Every game is a gamble. Certainty is the last thing you want when you begin. If victory is guaranteed, there is no game at all. In war, however, we crave certainty. No fool ever went to war with the cast-iron belief that they would win – or that the likelihood of losing was so small as to make the bloody price of every move worthwhile. You don’t go to war for the thrill, but for the gain. The question is whether any gain, any outcome, can justify the way you play.
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In a nutshell
The Song Rising is the third novel in the Bone Season Series, the first and second reviewed here and here. In book three, Paige Mahoney has been crowned Underqueen, ruling over the clairvoyant syndicate of London. As Paige tries to balance two lives – that of the Underqueen, rallying her army of criminals and her dalliances with former enemy Arcturus Mesarthim – Scion is busy introducing Senshield, a deadly technology, spelling doom for clairvoyants.
Book Club Notes
I’ve said it before and I’ll likely keep repeating it each time I review one of the Bone Season novels – this is the series of books that changed my mind about fantasy fiction. Samantha Shannon is brilliant and her books are captivating. That being said, out of all the four books (fourth review to follow), The Song Rising was my least favorite. One of the shortest books, it was the least thrilling and the ending while a cliffhanger wasn’t one that had me dying to pick up the next one.
Read If
You like fantasy or want to try fantasy but are looking for something that is more mature and a real page turner. Make sure you’ve read both The Bone Season and The Mime Order first.
Rating
Writing – 10/10
Character Development – 7/10
Plot Twist – 8/10
Shareability – 9/10
The Nitty Gritty
Published by: Bloomsbury, distributed by Jonathon Ball
ISBN: 978-1-5266-6482-2
Pages: 341
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A note on our book ratings
Storyline: How good is the storyline? Is it believable and complex or does it make you shake your head in its ridiculousness?
Writing: How well written is the book? Do you find yourself wowed by the writing or unimpressed?
Character Development: Do the characters evolve and grow through the book and are they multi-dimensional?
Plot Twist: Were you able to predict the end, or did the author give you some surprises along the way to keep you on your toes?
Shareability: How likely are you to share the book?
