Reviews

The Reckoning of Roku by Randy Ribay

purplegrapes's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

really interesting concept, but the execution was lacking. i think maybe the book gets spread too thin with the number of narrators. i also don’t think it added meaningfully to the lore in the same way that kyoshi and yangchen did. it doesn’t help that roku was already a deeply unpopular avatar and this book doesn’t really make me more sympathetic to him. i’ll withhold total judgement until the sequel but so far this is definitely my least favorite avatar chronicles novel 

rdelagarza's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

4.0

Great addition to the Avatar series. Love the connections to AtLA and getting to see this start of Roku’s journey. Would recommend this as a good read for anyone looking to expand beyond the universe presented in the shows

carnellbyers's review against another edition

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5.0


I absolutely loved “The Reckoning of Roku,” the fifth installment in the “Chronicles of the Avatar” series! The book dives deep into the lore of the Avatar universe, offering fans a delightful exploration of the world we cherish. Each story in this series serves as a cute “palate cleanser” between heavier reads, providing a refreshing and engaging escape. The writing is charming, making it a joy for anyone who loves the Avatar universe. If you’ve enjoyed the previous books, you’ll certainly enjoy this one too!

miropo's review against another edition

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4.0

I believe it’s hard to write a story if a character that we knew so much already. It is especially complicated when there is a big fandom, that will probably pick up on any non-canonical issues that may arise from some retconning or new information that doesn’t match what we know.
This is easily what I was fearing going into the story of Roku. But Ribay managed to surprise me, telling me about this new island and its powerful inhabitants. I also really enjoyed how we get to know more about Sozin, and his journey into becoming one of the most horrible fire lords out there.
By going to Rokus beginning, we get to learn about his training to become a new avatar, while also have some room for original stories. I believe the trouble to not deviate much from what it’s to come in the next century in the story of the avatar can damage the intensity of the stories we get to know.
While this book was pleasing and entertaining enough, it is not the joy of reading the Kyoshi novels. But it definitely makes for a better read than Yangchen. I juts hope future novels actually tell us about other avatars completely separated form the anime series (Muriel seems to probably have a very interesting story, which could be a one shot instead of the 2 novels per characters we’ve been getting). Other previous avatars can be even better… who was the second avatar, for example…

hiimmallory's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

moonsai's review against another edition

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3.0

Before Reading : I’m so grateful to get another book in the Chronicles of the Avatar series.
But it’s not written by F.C. YEE

percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

joeyhb19's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

oliversmoreau's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book is definitely a low point for the series. The story is mostly uninteresting, and it maintains the status quo from the previous books. Roku is mostly unlikable, and even if you’re a child, there are much better options, including the four previous books. It’s worth reading if you’re super into the universe, but it’s not necessary for the average nerd. 

thephilosopher's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Another enjoyable Avatar book. Reads a bit more like a short tale compared to the previous Kyoshi and Yangchen books, but that may be because Roku’s story is more constrained by what happened in the TV show.