koalathebear's review against another edition
4.0
Like "The Singer of All Songs", the novel "The Waterless Sea" is set on Tremaris. Calwyn, a young priestess with a magical ability to sing ice into being has come a long way from home.
At the start of the novel, for reasons we learn about later, Darrow has gone his own way and is no longer with the group. Stopping the evil Prince Samis has clearly affected Darrow in ways that no one could have foreseen.
Now the group is comprised of Calwyn, Mica the wind worker, the Halasaa the healer and a fisherman named Tonno. While attacking pirate ships to free enslaved windworkers, they encounter a young exiled desert clansman who seeks their assistance to rescue two children who are his his adoptive siblings. Apparently they have been kidnapped by sorcerers.
Thus for book 2, Calwyn and her group must journey into Merithuros and into a land that is dying - desertification destroying the land as a result of the excesses of the people.
I thought this book was rather better than the first. Certainly very suspenseful and the dialogue flowed much more easily in this novel. I found myself growing to like Calwyn more in this novel but Darrow I fear just comes across as enigmatic and moody! I realise that he's had a traumatic life but does he really have to be so morose? :)
Constable doesn't appear to hold any of her characters sacred so it's entirely possible that one of them will die in the final book. I am hoping that they won't because I've grown very fond of Calwyn, Trout, Mika, Halasaa and even Tonno. I've started book 3 and am looking forward to what lies ahead ...
At the start of the novel, for reasons we learn about later, Darrow has gone his own way and is no longer with the group. Stopping the evil Prince Samis has clearly affected Darrow in ways that no one could have foreseen.
Now the group is comprised of Calwyn, Mica the wind worker, the Halasaa the healer and a fisherman named Tonno. While attacking pirate ships to free enslaved windworkers, they encounter a young exiled desert clansman who seeks their assistance to rescue two children who are his his adoptive siblings. Apparently they have been kidnapped by sorcerers.
Thus for book 2, Calwyn and her group must journey into Merithuros and into a land that is dying - desertification destroying the land as a result of the excesses of the people.
I thought this book was rather better than the first. Certainly very suspenseful and the dialogue flowed much more easily in this novel. I found myself growing to like Calwyn more in this novel but Darrow I fear just comes across as enigmatic and moody! I realise that he's had a traumatic life but does he really have to be so morose? :)
Constable doesn't appear to hold any of her characters sacred so it's entirely possible that one of them will die in the final book. I am hoping that they won't because I've grown very fond of Calwyn, Trout, Mika, Halasaa and even Tonno. I've started book 3 and am looking forward to what lies ahead ...
onewinternight's review against another edition
4.0
Much better than the first one-the stakes seemed much higher. I forgot I was reading it for research, and really enjoyed it.
a_verthandi's review against another edition
4.0
This was the day I couldn't really do much except read anyway, so can you blame me? No.
Anyway, this one is possibly the strongest of the three books, though I have to say I like all of them. Maybe it's because Darrow mostly isn't around — when he shows up, the book immediately becomes less interesting, though I also found his flashback/backstory chapters good.
Anyway, this one is possibly the strongest of the three books, though I have to say I like all of them. Maybe it's because Darrow mostly isn't around — when he shows up, the book immediately becomes less interesting, though I also found his flashback/backstory chapters good.
lisimerk's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this 1 you have to read the first to get any of this but Calwyn And the rest travel to the desert with Heben in the end Calwyn loses her powers and Darrow Becomes lord of the black palace
mollywollydoodleallday's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent read. I love that Calwyn is discovering her powers, but her reactions to them are still human, and she still possesses human character flaws and personality traits. I’m always here for a well-written, badass female lead!
lectriza's review against another edition
4.0
A solid sequel that's definitely worthy of the first installment. In fact, I maybe even liked it slightly better than The Singer of All Songs.
Now I'm itching to read the third one, but-- alas, it's not at my local library. Curses! This shall be an exercise in patience while I wait for the interlibrary loan to come through.
Okay but it needs to be said that the cover is terrible. The heck is with that hand. This is a sterling example of why one must not judge a book by its cover. Because sometimes cover artists just... fail. Epically.
Now I'm itching to read the third one, but-- alas, it's not at my local library. Curses! This shall be an exercise in patience while I wait for the interlibrary loan to come through.
Okay but it needs to be said that the cover is terrible. The heck is with that hand. This is a sterling example of why one must not judge a book by its cover. Because sometimes cover artists just... fail. Epically.
unicorn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
hoperu's review against another edition
3.0
The story is OK - not as interesting yet as the first book in the series. The reader is OK, but a bit too given to strange accents for a couple of the characters.
aotora's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like this one as much as I liked this one.
The main group is sent on another journey, this time we meet a few new characters.
I really, really liked Keela- until it turned out that she is a generic villain and a step sister to Samis- with Samis we had some mystery, with her we know from the beginning that she is not a good person. She also starts a plan, she fails miserably then just runs away- the climax wasn't as good as the first book.
And as much as I enjoyed the journey in the first book, where they journey through the world and we meet other chanters and new characters, this book's journey takes place in dessert, and it just got boring super fast.
I did like Darrow's backstory though, it was interesting, intriguing and I couldn't wait to read more about him between chapters.
The main group is sent on another journey, this time we meet a few new characters.
I really, really liked Keela- until it turned out that she is a generic villain and a step sister to Samis- with Samis we had some mystery, with her we know from the beginning that she is not a good person. She also starts a plan, she fails miserably then just runs away- the climax wasn't as good as the first book.
And as much as I enjoyed the journey in the first book, where they journey through the world and we meet other chanters and new characters, this book's journey takes place in dessert, and it just got boring super fast.
I did like Darrow's backstory though, it was interesting, intriguing and I couldn't wait to read more about him between chapters.
aotora's review against another edition
2.0
I still liked this book, just not as much as the first one. We get to see more of the world in this one. The main group goes on another quest, this time they are going to save the children trapped in the palace where Darrow used to be trapped. I don't mind the new characters, I loved Keela in particular, she comes off as an oblivious person that doesn't really care about anybody else whilst in reality she is actually scheeming, I didn't like that she was half sister to Samis and she starts with a big bad plan ... and just fails miserably right away then is let go because she runs away. I also didn't like the fact that the majority of this book is set in desert, and whilst the first one's journey was fun to read about