This book was slightly better than the last. We learn some interesting facts about the people and players in this war, Great sense of humor throughout a high stakes battle that does outlast its charm a little. Lots of epic moments throughout, though a little more characterization on the supporting characters, would have been appreciated. It's a great violent epic story.
Full review on YouTube

Book #2 in the Silent Gods series was just as good as book #1 and now I have to wait possibly half a year or longer, ugh, to read book #3.
I am excited to learn what happens to Annev in the next book and to see if there are any conclusions to the many story lines that were taking place in the Master Artificer.

Mildly disappointed by this sequel to *Master of Sorrows*. Probably won’t be continuing with the series.

The author clearly has an excellent imagination, and there’s good stuff in here. People who like a book for good worldbuilding or good Sanderson-esque magic systems will find a lot to like here. In fact, though I don’t plan to continue the series, if I ever hear of Justin Call making a tabletop RPG I’ll jump on that in a hot minute.

Much of this book felt like a D&D-type role playing game campaign. This isn’t in and of itself a bad thing, but it’s something that needs to be handled carefully in a novel. There was too much time spent on what would be (in an actual RPG) the mechanics of the game. Lots of talk about artifacts, magical gear, how magic works. Mysterious strangers are met in taverns, parties are assembled, and dungeons are crawled. There’s a lot that is exciting and well-written.

But I found the overall story didn’t really hold together that well. There were too many disparate elements, and too many things that didn’t seem to tie into (any of) the plot(s). Character development was uneven, and there were some character turns that I did not think made sense at all.

Still, there’s a degree of a comfort read in this kind of old-school-inspired sword & sorcery. And full credit to the author on the gender balance, which was my chief complaint about book 1 (no women characters with any real agency).

I loved this second instalment of The Silent Gods series!
Did I love it as much as the first one? Not exactly..
This second book definitely took the story to new epic heights and we explored a lot more of the world, which I did really enjoy!
This book had the characters start to develop and become more distinctive. We are following a lot more POVs and it was really good to see from others perspectives, even if it was in a third person.
I feel like the story has become a lot more dark with our characters going from a sheltered existence to a lot more of a harsh reality.
They’re definitely a shift in their morals and I really enjoyed watching them deal with the situations they were thrust into.
I found it interesting that my love for Annev in this book really started to shift and I expect it’s because we are setting up for his transition into his villain arc that is expected to happen.
Myjun perspectives was one of my favourites to follow and I really started to enjoy her as a character.
However my main issues with this book was the length of it. I felt this one struggled massively from pacing issues. The first book is non stop and half the size so it always felt engaging.
There were points in this one where I felt it was dragging and struggling with second book syndrome unfortunately.
However this didn’t affect my feelings massively but is definitely why this just got a 4 star rating.
I’m so excited for the next instalment after that explosive ending though!!

I listened to this mostly via audiobook and I personally thought the narration was okay, but nothing to write home about. I would recommend reading either the physical or ebook if you are able when enjoying this story.

This one was quite hard for me to decide on the rating. On the one hand I really enjoyed this sequel to Master of Sorrows, while on the other I was left wanting more in certain parts of the story. Let me explain.

I’m gonna begin with something I absolutely loved about this book, multiple POVs! Master of Sorrows was for the most part told from the single POV of Annev. Master Artificer smoothly transitions from that to multiple POVs due to the fantastic character development of side characters that was done in book 1. It just felt like a natural progression of the story to go to multiple perspectives which is really hard to do well and is something that normally tends to fall flat in my experience. The fact that Justin Call did this and made it feel so smooth and natural was very impressive to me.

The three main POVs that were added were Myjun, Fyn, and Kenton, with Titus getting a chapter here and there as well. My favorite one varied throughout the book as each character had something interesting going on most of the time, but Fyn ended up getting the crown for my favorite through this book. There was always something important going on in Fyn’s POV and I found him a fascinating character to follow in his own right. It was so cool to see him form new bonds of friendship and even found family with his new gang in the criminal underground of Luqura.

