Collections
Publication
Zebra (2010), Edition: 1, Paperback, 370 pages
Description
To most people, the realm of magic is the stuff of nursery rhymes and dusty libraries. But for Capt. Gabriel Huntley, it's become quite real and quite dangerous. . . In Hot Pursuit. . . The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond--where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn't be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress--just what he needs. In Hotter Water. . . Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley's assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn't easy to deceive. . . "Zoe weaves a delightful spell. . .cleverly blending history and magic in new, delightful ways. . ." --Elizabeth Vaughan, "USA Today" bestselling author "An innovative and exciting romantic adventure with just the right touch of the paranormal. . ." --Jennifer Ashley, "USA Today" bestselling author "Crackles with adventure, a rich sense of place, and terrific characterization." --Mary Jo Putney… (more)
Language
Original language
English
User reviews
LibraryThing member thewalkinggirl
I think if this had been advertised as historical romance instead of PNR, I wouldn't be sitting here wishing vainly for my $8 back. (Oh, and for those looking for steampunk romance, I'd highly recommend looking elsewhere unless all you're interested in are the occasional gadgets.)
The opening is
The heroine is described as being spunky, intelligent and strong-willed, but she's... I don't know. She meets the hero and there are sparks, longing glances, etc., which is fine. She finds out he's an ex-army captain (and is it me or were the descriptions of his military service kind of weird?) and pronounces him a hero for the work he did helping England colonize India. (Ok, fine, I'm not pro-colonialism myself, but I can understand why a character of her background and in her time would be.) But then, enter the villain... whose villainy is that he wants to colonize the world in the name of England. Um, what?
There's also the part where the hero, the heroine, and her Mongol servant enter a Mongol community seeking shelter. They have to pretend that the hero and heroine are related so as to avoid offending their Mongol hosts about their unmarried status; an unrelated man and woman traveling alone is not ok. But, it's not a man and woman traveling together. It's two men and a women traveling together. Apparently the Mongol servant doesn't count as a man for some reason.
What finally made me put this down in defeat is when the hero and heroine make love. She's all angsty about sharing her heart with another man, but decides that she can trust him and... I'm sorry. She's been in a dither for over 100 pages about the risk to her heart, but has not a single qualm about the chance of getting pregnant? That's not an intelligent, spunky heroine. That's a moron.
These were just some of the things that made me put the book down in disgust. I tried reading this for a week, but every time I'd get 20 pages I'd find another thing like this. I'm only halfway done at this point, but I have so many other books to read that I'm quite positive are much better than I'm giving up and getting rid of it. I can't get my $8 back, but at least I'm not wasting any more of my time.
The opening is
Show More
strong--fun, adventurous, imaginative. The descriptions of Mongolia are well done, they seem well researched and visually striking. The storyline is pretty standard cross-country adventure to stop the villains and save the world, which I'm totally ok with. The characters are where it all fell apart for me.The heroine is described as being spunky, intelligent and strong-willed, but she's... I don't know. She meets the hero and there are sparks, longing glances, etc., which is fine. She finds out he's an ex-army captain (and is it me or were the descriptions of his military service kind of weird?) and pronounces him a hero for the work he did helping England colonize India. (Ok, fine, I'm not pro-colonialism myself, but I can understand why a character of her background and in her time would be.) But then, enter the villain... whose villainy is that he wants to colonize the world in the name of England. Um, what?
There's also the part where the hero, the heroine, and her Mongol servant enter a Mongol community seeking shelter. They have to pretend that the hero and heroine are related so as to avoid offending their Mongol hosts about their unmarried status; an unrelated man and woman traveling alone is not ok. But, it's not a man and woman traveling together. It's two men and a women traveling together. Apparently the Mongol servant doesn't count as a man for some reason.
What finally made me put this down in defeat is when the hero and heroine make love. She's all angsty about sharing her heart with another man, but decides that she can trust him and... I'm sorry. She's been in a dither for over 100 pages about the risk to her heart, but has not a single qualm about the chance of getting pregnant? That's not an intelligent, spunky heroine. That's a moron.
