| Title | : | Stalking Darkness (Nightrunner, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0553575430 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780553575439 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 501 |
| Publication | : | First published February 3, 1997 |
Seregil's friend and Mentor, the wizard Nysander, has long been the guardian of a deadly secret. In a secret, silver-lined room hidden well beneath the Oreska, he has served for most of his 300 years as the keeper of a nondescript clay cup. But this cup, combined with a crystal crown and some wooden disks, forms the Helm of Seriamaius, and any mortal donning the reconstructed Helm will become the incarnation of the god on earth.
Nysander holds the cup and Mardus the wooden disks—one of which was responsible for Seregil's coma—but the crown must still be located. Threatened under pain of death by Nysander to keep his quest a secret even from his loyal companion, Alec, Seregil is dispatched to find the last missing piece of the Helm so that he and Nysander can destroy it. But this is only the beginning of one of his deadliest journeys ever, for the prophecy also holds that four will come together in a time of darkness, and gradually all that Seregil values is placed at risk as he, Alec, Nysander and Micum are drawn into a deadly web of terror and intrigue.
Stalking Darkness (Nightrunner, #2) Reviews
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Better than the first, in my opinion. Maybe it's just because the story is more engaging for me this time round. Though the writing isn't necessarily what I would usually read (I find it kind of heavy sometimes), it's well suited for this type of book. It's just colossal amounts of fun. The world Flewelling has spun is wondrous and enchanting; a pleasure to dive into. This series is seriously underrated.
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This is definitely the most underrated series I've come across so far. The first book is great. This one? I can't even begin explaining why I loved it so much. I spent the last sixty or so pages (maybe more) crying. From the start till the very end of this book I've gone through so many feelings: from annoyance through astonishment and speechlessness, deep hatred, despair and gloating to bitter-sweet happiness. Add any other you can think of in between and you can find it in this story.
What started in the first book ends here. While the Leran threat was removed in Luck in the Shadows, Alec and Seregil made enemies stealing from Vargul Ashnazai and Duke Mardus. Mardus is trying to make Helm of Seriamaius whole and make himself a god. Nysander sends Seregil to get part of the Helm to him and forbids him to tell Alec anything about it. I was afraid that would ruin the story and it would if it lasted longer. Fortunately, the retrieval of the crown lasts only a few pages.
As in the previous book, they are facing a very dangerous opponent (more dangerous than the Lerans) and it is up to these two and their friends (both old and new, and some unexpected) to deal with it.
It is impossible to say more without spoilers. I would suggest to be careful when reading reviews since some things will ruin your reading experience. I didn't know anything about the plot except the basics from the blurb, so certain events left me stunned. -
Non ci sono abbastanza parole conosciute dall'uomo per descrivere questo libro, sopratutto il suo finale. Leggete e amate.
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I'm of two minds about this book.
It is good fantasy adventure. There is a good pace to the adventure, and while some of the world may have been a bit foggier than other books in this genre, I did enjoy the quests, magic, and intrigue.
HOWEVER, I was really, really bothered by the romantic relationship between the two main characters. It isn't about the homosexual part of it (though that did suprise me when I was 16). The problem I had with this was the age and social maturity difference between the coupling. When I was 16 first reading this I denouced Seregil as a pedophile, guilty of emotional incest, and felt personally betrayed when the hero who I'd been cheering on for 2 books turned out to be a sex offender. To explain the insest thing, I always felt that Seregil had defacto adopted Alec as a surrogate brother.
I'm nearing 30 now, and I reread the books recently. I'm less quick to denouce Seregil, and am able to feel a little more, to-each-his-own about it. But, there remains something wrong about the relationship. If I were friend to the people involved I would council them to give it more time for their maturity levels to normalize before jumping into a relationship with such a dramatic imbalance in the power dynamic.
