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The Secret Texts #1
Diplomacy of Wolves
This first volume of "The Secret Texts"-- a fantastic epic of ancient curses, evil conspiracies, and the darkest of sorceries--revolves around a 400-year battle between two clans for control of Calimekka. A young diplomat must reluctantly use her deadly magical powers to keep Calimekka from being crushed in a reign of unholy terror.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
27 people are currently reading
1107 people want to read
About the author
Holly Lisle
108 books448 followersHolly Lisle has been writing fiction professionally since 1991, when she sold FIRE IN THE MIST, the novel that won her the Compton Crook Award for best first novel. She has to date published more than thirty novels and several comprehensive writing courses. She has just published WARPAINT, the second stand-alone novel in her Cadence Drake series.
Holly had an ideal childhood for a writer…which is to say, it was filled with foreign countries and exotic terrains, alien cultures, new languages, the occasional earthquake, flood, or civil war, and one story about a bear, which follows:
“So. Back when I was ten years old, my father and I had finished hunting ducks for our dinner and were walking across the tundra in Alaska toward the spot on the river where we’d tied our boat. We had a couple miles to go by boat to get back to the Moravian Children’s Home, where we lived.
“My father was carrying the big bag of decoys and the shotgun; I was carrying the small bag of ducks.
“It was getting dark, we could hear the thud, thud, thud of the generator across the tundra, and suddenly he stopped, pointed down to a pie-pan sized indentation in the tundra that was rapidly filling with water, and said, in a calm and steady voice, “That’s a bear footprint. From the size of it, it’s a grizzly. The fact that the track is filling with water right now means the bear’s still around.”
“Which got my attention, but not as much as what he said next.
” ‘I don’t have the gun with me that will kill a bear,’ he told me. ‘I just have the one that will make him angry. So if we see the bear, I’m going to shoot him so he’ll attack me. I want you to run to the river, follow it to the boat, get the boat back home, and tell everyone what happened.’
“The rest of our walk was very quiet. He was, I’m sure, listening for the bear. I was doing my damnedest to make sure that I remembered where the boat was, how to get to it, how to start the pull-cord engine, and how to drive it back home, because I did not want to let him down.
“We were not eaten by a bear that night…but neither is that walk back from our hunt for supper a part of my life I’ll ever forget.
“I keep that story in mind as I write. If what I’m putting on paper isn’t at least as memorable as having a grizzly stalking my father and me across the tundra while I was carrying a bag of delicious-smelling ducks, it doesn’t make my cut.”
You can find Holly on her personal site:
Hollylisle.com
You can find Cadence Drake, Holly's currently in-progress series, on her site:
CadenceDrake.com
You can find Holly's books, courses, writing workshops, and so on here:
The HowToThinkSideways.com Shop, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a number of bookstores in the US and around the world.
Holly had an ideal childhood for a writer…which is to say, it was filled with foreign countries and exotic terrains, alien cultures, new languages, the occasional earthquake, flood, or civil war, and one story about a bear, which follows:
“So. Back when I was ten years old, my father and I had finished hunting ducks for our dinner and were walking across the tundra in Alaska toward the spot on the river where we’d tied our boat. We had a couple miles to go by boat to get back to the Moravian Children’s Home, where we lived.
“My father was carrying the big bag of decoys and the shotgun; I was carrying the small bag of ducks.
“It was getting dark, we could hear the thud, thud, thud of the generator across the tundra, and suddenly he stopped, pointed down to a pie-pan sized indentation in the tundra that was rapidly filling with water, and said, in a calm and steady voice, “That’s a bear footprint. From the size of it, it’s a grizzly. The fact that the track is filling with water right now means the bear’s still around.”
“Which got my attention, but not as much as what he said next.
” ‘I don’t have the gun with me that will kill a bear,’ he told me. ‘I just have the one that will make him angry. So if we see the bear, I’m going to shoot him so he’ll attack me. I want you to run to the river, follow it to the boat, get the boat back home, and tell everyone what happened.’
“The rest of our walk was very quiet. He was, I’m sure, listening for the bear. I was doing my damnedest to make sure that I remembered where the boat was, how to get to it, how to start the pull-cord engine, and how to drive it back home, because I did not want to let him down.
“We were not eaten by a bear that night…but neither is that walk back from our hunt for supper a part of my life I’ll ever forget.
“I keep that story in mind as I write. If what I’m putting on paper isn’t at least as memorable as having a grizzly stalking my father and me across the tundra while I was carrying a bag of delicious-smelling ducks, it doesn’t make my cut.”
You can find Holly on her personal site:
Hollylisle.com
You can find Cadence Drake, Holly's currently in-progress series, on her site:
CadenceDrake.com
You can find Holly's books, courses, writing workshops, and so on here:
The HowToThinkSideways.com Shop, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a number of bookstores in the US and around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
March 29, 2016
I didn't really like this book. Almost everyone is a bad person. Women are raped constantly. People are betrayed constantly. Also, she makes up a lot of nonsense words and concepts. Kait is a werewolf – and she lives in a place where werewolves are feared and killed. (Of course, Lisle doesn't call them werewolves, she calls them Karnee). She, of course, goes on a quest for a long lost mirror that can bring back the dead. Not a light book. (Not deep, just dark.) I didn't like it.
