The Shadow Throne

I thoroughly enjoyed The Thousand Names, the first book in this series so was looking forward to this. Whilst it doesn't quite reach the heights of the first book for me it was still a fantastic read. This is very different from the military fantasy of the first novel and that does make it quite hard to compare

In the Shadow Throne we are brought back to the capital of Vordan, where the King is ailing and revolution and plots are afoot, particularly to try and counter the Machiavellian plotting of Duke Orlanko, head of the Ministry of Information who is intent on being the puppet master for the future queen, Raesina.

Our link to the first novel comes through Janus bet Vhalnich, Marcus d'Ivoire and Winter Ihernglass, who are fresh off the boat back from their campaigns in Khandar and plunged straight into the plots and political maneuverings of the capital.

The revolutionary aspect (with a strong French Revolution influence) is well done with the pettiness and distrust within the plotters beautifully orchestrated.

The main reason why this is only 4 stars to me is mostly based on just how much I enjoyed the foreign legion stylings of the first book, and as a direct comparison the revolutionary setting is less interesting for me. This is still a really good book!

2/3 of it were so YA (and 90%of the characters are teen girls) that I got bored a lot, did not connect with the story and found way too many not believable situations and deus ex machina. 2 stars at best. The last third, though, was finally the great kind of book I expected after the first volume, with good intrigues, politics and war. 5/5 and enticing enough to make me jump immediately to the next book in the series.

Are you tired of the same old fantasy? Would reading yet another story about a chosen boy who goes on to be a great hero and save the world from an ancient evil make you want to punch a baby in the face*?Well look no further. I present you the second book in [a:Django Wexler 639491 Django Wexler https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1357865518p2/639491.jpg]'s Shadow Campaigns.We've got not one, but TWO female protagonists. (The third one's a dude, but he's pretty cool so we won't hold it against him.) And if that's not enough there are at least 3 solid supporting female characters as well.Plus if you ACT NOW** one of the female leads will also be gay!This book contains actual scenes with women important to the plot who are NOT: # Dumb as Rocks# Nagging The Male Characters# Pulling Their Braids# Constantly Straightening Their Skirts# Basing Their Conversation/Plans Around “More Important” Male CharactersThese women might just punch you in the face if you cross them though!And who wants sword fights* when you can have:# Musket Fights!# Cavalry Charges!!# Cannons!!!# And More!!!!**In this book you may get fewer action scenes/battles than the first book, but in it's place you get a lot of political plotting and deception!As an added bonus this book can read itself to you! Richard Poe will follow you around* and read this book to you whenever you want. He'll use several voices and accents in what seems to be a better job than the first book. Take him with you:# In the car!# On your bike ride/run/at the gym!!# Help you do the laundry/clean your house!!!# Go Shopping!!!!# Other things!!!!!**Available Now wherever fine books are sold!!!* Don't punch babies. If you do feel this urge, seek help. No need to act now, the book won't magically change. Or will it!?* They may in fact be wearing trousers instead of skirts, but they aren't straightening those either.** Everyone wants sword fights, and there are still plenty in this book.** More being a vague term and left up to your imagination!* Digital version only. Full size Richard Poe is too busy to follow you personally.** Limited only by the power of your imagination!