Eye of the Sword (The Angelaeon Circle, #2)

Jul 20, 2012 Brandi rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Recommended to Brandi by: Waterbrook Press

Shelves: arc, care-of-magical-creatures, defense-against-the-dark-arts, underrated

4.5 Stars

It's never too late for second chances.

This is what you call stellar fantasy.

Trevin is soon to be a comain, or knight of Camrithia. Instead of bowing to the evil Dregmoorians as he once did, he vows to protect Camrithia against them. For once, all of his plans seem clear. He and his brother, Dwin, have a new purpose. And even though he hasn't yet found a way to be with his true love - the princess Melaia - forever, at least he can prove his worth to her and her father through his servic...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-for-blogging-for-books

What I Loved: Eye of the Sword's story moved much more quickly than Breath of Angel did, quite to my liking. I also found that I got into this particular novel's story line easier than I did with the first novel in the series. For me there was less confusion, a stronger plot in place and more adventure to be had, with many new faces to get to know too.

You know, there's something about reading into the life of a character with a "lower station," a very stout heart and many questions that they mu...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, for-review

Summary
In a world where humans intermingle with angels and half angels, you'd think that many things would be right in the world, but things are very wrong. Three ate seeds from the tree of wisdom, making themselves immortal. Over time, the immortals have grown sour, restless, and start playing their own games, dragging humans and angels alike in on their whim. The game has gotten out of control, and a man lost in his own regrets is the key to ending them.

Story

The world is unique, and quite int...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Roberto Mattos rated it 5 of 5 stars

In a world with many different races and cultures and mythical beings, where angels walk the ground, our hero has a mission from his king of finding some missing comains and a second mission from his loved one (the king's daughter) to locate the harps that will restore the stairway to heaven. This is a very entertaining reading, a mix of love story, knight tales, with epic battles, great characters and all the ingredients that make this book a great reading. In a sense it reminded me of the comp...more

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May 27, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, review-copy, waterbrook-multnomah, young-adult

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley is the second book in the Angelaeon circle series. It picks up in the middle of the story and leaves you wanting to read more once you are done. Unfortunately, I have only read the second book, so I had some catching up to do on plot lines and new terminology that is unique to this fantasy world. So if you have a choice, start with the first book.
Trevin is the main character in this section of the story and is trying to overcome his past, filled with guilt and a...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Jennifer Wedemeyer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Eye of the Sword is the 2nd book in the The Angelaeon Circle series and follows the first book, Breath of Angel. I can't tell you anything about the first book Breath of Angel because I haven't had the opportunity to read it but I do plan on buying it and reading it ASAP because Eye of the Sword was so good. If Breath of Angel was as good as Eye of the Sword then I'll have it read in only a couple of days.
If you like the Fantasy genre this would be the perfect book for you, fantasy isn't my fav...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-action-adventure, christian-fantasy-fiction, christian-fiction, christian-suspense-fiction, christian-teen-fiction, fantasy-adventure-fiction, medieval-fantasy-fiction, science-fiction-and-fantasy, young-adult-fiction

5 Kingdoms sit on the threshold of an upcoming prophecy. There are those that are working hard to make sure that it comes true and those that will stop at nothing to prevent its fulfillment. Legend has it that every 200 years, the stars will come into a perfect alignment and as long as the three legendary harps are collected, the stairway to heaven will be restored. Once that happens the souls of those that have died on Earth that are supposed to be in heaven will be taken by the angels to their...more 5 Kingdoms sit on the threshold of an upcoming prophecy. There are those that are working hard to make sure that it comes true and those that will stop at nothing to prevent its fulfillment. Legend has it that every 200 years, the stars will come into a perfect alignment and as long as the three legendary harps are collected, the stairway to heaven will be restored. Once that happens the souls of those that have died on Earth that are supposed to be in heaven will be taken by the angels to their final resting place.

But since the First Born and Second Born interferred many years ago, that stairway has been sealed with no hope of reopening it except by the one the prophecy calls for that can complete this process, one born with the breath of angel and blood of man. Now Melaia has been searching to unite the harps if she can find them with the help of Trevin, a man who vows to serve her until the very last breath he has.

