The House of Binding Thorns (Dominion of the Fallen, #2) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Apr 12, 2018 Bradley rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2018-shelf, urban-fantasy

'18 Hugo nom for the shorter works.

I read the first novel in this series and bounced off from it, unfortunately. Picking up this in-between tale before the next novel was pretty fine, tho. Lots of action. Still not caring too much about the characters or the house too much, but the basic idea was okay. I want to like it more than I do. ...more

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Jul 15, 2020 Lata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bipoc-actor, sf-f-h, auth-f, bipoc-author, x2020-read

While not a direct sequel to the House of Shattered Wings, this picks up a number of threads from that book, while focusing much of the action on House Hawthorn, and their growing relationship with the Dragon Kingdom.
Hawthorn sends a delegation to the Dragon House, with recovering angel essence addict Madeleine as one of the team.
Ngoc Bich is seeking an alliance for the diminished dragons, and on the surface things seem both fine and badly wrong in the kingdom. Madeleine notes that there seems t While not a direct sequel to the House of Shattered Wings, this picks up a number of threads from that book, while focusing much of the action on House Hawthorn, and their growing relationship with the Dragon Kingdom.
Hawthorn sends a delegation to the Dragon House, with recovering angel essence addict Madeleine as one of the team.
Ngoc Bich is seeking an alliance for the diminished dragons, and on the surface things seem both fine and badly wrong in the kingdom. Madeleine notes that there seems to be a sickness, a wrongness to everything.
Elsewhere in Paris, an Annamite woman, Francoise, who is in in a relationship with a fallen woman, Berith, is pregnant and wields a form of fallen magic. It is soon revealed that Berith is Asmodeus’ brother; Asmodeus is keen to have the pair within Hawthorn.
Another House, made up of previously unaffiliated individuals, appears and begins threatening the two women, and the Annamite population in Paris, forcing Francoise to consider Asmodeus’ offer of safety to the two.
And to complicate things, guess who’s Francoise’s Doctor? Philippe, who’s helping Annamite humans not affiliated with any House, while still looking for a way to resuscitate Isabel.
And finally young dragon Thuan, whom we met in Children of Hope, Children of Thirns, is learning as much as he can spying within Hawthorn. Frightening as Asmodeus is, he’s compelling, as Thuan finds out later when he is forced to return home.

The imagery in this book was oddly lovely, despite so much of it involving rotting, crumbling and decrepit things; de Bodard has such a way with words!
The politics and conflicting motives of everyone involved made for slightly confusing reading, but I loved spending so much time within the Dragon kingdom, and spending so much time with new character Francoise and Berith. And Thuan shows himself more adept at dealing with plots and politics than I expected, and he will have much to do, along with Asmodeus and hopefully Francpise, in book 3, which I’m eager to get to. ...more

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Jul 16, 2018 Lata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-f-h, auth-f, bipoc-actor, bipoc-author, x2020-read, x2018-read, dragons

2020-06: On my second reading, I could really appreciate how atmospheric this story is. And how sinister the thorny children and the House were.
My earlier review also covers my other feelings about this story, so I’ll just finish my saying that I now want a chocolate éclair. Thanks Thuan.

2018-07: Fascinating to see the fallout from book one to Asmodeus' House. I like that we're also seeing the dragons engaging, even though it's because of encroachment by the other Houses. I wonder if we'll see ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 DivaDiane SM rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-aloud, sfbr-2020-tbr-challenge

RTC

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Jul 16, 2018 Cathy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Desperate people come to take a test, in hopes of being taken into a house of fallen angels. Two of them are spies from a dragon kingdom. Dark magic ensues.

I liked it. There was nice, creepy imagery and I identified with the main characters quickly. The world building was well done and the narrative flowed well and kept me hooked.

Hugo Awards 2018 Novelette Nominee

Story can be found here: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/c... ...more

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