January 12, 2011
This book really frustrated me. Sometimes I loved it and other times I skipped entire sections. The beginning of the Diplomacy of Wolves is told from the main character Kait's point of view. You come to know her and relate to her, and everything is great. I discovered that the book is not about crazy mages running around, like the jacket suggested, but about a werewolf/shapeshifter. Points for originality there. Things start to fall apart when people are attacked, families are destroyed, and chaos abounds. My interest waned a bit as other viewpoints were introduced and the plot took a different path than expected. When we start to believe the book is about a shapeshifter learning to become a diplomat it turns into a hunt for an artifact. The middle section of the book was my least favorite, as I felt it was filled with unimportant details. I really didn't care who was sleeping with who, who the crazy brothers were killing, or what the voices in peoples' heads were saying. I skipped around until major events started unfolding-about 100 pages before the end. At that point there are deities, reborn mages, and we really aren't sure who is good and who is evil. Great! Please give me more of that.
There are plenty of plot twists, a large number of events unfolding that will eventually come together in something great, interesting characters, and a shapeshifter element. However, the changes in viewpoint can be a bit confusing at first and don't always add too much to the plot, details bog down what could have been a really great story, and there is a bit of a cliffhanger. Without the irritating points this novel could have been 5 stars. As it stands the dragging sections bothered me so much it knocked it down to a 3. I really hope the next one has more plot and less filler.
There are plenty of plot twists, a large number of events unfolding that will eventually come together in something great, interesting characters, and a shapeshifter element. However, the changes in viewpoint can be a bit confusing at first and don't always add too much to the plot, details bog down what could have been a really great story, and there is a bit of a cliffhanger. Without the irritating points this novel could have been 5 stars. As it stands the dragging sections bothered me so much it knocked it down to a 3. I really hope the next one has more plot and less filler.
March 2, 2017
Ooh, tough to rate. . . say 3.5?
This is well written, well crafted fantasy. It has good solid world-building - interesting and coherent; it has rounded characters, if tending rather more to the faulty than the perfect. It's got action and intrigue and machinations. . . but I just wasn't fully into it. I have no idea why, though I can pinpoint certain dissatisfactions from the latter parts which really brought the whole book down. It was as if all the coy allusions and hints of the earlier intra-family affairs got thrown out of the window in favour of a more heavy handed "hint, hint, wink, wink" approach . It may be me being picky; it could be the oh-so-standard fantasy styling of it all - the good but hidden brotherhood working beneath the surface of events, long lost lore and Ancient artifacts, an evil reborn (or is it?), doomed opposing lovers. It was almost tropical there were so many tropes!
As I say, this fantasy novel had everything, and it wasn't badly done if overworked in places; I just don't know if I feel like finishing the trilogy right now - this entry gave me déjà vu enough already, I might leave it until I'm more in the mood for cliché. (Nothing wrong with clichés, but in little doses - that's why it's less noticeable in short smutty romances, but glaringly obvious in epic fantasy novels)
This is well written, well crafted fantasy. It has good solid world-building - interesting and coherent; it has rounded characters, if tending rather more to the faulty than the perfect. It's got action and intrigue and machinations. . . but I just wasn't fully into it. I have no idea why, though I can pinpoint certain dissatisfactions from the latter parts which really brought the whole book down. It was as if all the coy allusions and hints of the earlier intra-family affairs got thrown out of the window in favour of a more heavy handed "hint, hint, wink, wink" approach . It may be me being picky; it could be the oh-so-standard fantasy styling of it all - the good but hidden brotherhood working beneath the surface of events, long lost lore and Ancient artifacts, an evil reborn (or is it?), doomed opposing lovers. It was almost tropical there were so many tropes!
As I say, this fantasy novel had everything, and it wasn't badly done if overworked in places; I just don't know if I feel like finishing the trilogy right now - this entry gave me déjà vu enough already, I might leave it until I'm more in the mood for cliché. (Nothing wrong with clichés, but in little doses - that's why it's less noticeable in short smutty romances, but glaringly obvious in epic fantasy novels)
May 10, 2025
I just really genuinely enjoyed this book. It's traditional fantasy, but with a few new ideas thrown in and swirled around: a female protagonist who is effectively a werewolf, political machinations that abandon the traditional vassal-state setting in favor of family-run city-states, long-forgotten secrets that include technology as well as magic... The world was fun and completely immersive, and while there were plenty of problems with depictions of women, the main character existing as a competent, intelligent, proactive protagonist really made this book stand out for me.
There definitely were plot missteps, though they all show up in the second half of the novel when the reader is already invested. Some twists are predictable, and there are a handful of moments where dialogue feels stilted and info-dump-y - surprising, because Lisle seems like an otherwise perfectly capable writer. Additionally, readers aren't always given important pieces of character or setting information until the exact moment they're necessary, which makes it seem like an afterthought or oversight.
The book falls afoul of some silly genre tropes, but the characters all have clear, compelling goals, and the plot moves forward quickly and with purpose. Despite some hints to the contrary and the direction the paranormal/werewolf genre has taken in recent years, this isn't a romance book, and Kait isn't a stereotype. She's proactive, driven, and not always a great person. And the other characters are equally unique and complicated (with a few notable evil exceptions).
Categorizing fantasy is especially difficult, but prospective readers should be warned that this has some seriously grimdark elements. The concept of slavery exists as a backdrop in this universe, and I cannot overemphasize how many times rape occurs or is referenced. It would be completely understandable if readers who don't enjoy brutality in their leisure reading choose to give this a hard pass.
