This fantasy sequel heightens the action while building toward a satisfying conclusion.
Two kingdoms must unite to defeat a powerful thieves guild in Walker’s fantasy novel, the second in a series.
In the bloody aftermath of the first novel in the author’s Legends of Baelon series, the kings of Baelon and Tegan plan to strike back against the Takers Guild, an organization of thieves who murdered many high-ranking members of the Baelon court. King Axil of Baelon mourns his wife and daughter and thinks only of the destruction of the guild by whatever means necessary. Sibil Dunn, rumored to be the mythical Wisperal (a spirit of a vengeful warrior), also seeks revenge for her parents’ deaths and is determined to join King Axil’s assault. When Sibil is rejected by the king’s army, she sets off to confront the Takers Guild alone, intent on assassinating their magister. Noticing her disappearance and feeling protective of Sibil after her parents’ deaths, King Axil sends retired warrior Rolft Aerns to find her. Meanwhile, at the Guild, the magister sets plans in motion to assassinate both King Axil and King Tygre of Tegan to send the kingdoms further into chaos. Walker is extremely adept at writing action scenes; even in the midst of pitched battle, the action is clear and easy to follow: “Their blades clashed, but Rolft was heavier and stronger. He pushed the soldier backward, then held the rest at bay with sweeping arcs of his broadsword.” The novel has multiple point-of-view characters, though Sibil, Guild overseer Reynard, and Marshal Erik Carson of Axil’s army take most of the narrative reins; each have distinct voices. Reynard especially stands out as the comic relief; while he is one of the main antagonists, Walker writes him as extremely likeable and amusing (“What if… his weak heart gives out whilst you’re tickling him?”). The shifting points of view help build tension and suspense, though occasionally this can sometimes lead to confusion. Ultimately, though, the action and engaging dialogue make for an enjoyable fantasy romp.
This fantasy sequel heightens the action while building toward a satisfying conclusion.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
Engrossing worldbuilding, appealing characters, and a sense of humor make this a winning entry in the Sanderson canon.
A fantasy adventure with a sometimes-biting wit.
Tress is an ordinary girl with no thirst to see the world. Charlie is the son of the local duke, but he likes stories more than fencing. When the duke realizes the two teenagers are falling in love, he takes Charlie away to find a suitable wife—and returns with a different young man as his heir. Charlie, meanwhile, has been captured by the mysterious Sorceress who rules the Midnight Sea, which leaves Tress with no choice but to go rescue him. To do that, she’ll have to get off the barren island she’s forbidden to leave, cross the dangerous Verdant Sea, the even more dangerous Crimson Sea, and the totally deadly Midnight Sea, and somehow defeat the unbeatable Sorceress. The seas on Tress’ world are dangerous because they’re not made of water—they’re made of colorful spores that pour down from the world’s 12 stationary moons. Verdant spores explode into fast-growing vines if they get wet, which means inhaling them can be deadly. Crimson and midnight spores are worse. Ships protected by spore-killing silver sail these seas, and it’s Tress’ quest to find a ship and somehow persuade its crew to carry her to a place no ships want to go, to rescue a person nobody cares about but her. Luckily, Tress is kindhearted, resourceful, and curious—which also makes her an appealing heroine. Along her journey, Tress encounters a talking rat, a crew of reluctant pirates, and plenty of danger. Her story is narrated by an unusual cabin boy with a sharp wit. (About one duke, he says, “He’d apparently been quite heroic during those wars; you could tell because a great number of his troops had died, while he lived.”) The overall effect is not unlike The Princess Bride, which Sanderson cites as an inspiration.
Engrossing worldbuilding, appealing characters, and a sense of humor make this a winning entry in the Sanderson canon.Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781250899651
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
SEEN & HEARD
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