Out of all the characters Annev had the most character progression. It is hard to pin down what type of character Annev is because he is so unique. He is so very flawed. He wants to do the right thing, but he also has a determination to survive that can turn him into a more cold, practical man. Annev has become a fervent skeptic, distrustful of everything and everyone he encounters which ends up really affecting not only his development but also his relationships with his friends and everyone around him. Annev is the best type of character in that he is complex. He is likable at times, relatable at others, and downright frustrating sometimes. Above all else though Annev made me feel invested. I care about what happens to him and am so intrigued by his character arc and where it seems to be going.

I love this magic system. Call has created a complex system of magic that you learn more and more of as the story goes on. I love the countless magical artifacts, the different types of magic and how they can only be accessed by people of a certain ancestry, and the many fascinating ways that magic impacts this story. Call combines elements of a typical soft magic system with the strict rules of a hard magic system to make magic not just a cool backdrop, but an integral part of the world and the story being told.

There was so much worldbuilding and character development in this book and I found most of it fascinating. The one thing that I did find not to my liking was that there wasn’t really much progression in the macro plot of the story. I actually spoke to the author about this and he said this was a purposeful move on his part as the things that we learn in this book are essential for setting up the rest of the series. However, this method of storytelling did leave me wanting more in terms of plot for this particular book in the series. There was definitely many fascinating things being learned and important story points being made, but there were also times where I felt the story got bogged down a bit in the details or stayed at one place too long.

Despite this one issue, I really enjoyed Master Artificer and am excited to see where the next two books will go! The world of The Silent Gods is so immersive and the characters so compelling, drawing you in immediately and demanding your attention until the final page is turned. I definitely recommend this series.

Master Artificer is the second in The Silent Gods series, and I had nothing but praise for the first book, Master of Sorrows. In the first book, the story is streamlined. Set at a school that scorns magic and keeps magical artifacts locked up, an orphan with an enchanted artificial hand does his best to rise among the ranks. But in Master Artificer, its as if there is an explosion, and the characters of the first store are flung across the four corners of this fantasy world that Call has created. From the embers rises an entirely new set of characters as well, and man, I wish I took some notes. The book SPRAWLS. There’s this arc here and this arc there, there’s magic here and battles there. It is everything.
As amazing that it is, the start of the story is a bit slow. It picks up exactly where the previous book ends, and the lead character, Annev, and his companions seem to be recovering from the chaos that was Master of Sorrow’s final events. It takes nearly half of the book to gain more momentum, but once the ball begins to roll, it is off like a shot. I think the slow pacing of the first half was attributed to how long it took me to finish the book – I’d read a couple chapters here, a couple chapters there, waiting for the thrills of its predecessor. In turn, I’d forget the cast of characters that was slowly building and growing in number.
Another thing that hampered me a bit was the complicated web of different gods and their associated followers as well as various brands of magic. Little did I know there was a helpful infographic at the end of the book.
Annev’s character development is a fascinating one. Is this kid a hero? An antihero? A… villain? Who knows? His former crush’s arc is truly fascinating as well, and it is filled with monster fights and alternate realties.
I appreciate Call including a summary of the first book at the very beginning of Master Artificer. Too many times, I have picked up the next in a series and immediately realize I can’t remember nearly as much of the previous book as I thought. Call saved me hours of time. I went back and referred to this summary a handful of times as I worked through the first few chapters.
All in all, Master Artificer captures the best elements of a legendary fantasy series comprised of tomes filled with an entire universe of characters, gods, and magic. Though the book suffers from what many series have an issue with what I like to call “the second in the series slump.” But it’s understandable. The story does need some setting up and continuity to progress towards the exciting bits. Second books always seem to serve as bridges. But Call was wise to put this first slower half with a thrilling second half – at nearly 900 pages (and nearly twice the size of the first book), this book could have easily been split into two. But to have the first stand alone as its own book would have been a disappointing release.