But if you like fantasy with traditional tropes, with more complicated, human stories and an elaborately conceived world, I don't see any reason not to check this one out. There are far more fantasy books than anyone could hope to read in a lifetime, but, for me, this one comes closest to holding that most coveted of genre comparisons: The writing style, the depth of the world-building, dialogue, characterization... even how Lisle blends the political with the personal and sets it against a wider world-threatening magical backdrop... It all reminds me of ASoIaF.
There definitely were plot missteps, though they all show up in the second half of the novel when the reader is already invested. Some twists are predictable, and there are a handful of moments where dialogue feels stilted and info-dump-y - surprising, because Lisle seems like an otherwise perfectly capable writer. Additionally, readers aren't always given important pieces of character or setting information until the exact moment they're necessary, which makes it seem like an afterthought or oversight.
The book falls afoul of some silly genre tropes, but the characters all have clear, compelling goals, and the plot moves forward quickly and with purpose. Despite some hints to the contrary and the direction the paranormal/werewolf genre has taken in recent years, this isn't a romance book, and Kait isn't a stereotype. She's proactive, driven, and not always a great person. And the other characters are equally unique and complicated (with a few notable evil exceptions).
Categorizing fantasy is especially difficult, but prospective readers should be warned that this has some seriously grimdark elements. The concept of slavery exists as a backdrop in this universe, and I cannot overemphasize how many times rape occurs or is referenced. It would be completely understandable if readers who don't enjoy brutality in their leisure reading choose to give this a hard pass.
But if you like fantasy with traditional tropes, with more complicated, human stories and an elaborately conceived world, I don't see any reason not to check this one out. There are far more fantasy books than anyone could hope to read in a lifetime, but, for me, this one comes closest to holding that most coveted of genre comparisons: The writing style, the depth of the world-building, dialogue, characterization... even how Lisle blends the political with the personal and sets it against a wider world-threatening magical backdrop... It all reminds me of ASoIaF.
August 24, 2020
AFTER:
Well, that...wasn't awful. The cheesy covers + uninspiring blurbs turned me off, & childhood read-overs rarely hold water. But I liked most of it & will try book 2 in the near future.
Though there were vaguely familiar bits, the 20 years between then & now ensured I could read with fresh eyes. Rather than the usual pseudo-medieval setup, Matrin culture is similar to Renaissance city-states with a dash of steampunk -- think DaVINCI'S DEMONS with more magic & a shifter heroine. Her love interest is also a shifter; it was his ancestors that cursed hers, & the magical backlash afflicted both lines with unwanted skinwalker descendants. Added to the mix are secret magical organizations in both families who repeatedly try to undercut the other, & a cabal of villainous ghostly deities masquerading as wizards who've been trapped between worlds.
Much like GREEN RIDER, this straddles the line between YA & adult. Excepting the typical sword-&-sorcery encounters, there's little graphic violence, but there are several references to sex, rape, child abuse, necro, & torture, so (like GREEN RIDER) I wouldn't call it YA. The prose isn't as sophisticated as Carey, Roberson, or Rawn, but it is competently written & most of the characters have decent depth (excepting Ian, who's a bit blah, & Andrew, who's a sadistic mofo, but all good fantasy needs a gross villain) & there are both personal & epic problems to solve on a short-term & long-term basis.
The last third does lose some steam; it feels like one long buildup to books 2-3. I also cringed at Kait's oblivious acceptance of her "grandmother's" voice (seriously, how many times can she misspeak before you question her identity?). But it was still a solid read in the mode of classic 90s fantasy, which is a lost art nowadays... seems that everything is either Grimdark, cheesy YA, or urban PNR. *sigh*
But I digress. 😶 3.5, rounded up for good world-building.
BEFORE:
In this case, 'UNREAD' is a bit misleading. I know my childhood self read this trilogy during 2000-01, back when it was first published. I remember liking it then. But holy shit, that's almost 20 years ago... O_______o
I feel old. *sigh*
So when I found these at the bottom of a box last week, I couldn't decide whether to keep them or not. Young Sarah put them aside for a reason, but unlike other books from that period I remember virtually nothing of the content, nor even why I liked them. They're a total mystery. (WTG, Old Sarah. :P) So I've decided to reread these & see if they're worth the space.
Well, that...wasn't awful. The cheesy covers + uninspiring blurbs turned me off, & childhood read-overs rarely hold water. But I liked most of it & will try book 2 in the near future.
Though there were vaguely familiar bits, the 20 years between then & now ensured I could read with fresh eyes. Rather than the usual pseudo-medieval setup, Matrin culture is similar to Renaissance city-states with a dash of steampunk -- think DaVINCI'S DEMONS with more magic & a shifter heroine. Her love interest is also a shifter; it was his ancestors that cursed hers, & the magical backlash afflicted both lines with unwanted skinwalker descendants. Added to the mix are secret magical organizations in both families who repeatedly try to undercut the other, & a cabal of villainous ghostly deities masquerading as wizards who've been trapped between worlds.
Much like GREEN RIDER, this straddles the line between YA & adult. Excepting the typical sword-&-sorcery encounters, there's little graphic violence, but there are several references to sex, rape, child abuse, necro, & torture, so (like GREEN RIDER) I wouldn't call it YA. The prose isn't as sophisticated as Carey, Roberson, or Rawn, but it is competently written & most of the characters have decent depth (excepting Ian, who's a bit blah, & Andrew, who's a sadistic mofo, but all good fantasy needs a gross villain) & there are both personal & epic problems to solve on a short-term & long-term basis.
