Skysworn (Cradle Book 4)

Another amazing installment in the Cradle series! I highly recommend this book as I am a huge fan of Will Wight's work. This is my favorite of his different series, and I couldn't put this book down. I wish there was more, I feel like the book was too short! I can't wait for the next installment

The usual super imaginative and exciting writing from Will Wight here. We also get a good amount of character development and interesting background information about the main characters. This wasn't really my favorite book of the series though. It felt like a lot of set up for the next/future books, and there wasn't a lot of advancement with the characters and story. The end was a little anticlimactic too. I still blew through this book, and I am still really enjoying the series. I'm looking forward to the next book.

I thourally enjoyed the character development and growth. The story is engaging and hooks you but the characters give you hope and the insight into how they are thinkimg is wounderful. The god like character viewpoints inserted here and there tease of something more and a much bigger story while the main story still holds all of the excitement. I recommend this book to any fantasy readers who enjoy characters with a hint of power and love to root for the underdog who grows up to be a hero.

Easily matches the quality of the series so far. Tons of interesting plot developments, though a lot less training than previous books. If you take the proportions of plot to training in Blackflame and reverse them, you'll have a pretty good idea of what Skysworn is like.

I will warn that it's a very *fast* book. Lots of plot threads from previous books are resolved, and many new ones are created. It would have been nice to have another fifty pages to smooth out the pacing a little but to avoid spoilers I'll just say that I think it works fine given the context of the story.

This world the author has created is just so well crafted and the system of skills so well thought out . All the characters have such great personality and it has been a joy watching them grow . I look forward to the next book as when each of the last is posted to the store it just makes my day.

I am usually critical about books, but this whole series has me amazed by how complex but consistent everything is. Will pulled everything together perfectly. I don't think it could've been done any better. Although blackflame was by far a better book in my opinion, skysworn goes into details that had been previously avoided. That was the most interesting part of the whole series (aside from the cool fighting scenes and whatnot)

I have so enjoyed this series. At first admittedly, it felt a little like the framework had been taken from a game or something, but as I got more into it I began to really enjoy the character development and plot flow. I love the depiction of the characters as they use their abilities as well. I like that it's physical not just magical. Definitely not hard to get through and there are times when you feel a little lost in the various layers of the hierarchy, but overall, I would really recommend it. It's humorous, fast paced, and endearing. Check it out.

Like the headline suggests, this is by far the best book in the series. The pacing and stability of the story are probably why. Not once did I lose track of where I was despite the epic scale and speed of events.

I have to admit I wish it were longer, but what we trade for length we get quality.

Can’t wait for the next book.

The storyline just keeps getting better and better. Fast paced action, measured character development and growth for the quirky personalities, this is an amazingly fun storyline to read. I highly recommend this book and the entire series, it is awesome.

The stakes are raised, the characters' arcs are explained further and steps are taken along their paths. We see the hints set out for the books to come, and I cannot wait for more!

I've read and loved all of Will Wight's series, but this one might be my favorite. I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

The stakes are raised, the characters' arcs are explained further and steps are taken along their paths. We see the hints set out for the books to come, and I cannot wait for more!

I've read and loved all of Will Wight's series, but this one might be my favorite. I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

It is consistently amazing how books of this quality keep being generated by a single author so quickly. Again the story advances in brilliant form with no wasted moments where you feel the urge to just skip page after page to "get to the good stuff". So believe me you won't regret it!

I really liked this book. Will Wight's writing style really hits the right note with me.
This series is a fun take on a combination of wuxia and fantasy. The world keeps expanding with every new book in this series and I can't wait to read what's next.

People need to start paying attention to this writer. I have thoroughly enjoyed all his books up until now.

Comparing to the rest, there is little story development. Reading this book feels more like reading Will's personal drafts than a finished story. I would gladly buy this book again, if only Author would be so nice to just rewrite this to match previous books style.

For those yet to start this awesome series, go find "Unsouled" and read it now! For those yet to pick up "Skysworn", I am happy to state that it is another amazing book!

