User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
"YOU'RE KILLING ME SMALLS!" Basically sums up my feelings at the end of yet another wonderful book in this series. I have given this 5 stars but as I have previously stated in some reviews etc, some authors need their own star chart. Prism Cloud for me was 4.5 stars on the Jeff Wheeler star chart because it didn't quite get me like some of the Kingfountain series books did but it was still amazing! Really though I look at this like a continuation of the series' I know and love instead of its own series! I am terrified of the next book. *gulp*
Jeff Wheeler does this to me in every series and I don't know how he gets me every freaking time but it happens again and again. Like any other reader we form assumptions during the reading of the series... assumptions about how the plot line is going to either get to the end or end. We all do it, even if we know better, and every flippin time Jeff Wheeler puts a kink in my plans... Whether it be certain characters ending up together... or how a certain event fixes itself, or even whether or not a certain character proves to be friend or foe. Every time Jeff ruins my plans for his characters... How dare he right?! I know it sounds ridiculous really but come on... not Cettie!! I will say usually when this happens, and it has happened in every series the author usually works in out in a way that has me bowing to his superior knowledge.... I'm just hoping for the best!
In book #4 here the situation between kingfountain and the empire has hit explosive proportions. As Sera is becoming more involved and begins to have even deeper feelings for Trevon. Cettie has had a most disturbing vision of the future and her adoptive father is in extreme danger. Of course, Cettie has no idea who the bad guys are.. but we do.. and we watch as she makes some horrible decisions as decides who to trust, resulting in devastating consequences, and she becomes detached and forsakes her knowledge of the mysteries. Meanwhile through Lady Corinne's masterful plotting and scheming we see Sera finally able to step into her birth roll, but now she doesn't have to just save the empire, she must also save her husband and Kingfountain as well. The hetaera are rising and the plague of war is here! What is happening to my beloved people!!!! WHY!!!
Looking back through my "highlights" I have 5 with the "note" underneath saying "Noooo, Cettie, noooo." I'm so torn up inside! How is the magician going to pull us out of this hat!!!?? Where is the next book? /cry!
*I happily camped 47 North's NetGalley collection in hopes to see this book come up and fangirl screamed when they thankfully allowed me to read and review a copy of this! All these opinions in the spazzy state they are, are of course mine.*
Rating: really liked it
Rating: 2.75 stars, to be honest.
Writing: While the writing was excellent, I got completely lost in the overstuffed plot. Too many characters, too many names that I constantly had to keep re-reading who is who and who is engaged to who and related to someone else...it gave me a headache. If I need a spreadsheet just to keep track of everyone's lineage, I am in trouble. All the names were mouthful and that didn't help either. I am not saying name everyone Bob and Lucy, but to me the names were a bit too much. I guess it all comes down to the writer - I read all George RR Martin's novels and never had hard time following all the plot lines.
There were some interesting parts that kept the plot moving, but overall, it wasn't enough for me to be completely invested. I will read the series in order to see if that makes a difference and makes things clear.
It is my fault that I didn't realize that this is a book 4 before I started reading it. Have I known, I wouldn't request the ARC. Again, my bad.
Thank you very much to Negalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC.
Rating: really liked it
I still love the characters in this series. I have seen some people argue that Cettie's turn in this book was very abrupt and out of character, but I disagree. Traumatic experiences can destroy even the strongest faith.
There is not much I can say about this novel without spoiling too much, but dang Jeff Wheeler keeps this story going strong and that in itself is impressive.
Rating: really liked it
Jeff Wheeler knows how to write a poignant story!
The central theme in "Prism Cloud" is control. Control over emotions, control over others, control over situations, etc. all drive the narrative within this novel. Cettie is struggling with control over her gifts and her identity, Sera is struggling with control over her responsibilities and the knowledge that comes with those responsibilities. Both young women learn that there are consequences to their choices for control. And, everyone suffers because of it.
Jeff Wheeler makes you care about and understand all of the characters within the story, which is why what happens to several of them in this novel are so gut-wrenching. Cettie and Sera are deceived constantly and they fight for control of the current situations, but the more they fight, the more control they lose. Meanwhile, it seems that both Comoros and Kingfountain are about to fall to a long forgotten foe.
All of the events and the bits as far back as "Mirror Gate," which is years ago in the "Harbinger" Timeline, make a comeback and are relevant to everything that happens in "Prism Cloud." The climax within the plot has reached its climax and the denouement can lead this series towards two potential endings. However, it is not the resolution so much as the events leading up to it that I'm piqued with curiosity.
