What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thorne Chronicles #2
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge
Rory Thorne must use the fairy blessings gifted to her to change the multiverse in the second book in this space opera duology.
After avoiding an arranged marriage, thwarting a coup, and inadvertently kick-starting a revolution, Rory Thorne is no longer a princess, but a space pirate.
Her new life is interrupted when Rory and her crew--former royal bodyguards, Thorsdottir and Zhang, and co-conspirator Jaed--encounter an abandoned ship registered under a false name, seemingly fallen victim to attack. As they investigate, they find evidence of vicious technology and arithmancy, alien and far beyond known capabilities.
The only answer to all the destruction is the mysterious, and unexpected, cargo: a rose plant. One that reveals themself to be sentient--and designed as a massive biological weapon. Rose seeks to escape their intended fate, and Rory and her friends must act fast when the attackers return with their superior weaponry.
As the situation gains the attention of an increasing number of alien races, Rory finds herself acting as negotiator and diplomat, in order to save Rose and her friends--and avert an unprecedented war.
After avoiding an arranged marriage, thwarting a coup, and inadvertently kick-starting a revolution, Rory Thorne is no longer a princess, but a space pirate.
Her new life is interrupted when Rory and her crew--former royal bodyguards, Thorsdottir and Zhang, and co-conspirator Jaed--encounter an abandoned ship registered under a false name, seemingly fallen victim to attack. As they investigate, they find evidence of vicious technology and arithmancy, alien and far beyond known capabilities.
The only answer to all the destruction is the mysterious, and unexpected, cargo: a rose plant. One that reveals themself to be sentient--and designed as a massive biological weapon. Rose seeks to escape their intended fate, and Rory and her friends must act fast when the attackers return with their superior weaponry.
As the situation gains the attention of an increasing number of alien races, Rory finds herself acting as negotiator and diplomat, in order to save Rose and her friends--and avert an unprecedented war.
408 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2020
103 people are currently reading
1629 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
October 2, 2021
Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat with a lot of reviewers for this one.
I really enjoyed the light touch, the humor, and the character-centric royal intrigue of the first book. At least, I enjoyed it enough to want to see where Rory would go with it.
The second book just fell into a fairly average space opera with pretty standard onboard spacecraft subplots, be it finding a superweapon or getting into spacecraft scuffles, or handling aliens.
None of this is a dealbreaker, of course. But it does require the familiar light touch, humor, and charm. And sadly, I didn't really feel it in this one. Indeed, I admit to feeling a bit bored over fairly long stretches.
The first was pretty good, but this, sadly, was merely average and felt kinda forced. Star-Wars, it is not.
I really enjoyed the light touch, the humor, and the character-centric royal intrigue of the first book. At least, I enjoyed it enough to want to see where Rory would go with it.
The second book just fell into a fairly average space opera with pretty standard onboard spacecraft subplots, be it finding a superweapon or getting into spacecraft scuffles, or handling aliens.
None of this is a dealbreaker, of course. But it does require the familiar light touch, humor, and charm. And sadly, I didn't really feel it in this one. Indeed, I admit to feeling a bit bored over fairly long stretches.
The first was pretty good, but this, sadly, was merely average and felt kinda forced. Star-Wars, it is not.
November 14, 2020
There are so few books about sentient plants with the potential to wipe out life as we know it that it's a pity this one isn't better. I enjoyed its predecessor and its nimble subversion of fairy tales and science fiction tropes, but How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge reads as though it has lost its narrative thrust and got bogged down in alien politics instead. Which are, if anything, less interesting than current US politics. Not a good thing, by the way.
Rory Thorne & co are back, not as a princess and her retinue but as private citizens who work in salvage (princess --> pirate seems like quite a natural career trajectory). On one of their salvage missions, they board an abandoned Tadeshi ship that turns out to have a lot of corpses and some very strange cargo on board. Sentient plants are one thing - sentient plants with the ability to incite diplomatic chaos throughout the multiverse are quite another.
I really, really wanted this book to work for me. I mean, how wrong can you go with killer roses? But it was a slog that didn't really pick up until the final quarter, with characters who feel distant and static. The nameless narrator, chronicling from many years later, is smug, digressive, and windy, and so prone to telling rather than showing that even the action scenes are perfectly put-downable. For example:
Yawn. It's not a necessary book - the first one ends at a reasonable place - and not even a very entertaining one. I'm adding 0.5 stars for the final harrowing quarter aboard an alien ship (best alien morgue ever??), but this is my last stop on the Thorne Chronicles.
Rory Thorne & co are back, not as a princess and her retinue but as private citizens who work in salvage (princess --> pirate seems like quite a natural career trajectory). On one of their salvage missions, they board an abandoned Tadeshi ship that turns out to have a lot of corpses and some very strange cargo on board. Sentient plants are one thing - sentient plants with the ability to incite diplomatic chaos throughout the multiverse are quite another.
I really, really wanted this book to work for me. I mean, how wrong can you go with killer roses? But it was a slog that didn't really pick up until the final quarter, with characters who feel distant and static. The nameless narrator, chronicling from many years later, is smug, digressive, and windy, and so prone to telling rather than showing that even the action scenes are perfectly put-downable. For example:
We will not include details of what it is like, because although it is a chronicler's job to sift through such details, it is also their job to decide which to include. the personal experience of battle is recounted in interviews and testimonies, or perhaps conversations with too much alcohol, late at night. Such details, such stories, are important. This chronicler wishes to make that very clear. But battle, war, is not the point of this story. This history is about how and why things come to pass, how and why people like Thorsdottir, Zhang, Jaed, and Grytt have to fight at all.
Yawn. It's not a necessary book - the first one ends at a reasonable place - and not even a very entertaining one. I'm adding 0.5 stars for the final harrowing quarter aboard an alien ship (best alien morgue ever??), but this is my last stop on the Thorne Chronicles.
December 20, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! I really, really enjoyed book one and was excited to get ahold of the next book in this duology. I was, however, tempered by Matey Tammy @ books,bones&buffy's review which had this to say:
Even though I was warned, I really, really missed the humor and tone of the first book. This book had major pacing issues and I did not find the ending satisfying at all. That is not to say that I didn't really enjoy some aspects of this story. Rory took a back seat in this one and I loved getting to see more of Thorsdottir. I also really enjoyed that the characters get separated at various points of the book and so ye get to see the conflict evolve on both sides. Many of the action scenes on the various ships were excellent. I loved the secret weapon though how the subplot unfolded made me grumpy. I thought it was a bit too easy. I continued to love Rupert, Grytt, and Zhang. Jaed grew on me as a character and I did like how the author changed his trajectory from where he ended up in book one. I have to admit that I did get many of the xeno characters confused and couldn't tell many of them apart. I did love Rory's relationship with one of the "aliens" though I cannot remember her name. I disliked the Chronicler immensely this time around and wish that framing had been removed. I overall thought that the ending was too rushed and unfocused. It felt like the author skipped over several books worth of material and world building because she didn't want to write about it and just gave a whirlwind summary.
I do enjoy the world immensely and Matey Tammy says that the author is writing more set in the world. Though I didn't love this installment, I would be interested in trying another book in the multiverse. I just hope it recaptures the delight of the first book. Arrr!
Last year I was surprised by how much I loved How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, so I was very excited to read the sequel. And for the most part, I enjoyed it. Rory Thorne was more upbeat and character focused, and I thought those things were mostly missing in the sequel. Revenge is a darker story that has a more tightly focused setting and whose plot leans more towards political maneuvering and impending war. I have to admit I missed the sparkling “personality” of the first book, and I didn’t think the pacing was as good. However, having said all that, I do think it was a successful conclusion to the duology, and I thought Eason managed to wrap up her big, sprawling story in a satisfying way.
Even though I was warned, I really, really missed the humor and tone of the first book. This book had major pacing issues and I did not find the ending satisfying at all. That is not to say that I didn't really enjoy some aspects of this story. Rory took a back seat in this one and I loved getting to see more of Thorsdottir. I also really enjoyed that the characters get separated at various points of the book and so ye get to see the conflict evolve on both sides. Many of the action scenes on the various ships were excellent. I loved the secret weapon though how the subplot unfolded made me grumpy. I thought it was a bit too easy. I continued to love Rupert, Grytt, and Zhang. Jaed grew on me as a character and I did like how the author changed his trajectory from where he ended up in book one. I have to admit that I did get many of the xeno characters confused and couldn't tell many of them apart. I did love Rory's relationship with one of the "aliens" though I cannot remember her name. I disliked the Chronicler immensely this time around and wish that framing had been removed. I overall thought that the ending was too rushed and unfocused. It felt like the author skipped over several books worth of material and world building because she didn't want to write about it and just gave a whirlwind summary.
I do enjoy the world immensely and Matey Tammy says that the author is writing more set in the world. Though I didn't love this installment, I would be interested in trying another book in the multiverse. I just hope it recaptures the delight of the first book. Arrr!
