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The Pillars of Reality #4
The Pirates of Pacta Servanda
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781625671370
Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain have survived every attempt to stop them, but their enemies are determined to kill Mari, the only one who can save her world from a storm of destruction. As armies begin to gather and cities seethe with tension, Mari, Alain, and their friends must prepare to confront the storm in the place it first appeared: the broken kingdom of Tiae.
The dangers facing them demand perilous raids, tough battles, and more than a little piracy. Beating the Mechanics Guild and the Mage Guild that have controlled the world of Dematr for centuries will require an unprecedented alliance under Mari's command of rebellious Mechanics, Mages, and common folk who know that together they can change the world, but separately they will all lose.
Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain have survived every attempt to stop them, but their enemies are determined to kill Mari, the only one who can save her world from a storm of destruction. As armies begin to gather and cities seethe with tension, Mari, Alain, and their friends must prepare to confront the storm in the place it first appeared: the broken kingdom of Tiae.
The dangers facing them demand perilous raids, tough battles, and more than a little piracy. Beating the Mechanics Guild and the Mage Guild that have controlled the world of Dematr for centuries will require an unprecedented alliance under Mari's command of rebellious Mechanics, Mages, and common folk who know that together they can change the world, but separately they will all lose.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2016
96 people are currently reading
734 people want to read
About the author
Jack Campbell
108 books3,013 followersJack Campbell is a pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 2, 2016
Re-read August 2016 - just as fantastic as the first time. Mechanics Allie, Calu, and Ken are a treat. I loved the way every time the group took over a ship or a guild hall, they'd hear celebrating from those taken prisoner -
Pirates!
So much in this book was smile-inducing and even laugh out loud funny. The relationship between Mari and Alain continues to evolve - and finally Alain is starting to rise up and even out the relationship. In the past, Mari has been finding her footing as the chosen one, the competent leader yet filled with self-doubt and overcompensating with sarcasm. She also had a bit of a superior attitude toward Alain, although her actions apparently don't reflect her true feelings. When she talks about him, she's complimentary and insists that he's the brains of the operation. It becomes more and more clear that it's those who follow her that see Alain as more of an advisor to Mari and less of an equal.
There was a moment in this book where Alain exclaims "I am angry with you!" in the midst of a battle. Mari yells back that they can talk about it when the fighting is over. But the issue never gets revisited, and I wish it had. While Alain is raised to a much higher status in this book, Mari is still the star. Some of it has to do with Alain's personality - but at least in this particular book he has become the silent voice of reason behind Mari's leading. It's more and more apparent that she can't lead without him.
I hope that trend continues. Mari is so likable with her self-effacing attitude, becoming more and more humility rather than a lack of confidence. It's clear that this is largely due to Alain's influence.
This book ended rather abruptly for me. They're going along in a conversation and suddenly that was it - the end of the paragraph was the end of the book. This is a 6-book series, so obviously there is more to come. It just seemed to come out nowhere, even though the general story had reached it's "end" for this episode.
MacLeod Andrews is brilliant in this book, this series, with these characters. Absolutely brilliant. I cannot rave enough about his ability to translate this story to audio.
Seeing the relationship between Alain and Mari through to its culmination will be a total pleasure when this series concludes. I'll be sad to see it go!
Pirates!
So much in this book was smile-inducing and even laugh out loud funny. The relationship between Mari and Alain continues to evolve - and finally Alain is starting to rise up and even out the relationship. In the past, Mari has been finding her footing as the chosen one, the competent leader yet filled with self-doubt and overcompensating with sarcasm. She also had a bit of a superior attitude toward Alain, although her actions apparently don't reflect her true feelings. When she talks about him, she's complimentary and insists that he's the brains of the operation. It becomes more and more clear that it's those who follow her that see Alain as more of an advisor to Mari and less of an equal.
There was a moment in this book where Alain exclaims "I am angry with you!" in the midst of a battle. Mari yells back that they can talk about it when the fighting is over. But the issue never gets revisited, and I wish it had. While Alain is raised to a much higher status in this book, Mari is still the star. Some of it has to do with Alain's personality - but at least in this particular book he has become the silent voice of reason behind Mari's leading. It's more and more apparent that she can't lead without him.
I hope that trend continues. Mari is so likable with her self-effacing attitude, becoming more and more humility rather than a lack of confidence. It's clear that this is largely due to Alain's influence.
This book ended rather abruptly for me. They're going along in a conversation and suddenly that was it - the end of the paragraph was the end of the book. This is a 6-book series, so obviously there is more to come. It just seemed to come out nowhere, even though the general story had reached it's "end" for this episode.
MacLeod Andrews is brilliant in this book, this series, with these characters. Absolutely brilliant. I cannot rave enough about his ability to translate this story to audio.
Seeing the relationship between Alain and Mari through to its culmination will be a total pleasure when this series concludes. I'll be sad to see it go!
July 2, 2016
The Pirates of Pacta Servanda marks a big change in the story. Instead of Alain and Mari by themselves against the Guilds, Mari steadily gains a small army of mechanics, mages and commons by the end of this book. Instead of fighting to survive, Mari now goes on the offensive with strategic attacks. The book is also darker, as both Alain and Mari grapple with the magnitude of the task they have ahead of them and the consequences of failure.
After miraculously surviving the assassins in Altis, Mari ends up with a whole ship of followers, including several mechanics and mages. Now that she has all the information she needs, she decides to go to Tiae, a kingdom destroyed by civil wars. She figures that going there will serve two purposes: hide from the guilds until she’s ready to fight them and start fixing the place where the destruction began.
Even though there’s a lot of excitement in this book: fights at sea, rescues, piracy, raids and sneak attacks, there’s also A LOT OF TALKING. All this talk is necessary for Mari to get the help she needs from commons and mechanics but it still bogged the book down. Over and over, Mari has to convince government officials from the commons that she’s for real. Their disbelief is understandable – they have been oppressed by mechanics for centuries so they find it very hard to believe that a mechanic is the savior they have all been waiting. Mari also has to convince mechanics to follow her and explain the reasons why she revolted against their Guild and has mages around. Surprisingly, the only ones that don’t need convincing are the mages. They know that Mari is the daughter of the prophesy and they see in Alain that a new wisdom is possible, one where they can feel and still keep their powers.
