Head of Zeus -- an AdAstra Book The Wall Storms

A wonderful story over 4 volumes written very much within the traditions of classic Chinese literature.Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is somehow a Western fantasy series; if you approach it from that perspective (as I fear some reviewers have) you run the risk of feeling let down and disappointed. Rather look at this story in the way you might read The Story of the Stone or The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: to me Ken Liu has written his book whilst breathing the air of the classical writers and employing a lot of the narrative tricks they used to explore all the different characters and their interactions with the heroes of the moment.It’s a wonderful story, full of humour, pathos, love and tragedy. I can’t recommend it highly enough….and if, after you’ve enjoyed this and you haven’t read The Story of the Stone or The Romance of the Three Kingdoms then go try them out as well.

This is the second book in Ken Liu's epic fantasy series, "The Dandelion Dynasty." Like the first book, it is ambitious, imaginative, and original. There are wonderful, dramatic, epic events, particularly in the second half. The worldbuilding is superb. There are strong female characters, and discussions about the options open to women and to the poor. There are lengthy expository sections, but they are not clumsily expository, rather they are joyously expository, communicating a delight in technology that I associate much more with science fiction than with fantasy. (Nonetheless, this is unmistakably fantasy, not least because the large cast of characters includes gods.)Thanks to these strengths, I read the first half of this book with interest, and read the second half with enjoyment. Had I liked the characters half as much as I liked the plot and the worldbuilding, I would have loved this wholeheartedly. But the alchemy that makes characters likable, an alchemy that depends not just on what the author has written but also on the reader's biases and preferences, failed for me. There are several characters--Zomi, Thera, Vadyu--whom I felt that I ought to have liked, that I was meant to have liked, and yet that I failed to like. I didn't dislike them, but an absence of dislike is not the same as fondness. With the exception of Luan Zya, I didn't grow attached to any of the main characters.As a minor quibble, I noticed several incidences where information was pointedly withheld from the reader, a technique that I find irritating rather than suspenseful. It is, however, a well-established technique, and practiced by some of my favorite authors, such as Guy Gavriel Kay.In conclusion, I'm glad that I read "The Wall of Storms," even though I didn't warm to its characters.

Perfeito, sem defeitos <3

The Grace of Kings instantly became one of my favorite books and was like a breath of fresh air for the often stale fantasy genre. I entered with high expectations and it certainly lived up to it!It broadened the scope of the world and raised the stakes. Many reviewers are saying the sequel is better, but I still give the slight edge to the first. This isn't a critcism of Wall of Storms, but more of how much I loved The Grace of Kings. Wall of Storms is still easily a five star read. What I didn't like: I thought the first third of the book was a little dull and the heroes of the story had a rough time of it so, at points, it was depressing.What I liked: worldbuilding, philosophy, action scenes, believable characters, and how the writing is engaging but very poetic. I also liked how it ended at a very good place; still lots to happen, but it looks like book three will pick up ten years later. Amazing series!

It took me a little while to get into this book - the huge cast of characters and the complex political situation from Book #1 (The Grace of Kings) were hard to recall. But that was a temporary situation. Once again, Ken Liu has created a full-bore EPIC - a silkpunk extravaganza - that will certainly take its place as a standard of modern fantasy. I can see a time in the future when I re-read this series like Elizabeth Bear's Eternal Sky, or even The Lord of the Rings, ferreting out nuances I missed, and celebrating the triumphs and challenges of the beloved cast.Now I am book sad because he hasn't published the third book.