March 17, 2024
2024 update: tried to reread this on audio after rereading Book 1....and yeah, I still struggled to get through this one. I ended up DNFing around 40%. I really enjoyed the first book, but this one just doesn't do it for me in the same way.
2020 review: 2.5 stars? I hate to say it, but I struggled to get through this book.
I LOVED the first book. I loved the fairy-tale elements and the fast pace and the witty narrator.......All of those elements seemed missing in this one. Despite the sentient killer plant named "Rose" there wasn't any kind of fairy-tale relevance that I could detect. The pacing felt way off; pretty much the entire book takes place on one derelict space ship and in some ways it felt like one long scene. And the wry style from the first book was barely there in this one. Or, maybe I missed it because my eyes did a lot of skimming during this book, rereading the same paragraphs over and over without absorbing them.
Possibly one of the saddest parts of this book for me was when Rory "released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding". Noooo!!! Not that tired cliché!! I literally groaned out loud when I read that line.
Maybe this was a wrong-book-wrong-time situation, part of my Great CoronaSlump of 2020. In any case, I felt hugely disappointed after my adoration of the first book. What happened??
2020 review: 2.5 stars? I hate to say it, but I struggled to get through this book.
I LOVED the first book. I loved the fairy-tale elements and the fast pace and the witty narrator.......All of those elements seemed missing in this one. Despite the sentient killer plant named "Rose" there wasn't any kind of fairy-tale relevance that I could detect. The pacing felt way off; pretty much the entire book takes place on one derelict space ship and in some ways it felt like one long scene. And the wry style from the first book was barely there in this one. Or, maybe I missed it because my eyes did a lot of skimming during this book, rereading the same paragraphs over and over without absorbing them.
Possibly one of the saddest parts of this book for me was when Rory "released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding". Noooo!!! Not that tired cliché!! I literally groaned out loud when I read that line.
Maybe this was a wrong-book-wrong-time situation, part of my Great CoronaSlump of 2020. In any case, I felt hugely disappointed after my adoration of the first book. What happened??
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
dnf
October 2, 2020Not feeling the writing at all. Totally a me thing, not this book thing.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
November 12, 2020
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: An enjoyable but slightly uneven sequel in K. Eason's imaginative Star Wars inspired space opera series.
Last year I was surprised by how much I loved How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse , so I was very excited to read the sequel. And for the most part, I enjoyed it. Rory Thorne was more upbeat and character focused, and I thought those things were mostly missing in the sequel. Revenge is a darker story that has a more tightly focused setting and whose plot leans more towards political maneuvering and impending war. I have to admit I missed the sparkling “personality” of the first book, and I didn’t think the pacing was as good. However, having said all that, I do think it was a successful conclusion to the duology, and I thought Eason managed to wrap up her big, sprawling story in a satisfying way.
And do beware of minor spoilers for the first book! The sequel takes place two years after the events of Rory Thorne . Rory, formerly the Princess of the Confederation of Liberated Worlds, has given up her title in lieu of a less complicated life, i.e. traveling through space with her friends Jaed, Zhang and Thorsdottir and looking for salvage opportunities on abandoned ships. Back on firm ground, Rupert, the former Vizier, and Grytt, Rory’s former bodymaid, are now living a life of ease on Lanscot. One day, Rupert gets a concerning message from a fairy (one of Rory’s fairies from the first book) who tells him that Rory might be in danger, and so he arranges a flight on a ship and heads out into Confederate space.
Meanwhile, Rory and her friends have found a derelict ship, and they’ve decided to board it to see if there is anything good to salvage. The unexpected discovery of what proves to be an unusual Tadeshi weapon puts them on a dangerous path: a xeno race called the vakari are enroute to intercept the weapon, which if used could have dire consequences.
With Rupert headed for the impending conflict to rescue Rory, and Rory and her friends standing between a lethal weapon and a murderous alien race, it will take all of Rory’s Princess skills of negotiation to survive.
Revenge continues to build on Eason’s fascinating idea of arithmancy, an interesting combination of magic and hard sci-fi, although in this book the emphasis is definitely more on the “hard” aspects with the science front and center. For those who haven’t read the first book, arithmancy is the ability to access different layers of reality with one’s mind and use computer code to create hexes (or disable them), unlock doors, and do all manner of sneaking around. Arithmancers like Rory and Jaed can also see and read auras, and although this ability sounds really cool, like most magic, it takes a physical toll on the person involved. In this book we meet a new alien species called the vakari who are far superior at arithmancy than humans are, and I loved seeing Rory and Jaed struggle with the fact that they are being outwitted (Rory, being a former Princess, has a bit of an ego!)
Because the characters are scattered across space, more or less, we didn’t get the cohesive ensemble story that I enjoyed so much in the first book. However, on a positive note, this gave us a chance to get to know some of the side characters more, and I have to say my favorites this time were without a doubt Thorsdottir and Jaed. Rory is still a main character, but I didn’t like her storyline as much in this book, since she’s more embroiled in politics, and that wasn’t nearly as interesting as what was going on with Thorsdottir and Jaed. Jaed was Rory’s “sort of” romantic interest in the last book, but apparently she gave him the dreaded “let’s just be friends” speech (off page), which leaves Jaed open to other pursuits. Thorsdottir and Jaed spend lots of time together in this book, and I loved their interactions and slowly blossoming something --I won’t call it romance, but it felt like a slow burn and I loved it. I would seriously love a Thorsdottir and Jaed story in the future!
As far as negatives go, I would say my biggest disappointment was the resolution of the weapon and everything that happened when it was discovered. I really don’t want to spoil things so I’m going to be vague, but let’s just say that I absolutely loved the idea of it, and the fact that the weapon is sentient (sorry, small spoiler!), and the fact that the weapon and Thorsdottir have some very cool interactions. But I wanted more, and it sort of felt like the weapon’s storyline fizzled out at the end, even though things were more or less resolved.
Once again Eason frames her story by having a “chronicler” relate the events. It didn’t bother me much in Rory Thorne, but for some reason, this time I had more trouble with the formality of the prose and the frequent interruptions by the chronicler. This really is a great story with lots of interesting characters, tense political situations and plenty of action, but unfortunately these positives are sometimes buried in the tedious “asides” that the chronicler loves to throw in. I did happen to read an interview with Eason recently that said she got her inspiration from the narration style of The Princess Bride , which actually explains a lot, but I do wonder how the story would read without so much filler.
Ultimately, I did end up enjoying How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge , and I actually loved the way Eason wrapped everything up. At least for the ending, I thought the narrative format actually worked, as it gives the story a definitive ending, even if it’s implied that Rory and the gang still have many more adventures ahead of them. This is only a duology, however in that same interview, Eason says she’s already working on another story set in the same world, but this time in the future with different characters. I have to admit I’m intrigued!
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Read my review of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
Last year I was surprised by how much I loved How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse , so I was very excited to read the sequel. And for the most part, I enjoyed it. Rory Thorne was more upbeat and character focused, and I thought those things were mostly missing in the sequel. Revenge is a darker story that has a more tightly focused setting and whose plot leans more towards political maneuvering and impending war. I have to admit I missed the sparkling “personality” of the first book, and I didn’t think the pacing was as good. However, having said all that, I do think it was a successful conclusion to the duology, and I thought Eason managed to wrap up her big, sprawling story in a satisfying way.
And do beware of minor spoilers for the first book! The sequel takes place two years after the events of Rory Thorne . Rory, formerly the Princess of the Confederation of Liberated Worlds, has given up her title in lieu of a less complicated life, i.e. traveling through space with her friends Jaed, Zhang and Thorsdottir and looking for salvage opportunities on abandoned ships. Back on firm ground, Rupert, the former Vizier, and Grytt, Rory’s former bodymaid, are now living a life of ease on Lanscot. One day, Rupert gets a concerning message from a fairy (one of Rory’s fairies from the first book) who tells him that Rory might be in danger, and so he arranges a flight on a ship and heads out into Confederate space.
Meanwhile, Rory and her friends have found a derelict ship, and they’ve decided to board it to see if there is anything good to salvage. The unexpected discovery of what proves to be an unusual Tadeshi weapon puts them on a dangerous path: a xeno race called the vakari are enroute to intercept the weapon, which if used could have dire consequences.
With Rupert headed for the impending conflict to rescue Rory, and Rory and her friends standing between a lethal weapon and a murderous alien race, it will take all of Rory’s Princess skills of negotiation to survive.
Revenge continues to build on Eason’s fascinating idea of arithmancy, an interesting combination of magic and hard sci-fi, although in this book the emphasis is definitely more on the “hard” aspects with the science front and center. For those who haven’t read the first book, arithmancy is the ability to access different layers of reality with one’s mind and use computer code to create hexes (or disable them), unlock doors, and do all manner of sneaking around. Arithmancers like Rory and Jaed can also see and read auras, and although this ability sounds really cool, like most magic, it takes a physical toll on the person involved. In this book we meet a new alien species called the vakari who are far superior at arithmancy than humans are, and I loved seeing Rory and Jaed struggle with the fact that they are being outwitted (Rory, being a former Princess, has a bit of an ego!)