Only Melaia's father, King Laetham has promised her hand in marriage to Prince Varic of the Dregmoors in hopes of securing an alliance between the two kingdoms, but Melaia has given her heart to another along time ago. King Laetham will only allow a man of royal blood to marry his daughter Princess Melaia and with time running out, he sees no alternative but to allow the marriage between Varic and Melaia to take place. Will Trevin be able to locate the missing two harps before the marriage vows are complete or will he fall victim to the evil plots of the First Born who is set on making sure the stairway remains sealed forever?

I received Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah for my honest review. Karyn captured my heart in this incredible new series combining medieval fantasy along with some mythical creatures and an entire race of angels with her first book, Breath of Angel. When I saw that this book was finally available, I had to review this one. I was not disappointed. The quest for the harps continues in Eye of the Sword and we get a more in depth look at the character of Trevin and his family history as it's uncovered chapter by chapter. We also uncover a bit more of the legend of the Wisdom Tree and the restoration of the stairway to heaven that is nearly all possible signs towards the timing this possible prophecy to be fulfilled. As a reader, I am completely sold on the world that Karyn has so elaborately created and know I'll be waiting on pins and needles until the final book is complete and ready to read.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and those looking for an amazing Christian action-adventure story dealing with angels and the fight between evil and good, then this is a must read for you. I would recommend the first book in the Angelaeon Circle series first, Breath of Angel to get an understanding of Melaia's character and why the need for the quest.(less)

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Mar 02, 2012 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?

In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Ashley Tahg rated it 5 of 5 stars

You know, this series is very interesting. And in two ways,
1) Normally, I adore the bad guys. Sith, Romulan, Borg, Slytherin, Weeping Angels, Shades (I LOVE DURZA!!!). But, this is different I despise the bad guys, I loathe them, and whole heartily applaud the good ones.
And the Second, 2) When I first decided the review them, I had little warning flags already prepared. A book about Angels being trapped on Earth? It seemed a little sacrilegious. But, as I've gotten to 'know' it better, I'm not...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Lenore Webb rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?" This is what first captured my attention. I knew that feeling. Can a everyday person show someone they feel is so unattainable that they truly love them and honor them. And if they manage somehow to do just that, will it be enough to have them desire to love you back? To prove himself worthy of a princess, Trevin must first defeat the terror of his past. (Gosh, we have tho...more

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Feb 07, 2012 January rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

The land blight is spreading and the Camrithian comains, the kingdom’s protectors, have disappeared. If the three kyparis harps are not united by the time the stars align, they will have to wait another two hundred years to restore the Wisdom Tree. By then the blight will have destroyed the earth.

The king of Camrithia charges his newly appointed comain, Trevin, to make a journey to the north to consult the Oracle, find the missing comains, and return the two missing harps to the princess. But he...more The land blight is spreading and the Camrithian comains, the kingdom’s protectors, have disappeared. If the three kyparis harps are not united by the time the stars align, they will have to wait another two hundred years to restore the Wisdom Tree. By then the blight will have destroyed the earth.

The king of Camrithia charges his newly appointed comain, Trevin, to make a journey to the north to consult the Oracle, find the missing comains, and return the two missing harps to the princess. But he’s working against the clock. If he is not back within the month, the princess will marry the evil prince Varic of the Dregmoors.

Varic would like nothing more to kill Trevin and end his quest before it starts. And Trevin has his own demons of guilt haunting him as well. With so much riding on his completion of the quest, Trevin has to discover who he truly is, and fast. What better place to find the answers than the Eye of the Sword.

The plot is seamless and engages the reader from the very beginning with an immediate life or death scene. I felt like the world the author created was well-developed, though since it is the second book in a series, and I didn’t read the first book, I think it took me a little longer to figure out all the nuances of the setting.

The writing style has a very Anne McCaffrey flavor, with angels and winged horses woven into the story line. The hero proves himself on a quest, finding out who he is in the process. The story wraps up nicely at the end, and although there is more to come in a third book for a complete resolution, I was satisfied with the ending. Well done, Karyn Henley!