Given the amount of new characters in this book, it’s not surprising that Mari and Alain spend a lot less time together. I thought this was a good thing, specially in the case of Alain. His friendship with Asha deepens, to the point where he shares the burden of a disturbing vision with her. He listens to a mechanic divulging the harrowing details of her time as an apprentice and shares some of the pain of his acolyte training. He is less perfect but a lot more human as he shows Mari some annoyance, hurt pride, deep concern and even gets “very angry” with her at some point (I thought he was so cute when he said that!)
As usual, I need to give a shout out to MacLeod Andrews and his narration. I don’t even have words to describe how amazing he is.
As a sort of transition book, this wasn’t the best of the lot but I feel things will be smoother from now on. I have soo many questions but thankfully, books 5 & 6 will come out within a month of each other so I don’t have long to learn how things will end.
After miraculously surviving the assassins in Altis, Mari ends up with a whole ship of followers, including several mechanics and mages. Now that she has all the information she needs, she decides to go to Tiae, a kingdom destroyed by civil wars. She figures that going there will serve two purposes: hide from the guilds until she’s ready to fight them and start fixing the place where the destruction began.
Even though there’s a lot of excitement in this book: fights at sea, rescues, piracy, raids and sneak attacks, there’s also A LOT OF TALKING. All this talk is necessary for Mari to get the help she needs from commons and mechanics but it still bogged the book down. Over and over, Mari has to convince government officials from the commons that she’s for real. Their disbelief is understandable – they have been oppressed by mechanics for centuries so they find it very hard to believe that a mechanic is the savior they have all been waiting. Mari also has to convince mechanics to follow her and explain the reasons why she revolted against their Guild and has mages around. Surprisingly, the only ones that don’t need convincing are the mages. They know that Mari is the daughter of the prophesy and they see in Alain that a new wisdom is possible, one where they can feel and still keep their powers.
Given the amount of new characters in this book, it’s not surprising that Mari and Alain spend a lot less time together. I thought this was a good thing, specially in the case of Alain. His friendship with Asha deepens, to the point where he shares the burden of a disturbing vision with her. He listens to a mechanic divulging the harrowing details of her time as an apprentice and shares some of the pain of his acolyte training. He is less perfect but a lot more human as he shows Mari some annoyance, hurt pride, deep concern and even gets “very angry” with her at some point (I thought he was so cute when he said that!)
As usual, I need to give a shout out to MacLeod Andrews and his narration. I don’t even have words to describe how amazing he is.
As a sort of transition book, this wasn’t the best of the lot but I feel things will be smoother from now on. I have soo many questions but thankfully, books 5 & 6 will come out within a month of each other so I don’t have long to learn how things will end.
March 14, 2017
The story just gets better and more and more people join Alain and Marie. Can't wait to see what happens next.
February 12, 2016
The Pillars of Reality Series keeps clipping along at a strong pace, adding depth to characters and introducing new threats at every turn. Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain are running from the great guilds and the empire, desperate to finally find a way to be free of their reign. They are under attack from all sides, as they search with their new friends and allies to find a place to build for the future.
The gripping thing about these books isn't the death defying escapes from ridiculously overwhelming odds, but the strength of these two young people as they put their faith in strangers to do the right thing, and in one another. They have lost everything except each other. The world building is strong, with hints to what came before, and tidbits of what might be coming. When the chips are down, Mari is becoming the great leader she is destined to be by trying to do the right thing, and not by trying to be a great leader, which is what makes her a powerful character.
The idea that regular people can overcome great wrongs and make the world a better place is a message we can all share in. To make it dangerous the writer use the one thing after another method, throwing obstacles up, whether its pirates or dragons, that barely give the story time to settle. Even with that, he creates moments where they can reflect somewhat and build more depth. I'll keep reading.
The gripping thing about these books isn't the death defying escapes from ridiculously overwhelming odds, but the strength of these two young people as they put their faith in strangers to do the right thing, and in one another. They have lost everything except each other. The world building is strong, with hints to what came before, and tidbits of what might be coming. When the chips are down, Mari is becoming the great leader she is destined to be by trying to do the right thing, and not by trying to be a great leader, which is what makes her a powerful character.
The idea that regular people can overcome great wrongs and make the world a better place is a message we can all share in. To make it dangerous the writer use the one thing after another method, throwing obstacles up, whether its pirates or dragons, that barely give the story time to settle. Even with that, he creates moments where they can reflect somewhat and build more depth. I'll keep reading.
May 23, 2017
These really are getting better with each one. I'm still finding some of the necessary character growth of the MC to be a bit predictable and pedestrian, but the story, characters, and world building are exceptional.
September 16, 2021
The story is continuing nicely. It is a bit slower progression in this book which allows for more character development, even with this slowing down I still do like it and will continue with the next book in the series.
June 21, 2016
Minor rant before I get to the review. Many of you have heard of the Sad Puppy/Rabid Puppy campaigns. These campaigns claim that they are standing up for non-political, less message focused works. If this was the case, I might have had a bit of sympathy for them... but IMHO, Sad Puppy/Rabid Puppy or whatever they want to call themselves are merely groups of like-minded writers seeking to corrupt the nomination procedure by political shenanigans in order to increase visability for their mostly mediocre works.
Why do I say this... because IF they truly believed the line they were shoveling, Jack Campbell would have been at the top of their slate.
Jack Campbell/John Hemry is one of my favourite genre authors. His Mil-Sci-Fi, both as Hemry and as Campbell are entertaining, thought-provoking, and just Damn fun. What they are not, however, is political screeds masquerading as fiction. With 90% of the Mil-Sci-Fi out there, I could tell you the author's political leanings within the first two or three chapters (if that). Mr. Hemry, I don't have a clue, his novels are about the men and women who are doing a tough job and doing it well, and that is what I love about his work. His messages aren't necessarily apolitical - Stark's War is a pretty strong comment on war as entertainment, for example.... but they aren't ham-fisted diatribes either.
I have just started this fantasy series (his first to my knowledge) and can say without question that it stands up well in comparison to anything else he has written.... and this book is by far the best in the series. There is a small commentary on refugees, and the refusal to accept them, in this novel that could easily be referring to the current Syrian crisis (but to be fair, could also be an (un)happy accident... Mr. Hemry's understanding of the reality of geopolitics is quite solid).
