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A review by pagesplotsandpints
Stones of Light by Zack Argyle
3.0
Read Completed 11/13/24 | 3.25 stars
I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this series by starting this book, but they are shorter fantasy novels and I've been wanting to complete a new fantasy series for a LONG time without being able to get into anything. I gave the first book 3.5 stars due to its ending, but STONES OF LIGHT suffered the same fate here when I was really hoping for things to get amped up.
The thing I'm really missing here is development, on all accounts. In the first book, it felt more intentional like we were just giving an intro to the series and giving the audience time to get to know everything. What I was REALLY hoping for here was a deep dive into everything. Instead, the characters get no more development and are just pushed through the book by plot and the magic system doesn't get any deeper either. There are magical elements introduced that just appear out of nowhere to conveniently help the plot along. I still really don't know hardly anything about Threadlight except for the basics and I was hoping to explore that quite deeply in this book. I barely know why amber Threadlight is so valuable and I was hoping to see more examples of what it can do.
I think the thing that frustrated me that really stuck with me is when a character gets notably injured. That didn't bother me, and actually, I liked it. It's a shock to the readers to do that to a main character and it really changes a person when they go through something like that. But they barely had to deal with it before magically getting healed. What! NO! It's a huge opportunity for character growth, for readers to care about this character and really feel for them. Instead, it's just quickly fixed like nothing happened.
There are also some things that are a little TOO close to Sanderson's magic systems with Threadlight feeling awfully like Stormlight, the abilities of Threadlight similar to Mistborn magic systems, etc. I mean, it's hard to create a FULLY unique magic system and not have it feel like something of a major author, but at times, it feels a little too close.
If these books were longer or if the series were longer, I definitely wouldn't have spent time on this or the third book, but seeing as the audiobook is only 11 hours long, I'm already starting book 3 to finish off the trilogy.
That being said, these books are a lighter fantasy read in terms of world-building, so if that's not something you really want in your reads at the moment, I would recommend them! To me, I see missed opportunity to draw fantasy readers in and to trust them that they'll connect with your elements, but I know we all have our personal preferences!
I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this series by starting this book, but they are shorter fantasy novels and I've been wanting to complete a new fantasy series for a LONG time without being able to get into anything. I gave the first book 3.5 stars due to its ending, but STONES OF LIGHT suffered the same fate here when I was really hoping for things to get amped up.
The thing I'm really missing here is development, on all accounts. In the first book, it felt more intentional like we were just giving an intro to the series and giving the audience time to get to know everything. What I was REALLY hoping for here was a deep dive into everything. Instead, the characters get no more development and are just pushed through the book by plot and the magic system doesn't get any deeper either. There are magical elements introduced that just appear out of nowhere to conveniently help the plot along. I still really don't know hardly anything about Threadlight except for the basics and I was hoping to explore that quite deeply in this book. I barely know why amber Threadlight is so valuable and I was hoping to see more examples of what it can do.
I think the thing that frustrated me that really stuck with me is when a character gets notably injured. That didn't bother me, and actually, I liked it. It's a shock to the readers to do that to a main character and it really changes a person when they go through something like that. But they barely had to deal with it before magically getting healed. What! NO! It's a huge opportunity for character growth, for readers to care about this character and really feel for them. Instead, it's just quickly fixed like nothing happened.
There are also some things that are a little TOO close to Sanderson's magic systems with Threadlight feeling awfully like Stormlight, the abilities of Threadlight similar to Mistborn magic systems, etc. I mean, it's hard to create a FULLY unique magic system and not have it feel like something of a major author, but at times, it feels a little too close.
If these books were longer or if the series were longer, I definitely wouldn't have spent time on this or the third book, but seeing as the audiobook is only 11 hours long, I'm already starting book 3 to finish off the trilogy.
That being said, these books are a lighter fantasy read in terms of world-building, so if that's not something you really want in your reads at the moment, I would recommend them! To me, I see missed opportunity to draw fantasy readers in and to trust them that they'll connect with your elements, but I know we all have our personal preferences!