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bibi_reads_writes's review
4.0
“Never shout when a firm voice will do. Never a firm voice when a whisper suffices. Never a whisper if a sigh says it all. And sometimes a glance is powerful enough to convey the true meaning.”
I received an ARC for a book and realized afterwards that it was the second installment in a series—whoops! And that the series was a prequel to another series, that I haven’t read. Unsure of the appropriate order in which to read Wheeler’s books, I was afraid I’d be confused or lost. Still, I downloaded this book and dived in. And what a pleasant surprise it was! I read both books in less than 5 days, and it made me want to read the whole Kingfountain series. And maybe all of Wheeler’s +40 books.
There’s magic, poisoned blades and rings, political intrigue, a benevolent dictator, princeling rivalry, betrayal, sword-fighting, friendship, and just a hint of romance.
In short, I strongly recommend!
Plot:
A lowborn young girl is taken from her home and brought to a powerful duke’s estate to become his eldest daughter’s companion, but also train as a spy and master poisoner. She is soon thrown into a world of civil unrest, political intrigue, betrayal, deception, and tangled loyalties where she becomes a key player.
This book is the first installment in a prequel series that provides a key character’s backstory. But it’s not a melting pot of background information and anecdotes (such as we often see in prequel novellas). It’s a full-fledged story that can be read as a standalone or as part of a series.
Characters:
I loved Ankarette, Sir Thomas, Eredur, and Elyse right from the start. I love how Ankarette is a strong FMC who doesn’t fit the mould of the “reckless, badass FMC who makes all the wrong choices but somehow always make it out alive due to external influences.” Despite being an assassin in the service of a king, she is a virtuous character who makes hard choices that fulfill her obligations without violating her principles. I loved seeing her seamlessly adapt to different situations and settings, switch from plan A to B to C, put (very politely and diplomatically) royals in their place, etc. As for the other characters, there were so, so, so many I suspected of being untrustworthy that I’m comfortable saying Wheeler nailed the political intrigue aspect.
Writing:
I was charmed by Wheeler’s simple, unpretentious, and familiar, but strongly compelling, writing style. He can have you hooked after a few sentences and completely immersed in the story after a few chapters. Characters and places a described briefly without revealing too much, leaving a lot of room for imagination and never disrupting the narrative flow. The world-building was *chef’s kiss*, complex without being overwhelming, familiar yet surprising.
Since I made absolutely no negative comments so far, perhaps you’re wondering why I’m not giving this book a 5-star rating? It’s simple, really. Although I love a good time jump, there are some parts I would have liked to read about, such as Ankarette’s time at Pisan and how she learned to be the skilled poisoner, spy, and assassin we love. I feel that knowing more about her time at the institution would have made her drastic skillset development more believable and the narrative flow more seamless. (Psssst I think Wheeler should write a novella about that period of Ankarette’s life.) Time jumps and a fast-paced style can be a double-edged sword: it makes for a compelling read, but it doesn’t allow you to become very attached to secondary characters. I love it when I’m so attached to the characters that I will be terrified when they are in danger and heartbroken when they die. That didn’t happen for me in this book, so I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. It’s really the only reason, because I otherwise LOVED it.
I received an ARC for a book and realized afterwards that it was the second installment in a series—whoops! And that the series was a prequel to another series, that I haven’t read. Unsure of the appropriate order in which to read Wheeler’s books, I was afraid I’d be confused or lost. Still, I downloaded this book and dived in. And what a pleasant surprise it was! I read both books in less than 5 days, and it made me want to read the whole Kingfountain series. And maybe all of Wheeler’s +40 books.
There’s magic, poisoned blades and rings, political intrigue, a benevolent dictator, princeling rivalry, betrayal, sword-fighting, friendship, and just a hint of romance.
In short, I strongly recommend!
Plot:
A lowborn young girl is taken from her home and brought to a powerful duke’s estate to become his eldest daughter’s companion, but also train as a spy and master poisoner. She is soon thrown into a world of civil unrest, political intrigue, betrayal, deception, and tangled loyalties where she becomes a key player.
This book is the first installment in a prequel series that provides a key character’s backstory. But it’s not a melting pot of background information and anecdotes (such as we often see in prequel novellas). It’s a full-fledged story that can be read as a standalone or as part of a series.
Characters:
I loved Ankarette, Sir Thomas, Eredur, and Elyse right from the start. I love how Ankarette is a strong FMC who doesn’t fit the mould of the “reckless, badass FMC who makes all the wrong choices but somehow always make it out alive due to external influences.” Despite being an assassin in the service of a king, she is a virtuous character who makes hard choices that fulfill her obligations without violating her principles. I loved seeing her seamlessly adapt to different situations and settings, switch from plan A to B to C, put (very politely and diplomatically) royals in their place, etc. As for the other characters, there were so, so, so many I suspected of being untrustworthy that I’m comfortable saying Wheeler nailed the political intrigue aspect.