There is an innocence to Mr. Hemry's characters (especially in this series) that, in this day of anti-heroes, is refreshing, and there is an optimism - that we can be better - that permeates ALL of his works, but especially this one.
My final comment - GIVE THE MAN A TV DEAL ALREADY!!!!
Why do I say this... because IF they truly believed the line they were shoveling, Jack Campbell would have been at the top of their slate.
Jack Campbell/John Hemry is one of my favourite genre authors. His Mil-Sci-Fi, both as Hemry and as Campbell are entertaining, thought-provoking, and just Damn fun. What they are not, however, is political screeds masquerading as fiction. With 90% of the Mil-Sci-Fi out there, I could tell you the author's political leanings within the first two or three chapters (if that). Mr. Hemry, I don't have a clue, his novels are about the men and women who are doing a tough job and doing it well, and that is what I love about his work. His messages aren't necessarily apolitical - Stark's War is a pretty strong comment on war as entertainment, for example.... but they aren't ham-fisted diatribes either.
I have just started this fantasy series (his first to my knowledge) and can say without question that it stands up well in comparison to anything else he has written.... and this book is by far the best in the series. There is a small commentary on refugees, and the refusal to accept them, in this novel that could easily be referring to the current Syrian crisis (but to be fair, could also be an (un)happy accident... Mr. Hemry's understanding of the reality of geopolitics is quite solid).
There is an innocence to Mr. Hemry's characters (especially in this series) that, in this day of anti-heroes, is refreshing, and there is an optimism - that we can be better - that permeates ALL of his works, but especially this one.
My final comment - GIVE THE MAN A TV DEAL ALREADY!!!!
August 15, 2018
This story is the fourth book in a fantastic epic fantasy series called The Pillars of Reality. I absolutely loved it!
Mari is a fantastic character. I liked her immediately when I met her in the first book. I love her determination to do the right thing, even at the cost of her own life. A Master Mechanic, Mari has faced many threats to her life from the Guild Masters on the world of Dematr and survived. Mari has been foreseen by Mages to be 'The Daughter of Jules' and fated to free the world of Dematr from the tyranny of both the Guilds - Mechanics and Mages - and to unite the Mechanics, Mages and Commons against said Guilds. This time, she finds herself on a dangerous mission on the sea in an attempt to reach the broken kingdom of Tay and walking in the footsteps of the legendary Jules of Pacta Servanda. Together with her friends, and Alain, she will have to dig deep to survive the oncoming storm.
Mage Alain is also a fantastic character. I liked him a lot from the start. He was one of the youngest Acolytes to achieve Mage status at the age of seventeen. He has been taught from a young age not to show or feel any emotions and that the world he lives in is an illusion, where nothing is real. I love how this character has grown as the series has progressed. He tries to show more emotion, even though his Guild had virtually beaten it out of him. He hides a dry wit under that emotionless mask.
I listened to this story in audio format, rather than read it. MacLeod Andrews once again narrates the story. He does a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. Even Alain, who's voice is meant to be flat and emotionless comes across with subtle hints. You would think that Alain's voice would be monotonous, but it's not so. I love the way he brings all the characters to life with different accents, inflexions and tones. He even makes the women's voices sound perfect for each character. As for his narration, he read the story clearly and concisely, and his pacing was perfect. I would definitely listen to more books read by this narrator.
The story continues from the end of The Assassins of Altis and sees Mari and Alain joining with several new characters as the action heats up. Mechanic Caylou (not sure of spelling as I listened to the story so have no reference and have spelt it phonetically - it could be Kayloo or another variation) makes another appearance. He is one of Mari's friends from the Mechanics Guild, along with his girlfriend, Ally, who also makes an appearance this time. Mage Asha also makes another appearance, but there are also several other new characters that are now integral to the plot. There is Mage Dov, who is Asha's uncle, and Mechanic Dov (no relation) whose relative had once lived in Marandur. Sien, a princess of Tay, plays a significant role in this story, too. There are a few more characters added, but it would take me too long to mention them all.
I love the world building in this series. It is familiar though strange at the same time. It has a mix of steampunk and modern day technology, but this is due to the way the Guilds restricted people from creating new things. The story is full of action, adventure, and danger and I found myself an emotional wreck at times. In this story, the characters travel to the Sea of Backer, where pirates, traders and Imperials rule the waves and danger threatens on all fronts. The action is ramping up as the storyline reaches towards the climax. Have you ever read or listened to a story and felt utterly emersed in it? It happened to me as I listened to this book. These characters have come to life for me and have become my friends. This book ends with a slight cliffhanger, which had me eager to listen to the next story in the series, The Servants of the Storm, as soon as possible.
Jack Campbell has written a fantastic science fiction series. I have added him to my favourite author's list, as he's found a fan in me. I love his writing style, which is fast-paced and descriptive, and the flow of the story is good too.
Although there is now some mention of scenes of a sexual nature, it’s not shown. I do not, however, recommend this book to younger readers under the age of 15 due to some violence. I do, however, highly recommend this book if you love dark or epic fantasy, steampunk or action/adventure and supernatural/paranormal romance genres. - Lynn Worton
Mari is a fantastic character. I liked her immediately when I met her in the first book. I love her determination to do the right thing, even at the cost of her own life. A Master Mechanic, Mari has faced many threats to her life from the Guild Masters on the world of Dematr and survived. Mari has been foreseen by Mages to be 'The Daughter of Jules' and fated to free the world of Dematr from the tyranny of both the Guilds - Mechanics and Mages - and to unite the Mechanics, Mages and Commons against said Guilds. This time, she finds herself on a dangerous mission on the sea in an attempt to reach the broken kingdom of Tay and walking in the footsteps of the legendary Jules of Pacta Servanda. Together with her friends, and Alain, she will have to dig deep to survive the oncoming storm.
Mage Alain is also a fantastic character. I liked him a lot from the start. He was one of the youngest Acolytes to achieve Mage status at the age of seventeen. He has been taught from a young age not to show or feel any emotions and that the world he lives in is an illusion, where nothing is real. I love how this character has grown as the series has progressed. He tries to show more emotion, even though his Guild had virtually beaten it out of him. He hides a dry wit under that emotionless mask.