I loved this book. It’s been awhile since I’ve read something with a medieval-like setting, with quests and oracles and sword-fights. I do recommend reading Breath of Angel, the first book in the Angelaeon Circle series, and then read through all the books in order. However, I read this book first and was not lost at all. But I would have liked to have a more in-depth understanding of the history of the characters. Honestly, I enjoyed this book so much, I intend to go back and read the first one and any others that follow in the series.(less)

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Feb 05, 2012 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy fans, book lovers

Shelves: angels, christian, demons, family, forgiveness, friendship, hidden, mercy, mythology, murder, mystery, romance, stolen, treasure, war

EYE OF THE SWORD
Angelaeon Circle Book 2
By Karyn Henley

Though Trevin is about to be named comain of Camrithia his past haunts him and makes him feel unworthy of any notice. The night before being named comain by King Laetham, the king gives him an assignment – to discover the fate of the King's missing comains, seek wisdom from the Oracle at Windsweep, and extend an offer of alliance to the Eldarrans. But to complete these tasks he must leave Melia behind with a possible betrothal to Varic, Princ...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Jonathon Burns rated it 2 of 5 stars

A sequel to Breath of Angel, Karyn Henley continues the Angelaeon Circle series with Eye of the Sword. Last year, I reviewed Breath of Angel for Waterbrook Press and some of you may remember that I didn’t like it. One of the biggest things going against it (for me) was that its target audience seemed to be teenage girls and I had trouble connecting to the story. I had no intention of reading the following books. When I ordered this book, I failed to look beyond the title and the cover, and didn’...more A sequel to Breath of Angel, Karyn Henley continues the Angelaeon Circle series with Eye of the Sword. Last year, I reviewed Breath of Angel for Waterbrook Press and some of you may remember that I didn’t like it. One of the biggest things going against it (for me) was that its target audience seemed to be teenage girls and I had trouble connecting to the story. I had no intention of reading the following books. When I ordered this book, I failed to look beyond the title and the cover, and didn’t realize that this was the sequel. It looked more like a guy-oriented medieval fantasy story. It wasn’t until I received it that I realized the mistake I made. I kept my expectations quite low for this story.

Interestingly, many parts of Eye of the Sword felt much different than Breath of Angel. The story focuses on Trevin, instead of Melaia, as he aids her and the king in finding two of the three lost harps, which will allow them to bring back the stairway to heaven. He also needs to act soon. The king has pledged Melaia to the Dregmoorian prince, a rather unsavory character, and Trevin hopes his quest will help him prove the prince to be unfit for such an honor. There’s also the little matter that Trevin and Melaia obviously have feelings for each other.

The tonal shift was first big difference I noticed with Eye of the Sword. By having Trevin be the lead in this entry, Henley seems to be targeting the book more towards boys in their early teens. I’m sure many who enjoyed the first book will continue to enjoy this one, but retargeting the audience felt jarring. However, I also found Trevin easier to relate to than Melaia.

The world building is also furthered a bit more. In Breath of Angel I didn’t feel as if I got a good feel for the setting, and I think Eye of the Sword focuses this a bit more. Not a lot, but there did seem to be some improvement. However, there also seem to be some missteps in world building. In an attempt to create an expansive world, Henley has created a multitude of different types of being. The beginning of the book features descriptions of the different types of ‘heavenly beings.’ There are quite a few, and it can be rather hard to keep track of who’s who, especially when some of the characters do not regularly appear. Many times I had to flip back to the list of characters at the beginning to orient myself. I don’t mind grand world building, but so far this series hasn’t shown the depth to justify what’s been presented.

Also, there were times when plot points felt awkward. In one scene a character is charged in the death of a prince. This character’s fate is to be decided by a group of eight people. If guilty, he’ll be hung. However, the jury is split. It is then revealed that the King and Queen have a way of learning someone’s true character, and it’s not all that difficult. If his character is shown to be true, they’ll know he’s innocent. This revelation upset me. I just spent many pages watching the character grow nervous about his trial, especially since everything seemed stacked against him. I even began to wonder what would happen. When I discovered there was a foolproof way to determine his innocence, I couldn’t understand why the decision was ever put to a jury. Why not go straight to determining his character? What if the jury found him guilty, but he was innocent? They would’ve hung him? The prince is dead! Wouldn’t the king and queen want to completely sure the murderer was brought to justice? To know that, they’d have to one hundred percent sure they had the right person!

Other parts of the book seemed to be problematic, though to a lesser degree. Events happen in such rapid succession, that at times it was hard to remember which characters were present and which weren’t. Motivations seemed weak as well, and some characters made decisions which made little to no sense, and the only result was that it frustrated Trevin’s journey. Sure, the hero is going to face challenges, but many of the challenges seemed forced.

