Review: Title tells it all? Not
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 3, 2013
As with the other books in this series the title is seriously lacking. There is little to no plot line that actually links the story to the title. Normally, I wouldn't mind but all the books of the series are named in this manner and are meant to show something of the storyline within the book. They all fail, sometimes fantastically fail such as the Warrior Within.One of the plot lines that should have been followed and resolved in the book is just left hanging until the second book. This is the religious controversy plot line. The protagonist is labelled a heretic and witch by the local clergy and then the bishop of the area. Of course the secular powers deny the claims as part of the plot line and the bishop leaves the local area to continue his persecution of the protagonist by appealing to the papal level of his church. Little more is done with plot line in this book. Nothing is done with the actual God and nowhere is there a decree by said entity in any of the books of this series. It is assumed that the protagonist is present in the story due to the desires of the deity in question, therefor the book is named "the God Decrees". Weak is generous in describing the tie in with the storyline and book title. The other books are even weaker for title tie in. The "Warrior Within" is tied in at the end of the book with a single sentence that contains the words of the title and has no actual bearing on the storyline at all.Other than the preceding problems, the book is good, really good. The characters aren't fantastic, but they are individuals. The storyline that is followed (to the detriment of the title), is well planned and produced. It leaves the reader wanting more.Unfortunately, this is the best of the books to date. The author is attempting to create a grand epic saga with this series and is failing epically. The first book is not written in this style and subsequent additions to the storyline are handled clumsily. They usually start out as an "Interlude" chapter which is then tied into the rest of the overarching storyline with no more effort.Major plot line characters are changed in outlook and even basic morals and ethics with very little justification. And the whirlwind romances where suddenly someone is in love with someone else for no apparent reason is unfortunately frequent in the books.Overall, the books are 2-3 stars depending on how demanding you are in legitimacy of the story lines and your ability to suspend disbelief.