Because the characters are scattered across space, more or less, we didn’t get the cohesive ensemble story that I enjoyed so much in the first book. However, on a positive note, this gave us a chance to get to know some of the side characters more, and I have to say my favorites this time were without a doubt Thorsdottir and Jaed. Rory is still a main character, but I didn’t like her storyline as much in this book, since she’s more embroiled in politics, and that wasn’t nearly as interesting as what was going on with Thorsdottir and Jaed. Jaed was Rory’s “sort of” romantic interest in the last book, but apparently she gave him the dreaded “let’s just be friends” speech (off page), which leaves Jaed open to other pursuits. Thorsdottir and Jaed spend lots of time together in this book, and I loved their interactions and slowly blossoming something --I won’t call it romance, but it felt like a slow burn and I loved it. I would seriously love a Thorsdottir and Jaed story in the future!
As far as negatives go, I would say my biggest disappointment was the resolution of the weapon and everything that happened when it was discovered. I really don’t want to spoil things so I’m going to be vague, but let’s just say that I absolutely loved the idea of it, and the fact that the weapon is sentient (sorry, small spoiler!), and the fact that the weapon and Thorsdottir have some very cool interactions. But I wanted more, and it sort of felt like the weapon’s storyline fizzled out at the end, even though things were more or less resolved.
Once again Eason frames her story by having a “chronicler” relate the events. It didn’t bother me much in Rory Thorne, but for some reason, this time I had more trouble with the formality of the prose and the frequent interruptions by the chronicler. This really is a great story with lots of interesting characters, tense political situations and plenty of action, but unfortunately these positives are sometimes buried in the tedious “asides” that the chronicler loves to throw in. I did happen to read an interview with Eason recently that said she got her inspiration from the narration style of The Princess Bride , which actually explains a lot, but I do wonder how the story would read without so much filler.
Ultimately, I did end up enjoying How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge , and I actually loved the way Eason wrapped everything up. At least for the ending, I thought the narrative format actually worked, as it gives the story a definitive ending, even if it’s implied that Rory and the gang still have many more adventures ahead of them. This is only a duology, however in that same interview, Eason says she’s already working on another story set in the same world, but this time in the future with different characters. I have to admit I’m intrigued!
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Read my review of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
paused
May 20, 2020UPDATE:
ohmygod The Cover....ohmygod it's Beautiful...
You best not hurt my children. They worked hard for their survival!
THEY DESERVE HAPPINESS!!
Okay, I need this book.
I have found a sequel to toss money at, and I would like to toss that money now thankyouverymuch.
ohmygod The Cover....ohmygod it's Beautiful...
You best not hurt my children. They worked hard for their survival!
THEY DESERVE HAPPINESS!!
Okay, I need this book.
I have found a sequel to toss money at, and I would like to toss that money now thankyouverymuch.
Want to read
April 9, 2020‘co-conspirator’? is that what the kids are calling it now?
April 9, 2021
yeah, nah.
There is the same verbose omniscient narrator as the first book. So if you liked it there, it will be okay here, I suppose.
It's more space opera-ey than the first book (a plus). But it's all through the filter of the narrator, and I ended up skimming my way through most of it. I didn't really connect or care much about any of the characters, or the politics stuff.
Don't waste your time unless trapped in an airplane on the tarmac for 4 hours and have absolutely nothing else to read and need to block out the awful people sitting around you. Then maybe.
There is the same verbose omniscient narrator as the first book. So if you liked it there, it will be okay here, I suppose.
It's more space opera-ey than the first book (a plus). But it's all through the filter of the narrator, and I ended up skimming my way through most of it. I didn't really connect or care much about any of the characters, or the politics stuff.
Don't waste your time unless trapped in an airplane on the tarmac for 4 hours and have absolutely nothing else to read and need to block out the awful people sitting around you. Then maybe.
October 27, 2020
*Source* NetGalley/Publisher
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is the second book in the space opera Rory Thorne Chronicles. This is Princess Leia meets The Princess Bride combining science fiction and fantasy with a snarky heroine, fairy blessings, a galaxy-spanning adventure, and political intrigue. This story is once again told via a Chronicler, rather than any character in this story or series. It has been (2) years since the former Princess Rory Thorne renounced her title and became a privateer working to stop smuggling. Also, aboard the Vagabond, which she pretty much stole from the Tadesh, are former royal bodyguards Thorsdottir and Zhang as well as co-conspirator Jaed Moss, son of the deposed leader of the Free Worlds of Tadesh.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is the second book in the space opera Rory Thorne Chronicles. This is Princess Leia meets The Princess Bride combining science fiction and fantasy with a snarky heroine, fairy blessings, a galaxy-spanning adventure, and political intrigue. This story is once again told via a Chronicler, rather than any character in this story or series. It has been (2) years since the former Princess Rory Thorne renounced her title and became a privateer working to stop smuggling. Also, aboard the Vagabond, which she pretty much stole from the Tadesh, are former royal bodyguards Thorsdottir and Zhang as well as co-conspirator Jaed Moss, son of the deposed leader of the Free Worlds of Tadesh.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
November 8, 2020
I’m a meh on this one, it’s a 2.5 except for the fact that Rory doesn’t have a romance in it which bumped it to a 3 because I’m so damn tired of books about adventurous young women inevitably including a romantic element. (Note: I’m a big romance genre fan, but requiring romantic elements in all stories about women is sexist.)
So, what went wrong? Part of my disappointment is that this is a very different book than the first. It might not be a bad thing on its own, it’s just I expected more of the first. This one is more violent, with visible dead bodies, lots of weapons and action moments, which was not what I wanted to read.
It also features no fewer than three different alien races, plus a sentient nanotech and the fairies from book one. This was a mistake of the author both because clutter and because they aren’t terribly interesting. The aliens all feel fairly human in fact, not alien at all aside from physical differences. I know of human cultures that are more different from each other than these were.
I’m also increasingly uneasy about this whole princess bit. The importance of Rory’s title made sense in the first book when it was diplomatic shenanigans in a royalist setting. But, why would her former human title mean anything to aliens? Or to human non royalist governments for that matter? The book seems to hint at her princess-ness being something deeper and more mystical even. Given that we eliminated ideas about the divine right of the aristocracy generations ago, I’m not thrilled to see even this hint of reversion.
Clutter. There are a lot of different players and honestly not a good reason for all of them. Why do we need the fairies now? Why do we need so many alien races? Why do we need all of these various characters? I didn’t feel like there was a theme or narrative arc through the book. It felt like a lot of elements thrown in with some danger to spice it up. But ultimately what was the story’s core?
The ending gave away the rest of Rory’s story - what happens in her career. So I suppose we won’t get another book. That’s ok with me. I enjoyed the first book. I don’t see the point of this one completely. We’re set.
I’ll keep watching the author though. There’s some talent there.
So, what went wrong? Part of my disappointment is that this is a very different book than the first. It might not be a bad thing on its own, it’s just I expected more of the first. This one is more violent, with visible dead bodies, lots of weapons and action moments, which was not what I wanted to read.
It also features no fewer than three different alien races, plus a sentient nanotech and the fairies from book one. This was a mistake of the author both because clutter and because they aren’t terribly interesting. The aliens all feel fairly human in fact, not alien at all aside from physical differences. I know of human cultures that are more different from each other than these were.
I’m also increasingly uneasy about this whole princess bit. The importance of Rory’s title made sense in the first book when it was diplomatic shenanigans in a royalist setting. But, why would her former human title mean anything to aliens? Or to human non royalist governments for that matter? The book seems to hint at her princess-ness being something deeper and more mystical even. Given that we eliminated ideas about the divine right of the aristocracy generations ago, I’m not thrilled to see even this hint of reversion.
Clutter. There are a lot of different players and honestly not a good reason for all of them. Why do we need the fairies now? Why do we need so many alien races? Why do we need all of these various characters? I didn’t feel like there was a theme or narrative arc through the book. It felt like a lot of elements thrown in with some danger to spice it up. But ultimately what was the story’s core?
The ending gave away the rest of Rory’s story - what happens in her career. So I suppose we won’t get another book. That’s ok with me. I enjoyed the first book. I don’t see the point of this one completely. We’re set.
I’ll keep watching the author though. There’s some talent there.
April 8, 2024
First Read: WOW. I tried to describe this book to someone the other day, and I used terms like scifi, and fairy tales, and fantasy, and space opera, and- those things shouldn't all work together. BUT THEY DO. I absolutely LOVED The Thorne Chronicles!!! I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, since a lot of the xeno names are uh... not easy to pronounce for native English speakers. Or maybe just me, idk. Anyway, I've typed a lot of words to try and say that I love this book and it's amazing and I want more please right now.
Listen, I NEED a Thorsdottir/Jaed spinoff series because I must know what happens next!!!!
