This series just strikes differently. Anna's prose is poetic and haunting. Glad you enjoyed it brother stay warm and looking forward to reviews for the rest of the series!
Struggled at the start of this as it really wasn't grabbing me and I was tempted to DNF (admittedly I'm someone who DNFs a lot of books). About half way through now and really glad I continued. I don't care about not "liking" or being able to relate to characters and I do really like the author's style which I find pretty refreshing. It is dark, it is nasty in places no doubt about it but I'm an adult, it's not real life, just words on a page. I'd definitely recommend people give it a go.
I had heard that the author, Anna Smith Spark, was inspired by R. Scott Bakker. So, that already sold me on The Queen of Grimdark! Can’t wait to read it!
I found it totally readable from the start, didn't really draw me in 'til about a third of the way, but after that, OH MAN, is this ever right up there with the best!
I really enjoyed the first half of this book but the insta love angle didn't really work for me and kind of dragged down the second half of me, but there was enough intriguing ideas to make me want to check out the next book in the series.
Nice!! Most my clients are military. Honestly I don't know where tattooing would be without the military. Fairbanks is a cold mofo but also very beautiful
Another great review. I'm really happy I found your channel some days ago. There's a lot of great fantasy book content on youtube, but I've always been looking for a channel that really thrives in the darkness and brutality that I also love - until now! Plus, your review style is awesome, bringing out your personal enjoyment, but also trying to look at strength and weaknesses from a more neutral point of view. Good stuff man, keep it up!
Found you from Mike’s Book Reviews! Adding this to my TBR- Idk if I live under a rock but “grimdark” is something I’ve only heard of recently, I love fantasy, wonder if I’ve read any 🤔😆 Well- it will be in my future for sure! Great video👍
Queen of Grimdark indeed. Orhan's storyline was probably the least exciting for me too. Marith... Marith is something else, but absolutely a character capable of carrying a series. You can love him or hate him, but you can't look away. haha
I really enjoyed listening to this book but the more I thought about it the more issues I found with the characters. Thalia was too shallow. I hated the insta love. But even more than that she's a priestess but once she leaves the temple it seems like she has no connection to her religion, no issues with her lover being of a different religion or a descendant of their gods. I cannot imagine someone would be raised entirely within a church and trained as that church's high priestess to the point of committing human child sacrifices without a significant amount of indoctrination. But Marith is so pretty so I guess it doesn't matter. I've also never seen such a manic-pixie dream girl depiction in fantasy in which Marith completely loses all sense of depression and guilt over killing his lover and best friend when he gets some holy p*ssy. Then the battles were anti-climactic. I thought the 'Kill and kill and kill' was lazy writing. I get berserker-type rage but even when Logan becomes the Bloody Nine the fights still have more detail than him waking up covered in blood. I'll eventually continue the series but I hope the characters get a lot deeper
There certainly are things that could be picked apart. I definitely understand your take on the characters, Merith the tormented emo kid will his repeated torture words.. but the weird thing is I still loved the character. Even when my logical brain says pshh.
I have the same feelings with the AshtheViking. This was a book I really wanted to like. Moreso because of the Bakker connection. And it really started well for me. I like Anna's prose. I like the imagery. But the characters didnt work at all for me. Tobias was good and Orhan interesting but I found Thalia so unrealistic that I just could not relate at all. Marith was ok for me till he met Thalia but their relationship ruined this book for me to the point I ll probably not read the sequels. I really hope for Anna the best because she seems great and I hope her next books will have characters I will like because her style is interesting and beautiful.
@@slowlyred2082 yea I play dungeons and dragons with him he's a pretty cool dude and after checking out a couple of your other vids seem you are as well. Must run in the family. I'm more of a classical fantasy guys my self but big reader. Jim butcher and Joe Abercrombie are probably the closest to grim dark but Im gonna have to check more out now.
Oh snap, im jealous of your D&D campaign (the one I played in disbanded awhile back) Joe Abercrombie is pretty badass. There's quite the variety these days when it comes to grimdark, so lots of options 🙃
I've had this book on my shelf since before I started watching booktube, so it's all booktube's fault I haven't read it yet. Yeah, let's roll with that 😅 Bumped up now, though.. I love priest characters, especially in grimdark tales 🤘
This series has promise but the insta love issue and the ramifications from its fallout kind of felt off and shallow for Thalia character and bugged me because Sparks seemed like she demonstrated too much talent up to that point for something that came across as lazy storytelling. She does seem like an author to keep an eye on though so I'll be interested in seeing what kind of buzz her next series gets as I'm still inclined to try her out again.
The first half of the book was great but the second half fell off for me. The instant love didnt work for me and orhan's plot went nowhere after the climax coup was done. I wanted more of the myths and religions to be explored
This series just strikes differently. Anna's prose is poetic and haunting. Glad you enjoyed it brother stay warm and looking forward to reviews for the rest of the series!
Yeah. I'm a fan of her style. Continuing on to book 2 soon
This and Bakker are series I've thought of breaking my TBR for.
Well if you break, I definitely wanna know what you think 😉
Struggled at the start of this as it really wasn't grabbing me and I was tempted to DNF (admittedly I'm someone who DNFs a lot of books). About half way through now and really glad I continued. I don't care about not "liking" or being able to relate to characters and I do really like the author's style which I find pretty refreshing. It is dark, it is nasty in places no doubt about it but I'm an adult, it's not real life, just words on a page. I'd definitely recommend people give it a go.
I had heard that the author, Anna Smith Spark, was inspired by R. Scott Bakker. So, that already sold me on The Queen of Grimdark! Can’t wait to read it!
