The Blood Mirror (Lightbringer)

Another great installment in the Lightbringer series but I have to say that a lot of the plot failed to move forward. Yes, you find out more about Gavin. Kip and Tisis' relationship and it's growth is one of the highlights but overall this book didn't do much to move the overall story arc. I don't want to go into more detail to avoid spoilers but it's disappointing we had to wait this long for a book that was essentially another set-up. I love the world, the characters and the magic system waiting so long between books just for this was disappointing.

I just finished the book, so I may be a little biased here, but I personally thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Yes, it was a long haul, and yes it was definitely a lot of "grinding" per se; plot development is slower paced than the other books in the series. However, I think all of the revelations made here will become extremely important and relevant for the final instalment of the novel. Though it was definitely drawn out, there were some fantastic scenes I could vividly visualize in my mind, and that made the book worth the read to me.

After having read the first three books in the series, this one is a let down. It often seems stuffed with lots of "filler." Additionally, in the first three books, Weeks interspersed sexual content among some of the chapters, with a steady increase as the series progressed, and therefore it was not too difficult to simply skip over it (especially in the first two books). However, in this fourth book, Weeks displays a heavy preoccupation with sexual content. Early on, it seemed nearly every chapter took the plunge into profane sexual material. If you're looking for an enjoyable fantasy read that is not saturated with immoral sexual scenes, this is not it. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

My lord so much happened. Yet it feels like so little time has passed. Tears were shed. Kip became a man. Gavin went through hell. Characters were kills. Andross was the utter baller that he is! Some of the chapters just had silica depth and density of writing you will need to reread them just to enjoy them again and fully. The final book you see where the pieces are going and it is going to be glorious how the author twists and turns what happens to this world and characters!

The first time I read this book, I didn't take the time to rate it. This time I had to say something because it is rare to come to the end of the story leaving you with a smile. I'm looking forward to the next one in this series. I know there will be a next one because there are still a few threads in the story that need attention.

I follow Brent Week's writing closely. I knew going into this that this was originally meant to be the final book of this story (though I hope not the world), but that the story grew in the telling. It happens naturally with writing and I think was an important decision for him to make.

In many way, this book is intermediary, but instead of being weighed down with filler, Weeks somehow managed to draft it with all the nuance of the characters by the same moniker that he's so lovingly created.

Having now just finished this novel, it too will sit on my mental (and physical) shelf of all time great fantasy. A very worthy successor of the first three Lightbringers and a healthy precursor to the long awaited final story left to tell.

Excellent read, phenomenal reveals in this that have been set up for several books now. Too much time spent on awkward sex comments. Also more profanity in almost forced ways. Like that person at work that everyone knows curses to give constant shock value, but it's soon just a sign of lesser intelligence. I don't think that describes the author, but the book gives that feel.

I'm almost shocked to give this book a 2 star rating. Up until now, it's been an incredible story.

However, this installment was an exercise in futility. It drags. And then it drags some more. The writing/prose was as competent as ever, but that's about it. The story itself does very little. It's like the author decided to redefine several characters, and the reader is now stuck with a whole new character description installment. Including the main characters who seem to have regressed and the reader now has the unfortunate obligation to read through redundant character building.

I waited anxiously for this installment, only to find that it was just a filler book written/edited/designed to string the reader along. I've seen the same phenomena in other book series, but was shocked to see it happen with this one.

Good book, not great. One is invested in the story already, and the fourth book takes some great steps forward for the development of the characters. It's not bad as some have claimed. But not great. Looking forward to the culmination of this story. Hope the next one is the final one.

The Blood Mirror by Brent Weeks is the fourth in a planned series of five epic fantasy books. The series has a wonderfully imaginative magic system in which magic users can turn light into a physical substance. luxin. Each spectrum of light (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) produces luxin with different properties and uses. If you’ve not yet started this series, I heartily recommend it. Go start with The Black Prism. I strongly suggest experiencing this series in audiobook format due to the excellence of the narrator, Simon Vance.

Initially, the series was planned to be a trilogy; then four books and recently Weeks announced he would need five books to tie up his series. The Blood Mirror is the penultimate entry and sets up things for the finale.

What I liked

The romance. While it is not a focal point of the series or book, there is a love story in The Blood Mirror and it is beautiful. It focusses on that very first serious/sexual relationship in which a character must learn to love another real life person, warts and all, and not just a fantasy crush. Our protagonist's learning to accept his partner, emotions, needs, strengths and all was so perfectly written it was a joy to read. This was one of the real highlights of the book for me. Of course it helped that the partner concerned is a pretty awesome, kick ass new character in her own right. I am 100% on board this new ship.

Gavin’s storyline. One of Weeks’ strengths as a writer is an ability to pull the rug out from under his reader’s feet, and Gavin’s story arc in this book is no exception. This particular storyline is intended to leave the reader wondering what is truth, what is madness and what is manipulation and it succeeds perfectly. This was also the storyline where I found myself thinking “ah, crap he’s really going to to go there, isn’t he?” While it’s not confirmed in this book, it definitely looks like he will go there in the final book. Darn.

Strong female characters. The Blood Mirror gives us some amazing, strong female characters. I loved reading about Tisis, Karris and Teia and look forward to reading (or listening) how their characters progress in the final book.

What I didn’t like

Some characters merely treading water. In certain ways some key characters in The Blood Mirror suffer from Daenerys Targaryen syndrome in that their storylines aren’t ready to progress yet until other characters have progressed. This means that they do very little in this book other than pop up to remind us of their existence from time to time.

Kip’s character arc. One of my pet peeves in YA literature is when the protagonist becomes an expert at something just because he or she is the protagonist, it suits the story and without doing the necessary groundwork. For me Kip’s development wasn’t setup satisfactorily enough.

Despite these minor flaws, I gave The Blood Mirror five stars out of five. I am highly anticipating the conclusion of the story, although I confess to some anxiety that it’s going to be a traumatic read, having seen what Weeks has set up.

You've done it again sir! I pick up your book and when I put it down two days have already gone by. I will say not the best book in the series but great book nonetheless. Good characterization and prose, the conversations are always believable and you start rooting for your protagonist. Those you view as evil, don't really look evil so much as a dirty reflection of those who are "good." All I can say is I eagerly await the next book and hopefully because I know you said 4 originally but I could see 7. I mean it fits nicely with the numerology of your story.

I found Brent Weeks looking for another author to put in the rotation with his first series of night angel books and find that he has earned the spot with 2 amazing series. His work is not your typical half elf, wizard, barbarian and thief stuff. It is the new evolution of a genre that is unpredictable, riveting to read with real character development.

You know when love a book when you get to the point where you are both trying to read it and not read it cause you don't want it to end. Like always twist and turns I never saw coming! The downside? >.< waiting for the next book!

This is a really good fantasy book and series. The characters Weeks have developed feel like they are real life people. The plot development is fantastic and events and story lines seem real, despite the fact that the book is a heavy duty fantasy. Highly recommended.

This is a very worthy addition to the series, the depth of character development is wonderful and the range of emotions are particularly finely drawn. The dual Danavis storylines were a bit perfunctory but I enjoyed the whole enough to warrant a 5/5.

Don't make me wait so long.

Real life was put on hold as soon as I got the notification that the long long pre-ordered book is finally there...

And now it is done and I don't even have the name of the next one.

The horror.

Honestly wouldn't mind two more books! Still cannot wait for the next one though!

In this installment we really see one of our Hero's hit the real rock bottom while another takes the reins of his destiny firmly in hand.

Thanks again to Brent Weeks for the great novel

I bought this for my husband who love this author, only reads his books, has been waiting for this last one which he read in two day since he works 12 hour shifts. he was happy and yet said since he will have to wait for another one.

Extremely disappointing. Brent Weeks has been one of my favorite authors. The previous books in the series are some of my favorite books.

Half of this book seems to be retconning things from the first books. This has left a lot of huge plot holes. A lot of the "surprises" seem like deus ex machina.

Brent Weeks tried to make the characters more rounded. Instead he simply made them act extremely out of character based on the previous novels

I won't post spoilers, but this is depressingly mediocre.

Edit: The ending is especially bad.

First off, I have to say I'm a big fan of Brent Weeks. But this has to be my least favorite book (not counting the Night Angel novella). I suppose it is in part due to the fact that the last three books seemed to get better and better. I was expecting book 4 to be as great as book 3. It wasn't. It isn't all bad. There are definitely things about this book that I loved. It's just overall disappointing.

Pros:
Kip and Tisis- Their relationship and the start of their marriage is a pretty great read. BW completely avoids the 'happily ever after' trope and instead beautifully depicts an actual relationship between two people. It's not perfect. It's messy at times. And best of all, it mostly avoids cliche and instead delves into uncomfortably real topics generally ignored by fictional depictions of relationships. It's not a relationship we all wish we had, it's one with genuine problems, and causes us to grow closed to the characters and appreciate them for how they try and deal with their issues.
Gavin/Dazen- Great revelations into the story of what happened with them and who/what Dazen is. This single character seemed to be responsible for most of the plot development for the major arc of the series. Which is odd since he spends the book imprisoned.

Cons:
Pacing- Despite the fact that there are major battles and all the characters are busy with major problems, the overall pace seems slow.
Alternating POVs- I'm a fan of this in general, but this book switches too often. Every chapter is a different character. Kip, Karris, Teia, Gavin are the main POVs with another character thrown in here and there. Meaning if you get really interested in one character's story, you then have to wait 3 to 5 chapters to see the continuation of it.
Plot development- Really slowed down here. Reminded me of later George RR Martin or Terry Goodkind books. Although not as bad as either, definitely headed in that direction.

I found Brent Weeks looking for another author to put in the rotation with his first series of night angel books and find that he has earned the spot with 2 amazing series. His work is not your typical half elf, wizard, barbarian and thief stuff. It is the new evolution of a genre that is unpredictable, riveting to read with real character development.

You know when love a book when you get to the point where you are both trying to read it and not read it cause you don't want it to end. Like always twist and turns I never saw coming! The downside? >.< waiting for the next book!

This is a really good fantasy book and series. The characters Weeks have developed feel like they are real life people. The plot development is fantastic and events and story lines seem real, despite the fact that the book is a heavy duty fantasy. Highly recommended.

I've been reading this series since I found the first book on a shelf in my local bookstore several years ago. This book did the same for the black prism back then, leaving me up at 2 in the morning every night desperate for more time to lose myself in the world. Brent Weeks certainly knows how to craft a good narrative with believable characters, realistic dilemmas and healthy dose of fantastical adventure.

This is a very worthy addition to the series, the depth of character development is wonderful and the range of emotions are particularly finely drawn. The dual Danavis storylines were a bit perfunctory but I enjoyed the whole enough to warrant a 5/5.

Don't make me wait so long.

Real life was put on hold as soon as I got the notification that the long long pre-ordered book is finally there...

And now it is done and I don't even have the name of the next one.

The horror.

Honestly wouldn't mind two more books! Still cannot wait for the next one though!

In this installment we really see one of our Hero's hit the real rock bottom while another takes the reins of his destiny firmly in hand.

Thanks again to Brent Weeks for the great novel

I bought this for my husband who love this author, only reads his books, has been waiting for this last one which he read in two day since he works 12 hour shifts. he was happy and yet said since he will have to wait for another one.

Extremely disappointing. Brent Weeks has been one of my favorite authors. The previous books in the series are some of my favorite books.

Half of this book seems to be retconning things from the first books. This has left a lot of huge plot holes. A lot of the "surprises" seem like deus ex machina.

Brent Weeks tried to make the characters more rounded. Instead he simply made them act extremely out of character based on the previous novels

I won't post spoilers, but this is depressingly mediocre.

Edit: The ending is especially bad.

