Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Widdershins Adventures
Publisher: Pyr
Date of Publication: June 26, 2012
Mogsy's Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars - "Series gets better the more I read; emotionally impactful and filled with suspense, this book kept me on my toes by raising the stakes and taking things to the next level"
First let me begin this review by stating how much I liked the
first book of the Widdershins Adventures series, Thief's Covenant. That,
however, still left me quite unprepared for how much I enjoyed this
book, its follow-up. To be honest, I'm still reeling from the ending,
and feeling not just a little bit heartbroken, but only because of how
the story impacted me so emphatically. A book that makes me feel like
this, even if it's like a punch in the gut, surely deserves my
admiration and compliments!
But more on that
later, after I revel in how much fun it was to return to Davillon,
catching up with Widdershins and her friends. The events of the last
book have not left our protagonist in a very good place, however. The
guilt over the deaths of two people close to her still weighs on her
conscience, and she has taken to thieving again in order to support the
beloved tavern she inherited. The minor god Olgun, whose worshipper-base
consists of only Widdershins, is still a constant presence in her life,
enhancing her abilities to sneak and steal.
Then,
reports start coming in about a creature of nightmare stalking the
streets. At first, no one is hurt, but soon the attacks turn deadly. The
city guard are baffled and are in way over their heads. And as much as
Widdershins would like to stay out of it, trouble always ends up
finding her. Drawn into a battle against a supernatural terror, she must
use all her wits to save her friends and Davillon against the greatest
threat the city has ever faced.
That I
liked this book more than the first one is probably an accurate assessment. Don't get
me wrong, Thief's Covenant was no slouch, but there were some slow parts
I had to get through before I started warming up to it. I guess one
advantage of subsequent books in a series is that the story can start
right away, without having to go through all the motions of explaining
background or character history. Unlike my experience with the first
book, I was drawn in by False Covenant almost as soon as I
started.
Also, I think I remember calling this a
"cute" series. Time for me to re-evaluate that, perhaps. Not that
there aren't a lot of light moments in these books; I still find lots to
laugh about, especially in Widdershin's fiery and impulsive
personality, not to mention her humorous banter with Olgun. Once again,
Ari Marmell does a fantastic job pulling off their strange relationship
as well as the their conversations that to all outward appearances seem
one-sided. I don't think I'll ever get tired of those scenes, which are
an endless source of entertainment!
However,
there's a darkness to this series as well, which I'm just now starting
to fully realize and appreciate. False Covenant strikes a good balance
between that and the lightness, injecting mystery and even a bit of
horror into the story. I found myself downright creeped out at times.
This second book really raises the stakes, taking things to the next
level and keeping you on your toes because you never know what might
happen next. Ari Marmell doesn't pull any punches here.
Speaking
of which, the ending. Ugh. It's hard merely thinking about it let alone
having to write about it, which is just as well because I wouldn't want
to spoil anything. Definitely, the characterization has gotten a lot
better, and I feel a connection to Widdershins, feeling as she does
about the other characters around her whether they are friend, foe, or
not-sure-which. The book keeps you guessing, while still developing
those character relationships and even some romance. It was all very
engaging, which is why I find myself now still feeling so stunned. Those
final scenes were phenomenally well done and suspenseful, and the way things ended was totally unexpected.
This seems to be
one of those series that gets better the more I read. I'm so glad I
caught up in time for the third book coming out in December, because now
I can't wait to see what comes next.
4.5 of 5 stars
A review copy of this book
was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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