Orthos makes a return and always amuses Me! I love than Lindon is now ranked in the Empire (what is Yerin's rank?) Also a new potential addition to the trio shows up and I can't wait until I hear more about Ms. Mercy and what she can do!

So different in tone and pacing from previous entries that it lost some of the story's charm.
It felt forced, as though trying to fit many more books into a series.
Little progress made by any character, lots of potential peril raised as potentially serious then ignored to deal with the new maggufins (who are dealt with off the page anyway).
Was greatly anticipating this book, and loving the series, but based on this sudden new direction, am less interested in future entries.

As filler goes this was a great book. Compared to the rest of the series I was disappointed. Everything about this book felt rushed or just half done. The main character after more training somehow is weaker in his duel than he was before (in the trails he could hold the blackflame cloak for 20 + minutes while fighting. Now he knows he can hold it only for a few moments without draining all his madra). I also see no real personal growth. Yerins battle with the leach was anticlimactic. And the whole ending was just cut short.
I am very disappoint and will not buy the next book until I hear there are fast improvements. I was even about to buy the compact trilogy for a friend but do not want him to have this book and then wait for a real story.

p.s. for all you fantasy fans doesn’t this feel like a filler book that Tor publishing makes all its authors do?

genre: fantasy
setting: sword and sorcery
format: book #4, must be read in order
DNF

The previous three books offer solid 3 to 4 star reads. I enjoyed the society built around honor, and I liked Lindon's drive to succeed. I recommend those, but not this book.

My biggest complaint is the open corruption and bias in their "honorable" duels. Let's start with the rules. First, Lindon, who has been challenged, has no control whatsoever over the venue, timing, rules to win, allowed weapons, nothing. Previous duels from books #1-3 followed typical duel rules from history: the challenger specifies some things, the challenged specifies others. Lindon should at least have had enough sway to specify that he could surrender or that the fight was to first blood or SOMETHING, but no. Second, our hero is severely limited in his allowed weapons and searched for non-allowed weapons. The limit bothered me, because lower powered people are limited to lower powered weapons. I cannot see how this is "fair" or "honorable," but okay. What isn't acceptable is that his opponent cheats, sneaking a too high powered weapon into the duel. NO ONE complains or tries to stop him from using this weapon. If the whole point of this duel is really about honor, then the "winner" should loose in everyone's eyes, but nope, there is no consequence of his cheating. Third, the judge who is there to be an independent arbitrator is openly biased against our heroes from the first moment they enter the duel venue. No one calls him on it. When Eithan cheats, the judge acts. When the foe's patriarch cheats, the judge ignores it, and again no one complains or calls the judge on his dishonorable behavior. My fourth complaint is that I was offended by Eithan's actions during the duel, much as Lindon complains after the duel. Given what Lindon wakes up to, it seems to me that Lindon overestimates Eithan's trustworthiness.

I can understand Lindon sticking around for what he can learn, but I cannot understand why Lindon would continue to be loyal. Eithan does not even apologize, and I was just done. I enjoyed Eithan's personality in previous books (ruthless but funny and loyal). I hate what he becomes in this book (ruthless, inconsiderate, and none too loyal, with a lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships). Lindon still intrigues me, but I don't want to read about Eithan.

What we are left with is a poorly contrived series of plot twists to force Lindon into doing this and that. The whole "arrest Lindon" didn't make sense in the first place, and the contrived events left me uninterested in giving the rest of this book a chance. Another unimpressed reader likened the plot style to "fan fic" and I think the analogy is apt.

