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A review by tita_noir
The Forbidden Heir by M.J. Scott
3.0
This read went fast. I actually had to re-read the first book to remember what happened.
This one starts right where the last one left off with Cameron and Sophia on the run from the Kingdom of Anglion. They've landed in the empire of Illvya, Anglion's supposed enemy. Only not really. While the people of Anglion seem to be obsessed with Illvya, the Illvyians are minding their business being more enlightened and technically more advanced than the Anglions and not really giving Anglion a second thought.
Until Cameron and Sophie land on their doorstep. Sine the newlyweds have no idea who attempted to assassinate them, suspecting it might go as high as the queen herself, they are a little adrift. But they are (luckily) welcomed into the Academy, a place where students study the magical arts and are givn an opportunity to learn all the things they should know but that Anglion is determined to repress.
But their reprieve is very small. A delegation of Anglions is on their heels demanding they return, they've gotten the attention of the Illvyaian emperor, and Sophie is finding that she has an affinity with a type of magic that is verboten in Anglion and if she were able to return home, it just may get her killed.
Like I said, this was a fast read. Events over-ran Sophie and Cameron at quite a pace and the book also felt like it going at the same pace. They are never anonymous in this big new city, much to their dismay. They hardly get a chance to strategize and it feels like a lot of things are happening to them. So they are in reactive mode a lot, which feels on the one hand somewhat frustrating but on the other somewhat realistic.
One of the other by-products of the book moving fast was that some developments happened really fast as well. Some that have a a very shortcut or vaguely Deus Ex Machina feel to it. I am used to fantasy novels where fantasy leads develop and discover new powers. And that is true of this book as well, but in Sophia's case some of it felt unearned, like the author needed to get it over with so we could get on with the plot points.
The book ends on an anticipatory note. I am really curious to see what is happening back in Anglion in the wake of Sophia and Cameron leaving. Hopefully the next book will give us some of that.
This one starts right where the last one left off with Cameron and Sophia on the run from the Kingdom of Anglion. They've landed in the empire of Illvya, Anglion's supposed enemy. Only not really. While the people of Anglion seem to be obsessed with Illvya, the Illvyians are minding their business being more enlightened and technically more advanced than the Anglions and not really giving Anglion a second thought.
Until Cameron and Sophie land on their doorstep. Sine the newlyweds have no idea who attempted to assassinate them, suspecting it might go as high as the queen herself, they are a little adrift. But they are (luckily) welcomed into the Academy, a place where students study the magical arts and are givn an opportunity to learn all the things they should know but that Anglion is determined to repress.
But their reprieve is very small. A delegation of Anglions is on their heels demanding they return, they've gotten the attention of the Illvyaian emperor, and Sophie is finding that she has an affinity with a type of magic that is verboten in Anglion and if she were able to return home, it just may get her killed.
Like I said, this was a fast read. Events over-ran Sophie and Cameron at quite a pace and the book also felt like it going at the same pace. They are never anonymous in this big new city, much to their dismay. They hardly get a chance to strategize and it feels like a lot of things are happening to them. So they are in reactive mode a lot, which feels on the one hand somewhat frustrating but on the other somewhat realistic.
One of the other by-products of the book moving fast was that some developments happened really fast as well. Some that have a a very shortcut or vaguely Deus Ex Machina feel to it. I am used to fantasy novels where fantasy leads develop and discover new powers. And that is true of this book as well, but in Sophia's case some of it felt unearned, like the author needed to get it over with so we could get on with the plot points.
The book ends on an anticipatory note. I am really curious to see what is happening back in Anglion in the wake of Sophia and Cameron leaving. Hopefully the next book will give us some of that.