I listened to this story in audio format, rather than read it. MacLeod Andrews once again narrates the story. He does a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. Even Alain, who's voice is meant to be flat and emotionless comes across with subtle hints. You would think that Alain's voice would be monotonous, but it's not so. I love the way he brings all the characters to life with different accents, inflexions and tones. He even makes the women's voices sound perfect for each character. As for his narration, he read the story clearly and concisely, and his pacing was perfect. I would definitely listen to more books read by this narrator.
The story continues from the end of The Assassins of Altis and sees Mari and Alain joining with several new characters as the action heats up. Mechanic Caylou (not sure of spelling as I listened to the story so have no reference and have spelt it phonetically - it could be Kayloo or another variation) makes another appearance. He is one of Mari's friends from the Mechanics Guild, along with his girlfriend, Ally, who also makes an appearance this time. Mage Asha also makes another appearance, but there are also several other new characters that are now integral to the plot. There is Mage Dov, who is Asha's uncle, and Mechanic Dov (no relation) whose relative had once lived in Marandur. Sien, a princess of Tay, plays a significant role in this story, too. There are a few more characters added, but it would take me too long to mention them all.
I love the world building in this series. It is familiar though strange at the same time. It has a mix of steampunk and modern day technology, but this is due to the way the Guilds restricted people from creating new things. The story is full of action, adventure, and danger and I found myself an emotional wreck at times. In this story, the characters travel to the Sea of Backer, where pirates, traders and Imperials rule the waves and danger threatens on all fronts. The action is ramping up as the storyline reaches towards the climax. Have you ever read or listened to a story and felt utterly emersed in it? It happened to me as I listened to this book. These characters have come to life for me and have become my friends. This book ends with a slight cliffhanger, which had me eager to listen to the next story in the series, The Servants of the Storm, as soon as possible.
Jack Campbell has written a fantastic science fiction series. I have added him to my favourite author's list, as he's found a fan in me. I love his writing style, which is fast-paced and descriptive, and the flow of the story is good too.
Although there is now some mention of scenes of a sexual nature, it’s not shown. I do not, however, recommend this book to younger readers under the age of 15 due to some violence. I do, however, highly recommend this book if you love dark or epic fantasy, steampunk or action/adventure and supernatural/paranormal romance genres. - Lynn Worton
July 20, 2016
Also posted on my blog Got My Book.
REAL RATING = 4.5*
Despite a few small issues, it has joined the previous books in high rotation on my audio player.
BOOK DETAILS:
The Pirates of Pacta Servanda by Jack Campbell, read by MacLeod Andrews, published by Audible Studios (2016) / Length: 11 hrs 32 min
SERIES INFO:
This is #4 of 5 (so far) in "The Pillars of Reality" series. The final book (#6), The Wrath of the Great Guilds, will be released on audio on 8/1/16 (and in other formats approximately 90 days later).
**This review contains spoilers for the previous books.**
SUMMARY:
I rated all 3 of the previous books as 5*. I only gave this book 4.5*, since I felt that the beginning was a bit rocky; and there were some other small issues as well. On the other hand, the ongoing presence of some truly great supporting characters (as opposed to meeting them & parting, as in the previous books) gave this book a little something extra. It has been a long time since I liked a "Book #4" as much as I like this one.
CHARACTERS:
Alain: He has grown so much. He still struggles to say "I love you," to grasp the finer details of "social skills," and to apply Mari's new "wisdom" to Mage things. But he has gotten good at being a friend and dealing with people. And he's getting very good at being a partner.
Mari: Although still not comfortable with it, she has accepted and begun to own her role as the prophesied Daughter. I agree with her that much of what she receives credit for is actually the knowledge & skills of others. But she is in no way just a figurehead; she makes decisions and takes action.
Alain & Mari: They are married! I couldn't say that in the last review, since I didn't want to spoil it. I loved their "wedding" and how, in this book, Alain tells Alli he didn't even know it was taking place. Their bond grows deeper as they each are learning what it means to be a spouse but still be an individual as well.
Alli - I stand by my assessment from the last book that Alli is my favorite supporting character / Bev - has proven to be an unexpected highlight as well, and I like the way she has bonded with Alain. While many of the other Mechanics like & respect him because of his connection to Mari, I think only Calu has connected to him so much on a personal level.
This is the book in which Mari truly begins to collect "followers," although I am sure she would hate that term, so we get LOTS of new characters. I think that Mr. Campbell has done a very skillful job of focusing on a few at a time (with major ones being introduced in previous books), so that we can get to know them as individuals and not be overwhelmed.
WORLDBUILDING:
In the last book, we finally learned the history of this world. This book takes us into the broken Kingdom of Tiae, where we learn how things went so wrong there. We also learn a bit more about spell creatures (such as dragons, rocs, and trolls) and how they work.
PLOT:
As I said in the Summary, the beginning of this book seemed remarkably awkward for such an experienced writer. This includes both the efforts to fill in the back story and also the dialog. Once it gets going though, it smooths out.
I felt like there was a good mix of action scenes and quiet character moments. And the ending came at a good stopping point.
HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:
--The whole scene surrounding Alli pulling out a certain piece of paper.
--My absolute favorite part is the way that Alain deals with an argument between a group of Mages & one of Mechanics. It reminded me of something my mother might have done, only taken to the max.
--Mari's response to the troll.
I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: some swearing
OTHER CAUTIONS(?): One of the couples in the book, who just recently met, disappear and are assumed to be engaging in intimate activities.
NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = Yes, although once I think Mr Andrews accidentally mixed up Mage Dav & Mechanic Dav and used the wrong voice. / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes / Accents good = Yes, as always / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Good, although there were one or two places I felt it was off / Emoting (& non-emoting, for the mages) = Good / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual
For the most part, the narration continues to be superior; but it was a bit less polished than usual. And there were a few production issues in this book, such as a couple of repeated lines.
REAL RATING = 4.5*
Despite a few small issues, it has joined the previous books in high rotation on my audio player.
BOOK DETAILS:
The Pirates of Pacta Servanda by Jack Campbell, read by MacLeod Andrews, published by Audible Studios (2016) / Length: 11 hrs 32 min
SERIES INFO:
This is #4 of 5 (so far) in "The Pillars of Reality" series. The final book (#6), The Wrath of the Great Guilds, will be released on audio on 8/1/16 (and in other formats approximately 90 days later).
