The Daylight War: The Demon Cycle, Book 3

"The Daylight War" is my favorite novel yet by Peter V. Brett, and it's one of the best fantasy novels that I've read. It describes how, after the events of "The Desert Spear," Arlen and Jardir prepare for the coming new moon.The rest of this review will not contain spoilers about "The Daylight War" (though it will describe plenty of broad trends and things that you learn very early on), but it will assume that you have read the previous two books and spoil those.POVs and SubjectivityIn the first book, there were three point-of-view characters (Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer). In the second book, Brett threw in four more (Mind, Jardir, Abban, and Renna). In the third book, we now have even more (Inevera), bringing the total up to 8! That's definitely enough to make me complain about fragmentation, especially when there are at least 5 minor characters that get a substantial amount of ink, but yet the story felt cohesive. Even more so than the last one, in fact.One of my main criticisms of "The Desert Spear" was that the history of Jardir was a bit long and disconnected from the rest of the story, and I didn't feel that I could very easily empathize with the culture that was being presented. Part of the problem is that "The Warded Man" didn't strongly develop Arlen's time in the desert, so the focus on Jardir seemed out of place. However, when "The Daylight War" tells Inevera's story, it builds off of Jardir's story: in "The Desert Spear," Jardir sees the extent to which Inevera is shaping events and hiding things from him. Hers is a story that I had already wanted to know more about. Also, Brett tells her story a bit faster than he did Jardir's story.I love what Brett does with subjectivity. After reading Inevera's story, we have seen the events when Arlen is in Krasia three times. By the end of the book, we also hear of it a fourth time as the characters retell their experiences. None of the stories are really wrong. They just aren't complete on their own. But each person's story of those events is essential to their overall story and to their narrative as an individual. It isn't a problem that Brett has so many POV characters because each story feels incomplete without the others, so adding in the new POVs both creates new, unique individuals and informs the narratives of the other individuals. All of this in addition to exploring how we tell stories and how important the subjectivity of an experience can be.The CharactersBrett's books are good because of the characters, and in the second book, I disliked a lot of the characters. Rojer didn't do that much. Arlen thought that he was evil and suffered existential angst, so he was antisocial (despite being a great leader), which was bad for the world. Jardir exercised the leadership that Arlen didn't, but he didn't value human life and he had low standards for women, northerners, and khaffits, the non-warrior caste. Leesha was okay.All of that changes in "The Daylight War" thanks to the events at the end of "The Desert Spear." Now, I like all of the characters even though they don't like each other. Rojer grows a spine and upgrades his magic, so even though he's still not quite as epic as Arlen, Jardir, or Leesha, he's still a force to be reckoned with as well as someone who sets an example for others to follow. After Renna brings Arlen back at the end of book 2, he upgrades both his power and his personality. Not only can he use mind demon tricks, but he finally feels connected to the world rather than separated from it. I no longer have to agonize over him being so stupid all the time! Now, not only does he have a moral system that won't accept injustice, but he is willing to lead others on that path. And Jardir, with Inevera's help, becomes more liberal. He's still not the guy that I would throw my hat behind, but he becomes less foreign and more approachable. Also, as he gets more accustomed to the spear, crown, and cloak of Kaji, he gets his power upgraded, too. Leesha continues largely the same as she did in the second book, though I'm expecting some more scientific explorations in the fourth book.Oh, and that thing where Arlen is different from everyone else and thinks that he's a demon and it isn't just his tattoos? In book 3, we learn why that is, and my guess from early book 2 was totally correct.Jardir and Inevera present an interesting counterpoint to Renna and Arlen. Arlen and Jardir both play the role of deliverers in their societies, but in many ways, Arlen's more similar to Inevera and Renna to Jardir. The role that Arlen plays is the intellectual. He knows about all of the societies and about all of the demons and their powers, so he knows what to do, he has too much angst to do what needs to be done. It's Renna's force of personality and brute strength that keeps him grounded and points him in the right direction. The role that Inevera plays is also the intellectual. She, with her dice, knows the general shape of things to come, so he knows what to do, but because of her social role, she can't directly do them. It's Jardir's force of personality and brute strength that implements her plans. Despite those differences, though, there is a common theme of the woman making the man and of the benefits of the person making the plans being grounded.One of the mind-ward powers that I want to feature is the ability to see auras. When using the ward-sight, someone can see shifts in other people's emotions (once they know what to look for). It isn't quite mind reading, but it allows Brett to develop his deliverers more. They might be empathetic normally, but now they can actually see what people are feeling, so they become quite imposing religious figures in their ability to deal with people.The SettingEveryone's power upgrades and Inevera's story allow Brett to delve into lots of different types of magic. We see after Arlen's fight with the mind demon that he can use demon magic now, so we get to learn how that works. It's fairly cool, but it starts seeming more like a traditional fantasy genre spell caster and less unique (though the experience of it in the book is much more nuanced). We see during Inevera's fight with Leesha and with the mind demon that demon bones can act as magic batteries, so we get to learn more about how that works.We also see more of Rojer's musical magic, but I wasn't terribly happy with that. Brett features a couple of songs in his book, but he doesn't bring them to life. The songs just didn't seem very lyrical. In "Name of the Wind," Rothfuss features music strongly, but he spends more time describing how his characters interact with it than describing the music itself or the lyrics. I got the sense that it was because Rothfuss cared more about the characters and that he wasn't a musician himself, so he didn't think he would be able to do the songs justice. Brett, on the other hand, tries to give a full picture of the songs, but he doesn't quite succeed.There's quite a bit of sex. It's a little awkward. In previous books, there was only a little bit; now, it seems like every character is having sex and gossiping about it with everyone else. Even the recollections of the past are more sexual. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but I don't think it's Brett's forte. Brett is a good author when he's talking about the big picture stuff like everyone's overall philosophies and the war with the demons and the like. Brett isn't as good when talking about the details, whether that's one-on-one combat and the tactics within a battle or sex. His books didn't focus too much on the individual battles, which was good because that isn't the kind of author that he is. Now he's spending more time on sex, which isn't his strong suit.The EndingWow. Just wow. For me, the ending can make or break the book. Some people have criticized it, but it's great.

