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strawberrypinch's review against another edition
1.0
This book was so disappointing! I really enjoyed that in the first one, while the characters certainly rode into battle against opposing armies, their true enemies were their own human flaws & their past mistakes. In this book, we are introduced to a group of mustache-twirling villains whose characterizations are completely awful. Just about everything charming about book one was left out of this installation.
dreamreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There were certainly parts of this second installment in the series that I didn't like, but overall there was more that I did like, and giving this book anything less than five stars feels like doing it and Katharine Kerr's writing a disservice. I've never read anyone do a reincarnation plot as well as Kerr does it. I'm sucked into the past lives of Jill, Rhodry, and Cullyn just as much as I am their present lives. I love Nevyn. The world opened up in such a fantastic way in this book. Yes, we're introduced a bit more to the dark side of this world. And yes, the bad guys are seriously bad. But I found I was so much more interested in everything happening in this book than the first, and I really enjoyed the first. No second-book syndrome here. This book was amazingly well done.
mirtlifthewise's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
dapper's review against another edition
3.0
I almost stopped reading this because I began to think that it was just going to be a series of tragic past lives that we all basically know the ending to. Speaking of.. poor Gerraint! Wtf? Why do the fates keep making him a family member to bragnwen? It’s rude. He’s always in love with her and the one time he isn’t her fam, she’s a celibate zealot. Poor dudes wyrd is destined to be frustration and eventually madness.
I’m glad we went back to Jill. Another reason I was bummed about this books starting with another past life was because I was invested in Jill.. I mean, we followed her from childhood! Rhodry is like a child. He pouts, doesn’t understand why he can’t turn in every bad guy, can’t be trusted not to spend all his money on treats etc.
And he touts about honor, so much so that he won’t let Jill settle down anywhere and insists on dragging her around. It’s quite frankly, honorless. But I’m still into her story and down to read more. I hope Rhodry gets a better head and grows up a bit in the next one
I’m glad we went back to Jill. Another reason I was bummed about this books starting with another past life was because I was invested in Jill.. I mean, we followed her from childhood! Rhodry is like a child. He pouts, doesn’t understand why he can’t turn in every bad guy, can’t be trusted not to spend all his money on treats etc.
And he touts about honor, so much so that he won’t let Jill settle down anywhere and insists on dragging her around. It’s quite frankly, honorless. But I’m still into her story and down to read more. I hope Rhodry gets a better head and grows up a bit in the next one
katmarhan's review against another edition
4.0
7/10
While the tale of Rhodry, Jill (I prefer her more formal name of Gilyan), and Nevyn grows in depth and complexity, the "flashback" to Gweniver's story with Ricyn and Dannyn was less compelling.
I appreciated learning a bit more about the dark dweomer and those who practice it, and a bit more about the elves.
Very interested to see where the tale goes next.
While the tale of Rhodry, Jill (I prefer her more formal name of Gilyan), and Nevyn grows in depth and complexity, the "flashback" to Gweniver's story with Ricyn and Dannyn was less compelling.
I appreciated learning a bit more about the dark dweomer and those who practice it, and a bit more about the elves.
Very interested to see where the tale goes next.
angrywombat's review against another edition
4.0
I inhaled this book on a long trip to the mountains.
This book continues in the same way as the first, with more great world building and great characters. I love how the story continues with intrigue, politics and binding tradition all being ways of making the characters work for their pay :) I also appreciate how even though the culture is pretty horribly sexist, still some great female (and male) characters come out hat complexly buck the system.
This time around we start to see more downsides of the inherently violent culture - and how non-glorious the obsession with honour and fighting is. We also start to see some more details of Dweomer (magic) and how it works on this world.
Overall a good book, but I really disliked the 'reintroduction' the characters got at the start of the book - probably as I just finished the last one the previous night while there were a few years between publication dates.
This book continues in the same way as the first, with more great world building and great characters. I love how the story continues with intrigue, politics and binding tradition all being ways of making the characters work for their pay :) I also appreciate how even though the culture is pretty horribly sexist, still some great female (and male) characters come out hat complexly buck the system.
This time around we start to see more downsides of the inherently violent culture - and how non-glorious the obsession with honour and fighting is. We also start to see some more details of Dweomer (magic) and how it works on this world.
Overall a good book, but I really disliked the 'reintroduction' the characters got at the start of the book - probably as I just finished the last one the previous night while there were a few years between publication dates.
halfelfschollar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I must say, despite this only being the second book in the series I think the past incarnations shown in this book are some of my favourite. While I enjoy how each version is different from the others you can really see some of the building blocks that the souls are built from in Gweniver and Ricyn.
Kerr is also very talented in distinguishing her antagonists from her true villains. While I despised Alastyr I can find myself pitting a character like Dannyn. While I don't like him I can feel sorry for his situation and the troubled fate he's wrapped up in.
Kerr is also very talented in distinguishing her antagonists from her true villains. While I despised Alastyr I can find myself pitting a character like Dannyn. While I don't like him I can feel sorry for his situation and the troubled fate he's wrapped up in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Homophobia
bookworm5732's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
vaderbird's review against another edition
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish