Full Review:
https://wanderinglectiophile.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/review-tempests-and-slaugh...

This was a slow and laborious read. Now, that’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable – because it was. I still rated it 3 out of 5, folks. There was just several hours worth of story that felt like we weren’t accomplishing much of anything other than world building. There were times that I wondered if we’d actually have a proper crux/climax/conflict to the story or if we would only entertain the day-to-day life details of Arram as he moved through the years at the school for mages. Thankfully there is a climax to the story, albeit an underwhelming one, so at least the plot wasn’t completely neglected.

One really great thing going for this book is the depth of the characters. There isn’t a one left with an unclear background or personality traits. You get a great feel for each of the characters and how they interact together in this story. I especially enjoyed the dynamics between Varice, Ozorne, and Arram and I look forward to seeing where that dynamic goes in the future of these books.

As far as content goes, I think it’s got some great qualities for young adult/middlegrade readers to contemplate. There’s a strong sense of moral correctness within our protagonist, Arram, and I think that could do some good among the reading youth of society. I’m curious to see what Pierce does with these themes in the next book.

The writing is good, but the the majority of the day-to-day details came across with a “stating the facts” kinda feel that left me with slight disinterest in those parts. The world building is great but I would have been incredibly disappointed if it had not been with all the details and information-dumping we endured in the tedious parts of this story. It’s safe to say that I am not left wondering how something works in this world that Pierce has built.

I feel like this whole book was spent setting up for the next one in the series. And of course, despite my disappointments in this one, I will be reading the next one. My hope is that it will be faster pace and less tedious now that there’s been so much groundwork done. ( )

1.5 out of 5. I didn't hate this, but it is truly not worth reading. Tortall completists excepted... maybe.

The prose is Bad. How can you write so many books and have editors and still be so incompetent on a sentences level? "Aram was excited. This was exciting!"

I was shocked how long it was and how little plot it had. Plot threads (which are clearly just setup for the next book) start to show up maybe 60% of the way through. She tries to make it character-driven, but DWJ easily leaves her in the dust. I was trying to figure out what on earth Pierce was excited about writing in this book, and I think it might be as simple as, she wanted to write about a fantasy medieval university? Not enough to hang a book on! ( )

Magic

Not a lot happens in this lengthy slice-of-life novel. It's possible that most of the conflict is supposed to arise from the dramatic irony of knowing the characters' fates, but this tension will probably be lost on new readers. In other words, it's a prequel. ( )

I was a bit worried about this one because some of the reviews are critical and I've found Tamora Pierce's books to be hit and miss as an adult. Add in the fact that Wild Magic was my favourite book as a teen, and that I've been waiting for Numair's story for literally a decade, I was massively afraid of disappointment.

But actually, I really enjoyed this book. It was great to re-visit this familiar world and some of the characters I know. I loved the presence of the gods in this world, I feel like that's something that makes it unique. Also loved the Carthaki setting, a little different from the usual fantasy fare. I also appreciated the ominous hints that Arram's friends might be have darker sides that he struggles to recognise.

Looking at the other reviews it seems the main criticism seems to be the lack of an over-arching direction. I think that's fair - Arram doesn't really have a driving purpose, and what appears to be the "climax" is pretty brief. Honestly, I didn't really mind, it was a fun and relaxing book and I didn't feel the need to bring in a whole lot of tension and drama.

Look forward to the next in the series. ( )