#licanius spoilers

[bitegore]

thought a little too hard about the venerate and now i'm going to explode and blow up and die i think

what if you were promised you could unshackle the chains of fate, that you could fix things, and that every terrible means you need to use for your ends would - eventually, once and for all, when it's done and over with - be erased, and the only thing that would be left would be the victory. that everything could be fixed in the end, no matter how badly you have to break it now. if you could come home, not just victor, but hero and savior and with every cruelty and sacrifice repaired so that no one knows you've even done them, because in this world you haven't

what if it was you and yours, together, people you've known for longer than anone else who understand and who want what you want - people who get it, when no one else can, after how long it's been and how much you've done and how much you've traded and sacrificed and become for the one goal, when no one else could possibly understand. And then one of your number lost their mind and gave up on the perfect shining goal, and in only a hundred years or so - the blink of an eye, to you, immortals, around for thousands of years at the minimum - kills several of your number before you finally band together and put an end to it. When before, you were somewhere between friends and family. When, in spite of everything, you still are.

and with roadblocks in the way and stresses and hardships for a thousand years, you work at it, you try to get the things moving again. it takes a thousand years. and at the very end you find out you've been betrayed from the inside again, that your most dedicated member has changed his mind, or lost it, or both. frankly, definitely both. tal does not have his fucking mind together, half the series he's amnesiac and the other half he's a zealot unwilling to even consider peace with the people who have known him longer than half these societies have existed.

And then one by one, within less than a decade, the rest of your number are dead, and so is he. When the only constant in your lives across the millenia has been that you cannot die. And the world will never be fixed, if it ever even could have been.

anyway i'm going to go cry for eight million hours now.

[laireshi]

I ship Caeden/Davian but like in a very specific way?? It's not romantic but it's not not romantic either. They obviously became close friends during their time in Zvaelar and I love that.

But also that scene at the very end when Davian returns and they're reunited for the first time both knowing who they both are and all the times they met before, and he calls Caeden Tal with such familiarity and saves him not only from El/Shammaeloth but also from himself (much more difficult in a way...)? It does something to me. And they're written as very comfortable with each other and just... They know how it's going to end/how it's ended already and yet they managed to look past that and grow to love each other. 

They are very important to each other, both emotionally but also in sheer impact they've had on each other's lives, and I very much can see them kissing in Zvaelar when they feel particularly hopeless about everything and crave human connection...But they are not one another's only/biggest/exclusive love, and they know it, and they don't want to be more than what they are, either. I feel like one thing they definitely are by the end is very honest about themselves. They're just what they need to be for each other.

(all of that, and then i think of the sheer trust and determination and forgiveness in learning to love the man that already killed you in his timeline, and will kill you in yours but only if you work with him; in learning to work past the regrets and guilt to really see the man behind them for who he is as a person and loving him when it just makes things more painful, and i curl up on the floor in feels)

[lyssq]

Realising I have a new type of fictional guy (silly/pathetic member of the friend group turns out to be an immortal being who is weighed down by the terrible things they've done and carries deep regrets and wants to change but isn't sure if they're capable of it after so long)

[incorrect-licanius]

Currently reading A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons and while I’m only on the second book I as a Licanius fan can appreciate the evil shapeshifter lady representation

[silverstoryteller]

Chapter Six

“only seeing that look as the knife drove toward him—” Okay, I immediately connected this to the scar on his hand, but I, of course, assumed one of the attackers stabbed him.

“Either one of them was strong enough to tear him in half. But what scared Will was not their strength, but the idea of what they might know about him.” :( Yeeeeah, good call on that, tbh.

““That’s right,” said Will, without hesitating, “the boy who took us both captive.” He deliberately didn’t look at Violet, his eyes on Justice.” I love Will and Violet's instant ride-or-die friendship.

You know, on first reading, Justice’s description of the war sounds like a bundle of the most basic, cliche tropes, and don’t even throw in any fantasy terms relating to the old world yet to differentiate it from other books, but I think that actually works in its favor? I knew going into this book that it was going to subvert that Chosen One trope, and there’s enough world building to be done before Pacat can get to the twist that I feel like the more basic the lore is, the better.

I was recently reading the first book in the Licanius Trilogy recently, and that series just hit me over the head constantly with people and places and magical terms that I had no frame of references for because I’d just started the book. It was like getting thrown into the deep in of the swimming pool, and Pacat's explanation of “there was a war, Light and Dark, Dark King set to return, you know how it goes,” was so much easier to process in comparison.

