Rating: 5 out of 5
The next in my re-reading of the Shadows of the Apt, this really felt stronger to me than some of the previous ones. I had a fair idea of what would happen here, but the emotions of the characters came through much stronger than I would think that they did the last time round. Of course, maybe my memory is playing tricks, but it’s a funny thing to constrain myself to write a review both before starting the next book in the series as well as before reading my old review (provided one exists).
So, character-by-character… On the Wasp side, we have General Tynan who comes across much better than I would have expected him to, all things considered. Thalric is clearly a favourite as well, though what perplexes me is his final introduction towards the epilogue. I don’t think it’s explained quite clearly enough, though there’s a foreshadowing of this a few chapters beforehand—which didn’t stay with me while I read the book, but it came back now I’m writing this summary. Seda and Alvdan are the two others, but they don’t really stand out in any particular way. Tynan’s short remarks to the very tail end of the Siege of Collegium make him overall much more likable than the long chapters we get covering either of the two from the imperial family.
On the non-Wasp side… Stenwold Maker, he kind of flaps here and there throughout the book without much to commend him either way. Tynisa Maker, not really a fan of the run away after a maddened father, but she’s also clearly a much more minor character in this title than in the previous ones. Cheerwell Maker, now she’s clearly the chief hero of the book, finding herself in constant struggles that she somehow overcomes. Cheerwell’s path through all of the adventures that come before her is really the one that I would like to think the author wants the reader to pick up on. Just like Frodo, she’s not a hero of some kind, but just a regular chap who does what’s needed of her. That’s the sort of a protagonist that I like to read about.
All in all, I really enjoyed it! Let’s keep on going…
