There were points were it was a tad slow or overly detailed but they few and far between. For the most part the book captivating. Each page was new mystery to be uncovered or surprise we didn't see coming. There was action, there was adventure, there was love and love lost, there was regret, and there was redemption. Most of which happened all together in the last 100 pages. I would definitely read this book again and recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy type books. You don't really need the background of book one. It helps but this book can stand alone.
SPOILERS
We are still in an alternate type universe where the Divine once lived and were defeated by the people. In book one we learn not all the divine perished and some were still just waiting to come back wreak havoc on the world. In book two we learn that even if the divinity is "dead" some of their powers still preside. Unfortunately for Turyin Mulaghesh the divinity in question in this story happens to be the woman of war...of death...of destruction.
Turyin annoyed me in book one. She redeemed herself at the end but she was hard to like. She is hard to like in this one too but we find out why she is who she is. She has some crazy baggage that she is just trying to live with. By the end she was my champion. I wanted more stories with her. She is smart, she is harsh, she is resourceful. She is easy to relate to. She is hardened soldier who just wants to do the right thing and save people. She doesn't want to kill anyone but she will do what she needs to, to save everyone. Poor Pandey just didn't know. He was told wrong and she was defending herself. I CRIED my eyes out while she was crying over his death.
Signe is a royal B when we meet her. She has a reputation to keep up. She is smart and she is blunt but you like it. There are times when you hate her and think she is a bad guy but she is most definitely is not. She becomes Turyin's friend, confidant. When she died I was so angry. She should not have died. But her vision will live on and her memory in history. Her beloved Pandey will be with her in death. They may think the afterlife is gone but I am choosing to believe they are somewhere together.
Biswal, Turyin's former commander, scares me. He is all about him. He is all about fame. He doesn't value life. He doesn't value friendship. He opted to ALLOW the sentinels to come back from the City of Blades (afterlife) to bring war upon the lands rather than help Turyin stop them. He wanted the fame of defeating a divinity's army...not thinking about the lives that would be lost. He is responsible for countless deaths and deserved everything he got in the end. Truthfully he did not suffer enough.
Sigrud, Signe's dad and Turyin's old comrade, is terrifying as well. But he is a redeemed assassine. He killed for "king and country" so to say. He was a spy and he did what was needed of him, even at the expense of losing touch with his family and his humanity. I loved that he wanted to make it right with Signe. That he wanted to help Turyin. His anguish at losing his daughter after they finally started to reconnect ripped out my heart.
Voortya, the divinity of war, has an army hidden in the afterlife ready to come through. But she is dead. We know she is dead. But somehow her army survives. The power of the dead was strong enough to sustain the miracle. Rada is the bad guy...who knew! She is bringing the army of the dead back because she is dead inside. Biswal murdered her in cold blood and blamed Turyin. This forced Turyin to become Voortya. She became the bringer of death to save everyone. And she managed to find some sort of forgiveness for herself.
I am hoping we have another book but I am wondering who it will star. Will it be Shara...will it be Turyin....will it be Shara's child. Honestly I wouldn't care who it "starred" as long as I was able to be dipped back into this world once again.
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for an honest review.
