A review by sagelund
A Dark Queen Rises, by Ashok K. Banker

dark 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 series longs to set up grand and intricate political scheming with powerful high-fantasy magic, something akin to a religious epic. However, the author seemed to forget nearly all mention of the principle characters of the first book, and continues to dredge new solutions out of nowhere because characters have relations to gods or can tap into magics. It's a series of impossible situations and impossible solutions wrought from powers never set-up or explained. Cool things happen because the author says so and you're to just accept it with a shrug and a "that's cool I guess."