4.5

I loved this! As usual, Amy Rae Durreson managed to create an expansive, complex fantasy world without smothering the reader with pages-long info-dumps. ( )

I loved it, but I really think it ended too soon. ( )

This story had an interesting concept and storyline. I'm not typically a fan of fantasy when there is so much information to process because of different sounding/looking names of places and people. It definitely took some time to put it all together, but the author did a good job at helping the reader understand what they were reading. There was a lot of backstory, too, which was nice. We don't just jump to a time to find out that Sjurd and Celyn don't like each other, she shows us examples of why they don't get along. The author did a great job at telling us a story about these two and i found myself rooting for them, even when I wanted to smack Sjurd upside the head for being an idiot. ( )

I ended up calling Sjurd Squirt Squid "Sword". I can't get past Sjurd *sigh*

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I want to read this book for a long long time. Or at least another 2-3 hundred pages :)

The story slowed down considerably towards the middle of the book, but it was never boring. It reminded me of Kirby Crow's "The Peddler and the White Wolf" - not rushed, not sprinkled with sex or murder in every chapter, yet still wonderful in almost each and every way.

A great enemies-to-lovers progression.

The Islands are incredibly beautiful, the universe is begging to be explored more carefully and much deeper, with added history of countries and the conflict.

I truly hope there is going to be more from ARD. Amazing work.

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Original picture, that prompted the story


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Wonderful - this is a fantastic story of war and battles, friendship and love. A perfect way to start the new year. ( )