Master Artificer by Justin T. Call is the sub-par sequel to the previously spectacular Master of Sorrows. While the scope and sequence of the worldbuilding in the series is meant to be impressive and all-encompassing, I began to feel like it was tedious to keep track of all of the details, both big and small, leading me to be frustrated, putting the book down, time and time again, when I had read Master of Sorrows in such a short amount of time. It had engaged me so thoroughly, so to be completely honest, I am still working through many of my feelings about the sequel. However, I failed to enjoy most of the additional perspectives or points of view in Master Artificer, except for Annev and Fyn. I would have also preferred that the sequel had more focus on Annev, as I felt that the series has now lost some of its initial charm from book one. Annev’s storyline fizzled out for such a large portion of Master Artificer that I began to lose interest in what was happening because I could not figure out why Call had spent so much time on the Brotherhood. To contrast that, Annev’s time with Consul Anabo was a delightful reprieve from the nothingness that Annev had been experiencing. All in all, I have already reached a crossroads with the series, where I will have to decide, pending book three, if I am willing to continue with Annev and company. I never enjoyed Myjun or Kenton in book one, so having to have their perspectives or points of view in book two also led to some disappointment. I am still hopeful that book three will provide more solo adventures for Annev because he really shines when he is all alone against the world...

This book took me FOREVER to read. It is almost 900 pages and you can tell. I also feel like this fell into second book syndrome. This was a lot of world building and getting people where they need to be for the next book. It's also a villain origin story and I think that's wild. While I still love the characters, world, and concept, I just can't get past how long it was.

Will continue, but this series only has one more chance from me.

Master Artificer is the second book in The Silent Gods trilogy by Justin T. Call. Released 18th May 2021 by Blackstone, this massive volume is 857 pages and is available in most formats.

I won't give a precís, other reviewers have done that. I will say that despite being a hefty doorstop fantasy (the kind with maps at the front of the book), the action and characters move the plot along at a good pace - I never found the story dragging. There's a fair amount of graphic violence along with frank descriptions of darkness and pragmatically evil choices.

There will be inevitable comparisons between this book (and presumably the rest of the series) and Harry Harrison, Guy Gavriel Kay, and Brandon Sanderson. I submit that the series thus far compares very favorably and I'm cautiously excited to see what's in store in future from this author. Definitely one to watch.

It's important to note that this book is -very- dark in places and I found myself torn between wanting to go on and being sad and somewhat afraid of reading what comes next. There's political action, campaigning, skulduggery, questing, magic and everything for the classic political fantasy fan. I will say right away that I believe that this book would suffer greatly by attempting to read it as a standalone. There's way too much backstory and context necessary to be read by itself (although the author does spend a fair bit of the page count recapping things that went before). Although the author includes an extensive dramatis personae at the beginning (along with the requisite maps) it's not a trivial task to keep everyone straight and remember who is trying to kill whom.

Four stars. Recommended to fans of campaign fiction, immersive fantasy, and overarching immersive speculative fiction.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Review: 5 Stars

I’ve been looking forward to this sequel ever since I finished Master of Sorrows. I really loved the first book and was very excited to continue the series. Master Artificer is a truly epic tale. I had no idea that the sequel was going to be over 800 pages, but I actually found it to be a pretty quick read despite it’s large size. I was really impressed with the way this book expanded upon all the elements presented in the first installment.

Master Artificer is a character driven book, but that doesn’t mean that it’s slow paced of that there isn’t tons of action. While the first book focused mainly on Annev, this installment adds Myjun and Kenton’s points of view. You follow all three characters on their journeys, but Annev is still at the center of the plot. I really enjoyed getting to know Kenton and Myjun more, but the chapters from Annev’s point of view were my favorite.

From the beginning of the series the reader know that this is a villain origin story and that really starts to become clear throughout the course of this second installment. Annev’s character arc was amazing. You can really understand how he has changed from a kind hearted boy into a more cold and calculating man. The change comes on so slowly that it feels so real and I still found myself rooting for a character that really should be unlikable. Annev’s character arc was definitely one of my favorite aspects of this novel.

The world building was incredible. There was a lot introduced in the first book, but this installment really expanded upon the magic system. Part of the book takes place at a magical school so as the characters are learning magic the readers get to find out how it all works. The magic system is really unique and has so much possibility. It’s a very complex magic system, but the reader gets to absorb it piece by piece so it isn’t overwhelming. A lot of this book focuses on world building and it’s just so cool and so well done.

The plot is hard to summarize because this is an epic novel and a lot happens. There are multiple plot lines and characters to follow, and while the plot lines don’t meet by the end of this installment, you can see that they will. The writing is fast paced for the majority of the novel and I tore through this tome a lot faster than I expected to. The action scenes are written so well and had me on the edge of my seat over and over. I really enjoyed following these characters on their respective journeys, but the character development is really what makes this book so incredible.