Her aura pulsing with fury, the Algai’ting Ka, mother of all demons, lashed out at all who disturbed her reading the long-awaited novel, The Daylight War.Ok, so maybe I didn’t eviscerate my friends and family-but it was a close thing, and in the end, I am glad of the myriad of interruptions that kept me from finishing the novel in less than three days. I would not have put it down otherwise, much as I read within 24 hours the first two of Peter Brett’s exquisitely crafted Demon Cycle fantasy series. And this is certainly one to be savored. First off, if you love fantasy, and have not read any of Brett’s Demon Cycle, stop reading this right now and click over to buy The Warded Man. I promise you it is the best money you will spend for a high-action, literature of the fantasy novel. His first novel is perfection, and he followed it up by delving deeper into the world and its history in The Desert Spear, without losing the wonder and flawless writing of The Warded Man. Those of us who love fantasy know how rare that can be. With The Daylight War, Peter V. Brett meets and then exceeds expectations, bringing things to climax after climax, and leaving his reader wanting more. But on to a really rough summary thus far of The Demon Cycle, in case you’re still debating picking up The Warded Man:The Warded Man tells the more-than-humble beginnings of our protagonist, Arlen Bales, a boy living in a time where demons rise from the earth each night to slaughter terrified humans who do not have proper “warding” to keep the evil from their homes. Tragedy strikes (of course) and Arlen is forced to grow up fast, traveling to other places and learning the hard way about warding, healing and other things which can protect him, and eventually, those he cares for. One of his journeys leads him to a place named Krasia (much like Ancient Babylonia) where the people actually fight against the demons with pride. We learn about an ancient prophecy of the “Deliverer” and the former “Deliverer’s” weapons. Arlen is betrayed in Krasia, but it makes him stronger and forces him to become “The Warded Man.” All the other characters are introduced in this novel as well, and each has his or her own chapters, which made for a truly rich and developed world.The Desert Spear dragged a bit to me at first. I was thinking “Where is Arlen and all the others I love???” as the first half of the novel focused on Jadir, the betrayer from the first novel, and his entire caste system in Krasia. After a while, thanks to Brett’s execution, I was pulled in to the history and background of Jadir and his motivations for the betrayal (led by his “sorceress” wife…although sorceress is not quite the right word for her). This led to a touch of empathy for Jadir, but mostly helped set the stage for Jadir being claimed the prophesied “Deliverer.” But isn’t that Arlen?? Well, yes, but Arlen isn’t claiming that. Instead, the novel switches back to Arlen, now home again, having built up his adopted town, renamed Deliverer’s Hollow. We are brought back into the lives and development of all the other characters, but now the dread looming isn’t demons, but the imminent and subsequent invasion by Jadir into their lands. He is following the laws of his God by unifying everyone, and training them to fight the demons, but inflicting the Krasian caste system upon the native peoples. You know a reckoning between him and Arlen will come one day. You also are learning about the demons’ own caste system, as Brett does an excellent third-person cutaway to the demons’ own plans. Arlen is reunited with his first “intended” girl and the story is deeply satisfying as a whole, and yet leaves you yearning for more.Happy to say, two years later, The Daylight War is here. Brett starts the story off with Arlen and his intended, Renna, only a few days after their near-death encounter with a mind-demon, which ended The Desert Spear. Renna is going to do whatever it takes to keep up with Arlen’s ever-growing and dramatic changes. Lots of affirmations of their devotion to each other, and Brett reveals through Arlen’s own relaxed speech, laughter and smiles that the man and woman are suited to each other. Arlen is the boy we all cheered for in The Warded Man, as much as he has become the living myth as The Warded Man/Deliverer. Our other characters have also developed, matured and gained in strength, and you just know how everything will play when the big battle begins. Before we reach that (which occurs during the waning of the moon) we are taken back in time for another character’s backstory. This time it is of Jadir’s Dama’ting wife, Inevera.Like in The Desert Spear, everything slows down to me when I enter the Krasia story arcs, but this is due to the language, which is properly italicized, but my mind makes me stop the rapid reading each time to sound out the words and after a while, I get annoyed with it. Not Brett’s fault, just my own personal reading style. Anyway, so we get to discover Inevera’s backstory. Since she has been the puppet-master to Jadir and others, it was actually a happy surprise to discover how she came to be this sorceress-like person, what her dice really said during those critical fortellings, and basically seeing the turning points of Arlen’s life from yet another point of view (the last was from Jadir’s). There were quite a few “Aha!” moments during her arc, which other readers of the series will jump on as well. As always, these chapters focused on others merely add yet another layer to the mythos of the Demon Cycle world, and enhance the reader’s experience there.Once we return to the present, the book goes from Arlen’s story, to the Krasians, and the readers discover that everything predicted by the dice regarding the Deliverer of prophecy plays out with both Arlen and Jadir. The demons are fighting smarter, we learn more of their caste again, and the humans are adapting with more wards and fighting styles to keep up with the barrage of assaults. Sub-plots also abound with our more minor characters. So there are two stories here: Who is the real Deliverer? and How can the demons be defeated? The answers are: You have to read for yourself.In summary, if you read fantasy for clever dialogue, well-developed worlds, multi-dimensional characters with depth, and one Hell (excuse the pun) of a plot, this series is for you.