*I tagged this as LGBTQIA because I read Rory as aro/ace, but that's totally my interpretation and may not be canon. There is no explicit on page confirmation of anyone's sexuality, actually.
Second Read: I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH!!! and I did actually post a review here!
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest | Storygraph | Readerly
Listen, I NEED a Thorsdottir/Jaed spinoff series because I must know what happens next!!!!
*I tagged this as LGBTQIA because I read Rory as aro/ace, but that's totally my interpretation and may not be canon. There is no explicit on page confirmation of anyone's sexuality, actually.
Second Read: I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH!!! and I did actually post a review here!
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest | Storygraph | Readerly
February 25, 2021
I adored K. Eason's novel, How Rory Thorne Broke the Multiverse, and had high hopes for its sequel, How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge. I found the same delightful, witty prose and innovate story elements. The sentient murder roses were hands-down my favorite character. However, the multiplicity of cultures and characters left me perpetually confused, especially if I set the book down for a couple of days, as readers often do. The story began clearly enough, but by a third of the way through, the murder roses in which I initially delighted were sidelined and it seemed that as soon as I got oriented (or re-oriented) to a given character's POV, I got switched.
Sequels and series are very much the thing these days, but too many novels that are wonderful stand-alones are then followed by sequels that amount to pale imitations or tortured attempts to create a follow-on plot to a story that is complete in itself. Alas, How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge falls into this category. K. Eason is such a talented and skillful writer, I think it would be better to go on to a new story, one that I will gladly read.
Sequels and series are very much the thing these days, but too many novels that are wonderful stand-alones are then followed by sequels that amount to pale imitations or tortured attempts to create a follow-on plot to a story that is complete in itself. Alas, How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge falls into this category. K. Eason is such a talented and skillful writer, I think it would be better to go on to a new story, one that I will gladly read.
September 28, 2022
4.5 stars!
I really hope this isn't the end of The Thorne Chronicles because the ending is *chef's kiss*. It's taken me longer to read How the Multiverse Got It's Revenge than I would've liked. I was quickly reminded of why I wanted to read this book in the first place.
It's well crafted and quite an unexpected ride. I found myself on edge many times wondering what was going to happen next or how Rory and the others were going to outsmart the odds stacked against them. I found myself emotional over nano Mecha. If you've read the story you will know exactly what I'm referring to.
I feel like this series has been slept on and I hope it gets the spotlight like it deserves.
I really hope this isn't the end of The Thorne Chronicles because the ending is *chef's kiss*. It's taken me longer to read How the Multiverse Got It's Revenge than I would've liked. I was quickly reminded of why I wanted to read this book in the first place.
It's well crafted and quite an unexpected ride. I found myself on edge many times wondering what was going to happen next or how Rory and the others were going to outsmart the odds stacked against them. I found myself emotional over nano Mecha. If you've read the story you will know exactly what I'm referring to.
I feel like this series has been slept on and I hope it gets the spotlight like it deserves.
April 12, 2025
This is a very enjoyable conclusion to the Thorne series in which Rory Thorne and her friends have matured into some fine people. I enjoyed the interaction they had with different species and Rory’s decisions despite not wanting to be a Princess. She has become a warrior, a negotiator, and a loyal friend. They have been through a lot together and I was happy going along for the ride.
December 27, 2024
This one felt weirdly paced and a little too convoluted for me to properly enjoy. I also didn't love that they took the subtle romance hinted at at the end of book 1 and chucked it out the window, but that's just my personal preference.
July 3, 2021
I absolutely adored the first book of this series, but unfortunately this sequel just didn't have what made the previous installment so awesome.
April 14, 2021
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
I didn't find this nearly as funny or charming as the first book unfortunately. The writing itself has very long, descriptive sentences. I feel like this worked much better with the fairy tale quality of the first book, whereas here, it just felt excessive. I also didn't love the Chronicler story framing as much here. I also missed the fairy tale aspects of the first book!
This had a lot of alien politics and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I had trouble keeping all of the alien races straight and just didn't really care about these politics. The sentient plant weapon was not used nearly as much as I would have liked.
The secondary characters seemed to be emphasized more here, and it didn't feel like we spent much meaningful time with Rory. I also felt like the character development was lacking here. Some characters even reverted to how they acted early on in the first book, so that was a bit disappointing.
I do continue to like the idea of these arithmancers though! Being able to see and manipulate equations is a very cool concept.
I didn't find this nearly as funny or charming as the first book unfortunately. The writing itself has very long, descriptive sentences. I feel like this worked much better with the fairy tale quality of the first book, whereas here, it just felt excessive. I also didn't love the Chronicler story framing as much here. I also missed the fairy tale aspects of the first book!
This had a lot of alien politics and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I had trouble keeping all of the alien races straight and just didn't really care about these politics. The sentient plant weapon was not used nearly as much as I would have liked.
The secondary characters seemed to be emphasized more here, and it didn't feel like we spent much meaningful time with Rory. I also felt like the character development was lacking here. Some characters even reverted to how they acted early on in the first book, so that was a bit disappointing.
I do continue to like the idea of these arithmancers though! Being able to see and manipulate equations is a very cool concept.
December 18, 2020
*****SPOILERS******
I went back and forth a lot about how to rate this but ultimately, I think it deserves 4 stars for the writing but one taken away for how disappointed I was by it.
I absolutely ADORED the first book in this series but was a bit disappointed in this one. I just felt like Jaed, Thorsdottir and Zhang’s characters grated on me a bit more. I loved them in this first book but in this one, for some reason they came across as more selfish and mean somehow? I felt like they spent most of the book blaming Rory for things that were out of her control.
In the first book, there was a very strong sense of found family within the group and in this one it felt like they were suddenly excluding Rory from that. Maybe it was just because she spent most of the book on her own.
I still love Rory, Rupert and Grytt as characters, love the worldbuilding and love the writing style. Will def read any more books in the series.
I didn’t love that Rory had to go back to being a politician/princess after she specifically wanted to give that up. Felt a bit like the moral there was that you don’t get to choose who you want to be, which sucks.
Also the relationship between Thorsdottir and Jaed weirded me out a bit, only because I kinda thought they were like 15 years apart in age.
But as I said, still a good story. I’m only disappointed because I loved the characters so much in the first one and this one took some turns I didn’t like.
I went back and forth a lot about how to rate this but ultimately, I think it deserves 4 stars for the writing but one taken away for how disappointed I was by it.
I absolutely ADORED the first book in this series but was a bit disappointed in this one. I just felt like Jaed, Thorsdottir and Zhang’s characters grated on me a bit more. I loved them in this first book but in this one, for some reason they came across as more selfish and mean somehow? I felt like they spent most of the book blaming Rory for things that were out of her control.
In the first book, there was a very strong sense of found family within the group and in this one it felt like they were suddenly excluding Rory from that. Maybe it was just because she spent most of the book on her own.
I still love Rory, Rupert and Grytt as characters, love the worldbuilding and love the writing style. Will def read any more books in the series.
I didn’t love that Rory had to go back to being a politician/princess after she specifically wanted to give that up. Felt a bit like the moral there was that you don’t get to choose who you want to be, which sucks.
Also the relationship between Thorsdottir and Jaed weirded me out a bit, only because I kinda thought they were like 15 years apart in age.
But as I said, still a good story. I’m only disappointed because I loved the characters so much in the first one and this one took some turns I didn’t like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2020
Please Note: This is the second book in a series that should be read in order. This review may contain spoilers from book one.
If you are new to this series, you can check out my review of Book one HERE
How the Multiverse Got its Revenge is the second book in the Thorne Chronicles by K. Eason. The Thorn Chronicles is a young adult science fiction series. It is a like a fairytale set in space! I loved the idea of this series. Book two felt like even more of a feminist kick butt journey than the first book did. which I loved! The writing is just as witty as the first book, and the characters have really all come into their own, especially Rory. If you like Science Fictions with fun plots and great characters then I think you will really enjoy The Thorne Chronicles immensely.
How the Multiverse Got its Revenge takes place two years after the events of the first book. Rory has successfully avoided marrying her betrothed, but as a result her and her gang is now on the run. We learned some about the plants of space in the first book, but they take on a much bigger role in this second installment. In fact, the plants have a mind and an agenda of their own, which was super interesting. I got a little bit of a Terraformer by Colleen Houck vibe while reading this book, which was pretty cool. This must be the year of the plants in novels!
I enjoyed this follow up to book one, but the pacing of this one felt a little slower to me. I loved the fast pace of the first book. I felt like there was always something happening, and I didn't feel like that while reading this book. What I did really enjoy was that the problem solving seemed to step up its game in this book. The big bads here were really smart, and Rory struggled with that a bit. I really enjoyed seeing her and the gang push themselves to try and gain back their upper hand against these new aliens. It was a great challenge for them, and I really loved seeing more Arithmancy, and seeing more of the various aspects of Arithmancy, like Aura reading and complex code work. It was really fascinating and I think it was my favorite element of the story.
