  Vengence of Dragons - Book 2 of the secret Texts, 2005-04-06
I enjoyed this book and the series. I read Jordan and Goodkind and this was a nice departure. The world crafting is nice with the integration of technology and magic into them as well as the story line. The morphing aspects are intriguing and give the story something to wrap itself around.
Will leave you breathless!, 2003-10-23
We continue where Diplomacy of Wolves cut us off so abruptly. Danya birthed Solander, the Reborn. She still dreamed of revenge against Crispin, Anwyn, and Andrew Sabir, as well as, against her own House. Ry caught up with Kait and they began their wary dance. In the first book we found out Kait could skinshift to wolf or fish form. Book two showed another form that she and Ry could do. Dughall showed Ry what they were truly fighting for. In doing so, Ry's whole outlook on life changed, along with his priorities. They all join forces. The Dragons were released from the Veil and possessed the bodies of powerful people. Through their dark magic Calimeeka's fate was sealed. Using the lives and souls of those who dwelled within the city as fuel, a new city emerged. It would not be long before the Dragons would turn their sights beyond the city to the rest of the world. Luercas remained a curious puzzle in the first book. In this one we learned why he was helping Danya. I can say no more on that without giving away too much. **** I thought this one to be as awesome as the last! However, again, the reader is left hanging in the middle of a vital second. Consider yourself warned that even though this author is fantastic, it is best NOT to begin reading this trilogy until all three books are released! Unless you have all three before you begin, you will not be satisfied and will probably end up angry. If you purchase all three at once and go from one straight into the next, you are in for a treat! The author weaves a fabulous tapestry of magic that will leave you breathless! ****
Too Much Talking to the Other-selves, 2002-10-01
A good trilogy with very interesting mix of characters. However, characters talk too much to their (other)-selves, and that gets annoying after 500 pages. And, that (thing) happened to reborn is just plain stupid. Oh well... a good read non-the-less if you could withstand some disappointments in the storyline.
Let down, 2002-06-14
I was really disappointed in this book after reading Diplomacy of Wolves. I still like the world, many of the concepts, and the basics of the plot. However, I'm still finding it very difficult to like any of the characters beyond Ian and Kait's uncle. Kait herself is no more likeable than before, and as for Danya . . . Are we supposed to excuse her actions because of the way she's been hurt, or are we supposed to think her evil anyway because she was one of the Galweigh Wolves?
The Kait and Ry storyline, meant to be so significant for both characters, was at first contrived (She has to share his cabin because he came to rescue her? Would we like to create some artificial sexual tension here?) and then nowhere near as deep or moving as it should have been. Another problem I had with the writing was that there weren't many clues as to how much time had passed, and it sometimes seemed as if the story was missing big chunks. And the resemblance between Solander and a certain religion in our own world did annoy me somewhat.
I just found that the whole story was too easy, somehow. The Dragons waltz in and transform things with their magic, and then lapse into a life of self-indulgence. It seemed almost embarrassingly easy for Kait and Ry to work their banishment charm tricks on them. And yes, Vengeance of Dragons finishes on a hell of a cliffhanger - but I'm pretty sure I already know what the ultimate ending will be, Luercas or no Luercas.
My hope is that this book is the weak point in the trilogy, and that Courage of Falcons will be as good as Diplomacy of Wolves, if not better. I am still interested enough to want to find out what happens.
Outdoes the first book, 2002-05-11
I enjoyed "Diplomacy of Wolves," but "Vengeance of Dragons" is a tighter, more exciting book. It's slightly weighed down by exposition in the first chapters, which is only natural in the second book of a trilogy, but it soon picks up. There are a lot of plot threads woven in here--the Dragons and the situation in Calimekka, the relationship between Kait and Ry, what happens in the south with Danya and Luercas--but there aren't any meaningless tangents. Things mean something. This is a strongly moral book. I don't mean that in the bad sense that there are perfect heroes and an evil Dark Lord. The heroes are flawed and the villains are realistically motivated. I mean that it gives you a sense that goodness and nobility and courage are not just abstract concepts, but real things that are worth fighting for and holding onto. It's not a preachy book by any means. It just does the same thing that "Revolutionary Girl Utena" did to me, that "Matendou Sonata" did to me, something that is so rare that I can't think of any less obscure examples. It makes me want to change the world for the better.
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