Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Pawn's Gambit by Rob J. Hayes starting on May 10, 2024.


Happy Reading!

Through chapter 29 (view spoiler)[and I am enjoying this quite a bit, same as book 1 but I swear, if Yuu ends up dying at the end I will be so mad! Book 1 ended so badly, this one needs to have a better one but man, I can totally see this ending badly for Yuu....Really good action and interesting characters though so there is that. (hide spoiler)]

Finished and (view spoiler)[OMFG seriously? I hated this ending nearly as much as I hated the ending of the first book! This was such crap, Yuu gets killed then forced to become the God of War and has to wear the mask she hated for eternity? UGH very annoying, so much so that I am unsure if I will read the third next month because I can comfortably assume that this too will have the suckiest of endings..... (hide spoiler)]

Started today also! Really enjoying so far--through Chapter 4--(view spoiler)[Again a woman MC skilled in war traveling with a god hiding as a child... who then mixes things up by revealing herself from the beginning and changing into an old woman. Yuu almost seems like a mix of the two MCs from the previous--the sword woman and the former bandit man, not as idealistic as the woman (already forgot the names) but not as opportunistic as the man...

I like the connections to the previous book--I can't remember if Yuu was in the first one or not, but I remember the Steel Prince... and wasn't there someone at his right-hand side? Why would she be a traitor now, with the old emperor overthrown?

The chess conversation was fun too--wasn't expecting to get a connection to the title quite as early...

And some fun Chinese stereotypical pokes--"Art of War"--the book by Sun Tzu, and the name for heaven being "Tian'an'men" which literally means "Gates of Heavenly Peace" (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 20 and really enjoying... (view spoiler)[the concept of the God of Lost Opportunities is interesting, and I like how it applies to the little group... especially the dude who spontaneously manifested a technique...

I also like Yuu's connection to her grandmother, and the little note about how in her Grandmother's time, women didn't have roles in strategy or war... yet both books have been female warrior MCs. And well written women too, which isn't always true.... (hide spoiler)]

Every time the narrator says "NaTSUko" it makes me want to tear out my hair... Japanese has no stresses. It should be a very even "Natsuko"--in fact, the "tsu" should be destressed, might even drop the "u"

Chapter 26 LOL (view spoiler)[Natsuko's low opinion of Shinigami makes me laugh--reminds me of @Ann-Marie's ire at how they messed up the ending--her description of their meddling pretty much describes the last book. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 27 (view spoiler)[Hey--it's the girl who Flaming Fist went to war for! The one who was dallying with Emerald guy at the time...

I like how this book is sort of, deepening the stories of the region, rather than expanding outwards more... (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Chapter 27 "

I liked this as well!

Finished! LOL Don't hate me, I actually liked the ending... (view spoiler)[As the God of War, she might be able to make changes... and she was already ready to die. I'm curious to see how this will affect the world going forward... (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Finished! LOL Don't hate me, I actually liked the ending... [spoilers removed]"

I guess we need to get synced back up after my hiatus lol My beef with the ending (view spoiler)[ was I wanted her to have a happy ending or at least die in peace and having to wear the mask she was finally able to shed and walk away from the life her grandmother essentially forced on her as a child is just terrible. Clearly all of the gods suck in this universe and yes, I know that generally gods suck but come on! (hide spoiler)]

LOL I can see that! I wonder if (view spoiler)[she would have had a happy ending after the contest though? I mean--she'd been lost and without purpose, and now War no longer reigns in the land. She'd just found her purpose... and how do you top playing tactics games with gods? Only one way to do so, really... to become one yourself.

The gods do rather suck though, lol. (hide spoiler)]

Your comment on getting back in-synch makes me think of Power Rangers, lol.

And I am not sure what ending would have satisfied me but this certainly wasn't it lol

LOL Love the gif! I wonder if you'll go into the next one expecting a similiar twist and then he pulls out a happy ending and you'll be pissed at him for undermining expectations.

Nirkatze wrote: "LOL Love the gif! I wonder if you'll go into the next one expecting a similiar twist and then he pulls out a happy ending and you'll be pissed at him for undermining expectations."

You are so right! I do not manage my own expectations very well.....

LOL Expectations are very unruly like that, neh?

Nirkatze wrote: "LOL Expectations are very unruly like that, neh?"

So true lol

I really don't want to do it but I have to sacrifice this series to manage my eye reading TBR. Since it's standalones, it's really the best candidate for the cut.

Started last night… feels quite different than never die, through the first 6 chapters…

Through chapter 14… loving the MCs strategies… her constantly sayings reminds me of Icarus Saga 2+… if I were to guess at a twist ending, (view spoiler)[ either the recruited underlings are champions of other gods, or the prince she tarnished is among them… or both… (hide spoiler)]

Is the MC named Yuu to create a pseudo-2nd person narrative experience, or is that just coincidence of Asian name sounds?

Timelord Iain wrote: "Is the MC named Yuu to create a pseudo-2nd person narrative experience, or is that just coincidence of Asian name sounds?"

LOL I was thinking similar things... My guess? Both.

Marie wrote: "I really don't want to do it but I have to sacrifice this series to manage my eye reading TBR. Since it's standalones, it's really the best candidate for the cut."

I hear you, Marie. It'll be here if you ever feel the mood to come back!