Despite a strong mythology, this sequel falters, spinning its wheels rather than advancing the plot.
A mystical tribe’s search for their prophesied homeland continues in Cederman’s (The Sacred Oath Chronicles, Book 1: Sway of the Moon, 2012) second novel in her New-Age fantasy series.
In the previous novel, an immortal anthropologist named Caeth Salkar, exiled to the archives of her people, the Viskarae, conducted research into her ancestors’ history and beliefs, including that of her similarly immortal parents, piecing together their story in order to gain more insight into her own. In the second installment of the series, Caeth continues her project, furthering her chronological account of how the Viskarae’s original home was destroyed by the machinations of evil god Sal-nae, causing their god, Ebon-nae, to bestow a prophecy upon the community’s spiritual leader, the Shepherd, to help them find a new land. Viskarae society is divided among various Houses with conflicting agendas, however, and in the first novel, agents of Sal-nae within the community attempted to sabotage the quest. In this installment, the long journey continues, and rather than focusing on the heroes, nearly as much time is spent on some of the villains of the last novel, many of whom either reform or at least realize their leader, Errud, might be steering them wrong. As a feat of fictional anthropological worldbuilding, this is an impressive novel, with a beautifully developed, complex culture. Unfortunately, this sequel suffers from the same bugbears as the original. The narrative often feels interminable, cataloging mundane interpersonal relationships. The characters speak in a stilted, archaic style that contributes to the tedium, sounding more like stuffy archetypes than people. Furthermore, with no synopsis or reminders as to the characters and situations of the first book, this entry is distinctly unwelcoming to newcomers or people who need their memories freshened.
Despite a strong mythology, this sequel falters, spinning its wheels rather than advancing the plot.Pub Date: July 10, 2014
ISBN: 978-1499306989
Page Count: 396
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 23, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A flight of fancy in time and space which transcribes some incidents which take place on the planet of Mars, there's a literary, visionary quality here and an avoidance of the more mechanistic aspects of this medium. From the first expeditions from the earth in rocket ships, to the first settlements, this projects the war to come in which the earth is almost totally destroyed, and the return to Mars- now a wasted, lonely land, by some of its survivors. None of the complexities of concepts or formulae, this has an imaginative rather than technical ingenuity.
Pub Date: May 4, 1950
ISBN: 0380973839
Page Count: 259
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: March 20, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1950
Fans of A Darker Shade of Magic will love its sequel, and fantasy fans who haven’t yet read the first book in this series...
An absorbing fantasy adventure set in a world where magic can be a gift—or a weapon.
It’s been four months since Lila Bard, thief from another world, talked her way onto a ship called the Night Spire and sailed away from Red London with an enigmatic captain named Alucard Emery, in search of adventure. She’s been absorbed in learning as much as she can about the magic that’s everywhere in this new world. Meanwhile, Kell is struggling to deal with the aftermath of the battle in which he and Lila saved the world, in particular, the magical bargain he made to save his adoptive brother Rhy’s life, the bargain that links their lives and means they share each other’s pain—literally. Along with the rest of Red London, Rhy and Kell are getting ready for the upcoming magical tournament called the Essen Tasch. But there are deceptions lurking beneath the glittering surface of this festive event, and there are old enemies waiting for their chance to strike. This sequel to Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic (2015) expands the world beyond Red London and deepens the appealingly unconventional people that populate it. These rich, lifelike characters draw the reader in and make this well-realized fantasy impossible to put down.
Fans of A Darker Shade of Magic will love its sequel, and fantasy fans who haven’t yet read the first book in this series should hurry to catch up.Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7653-7647-3
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
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