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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Following the events of Book 1, Inos and Rap tumbled through Inisso’s magic casement - only to find themselves on opposite ends of Pandemia! Inos’ bid to ascend as queen of Krasnegar fell flat on its face, her would-be subjects skeptical of her ability to rule after her near-disastrous marriage to the deceptive charmer, Andor. And, of course, because she’s a girl. Her one loyal subject, Rap, was already eyed with suspicion given his occult powers before he abruptly stole the king’s horses and snuck away one night.
FLF basically runs through these two separate plot threads: Inos’ attempts to secure allies while stranded in Zark, where the culture and norms (very loosely analogous to the Middle East) are about as far removed from the Impire’s as you’d expect; and Rap’s attempted journey to find his way back to Inos’ side, no matter the obstacle. Unfortunately for him, this list expands to untrustworthy travel companions, abduction from jotunn raiders, an island of cannibals, and manipulation by the four wardens.
I didn’t really write much about the magic system last time, which is definitely one of the more unique features of AMoHW. What we know so far as of Book 2 is that magic in Pandemia manifests through words of power: one word makes a genius that enhances a person’s natural knack or skill; two makes an adept, who can basically excel at anything with little practice; three makes a mage; and four words makes a sorcerer.
Words have inherent power, which is diluted the more a word is shared (i.e., a word shared across four people may be less potent than one which is known by a single person); consequently, those seeking power are incentivized to kill anyone else who happens to know their word. Mysteriously, words almost sound like gibberish or sarcasm odd phrases that resist being spoken - except when the holder is near death.
Lastly, it seems that individuals may have their own inherent magical potential or ability. Rap, as an example, appears naturally “talented” at magic, demonstrating stronger powers than the average person with but one word. This is all revealed over the course of Books 1 & 2 as hard-won information for our young protagonists who are ill-equipped for the geopolitical conflict that faces Krasnegar. It’s a neat bit of world-building that shapes the plot.
Overall another solid read, though will note some of the gender and racial dynamics feel a bit dated.
FLF basically runs through these two separate plot threads: Inos’ attempts to secure allies while stranded in Zark, where the culture and norms (very loosely analogous to the Middle East) are about as far removed from the Impire’s as you’d expect; and Rap’s attempted journey to find his way back to Inos’ side, no matter the obstacle. Unfortunately for him, this list expands to untrustworthy travel companions, abduction from jotunn raiders, an island of cannibals, and manipulation by the four wardens.
I didn’t really write much about the magic system last time, which is definitely one of the more unique features of AMoHW. What we know so far as of Book 2 is that magic in Pandemia manifests through words of power: one word makes a genius that enhances a person’s natural knack or skill; two makes an adept, who can basically excel at anything with little practice; three makes a mage; and four words makes a sorcerer.
Words have inherent power, which is diluted the more a word is shared (i.e., a word shared across four people may be less potent than one which is known by a single person); consequently, those seeking power are incentivized to kill anyone else who happens to know their word. Mysteriously, words almost sound like gibberish or sarcasm odd phrases that resist being spoken - except when the holder is near death.
Lastly, it seems that individuals may have their own inherent magical potential or ability. Rap, as an example, appears naturally “talented” at magic, demonstrating stronger powers than the average person with but one word. This is all revealed over the course of Books 1 & 2 as hard-won information for our young protagonists who are ill-equipped for the geopolitical conflict that faces Krasnegar. It’s a neat bit of world-building that shapes the plot.
Overall another solid read, though will note some of the gender and racial dynamics feel a bit dated.
Another good installment! I was equally interested in both Inos' and Rap's predicaments this time, neither one did anything boring. It was especially fun to read Inos learning about politics and how to be a queen and realize all her "lady training" is pretty much useless. The politics involved are a little confusing, but I'm definitely gonna continue the books. The magic system is still really interesting too.
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
Rap, former stableboy in isolated Krasnegar, has survived goblins and somehow attracted one who insists on being his trash. Inos, now nominally Queen of Krasnegar since her father's death was trying to manage unrest at home. But now they've both been magically transported - Inos and her aunt Kade to hot, dusty Arakkaran, and Rap, with his goblin, to ... somewhere.
Review
Duncan, as in much of his fiction, is treading a narrow line here between light fiction and gritty realism – with torture, rape, slavery, and death, but also exposed thighs and chests and bosoms and lust peeking from behind the curtain. In this book, while the main story is strong, he steps a little too far toward the adolescent (granted, the protagonists are adolescent). It’s not enough to undermine the story, but it does get in the way of the enjoyment a bit. At one point, I found myself thinking of Piers Anthony, who long ago gave up on straddling and jumped well over the line to plant both feet in juvenilia.
Duncan, happily, pulls back in time and, with a few rough spots, gets his story of the brave, tenacious Rap and the brave, clever Inos back on track. There are sad moments and cruel moments, but largely the story is upbeat, even when circumstances are dire. I’d have liked to see Duncan do more with the possibilities for pathos here (e.g., the plight of the faeries who are so closely linked to magic), but respect that that’s not the story he’s telling.