That said, Eye of the Sword does carry over some of the few positives I found in Breath of Angel. Once, the pace is fast. There weren’t many moments that lagged, and it always seemed to be building towards the end. Also, the story didn’t seem cheesy. Though from a Christian publisher, the spiritual elements in the story didn’t feel forced.

2/5 stars

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
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Feb 20, 2012 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bang, boom! That's what went on in my mind when I read this book. I was struck by awe. Karyn Henley has an amazing talent that brings her books to life. When I read the first book in these series I was also fascinated. The book made me want more and this book just, bang!!!!! Her writing is truly amazing and I one day hope I could get as good as her.

Karyn Henley wrote this book with an amazing plot. The plot was well thought out and she filled us in with all the information we wanted to know. Th...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, action, adventure, angels, historical-fiction, fantasy

Check out my blog!

Title: Eye of the Sword (#2 in the Angelaeon Series series)
Author: Karyn Henley
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Length: 233 pages
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
My Rating Scale:
1 Star= I flat out hated it/terrible/I wanted to scratch my eyes out.
2 Stars= I didn’t like it
3 Stars= It was okay/I liked it
4 Stars= I really liked it, but it wasn’t totally perfect
5 Stars= Holy literary gods! I LOVED this book!

Favorite Quote from Book:
“Life was a dance. Light with darkness. Known with unknown. The...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2012-reading-challenge

"Eye of the Sword" is book two in "The Angelaeon Circle" by Karyn Henley. I had a really hard time getting into this book at first because when I requested it, I did not realize it was part two in a series. However, once I got into it and pieced together the back story I really started to enjoy this book.

I think what drew me to this book was the front cover along with the quote on the back cover, "Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance...more "Eye of the Sword" is book two in "The Angelaeon Circle" by Karyn Henley. I had a really hard time getting into this book at first because when I requested it, I did not realize it was part two in a series. However, once I got into it and pieced together the back story I really started to enjoy this book.

I think what drew me to this book was the front cover along with the quote on the back cover, "Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a Princess?"

Our book chronicles the tale of Trevin. A young man who had once been a thief and a spy but has now been been promoted to a position of standing in the kingdom and is trying to make atonement for his past sins. He is in love with a beautiful princess, Melaia who is a Nephili - half angel, half human. Though she is in love with Trevin, her father has promised her to a vile Dregmoorian in hopes for a treaty between the kingdoms of Camrithia and Dregmoor.

Trevin is sent on a quest to return two missing harps to princess Melaia to fulfill a prophesy that a Nephili would restore the stairway to heaven. He must find success before she is given to marriage to Varic, the Dregmoorian prince, or else all chance of love for them is gone and she will be trapped in a loveless marriage. When he is accused of killing a young prince from Eldarra he must face the shame and guilt of his past and in doing so must also face the truth of his heritage.

I really enjoyed this book. It read as a fantasy/sci-fi story and although it has angels, I really see no Christian element to it, nor do I see any reason for it to be classified as Christian fiction. If you aren't a Christian then you would still enjoy this book even though it reads of angels. The angels in this book are nothing but a mythical creature, not unlike any other mythical beings you might read about in a fantasy setting. The use of harps and music as a method of restoring pathways and a sword that sees the heart of a person greatly reminded me of The Legend of Zelda lore. Despite my original reservations about this book I really did enjoy it and I can't wait to go back and read the first book in the series.

I received Eye of the Sword as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Waterbrook Multnomah graciously donated a book for giveaway! Enter below!
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May 08, 2012 Lindsay Franklin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eye of the Sword is Karyn Henley's successor to last year's Breath of Angel. I enjoyed Breath of Angel, with the exception of a few minor things, and thought that Henley had a great start with her first YA fantasy offering (she is a wildly best-selling children's author). But I really, really liked Eye of the Sword. I felt like Henley settled into Trevin's voice even better than she did with Melaia's in the first of the series. I found Melaia to be likable most of the time, but perhaps a little...more Eye of the Sword is Karyn Henley's successor to last year's Breath of Angel. I enjoyed Breath of Angel, with the exception of a few minor things, and thought that Henley had a great start with her first YA fantasy offering (she is a wildly best-selling children's author). But I really, really liked Eye of the Sword. I felt like Henley settled into Trevin's voice even better than she did with Melaia's in the first of the series. I found Melaia to be likable most of the time, but perhaps a little too naive for me to relate to personally. I connected to Trevin's self-doubt, shady past, and quest to discover his true character and destiny in the massive chess game that is life with the Angelaeon. He has always felt like he has more depth than our female heroine, and I really enjoyed going on the journey of Eye of the Sword from his point-of-view. He possesses humor that I think Melaia lacks, which always adds to my personal enjoyment when I'm reading a story.

