The Eyes of a Doll

The World of Shijuren #2

by Rob Howell, Kellie M Hultgren (Editor), Patrick McEvoy (Illustrations)

Just another day in Achrida... All Edward Aethelredson wanted to do was to enjoy his ale, heal from his wounds, relax during the summer, and help his friend with what should have been nothing more than a pleasant ride in the country. Two bodies later, including one he kills in self-defense, Edward is drawn into the dark recesses of the Empire’s criminal underworld. He cannot flee, for that would impugn his honor. He cannot hide, for that would leave a six-year-old girl and her family in danger for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He cannot attack, for he does not know who to strike at. With an ally who is more foe than friend and his back against the wall, can Edward find the cunning necessary to save his friends? Or will crime lords and deadly wizards spell the end of him?

432 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2015

About the author

Rob Howell is the best-selling creator of the Shijuren fantasy setting and an author in the Four Horsemen Universe. He writes primarily high fantasy, space opera, military science fiction, and alternate history, usually with mystery mixed into it all.

He is a reformed medieval academic, a former IT professional, and a retired soda jerk.

His parents discovered quickly books were the only way to keep Rob quiet. Without books, it’s unlikely all three would have survived.

You can find him online at: www.robhowell.org, on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00X95LBB0, and his blog at www.robhowell.org/blog.

Reviews

[Pat Patterson]

I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.
The second installment in the series; it assures us that the author isn't a one-hit wonder, and promises great things to come.
You have TWO things to consider these days: WHAT book you are going to get, and HOW are you going to read it. I think it's settled, as far as the reading public goes, that e-books are a wonder and a delight, and we pound on the table with the handle of a broom and demand MORE!. Nothing against paper versions, I'm relatively certain that they will be around until THIS civilization ends, but maybe not.
Howell just MIGHT be telling us what the future of e-books will be like. He has created his world, and openly published it online, and his books link to the page whenever a new character, item, or concept is introduced. At first, it was a little bit off-putting, but then I realized I didn't HAVE to follow those links to follow the story; they were just there in the event I wanted some depth or clarification.
I believe this to be the logical extension of the fabled Heinlein "Future History" chart that set us all a-flutter when we discovered it. For me, that was sometime in the 1960's, roughly coinciding with my personal Golden Age of Science Fiction.
The technology would be a wonderful thing, regardless of the story, but when it's coupled with a solid story-line, in-depth co-starring characters, and a truly heroic hero who is willing to go looking for a little girl's lost doll, it's a smash. A wonderful, delightful, intriguing smash.
Let me just give you TWO instances of great character development, and I already mentioned the first. Edward, the hero, is not at all above playing with the cat, and accepting abuse from the serving maid. He's just this guy, ya see? And so, when his friend asks if he would mind looking for a doll his daughter lost on a picnic, he agrees to go look for it. What a neat guy! He gives up NO heroic stature in doing so; in fact, he gains access to Terrible Things leading to Further Adventures!
Second: there is an evil, wicked, nasty, awful despised, rotten, cruel woman who offers to help him on his quest. She has an ulterior motive, but you will NOT be able to guess what it is. A character has to grow, right? So how can you make a depraved torture fan grow? IT AIN'T EASY!

Final thought: I spent over an hour last night, fooling around with the tablet belonging to 12 year old Kenneth. Download this software, then that software, which won't install. It's late at night. I want to go to bed! But I kept it up for a long time, because: I wanted Kenneth to read the prequel to this book, which is 'A Lake Most Deep,' and then read this one. I cannot GIVE a higher recommendation.

[Antoine Robert]

Very good mystery, once again, with Edward discovering some more dark stuff about the Empire.

Great characters, good laughs, great mysteries, solid action.
Excellent expansion on the already existing lore, ensuring the book and the universe gain in consistence.

Highly recommended.

[Dawn Paris]

Once again, Edwards's honor lands him in the middle of something he can't get out of without seeing it through. Of course, that something also has the potential to completely disrupt life in Achrida, and he and his friends have to figure it out without getting more people killed.

Some of what Edward must figure out is himself. His friends and allies challenge him to develop more than just his fighting skills, and I just have to wonder what that means for the next book in the series. This one still has plenty of fighting and badguy-chasing and villain-unmasking.

Edit 9/7/23: This updated edition is a joy!