These were just some of the things that made me put the book down in disgust. I tried reading this for a week, but every time I'd get 20 pages I'd find another thing like this. I'm only halfway done at this point, but I have so many other books to read that I'm quite positive are much better than I'm giving up and getting rid of it. I can't get my $8 back, but at least I'm not wasting any more of my time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member allthesedarnbooks
First book in Archer's Blades of the Rose series. Exciting if a little over the top at some points. Also totally completely implausible, but if you're looking for accurate historical fiction, you're probably not reading this one anyway. Some of the sex scenes are pretty ridiculous, but the
Show More
chemistry between the two leads is great and the heroine kicks some major butt. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ridley_
I don't dislike the book, really, but it reminds me of why I don't read PNR. The romance or the paranormal story or both gets shortchanged. In this case, it's both.
Well, this has sat on my currently-reading shelf for a year now, and I still can't be bothered to pick it back up. I think it's safe to
Well, this has sat on my currently-reading shelf for a year now, and I still can't be bothered to pick it back up. I think it's safe to
Show More
toss it on the DNF shelf. Show Less
LibraryThing member rcstewa
3.5 Stars.
Gabriel Huntley is a former soldier who finds himself on a supernatural quest in the company of an unconventional beauty - Thalia Burgess.
This book wasn't without it's problems. I felt like Gabriel and Thalia fell in love simply because he is a guy and she is a girl and this is a romance.
The final battle was also anti-climactic. It takes about five pages, and then it's over. And, after Thalia has fought and proved herself to become a Blade, Gabriel has to join too, to "protect her". It came off as a little patronizing.
However, the plot was clever and it kept me engaged the whole time. Archer avoided a lot of the pitfalls of historical/paranormal romances such as cheesy dialogue. Not once did I laugh, except when I was supposed to.
Gabriel Huntley is a former soldier who finds himself on a supernatural quest in the company of an unconventional beauty - Thalia Burgess.
This book wasn't without it's problems. I felt like Gabriel and Thalia fell in love simply because he is a guy and she is a girl and this is a romance.
Show More
There was no real conflict in their relationship, except that they didn't want to sleep together for some undefined reason.The final battle was also anti-climactic. It takes about five pages, and then it's over. And, after Thalia has fought and proved herself to become a Blade, Gabriel has to join too, to "protect her". It came off as a little patronizing.
However, the plot was clever and it kept me engaged the whole time. Archer avoided a lot of the pitfalls of historical/paranormal romances such as cheesy dialogue. Not once did I laugh, except when I was supposed to.
Show Less
LibraryThing member fairypenguin
Oh, how I love adventure stories. Exotic settings, perilous journeys, treasures to be hunted, and of course fantastic romance. As adventure stories go, I found this one highly entertaining, delivering everything I want in this sort of book.
Gabriel, having just retired from life as a soldier, is
I was very impressed by this book. The plot is entertaining, the pacing is fairly smooth, and the settings and tone build suspense and intrigue. The characters are very likeable and three-dimensional. Thalia is motivated by a lifelong desire to be part of the Blades of the Rose. She's reasonably tough and competent. Gabriel is courageous and steadfast, the perfect soldier. I enjoyed the development of their relationship through all the trials of their quest.
My only real criticisms are minor. The development of the characters is slightly clumsy. I felt like the mythology could have been explored in more depth or explained more.
All told I felt this was an excellent book. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
Gabriel, having just retired from life as a soldier, is
Show More
returning to England for a life of peace. But his plans for an ordinary life are quickly interrupted when a dieing man asks him to take a message to a friend in Mongolia named Frank Burgess. Burgess is a member of a secret society known as The Blades of the Rose. Once in Mongolia he meets Frank's daughter, Thalia Burgess. Together they embark on a journey to recover a magic artifact and protect it from the Heirs, a group of elitist men intent on stealing magic for their own selfish ends.I was very impressed by this book. The plot is entertaining, the pacing is fairly smooth, and the settings and tone build suspense and intrigue. The characters are very likeable and three-dimensional. Thalia is motivated by a lifelong desire to be part of the Blades of the Rose. She's reasonably tough and competent. Gabriel is courageous and steadfast, the perfect soldier. I enjoyed the development of their relationship through all the trials of their quest.
