Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3

Jackal Among Snakes #3

by Nemorosus, R.A. Wilkins

The future hangs by a thread. Wisdom and kindness are a luxury. Freedom is balanced against the promise of tomorrow.

Argrave's harrowing journey to the Burnt Desert left him at death’s door, but breathed new life into his group by adding a fresh face to the party… if a severed head on a stick can be considered a proper companion. His goal is in sight within this foreign land with a tradition of hostility, and the royal bastard stands at the cusp of becoming black-blooded.

All of the magic, components, and requisite skills are close at hand. But the closer the team gets to their desires, the tighter the web of impending conflict tightens around them—a web woven with the threads of zealous devotion by the god Fellhorn’s despotic followers. Even with how hard they struggle to succeed, there’s no way to know if the inscrutable, unstable Alchemist will be willing to perform the procedure or eradicate them on the spot.

Just as worrisome is knowing that even if they can convince the Alchemist to take the job, he can demand any price for his body, mind, or even soul.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Magic

438 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 24, 2024

Reviews

[Akshay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3 by Nemorosus:

Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3 by Nemorosus marks the continuation of the enthralling saga of political intrigue and power struggles set in a meticulously crafted fantasy world. While the series has captivated readers with its richly imagined setting and complex characters, this installment falls short of expectations, failing to deliver the same level of depth and engagement.

Nemorosus' writing style remains elegant and evocative, with vivid descriptions and intricate world-building that immerse the reader in the story. However, the pacing in this installment feels uneven, with long stretches of exposition and filler material detracting from the overall momentum of the narrative.

In this book, readers are once again thrust into the tumultuous world of court politics and rival factions as the protagonist navigates the treacherous waters of power and ambition. While the plot offers moments of intrigue and suspense, it lacks the same level of complexity and depth that characterized earlier installments.

The world-building in this installment is expansive, with Nemorosus delving deeper into the history and culture of the world they have created. However, certain elements of the setting feel underdeveloped, with little explanation of the rules and mechanics governing the society or the larger geopolitical landscape.

Moreover, the character development in Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3 feels lacking, with the protagonist and supporting cast failing to undergo significant growth or evolution throughout the narrative. While there are moments of introspection and internal conflict, they ultimately feel shallow and inconsequential.

When critically analyzing the plot, it becomes apparent that Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3 struggles to create meaningful stakes or tension. The conflicts feel contrived and arbitrary, lacking the emotional weight needed to invest readers in the story. Additionally, certain plot threads are left unresolved, leaving the narrative feeling incomplete and unsatisfying.

In conclusion, while Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3 may satisfy die-hard fans of the series looking for closure, it ultimately falls short in delivering a compelling and cohesive narrative. With its uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and lackluster plot, it fails to capture the magic of its predecessors and leaves readers longing for more.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Jackal Among Snakes, Book 3 is a disappointing continuation of the series, offering a lackluster and uninspired narrative that fails to live up to its potential. While it may provide some entertainment for fans of the genre, it ultimately lacks the depth and substance needed to leave a lasting impression.

[Russell Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another moderately difficult book to review for this series. For me, it was high on quality but low on enjoyment.

I think I've pinned down the issue: Annalise (might be misspelling that). She's no longer a functional character as much as a narrative device to me. Not only that, but every time I'm annoyed by Argrave, she's part of the scene.

The dumb romance finally arrived in this book and it was as lame as I expected. Listen, I have no problem with finding some emotional support for a situation like the one the MC is in. So if he is the kinda guy to partake in some carnal pleasures to relieve some stress, I'm okay with that. If he's the kinda guy who doesn't get physical without a certain degree of emotional attachment, I'm okay with that. The problem I have is when they immediately start talking dumb like planning their future when there's still a world-ending apocalypse a couple of years away.

If this were a movie from the 90s, that would be a flag for Annalise to die next round. It would be like the police show where the MC's partner talks about how he's about to retire and is looking forward to spending time with his daughter.

While my kneejerk response is that I would love Annalise to die pitifully when we move into the plague arc, fridging the girlfriend is also lazy writing. Realistically the answer is to find something for Annalise to do as her own character that doesn't involve naming emotions for a narrative crutch or constantly triggering cringe romance scenes.

I have to force myself to remember that the rest of this book was good because I really disliked the parts that didn't work for me. But, similar to the previous books, I think the author has a knack for creating great set pieces and background characters. I thought the various cities in the South were interesting, and the Fellhorn vessels were great characters that used creative magic mechanics. Similarly, the Alchemist was an interesting character.

We've finally reached one of the story's milestones with Argrave acquiring something he's worked toward in the past few books. So I would love to see the plot really spice things up in the next books and increase the stakes and level of obstacles. I'm lukewarm on the next arc evidently involving a plague, because it opens the door for more of the incessant emotional hand-wringing scenes that are fine in moderation, but getting tiresome.

I'm feeling very neutral on this series at the moment, so as is the norm, Book 4 will likely be a crossroads for how I consider this series moving forward.

[Mike Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Stuff

This story of a video game walkthrough Author going to a real world that’s based on the game was a fantastic read. He is placed into an insignificant npc and has to make lemonade out of lemons.

[Karol Bernal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging as always

Loved this third book and binged the whole thing. Honestly a bit sore about the whole Titus thing (seriously, where is my perfect solution that includes him getting sacked?) but living for the romance. Let it be said I was on board that ship from day one, and its very satisfying to see it sail. Now I'm looking forward to getting back to Vasquer and meeting new people in the next book!

[Roberto Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drawn out.

The character work is bland and the story was drawn out. This feels like mostly filler with one or two important things really happening.

[booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently one of my favorite series. The world building, characters and plot line are amazing. Thank you to the writer for all their fantastic work, it's very much appreciated.

[Rebecka · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate the character Analisa.

Here's why: She constantly pokespokespokespokespokes and demandsdemandsdemandsdemands. It's like she's written to always know better and gives orders like a mom. Eat this, sleep more, do this. Ofcourse we're told she's the best mage, super hot, supposedly super smart, ultimatly perfect, without flaws and thus have no charm. She acts entitled to his deepest secrets like she's a bad student counselor with poor boundaries pestering the troubled kid and getting way to close too quickly. Add a romance into that? Gross. Outside of being the best and perfect and all knowing, she has no personality. She never shares what she thinks or feels. She's just blank. Yet she chides Argrave that he never shares, even as he's actively sharing. Just because she wants moremoremore. As a storytelling mechanic, she steals Argraves character developement by telling him how he feels and think instead of him reaching there by himself. It's very unsatisfying. She starts to even plan out his future and telling him what he should want, completely removing his agency.


If you like that kind of thing, this is your book. The sudden turn into bad romance and stolen agency and character development... well, that's my stop.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book three

I read the first book on KU, but I found that the story was continued on Royalroad and I have been reading my little heart out. There is a lot more of the story to come. I still haven't managed to catch all the way up.

Great story that can drag you in and not let go for extended periods of time.

8/10

[Tony Hinde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This episode had inconsistent pacing but finished well. I'm looking forward to a larger and stronger party of heroes returning to the war-torn kingdom of Argrave's birth.

[Tyrel Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Mianders a bit more than the first books but still decent.

[Vinicius Melo · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF

[Keeley Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Underrated

I don’t understand why no one else is talking about this series. It’s has a super unique twist on the GameLit genre.

[Ben Mcpeake · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

[Ta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, far less fun and too much direct communication. Yawn.

Well, maybe there will be more angst and more asshole characters.