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Paths of Shadow #2
All the Turns of Light
Join Mug and Meralda as they take to the skies in the long-awaited sequel to All the Paths of Shadow!
The airship Intrepid, fitted with Mage Meralda's flying coils and bearing a crew of a hundred and sixty-two souls, sets out to cross the treacherous Great Sea. If the Intrepid survives the voyage, she will be the first craft of the Realms to ever reach the mysterious Hang homeland. But as Meralda soon discovers, storms and sea-serpents are not the greatest perils she must face. There are powerful forces opposed to the Intrepid's crossing, and the most dangerous foe of all may lurk deep within Meralda's own heart.
If you've a taste for airships and intrigue, magic and more Mug, then climb aboard the Intrepid and dare the vast Great Sea…
The airship Intrepid, fitted with Mage Meralda's flying coils and bearing a crew of a hundred and sixty-two souls, sets out to cross the treacherous Great Sea. If the Intrepid survives the voyage, she will be the first craft of the Realms to ever reach the mysterious Hang homeland. But as Meralda soon discovers, storms and sea-serpents are not the greatest perils she must face. There are powerful forces opposed to the Intrepid's crossing, and the most dangerous foe of all may lurk deep within Meralda's own heart.
If you've a taste for airships and intrigue, magic and more Mug, then climb aboard the Intrepid and dare the vast Great Sea…
Nook
First published November 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 26, 2024
Tuttle's writing usually resonates with me, but this one was a bit more of a miss for me. Meralda has invented a new kind of flying coil (as modeled by the houseplant Mug in his flying birdcage) and has been conscripted for a flight across the ocean to the Hang Empire as Chief Engineer.
Most of it is told from a more limited third-person point of view, but once the ship is flying, Mug gets a few epistolary chapters, providing a more framing.
"The Intrepid includes two decks of cabins, sufficient to house the 162 drowning victims which shall depart in a mere three days."
(that's probably not foreshadowing, just a houseplant's fear of the ocean).
The characters are fun, somewhat archetypical, but well done. Although Meralda is clearly the center pin, she has able help from a number of magical artifacts as well as a few humans. Mug, the plant, acts as the comic relief, as well as signaling for the reader.
“Mistress!” Mug said. “I didn’t see you there, motioning me to be silent.”
It is written well and action clips along, until it becomes silly. Meralda persists in denying what seems obvious to everyone around her. Her arrogance/confidence is obviously a fatal flaw, and it is always a challenge to not have a character come to understand this. Like The Princess Bride, the reader finds herself saying, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Eventually, the plot ends up devolving into a more dream-like, hallucinatory sequence. These types of imaginings rarely work for me in any book I've read (mostly because the authors really don't manage to make it needful or believable, even/especially in fantasy), and it is no exception here.
Really, Tuttle is a decent writer, so if the young-adult, steampunky thing is your vibe, I'd encourage you to go for the series. It just wasn't my--groan--cup of tea.
I'd call it two and a half stars, rounding up for flying plants.
Most of it is told from a more limited third-person point of view, but once the ship is flying, Mug gets a few epistolary chapters, providing a more framing.
"The Intrepid includes two decks of cabins, sufficient to house the 162 drowning victims which shall depart in a mere three days."
(that's probably not foreshadowing, just a houseplant's fear of the ocean).
The characters are fun, somewhat archetypical, but well done. Although Meralda is clearly the center pin, she has able help from a number of magical artifacts as well as a few humans. Mug, the plant, acts as the comic relief, as well as signaling for the reader.
“Mistress!” Mug said. “I didn’t see you there, motioning me to be silent.”
It is written well and action clips along, until it becomes silly. Meralda persists in denying what seems obvious to everyone around her. Her arrogance/confidence is obviously a fatal flaw, and it is always a challenge to not have a character come to understand this. Like The Princess Bride, the reader finds herself saying, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Eventually, the plot ends up devolving into a more dream-like, hallucinatory sequence. These types of imaginings rarely work for me in any book I've read (mostly because the authors really don't manage to make it needful or believable, even/especially in fantasy), and it is no exception here.