My only real criticisms are minor. The development of the characters is slightly clumsy. I felt like the mythology could have been explored in more depth or explained more.
All told I felt this was an excellent book. Highly recommended. 5 stars.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ZosiaCanberra
I'm going to join the ranks of the reviewers who've said, "This should have been a five star read for me, but it wasn't."
Indiana Jones went back in time with videos of The Lord of the Rings and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and then used them as inspiration for a collaboration with the cast of a
It's a great idea, and turned out to be pretty good.
One huge issue I had was that some major idealistic modern ideas were projected onto all of the characters. It's the nineteenth century and yet the heroine was welcomed into secret men's business with open arms. There was no conflict whatsoever between different cultures and races. I had about a thousand times more culture shock moving between England and Australia in the present day than the English hero had being dumped in the middle of the Gobi Desert in the 1800s!
Even so, this is an excellently-researched, intelligently-written, original and largely entertaining read. It has all the ingredients of a fantastic book, and at the beginning I was really into it. I thought, Hallelujah! for once I'm going to agree with the masses.
But then about halfway through I started to lose interest.The first half is almost entirely taken up with nothing more than `Gabriel and Thalia gaze longingly at each other, then the trio ride their horses somewhere. Gabriel and Thalia gaze longingly at each other, then the trio ride their horses somewhere. Gabriel and Thalia gaze longingly at each other, then the trio ride their horses somewhere.' You get the picture.
In fact, I put Warrior aside for a while and moved on to other things. I picked it up again a week or two later and tried again, and yes, I finished it, but the spark was gone.
When I returned, it was as though I'd picked up a different book. More was happening (which was great!), but after the chaste first half, Gabriel and Thalia were going at it like rabbits - with apparently no concern whatsoever about pregnancy. That was one of my biggest problems.
We're in Mongolia, for quite the change, where the virtues of the culture are extolled endlessly throughout the narrative. Stuffy old nymphomaniac Queen Victoria is on the throne, doing her world domination thing. Gabriel Huntley is a working-man's Englishman, fresh out of the military and with no idea what to do with the rest of his life. When he cannot stop the murder of a man in a British alleyway, he takes up the quest to deliver the guy's message to some bloke on the other side of the world. When he gets there he discovers the bloke has a broken leg, so it's up to the man's daughter, Thalia Burgess, local, Batu, and Gabriel to go on a magical quest across the countryside to find a magical artefact of some sort or something.
Admittedly, I've never been one to be overly impressed by gadgets, and so all the `cool stuff' we come across didn't get me too excited. But that's my fault, not the author's.
Gabriel was a brilliant character with a unique personality and way of speaking. He put a smile on my face a number of times. He was definitely too perfect (I mean, come on, he's the newcomer and yet he's the only one who seems to be able to win tournaments and rescue others in this new environment?!).
But yay for another blonde hero! As much as I love Mister 6'3" Black-haired, Blue-eyed, Ten years in the Special Forces, variety is the spice of life. If you write me an original hero, I'm going to love you for it.
My problem was with Thalia, who fell flat. Yes, she ticked all the boxes for an interesting heroine, but she didn't have a personality to go with all those dot points for originality. Other than the fact pickings were slim in the plains of Mongolia, I could not comprehend what Gabriel saw in her.
I became so tired of hearing about how much better Thalia was because she wasn't a normal woman of the day (as though being one was worse than poking a stick at the baby Jesus!). It wasn't at all realistic that all the men would have worshipped her for refusing to conform to gender roles of the time. I know it's a nice fantasy, but it's a jarringly incorrect one. It was the nineteenth century, no matter how you look at it.
