Narration was STELLAR, story was not

I do have a longer review of this book, but since it hits the word limit I'll try to keep it short here.

Content notes include gore, graphic depictions of violence, deaths, mass murders, mass graves, suicide bombings, feelings of suicidal ideation, character is misgendered once but the character who did it corrects herself pretty quickly, flashbacks and mentions of a graphic rape and sexual assault that happened to the main character as a teenager, multiple animal deaths, multiple mentions of the COVID-19 pandemic, kidnapping, blood magic, characters losing body parts, and mentions of a character being buried alive. Additional content notes are on the author's website.

This book is the last book in THIS story arc and there's 2 more story arcs to go, with a total of 6 books left in this series. That definitely means that there's a lot of questions that are left unanswered after reading The Hourglass Throne, and there's a lot in the story that isn't resolved. Do I feel like I can even sum up this story arc and what its purpose was? Not really? But I admit, the only time I deal with long series books that DO have story arcs, they're only in the mystery genre, and this is not that. Which makes this so much more confusing FOR ME, because it doesn't really feel like there was a set beginning and end to this story arc in the same way that I'm used to from mystery books. Is it about Rune setting up his court? Discovering more names behind the carriage house...incident? That's still an ongoing mystery. The romance in this is still a mystery. What have we accomplished with this story arc and trilogy? I don't know. There's just a lot of unanswered questions (which, I kind of get since this is a 9-book series), but even within the events of this book there's stuff that was skipped over or seem more like plot holes to me.

This book is somehow a combination of things I personally just don't like reading, so that's probably why this book is not my favorite and why reading this book was a bit of a chore? What I don't love about this book is the inclusion of the pandemic and the introduction of a sort of time-travel into the story. Also, this book almost requires readers to read and familiarize themselves with all the short story extras that can only be found on the author's website and not very many might know about them? I wasn't a fan of including those events into the canon in the main stories.

Logically, I KNOW this isn't a Romance with a capital R. With this book and this series, it's a slow burn that's SO slow (especially when you take into account how much time it takes for each book to come out) to the point where it feels like nothing is happening. Are we getting a polyam relationship between Rune, Addam, and Brand, or not? We're led to believe there's SOMETHING developing between Addam and Brand, but then Rune mentioned something about not feeling romantically towards Brand or something? Like Rune had a talla bond with Brand, and Addam feels one with Rune. I know that Rune loves Brand and Brand loves Rune more than anything in the world, but romantically? It's odd how we're still stuck in limbo at the end of this book and story arc, with only a hint that there might be something more to Addam and Brand. Hopefully, we get a faster resolution to their relationship then waiting for book 9. I would cry. Unlike these Atlanteans, we are not getting any younger and there's only so much I can stand watching a relationship get drawn out.

I like the characters for the most part, but there's so MANY characters that it becomes hard to keep track of everyone. There's no real reference for all of them, so I know for me it's hard to keep track of who's who especially if you're not like me and listening to the audiobook AND following along with the book in text. I was confused enough while following along with text.

I DO have some positives about this book I want to make sure to point out. This book introduced me to buttered oranges, and while it sounds like it'll clog up my arteries, I need to find out how to make them. Hands down, favorite moment was Lord Tower and Mayan having a moment where Lord Tower pulls Mayan out of his trance and possessively says, "mine".

This book is great in audiobook and the fact that Josh Hurley (the narrator) had to say the words "Squam Swamp" was hilarious. Josh Hurley does an amazing job with the time jump chapters in this book. That was TOP TIER acting. He deserves an Audie award JUST for that alone because he was acting his butt off. Someone give this narrator a trophy.

The key moment for me that turned this book around for me so it wasn't a 1-star book is the ending. I thought the scene where we got moments and a perspective into everyone's talk with the river just absolutely devastating. I sobbed. Honestly, THIS was the moment that saved the book for me because I was having such a hard time with the story and the plot, but the angst here really worked. See also: Corbie and the video. Didn't see that one coming and had me sobbing all over again.

My love for this series has definitely been derailed by this book. It WAS going swimmingly for me and I could overlook the minor things in books 1 and 2 that I might not have liked, but this book was a mess for me from the moment the pandemic was mentioned and only steadily got worse. I don't know what would get me to love this series again. Maybe more books and seeing the story really tie everything together in a neat bow? I don't know. But I'm happy to get my feelings for this book written out now, and I can finally move away to read something else.