(Incidentally, while I decided to DNF that book for now, I did look up enough spoilers to be intrigued to see where it goes, so I will pick it up again at some point. I just want to wait until I get to a point where I’ve forgotten the details of the spoilers I looked up and I'm not automatically comparing it to CS Pacat, because I don't think that's a fair comparison.)

““She looked at me like she knew me.” Lines that hit different etc., etc. Also, I’m pretty sure this line stuck out to me as strange the first time I read it, too. If Will's supposed to be her descendant, why would she act like she knew him as if he was there?

Chapter Seven

"Simon’s creature. It’s in his blood.” I do wonder what this is supposed to mean, though I imagine we'll get the answer in book three.

‘“They’re my family,” said Violet. Will said, “Simon took my family from me too.”’ Will's great, man How could anyone not like him?

Here comes James!

[wearyeerie]

stupid niche book meme

[transatos]

not to circle back around to licanius, but to circle back around to licanius. zvaelar needs more attention. it's built and presented in such a fascinating way. esp with gassandrid, but really i believe it's close to the true center and cause of the timeline as a whole

[nightblood]

Caedan being like 4 different characters is making me paranoid. I’m constantly questioning whether a character is secretly him or someone else who can shapeshift.

This Raeleth guy seems friendly, but talks about El a lot so now I’m wondering if he’s actually Caedan or another of the Venerate.

[imagine-too-many-books]

I wish I could find some content related to the Licanius Trilogy. I just finished The Light of All that Falls and I have some feelings

Spoilers

How satisfying is it that everything links up and is explained in the end

Is anyone else wondering what happened with Aerlic and Dezia? What killed Cyr? Why are they Neskian? That better not interfere with Wirr and Dezia’s marriage

And that last scene with baby Davian? My Heaaart! Imagine Niha traveling south to meet Asha and finding Davian alive and well and imagine the conversation!!

How do you think Deldri is doing? I’m sure she’s fine just missing a foot.

I kinda wish Karaliene hadn’t been killed. I’m sure it’s possible to cause Caeden to be so upset he almost kills himself without killing her off (I know, upset is an understatement but I can’t think of a better word). Wirr wouldn’t be in charge at the end then but that’s not such a horrible thing. Honestly there are a few deaths that could have just... not happened. Tenvar, King Kevran, Shana, many others.

[miriam-anderson-giorgi]

Ciao Books Lovers, *recensione completa su Me and Books * come potete vedere dal titolo dell’articolo, ho finalmente letto anche il secondo volume della Licanius trilogy di James Islington che sin dalla sua prima uscita in lingua inglese non ha fatto altro che creare scalpore, e lo stesso è stato anche qui in Italia dopo la sua uscita per Fanucci. E dopo qualche mese dalla sua pubblicazione eccomi qui pronta anche a parlare de L’eco del tempo futuro. Come sempre ringrazio @fanuccieditore per la copia. Detto ciò buttiamoci nella recensione. Vi dico solo di stare attenti nella lettura se non volete incontrare qualche spoiler, per la maggior parte sul primo volume. Anche se presumo lo abbiate già letto vi avverto lo stesso, non si sa mai. Su questo volume non ci saranno spoiler, ma per collegare bene le recensioni devo accennare a qualcosa del primo volume che per alcuni di voi potrebbe essere troppo. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🇺🇸In a few hours the English version will be live on Me and Books, stay tuned if you want to read the review to the second volume of the Licanius Trilogy by James Islington. https://www.instagram.com/p/COA0kRbrl8a/?igshid=1qfmfisv4juxd

[bitegore]

woah I just finished reading licanius and I'm feeling lightheaded. do you want to yell about licanius because I want to hear you yell about it. I'm prepared to be so so normal about nethgalla

GOD. AHAHAHAHAA. i always want to yell about licanius

okay first my personal hashtag licanius hashtag experience is worth adding because it explains a lot about which parts i am most insane about. So I first found the first book Shadow of What was Lost back in the ancient years of like 2015 or 2016 or whatever before Islington got his book deal while it was still self-published on Kindle Unlimited instead of being published by any kind of publisher. Back in these years it was just the first book and the others weren't out.