Eagerly awaiting the next installment! I love the detail and complexity of the worlds that Will Wight creates. I think the characters have grown in leaps and bounds in this segment and I love the glimpse we are shown of the higher levels of advancement. As always, my absolute favorite part is the humor found throughout. I always find myself smiling or outright laughing off and on while reading. If for some reason, you haven't read this series (or any of Will Wight's others), you won't regret it!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It felt much shorter than the previous ones, but that may be perception because there is little breathing room between the action. I think I'm right though. Without checking page count, I'd say this felt no more than half as long. I would agree with other reviewers that it felt a bit rushed, but it was still really enjoyable. The new stuff is good stuff, we just lost a bit of the old stuff that I loved. My main thoughts:

1. Lindon doesn't really progress this book, and his new "addition" doesn't yet seem beneficial. This is in contrast to Yerin who seems to be outpacing him. She's gotten solid progression in both of the latest books, while Lindon seems to have stalled out.

2. Please, make the removal of the Jai siblings permanent. They are not interesting characters. Their "replacement" seems much more promising.

I tell you...this author, this Will Wight, he just keeps getting better and better with everything he puts out. And he was pretty darn good to start with! His books are just so well balanced with action and intrigue. His characters are full of personality and very likeable. He really knows how to make the reader cheer for the little guy. Thanks Will, I thoroughly enjoyed this one like all the rest, ESPECIALLY that last chapter when the thing happened with that other thing and then everything did what it did...gave me a chill when I read it.

So to anyone you might read this, go out or go online now and get Unsouled the first cradle book and get caught up. You won't be disappointed.

This series continues to be the single best English-native written, novel-style Xianxia series I've ever read.

Okay, so it's the only English-native written, novel-style Xianxia series I've ever read. But the point still stands! Rather than the cliffhanger-filled sequential entries of the online Xianxia web-serials that are so popular these days, Will Wight builds a narrative that proceeds smoothly from the start to the finish of each book, in a way that feels more natural and enjoyable than online instalments. And he absolutely NAILS both the story itself, and the overall Xianxia theme of the setting, in a way that just keeps me waiting for the next book in anticipation. This series is well worth the read, whether you're a long-time fan of Xianxia or you've never even heard of the word before. Read, and enjoy!

i enjoy the creative ideas for special powers, and the world the author is building. I do feel like he's trying to weave in a much larger plot and this book as well as the last one have not really moved or done anything. He does a great job in this book of explaining how small the empire is in the scheme of the overall planet.

The main character has not gained power to be anywhere near the levels he set as his goal, in-fact this book just introduced more problems without the main character gaining anything. It just seems the god-like beings he needs to enlist to help him are so out of his sphere of reach he'll never be able to reach them.

Major reveal of long term objectives, problem is the protagonist is just a passenger of someone else's plan, a pawn who blindly follows wherever led. Also in this book the protagonist doesn't actually "do" anything. All of the major outcomes, insight, progress, comes from others who see the big picture, unlike Lindon

It feels like the protagonist is playing tic-tac-toe while everyone else is playing chess.

I am an avid, perhaps even rabid Will Wright fan. The Cradle series is my all time favorite book series but while this was a very good read as always it didn't seem as wonderful as his previous works in the series. It was quite short, seemed rushed (little character growth, rapid escalation of crisis) and had some character shoehorning. Lindon and his friends did very little growing and had little to no personal progress. The resolutions for personal problems (blood shadows for example) seemed incredibly rushed and character motivations for it seemed cloudy.The inclusion of Monarchs and Dreadbeasts was interesting but also wasn't given the space it needed to flourish properly.
That being said, just like the other Cradle books I read it front to cover as fast as I could, desperate to learn more about this amazing world Will Wright has crafted. I'm also craving the next book and can't wait to read it.

Skysworn in the fourth book in Will Wight’s “Cradle” series. In this episode, Lindon finally faces Jai Long in their promised battle. Unfortunately for Lindon and everyone else, the battle with Jai Long is the least of their problems. Someone has awakened something long kept asleep. And now the whole world faces potential destruction unless something can be done to stop the phoenix. So Lindon and Yerin do the only thing they can – they join the Skysworn in a last hope effort to help turn the tide.