Master Artificer is an incredibly well done epic fantasy novel. It’s over 800 pages, but I tore through it pretty fast and loved every minute of it, so don’t let the length intimidate you. This is an action packed book and it has a pretty fast pace, but it was the world building and the character development that really took this book to the next level. Justin T Call is a great new voice in fantasy and I can’t wait to see where he takes this series next. If you love epic fantasy and are looking for something comparable to the character development in Name of the Wind or the magic system of Mistborn, then I recommend you check this series out.

The town of Chaenbalu has fallen – and it’s kind of Annev’s fault. Confronted about his secret magical abilities, he lashed out with a power he barely understood, and dozens died in the process, both foe and innocent alike. With nothing but ruins left, Annev is leaving his home with his few remaining friends. Annev hopes to find a way to remove the power he’s been cursed with, but that will require finding someone with magic far more advanced than his meager knowledge. But with Annev the center of many prophecies, sorting who wants to help him and who hopes to manipulate him is no easy feat. And unbeknownst to Annev, new enemies are rising in the wake of his destructive actions, setting off a chain of events that will sweep across the entire continent.

MASTER ARTIFICER is a slowly sprawling epic fantasy story that rewards those who make it through a slightly rough beginning. Like its predecessor MASTER OF SORROWS, MASTER ARTIFICER’S biggest weakness is that the story requires a significant amount of exposition and info dumping. Although we’re in book two, Annev and his friends have led an incredibly sheltered life and know little about the outside world, or about magic. This results in the more worldly adults explaining everything from the many, many kinds of magic users in the world to politics to the existence of slavery (which the boys were blissfully unaware of). The result is that for the first few hundred pages, it felt like the majority of dialogue was explaining the more expansive world the reader was entering. The plot moved slowly and there was little to no character development in the beginning.

Once you get past the first third of the book, however, things begin to smooth out. That’s in part because where the author excels is writing action, and there’s plenty of that to go around. There are some fairly tense sequences that elevated the stakes and kept me much more engaged. It also helped once I realized the larger purpose of this book in the series as a whole: the slow fracturing of the plot as various people split up and pursue different paths. MASTER OF SORROWS was largely, if not entirely told from Annev’s POV (I might be wrong, my memories on that point are fuzzy); MASTER ARTIFICER takes on several new POVs as the ramifications of Annev’s actions, both in the last book and in this one, are felt. It’s the classic fantasy trope of what was once one group slowly getting tossed across the lands by the winds of fate, and very much about setting up pieces on the board.

The different groups had varying levels of success in engaging me. I found myself loving Fyn’s story, but that may be because I’m a sucker for criminal underworld stories. Fyn breaks off from the main group early on to strike his own path. While at first I was confused by this random trajectory, it eventually weaves itself into the bigger picture, and sets up some interesting clashes in the next book. Likewise, I liked the growth I saw in Therin and Titus, and how their role in the plot evolved. Myjun on the other hand, with her fairly one note determination for revenge, didn’t do a whole lot for me as a character.

Annev unsurprisingly goes through the biggest character arc, though it doesn’t really kick in until the last third of the book. MASTER OF SORROWS was marked by the tragedy of Annev’s indecisions; he tried to have everything and ended up losing most of it because he refused to pick a path in life. This time, he’s starting to be more decisive and realizing that if he wants things to happen, he’ll have to do it himself. But Annev also comes to some…interesting decisions regarding lines and when they’re okay to cross. It comes to a head in a surprisingly quick but critical finale that leaves Annev forever changed.

I had one other major complaint about MASTER ARTIFICER, and that was that several people come into magical powers and have them pretty well figured out in days, if not hours. While I understand many of these characters had an innate talent they were unaware of, it felt far too easy for them to go from “Magic is evil,” to “I’ve mastered powers it takes others years to learn.”

THE SILENT GODS series is one where you’re either all in, or you bounce off hard during the initial entry. It unfortunately requires a steep tolerance for exposition before the story truly gets moving, which is a shame because there is some great ideas and world-building in here. Both MASTER ARTIFICER and MASTER OF SORROWS had me much more hooked in the back half of the book, but that means getting through a few hundred pages where a reader could easily lose interest. For those with patience, MASTER ARTIFICER is a rewarding read with action and magic aplenty, and some high stakes set up for the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Justin Travis Call for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All opinions are still honest and my own.

