The Blood Mirror (Lightbringer 4) - Brent Weeks

⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Tim)

Another 8, although I felt like the first half of this book was really easy to read and the last half slowed down a bit. I am very curious how the final book will wrap all this up, since I still have a lot of questions 4 books in.

Everything I like from the others is here, and the answers we get to some of the mysteries are satisfying and ask other interesting questions. I feel like the twists manage to be unique and I appreciate the author's attempt to make something special with these.

However, there is a huge twist in this book the undermines one of the best arcs of the entire series to date. He is trying to be way too twisty, and I think on a reread there are large portions of the other books that become completely useless now. Hard to explain without spoiling, but there is an amazing reveal in the first book that now essentially means nothing. Not great, and I am not sure why the author couldn't have just left it alone without trying to make another twist on his best twist.

The final frustration with this one follows from earlier books, and that's the juvenile humour combined with the sex. I get that these characters are all young, and I remember how guys in high school talk, but it is still annoying. In this book our young awkward hero who used to be overweight and is now kind of handsome is forced to marry the most beautiful woman of all time, and of course she somehow falls in love with him. But there is one problem - they can't consummate their marriage, and it isn't his fault, but hers! This perfect woman with a biological issue, and trust me she is willing but her body won't allow the act to occur. I can't help but think this is some ridiculous fantasy of the author's, where an overweight unlikely hero has mastered his powers, but his final challenge is conquering the body of this perfect woman (described in way too much detail way too often) who wants him so bad!

It wouldn't bother me if this was a chapter or two, but its the character's whole arc for this whole book. And then, I finish the book and the final page is an Author's Notes page on the actual condition the character's wife has, how its real and treatable and embarrassing and people should seek help. Give me a break Brent, don't wrap this in some awareness bow to cover up your naughty plot point that forces characters to continually try and fail to have sex.

So ya, this book didn't sit super well with me, but I have hopes that the final book can conclude what has been, for the most part, an interesting fantasy story told in a compelling fantasy world.