With villains, plenty of political issues, action and another romp across space, How the Multiverse Got its Revenge was a fun book. There is no cliffhanger ending and the story indicates that this is the end, but it leaves the reader to guess whether this is truly the end of Rory's exploits or if there could be more adventure in her future. I liked the way everything ended, but I am personally hoping for another installment or two because I feel like there are so many other adventure out there for her and her friends. How the Multiverse Got its Revenge was a solid book, and I really enjoyed it. I think I liked the first book just a smidge more, but How the Multiverse Got its Revenge will appeal to character driven readers of science fiction. Plus, it has a fun mix of fairy tale elements and creatures that added a bit of whimsy to the story. The Thorne Chronicles were a fun read for me. Let me know your thoughts below if you have read this series!
If you are new to this series, you can check out my review of Book one HERE
How the Multiverse Got its Revenge is the second book in the Thorne Chronicles by K. Eason. The Thorn Chronicles is a young adult science fiction series. It is a like a fairytale set in space! I loved the idea of this series. Book two felt like even more of a feminist kick butt journey than the first book did. which I loved! The writing is just as witty as the first book, and the characters have really all come into their own, especially Rory. If you like Science Fictions with fun plots and great characters then I think you will really enjoy The Thorne Chronicles immensely.
How the Multiverse Got its Revenge takes place two years after the events of the first book. Rory has successfully avoided marrying her betrothed, but as a result her and her gang is now on the run. We learned some about the plants of space in the first book, but they take on a much bigger role in this second installment. In fact, the plants have a mind and an agenda of their own, which was super interesting. I got a little bit of a Terraformer by Colleen Houck vibe while reading this book, which was pretty cool. This must be the year of the plants in novels!
I enjoyed this follow up to book one, but the pacing of this one felt a little slower to me. I loved the fast pace of the first book. I felt like there was always something happening, and I didn't feel like that while reading this book. What I did really enjoy was that the problem solving seemed to step up its game in this book. The big bads here were really smart, and Rory struggled with that a bit. I really enjoyed seeing her and the gang push themselves to try and gain back their upper hand against these new aliens. It was a great challenge for them, and I really loved seeing more Arithmancy, and seeing more of the various aspects of Arithmancy, like Aura reading and complex code work. It was really fascinating and I think it was my favorite element of the story.
With villains, plenty of political issues, action and another romp across space, How the Multiverse Got its Revenge was a fun book. There is no cliffhanger ending and the story indicates that this is the end, but it leaves the reader to guess whether this is truly the end of Rory's exploits or if there could be more adventure in her future. I liked the way everything ended, but I am personally hoping for another installment or two because I feel like there are so many other adventure out there for her and her friends. How the Multiverse Got its Revenge was a solid book, and I really enjoyed it. I think I liked the first book just a smidge more, but How the Multiverse Got its Revenge will appeal to character driven readers of science fiction. Plus, it has a fun mix of fairy tale elements and creatures that added a bit of whimsy to the story. The Thorne Chronicles were a fun read for me. Let me know your thoughts below if you have read this series!
November 11, 2020
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is the follow up tale to one of my favorite books from last year, How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse. The books are fantastic adventures, existing somewhere in the gray areas between fantasy and science fiction. The story takes place in space, with interplanetary travel, and some cool techie things, but it’s also based in fantasy, with fairies, alchemy, and arithmancy. The multiverse behind the series is fascinating and complex, and I strongly urge readers to start with the first book as the events in How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge are a direct result from the fallout of the first book.
Taking place roughly a couple years after the conclusion of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, the book opens with one of the fairies sending a message to Rupert regarding a dangerous new weapon that would result in the end of humankind. Even though they haven’t seen her in many months, Rupert and Grit just know that Rory must somehow be involved. Meanwhile, Rory and her gang are living life as privateers way out on the edge of the ‘verse, when they come across a Royalist ship that was destroyed by an unknown xeno-species. They also discover sentient nanotech whose programming is to destroy worlds.
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is a complex political space adventure with each character serving a roll, from the diplomats and leaders to those playing the conscience and heart. But those rolls are not one-dimensional character traits. Our main characters undergo growth and development over the course of the tale. Rory realizes she may denounce her title, but she will always be a princess; the group coming to terms that while they function well as a team, that team may not always be what is best or even a possibility. Smaller voices learn to become bigger voices. New alliances and friendships are forged.
The series is relayed to listeners via an unknown historian/chronicler who sometimes shares facts with the reader that the characters did not know at that time and place, giving readers a working knowledge of the larger picture. Additionally, the narrator and several of the characters share an intelligent wit with readers, making obscure references or snide commentary on those around them.
Narration: Because the story is shared via a chronicler, listeners get a mix of third person and omniscient POVs. Ms. Poole’s performance adds much to this wonderful tale. She provides an excellent neutral narrator voice; strong and clear. She alters the dialogue of each character slightly, but more than enough to identify individual characters. She varies the voices to match gender, species, etc. and smoothly jumps from third person to third person without confusion.
As the book blurb notes this is the second book in a duology, and How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge provides a fitting end to Rory’s adventures. The historian sharing the tale gives listeners insights to what will happened down the road, providing more than adequate closure. However, I feel like there are many more tales that could come from this multiverse and would welcome future adventures should they be published.
My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: A
Review copy provided by Tantor Audio.
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Taking place roughly a couple years after the conclusion of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, the book opens with one of the fairies sending a message to Rupert regarding a dangerous new weapon that would result in the end of humankind. Even though they haven’t seen her in many months, Rupert and Grit just know that Rory must somehow be involved. Meanwhile, Rory and her gang are living life as privateers way out on the edge of the ‘verse, when they come across a Royalist ship that was destroyed by an unknown xeno-species. They also discover sentient nanotech whose programming is to destroy worlds.
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is a complex political space adventure with each character serving a roll, from the diplomats and leaders to those playing the conscience and heart. But those rolls are not one-dimensional character traits. Our main characters undergo growth and development over the course of the tale. Rory realizes she may denounce her title, but she will always be a princess; the group coming to terms that while they function well as a team, that team may not always be what is best or even a possibility. Smaller voices learn to become bigger voices. New alliances and friendships are forged.
The series is relayed to listeners via an unknown historian/chronicler who sometimes shares facts with the reader that the characters did not know at that time and place, giving readers a working knowledge of the larger picture. Additionally, the narrator and several of the characters share an intelligent wit with readers, making obscure references or snide commentary on those around them.
Narration: Because the story is shared via a chronicler, listeners get a mix of third person and omniscient POVs. Ms. Poole’s performance adds much to this wonderful tale. She provides an excellent neutral narrator voice; strong and clear. She alters the dialogue of each character slightly, but more than enough to identify individual characters. She varies the voices to match gender, species, etc. and smoothly jumps from third person to third person without confusion.
As the book blurb notes this is the second book in a duology, and How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge provides a fitting end to Rory’s adventures. The historian sharing the tale gives listeners insights to what will happened down the road, providing more than adequate closure. However, I feel like there are many more tales that could come from this multiverse and would welcome future adventures should they be published.
My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: A
Review copy provided by Tantor Audio.
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
January 11, 2021
After loving the first book with all my heart and soul, the sequel is an incredibly bland letdown. Some of the minor characters from the first book, especially Thorsdottir, are delightfully built up into strong, memorable characters, but the major ones, especially Rory and Jaed and to some degree Grytt and Rupert, fade off into the background despite major scenes revolving around them. They feel disinterested and distant from the plot.
There are sparks of excellence. The morgue on the space ship, the action sequences, Rose. The dialogue is frequently sharp and witty, though the sly side-winks of the narrator feel more tired and hammered in than an indelible component of the story.
But almost the entirety of the book takes place on two derelict space ships. It feels like one long endless breathless scene, exhausting to get through. There's no real break in the action despite swapping between Rory's crew and Rupert's team. It just feels like one long slog, and it should not have taken me so long to get through it (and, yes, I admit, I skimmed the last twenty or so pages, having lost all patience). After the riotously entertaining Princess-Bride-Sarcastic-Witty-Space-Ship-Exploring-Magic-Math ride of the previous book, this second one, while theoretically larger in scope, feels so much smaller and claustrophobic. I would like to get out of these dingy alien hallways and go have fun in the universe somewhere with these characters.
The fairy tale references and building of the prior book do not show up, other than perhaps in Rose's character, and even then it's so small and unimportant that it doesn't apply.
All in all, if you loved the characters like I did, it's worth skimming (especially if you liked the royal guards and wanted more of them being wonderful, because Thorsdottir really becomes her own delightful thing), but if you're hoping for even a glimmer of the same excitement as the first book, I'm afraid this sophomore novel suffers too much empty space and dark halls.
2.5. I liked sections of it, without a doubt, and when reading it, I was really interested in where it was going. But if I put it down for any reason, to make tea or glance at my phone, or anything...I was out of the story and didn't care anymore, and that's not the fiery excitement I remember from the first fine book in the duology.