**This review contains spoilers for the previous books.**
SUMMARY:
I rated all 3 of the previous books as 5*. I only gave this book 4.5*, since I felt that the beginning was a bit rocky; and there were some other small issues as well. On the other hand, the ongoing presence of some truly great supporting characters (as opposed to meeting them & parting, as in the previous books) gave this book a little something extra. It has been a long time since I liked a "Book #4" as much as I like this one.
CHARACTERS:
Alain: He has grown so much. He still struggles to say "I love you," to grasp the finer details of "social skills," and to apply Mari's new "wisdom" to Mage things. But he has gotten good at being a friend and dealing with people. And he's getting very good at being a partner.
Mari: Although still not comfortable with it, she has accepted and begun to own her role as the prophesied Daughter. I agree with her that much of what she receives credit for is actually the knowledge & skills of others. But she is in no way just a figurehead; she makes decisions and takes action.
Alain & Mari: They are married! I couldn't say that in the last review, since I didn't want to spoil it. I loved their "wedding" and how, in this book, Alain tells Alli he didn't even know it was taking place. Their bond grows deeper as they each are learning what it means to be a spouse but still be an individual as well.
Alli - I stand by my assessment from the last book that Alli is my favorite supporting character / Bev - has proven to be an unexpected highlight as well, and I like the way she has bonded with Alain. While many of the other Mechanics like & respect him because of his connection to Mari, I think only Calu has connected to him so much on a personal level.
This is the book in which Mari truly begins to collect "followers," although I am sure she would hate that term, so we get LOTS of new characters. I think that Mr. Campbell has done a very skillful job of focusing on a few at a time (with major ones being introduced in previous books), so that we can get to know them as individuals and not be overwhelmed.
WORLDBUILDING:
In the last book, we finally learned the history of this world. This book takes us into the broken Kingdom of Tiae, where we learn how things went so wrong there. We also learn a bit more about spell creatures (such as dragons, rocs, and trolls) and how they work.
PLOT:
As I said in the Summary, the beginning of this book seemed remarkably awkward for such an experienced writer. This includes both the efforts to fill in the back story and also the dialog. Once it gets going though, it smooths out.
I felt like there was a good mix of action scenes and quiet character moments. And the ending came at a good stopping point.
HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:
--The whole scene surrounding Alli pulling out a certain piece of paper.
--My absolute favorite part is the way that Alain deals with an argument between a group of Mages & one of Mechanics. It reminded me of something my mother might have done, only taken to the max.
--Mari's response to the troll.
I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: some swearing
OTHER CAUTIONS(?): One of the couples in the book, who just recently met, disappear and are assumed to be engaging in intimate activities.
NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = Yes, although once I think Mr Andrews accidentally mixed up Mage Dav & Mechanic Dav and used the wrong voice. / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes / Accents good = Yes, as always / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Good, although there were one or two places I felt it was off / Emoting (& non-emoting, for the mages) = Good / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual
For the most part, the narration continues to be superior; but it was a bit less polished than usual. And there were a few production issues in this book, such as a couple of repeated lines.
September 30, 2018
4 stars. Gave 4 stars, but this was weakest of books so far; story was not advanced much.
Feels a bit like filler
Feels a bit like filler
August 7, 2019
After book one I listen to this series one after another and so this will be a "series review" to be copied and pasted for each of the following books. I am glad I did it this way because this author has chosen to embrace the cliff hanger approach in this series. Personally I detest cliff hangers in novels- books are supposed to provide a story, including a resolution. In these books the over all story vastly overshadows the stories told in the individual books, so much so that I think it would be fair to say that this entire series should have been condensed into one actually good book. The only counterbalance to that argument is that the author creates some truly moving moments in these books and those moments spring organically from the great deal of character development and world building in this series. That is a great compliment to any author since so few are actually capable of it. Still the author's overall story construction is greatly lacking.
I am also not a fan of naive good guy approach where the MC lets bad guys go and hopes for the best. In one case this proves a big win for the MC since one of the bad guys turns out to be the uncle of her newest friend and eventually an important supporter. Still, it was incredibly stupid at the time since the uncle was actively trying to assassinate the MC and every other time the MC does this they just end up fighting the same people again. Plus this also leads to things like the good guy not attacking first even though they are in a fight to the death for the survival of the planet and it makes perfectly good sense to do so.
The author convincingly sets up a convenient conclusion throughout the books, showing repeatedly how the rulers of the great guilds view themselves as absolutely powerful and treat their rank and file as servants and, in some cases, worse. The leaders of the guilds, so entrenched in their own power, have forgotten that their power is based on what their rank and file can do. Still the conclusion was bizarrely convenient [spoiler follows, but only a small one since the resolution was telegraphed, but not in a bad way]. The MC fights one major battle with the powers that be and ends up getting everything she was fighting for while laying in bed unconscious afterwords.
This paragraph will contain a spoiler but since it is about the worst aspect of the book it is something I would have been fine having spoiled for me so I encourage you to read on. Still you should skip to the next paragraph if you truly hate spoilers: So the mages in this world are told that affection for others will eliminate their ability to do magic. Secondary MC, Alain, discovers this to be false very early on. From that point on it is continually hinted, reasoned and in one case outright predicted, that this will lead to some big magical breakthrough. The break through, however, doesn't come until the MC (Mari) has already won everything and so is arguably meaningless. [SOME REAL SPOILERS HERE] In the context of the book it isn't meaningless because it saves Mari's life and Mari's job, it turns out, wasn't just to overthrow the guilds but ensure the overthrow doesn't result in chaos. Still, the big breakthrough is completely underwhelming and doesn't even make sense in the context of the magic of the book. Mages can only effect the "world illusion" directly, so not themselves or others. Alain's big break though is to essentially become Mari allowing him to heal her, but since Alain can't heal himself, THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
For some unknown reason the author has chosen to make a stupid miscommunication story line central to this series. Mages receive visions of the future but every time Alain tries to tell Mari about THE KEY VISION OF HER FUTURE she mistakes it for him wanting to talk about their relationship so, of course, Mari tells Alain she knows all about what he wants to talk about and that they shouldn't discuss it. This happens repeatedly. In several books. I didn't make a note of when this stupidity is finally resolved but my guess is late in book 3. That would mean that essentially half this series includes a seriously stupid story line. Removing this story line alone would have made this series significantly better.