It's been a while since I was so eager for the next, and final, book in a series! "Broken Veil" will be a very interesting conclusion to Wheeler's "Harbinger" series! June 2019 cannot come fast enough!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Vote: 3,90
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(fourth book out of five)I was pleasantry surprised by the first book and the following book are only confirming me in my feeling: this is a really good fantasy series (of the classic-fantasy sub-genre with quite a bit of political intrigue).
It has a really good setting and a well done magical system that you learn little by little as the story goes on. The set of characters are mostly young ones and yes, you just know they're destined to greatness, etc., etc... But it's really well done: you come to know them, care for them, fear with them and see them grow day by day and year by year. They're now in their twenties and it's quite interesting how they've become.
The world is solid and as the story goes on it is... expanding and ever more convincing.
The story is epic and full of political intrigue and I'm quite liking it.
The only downside (in my opinion, clearly) is that maybe the series could have been a book shorter, leaving out some part that, while interesting and contributing to the story, it somewhat slow the momentum of the story.
That said, this fourth book is as good as the others and I can't wait to read the final book.
I like the genre. I like the setting. I like more and more the story and its wonderful characters.
Rating: really liked it
I have mixed feelings on this book. It does a fine job of continuing the story, upping the stakes and action, and further developing the main characters. Sera really comes into her own and does fantastic. There are some great revelations about Lady Corinne and what her intentions are. Several main characters are removed from the story (either temporarily or permanently) and while I didn’t particular like that I can understand it served to further the story.
But what is majorly wrong with this book is the character of Cettie. She completely forgets that she is a maston, forgoes all prior character development and experience, fails and makes the wrong choices at every turn, and ultimately turns out to be a rather useless character…which is a problem when she is supposed to the be the series’ main character. At least Sera didn’t disappoint.
Rating: really liked it
Oh geez, where to start with this one. Cettie almost ruined the book for me. Prism Cloud was the best of them as far as plot, action, and intrigue, even the other characters shined, but Cettie was absolutely terrible.
Sera once again was the superstar of this novel. She broke out of her prison in Pavenham Sky transformed into a much more patient and focused woman and was able to make amazing things happen in both Empires. Trevon and Durrant were superstars too both in their own ways.
There was a touch of romance, absolutely lovely (and then heartbreaking) to see Sera and Trevon actually falling for each other after so many differences. One of my favorite aspects was how they discovered that Muirwood’s Medium and Kingfountain’s Fountain Magic were so similar
Another thing I respect Wheeler for is not being afraid to kill off one, two, or six of our favorite characters. The beginning and end of the book both featured terrible murders and just, wow. The Adam and Fitzroy scene at the end was unbelievably sad.
The other main plot line besides the ill-fated Kingfountain wedding was that Corinne finally outmaneuvered Cettie, who had a crisis of faith and totally succumbed to it. All the scheming and intrigue was finally revealed and yes, it went deep, but Cettie turned into a snivelling moron. It was so uncharacteristic and bad that reading her chapters was painful. I could not believe her arc went downhill so quickly – it was like Wheeler wanted to rehash Maia’s storyline (see next book) but honestly I would have rather seen Cettie fighting for Sera. Cettie knows what found family is and was willing to throw it all away so quickly, knowing that her deceiver was the worst of everyone!? It was just SO bad, it didn’t ring true at all.
And of course – she got kidnapped. I’ll talk about it more during Broken Veil but it really kills me that Wheeler’s MoA for this series is to alternately diminish each character while the other shines, like, how many times can you use kidnapping as a plot device in one series?
The rest of the plot and action held the faults at bay for the most part but I think Wheeler could have done better overall
My favorite part was 100% at Kingfountain, and everything involving Sera. Watching her maneuver against Montpensier and finally unravelling the entire political plot was by far the high point of the story. As was Sera and Adam’s escape after the terrible events that occurred. I also will talk about Adam more in the next book’s review but his bravery was stunning.
While the other characters and the action would have made this the best read of the series, Cettie dragged the book down. I’m coming in at a strong 3.5 with this one but by no means dislike the book or series at all.
Once again if anyone likes audio, Kate Rudd is amazing. She is clear and coherent and does great voices.
Rating: really liked it
Review coming soon.
Rating: really liked it
I really like(d?) Jeff Wheeler’s books but he has lost perspective. The main character has changed at a moral level for no reason. All his other series had a positive undertone and natural flow of plot and story. He has over complicated this story line and it’s unclear why. Maybe the next book will make it clear but I’m not nearly as excited to read it. I have always finished his books and was excited and impatient to read the next. Not now. I will read the next book tbh but I won’t be waiting on the release date like I have in the past. Feels like he extended and added to this series’ plot to sell another book or maybe his published pushed for more sales. Who knows. Always well written and detailed but something has changed with Mr. Wheeler.