There are sparks of excellence. The morgue on the space ship, the action sequences, Rose. The dialogue is frequently sharp and witty, though the sly side-winks of the narrator feel more tired and hammered in than an indelible component of the story.
But almost the entirety of the book takes place on two derelict space ships. It feels like one long endless breathless scene, exhausting to get through. There's no real break in the action despite swapping between Rory's crew and Rupert's team. It just feels like one long slog, and it should not have taken me so long to get through it (and, yes, I admit, I skimmed the last twenty or so pages, having lost all patience). After the riotously entertaining Princess-Bride-Sarcastic-Witty-Space-Ship-Exploring-Magic-Math ride of the previous book, this second one, while theoretically larger in scope, feels so much smaller and claustrophobic. I would like to get out of these dingy alien hallways and go have fun in the universe somewhere with these characters.
The fairy tale references and building of the prior book do not show up, other than perhaps in Rose's character, and even then it's so small and unimportant that it doesn't apply.
All in all, if you loved the characters like I did, it's worth skimming (especially if you liked the royal guards and wanted more of them being wonderful, because Thorsdottir really becomes her own delightful thing), but if you're hoping for even a glimmer of the same excitement as the first book, I'm afraid this sophomore novel suffers too much empty space and dark halls.
2.5. I liked sections of it, without a doubt, and when reading it, I was really interested in where it was going. But if I put it down for any reason, to make tea or glance at my phone, or anything...I was out of the story and didn't care anymore, and that's not the fiery excitement I remember from the first fine book in the duology.
March 11, 2023
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra opera arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare?
Assolutamente no.
Il secondo e ultimo volume della dilogia si svolge due anni dopo gli eventi di Rory Thorne e la Distruzione del Multiverso.
Rory è riuscita a scampare a un matrimonio combinato e ha rinunciato al suo titolo per viaggiare nello spazio con i suoi amici Jaed, Zhang e Thorsdottir.
Un giorno, però, Rupert riceve un messaggio preoccupante da una fata che lo avverte del fatto che Rory potrebbe essere in pericolo, quindi parte immediatamente.
Nel frattempo, Rory e la sua compagnia hanno trovato una nave abbandonata e hanno deciso di vedere se c'è qualcosa di soddisfacente a bordo. L'inaspettata scoperta di quella che si rivela essere un'insolita arma, li mette in pericolo poiché i Vakari sono in viaggio per intercettare l'arma, che se usata potrebbe avere conseguenze disastrose.
L'idea dell'autrice è stata da subito assolutamente interessante poiché narrava storia, favola e fantastico in stile Guardian of Galaxy's. Però, a differenza del primo, questo secondo volume ha avuto parecchie lacune a parere mio.
Se all'inizio è cominciato col botto, man mano che andava avanti è andato scemando, divenendo sempre più mogio e all'improvviso frettoloso a parere mio.
Poiché i personaggi sono sparsi nello spazio non abbiamo avuto la storia d'insieme coerente come invece era armoniosa nel primo libro.
Qui Rory non mi è piaciuta molto e Jaed che era il suo "interesse romantico" ha ricevuto un "siamo solo amici". Meh.
La mia delusione più grande inoltre è stata su come si è conclusa la storia dell'arma. Così boom così wooow così omg e poi? Mhhhhh.
Insomma, mi è sembrato tutto messo su così, per risolvere la cosa con un secondo romanzo che forse poteva anche essere evitato.
Ma ripeto: parere personale, sicuramente ad altri piacerà più di me. I finali a volte possono deludere se l'inizio è da cinque stelle. Capita.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare?
Assolutamente no.
Il secondo e ultimo volume della dilogia si svolge due anni dopo gli eventi di Rory Thorne e la Distruzione del Multiverso.
Rory è riuscita a scampare a un matrimonio combinato e ha rinunciato al suo titolo per viaggiare nello spazio con i suoi amici Jaed, Zhang e Thorsdottir.
Un giorno, però, Rupert riceve un messaggio preoccupante da una fata che lo avverte del fatto che Rory potrebbe essere in pericolo, quindi parte immediatamente.
Nel frattempo, Rory e la sua compagnia hanno trovato una nave abbandonata e hanno deciso di vedere se c'è qualcosa di soddisfacente a bordo. L'inaspettata scoperta di quella che si rivela essere un'insolita arma, li mette in pericolo poiché i Vakari sono in viaggio per intercettare l'arma, che se usata potrebbe avere conseguenze disastrose.
L'idea dell'autrice è stata da subito assolutamente interessante poiché narrava storia, favola e fantastico in stile Guardian of Galaxy's. Però, a differenza del primo, questo secondo volume ha avuto parecchie lacune a parere mio.
Se all'inizio è cominciato col botto, man mano che andava avanti è andato scemando, divenendo sempre più mogio e all'improvviso frettoloso a parere mio.
Poiché i personaggi sono sparsi nello spazio non abbiamo avuto la storia d'insieme coerente come invece era armoniosa nel primo libro.
Qui Rory non mi è piaciuta molto e Jaed che era il suo "interesse romantico" ha ricevuto un "siamo solo amici". Meh.
La mia delusione più grande inoltre è stata su come si è conclusa la storia dell'arma. Così boom così wooow così omg e poi? Mhhhhh.
Insomma, mi è sembrato tutto messo su così, per risolvere la cosa con un secondo romanzo che forse poteva anche essere evitato.
Ma ripeto: parere personale, sicuramente ad altri piacerà più di me. I finali a volte possono deludere se l'inizio è da cinque stelle. Capita.
December 28, 2020
I have to say that I really enjoyed the first book “How Rory Thorne Destroyed The Multiverse”. I thought it was interesting and well paced, that the characters were well developed with varied motives and goals, and that the world Easton built was original and included great sci-fi/fantasy elements.
This second book, however, did not sit with me as well as the first one did. My main gripe is that it felt like the entire book only included 3 scenes, each told from various points of view. I was bored, I wanted to know when Easton was going to move on and bring us to something new but we never really got there. The entire story is set in exactly the same position in space so even physically, the story never moves.
How is it that in 400 pages we covered so little information? Especially when there are so many questions to be answered and points to be explored?
I don’t know, the book was alright. I enjoy Easton’s writing style (although I liked it more in the first book) but I think she went a little too far with it this time. It is a riot of em dashes, parentheses, and asides in the chronologers voice.
The story also did not do a great job of using the observations of the character to read an ending that tied those together. What I mean is that, I thought the characters were very smart and noticed interesting, and (seemingly) important details but they were never fully capitalized on in a satisfying way.
Overall, I am glad I read it (mostly because I would have been mad at myself if I didn’t after having loved the first one that much) but I had much much higher hopes for the story than were realized.
***Spoiler***
Also??? If Easton didn’t want to write romance she just... oh, I don’t know.. shouldn’t have? The VERY subtle romantic storyline between Jaed and Thorisdottir just didn’t do it for me, especially after he was JUST in /love/ with Rory? And they all more or less work for her, I don’t know that might just have been me but, yeah!
This second book, however, did not sit with me as well as the first one did. My main gripe is that it felt like the entire book only included 3 scenes, each told from various points of view. I was bored, I wanted to know when Easton was going to move on and bring us to something new but we never really got there. The entire story is set in exactly the same position in space so even physically, the story never moves.
How is it that in 400 pages we covered so little information? Especially when there are so many questions to be answered and points to be explored?
I don’t know, the book was alright. I enjoy Easton’s writing style (although I liked it more in the first book) but I think she went a little too far with it this time. It is a riot of em dashes, parentheses, and asides in the chronologers voice.
The story also did not do a great job of using the observations of the character to read an ending that tied those together. What I mean is that, I thought the characters were very smart and noticed interesting, and (seemingly) important details but they were never fully capitalized on in a satisfying way.
Overall, I am glad I read it (mostly because I would have been mad at myself if I didn’t after having loved the first one that much) but I had much much higher hopes for the story than were realized.
***Spoiler***
Also??? If Easton didn’t want to write romance she just... oh, I don’t know.. shouldn’t have? The VERY subtle romantic storyline between Jaed and Thorisdottir just didn’t do it for me, especially after he was JUST in /love/ with Rory? And they all more or less work for her, I don’t know that might just have been me but, yeah!
September 23, 2020
Most readers will enjoy How The Multiverse Got Its Revenge by K Eason -= even without reading the prequel.
I read it in small snatches because (well, life, you know) but every time I had a half hour, or thought I would, I came happily right back to this book to see what happens next.
The book is well written, powerfully plotted, but skips around point of view among several sub-groups of the main characters in the previous novel. It shows clearly how their team has remained intact, even though they split up physically at the end of the previous adventures. They won, and "retired' to new lives.
Only - well, life happens.
Now they are back at saving the Multiverse as they know it, with several species of people trying to form and hold profitable alliances. The narrative does not dwell on the politics -- you grasp the sparse sketch of the politics instinctively. It is a nicely set up situation that showcases the main characters combat abilities -- in skirmish after battle, after danger after near-miss.
