Jonas

Really depends on your expectations. I come from a technical background and I was expecting some methods or mindsets to learn but was disappointed with the actual content.

Damn shorts.. I always have the same problem: too short. However, It's good to have these two characters together again, even for a while

A mix of Mistborn, Kingkiller and even most from the short Emperor's Soul. Great intricate story, nice magic system and interesting characters. It uses the magic exploits in funny ways, giving this story the edge it deserves.
Alas because of this mix, I have to compare to the big ones. It is a bit lacking here and there but it could get there. I will be following the series closely. An unexpected great read!

The message is clear: break the status quo and take lead. But it's repeated a lot over the short course of this book (I searched my ebook: ‘status quo' is repeated 53 times over the 2 hours that is this book). Sometimes it just felt like Shia LaBeouf shouting: “Just do it!”.
There are some mildly interesting cases but I think other books just dive a bit deeper.
I've read a fair number of these kind of books and I think this is more something for new readers on the subject.

I got to beta read this book, for which I am very grateful, so I cannot go into a lot of detail.
For me, this was a very satisfying book so yes, 5 stars. Questions get answered but of course: new ones get asked. A lot of new interesting characters encountered and some interesting developments within the main cast. There is a definite buildup for the last one but that one isn't so far off now!
Within the series, this one would go third for me, only bested slightly by War & Swords.
For the 5th book within a series, it's great to have such an enticing story to follow.

I started this one coming from the vagrant trilogy, which I liked. I wanted to like this one too, the concept seemed grand. But the click just isn't there.. The two most interesting characters for me were a dog and a baby. The others/main cast felt really blank. They are all scheming against each other like Game of Thrones on steroids but not in the good way. On finishing the book I really had to think what the story was about and what actually happened and even within all the scheming it didn't fit. I will not continue this series.

This should be used in education. A real down to earth explanation of how things work and the how & why they have been misconceived in the past. A lot of topics in a tiny format that's really enough to trigger some minds.

I was attracted by the name and cover. The book was ok, not jaw dropping but not bad either. Maybe weird to say but I found this book to be too short.. some parts could have easily been expanded upon and the end was really rushed. The characters were ok but they clicked together too easily, like a first session of D&D where you know that if you do not cooperate with the others, you die. The ink magic was nice but also could have been expanded upon. If I find some time, I will try to read other from the series

Fun trilogy. Liked the magic a lot and the characters were interesting. As a fantasy trilogy, I'd have to compare it against mistborn, for it keeps my top spot. Alas here it is lacking a few points in the story itself. While dramatic in some ways, it is pretty straightforward in others. Some crucial things are left wildly unexplained, not a clue why. All in all a good read but no mistborn for me. I will be reading the follow up stories.

I picked this up for the cover and the cool name but that's where it ends for me. Storywise this was no good. It's a bit all over the place, first half of the book is a bit split timeline and then suddenly it's only one timeline.. I didn't even notice where and why it became one.. only for the missing ‘then/now' beneath the headers. It all felt like one big build up to get into the deep. The magic and action was okay but not top notch. I was expecting more.. but Sanderson and others haven't made it easy for other writers out there.
The characters were two dimensional. A party of lunatics brought together by money and shady assignments. No one even remotely interesting except for Toil maybe, her final joke was funny!
The more I think about the book and compare it to others, the more I cringe about it.
The writing style is good (star for that), reads fluently and no real grammar issues.. Except for the use of ‘mebbe' instead of ‘maybe'.. Cringes again
Alas, I would not recommend this series and I will not continue reading it.

Not a bad read but something was lacking for me. So the book is in 2 parts. The first I'd rate 4/5 but the second is a 3/5 for me. The first part was a pretty slow burn but got real good in the end. For me this felt totally opposite in the second part. Strong start but the ending was really slow and not so satisfying. The fight at the end felt like one of the better things and even that felt not in place.. Took me some time to get through but I will be reading the last one more quickly.. After a short brake.

Time travel done right. First read of this author but a really surprising one. I'll be checking out dark matter too!

This would have been a nice episode. Maybe not the most memorable but the characters and style are spot on. It fleshes out Mal's history, something that was a bit left out in the series imo. I'm curious where they are headed with the next one.

Fun read!

Feels more like side quest but it's still connecting some dots. A lot of new characters are introduced but they remain a bit flat through the story, only some showing development and other staying stuck. The story itself feels a lot like the third book but then on a planet. The ending did feel a bit abrupt for this kind of build up, especially the Miller part. Was hoping for a moon sized cliff hanger. Still a solid read, definitely reading on!

