I will have the next paragraph totally free from any spoilers whatsoever, for all of you people who are brand new to this series This is a phenomenal series, a mix of fantasy and steampunk, with witty humor, surprising twists and turns and lots of adventures and action along the way: I gave this book another five stars, like all others in the series, although I think I enjoyed it the least I guess I can't love them all equally: I really liked the fact that we got to know more and more about the characters, and I am eager to learn even more XOXO A for more book-ish stuff visit: Mar 01, Maqluba rated it it was amazing Shelves: I'm all excited and jittery to keep reading but I am re-reading these slower this time around so I can fully absorb them and stretch the time out for the last book to come out.
This series was my first fore into the fantasy world and nothing had been as good since which I'm sad about but also sort of proud of because Lindsay Buroker rules!! He's your typical teenage boy who grew up on the streets and tries hard not to get too attached, even though its obvious he has feelings for his groups members We also get to meet up with Sespian again and we watch Sicarius act as the awkward parent who just wants to protect and help him. I was shaking and literally falling out of my seat at those scenes.
Amarenthe is still amazing. Sometimes I feel like she might be a little submissive to Sicarius but then I remember he's an emotionless assassin who wouldn't have responded to someone trying to out-due him so it's not that she's being submissive it's that she picks her battles and doesn't sweat the small stuff. She's not his owner and he's not her boss but they know what it takes to work together and AND AND get a little cuddly time behind a bush or in a hidden corner.
It's nice to see Sicarius opening up a little with the group as well- and by opening up I mean speaking about something other than training. The part about cannibalism had me literally on the floor laughing and this was my second time reading this book! I am dying DYING to skip ahead and read book 6 since I've already read book 5, but I promised myself that I would re-read the entire series slowly so that when I got to book 6 I will not have missed anything and I'd be super excited about it Not that I am not excited enough!! Okay okay on to book Apr 30, Sara Meehan rated it it was amazing.
Newcomers to Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series should read them in order: At the end of "Deadly Games," a note from the emperor offered Amaranthe and her group of mercenaries a large sum of money to kidnap him.
No explanation was offered, but for a group of people se Newcomers to Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series should read them in order: No explanation was offered, but for a group of people seeking to vindicate themselves of various accidental criminal acts — and other, more personal motives — it was the opportunity they'd been waiting for. Their plan to do so runs into a few hitches, of course. Buroker's strong suit is her characters, and "Conspiracy" continues to flesh out the members of the Emperor's Edge: This book's side story focuses on Akstyr and his motivations.
I'll admit that he was my least favorite character in the previous books, simply because he was so sullen all the time, but "Conspiracy" gives reason to hope he's gotten past that. We get more back story on Maldynado, too, likely in preparation for his story in Book 5. I'm a sucker for writers including call-backs to earlier works, so when minor characters made reappearances here, I was thrilled. I hope that one, in particular, becomes a regular part of the team. I enjoyed the related book "Encrypted," so I liked the references to the lead characters of that story and the appearance of the mysterious technology.
I would love to see these two worlds intersect at some point. And, of course, there's Amaranthe and Sicarius. Sicarius again gives Amaranthe reason to question herself for having feelings for him, which — yeah. He kills people at the least provocation. However, she's had ample time to reach a decision on that matter, and she needs to either find peace with who he is or accept that it's not going to work. Buroker is one of the best self-published authors that I've found. Excellent writing, good plotting and good editing — which, unfortunately, isn't always the case for indie authors.
Good thing Buroker's such a speedy writer.
Conspiracy
Then, dark against the white mountainside, a massive black craft floated across the railway, dwarfing the evergreens beneath it. Intermittent lights outlined its half-sphere shape. It was flat on the bottom and convex on top, like the dome of a building. Wow, this book was quite amazing! It was so action packed I admit though it was a little slow in the beginning and near the end, I was so freaking stressed out. When they were "At first, Amaranthe saw nothing.
When they were doing the surgery on Sespian, my heart was beating so fast. What a cliff hanger! Thank God I have the next book! But when Sicarius pushed Amaranthe into the room and hugged her I had a fan girl moment and squealed with happiness. It's just the little things he does that makes him so amazing and cute. Although I'm not sure I should be using the word 'cute' when talking about a deadly assassin. Then Sespian asked her to dinner and then she turns around and Sicarius is there, I just wanted to come into this book and shoot Sespian in the head!
Trying to steal Amarante away from Sicarius! Overall this book was awesome and I would recommend this series to everyone. Dec 16, Phoebe Prince rated it it was amazing. I've been loving this series, and Conspiracy felt like it got the plot back 'on track'. The 2nd and 3rd books feel like lulls, but Conspiracy gets back to the main plot with the Forge conspiracy.
There's also a train heist. What's not to like? Also, I was seriously impressed with Akstyr's plot, which I honestly didn't have high expectations for after how little I enjoyed the Books and Basilard sections of the last two books. I think one of the things I liked the most was that Akstyr, who felt th I've been loving this series, and Conspiracy felt like it got the plot back 'on track'. I think one of the things I liked the most was that Akstyr, who felt the least like a real character in this series, came across as fully formed with his own unique motives his mom and not wanting to be a shithead for the rest of his life and life goals to study the mental sciences.
This book also benefits greatly from the return of Yara and Sespian. Feb 14, Dyanna rated it it was amazing. I love this crew, I cannot help laughing every time I read this books because this characters are the best. After the emperor employs Amaranthe's crew to kidnap him, our heroine decide that the moment is perfect for this mission when the emperor travels by train. In this book we meet again with emperor Sespian and also with Ser Conspiracy is the fourth volume in the high fantasy The Emperor's Edge and is from the POV of Amaranthe, our beloved heroine and Akstyr and I must say I loved every page.
In this book we meet again with emperor Sespian and also with Sergeant Yara who by the way I want her to be part of the team. Oh and that cliffhanger, I cannot wait to dive in the 5 book! Nov 27, Hannah rated it really liked it Shelves: The Emperor's Edge series is really a disaster for my sleeping habits - there's just no way to put these books down once you've started reading! Conspiracy is no different; if anything, it's even more of a breathless ride than the previous installments, since the action hurtles forward non-stop once it really gets started.
No time to stop for a rest, that's for certain. It's clear by now that the first three books were self-contained adventures leading up to the real crux of this story; they laid The Emperor's Edge series is really a disaster for my sleeping habits - there's just no way to put these books down once you've started reading! It's clear by now that the first three books were self-contained adventures leading up to the real crux of this story; they laid the groundwork for the formation of the team, developing the intra-group bonds as each member became increasingly experienced at handling the twists and turns of Amaranthe's high-flying schemes and gradually gaining a positive reputation.
Conspiracy finally brings the team to the goal of approaching Sespian, though his trust and pardon will not be that easily earned. One of the best parts of the series is the characters, their growth and relationships. Sicarius DOES start off the book surprisingly cold and even stays grouchy for at least a third of the book, which was surprising and a bit annoying given the changes in him evident in Book 3. Nevertheless, the trust and partnership that I love became once again evident in the second half and the moments of tenderness and vulnerability between the two more than made up for the beginning.
There's even an encounter that rivals the Imperial Garden scene in Book 3. It's enough to make a girl squee. Aside from that, this book is really Akstyr's book and we finally get a chance to know the bad-tempered and unlikeable young fellow better. And it works; we see that even he has begun changing due to the influence of his comrades and I like him much more for his increased loyalty. The introduction of Sespian and Yara to the team was also a great move - Sespian is more mature than he was in Book 1 and Yara is a helpful ally.
I do have one complaint to register about Conspiracy , and that is the first third of the book. The very, very slow first third. While I actually like these moments of relative quiet when the team are off investigating and still getting into trouble but of a more manageable level , the first third mainly involved the setting up of the train heist that was to take place later. It wasn't uneventful so much as it lacked cohesion and almost meandered until the actual action began and the pace moved into a sprint.
It was also surprisingly dark. Several points of conflict were introduced, reaching a climax later in the book and serving to drive the character growth, but the fact that they were all concentrated at the beginning made it a more depressing read than I'd expected. The reminder of what Sicarius is capable of doing and the fact that he's not above acting contrary to Amaranthe's wishes for his own goals if he feels it's necessary was like a cold slap ultimately forgotten rather quickly. On the upside, we are shown both the weaknesses and strengths of Amaranthe as a leader through the contrast between the first third and remaining two-thirds.
She does have a blind spot where risks are concerned, but her charisma, silver tongue, genuine care for each team member and her quick wit keeps the team alive and following her not just out of respect and loyalty, but affection. We can't go without mentioning that doozy of a cliffhanger, of course, but it annoys me less than most because thank God I'd decided put the series on hold after the second book until Lindsay Buroker had finished writing them.
It's both a wonderful and terrible thing to be so invested in a series. Jun 08, Mei rated it it was amazing Shelves: I grow to love each one of the characters! They're so fantastic together! Apr 14, Lynn rated it it was amazing. The action really picks up and then is pretty much non stop.
Almost took a star off for the cliffhanger and there were times when I wanted to side eye both Sicarius and Amaranth. Stubborn, both of them and Sicarius needed to learn some lessons especially in communication and that his way isn't always right. Mar 11, Sandra rated it it was amazing. Onto the next one. Aug 16, Nathan rated it liked it Shelves: Fantasy Review Barn Possible spoilers from earlier books in the series. More of the same from Amaranthe and her loveable group of criminals, and in no way is that a bad thing. She comes up with harebrained plans, the crew grumble Fantasy Review Barn Possible spoilers from earlier books in the series.
She comes up with harebrained plans, the crew grumbles then follows along anyway, and things end up ok in the end. In fact he wants to arrange his own kidnapping away from his handlers. As in the last two books one member of the group takes over as the secondary story, this time it is he of the bad attitude, wannabe mage and former street punk Akstyr. The book started out slower for me than previous outings; the early set up was missing some of the witty dialog that really carries the series.
Thankfully once the heist is actually underway the book snaps back to what I read the series for; snappy infighting and wacky hijinks! Amaranthe is still enjoyable, Sicarius is still unbelievably glum and forgiven for trespasses too easily , and Maldynado is still my favorite shameless pretty boy. Yara is back from the last book and is paired with Maldynado for some of the best laughs in the book. The Emperor has been seen before, but he really shows some personality here and he is a very convincing character.
Strong and sure at times as the leader of the land should be, hesitant and even scared at times as a young man with hell thrown at him would be. The book ends on a major cliffhanger. While the Akstyr plot line is given some closure, nothing else is. Another fun entry in the series, still something a recommend, but something about the first third just didn't jive with me. Still, once again it was a book I couldn't put down and read in 2 days. Jun 06, Mikki rated it it was amazing Shelves: Don't read a single book of Lindsay Buroker's The Emperor's Edge series, because if you do, you'll be forgetting everything else that's important in your life in favor for Amaranthe's madcap adventures with her equally mad outlaw family.
Everything beyond the text of these books will cease to exist. I probably put off one day of work for each book I read. Conspiracy is another excellent addition to the series, and this time, Amaranthe and her ragtag goon squad are on their biggest mission yet: It's all on his request, though, so that makes it okay. The Great Train Robbery ain't got nothing on this. Akstyr mans the helm alongside Amaranthe this time, and although one has to wait until the end of the book for the manifestation of his character development, it is rather satisfying.
He's a selfish brat who avoids all responsibilities under the pretense of furthering his magic studies. Life hasn't been good to him, and he sees no need to be good to anyone else. In this book, he learns what it means to be part of a family, even if it isn't the same family you started out with. This book also shines the light on Sespian, who's far less naive than he was when Amaranthe first met him.
Sespian has been hardened by his experiences, and trust no one but Amaranthe. My heart breaks a little for his lonely position as emperor of a secretly hostile empire and not the least for his unrequited crush on Amaranthe.
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I like that he's grown up in the past three books, and he has the makings of a hero himself. And man, it has to be said that every romantic or very nearly romantic encounter Amaranthe has with Sicarius just delights me completely. I love their relationship dynamic, even though in real life it would be pretty messed up. Oftentimes, you don't really see why one member of the couple would be in love with the other, aside from mad good looks -- most often, you wonder why the man would be in love with the woman because he's written to woo a female audience and she to receive his charms. With Amaranthe and Sicarius, however, their long and laborious on Amaranthe's part, at least courtship makes it so that there could be no other outcome.
Of course, she'd be in love with him, and of course he'd love her back. She's brilliant and charming and has an incredible depth of caring for him that no one else has given him in his life. So yes, having this book end in a cliffhanger that promises daring escapes and reunions is excellent. May 17, Brenna rated it really liked it.
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From the opening scene on the top of a moving train at night, this story begins the arc that will carry allegedly through the end of the series, and it does not let up. We get to see more of the empire, more explosions, and Since Emperor Sespian has asked Amaranthe's motley crew of do-good outlaws to kidnap him, Sicarius has accordingly upped the level of training.
Even with Amaranthe as our lead and a fine, not-so-fearless-but-certainly-courageous leader she is , by th From the opening scene on the top of a moving train at night, this story begins the arc that will carry allegedly through the end of the series, and it does not let up. Even with Amaranthe as our lead and a fine, not-so-fearless-but-certainly-courageous leader she is , by this point I began to realize that this series is really about Sicarius. The slow thawing and re-freezing, then thawing of his icy exterior is fascinating to watch.
You also get a richer sense of why not only he but everyone is drawn to - and sticks with - Amaranthe. Another positive development is that Sergeant Yara, from "Dark Currents," comes back, helping balance the gender ratios a bit. Buroker does well at creating a character with much in common with Amaranthe while also being very distinctly her own woman. Some of the dialogue in this book is a too one-liner heavy, or somewhat forced does everyone have to be down on Maldynado all the time? Books and Akstyr are paired up for most of this installment, and they have a very interesting dynamic.
I was least invested in Akstyr up to this point, but Buroker does a good job of maintaining the pouty teenager tone for his segments while also making him more sympathetic.
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I very much enjoy that Buroker inbrues the series with a sense of time - we're now about nine or ten months from where the series started. Even though each book may only cover a week or two, the depth of the character interactions and developments seems to track accurately with the hours they've logged together. She does this well in specific scenes as well, having Amaranthe comment that only 20 minutes have passed since X happened, so that we're grounded in time as well as space.
Jun 29, Mike rated it liked it Shelves: I didn't love this fourth book of the series as much as the previous ones. It's not bad, but it has some issues. Firstly, the editing isn't as good. I'm not sure whether that's because I bought it from Smashwords rather than Amazon, but I noticed three instances of "who's" where the author meant "whose", one "it's" instead of "its", "quaking" instead of "quacking" and one or two other errors.
The earlier books were very clean. There were also other errors of usage that many people make, but that I didn't love this fourth book of the series as much as the previous ones. There were also other errors of usage that many people make, but that a good editor would eliminate: Apart from that, the story lost my suspension of disbelief a little.
Coming close to the end, I realized that the story couldn't possibly wrap up in the space that was left, and indeed it doesn't, finishing on a cliffhanger. There's some progression in the story. The Gorgon Spirit Frostborn 7. The False King Frostborn The Dark Warden Frostborn 6. The Shadow Prison Frostborn The Iron Tower Frostborn 5. The Dragon Knight Frostborn The Master Thief Frostborn 4. Immortal Ops Books The Eldritch Files, Books Ghost in the Seal Ghost Exile 6.
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Conspiracy (The Emperor's Edge Book 4) by Lindsay Buroker on Apple Books
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