So in a vague way, this novel does illustrate what happens when you mess with the Multiverse as these characters did in the prequel. But I didn't see that it really lived up to its title about the nature of reality, the nature of life, the definition of "person" and the adversarial relationship between Reality (or THE Multiverse) and a small group of unlikely friends and allies.
Given the title, Multiverse, I expected more modern science, math and theoretical physics explaining what the Multiverse is doing, why it is doing it, and what these characters can do about that. Why "revenge" -- why is "the" Multiverse so petty, small, childish, petulant, and impotent? Only the truly impotent seek "revenge" so why would some macrocosmic All regard this ragtag band of political adventurers as a threat to be swatted back at? None of those questions are addressed or answered or even sketched. in this volume.
So if the title alone attracts you, maybe you should read the prequel, HOW RORY THORNE DESTROYED THE MULTIVERSE, or wait for the sequel and read all 3 at once.
Clearly the Multiverse was not totally destroyed, as the princess's thirteen fairy blessings still function, so some multidimensionality, or alternate universe structure is functioning.
The misleading title is the reason I took off one star. Everything else about this novel is just fine work.
I read it in small snatches because (well, life, you know) but every time I had a half hour, or thought I would, I came happily right back to this book to see what happens next.
The book is well written, powerfully plotted, but skips around point of view among several sub-groups of the main characters in the previous novel. It shows clearly how their team has remained intact, even though they split up physically at the end of the previous adventures. They won, and "retired' to new lives.
Only - well, life happens.
Now they are back at saving the Multiverse as they know it, with several species of people trying to form and hold profitable alliances. The narrative does not dwell on the politics -- you grasp the sparse sketch of the politics instinctively. It is a nicely set up situation that showcases the main characters combat abilities -- in skirmish after battle, after danger after near-miss.
So in a vague way, this novel does illustrate what happens when you mess with the Multiverse as these characters did in the prequel. But I didn't see that it really lived up to its title about the nature of reality, the nature of life, the definition of "person" and the adversarial relationship between Reality (or THE Multiverse) and a small group of unlikely friends and allies.
Given the title, Multiverse, I expected more modern science, math and theoretical physics explaining what the Multiverse is doing, why it is doing it, and what these characters can do about that. Why "revenge" -- why is "the" Multiverse so petty, small, childish, petulant, and impotent? Only the truly impotent seek "revenge" so why would some macrocosmic All regard this ragtag band of political adventurers as a threat to be swatted back at? None of those questions are addressed or answered or even sketched. in this volume.
So if the title alone attracts you, maybe you should read the prequel, HOW RORY THORNE DESTROYED THE MULTIVERSE, or wait for the sequel and read all 3 at once.
Clearly the Multiverse was not totally destroyed, as the princess's thirteen fairy blessings still function, so some multidimensionality, or alternate universe structure is functioning.
The misleading title is the reason I took off one star. Everything else about this novel is just fine work.
October 21, 2020
Full review at The Quill to Live: https://thequilltolive.com/2020/10/20...
No no, not this time. I am not letting another book in The Thorne Chronicle series slip under my radar. How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge (called Revenge going forwards) is the sequel to How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (Rory) by K. Eason. I somehow missed the first book when it came out last year and I refused to commit the same crime twice. You can find my review of Rory here, and you can find some bonus thoughts on it in our Best of Science Fantasy List here. It’s a wonderful story about female empowerment, everyone empowerment, creative problem solving, and how to use words and diplomacy to solve problems. The sequel lives up to the high bar that Rory set, with some minor change-ups that are worth talking about.
Revenge picks up a little while after the ending of Rory. One of my only complaints about the first book was how Eason handled the ending of the story. In essence, at the end of book one Eason waves her hands, lightly summarizes a number of big events that change the status quo of the universe, and announces that the remaining cast of characters from the book disappears into the void. It felt like a hard reset of all the progress the characters had made in Rory, and I am not a huge fan of major off-page events being quickly summarized in epilogues.
However, this reset did do a great job setting up the stakes for Revenge. Revenge’s narrative is split into two stories, each focusing on a different group of people. One follows Rupert (Rory’s old teacher) and Grytt (Rory’s old bodyguard), which I am calling team parental, as they receive a nebulous message that Rory is in danger and they should try to help her. Their story revolves around locating where Rory has gone, building an alliance to go help her, and trying to avoid igniting a war between different races that have a lot of friction. The second storyline follows Rory and the remaining side characters from book one. After too much time in the spotlight, they have decided to carve out a quiet life as salvagers – until they run into salvage that multiple galactic species are fighting over. So in one story, you have Rory and the crew fighting to stay alive while protecting their dangerous find. And in the other story, you have Rory’s parental figures marshaling the troops to come to rescue her.
It’s a really interesting story with a fun fusion of different science fiction and fantasy concepts that kept me engaged the entire time. The plot is generally satisfying, but the ending once again does the thing where it has a large number of major off-page events announced to you in a few pages. This is a bigger problem for me in Revenge than it was in Rory because it exacerbates the second book’s biggest issue – there isn’t enough there. I very much like Revenge, and the paragraphs following this one will talk all about the amazing things the book accomplishes. Yet, I can’t help but feel like I was cheated out of a full book. While the plot of book two was very engaging, there doesn’t feel like there was enough of it for a single book. I didn’t feel like the story had progressed enough to devote one of three books in a trilogy to this story. I found myself feeling starved of content and really wishing that Eason had explored almost everything in the book more. It was pretty disappointing. I get a distinct feeling that this is a classic “bridge book problem,” where the second novel in a trilogy spends too much time setting up the finale and loses some of its own identity.
Yet, all of these feelings are born from the fact that what is there in Revenge is so good. In Rory, Eason focused primarily on the titular character, and the themes revolved around female empowerment, solving situations that feel like they require violence with words, and exploring the idea of diplomacy more than all parties being unhappy with a compromise. These themes are all there in Revenge, but Eason shifts the focus primarily from Rory and her personal growth to the full cast. She elevates the supporting characters and builds a fleet of protagonists with Rory at the helm. This is a wonderful experience because much like Rory all five side characters that got elevated are amazing. In addition, Eason brings in a whole new set of side characters that fill the void left by the old. The result is the chance to read about a ton of meaningful character growth from six (Rory still grows herself) different personalities. It is a buffet of excellent character writing.
Thanks to the expansion of the character focus, we also get a much larger diversity of themes in Revenge. Rory is still dealing with the problems of being a woman in a man’s world, but she also has a whole slew of new problems that divide her focus. One person is coping with the idea of being loved as a person instead of as a possession. One person is coping with the complete loss of their identity and looking for new meaning. One person is coping with the pressures of duty vs friendship. And everyone is dealing with themes like the first contact, the value of lesser evils, and weighing personal loss against the greater good. On top of all of this, Eason does a fabulous job exploring the nature of friendship. There are a number of interesting relationships and dichotomies between different characters that I never see explored, and it was so refreshing to see a more diverse set of connections.
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is a fantastic book that checks all of my boxes for something I highly recommend. In my opinion, its only failing is how short it feels, but given the pressures of working in a plague riddled world, it is easy to forgive the book for its singular issue. This series is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory, and I highly recommend you find the time to read it. Its heartfelt and emotional take on the bonds between people helped me feel more connected to those around me despite being locked inside to socially distance.
Rating: How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge – 8.0/10
No no, not this time. I am not letting another book in The Thorne Chronicle series slip under my radar. How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge (called Revenge going forwards) is the sequel to How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (Rory) by K. Eason. I somehow missed the first book when it came out last year and I refused to commit the same crime twice. You can find my review of Rory here, and you can find some bonus thoughts on it in our Best of Science Fantasy List here. It’s a wonderful story about female empowerment, everyone empowerment, creative problem solving, and how to use words and diplomacy to solve problems. The sequel lives up to the high bar that Rory set, with some minor change-ups that are worth talking about.
Revenge picks up a little while after the ending of Rory. One of my only complaints about the first book was how Eason handled the ending of the story. In essence, at the end of book one Eason waves her hands, lightly summarizes a number of big events that change the status quo of the universe, and announces that the remaining cast of characters from the book disappears into the void. It felt like a hard reset of all the progress the characters had made in Rory, and I am not a huge fan of major off-page events being quickly summarized in epilogues.
However, this reset did do a great job setting up the stakes for Revenge. Revenge’s narrative is split into two stories, each focusing on a different group of people. One follows Rupert (Rory’s old teacher) and Grytt (Rory’s old bodyguard), which I am calling team parental, as they receive a nebulous message that Rory is in danger and they should try to help her. Their story revolves around locating where Rory has gone, building an alliance to go help her, and trying to avoid igniting a war between different races that have a lot of friction. The second storyline follows Rory and the remaining side characters from book one. After too much time in the spotlight, they have decided to carve out a quiet life as salvagers – until they run into salvage that multiple galactic species are fighting over. So in one story, you have Rory and the crew fighting to stay alive while protecting their dangerous find. And in the other story, you have Rory’s parental figures marshaling the troops to come to rescue her.