As with all of the books in this series, the fourth installment continues to open up the vastness of Wight’s vision for the series. What started in book one as a small “unsouled” boy from a little town has grown into a multi-universal mess. The problem is that in all of his effort to give us a grand story, Wight’s series is starting to suffer from being overly ambitious. The adventures of Lindon and Yerin in books one and two now seem completely wasted because the plots in those earlier books are now so insignificant when compared to the larger story arc that Wight is laying out. And instead of the series being better for it, the direction of the whole thing is starting to lose its way. The heart of any story is in the characters themselves, but as Wight continues to open things up, and then open them again, and then again, our characters (both protagonist and antagonist alike) are getting lost in the shuffle. The side subplot revolving around the Cradle and the other worlds is boring and only serves to distract from Lindon, Yerin, and Eithan. Wight has done the story and his characters a disservice by trying to do too much I’m afraid. The long awaited battle between Lindon and Ji Long is completely overshadowed and washed over. The mighty Eithan, who we’ve been lead to believe is so powerful, is tossed around (literally and figuratively) and made into an errand boy.

It just seems like Wight started with a great idea, but the Cradle series has devolved from something with great characters and real heart, into something so large that it has lost its charm and uniqueness. I still enjoy Wight’s writing and I’ll continue to read him and this series, but I’m afraid that the Cradle books may be so far out there now that it might be too late to reign them back in again. When this book focuses on our primary characters its good, but once it reaches out beyond that into the all of the side stories and unfamiliar, it just gets lost and bogged down. 3 out of 5. This one is just ok.

Once again Will Wight has gone above and beyond and delivered a satisfying sequel in a short few months. This is an author that will continue to release book after book until he becomes a household name on the same level as Rowling. Whichever big name publisher wakes up first and jumps at the opportunity to offer Mr. Wight a deal he can't refuse to spread his name across physical print is going to obtain one of the biggest rising authors on the market and reap the benefits that come with that. Will Wight has proven he's the real deal, and for that i'll continue to be his biggest fan and watch what it looks like when another author breaks the mold to write life changing fantasy.

Please?

There's really nothing to say here. If you're on book four, you know what you're going to get. Storytelling that flows like honey madra across the page, combat that cuts like sword madra, and epic scenes that shock and amaze like lightning madra.

And not enough pages. I will admit unrealistic expectations. In return, will you write more? ;)

Will Wight is my favorite author of the self published books and I highly enjoy reading the Cradle series. I see that some reviewers do not feel that this particular book progressed enough for them. I was however, satisfied and felt several things were resolved well, such as why Ethien has taken such an interest in Lindon. I have grown to really be invested in these characters. If you are planning on picking this book up, I do recommend that you start with the first book, Unsouled and read them in order.

I was motivated to spend the time to write the review as the next in the series is coming out quite soon, and so I reread the last four over he weekend. I will be sitting at my computer waiting for the release of Ghostwriter tomorrow night and expect to have it read by the end of the day. I have cleared my schedule of everything else. That's how much I like this series!

Pat

Will Wight has created the world filled with interesting people doing interesting things. Protagonist always press forward or at least try to while they are challenged, knocked down, and put through the forge. This is great fantasy with an awesome magic system that feels like it came from a kung fu movie set in an Epic Fantasy.

I have read fantasy/science fiction since a young kid. I am a 48 year old man today who still loves it. This is the very first time that I have felt the desire to rate or review anything. I have read thousands of stories over my lifetime. This story with it's characters is one of the best that I have ever read. I can't remember when a story has so intrigued me. I just devoured this current book in a day. I was shocked and disappointed that it is already over. I absolutely love the world of Linden and his crew of friends! I can't wait for the next book! This series is definetly in my top few of all time. Keep them coming!

Completely up to the level of it's predecessors which were excellent. Will Wight's world of Madra,Sacred beasts.Underlords,Overlords and DreadGods and more and more is incredibly enjoyable to read. By the end of the book I was completely involved in the greatest battle so far. As usual my first thought when it was finished was "When will the next one come out." Can't wait!!