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A review by paradoxically
Cast in Peril by Michelle Sagara West, Michelle Sagara
3.0
I am absurdly fond of the Chronicles of Elantra series for some reason, even if I think that personal growth and the character plot on the part of Kaylin goes about the same speed as molasses spreading out on a horizontal table. In the middle of winter. Don't get me wrong. She has changed since the first book until now, but so much hasn't that it's a bit disappointing in that regard. On the plus side
At least we find out what's inside the egg in this book. I actually enjoy what's inside the egg, except for little niggling things like
This book is also one story split into two. A first for this series, as the previous books were at least self contained stories. This was actually rather frustrating, even if the book could have ended on even more of a cliffhanger than it did. So if you're not a fan of this, then I suggest waiting for the next book and reading them both at once. Because now I have to wait. Boo.
I was also rather confused by the end, when all this action happened and all these explanations are thrown around and it's about 2am at night and I'm blearily squinting at the page and mouthing, "Wait. What." at myself. I'm still not quite sure what happened. It might be the time of night and my sleepiness, but it's still a bit jumbled.
You get a new situation, where Kaylin is on a journey to the West March with a group of familiar (and not so familiar) Barrani. There's also the case of people who have gone missing from the fiefs, and somehow it all mixes in with the trouble with the Exchequer. It's very Barrani heavy, which made me happy, and you find out a lot more about Teela. You'll meet a few new cast members and the author fleshes out her world just that little bit more, which is what I think Sagara excels at the most. Also, Nightshade. But, unfortunately, he was kind of bland for me this time around, which just made me sad.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I didn't love it. It felt pretty top heavy and I just wasn't as interested this time around. 2-3 stars, rounding up to 3.
Spoiler
she at least manages to light that goddamn candle. Not that... anything is really done with that bit of information other than Kaylin jumping around happily.At least we find out what's inside the egg in this book. I actually enjoy what's inside the egg, except for little niggling things like
Spoiler
the familiar is more a tool than anything else. Kaylin doesn't exactly interact with it other than to cart it around and try to make it do things. Or it does things and she has to deal with the consequences. I don't feel any sort of relationship between Kaylin and the familiar and that just makes me sad.This book is also one story split into two. A first for this series, as the previous books were at least self contained stories. This was actually rather frustrating, even if the book could have ended on even more of a cliffhanger than it did. So if you're not a fan of this, then I suggest waiting for the next book and reading them both at once. Because now I have to wait. Boo.
I was also rather confused by the end, when all this action happened and all these explanations are thrown around and it's about 2am at night and I'm blearily squinting at the page and mouthing, "Wait. What." at myself. I'm still not quite sure what happened. It might be the time of night and my sleepiness, but it's still a bit jumbled.
You get a new situation, where Kaylin is on a journey to the West March with a group of familiar (and not so familiar) Barrani. There's also the case of people who have gone missing from the fiefs, and somehow it all mixes in with the trouble with the Exchequer. It's very Barrani heavy, which made me happy, and you find out a lot more about Teela. You'll meet a few new cast members and the author fleshes out her world just that little bit more, which is what I think Sagara excels at the most. Also, Nightshade. But, unfortunately, he was kind of bland for me this time around, which just made me sad.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I didn't love it. It felt pretty top heavy and I just wasn't as interested this time around. 2-3 stars, rounding up to 3.