First off, I have to say I'm a big fan of Brent Weeks. But this has to be my least favorite book (not counting the Night Angel novella). I suppose it is in part due to the fact that the last three books seemed to get better and better. I was expecting book 4 to be as great as book 3. It wasn't. It isn't all bad. There are definitely things about this book that I loved. It's just overall disappointing.

Pros:
Kip and Tisis- Their relationship and the start of their marriage is a pretty great read. BW completely avoids the 'happily ever after' trope and instead beautifully depicts an actual relationship between two people. It's not perfect. It's messy at times. And best of all, it mostly avoids cliche and instead delves into uncomfortably real topics generally ignored by fictional depictions of relationships. It's not a relationship we all wish we had, it's one with genuine problems, and causes us to grow closed to the characters and appreciate them for how they try and deal with their issues.
Gavin/Dazen- Great revelations into the story of what happened with them and who/what Dazen is. This single character seemed to be responsible for most of the plot development for the major arc of the series. Which is odd since he spends the book imprisoned.

Cons:
Pacing- Despite the fact that there are major battles and all the characters are busy with major problems, the overall pace seems slow.
Alternating POVs- I'm a fan of this in general, but this book switches too often. Every chapter is a different character. Kip, Karris, Teia, Gavin are the main POVs with another character thrown in here and there. Meaning if you get really interested in one character's story, you then have to wait 3 to 5 chapters to see the continuation of it.
Plot development- Really slowed down here. Reminded me of later George RR Martin or Terry Goodkind books. Although not as bad as either, definitely headed in that direction.

I was very frustrated with the last book in this series. The story ground to a halt after a great opening pair of books. This start moving again here. Same great characters, although Andross is a bit of an unrealistic boogeyman.

Enjoyable enough. Whole series is still worth reading and I feel OK with this book even if it isn't his best.

Read through all of his books in the last few months and I have found him to be a fun story teller. There's enough willingness to allow bad things here and there that there's a genuine concern that a character might be doomed. If sometimes, we're treated to a lucky/happy outcome then well it fits this light adventure genre. Despite awkward references to philosophy, there's a nice bit of gray interspersed and irony to be had.

The series needed a 5th book. I wanted to see all the small adventures play out. In particular, I was satisfied with the assassin arc. There are hints that protagonist might (if the author doesn't chicken out) transform into capable realist willing to accomplish what's necessary without whinging. Hopefully allowed to naturally interact with the main protagonist and maybe not fall into his gravity well morally. It felt like there was enough going on that was worth looking at though maybe the main arc could have been trimmed to give us some more time with the others.

What was terrible about this book though were those dreadful sex scenes. Dear god. More intrigue and assassination- less love/not love/ not particularly juicy angst.

Brent Weeks knocks it out of the park again. As much as Broken Eye and the others in the series? Maybe not. But was this enjoyable, fun, a deepening of the story and its world, a furthering of the complications in the lives of these characters which I've come to love so much? Abso-friggin'-lutely.

I'm almost in tears that the book is over. It's full of revelations that made me shake the book because I was so excited! I have re-read every book in the series before reading the newest each time and they remain wonders. The series started superbly and has only strengthened with each new book. So good!

I'm giving this a 5 star review only because I can't do half stars. My main issue with this book is that the action is dulled because viewpoints change between Teia, Karris, Kip,. And Gavin EVERY chapter. Besides that I actually thought this book continued the momentum offered from the third book

Please tell me there will be another book!!!! This was as i expected another well written novel by Brent Weeks. The twists in the main plot, superb! I love the plots within plots! Well worth the read...

Agree with a lot of the other reviews here. The first three books were awesome and really drew you into the series. This book barely developed the plot, and barely developed the characters. The character development was replaced with scene after scene of sex humor and sex situations. Super disappointing.

I've been waiting years for this book, and it was well worth it! Great world building, political intrigue, awesome characters, and huge surprises that made me have to rethink the previous 3 books. Really fun read.

Not the best in the series but still a solid read. A good mix of crazy unimaginable fantasy happenings, and regular old life problems. Some may accuse this book of having filler, some may call it world building or character development development. I just call it fun.

Really good book, love the series, great writer, but absolute let-down ending. Clearly this is a "treading water" novel...reeking of the need to stretch this series out as long as possible. Reading on a Kindle, the book ends at 90% and then we have to endure the unnecessary and series- aggrandizing "acknowledgements" "glossaries," blah blah bonus features (not) for the final 10%! The ultimate payoff scene involves two characters discussing a medical/sexual condition that the author deems exciting in a "wow, isn't this unique" fashion but said condition is rather well- known by most grown-ups. I LOVED the first three books. But I felt so betrayed. That's how lame the ending is. I ordered this novel in advance, and will probably do so for the next one, but as a warning and rebuke to the author I've given my review one star.

Blood Mirror... Blood Mirror... nope, don't recall there being any mention of a mirror - bloody or otherwise?! 700 pages and still so many questions - feel like I missed something. So, was it as good as the other books - Who Cares? If you are on book 4 of the series, you are darn well going to read this book... so why not just wait for it to come down in price (which it did) and enjoy it. Granted, it is setting a lot of things up for further down the road. Most of the characters have been fleshed out and the Chess pieces are just moving about (not much mention of the Color Prince, other than his name is now White King). On the other hand, there are new concepts around Will Casting, some reveals around Ironfist, the Broken Eye and even the Black Prism.

Yes, there is some filler, but it didn't really feel like it. Felt like the author was weaving his strands back together after they had gotten away from him a little bit. Would have given 3 and one half stars. Enjoyable read though. Prediction: This series goes to 6 books.

Well, I read it really fast because it was so good. I'm interested where the characters are individually heading. My man turtlebear kip is making friends something I love to see, and his finding of love makes me even more joyful. Watching characters break like Teia is interesting I'm curious how she will keep herself together.

Sometimes his imagination is difficult to follow but I love that he makes me think about and understand the world he has created. I have not enjoyed a writer so much since reading Mercedes Lackey in the 80's!

I am absolutely in love with this series and have been since Book 1. I love that it included a synopsis at the beginning of all the previous books (very briefly). It has been a long time since the third book and I didn't take the time, this time, to re-read the previous books. When the third book came out, I re-read the first two before reading it. I was too excited this time around, so I really appreciated starting with the synopsis. It was still hard to put everything in order in my head as I read, but details were revisited enough throughout the story in their own plotlines and in interconnections with other plotlines, and done so beautifully, such that I was able to see story web and be drawn into it. For some readers, it may be more difficult even with the synopsis because at this point in the series there are many many "moving parts", so I still recommend re-reading at least Book 3 before beginning this one. I congratulate Mr. Weeks for your awesome delivery of The Blood Mirror and for making me crave still more of this amazing world. Thank-you, Sir.

He did it again. Excellent writing, perfectly paced plot, complex characters who are good and bad and every grey between.

I was surprised to see Irish as the ancient language of Blood Forest, but their ya go. Anyone who wants to translate it, use Google...

What can I say without giving away the contents of the book. I loved reading The Blood Mirror, and Brent Weeks is still wonderfully allowing his characters to further develop and evolve in light and dark, in new discoveries and secretly, how they handle conflict and turmoil. I look forward to his final book to see how this wonderful journey ends and what becomes of these beloved and despised characters, I've feel like I've come to know so well.

This series is incredible. My friend was walking through a book store years ago and randomly picked up a Brent Weeks book. He showed it to me and I have been a huge fan ever since. I could have easily finished this book by now, but I am taking my time, savoring the story.

Someone please call a coroner, I've found a dead corpus.

I am looking at the reviews for this book and wondering: How many of these are shills? Almost all of the 4- and 5-star reviewers sound eerily alike and template formatted: "Fantastic!", "Great series!", "Believable characters!", "Can't put it down!", "Great action!", "New favorite!", "Incredible twist!", etc. Even the post formatting is the same. Extra line spaces, over use of commas, picture perfect capitalization... It isn't hard to imagine a room full of copywriters getting paid bulk rates to bang out nondescript reviews. (Sidenote: Joseph Roza's review had me in stitches. Well played, good sir).

Normally when checking reviews I look for the LOWER ratings because they are usually the most honest. If a book/product has a lot of low ratings with the same problems repeatedly mentioned you can tell there are serious concerns. And wow does this particular book have a lot of extremely specific complaints:

- Feeling of being "tricked" or "misled" that this was the finale.
- Filler, to an exhaustive degree.
- Lengthy appendix, glossary and medical treatise on the end (what?!).
- Slow plot, slow pacing, out of character actions.

What is interesting to note here are the positive reviews that ECHO these complaints but still rate the maximum. The reviewers manage to sound bizarrely apologetic while hammering that 5-star button like this is some sort of operant conditioning test.

Despite these complaints I went ahead and bought the book. "Broken Eye" was literally the novel I took on deployment with me and I read it so often the pages started falling out. I was known as "the Green Book guy" both for the cover art and because these aren't rocket scientists we are talking about here. My thought when buying the sequel was no matter how many problems this book had I could still find enjoyment out of the story.

I was more wrong than a life insurance salesman at a hospice clinic.

Thirty pages into this I stopped, went back to "Broken Eye" and double checked this was the same author and not a ghost writer of some sort. Characters were acting bizarrely. Important cliffhangers were sidelined. Even conversations were structured in a completely new way (He thought this was odd) with multiple stream of consciousness editorials (He noticed people drifting away) interrupting dialog to give it flavor (This is highly distracting).

Something felt strangely familiar about this sudden change in style and it took most of an afternoon before it hit me:

»• THIS IS A FAN FICTION STORY. •«

Picture any fan website for a franchise: Harry Potter, Hunger Games, etc. What's the first thing fan made stories do? They make a 90 degree turn away from the plot and start romantic relationships between characters. Usually incredibly awkward ones between improbable people.

Keep that in mind and picture the ending of "Broken Eye": Treachery, frantic escapes, death and destruction everywhere, invisible assassins, islands blowing up, declarations of war.

Now look at the opening for "Blood Mirror": Complete 90 degree turn. Suddenly this entire story is exhaustively in-depth relationship drama, sexual issues, emotional exploration, declarations of love, the works.

THIS IS FAN FICTION. It was written by someone who finished the books and thought, "Wouldn't it be neat if they LOVED each other??"

Re-read "Blood Mirror" again, but this time look for strange mashups in style. For example the ship sailing into the luxin storm: One moment everyone is hip-deep in loosely written "Did they have sex?" drama. But on the next page there's suddenly a tightly written, intense action sequence. Ignore the jarring tone switch and look at the writing structure: This seems very much like Mr. Weeks added his own action sequence to someone else's romantic plot.

Once you spot it you can't avoid noticing the problem. The entire book is filled with abrupt switches in tone; this is almost like two separate writers collaborated but only one person got credit.

Or perhaps I'm getting cynical? I've been reading Brent Weeks since the first "Night Angel" novel, I liked his writing style. This book utterly threw me-- so much of it didn't "feel" like him and yes I am fully aware of how bizarre that sounds.

•shrug• I suppose I'll be looking forward to the finale(?) of the series whenever the fans get around to finishing it...

...in 2021. George R.R. Martin called, something about congratulations on writing speed?

Coming into this book I would have said that Lightbringer was my favorite currently active series, after reading this book I do not not think I can say that anymore. One of my main worries when I finished The Broken Eye is that I did not see how Weeks could finish up the series in one book, there was just too much left to resolve. After reading Blood Mirror I still feel that way because while there were things that happened, I'm not really sure anything that happened that really advanced the main plot. Basically it's an entire book of setup to get people to where they need to be for the end game, which can be fine if there are still interesting actions along the way but this book seems to have left those interesting actions out as well.