There were a couple small downsides. I still believe there to be an issue with a lack of payoff for some major moments in the plot, like I noted with Breath of Angel. Henley does a great job of building tension, and then sometimes the payoff is one or two sentences and we're off to the next scene/bit of dialogue/whatever. The one upside to this is the nice stride of the pacing. I never found Eye of the Sword to drag. But I do wish there was a little more drama in those moments that are meant to be...well, dramatic.

The Angelaeon Circle books are both heavy on the romance element, which sort of sets this apart in the fantasy genre. I've heard that some even describe this as paranormal romance, which I totally disagree with. In my opinion, our world + romance plot + a paranormal element = paranormal romance. Think Twilight. Eye of the Sword is clearly high fantasy with a strong romantic pulse. And Henley finds a good balance between keeping it steamy and keeping it clean (steam-cleaned?), but I do have to note the fact that there is a lot of procreating going on between angels and mortals and immortals, some of whom are married, others of whom are not. It makes for a lot of half-siblings...and a lot of questions about the morals of these angels and what place all of this has in a Christian fantasy. So for a younger audience who might have a hard time discerning between fact and fiction, perhaps proceed with caution.

Bottom Line: Recommended for fantasy fans and romance lovers who don't mind taking a walk on the speculative side. An improvement on the already-good Breath of Angel. Oh, and on a side note, I'm becoming a really big fan of Kristopher Orr's cover art.

Note: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review.(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Libby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blogging-for-books, fantasy

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley is a book I received to review. It is the second in a series. I have not read the first book: Breath of Angel but after reading it’s sequel I may have to track it down. The story opens with the main character, Trevin departing on a quest. This adventure as all the great ingredients of a compelling fantasy novel: a nearly impossible mission, friendship, love, betrayal, evil, redemption, and an epic journey.

One of my favorite characters in the story is Princess Mel...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Cheryl Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-2012

I don’t know about you but I tend to be that reader that likes a little variety in genre in her reading. I like a good suspense book, love some historical fiction a funny contemporary and yes even a good fantasy book filled with swords, princes and even a bit of magic thrown in. Karen Henley’s offering Eye of the sword- Book two in the Angelaeon Circle definitely satisfied my hankering for a good fantasy story quite well, and even though I had not read Book one in this series, I was still able t...more I don’t know about you but I tend to be that reader that likes a little variety in genre in her reading. I like a good suspense book, love some historical fiction a funny contemporary and yes even a good fantasy book filled with swords, princes and even a bit of magic thrown in. Karen Henley’s offering Eye of the sword- Book two in the Angelaeon Circle definitely satisfied my hankering for a good fantasy story quite well, and even though I had not read Book one in this series, I was still able to follow along just fine and understand what was going on.

Our imperfect hero is Trevin who is revealed as being a “Nephili” or half angel, half human is on a quest.(There is always a good quest involved in a great fantasy book) to serve his King, King Laetham of Camrithia. His mission is to find the missing comains –the captains of the king’s army- and bring them back to Camrithia as they are needed because there is evil and rumblings happening in Camrithia. Another part of his quest is to find 2 missing harps and bring them back to the princess Melaia who needs them to restore the stairway to heaven. Trevin of course has an emotional attachment to Melaia and wants to prove his worth as well. It is a dangerous mission with a time limit of one season in which to complete it. Add in a dark and evil prince bent on wanting to marry Melaia to form an alliance between 2 kingdoms and you have an exciting fantasy book filled with angels, evil workings and interesting secrets that pop up to truly show the true worth of Trevin.