I know that the current hot trend is age-old vampires sexing up teenage girls, and that is somehow considered acceptable, but I will continue to question any relationship based on such unstable initial footing.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but only to mature readers. Those who have a firm grip on the difference between right and wrong. -
*Trigger: There is some female-on-male rape in this book although it's not in explicit detail*
This book is the second in the series and picks up not too long after the ending of the first. We see that our characters have grown more since the end of book one and settled into routines and life in Rhimanee, but there's still many mysteries to uncover, both about each other and to do with what they found out in book #1.
In this instalment I really did connect more to the character of Seregil and I think, besides Lysander and Micum, he's my favourite in the book. I do really like Alec and there are moments I really love him, but Seregil is just such an interesting character and his thoughts about life and love intrigue me. Seregil also has the added bonus of a very long life to live and so he's been through much and he's still living and experiencing new things too...
What I did really like about this one is it felt a little more like a storyline rather than just happenstance. Sometimes in book #1 I felt as if the characters were just trundling along without too much *life-threatening* stuff forcing them into tricky situations. This book had a little more action and there was more to play for which meant it kept me interested and excited throughout.
Overall this is a very solid continuation and it again made me want to just keep going with the series (which I have done) so I would highly recommend it. Fantasy with bisexual characters and super fun plot...why, yes please! 4.5*s overall. -
4.5 stars
Better than the first book, imo. There was more character development, more nail-biting tension and adventure, and finally, some romance between Alec and Seregil! ❤️ That drama at the end, though! 🙄 Not that I didn’t feel for Seregil — I love the guy — but that was a bit much. -
I like the characters, I do. They change and develope. I also like how Flewelling will revisit things, too, like the death of Alec's father. Things aren't just swept under the rug and I appreciate that.
I also appreciate how Seregil and Alec's relationship isn't the focus of the story that unfortunately happens too much in romance, especially homoerotica. The book is more dedicated to the story and in doing so, makes their relationship realistic and believable.
The biggest complaint I have is making the villians, well, too villianous. There's no semblance of humanity in them. They hunt, torture, kill and do little else. I was really hoping that there would be much more depth in her villians because I appreciate The Antagonist and a strong antagonist makes a stronger protagonist. However, these were bad, bad men and their actions seemed over-the-top, like she was trying to convince her reader of how nefarious they truly were. I ached to see instances of weakness, and quiet contemplation. Maybe even a relationship (non-romantic) form between her two leading villians. But unfortunately they struck me as flat, and although terrifying, remained uninteresting.
As a small note, Thero is becoming a fantastic character and I'm excited to see more of him in the next book. -
I just realized I forgot to add a whole bunch of Lynn's books to my shelf. WTF!
This is my favorite Alec & Seregil book; also the first one I read; also the one I read the most. Probably a good solid dozen times, if not more. It has all the right ingredients. A noble rogue, an innocent coming-of-age youth with a hidden streak of a rake, all sorts of sex, an ancient evil with some rather disgusting elements, magic, both good and dark and twisted, proper chase and adventure, warfare that is realistic and cruel, a colorful balance of main characters, wizards, geography, history, culture, hidden identities, court flair, and then some.
I think it's also better than Luck in the Shadows, because our two heroes are well established, and they are comfortable in their guise, wealth and modus operandi. The never-ending war between Skala and Plenimar serves an excellent backdrop to the story. As it turns out, Lynn writes in a style that could be defined as borderline-YA, however, she excels when she goes dark magic as she did in this book and the last installment (see
my review).
In a way, it's the 90s Locke Lamore with a twist. Lynn definitely has a unique style and she did an all-male cast (in the true sense) way before it was popular in the fantasy genre, and not because it was needed, but because it gave her story a special depth and scale. You might find it naive at times, but then, it surprises you with sudden, unexpected, morbid delight.
Extremely recommended.
Nightrunners are back in town,
A hidden letter, a silken gown,
Blood in a bowl,
A piercing howl,
Seriamaius must not wear his crown.
Igor -
I was reading this book for so long (I think on and off for 9 months), so it's been one of those books that has been lingering on my 'currently reading' shelf for an enormous amount of time. That's really on me though because I did/do really enjoy these characters.