Likes:
- I thought the Teia scenes were the strongest of the book. She is probably has the most character growth and while she felt a little too good at what she was doing at time it didn't feel too cheap.
- I liked the added depth that we got from Andross. You still don't really like him but you can see where he is coming from a bit more. The only drawback is that he comes across a little too smart.
- Karris the White. I really liked watching Karris grow into her role as the White, however just like Teia she felt like she was a little too good at her job at times.

Dislikes:
- Kip and Tisis' martial "issues". On one hand I like that they have issues and things aren't happily ever after but their main issue seemed like a very contrived PSA concerning an issue that the author is trying to get out. If you're ever looking for a drinking game you should drink every time you read the word "horn", I don't think you'll get through most of the Kip chapters sober if you do so.
- I have absolutely no idea what to think about Gavin anymore, his whole backstory was pretty much reconned and I can't see any purpose to it at all. His chapters were definitely the worst to read and should I ever reread this book for whatever insane reason I will definitely skip/sim through his chapters.
- Karris the mother. Her "relationship" with Zymun just felt like it was needlessly added in and felt completely out of character for Kariss. If Week's made her too smart as the White he dumbed her down too much to be Zymun's mother.
- You start off thinking maybe this time Liv would be interesting. You end up thinking that once again Liv's chapters didn't matter at all.

If you're a fan of this series do yourself a favor and just wait until the last book of the series and find a cliff notes version of this book.

I am a huge fan of the first three books, but this book falls short. There were a few memorable moments, but mostly filler and a PSA on Kip / Tisis's bedroom issues. If this was book 1, I never would have finished the series. I'll still get book 5, but I have no intention of re-reading this one.

This entire series is complete gold. A friend recommended it because we both enjoyed Brent Weeks shadow series. Absolutely incredible. They take a little to start understanding everything but once your in it's impossible to put down. Amazing twist. Complex villains. Some characters will constantly make you question everything. A must read!

Can honestly say I'm a bit perplexed at the negative reviews this is getting. I think it possibly has to do with the fact that some people thought it was going to be the last in the series. It is NOT the conclusion, so if you're going in expecting that, you will be disappointed. However, I think it's unfair to condemn the work just on that. I thought this was Weeks's best work so far by far. I was unable to put it down from start to finish. There are so many unexpected twists and revelations, and things that happened earlier that seemed weird or jarring that suddenly make perfect sense in context. Previously I had thought that Weeks created three-dimensional and likable characters, but his plots left something to be desired compared to Sanderson or Butcher. After reading this, I stand corrected. Weeks is a master of foreshadowing and misdirection, and truly worthy to be one of the greats. The characters are at times brilliant, at times infuriating, and the entire time wonderfully, beautifully human. I look forward to seeing what's next in the 5th and (hopefully) final book.

First off I would like to say that I enjoyed this book very much, but it has some unfortunate flaws.

In order to understand why this book is the way it is, readers need to realize that Brent Weeks had way too much plot to cover in one book, but not quite enough for two books. His solution, obviously, was to split the final volume and do his best to make up the slack. I wouldn't say that this book is full of filler, but it definitely puts a lot more focus on minor characters.

The main issue with the Blood Mirror is that it is like Brent Weeks was taking a breath before shouting. It is the calm before the storm. This isn't completely bad as it sets up a lot for the final volume, but all readers will notice a significant departure from what we are used to. It is unfortunate that so many will likely feel alienated by what in my opinion is a fantastic piece of writing.

The book has many strengths, first and foremost is the character development. Brent Weeks had come a long way over the years and this novel consistently changed the way I viewed his many complex characters through acts that they commit, or in most cases through amazing plot twists.

Second, the Blood Mirror has everything I expect from a lightbringer novel. There are epic fight scenes, political intrigue, amazing feats of magic, answers to questions we never thought to ask, and questions about answers we thought we knew.

Third, the novel does it's job very well. The difference between a stand alone novel and a book series is that each book in the series needs to keep readers wanting more. While the Blood Mirror had no clear climax and a rather disappointing conclusion, upon finishing I desperately wanted more.

In conclusion, readers will be disappointed. But I don't think they will stop reading. I love this series, as many others do, and this book was a sad, but necessary, departure from what the fans have come to expect. I imagine as time goes on this book will be regarded as one of the weakest, but most important chapters in this amazing saga.

OK, after fully reading this book I have to admit at some disappointment. Way too much time was spent on a sexual issue. This is becoming more and more of an issue in almost everything. If I want porn, I will go on the internet and have all the porn any person could ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want. Spending so much time on sex just annoys me. I want the content, not the sex. Ok, I get your point, there are people who experience sexual problems, ok, tough for them, go get some counciling. I am pretty annoyed that a trilogy turned into 5 books and most of the reason it is going to take 5 books is some sex issues. Whatever. I bought hardbacks of the first 3 books, I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad I didn't spend that kind of money on this book and got the kindle instead. Unlike ASOIAF, that I will never contribute money to the author and buy used, I will buy the next kindle as soon as it is available, I will not be spending 30 bucks on a hardback after this filler book.

I absolutely love how well Brent Weeks weaves the plots of his story together. At first unnoticed or confusing each strand adds to the overall picture. Then like a master artist he reveals his masterpiece. The Blood Mirror did not disappoint. I loved seeing Kip grow and take on bigger challenges. There were many revelations that made me stop reading simply so I could think about the new information. Well done Mr. Weeks I look forward to the next book.

The Lightbringer series is incredible. Twists and turns galore. Just when you think you know who these characters are, there is a reveal that makes you question everything. Waiting for the next book is the worst part.

A real page turner this one. If you've enjoyed the previous installments of the light ringer series, this one is a good time. It does well to expand upon the lore of the world, and give rich fulfilling character development where needed.
My only gripe however, this trilogy has now turned into a five book series, and the next novel will likely not be out for a while.

Once again Weeks leaves you dropping your jaw at the twists and turns he sends you through. By far the deepest character development of the series and has me even more anxious for the next book than I was for this. I won't spoil anything, however, almost every concept you had for the personality or motivations of the characters will be called into question. I went from hating the Red Spider into respecting and admiring him.

I have greatly enjoyed anything with Brent Weeks name on it and I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately this book is Weeks' weakest book. There are still some really great things about this book and a lot to enjoy.

First the bad:
The biggest problem for me was the focus on sex, it simply took up too much space in the book. I know Weeks doesn't want the character development to be sudden or have them acting completely out of the norm but this really dragged on, and on, and on.
The other sort of frustrating thing was how the book ended. This book is very much a lead up to the finale.

The good:
Lots of good character development and reveals. I don't want to get into spoilers but there was some great stuff with pretty much everyone you could think of. I only wish we could have had some more with Ironfist and Zymun. I was especially excited for the chapters with Teia and Gavin.
The big reveal in the middle of the book was very satisfying.
Some very interesting developments at the end of the book. I know that I listed how the book ends in the bad section but that's because the book just... ends. No big finale or anything spectacular like we have come to expect from Weeks. With the big things in motion at the end of the book I am very excited for the next and hopefully final book of this trilogy.

Note: The Lightbringer series was originally supposed to be a trilogy and was pushed to 4 and now 5 books. Weeks has a lot of work to do for a satisfying conclusion but I am confident he can pull it off. I will eagerly await the conclusion to this great series.

Bought this book for my Husband, its his favorite author. This is from the Lightbringer Series and he read it in less than 3 months (which is slow for him lol). Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys Brent Weeks :D

Loved it and yet..here I am so sad to not have more pages! I had thought it was going on such very different directions surprise in good and some very frustrating ways but overall just bummed I have to go back to wait for the next one

I've read all the previous books of this series and I was surprised at the negative reviews I was seeing before I bought this installment. However, I was not disappointed. This is a great read. Weeks is a great writer and I love the world and the story that he's created here. Can't wait for the next book.

Despite some the criticism Blood Mirror has received, I found the book to be as readable and engaging as ever. This is a 'bridge' book to be certain. Where it lacks in action, it makes up for in character/plot development. Be sure, the fifth book (as much as I hate to wait for it) will undoubtedly be an epic conclusion to the series.

This is a wonderful science fiction series. Must have a vivid imagination to visualize this world. I enjoyed the way he brought politics and religion to life. Exposing a lot of the same hypocritical policies and traditions we experience in our society. Plus, color magic! Yup, this is a fav!

terrific - I waited ages for this book and literally sponged it up as soon as I got it, reading well into the wee hours. Now that I've finished it, its time to read it again- slowly and enjoy it even more.

Like an anime in their 300th+ episode this book takes everything you know about the trilogy so far and turns it on it's ear. Big reveals, huge surprises, massive twists. And then a sort of anticlimax cliffhanger. I want the next book NOW!!!!!

Very fun read, his plot twists are unpredictably with an 'i can't set this read aside just yet' knee jerking reaction. Bit disappointed the series is going to creep out of the trilogy category but his crisp writing is helping blunt that ache.

As per usual an amazingly written book. Adding even more depth and plot twists to the Lightbringer series. Slightly frustrating drawn out at times and definitely leading up to the next one... Can't wait!

The Blood Mirror was an enjoyable read for many reasons. It answers many questions and has more than one twist I didn't see coming. The characters are just as compelling during this fourth installment as they were in the 1st. Between action packed scenes, political intrigue, religious intrigue, romance with REAL problems that the couple has to work through and the story of Kip becoming a man and a leader this book has it all. I would definitely recommend this book if you like Brent Weeks other books (especially if you've kept up with the lightbringer series) and if you haven't read him before start with the first book in the series "the black prism." This book and the series it is in will be Brent Weeks masterpiece!

So much filler.

Maybe some fantasy readers will enjoy hearing each blackwhatever inductee's oath, the history of wood carving, drawn out sex and marriage issues (have enough in real life, thank you very much), constant spelling out that Kip is getting more serious and more confident as he matures, and etc., but I really just wanted the adventure, mystery, magic, scheming, battling goodness that is buried in all that filler. I don't need to read quite so much of Karris' turmoil over her new role, or Teia's, or anyone's, really. I can figure it out without it being spelled out quite so many times. And the checklist thing?

There's a good book in here of about half the pages.

I'm giving this a good rating because I am in to deep. I do, however, have a problem with the "filler" and the "M Night" twists. The author is clearly off the rails on the storyline. Finally, I don't need an excerpt on a condition the author feels is so detrimental that it should be misquoted at the end of the book. Get off your high horse and just write the story. Don't forget, your just slinging fantasy.

I just finished The Blood Mirror and I will say this...it is not the best book of this series. The Broken Eye, and probably also The Blinding Knife were definitely better. However that does not stop this book for being a damn great one.

A lot of reviews are criticizing the book for having too much filler, but I honestly look at it more as a calm before the storm. Think of this book as the Half-Blood Prince equivalent. By this I mean that the plot itself is moving at a slower pace, but important events are still taking place and the focus is on the characters. Which to me is in no way a bad thing! The Teia & Gavin chapters in this book are some of the best moments in the series. As for the constant sex-related Kip chapters I looked at those as a way to ground Kip as the silly & low self-esteemed character that he was when the series started. This is because the rest of Kip's chapters have him feeling a lot more grown than ever before.

My biggest issue with the book is that somewhere around the middle it does feel like it's padding. I'm not trying to contradict myself but this padding ends up making The Blood Mirror feel like 2/3's of the final story because it would've been "too-long" for one book. I don't blame Weeks for that, I blame the publishers seeing the opportunity to make more money with another book.

All in all everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and mine is that The Blood Mirror is another great entry in a great series, albeit not as great as prior entries...but here's hoping that the 5th book is the true final, and that it's wrapped up well!

Reading some of the other reviews I was surprised that the large majority of people were not happy with this book. Granted the pace was slower in some parts and you could characterize it as a filler book but it was still well written, contained a number of surprises, had some great dialogue and character development. Overall, not as good as the last 3 books but it was hardly an epic fail. I had higher expectations but overall there was still a lot of goodness in the book.

I was going back and forth between giving this book 4 or 5 stars. As many have said before the pace is a bit slow, but this is not necessarily the problem for me. The problem is more that the chapters for the different characters are so short that I find it a bit difficult to get into, and change my interest as fast as the chapters. Still all in all it is a very good book. What I love the most about this series is its innocence, especially Kips story line has this quality. I would not say that this book has a lot of sex, but there are some, but it is very innocent and sweet. The feelings of the characters seem very real, teenagers plundering along discovering love on the one hand, with brutality and war on the others. I think this book does good in capturing the humanity and struggles, losses and victories of the characters, allowing the characters to develop quite naturally.

Different from so many series like this I do feel that the books are getting better and better, and although this book was more about setting the board for the last installation, I do not think that makes it a bad book. Although I must agree that this book might be of slightly lower quality than the other books in the series regarding complexity and character development, I would still say that it still reaches the level of writing that I have come to expect from this author. The thing I hate the most is when a series starting with intriguing and interesting characters that go one dimensional as the series progresses because the author do not take the time to develop them further. I also love the fact that it has managed to stay clear of the worst cliches, have a believable love story, and action scenes that do not feel constructed to be gory just for the sake of gory. I like where this is going, and I will continue the series. Keep up the good work! :)

TL;DR- A lot happens but nothing happens, the absurd broken vagina plot device, barely any secondary character development, creates lots of new plot holes with surprise revelations, Some characters do awesome things that get glossed over later. Worth reading if you like the series, but ultimately disappointing.

I finished this book on the day after it came out, and fully expected to give a glowing review. I LOVED the book while I was reading it, and was so excited to be reading a new Lightbringer novel. I kept gushing about how it was the best book I had ever read while I was in the middle, and it gave me a lot to think about. The problems started once I started thinking about it. This is my third attempt at writing a review that isn't ten pages long.

I agree with a lot of the other reviews which say it is a filler novel, which is bad because that's how I felt about the last book. Don't get me wrong, I loved the last book, but it had the definite feeling of setting everyone into their places to continue the story. I thought all sorts of cool stuff would be happening in this one based on how the last one ended: Kip fighting the White King with Ironfist, Liv being a goddess, Karris being a cool White, Teia assassinating people left and right with her new cloak, having Abaddon wreck plans, Gavin escaping, Kip dumping Tisis off with her sister like the waste of space she is and waiting for Teia instead, etc. I had high expectations and very very few of them were met. And not in a "I was totally wrong but this is awesome!" kind of way.

I had reread the other three books and made highlights on hints I thought would be revealed in the 4th book, and was right about a few. Others were a total surprise. This was a good and bad thing; because while it's nice to be surprised for once in a fantasy book, some of the surprises felt more like Battlestar Galactica's last minute Oprah style Cylon giveaway- "He's a Cylon! She's a Cylon! Everyone is a Cylon!" Where it felt like they just picked people who seemed least likely to be Cylons so it would be more shocking. There's one reveal that makes me so angry because of how many plot holes it creates and how much it goes against the established characters. (The one near the end that tries to pretend the vague red prophecy was part of it.)

And finally, the main disappointment of the book- Kip. His story was just so stupid and boring. It was almost as bad as the endless camping in Harry Potter. He does some small battles that have no perceptible impact, and spends the entire book trying to get laid, while whining about his self confidence and how fat he is. I seriously don't understand how he is still fat. There's no way! The book covers a year, and he spent what, two years before that running around training in the blackguard? How could he possibly have any weight left on him that isn't muscle? Was he 800 pounds when the book first started?? His whole character development arc just felt like something that should have been covered in the second book, third at the latest. He's running around killing Kings and Gods and he still somehow has low self esteem?

And Tisis was a trainwreck of a character. Tisis was so unbelievable I couldn't imagine how she got through the gauntlet of all the people he thanks at the end of the book. It's stated over and over in this book how she was basically the Chromeria's hostage, but somehow she was able to be the Green in a previous book? How? How would a hostage be able to get into one of the highest offices in the Seven Satrapies? Then she magically turns out to be an expert on the very thing that they need to know, even though she was a moron in the past books. But the biggest thing was her stupid vagina problem. That was the weirdest plot device I think I've ever seen. He claims it's not a plot device in that stupid author's note at the end that surprises you when you think you still have some story left and not 10% glossary. But it is, and It's also terrible, since she was trying to seduce Andross in the previous book so it's annoying and a plot hole. If she knows she can't have sex, why would she try to seduce him? And we get to spend most of Kip's chapters focusing on that and not the cards he absorbed, or the method he ties his shoes with because even that would have been more interesting.

I also couldn't stand how random breaking the halo is. At least two very very young characters break it in the book, but somehow Ironfist who has been running around killing people since he was 15 or whatever hasn't? There was also hardly any secondary character development, where what they had done was mentioned in passing and left me disappointed and thinking "Why am I reading about Tisis's broken vagina and not that?"

Before the book came out I was irritated with people that were complaining about there being another book in a series they like. But so, so much of this could have been cut or done in a different way. I have no idea ultimately where the story is going, or what anyone really accomplished in this book, or what the point of it was. I think I agree with those people now, and I'd rather have one tightly well written fourth and final novel instead of an extra rambling useless book.

I thought this series was a trilogy and was annoyed at the end of the third book the series wasn't done. Brent Weeks said in an AMA a year ago that this would be the final book. Now it's supposedly book 4 of a 5 book series. I'm skeptical. This Robert Jordan-ish extending of the storyline needs to stop.

It would be fun light epic fantasy reading if it was a full story. Instead it is quite unsatisfying to finish the book and have numerous plot threads just dangling yet again. It didn't feel like a full book, it felt like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.

The Lightbringer Series are an amazing set of books! The truly novel magic system created by the author puts these stories into a class of their own. Filled with intrigue, deception, loyalty, honor and of course love the story never stops and leaves you wishing that sleep could wait just so that you can finish the book.

My new favorite author!!! I read the Night Angel Trilogy in a week and was so happy to learn that Weeks had another series. I was happily surprised that this series was even better!! Of all the fantasy books I've read, this was the first to incorporate magic being in the separate colors of the spectrum. Fell in love with all the characters and have loved this whole story. I'm patiently waiting for the next book already!!

I'm a huge fan of this series already, so I'm likely just another fanboy putting to the choir here. That's just my way of saying that this MIGHT not be the most objective review ever written. Sorry.

If you've read any of the previous books, everything you've loved about the previous books is here (now with 99% less "gawped!"), the ball-busting humor, the occasional excellent use of profanity, the entirely lovable (and/or loatheable) characters, the unique and original "magic" system - everything that made you care about these characters in the first place. Here, they're given more depth and develop more. Some characters' backgrounds are revealed in ways that I personally never would have guessed or expected and new paths are set before other characters that are likewise unexpected. (Some heroes ain't heroes is all I'm sayin', but I'm just sayin'.) The pacing was wonderful, with nary a dull moment. Plus, added bonus, a genuinely sweet blossoming romance that I enjoyed maybe more than any self respecting curmudgeon should admit. But, ahh, young love - and all its attendant delicate trials and tribulations. It's just sweet. Screw you. Shut up.

So why'd I title this review "Son of a . . .?"

Because I read the last paragraph of the book, the last LINE of the book, got goosebumps, and promptly realized that all the remaining pages were endnotes. I fell for it. I totally fell for the cliffhanger ending . . . and I'm not even mad. It was amazing.

This was a great book in the series and I think the author has managed to widen the world even more and make us guess is exactly the person who will change the world. I hope there will be more than 5 volumes, this seems like a story that has potential for more.

Although this is a good book, it has the shortcomings typical of a mid-series fantasy book: the plot stalls as the author focuses on developing the characters and setting the board for the finale. More than the first three books, this book really feels like an episode rather than a book that can (to some extent) stand on its own. As the primary characters scatter on their own courses, their storylines lag as the author struggles to keep all the balls in the air. Some characters that featured largely in the previous books all but disappear, with only a few honorable mentions to remind readers that they're still out there doing things. Other characters seem to just be treading water, waiting for the other characters to hurry up with their own arcs so they can get on with the rest of the story.

If you didn't re-read the previous 3 books in preparation for the release of this book, this book starts with a summary of the major plot points of each of the first 3 books to refresh your memory, which I thought was a good idea. It's annoying when authors put awkward reminders of past events in the narratives of the stories themselves.

There are also several shocking revelations in this book that completely change pretty much everything. In retrospect, a few of the revelations were foreshadowed and maybe analytical readers had already predicted them, but as a reader who goes along for the ride without analyzing much, I found them all shocking - at least at first. But there were so many of them that the surprise eventually stopped being surprising, which was disappointing in its own way. Maybe saving a couple for the next book, or throwing a couple in the previous book, could have preserved the shock value of each revelation in its own right.

Having said all that - if you've read the first 3 books and want to know how the story ends, you will read this one anyway. Even though the plot doesn't progress much, the revelations are probably going to be important to the conclusion, and although it's not clear where a few pieces on the board are heading, other pieces have been set on their courses (not that I expect them all to remain on those courses). Although the book isn't as good as the other books in the series, it's still a good book, and I was surprised and disappointed when I turned a page of the Kindle version and found the author's note at only 89%, when I thought I still had 50-70 pages of story left (the end of the book being appendix, glossary, and other reference material).

Action, romance, laughs, and remember all twists, turns and excitement. This book offers a lot and it makes its own category.
I read the first book, then the second, then the third and all three Night Angel books in a year, waiting from June to the 25th, when it came out, was well worth it.
But now I need more
Or need to re-read everything.

October 27, 2016
I'm doing this review on my phone at 4 in the morning right after finishing The Blood Mirror. This is my first review cause I'm just confused about this book, but it's too new for in depth reviews to help me out.

I thought that this was going to be the final nail and the conclusion to the Lightbringer series, and it falls short. I thought I'd tear through this book so quickly. As soon as I got an email saying that it was downloading on my kindle I went and started reading. Most of the time I'd do an all nighter and finish the whole thing, but this time around I had a lot of trouble. Nothing was really keeping me hooked in. When I had pre-ordered this book over a year ago, it said that this was the nail biting CONCLUSION to the Lightbringer series. I won't spoil anything, other reviews have some more details.

Many times in the book I had myself thinking back to a previous point and wondering when they'll bring that topic back. When you spend many a chapter talking about certain things and never bringing it back up, I have to wonder what happened. This didn't have the flow that the other three books had. This time line was way too rushed. It suddenly jumps forward a year! How are you able to do that? I didn't realize it at first but after a few chapters where ALL the main characters says "it's been a year since...", you get the point that it's been a year. It feels like Brent Weeks started to write that final book in the series, but got lost and decided to just go ahead and set it up for another book. Also, as another reviewer said, on the Kindle version the books ends at 89%. I was thinking to myself, oh man here we go, the final part of the series and was waiting for something spectacular. Nope. Nothing. That's a whole 11% of the book on just the glossaries and appendix. I went through all of it just to make sure it wasn't a joke.

Also, how could you end it like that? It feels like a cop out with Kip. Finally, sex. Or at least lots of sexual actions. Like way too much details about it. I really don't understand why this was a major theme. It could have been done probably half of what is written in. It's too much. Even the whole authors note is about it! The more I write the more I realize there isn't a way to talk about it without spoilers, so I'll drop it. The only real parts I loved about this book were when it was chapters on Gavin and Teia. Those were beautifully written and it's how the rest of the book should have been written like. Gavin's chapters were moving and really had you thinking in a new way. Other than that, none of the plots had conclusions! THEY'RE ALL CLIFFHANGERS

Honestly, this makes me appreciate the first three books even more.

Started off by giving this book 1 star for the bait and switch. Promised, promised that after the last time, this would be the last book in the series. Beginning to get irritated by authors and publishers who keep doing that. My fault, didn't subscribe to his fan page to find out that he changed his mind. Now on to the review.

This book, was a filler book. Not much was explained and what was explained smacked a little like a comic book origin story where the creators decide to rewrite what they told us before. The twists weren't so much twists as they were difficult to believe. You don't get to make a major character loathsome for the entirety of the series and then suddenly, he has a plausible reason for doing what he has done, and people start feeling "stirrings" of compassion for him. You also can not make a group of teenagers into master war strategists after 1.5 years of training to be essentially bodyguards, just because one of them may or may not be the reincarnation of some mythical being. You also can't change a character, that we have known only as a wanton woman willing to do anything for a political alliance into a cultured, well versed asset integral to the story. There are so many more things wrong with this book, but it boils down to character development. For the first 3 books, we were forced to view certain characters in very specific ways, and to try to add dimension where there was none before pushed the story to the point of unbelievable. I understand that saying is fantasy story is unbelievable can be a bit tricky, but I am not talking about the story per se, referring only to the characters. At the end of this book, I liked no one, and really could not care less about what happens to whom. Which is unfortunate. Goodbye lightbringer. We had a good 3 book run.

I was looking forward to the continuation of the Lightbringer tale but this book is nothing more than a poorly written dialog of romance and sex using the characters from the Lightbringer series. Nearly the entire book is an explanation of a medical condition (Vaginismus) and this is made clear in the Author's Notes at the end of the book. The first three books were an excellent science fiction story and I was willing to pay the exorbitant price for this book that was supposedly the next book in the series. That was a lie: the portions of this book that actually pertain to the Lightbringer tale could fit in a single introductory chapter in the next book. This author took advantage of his audience to present a teaching experience in this medical condition that obviously affected his life in some way, and is collecting a large price for it. He has lost my respect and my support.

This is another great installment in this smart series. I love the magic system and the concepts in this series. I like the twists to what you see in typical fantasy series. Not say that traditional elements aren't there, but there are plenty of moments where you are like, "Whhaaaaaa!". It's also funny. I have a good sense of humor and while I freely laugh in groups, the same things just make me smile when I'm not around that extra energy. If I laugh out loud at a book or a movie when I'm by myself, it's really funny and I've done that consistently with this series. There are lots of twists and turns that you don't see coming. It's well written and this book is another in the series that does a great job of progressing the series. It has a good pace as well. I re-read the first 3 before reading this one and enjoyed them as much as the first time I read them. I'll hate to see it end, but I'll look forward to reading more from this author.

Brent Weeks is without a doubt the best fantasy author I have ever read. I can't recommend this series highly enough, and this latest installment is every bit as good- or better- than those that preceded it. A word of warning to those considering beginning this series however: Once you start reading these books you'll be desperate for more, and waiting for the final book to come out is going to be miserable!

I could barely stop myself. Be it at work or during conversations with friends or family, it was as if this work of art was calling me to finish. Few books have resonated with me on this level. I am eagerly awaiting the next in this series, be it impatiently.

This series is the only one I have gone back and read books a second and even a third time. Brent Weeks' writing is amazing in this series and he easily earned the number one spot on my favorite authors list.

This is definitely a sitting on the edge of your seat (and sometimes jumping out of it in surprise) type of book. This series just keeps getting better and better. I experienced a spectrum of emotions on this ride. What a wickedly awesome book. Brent Weeks always has me coming back, and never disappoints.

That was dramatic, i know, but Brent Weeks is my favorite author. I don't know how to explain it, but this trilogy became a five parter. This is the first 300 pages of the finale expanded. Nothing progressed. In prison stay in prison.

I want to add brent weeks is and was i guess my favorite writer. after his second book he only writes prison, abuse, hate fantasies and if his characters succeed great they didn't suffer from vagisimus. they must not have been written by brent weeks. His second book in this series was my favorite book ever now i dont know what to say. Book one, kill a king. Book two kill a God. Book three whoops you suck. Book four you're not a main character deal with it, book five what does my publisher say i should write?

Another amazing installment, and to think, we have another book to go! This book is much like the same as the other books. Same old great and captivating characters, the same old wonderfully magic system, the same old intriguing and amazing plot. If your looking for a great story, then start with the first book, and enjoy the ride.

I love this entire series! I have never preordered a book before but I was so excited for this to come out that I preordered this! It started right off the bat with action and it just keeps building. I literally can't wait to get home from work so that I can keep reading this! I just wish that there could be more books in this series.

I’m not a huge fan of writing reviews so I’ll try to make this brief.

I was definitely a pretty hardcore fan of this series coming into blood mirror, Black Prism started the series off with an amazing concept and over the course of the next two books you could really see Weeks hit his stride as a writer. The ending to the 3rd book was incredible and had me chomping at the bit to buy this book.

I have never been more disappointed in a book release. I could wax poetic about all of the things I felt fell short in this book, the incredibly slow plot, the lack of believable character development, the absence of direction for the characters, the incredibly disappointing ending, the afterward that made me feel as though I’d been tricked into reading a PSA on a gynecological disease, etc.
I’ve seen it said here before and I’ll say it again, this book is nothing more than overblown filler intended to bridge the gap until the next book. Unfortunately, for the time being, this lackluster filler has killed my appetite for anymore lightbringer.

First book in this series was great; really lured me in and the second two expanded on the story in some interesting and unforseen ways that I overall enjoyed.

Felt like this novel fell off a cliff. Without spoilers, some of the character changes in the novel were bizarre and did not feel like they were the same people from the prior three books. One major if not the most important character has very little page-time, and spends most of the book impotent and downtrodden, which for one book is fine but this is 2.5 books of that. Wildly anachronistic cussing and language from some characters that seemed to come out of nowhere from prior books. Major twists about people we've barely heard about. Plot dragged at times. Unrealistic character motivations. Just a real disappointment.

I'd recommend to people new to the series to read and stop at book 1 unless book 5 really ties it all nicely together, then this can just be a disappointing blip on an otherwise strong series. Hoping for better in the next one.

It's increasingly obvious that Brent Weeks can't create his own religions, and has just copypasted Roman Catholicism. He even quotes Aristotle verbatim, following the Catholic belief that Aristotle's philosophy is true in all possible worlds, since it can be known from reason alone.

You can tell who the "good" characters are by how Catholic they are. The Broken Eye, for example, are clearly villains because they believe in reincarnation. Atheists are always bad, and have to learn to be more religious. Kip is probably literally Jesus.

It's just too much. I'm not saying it's wrong, but I would never have started reading this, if I knew this were where it was going. From the originality of the magic system, I expected the author to be original with religion, or just leave religion alone, not spend pages "reminding" me I'll go to Hell if I don't become Catholic, and that if I really loved God I'd trust in him and he'd give me a sign. What an ass.

Brent Weeks is such a great writer, but I couldn't get through this book, and that's after reading the first three as they came out. Now I find this isn't the last book in this series - as book 3 and this book 4 were both supposed to be. Disappointing...I've been hoping for another story in Midcyru (the world of Night Angel).

This is so slow and convoluted, even while being well written. The sad truth is I just don't care about anyone in this story. It's had some good parts, and I know BW wanted to prove he could "do it again" - invent another entirely new world, after Night Angel. This is certainly a success, but not one I want more of. The world of Midcyru is so interesting, I hope the author eventually returns to it!

BW has said he can't see writing another Night Angel story, because the character is so powerful that finding a challenge for him is problematic. But the continent of Midcyru is huge, with room for a new story with new characters. It's so much more interesting than this Chromeria world, where all of this color business and its politics have such prominence. It's impossible for the story to get away from it. Give us some invading Khalidorans, Cenarian corruption, or Alitaeran...whatever!

Ahoy there me mateys! This novel is the fourth in the Lightbringer series. If ye haven't read any of this series then ye might want to skip this post and go read the first book, the black prism. Worth the read. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril.

So I was introduced to this author by the Night Angel Trilogy which dealt with assassins. Hooray! So when he began his new series I was super excited. I ended up loved the first novel, and I continued to love the next two in the series. In fact looking at me Goodreads reviews, I apparently gave all of his books 5 stars because that is how much they struck me fancy.

I am therefore a little confuzzled as to why this one didn't float me boat like the last three did. While I did enjoy it, parts of it irked me. I will not give away any plot points but here are me overall feelings:

- I rather liked the series recap at the beginning of the novel. Normally recaps are bothersome but for some reason I liked getting the in-depth review of the series thus far.

- I continue to adore Teia. She has become me favorite character in the series and not just because of her skills. Her choices seem to always suck and I can never guess where her storyline is going. I love watching her grow as a character.

- Gavin's chapters surprisingly were some of me least favorite sections of the book. I adored him in previous books but his chapters in this book seem to be rather dull. His inner struggle in this one began with a bang and grew to annoy me. I felt like nothing was resolved with him and he didn't really change or do anything at all. Of course there is a major plot twist in this book concerning his powers and his history which I rather loved.

- Karris was another highlight in the book for me. Again I love the strong women. She continues to evolve from book to book and I enjoy watching her deal with what fate is handing her. There were some major problems set up for her in this novel and I am interested in how she will handle them in the next book.

- The Kip sections also dragged a lot for me. Not enough action and too focused on sex. Some of the battle and magic elements involving him were awesome but overall I again felt that with this character nothing happened. His sections almost seemed like set-up for the next book only.

- The Mighty - can these man-boys please grow up and get over the sex jokes and young male stupidity already. It was tiresome. And a shame because I like many of their characters individually.

- There were not a lot of sections dealing with Liv Danavis but oh do I want to know what happens next with her.

- Master Sharp still creeps me out! Ugh.

- When and how (or will?) Andross finally get his comeuppance?

- That ending! It desperately makes me want to know what happens next!

So basically this book felt like the action and plot stalled to set-up the next book. Almost like a placeholder. The last three books kept me on the edge and impatiently waiting for the next installment. I still loved the book overall but I had some quibbles. Those aside, I still want the next book in the series. I continue to enjoy this author's work and want more!

If ye liked this review, see me others at [...]

couldn't believe the ending - absolutely horrendous. This is supposed to be a book read by kids - and the author ends it by writing about a sexual disfunction - just couldn't believe it. I will NEVER buy another Brent Weeks book again, nor will I allow any of my three kids to buy one either.

As I’m sure you’ve deduced from the sheer number of reviews I’ve done of Brent Week’s books in the last few months, he’s one of my new favorite authors. His Lightbringer series has really captivated my attention and even after finishing The Blood Mirror it hasn’t waned. The Blood Mirror is the fourth and most recent installment in said series and let me tell you, it’s somewhat of a pace change from the previous books.

Whereas in the previous installments Gavin Guile was the major presence, Kip Guile (aka Breaker) is now the real tour de force here. Kip has come a long way from his overweight, bullied self and is become a true Guile- cunning and charismatic, with a thin veneer of goodness. He is now leading The Mighty, his squad mates that left the Blackguard to protect and fight for him, and is organizing offensives against the White King in Blood Forest. His ragtag troupe of warrior drafters are all that stand between the White King and the capture of Blood Forest, which would be a major blow to the already weak Chromeria. Did I mention that on top of all these tactics, he’s also got to handle Tisis now? Yeah, she was quite an interesting addition to the story and I was surprised to find that I ended up liking her. At first I was very skeptical of her seemingly sudden feelings for Kip, but she appears to be genuine and useful.

