Review: Buddhist magic weilding women give war council to both sides
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 18, 2014
For those who like to question conventional logic, or who think strategy has a place up there with will and skill, this is un-put-downable.  The authors, as in their other books, write about military strategy, but push the envelop.  This pushing the envelop will offend some traditional views, and thus the mixed reviews according to the predispositions of various readers.  In fact the main character is quite likeable, and at least two males in the book show interest, one of them making a marriage proposal (which she discourages but does not turn down flat).  There are also other strong characters, the other women of power, and some of the other characters both male and female are well filled out also.  Not only do I disagree that the book ends suddenly, the strategically inevitable ending is set up well in advance and is fairly obvious.  What ends suddenly is the reader's misguided hope that it will turn out to be a conventional novel after all and some twist will restore the polarity, the us vs. them, that the authors have ruled out all along.  Well, that was naive of the readers I think.  I don't know if a sequel is planned, but I would read one.That said, why not five stars?  The arch-villain is a one dimensional character.  The superior numbers of sand people are inconsistent with the obviously long term decline of their environment.  And the switch of another character from evil cruel torturing villain to sensible good guy is a bit sudden and exaggerated.As a whole, though, the novel is more emotionally complete than the authors' other novels.  Jealousy and competition even among the good guys asserts itself.  However, not among the Qi.  Even with their Buddhist training in detachment from outcomes, I think there would be some conflict and jealousy of such a superpower as emerges.  These authors manage to wield magic without letting it run away with the plot or constantly one-upping it to make artificial conflict, which is quite a balancing act.  I can see where readers of more traditional fantasy would not expect the philosophical outcome.