Published: January 1, 2009
We are at the book that might break parts of my friendship with other book lovers. I really had a hard time with this book. Which is quite strange since I loved it the first time I read it. Maybe I’m more cynical this time around. Well, I know I am but that’s not the point. Anyway, this is Rydstrom and Sabine’s book and the beginning just drug on forever. It was kinda difficult to read with how long it took to get to the point. And let me get this straight, for me this was the time that Rydstrom was in the dungeon. Maybe it’s because I knew he was going to get away but it just seemed like they were in that part of the book forever. After he got out of the dungeon though the storyline picked up significantly. I liked Sabine because she was who you saw. For the most part. A cut throat sorceress who didn’t want to be under anyone’s power any longer. Which makes sense considering what she has been through in her lifetime.
Like I mentioned in my previous review I’ve developed a marked dislike for Rydstrom. He blames everything on Cade without taking any responsibility himself. He never even stopped to think about how losing his real family (essentially) and then his foster family might have affected him. Rydstrom was only worried about his crown and kingdom. Which makes him the perfect king because though he says he does everything for the good of his people his actually very self-centered while acting like he is the best male out there. There is a come to Jesus moment when he discovers that had Cade actually followed his orders he would have been dead long before he hit the palace but that still doesn’t change how he acts 100%. In fact the way he brushes Cade off after getting the blasted sword really rubs me the wrong way and if things hadn’t ended up alright for Cade I don’t think I could have forgive Rydstrom for his continued brush off no matter how tied up he was at the moment. But I digress. Either way those are my feelings on it and I’m gonna stick to them!
—-“Always with your talk of love! Do you know what I love? Life. And romantic love is a distraction that makes staying alive more difficult. Besides, we’re not in another time or place.” -Sabine to Lanthe, pg. 117—