It’s so hard for me, when there is a book that I know I could love, but for some reason I just don’t. Seventh Decimate has everything in it that should keep pulling you in. There is plenty of action, a well developed world, conflict, and a seemingly impossible quest.
I think the problem for me was that while the characters are well developed, I couldn’t form a connection to the main character, Prince Bifalt, or really to majority of the novel’s cast. The entire book is told from Bifalt’s viewpoint, so this made it increasingly hard for me to care about the fate of this quest.
As the first born son of a King, even one whose main duty is as a soldier, he should be at the very least more shrewd in his scrutiny of the world around him. This is apparent in the last 1/3 of the novel where he is opened to new experiences, however his attitude remains that of a sulky, hate-filled child uninterested in gaining knowledge, insight, or any additional tactics that could help his country. Indeed other than his devotion to his men and his people, which is his one redeeming quality, I can’t remember a protagonist I could identify with less.
The storyline itself had problems with pacing. After I finished I was sorely disappointed that so much of the novel had dedicated itself to the journey, which at times taught us things, however it could have been condensed and instead the ending expanded upon. Though with how Bifalt acted in this section of the story, I don’t know if I could have stomached it.
Indeed the ‘climax’ of the novel gives barely any resolution and no falling action. I understand wanting to end upon a cliff-hanger if this is to be the start of a series, but there wasn’t enough falling action for me to feel as if I know if there is another story coming or if I just received a very unsatisfactory ending.
On a good note, the setting was phenomenal. I could feel what the characters were going through, I could perfectly picture the journey, the terrain, and the countries. The details were incredibly rich. Perhaps one of my favorite parts of the novel was how explicitly the rules of magic are in the world. This to me makes it even more believable, and I want to understand more about this world.
And this is the moment where I’m torn. If there would be another book, I’m incredibly tempted to read it. I desperately enjoyed the world, and I think that I could love some of the characters that we were introduced to at the end. However, I don’t know if I can stomach the main character and what is bound to be more bull headedness, and once again not caring what happens to him, just to see this world. I’m not sure yet if it’s worth committing myself to searching out the next installment.
Thank you to Stephen R. Donaldson, NetGalley, and the Berkley Publishing Group for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
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