Thalia's attitudes towards sex, and her willingness to have it without a single thought of pregnancy or reputation didn't sit right for the times. The English females Gabriel was running from - whose lives featured "embroidery and babies" - wouldn't have really been any different to those in this new land. I highly doubt Mongolian women a couple of hundred years ago were on the Pill and giving up the endless pregnancies and the cooking to enter the corporate workforce! I'd have preferred a strong heroine who lived somewhat within the realms of believability for her time, and quotes such as this one:
"Her father had never expected her to fill the traditional female role"
didn't ring true.
The dialogue was sometimes very appropriately British, and sometimes not at all. The past participle of "spit" is "spat". They should have "written to each other", not "written each other". The word "holiday" should have been used. And "gotten" made far too many appearances.
Small complaints, yes, but as I thought the author otherwise did a wonderful job of giving Gabriel in particular a distinctly British personality, they jumped out at me even more than they otherwise would have.
I did appreciate the fact that while the characters were English, the time period and location were different to standard historical fare (historical romance writers would have you believe the only two places that existed before 1880 were southern England and northern Scotland). That, and I loved that the story was a case of the everyman from England up against the great and mighty British Empire.
So, good, but not great. Warrior showed a lot of potential, but didn't quite have that spark I need to love a book. I'm moving onto the next one, and have high hopes for a story set in the Greek Islands. I will see how I go.
Indiana Jones went back in time with videos of The Lord of the Rings and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and then used them as inspiration for a collaboration with the cast of a
Show More
Gilbert and Sullivan show. It's a great idea, and turned out to be pretty good.
One huge issue I had was that some major idealistic modern ideas were projected onto all of the characters. It's the nineteenth century and yet the heroine was welcomed into secret men's business with open arms. There was no conflict whatsoever between different cultures and races. I had about a thousand times more culture shock moving between England and Australia in the present day than the English hero had being dumped in the middle of the Gobi Desert in the 1800s!
Even so, this is an excellently-researched, intelligently-written, original and largely entertaining read. It has all the ingredients of a fantastic book, and at the beginning I was really into it. I thought, Hallelujah! for once I'm going to agree with the masses.
But then about halfway through I started to lose interest.The first half is almost entirely taken up with nothing more than `Gabriel and Thalia gaze longingly at each other, then the trio ride their horses somewhere. Gabriel and Thalia gaze longingly at each other, then the trio ride their horses somewhere. Gabriel and Thalia gaze longingly at each other, then the trio ride their horses somewhere.' You get the picture.
In fact, I put Warrior aside for a while and moved on to other things. I picked it up again a week or two later and tried again, and yes, I finished it, but the spark was gone.
When I returned, it was as though I'd picked up a different book. More was happening (which was great!), but after the chaste first half, Gabriel and Thalia were going at it like rabbits - with apparently no concern whatsoever about pregnancy. That was one of my biggest problems.
We're in Mongolia, for quite the change, where the virtues of the culture are extolled endlessly throughout the narrative. Stuffy old nymphomaniac Queen Victoria is on the throne, doing her world domination thing. Gabriel Huntley is a working-man's Englishman, fresh out of the military and with no idea what to do with the rest of his life. When he cannot stop the murder of a man in a British alleyway, he takes up the quest to deliver the guy's message to some bloke on the other side of the world. When he gets there he discovers the bloke has a broken leg, so it's up to the man's daughter, Thalia Burgess, local, Batu, and Gabriel to go on a magical quest across the countryside to find a magical artefact of some sort or something.
Admittedly, I've never been one to be overly impressed by gadgets, and so all the `cool stuff' we come across didn't get me too excited. But that's my fault, not the author's.
Gabriel was a brilliant character with a unique personality and way of speaking. He put a smile on my face a number of times. He was definitely too perfect (I mean, come on, he's the newcomer and yet he's the only one who seems to be able to win tournaments and rescue others in this new environment?!).
But yay for another blonde hero! As much as I love Mister 6'3" Black-haired, Blue-eyed, Ten years in the Special Forces, variety is the spice of life. If you write me an original hero, I'm going to love you for it.