Didn't love it, didn't hate it.. Went into it in the hopes of finding something like the shadow campaigns but this beasts hunger wasn't satisfied. The story felt more like the maze runner with a dip of magic. I found the idea of the setting really cool but it could have taken place anywhere actually. The only ship elements are the crabs and it's still something that's hard to picture. Magic system was ok but I couldn't remember the names except for Melos.. made it awkward to read sometimes. Mistborn did this in a great way by giving the users specific names (tineyes, pewterthugs, coppercloud,...), could be useful here too. The whole relationship part felt really annoying. Isoka is a stone cold killer on a mission and here she acts like someone in her puberty. The POV felt awkward at first but you get used to it. There were some moments when Isoka addresses ‘the readers' however.. that's a nope for me. I will not be coming back to this series.

3 split perspectives from an ongoing war. Enjoyed it very much, way better than the first one. The magic is also growing on me but it still seems a bit vague (what are the limits etc, what is included within the power of a priviliged,..) The characters are not the best written but they do have their shining moments. I will quickly follow up with the last one.

Beta read, temporary review. The score I'm giving is for the book on its own. The book within the series is alas my least favorite so far, within the series it will have to be a 3/5, but that doesn't mean this is a bad book. In comparison to the others I found the delivery to be a bit lacking, I didn't feel satisfied when I finished the book. I think just one chapter more would have done it for me.
The story itself is a buildup to 2 separate events, both of which get answered in a way but leave you wanting for more. The cliffhanger is a nice thing but tricky, and here it didn't fit for me.
The characters are bright again. They all gain a bit more juice but some still need development.
Locations.. not a lot of them actually. Most were previously visited or just not really special. One new place is fun though!
Timeline.. there are some timeskips here. which I don't really mind but it does feel like for some characters, it hasn't really skipped. It feels a bit odd sometimes.
All in all a great addition to the series. I guess it needs a book like this to set the tone for the next ones to come. Looking forward to them.

Thanks again for this opportunity! I really enjoyed the reading. Most fun beta read I've had so far.

Boosters engaged at Mag 20, straight into the top 10. I don't really see this as a YA, everyone will enjoy this. Captivating from start to end. A fantasy writer nailing sci fi. Thank you for writing, Sanderson.

Second read - 2023
Reread before starting the Shadow Casket and very glad I did. I remembered pieces of the story, but most of the characters got lost. What a great story, even the second time through. Where I struggled with the third wheel of time to get 20 pages per session, I blazed through more than a hundred in the first sessions and I enjoyed it a lot more. Ready for the second book!
First read - 2018
I read this because of the Ketty Jay. I was expecting it to be a funnier take on fantasy but it's a full fledge fantasy book the likes of Sanderson or Sullivan. The story is pretty huge and I like that it is rounded up, a clear end for now with a new purpose in the next one. The characters, while different, fit together in a great way. Only Mara and Harod are still a bit bleak for me. Loss is something really present, it would not have been a good story if there were no losses after such an act. The book is not in my top 10 but it's damn close.

Solid 5. It's the whole package: creatures, magic, weapons and the cliches. But damn were they well played. It's been a long time since I've laughed out loud while reading.. this one had me 3 times. The band is a bit like Lord of the rings but with the cohesion of the crew from the Ketty Jay (or Firefly). Character building and hooking, diversity. I expected like an ‘indie' fantasy but not a classic. Instant top 10

Action packed, great story and interesting characters. The magic system is still a bit vague. Some minor errors in the book itself: some names misplaced, weird sentences but overall a very fluent read! I will surely continue this series

Well that was unexpected. The first 2 books were rather good in my opinion, but this took it to another level. War is center point here and it delivered. So many character development and ofcourse loss. I love where the series is going and I'll be following it closely. One of the best from Sullivan I've read so far

So I waited a year to get the paperback, only to finish it in a week. Great ending for the series. The book is really good but I found the 4th book to be the best of the series. Overall the pace was high with some unexpected twists (one big one I never saw coming). Now for the ending SPOILERS AHEAD: I found the battle to be a bit anticlimatic. The battle was a real slaughter, while it lasted, but still only Sothe is lost in the battle.. Val also returning without any info. That's weird. The confrontation Jane v Winter was also a bit quick for me, without the grit that was present in the 4th book. I really liked the 'one year later' but also it was a bit short and not really closing. I compare any ending of a series with the ending of The Hero of Ages from Mistborn, so it's possible I just have mountain high expectations 😅 I still hope there will be some continuation to the series or the world and I will surely recommend this series to others.

2nd reading: 4 stars
Weird but having some faces cast made the reading experience very different for me. In the first reading Rand, Perrin and Mat became a jumble, even Nynaeve and Egwene a bit but now it was way clearer. Taking notes also helped a lot for a series this size. Eager to continue now!

1st reading: 3 stars
Not bad but not really wow either. The writing style is a lot older, the pace a bit slow. Most things were predictable but I guess that's normal for an older series. The whole magic Aes Sedai stuff I found to be pretty lame.. the trollocs, fades, Ogier (and their transport) were a little more interesting but rarely touched. The characters are also a bit blank, even overlapping for me. I will continue the series but not at a high pace.