Okay, so I did not see really ANY of that coming.

This is more likely a 4.5/5 rounded down, as it was better in my opinion than Master of Sorrows. The world building in this second installment was insane (in a good way), still a tad confusing if you are up reading on your kindle app at 3am, but so freaking good. This world expanded exponentially from the base we are given in book one and that gradual growth is something I LOVE in a series.

We shift gears in the way the story is told as well. Where in Master of Sorrows we see the story only through Annev's eyes and he is our primary focus, now we get to see what is happening from multiple POV's, which if you have followed my reviews for a bit you know this is a huge LOVE for me as well. I love getting to step away from the obvious MC and bond with other characters. Those other characters end up being my favorites so more time with them is always a win. In this case it is Fyn...yeah in Master of Sorrows, I would have never predicted that. Fyn is by far my favorite, and I want so much more from his side of things.

My only criticism here is that for a time, this got so complicated that I was a bit lost. It ended up coming together for me eventually. With that being said, I read this on Kindle, which does not make the appendix as easily accessible as a physical book does and that probably would have helped.

This was such a good follow up to master of Sorrows and I am thoroughly impressed by it. Well done Mr. Call, can't wait for the next one!

I have been eagerly awaiting the follow up to Justin Travis Call's brilliant Master of Sorrows for what felt like forever. Master Artificer was well worth the wait! I loved almost every minute of this action packed second installment of The Silent Gods.

Master Artificer picks up very shortly after Master of Sorrows ends. Chaenbalu has been destroyed and our gang of ragtag misfits has gone off to try and remove the Hand of Keos from Annev. Meanwhile Myjun begins her training under Oyru with the hopes of someday, very soon, enacting her revenge on Annev.

At first, I hated Myjun's story line. It felt like it played too much into the "scorned woman" trope and didn't explore enough into how Myjun was going to deal with becoming the very thing she had been taught to hate. And while I do still believe the author could have explored the psychological aspects of that more, by the time we learn Oyru's real motive, I was more invested in Myjun then I was in Titus/Therin or Fyn.

I was most intrigued by Annev's reckoning with who he is and who he is becoming. He doesn't want the Hand of Keos, he doesn't want this strange and horrible power. But as he slowly comes to terms with his fate, he also begins to embrace some of these changes.

I cannot wait until the next installment of this series.

Master of Sorrows was an ambitious, compelling fantasy that completely stood apart from other fantasy I've read, and Master Artificer took an enormous departure and ushered in an even bigger, darker, and more captivating story than I could have expected.

This book is a big tome and it's not the lightest reading, so it took me a decent bit to get through, and I'm actually already feeling like I want to re-read some parts. Justin T. Call was kind and merciful enough to include a "the story so far/previously on" at the beginning, which was immensely helpful because if it's been any longer amount of time between reading the first book and this one, you're going to need a refresher!

One of the biggest immediate differences with Master Artificer was the increased number of POVs that we now follow in contrast to only Annev's POV, and although it required a lot more focus and narratives to keep track of, it was nice to get deeper into this world and explore more from other people's perspectives. Annev himself is one of those characters that's hard to form an opinion on because of the intentional path of his character development. I find him captivating, but also a bit frustrating at times.. but also enjoyable in an unlikable way?

The world-building in Master Artificer also increased immensely in this book and I was impressed by how much Call was able to develop. That being said, sometimes there was almost too much description and info on the world-building that I felt interrupted the pacing a little in some areas and made it a little harder to get through the book. However, I also do really feel that this world-building was helpful and interesting to the plot and general overview of the story, so overall I did appreciate it.

Overall, Master Artificer is an incredible follow-up to Master of Sorrows, though I don't know if it will be for everyone. I am excited to continue on with this series and see exactly where Call is going to take this story because it seems to have some ambitious plans that I'm excited to uncover. This series has already gotten darker than I had realized, and I'm really enjoying that aspect as well!

In Master Artificer we continue with the exciting and epic story that began with Master of Sorrows, the first book in the Silent Gods series. If you haven't read that book yet, what are you waiting for? You can learn more about that first book by reading my review HERE

This second installment is a beast of a book - and I mean that in the very best way. It rings in at well over 800 pages, and each of those pages has something to offer the story.