Rating: really liked it
Best one in the series yet. Here's the review - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2019/03/...
Rating: really liked it
Oh wow. I love that Wheeler's series, while their own stories, are all linked. This continuation of Cettie & Sera did not disappoint. The twist at the end with Corrine surprised me. I cannot wait to see how this concludes!
Rating: really liked it
Cliff hanger! Can't wait for the next one!
Rating: really liked it
I was given an AR copy provided by NetGalley.
I first stumbled upon the Harbringer series thanks to Kindle Unlimited by Amazon and instantly fell in love.
Floating estates in the sky?
Magic that can be harnessed through amulets?
Traveling through multiple worlds?
Prism Cloud is the fourth installment (Storm Glass, Mirror Gate, Iron Garland) in the series and will definitely not be the last.
If you’ve read the previous books then you will continue to be thrilled by the world that Jeff Wheeler has built which follows heroines Cettie and Sera. In this installment we still see the girls harness their understanding of the Knowing and make sacrifices for the people they love. There are times in the book when it feels like too many storylines and plot twists are happening, especially in the beginning– though to be fair, some of them have been hinted at in previous books and it isn’t a surprise that our characters now learn of them.
I was slightly irritated (in a good way?) with the fact that Cettie continued to trust people whom we, as the reader, know to be untrusting and put her faith in people who are definitely not working in her best interests. Cettie has long searched for answers to her family history since she was abandoned as a child in the Fells. When she learns of the identity of her mother she immediately leaves the family that had raised her since childhood without a backward glance.
She’s always trusted the Knowing, and that trust had served her well in the past. I understood the reason for this as part of the plotline however it felt slightly uncharacteristic of her as her devotion has always been to Fog Willows and the Fitzroy family. But, I guess growth is good.
Meanwhile, it has been 18 months since the last book when Sera made the agreement to spend three months each year living in Kingfountain while Prince Trevon does the same in Muirwood. We now see that their romance has blossomed and they are beginning to take steps toward marriage. But talk about character growth for Sera Fitzempress! She embodies the role of a regal woman who puts her country above her own feelings.
When the emperor is killed, she steps into the role and proves she is capable of ruling her people on the brink of war. She is no longer the wild and rambunctious girl who had unrealistic ideas about being empress. Her thoughts are well formed and her decisions are made with foresight in mind. It felt natural for her character to behave in such a way and for her to put her trust in specific people.
By the end of the book I was feeling a mix of emotions (thanks in part to the death of beloved characters) and already await the next installment. This series is well thought out and each book builds upon the next without seeming rushed or like it should be finished (and the author is just continuing to add problems in order to write another book). There are still enough questions left to be answered in additional books and mysteries that have to be solved to keep me reading this series.
I highly recommend reading these novels if you are interested in YA fantasy.
Each decision, each action, carried so much weight, rippled into the vast eternity of outcomes.
Be kind.
Be courageous.
Be gentle. 
Rating: really liked it
A bit hectic and mostly boring book for me.
I've enjoyed the first three books in the series, although I have a fair share of complaints about it (look previous reviews). The biggest problem in this book for me was the fact that yet another world was added to this series - all Wheeler's books take place in one universe but in different worlds. We had the second world added in book 3, now there's a third added in book 4, BUT the worldbuilding explanation severely lacking. It's hard to keep track how these worlds are connected and what are the terms for different events in the world.
I feel like, compared to previous books, the MOST has happened in this one, there's less "background" things happening and more things we actually see - and I think that's also the problem for me. It was just hard to pay attention and focus for me (in general, I find it harder to pay attention to books with labels "action-packed" and "fast-paced", but right now I also have a lot of things going on in life that make it even harder to sit down and read). 2 stars? 2.5? I don't know, i'll leave it at 2.5 for now.
I still love the idea of what Jeff Wheeler is trying to do - he writes age-appropriate fantasy, enjoyable for all ages.
Also in this series Series overview:
15.5/25 stars
1. Storm Glass ★★★★
2. Mirror Gate ★★★
3. Iron Garland ★★★★
4. Prism Cloud ★★.5
5. Broken Veil ★★
Rating: really liked it
Love to hate Jeff Wheeler for sure! This was so hard to put down and I finished this book right away. I love Muirwood and he created such a fantastic world for me to be jealous.