Really, Tuttle is a decent writer, so if the young-adult, steampunky thing is your vibe, I'd encourage you to go for the series. It just wasn't my--groan--cup of tea.
I'd call it two and a half stars, rounding up for flying plants.
February 4, 2015
3.5 stars
This is the sequel to one of my favorite fantasy novels of the last few years, All the Paths of Shadow by Frank Tuttle (my review here). Unfortunately I didn’t like it as much as the first book.
The story continues the adventures of Meralda, the Royal mage of Tirlin, and her faithful sidekick Mug, a talking plant with 29 eyes. In this tale, they follow their king’s order, against Meralda’s best judgment, and board a huge airship bound for Hang (a land across the Great Sea) for a royal funeral.
About 40% of the book takes place before the ship’s departure, and I loved that part. It was extremely funny and continued Meralda’s escapades in the same low-key, personal way as the first book.
Then she boards the ship, and the tone changes dramatically. Suddenly there is huge and malevolent magic at play, the stakes become standard – world doom, no less – and Meralda isn’t herself anymore. Instead of the charming, no-nonsense girl-magician with a penchant for mathematics and common sense aplenty, she becomes something god-like and aloof, all power but almost no humanity.
She seems to be sick with this magical malady, which makes her dangerous to everyone and everything around her, including the ship, but she doesn’t warn anyone of the dangers. She and her team keep the secret, while the helpless ship struggles to sail across the sky, battling storms and mythical apparitions, with a screwy magician on board.
Even Mug’s journal entries, included in the narration for humorous effect, can’t make up for the tedium of the long, involved explanations of the magical feats and super-exaggerated perils.
Many characters from the first book make an appearance here, but none develops further, none becomes alive, not even the protagonist Meralda. The only more-or-less living person in the book is Mug, the plant.
Overall, I was disappointed. The first part of the book deserved 5 stars. The second part – about 2.5 stars, so I averaged it to 3.5.
This is the sequel to one of my favorite fantasy novels of the last few years, All the Paths of Shadow by Frank Tuttle (my review here). Unfortunately I didn’t like it as much as the first book.
The story continues the adventures of Meralda, the Royal mage of Tirlin, and her faithful sidekick Mug, a talking plant with 29 eyes. In this tale, they follow their king’s order, against Meralda’s best judgment, and board a huge airship bound for Hang (a land across the Great Sea) for a royal funeral.
About 40% of the book takes place before the ship’s departure, and I loved that part. It was extremely funny and continued Meralda’s escapades in the same low-key, personal way as the first book.
Then she boards the ship, and the tone changes dramatically. Suddenly there is huge and malevolent magic at play, the stakes become standard – world doom, no less – and Meralda isn’t herself anymore. Instead of the charming, no-nonsense girl-magician with a penchant for mathematics and common sense aplenty, she becomes something god-like and aloof, all power but almost no humanity.
She seems to be sick with this magical malady, which makes her dangerous to everyone and everything around her, including the ship, but she doesn’t warn anyone of the dangers. She and her team keep the secret, while the helpless ship struggles to sail across the sky, battling storms and mythical apparitions, with a screwy magician on board.
Even Mug’s journal entries, included in the narration for humorous effect, can’t make up for the tedium of the long, involved explanations of the magical feats and super-exaggerated perils.
Many characters from the first book make an appearance here, but none develops further, none becomes alive, not even the protagonist Meralda. The only more-or-less living person in the book is Mug, the plant.
Overall, I was disappointed. The first part of the book deserved 5 stars. The second part – about 2.5 stars, so I averaged it to 3.5.
November 24, 2014
Another excellent Meralda and Mug adventure although they certainly get put through the wringer this time around!
