pacey1927's review against another edition
4.0
While I adored "Master of None", Sonya Bateman's first book about theif Gavyn Donatti and his djinn companion Ian, I wasn't quite as enraptured by the second book "Master and Apprentice". The plot was still strong and compelling. Ian and Donatti are hunting down all the Morai, or 'evil' djinn. Gavyn draws the line when they meet a morai named Calvin who doesn't believe in violence and has given up his own personal use of magic. Donatti can't force himself to kill Calvin because he knows he isn't evil. When Ian's wife Akila is kidnapped and possibly murdered, Ian vows revenge unlike ever before seen. From there the book becomes one big journey to hunt down the murdering morai and hopefully rescue Akila, if she is still alive.
For the record this book still read compulsively and was always entertaining. Yet I still had several complaints or annoyances as I read through the tale.
- There is almost too much action in this book, believe it or not. The action is almost non-stop and it doesn't feel like we get many chances to catch or breath and really visit with these wonderful characters. Thats not to say the action isn't well written because those scenes are for the most part engaging and heart racing.
- Ian is troubled through the book's entirity. I mean, anyone with a missing wife would be beside himself but we really don't see the same Ian from the first book and thats a shame. Donatti's trademark sarcastic humor from the first book was also very toned down.
- There were too many instances where someone was severely injured, near dead, and they healed and back to 100% strength in no time. Wow the first time this was incredible but by the eigth or ninth time this same thing happened I was over it and it really stretched believabilty to a breaking point. "Come on," I wanted to shout at the book, "this is too predictable now!"
The story still feels incomplete. I know the author is shopping for a publisher for the next book and I hope she finds one. We are left with some great threads that could continue to the next book. Akila's truly disgusting and horrible father is in desperately need of a murdering. I absolutely adored seeing the new "children" introduced in this book and I really liked the scenes featuring those characters. I think they could add a lot to future installments if there are any. Seeing Donatti's son Cyrus's new abilities was also a treat could be further explored.
I liked this book. There were just some things I didn't care for in this volume. If Bateman is able to continue the series one way or another I will continue to read it and recommend it.
For the record this book still read compulsively and was always entertaining. Yet I still had several complaints or annoyances as I read through the tale.
- There is almost too much action in this book, believe it or not. The action is almost non-stop and it doesn't feel like we get many chances to catch or breath and really visit with these wonderful characters. Thats not to say the action isn't well written because those scenes are for the most part engaging and heart racing.
- Ian is troubled through the book's entirity. I mean, anyone with a missing wife would be beside himself but we really don't see the same Ian from the first book and thats a shame. Donatti's trademark sarcastic humor from the first book was also very toned down.
- There were too many instances where someone was severely injured, near dead, and they healed and back to 100% strength in no time. Wow the first time this was incredible but by the eigth or ninth time this same thing happened I was over it and it really stretched believabilty to a breaking point. "Come on," I wanted to shout at the book, "this is too predictable now!"
The story still feels incomplete. I know the author is shopping for a publisher for the next book and I hope she finds one. We are left with some great threads that could continue to the next book. Akila's truly disgusting and horrible father is in desperately need of a murdering. I absolutely adored seeing the new "children" introduced in this book and I really liked the scenes featuring those characters. I think they could add a lot to future installments if there are any. Seeing Donatti's son Cyrus's new abilities was also a treat could be further explored.
I liked this book. There were just some things I didn't care for in this volume. If Bateman is able to continue the series one way or another I will continue to read it and recommend it.
laurla's review against another edition
"hmmm."
"you say that a lot."
"yes. you frequently rob me of words."
"interesting strategy thief. did you perhaps intend to beat the steps into submission?" (after falling down those steps)
"you say that a lot."
"yes. you frequently rob me of words."
"interesting strategy thief. did you perhaps intend to beat the steps into submission?" (after falling down those steps)
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