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A review by sherwoodreads
The Liar's Key by Mark Lawrence
Even better than the first book, with terrific characterization, non-stop action, sharp insights trading with moments of neck-grabbing horror, and whooping laughter.
I thought I'd snort up my spleen when reading Jalan's duel with Count Isen--that directly follows a scene of horror, that directly follows a scene of . . .
Well, let's just say that the emotional roller coaster in this book has enough twists, loops-de-loop, and jet-stream soaring plunges to keep the reader up very, very late.
The story picks up in Trond with the melt of the snows. Jalan is his insouciant self, Tuttugu has settled to a happy existence, but poor Snorri has been brooding through the grip of winter, waiting so that he can renew his quest to rescue his murdered family from Hell. Of course Jalan bitches and moans, only going when he has to, a contrast to fat old Tuttugu, who drops his good life for a hopeless quest out of loyalty.
Along the way the indefatigable trio are joined by Kara, a sorceress whose motivations are difficult to divine, but who is quite deft as fending off Jal's lecherous attacks. They also pick up an orphaned shepherd boy, Hennen, whose emotional maturity is about on par with Jalan's. No, actually, Hennen is more mature than Jalan in many ways--and watching these two develop a relationship is one of the pleasures of the book.
So much poignance at unexpected places, plus the expected mayhem and grue, stitch together Jalan's forcible explorations of his past, which he has succeeded in papering over, as the young will do with trauma.
His grandmother comes a lot clearer in this book, as do the elder women who are playing the long game. Anyone with a hankering for complicated, fascinating female characters more than a match for the guys will be pleased with this book.
The fuel-injected pacing never lets up, clear to the last line, which left me gasping.
I thought I'd snort up my spleen when reading Jalan's duel with Count Isen--that directly follows a scene of horror, that directly follows a scene of . . .
Well, let's just say that the emotional roller coaster in this book has enough twists, loops-de-loop, and jet-stream soaring plunges to keep the reader up very, very late.
The story picks up in Trond with the melt of the snows. Jalan is his insouciant self, Tuttugu has settled to a happy existence, but poor Snorri has been brooding through the grip of winter, waiting so that he can renew his quest to rescue his murdered family from Hell. Of course Jalan bitches and moans, only going when he has to, a contrast to fat old Tuttugu, who drops his good life for a hopeless quest out of loyalty.
Along the way the indefatigable trio are joined by Kara, a sorceress whose motivations are difficult to divine, but who is quite deft as fending off Jal's lecherous attacks. They also pick up an orphaned shepherd boy, Hennen, whose emotional maturity is about on par with Jalan's. No, actually, Hennen is more mature than Jalan in many ways--and watching these two develop a relationship is one of the pleasures of the book.
So much poignance at unexpected places, plus the expected mayhem and grue, stitch together Jalan's forcible explorations of his past, which he has succeeded in papering over, as the young will do with trauma.
His grandmother comes a lot clearer in this book, as do the elder women who are playing the long game. Anyone with a hankering for complicated, fascinating female characters more than a match for the guys will be pleased with this book.
The fuel-injected pacing never lets up, clear to the last line, which left me gasping.