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A review by mousie_books
Stories of the Raksura, Volume Two: The Dead City & The Dark Earth Below by Martha Wells
3.0
The Dead City - 3/5 - After Moon flees Saraseil, he stumbles across another groundling conflict. I couldn't quite get into the story. Moon's inner conflict and interactions were compelling, but the mystery of the miners was meh.
Mimesis - 3/5 - "This story takes places three months after the end of The Siren Depths." (book 3) Like a cut scene. Fun.
Trading Lesson - 4/5 - "This story takes place once month after the end of Mimesis."
The Almost Last Voyage of the Wind-Ship Escarpment - 3/5 - "This story is set in another part of The Three Worlds, with a different cast of characters." A bit hard to get into, but I liked the ending.
The Dark Earth Below - 4/5 - "This novella takes place a turn and a half after the events of The Siren Depths." (book 3) Kek hunters go missing, and the village seeks help from Indigo Cloud. Meanwhile, Jade is about ready to pop out her first clutch. Very sweet interactions, and an interesting mystery. I was kinda meh on the ending of the A plot, but the B plot more than made up for it.
Spoiler
Moon is in shock and despair after Saraseil. As he says, he may or may not have a death wish, but he certainly doesn't have a life wish. The inn at which he stays becomes pulled into a conflict between a queen/drone insect-like species protecting their dead in their long dead city, and spider-like miners eating the remains for 'power'. He rescues and protects the inn owner, her friends, and the insect-like tribe, but is forced to reveal himself and is betrayed by the leader of the insects. This experience reinforces those of his past. He makes excuses and slips away after saying good bye to the inn owner.Mimesis - 3/5 - "This story takes places three months after the end of The Siren Depths." (book 3) Like a cut scene. Fun.
Spoiler
Fair gets lured by a giant predator with a groundling decoy tendril on a hunting trip. Jade rescues him.Trading Lesson - 4/5 - "This story takes place once month after the end of Mimesis."
Spoiler
A groundling trader comes with a group from Sunset Water, and Moon stops him from taking advantage of his fellow Raksura in trades for his pretty green (common as dirt) amber.The Almost Last Voyage of the Wind-Ship Escarpment - 3/5 - "This story is set in another part of The Three Worlds, with a different cast of characters." A bit hard to get into, but I liked the ending.
Spoiler
A mercenary? wind-ship is sent with a ransom to rescue a sea ship held hostage by sealing raiders. Upon delivery, the raiders try to capture the wind-ship. The crew of the wind-ship discover that the box they were given was empty, and that they, in fact, were the ransom. The B plot is that the man who hired the crew is the estranged father of the wind-ship's first officer. Though his father abandoned him and left him to die, he still desperately wants his approval and to go home.The Dark Earth Below - 4/5 - "This novella takes place a turn and a half after the events of The Siren Depths." (book 3) Kek hunters go missing, and the village seeks help from Indigo Cloud. Meanwhile, Jade is about ready to pop out her first clutch. Very sweet interactions, and an interesting mystery. I was kinda meh on the ending of the A plot, but the B plot more than made up for it.