....and surelyt you remember that fucking epilogue thing that Islington loves to do where he puts the Big Reveal right at the end of the book, right? So i spent like a full three or four years going absolutely Bat Shit about just the whole "caeden is also aarkein devaed" bit and then . book 2 comes out and. AUGH. AUUUUUUUGHHHHHHH AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAAA the fucking. MALSHASH is CAEDEN is AARKEIN DEVAED is TAL'KAMAR why does this man need to be every character. and THEN the fact that CAEDEN DOES NOT KILL DAVIAN. HE GETS HIM FUCKING SELF.

insane. this series makes me insane. literally foaming at the mouth insane.

nethgalla was just like. okay actually i cant lie i kind of love that she fucked up every romantic plotline caeden/tal could've been involved in because i am so glad he did not have any actual romance plot with karaliene or anyone else but how do you invent a character as cool as The Demon Shapeshifter From The Torture Dimension and then fuck it up by being like "and she's obsessed with this guy and exists mostly to be a femme fatale" like come ON. come ON you FLUBBED it. i wish she had more going on with her because even just the idea that she's tied to bhim because he summoned her by fucking up resurrecting his dead wife is like spicy as fuck but then the actual execution is so. like. mid at best? it truly saddens me especially because when Tal shows up she's lame about him but every other time she is SO badass. when she's pretending to be that one hunter she was so badass. when she was tormenting ashalia in the name of making her stronger that kicked ass. they should've kissed. i said what i said

also FUCK LMAO MELDIER AND ALARIC AND ISILIAR AND THE OTHER VENERATE i am SO not normal about them I am obsessed with them I want to put them in my mouth and EAT THEM. i wrote a crossover where Vortex gets recruited into their ranks for an exvent once. i love them so dearly. i spent multiple years bullying my girlfriends into reading the books exclusively so i could get them to write fanfiction about them for me. i love them i want them so dead i'm so glad the story went the way it did but also they deserved better and i wish it didn't happen in the first place. literally the best fucking tragedy ever. i wish we got to watch Wereth's death and Andrael's betrayal and i also wish everything were worse and there was more bad. i am so normal about them.they are so important to me

the fucking shape of this narrative also. this is so circles ever. it makes me lose my fucking mind. look at it it is a self-contained loop (derogatory) (aspirational) this thing is soooooooo the chicken and the egg. its so. its so! i am normal and not insane about it i promise come closer etc etc

[laireshi]

me wanting to reblog big licanius spoilers vs @eirenical who’s reading book one  and therefore must not be spoiled any more 😂

[theeloquentpage]

An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington

New Review: An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington #review #fantasy @OrbitBooks

Please note An Echo of Things to Come is the second book in The Licanius Trilogy. I strongly advise reading The Shadow of What was Lost before reading this book. Also, please remember this review may contain slight spoilers if you haven’t read book one. Consider yourself suitably warned! In the wake of the devastating attack on Ilin Illan, an amnesty has been declared for all Augurs – finally…

[bitegore]

(licanius anon) i did it! finished :3 i figured out davian was niha's kid but was surprised that davian didn't actually get x-ed but once caedan ended davian's connection to kan i was like "ohhhh caedan's gonna shapeshift and let his past self kill him gotcha" but the last few lines in the epilogue were really sweet <3 the fact that caedan CAN shapeshift into davian without ever having actually killed him is WILD tho sldfjlsdfdjslfd

YEAH!!! god that was such a MOMENT when i figured out Davian was gonna, you know, Not Die i think i actually yelled out loud. it was such an ending goddamn

[bitegore]

(licanius anon) just read the chapter where caedean visits alaris at the wells and the whole "you're jealous" "i AM jealous we're ALL jealous" exchange had me chanting gay gay homosexual at alaris/all the venerate. caedan thinks nethgalla is his only pissed off ex, nope, every single immortal in this series are only trying to kill him cuz their hearts got broken by this one man alone

YEAH YEAH LITERALLY

[bitegore]

heyyyyy red. licanius anon back at it again this time with Confusion because i thought the augur dude who trained davian was the once with the fridged wife backstory but apparently that's tal'kamar??? unless more wacky time travel/memory transfer stuff whatever is going on. but also @ tal quit being rude to your not-wife. nethgalla is just chillin here why be rude to a demon who loves you very much hmmm?? coward (idk if nethgalla really is a demon in the traditional sense but i mean if you hail from a place literally called quote darklands unquote,,,,,,,,,,,)

asbghgh yeah no malshash and tal’kamar are the same guy. tal’kamar is like 40% of all important side characters in this series i stg. also LMAO YEAH like if he just spoke to nethgalla with words i’m like pretty sure she would stop killing his girlfriends but i would be frustrated too