How is this book not more read? It is a hidden gem whose book blurb doesn’t do it justice as it doesn’t mention some of the best characters in the book and makes it seem like this will be more religion based than fantasy. Well I’m here to tell you if you are a fan of fantasy in general this book should be in your tbr or read pile
Here let me help. READ THIS
Our story is told from multiple PoVs and in a way that everything is fast paced, intriguing and at times brutal. There are no punches held, no off page happenings it is right there seen from the right PoV to give the most impact to the story.
Even though this is a political intrigue it is not just that. This is a fantasy story encompassing a very large cast of characters and some you are rooting for and some you aren’t but none of them are boring. The thing I like about Schaefer’s works in general are the women in them. They are not all stabby, stabby kill them all or prince, come save me no, nothing that simple. Every female character in the cast is many things with both attributes and flaws.
Mari is a bounty hunter and want to be knight. She holds to the faith of her people who have been subjugated by the empire and it holds her in check most of the time. She is devout and when she isn’t training, she is praying. But there is violence just beneath her surface and when it comes out the target of her fury has a lot to worry about, since they will be dead or maimed soon. She was my favorite character in this since she is both broken and strong, and in the middle of a crisis when everyone else is talking about what happened or trying to explain something she is all business, ”Survive now, talk later.” I also love her views on religion in general.
***“And that is the difference between a church and a god. How could I be angry at a god for something a church did? ***
But wait there is not just one awesome chick in this, there are others. Livia is the daughter of the dying Pope. He has tasked her with looking after her useless brother to make sure he inherits the post, even if he is the worst person for it. She is everything that her church probably needs, but since she is a woman, she is stuck in the shadows of the men who are trying to vie for power.
***“I do not need,” she said, “to cry. My father is dying. My brother is a worthless glutton who’s leading this church, my church, down the road to ruin. And if I’d been born with a **** between my legs, I’d have the power to stop him, instead of being the useless daughter just waiting to be married off to some foreign aristocrat.”
“Livia, I—”
Livia held up her hand. “Have you ever considered, for even a moment, the list of things I’m not allowed to do because some bitter old men say so? I can’t lead a mass, can’t earn the greens of a priest, let alone claim my birthright. My entire life, from the cradle to the grave, is dictated by ‘traditions’ and rules that you aren’t subject to. My power was taken away from me the moment I was born a woman. So no, you do not get to give me permission to cry!” ***
Still with the help of a good friend she is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that her faith is not destroyed by the Church and she is dipping into some dark waters to make sure that happens.
There are more strong women from the leader or Winter’s Reach who is more brutal than most men, to the daughter of a crime lord who is looking to take over her father’s empire whether he wants her to or not, to the simple tavern wench that only wants to save the man she loves. So many wonderful women to root for or against and none of them simple.
The men in the story are good and again there are some great hero types and villains to be sure, but it is rare that I find so many strong women in straight up fantasy that I want to focus on them.
The overall plot of the story is a good one. The are plots and subplots, something is at Winter’s Reach that others are trying to protect, there are so many plans to take power of the church and betrayals happening that my head was spinning. I really thought that I’d see some of the double-crosses and betrayals coming but I totally missed a quite a few the smacked me on the back of my head, brutally I might add.
While reading this there didn’t seem like there was a ton of magic and lore and it is a lot less wordy than some of the other fantasy I read, but in a great way. I really loved the action, brutality and surprise of the story. It is a little darker than I normally read but I didn’t really mind that. The ending made me feel like in the next books we will definitely dive into more magic or lore history. We do get to see something akin to The Kraken in this and I think that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Will you like this? - I think that if you enjoy a good story that is fast paced and full of intrigues with strong three dimensional characters that this is exactly what you need. Think Game of Thrones with a few less characters and way less wordiness.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
All 4 for you in this series
See full series
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
Kyle
A book for a song of ice and fire to aspire to
Reviewed in Canada on November 23, 2017
James Tivendale
A stunning dark fantasy narrative with all the double-crossing, deceit, blackmail and political chaos you could hope for.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2017
Drew.
A surprising gem of a book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2016