The second book in The Dagger and The Coin series brings more depth to the story. The major characters find themselves drawn into conspiracies as the King is threatened by the rise of the Spider Cult. As in the first book, The Dragon’s Path (you can read my review here) the young banker, Cithrin, attracts my attention every time her chapters appear. The growing power of the scholar, Geder Palliako, displays the feckless whims of Fate. I’m also impressed by the strength of Clara Kalliam, wife of a key nobleman, who seems to understand people and politics better than her husband does. I’m waiting for the soldier, Captain Mrcus Wester, to leap into action. Right now in The King’s Blood, he’s like a coiled cobra. GRADE: B+
You didn’t mention how long this one is, but my bet is that it’s a thick one. Probably not for me, especially as it’s part of a series. That doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes read a long book. I just started Dumas’ THE RED SPHINX, which is about 800 pages long.
Bill, great minds think alike! I have a copy of Dumas’ THE RED SPHINX on my Read Real Soon pile, too! You guessed correctly: all the books in the THE DAGGER AND THE COIN series are 500 pages each.
I can see why he has a blurb from George R. R. Martin. Not really for me. I’m racing through a 300 page mystery now after a couple of weeks of slogging through things that just didn’t keep me riveted.
Jeff, I’m not exactly riveted by THE DAGGER AND THE COIN series, but it’s well written with several compelling characters. I like the larger font which is one reason I took a couple of these books on our trip to GOOGLE LAND. These books were easy to read on the plane. When you have a five hour and 45 minute flight from Baltimore to San Jose, you can get a lot of reading done!
Same here, Jeff. I just finished a book that, while it was okay, didn’t make me want to hurry back to it each day. (Never the less, review coming)
I rarely read books that long. The ones I do seem to be ones I can’t put down (Harry Potter). But I admire you for often tackling long books.
I remember my early days of bookselling, and having signed books by George RR Martin, and not being able to sell them. That wouldn’t happen now. And that’s a lead in to my looking forward to Game of Thrones new season. A series I’d never read, but love on HBO.
Maggie, signed George R. R. Martin books would command Top Dollar today. Timing is everything. I read some good reviews of THE DAGGER AND THE COIN series so I decided to take the plunge. So far, it’s been worth the investment of time and energy.
I like good fantasy, but it all seems to be so filled with politics these days. I’d blame GRR Martin, but I know it started long before he was writing. I prefer quest fantasy, I guess, which is now out of style.
Rick, THE DAGGER AND THE COIN series mixes war and quests and politics and–banking! The characters Daniel Abraham invents would hold your attention.
1 of 4 isn’t enough for me, at least not today.