Kam
Okay so: this expands on the events of the previous novel in the series, while also upping the ante on the danger. But what makes this different is that, because most of the world-building’s already been done in the first book, the focus is more on the character dynamics and the politics of the setting.
It’s an oft-repeated observation that fiction tends to reflect reality to a certain degree, even in SFF settings. This novel is no different. The main characters might be aliens, but the world in which they operate and their own, individual concerns will very definitely feel familiar to the reader. It was already shown in the last book that there are lingering tensions between the different species in this story, and while this novel does show those tensions, it also shows how those tensions can be overcome - and how IMPORTANT overcoming those prejudices are, if the threat they are facing is to eventually be defeated.
In order to convey that, the novel really explores the characters themselves, and how they interact with each other. Iari and Gaer are at the forefront of this, and it is their relationship that keeps the plot moving forward. The events of the first book bonded them together, but this book tests that bond in some very interesting ways. Faith and trust are key themes for these two: to trust someone else with not just one’s own life, but the lives of others; to know that they will come through, no matter what; that they will somehow have one’s best interests at heart, even if their methods might frustrate one. Their relationship is the emotional glue that keeps this novel together, even as the plot itself hurtles forward.
But for all that Iari and Gaer are the stars, they do not diminish the other characters who also come to the fore in this novel. Char and Winter Bite, for instance, really come into their own as characters in their own right, with their own interesting complications given that they are riev, and what it means that they’ve gained a sense of sentient identity: a sense of “I”, as opposed to the “we” that riev used to be. It’s unfortunate that this theme isn’t explored and expanded upon more in this novel, because it would be interesting to see how the world reacts to the change. Corso, too, comes to the fore, especially in terms of how he and Gaer interact when it comes to Iari.
Other new (and some familiar) characters develop in interesting ways too: Knight-Marshal Tobin, for instance, was introduced in the first book but in this one, the reader begins to see more facets of their personality. Sister Iphigenia, Iffy, also gets some time to shine, though not so much in terms of character development as it is in terms of her abilities; I still wish there’d been more opportunity to explore her personality. Notch, who was introduced briefly in the previous novel, becomes an important secondary character in this one, as does Luki. While the depth of their characterization doesn’t come quite close to what the reader sees happen for Iari, Gaer, Char, and Winterbite, they definitely have to the potential to be amazing characters in their own right - if they are given more time.
Which leads me to my main complaint about this book, and this series in general: it feels too open-ended. I understand that not every story needs to be wrapped up in a tidy bow, but at the very least there needs to be a certain level of conclusiveness to the narrative to make it feel like it’s reached its end. This novel, unfortunately, doesn’t have that; in fact, I get the feeling this series may have been intended to be longer than a duology, maybe a trilogy or a quartet, but for some reason the subsequent books in the series haven’t been picked up by publishers. And so the reader is left hanging at the end, wishing for more of the characters and the setting, and likely never to get it.
Overall, this was a great continuation of the first book, one that really expanded on Iari and Gaer’s relationship and personalities, but also expanding on the world-building and on the other characters around them. The only issue with it is that it ends in a way that’s clear the series was meant to have more than two books, but since the other novels haven’t been picked up, the reader is left hanging and hoping for more that might never come.
Originally posted at kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com.
Okay so: this expands on the events of the previous novel in the series, while also upping the ante on the danger. But what makes this different is that, because most of the world-building’s already been done in the first book, the focus is more on the character dynamics and the politics of the setting.
It’s an oft-repeated observation that fiction tends to reflect reality to a certain degree, even in SFF settings. This novel is no different. The main characters might be aliens, but the world in which they operate and their own, individual concerns will very definitely feel familiar to the reader. It was already shown in the last book that there are lingering tensions between the different species in this story, and while this novel does show those tensions, it also shows how those tensions can be overcome - and how IMPORTANT overcoming those prejudices are, if the threat they are facing is to eventually be defeated.
In order to convey that, the novel really explores the characters themselves, and how they interact with each other. Iari and Gaer are at the forefront of this, and it is their relationship that keeps the plot moving forward. The events of the first book bonded them together, but this book tests that bond in some very interesting ways. Faith and trust are key themes for these two: to trust someone else with not just one’s own life, but the lives of others; to know that they will come through, no matter what; that they will somehow have one’s best interests at heart, even if their methods might frustrate one. Their relationship is the emotional glue that keeps this novel together, even as the plot itself hurtles forward.
But for all that Iari and Gaer are the stars, they do not diminish the other characters who also come to the fore in this novel. Char and Winter Bite, for instance, really come into their own as characters in their own right, with their own interesting complications given that they are riev, and what it means that they’ve gained a sense of sentient identity: a sense of “I”, as opposed to the “we” that riev used to be. It’s unfortunate that this theme isn’t explored and expanded upon more in this novel, because it would be interesting to see how the world reacts to the change. Corso, too, comes to the fore, especially in terms of how he and Gaer interact when it comes to Iari.
Other new (and some familiar) characters develop in interesting ways too: Knight-Marshal Tobin, for instance, was introduced in the first book but in this one, the reader begins to see more facets of their personality. Sister Iphigenia, Iffy, also gets some time to shine, though not so much in terms of character development as it is in terms of her abilities; I still wish there’d been more opportunity to explore her personality. Notch, who was introduced briefly in the previous novel, becomes an important secondary character in this one, as does Luki. While the depth of their characterization doesn’t come quite close to what the reader sees happen for Iari, Gaer, Char, and Winterbite, they definitely have to the potential to be amazing characters in their own right - if they are given more time.
Which leads me to my main complaint about this book, and this series in general: it feels too open-ended. I understand that not every story needs to be wrapped up in a tidy bow, but at the very least there needs to be a certain level of conclusiveness to the narrative to make it feel like it’s reached its end. This novel, unfortunately, doesn’t have that; in fact, I get the feeling this series may have been intended to be longer than a duology, maybe a trilogy or a quartet, but for some reason the subsequent books in the series haven’t been picked up by publishers. And so the reader is left hanging at the end, wishing for more of the characters and the setting, and likely never to get it.
Overall, this was a great continuation of the first book, one that really expanded on Iari and Gaer’s relationship and personalities, but also expanding on the world-building and on the other characters around them. The only issue with it is that it ends in a way that’s clear the series was meant to have more than two books, but since the other novels haven’t been picked up, the reader is left hanging and hoping for more that might never come.
Originally posted at kamreadsandrecs.tumblr.com.