Strong points in this book really touched on Trevin’s identity, and struggling with his past decisions and mistakes and how that guilt impacted him now. It begged the character to explore the question- “Am I the sum of my mistakes or am I able to be redeemed, move beyond them, learn and become someone with noble character?” I thought that was very well done and even encouraging if the reader goes deeper and asks themselves the same question. I also have to say that I appreciated at the front of the book how the author had an easy referral guide, explaining each character and even the hierarchy of the different angels as it really helped me keep track. I enjoyed this book very much and am definitely going to read the first book as well.
4 stars

I was given a free copy of this book from the blogging for books program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Feb 08, 2012 Alexis Neal rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, freeviewed, 100-books, young-adult

Trevin has been both a thief and a traitor--now he is pledging fealty to King Laetham of Camrithia, in an effort to atone for his past sins and protect the woman he loves: King Laetham's daughter Melaia. But someone else is also interested in Melaia--a swaggering, untrustworthy Dregmoorian prince who promises peace in exchange for marriage with the princess. Trevin is powerless to stop their marriage, as the king sends him off to look for the missing comains (knights) who disappeared without a t...more Trevin has been both a thief and a traitor--now he is pledging fealty to King Laetham of Camrithia, in an effort to atone for his past sins and protect the woman he loves: King Laetham's daughter Melaia. But someone else is also interested in Melaia--a swaggering, untrustworthy Dregmoorian prince who promises peace in exchange for marriage with the princess. Trevin is powerless to stop their marriage, as the king sends him off to look for the missing comains (knights) who disappeared without a trace years before. Trevin is determined to succeed in this quest, and in another: he wants to find the missing harps Melaia needs to restore the stairway to heaven. Along the way, Trevin battles false accusations, his own guilt and shame, and a variety of more substantial enemies as well, and eventually discovers truths about his past that could change his future forever . . .

If this all sounds kind of confusing, good. Because it is. This book is ridiculous. The whole thing is chock full of Henley's fantasy vocabulary--place names, magical races (including so many varieties of angels that she includes a chart in the opening pages to help the reader remember the difference between Ophanim, Kuriotes, Archae, Thronos, Exousia, Archangels, regular Angels, and Nephilim--many of whom do not even appear in this book), positions of power, magical substances, quests, mythology, and heaven (heh) only knows what all else. There are plotlines criss-crossing all over the place. Rejius wants to kill Benasin; Laetham wants to find his missing comains and restore peace to his lands; Stalia wants to take over Camrithia; Melaia wants to unite the three magic harps to restore the stairway to heaven and then maybe marry Trevin; Trevin wants to make up for his shadowy past and maybe marry Melaia; Varic wants to kill Trevin, take over Camrithia, and maybe marry Melaia . . . it's a mess, is what I am saying.

I realize that a certain amount of new vocabulary is a part of most fantasy literature. Made-up places and things require made-up names. But the vocabulary is presented quite ham-handedly; the new words are far too dense and are dumped on a reader without any sort of skill or nuance. And the names themselves are laughable. Of course the evil suitor is a 'Dregmoorian' prince. It just sounds evil. Of course the angel of fire is called 'Flametender'. Somehow, Henley has created a vocabulary both unfamiliar and cliche, and it takes a diligent and determined reader to wade through all the new words and make sense of it all.

Then, too, I realize that this is the second book in a series. A lot has happened (from what I could gather), and Henley is stuck trying to build on her earlier foundation while helping new readers (like me) catch up on all the events of the previous book. This is not an easy task. But it can be done well--it has been done well, by other authors in similar situations. The exposition fairy does not flit gently through the book, bestowing backstory as needed to fill in gaps here and there--she plops her 600-pound behind right in the middle of the story and flails around desperately, dumping dense and convoluted background information on the reader in fits and starts. Indeed, some of the information does not appear to be necessary to the plot of this book at all, so the reader has to sift through it all for the useful (as opposed to extraneous) data. This barrage of unorganized 'previouslies,' on top of the new vocabulary and the seemingly endless cast of characters, is quite dizzying to the new reader.

I will say this, though. Once you slog through all the new names and places and kinds of angels, and you get the general idea of what happened in the first book (so, once Henley stops bashing you over the head with vocab and exposition), the book starts to be quite enjoyable. It's still kind of ridiculous and cliche, but it actually becomes sort of fun toward the end.

