The long-awaited sequel to The Blacksmith Queen! This book is in no way a standalone, so go read the first book or you may get confused. G.A. Aiken has the best dry wit commentary by characters and has the ability to elevate common dialogue to the hysterically funny level - you don't want to miss it!
The story (without spoilers): Two years have passed and this book is about Queen Keeley's sister Gemma. Gemma is a war monk with all the weird comedy inherent in that profession that we have come to expect from G.A Aiken/Shelley Laurenston. For example, Gemma constantly gets teased about her drinking problem (she doesn't drink) every time she does something out of character. My description doesn't make me want to giggle, but reading the book had me in tears from my copious laughter. Back to the story - Beatrix (one of Keeley's many, many sisters) is also a queen and is clearly up to something. Gemma is tasked with finding out what that something is, without killing Beatrix. There is also a brother of the king that Beatrix married who is going about the countryside doing evil things, which will have to be stopped somehow. Keeley manages to get a rag-tag group of warring magical leaders together in the hopes that all will be resolved. And there is a dragon in there somewhere.
The story (without spoilers): Two years have passed and this book is about Queen Keeley's sister Gemma. Gemma is a war monk with all the weird comedy inherent in that profession that we have come to expect from G.A Aiken/Shelley Laurenston. For example, Gemma constantly gets teased about her drinking problem (she doesn't drink) every time she does something out of character. My description doesn't make me want to giggle, but reading the book had me in tears from my copious laughter. Back to the story - Beatrix (one of Keeley's many, many sisters) is also a queen and is clearly up to something. Gemma is tasked with finding out what that something is, without killing Beatrix. There is also a brother of the king that Beatrix married who is going about the countryside doing evil things, which will have to be stopped somehow. Keeley manages to get a rag-tag group of warring magical leaders together in the hopes that all will be resolved. And there is a dragon in there somewhere.