MY ⭐️ RATING: 5/5
Format: Kindle Whispersync
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Fearing an uprising, the Sphinx sends Senlin to investigate a plot that has taken hold in the ringdom of Pelphia. Alone in the city, Senlin infiltrates a bloody arena where hods battle for the public’s entertainment. But his investigation is quickly derailed by a gruesome crime and an unexpected reunion.
Posing as a noble lady and her handmaid, Voleta and Iren attempt to reach Marya, who is isolated by her fame. While navigating the court, Voleta attracts the unwanted attention of a powerful prince whose pursuit of her threatens their plan.
Edith, now captain of the Sphinx’s fierce flagship, joins forces with a fellow wakeman to investigate the disappearance of a beloved friend. She must decide who to trust as her desperate search brings her nearer to the Black Trail where the hods climb in darkness and whisper of the Hod King.
As Senlin and his crew become further dragged in to the conspiracies of the Tower, everything falls to one question: Who is The Hod King?
MY REVIEW
As much as I have enjoyed the first two books of this series, I have to say that The Hod King is easily the best of Bancroft, that I’ve read so far. I love that this was a lot more about the rest of the characters than it was just Senlin. Bancroft did a tremendous job of digging into the rest of the characters, developing them into even more interesting parts of the story. I’ve had a lot of comparisons for this series so far, and that may have changed yet again, and I’ll say it’s a little bit like several things, but it is it’s own uniquely brilliant entity.
The story that Bancroft brings is absolutely spectacular. It had me dreaming about what was happening, and then I would wake up and have to read to find out what happened to Senlin and the rest of the crew because of the scenarios I had played out in my dreams. As I stated earlier, the development of the characters in this entry is by far the best, and though I do love Senlin and all the other characters, Voleta’s development is fantastic and has made her become somewhat of a favorite of mine.
“I was present at the beginning of time. I was there when the first coals of the universe turned red and burned for an age. I was dust floating in dead black nothing for half an eternity. I was a star when it formed. I was a star when it died. I was a ray of light bolting across a galaxy for ten thousand years, only to be caught and devoured by an oak leaf.”
With the other books taking place in different ringdoms of the tower, Bancroft changes it up and focuses mainly on the ringdom of Pelphia with multiple POV’s, just like in Arm of the Sphinx. He just has such a wonderful way with words and creates a beautifully complex story that is going to make you laugh, excited with action, make your heart drop with heartache, and it’s going to make you feen for the next page and the next and the next.
One thing that I enjoy so much is that John Banks narration is phenomenal! Whether it’s Ewan McGregor’s voice as Senlin, Master Splinter’s voice as the Sphinx or anything else, he always does such a great job of making you feel for the characters in every way. To have such good narration is the pinnacle of audiobooks, and Josiah, Orbit and Hachette audio absolutely nailed it with him!
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