She's got her own style but definitely brings the darkness
I found it totally readable from the start, didn't really draw me in 'til about a third of the way, but after that, OH MAN, is this ever right up there with the best!
🖤
You are my favorite book tuber by far! You have helped me find some amazing series, thank you!
Thank you 🙏
Glad to help in any way!!
I really enjoyed the first half of this book but the insta love angle didn't really work for me and kind of dragged down the second half of me, but there was enough intriguing ideas to make me want to check out the next book in the series.
Yeah it slowed down but I still enjoyed it. Though I also knew others would probably not dig the insta love
Fairbanks! I was stationed out of wainwright years ago. I miss AK everyday!
Nice!!
Most my clients are military. Honestly I don't know where tattooing would be without the military. Fairbanks is a cold mofo but also very beautiful
Another great review. I'm really happy I found your channel some days ago. There's a lot of great fantasy book content on youtube, but I've always been looking for a channel that really thrives in the darkness and brutality that I also love - until now! Plus, your review style is awesome, bringing out your personal enjoyment, but also trying to look at strength and weaknesses from a more neutral point of view. Good stuff man, keep it up!
Thank you 🙏
Found you from Mike’s Book Reviews! Adding this to my TBR- Idk if I live under a rock but “grimdark” is something I’ve only heard of recently, I love fantasy, wonder if I’ve read any 🤔😆 Well- it will be in my future for sure! Great video👍
Welcome to the show 😉
@@slowlyred2082 thnx ☺️
Queen of Grimdark indeed. Orhan's storyline was probably the least exciting for me too. Marith... Marith is something else, but absolutely a character capable of carrying a series. You can love him or hate him, but you can't look away. haha
Yes!! I agree like a beautiful train wreck, you have to witness.
Well...this was already on my wishlist, now i guess i will have to move it up to my tbr. It really sounds like my kind of dark and dastardly tale.
I'm definitely continuing on with this one soon. I really liked her style
I really enjoyed listening to this book but the more I thought about it the more issues I found with the characters. Thalia was too shallow. I hated the insta love. But even more than that she's a priestess but once she leaves the temple it seems like she has no connection to her religion, no issues with her lover being of a different religion or a descendant of their gods. I cannot imagine someone would be raised entirely within a church and trained as that church's high priestess to the point of committing human child sacrifices without a significant amount of indoctrination. But Marith is so pretty so I guess it doesn't matter. I've also never seen such a manic-pixie dream girl depiction in fantasy in which Marith completely loses all sense of depression and guilt over killing his lover and best friend when he gets some holy p*ssy.
Then the battles were anti-climactic. I thought the 'Kill and kill and kill' was lazy writing. I get berserker-type rage but even when Logan becomes the Bloody Nine the fights still have more detail than him waking up covered in blood. I'll eventually continue the series but I hope the characters get a lot deeper
There certainly are things that could be picked apart. I definitely understand your take on the characters, Merith the tormented emo kid will his repeated torture words.. but the weird thing is I still loved the character. Even when my logical brain says pshh.
I have the same feelings with the AshtheViking. This was a book I really wanted to like. Moreso because of the Bakker connection. And it really started well for me. I like Anna's prose. I like the imagery. But the characters didnt work at all for me. Tobias was good and Orhan interesting but I found Thalia so unrealistic that I just could not relate at all. Marith was ok for me till he met Thalia but their relationship ruined this book for me to the point I ll probably not read the sequels. I really hope for Anna the best because she seems great and I hope her next books will have characters I will like because her style is interesting and beautiful.
One more dark book to my TBR :D I think it will never decrease xD
Amazing review thank you :D
Thank you 🙏
Massive love side here!! Good video. Can't wait for a possible spoiler chat haha
Yes, love side 🙌
Yep, David and I are gonna do one!!!
Your Bro Karl sent me over to your channel, good stuff man
Hell yeah, welcome to the show 😉
@@slowlyred2082 yea I play dungeons and dragons with him he's a pretty cool dude and after checking out a couple of your other vids seem you are as well. Must run in the family. I'm more of a classical fantasy guys my self but big reader. Jim butcher and Joe Abercrombie are probably the closest to grim dark but Im gonna have to check more out now.
Oh snap, im jealous of your D&D campaign (the one I played in disbanded awhile back)
Joe Abercrombie is pretty badass. There's quite the variety these days when it comes to grimdark, so lots of options 🙃
I've had this book on my shelf since before I started watching booktube, so it's all booktube's fault I haven't read it yet.
Yeah, let's roll with that 😅
Bumped up now, though.. I love priest characters, especially in grimdark tales 🤘
There's some pretty sinister stuff that comes with the priestess job.
Hope you enjoy it's dastardly nature 😉
This series has promise but the insta love issue and the ramifications from its fallout kind of felt off and shallow for Thalia character and bugged me because Sparks seemed like she demonstrated too much talent up to that point for something that came across as lazy storytelling. She does seem like an author to keep an eye on though so I'll be interested in seeing what kind of buzz her next series gets as I'm still inclined to try her out again.
According to Goodreads I have 1359 books on my 'want-to-read'-list, so what is one more really?
Throw it on the pile 😉
The first half of the book was great but the second half fell off for me. The instant love didnt work for me and orhan's plot went nowhere after the climax coup was done. I wanted more of the myths and religions to be explored
Man, stop it, please! I'm starting to forget which books I had in the TBR from so much new entries.
My own tbr is a disaster.. sorry 😉
Another purchase made, you must stop this lol. Thanks for a great review :)
Lol, I can't stop..
Thank you 🙏
THATS FUNNY CUZ IT DOUNDS LIKE YOU MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT A REAL PERSON HUH?