It’s a really interesting story with a fun fusion of different science fiction and fantasy concepts that kept me engaged the entire time. The plot is generally satisfying, but the ending once again does the thing where it has a large number of major off-page events announced to you in a few pages. This is a bigger problem for me in Revenge than it was in Rory because it exacerbates the second book’s biggest issue – there isn’t enough there. I very much like Revenge, and the paragraphs following this one will talk all about the amazing things the book accomplishes. Yet, I can’t help but feel like I was cheated out of a full book. While the plot of book two was very engaging, there doesn’t feel like there was enough of it for a single book. I didn’t feel like the story had progressed enough to devote one of three books in a trilogy to this story. I found myself feeling starved of content and really wishing that Eason had explored almost everything in the book more. It was pretty disappointing. I get a distinct feeling that this is a classic “bridge book problem,” where the second novel in a trilogy spends too much time setting up the finale and loses some of its own identity.
Yet, all of these feelings are born from the fact that what is there in Revenge is so good. In Rory, Eason focused primarily on the titular character, and the themes revolved around female empowerment, solving situations that feel like they require violence with words, and exploring the idea of diplomacy more than all parties being unhappy with a compromise. These themes are all there in Revenge, but Eason shifts the focus primarily from Rory and her personal growth to the full cast. She elevates the supporting characters and builds a fleet of protagonists with Rory at the helm. This is a wonderful experience because much like Rory all five side characters that got elevated are amazing. In addition, Eason brings in a whole new set of side characters that fill the void left by the old. The result is the chance to read about a ton of meaningful character growth from six (Rory still grows herself) different personalities. It is a buffet of excellent character writing.
Thanks to the expansion of the character focus, we also get a much larger diversity of themes in Revenge. Rory is still dealing with the problems of being a woman in a man’s world, but she also has a whole slew of new problems that divide her focus. One person is coping with the idea of being loved as a person instead of as a possession. One person is coping with the complete loss of their identity and looking for new meaning. One person is coping with the pressures of duty vs friendship. And everyone is dealing with themes like the first contact, the value of lesser evils, and weighing personal loss against the greater good. On top of all of this, Eason does a fabulous job exploring the nature of friendship. There are a number of interesting relationships and dichotomies between different characters that I never see explored, and it was so refreshing to see a more diverse set of connections.
How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge is a fantastic book that checks all of my boxes for something I highly recommend. In my opinion, its only failing is how short it feels, but given the pressures of working in a plague riddled world, it is easy to forgive the book for its singular issue. This series is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory, and I highly recommend you find the time to read it. Its heartfelt and emotional take on the bonds between people helped me feel more connected to those around me despite being locked inside to socially distance.
Rating: How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge – 8.0/10
November 29, 2020
Oh how I wanted to love this book. How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse was one of my favorite books of 2019. It was quirky, it was unique, and it was absolutely original. Eason did a fantastic job of adapting a classic fairytale into a space setting and adding so many wonderful layers of politics.
Unfortunately, How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. The writing style that worked so beautifully in the first one got bogged down as we follow multiple POV characters and multiple storylines. I did like getting to know the side characters more but it felt rather disjointed. I adored the political intrigue in the first book and, while there was some of that here, the majority of the storyline was taken up with shoot-outs, violence, and general destruction. Also, I felt like the sentient plant storyline was kind of a let-down. Plus so much of the plot ultimately revolved around Rory still being a Princess and having some sort of galactic destiny that she had to fulfill. Which would have been fine if the entire first book hadn’t been about her wanting to move beyond the role she was born into and repudiating the idea of destiny. So it just kind of felt wrong that she was being forced into that role again.
Overall, it just felt like How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge couldn’t quite decide what type of a story it wanted to be. I do think that Eason is a talented writer and I plan on picking up any future books she writes.
*Disclaimer: I received an advance digital copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Unfortunately, How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. The writing style that worked so beautifully in the first one got bogged down as we follow multiple POV characters and multiple storylines. I did like getting to know the side characters more but it felt rather disjointed. I adored the political intrigue in the first book and, while there was some of that here, the majority of the storyline was taken up with shoot-outs, violence, and general destruction. Also, I felt like the sentient plant storyline was kind of a let-down. Plus so much of the plot ultimately revolved around Rory still being a Princess and having some sort of galactic destiny that she had to fulfill. Which would have been fine if the entire first book hadn’t been about her wanting to move beyond the role she was born into and repudiating the idea of destiny. So it just kind of felt wrong that she was being forced into that role again.
Overall, it just felt like How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge couldn’t quite decide what type of a story it wanted to be. I do think that Eason is a talented writer and I plan on picking up any future books she writes.
*Disclaimer: I received an advance digital copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 29, 2023
This book is so underrated; I was going to give it a five just to cheer it up. In the end I didn’t need to, it earned its five all by itself. It really is a super book.
The first book How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse I called cozy SF, this one isn’t cozy, it’s not hard SF either, it’s different. A bit like Anthony Trollope crossed with Tales of the Ketty Jay (two favorites of mine), how about political space opera. It’s gorgeously complicated, the princess and the vizier are just as devious as in the first book. They have tricky enemies, but luckily are consummate negotiators. The way K. Eason writes is enjoyable to read; it dragged me in, and was quite funny. I love the asides, little explanations and digressions. Human characters are mostly the same as in the first book; it was nice that Thorsdottir got more space in this book. There were also some good aliens.
Ignore all the negative reviews, if you enjoyed the first book, you’ll like this one too.
The first book How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse I called cozy SF, this one isn’t cozy, it’s not hard SF either, it’s different. A bit like Anthony Trollope crossed with Tales of the Ketty Jay (two favorites of mine), how about political space opera. It’s gorgeously complicated, the princess and the vizier are just as devious as in the first book. They have tricky enemies, but luckily are consummate negotiators. The way K. Eason writes is enjoyable to read; it dragged me in, and was quite funny. I love the asides, little explanations and digressions. Human characters are mostly the same as in the first book; it was nice that Thorsdottir got more space in this book. There were also some good aliens.
Ignore all the negative reviews, if you enjoyed the first book, you’ll like this one too.
December 5, 2020
I gave the first one 5 stars - this one gets less for a few reasons - the biggest reason is that while I liked the first one a lot I couldn't remember the details of the plot nor the different characters between the first book and the second book so I felt a bit confused by trying to remember who everyone was in the second book and how the plot of book 2 comes from the events of book 1. Why don't authors who write multi-book stories refuse to start the next book in the series with a brief recap -what-you can't write an extra hundred words?
And because the political events of the first book were not locked in my memory I found that the politics of the second book bewildering and at times uninteresting. There were so many fractions; an empire, a protectorate, a confederacy, blah blah blah -
What I really liked about book one were the characters - especially Rory Thorne - I still liked the characters but am glad this is only two books because I can just imagine my confusion if there is a third book..
Let me say here that this is originally a duology but I wonder if that will hold -
And because the political events of the first book were not locked in my memory I found that the politics of the second book bewildering and at times uninteresting. There were so many fractions; an empire, a protectorate, a confederacy, blah blah blah -
What I really liked about book one were the characters - especially Rory Thorne - I still liked the characters but am glad this is only two books because I can just imagine my confusion if there is a third book..
Let me say here that this is originally a duology but I wonder if that will hold -
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2022
Another awesome title that belies what is, in my opinion, a rather boring book. I agree with the majority of reviews on here that the first book was better. It wasn't perfect, but it at least had lots of things happening. This book is 90% talking, mainly trying to figure out who each other is and why everyone is converging on this one point in space. And once there finally is some action, the narrator skips over it to just tell us the end results. For some readers, that might be great, but I found myself irritated that something finally happened besides talking and we didn't get to see it.
I'll admit, it might be a me problem, but I found it difficult to remember who's who, and which of the xenos are antagonists and why they showed up. The most interesting character, and the whole reason for the conflict in the first place, is a sentient rose, and it is severely underutilized. Also, why a rose? Why not an interesting alien plant? It seemed out of place.
I do think Eason has created an interesting world and a few interesting characters (Grytt, Rupert, and Thorsdottir are my faves, Jaed is growing on me, Rory was a bit annoying). I think the stories just focus too much on politics and negotiations for my taste. But at least the title is still super cool.
I'll admit, it might be a me problem, but I found it difficult to remember who's who, and which of the xenos are antagonists and why they showed up. The most interesting character, and the whole reason for the conflict in the first place, is a sentient rose, and it is severely underutilized. Also, why a rose? Why not an interesting alien plant? It seemed out of place.
I do think Eason has created an interesting world and a few interesting characters (Grytt, Rupert, and Thorsdottir are my faves, Jaed is growing on me, Rory was a bit annoying). I think the stories just focus too much on politics and negotiations for my taste. But at least the title is still super cool.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews