I received an ARC of this book from Tor in exchange for an honest review.

The Unspoken Name, the first book in this series, was saddled with comparisons to Ursula K. Le Guin's The Tombs of Atuan, and instead told a story that was drastically different in tone. Free of such comparisons, The Thousand Eyes takes those characters much further and, with liberal use of time-skips, allows them to grow into their own. Having left Belthandros Sethennai enthroned, Csorwe and Shuthmilli have become itinerant adventurers, a lifestyle that leaves plenty of opportunity for banter and encounters with the grumpy but ultimately supportive Tal. The first third of the book unfolds much like the second half of The Unspoken Name, as our protagonists search out powerful relics while trying to stay one step ahead of the mysterious forces behind the search. Already, having less need to establish characters allows these experiences to feel more realistic and vivid, without the need to acquaint the reader with each person's key traits. However, Larkwood produces a truly shocking twist midway through that dramatically changes the tenor of the book and elevates it far beyond the previous entry in the series. To say any more would be a tremendous spoiler, so I'll save more detailed discussion for the corresponding section of the review. As if that weren't enough, there is a second change of pace to come that again pushes the story in a new direction, essentially giving us three books for the price of one. While the significant gaps in time may be disorienting at first, they serve as a great example of ending scenes as soon as their relevance to plot and character has been achieved, rather than dwelling in a particular moment or setting for continuity purposes alone. I found the choice to skip ahead original and captivating, contributing to the lived-in feel of the book that made it much more gripping than its predecessor. As with The Unspoken Name, the conclusion to The Thousand Eyes leaves room for Larkwood to continue exploring the setting, albeit with major changes to its characters. However, it still has the same satisfying stand-alone qualities of the first book and wraps up the character arcs it introduced. Not doing so, and simply setting the stage for another installment, has become a pet peeve, and I am glad to see that recent trend broken here.

Four and a half out of five stars. Larkwood really finds a stronger authorial voice and improves significantly on the already-good The Unspoken Name.

Some spoilers follow! This also includes spoilers for The Lion King (yes, really) and discussion of Seth Dickinson's Baru Cormorant books (perennial favorites of mine). Read no further unless you are prepared.

I once read that, despite the obvious similarities in plot, The Lion King is not Hamlet, because the key moments in Hamlet all take place during the growing-up montage when Simba is singing with Timon and Pumba. The interesting part of Hamlet is not who lives and who dies, but how the death of Hamlet's father shapes him as a person. After the time-skip revealed Shuthmilli's rise to Hand of the Empress, I had a similar feeling about The Thousand Eyes and the Baru Cormorant books. The latter take place entirely within the fourteen-year time-skip that is the most striking choice in The Thousand Eyes, detailing with excruciating intensity the kind of sacrifices that must be made to attain exaltation within an empire you hate. But while there are strong parallels between the situations (like Baru, Shuthmilli is a savant in ways of power, trained from a young age to master arcane skills, who makes a tremendous sacrifice to preserve the memory and possibly the life of her beloved, taken in untimely fashion by the inexorable engine of empire), The Thousand Eyes is concerned with what happens after, rather than with the process. This is not to say that the quality of the book suffers; to the contrary, the story of Shuthmilli's corruption is not the story Larkwood wants to tell, and implying it is in this case a more powerful tool than revealing it. It just seemed a perfectly apt description that highlights how many stories can be told around the same basic plot.

Four and a half
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book so was desperate to read this but as a huge fan of Csorwe I quickly felt disappointed that the pragmatic and downright funny heroine who I loved was hmm perhaps sidelined is the best description. This meant the author allowed Shuthmili to step up although she's in a constant inner battle with Zinnandour the Goddess who wants to use Shuthmili as a Vessel or should I say meat suit in the mortal world ! Yes you begin to see that the God known as the Unspoken One whom Csorwe served, Zinnandour, Goddess of things hidden and decaying and of course Iriskivaal the snake queen who in many ways is responsible for the suffering that's occurred are without a doubt anything but nurturing . This actually begins with Cherenthisse,a snake warrior awakening and her insight into the culture surrounding Iriskvaal was both enlightened and equally horrifying.
So what inspires the devotion that has set this journey in motion ? Csorwe had her world turned upside down by Belthandros Sethennai who carries a fragment of Iriskivaal giving him power and immortality but is he one you can trust although admittedly he's a smooth son of a yes you get the idea. Shuthmili just wants to love and protect Csorwe but to do so strikes a bargain that most would run screaming from. Then to this glorious mixture we add Tal, swordsman extraordinaire and somewhat spurned lover of Belthandros who unwittingly takes under his wing Tsereg, the latest mouthpiece for the Unspoken One. I do feel that Iriskvaal needs a special mention because she's truly vile and so very uncaring of those who idolize and follow her. Yes I think I've made it clear that those who are supposedly Gods are anything but benign .
What kept me reading ? Ok yes I didn't want Csorwe not playing a leading role obviously but Tal, yes Tal stole the show ! He stepped up and grew as a character from selfish and juvenile to heroic and dare I say caring ? With the priestess Oranna, (another previously unlikable character in my opinion) also making huge waves as this story progressed so yes I was totally engrossed. This became an enthralling story with characters that were diverse, self sacrificing and ultimately brave. So yes definitely an ensemble piece with so many playing a part in the downfall of Iriskvaal and also Belthandros . Annoyingly the author kept changing his name either writing Belthandros or sometimes Sethannai which irritated me no end as I kept getting his christian name mixed up with Shuthmili . Yet I heartily recommend this book because it takes all the ideas from the first book, embracing and emboldened them and then just turning everything around to give readers a unforgettable and joyful escape from reality.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