We pick up where we left off at the end of Master of Sorrows. Chaenbalu lies in ruins, as does much of the beliefs Annev held prior to those events. Annev, and his friends forge ahead, to the city of Luqura. Annev is seeking to learn more about his magic, how to control it, and a way to remove the prosthetic that has melded itself to his body. This story is anything but the classical clear-cut good versus evil. Annev discovers that choices are not always so black and white, and once one's options offer nothing but choices in the grey, it is easy to stumble onto a darker path before you know it.

Call is a master in his own rights. The world building is on point, but the character building in this book is extraordinary. Although Annev is considered the "main character" and it is his story that brings us to this book, from here we now see separate storylines emerge for several other characters whose rolls are not just "supporting actors", but are integral to the story. The result is a book that is rich, epic, and multi-faceted, as well as thoroughly captivating.

If you are looking for a fantasy series that is light and bright and feel-good, this may not be the one for you; but if you are looking for an epic fantasy you can sink your teeth into, with dark threads and morally ambiguous characters, this series is sure to fit the bill.


Happy Reading,
Christine

In short, book 2 was just as epic as the first book, and if you are undecided as to whether or not to continue with the series, you 100% should. This series is the epitome of epic fantasy, and I was not bored for a single one of the 800 pages.

Thank you to BLackstone Publishing and NetGalley for granting me an arc copy of Master Artificer, which will be published in the US on 18th May 2021.

Master Artificer begins right after the events of Master of Sorrows, during the aftermath of the battle in Chaenbalu where Annev has just caused the collapse of the Academy and the deaths of multiple people.

We see the horrific story arcs of Kenton and Myjun - both survivors, left for dead in the ruins of the Academy, and both now monsters following the battle, and blaming Annev for their fates while swearing to avenge themselves by hunting him down and killing him.
“She was the death that all men feared - the specter that promised no quarter, no remorse, and no mercy.”

Kenton’s eyes are now “fiery glass orbs” caused by Annev throwing magical aqlumera in his face. Kenton is now Master of Curses and I can only think his curse mastery must have been used to the max during the painful burning of his eyeballs!!

Myjun is now Oyru the Shadow Reborn’s apprentice assassin. She must train and learn how to use her new powers and the magic that she was unaware was within her before Oyru will let her hunt her ultimate quarry, Annev.

Annev, Sraon the smith, Titus, Therin and Fyn are on a quest to find a way to remove the golden Hand of Keos from Annev’s arm. They pick up an albino soothsayer/Necromancer along the way (via a blood debt) who is searching for Sodja Rocas. They journey from Banok to Luqura since Dolyn the Artificer in Banok was unable to remove the Hand and hopefully Reece, one of Sodar’s old order will be able to help them. These sequences were my favourite parts of the book - I enjoyed the camaraderie of this group and the way the boys were testing out their independence and developing along the way.

This book is longer than book one and is filled with more excellent world-building as the characters journey to different locations, more exciting fight scenes and more intriguing magic. The characters are no longer boys attending an Academy but are maturing and learning to use their particular powers and talents.

Through notes made by Sodar, which Annev has in his magical bag, we discover the nature of the assassins hunting Annev. We also get told about many different magical artifacts that both Annev and Kenton took from the Vault of Damnation back at the Academy. I really enjoyed these artifacts, such as the Boots of Swiftness and the Shirt of Regeneration, and I’m willing to bet that the author had a lot of fun coming up with them.

The tone of Master Artificer is quite a lot darker than its prequel and in places it is really toe-curlingly horrific - some of the things that Kenton and Myjun in particular have to endure are really chilling!

The storytelling within this book is fabulous and the various arcs eventually merge, with some loose ends getting tied up, but there is a cliff-hanger at the end. Let’s hope Justin T. Call doesn’t leave us hanging for too long!!

"Am I killing monsters...or am I becoming one?"

I cannot express enough how much I love this series so far. The first book allowed you to love Annev, and the second book has you feeling so bad for him. The shift in perspective on all of the characters from book one was insane. So much depth has been added to each one with so much detail. It isn't just a book about Annev turning into the "Dark Lord" as much as it is about all of his friends changing into what they are going to be also. So many friends are loyal and want to help him, but Annev has started to isolate himself. And once he did that, things started to change in him. I think that says something for community and how it is unhealthy to always be alone.