This isn’t the strongest entry in the series, but it’s still a good one, and enjoyable.
Summary
Rap, former stableboy in isolated Krasnegar, has survived goblins and somehow attracted one who insists on being his trash. Inos, now nominally Queen of Krasnegar since her father's death was trying to manage unrest at home. But now they've both been magically transported - Inos and her aunt Kade to hot, dusty Arakkaran, and Rap, with his goblin, to ... somewhere.
Review
Duncan, as in much of his fiction, is treading a narrow line here between light fiction and gritty realism – with torture, rape, slavery, and death, but also exposed thighs and chests and bosoms and lust peeking from behind the curtain. In this book, while the main story is strong, he steps a little too far toward the adolescent (granted, the protagonists are adolescent). It’s not enough to undermine the story, but it does get in the way of the enjoyment a bit. At one point, I found myself thinking of Piers Anthony, who long ago gave up on straddling and jumped well over the line to plant both feet in juvenilia.
Duncan, happily, pulls back in time and, with a few rough spots, gets his story of the brave, tenacious Rap and the brave, clever Inos back on track. There are sad moments and cruel moments, but largely the story is upbeat, even when circumstances are dire. I’d have liked to see Duncan do more with the possibilities for pathos here (e.g., the plight of the faeries who are so closely linked to magic), but respect that that’s not the story he’s telling.
This isn’t the strongest entry in the series, but it’s still a good one, and enjoyable.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Enjoyed this a lot as a follow on from the last book in this series, getting the vibe that it’s all like one giant story told in 4 parts. This one expands the world greatly and sets Inos and Rap on very different paths where they must both face unique challenges. It’s definitely a bit of a roller coaster, and it feels like the wider things at play are just beginning to become clear. Excited for the next one
Ug. The first in the series was good. Made me want to read the next. I'm going to need more than this second book to go any further in the series. The politics of fantasy world are just as annoying, confusing, and repelling as real life politics. That, in addition to the Inos/Rap I-don't-know-why-I-keep-thinking-about-the-other-one, made me want to quit.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
I may be in the minority, but I loved this second book of the series. Pure, simple, old time fantasy that was a romp and so much fun.
Our hero, Queen-in-Waiting Inos, has been whisked through the Magic Casement and kidnapped by a prior lady-of-the-night sorceress (I did tell you this is a hoot!). Inos' one and only loyal subject, Rap, was also thrown through the Casement but to the other side of the world to the island of Faery. To Rap's great dismay the 5 in 1 personality body and Little Chicken have travelled with him and there is no guarantee who will be available to help Rap get off the island and rescue Inos. Along with his travel companions Rap faces the 4 Wardens (North, South, etc.) , very reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz, except not one of them is a "good" .
An added bonus, for me at least, is the inclusion of excerpts from Wine of the Mystic: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: A Spiritual Interpretation. Having never heard of this I went down one of those great black holes on Google with it, and that added a ton of enjoyment for me.
Only recommend to true Epic and Old time Fantasy lovers.
Our hero, Queen-in-Waiting Inos, has been whisked through the Magic Casement and kidnapped by a prior lady-of-the-night sorceress (I did tell you this is a hoot!). Inos' one and only loyal subject, Rap, was also thrown through the Casement but to the other side of the world to the island of Faery. To Rap's great dismay the 5 in 1 personality body and Little Chicken have travelled with him and there is no guarantee who will be available to help Rap get off the island and rescue Inos. Along with his travel companions Rap faces the 4 Wardens (North, South, etc.) , very reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz, except not one of them is a "good" .
An added bonus, for me at least, is the inclusion of excerpts from Wine of the Mystic: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: A Spiritual Interpretation. Having never heard of this I went down one of those great black holes on Google with it, and that added a ton of enjoyment for me.
Only recommend to true Epic and Old time Fantasy lovers.
Still very much enjoyed this, even though it fell short of the quality of Magic Casement. As much as I Like Dave Duncan's relaxed writing style, I felt this this book took it a bit far at times. I like to consider myself a fairly patient reader, but even I was whisper-yelling, "Come on, let's go!" once or twice. I will say that I liked Inos a lot more in this book, although her storyline was the one of the two major narratives that dragged the most. I'm very much enjoying Rap's journey, and am looking forward to finding out how that progresses.
It was still an enjoyable read; fun, not overly serious, with an interesting magic system, and pretty good world building too.
On to book three!
It was still an enjoyable read; fun, not overly serious, with an interesting magic system, and pretty good world building too.
On to book three!
This series isn't as great as some of Duncan's previous works. I want to like it more, but I find Inos kind of annoying. But it's a good enough series that I want to see where it goes.
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
While reading some memories are coming back and I think I remember how the series ends. It's still nice to re-live Rap's and Inos' journey after over 20 years. The series definitely holds up after all this time.