What do you think?
Rate this book
Blacktongue #0
The Daughters' War
Enter the fray in this luminous new adventure from Christopher Buehlman, set during the war-torn, goblin-infested years just before The Blacktongue Thief .
The goblins have killed all of our horses and most of our men.
They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and still they wage war.
Now, our daughters take up arms.
Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill ― has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted ― not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side. But some hopes are worth any risk.
The goblins have killed all of our horses and most of our men.
They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and still they wage war.
Now, our daughters take up arms.
Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill ― has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted ― not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side. But some hopes are worth any risk.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
July 24, 2024
I took a day off and read the last three quarters of this in one go. That's a very rare occurence, reserved for the tiny number of novels that really get their teeth into me.
I'm sure I overvalue my own talent and read many books that I could not have written - but Buehlman is one of those writers who rubs it in my face. I'm constantly aware of my own failings as a wordsmith when reading his work.
I loved this book. To be fair, I also loved The Blacktongue Thief, to which this is a prequel. The Daughters' War is both similar and different to Blacktongue.
It's similar because it's set in the same world (ten or twenty years earlier), the same alien foe (the goblins) are a big factor (much bigger here), and it carries the same brutal, uncompromising edge ... in fact a large fraction of it is edge. And Galva, the character through whose eyes we see the world, was the #2 (non-point-of-view) character in Blacktongue.
It's different because it focuses on a war, but primarily because Galva is a very different person to our black-tongued friend, and Beuhlman, being a brilliant writer, is all about character, letting it colour everything.
Where Kinch was pragmatic, experienced beyond his years, humorous, and a thief in his bones, Galva is unflinchingly honest, rigidly moral, and touchingly vulnerable despite her martial skills. She's 20 in the book and the horrors she witnesses are somehow more impactful precisely because of her tendency for understatement and her difficulty with expressing emotion.
We see Galva in a troop of women each with two giant ravens, bred specifically to kill goblins. This is an experiment and the birds have been magically enhanced by Fulvir - a magician who plays a significant role in the other book.
Despite their stabby/pecky habits the ravens are "animal companions" and your eyes will mist if/when any of them come to harm.
Galva's story is both broadened and deepened by the fact that three of her brothers are in the army that is launched against the goblin hordes. This allows for all manner of family dynamics, both the fair and the foul (I will resist the fowl pun here).
Anyone who has read the first (second?) book will know that goblins are nasty NASTY nasty fuckers, and that's leaned into here. They are not, however, the "problematic" kind of evil race that modern fantasy tries to avoid - these are an alien race from ... somewhere "beyond". Their bodies don't rot, flies won't touch them. They view us as meat and their actions, however horrid, have a logic to them. They have their own culture and are intelligent. And it's quite easy to imagine that if they were just a little less good at killing us, the human armies would be doing almost as horrific shit in the goblin world.
Whilst Blacktongue had a strong undercurrent of humour to leven the terror, this book is more harrowing. It's an exercise in grief, both on the small scale of individual humans, lost friends, atrocities witnessed, and on the scale of humanity. We grieve with Glava for lost cities, for vanished generations, for the works of our kind lying in ruin, unvalued by the foe. It is very moving.
This is not unremittingly sad though. There are plenty of moments of hope, of victories both small and large (although the underlying trend feels sharply downwards at most points). And there's love too - the love of family, of friends, of her people, and even small but poignant elements of romance (with a tasteful veil drawn across the sex - which I appreciated, not from prudishness, but because it felt appropriate).
The battles and individual combats are exciting and inventive - the goblins are a great foe in terms of imagination and possibilities.
It's a bitter sweet story, with a lot more bitter than sweet, but enough sweet that it was (for me at least) a pleasure rather than an ordeal to read.
Buehlman tells the story in a fresh and engaging way. Galva addresses us as a friend or family member to whom she's retelling this story years later, albeit in a frank and very honest way. We see letters from her younger brother and father that provide different views and context.
As always (again: at least for me) the key to a great book is great writing. Buehlman's prose is always powerful, never purple, he paints clear pictures and reaches into the heart of things making it all real (too real sometimes).
A truly excellent book.
If you loved Blacktongue you will very likely love this one for the same reasons.
If you didn't love Blacktongue you might well find enough differences here to love this one.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
June 6, 2024
ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review.
The Daughters’ War is a very different kind of prequel novel to The Blacktongue Thief.
When I first heard about the announcement for The Daughters’ War, my initial thought was that this felt like a novel I didn’t know I needed. For those who don’t know, The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman came out in 2021. Three years ago. Back then, before the publication day, there was a lot of hype and praise gifted by many amazing epic fantasy authors. And The Blacktongue Thief became one of the most entertaining novels I’ve read with the right balance of darkness and laughing-out-loud humor. In that book, Galva is one of the distinct supporting characters from The Blacktongue Thief who accompanies Kinch Na Shannack, the protagonist, in his quest. The Daughters’ War is a prequel novel about Galva and her participation in the Goblin’s war. Unfortunately, as much as I want to like it, I did not enjoy this book as much as The Blacktongue Thief.
The goblins have killed mercilessly. They have enslaved cities, burned fields, and still they wage war. Now, the daughters take up arms. Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
And that’s really it. Not only that’s the premise of the The Daughters’ War, that’s the entire novel in a nutshell. Of course, being a prequel novel, if you’ve read The Blacktongue Thief, you’ll know the fate of Galva and her family. It is all about the details. But reading The Daughters’ War, at the end of the day, did not grant me with many things I didn’t know plot-wise. It might make rereading The Blacktongue Thief more enriching, though, because we learn so much more about Galva, the world-building, and the war mentioned relatively often in that book. The entire story is told (mostly) from the first-person perspective of Galva in a memoir format. Occasionally, we’ll be switching to reading a journal written by Amiel, one of Galva’s beloved brothers. This provided me with a variety of reading experiences. And believe me, the story in The Daughters’ War did get dark and brutal. Much more than The Blacktongue Thief. However, this became one of the weaknesses of the book for me. Not because of the darkness per se, but because the only characters I cared about and felt invested in were Galva and Amiel.
I highly enjoyed reading about Galva’s character development and her complex relationship with her family and The Raven Knights. But it is worth noting that, as I said at the beginning of this review, The Daughters’ War is very different when compared to The Blacktongue Thief. Two other main reasons other than the storytelling format, Galva is a stoic character with few words, and I believe The Daughters’ War is more rooted in military fantasy rather than epic fantasy quest demonstrated in the Blacktongue Thief. I won’t lie. For more than half of the book, I did not feel there was a clear goal of Galva’s memoir other than to, well, inform readers about her past. Personally, I found Galva’s stoic demeanor and this factor to decrease my reading enjoyment.
It is not all bad, though. As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about The Daughters’ War. Some parts did not click with me, and some parts did. One of my favorite things about The Daughters' War, similar to The Blacktongue Thief, is reading Buehlman’s writing. There's always something about his prose, even though this is a different kind of book to its predecessor (or sequel), that feels charming and compelling. I had a great time reading Buehlman’s prose. The goblins are still terrifying as hell, and as I said earlier, the world-building in The Daughters’ War is incredible. Additionally, if you are a reader who loves reading military fantasy, I think you will get a kick out of the tactics, battles, and the character's struggles.
Overall, I will conclude by saying The Daughters’ War is a good prequel novel that did not feel fully compatible with me. It is difficult to top Kinch Na Shannack’s distinct narration and storytelling. Humor is one of the most challenging things to nail in fantasy fiction, in my opinion, and my admiration of The Blacktongue Thief improved a lot because of how good Buehlman is at including humor in his narrative. It is unfortunate and understandable that we do not have that in The Daughters' War. However, I will remind you who's reading this review right now. I am certainly on the unpopular side with my lukewarm reaction to The Daughters' War. Most reviews and ratings I've seen toward this book are incredibly positive, and I urge you to read The Daughters' War regardless of my review. It is undoubtedly a tale of war, betrayal, and vengeance. I look forward to reading the sequel of The Blacktongue Thief.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Sophia, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
The Daughters’ War is a very different kind of prequel novel to The Blacktongue Thief.
“One who has studied and thinks oneself capable might be undone to discover how much less one knows than one thinks.”
When I first heard about the announcement for The Daughters’ War, my initial thought was that this felt like a novel I didn’t know I needed. For those who don’t know, The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman came out in 2021. Three years ago. Back then, before the publication day, there was a lot of hype and praise gifted by many amazing epic fantasy authors. And The Blacktongue Thief became one of the most entertaining novels I’ve read with the right balance of darkness and laughing-out-loud humor. In that book, Galva is one of the distinct supporting characters from The Blacktongue Thief who accompanies Kinch Na Shannack, the protagonist, in his quest. The Daughters’ War is a prequel novel about Galva and her participation in the Goblin’s war. Unfortunately, as much as I want to like it, I did not enjoy this book as much as The Blacktongue Thief.
“Give the Mouth of the Storm to Galvicha, for that is truly where she is going.”
The goblins have killed mercilessly. They have enslaved cities, burned fields, and still they wage war. Now, the daughters take up arms. Galva ― Galvicha to her three brothers, has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
“I think now that I acted pridefully, that I was showing off. But I would forgive another twenty-year-old this, and so I forgive myself. This has been a hard skill to learn, the forgiving of self, and it is not always easy to know when it is good and when it is indulgent. But there is not so much time in life that we should spend it being sorry. It was a glorious hour or so, in a time of fear and horror, and I would not trade the memory of it for a feeling that I had behaved more properly. Such things are good, in moderation. Moderation, too, is good in moderation.
And that’s really it. Not only that’s the premise of the The Daughters’ War, that’s the entire novel in a nutshell. Of course, being a prequel novel, if you’ve read The Blacktongue Thief, you’ll know the fate of Galva and her family. It is all about the details. But reading The Daughters’ War, at the end of the day, did not grant me with many things I didn’t know plot-wise. It might make rereading The Blacktongue Thief more enriching, though, because we learn so much more about Galva, the world-building, and the war mentioned relatively often in that book. The entire story is told (mostly) from the first-person perspective of Galva in a memoir format. Occasionally, we’ll be switching to reading a journal written by Amiel, one of Galva’s beloved brothers. This provided me with a variety of reading experiences. And believe me, the story in The Daughters’ War did get dark and brutal. Much more than The Blacktongue Thief. However, this became one of the weaknesses of the book for me. Not because of the darkness per se, but because the only characters I cared about and felt invested in were Galva and Amiel.
“First I saw Pol, and we embraced, and I felt glad. Then I saw Galva and my heart lit from within. I do not know if it is because she is my full sister, or because she has always watched over me, at least those early years, and those holiday visits when she was home from the Academy of Sword, but I have always felt her to be something more than just a sister. Something between a sister and a best friend and a guardian spirit. She is more precious to me than cool water and a roof.”
I highly enjoyed reading about Galva’s character development and her complex relationship with her family and The Raven Knights. But it is worth noting that, as I said at the beginning of this review, The Daughters’ War is very different when compared to The Blacktongue Thief. Two other main reasons other than the storytelling format, Galva is a stoic character with few words, and I believe The Daughters’ War is more rooted in military fantasy rather than epic fantasy quest demonstrated in the Blacktongue Thief. I won’t lie. For more than half of the book, I did not feel there was a clear goal of Galva’s memoir other than to, well, inform readers about her past. Personally, I found Galva’s stoic demeanor and this factor to decrease my reading enjoyment.
“When a member of the family first begins to hurt you, they may choose from many weapons, all sharp, all sure to draw blood. The first cuts are the worst, though every cut will hurt, no matter how well you learn to hide it.”
It is not all bad, though. As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about The Daughters’ War. Some parts did not click with me, and some parts did. One of my favorite things about The Daughters' War, similar to The Blacktongue Thief, is reading Buehlman’s writing. There's always something about his prose, even though this is a different kind of book to its predecessor (or sequel), that feels charming and compelling. I had a great time reading Buehlman’s prose. The goblins are still terrifying as hell, and as I said earlier, the world-building in The Daughters’ War is incredible. Additionally, if you are a reader who loves reading military fantasy, I think you will get a kick out of the tactics, battles, and the character's struggles.
“To move an army well is more difficult than to win a battle. Many battles are lost before they are fought because soldiers are starving, or they have not slept, or they are so mad for water they cannot be kept in formation near a stream.”
Overall, I will conclude by saying The Daughters’ War is a good prequel novel that did not feel fully compatible with me. It is difficult to top Kinch Na Shannack’s distinct narration and storytelling. Humor is one of the most challenging things to nail in fantasy fiction, in my opinion, and my admiration of The Blacktongue Thief improved a lot because of how good Buehlman is at including humor in his narrative. It is unfortunate and understandable that we do not have that in The Daughters' War. However, I will remind you who's reading this review right now. I am certainly on the unpopular side with my lukewarm reaction to The Daughters' War. Most reviews and ratings I've seen toward this book are incredibly positive, and I urge you to read The Daughters' War regardless of my review. It is undoubtedly a tale of war, betrayal, and vengeance. I look forward to reading the sequel of The Blacktongue Thief.
“I did not know what to say to this, so I grunted, which made him laugh one quiet ha, which in turn made me smile. To love someone well is to know their small noises, and to hear home in them. This is not a small thing on foreign soil.”
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Sophia, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
July 23, 2024
Watch my video review by clicking here.
4.5 stars. A wonderful prequel story to Blacktongue Thief that substituted the swashbuckling adventure story, for a horrific war story. Very different tone, but every bit as good (if not better).
4.5 stars. A wonderful prequel story to Blacktongue Thief that substituted the swashbuckling adventure story, for a horrific war story. Very different tone, but every bit as good (if not better).
June 25, 2024
Although this is a prequel to The Blacktongue Thief, I found the tone and writing style quite different.
It is told almost entirely from the point of view of Galva, soldier in a special women's regiment who trains birds of war, the Corvids. Through her eyes, we experience the third Goblin War.
The story was interesting but it's the fantastic writing and the wide range of emotions this book made me feel that will stay with me.
I felt horror, fear and rage. I felt love and compassion, friendship and attraction. And I felt them so deeply.
