Book 1 was one tough cookie. I hated and feared the main character, and I was glad this one moved on to another person, cos honestly I could take no more of Hekat's crazy brutality (still one good dark book!). Book 2 is different but here something else had me all riled up. The same old thing, religion. I will explain soon enough.Rhian is a princess in a country far far away from crazy Mijak. Her father is dying, the Church prolate is pressuring her to marry some idiot. But Rhian gets her POV stronger later on. First the book is about Dexterity, a simple toymaker who sets out to save his kingdom and the princess. Just a crazy old man who gets visions. Zandakar also shows up in this book...and I will say nothing more, but he is different now, you know after his mother Hekat killed his wife and child. These 3 come together and journey through the kingdom.Ok can I now go off about religion? Yes? Yay. Ok Marlan, the Church prolate, grrrr, I want to smite him and tear apart his wicked soul (yes this series makes me violent). I hate, I loathe people who do bad things and make them seem right by telling people it's God's work. Marlan was a greedy man who wanted to rule the kingdom and use poor Rhian as a breeding mare. If I could go into the book and punch him I would. So yes he is one of those bad guys you just love to hate.And while Rhian is trying to become queen the mighty army of Mijak is continuing to conquer. How on earth she will be able to save her kingdom I do not know. Hekat and her army is unstoppable. And they have their evil Scorpion gods on their side. Yes everything they do is right in the eye of God. How can one stop that?Conclusion:It's a book I had a hard time putting down, it made me wanna keep on reading and I really wish I had book 3 right now.
