithBenghisKahn 7 місяців тому

    I tried starting this one and hated the beginning so much I had to stop. Unlike you I thought it started to slog in bk 2, which was really disappointed after I liked bk 1 a lot and felt like it was doing something I’d never seen before. Once it became a more standard plot it really lost my interest, and that def doesn’t seem to change in this final book. Oh well they can’t all be winners.