I can't really recommend the book, but I have hope that Henley will develop into a decent fantasy author. This trilogy was, I think, a bit complex and large-scale for her. Perhaps she'll scale down the vastness of her stories, or maybe she will handle complicated, epic plots more skillfully. She's got quite an imagination, and the story itself was fairly interesting, if a bit convoluted. And who knows? Maybe I would like it better if I'd read the first book.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 AbbyJoy rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is probably a bad way to start off a book review, but here I am again reading a book out of the middle of a series that I've never touched. Bit of a bad habit for me, yes? Anyway, Eye of the Sword is the sequel to Breath of Angel, and is the second book in the Angelaeon Circle series. Since, as previously mentioned, I haven't read the first book, I can't give a contrast to how it is compared to the first book. My apologies.

Probably mostly due to the fact that I jumped into the middle of th...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Nikole Hahn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Eye of The Sword brings us on an other-worldly adventure with one man, Trevin. Trevin has been promoted to serve the king and he loves the king’s daughter (who is half-angel), but a Dregmoorian prince with dubious motives tries to arrange a marriage with the princess. There is no love in the Dregmoorian’s heart for the princess. Trevin must find the harps and join them together to help the princess build the stairway to heaven so the angels can bring the dead home and return home themselves. In...more Eye of The Sword brings us on an other-worldly adventure with one man, Trevin. Trevin has been promoted to serve the king and he loves the king’s daughter (who is half-angel), but a Dregmoorian prince with dubious motives tries to arrange a marriage with the princess. There is no love in the Dregmoorian’s heart for the princess. Trevin must find the harps and join them together to help the princess build the stairway to heaven so the angels can bring the dead home and return home themselves. In spite of a comment I read somewhere about the overabundance of novels exploring the half-angel, half-human race that once existed (Genesis?) and using the race in a fantasy novel, the book was excellent.

Different themes are explored in this book. One being the struggle to forgive oneself. The Eye of The Sword is actually a sword owned by a neighboring kingdom. When one looks into the shiny blade they see their true identity. Trevin sees his reflection in the sword as a stronger, wiser man and his conflict sparks as he struggles to resonate with that image. Trevin’s various trials help him believe that his past doesn’t matter; only his future. That thought is played over and over again as Trevin is encouraged by friend and stranger that if he continues to allow his past to dictate his future he will fail. The second theme that was explored was Trevin’s murky beginnings.

He doesn’t know where he came from and he keeps having the same reoccurring nightmare. It’s only later in the book that the truth of that nightmare and his missing finger is revealed. I loved how Henley linked all the characters in this book and brought the angels and half-angels to life as Trevin sought the other two harps while evil began to rip a part the land. I thought the clever use of a drug-like substance called gash (a mud-like substance that boils up from the underworld of hell) destroys not just crops, but people as the Dregmoors attempt to control the people of Trevin’s homeland by getting some addicted to gash. We later find out to make gash it requires the blood of children.

The only negative for me in this book was when I read these words: ‘”Tell me,” said Nevius, “where was the Most High when the Tree was destroyed? During the Angel Wars, where was our creator? Our father-mother left us abandoned. Orphaned.”’ I’m not sure if Nevius stated a fact when he described the god of this fictional world or a truth, but most Christian fantasy make God male. In this sentence, Nevius expresses doubt as fear of another war makes him and the other Archons nervous. I did not deduct a star for this because the work is a work of fiction. We can get away with most anything in fiction because the world is made up, and because I want to read book one and the book following two, I give this novel five stars for a riveting story.

*Book given by publisher to review.(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Bluerose's Heart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, fantasy, young-adult-12-and-up

Last year, I read the first book in the Angelaeon Series, Breath of Angel, and loved it. At least, apparently I did, because I put it on my "favorites" shelf. As I started this one, though, I was having a really hard time remembering what the book was about. As I read through Eye of the Sword, I started slowly putting together things that happened in the first book, but it was all still really vague.

I struggled through Eye of the Sword. I seem to remember Breath of Angel having more of a fantasy...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Victor Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars

Karyn Henley in her new book “Eye of the Sword” Book Two in the Angelaeon Circle series published by Waterbrook Press brings us the adventures of Trevin.

From the back cover: Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?

In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the miss...more

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Apr 13, 2012 MightiMidget rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: personal-library, fantasy-high, romance

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

This review is written from the perspective of having not read the first book. That said, Henley manages to fill the new reader in on the details of the prior story fantastically. I never felt lost or confused, but neither did I feel bogged down by repeated information. I found myself enjoying this book immensely. Her descriptions are lovely, and she gives just the perfect amount to paint a vivid image witho...more I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

This review is written from the perspective of having not read the first book. That said, Henley manages to fill the new reader in on the details of the prior story fantastically. I never felt lost or confused, but neither did I feel bogged down by repeated information. I found myself enjoying this book immensely. Her descriptions are lovely, and she gives just the perfect amount to paint a vivid image without belittling the readers' ability to imagine. Her world is expanded even further in dimension by making certain characters wonderfully distinct. Pym's accent, and Ollena's ending most of her sentence with, "hmm?" all added charm to Henley's world.