I truly hate stories where everything depends on one character and yet they stupidly continue to risk their lives by doing things like fighting on the front lines unnecessarily. This series has this problem but it handles it as well as it can be handled. The MC's decisions to take risks are continually challenged and the MC viably defends her choices.
Finally, the whole series felt unnecessarily drawn out although this is a debatable point. The thorough character development and world building lead to some very poignant scenes but I honestly believe this series would have been significantly better at half the length.
Bottom line: The series was worth the read, but with significant flaws (I'm looking at you cliff hangers). Individually these books are probably not worth the read.
I am also not a fan of naive good guy approach where the MC lets bad guys go and hopes for the best. In one case this proves a big win for the MC since one of the bad guys turns out to be the uncle of her newest friend and eventually an important supporter. Still, it was incredibly stupid at the time since the uncle was actively trying to assassinate the MC and every other time the MC does this they just end up fighting the same people again. Plus this also leads to things like the good guy not attacking first even though they are in a fight to the death for the survival of the planet and it makes perfectly good sense to do so.
The author convincingly sets up a convenient conclusion throughout the books, showing repeatedly how the rulers of the great guilds view themselves as absolutely powerful and treat their rank and file as servants and, in some cases, worse. The leaders of the guilds, so entrenched in their own power, have forgotten that their power is based on what their rank and file can do. Still the conclusion was bizarrely convenient [spoiler follows, but only a small one since the resolution was telegraphed, but not in a bad way]. The MC fights one major battle with the powers that be and ends up getting everything she was fighting for while laying in bed unconscious afterwords.
This paragraph will contain a spoiler but since it is about the worst aspect of the book it is something I would have been fine having spoiled for me so I encourage you to read on. Still you should skip to the next paragraph if you truly hate spoilers: So the mages in this world are told that affection for others will eliminate their ability to do magic. Secondary MC, Alain, discovers this to be false very early on. From that point on it is continually hinted, reasoned and in one case outright predicted, that this will lead to some big magical breakthrough. The break through, however, doesn't come until the MC (Mari) has already won everything and so is arguably meaningless. [SOME REAL SPOILERS HERE] In the context of the book it isn't meaningless because it saves Mari's life and Mari's job, it turns out, wasn't just to overthrow the guilds but ensure the overthrow doesn't result in chaos. Still, the big breakthrough is completely underwhelming and doesn't even make sense in the context of the magic of the book. Mages can only effect the "world illusion" directly, so not themselves or others. Alain's big break though is to essentially become Mari allowing him to heal her, but since Alain can't heal himself, THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
For some unknown reason the author has chosen to make a stupid miscommunication story line central to this series. Mages receive visions of the future but every time Alain tries to tell Mari about THE KEY VISION OF HER FUTURE she mistakes it for him wanting to talk about their relationship so, of course, Mari tells Alain she knows all about what he wants to talk about and that they shouldn't discuss it. This happens repeatedly. In several books. I didn't make a note of when this stupidity is finally resolved but my guess is late in book 3. That would mean that essentially half this series includes a seriously stupid story line. Removing this story line alone would have made this series significantly better.
I truly hate stories where everything depends on one character and yet they stupidly continue to risk their lives by doing things like fighting on the front lines unnecessarily. This series has this problem but it handles it as well as it can be handled. The MC's decisions to take risks are continually challenged and the MC viably defends her choices.
Finally, the whole series felt unnecessarily drawn out although this is a debatable point. The thorough character development and world building lead to some very poignant scenes but I honestly believe this series would have been significantly better at half the length.
Bottom line: The series was worth the read, but with significant flaws (I'm looking at you cliff hangers). Individually these books are probably not worth the read.
June 7, 2017
Book four. Massive spoilers for The Dragons of Dorcastle, The Hidden Masters of Marandur, and The Assassins of Altis ahead.
Since it does, after all, open with Mari and Alain on shipboard, with their allied Mages and Mechanics, and all the crew aware that Mari is the daughter. Which is why she's having nightmares of them all dying and its being her fault. . . .
Pirates try to take them. And then they learn there is a ship laden with Mechanics held prisoner by Mechanics and turn pirate themselves as the first step in trying to carry out her mission. (After discussion that there might have been other daughters who tried and failed.) Which involve a princess, Mari's telling an old teacher where she and Alain found certain information, Mages' ability to detect lies, what happens to a troll if its Mage dies without giving it order, guards declaiming on how they can't possibly help being overwhelmed by such superior forces, and more.
Since it does, after all, open with Mari and Alain on shipboard, with their allied Mages and Mechanics, and all the crew aware that Mari is the daughter. Which is why she's having nightmares of them all dying and its being her fault. . . .
Pirates try to take them. And then they learn there is a ship laden with Mechanics held prisoner by Mechanics and turn pirate themselves as the first step in trying to carry out her mission. (After discussion that there might have been other daughters who tried and failed.) Which involve a princess, Mari's telling an old teacher where she and Alain found certain information, Mages' ability to detect lies, what happens to a troll if its Mage dies without giving it order, guards declaiming on how they can't possibly help being overwhelmed by such superior forces, and more.
December 29, 2017
It took me a long time to start this series, the blurb on the back of the first book just wasn't that interesting...
But it kept showing up, and I eventually started to read...
The whole series as FAST as I could!
To date I think this has been one of the most masterful uses of dialogue to move a truly spectacular story forward at break neck speed, while also allowing deep insight into the characters themselves!
There were times in the series when I was excited to find out just how the character's discussion and interactions would move the story forward, because I couldn't see a how it could be done in a way that was reasonable, and consistent, with both the characters and the story.
Yet, Jack Campbell pulled it off... In style!
This doesn't even mention any of the high adventure, skulduggery, or explosions!
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with both Mari and Alain.
But it kept showing up, and I eventually started to read...
The whole series as FAST as I could!
To date I think this has been one of the most masterful uses of dialogue to move a truly spectacular story forward at break neck speed, while also allowing deep insight into the characters themselves!
