Book #20

[katikat]

"Shadow's Lure (Shadow Saga #2)" by Jon Sprunk

Rating: ♣ ♣

I liked the first book, I liked the development the characters, Caim and Josey, went through. But this one? What happened?! Since this books has two separate storylines, Caim's and Josey's, let's take first one, then the other.

So, Caim. Good grief! Caim has never been a bundle of joy but in this book, he's all doom and gloom and coldness and annoyance. And stupidity. God, for an assassin, the guy is as dumb as a bundle of sticks. He kills a deer and leaves the carcass lying right next to his camp - of course he's attacked by a bear, what did he expect? And the rebellion! He lead two - 2! - attacks and both of them went awry! Why exactly did the outlaws think he was a good leader? And his relationship with Kit - the whole first book he talked about how they were just friends, that he didn't understand why she wanted more - and suddenly, he's in love with her? Out of the blue? Just like that? Seriously, buddy, a month or two ago you were smitten with Josey - and now you tell me that suddenly you've fallen in love with a woman whom you considered just a friend your whole life? Try something else! Also, Kit? What an annoying character! Never there when you actually need her.

And Josey. A crowned queen, yet she still thinks more about Caim and where he is and why he left her than about solving her country's problems! No wonder the Church almost managed to wrestle the throne from her! And her pregnancy. She has unprotected sex with a guy and then is surprised when she ends up pregnant? And how exactly does she plan to explain it to her subjects? Immaculate conception? Is she really that naive that she thinks her ministers will allow her to marry and ex-assassin? An ex-assassin who ran for the hills and haven't been heard of since, to boot? For an unwed queen to end up pregnant, that's more than a little problematic. But does she actually bother to try and find a solution? Of course not!

God! It feels like the whole character development that was actually headed somewhere in book 1 went completely out of the window and the author just twisted the characters to fit the plot as it suited him. Josey's story didn't annoy me as much as Caim's, still... I expected much, much more!