A review by schez
A Dance of Blades by David Dalglish
4.0
I think... I liked this book more than the first one. Which is unusal for myself whilst reading a series. I tend to cling to the first book and stubbornly refuse to beleive that following books are better.
The writing in A Dance of Blades seems more polished- it flowed better and although we don't see much of of Thorne (guild master of the spiders), hes always there in the background- his reputation still feared.
Haern's character has deepened. I believe this book gives him this by taking his father's presence back a step.
So what we Have in a Dance of blades is Hearn five years on and how he is progressed since escaping the fire of the previous book. Determined to put an end to the guild wars he takes his place as "the watcher" destroying what he can of the guilds. He battles with himself through the book about his motives and if they really are far from what his father wants him to be and what has trying to run from.
Alyssa has taken her father's palace as a member of the Trifect and has given birth to a son. The son she sends away in a bid to keep him safe but begins to realise that she has done the same as her father and wants his return.
On the road back, Arthur, derermind to win a place by Alyssa's side (and to have power within the Trifict ) realises he must first remove the competition for Alyssa's heart (Mark) and the next heir ... her son Nathaniel. With them gone he has a clear run, but things don't go exactly to plan.
There are many other characters in this story that are in a race to elimate the watcher... and Hearn must stay a step ahead. Surprises and plot twists with a little magic keep the pages turning.
As fires burn in the Varden time is running out for Haern to change the future of the guilds or die trying.
The writing in A Dance of Blades seems more polished- it flowed better and although we don't see much of of Thorne (guild master of the spiders), hes always there in the background- his reputation still feared.
Haern's character has deepened. I believe this book gives him this by taking his father's presence back a step.
So what we Have in a Dance of blades is Hearn five years on and how he is progressed since escaping the fire of the previous book. Determined to put an end to the guild wars he takes his place as "the watcher" destroying what he can of the guilds. He battles with himself through the book about his motives and if they really are far from what his father wants him to be and what has trying to run from.
Alyssa has taken her father's palace as a member of the Trifect and has given birth to a son. The son she sends away in a bid to keep him safe but begins to realise that she has done the same as her father and wants his return.
On the road back, Arthur, derermind to win a place by Alyssa's side (and to have power within the Trifict ) realises he must first remove the competition for Alyssa's heart (Mark) and the next heir ... her son Nathaniel. With them gone he has a clear run, but things don't go exactly to plan.
There are many other characters in this story that are in a race to elimate the watcher... and Hearn must stay a step ahead. Surprises and plot twists with a little magic keep the pages turning.
As fires burn in the Varden time is running out for Haern to change the future of the guilds or die trying.