The general feels of the book are dark and disturbing with rays of hope thrown in. I was curious how this shift would be done from book one, but I think the author's attention to detail and character work made this transition flawless.

The world-building was also excellent. The magic system was built on and expanded from book one, which is very thought out. Having an ARC of this was hard to follow at times, because it is more difficult to go back and look at how everything is set up without a physical copy. The mythology was also built upon and is very interesting how it is all linked to the magic system.

The ending didn't feel so much like an ending as it did a "to be continued". I think that has to do with how every grouping of chapters has its own story arc per section, making it feel more like you are waiting for the next episode in a television series versus the next book with one big challenge that needs to be overcome. The addition of multiple points of view helped with this feeling. I enjoyed the flow of it.

Overall, I highly recommend this series so far as it has quickly become one of my favorites.

This story continues on from Master of Sorrows and it's maybe a little better than that one for me. This book was very readable and love to read without feeling tired of the story and was hating to stop. There are some books that make you feel like I want to stop after a few chapters but not this one. Once again I thought I knew where the story was heading and found to my complete delight that its went in some very surprising directions. Most of the focus remains on Annev but the others are also given their time. Some more and some less but since they are still alive they must have a part to play in ongoing story. Annev and Myjun were the most interested for me this time. Through these two and the journeys they went you get learn more about the various magics that exist. I did feel a little confused at points but still got the gist of how things work in this world. There are so many other beings or characters that have only been mentioned so far and these will hopefully find their way into the next book. Fyn's place in the story feels rather incomplete in a way but I suspect he will find his path aligning with Annev and the others at some point as well. Kenton seems to be in position to meet with Myjun but not in the way he expects but I will have to wait until the next book to see if that happens like I think it will.
These are just my initial thoughts after just finishing the book but I have added this one to the list of books that will need be to reread again. I always hope to see something new or get some incites when reading again and I hope its just as good on the first read as the second will be.

So first and foremost, oh my goodness. This book is a monster. It is around 1000 pages long, and the funniest thing about it being so long is that even after 970+ pages I still wanted more! As you can probably see I gave this book 3 stars (3.5 stars rounded down), and the reason for that was that I wasn't so crazy about the first 700 pages, but omg the last ~300 pages were so! good!

Master Artificer is a very different book from Master of Sorrows. The main reason for this is because instead of focusing only on Annev, Master Artificer splits its focus between Annev, Myjun, Kenton, Fyn, and at times, Titus and Therin. The main drawback for me was that there were so many different stories going on at once. Master of Sorrows had made me used to the idea of Annev as the main character, but Master Artificer took that idea away from me.

For the first ~800 pages the majority of the growth, adventure, and development happens to characters that aren't Annev. Now, that wouldn't technically be a bad thing, I mean, we love reading about other cool characters and their development, right? Except for most of the other characters, I didn't actually care about what was going on with them.

At the beginning of the book, Fyn leaves the rest of the gang and begins his arc as a thief lord/rebel in the city of Luqura. The issue with Fyn's chapters was that I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the companions he picked up while in Luqura. From the start, it was obvious that the newly introduced characters were going to be throwaway characters. There was no significant development in them, and I couldn't tell one gang member apart from the other.

This issue with characters not being defined enough to be able to tell the difference between them kept up in all the chapters focusing on Titus and Therin. I just read a 1000 page book where they are featured as semi-major characters and I would not be able to tell you the difference between them. They're not distinctive, and every bit of dialogue they had made me cringe because of how childish they both sounded.

Other major players also include Myjun and Kenton. The two of them get incredibly cool story arcs and development, and usually, I'd be like yay! good for them! Except I spent most of the book annoyed that so much was happening to them while nothing was happening to Annev. Luckily, things pick up for Annev, (around page 800 as mentioned before), and that really saved the book for me. By the end of it, I was itching for more and was confused over why the book felt like it was so short.

Overall, I didn't enjoy Master Artificer as much as I did Master of Sorrows, but I am still very excited to see where the series is going and I can't wait to read the next book!