Writing:
I was charmed by Wheeler’s simple, unpretentious, and familiar, but strongly compelling, writing style. He can have you hooked after a few sentences and completely immersed in the story after a few chapters. Characters and places a described briefly without revealing too much, leaving a lot of room for imagination and never disrupting the narrative flow. The world-building was *chef’s kiss*, complex without being overwhelming, familiar yet surprising.
Since I made absolutely no negative comments so far, perhaps you’re wondering why I’m not giving this book a 5-star rating? It’s simple, really. Although I love a good time jump, there are some parts I would have liked to read about, such as Ankarette’s time at Pisan and how she learned to be the skilled poisoner, spy, and assassin we love. I feel that knowing more about her time at the institution would have made her drastic skillset development more believable and the narrative flow more seamless. (Psssst I think Wheeler should write a novella about that period of Ankarette’s life.) Time jumps and a fast-paced style can be a double-edged sword: it makes for a compelling read, but it doesn’t allow you to become very attached to secondary characters. I love it when I’m so attached to the characters that I will be terrified when they are in danger and heartbroken when they die. That didn’t happen for me in this book, so I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. It’s really the only reason, because I otherwise LOVED it.
bibi_reads_writes's review against another edition
4.0
“Never shout when a firm voice will do. Never a firm voice when a whisper suffices. Never a whisper if a sigh says it all. And sometimes a glance is powerful enough to convey the true meaning.”
I received an ARC for a book and realized afterwards that it was the second installment in a series—whoops! And that the series was a prequel to another series, that I haven’t read. Unsure of the appropriate order in which to read Wheeler’s books, I was afraid I’d be confused or lost. Still, I downloaded this book and dived in. And what a pleasant surprise it was! I read both books in less than 5 days, and it made me want to read the whole Kingfountain series. And maybe all of Wheeler’s +40 books.
There’s magic, poisoned blades and rings, political intrigue, a benevolent dictator, princeling rivalry, betrayal, sword-fighting, friendship, and just a hint of romance.
In short, I strongly recommend!
Plot:
A lowborn young girl is taken from her home and brought to a powerful duke’s estate to become his eldest daughter’s companion, but also train as a spy and master poisoner. She is soon thrown into a world of civil unrest, political intrigue, betrayal, deception, and tangled loyalties where she becomes a key player.
This book is the first installment in a prequel series that provides a key character’s backstory. But it’s not a melting pot of background information and anecdotes (such as we often see in prequel novellas). It’s a full-fledged story that can be read as a standalone or as part of a series.
Characters:
I loved Ankarette, Sir Thomas, Eredur, and Elyse right from the start. I love how Ankarette is a strong FMC who doesn’t fit the mould of the “reckless, badass FMC who makes all the wrong choices but somehow always make it out alive due to external influences.” Despite being an assassin in the service of a king, she is a virtuous character who makes hard choices that fulfill her obligations without violating her principles. I loved seeing her seamlessly adapt to different situations and settings, switch from plan A to B to C, put (very politely and diplomatically) royals in their place, etc. As for the other characters, there were so, so, so many I suspected of being untrustworthy that I’m comfortable saying Wheeler nailed the political intrigue aspect.
Writing:
I was charmed by Wheeler’s simple, unpretentious, and familiar, but strongly compelling, writing style. He can have you hooked after a few sentences and completely immersed in the story after a few chapters. Characters and places a described briefly without revealing too much, leaving a lot of room for imagination and never disrupting the narrative flow. The world-building was *chef’s kiss*, complex without being overwhelming, familiar yet surprising.
Since I made absolutely no negative comments so far, perhaps you’re wondering why I’m not giving this book a 5-star rating? It’s simple, really. Although I love a good time jump, there are some parts I would have liked to read about, such as Ankarette’s time at Pisan and how she learned to be the skilled poisoner, spy, and assassin we love. I feel that knowing more about her time at the institution would have made her drastic skillset development more believable and the narrative flow more seamless. (Psssst I think Wheeler should write a novella about that period of Ankarette’s life.) Time jumps and a fast-paced style can be a double-edged sword: it makes for a compelling read, but it doesn’t allow you to become very attached to secondary characters. I love it when I’m so attached to the characters that I will be terrified when they are in danger and heartbroken when they die. That didn’t happen for me in this book, so I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. It’s really the only reason, because I otherwise LOVED it.
I received an ARC for a book and realized afterwards that it was the second installment in a series—whoops! And that the series was a prequel to another series, that I haven’t read. Unsure of the appropriate order in which to read Wheeler’s books, I was afraid I’d be confused or lost. Still, I downloaded this book and dived in. And what a pleasant surprise it was! I read both books in less than 5 days, and it made me want to read the whole Kingfountain series. And maybe all of Wheeler’s +40 books.