Also, Mug's first two journal entries had me chortling out loud. Well done!
Also, Mug's first two journal entries had me chortling out loud. Well done!
December 19, 2014
I'm afraid that after enjoying the first book in this series, I found the second disappointing. Part of what I enjoyed about the first book was the localized setting and immediate problem; the depiction of Meralda as a working mage, struggling to satisfy a king's whims in the midst of a chaotic political summit. This second book suddenly threw in world-shaking threats, godlike magicks, and mysterious alien-like artifacts, which changes the flavor of the series a great deal. It was OK, but it didn't retain the interpersonal charm of the first novel. The book introduces one notable new character, a reporter, but fails to develop her as thoroughly as the other characters were developed in the first novel; it's as if she were only perfunctorily introduced in order to play a larger part in the next novel. All in all, this felt like a bridge story, not as well-developed as the first and primarily serving to set up some future plotline.
December 31, 2014
I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the first, but that's partly because I have a bit of a thing about people turning into someone/some*thing* they desperately don't want to be, and it's out of their control. However Mug "narrated" some of the book, which was delightful and the magic was often a lot of fun.
May 21, 2018
Another good Tirlin story
I just wish there was another. I enjoyed getting to know Meralda, Mug, Donchen and others. Vivid characters w great resolve.
I just wish there was another. I enjoyed getting to know Meralda, Mug, Donchen and others. Vivid characters w great resolve.
October 17, 2018
4 stars. Good book #2
Read
August 5, 2019This seems to be going somewhere I'm not liking and I have plenty of other books to read. I may come back this one later.
February 8, 2015
Meralda is a wonderfully intelligent young mage who refuses to compromise her character or magic. She also has the patience of a saint when given what seems like impossible demands from the King of Tirlin. Before liftoff of the airship, Meralda receives a warning message from Phillitrep’s Thinking Engine about the possibility of a final Cosmic Event that will be caused by her in the near future. The whole mission starts off with a series of mishaps that almost lead to devastation of the Intrepid before she even gets out of the hanger. Luckily, Meralda is able to keep a cool head and averts disaster.
The King is sure that the Vonat’s are out to sabotage the Intrepid on its maiden flight and takes extreme measures to thwart their efforts. When strange magical things start happening around Meralda, she slowly starts losing her grip on reality. It is all she can do to keep her head straight and maintain the Intrepid as chief maintenance officer. The last thing she needs is Mrs. Wedding Primsbite, chief penswift for the Tirlin Times, requesting interviews with her. Then Donchen, Meralda’s ever devoted ex-Hang boyfriend who stowed-away onto the airship, learns about an ancient Vonat prophecy that directly affects Meralda and everyone on the Intrepid.
The characters are all well rounded, the dialogue is outstanding, and the non-stop events on board the airship are suspenseful. Luckily, Mug is keeping a journal and is able to keep us up to date on all the other minor details at the end of each day. I loved that his cage now has its own flying coils and he can make himself mobile to travel around the airship as he pleases. He just needs someone to open doors for him occasionally. He is a wonderfully intelligent character that is full of snark and sees truths about Meralda that even she has a hard time admitting.
This is an exciting story full of adventure, danger, and untold magic that will keep you reading late into the night. Mrs. Primsbite turned into quite a unique character that I really enjoyed and I expect Meralda to keep her as a friend and confidant. She needs an older female figure around that she can trust in this male centric wizarding world.
Even though the Intrepid has succeeded in crossing the Great Sea there is still the mysterious Arc that Meralda feels she must find answers for. And the adventures in Hang territory are just beginning.
FYI: This is book two in Paths of Shadow series, and I would recommend reading All the Paths of Shadow first.
Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant issues in proofing or formatting.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** January 31, 2015
The King is sure that the Vonat’s are out to sabotage the Intrepid on its maiden flight and takes extreme measures to thwart their efforts. When strange magical things start happening around Meralda, she slowly starts losing her grip on reality. It is all she can do to keep her head straight and maintain the Intrepid as chief maintenance officer. The last thing she needs is Mrs. Wedding Primsbite, chief penswift for the Tirlin Times, requesting interviews with her. Then Donchen, Meralda’s ever devoted ex-Hang boyfriend who stowed-away onto the airship, learns about an ancient Vonat prophecy that directly affects Meralda and everyone on the Intrepid.
The characters are all well rounded, the dialogue is outstanding, and the non-stop events on board the airship are suspenseful. Luckily, Mug is keeping a journal and is able to keep us up to date on all the other minor details at the end of each day. I loved that his cage now has its own flying coils and he can make himself mobile to travel around the airship as he pleases. He just needs someone to open doors for him occasionally. He is a wonderfully intelligent character that is full of snark and sees truths about Meralda that even she has a hard time admitting.
This is an exciting story full of adventure, danger, and untold magic that will keep you reading late into the night. Mrs. Primsbite turned into quite a unique character that I really enjoyed and I expect Meralda to keep her as a friend and confidant. She needs an older female figure around that she can trust in this male centric wizarding world.
Even though the Intrepid has succeeded in crossing the Great Sea there is still the mysterious Arc that Meralda feels she must find answers for. And the adventures in Hang territory are just beginning.
FYI: This is book two in Paths of Shadow series, and I would recommend reading All the Paths of Shadow first.
Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant issues in proofing or formatting.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** January 31, 2015
March 1, 2017
I enjoyed the plot of the first book better, as it felt far more believable. Also thought that Mug was a more amusing character in the first book. Still it wasn't a bad story, and it left me interested in what will happen for Meralda and the other characters next.
December 2, 2014
Well...
I hadn't realized this had been released, so was terribly excited, bought it straight off and began reading immediately, despite the Very Long List of things I should have been doing instead. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this one - while good - did not enchant me the way the first book did. Perhaps too much happened, and several times I felt that the absurdity was only there for its own sake, like we're all supposed to stop and think "oooh, how does Mr. Tuttle come up with such a list?" Aggravating, and jars one out of the narrative. Well - this one, anyway.
That being said, it was still good, I still like Meralda and Donchen, and Mug. I'm looking forward to the third book.
I hadn't realized this had been released, so was terribly excited, bought it straight off and began reading immediately, despite the Very Long List of things I should have been doing instead. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this one - while good - did not enchant me the way the first book did. Perhaps too much happened, and several times I felt that the absurdity was only there for its own sake, like we're all supposed to stop and think "oooh, how does Mr. Tuttle come up with such a list?" Aggravating, and jars one out of the narrative. Well - this one, anyway.
That being said, it was still good, I still like Meralda and Donchen, and Mug. I'm looking forward to the third book.
June 25, 2015
Meralda is back, and strange things are happening to and around her. What else can be said, really, without getting into spoiler territory? Our protagonist is on an airship bound for the Hang mainland when suddenly the laws of magic and physics start to break apart at the seems. The story centers around finding out why and stopping it, and as it progresses what's at stake becomes much more dire.
This book is a much quicker read than the first one, and the plot is much more focused. We're also treated to journal entries from Mug, which are thoroughly amusing. Meralda's character arc provides a look at temptation and loss of self, and it's interesting to watch her change. The end of the book sets up for a third in the series, with a large mystery left hanging over everyone's heads.
This book is a much quicker read than the first one, and the plot is much more focused. We're also treated to journal entries from Mug, which are thoroughly amusing. Meralda's character arc provides a look at temptation and loss of self, and it's interesting to watch her change. The end of the book sets up for a third in the series, with a large mystery left hanging over everyone's heads.
January 2, 2015
Fantastic second book in the series! There is so much that happens that my head was spinning, but in a good way. Meralda is quirky as ever, Mug is as sarcastic as ever, and Donchen is as mysterious as ever. Throw in some quantum physics, magical science, and an adventure at sea... now it's just a romping, good time!
