[To Darkness Fled]
Ok, first off, this book was absolutely awesome and way too cool to accurately describe its' awesomeness here ;)
Achan--Or rather Gideon Hadar is on the run into the darkness. Sir Gavin and the other knights demand he take a bride, but why doesn't Sparrow like anyone they think of? Not that he does, but the little weasel is hiding something. After avoiding detection on entering the darkness they travel for days and days in almost complete silence, but not mental silence. The darkness will twist your mind if you don't focus so the ticket of the day is Bloodvoicing practice, something Achan wanted to do anyway. During practice he almost kills sparrow and once again lets his mind bleed out, his frustration is clear at the apparent failure of everything he's trying. When the reach Mirrorstone Lord Eli seems eager to help...but what of the Hartamos women? It's clear they want to be queen, but how far will they stoop? After escaping the pressures of the meal Achan is preyed on by their magic and he pledges undying love to Jaira of all people! But little Sparrow isn't about to let him marry her no matter what, and intervenes with a rescue. Gren is in trouble! Achan knows it and he bolts into the darkness to save her, or he would have if not for three Old King's Guard Knights on his back, Sparrow forces hops tea into his mouth and eventually he succumbs to it. But something is happening to Gren and he knows it.
Vrell trecks into the maddening darkness with only one thought consoling her, she can help Achan. And help him she does! The boy who would not be king gets into many scrapes as they campaign for support. She has to contact mother, but Achan is getting suspicous, how can she allay his fears of a traitor but gain mothers help to get away? It's been too long since a bath and she's ready to go home and hide there, hang Nathak's song for forcing her into hiding. As her blood voicing skills are grown under the tutelage of the knights, a mind guarding try for Achan nearly becomes fatal for her as unbeknownst to him he storms her. Only her fainting saved her, but being a girl is getting harder and harder to hide. The trip to Mirrorstone holds much in store for Sparrow as she must save Achan for from Jaira while maintaining her guise as a boy, and it just keeps getting harder. Only Sir Gavin knows the truth but he's not helping much, mother says she must come home, but how can she desert the king when he needs her so much? During their blood voicing training she peaks on Bran, and finds him---talking to Gren!? And he thinks she's pretty? Her world should be spinning, so why isn't it? She clings to the idea that he's the one she should marry but slowly her heart is slipping away and there's nothing she can do about it. Will she humble herself or remain proud and silent?
Prince Esek will not be thwarted again, he wants three things. 1) Averella wed, 2)Achan killed, and 3) The Kingdom under his thumb. His route to getting those? "AM I KING!?" And he nearly succeeds...Achan is taken by the dark mages under his bidding to be sacrificed to the earth god barthos by the Barthinians. Suspended on wooden spikes he has the stray king right where he wants him, or does he? Arman intervenes and the Kings Guard arrive in time. But the "king's" is not sated and he wants Achan killed by any means possible. Where poison has failed, perhaps a dagger in the back won't? And getting Averalla will just be a bonus, yes, clove wine will be perfect.
This is an amazing action packed book with just enough romance thrown in to appeal to almost any reader. Achan of Cham is a wonderful protagonist and I felt so bad for him and Vrell. Prince Esek and Hadar were also done masterfully, just like the entire book! Jill absolutely knows how to write an epic story that has you holding onto your hat the entire way, I've read this book more than once and it's on the top of my to-buy list. You won't regret trying it out, just make sure to read By Darkness Hid first!!
Millard
Ok, first off, this book was absolutely awesome and way too cool to accurately describe its' awesomeness here ;)
Achan--Or rather Gideon Hadar is on the run into the darkness. Sir Gavin and the other knights demand he take a bride, but why doesn't Sparrow like anyone they think of? Not that he does, but the little weasel is hiding something. After avoiding detection on entering the darkness they travel for days and days in almost complete silence, but not mental silence. The darkness will twist your mind if you don't focus so the ticket of the day is Bloodvoicing practice, something Achan wanted to do anyway. During practice he almost kills sparrow and once again lets his mind bleed out, his frustration is clear at the apparent failure of everything he's trying. When the reach Mirrorstone Lord Eli seems eager to help...but what of the Hartamos women? It's clear they want to be queen, but how far will they stoop? After escaping the pressures of the meal Achan is preyed on by their magic and he pledges undying love to Jaira of all people! But little Sparrow isn't about to let him marry her no matter what, and intervenes with a rescue. Gren is in trouble! Achan knows it and he bolts into the darkness to save her, or he would have if not for three Old King's Guard Knights on his back, Sparrow forces hops tea into his mouth and eventually he succumbs to it. But something is happening to Gren and he knows it.
Vrell trecks into the maddening darkness with only one thought consoling her, she can help Achan. And help him she does! The boy who would not be king gets into many scrapes as they campaign for support. She has to contact mother, but Achan is getting suspicous, how can she allay his fears of a traitor but gain mothers help to get away? It's been too long since a bath and she's ready to go home and hide there, hang Nathak's song for forcing her into hiding. As her blood voicing skills are grown under the tutelage of the knights, a mind guarding try for Achan nearly becomes fatal for her as unbeknownst to him he storms her. Only her fainting saved her, but being a girl is getting harder and harder to hide. The trip to Mirrorstone holds much in store for Sparrow as she must save Achan for from Jaira while maintaining her guise as a boy, and it just keeps getting harder. Only Sir Gavin knows the truth but he's not helping much, mother says she must come home, but how can she desert the king when he needs her so much? During their blood voicing training she peaks on Bran, and finds him---talking to Gren!? And he thinks she's pretty? Her world should be spinning, so why isn't it? She clings to the idea that he's the one she should marry but slowly her heart is slipping away and there's nothing she can do about it. Will she humble herself or remain proud and silent?
Prince Esek will not be thwarted again, he wants three things. 1) Averella wed, 2)Achan killed, and 3) The Kingdom under his thumb. His route to getting those? "AM I KING!?" And he nearly succeeds...Achan is taken by the dark mages under his bidding to be sacrificed to the earth god barthos by the Barthinians. Suspended on wooden spikes he has the stray king right where he wants him, or does he? Arman intervenes and the Kings Guard arrive in time. But the "king's" is not sated and he wants Achan killed by any means possible. Where poison has failed, perhaps a dagger in the back won't? And getting Averalla will just be a bonus, yes, clove wine will be perfect.
This is an amazing action packed book with just enough romance thrown in to appeal to almost any reader. Achan of Cham is a wonderful protagonist and I felt so bad for him and Vrell. Prince Esek and Hadar were also done masterfully, just like the entire book! Jill absolutely knows how to write an epic story that has you holding onto your hat the entire way, I've read this book more than once and it's on the top of my to-buy list. You won't regret trying it out, just make sure to read By Darkness Hid first!!
Millard
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