The last third does lose some steam; it feels like one long buildup to books 2-3. I also cringed at Kait's oblivious acceptance of her "grandmother's" voice (seriously, how many times can she misspeak before you question her identity?). But it was still a solid read in the mode of classic 90s fantasy, which is a lost art nowadays... seems that everything is either Grimdark, cheesy YA, or urban PNR. *sigh*
But I digress. 😶 3.5, rounded up for good world-building.
BEFORE:
In this case, 'UNREAD' is a bit misleading. I know my childhood self read this trilogy during 2000-01, back when it was first published. I remember liking it then. But holy shit, that's almost 20 years ago... O_______o
I feel old. *sigh*
So when I found these at the bottom of a box last week, I couldn't decide whether to keep them or not. Young Sarah put them aside for a reason, but unlike other books from that period I remember virtually nothing of the content, nor even why I liked them. They're a total mystery. (WTG, Old Sarah. :P) So I've decided to reread these & see if they're worth the space.
November 26, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in July 2001.
For the Secret Texts series, which this novel begins, Holly Lile has combined a fairly standard fantasy quest with a background drawn straight from post-apocalyptic science fiction. There are many similarities to, say, A Canticle for Leibowitz, with the major difference that the world destroying war was not nuclear but fought with magical weapons producing effects similar to fallout, persistent radiation and mutations.
One of the mutations, still occurring unpredictably, produces a being called a Karnee, a werewolf. Kait Galweigh is one of these, hidden by her immediate family - even though the Galweighs are one of the five clans known as the Families which rule the world, this won't save her from the priests' checks for impurity. Brought up to become a Family ambassador, she is acting as a chaperone for a cousin before her marriage when she overhears a plot to destroy the clan during the wedding, by using her heightened Karnee senses.
There are plots within plots, a great deal of complex manipulation and confrontation in this novel, and it is not all completely successfully depicted. Lisle is better at individual relationships, like the strange bond between Kait and a fellow Karnee from the enemy Sabir family than at the political machinations. There are nasty characters and unpleasant actions in the story, and again, Lisle is not quite up to making the psychological impact of these on the other characters believably disturbing. Nevertheless, this is an interesting novel and I want to read the rest of the series.
For the Secret Texts series, which this novel begins, Holly Lile has combined a fairly standard fantasy quest with a background drawn straight from post-apocalyptic science fiction. There are many similarities to, say, A Canticle for Leibowitz, with the major difference that the world destroying war was not nuclear but fought with magical weapons producing effects similar to fallout, persistent radiation and mutations.
One of the mutations, still occurring unpredictably, produces a being called a Karnee, a werewolf. Kait Galweigh is one of these, hidden by her immediate family - even though the Galweighs are one of the five clans known as the Families which rule the world, this won't save her from the priests' checks for impurity. Brought up to become a Family ambassador, she is acting as a chaperone for a cousin before her marriage when she overhears a plot to destroy the clan during the wedding, by using her heightened Karnee senses.
There are plots within plots, a great deal of complex manipulation and confrontation in this novel, and it is not all completely successfully depicted. Lisle is better at individual relationships, like the strange bond between Kait and a fellow Karnee from the enemy Sabir family than at the political machinations. There are nasty characters and unpleasant actions in the story, and again, Lisle is not quite up to making the psychological impact of these on the other characters believably disturbing. Nevertheless, this is an interesting novel and I want to read the rest of the series.
March 11, 2021
From the back cover:
For four hundred years, the great Houses of Sabir and Galweigh have battled for control of Calimekka. Now, young diplomat Kait Galweigh discovers a Sabir plot to ambush her entire House. Pursued by mortal and demonic assassins, her only hope is a secret weapon she dare not use; for Kait was born with a power so cursed that her own people will kill her if its nature is discovered...
I liked it. Kait was an interesting character, if slightly over powered, but there is a reason for that. Kait, you see, is a
The setting is interesting - the world is a post-apocalyptic one, although here the apocalypse was caused by magic, not technology, so magic is feared and only practiced in secret. There's a whole load of people called 'the Scarred' - these are the people whose ancestors were transformed by the magic into a monstrous shape and driven out from human society as a result - and magical/technological items that people don't know how to use.
The characters were also well developed; although Kait made me roll my eyes a couple of times, I found her an engaging read; I also liked Hasmal, the self-confessed coward, and Ian.
So yes, despite a few niggles it's was an enjoyable, engrossing read and I'm reading the sequel straight away, because that's the joy of reading books originally released in 1998 - the entire trilogy is available.
For four hundred years, the great Houses of Sabir and Galweigh have battled for control of Calimekka. Now, young diplomat Kait Galweigh discovers a Sabir plot to ambush her entire House. Pursued by mortal and demonic assassins, her only hope is a secret weapon she dare not use; for Kait was born with a power so cursed that her own people will kill her if its nature is discovered...
I liked it. Kait was an interesting character, if slightly over powered, but there is a reason for that. Kait, you see, is a
The setting is interesting - the world is a post-apocalyptic one, although here the apocalypse was caused by magic, not technology, so magic is feared and only practiced in secret. There's a whole load of people called 'the Scarred' - these are the people whose ancestors were transformed by the magic into a monstrous shape and driven out from human society as a result - and magical/technological items that people don't know how to use.
