Published: March 23, 2021
Publisher: Saga Press
Series: The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings #2
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 592 (Hardcover)
My Rating: 4.0/5.0
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
The Hollows is gripped in unrest and on the brink of civil war as an insurgency of anarchists rise, and brother and sister vie for the throne in the second novel in the critically hailed Legacy of the Mercenary King series which Brandon Sanderson called “excellent.”
Michael Kingman thought he was going to die by the executioner’s axe, forever labeled as a traitor. Still alive, and under the protection of the Orbis Mercenary company, Michael and his family and friends are deeply involved in the seemingly rival conspiracies that are tearing The Hollows apart. With the death of the King, both the Corrupt Prince and his sister Serena are vying for the throne, while the Rebel Emperor is spreading lies amongst the people, and all of them want Michael dead. This is a story of betrayal, murder, and rebellion, and in this direct sequel to the debut novel The Kingdom of Liars, also some hope for justice.
For readers who love the intrigue and widening scope of epic fantasy like Sanderson’s Mistborn and Week’s The Black Prism, you will find your next must-read fantasy series.
Another surprisingly good installment. Somehow, every time I thought I might be getting to a boring spot it would get super engaging again and I wouldn’t put it down. That was a little problem that could mostly be ignored, it just meant it took me a little while longer to finish the book!
Michael Kingman may have escaped the axe, but he’s still shunned by the majority of the nobility and both the Prince and Princess have it out for him. The only thing protecting him is his new status as a mercenary-in-training and if he fails to be inducted he’ll no longer have that. Michael spends the vast majority of this book running around like a crazy person from one task to another, angering people, and being generally rude. I’ll be honest, I don’t actually like him that much but he is pretty interesting to read about. Gwen Kingman has also become even more interesting, sneaking around for her secret employer that we know nothing about. I had my suspicions about who it could be, but MAN was I wrong! Mama Kingman has returned to the world of the aware now that the spell on her mind has been removed. She spent much of the book restoring Kingman Keep, so not much exciting going on there.
The big overarching plot in this installment is Michael and Dark of Orbis Company searching for the Heartbreak Serial Killer. This killer had struck once before many years prior and they murdered people and cut out their hearts, but there was also a sick game element to it where he would kidnap people and their loved one would try to save them. This either directly or tangentially affected many of the characters and now that the killer is back, it seems like they are coming to finish the job they started so many years before – killing those that survived the first time. I do love a mystery element to my fantasy books and this was well wefted into the other plot lines.
While this book did feel like it had a smidge of that sophomore slump, it was still very well crafted. Nick Martell is a master of wrapping up plot threads while starting brand new ones that make you ravenous for the next installment. I mean, seriously – those final scenes with Gwen?? I think the next installment is really going to pick up the pace in an already crazy, epic tale of politics, revenge, magic, and madness. These books are unpredictable and I love it!
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