After finishing the first book, I was eager to find out what Alec, Seregil, Micum, and Nysander would get mixed up with next, and I was not disappointed. A lot happens in the installment, and it all leads to this big climactic ending. I really enjoy following these characters, and I get all fuzzy inside when they show how much love they have for each other. I'm a sucker for found families, and these characters are definitely that.
In this book, we get a lot of perspective from Beka (sp?), Micum's eldest daughter. She's now a part of a war regiment, so we get to see some skirmishes between Skala and their enemies. I will say that I wasn't as interested in these chapters just because she's there on her own. Her comrades are fine, but I didn't bother remembering their names because they might die and I didn't find them all that important. If Beka had had some more emotional ties or engaging interactions with those around her, I may have found her parts more interesting.
There is also a rape that happens toward the beginning of the book, and it's not really addressed. Our main lad, Alec, get's sexually assaulted by a woman. The other characters are annoyed, but they don't actually hold the rapist accountable which was really odd, especially odd for Seregil.
This book is slow-paced for the most part which probably contributed to why it took me so long to finish. I think if the ending wasn't so exciting and rewarding, I probably would have rated this a little lower, but as it is, the ending really saved this one for me. I actually am really looking forward to the next installment because I think it will be a whole different playing field after this book. -
A fun second installment. I don't think this one was as strong for me, but it was still enjoyable.
CONTENT WARNING: (a list of topics)
Things that were great:
-The slow burn. It's nice seeing a friendship slowly advance.
-The stakes. Way higher!
-The drama. Once the drama started, goodness was it dramatic in all the best gothic ways.
Things that didn't work as well for me this go around:
-The pacing. The first half was veeery slow. I could tolerate it in the first book because it was essentially "magic school," but this was about how bored they were and what whores they wanted to try and people assaulting Alec in a way we're supposed to find funny because...he's a virile young man, I guess?
-The gore. Hoo boy. So, I actually like body horror, in that it makes me feel horrified without setting off panic attacks. But wowza this was a lot. I got it after the second or third torture scene, I don't think I needed more reminders.
-The plot. It was tenuous enough in the first book. This one more or less was along the lines of "it's destined, so this will all work out." Very gothic, but not the part of gothic romances that I actually like. Speaking of romance...
-Romance. Yeah, it's sweet and pretty well done to overcome my fears, but I just don't like 'em lol. Having a romance on the side, sure. Or having a book about falling in love, fine. Having one that keeps cropping up at weird times usually makes me switch gears too fast and I don't get the enjoyment of either the "d'aww" or the heart-pumping danger.
Also I think this is a great example of why I don't read series back-to-back. I probably would have rated this higher if I'd given myself a couple of months to be less enthusiastic about the last book. But I didn't, and I won't. Definitely worth continuing the series, but I made my hopes out of wax and flew them too close to the sun. -
The heartbreaking and thrilling conclusion to the story started in Luck in the Shadows, and whoo boy, does it not disappoint!
It has a little bit of everything: Necromancy, strange rituals to try and bring back evil gods, heartbreak, true love, heroic sacrifices and some good, good kisses.
Really, it's everything I wanted and so much more. It gives us the answer to the prophecy that has haunted the story since the first book, and the answer is... not excellent. In fact it broke my heart. Very, very much. I finished this book and then I spent a day in a sort of daze, where I just felt numb. I was that ruined.
It's not only that it's heartbreaking, it's that it's so well written. This series is not perfect, not at all, but Lynn Flewelling has seriously poured some heart and soul into it, into the universe, the characters and the story she hopes to tell. And it shows. It shows in the way I got attached to these characters lightning quick, and the way I breathlessly prayed they'd all make it out alive.
The intense desire I felt for them to be okay, to be happy, to be together, is honestly the most compelling thing about these books. As much as I love the world and the plot, it's the characters that draw me back in. This bond they share that goes beyond mere friendship and romance. It takes different shapes between each of them, but it's unbreakable.
It's what gives the series heart.