My problem was with Thalia, who fell flat. Yes, she ticked all the boxes for an interesting heroine, but she didn't have a personality to go with all those dot points for originality. Other than the fact pickings were slim in the plains of Mongolia, I could not comprehend what Gabriel saw in her.
I became so tired of hearing about how much better Thalia was because she wasn't a normal woman of the day (as though being one was worse than poking a stick at the baby Jesus!). It wasn't at all realistic that all the men would have worshipped her for refusing to conform to gender roles of the time. I know it's a nice fantasy, but it's a jarringly incorrect one. It was the nineteenth century, no matter how you look at it.
Thalia's attitudes towards sex, and her willingness to have it without a single thought of pregnancy or reputation didn't sit right for the times. The English females Gabriel was running from - whose lives featured "embroidery and babies" - wouldn't have really been any different to those in this new land. I highly doubt Mongolian women a couple of hundred years ago were on the Pill and giving up the endless pregnancies and the cooking to enter the corporate workforce! I'd have preferred a strong heroine who lived somewhat within the realms of believability for her time, and quotes such as this one:
"Her father had never expected her to fill the traditional female role"
didn't ring true.
The dialogue was sometimes very appropriately British, and sometimes not at all. The past participle of "spit" is "spat". They should have "written to each other", not "written each other". The word "holiday" should have been used. And "gotten" made far too many appearances.
Small complaints, yes, but as I thought the author otherwise did a wonderful job of giving Gabriel in particular a distinctly British personality, they jumped out at me even more than they otherwise would have.
I did appreciate the fact that while the characters were English, the time period and location were different to standard historical fare (historical romance writers would have you believe the only two places that existed before 1880 were southern England and northern Scotland). That, and I loved that the story was a case of the everyman from England up against the great and mighty British Empire.
So, good, but not great. Warrior showed a lot of potential, but didn't quite have that spark I need to love a book. I'm moving onto the next one, and have high hopes for a story set in the Greek Islands. I will see how I go.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Capnrandm
A promising start to the series, though Thalia and Gabriel were a bit over-shadowed by the establishment of this world and mythology. Still, if WARRIOR were a pilot episode I'd definitely tune in for more. Eager to see which of the wonderful Blades or damsels in distress introduced in book one will
Show More
be the subject of book two. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mikaela_l
I purchased this book when it was released, and I started reading it but for a number of reasons I never finished it. Until now. And oh my. This is the perfect mix of adventure, magic and love.
This story begins in Southampton, but most of the action takes place on the Mongolian steppes and in
But an solid worldbuilding and a good plot isn't enough for me. Nope. I have to love the characters as well. Which I did. Gabriel is an ex-soldier, but he has a sense of honor that makes him stick by Thalia's side. And Thalia.. Raised in Mongolia, she is hardy, and used to travel. I must admit that she is the perfect woman for Gabriel.
Even if they feel an instant attraction, they fight it for a long time. I loved that, since it felt like a realistic reaction, since Victorians would have considered it unseemly if they had made love too soon. When they give in? Sizzling. That is all I am saying.
Despite all the good things about it, it sometimes that potential enemies turned out to be allies a bit too easily. Still, I was able to brush it away and focus on the story.
This story begins in Southampton, but most of the action takes place on the Mongolian steppes and in
Show More
China. At times, it felt like I could feel the wind blowing in my hair, as I read about their adventure. The setting felt realistic, from the ride through the steppes through the time they spent with the Mongolian tribe. The journey through Mongolia felt realistic, from the fact that Thalia steered away from the settlements. I liked at the clues to the next part wasn't easy, nor obvious, and that they had to figure it out on they own. And let me tell you, there were unexpected twists.But an solid worldbuilding and a good plot isn't enough for me. Nope. I have to love the characters as well. Which I did. Gabriel is an ex-soldier, but he has a sense of honor that makes him stick by Thalia's side. And Thalia.. Raised in Mongolia, she is hardy, and used to travel. I must admit that she is the perfect woman for Gabriel.
Even if they feel an instant attraction, they fight it for a long time. I loved that, since it felt like a realistic reaction, since Victorians would have considered it unseemly if they had made love too soon. When they give in? Sizzling. That is all I am saying.