The characters were also well developed; although Kait made me roll my eyes a couple of times, I found her an engaging read; I also liked Hasmal, the self-confessed coward, and Ian.
So yes, despite a few niggles it's was an enjoyable, engrossing read and I'm reading the sequel straight away, because that's the joy of reading books originally released in 1998 - the entire trilogy is available.
August 30, 2017
One of my favorite books & series! Kait is an excellent main character, and the world of Matrin is engaging and complex. I love the author's attention to detail, and the descriptions were incredible, always utilizing all five senses. The magic system is intricate and unique, and the consequences for using it are always heightening the stakes for the characters.
April 21, 2015
This is the first book in, I assume, a trilogy. Although I enjoyed it, I've not found myself driven to dive into the second. The world created and it's history are quite complex, and I would like it to be just a bit clearer considering how far I am into the story. I think I know who the good guys and the bad guys are among the characters, although a few remain ambiguous. I'm less clear about the players in the larger historical good/evil conflict. I'm looking for a romance involving the central character, Kait, but there are three men currently who might figure in that. There's still plenty of story left, and it's perfectly okay for a writer to surprise me, but I think I would feel more committed to this story if I knew who I was rooting for as I put down book one.
The writing is strong, often quite evocative, and the characters well-differentiated. The amount of detail in the descriptions varies and sometimes I would prefer there to be either less or more of it - perhaps more consistency. The magic is pretty impressive and does seem to have a cost, if not a clear limit. The narration is "omniscient" in that Lisle takes the point of view of more than a single character. I've concluded that Kait is the central character because Lisle begins with her and takes her point of view most frequently. It took me a while to be as sure as I am about this and it's conceivable that I'm wrong. This ambiguity concerning where my loyalties ought to lie has detracted from my enjoyment somewhat and is another reason why I haven't rated this book more highly.
The writing is strong, often quite evocative, and the characters well-differentiated. The amount of detail in the descriptions varies and sometimes I would prefer there to be either less or more of it - perhaps more consistency. The magic is pretty impressive and does seem to have a cost, if not a clear limit. The narration is "omniscient" in that Lisle takes the point of view of more than a single character. I've concluded that Kait is the central character because Lisle begins with her and takes her point of view most frequently. It took me a while to be as sure as I am about this and it's conceivable that I'm wrong. This ambiguity concerning where my loyalties ought to lie has detracted from my enjoyment somewhat and is another reason why I haven't rated this book more highly.
November 22, 2013
Absolutely absorbing. Drew me in from the very beginning. Love the fluid, very descriptive writing style - she makes it very easy to imagine all the sights and smells of the world that she has created. I also liked how the characters are realistic (well, besides the magic and such) - like how there are a lot of them are selfish, jealous, greedy folk, just like there are a lot of selfish, jealous, greedy people in the world. It's not depressing or anything, just not sugarcoated.
Beyond that, the world that she has created is very original. It seems that the customs, politics, laws, magic are all well thought-out and interesting. It's a refreshing change from your typical dragons and magicians.
Beyond that, the world that she has created is very original. It seems that the customs, politics, laws, magic are all well thought-out and interesting. It's a refreshing change from your typical dragons and magicians.
July 24, 2012
I powered through this book, and it had some cool stuff, I liked the tropical setting, and for the most part the settings were crisp and interesting, but something about the ending made me not care very much about reading the next installments. Maybe I'll get back to it. This book is certainly well-written, and it seems to have all the elements, but for some reason it still feels like there's something missing. Maybe it is that I don't identify very well with the themes.
(Although now as I look back in hindsight, I'm picking out things I liked and was intrigued by, so maybe I will go back to it).
(Although now as I look back in hindsight, I'm picking out things I liked and was intrigued by, so maybe I will go back to it).
August 4, 2021
I can't wait to see what happens next !!!
October 8, 2013
It feels like 70% of the plot progression, exposition, and character progression all happen in characters' internal thought processes. Obviously a story will be colored by a POV character's perceptions, but for me this went over into infodump territory.
Pages were spent detailing aspects of the world which were completely uninteresting. And the things that were interesting had so little explanation that it seemed like the author just didn't have the answers at all. I'm sure those bits will work out better for some readers, but I just had no curiosity about this world after the first 70 pages or so.
The author also seems to think very little of her readers' intelligence. Though there are many examples I could use, there is one passage of about eight sentences which I just can't get over. At the end of one paragraph, the POV character thinks (paraphrased to avoid spoilers), "Bob is going to say XYZ, because that's what Bob always does." On the next line, Bob says, "Well, I think X and Y because Z. You know how I am." And then at the beginning of the next paragraph, the POV character thinks, "It's so like Bob to say XYZ! He's always doing things like that." ...Was that really necessary?
Despite that, and the fact that it engaged heavily in several of my pet peeves as a reader, I did read almost to the end. The actual story is fairly interesting. The sentences are occasionally grating but mostly well written, the pacing isn't horrible (in fact it would be great if not for the frequent infodumps), and the plot surprised me more often than not. I would suggest this book to readers who don't mind spending most of their time in a book reading internal monologues, but probably not to anyone else.