There were times in the series when I was excited to find out just how the character's discussion and interactions would move the story forward, because I couldn't see a how it could be done in a way that was reasonable, and consistent, with both the characters and the story.
Yet, Jack Campbell pulled it off... In style!
This doesn't even mention any of the high adventure, skulduggery, or explosions!
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with both Mari and Alain.
November 25, 2017
Still going strong! The story is moving along at a great pace and the world continues to grow and feel real. The characters continue to make me laugh but also have very real failings and struggles. At times it feels like Mari wallows in the weight of her responsibilities and fears. Other than that, LOVING IT! Stayed up far too late the past few days listening to this latest installment. :D
June 15, 2016
Every time I read (listen) one of the books in this series I just can't pace myself.
Dragons! Magic! Mechanics! Pirates!
MacLeod Andrews is an amazing narrator too.
I can't wait for the next book in this series and I will devour it as I devoured the other one.
Go read or listen, right now!
Dragons! Magic! Mechanics! Pirates!
MacLeod Andrews is an amazing narrator too.
I can't wait for the next book in this series and I will devour it as I devoured the other one.
Go read or listen, right now!
October 18, 2017
I don't know why, but I love this story so much. I cry begging for more at the end of each book.
July 21, 2017
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. It's kinda annoying that it took four books for the series to really take off and live up to the potential I saw in the first book. Each book has been pretty good and engaging, but this one definitely hit a better level of action and character blossoming which I enjoy. Alain and Mari finally reduce their relationship awareness and discussions to a much more tolerable level (though their relationship is pretty much a teenager's perfect dream...). But the best (or most fun part) is seeing their team of friends begin to come around them and things really start to get interesting.
Campbell's Mari does seem to suffer the same 'issue' as David Weber's Honor Harrington - she has a habit of almost always doing the right thing. Specifically in this book and the last one, every choice has been right (even when afterwards she thinks she chose wrong, her friends/comrades are quick to tell her how right she was). I think Campbell is building towards some future tragedy in one of the next two books in the series, but in this one, as best I could tell, she won every fight without losing a single person in her group - that's just too good to be true, almost annoyingly so. I guess it fits the idealism of the YA genre, but I think it ultimately robs the characters of the capacity to deal with some deeper realities than they do.
While Campbell does seem to have an excellent handle on what is appropriate for the YA genre as well as what he can work through within it, but he does neglect some of the darker implications of the world he's set up. That being said, I enjoy the values and themes he has determined to explore within the series and this book in particular. And his ability to write action is emerging quite well.
Again, just as the last book in the series, this one is much more enjoyable being read after the other ones. The payoff for some elements and story threads which he set up in previous books is pretty good, and the story points towards even better stuff to come. Looking forward to seeing what comes next for Alain and Mari!
Campbell's Mari does seem to suffer the same 'issue' as David Weber's Honor Harrington - she has a habit of almost always doing the right thing. Specifically in this book and the last one, every choice has been right (even when afterwards she thinks she chose wrong, her friends/comrades are quick to tell her how right she was). I think Campbell is building towards some future tragedy in one of the next two books in the series, but in this one, as best I could tell, she won every fight without losing a single person in her group - that's just too good to be true, almost annoyingly so. I guess it fits the idealism of the YA genre, but I think it ultimately robs the characters of the capacity to deal with some deeper realities than they do.
While Campbell does seem to have an excellent handle on what is appropriate for the YA genre as well as what he can work through within it, but he does neglect some of the darker implications of the world he's set up. That being said, I enjoy the values and themes he has determined to explore within the series and this book in particular. And his ability to write action is emerging quite well.
Again, just as the last book in the series, this one is much more enjoyable being read after the other ones. The payoff for some elements and story threads which he set up in previous books is pretty good, and the story points towards even better stuff to come. Looking forward to seeing what comes next for Alain and Mari!
March 1, 2018
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain have survived every attempt to stop them, but their enemies are determined to kill Mari, the only one who can save her world from a storm of destruction. As armies begin to gather and cities seethe with tension, Mari, Alain, and their friends must prepare to confront the storm in the place it first appeared: the broken kingdom of Tiae.
The dangers facing them demand perilous raids, tough battles, and more than a little piracy. Beating the Mechanics Guild and the Mage Guild that have controlled the world of Dematr for centuries will require an unprecedented alliance under Mari's command of rebellious Mechanics, Mages, and common folk who know that together they can change the world, but separately they will all lose.
MY TAKE
This book in the series had a lot of action and humor in it. I'm getting really attached the Mari and Alain's friends as they are joining to prepare for the fight that is to come. I'm just waiting for a body count which will break my heart. It hasn't come yet, but Campbell is certainly prepping us for it.
I listened to the audiobook, and MacLeod Andrews is wonderful as usual.
Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain have survived every attempt to stop them, but their enemies are determined to kill Mari, the only one who can save her world from a storm of destruction. As armies begin to gather and cities seethe with tension, Mari, Alain, and their friends must prepare to confront the storm in the place it first appeared: the broken kingdom of Tiae.
The dangers facing them demand perilous raids, tough battles, and more than a little piracy. Beating the Mechanics Guild and the Mage Guild that have controlled the world of Dematr for centuries will require an unprecedented alliance under Mari's command of rebellious Mechanics, Mages, and common folk who know that together they can change the world, but separately they will all lose.
MY TAKE
This book in the series had a lot of action and humor in it. I'm getting really attached the Mari and Alain's friends as they are joining to prepare for the fight that is to come. I'm just waiting for a body count which will break my heart. It hasn't come yet, but Campbell is certainly prepping us for it.
I listened to the audiobook, and MacLeod Andrews is wonderful as usual.
August 30, 2018
The annoyances I had in the previous book about everyone always arguing about who gets to die for someone else have definitely continued here, and been added to a growing frustration that everyone stops to have long philosophical discussions during high pressure action sequences completely absent from any sense of hurry! That said, these are the kind of frustrations one gets when listening to one author continuously for a long period of time, and the mere fact that I'm doing so speaks to the series being fun enough to continue and fairly enjoyable overall. I'm still reading and will continue on in the series.
I would note that, even more than the previous book, it seems clear to me now that this series is a bit more Young Adult than I'd realized. The simplicity of the enemy and their unabashed stupidity and the "perfection" of the main character (and the excessive time spent praising her for saying please or thank you) all point to this for me. That said, having realized that it's more YA focused I'm finding these annoyances easier to ignore and just take it as the light fun it is.
I would note that, even more than the previous book, it seems clear to me now that this series is a bit more Young Adult than I'd realized. The simplicity of the enemy and their unabashed stupidity and the "perfection" of the main character (and the excessive time spent praising her for saying please or thank you) all point to this for me. That said, having realized that it's more YA focused I'm finding these annoyances easier to ignore and just take it as the light fun it is.
April 26, 2021
I'm rather shocked at the speed of me getting through this one, I enjoyed it immensely it seems because I didn't notice I was nearly done with the full story
Part of that I think is that this is largely a "building the story" book, where the characters are advancing things rather than things happening, we have the aquiring of guns from the Mechanics, the expansion of many characters and the ballooning of the cast and the bedrock of Mari's army.
It's a decent story and builds upon "that" thing forthcoming that I already know about as I've read the sequel series to this like a moron.
But it's all in all a decent story, some of the downsides, I'm concerned that there's character miss ups going on in the way certain things are going, but that could just be the paranoid part of me thinking things are always going to turn dire.
Would've liked more build up of the people of Pacta Servanda but I'm going to guess that's going to be featured next time.
Part of that I think is that this is largely a "building the story" book, where the characters are advancing things rather than things happening, we have the aquiring of guns from the Mechanics, the expansion of many characters and the ballooning of the cast and the bedrock of Mari's army.
It's a decent story and builds upon "that" thing forthcoming that I already know about as I've read the sequel series to this like a moron.
But it's all in all a decent story, some of the downsides, I'm concerned that there's character miss ups going on in the way certain things are going, but that could just be the paranoid part of me thinking things are always going to turn dire.
Would've liked more build up of the people of Pacta Servanda but I'm going to guess that's going to be featured next time.
February 5, 2022
As Master Machanic Mari and Mage Alain travel, they continue gaining strength recruiting more people to their cause. Winning not only frustrated machanics over, but some mages too, who have long found themselves chaffing under the iron fist wheeled by the guilds! But they're also winning the commons, the people who have all suffered at the hands of the both guilds! Alain and Mari know that they need an edge in order to stop the storm of chaos that's soon to breakout all over the planet, which if allowed to happen will leave only ruin in it's wake! So they move to hopefully a safe place, rebuilding Pacta Servanda a city in the kingdom of Tiae, a city that's already been ruined by the beginnings of the very storm that Mari and Alain seek to stop!
So yeah you're gonna wanna listen to the story that Jack Campbell and MacLeod Andrews spins out! And not miss a single moment in this series!
So yeah you're gonna wanna listen to the story that Jack Campbell and MacLeod Andrews spins out! And not miss a single moment in this series!
May 26, 2018
This is the fourth book in the Pillars of Reality series. This book has quite a few characters coming to maturity. Mari has stopped whining and Alain is growing into a wise mage. As they work together with the citizens of Tiae to rebuild the country, plans for the coming storm continue. This book continued with a faster pace of adventure, and was easy to follow. As characters continue to grow and develop, so does the story. You can definitely start to see the direction the story will take to confront the coming storm of chaos.
May 23, 2017
They will never change
How many times have you been told "we always do it this way" when something different is being suggested. Well Marie has challengedo her teachers and they want her dead. They even sent her into an ambush to kill her. But little did they know that a young talented Mage was being set up for the same reason. Together, the mechanic Maria and the Mage Alain have worked together. Together they have lived through many attacksm
How many times have you been told "we always do it this way" when something different is being suggested. Well Marie has challengedo her teachers and they want her dead. They even sent her into an ambush to kill her. But little did they know that a young talented Mage was being set up for the same reason. Together, the mechanic Maria and the Mage Alain have worked together. Together they have lived through many attacksm
July 24, 2017
I got this book by mistake, thinking it was a different series.
The things that were bugging me about The Pillars of Reality series got markedly better in this book. Mari grew up a bit and stopped being quite so insufferable, Alain is starting to assert himself.
I still won't continue the series on purpose, but this one turned out to be a much more enjoyable read than the previous three books.
The things that were bugging me about The Pillars of Reality series got markedly better in this book. Mari grew up a bit and stopped being quite so insufferable, Alain is starting to assert himself.
I still won't continue the series on purpose, but this one turned out to be a much more enjoyable read than the previous three books.
December 28, 2017
I love this series, and while I didn’t enjoy this book as much as its predecessor, it did an excellent job of continuing and developing the story. Some of their feats seemed almost too easy. I kept expecting something horrible to happen during the piracy at sea. Complications like another dragon, a troll, and the Assassins were handled without too much in the way of casualties. I’m keen to see where the next book takes us.
December 31, 2017
OH NO YOU DIDN'T Jack Campbell!!! But you did, you had to show your roots! Well, I won't spoil anything but this was a fantastic 4th book in the series. It has pirates (arrrrrrr) dragons, trolls, roc and flying mechanics. The romance is not annoying anymore and I can understand how the character arcs were written that way. Best part is the team comes together so it's not just Marie and Alain. Now she has a wonderful supporting cast of misfits out to blow up the world! mwhahahahahahahaah
December 8, 2016
This is one of those I pick up while I'm waiting on other books to come out. This one reminded me why I wasn't into this series. A little to lovee dovee for my taste. Everything in the book seem to just work out perfectly every time. We need an army bam we got one we need to stop the enemies bam bird coming out of the sky to help us stop the enemy.
July 14, 2019
The Pillars of Reality series starts to drop a bit in interest with this book. The early books gave us a classic fiction set-up: the small rag-tag band of compatriots trying to escape the wrath of forces vastly stronger than themselves. In this book, the heroes now have an army of their own, with a mix of magic and technology that makes them stronger than most of their opposition.
July 18, 2021
I think I'm losing interest in this series. It's soooo YA. Everything is just too easy. They get in dangerous situations, and everyone comes out with barely a scratch. Every. single. time. There is no sense of actual peril. Also, some of the dialogue is just completely cringe-worthy. Sigh...
I'll probably finish the series, but not anytime soon.
I'll probably finish the series, but not anytime soon.
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