There’s magic, poisoned blades and rings, political intrigue, a benevolent dictator, princeling rivalry, betrayal, sword-fighting, friendship, and just a hint of romance.
In short, I strongly recommend!
Plot:
A lowborn young girl is taken from her home and brought to a powerful duke’s estate to become his eldest daughter’s companion, but also train as a spy and master poisoner. She is soon thrown into a world of civil unrest, political intrigue, betrayal, deception, and tangled loyalties where she becomes a key player.
This book is the first installment in a prequel series that provides a key character’s backstory. But it’s not a melting pot of background information and anecdotes (such as we often see in prequel novellas). It’s a full-fledged story that can be read as a standalone or as part of a series.
Characters:
I loved Ankarette, Sir Thomas, Eredur, and Elyse right from the start. I love how Ankarette is a strong FMC who doesn’t fit the mould of the “reckless, badass FMC who makes all the wrong choices but somehow always make it out alive due to external influences.” Despite being an assassin in the service of a king, she is a virtuous character who makes hard choices that fulfill her obligations without violating her principles. I loved seeing her seamlessly adapt to different situations and settings, switch from plan A to B to C, put (very politely and diplomatically) royals in their place, etc. As for the other characters, there were so, so, so many I suspected of being untrustworthy that I’m comfortable saying Wheeler nailed the political intrigue aspect.
Writing:
I was charmed by Wheeler’s simple, unpretentious, and familiar, but strongly compelling, writing style. He can have you hooked after a few sentences and completely immersed in the story after a few chapters. Characters and places a described briefly without revealing too much, leaving a lot of room for imagination and never disrupting the narrative flow. The world-building was *chef’s kiss*, complex without being overwhelming, familiar yet surprising.
Since I made absolutely no negative comments so far, perhaps you’re wondering why I’m not giving this book a 5-star rating? It’s simple, really. Although I love a good time jump, there are some parts I would have liked to read about, such as Ankarette’s time at Pisan and how she learned to be the skilled poisoner, spy, and assassin we love. I feel that knowing more about her time at the institution would have made her drastic skillset development more believable and the narrative flow more seamless. (Psssst I think Wheeler should write a novella about that period of Ankarette’s life.) Time jumps and a fast-paced style can be a double-edged sword: it makes for a compelling read, but it doesn’t allow you to become very attached to secondary characters. I love it when I’m so attached to the characters that I will be terrified when they are in danger and heartbroken when they die. That didn’t happen for me in this book, so I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. It’s really the only reason, because I otherwise LOVED it.
ellyrarg's review against another edition
2.0
Regret reading this at the end of the kingfountain books, and not at the beginning. One, I was super annoyed that he glossed over the poisoners school (is that covered in another book I haven’t read yet?!) and generally felt like there was so much political blah. Even worse, it didn’t line up to the initial set up of the king fountain books, so many holes and unanswered questions!
Might have been better if I’d taken a break between the books, instead of rushing through it. Regret.
Might have been better if I’d taken a break between the books, instead of rushing through it. Regret.
crypticspren's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a surprisingly enjoyable prequel to the Kingfountain series. It was really interesting to get more of the history of the Mad King and King Eredur before Severn took the throne, and even more interesting to read about characters like Dundsworth before he was reduced to his character in the main series.
The biggest thing that irritated me was Wheeler's inability to just have a SIMPLE romantic interest. Nobody in these books ever gets to be with who they want and it's starting to get very old.
However, The Poisoner's Enemy was rife with tension and espionage and was thrilling to read.
The biggest thing that irritated me was Wheeler's inability to just have a SIMPLE romantic interest. Nobody in these books ever gets to be with who they want and it's starting to get very old.
However, The Poisoner's Enemy was rife with tension and espionage and was thrilling to read.
rhian8's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The main character doesn’t have a single flaw and is amazing at everything she has ever done in her entire life - the most “fantasy” part of this book is that someone like that could actually exist. Any character development is summarized in short notes “penned” by the main character (when I was fifteen… blah blah blah) so we don’t get to learn about her studies or how she develops her magic - which honestly sound much more interesting than her other interactions in the book that are mostly her immediately knowing what to do, getting complimented for it, and then her acting shy because it’s unbecoming to react positively to compliments. There is just no character development - she is the same at age 12 (at the beginning of the book) as she is at age 17 (at the end of the book) - there is not one instance that she makes even a simple mistake or struggles with any type of task in this book.
The summary of the plot is a 15-17 year old girl saves a kingdom - but using her innate military tactile knowledge that no one ever taught her. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
The summary of the plot is a 15-17 year old girl saves a kingdom - but using her innate military tactile knowledge that no one ever taught her. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
silver_wings's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0