Pages were spent detailing aspects of the world which were completely uninteresting. And the things that were interesting had so little explanation that it seemed like the author just didn't have the answers at all. I'm sure those bits will work out better for some readers, but I just had no curiosity about this world after the first 70 pages or so.
The author also seems to think very little of her readers' intelligence. Though there are many examples I could use, there is one passage of about eight sentences which I just can't get over. At the end of one paragraph, the POV character thinks (paraphrased to avoid spoilers), "Bob is going to say XYZ, because that's what Bob always does." On the next line, Bob says, "Well, I think X and Y because Z. You know how I am." And then at the beginning of the next paragraph, the POV character thinks, "It's so like Bob to say XYZ! He's always doing things like that." ...Was that really necessary?
Despite that, and the fact that it engaged heavily in several of my pet peeves as a reader, I did read almost to the end. The actual story is fairly interesting. The sentences are occasionally grating but mostly well written, the pacing isn't horrible (in fact it would be great if not for the frequent infodumps), and the plot surprised me more often than not. I would suggest this book to readers who don't mind spending most of their time in a book reading internal monologues, but probably not to anyone else.
April 29, 2020
Warning: this book does contain rape, mentions of rape in the past, and the rape and enslavement of children. None of it is graphic, but it could be potentially triggering.
Finally a fantasy "romance" that is definitely not YA. The heroine is not 16 ish. She's really likeable and interesting and smart. The book starts with words and phrases that are confusing, but like any fantasy, just keep reading. It will all make sense. The many characters are well developed and fleshed out. It was great getting to know them and discovering how their stories intertwine.
My only complaint would be the "romance" part of the story. I'm all for instant connection and in a magical world, I totally believe in soulmates. That being said, I wish there was more development of the two who are connected. We learn that they can sense each other and be in each other's minds. I get that Kait is afraid of him, that his Family did a truly awful unforgivable thing, but I really expected more interaction between them (even if it was just to have Kait yell at him and call him names for his part in what his Family did). The captain is nothing. He's just an easy lay for Kait, he isn't the ONE. (And I get the feeling he's going to eventually be a problem. Yes, I am down with insta-love but not keen on love triangles.) Hopefully, the next book brings these star-crossed lovers (please, for the love of god, let them become lovers) into each other's path.
Finally a fantasy "romance" that is definitely not YA. The heroine is not 16 ish. She's really likeable and interesting and smart. The book starts with words and phrases that are confusing, but like any fantasy, just keep reading. It will all make sense. The many characters are well developed and fleshed out. It was great getting to know them and discovering how their stories intertwine.
My only complaint would be the "romance" part of the story. I'm all for instant connection and in a magical world, I totally believe in soulmates. That being said, I wish there was more development of the two who are connected. We learn that they can sense each other and be in each other's minds. I get that Kait is afraid of him, that his Family did a truly awful unforgivable thing, but I really expected more interaction between them (even if it was just to have Kait yell at him and call him names for his part in what his Family did). The captain is nothing. He's just an easy lay for Kait, he isn't the ONE. (And I get the feeling he's going to eventually be a problem. Yes, I am down with insta-love but not keen on love triangles.) Hopefully, the next book brings these star-crossed lovers (please, for the love of god, let them become lovers) into each other's path.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2011
I realy disliked all the raping, degradation, humiliation, female oppression, slavery- Just not enough payoff in the story to go through all that. Also,yeah, sometimes HEA robs the story of it's power and poignancy. However, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone dies, incl the heroine at the end of the series- I just didn't trust the author. I felt that with such a dense world, there really needed to be an introduction to it, rather than just putting us in the middle of action.
this is one book that could use a glossary, or addendum or whatever. I guess the most disturbing aspect was how everyone was being fooled. THey were all fools, sacrificing, suffering for what they thought they were going to get, not what they would actuallly get. What I mean is they all heard what they wanted to hear. Those voices were taking advantage of them. And as Gods, they were terrible. However, I just read the summary for the next book in the duology and it was a total spoiler. However, now that I know what is coming, i am not going to waste my time reading this.
I hate when the author pulls the rug out from under you and the characters so you don't know who to trust. Yes, that puts you in the same position as the characters in the story, but I still hate it. Will pass on finishing this series.
this is one book that could use a glossary, or addendum or whatever. I guess the most disturbing aspect was how everyone was being fooled. THey were all fools, sacrificing, suffering for what they thought they were going to get, not what they would actuallly get. What I mean is they all heard what they wanted to hear. Those voices were taking advantage of them. And as Gods, they were terrible. However, I just read the summary for the next book in the duology and it was a total spoiler. However, now that I know what is coming, i am not going to waste my time reading this.
I hate when the author pulls the rug out from under you and the characters so you don't know who to trust. Yes, that puts you in the same position as the characters in the story, but I still hate it. Will pass on finishing this series.
May 17, 2022
Nearly a decade after reading this trilogy for the first time, I felt it was time to revisit it. Pretty much everything I remembered from it was the map that had the “nuclear blast” lakes in it, so the twists and turns felt fresh on the second reading.
Diplomacy of Wolves is a by the numbers fantasy novel – but as those numbers are solid, what is there to complain? There are all the tropes of ancient prophesies and destinies to be fulfilled, scheming families and villains, couple of POV characters with diverging and joining paths, various cultures, and so on, but the story rolls on at a great pace, and is a joy to read. Also, it is definitely a book for adults, as this fantasy world is not a pretty one, but full of gore and sexual tension.