I'll keep this short and sweet. I recommend you read the first book in the series, All the Paths of Shadow, then read this one. Fantastic steampunk with magic interwoven throughout the story!
I'll keep this short and sweet. I recommend you read the first book in the series, All the Paths of Shadow, then read this one. Fantastic steampunk with magic interwoven throughout the story!
January 15, 2016
Hm. Didn't like it as much as its predecessor. Better as a long allegory than as a novel, I think. The allegory: the ruin of the world, variously fought and abetted by mysteries, powerful talent, massive weapons built by multitudes through generations, and, in the end, individual choices of fidelity and altruism. As a novel, there was just too much unpredictable weirdness to feel any hope of understanding what might happen next. True, that was kind of the intent, but it didn't make the reading enjoyable.
July 1, 2015
Sadly, it doesn't measure up to the first book.
It suffers from the power-curve problem (wherein our heroes and heroines grow progressively and problematically more powerful in every sequel), and some of the plot elements simply don't jibe.
In the end, it breaks its own magic system, introduces plot elements that it doesn't appear will ever be explored and everyone lands happily ever after but the reader.
It suffers from the power-curve problem (wherein our heroes and heroines grow progressively and problematically more powerful in every sequel), and some of the plot elements simply don't jibe.
In the end, it breaks its own magic system, introduces plot elements that it doesn't appear will ever be explored and everyone lands happily ever after but the reader.
August 26, 2015
Another path into the world of fantasy
Once again a charming book about Meralda and her entourage. This time in the air on the way to Hang in a dirigible. And the action and Romance continues. New opponents appear, some indescribable. If you like the world of fantasy, you'll love this book.
Once again a charming book about Meralda and her entourage. This time in the air on the way to Hang in a dirigible. And the action and Romance continues. New opponents appear, some indescribable. If you like the world of fantasy, you'll love this book.
July 30, 2015
Actually 3.5, might bump up to 4.
Not as brilliant as the first installment, but still quite enjoyable. I'm kind of mad he saved the Big Cool Revelation for the end of the book, I'll be looking forward to the next volume.
Not as brilliant as the first installment, but still quite enjoyable. I'm kind of mad he saved the Big Cool Revelation for the end of the book, I'll be looking forward to the next volume.
December 15, 2014
Good sequel! Tuttle needs a little help in fine-tuning the romance and the unmagic was a little hard to follow (easily blamed on how quickly I read) but I really enjoyed this book. Looking forward to the third and fourth ones.
September 2, 2015
My 14 year old loved the first book in this series. This book was still very good, but not as good as the first book. The plot wasn't as well thought out, although the writing was excellent I still recommend the series, and hope the next book relies less on *MAGIC* to save the day!
July 25, 2016
While I thought this book's predecessor was amazing, this jumped the shark. It was over the top dystopian magic, end of the world. I could just see the starship Enterprise yawing toward an imploding sun. It just didn't fit with the first book.
November 18, 2014
Frank Tuttle has really outdone himself on this book. World breaking magic, dragons, giants, airships...this book has it all. Read it!
March 18, 2015
This series has be called steampunk, and the first one was so-so, but this one is way more fantasy with all it's magical elements. Elements that I didn't really care for.
July 23, 2015
Not enough Shingvere and Fromarch, and they slighted Donchen too. I did adore Mug's diary though.
August 16, 2015
Not as good as the first one, but I still really enjoy the characters, and am looking forward to reading more.
August 24, 2015
3.5 not quite as good as the first but still a great read. Mug's journal entries were hilarious.
September 9, 2015
Somehow was not as enthralling or good as the first one...
November 13, 2015
A good follow-up to All The Paths of Shadow, though not nearly as charming. May not have enjoyed it quite as much as the first, but still glad I read it ;)
October 14, 2015
Actually more fun than the first book, which doesn't happen all that often.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews