Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller Clare delivers a dense but worthy sequel to The Sword Catcher. Conor Aurelian, the Prince of Castellane, and Kel, his Sword Catcher, a personal guard sworn to ensure no danger befalls the prince, navigate the aftermath of the Shining Gallery massacre, an attack that left many of the nobility dead, including Conor's intended bride, the young Princess of Sarthe. To make amends and pay back Castellane's debt to Sarthe, Conor now plans to betroth the beautiful Princess of Kutani. Meanwhile, Kel, on special orders from Legate Jolivet, the leader of the royal guard, goes undercover in the criminal court of the Ragpicker King to unmask the masterminds behind the massacre. Another story thread sees physician Lin Caster, Conor's secret true love, tested on her claim that she is the Goddess Returned, the one true god of the Ashkar people. Clare gracefully juggles many narrators and plotlines while expanding her detailed worldbuilding and keeping the pages turning with plenty of intrigue and action. Fans will be more than satisfied. Agent: Suzie Townsend and Joanne Volpe, New Leaf Literary. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Kel Saren adds more threads to his tangled web of secrets in this follow-up toSword Catcher (2023). Kel takes the protection of Prince Conor very seriously. As Sword Catcher, he's more than just a bodyguard; he's part spy, part body double, and part confidante for the man with whom he grew up. But as he investigates the possibility of a traitor in Conor's inner circle, Kel is forced to keep secrets for Conor's own good until he can be sure whom they can trust. Meanwhile, after the disastrous events of Conor's first engagement inSword Catcher, the prince has a newfound dedication to his role and tries to navigate an advantageous new match for himself, this time with the beautiful Princess Anjelika, who is more than she seems. Conor is keeping his own secrets, namely that he has enlisted Lin Caster to tend to his ailing father, King Markus, who's suffering from a strange ailment that means he must be kept hidden from his subjects lest they know their king has possibly gone mad. As Lin investigates the truth behind the king's malady, she and Conor struggle to deny their growing--and forbidden--romantic feelings for each other. The second novel in an epic fantasy series is notoriously hard to pull off, and the colorful world established inSword Catcher does dip into soap-opera territory here. But a little swooning in a fantasy adventure story never hurt anyone, and even at a hefty 500-plus pages, the story never drags for a moment. Lin's chapters remain a high point, with Clare drawing from her own Jewish heritage as the inspiration for many aspects of Lin's Ashkar community and faith. And luckily for readers, Clare turns every table she can find in the final pages. This series provides the perfect escape from reality. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