Despite all the good things about it, it sometimes that potential enemies turned out to be allies a bit too easily. Still, I was able to brush it away and focus on the story.
Show Less
LibraryThing member susanbeamon
This is the first in a series called "The Blades of the Rose", so it has magic as a real thing. Set in the steppes of Mongolia, it is very good at using that setting to give us a grand quest adventure. The author included a very spicy romance that I enjoyed in addition to the action. This is a good
Show More
read for a snowy afternoon. Show Less
LibraryThing member Janicemo
good story, strong characters
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Warrior
4 Stars
Synopsis:
After witnessing a vicious attack, Captain Gabriel Huntley sets out on a quest to fulfill a dying man’s final request. Gabriel soon finds himself drawn into a world of secret societies, danger, magic and intrigue as well as to Thalia Burgess, a woman on a mission of her own
Review:
This is my first book in the Steampunk genre and although the beginning is a little slow, it picks up pace 1/3 of the way in and after that it is action packed.
While not exactly original (it reminds me of the Indiana Jones movies), the story is intriguing and well-written (some of the sections about the various gadgets could have been condensed) with enough twists and turns to keep you interested.
The historical and geographical settings are one of the highlights of the book. The descriptions of Mongolian life and culture are well researched, vivid and inspiring. Some readers may be put off by the paternalistic and colonial attitudes toward the local people but when taken in context, this is understandable considering the time period.
In addition, I am a sucker for secret societies and this book as two – the Blades of the Rose, who wish to locate powerful sources of energy to keep them out of the hands of the second society, the malicious Heirs of Albion, who want to use the artifacts to gain control of the world.
Thalia and Gabriel are a great couple with an intense chemistry. Each has just the right amount of strength and vulnerability. Gabriel is courageous and honorable, and his awkwardness makes him completely endearing, and Thalia is an intelligent, independent and feisty heroine. The buildup of their attraction and the growing tension between them are particularly captivating.
In terms of the secondary characters, most are well developed and contribute both to the overall storyline and to the world Archer is building. However, some are presented superficially perhaps because they will appear in later installments of the series and the author merely seeks to whet the reader’s appetite.
In sum, this is an entertaining mix of action, adventure and romance. I will definitely be continuing with the series.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
After witnessing a vicious attack, Captain Gabriel Huntley sets out on a quest to fulfill a dying man’s final request. Gabriel soon finds himself drawn into a world of secret societies, danger, magic and intrigue as well as to Thalia Burgess, a woman on a mission of her own
Show More
to recover a priceless artifact that, in the wrong hands, can be used as a most destructive weapon.Review:
This is my first book in the Steampunk genre and although the beginning is a little slow, it picks up pace 1/3 of the way in and after that it is action packed.
While not exactly original (it reminds me of the Indiana Jones movies), the story is intriguing and well-written (some of the sections about the various gadgets could have been condensed) with enough twists and turns to keep you interested.
The historical and geographical settings are one of the highlights of the book. The descriptions of Mongolian life and culture are well researched, vivid and inspiring. Some readers may be put off by the paternalistic and colonial attitudes toward the local people but when taken in context, this is understandable considering the time period.
In addition, I am a sucker for secret societies and this book as two – the Blades of the Rose, who wish to locate powerful sources of energy to keep them out of the hands of the second society, the malicious Heirs of Albion, who want to use the artifacts to gain control of the world.
Thalia and Gabriel are a great couple with an intense chemistry. Each has just the right amount of strength and vulnerability. Gabriel is courageous and honorable, and his awkwardness makes him completely endearing, and Thalia is an intelligent, independent and feisty heroine. The buildup of their attraction and the growing tension between them are particularly captivating.
In terms of the secondary characters, most are well developed and contribute both to the overall storyline and to the world Archer is building. However, some are presented superficially perhaps because they will appear in later installments of the series and the author merely seeks to whet the reader’s appetite.
