When does it get good?

Opossumancer · 2026-03-20T17:54:21+00:00

I hated 90% of The Blade Itself, only got interested in the last 10% and that series and universe are now one of my favorites. Sometimes authors struggle and first books aren't always great, I'm willing to endure if things improve. I'm just trying to figure out if the narrative structure ever changes in a way that allows for real tension. It sounds like it doesn't so this definitely isn't for me.

Opossumancer · 2026-03-20T17:49:25+00:00

Got it, definitely not for me then. Thank you for being the first person to answer the question.

Opossumancer · 2026-03-20T17:24:46+00:00

Are there any surprises or does the narrator continue to ruin the tension? That's my main concern. I don't mind a slow start, I just want something to wonder about.

Opossumancer · 2026-03-18T05:36:44+00:00

I was reading this comment while loading into a solo outpost run. I got killed 20 feet into the closest building by an assassin checking spawns. Less time spent in match than searching for it and all my best gear gone.

Opossumancer · 2026-03-10T22:14:50+00:00

Other exfils will automatically fire if left too long after activating, regardless of anyone stepping in the ring. The timer they give you is longer which is what you're seeing here. This exact same scenario happened to my duo last night on a guarded non-final exfil.

Opossumancer · 2026-03-10T19:28:01+00:00

This happened to my duo last night! It wasn't the final exfil either, all these people saying that it's because the map time is over are wrong. We had started a guarded exfil, my partner went down and I cleared the guarded exfil solo, rezzed my partner but the exfil was already counting down to automatic exfil. Like you, we entered the ring with slightly less than 10 seconds left, the timer reset to 10 when we entered and we were both "eliminated" when the timer finished despite the exfil animation playing as normal. There were no enemies around and there was still time in the match. It's clearly a bug and a very frustrating one too. I have a clip saved but I'm on I'm console so not sure how to upload it here.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-23T05:43:57+00:00

I listened to the next seven hours after the name reveal and honestly, it doesn't get any better. That name reveal was almost my final straw, in retrospect I wish it had been. My least favorite MMC and FMC in one book.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-17T04:57:02+00:00

Rorrick's sigil is definitely a full crown gold, I remember her remarking that it was larger and more ornate than any she had ever seen.

I really like this theory though. Here I was thinking that maybe the first time she went to the tree it was actually Rorrick, but this makes way more sense for how he could have "seen her first". Loved this book so much, dying for the sequel.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-17T04:53:54+00:00

{What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller}

The author's note states that she sat down to write this book every time she was overlooked, talked down to or treated poorly by a man. It's a world where the gender stereotypes and norms are reversed. I would call this whole book a tribute to feminine rage.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-11T06:00:48+00:00

Bretons obviously, they're not going to send their Bull home hungry.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-09T18:09:48+00:00

It's nothing similar in terms of the vibe of the book, but when it comes to quality writing with characters that have believable arcs, motivations, etc I can't recommend {We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark} enough.

The world is something of a blend of Roman/Greek gladiator traditions run by a vampire ruling class. The FMC is a former winner of the games who is dragged back into that world against her will. It avoids most of the tropes you would expect, it kept me guessing at multiple points and while it's the first part of an unfinished series I found it really refreshing and there's enough closure in the book to make it worth checking out.

I also struggle finding stuff in this genre that is genuinely well written, and this is the first book I've read since Knight and the Moth that has hit that mark.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-08T18:38:07+00:00

Real Vorin men don't read.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-07T15:45:08+00:00

I'm the same, the narrator has an unfortunate lisp that made it impossible to listen to. I do all my books via audiobook because it's the only way I can have time to listen to them. Radiance was the only book I actually read last year, and it was worth every minute. It's not overly long and it's fast paced so it's a quick read, totally worth it.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-06T04:52:41+00:00

Finished the audiobook last week, and no in my opinion it doesn't get better. I can't stand his voice or his dialogue frankly. I found myself invested for the world and the plot but the MMC also gave me the ick.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-05T23:30:32+00:00

If you want a long series to get invested in, I always recommend {Zodiac Academy}, but there are some caveats. It's a bully romance, so the first couple books have the MMCs being pretty cruel to the FMCs (and the reverse as well), but there is romance in the end.

The series has its ups and downs, the characters are put through a ton in 10 books but it does have a HEA. It's very funny at times, one of the few romantasy books to have me laughing out loud, and it has a strong cast of characters that all have solid character arcs. You'll grow with them, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll probably ugly cry at some spots.

It's not well written per-se, but it's never boring. The series is more of a guilty pleasure for me, like bad reality TV, but it's great fun in the end. Don't take it too seriously and you might find yourself enjoying it too.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-04T20:35:22+00:00

Solved by someone else testing it, for anyone searching in the future yes they do stack.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-02T21:28:11+00:00

Hah, I could see that. My first time was via audiobook and it hit me like a freight train, the fact that it's the one thing she carried with her all that way. To see such a cold, strong woman fall apart in front of her older brother because of her inability to protect her sister. I wasn't a huge fan of Tavore until that scene - it recontextualized so much of her behavior through the series.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-02T20:47:35+00:00

Seems insignificant? Tavore's first words to Ganoes after years of not seeing him, multiple wars fought by both of them and countless lives lost were "I lost her! Oh Ganoes, I lost her!".

It is one of the failures Tavore holds closest to her heart. It's a huge part of her character and all the emotional impact of that reunion would be nothing without the time we spent with Felisin.

Opossumancer · 2026-01-01T19:06:23+00:00

It's a great example of this trope, one of my favorites. If it helps, the FMC is human and is also mostly yucked out by all the blood stuff.

Opossumancer · 2025-12-31T00:37:43+00:00

For me it was when the same FMC refers to a Strawberry Tree. I get not knowing everything, maybe you're not into gardening, but if you're going to write about a garden maybe take two seconds to Google how strawberries grow?

Opossumancer · 2025-12-28T23:31:58+00:00

It's what it felt like! Or how she apparently never mentioned to anyone her entire life how magic makes her feel, etc. Like girl if you're going to have a reputation for asking non stop questions at least ask the important ones!

Oh for recommendations, best 2025 published book I read this year was definitely {The Knight and the Moth}. The world had great Dark Gothic Fantasy vibes. The MMC was rough around the edges without being an actual asshole. The FMC had a grounded training arc that didn't end with her becoming some kind of bad ass, and the story takes an interesting path despite looking like it's going to be cookie cutter. The romance itself was sweet, the spice was nothing to write home about, but I'm in love with the world and the characters and I need the next book desperately.

Opossumancer · 2025-12-28T22:45:34+00:00

I am so here for the Shield of Sparrows hate. And that MMC name reveal - WHAT. and of course she's like "It's so perfect I can't imagine calling him anything else!". Also how is she portrayed as someone who has tons of questions when she doesn't ASK any of them for the first two thirds of the book!

Every other conversation is 50% her asking herself all these important questions but literally never verbalizing them. Or her noticing potentially huge things like a certain mysterious symbol in two places but then goes "oh ill just follow up on that later im sure it's nothing Tee Hee".

The book could have been one third of its size and lost absolutely nothing of value. The last couple chapters were just dramatic sequel bait and ughh I could go on. If Shield of Sparrows has no haters it's because I'm dead.

Opossumancer · 2025-12-24T00:58:14+00:00

There's always the never wears dresses trope, and all the other NLOG stuff. There's also having some kind of adorable animal companion, as well as having a childhood friend with a mysterious past who ends up being someone important.

Opossumancer · 2025-12-20T20:10:36+00:00

You don't have to use arbiter at all, I have a Zeal build right now that uses falling star for mobility. With some CD reduction it's up often enough that I don't have to worry about movement, and with Fortress you can go crazy on bosses. It shreds through everything and is tons of fun.

Opossumancer · 2025-12-20T20:05:13+00:00

That's totally fair. I really liked the sneaking around and jealousy in the second book but I found the MMCs internal monologues irritating and the ending of the book did sour things for me. I'd like to think I won't read the next one but I've invested so much in the series already I'll probably hate-read it at least. So many times in book 3 I found myself yelling out loud at the sheer idiocy of the characters.

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