Review: not as good as the first book, but still enjoyable
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 8, 2013
This was an OK book. I didn't like it as much as the first one though. There didn't seem to be as much complexity to the plot. The first half seemed to be wholly dedicated to `Aqrab's attempts to convince Kaashifah to finally sleep with him. 250ish pages of that lost it's lustre pretty quick. Almost all of the action is packed into the second half.The problem for me was that it felt unfinished. Yes, Kaashifah bested the bad guy, but it was Imelda who was the primary character within the Inquisition and her ark was left very much in the air. Perhaps there will be a third book based on her and the dragon. I don't know, but as it stands I was left wondering what it was all about. One bad guy down, over a billion left to go doesn't really strike me as all that much of an accomplishment.I did really enjoyed the banter between the side characters. Most of them were incredibly old and powerful, therefore really conceited. It was a lot of fun to see them try to interact when each of them was used to being the only top-dog.I have to admit I found the writing repetitive. Both in the sense that the same phrases were used a lot (and that's not even counting the ritualistic rabble that was used every-time the djinni cut a bargin) and because the reader is told the same thing multiple times.My main complaint however is that, while I realize that everything worked out the way it was supposed to and 'Aqrab was trying to get Kaashifah to fulfil her actual duty, it felt to my very much like he was slowly trying to groom her to give up her vow of chastity. Any way you look at it he was purposefully chipping away at her determination and trying to get her to do something she was fundamentally opposed to. This never sat well with me.  Despite that I have to admit to really liking 'Aqrab. He had a certain child-like innocence that I found really appealing.Lastly, for the record and in my opinion, that cover is atrocious. It's horrid. If not a sequel I would never have even read the description. That's a rather small matter though. All in all I did enjoy the book. I liked the first one better, but that's not the same as claiming I didn't enjoy the book. ***Note: the book seems to have a new cover, much improved.***