Review: Another amazing read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2014
As always, when I'm starting a book written by Zoe Saadia, I had high hopes. But this time, oh, it was even more exciting; I could barely stand waiting to read it. Not only is Zoe one of my favorites, with her unique story-telling abilities and gift of weaving a whole new world that you have no choice but to join, but in this book... there was something even more special.In this book, we return to my absolute favorite character of all time: Kuini—the Highlander.  Aw...just saying his name makes me smile. Any book that had even a hint of him in it would be one that I needed to read. And the sword, I have to admit that I felt a rather excessive fondness for this fictional weapon—a weapon that possesses special powers, or so the legend goes—which I had never even seen, and that had so much of Kuini wrapped up in it. This was definitely a book I was looking forward to diving into, and of course, Zoe Saadia did not disappoint.As Kuini tries to come to grips with the loss of his sword, and to his horror, the fact that one of his sons is also missing, he reacts in a way that is predictable for those of us who know him so well. He loses his temper, comes to grips with the situation, and resolves it in the best way possible. Of course, amid the resolution is just the right amount of fighting and emotional turmoil. (With a good book, you have to have the drama, right?)Also re-joining us in this book is Tlalli, Tlacaelel's woman, whom he loves more than he should. Or so the jealous old crones say. As she emerges in this book, with the same strong personality that we remember so well from The Fall of the Empire, she dives into the action, trying to help resolve the turmoil in her own way—a way that may just land her in more trouble than even she can handle.Is the Highlander being betrayed by one of his own? Will he recover his magical sword? Is the Sword responsible for his impressive record as a mighty warrior, as many people claim, and if he doesn't manage to regain it, will his performance on the battlefield suffer? Will Tlalli's inability to follow Tlacaelel's orders result in the loss of his favor? Is she destined to lose her position in the palace, only to be forced back out onto the streets, struggling to even get a bite to eat?If you want to be truly roped into the lives of the characters in a book, I recommend that you give this one a try.