Unfortunately, in the last fifty or so pages my enjoyment plummeted. The hero's faults are understandable, but they were taken to a level of shame--which the hero acknowledged, yes--that was shortly thereafter brushed off like the scenario wasn't a big deal. I found this frustrating, and my to bond to Trevin shattered. Following my inability to be fully sucked into the story again, I began noticing a string of events that were so coincidental and almost contrived that I had not noticed before. Things began falling into place so perfectly they appeared inconceivable.

My largest issue, which I managed to brush off until the end, was the lack of clarity: is this a Christian book? If these honorable angels were not allowed to interfere in human affairs, why are many of these respected angels parents to Nephili? Did this many angels have a lapse of judgment? Or were there other complications, explanations in the book prior to make the confusing issue of morality less murky? In addition, the Most High was mentioned as if the angels were entirely cut off from him due to the broken stairway to Heaven. If this is Christian, and if the Most High is the fantasy world stand-in for the Christian God, this appears to be undermining His sovereignty and communicating a weak message. Perhaps if she had redirected the highest authority toward the Most High more often versus indicating the highest authority (since they couldn't access Heaven) being the Angelaeon. Or even if there was some connection reaffirmed now and again that the Most High's omniscience was not restricted by the stairway. Or, a third option, not mentioned the Most High at all! Without the handful of nods to the "Most High" and knowing the publishing house's stance, I would have guessed this just to be a secular fantasy novel playing with angels.

Henley spun an enjoyable tale I had difficulty putting down, and I look forward to reading the first book at some point. It will be fun to meet the characters who were mentioned in passing, and interesting to see how everything started. I also hope book 1 will answer some of my questions regarding the spiritual stance of the book's intent, because I really want to like this series.(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Faye rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a hard review for me to write, because there were so many things that I loved about this book yet there were other elements that bothered me greatly. But hopefully my review is helpful :)

Trevin is a Comain (Captain) in the service of King Laetham of Camrithia. Trevin also happens to be in love with the King's daughter, Melaia. To prove himself he takes on two difficult quests, one to find the lost Comains of Camrithia, and the other to find the two remaining harps of a mystical threesome...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Rebecca LuElla Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, fantasy

Great book. The second of the Angeleon Circle. I will write a complete review for the upcoming CSFF blog tour, which I'll post here as an update. For now, I just want to say, this is one of my favorite Christian fantasy books. It didn't matter that it was book 2 of the series because Ms. Henley masterfully wove in the pertinent facts from the first book without bringing the current segment of the story to a halt. I never felt confused, and I cared about the characters almost at once. I want to g...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-publisher-author

I gave it 3.5 stars

EYE OF THE SWORD is about and narrated by Trevin. Trevin leaves Malaia to go on a journey to find more of the lost harps. While he is away Malaia is dealing with delaying her father from accepting a marriage proposal for her from the Prince of the Dregmoors, Varic. Both Malaia and Trevin love each other and that has always been apparent. I read another review on EYE OF THE SWORD where the reader said that book 2 had an entirely different feel then Book 1 BREATH OF ANGEL and I...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I bought this book because I won the 3rd book in the series on the Goodreads First-Reads Giveaways and I usually prefer to read the whole series instead of just part of it. Wasn't sure what to expect and even considered just reading the third book and not buying the first two. After finishing the second book I'm so glad that I did purchase the first two to read and so far the story is so much better than I could have ever hoped for. The author does an amazing job bringing Trevin's part in the st...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Rebecca Graf rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very good book. I did find it hard to follow with all the different kinds of animals and people in this fantasy world. This is the second book in a series. I did not read the first one which probably contributes to my confusion. Once I began to get familiar with it, the plot took me over. The author did an excellent job weaving in various story lines and having them meet at the perfect crossroads. I did see a few scenes that did not flow right, but they were minor. I really want to re...more

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Eye of the Sword (The Angelaeon Circle #2)

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