This book felt as amazing as Blackflame did, I would have gave it the same rating of 4.5, except for I don't like how Wight has been progressing Yerin's character development.

I understand Lindon is the main character, and so he gets most of the attention and "screentime", that's okay as I really like Lindon and his character development and power progression in this book, however, it really feels like Wight has just not cared about Yerin enough to give her development the same level of attention, which I don't think is right.

Imagine if we had the Stormlight Archive, we know Kaladin is the main character, but there's other interesting characters too. It feels like all these characters get the same quality of character development as the main character does. In Cradle however, this isn't so, and is the most obvious with Yerin.

I really liked her character, we're seeing Lindon growing exponentially, and then at the end

we're getting told Yerin is just as powerful as him now, yet it felt like she did fuck all to achieve it. Wight had Lindon being hunted down by multiple people, exploring places of power, training, studying, growing, over days and weeks. His progression to Truegold felt earned.
Yerin's power progressed in this book by camping and essentially farming local enemies when she peeps her head out of the magically veiled tent.

It felt so bloody lazy and disrespectful to her character, who's a hardened warrior who's been though so much.

Now for the parts I liked!
The beginning was amazing, it really drew me in and had me hooked.

I think the Egg at the beginning was an easter egg or inspired by the Behelit egg from the manga series Berserk.

Loved seeing Lindon from a strangers perspective for the first time. His intimadating appearance makes people afraid of him, then as soon as he opens his mouth they realise he's a polite man and probably a pushover. Then they can't see past his core veils and think he's a weak low gold and thus underestimate him. It's brilliant and I hope he keeps that act up!

Wight has got so good now at explaining the magic system, and I think he does this best by describing how it makes the characters feel.
Describing it this way makes us imagine it and how it feels and then we understand it better

The training montages Lindon went through was awesome and I fucking loved it! 🥳

I'm curious what's happening with Eithen, doesn't feel like much is happening with him but I feel this book was most focused on progressing Lindon.

I LOVE Dross! Great addition! I hope he stays stuck to Lindon!

Now I'm onto Underlord! 😎