At times it falls into the fantasy/sci-fi gibberish of “DFjfdklj of dllfkl is a fdkhlkdf at dfoh and thus she must defeat the fdkjmm of kfdnlklfd” but thankfully not too often.
Oh, and returning to the map; I’ve never seen such a low quality one before. It is unreadable apart from two or three texts. Not sure if other editions of the book have a better version.
Diplomacy of Wolves is a by the numbers fantasy novel – but as those numbers are solid, what is there to complain? There are all the tropes of ancient prophesies and destinies to be fulfilled, scheming families and villains, couple of POV characters with diverging and joining paths, various cultures, and so on, but the story rolls on at a great pace, and is a joy to read. Also, it is definitely a book for adults, as this fantasy world is not a pretty one, but full of gore and sexual tension.
At times it falls into the fantasy/sci-fi gibberish of “DFjfdklj of dllfkl is a fdkhlkdf at dfoh and thus she must defeat the fdkjmm of kfdnlklfd” but thankfully not too often.
Oh, and returning to the map; I’ve never seen such a low quality one before. It is unreadable apart from two or three texts. Not sure if other editions of the book have a better version.
August 16, 2009
Fantasy readers alert! Holly Lisle kicks butt! I'm not a fan of series because they tend to end up overworked and incredibly trite. This trilogy (Wolves, Dragons, Falcons) escapes that, first by choosing a female protagonist, second by creating an elastic fantasy scheme (lots of room to change and grow), and third by allowing her characters to form relationships the way real people form them: through proximity and common interest. Unlike her regular fiction (she tends toward mysteries), Lisle's fantasies are fully realized and avoid histrionics.
My only reservation about this series is that it uses elements of 20th-century culture (hot air balloons) which make the story feel off-kilter, because the past of the story is obviously not the past of the reality we experience. I didn't read Vincalis the Agitator until after I read this series, but I'd recommend you do it the other way around. Though it's not as good as this series, read Vincalis first.
My only reservation about this series is that it uses elements of 20th-century culture (hot air balloons) which make the story feel off-kilter, because the past of the story is obviously not the past of the reality we experience. I didn't read Vincalis the Agitator until after I read this series, but I'd recommend you do it the other way around. Though it's not as good as this series, read Vincalis first.
September 9, 2009
Absolutely absorbing. Drew me in from the very beginning. Love the fluid, very descriptive writing style - she makes it very easy to imagine all the sights and smells of the world that she has created. I also liked how the characters are realistic (well, besides the magic and such) - like how there are a lot of them are selfish, jealous, greedy folk, just like there are a lot of selfish, jealous, greedy people in the world. It's not depressing or anything, just not sugarcoated.
Beyond that, the world that she has created is very original. It seems that the customs, politics, laws, magic are all well thought-out and interesting. It's a refreshing change from your typical dragons and magicians.
Beyond that, the world that she has created is very original. It seems that the customs, politics, laws, magic are all well thought-out and interesting. It's a refreshing change from your typical dragons and magicians.
October 21, 2011
What an amazing and insightful piece of literature. Holly Isle introduced a whole new way of reading. With each page your reading may become blurred as you are literally wanting to read the next page. The first book of three in the "Secret Texts" where introduced into a time before time. Full of conspiracy, treachery, powerful magic, the enternal struggle between good and evil, and the heart the strength of passion and love. Kaite a karnee belongs to one of the powerful "Five families" but she hides a sinsiter secret, and falls in love with a rival family member, but can these two young love but their differences to one side, and face what is the preparation of not just their own familes, but their kingdoms, the world, and everything to which is "good and pure"
March 17, 2014
Randomly picked this book off the library shelf. Kait is a diplomat with a secret. But when things go to hell in a handbasket and attacks slaughter entire clans, she has to learn diplomacy to find an artifact to save the world.
Or something like that. So yeah, I couldn't even finish this book, I was too bored. I thought the world wasn't particularly interesting, the plot was way too cliche without a hook, and the characters just not powerful enough to keep me reading.
I read about 100 pages, flipped ahead a bit as a last ditch effort to keep reading, and just could not.
Not recommended.
One star.
Or something like that. So yeah, I couldn't even finish this book, I was too bored. I thought the world wasn't particularly interesting, the plot was way too cliche without a hook, and the characters just not powerful enough to keep me reading.
I read about 100 pages, flipped ahead a bit as a last ditch effort to keep reading, and just could not.
Not recommended.
One star.
February 27, 2015
I really liked the first chapter or so of the book. Kait is an ambassador in training, quite capable, on her first mission, and she also happens to be a werewolf of sorts. Sadly, that isn't really what the book is about. Kait is really the only competent woman that I can think of in the book, and the story mostly isn't about her. It also has quite a lot of disturbing bits (rape, torture, nasty sorts of magic, and magical pregnancy as a result of rape), and I didn't care for how they were handled. Very much not my sort of book.
August 13, 2013
���A phenomenal high fantasy novel; Holly Lisle blew me away. DIPLOMACY OF WOLVES is gritty, rough, realistic, violent, dark, sexual, romantic, intense, emotional, complex and thoroughly engaging. Just when I thought I had a firm handle on where she was taking me, the plot veered slightly, introducing a new dimension I hadn't expected. A brilliant start to what promises to be a wonderful trilogy. (A+)
October 3, 2012
Overall these are okay. There is some painfully bad speech-giving in place of dialogue at dramatic moments. Also, naming a faction the "Wolves" in a world where the protagonist is a werewolf, and some but not all of the Wolves are also werewolves, but apparently most of the Wolves don't know about the werewolves, is a really bad idea. I'm still not certain what was going on there.
