This was a great continuation to this series. Brandon Sanderson really took the foundations that he laid down in Skyward and continued to build depth and layers to the story that is just so entertaining and enthralling to read!
Spensa’s character remains quite consistent throughout most of the story until she has her epiphany moment towards the end of the book. She realises that she has judged some of these aliens based purely on her bias and minor interactions. I like that similar to the first novel she is able to reflect on her actions and accept when she has done something wrong and acknowledge her flaws and actively work towards shifting her perspective.
We don’t get a whole lot of Jorgen in this book, which made me a little sad, as he was one of my favourite characters. I think what little insight we gained from his experience with Gran Gran that leads him to a pretty astronomical discovery was still essential in terms of the overall plot line. I just wish we got a little more scenes between him and Spensa! That little taste at the start of the book wasn’t enough for me.
M-bot has definitely evolved in this book. I’m not sure I like the direction his particular plot line seems to be leading to. Hopefully he doesn’t fulfil all of those fears it seems his previous owners predicted might occur. All of the fail safes and programs written into his software prohibiting him from doing certain things seems reasonable to me and the fact that he’s even questioning those rules and asking Spensa is he is alive doesn’t bode well for me! I really like his character and I don’t want him turning into an antagonist.
The scope of the book is blown wide open in this instalment to the series. In Skyward even though Spensa is airborne they still pretty much revolve around what is happening on the ground. I like that we are given a completely different and foreign setting, but maintain a sense of continuity with the flight training Spensa has to undergo.
It boggles my mind how Brandon Sanderson is able to piece together such intricate storylines that still manages to surprise me at every turn. Characters and interactions that I dismissed as trivial and unimportant turn out to be vital to the continuation of the plot. You really need to pay attention to every little detail he puts in because somehow it will be revealed as a key piece of information that the whole story is revolving around.
⭐️4.5/5 stars This was absolutely fantastic 100% recommend!
The Beautiful is set in the year 1872 and revolves around a 17 year old girl named Celine Rousseau, who has run away from her dark past in Paris to rediscover herself in the city of New Orleans.
One Word Kill – This was probably my least favourite of the three books although it was crucial in terms of establishing all of the scenes that will eventually become so important later in the series. I found it a little hard to get into personally, especially with all of the science/time travel/mathematical jargon that is used frequently throughout the book. Being how short it actually is I think Mark Lawrence did an excellent job adding depth and personality to each of the characters. I was a little bored at times but I was intrigued enough that I definitely had to continue on! ⭐️3/5 stars
Limited Wish – I really liked that there is a jump in time and Nick is a little bit older now. The setting is a lot more interesting as well and I found it very easy to fall back into the storyline. This book went a lot more in depth in terms of all the science and mathematics behind the time travel. At times I did find myself kind of skimming most of those conversations and trying to stay focused on what was actually happening. I liked the introduction of the new characters and we are given a lot more answers in this book to some of the questions that are set down in One Word Kill. I highly enjoyed the new setting and the development of the characters and their devotion to each other and to D&D. ⭐️4/5 stars
Dispel Illusion – This was fantastic! I liked that we jump from the different timelines and see kind of behind the scenes of what Nick was actually seeing all those years ago. The intricacies that Mark Lawrence had to put together and seeing the seeds sown in the first book ultimately come to fruition was highly engaging and super satisfying! Definitely took a turn I did not expect but better than what I had imagined was going to happen. Completely unpredictable and so much more fulfilling in a way. All of Demus’s secrets come to light and there are so many twists that bloomed unexpectedly that you cannot put this book down! ⭐️4.5/5 stars
Amy Leigh Reads 