4 people found this helpful

Mostly angst and fighting

The reviews warned me that this book was darker than the rest, and that was an understatement. Perhaps 4 hours out of the 14 were not fighting. And it got much darker than just fighting, including detailed threats of torture, multiple captures, basically one bad thing after another. Many deaths, much fighting, much angst. That being said, I think this book is very important to the overall arc of the series storyline, and so I encourage you to purchase and listen to the book for that purpose if you intend to continue with the series. Just know that this will probably not be your favorite book in the series. Let us all hope that the author got that darkness out of his creative flow, and we'll get some more lighter and brighter times with Rune, Brand, Addam, and "their kids". Although it was a difficult listen due to the almost nonstop threats and fighting, this book is important because it does move the story arc forward in an overall positive direction for Rune and crew.

3 people found this helpful

The Pillar of a Great Trilogy!

Sometimes you come across a book or series of books that just absolutely leave you stunned and speechless, when you try to consider just HOW MUCH happens and how intricately a story is being woven together. Well, damn if this is just that book and series!

Holy crap. This book deserves way more than just the 5 stars I can give it. I am floored by the fact that this is just the first 3 of 9 total books - and if this much has happened in these few books then I can’t even begin to imagine what depths the author is going to take us too in the future.

So much happened and was revealed here, that there really isn’t anyway I could hope to recount all the ways this story was nothing short of phenomenal. Per usual, Rune, Adam and Brand are my favorite trio, and the way that their love is starting to become more shared is just nothing short of the most perfect combination or the ideal platonic and romantic relationship triangle that I could only hope to get from a story like this. We have Addam that is so clearly in love with Rune for who he is and is willing to do anything for him, and then we have Brand who would literally serve as his shield if he had to because of their bond. AND not to give anything away, but I saw sparks of “something” in all this relationship that I really, really hope is what I think it is!

I loved that we got the time between Addam and Rune alone in this book that served as a great way to bring these two together even closer than before. My one and ONLY quirk with them is that other than that brief scene in book 1 we’ve saw nothing of their intimate relationship other than passing mentions of kissing or cuddling. This is totally able to be overlooked though because their relationship feels SO authentic and romantic that it renders the intimacy in the story pointless. Although, I also can’t help but wonder if maybe they haven’t been intimate? Especially since I’m book 2 Rune confessed he wasn’t all that comfortable with that yet because of his trauma. I’m not sure. But I really do hope we get something in the coming books that’s maybe a smidge steamier.

Either way, nothing will keep me from reading every book in this series as they are released. I am SO mad that idk when that will be, but either way I am so stoked to see what happens next!

1 person found this helpful

THIS SERIES IS SO GOOD!

The story is good. The world is good. The narrator is good. I ate this series up!!! More please.

1 person found this helpful

A Taste For More…

The Sun Throne’s awakening is beginning and with each day a new layer is peeled back to give us greater insight into this world. I look forward to continuing the journey down this road!

A big win

There were a lot of painful moments in this book, more, I think, than in the others. But, true to form, there was humor, as well. The constant weaving of humor, action, and the hard stuff makes it feel so real. Who knew that a mythological society based on tarot cards could feel so relatable?! I get a wave of nostalgia every time Rune's old Saturn comes up. It is refreshing, really, to find a book that I enjoy so much that has protagonists my age. 😆

I LOVE this book and series

I have listened to this series SEVERAL times. I just got done listening to this book for the 7th time. there are parts that everytime still brings tears to my eyes!!! can't wait for more

So Much Good

When I listened to the first book, I was so confused. I felt like I got dropped into the middle of a season of some fantasy show, and that threw me for a loop. And I'm not going to lie, it felt the same way with books 2 and 3. There are some asides inside the story that require having read the side story novellas in between but nothing really says that. THAT BEING SAID.

I fell for these characters. Hard. Not that I'm in love with over coming tragic backstories or anything, but the friendship and relationships that got built around that backstory solidified their place in my heart. It should be mentioned that this story, this book especially, may be triggering for sufferers of sexual abuse and assault. Though the depiction isn't graphic in nature, it is a repeating theme that is integral to Rune's story.

The narrator was absolutely amazing, and I hope he comes back for any next installments because he has the most diverse character voices I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. His female voices were feminine without being outrageous or stereotypical, and his male voices, even the effeminate/presumed queer ones, were unique and easily identifiable.

We got a diverse group of characters, including a teen that goes from he/him to they/them and a supportive foster mom trying to navigate that change respectively while still making realistic mistakes. Our mains are queer. The cast is supportive.


I'm very excited to see where this series goes. It has a lot of potential, and is my first 5 star review in a LONG time.

Best gay series ever

This had it all! A great story line without chalk yet after chapter of sex. It was an emotional rollercoaster and hope there’s another book in the series.

Great read

Enjoyed this book very much! Wish there was some more queer loving in it haha but the story line is some great fantasy