I was completely and utterly blown away by this story and the conclusion to the things Flewelling started in the first book. These two can be read on their own, but I'm still extremely excited to return to the series and Alec and Seregil.
Anyway, all this to say: Read this series. It's great. It's excellent. It's all blades and swagger and roguish charms. With a little dash of magic, saving the world and true love. I'm still head over heels for it. -
3.5 stars rounded up because I really liked how the ending delivered. I’ll keep reading the series.
Sometimes total despair was the best substitute for hope. -
Struggling to finish now that I've read past the magic rape scene. Nary a word is being said in the aftermath, except that our MC feels dirty. Okay, so what now? Is anybody else going to address it? Or is it okay because he did't say no, and he's male, and the woman was hot? Oh wait, he did say no, then yes, then "I don't know." That's when your partner should stop. Stoppity stop. And if you don't stop, someone should hit you in the face with a brick until you do. Friends don't let friends get magicked into sexual scenarios against their will. Especially when said friends are 16 year old virgins with dead parents. Hello.
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I loved
Luck in the Shadows, but for me this book was on a whole other level.
Stalking Darkness took us to new places in this world and the relationships grew even more. Seregil and Alec's in particular was perfect, their banter, fights and reconciliations. Here, we see their relationship move to another level, where in the first book it was just hinted at.
The plot was strong; striking a nice balance with the characters. The stakes are also higher making the story more intense.
I'm really looking forward reading
Traitor's Moon, I miss Seregil and Alec already! (Do they have a ship name? Serec, Alegil?) -
This series is so underrated, more people need read 'cause it's so good. Some people have problem with the plotting stuff in the first book but it didn't really bothered me so I think it's great. But this one is so much better than the first one(plot-wise,pacing).
Seregil and Alec are such great characters and don't forget about Micum, I think he deserves more love. Another one is Beka, she's such a badass I love it. It's really rare to see characters like her especially when it was first published.
To be honest I thought the stuff that happened in this book would happen in the third one 'cause it feel like the final boss fight. So I'm really curious to see what happens in the next book.
I didn't really care for the whole sacrifice thing but the ending scene made me cry (Ｔ▽Ｔ). I'm really excited to see were their adventures takes them next. -
i lost actual sleep just so i could consume this book at an ungodly speed and i don't regret it one bit tbh
stalking darkness takes everything established in the first book and cranks up it to 100. the characters become more developed, lingering plot threads are revisited or resolved, the world becomes grittier and much darker. the amount of mutual pining between alec and seregil just about killed me. while stalking darkness is well-paced and interesting throughout, the last 30%ish was soooo intense i just couldn't put it down and it's what made me have to give it a 5 star rating. the use of different pov's was excellent, and i really liked how flewelling used this as a clever way to reveal a few things, but keep us in the dark about others. i think it's hard to pull that off in a way that works, and i feel how it all ended up coming together was extremely satisfying!
the ending was totally not what i thought was going to happen whatsoever and while i want to devour the next book asap, i think i need to take a tiny break for my own insanity. but if the other 5 installments are going to be anything like this, i dont see myself taking a long time in finishing this series at all! -
I still don't like the narrator voice. Alec continues to sound weird, and sometimes he made the wrong voice to the wrong character which is confusing and annoying. But this series is one of my all times favourite, this brought back to me the joy of reading after a hard time, so I refuse to give it less than 5 stars. Bear with me.
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DNF 50%
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4.35
I loved this so much, I can't! 😭❤️
This book was bittersweet as a whole and I loved the hell out of it.
Seregil and Alec became two of my favourite characters and one of my ultimate OTPs from mage one of Luck in the Shadows and they deliver every time.
The ending was so, so good and it just loved them together.
This is the first high fantasy series written by a female author that has worked for me and that I've rated more than 3 stars (😅) and I just can't believe how much I love if.
I love the world, the characters (you poor souls 😭😭❤️) and the story, I just love them so much and it's lgbt which is so rare for adult fantasy especially as old as this one which, naturally, makes me love this even more. -
Ok srsly guys, who took my homoerotic devil-may-care caperfic and replaced it with melodramatic fantasy yaoi? D: D: And I have nothing AGAINST fantasy yaoi melodrama, I am all FOR melodramatic fantasy yaoi; but I need mental preparation for the shift from "We are snarky lovable rogues who steal things and touch each other in good dirty ways!" to "We are in secret ethereally beautiful, angstily immortal elves with magically prophesied destinies who weep as we kiss in the moonlight, stroking each other's glossy hair!"
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pepe_the_frog_in_tears.jpeg
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I'm guilty of breaking off in the middle of reading and coming back to this one a lot later.
It made reading awkward. I was no longer into the whole intrigue thing and just waiting for Alec and Seregil to become lovers.
Still, I kind of got back into the whole web of intrigue that was happening. It's exceedingly well-crafted. I like that it's not so explicit I can't walk around with this and not be afraid some kid might accidentally read over my shoulder or pick this up.
Welp. Onto bk 3... -
This is the second installment in the Nightrunner series, and I enjoyed it even more than the first. Lord Seregil of Rhiminee and his apprentice, Alec of Kerry continue their undercover work, meet a new circle of friends, and get embroiled in a new set of adventures and intrigue. The characterization is excellent and the story continues to be riveting. A series well worth reading!
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I've just got to chapter 8 of this book, and I'm furious. Imagine a naive and starstruck 16 year old being drugged and then raped. Not very funny is it? That is of course, unless that 16yo is a boy, and he's being raped by a sexy older women. Then it's hilarious, and geewhiz, isn't he glad he finally got rid of that pesky virginity?? No. Fuck that shit, and fuck this book.
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This review covers the first three books in the Nightrunner series. For those who haven’t yet read these books, be warned that there are spoilers ahead.
Every year I seem to stumble upon a series that seemed innocuous enough on the shelf, and I take that series home, unwittingly committing myself to a week in which all my waking thoughts will be consumed by this new world and its characters. Last year, I was lucky enough to happen upon this phenomenon twice, first with Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series, then with Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Trilogy. I flew through these books at a feverish pace, desperate to find out what would happen to the characters that I’d grown to love yet unwilling to let them go when I’d finally turned the last page. They haunted me for months afterward, and every few months I still flip through to revisit favorite chapters. They are the books that I compare all others against, not in terms of quality per se, but in terms of emotional investment they set the bar.
It took approximately a page and a half for me to realize that the Nightrunner series would be my new series obsession.
Lynn Flewelling achieves that rare feat of balancing complexity of worldbuilding with character development, yet she accomplishes the latter in a most intriguing way. Alec and Seregil have skyrocketed to the top of my list of all-time favorite characters, yet even after three books there is still so much we don’t know about these two, and it’s not for lack of description or purposeful concealment. Well, the latter does contribute, particularly in the first two books, for Seregil portrays one of my favorite character conventions: the spy, the thief, the rogue, perpetually situated on the outskirts while secretly immersed within the intrigue, he gives away little about himself out of necessity and reluctance. Alec, though he suffers from ignorance of his own ancestry, is likewise hesitant to share more of himself early on, though that hesitance is borne largely of confusion and self-denial. We learn more of both characters as the series progresses, yet it is a slow chipping away rather than a large revelation, as each character has good reason to be cautious of giving away too much of himself. Perhaps it is the scarcity of true insight into either character that makes their connection in the first book, Luck in the Shadows, so compelling, for despite how little either knows the other, their friendship forged on a spur-of-the-moment impulse never feels artificial or unfounded. It’s obvious that Alec and Seregil should be as close as they are, though neither character nor the reader discover the why of it until much later on.