The fight continues with demons of the core, as the heroes learn ancient knowledge and discover unknown talent the demons also become aware. There is a lot of background story in this book, more than was needed. I did not feel a need to learn the new language that is shared by half the people in this book or spend much time looking up meanings of unknown words. The action described in the fighting scenes is well done, using new powers and destruction of demons, explaining new weapons and extensive new powers is encouraging. On to the next book.

After following the first two books it has been refreshing to see al these characters interact, and the web that is forming males me want more.

One of the best series of books I have read to date. Very well written, an engaging set of characters and a superb story line.What a shame I was conned by this book that ends mid-scene. If you want half a story this is your book! Thoroughly enjoyed the first two and this one too until I realised this is a completely unfinished story. No climactic ending leaving you wanting more just half a climactic ending leaving you feeling robbed! What a terrible way to try and make readers buy the next instalment. A real shame because the first books were a cut above and this is one of the best fantasy tales I have had the pleasure of reading... until reaching the end of this unfinished work. Ruined my love for these books and for the author. Don't bother paying for this without knowing you are handing over your money for a yarn without a knitted ending. Gutted.

I don't normally write reviews on Amazon, but after finally finishing this book I felt obliged to share my opinion.I actually liked the first book (Painted Man). Was it one of the best fantasy books I've ever had the pleasure of reading? No. Not even close. But it was a decent start to a series and an interesting concept, even if that concept was littered with plot holes. Second book wasn't as good. Choosing to have the first third of the book focus on the back story of one character was a poor choice, but after that the book picked up. This book however was probably one of the worst books I've ever experienced.The main issue with this book is that it's so boring and stale. Nothing of any substance happens until the end of the book. I remember noticing I was 60% through the novel and realising the story hasn't moved forward at all. We get a lot more back story for one character which pads out a large chunk of the book, but not only is it pointless (we get told the same story beats from the last book, but this time from a different perspective), but it's also really creepy, and not in a good way either.Arlen Bales has had a complete character reboot. Gone is the serious, mysterious, punished bad-ass demon slayer from book 1 and part of book 2. Instead he's now trying to establish himself as a normal bloke with a bizarre local dialect (I sewer he didn't speak like a Somerset farmer before), although one who is still covered in tattoos and slays demons with his hands.He's also a complete idiot. He reveals the secret of his powers to one character (no spoilers here), but tells them not to do the same thing. However, he fails to explain what would happen if they did try and copy him and the dire consequences it would have. Surprise, suprise, said character goes behind Arlen's back and tries to emulate his actions to gain his powers. If only Arlen was more up front about it.........*smh*The rest of the characters are either complelty unlikeable, naive, as thick as a castle wall or a combination of all three.Honestly, over half the content of this book could be removed and nothing of value would be lost. It was such a struggle to finish, but now I have to finish the series. I've gotten this far, so I'm not going to give up now. Surly the next book can't be as bad as this?

Agreeing with some other reviews, there were times when I just wanted the tale to move on. I wanted the story to move forward and sadly had no real interest in the past. Eventually my wish was granted and the story once more galloped forward. I’ll wait a while before starting book 4 I think

the previous 2 books in the series i really enjoyed - fast paced, exciting, and interesting. this one is (at 60% through) none of those things. it possibly doesn't help that the POV character for the flashbacks is one that was previously interesting mostly for their mysterious nature, which is now removed.but it also doesn't help that at 60% through there has been almost no progression of the story.

The Demon Cycle series started strongly, but is tailed off quickly in the second book.This, the third in the series, is a much needed improvement. There are less irrational decisions from the characters, less awkward sex scenes and generally more depth to the characters.Brett spends time developing them motivations of the key players, and this really helps move the series forward. Narrowing the geographical scope of the book has also worked. Book 2 suffered from being spread across a massive world, with multiple interconnecting plots. Here Brett focuses on two points in time & space, and this shows in the depth of the work.