Though less grand than before, Gavin Guile is still hanging on by the tips of his fingers here. He has fallen far indeed- now a colorblind, one eyed wretch, Gavin is on the receiving end of what he considered to be his genius creation. What goes around comes around, huh? I felt pretty bad for him for the entirety of the book, but it turns out he was being set up for what’s going to be a big role in book 5. Just can’t keep a Guile down.

Karris is a beast. I haven’t given her proper credit in previous reviews because it’s so hard to thoroughly discuss every character of significance, but she is very powerful. The White was grooming her for a greater role by having her go on unusual missions and then become her spymistress and Aurea’s gamble paid off. Karris is the new White and she’s got a plate full of troublesome situations including (but not limited to) Andross Guile, searching for Gavin, managing satraps, attending executions, and sort of overseeing the infiltration of the Broken Eye. Karris has had tremendous growth and has matured well- I can only hope she’ll keep Andross Guile on his toes and on her side. Karris’s mental checklist had me smirking several times- well done.

Teia… oh my goodness. Teia is always in a situation. Her talents coupled with the benefit of having what is essentially an invisibility cloak have made her formidable, though I still worry for her every time she encounters Murder Sharpe. He’s a creep and his dentures make the creep factor even worse. I hope Teia crushes all who oppose her…

The Blood Mirror was great, though it did have a different atmosphere than the previous books. This I think was largely due to the dark turn of Gavin’s chapters and the addition of Tisis into Kip’s life. I like her, but she’s definitely changed things and I’m still trying to figure out if it’s going to be for the better in the end. I can honestly say that the finale for the Lightbringer series is going to be one of my most anticipated books for whatever year it’s supposed to come out.

Let me start by saying that this series as a whole is one of my all time favorites. The magic system is great. The protagonists are very good and well rounded, and sometimes do questionable things. Even the antagonists are great, and sometimes do good things and have interesting motives. There are great female characters, too.

However, a few things are starting to become annoyances in this, the fourth of five books in the series. Some of these were there all along, but have worsened, or perhaps my patience for them is thinning.
1) The author has a tendency to use very unusual, out of the ordinary words, when a simpler one would do, or work better. I'm relatively well read, and some of these words I've never seen or heard of. Also, they often appear in dialogue, and it seems unlikely that the character would know or use such words.
2) The characters too often have internal monologues going on, that stretch for a page or more, often right in the middle of a good action sequence. It really hurts the flow of the story.
3) There are some things about Kip's intimate relationship with another great female character in this book that I find stupid and unbelievable. I hate it when characters that are shown in a story to be intelligent do really dumb things, and show no common sense.
4) The plot twists and developments in this series are very good. Some of the big ones earlier in the story I did not see coming. But in this book, there are some twists, or reveals about some characters that to me seem contrived--forced to the point that it hurts the greater story in my opinion. It is starting to have a cheap feel to me.

All that being said, I still really love the series, and have to care a lot about the protagonists, and I even have affection for Andross Guile, in all his cunning, backstabbing glory :)

Book four of the Lightbringer series feels less like a continuation of the story and more of that season of a t.v. series, where each character gets their own story arc for 3-4 episodes so you can really delve into their psyche while not really moving the overall plot forward. Of the main characters, Gavin is stuck in his own prison, Kip is wandering around the wilderness, Kariss is navigating the political machinations of life, and other characters are finding their own way - without as much impact in the greater world as previous books. Week's books can sometimes make you not realize you stopped breathing while reading - with a pace made for action movies. Yet this book gives you a breather, a chance to sit back and relax with each of the characters and see how things are going to play out. If the next and final book is the closer you want in the 9th inning than Blood Mirror is the perfect setup man in the 8th.

Another fantastic book in a great series. Somehow I keep getting surprised by new twists every book, even when I think there couldn't possibly be anything else left to shock me.

I'm definitely looking forward to the fifth book, hopefully we won't be kept waiting too long!

I have written this same comment for the earlier books but it holds true - this series gets better with every book! The complexities of the characters are fascinating and as we move through the world more fun characters are introduced. I'm loving the more in depth characterization of the magic system as well as the pantheon. Really intrigued to see how the plot develops in the next books as there are definitely some cliff hangers from this one! All the twists and turns that have happened have made me second guess all possible endings. I'm not totally sure who is hero and who is villain anymore - and I love that!

This was a great read, with some incredible new twists and turns. In some of the previous books in the series I found a few sections that seemed overly verbose and I just felt like skipping over, but not a word was wasted in this book: I basically couldn't put it down once I started reading. The appendix at the end outlining the real-world background behind a key problem faced by a character in the book was insightful and much appreciated.

Things I love about this series: Brent is able to really make each character feel unique, believable, and interesting. Unexpected twists and turns keep coming, but are all totally consistent with the overall narrative. There are dark and brutal parts, but its not totally bleak and unforgiving, like say the First Law Series. I am actually interested in each character's story (unlike in some books where I feel almost bored reading chapters about characters that don't interest me). It made me laugh and cry, and the world was built up without boring me to tears (as happens in some fantasy novels): in fact the world's lore is woven so skillfully into the telling of the story that it adds to the narrative and excitement, leaving you hungry for more.

Things I don't like: I will probably have to wait years for Brent to finish off the rest of the story.

I enjoyed the previous books in this series a lot (I also quite enjoy series like Ender's Game, Star Wars, the Way of Kings series, etc so you can see where I am coming from) . Unfortunately, this book was quite a letdown. It really doesn't deserve the 4-star average rating that it currently has here on the store, though I can readily believe it is because people are still interested in the overall plot. I rarely write a review on anything, so yes, it was bad. Little happened in this book except to the character Teia. It was like the editor wanted to add another book to the series, and so took 100 pages of plot and they turned it into 600. It was full of sexual innuendo--in addition, they spent ALOT of time on the sexual problems of Kip and Tisis, plus time on their marital problems, etc. Brent needs to step it up for the next book. If he does, skip this book and read a good synopsis instead (though there really aren't that many important details).

The lightbringer books have been a huge surprise for me. Book continues to progress the story and the intrigue without going off on any tangents.

Many great series boast a stinker here or there that feels like a cash grab needed to get the publisher off the authors back but Lightbringer does no such thing. Through 4 books the story is progressing and interesting.

Book 5 taking a weird turn is the only thing that could taint my love for this series.

I'm in my 30s and mostly read grim dark but these books are a great read. I could definitely understand YA interest but this story is for anyone that loves fantasy.

This series was so interesting and original. The first book especially felt like a breath of fresh air. In the latest installment it seemed that the author over reached his abilities or something. As others have said, this felt like filler. All over the place, a structural mess. To go from thinking this was one of the best series of the decade during the first two, to being kind of "meh' and not giving the series as a recommendation to people when they ask for something to read should tell you enough. I mean, if you already read the first couple, you'll probably read this one and be disappointed as well. If you haven't read the first couple...well, they are still really good, but you'll get here and be disappointed with the rest of us.

Because so many people have already summed this up in their reviews, and because I don't want to stretch things out like Brent Weeks, let me simply say that this is a filler novel. There's a synopsis at the beginning, and I suspect there will be one for the inevitable fifth book, since we'll have long since forgotten what happened. Skip this one entirely and wait for the next. If you need to hear more:

Gavin's story is a retconning retread of everything that we've seen so far, and largely tells us nothing about his relationship with his father; it also hints at machinations that have to do with the banes and the gods, which would be more relevant if there were more than a handful of pages focusing on the White King and Liv's newfound powers.

Karris is reduced to an echo of herself, now that she's trapped in command as the Iron White. Her narratives are compressed summaries of everything else that happens; Weeks even adorns her sections with literal checklists. Her sparring with Andross is decent, but there are no real stakes between them, and it's telling that Weeks loses track of Zymun entirely, relegating his actions to a single one-page recap.

Instead, the book largely focuses on Kip's growth as a military commander and as a lover to his more than intelligent wife, Tisis. Tonally, this section reads like an entirely different novel, though, and his travels are so disparate from anything else that's going on that it quickly becomes exacerbating. The little we learn about soul- and spirit-casting doesn't justify the long, supposedly intimate digressions.

And finally, there's Teia, working as an assassin, which is probably the milieu that Weeks feels most comfortable in, given his previous trilogy. Again, these sections are adequately written but ultimately uninteresting, on account of all the plot-spinning and unresolved actions. A major character returns for precisely ten pages, and the major political upheaval caused by this merits exactly a single page-long report between Karris and Andross. There's a story here, but Weeks seems far less confident in telling it, let alone tying together the different narratives.

Audible review:

I was hooked from the start and am excitedly waiting for the next book in the series! Some reviewers felt things were dragging a bit or that it was filler but I disagree. I've enjoyed this series from the start with the Black Prism and each book has developed the world and characters a bit more. I will be sad to see this series end but happy to have been able to listen to its conclusion. Excellent narration by Simon Vance and well worth the listen if you enjoyed the previous books.

couldn't believe the ending - absolutely horrendous. This is supposed to be a book read by kids - and the author ends it by writing about a sexual disfunction - just couldn't believe it. I will NEVER buy another Brent Weeks book again, nor will I allow any of my three kids to buy one either.

As I’m sure you’ve deduced from the sheer number of reviews I’ve done of Brent Week’s books in the last few months, he’s one of my new favorite authors. His Lightbringer series has really captivated my attention and even after finishing The Blood Mirror it hasn’t waned. The Blood Mirror is the fourth and most recent installment in said series and let me tell you, it’s somewhat of a pace change from the previous books.

Whereas in the previous installments Gavin Guile was the major presence, Kip Guile (aka Breaker) is now the real tour de force here. Kip has come a long way from his overweight, bullied self and is become a true Guile- cunning and charismatic, with a thin veneer of goodness. He is now leading The Mighty, his squad mates that left the Blackguard to protect and fight for him, and is organizing offensives against the White King in Blood Forest. His ragtag troupe of warrior drafters are all that stand between the White King and the capture of Blood Forest, which would be a major blow to the already weak Chromeria. Did I mention that on top of all these tactics, he’s also got to handle Tisis now? Yeah, she was quite an interesting addition to the story and I was surprised to find that I ended up liking her. At first I was very skeptical of her seemingly sudden feelings for Kip, but she appears to be genuine and useful.

Though less grand than before, Gavin Guile is still hanging on by the tips of his fingers here. He has fallen far indeed- now a colorblind, one eyed wretch, Gavin is on the receiving end of what he considered to be his genius creation. What goes around comes around, huh? I felt pretty bad for him for the entirety of the book, but it turns out he was being set up for what’s going to be a big role in book 5. Just can’t keep a Guile down.

Karris is a beast. I haven’t given her proper credit in previous reviews because it’s so hard to thoroughly discuss every character of significance, but she is very powerful. The White was grooming her for a greater role by having her go on unusual missions and then become her spymistress and Aurea’s gamble paid off. Karris is the new White and she’s got a plate full of troublesome situations including (but not limited to) Andross Guile, searching for Gavin, managing satraps, attending executions, and sort of overseeing the infiltration of the Broken Eye. Karris has had tremendous growth and has matured well- I can only hope she’ll keep Andross Guile on his toes and on her side. Karris’s mental checklist had me smirking several times- well done.

Teia… oh my goodness. Teia is always in a situation. Her talents coupled with the benefit of having what is essentially an invisibility cloak have made her formidable, though I still worry for her every time she encounters Murder Sharpe. He’s a creep and his dentures make the creep factor even worse. I hope Teia crushes all who oppose her…

The Blood Mirror was great, though it did have a different atmosphere than the previous books. This I think was largely due to the dark turn of Gavin’s chapters and the addition of Tisis into Kip’s life. I like her, but she’s definitely changed things and I’m still trying to figure out if it’s going to be for the better in the end. I can honestly say that the finale for the Lightbringer series is going to be one of my most anticipated books for whatever year it’s supposed to come out.

Let me start by saying that this series as a whole is one of my all time favorites. The magic system is great. The protagonists are very good and well rounded, and sometimes do questionable things. Even the antagonists are great, and sometimes do good things and have interesting motives. There are great female characters, too.

However, a few things are starting to become annoyances in this, the fourth of five books in the series. Some of these were there all along, but have worsened, or perhaps my patience for them is thinning.
1) The author has a tendency to use very unusual, out of the ordinary words, when a simpler one would do, or work better. I'm relatively well read, and some of these words I've never seen or heard of. Also, they often appear in dialogue, and it seems unlikely that the character would know or use such words.
2) The characters too often have internal monologues going on, that stretch for a page or more, often right in the middle of a good action sequence. It really hurts the flow of the story.
3) There are some things about Kip's intimate relationship with another great female character in this book that I find stupid and unbelievable. I hate it when characters that are shown in a story to be intelligent do really dumb things, and show no common sense.
4) The plot twists and developments in this series are very good. Some of the big ones earlier in the story I did not see coming. But in this book, there are some twists, or reveals about some characters that to me seem contrived--forced to the point that it hurts the greater story in my opinion. It is starting to have a cheap feel to me.

All that being said, I still really love the series, and have to care a lot about the protagonists, and I even have affection for Andross Guile, in all his cunning, backstabbing glory :)

Book four of the Lightbringer series feels less like a continuation of the story and more of that season of a t.v. series, where each character gets their own story arc for 3-4 episodes so you can really delve into their psyche while not really moving the overall plot forward. Of the main characters, Gavin is stuck in his own prison, Kip is wandering around the wilderness, Kariss is navigating the political machinations of life, and other characters are finding their own way - without as much impact in the greater world as previous books. Week's books can sometimes make you not realize you stopped breathing while reading - with a pace made for action movies. Yet this book gives you a breather, a chance to sit back and relax with each of the characters and see how things are going to play out. If the next and final book is the closer you want in the 9th inning than Blood Mirror is the perfect setup man in the 8th.

Another fantastic book in a great series. Somehow I keep getting surprised by new twists every book, even when I think there couldn't possibly be anything else left to shock me.

I'm definitely looking forward to the fifth book, hopefully we won't be kept waiting too long!

I have written this same comment for the earlier books but it holds true - this series gets better with every book! The complexities of the characters are fascinating and as we move through the world more fun characters are introduced. I'm loving the more in depth characterization of the magic system as well as the pantheon. Really intrigued to see how the plot develops in the next books as there are definitely some cliff hangers from this one! All the twists and turns that have happened have made me second guess all possible endings. I'm not totally sure who is hero and who is villain anymore - and I love that!

This was a great read, with some incredible new twists and turns. In some of the previous books in the series I found a few sections that seemed overly verbose and I just felt like skipping over, but not a word was wasted in this book: I basically couldn't put it down once I started reading. The appendix at the end outlining the real-world background behind a key problem faced by a character in the book was insightful and much appreciated.

Things I love about this series: Brent is able to really make each character feel unique, believable, and interesting. Unexpected twists and turns keep coming, but are all totally consistent with the overall narrative. There are dark and brutal parts, but its not totally bleak and unforgiving, like say the First Law Series. I am actually interested in each character's story (unlike in some books where I feel almost bored reading chapters about characters that don't interest me). It made me laugh and cry, and the world was built up without boring me to tears (as happens in some fantasy novels): in fact the world's lore is woven so skillfully into the telling of the story that it adds to the narrative and excitement, leaving you hungry for more.

Things I don't like: I will probably have to wait years for Brent to finish off the rest of the story.

I enjoyed the previous books in this series a lot (I also quite enjoy series like Ender's Game, Star Wars, the Way of Kings series, etc so you can see where I am coming from) . Unfortunately, this book was quite a letdown. It really doesn't deserve the 4-star average rating that it currently has here on the store, though I can readily believe it is because people are still interested in the overall plot. I rarely write a review on anything, so yes, it was bad. Little happened in this book except to the character Teia. It was like the editor wanted to add another book to the series, and so took 100 pages of plot and they turned it into 600. It was full of sexual innuendo--in addition, they spent ALOT of time on the sexual problems of Kip and Tisis, plus time on their marital problems, etc. Brent needs to step it up for the next book. If he does, skip this book and read a good synopsis instead (though there really aren't that many important details).

The lightbringer books have been a huge surprise for me. Book continues to progress the story and the intrigue without going off on any tangents.

Many great series boast a stinker here or there that feels like a cash grab needed to get the publisher off the authors back but Lightbringer does no such thing. Through 4 books the story is progressing and interesting.

Book 5 taking a weird turn is the only thing that could taint my love for this series.

I'm in my 30s and mostly read grim dark but these books are a great read. I could definitely understand YA interest but this story is for anyone that loves fantasy.

This series was so interesting and original. The first book especially felt like a breath of fresh air. In the latest installment it seemed that the author over reached his abilities or something. As others have said, this felt like filler. All over the place, a structural mess. To go from thinking this was one of the best series of the decade during the first two, to being kind of "meh' and not giving the series as a recommendation to people when they ask for something to read should tell you enough. I mean, if you already read the first couple, you'll probably read this one and be disappointed as well. If you haven't read the first couple...well, they are still really good, but you'll get here and be disappointed with the rest of us.

Because so many people have already summed this up in their reviews, and because I don't want to stretch things out like Brent Weeks, let me simply say that this is a filler novel. There's a synopsis at the beginning, and I suspect there will be one for the inevitable fifth book, since we'll have long since forgotten what happened. Skip this one entirely and wait for the next. If you need to hear more:

Gavin's story is a retconning retread of everything that we've seen so far, and largely tells us nothing about his relationship with his father; it also hints at machinations that have to do with the banes and the gods, which would be more relevant if there were more than a handful of pages focusing on the White King and Liv's newfound powers.

Karris is reduced to an echo of herself, now that she's trapped in command as the Iron White. Her narratives are compressed summaries of everything else that happens; Weeks even adorns her sections with literal checklists. Her sparring with Andross is decent, but there are no real stakes between them, and it's telling that Weeks loses track of Zymun entirely, relegating his actions to a single one-page recap.

Instead, the book largely focuses on Kip's growth as a military commander and as a lover to his more than intelligent wife, Tisis. Tonally, this section reads like an entirely different novel, though, and his travels are so disparate from anything else that's going on that it quickly becomes exacerbating. The little we learn about soul- and spirit-casting doesn't justify the long, supposedly intimate digressions.

And finally, there's Teia, working as an assassin, which is probably the milieu that Weeks feels most comfortable in, given his previous trilogy. Again, these sections are adequately written but ultimately uninteresting, on account of all the plot-spinning and unresolved actions. A major character returns for precisely ten pages, and the major political upheaval caused by this merits exactly a single page-long report between Karris and Andross. There's a story here, but Weeks seems far less confident in telling it, let alone tying together the different narratives.

Audible review:

I was hooked from the start and am excitedly waiting for the next book in the series! Some reviewers felt things were dragging a bit or that it was filler but I disagree. I've enjoyed this series from the start with the Black Prism and each book has developed the world and characters a bit more. I will be sad to see this series end but happy to have been able to listen to its conclusion. Excellent narration by Simon Vance and well worth the listen if you enjoyed the previous books.

The Lightbringer series features a plethora of characters from all across the spectrum, each one individual and interesting, complex and–in the case of Andross Guile for me–infuriatingly difficult to pin down. As lifelike as real people. The Blood Mirror focuses on a year fraught with peril for our four main characters: Kip, Teia, Karris, and Gavin. These four undergo tremendous character growth, each trapped in personal fights, stretched more and more between impossible decisions that will affect the war raging across the Seven Satrapies against the White King. It’s plain that what occurs in The Blood Mirror is the buildup to the explosive climax that will be the entirety of the final book.

Weeks has convinced me to fear for his characters.

Just when it seems Weeks has reached the maximum number of new cultures to introduce to the story and the peak of new applications for his magic system, he flies right past it and soars into the sky. I can never get enough of exploring this vast and richly colored world. The narrative itself is an examination and dissection of morality, madness, philosophy, theology, and love. More questions than answers, as well as a look out how each character must handle that uncertainty. A deft narration interwoven with a unique magic system, complex world building, cunning politics, interesting history, brilliant battles, intricate confrontations, and, best of all, puns.

I don’t know how I’ll survive the next couple of years waiting for, likely, the last book. What torture. (Somewhere, Brent Weeks is cackling as he draws more life from his readers’ pain.)

This book straight up sucked. SUCKED. The first two were great, the story had so much potential...but this just frustrated me so much I can't even write a proper review. Everyone who gave this a 5 star review is smoking crack or accepting bribes from Brent. UGH!

Awsome book. Best Book Ever. I love the Lightbringer Series so much that I had to buy the hardcover version to place it (after reading it) in my bookshelf and save it for my son when he grows up. I couldn't make myself buy the kindle version even if my back complained. This is a delight of a book. You never know what's going to happen next. You care for all the characters. It's true that maybe in this book the story doesn't advance so much as in the previous books but it still makes you cry and laugh and you enjoy every minute of it and you don't want it to end. It doens't get any better than this. The next book can't come soon enough.

Brent was just cashing in on the extra volume.
There are some major plot twists, but nothing like the previous stories that made me want to read them again.
Part of the fun in this series is the way the reader can immerse themselves in the imagery and picture the power in each color.
This installment gave me the impression that Weeks was trying to stall.
Several chapters concentrated on the same events without any real progression.
If he does a recap at the beginning of the next book... you really wont miss reading this one.
I'm still a fan of the series.
Come on Brent... you gotta come with it on the next one.
Blinding Mirror was pretty weak.

Several times I've found myself putting this book down just to say, "dang this is fantastic," and then I pick it back up to continue to read more.
Other reviews comment on the fact that this feels like filler, with dragging plot lines and an excessive amount of character development. I agree wholeheartedly, but Brent Weeks keeps you on your toes with exciting plot twists, and some very entertaining action and espionage.
Over these four books he has created such deep, detailed characters so that I revel in the chance to know and understand them better.

In summary: if you've read the others, you'll enjoy this one. Yes, its pace is slower than its predecessors, but don't worry, it has plenty to offer for fans of the series.

I expected a lot more. The first 3 books were great. They set a high bar. This last book was . . . average - maybe a little less than average.
Don't get me wrong - Brent Weeks wrote well. But all in all, I thought the story moved very slightly and ended on a disappointing note. I felt the author hijacked the story to send out a message. I'm not saying the message was not important or does not need to be sent, I just wasn't looking for such a message in my Fantasy. I mostly read fantasy for the story and to escape the very serious problems I face daily. So, by all mean send a message (but in a different forum) not in the fantasy world I am looking to for some escape - but of course that's just me. Maybe a lot of people enjoy this kind of thing intensely. I am just not one of them. Sorry if I’m in the minority.
Where a story ends tends to define the experience of the entire book in a lot of important ways and set up the stage for the future of the story. I can't say that this book defined an enjoyable experience as far as the whole story is concerned for me nor did it set the stage for the future like the previous 3 books did.
It was not a complete waste of money, but it was more of a "filler" while we wait for the real story - hopefully in the next book. My only consolation is that it could have been worse. I really hate writing reviews like these, because they are not glowing and they don't really discourage people from reading the book. Let it serve as a warning to the fan who is wondering whether to continue the series - don't expect book 1,2, and 3 greatness. If you do that, you will not be disappointed.

Books 1 and 2 were solid. Book 3 was good. This book feels like a money grab or a stalling tactic. There's very little plot development in the 600+ pages. Weeks also added this weird diversion about vaginismus. I'll let you look up the definition. basically, Kip is not able to have sex with his wife. After the very last page of the book he adds a page about explaining vaginismus. It's fine to have a cause, but to drag your readers through it unknowingly and it bog down the story is poor judgement.

Like so many leaving comments here I have been a huge fan of the previous Lightbringer books. That said this book does very little to move the plot forward and even less to keep the reader interested. Then it simply ends at what feels like the end of a chapter mid novel rather than a true ending. It is as if Mr Weeks decided he was tired of writing and figured it was good enough. Sadly it was not. After two years of waiting for this book im sad to say it was barely worth the read.

Not as good as others in series but still better than most. Pretty much everything by this author is excellent all either 4 or 5 stars. This was still very good, but my least favorite of the series. Not as many revelations or oh holy sh.. moments. There were still some twists and turns and the writing and storytelling are top notch, also really appreciate the brief overview of the story so far at the beginning to re familiarize the reader with the world, don't know why every series doesn't have this, so overall really good, but not as spectacular as previous installments.

This was another thoroughly enjoyable book in the series. The characters are diverse and interesting. A must read for any fan of the fantasy genre but do yourself a favor and start from the beginning. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

The Lightbringer series is coming to head...lots of action, romance and intrigue in this book. It is well paced and written with typical Brent Weeks flair. If you have read the first three books, this is a welcome addition. Can't wait for the conclusion!

The first 3 books were amazing and this one fell completely short..... nothing really happened that was "amazing". The closest I can come to relating it was the last book of the game of thrones..... stuff happened but the story didn't really go anywhere and everything moved at a super slow pace. Not even the one battle scene was exciting at all.... Oh well hopefully the next one will make up for this lack luster book.

I recommend this series including this book to everyone I know. Brent does a fantastic job in capturing each character's identity and crafting this unquestionably unique world around you. I will say that the theme matches another series that he published. But I for one am excited by the idea that perhaps this is leading to a grander series tying in each series, (Only speculation). Please, if you enjoy a book that is thought provoking and something you can get lost in then this is the book for you.

Several of the character's have their arcs stagnated in this book, with very little actually progressing. It's still a good story, but definitely a drop off from Book 2 (best in the series to me) and Book 3.

This was an excellent read, and I'm glad that the series didn't end up being just a trilogy like the Night Angel series or a quadrilogy. I'm super excited now for the rest of the series, no matter how many books it takes to get there. But I am not going to get over that cruelty of a chapter so close to the end of the book. I know it's a common trope, but it still pisses me off. But I trust you to know what you're about, far better than I ever could.

The Author initially intended for this to be the finial book but he couldn't. He send his apologies at the end. This story is okay. Has a few major twists. The blood mirror felt more of platform for the next book.

First a little acknowledgement of a personal blind spot: I will never forgive Brent Weeks for Gavin's storyline. NEVER.

With that out of the way, let's talk about this book. There are 4 main storylines centered around the 4 main characters, Gavin, Karris, Kip and Teia. There is no denying that those vary in quality and entertainment value.

For the Kip and Teia fans, you will enjoy this book a lot. Teia goes through some major development although it does seem at times that some of her storylines have been cut short. Some of the books I read recently suffer from the problem that there is not enough story to fill the pages and the author had to introduce filler lines and chapters. Weeks has the opposite problem. His characters are so rich and the stories and ideas so big that he had to cut them short. And some of those cuts are obvious.
There are some weaknesses in their storylines that may have more to do with my preferences and style than with the actual story (For example, the naming of Kip's group, "The Mighty" is something that always struck me as childish. It reminded me of the times my friends and I invented names for our little circle. It also reminds me of "The mighty ducks" and "The mighty morphin power rangers"...in other words, kid's stuff).But overall the storylines are interesting, deep and they feel "real". You really get the feeling that you read stories of tragedy and war and love that could (and would) happen under those circumstances.

Now to Karris and Gavin.
With Karris the main problem is that Weeks tries to create tension by slowly building her relationship with Zymun. The reader knows that Zymun is a psychopath, Karris does not and we wonder when it is going to blow up and if it is going to destroy Karris. Nice idea. The problem is that there are at least two sources that should have warned Karris about Zymun and there is really no good explanation why they did not. I do not want to spoil the book but I'll take the freedom to spoiler the one before and reveal one of those sources. In the last book Teia broke into Andross mansion and witnessed a discussion Andross head about how Zymun had tried to rape a servant girl. Teia never tells anything about this to Karris, who is her handler in her mission against the Order. But it is never explained why Teia withholds that crucial piece of information from Karris. And they actually talk about what Teia saw in Andross mansion. Teia tells Karris everything else she witnessed there, just not this. So the reader (at least I) feels cheated because the entire tension is based on an obvious plot hole.

Gavin't storyline suffers from an even deeper problem. Throughout the first and second book Gavin kept fighting the impossible fight. Always confident to win and never really winning. But he was still larger than life in those times. He would stand against an army and loose by a hair's width. He would face a god and an army of wights and get tangled and stopped inches from the goal. Failing at impossible tasks is not a detriment because even the almost success we see is impressive. But slowly a pattern starts to emerge: Gavin will never win. So in this book, whenever he attempted something, I did not believe for a moment that he would manage to actually do it. And so he gets beaten down (figuratively and literally) and there is really no hope that it will end. Even the teasing of the next storyline for him at the end of this book does not make it much better.
Apart from that a new detail about his past is introduced that retcons almost everything we know about him. The combination is devastating. The Gavin we have seen throughout the first two books is destroyed by degrees and we wonder if he ever really existed. I have never seen a more complete destruction of a character. And, to reiterate my opening statement: "I will never forgive Brent Weeks for Gavin's storyline. NEVER."

So, why do I still give this book 5 stars? Because it deserves it. Make no mistake, it is nowhere near as good as the first and the second book but it is far better than the third. If we are talking numbers, this gets a 4.7 while the first and second got 5.4...Still 5.

Tisis has a problem with her vagina. 'Why the whole hole plot?' you might ask. Clever question... I would say it's a small plot hole. Luckily it is resolved by the end of the book, and will hopefully not become a spin off of its own.

Great book. It's better if you go in with the expectation that this is part one of the final book in the series as there really isn't any big ending but the book itself is AWESOME to the max. It is full of surprising revelations and twists and the characters are really progressing in a major way in this one. Cannot WAIT for the next book!

This book--and this series--continue to be one of the absolute best fantasy series I have ever read (of which there are probably too many >_>).
Great characters, great twists, incredible world and magic system.

The jump Weeks has made from his assassin series (Night Angel Trilogy) to this is similar to the jump Sanderson made from his standalone works like Elantris to the Stormlight Archive. The jump is that big and, yes, I'm intentionally comparing it to the Stormlight Archive--it's THAT good. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

This book is incredible! Don't listen to any negative reviews about this piece of art; if you love the characters and want to know everything about them and their struggles and triumphs, this book fits perfectly in the story. Brent, somehow, makes his heroes more real, and makes us care even more about their dreams. The pace is still just as fast as all the other books so far, and his talent as an author leaves you guessing while you turn pages like crazy. As always, it'll be tough waiting for the next volume. Thank you, Brent, for creating such a beautiful world, an intricate plot, and amazing characters that shine on every page. You rock.

Blood Mirror is packed with so much important stuff that it feels a lot shorter than it is. Characters grow appreciably as the war with the Color Prince forces everyone to go beyond what they thought was possible. It's going to be a long wait for the next book. Guess I'll read the series again while I wait.

I felt like I had to wait forever to get this book. I’m happy to say that when I did, it delivered. Very few series have me waiting for the next piece of info, but this one does. Weeks does a fantastic job of blending intrigue with action, and fans of his books will love this latest edition.

I'll agree with a number of other reviewers, it is a transition novel. Lets get set up for that conclusion in the next mighty tome! It has some good points, but it really feels like a setup for the final book vs being particularly self contained. As a warning, that last 60 so pages are not part of the plot. Authors note, glossary, etc. That was a bit disappointing to sit down thinking I had a nice bit of reading ahead of me wrapping up some loose ends and boom, done, nothing else despite all those pages left. It's not a cliff hanger or anything, but all the POVs clearly have places to go, questions to answer, etc. Hopefully the final book will be out fairly quickly since it was originally planned on being this book and presumably various parts are done / in progress already.

Please ignore all the silly negative reviews. If you love the story and character development so far and the awesome narration on audible, then you can expect an awesome ride full of eye opening reveals! Can't wait for the next installment.

Brent Weeks is a great author. Between him and Brandon Sanderson I think we have a lot to look forward to in the next few years. This book wasn’t his best though. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it but I do have some complaints... Minor spoilers follow. You have been warned.
Some characters just aren’t in this book enough.

The last story ends with Ironfist and Zymun being huge factors. Well they aren’t really in the Blood Mirror. They are both mentioned in passing but Ironfist only factors in once and Zymun not at all. The color prince shows up finally but it’s for a fleeting chapter that I didn’t find all that meaningful.

The main characters are written very well. Kip’s probably focused too much on his marriage, but he still accomplished a lot and grew as a character. Karris’ storyline was okay as she developed more as the White and worked with/against Andross. I got a little bogged down with Teia’s story but it had the most power towards the end. Gavin on the other hand… I could discuss his story-line for days… It was the best written, had the most depth, uncovered the most mysteries, but I honestly just didn’t buy it. Weeks has essentially turned a character who was extremely confident, decisive, and goal oriented into someone terrified to make a move this whole book. Sorry Brent, It’s too much of a disconnect for me… As brilliantly written as it was I just couldn’t convince myself that Gavin wouldn’t act.

But definitely read the book! This is one of the best fantasy series running if not the best… But I’m always hoping for more, even if it’s rare that I get it. Book 5 has a lot of work set for it and I wouldn’t be surprised if we moved to a book 6 at this rate…

I read the first three books of the series and enjoyed them. Would like to read the forth,but I refuse to pay $14.99. I wish more people would also do likewise. In this way maybe tha price would get a little more reasonable. There are lots of goods reads available that are not priced this high. Just my opinion.

I was so happy to get my hands on this book and continue the story. I absolutely loved that Brent Weeks included a series recap at the beginning. It's so hard to remember everything that happens between books, and it was a great help. I wish more authors would do that. This book was a great continuation of the Lightbringer series! Although I'm sad that the next book will be the last, I'm eager to see how it ends, and if the good guys will prevail.

I love this author. I went from zero to the New York's Best sellers list within one or two novels. Brent Weeks is someone you should keep an eye on. I have all of his novels from this series. I will be getting all of his works as time and budget allows. If you love this type of fiction, you should not miss him.

I've been reading this series since I found the first book on a shelf in my local bookstore several years ago. This book did the same for the black prism back then, leaving me up at 2 in the morning every night desperate for more time to lose myself in the world. Brent Weeks certainly knows how to craft a good narrative with believable characters, realistic dilemmas and healthy dose of fantastical adventure.

I really enjoy Week's writing. This is book 4 of what I had thought to be a trilogy - and its not the last volume. (I am glad he writes faster than some other fantasy authors)! I really like this series, but the early books seems to flow better - he is setting up for a big finale, I think, so I view a lot of this book as 'staging'. If you have not read the first books in this series I recommend that you do so - this will be readable without the background but is much better with it.

You do see some of the characters grow - sometimes in ways you would prefer them not to, And learn that even those viewed as truly evil by some may have other motives that make them, if not less evil, at least a bit sympathetic. Kep is beginning to be more believeable - but is still mentioned at least early on as being fat (How can you go through a year of physical training and be fat) ? Gavin, the White, Gunnar - all make an appearance - but as I stated its setting things up.

I suspect the last book will be good, maybe excellent. And this one is not bad - its just not as good as the previous ones.

However, if nothing else you can admire the way Week's ties things together. His characterization is excellent (This is the first book I have read that seems slow).