The Nightrunner books are a sort of epic/high fantasy hybrid, yet what struck me most about the worldbuilding was the fact that, particularly early on in the series, the fantasy elements take a backseat to the Nightrunner hijinks. Make no mistake, magic is an integral and essential element of the story, and it provides an ever-present backdrop for the events that unfold, yet I never felt overwhelmed by a landscape that seemed otherworldly as with so many books of this genre. Flewelling has stated that she doesn’t want her characters to have an easy-out just because of the presence of magic, and this philosophy really shines in her worldbuilding. The focus of the first few books is really on Alec and Seregil’s escapades, honing the skills of an occupation that takes much practice and a little luck, yet is no more improbable in a world devoid of magic than in one inhabited by wizards, necromancers, and dragons. True to her word, Flewelling never lets her characters become complacent with the ease of magical ability, and in fact our two leads possess very little in the way of magical skill. Their trials, successes, and failures are a testament to the abilities they have earned rather than the serendipity of the world in which they live. Likewise, even wizards as powerful as Nysander and Thero are far from invincible; their talents are similarly won of hard work and practice, and they don’t possess endless reservoirs of power. They must choose when and how to use what they have, with real consequences for overworking themselves and, more personally, for merely possessing their magical blood.
Though not all the characters in this series are strictly human, Flewellyn again chose the road less traveled in creating the different races and cultures. While there definitely exist cultural differences, which become painfully apparent in the third book, Traitor’s Moon, the biological consequences of being born with magical or ‘faie blood bear only one great distinction in that their members are long-lived. Yet, they possess no cliched physical features or healing powers to set them apart from humans (and land them squarely in the camp of overused fantasy tropes). While they have physiological distinctions as would any member of a distinct race, they look, act, and are as fragile as any other. Our main characters come near to death more times than faithful readers would like, and they have only their own wits and talents to aid them most times (along with a little well-placed magic, but then without it it wouldn’t be a fantasy at all).
As wonderfully intricate and adventurous as the plot arcs are, what really makes the story for me are the characters, and what wonderfully drawn, complex characters they are. The progression from unlikely allies to friends to partners to lovers occurs so naturally, and greater still, it occurs between two equals, no matter their respective ages or experience. They might make the occasional misstep, but they never fail to respect each other, and they both learn to consult with each other before acting unilaterally (though perhaps Alec is a bit more astute in that regard than Seregil). While each character grows, neither outgrows his own humanity. There are no perfect characters here, and growth occurs in the true sense of the word, not continually striving toward something better, but rather learning from mistakes and adapting. Alec’s confidence and assertiveness come into fruition, yet he still relies on Seregil for guidance, rues his own careless errors, and struggles to shed the Northern reserve bred into him even after accepting his ultimate deviance from his cultural norm. Seregil, for all his flourish and bravado, isn’t above making serious miscalculations and dwelling self-consciously on past blunders. I found the gradual shift in his personality entirely consistent and appropriate with the events that he endures, and though he is more reserved and solemn in Traitor’s Moon, I never lost sense of his humor and lust for life.
Flewelling’s secondary characters are equally complex and have the potential for much growth in future books. I’m particularly interested to see how Thero, Beka, and Klia fare in upcoming installments, as I felt that Flewelling has thus far laid the groundwork yet none has quite reached their full potential.
Overall, I can’t recommend the Nightrunner series enough and am eagerly awaiting my receipt of the next few books. I’ve found a lifetime keeper, and I couldn’t be happier.
http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress.... -
This is probably more of a 3.5 but I did like it a lot more than the first one so I decided to round up. Also I literally stopped in the middle of reading it to go read fanfic instead and as I've said before, in my backwards-ass mind that means I really like it lol.
I am still mildly creeped out by the age difference, but so far it's not like ...I mean it's the end of the 2nd book and they've literally JUST kissed at maybe the 90% mark so it's not as creepy as if I was reading, say ...an Anne Rice book or something lol. And they are super cute together, but it's just like okay whyyy did you have to make Alec so young???
Also still kind of side-eyeing the lack of main female characters. This book was better than the last one because Beka was much more prominent and also had some POV chapters so I'm hoping that is a trend that is going to continue as the books go forward. There's really no point making a fantasy world where men and women are equal if you're still going to have all your main characters be men, but both high fantasy and M/M romance historically have a problem with women so I guess this narrative is fighting doubly hard to get out of that.
But overall I really liked this. I apparently retained much more information than I thought from the first book because I actually found the plot to be very easy to follow and also pretty exciting. I'm excited to see what happens in the next book because it seems like these first two books were kind of one story line that is now more or less closed so maybe they'll be doing something completely different next. -
I can sum this up in essentially the same way I did with Luck: They have lots of adventures and kick lots of butt. And they also fall in love with each other, but Seregil has a crisis of conscience because Alec is still pretty young, and Alec is just plain confused by what he feels for Seregil, so neither of them say anything.
Saying anymore than that would spoil it if you haven't read it, really.
There's no real social commentary going on with the two main characters falling for each other, unlike with Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald Mage trilogy. The society of Rhiminee is very liberal and accepting of just about everything. For example, not only are same-sex relationships considered perfectly normal, but there are male prostitutes who service both male and female clients (and female prostitutes for female clients). So, in matters of sex, at least, the people of Skala are very open minded. The reason Alec is confused by his feelings for Seregil is because he still doesn't hold himself on equal standing with Seregil; they still have a very much master/apprentice relationship (which again, is why Seregil is determined that nothing should happen between them; he doesn't think it would be honorable. And frankly, I agree, Alec is still in some ways a not quite grown up yet, despite what he's been through.)
Again, it's the characters who make this story compelling, although the action picks up quite a bit in this one. -
4.5 stars
The second book is better than the first one, and I already loved that.
The story is much stronger here. Hints from the first book are woven into an exciting plot that starts as a spy story and then dives deeply into necromancing mystery.
The relationships Lynn Flewelling writes about are very human and caring. It is difficult to not feel for Alec, Seregil, Nysander, Micum, Beka – and even Thero (especially Thero), as each of them embark on their own outer and inner journey. I smiled and mourned and shuddered with the protagonists deeply sucked into their story.
I love the relationship of Seregil and Alec, the constant doubts Seregil harbours because of their difference in age and experience, and I even more love the fact that their romance is only a backdrop to a gripping plot.The end was nothing but satisfying.
What I also love about the Skalan society is the naturalness with which sexuality is seen. Seregil’s bisexuality just is. And the four different colours in the Street of Lights, the street of brothels, are such a great idea.
I had a wonderful time re-reading this book and I enjoyed it even more than the first time, especially the Beka-POV parts, that I absolutely didn’t remember. A skillful combination of story and character development. I just want to read on. -
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: [SCREAMS INTO HANDS]
I LOVED THIS x2!!!!!! All of the problems that I had with the first book were fixed!! I'm so happy!! the plot was tighter, the characters/ world were more established, which meant that I spent less time wondering who people were or where in the world they were, and the pacing was so much faster. Also!! the pining in this book left me for dead... I am dead right now! bless!!! -
Estoy disfrutando mucho de estos libros. Me gusta todo de esta historia.
Ni sé por donde empezar. El universo se va desplegando poco a poco y los secretos se van develando, todo encajando en un plot que da para mucho. Todos los personajes me gustan, incluso los villanos porque cumplen sus funciones y le dan riqueza al libro, cada persona tiene su papel dentro del plot.
Amo a Seregil y Alec, me gusta el dúo que hacen y como con el pasar de los meses su relación se va transformando, me hubiera gustado un poco más de desarrollo al inicio pero es algo menor y no le quita lo mucho que disfruté del libro. Ya para el final estaba gritando de felicidad y también de estrés.
Seregil es bastante sensible y muy emocional ahora que estoy conociéndolo más, lo cual me encanta. Y Alex ha madurado tanto desde el primer libro cuando era un chico. Que genial es ver el progreso de los personajes en una saga, por eso amo tanto leer este tipo de libros
Este libro tiene de todo un poco, hay momento lentos y otros rápidos llenos de acción. Y es algo que esperar de la High Fantasy y me encanta. El final fue perfecto, por un momento estaba lista para quemar todo pero Alec es asombroso y salvó el día