In sum, this is an entertaining mix of action, adventure and romance. I will definitely be continuing with the series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MontzaleeW
An adult fantasy adventure novel that is non-stop
Warrior is an adult novel with magic, action, romance, and imaginative fun. The plot is good and fast paced. The characters are well developed. Lots of action as our two heroes seek out the Source while being hunted by bad guys. Great book.
Warrior is an adult novel with magic, action, romance, and imaginative fun. The plot is good and fast paced. The characters are well developed. Lots of action as our two heroes seek out the Source while being hunted by bad guys. Great book.
LibraryThing member being_b
Ugh. In brief, a whole lot of "White Man's Burden," and the narrative keeps helping the main characters avoid any hard decisions through convenient coincidences. Notes from reading:
1. Oh look, our white hero rides and wrestles better than the native Mongols, even though he's never been to Mongolia
2. The Blades protect magical Sources from being stolen and misused for the expansion of the Empire-- unless taking the Source back would mean the death of British soldiers, says Thalia. Record scratch, what? So they protect the Sources unless the Sources are actually helping England, then they don't?
3. Our British soldier hero, who has been to many continents in the service (and I assume this is not just to make friends) is totally not racist or Imperialistic at all. I guess he's just boyishly into the challenge of shooting locals, it's not personal?
4. Two examples of how the narrative helps the hero and heroine avoid hard choices: At one point during the climactic battle, Thalia sees the hero (Graham? Gregory? Goyle? Let's call him G) in danger and wants to go to him. She is currently acting as a sniper and a vital part of the group's protection. But just as she is faced with the dilemma, part of the ceiling of the hall falls in, trapping her in the room. And second, the Mongol tribe that has been carrying the Magical Macguffin agrees to give it up to our hero and heroine, even though the MM is the cause of the year-long presence of red flowers that they use to feed their livestock. This is pretty implausible (sure, white people we just met, have our livelihood because you say it needs protecting, we'll just... feed our cattle some other way in the winter?). At the end of the book, we learn that because the MM was with the tribe for hundreds of years, its magic has suffused them and the red flowers continue to follow them anyway. Easy peasy lemon-squeezy.
Also the heroine has a bad case of "not like other girls"-itis, as in: She loves adventure, not like other girls who just want to embroider pillows. The other girls who like to embroider pillows get mentioned a lot.
Just basically lazy writing. I have the other three books in the series but will not be reading them.
Show More
before. He's also so super hot that even the Mongol women stop to ogle him-- as though their men don't have muscles, and they wouldn't find him kind of weird-looking?2. The Blades protect magical Sources from being stolen and misused for the expansion of the Empire-- unless taking the Source back would mean the death of British soldiers, says Thalia. Record scratch, what? So they protect the Sources unless the Sources are actually helping England, then they don't?
3. Our British soldier hero, who has been to many continents in the service (and I assume this is not just to make friends) is totally not racist or Imperialistic at all. I guess he's just boyishly into the challenge of shooting locals, it's not personal?
4. Two examples of how the narrative helps the hero and heroine avoid hard choices: At one point during the climactic battle, Thalia sees the hero (Graham? Gregory? Goyle? Let's call him G) in danger and wants to go to him. She is currently acting as a sniper and a vital part of the group's protection. But just as she is faced with the dilemma, part of the ceiling of the hall falls in, trapping her in the room. And second, the Mongol tribe that has been carrying the Magical Macguffin agrees to give it up to our hero and heroine, even though the MM is the cause of the year-long presence of red flowers that they use to feed their livestock. This is pretty implausible (sure, white people we just met, have our livelihood because you say it needs protecting, we'll just... feed our cattle some other way in the winter?). At the end of the book, we learn that because the MM was with the tribe for hundreds of years, its magic has suffused them and the red flowers continue to follow them anyway. Easy peasy lemon-squeezy.
Also the heroine has a bad case of "not like other girls"-itis, as in: She loves adventure, not like other girls who just want to embroider pillows. The other girls who like to embroider pillows get mentioned a lot.
Just basically lazy writing. I have the other three books in the series but will not be reading them.
Show Less