The Thousand Eyes is a book I’ve been waiting years for and it did not disappoint in the slightest. I loved every part of rejoining Csorwe, Shuthmili and Tal as they wreaked havoc across the galaxy (okay, so maybe most of the havoc was done by a certain other character I shall not name, but it’s the thought that counts). It was such a fun, if at times slightly stressful, read.

We pick up the story two years after the end of the first book. Csorwe, Shuthmili and Tal are all in a kind of business together, where they help uncover various lost civilisations. This is how they end up releasing an ancient soldier from her destroyed homeland, and also how the plot as explained by the blurb unfolds. And then, about a third of the way in, it takes a sharp turn and, for the rest of the book, you’re left desperately clinging onto the edge of your seat.

The strengths of Larkwood’s writing are, to me, in the character work and worldbuilding. Each of the characters here is so strong that they leap off the page. Opening this book up, two years or so after reading the first, was honestly like greeting old friends, they felt so familiar and so vibrant. I know, based on the ending of this one, it may well be a duology only, but I would read innumerable books in this series for Csorwe, Tal, Shuthmili and Tsereg.

And then there’s the worldbuilding. These two books are fairly slow moving in terms of pace, in part because so much care and thought is dedicated to building the world the characters inhabit. Just as the characters seem real, so does the world. You almost feel as though you’re stood right there watching it all take place.

Lastly, the plot. What I liked about this book is that, put together with the first, you have a very satisfying arc for the characters. At the end of the first book, they leave Sethennai behind but really, that’s only physical. He’s such a part of their life, and has been for so long, that, even though they try, they can’t truly leave him behind. This is the book that gives them some closure on that, in that respect. And that’s what I loved most about it. It’s a book that’s thought through how it wants the characters to grow and develop, and there’s nothing greater than that.

So, really, if you haven’t picked this series up before now, I’m about to get on my knees and beg. I cannot put into words just how much you’re missing out in not doing so.

I really didn't know what direction this book was going to take. The beginning starts off so happy and peaceful. I had a little giggle reading that the three of them had all teamed up.. but then of course it all went to hell in the most jaw dropping way.

Seriously.. so much happens in this book, I felt like I had a hard time blinking. Which is also added by quite a few time jumps, however the time jumps felt better handled in this book than the first. They felt more naturally. I'm not sure if its more that I expected them or if they just progressed more naturally.

There isn't a lot of little moments in this book, which I missed, but the characters are so well established from the first book that you can't help but feel a fondness for everyone, even Oranna and Sethennai--both of whom I never know to cheer or curse at whenever they appear. I would've liked more of Tsereg however. One of the newer characters and I think its a bit sad we didn't get as much character building with them as we did Csorwe, Shuthmili or Tal.

While I loved both The Serpent Gates books, I'm rating them both solidly at 4 stars. Part of me still wants more.. like I almost wished it was a trilogy because I felt like we get narrowed in on the large events and the events leading up to the large events, but there's so much potential lost between the time jumps. Its a different style of storytelling - one I don't mind, but I think it could have been so much better with a little more. Either or, The Serpent Gates still stands as a great duology, and I recommend the read.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for the e-ARC!

I really enjoyed this series. I liked book two a bit better than book one because it wrapped things up more and had less of a cliffhanger ending. It also had better pacing, I liked book one but I thought it dragged a bit in spots. This second book lacked the minor flaws I saw in book one. Not that book one was bad! But I read a ton of fantasy and it landed solidly in the middle of the pile of I had fun, what’s next on my list? range. Book two was enough better that I marked the author to follow on Goodreads so I don’t miss seeing whatever she writes next. This series would be a good choice if you like big cast of characters fantasy books and interesting settings.

In The Thousand Eyes, A.K. Larkwood keeps all the good parts of The Unspoken Name — the first book in THE SERPENT GATES series — brings back most of the characters and adds a few new ones into the mix while improving on some of the prior novel’s weaker areas, crafting a successful sequel that avoids the dreaded “second book” syndrome. Some inevitable spoilers for The Unspoken Name ahead.

At the start, Shuthmilli, Corswe, and Tal are working to make themselves some money since the latter two left the services of immortal wizard Belthandros, but events quickly conspire to embroil them in major events, leading to some odd and sometimes shifting alliances (such as Tal and Oranna for one), painful separations, reunions both pleasant and not, newfound responsibilities, the return of ancient powers, skywhale hunts, sacrifices, quests, attempted coups, magical duels, and sundry other complications.

While I often found myself wanting a stronger sense of world, place, and society in the first book, here things both open up a bit and also dive down into more details, giving Larkwood more opportunities to show off their creativity, as with the aforementioned skywhale (or “wood-whale” as it’s called).

The characters are well drawn individually and in their relationships, and are given engrossing arcs that allow for a lot of personal development and change (especially true of Tal). I particularly liked how we view them somewhat differently both from the start of this book as well as from the events of book one as well. Larkwood also shows a deft hand at crafting strong antagonists, ones much more compelling and engaging than the dull “I’m bad because I’m evil” or over-the-top mustache-twirling sorts. I also liked how Larkwood offers up several echoes of character types and situations, creating a nice sense of unity and resonance.

As with the first book, the plot is somewhat slow-moving (albeit with a number of action scenes), but I think the pacing is improved here, smoother and more balanced, and Larkwood also successfully pulls off a lengthy time jump. While the book ends with a nice sense of resolution, there’s obviously room for more stories to tell either with these characters (well, some of them) or in this universe, and I’d look forward to reading them.

I am in love with this book! I usually don’t like huge time skips but in this books it just makes sense! I loved getting to see more of Tal and the whole overall magic system! I love that these characters never give up. It is so fun to read characters that are just as confused as I am on how they are still alive. I preordered this book as soon as I was done reading it and it is an amazing sequel!

This was a phenomenal sequel and conclusion to The Serpent Gates. I can’t stop thinking about it. It was full of suspense, with so many twists, turns, time jumps .. I didn’t breathe for about 60% of it. There is a feeling of darkness, decay, mystery and deceit throughout and it really left me on edge while reading.

It begins with Tal, Csorwe and Shuthmilli working together on odd jobs to make some money. During one of the jobs they end up being part of releasing a new enemy, which subsequently leads to more enemies, old and new, and a fight for a better life and love.

I felt complete despair during parts of the book because I felt so connected to the characters and what they were going through. Are Csorwe and Shuthmilli one of my favourite sapphic relationships? Absolutely! The lengths they go to for each other and the love they have is so emotive; I love them.

It is told from multiple POV and you get to know Tal a lot more, who I really liked. There is still the same banter between characters followed on from the first book which makes it really enjoyable. Tal has a lot of character development and his relationship with Tsereg, the young mage, is completely heart warming.

It was a really satisfying conclusion to the book, though I would still love to read more set within this world. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc.

The Thousand Eyes was an exciting read as I expected!

The story picks up where the previous book “The Unspoken Name” left off, but does not have the same slow pacing, indeed the writing is more dynamic and I immediately followed the story with pleasure.
Between intrigues and plot twists that really keep you glued to the pages, there is no shortage of action scenes and a great time jump that, although initially it had left me perplexed, adds tension and “nuances” to the story making it even more compelling.

As always, the cast of characters is extraordinary and well developed. Tal, Csorwe, Shutmili are well defined characters, real in their pain and I find that especially Tal is the character with the best story arc. I loved the dialogues and the interactions between them where a certain amount of humor is never lacking!
Larkwood did a really great job and it's really hard not to get attached to them!

This second volume enchanted me and I'm so glad I requested to read it! I loved the exquisite prose, the vivid world and the engaging characters.

Honestly, if I hadn’t gotten this one from Netgalley, I wouldn’t have read it. Book 1 was a total disappointment for me. I will say this book was a little better. The characters were slightly less one dimensional. The gods take more of a front seat in this one, and it was interesting to see the interactions between the gods and mortals, especially Shuthmili and her goddess. But I really can’t recommend this series.

*cries* It’s so good, and such a satisfying conclusion to the series! Just like The Unspoken Name, the story meanders in a way that’s hard to describe - every time I try, it sounds like I’m saying it’s boring or unskillful, but it’s not! It’s just….meandering, unspooling. You have to have a go-with-the-flow mindset about it - but you’ll be rewarded for hanging in there. Larkwood does some really interesting things that surprised me, which is not always an easy thing to do. Such a rich, interesting fantasy world - I have so many questions (The Maze! The gates! The gods!) - I kind of hope that maybe Larkwood will write more in the same universe (but with a different set of characters - leave these babies alone, please, thanks).

The sequel to The Unspoken Name, The Thousand Eyes begins not long after its predecessor ended, with Suthmuli, Csorwe, and Tal chasing relics free from the influence of Bethandros, if not free from their history with him. As Bethandros begins to consume the remaining fragments of Iskravaal, however, the friends are pulled back into the churning conflict of gods and power. The Thousand Eyes is compelling, a fitting conclusion to the duology that has garnered praise from readers and writers of all types.

This book picks up two years after the events of book one. I fell in love with the time jumps. I loved the characters and the story and man I need more! This story just spans so much that I had a hard time putting it down.

A nearly perfect, satisfying conclusion to my favorite Adult fantasy title of 2021 (The Unspoken Name). This duology offers exquisite world building, unforgettable characters, humor, high-stakes, and romance. If you enjoy tales of gods interfering badly in the lives of mortals, look no further.

I kept wanting to pick this book back up. What I loved was its narrative structure and the attention given to the characters. There was just something so real about them. Their struggles came to life on the page, such as coping with the loss of a loved one before you can truly express to her how much she means. Or coming to terms with the fact that you've been in a toxic relationship, no matter how good he might have made you feel in the past. There's a found-family aspect, too; at least, I'd call it that—a father/child dynamic. Well, teenager technically. You can see Tal attempting to play some semblance at being the mature one—attempting to protect Tsereg—and it's very endearing. Beyond that, there are no characters without their faults and no one without their redemptions.

The book doesn't hold anything back in terms of plot, and I appreciated that so much. There's a climactic scene near the end that sort of just fades to black, though. It's explained what ultimately happens (or the aftermath at least), but I do wish we'd gotten to see it. The book also features a big time jump near the very beginning. However, it does a good job of portraying what life was like during the intervening years without us having to actually have been there.

All in all, I can only say wow! This is a book I'm glad I requested to read. It's witty, unique, and has an amazing cast of characters. I can't wait to see what's next for the author.

My yardstick for a good read will always and forever be the strong desire to lay on the floor and make dying whale noises of distressing volume after turning the last page, and we’ll, here I am.

Hot damn.

Larkwood kept the surprises coming with her unconventional approach to story structure, and I didn’t mind the multiple POV shifts as much this time, possibly because I understand now that Larwood’s definition of “main character” seems to be broader than mine.

I adored several of the new characters introduced, and I loved that Tal found love in an unexpected quarter. Found-family trope fans, this is a must for you.

I will say that I wish a larger portion of the book could have had all of our found family together, and like SERIOUSLY I would pay good money for one or three short stories set in the two years between the books. I understand why it had the happen the way it was written, but it did make certain sections between the 60-80% mark a little hard to slog through.

But then that last 20%… I just can’t even. So perfect and poignant and uuuuuhgghhgg *dying whale noises*

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy on exchange for my honest review.

The Thousand Eyes starts off two years after the events of The Unspoken Name. I was excited to see the growth of Csorwe and Tal. Belthandros had potential to be multidimensional and I would have loved read his POV. Alas, I was left feeling disappointed. The writing was certainly great with back to back action and adventures. I was immersed in the plot but not invested in the characters as much as I'd like to. There were several time jumps that prevented me from connecting with the characters. The whole story was like the plot of a seven season show crammed into one. Whenever I started to get invested, there were massive time jumps. We were told the events that happened and how the motivations of the characters shifted or evolved but we don't see them happen. This caused me to lose interest in the story. I did like some scenes and how the conflicts were resolved but this style of storytelling wasn't for me.

The Thousand Eyes was not at all what I was expecting: the wit and worldbuilding return, but narratively I am a bit perplexed. More than once there is a colossal shift in the status quo without enough buildup, meaning it is hard to feel invested in anything before it changes again. This leads to such a weirdly paced book, even if the plot in abstract is interesting (and perhaps even inspired in some places). I certainly felt emotion and some satisfaction at particular events, but overall I just feel robbed of the full arcs of these characters. This is comfortably the plot of two books in one (if not more), and the losers in this crunch are unfortunately the characters I cared for most. This just wasn't quite enjoyable, saved mostly by the fondness carried over from the first book (which I look forward to revisiting regardless).

This book featured Shuthmili's perspective, which I liked, but other than that, The Thousand Eyes didn't really captivate me like I wanted it to. Larkwood is no doubt talented, but I think this book just wasn't for me.

Outstanding sequel. Everything book one did, but even better (character development, action, story, intrigue, etc.). Can't wait to read more from this author!!