The Name of All Things

So. . . this book took me a while to finish, mainly due to how slow it was. A good two-thirds of this book was quite boring. But later we get to the action, epic dragonslaying, and incredible magic. Bam. Devoured in an hour. We arrive at actual plot and I am feeling the WAIT for the next book! I have always admired Lyon’s unique writing style, so this book ended well (but I can’t say the same for the beginning). It appears there is a heck ton of stuff in store and a lot of shit about to go down soon. 🖤

Not as overwhelming and confusing as the first book was. Finally, all the identities and history etc are sinking in I guess. Enjoyed this one and the new characters that were introduced. Onward!!!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own. Book: The Name of All Things Author: Jenn Lyons Book Series: A Chorus of Dragons Book 2 Rating: 4/5 Recommended For...: epic high fantasy, war, rebellion Publication Date: October 29, 2019 Genre: YA Fantasy Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, magic, dragons, big book and it will hurt your wrist) Publisher: Tor Teen Pages: 589 Synopsis: You can have everything you want if you sacrifice everything you believe. Kihrin D'Mon is a wanted man. Since he destroyed the Stone of Shackles and set demons free across Quur, he has been on the run from the wrath of an entire empire. His attempt to escape brings him into the path of Janel Theranon, a mysterious Joratese woman who claims to know Kihrin. Janel's plea for help pits Kihrin against all manner of dangers: a secret rebellion, a dragon capable of destroying an entire city, and Kihrin's old enemy, the wizard Relos Var. Janel believes that Relos Var possesses one of the most powerful artifacts in the world―the Cornerstone called the Name of All Things. And if Janel is right, then there may be nothing in the world that can stop Relos Var from getting what he wants. And what he wants is Kihrin D'Mon. Review: I really liked this book much more than the first book. The book is much more straightforward and easy to follow along. The book’s pacing is still amazing and the plot, again, kept me hooked from beginning to end. The character development and world building are also marvelous in this book. The only real downside of this book is that the two characters that the book really focuses on are characters that aren’t that well developed in the first book and that the first book doesn’t really make you want to know more about them. However, that changes with this book. Verdict: The story continues!

Jenn Lyon’s “The Name of All Things” is definitely a book you need to take your time reading. She creates a very intricate world with numerous characters and unique cultures so it can be a lot to process. That being said I absolutely loved this book and am enjoying the Chorus of Dragons series as a whole. Having read the first book in the series, “The Ruin of Kings”, I’m starting to see certain patterns that the author follows. In both books, we have a past and present storyline told by two different narrators. Ultimately, the two stories converge and progress into a “future” storyline. Also I’ve noticed that the title of each book refers to an item and/or artifact that plays an important role in the story. “The Name of All Things” refers to a stone that can grant the owner the answers to any question they have. This book is also primarily the story of Janel Danorak, whom Kihrin, as well as the reader, met in the afterlife towards the end of “The Ruin of Kings”. I found the character intriguing and really enjoyed getting to know her backstory in this book. Janel and Kihrin come across as the classic case of opposites attract. Kihirin is a survivor and is often not above shady dealings. Janel on the other hand values her honor above all else and struggles when it is likely to be compromised. The two definitely clash and at the same time the sparks are undeniable. Another thing I enjoyed about this story was seeing how the characters in book one are connected with those in book two. There were definitely a few relationships that I could not have foreseen while I was reading the first book. I also loved how Jenn Lyons presents good and evil as less than clear cut. Even two books into this series I’m not sure if the main characters are the heroes or the villains of this story. The same goes for the gods and Relos Var. While reading this book, I was reminded a lot of the plot twist at the end of season 7 of Game of Thrones. I found myself wondering if the author is going for something similar here, leading us to believe that the villains are actually the heroes up until the very end of the story. And speaking of surprises, I did not see that ending coming at all. Poor Janel is going to be heartbroken when she finds out! It just goes to show how clever and seductive Relos Var can be. Although I genuinely enjoyed this book, I have two small criticisms. First, there are a lot of characters to keep track of in this series and I think it would have been helpful to have a character guide somewhere in the book to help refresh one’s memory at times. Second, I’m not a fan of the Kihrin/Janel/Teraeth love triangle that the author seems to be setting up. In my opinion, it doesn’t really add anything to the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and give it a 5 out of 5. If you are a fan of Game of Thrones or enjoy a series with a lot of world building, then this is a great book for you. For more of my reviews check out my blog at reviewsbym.com

Do I love this series? Without a doubt. Do I know what the hell is happening? Absolutely not. Will I keep reading anyway? Of course. Honestly, I love the way Jenn Lyons plays with narrative in this series, even if her methods sometimes leave me trying to keep up with what is happening. My biggest disappointment was when I realized that much of this story is the retelling of events involving Janel and Brother Qown that take place concurrently with The Ruin of Kings. I *do* feel the story would feel a little smoother if that wasn’t the case. However, I still loved the way Lyons plays with the story-within-a-story-within-a-story aspects of this novel and while it didn’t feel as thought it moved the plot a whole lot (at least not until the last sixty pages or so), we do get a whole wealth of information, particularly about Relos Var and just what the hell he is up to. I also want to mention how Lyons handles gender identity, biological sex, gender roles, and sexuality in this. It felt so carefully thought out and just really well done overall. I appreciated seeing the way Lyons feels aware of our own modern understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality, while working it seamlessly into this world. Very refreshing to see in an epic fantasy. Finally, I stan disaster child Kihrin for all things.

6.14 on CAWPILE This book bored me so much 😭 as much as I did enjoy meeting the new characters, it felt like this book and the first book should have been alternating POVs as everything occurs at the same time as the first book. I also did not ship the couple at all... They'd met for a couple of hours and flirted for a bit and then suddenly they were kissing? I felt no sexual tension or intrigue, and coming off the back of reading From Blood and Ash where the tension is *chefs kiss* this just really fell flat for me. It's a very low 3/high 2 star for me. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue the series as I'm not really interested in the villain or any of the big scope plot stuff going on. Overall I'm pretty disappointed as the first book I thought started out well.

Whoo! Let your eyes skim past the genealogy and who’s related to who and just enjoy the ride.