February 16, 2011
This was one of my favorite books when I was 12-13 years old. I re-read it recently and it didn't hold up quite as well as I might have hoped. It has a very well-built, unique world but is a bit light on character development. Still gets 5 stars for sentimental reasons :)
April 1, 2012
A truly excellent serie. Very original and creative. Reading Vindicalis the agitator first might help though understanding the society and further events better. It certainly adds a plus. But if you don't, no worries, the trilogy perfectly stands on its feet without it.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
October 14, 2025
I've never heard of Holly Lisle, but saw her book and took a chance. Really glad I did. Worth every minute I spent reading the book. It was complex and captivating, leaving me curious and wondering "what's next". Much better than I thought it would be, will definitely get the next book.
September 28, 2012
This book was, and still remains, one of my favorite books from high school. Gritty, dynamic, epic fantasy.
May 29, 2016
Excellent and inventive fantasy!
October 7, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
DNF
[] I couldn't get into it and felt like I missed reading a previous book.
(Edit to add -- looking on here, there was a prequel written 4 years after this book, actually after the trilogy was published. Though it's set 1000 years before the events of the trilogy and the start of this book says a lot has changed in that time. So if I'd realised it existed, then reading it might have helped a little.
Although if its really needed to understand the world, then it should have been included in the box set, which is what I own.)
[] I was turned off by the MC's meeting with the love interest, who I didn't like with his 'intro' a bit earlier.
[] Then the male I'd hoped would be a love interest, in the plot he's been foretold I was done at that point.
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: No
Would you recommend?: No
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
DNF
[] I couldn't get into it and felt like I missed reading a previous book.
(Edit to add -- looking on here, there was a prequel written 4 years after this book, actually after the trilogy was published. Though it's set 1000 years before the events of the trilogy and the start of this book says a lot has changed in that time. So if I'd realised it existed, then reading it might have helped a little.
Although if its really needed to understand the world, then it should have been included in the box set, which is what I own.)
[] I was turned off by the MC's meeting with the love interest, who I didn't like with his 'intro' a bit earlier.
[] Then the male I'd hoped would be a love interest, in the plot he's been foretold I was done at that point.
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: No
Would you recommend?: No
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
September 14, 2020
It's been a day or so since I finished Diplomacy of Wolves, and (as is my habit) read a few of the reviews others had left. I've been stewing on some of those reviews since.
A couple of them mentioned the frequency of rape. Here's my take: While I understand that many people are of the opinion that rape occurs too often in fantasy books, I think it's probably fairly accurate. After all, 1 in 3 women will be a victim of sexual assault. That's not an inconsequential number. I do agree that including rape just for the shock factor or (far worse) as titillation is awful. But that is not AT ALL the case with this book. The first incidence is CRUCIAL to the storyline later in the book. And there is only one other actual rape scene, which is quick and all about the violence of the situation. Neither scene was graphic about what the woman endured.
I completely understand that many readers want to avoid sexual violence in their reading material. And that's fine. But, as a survivor, I (personally) did not find an issue with this book's portrayal or use of it.
One reviewer mentioned "slut shaming." I can only think of one possible thing that might have led to that conclusion, and in the context of the book that's not at all what happens. The book takes place in a world where a woman of high station is expected to be pure at marriage. That being the case, it's fairly obvious that being drunk and flirting shamelessly with strangers at a party would be frowned upon. And, in fact, our heroine is not a virgin, quite enjoys sex, and doesn't pretend otherwise.
A few reviews rather dismissively say she is a werewolf. All I can say to that is, if you read less than 30 pages into book 2, Vengeance or Dragons, you'll figure out you are wrong. Karnee is different.
I loved the book, and can't wait for the rest of the series.
A couple of them mentioned the frequency of rape. Here's my take: While I understand that many people are of the opinion that rape occurs too often in fantasy books, I think it's probably fairly accurate. After all, 1 in 3 women will be a victim of sexual assault. That's not an inconsequential number. I do agree that including rape just for the shock factor or (far worse) as titillation is awful. But that is not AT ALL the case with this book. The first incidence is CRUCIAL to the storyline later in the book. And there is only one other actual rape scene, which is quick and all about the violence of the situation. Neither scene was graphic about what the woman endured.
I completely understand that many readers want to avoid sexual violence in their reading material. And that's fine. But, as a survivor, I (personally) did not find an issue with this book's portrayal or use of it.
One reviewer mentioned "slut shaming." I can only think of one possible thing that might have led to that conclusion, and in the context of the book that's not at all what happens. The book takes place in a world where a woman of high station is expected to be pure at marriage. That being the case, it's fairly obvious that being drunk and flirting shamelessly with strangers at a party would be frowned upon. And, in fact, our heroine is not a virgin, quite enjoys sex, and doesn't pretend otherwise.
A few reviews rather dismissively say she is a werewolf. All I can say to that is, if you read less than 30 pages into book 2, Vengeance or Dragons, you'll figure out you are wrong. Karnee is different.
I loved the book, and can't wait for the rest of the series.
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