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A review by afictionalescapist
No Place for Peace by Tom Dumbrell
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
No Place for Peace picks up just weeks after the events in book one “The Look of a King”, with our main protagonist Cyrus venturing to King Simeon’s keep expecting to be thrown into his dungeons. Instead, Cyrus is shown compassion and given a task, to find Simeon’s long lost son. In the name of keeping the peace Cyrus accepts this quest. He eventually returns home, only to find the princes of Verdera on his doorstep, threatening his new life and his new family. It seems like, there is no place for peace after all.
Once again Dumbrell’s fast paced plot draws the reader in to his world, but the stakes are heightened with one party wanting peace, and the others fighting for the Auldhaven throne. At no point does the reader need to wonder what is happening; each chapter pushes the audience forward from one event to the next.
While book one did describe the nations at war (or peace) with one another, book two takes it to a whole new level. The four nations of the Quadripartite all play a bigger role here. The relationships and political standing of each city and its leaders are further explored giving the world a much bigger feel.
Our characters also develop quite a lot in this second instalment as new responsibilities and a shift of lifestyle comes into play. We experience new acquaintances, friendships, shifting alliances, treachery, and ambitions through the eyes of our POV’s.
My biggest praise for this book is how the author can build up a scene, lull the reader into a false sense of security then within a sentence, leave us devastated. The way emotions are toyed with within these pages is masterful, but it does leave me as a reader a little distrustful. On a few occasions I thought to myself “oh this is nice, wait … I’m about to get gut punched aren’t I?”.
I would be remiss not to mention that the romance in this book has me completely sucked in. For someone that doesn’t particularly like a lot of romance, that is quite the feat. The romance feels new, and sweet, reminiscent of the first time you felt your heart flutter when someone you fancied walked past back in the day. It doesn’t take away from the darker undertones of the story at all, instead lacing it with hope, and a reminder that even in the hardest of times, there is always something or someone to come home to.
From about 40% on I didn’t want to put this book down and had a very enjoyable time. There are certain parts which I think could have been a little more fleshed out but overall, I give this one a solid 4.25.
Once again Dumbrell’s fast paced plot draws the reader in to his world, but the stakes are heightened with one party wanting peace, and the others fighting for the Auldhaven throne. At no point does the reader need to wonder what is happening; each chapter pushes the audience forward from one event to the next.
While book one did describe the nations at war (or peace) with one another, book two takes it to a whole new level. The four nations of the Quadripartite all play a bigger role here. The relationships and political standing of each city and its leaders are further explored giving the world a much bigger feel.
Our characters also develop quite a lot in this second instalment as new responsibilities and a shift of lifestyle comes into play. We experience new acquaintances, friendships, shifting alliances, treachery, and ambitions through the eyes of our POV’s.
My biggest praise for this book is how the author can build up a scene, lull the reader into a false sense of security then within a sentence, leave us devastated. The way emotions are toyed with within these pages is masterful, but it does leave me as a reader a little distrustful. On a few occasions I thought to myself “oh this is nice, wait … I’m about to get gut punched aren’t I?”.
I would be remiss not to mention that the romance in this book has me completely sucked in. For someone that doesn’t particularly like a lot of romance, that is quite the feat. The romance feels new, and sweet, reminiscent of the first time you felt your heart flutter when someone you fancied walked past back in the day. It doesn’t take away from the darker undertones of the story at all, instead lacing it with hope, and a reminder that even in the hardest of times, there is always something or someone to come home to.
From about 40% on I didn’t want to put this book down and had a very enjoyable time. There are certain parts which I think could have been a little more fleshed out but overall, I give this one a solid 4.25.