I listened to the audiobook version and I must say that once again it was a wonderful adaptation by Macmillan audio. Everything about the narrator, her voice, accent, tone, etc. went perfectly with the story and only served to enhance my experience.
I highly recommend this audiobook.
It is told almost entirely from the point of view of Galva, soldier in a special women's regiment who trains birds of war, the Corvids. Through her eyes, we experience the third Goblin War.
The story was interesting but it's the fantastic writing and the wide range of emotions this book made me feel that will stay with me.
I felt horror, fear and rage. I felt love and compassion, friendship and attraction. And I felt them so deeply.
I listened to the audiobook version and I must say that once again it was a wonderful adaptation by Macmillan audio. Everything about the narrator, her voice, accent, tone, etc. went perfectly with the story and only served to enhance my experience.
I highly recommend this audiobook.
June 15, 2024
For my review of The Daughters' War, I’m going to start with a quote from Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.
‘At the temple there is a poem called ‘Loss’ carved into the stone.
It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out.
You cannot read loss, only feel it.’
Sometimes quotes stay with you forever. This is one such quote. Even in my late teens, I knew this to be a truth. Now that I’m nearly forty, I know it.
Or at least, I thought I did.
The Daughters' War is an ode to loss, and I can now say that I’ve read what loss is. The poet was wrong, after all.
But come closer, let me explain.
The Daughters' War is the story of Galva. It is the same world as The Blacktongue Thief, but perspective is everything.
The Blacktongue Thief was the story of Kinch Na Shannock, a thief who is alive after the Daughters' War. He is a boy who has grown to manhood in a spoiled and ruined world, yet one where kynd has won. His humour is dark, gallow-like, and at times I found myself crying with laughter amongst the gore.
But Galva is a warrior and survivor and fought in the Daughters' War. There is little humour in her story. It is a tale of short lives and bloody hands. There is love, yes. For there to be deep sorrow, a deep love must have come first. And it is a fantastic story. Horrific. Destructive. Full of despair… but you will not be able to look away.
A beautiful cast of characters await you. Galva, my heart is hers. Amiel, I adore. Innocenta and Pol, too. The corvids are seriously my favourite new fantasy animal. Dalgatha and Bellu are magnificent, as was the whole corvid army.
There are villains. Goblins being the most horrendous, but the worst of villains are always those closer to home. This storyline was perhaps my favourite.
But alas, I can tell you no more. I do not wish to spoiler you. I shall have to wait until the book is released to discuss all the things I want to.
For now, all you need to know is this – Christopher Buehlman has created two masterpieces. Both stories in this world I will read and read again.
And I shall leave you with a final thought…
Prepare yourself, dear readers. There will be tears. Many.
It is an ode to loss, after all.
‘At the temple there is a poem called ‘Loss’ carved into the stone.
It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out.
You cannot read loss, only feel it.’
Sometimes quotes stay with you forever. This is one such quote. Even in my late teens, I knew this to be a truth. Now that I’m nearly forty, I know it.
Or at least, I thought I did.
The Daughters' War is an ode to loss, and I can now say that I’ve read what loss is. The poet was wrong, after all.
But come closer, let me explain.
The Daughters' War is the story of Galva. It is the same world as The Blacktongue Thief, but perspective is everything.
The Blacktongue Thief was the story of Kinch Na Shannock, a thief who is alive after the Daughters' War. He is a boy who has grown to manhood in a spoiled and ruined world, yet one where kynd has won. His humour is dark, gallow-like, and at times I found myself crying with laughter amongst the gore.
But Galva is a warrior and survivor and fought in the Daughters' War. There is little humour in her story. It is a tale of short lives and bloody hands. There is love, yes. For there to be deep sorrow, a deep love must have come first. And it is a fantastic story. Horrific. Destructive. Full of despair… but you will not be able to look away.
A beautiful cast of characters await you. Galva, my heart is hers. Amiel, I adore. Innocenta and Pol, too. The corvids are seriously my favourite new fantasy animal. Dalgatha and Bellu are magnificent, as was the whole corvid army.
There are villains. Goblins being the most horrendous, but the worst of villains are always those closer to home. This storyline was perhaps my favourite.
But alas, I can tell you no more. I do not wish to spoiler you. I shall have to wait until the book is released to discuss all the things I want to.
For now, all you need to know is this – Christopher Buehlman has created two masterpieces. Both stories in this world I will read and read again.
And I shall leave you with a final thought…
Prepare yourself, dear readers. There will be tears. Many.
It is an ode to loss, after all.
July 7, 2024
At first, I was a bit disappointed to learn that Christopher Buehlman himself was not narrating this. I loved his performance of The Blacktongue Thief, and I was looking forward to hearing that accent again. Once I got over that and started listening though, I felt myself being pulled in by Galva's narrative.
Instead of being a sequel, this is a prequel. Galva, the battle weary tattooed woman from the first book, takes over the storytelling and boy is her story a grim one. There are quite a few differences between this book and the first. Number one for me being the nearly total lack of humor. Kinch Na Shannack's POV from Blacktongue was often funny and off kilter. I loved it! But this story is from Galva's POV and she has very little to laugh about.
The second big difference is that Kinch's tale was unknown to us, while Galva's is not. We already know what happens, if in only a somewhat vague way. Now, all the details of Galva's history are revealed through her eyes. It is a grim history, filled with heartache, death, family betrayals, and a lost love. One thing I really love about her is that she never gives up. Another thing I love is her love of her war corvid. The female army and their platoon of giant war corvids is such a sight to imagine! Mr. Buehlman brings it to life and as I listened, it all unfolded like a film in my brain.
I felt Galva's pain and I wanted to give her a big hug so many times. I also felt her love and her heartbreak and her doggedness to keep on keeping on. Galva has become one of my favorite characters of all time.
The audio of this was narrated by Nikki Garcia and she was marvelous! Her intonations conveyed sadness, hatred and humor, (though little of that there was), and inspired me to cheer for and cry with Galva. She imbued her narration with a slight accent and now this will forever be the voice of Galva to me. BRAVO to Ms. Garcia!
Once I got over the absence of Kinch, I relaxed and let Galva's story unfold before me. I loved it and have come away with a much deeper understanding of her character and why she is like she is. I am now ready and eager to continue the story of them both, but to be honest? I need Kinch to return now and lift me from the darkness that is Galva's history.
My highest recommendation! 4.5/5 stars!
*Audio ARC from publisher.*
Instead of being a sequel, this is a prequel. Galva, the battle weary tattooed woman from the first book, takes over the storytelling and boy is her story a grim one. There are quite a few differences between this book and the first. Number one for me being the nearly total lack of humor. Kinch Na Shannack's POV from Blacktongue was often funny and off kilter. I loved it! But this story is from Galva's POV and she has very little to laugh about.
The second big difference is that Kinch's tale was unknown to us, while Galva's is not. We already know what happens, if in only a somewhat vague way. Now, all the details of Galva's history are revealed through her eyes. It is a grim history, filled with heartache, death, family betrayals, and a lost love. One thing I really love about her is that she never gives up. Another thing I love is her love of her war corvid. The female army and their platoon of giant war corvids is such a sight to imagine! Mr. Buehlman brings it to life and as I listened, it all unfolded like a film in my brain.
I felt Galva's pain and I wanted to give her a big hug so many times. I also felt her love and her heartbreak and her doggedness to keep on keeping on. Galva has become one of my favorite characters of all time.
The audio of this was narrated by Nikki Garcia and she was marvelous! Her intonations conveyed sadness, hatred and humor, (though little of that there was), and inspired me to cheer for and cry with Galva. She imbued her narration with a slight accent and now this will forever be the voice of Galva to me. BRAVO to Ms. Garcia!
Once I got over the absence of Kinch, I relaxed and let Galva's story unfold before me. I loved it and have come away with a much deeper understanding of her character and why she is like she is. I am now ready and eager to continue the story of them both, but to be honest? I need Kinch to return now and lift me from the darkness that is Galva's history.
My highest recommendation! 4.5/5 stars!
*Audio ARC from publisher.*
Want to read
August 22, 2023I mean... Who wouldn't follow Galva into goblin-infested war riding a giant corvid?
March 14, 2024
Quite possibly the best book I've read in the last couple of years. It's gorgeously written, horrifying in parts, inspiring in others, and terribly sad in all the best ways. A masterpiece, and one I expect to see adapted into a successful TV series by 2030 or so (feel free to bookmark this review for posterity!).
Want to read
October 17, 2023If its Christopher Buehlman; I add it; no questions asked.
March 16, 2024
I was under sail, on my way to war. On my way to fall in love with death, and with a queen. On my way to lose all of my friends, and two of my brothers. I would see a great city fall in blood and fire, betrayed by a false god. Later, I would be commanded to die on a high stone bridge, but I would fail in this.
This opening sets up the rest of the story as Galva narrates her adventure. Her downfall.
Galva is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Braga with three brothers, all fighting in the war against the goblins. She is in an experimental regiment using raven-like birds the size of stags and is basically resigned to dying a bloody death.
This has been a hard skill to learn, the forgiving of self, and it is not always easy to know when it is good and when it is indulgent.
This was rich in world-building. Buelhman is self-aware that he lays the world-building on thick at the start but it is done creatively through different mediums so it doesn’t feel like an information dump: flashbacks, letters, observations.
Not to mention, Buelhman has a way with poetry. Normally, I find multiple verses of poetry included in a fantasy book annoying and worthless, yet I was enraptured by his words and how it added to the story.
Buelhman builds a gritty, dark world, full of the horrors, depravity, and cruelty of war.
Told from a first person point of view, Galva offers many rich observations and depth to this world and her humanity really shows.
To be loved by a man is to be issued a decree he has written in advance, and has presented to others; to receive a woman's love is to have a very personal letter written on one's body.
What I immensely enjoyed was that the goblins weren’t the traditional stupid creatures usually sent to overwhelm. They actually seem scarier, smarter, and crueler than humans.
Magic also has a price to pay for its usage, and this raises stakes and doesn’t guarantee victory so each step forward is hard-won and questionable.
The ending felt rushed, however, as this is a prequel book, I don’t feel as cheated as I might have.
I think you could totally read this without reading the Blacktongue thief. You might miss some allusions and details, but you wouldn’t miss out on any plot.
Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing an archive of in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
This opening sets up the rest of the story as Galva narrates her adventure. Her downfall.
Galva is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Braga with three brothers, all fighting in the war against the goblins. She is in an experimental regiment using raven-like birds the size of stags and is basically resigned to dying a bloody death.
This has been a hard skill to learn, the forgiving of self, and it is not always easy to know when it is good and when it is indulgent.
This was rich in world-building. Buelhman is self-aware that he lays the world-building on thick at the start but it is done creatively through different mediums so it doesn’t feel like an information dump: flashbacks, letters, observations.
Not to mention, Buelhman has a way with poetry. Normally, I find multiple verses of poetry included in a fantasy book annoying and worthless, yet I was enraptured by his words and how it added to the story.
Buelhman builds a gritty, dark world, full of the horrors, depravity, and cruelty of war.
Told from a first person point of view, Galva offers many rich observations and depth to this world and her humanity really shows.
To be loved by a man is to be issued a decree he has written in advance, and has presented to others; to receive a woman's love is to have a very personal letter written on one's body.
What I immensely enjoyed was that the goblins weren’t the traditional stupid creatures usually sent to overwhelm. They actually seem scarier, smarter, and crueler than humans.
Magic also has a price to pay for its usage, and this raises stakes and doesn’t guarantee victory so each step forward is hard-won and questionable.
The ending felt rushed, however, as this is a prequel book, I don’t feel as cheated as I might have.
I think you could totally read this without reading the Blacktongue thief. You might miss some allusions and details, but you wouldn’t miss out on any plot.
Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing an archive of in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
February 15, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I read a book this fast and this enthusiastically. And I’ve read some fantastic books!
Every so often a book comes along that makes you think about it while you’re away from actually reading it and this is one of those books. I absolutely loved The Daughter’s War from start to finish and it’s hard to pinpoint one particular reason when everything just feels so polished, but I’ll try.
I actually haven’t read The Blacktongue Thief (the first book in the series) but since this is a prequel I didn’t think it would matter. Obviously this makes my reading experience a little different from those who’ve already read The Blacktongue Thief but it certainly didn’t negatively impact my enjoyment whatever the case. I asked myself why I hadn’t read it and I can vaguely remember being put off at the time by the reviews saying it was a humorous book. I’m not a fan of fantasy that tries to be funny and I’m pretty sure this is why I gave it a miss. Forgetting all about this and being pulled in by the stunning cover, I went ahead with the prequel. What I can say is the book has some funny parts, but only so much in that life is funny in parts. The author isn’t trying hard to force humour, but when it naturally occurs, it genuinely made me smile with amusement and provides sparse comic relief within a book that is actually extremely dark and gritty.
And this is something that stands out to me now having finished it; it made me feel such a wide range of emotions that it was immersive and real. I felt all of these emotions strongly. There was a scene I read before bed – one last chapter – that I actually screamed “No!” in as much of a whisper as I could manage at about 1:30 in the morning. I then lay in bed disbelieving the scene and feeling sad, angry and vengeful. Not at the author – but at how events had transpired and one of the characters in the book. Taking a step backwards, I realised how rare it is for a book to be able to provoke those sorts of emotions in me when I’m not even sat reading it and how immersed I must have been in the story to feel that way.
I felt the love and camaraderie between characters. I felt the despair, hope and wisdom. Speaking of which, there are many quotable words of wisdom in this book you’ll be tempted to highlight if you’re reading on ebook (or if you’re a monster who writes in the margins physical books). It all adds together in the witch’s cauldron to make the recipe; those essential ingredients that tell you the author has it together, that you can trust them to guide you through an amazing story, that they just know things.
The protagonist Galva I understand is a character other readers will be familiar with, but it was my first introduction and I actually think I enjoyed her development all the more not knowing anything about her beforehand. I love her character and the strength combined with humility she possesses. She’s deadly but also compassionate. She thinks about how other people might feel and what the right thing to do is but she’s also a trained killer. She’s a young adult finding her way in the world and there are certainly themes we might associate with New Adult subgenres on first glance; exploration of sexual experiences, identity and gender; Figuring out relationships – familial, platonic and romantic; starting out on an unfamiliar and dangerous path in a world of older and more experienced people. Yet this book is most certainly aimed at readers who are ready for horrifying, visceral Grimdark or those who already feel comfortable reading harrowing situations with at times quite nightmarish realities. It’s not for the faint hearted or unprepared. It’s actually pretty bleak most of the way through – but the moments of kindness, the clever humour and enjoyable world building keep your spirits up despite the carnage surrounding most of the story.
The bringers of said carnage are the Goblin horde – the biters. I’ve felt for a while that goblins are underused in fantasy – I don’t mean the type from the mines of Moria – I mean the goblins of European folklore, a group of pointy-nosed, sharp toothed malevolent humanoids that I’ve always been incredibly creeped out by. Whether this spoke to me personally or not, the horror elements are prevalent. I know the author has written a historical horror and his ability with these scary elements as well as obvious knowledge of historical battle tactics really adds extra layers of enjoyment to a book that already features a main character whose journey I loved to be on board with. The author is able to make you really hate the goblin foe with a passion while also making them terrifying. Rather than actually being sadistic for the sake of it, the goblins see humans – named kynd here – as little more than cattle. They treat humans as some humans treat animals in the real world. Hung up for meat, transported with the army in cages for food, bodies defiled after death. They make no attempt to talk or taunt – killing and eating is their main concern. To me, this makes them even more horrific.
I can’t mention all the other great stuff in this book without talking about the sentient war Corvids that have been bred to fight the goblins. Basically unruly giant ravens that are trained but still pretty unpredictable. Buehlman has expertly crafted their temperaments and traits to make them almost as important as the people, but not quite. To the rest of the army who don’t really understand them, they’re just simply beasts. To their bonded human sisters, they’re more than horses or dogs and these relationships play an important part in the story.
At 416 pages, it isn’t the longest fantasy standalone ever but there is enough substance to incorporate an awful lot of world building and depth. I enjoyed that some chapters were letters from other characters – something I usually dislike but thought worked excellently in this book. I thought the page count allowed the story to be concise; I’d have been more than happy to read this book again if it had double the number of pages and would look forward to all the extra battle tactics and character relationship development. 400 pages is my ideal page count, but I would have welcomed even more from this book because I enjoyed it so much. A very minor gripe is that there were a couple of characters whose stories were ended quite abruptly in the final chapter, years after the events of the main story. I get why their stories had to be closed quite finally, but I would have liked a little more explanation. However, this didn’t detract at all from my overall enjoyment.
What I am left replaying in my head is actually an incredible scene right towards the end of the book with some vengeance that is cold AF and left me open mouthed. So dark but so well written.
This is a book I wish I’d been part of a book club for and could sit around a table and chat about with others because I just keep thinking of it and wanting to talk about it! Will it be spoken about as a fantasy classic? I’m not saying that necessarily, but sometimes you just have to take a step back and think about your enjoyment of a book as a whole reading experience rather than critically assess each aspect and ask yourself how much you enjoyed it. This is one of my all time faves.
I read this digital arc in exchange for my honest review. Thankyou for the opportunity!
Every so often a book comes along that makes you think about it while you’re away from actually reading it and this is one of those books. I absolutely loved The Daughter’s War from start to finish and it’s hard to pinpoint one particular reason when everything just feels so polished, but I’ll try.
I actually haven’t read The Blacktongue Thief (the first book in the series) but since this is a prequel I didn’t think it would matter. Obviously this makes my reading experience a little different from those who’ve already read The Blacktongue Thief but it certainly didn’t negatively impact my enjoyment whatever the case. I asked myself why I hadn’t read it and I can vaguely remember being put off at the time by the reviews saying it was a humorous book. I’m not a fan of fantasy that tries to be funny and I’m pretty sure this is why I gave it a miss. Forgetting all about this and being pulled in by the stunning cover, I went ahead with the prequel. What I can say is the book has some funny parts, but only so much in that life is funny in parts. The author isn’t trying hard to force humour, but when it naturally occurs, it genuinely made me smile with amusement and provides sparse comic relief within a book that is actually extremely dark and gritty.
And this is something that stands out to me now having finished it; it made me feel such a wide range of emotions that it was immersive and real. I felt all of these emotions strongly. There was a scene I read before bed – one last chapter – that I actually screamed “No!” in as much of a whisper as I could manage at about 1:30 in the morning. I then lay in bed disbelieving the scene and feeling sad, angry and vengeful. Not at the author – but at how events had transpired and one of the characters in the book. Taking a step backwards, I realised how rare it is for a book to be able to provoke those sorts of emotions in me when I’m not even sat reading it and how immersed I must have been in the story to feel that way.
I felt the love and camaraderie between characters. I felt the despair, hope and wisdom. Speaking of which, there are many quotable words of wisdom in this book you’ll be tempted to highlight if you’re reading on ebook (or if you’re a monster who writes in the margins physical books). It all adds together in the witch’s cauldron to make the recipe; those essential ingredients that tell you the author has it together, that you can trust them to guide you through an amazing story, that they just know things.
The protagonist Galva I understand is a character other readers will be familiar with, but it was my first introduction and I actually think I enjoyed her development all the more not knowing anything about her beforehand. I love her character and the strength combined with humility she possesses. She’s deadly but also compassionate. She thinks about how other people might feel and what the right thing to do is but she’s also a trained killer. She’s a young adult finding her way in the world and there are certainly themes we might associate with New Adult subgenres on first glance; exploration of sexual experiences, identity and gender; Figuring out relationships – familial, platonic and romantic; starting out on an unfamiliar and dangerous path in a world of older and more experienced people. Yet this book is most certainly aimed at readers who are ready for horrifying, visceral Grimdark or those who already feel comfortable reading harrowing situations with at times quite nightmarish realities. It’s not for the faint hearted or unprepared. It’s actually pretty bleak most of the way through – but the moments of kindness, the clever humour and enjoyable world building keep your spirits up despite the carnage surrounding most of the story.
The bringers of said carnage are the Goblin horde – the biters. I’ve felt for a while that goblins are underused in fantasy – I don’t mean the type from the mines of Moria – I mean the goblins of European folklore, a group of pointy-nosed, sharp toothed malevolent humanoids that I’ve always been incredibly creeped out by. Whether this spoke to me personally or not, the horror elements are prevalent. I know the author has written a historical horror and his ability with these scary elements as well as obvious knowledge of historical battle tactics really adds extra layers of enjoyment to a book that already features a main character whose journey I loved to be on board with. The author is able to make you really hate the goblin foe with a passion while also making them terrifying. Rather than actually being sadistic for the sake of it, the goblins see humans – named kynd here – as little more than cattle. They treat humans as some humans treat animals in the real world. Hung up for meat, transported with the army in cages for food, bodies defiled after death. They make no attempt to talk or taunt – killing and eating is their main concern. To me, this makes them even more horrific.
I can’t mention all the other great stuff in this book without talking about the sentient war Corvids that have been bred to fight the goblins. Basically unruly giant ravens that are trained but still pretty unpredictable. Buehlman has expertly crafted their temperaments and traits to make them almost as important as the people, but not quite. To the rest of the army who don’t really understand them, they’re just simply beasts. To their bonded human sisters, they’re more than horses or dogs and these relationships play an important part in the story.
At 416 pages, it isn’t the longest fantasy standalone ever but there is enough substance to incorporate an awful lot of world building and depth. I enjoyed that some chapters were letters from other characters – something I usually dislike but thought worked excellently in this book. I thought the page count allowed the story to be concise; I’d have been more than happy to read this book again if it had double the number of pages and would look forward to all the extra battle tactics and character relationship development. 400 pages is my ideal page count, but I would have welcomed even more from this book because I enjoyed it so much. A very minor gripe is that there were a couple of characters whose stories were ended quite abruptly in the final chapter, years after the events of the main story. I get why their stories had to be closed quite finally, but I would have liked a little more explanation. However, this didn’t detract at all from my overall enjoyment.
What I am left replaying in my head is actually an incredible scene right towards the end of the book with some vengeance that is cold AF and left me open mouthed. So dark but so well written.
This is a book I wish I’d been part of a book club for and could sit around a table and chat about with others because I just keep thinking of it and wanting to talk about it! Will it be spoken about as a fantasy classic? I’m not saying that necessarily, but sometimes you just have to take a step back and think about your enjoyment of a book as a whole reading experience rather than critically assess each aspect and ask yourself how much you enjoyed it. This is one of my all time faves.
I read this digital arc in exchange for my honest review. Thankyou for the opportunity!
May 31, 2024
2.5 stars
Gutted
Review to come.
Gutted
Review to come.
Want to read
December 3, 2023Only leaving a review to say that ratings before a book is released are silly at best, for shame. Really enjoyed the first book and looking forward to this one, even though I generally prefer sequels to prequels.
July 6, 2024
The Daughters’ War delivers powerful writing, that is rife with pain, anger, sadness and melancholy. The way we experience war through the eyes of a young noble woman, who still carries some of her childhood innocence and naivety with her at the start of the story is an emotional journey.
Buehlman, a clear master of his craft, still manages to pull some threads of humour through the heavy fabric of this tale, somehow making a desperate fight against legions of monsters even more real and human.
Buehlman, a clear master of his craft, still manages to pull some threads of humour through the heavy fabric of this tale, somehow making a desperate fight against legions of monsters even more real and human.
June 27, 2024
An intense experience, packed with emotion. Melancholic, horrifying and thrilling in equal measures. The writing is densely packed. There's a lot to absorb from the richly detailed world and characters, and it felt overwhelming at times. This is just as wildly inventive as The Blacktongue Thief though darker for sure, yet lacks the bawdy humor and wit that have always made Buehlman's writing so intensely amusing in my opinion
July 12, 2024
This book is not The Blacktongue Thief. It’s a different book, with a different narrator, a different tone, and a different emotional valence. Galva’s story is darker and more tragic than Kinch Na Shannock’s. Galva’s no-BS personality is different than the wise-cracking Kinch’s personality; she’s more serious, more melancholy, less overtly humorous. Therefore, do not expect the experience of reading The Daughters’ War to be the same as the experience of reading The Blacktongue Thief. It is not the same. Adjust your expectations.
Don’t get me wrong; Galva’s story is not without humor and fun. Kinch’s story is certainly not without loss and grief. But The Daughters’ War is a tragedy with heroic elements, whereas The Blacktongue Thief is a heroic tale with tragic elements. Adjust your expectations.
Both stories are told in prose that often verges on poetry. Both take place in a richly realized world with diverse cultures and a deep and mysterious history. Both feature characters who feel more real and complex and believable than many of the actual human beings you know.
While I admit that The Blacktongue Thief was more fun to read, The Daughters’ War hit me harder. It moved me more deeply. I wept for Galva. This is one of those books that becomes a part of you.
The Daughters’ War is Galva’s own story about how she, at the age of 20, enlisted in an experimental company of war-corvid troops, to fight in humanity’s third war against the goblins. It follows her through the difficult early stages of that war, when things looked most bleak for humanity.
While Kinch’s name is never explicitly mentioned, there are a number of clues throughout the narrative that what we are reading is Galva’s verbal account to Kinch about her past, supplemented with some precious letters she has kept. Since they had set off on a long journey at the end of The Blacktongue Thief, we can guess that this is the tale she is telling him as they travel.
Galva’s story is not merely about the war. She also tells how she became a follower of Dal-Gaata, the goddess of death, how she and the beautiful witch Queen Mireya became lovers, and how one of her two beloved war corvids lost its life — all things referenced in The Blacktongue Thief. One of the main storylines is a tragic family drama involving Galva, her father (a duke), her three brothers, and her grandfather’s springwood shield, and it tells how Galva (and not any of her brothers) came to possess the shield.
Galva’s brothers have also found themselves pressed into military service. Her eldest (half-)brother is a feckless drunk and gambler, given a generalship based only on his royal station. Her next eldest (half-)brother is a genuinely competent and honorable leader. Her sensitive, artistic, intellectual younger brother is an assistant to Fulvir Lightningbinder, the powerful mage who created the war-corvids and who featured also in The Blacktongue Thief. As the story unfolds, all of them have their own tragic arcs.
As it says on the book cover: “Goblins. Betrayal. Revenge.” Indeed, all three of these loom large in this story. You can guess which two of them feature in the family drama.
At the beginning of the book, 20-year old Galva is not the same as the Galva we know from The Blacktongue Thief. She is, as you would expect, greener and less mature and more innocent. By the end of the book, trials and loves and losses have forged her into someone much closer to the Galva we and Kinch first encounter on the first few pages of The Blacktongue Thief.
I love Kinch and will always root for him, but after reading this book I feel almost fiercely protective of Galva. I want peace and justice so badly for her. I hope she’ll be able to spend some quality years with her beloved Mireya before the Bride of Death takes her away. But Galva is one of those characters for whom tragedy is written in her skin. She may well find a more permanent peace with her Bride before the end of these books. Either way, I will weep for her.
Don’t get me wrong; Galva’s story is not without humor and fun. Kinch’s story is certainly not without loss and grief. But The Daughters’ War is a tragedy with heroic elements, whereas The Blacktongue Thief is a heroic tale with tragic elements. Adjust your expectations.
Both stories are told in prose that often verges on poetry. Both take place in a richly realized world with diverse cultures and a deep and mysterious history. Both feature characters who feel more real and complex and believable than many of the actual human beings you know.
While I admit that The Blacktongue Thief was more fun to read, The Daughters’ War hit me harder. It moved me more deeply. I wept for Galva. This is one of those books that becomes a part of you.
The Daughters’ War is Galva’s own story about how she, at the age of 20, enlisted in an experimental company of war-corvid troops, to fight in humanity’s third war against the goblins. It follows her through the difficult early stages of that war, when things looked most bleak for humanity.
While Kinch’s name is never explicitly mentioned, there are a number of clues throughout the narrative that what we are reading is Galva’s verbal account to Kinch about her past, supplemented with some precious letters she has kept. Since they had set off on a long journey at the end of The Blacktongue Thief, we can guess that this is the tale she is telling him as they travel.
Galva’s story is not merely about the war. She also tells how she became a follower of Dal-Gaata, the goddess of death, how she and the beautiful witch Queen Mireya became lovers, and how one of her two beloved war corvids lost its life — all things referenced in The Blacktongue Thief. One of the main storylines is a tragic family drama involving Galva, her father (a duke), her three brothers, and her grandfather’s springwood shield, and it tells how Galva (and not any of her brothers) came to possess the shield.
Galva’s brothers have also found themselves pressed into military service. Her eldest (half-)brother is a feckless drunk and gambler, given a generalship based only on his royal station. Her next eldest (half-)brother is a genuinely competent and honorable leader. Her sensitive, artistic, intellectual younger brother is an assistant to Fulvir Lightningbinder, the powerful mage who created the war-corvids and who featured also in The Blacktongue Thief. As the story unfolds, all of them have their own tragic arcs.
As it says on the book cover: “Goblins. Betrayal. Revenge.” Indeed, all three of these loom large in this story. You can guess which two of them feature in the family drama.
At the beginning of the book, 20-year old Galva is not the same as the Galva we know from The Blacktongue Thief. She is, as you would expect, greener and less mature and more innocent. By the end of the book, trials and loves and losses have forged her into someone much closer to the Galva we and Kinch first encounter on the first few pages of The Blacktongue Thief.
I love Kinch and will always root for him, but after reading this book I feel almost fiercely protective of Galva. I want peace and justice so badly for her. I hope she’ll be able to spend some quality years with her beloved Mireya before the Bride of Death takes her away. But Galva is one of those characters for whom tragedy is written in her skin. She may well find a more permanent peace with her Bride before the end of these books. Either way, I will weep for her.
July 13, 2024
I am really struggling with a rating here because
1) Buehlman is a truly phenomenal writer
2) I didn't click with Galva personally as much as I did with Kinch, but that's not the book's fault
3) While one scene in particular had me in stitches, it was hard to switch from Kinch's voice (generally lighter, a bit of a rake, more vulgar, etc) to Galva (super serious, different tone, etc)
4) I click with present tense (either third or first person) better than someone talking about past events. Sometimes it just breaks up the action and horror which is good and other times it pulls away from the current story
5) See #1 again
6) That all said, I like military fantasy more than other sub genres and the corvids are wonderful murder buddies
7) Creation of stories and fables and songs within the world (and sung by the narrator. With music) help a lot with the world building and richness of the story.
That said, I struggled with the narrator and am blaming it on the NG player. I couldn't understand the narrator (heavy accent was too slow to listen to on normal but also couldn't be sped up or she became unintelligible - but part of that is the NetGalley player with limited speed options). I'm picky about listening speed, it has to sound conversational and I couldn't get there.
So anyway, that's why I am turning in a review now despite having the ALC - I just couldn't with the narration and waited until I could read the physical copy.
I'll polish this up but these are most of my thoughts. A wonderful story by a phenomenal wordsmith, even if I struggled with some of the darkness and other things above
1) Buehlman is a truly phenomenal writer
2) I didn't click with Galva personally as much as I did with Kinch, but that's not the book's fault
3) While one scene in particular had me in stitches, it was hard to switch from Kinch's voice (generally lighter, a bit of a rake, more vulgar, etc) to Galva (super serious, different tone, etc)
4) I click with present tense (either third or first person) better than someone talking about past events. Sometimes it just breaks up the action and horror which is good and other times it pulls away from the current story
5) See #1 again
6) That all said, I like military fantasy more than other sub genres and the corvids are wonderful murder buddies
7) Creation of stories and fables and songs within the world (and sung by the narrator. With music) help a lot with the world building and richness of the story.
That said, I struggled with the narrator and am blaming it on the NG player. I couldn't understand the narrator (heavy accent was too slow to listen to on normal but also couldn't be sped up or she became unintelligible - but part of that is the NetGalley player with limited speed options). I'm picky about listening speed, it has to sound conversational and I couldn't get there.
So anyway, that's why I am turning in a review now despite having the ALC - I just couldn't with the narration and waited until I could read the physical copy.
I'll polish this up but these are most of my thoughts. A wonderful story by a phenomenal wordsmith, even if I struggled with some of the darkness and other things above
Read
July 4, 2024Oh, Galva 😭
March 24, 2024
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway for my honest review. This book won my heart. At first I didn't think I was going to like it or the writing style, but the character Galva won me over and I had to continue to see what became of her throughout this Goblin war. I had not read the blacktongue their first, this is it's prequel, so maybe I'll enjoy it all the more this way. Galva and her 3 brothers are off to fight the goblin war. Each encountering strange lands in their own way. This is not a feel good fantasy, this is a book about war, a bloody lonely war. Galva is in the Raven Knights they have trained intelligent birds, the Corvids, to fight the Goblin Foe. The Corvids are made for war and are a terror birds the size of a stag. But the birds are loyal to their trainers. Galva learns a lot from this war, about religion, love of a queen, darkness of her own human kind, even disloyalty from one of her own brother's. This is a captivating book about life and death and how everyone looks at both differently. It is a must read. I couldn't put it down.
July 2, 2024
4.5/5
Holy shit this was dark, and I enjoyed it.
I've been asking since FOREVER for more stories with female knights, in armour, with swords, and this DELIVERED. (And also gave me giant crows)
This takes time 20-30 years before The Blacktongue Thief, during the Daughters' Wars, the war that almost wiped out humanity by the hands of the goblins. Called the Daughters' Wars cause there were not enough men left to fight.
To be fair I don't dislike our main character but she's not main character material, and I miss the sense of humour of the main character in Blacktongue Thief, but the drama between the four brothers, the cult-like religions and the whole campaign with their war tactics was so damn good.
This is dark, it's sapphic, it's fun and I want more.
Holy shit this was dark, and I enjoyed it.
I've been asking since FOREVER for more stories with female knights, in armour, with swords, and this DELIVERED. (And also gave me giant crows)
This takes time 20-30 years before The Blacktongue Thief, during the Daughters' Wars, the war that almost wiped out humanity by the hands of the goblins. Called the Daughters' Wars cause there were not enough men left to fight.
To be fair I don't dislike our main character but she's not main character material, and I miss the sense of humour of the main character in Blacktongue Thief, but the drama between the four brothers, the cult-like religions and the whole campaign with their war tactics was so damn good.
This is dark, it's sapphic, it's fun and I want more.
July 1, 2024
The Blacktongue Thief was a 5 star book for me it was so fun but I really struggled with this one. I just found that Kinch's narration in Blacktongue is what made the book for me and I missed him in this. Galva makes a fantastic side character but not a great pov. I was excited to learn more about her but I don't think this really added much to the story. For me I think this would have worked better as a short novella.
June 27, 2024
The "Daughter's War" offers a fresh perspective on The BlackTongue Thief world, acting as a prequel to the original story. It highlights the resilience and valor of widows and female warriors. The central character, Galva (or Galvicha), brings a contrasting viewpoint compared to the first book, hailing from a noble background. The narrative traces Galva, her army, and various members of her family as they partake in multiple campaigns and impending battles.
Galva's narrative underscores the importance of truthfully depicting the realities of war. This is a captivating tale delving into themes of love, disillusionment, humor, religious significance, and courage in the midst of harrowing events. The author's occasional wit is tastefully employed, adding depth to the storytelling. My thanks to both Orion books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
Galva's narrative underscores the importance of truthfully depicting the realities of war. This is a captivating tale delving into themes of love, disillusionment, humor, religious significance, and courage in the midst of harrowing events. The author's occasional wit is tastefully employed, adding depth to the storytelling. My thanks to both Orion books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
July 4, 2024
“To love some well is to know their small noises and to hear home in them.” 👩🍳💋
I would like to thank NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC.
I am genuinely amused and find myself loving how Buehlman writes women. Which feels like a weird thing to mention immediately, but I know some of my female friends will see this cover, or read the blurb, and turn away from it.
Is it gritty and 💩-filled? Yes. But is it also oddly tender with bad a$$ female characters? Also yes. It’s emotional whiplash, but I adored it. Especially watching the FMC’s relationship with her brothers unfold- I love sibling plots.
My long term memory is failing me on how would compare this to Blacktongue Thief, but this makes me want to reread it now that I feel so close to Galva. This prequel feels like reads from her personal journal.
I would recommend to my Nevernight & The Locked Tomb friends. But you need to have the patience as if you were reading a much more intense/insane/bloody Piranesi. 😅 Meaning, the world building sometimes felt heavier/more memorable in the day-to-day/little details/small moments vs the huge battle scenes/action.
I’m still laughing at the absurdity Buehlman had with the magic systems. I.E. The invisibility drink/spying scenes.
I want to give props to the narrator, Nikki Garcia, not only for adding emotional depth but for having the prettiest singing voice! 😍
I would like to thank NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC.
I am genuinely amused and find myself loving how Buehlman writes women. Which feels like a weird thing to mention immediately, but I know some of my female friends will see this cover, or read the blurb, and turn away from it.
Is it gritty and 💩-filled? Yes. But is it also oddly tender with bad a$$ female characters? Also yes. It’s emotional whiplash, but I adored it. Especially watching the FMC’s relationship with her brothers unfold- I love sibling plots.
My long term memory is failing me on how would compare this to Blacktongue Thief, but this makes me want to reread it now that I feel so close to Galva. This prequel feels like reads from her personal journal.
I would recommend to my Nevernight & The Locked Tomb friends. But you need to have the patience as if you were reading a much more intense/insane/bloody Piranesi. 😅 Meaning, the world building sometimes felt heavier/more memorable in the day-to-day/little details/small moments vs the huge battle scenes/action.
I’m still laughing at the absurdity Buehlman had with the magic systems. I.E. The invisibility drink/spying scenes.
I want to give props to the narrator, Nikki Garcia, not only for adding emotional depth but for having the prettiest singing voice! 😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
Engrossing. Galva is a rich and well-drawn protagonist, and the goblins are so vivid I feel like I can smell them. I do wish the foreshadowing hadn’t been so heavy-handed (I wanted to bang my head against the wall a few times). But I was sucked in nevertheless.
Recommended for fans of grimdark and military fantasy.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy!
Recommended for fans of grimdark and military fantasy.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy!
July 20, 2024
As near to a perfect book as I have read. Wow. DARK, and SO good.
July 4, 2024
This book is so good. Such great characters going through a hellish war against an enemy that will eat you after they have captured or killed you.
Join Galva, a platoon of female warriors, and their new weapon of mostly trained war corvids. This unit of Raven Knights sets out as a last hope against an overwhelming goblin army.
Feel the pride and determination as these women march towards their death and laugh along with them in their struggles.
“One thousand flatterers are not worth one person who is willing to wipe your ass”
Join Galva, a platoon of female warriors, and their new weapon of mostly trained war corvids. This unit of Raven Knights sets out as a last hope against an overwhelming goblin army.
Feel the pride and determination as these women march towards their death and laugh along with them in their struggles.
“One thousand flatterers are not worth one person who is willing to wipe your ass”
July 8, 2024
I expected the world from Christopher...I didn't even get one of those small Hallmark towns. I guess I'm not in unless Kinch is the main character. Unfortunate.
The prose was amazing, tho...at least I had that.
The prose was amazing, tho...at least I had that.
July 3, 2024
Another winner by Mr. B. The highlight remains the world building and creativity with the prose. I like the characters but don't love them but man, he can write well!
January 14, 2024
"Short life, bloody hand."
Ever since it's release, The Blacktongue Thief has maintained it's spot as one of my favorite fantasy books of all time.
When The Daughter's War was announced, it became my most-anticipated book of 2024, so imagine my delight that I was able to read an advance copy.
Like Blacktongue, this is a fantastically written story with great pacing and an amazing cast of characters, not least of which are the Raven Knights and their giant Corvids.
Galva dom Braga is one such Raven Knight. Told in her distinct voice, this is a story of war. It is long and brutal, full of tough decisions, close calls, loss, and betrayal. Still, amid the bouts of bloodshed, there are moments of tenderness that lift the spirits and dare one to hope.
Thank you to the publisher, MacMillan, for the opportunity to read this book early. I look forward to putting this in the hands of everyone I have made read Blacktongue these past couple of years.
Ever since it's release, The Blacktongue Thief has maintained it's spot as one of my favorite fantasy books of all time.
When The Daughter's War was announced, it became my most-anticipated book of 2024, so imagine my delight that I was able to read an advance copy.
Like Blacktongue, this is a fantastically written story with great pacing and an amazing cast of characters, not least of which are the Raven Knights and their giant Corvids.
Galva dom Braga is one such Raven Knight. Told in her distinct voice, this is a story of war. It is long and brutal, full of tough decisions, close calls, loss, and betrayal. Still, amid the bouts of bloodshed, there are moments of tenderness that lift the spirits and dare one to hope.
Thank you to the publisher, MacMillan, for the opportunity to read this book early. I look forward to putting this in the hands of everyone I have made read Blacktongue these past couple of years.
May 5, 2024
Wow. I am really struggling with words for this one because of how much I loved it. Galva is an incredible character made more incredible by this telling of her story. I cried harder than I've cried at a book in ages at one particular part (you'll know when you read it...)
The amount of love in this book...I might never be over it. It's a brutal, gross, and gritty world and I wouldn't want to live there, but the depth of emotion can't be matched. Plus, it's hella gay (I might have found my horror-adjacent niche...I'll put up with body horror if the gay love is real and pure and destroys me.)
This review can't do this book justice, but ultimately I can't wait to put this book in people's hands.
Thank you Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC!
The amount of love in this book...I might never be over it. It's a brutal, gross, and gritty world and I wouldn't want to live there, but the depth of emotion can't be matched. Plus, it's hella gay (I might have found my horror-adjacent niche...I'll put up with body horror if the gay love is real and pure and destroys me.)
This review can't do this book justice, but ultimately I can't wait to put this book in people's hands.
Thank you Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews