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Shards of a Broken Sword #2
FIre in the Blood
A princess in a dragon-guarded tower. The prince who is to rescue her. The prince's ensorcelled dragon. And one enchanted keep that might just be enough to kill them all...
It's widely known that Princess Kayami Koto is held captive in the Enchanted Keep by a dragon of great ferocity and skill. So when the bold, daring and crafty Prince Akish attempts to rescue her, it seems only sensible to bring his own dragon, Rafiq. But the Keep's dragon is only the first Circle in the Keep's Seven Circles of Challenge, and both Rafiq and the prince will have to keep their wits about them if they're to survive and rescue the princess.
There to help them is the princess' serving maid, Kako. But why does Kako seem so familiar to Rafiq? Will she really help them, or does she have her own agenda? Rafiq isn't sure, but he knows one thing: Kako may be the only person who can free him from his bondage to the prince, and that's worth any amount of risk.
It's widely known that Princess Kayami Koto is held captive in the Enchanted Keep by a dragon of great ferocity and skill. So when the bold, daring and crafty Prince Akish attempts to rescue her, it seems only sensible to bring his own dragon, Rafiq. But the Keep's dragon is only the first Circle in the Keep's Seven Circles of Challenge, and both Rafiq and the prince will have to keep their wits about them if they're to survive and rescue the princess.
There to help them is the princess' serving maid, Kako. But why does Kako seem so familiar to Rafiq? Will she really help them, or does she have her own agenda? Rafiq isn't sure, but he knows one thing: Kako may be the only person who can free him from his bondage to the prince, and that's worth any amount of risk.
128 pages, Paperback
First published December 25, 2015
About the author
W.R. Gingell
47 books1,105 followersW.R. Gingell is an Australian author of urban fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and madcap science fiction who doesn't seem to be able to write a book without a body suddenly turning up. She solemnly swears that all such bodies are strictly fictional in nature.
She lives in a refurbished 1970s Bedford Bus in the south of Tasmania, where she spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and raising spinach, strawberries, and one small, fluffy dog. Like Peter Pan, W.R. never really grew up, and despite the inconveniences of chronically ill life, is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
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She lives in a refurbished 1970s Bedford Bus in the south of Tasmania, where she spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and raising spinach, strawberries, and one small, fluffy dog. Like Peter Pan, W.R. never really grew up, and despite the inconveniences of chronically ill life, is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
You can sign up to the The WR(ite) Newsletter by following the link!
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 4, 2016
One of the things I love about this series is that Gingell takes your standard "fairy tale" set up and then tweaks one of your standard assumptions (or a few). It makes for fun, and a unique and intriguing take on archetypal stories. For example, in the first book in this series, "Twelve Days of Faerie," our hero is not actually prince charming, but good old dad, and the heroine is an enchantress who is both brilliant and capable, and not in need of rescuing. Together they make a fantastic set of main characters.
In "Fire in the Blood" we open with a prince riding to rescue a princess held captive in a cursed Keep. Only we realize almost immediately that the prince is a piece of work, and happily start rooting against him before he ever reaches the Keep. And in fact, at one point I began to doubt that there was a princess involved at all (I was wrong, but that's all I'll say for fear of spoilers).
I also love that the 'Shards of a Broken Sword' series are separate stories, entwined together by the shards, but also capable of standing alone. So if you haven't read Book 1, that's okay. You can read this now and pick that up tomorrow.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The structure of the story became a little repetitive, but that's to be expected when you have seven challenges (circles) to work through. Each chapter was a different circle of the Keep that the characters had to navigate. There were definitely some surprises, and a few things I saw coming. I enjoyed the voice, the characters, (the dragons!), and the story itself. I will admit to loving Book 1 more, but this was a solid and engaging read, and I will probably pick it up again when I'm looking for a fun, well-written read to sink back into.
In "Fire in the Blood" we open with a prince riding to rescue a princess held captive in a cursed Keep. Only we realize almost immediately that the prince is a piece of work, and happily start rooting against him before he ever reaches the Keep. And in fact, at one point I began to doubt that there was a princess involved at all (I was wrong, but that's all I'll say for fear of spoilers).
I also love that the 'Shards of a Broken Sword' series are separate stories, entwined together by the shards, but also capable of standing alone. So if you haven't read Book 1, that's okay. You can read this now and pick that up tomorrow.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The structure of the story became a little repetitive, but that's to be expected when you have seven challenges (circles) to work through. Each chapter was a different circle of the Keep that the characters had to navigate. There were definitely some surprises, and a few things I saw coming. I enjoyed the voice, the characters, (the dragons!), and the story itself. I will admit to loving Book 1 more, but this was a solid and engaging read, and I will probably pick it up again when I'm looking for a fun, well-written read to sink back into.
Read
February 10, 2017Really enjoyed this one. In fact, there were times it brought me shades of DWJ, which is the highest compliment I can give a fantasy novel(la). Fire in the Blood isn't as intricately layered as a DWJ, but it's a tremendously fun fantasy adventure (with, again, my favourite character type: powerful and competent female mage) that really makes me want to see more of the characters in the world.
June 7, 2016
This was delightful, as in it actually delighted me. It's in what could be called a niche subgenre of "enchanted castle" stories, and in that respect reminded me a little of Melissa McShane's The View From Castle Always.
I loved the uniqueness of the story and sped through the whole thing. I'm not a fan of over description, but I did wish we had a few more details in some places, like how old these characters are and a bit more background.
And I really wanted an epilogue, but having read book 3 in the series, I will bury the complaint.
The story itself unfolds nicely, and I loved Kako and Rafiq.
I loved the uniqueness of the story and sped through the whole thing. I'm not a fan of over description, but I did wish we had a few more details in some places, like how old these characters are and a bit more background.
And I really wanted an epilogue, but having read book 3 in the series, I will bury the complaint.
The story itself unfolds nicely, and I loved Kako and Rafiq.
July 4, 2021
“You can’t sacrifice what doesn’t belong to you,” said Kako. “I’m the only one who can sacrifice me.”
These days, W.R. Gingell is best known for her urban fantasy, but her fairytale-inspired fantasy is perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones old and young. FIRE IN THE BLOOD picks up the story of a broken sword with a new cast of characters. There's Prince Akish, a cunning and clever but ruthless young man who's determined to rescue a princess from her dragon-guarded tower, which tests all comers with a series of deadly puzzles...and then there's Rafiq, his quietly mutinous dragon, and Kako the handmaiden who welcomes him to the tower. Except this isn't Akish's story - it's the story of his servants as they try to unravel the puzzles and survive, not just the tower, but their master.
The "servants-try-to-save-the-dumb-master" story is pretty common; what makes this one particularly delightful is that Akish is no idiot nor even a particularly overt villain. He's the kind of more complex terrible person you'll meet in everyday life hiding behind a facade of competent normalcy. Kako was delightful, but I LOVED Rafiq as a shapeshifting slave who finds small ways to resist - in fact he was precisely the same sort of character as my own Soraya (from A DAY OF DARKNESS).
My favourite line in the whole book is one I'd heard two years before reading this collection - a friend quoted it to me while she was reading the book. Even at the time I thought it was unforgettable, and I'd never forgotten it since, but in context it's even more powerful. I loved it.
These days, W.R. Gingell is best known for her urban fantasy, but her fairytale-inspired fantasy is perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones old and young. FIRE IN THE BLOOD picks up the story of a broken sword with a new cast of characters. There's Prince Akish, a cunning and clever but ruthless young man who's determined to rescue a princess from her dragon-guarded tower, which tests all comers with a series of deadly puzzles...and then there's Rafiq, his quietly mutinous dragon, and Kako the handmaiden who welcomes him to the tower. Except this isn't Akish's story - it's the story of his servants as they try to unravel the puzzles and survive, not just the tower, but their master.
The "servants-try-to-save-the-dumb-master" story is pretty common; what makes this one particularly delightful is that Akish is no idiot nor even a particularly overt villain. He's the kind of more complex terrible person you'll meet in everyday life hiding behind a facade of competent normalcy. Kako was delightful, but I LOVED Rafiq as a shapeshifting slave who finds small ways to resist - in fact he was precisely the same sort of character as my own Soraya (from A DAY OF DARKNESS).
My favourite line in the whole book is one I'd heard two years before reading this collection - a friend quoted it to me while she was reading the book. Even at the time I thought it was unforgettable, and I'd never forgotten it since, but in context it's even more powerful. I loved it.
April 2, 2017
Reader thoughts: Still haven't met a WRG book I haven't liked.
I loved both Rafiq and Kako. Dragons shifting to humans is not new (see Nice Dragons Finish Last and these).
I loved the challenges of the castle, too. Some were puzzling, and some were about character. I loved that Prince Akish was so confident at every step, even though he hadn't solved any of them.
Kako's family was awesome, too. I couldn't keep her siblings straight (there were five? Six?), but I could tell they all adored and supported each other.
I'm only slightly interested in the broken sword and the Fae. We'll see what book three holds.
Writer thoughts: There are themes in common between the Gingell books I've read, but the plots are all so new.
The themes in common:
MCs who are comfortable, even experts at, listening.
A slow romance where two characters really respect and appreciate each other's cleverness and kindness over any physical attraction.
Subtle magic that is tricky and makes sense but is hard to figure out.
Characters who act nobly and insist on protecting each other, even at risking their own lives.
Unexpected twists in the tales (a girl becoming a ghost for a year, a father being accused of murder, being forced to kill a best friend, etc.).
I loved both Rafiq and Kako. Dragons shifting to humans is not new (see Nice Dragons Finish Last and these).
I loved the challenges of the castle, too. Some were puzzling, and some were about character. I loved that Prince Akish was so confident at every step, even though he hadn't solved any of them.
Kako's family was awesome, too. I couldn't keep her siblings straight (there were five? Six?), but I could tell they all adored and supported each other.
I'm only slightly interested in the broken sword and the Fae. We'll see what book three holds.
Writer thoughts: There are themes in common between the Gingell books I've read, but the plots are all so new.
The themes in common:
MCs who are comfortable, even experts at, listening.
A slow romance where two characters really respect and appreciate each other's cleverness and kindness over any physical attraction.
Subtle magic that is tricky and makes sense but is hard to figure out.
Characters who act nobly and insist on protecting each other, even at risking their own lives.
Unexpected twists in the tales (a girl becoming a ghost for a year, a father being accused of murder, being forced to kill a best friend, etc.).
February 8, 2024
I enjoyed this novella, and found it more engaging than the first of the trilogy.
A different take on the sleeping beauty fairy tale, there’s a sleeping princess in need of rescue and a Prince determined to save her.
However that’s where the similarities end. Add in a likeable dragon shifter in thrall to the Prince, seven challenges they have to get through, a mysterious ladies maid, and the fact that the Prince turns out to be a selfish, narcissistic A-hole and you’ve got an interesting story.
There’s humour sprinkled throughout and I found myself really liking Rafiq. Whilst the ‘twist’ to the story wasn’t that twisty, and was fairly obvious from early on, this didn’t reduce my enjoyment.
There were fewer typos and only one sentence that read like it had been written by Yoda and the whole thing flowed really well. I would’ve liked a little more about what was next for Rafiq, but also content to have an imagined HEA in my head!
I’m now looking forward to seeing what happens with the shards of the sword in the final part of the trilogy.
A different take on the sleeping beauty fairy tale, there’s a sleeping princess in need of rescue and a Prince determined to save her.
However that’s where the similarities end. Add in a likeable dragon shifter in thrall to the Prince, seven challenges they have to get through, a mysterious ladies maid, and the fact that the Prince turns out to be a selfish, narcissistic A-hole and you’ve got an interesting story.
There’s humour sprinkled throughout and I found myself really liking Rafiq. Whilst the ‘twist’ to the story wasn’t that twisty, and was fairly obvious from early on, this didn’t reduce my enjoyment.
There were fewer typos and only one sentence that read like it had been written by Yoda and the whole thing flowed really well. I would’ve liked a little more about what was next for Rafiq, but also content to have an imagined HEA in my head!
I’m now looking forward to seeing what happens with the shards of the sword in the final part of the trilogy.
February 23, 2016
This is the second tale by Gingell I've read (after Twelve Days of Faery) and it's part of a sequence involving shards of a broken sword that are found in each story although we don't yet know the import of these shards; they're secondary at this point. Nice teaser!
Fire in the Blood has some great twists on a lot of common fantasy tropes: the premise is the European 'Princess in the Tower' story, except we don't meet the Princess, aren't sure precisely what's going on with her, and her alleged savior Prince is a real jerk. There's a strong Eastern influence in the story: the Princess comes from a kingdom and has a serving maid who seem based in Japanese/Chinese mythos, and there's a dragon who seems to come more from Near Eastern stories. Yay! Three cheers for taking fantasy out of the Black Forest!
Fire is an enjoyable read, interestingly twisty-turny. It's not hard to see where it's going and it does get a bit repetitive if only because there are seven barriers to 'saving' the Princess, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable short read nonetheless. This is not my favorite of Gingell's writings but I am happily looking forward to re-reading it: Gingell writes very entertaining and readable prose and her strong characters and twists on the expected make for a strong 4-star read.
Fire in the Blood has some great twists on a lot of common fantasy tropes: the premise is the European 'Princess in the Tower' story, except we don't meet the Princess, aren't sure precisely what's going on with her, and her alleged savior Prince is a real jerk. There's a strong Eastern influence in the story: the Princess comes from a kingdom and has a serving maid who seem based in Japanese/Chinese mythos, and there's a dragon who seems to come more from Near Eastern stories. Yay! Three cheers for taking fantasy out of the Black Forest!
Fire is an enjoyable read, interestingly twisty-turny. It's not hard to see where it's going and it does get a bit repetitive if only because there are seven barriers to 'saving' the Princess, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable short read nonetheless. This is not my favorite of Gingell's writings but I am happily looking forward to re-reading it: Gingell writes very entertaining and readable prose and her strong characters and twists on the expected make for a strong 4-star read.
October 9, 2020
At the beginning, this felt like a big shift from the first book, but it didn't take me long to start enjoying it just as much. Loving this series!
Very low content concerns: definitely danger, some violence and even death, mostly just with the usual adventure story feel, but young/sensitive readers might find some moments very sad or stressful. One character is quite a bit of a jerk, but mostly in attitude, with a sprinkling of a few insulting phrases.
Very low content concerns: definitely danger, some violence and even death, mostly just with the usual adventure story feel, but young/sensitive readers might find some moments very sad or stressful. One character is quite a bit of a jerk, but mostly in attitude, with a sprinkling of a few insulting phrases.
January 26, 2024
reread jan 2024:
This really is one of my favorite of Gingell’s books. It so perfectly does what it sets out to do, and I so warmly appreciate what it is setting out to do. I love Rafiq, I love Kako and her entire family, and I love the setup of the story. Gorgeous. (The prose is noticeably weaker than in her later books, which is to say it’s quite good, sometimes very good, and never a bar to enjoyment. It’s cool to see authors get better at something, even while they were, like…never bad.)
original review
I think possibly W. R. Gingell has a thing for sentient enchanted castles—certainly I do, and as Blackfoot was my favorite of the Two Monarchies sequence, Fire in the Blood is my favorite of this trilogy. I really liked the traditional fairy-tale-ness of the Circles, and the seventh one gave me ALL the feels and weirdly ALL the Cu Chulainn vibes (both very good things).
Plus Rafiq? Also fav protag. Stoic, stubborn, entirely dragonish, and secretly a big ole sweetheart (but a stoic stubborn one who’s not impressed and will kill you if you need killing—it sounds bad, but the way his relationship with Akish ended?? AUGH I loved it. Because it was for Kako! And he Thought It Through!)
ALSO Kako’s family, j’adore
This really is one of my favorite of Gingell’s books. It so perfectly does what it sets out to do, and I so warmly appreciate what it is setting out to do. I love Rafiq, I love Kako and her entire family, and I love the setup of the story. Gorgeous. (The prose is noticeably weaker than in her later books, which is to say it’s quite good, sometimes very good, and never a bar to enjoyment. It’s cool to see authors get better at something, even while they were, like…never bad.)
original review
I think possibly W. R. Gingell has a thing for sentient enchanted castles—certainly I do, and as Blackfoot was my favorite of the Two Monarchies sequence, Fire in the Blood is my favorite of this trilogy. I really liked the traditional fairy-tale-ness of the Circles, and the seventh one gave me ALL the feels and weirdly ALL the Cu Chulainn vibes (both very good things).
Plus Rafiq? Also fav protag. Stoic, stubborn, entirely dragonish, and secretly a big ole sweetheart (but a stoic stubborn one who’s not impressed and will kill you if you need killing—it sounds bad, but the way his relationship with Akish ended?? AUGH I loved it. Because it was for Kako! And he Thought It Through!)
ALSO Kako’s family, j’adore
April 11, 2021
Another fun read by Gingell.
I really enjoyed her first book of the trilogy, and will say that I enjoyed book 2 just as much as book 1. I mean, it has a nasty prince, dragons, and seven circles of challenges! Not to mention satisfying...conclusions to certain characters.
The book is episodic almost, which is quite easy to read. And though the narrative may get slight repetitive or confusing (towards the end, particularly), the pieces all fit and the pacing feels neat and smooth. But truly, the sheer creative energy of the book is what sets it apart, so any flaw is worth overlooking.
Content: a bit of violence, no romance (at least, not any conclusive romance) but there is a sort of kiss.
I really enjoyed her first book of the trilogy, and will say that I enjoyed book 2 just as much as book 1. I mean, it has a nasty prince, dragons, and seven circles of challenges! Not to mention satisfying...conclusions to certain characters.
The book is episodic almost, which is quite easy to read. And though the narrative may get slight repetitive or confusing (towards the end, particularly), the pieces all fit and the pacing feels neat and smooth. But truly, the sheer creative energy of the book is what sets it apart, so any flaw is worth overlooking.
Content: a bit of violence, no romance (at least, not any conclusive romance) but there is a sort of kiss.
December 27, 2015
A great little novella of puzzles, dragons, and mystery!
October 7, 2016
Fire in The Blood
Kind of a different type of fae & Dragon story. Three start on a many storied challenge, each level is very hard, but prove the mettle of each. 5 Stars!
Kind of a different type of fae & Dragon story. Three start on a many storied challenge, each level is very hard, but prove the mettle of each. 5 Stars!
October 7, 2022
As seems to be the case with most reviews for this installment, I enjoyed this a lot but not quite as much as book 1! Though I am really impressed with how well the plot held my attention when I don't normally care for this kind of quest/journey set-up, AND with how much I liked the character dynamics even though I don't like shifter romances at all.
And I thought I'd figured everything out but I hadn't!
I love Rafiq and I really enjoyed Kako overall, though there were a few times where it felt a little like the author was trying too hard with her? It's difficult to describe - but overall I really enjoyed her too. And though overall I think the book did a good job exploring choice and freedom (especially for such a short story!), I didn't love the
CW: Execution, magical enslavement, violence, blood
And I thought I'd figured everything out but I hadn't!
I love Rafiq and I really enjoyed Kako overall, though there were a few times where it felt a little like the author was trying too hard with her? It's difficult to describe - but overall I really enjoyed her too. And though overall I think the book did a good job exploring choice and freedom (especially for such a short story!), I didn't love the
CW: Execution, magical enslavement, violence, blood
March 23, 2023
Another utterly delightful fantasy novella from W.R. Gingell (with a light romantic subplot)! I loved the point of view of Rafiq, the dragon enspelled against his will to help an obnoxious prince navigate a magical keep, and I really loved his clever and unpredictable love interest, too, along with her whole family.
This one stands alone perfectly (and contains all-new characters and settings), but reading it reminded me of how much I'd loved the first novella in this loosely-linked trilogy, so I went back and re-read that one (Twelve Days of Faerie) immediately afterwards, just for fun. And I loved that one all over again, too! This is just such a fun and charming series. If I hadn't already blown my book-budget for the month, I'd be reading the third story now!
This one stands alone perfectly (and contains all-new characters and settings), but reading it reminded me of how much I'd loved the first novella in this loosely-linked trilogy, so I went back and re-read that one (Twelve Days of Faerie) immediately afterwards, just for fun. And I loved that one all over again, too! This is just such a fun and charming series. If I hadn't already blown my book-budget for the month, I'd be reading the third story now!
December 8, 2021
Listened to this mostly via tts while going to sleep so I will most likely be revisiting this at a later date to read over.
Had the usual whimsical magical flavour I've come to enjoy of W.R. Gingell.
Had the usual whimsical magical flavour I've come to enjoy of W.R. Gingell.
March 7, 2023
I'm not sure which is twistier in Gingell's imagination, the enchanted architecture or the kind of person you encounter while messing about in enchanted architecture. A fun story, albeit quite episodic and with themes and ideas that probably came out richer in the City Between series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2019
Fire in the Blood is the second book in the Shards of a Broken Sword trilogy. After reading the first book, I was a bit confused. I expected King Markon and Althea. But no, this is a completely different story with another cast of characters. The tie in between the stories seems to be (surprise, surprise) shards of a broken sword.
In this story, Prince Akish wants to rescue the princess from the dragons keep. But attempting to do so brings about a series of challenges they must survive.
But Rafiq, his dragon slave has no desire to help. Unfortunately, a spell forces Rafiq to do the prince's bidding. But during their quest, he meets Kako and begins to think she might be able to free him.
Unlike most fairy tales, the prince, though his quest to rescue a princess appears noble, is not a good guy. Rather, he is the enemy in this tale.
Again, my only complaint is the overuse of colons. But again, the story more than made up for the distraction. Fun twists and turns cropped up around every corner leaving me never knowing what to expect. And I love that the typical wonderful prince rescuing the princess trope was turned on its head.
Although I was initially annoyed that this book was a completely different story than the first, I appreciate that each book stands on its own. No cliffhangers. I can't wait to see how the third book ties up the trilogy.
If you like a clean, fun read full of mystery and intrigue, read Fire in the Blood.
In this story, Prince Akish wants to rescue the princess from the dragons keep. But attempting to do so brings about a series of challenges they must survive.
But Rafiq, his dragon slave has no desire to help. Unfortunately, a spell forces Rafiq to do the prince's bidding. But during their quest, he meets Kako and begins to think she might be able to free him.
Unlike most fairy tales, the prince, though his quest to rescue a princess appears noble, is not a good guy. Rather, he is the enemy in this tale.
Again, my only complaint is the overuse of colons. But again, the story more than made up for the distraction. Fun twists and turns cropped up around every corner leaving me never knowing what to expect. And I love that the typical wonderful prince rescuing the princess trope was turned on its head.
Although I was initially annoyed that this book was a completely different story than the first, I appreciate that each book stands on its own. No cliffhangers. I can't wait to see how the third book ties up the trilogy.
If you like a clean, fun read full of mystery and intrigue, read Fire in the Blood.
March 10, 2017
Prince Not-charming-at-all doesn't realize the others (the actual leads) have such a low opinion of him
Another twist on the classic tales -- WRG must think a regular Prince Charming makes a boring hero, huh? I like Rafiq-the-dragon and Kako-the-cryptic (even if I did guess part of what she was hiding), and Kako's family, too. (I won't explain how we meet them, because that would be spoilers.)
The seven challenges are not my favorite WRG plot, but it was still quite enjoyable for a quick read. Rafiq is an interesting character, with strengths and weaknesses, and Kako calls him on the fact that he's become resigned to the loss of freedom of his role as ensorcelled slave, only ever getting the minor gratification of thwarting Commands in minor ways.
We the readers never did get the answer (as far as I can tell) to who made the Enchanted Keep to begin with, though.
Amazon 4 stars; Goodreads 3.5 or so.
Another twist on the classic tales -- WRG must think a regular Prince Charming makes a boring hero, huh? I like Rafiq-the-dragon and Kako-the-cryptic (even if I did guess part of what she was hiding), and Kako's family, too. (I won't explain how we meet them, because that would be spoilers.)
The seven challenges are not my favorite WRG plot, but it was still quite enjoyable for a quick read. Rafiq is an interesting character, with strengths and weaknesses, and Kako calls him on the fact that he's become resigned to the loss of freedom of his role as ensorcelled slave, only ever getting the minor gratification of thwarting Commands in minor ways.
We the readers never did get the answer (as far as I can tell) to who made the Enchanted Keep to begin with, though.
Amazon 4 stars; Goodreads 3.5 or so.
October 19, 2016
ooh this was so cute and charming, kiko's a winner! this definitely made me go and pick up the rest of the books in the series, and others, besides. read (almost) all of them on my (forced) annual pilgrimage to seoul between bebeh sleeping, dying of jetlag, twiddling thumbs in banks/more banks/even more banks/yes, that's right, more banks again!*, waiting in line at emart, and vaguely listening to family members squabbling over dead fish and shoes.
this was a delightful super read for these in between times where you hardly have time for anything.
* if y'all ever have to deal with banking in korea outside of having to interact with an atm, bring a book, because you'll lose your day there. i spent roughly 6 hours one day just to get an account open. the manager even bought me lunch while i was waiting. the bank closed and i was still stuck there for paperwork.
this was a delightful super read for these in between times where you hardly have time for anything.
* if y'all ever have to deal with banking in korea outside of having to interact with an atm, bring a book, because you'll lose your day there. i spent roughly 6 hours one day just to get an account open. the manager even bought me lunch while i was waiting. the bank closed and i was still stuck there for paperwork.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2016
a nice fairy tale retelling - all reversed and hilarious.
November 3, 2016
Another great story
I loved this. Creative but not forced, each chapter had me cheering for the heroes and biting my nails for them at the same time.
I loved this. Creative but not forced, each chapter had me cheering for the heroes and biting my nails for them at the same time.
January 6, 2026
3.5 stars, rounded up for enjoyment
January 21, 2020
This book is the second of a trilogy (the first book being "Twelve Days a Faery." Both books are standalone in the sense of despite the fact that there is an overarching narrative arc for the trilogy, the stories stand on their own (at least so far).
Rafiq is a dragon who is being held in Thrall by Prince Akish. He's not a fan of this state of affairs but has resigned himself to his fate. They are off to rescue a princess in an enchanted keep and encounter the princess's servant, Kako, who offers to help with their quest. Despite the suspicions of both men, they accept her offer, and she accompanies them as they go through the Seven Circles (seven quests) to rescue the princess.
The story is fairly straightforward as is the puzzle. But the author's strengths are building a world of consistent magic, surprising you just when you think you have everything all figured out, and the depth of her characters. She's not much on romance, but I forgive her this minor flaw because the characters are so interesting and compelling.
The book is more a novella than a full-length book. It is a fast-paced and easy read. I highly recommend it!
Rafiq is a dragon who is being held in Thrall by Prince Akish. He's not a fan of this state of affairs but has resigned himself to his fate. They are off to rescue a princess in an enchanted keep and encounter the princess's servant, Kako, who offers to help with their quest. Despite the suspicions of both men, they accept her offer, and she accompanies them as they go through the Seven Circles (seven quests) to rescue the princess.
The story is fairly straightforward as is the puzzle. But the author's strengths are building a world of consistent magic, surprising you just when you think you have everything all figured out, and the depth of her characters. She's not much on romance, but I forgive her this minor flaw because the characters are so interesting and compelling.
The book is more a novella than a full-length book. It is a fast-paced and easy read. I highly recommend it!
February 20, 2019
I feel for some reason something weren't explained well, like are the rest of Kako's family kind of dragons too? or just her? and why? I guess this piece of information isn't as important to the story, but it would give me a sense of closure, also the fact that prince Akish died and no one cared about it, well he was a major brat, but still, he was a prince of a kingdom, and if i'm not mistaken, heir to the throne, it would be nice to feel some closure in this little plot hole.
I feel the first book was a little bit more attentive to these little details than this one, it was still pretty vague about it, but it did mention doing something about it, so that appeased me.
I guess i would have liked the book better if Prince Akish wasn't doing the Circles with Kako and Rafiq, he was a nuisance.
Anyway, I loved the book and can't wait to read the final one!
I feel the first book was a little bit more attentive to these little details than this one, it was still pretty vague about it, but it did mention doing something about it, so that appeased me.
I guess i would have liked the book better if Prince Akish wasn't doing the Circles with Kako and Rafiq, he was a nuisance.
Anyway, I loved the book and can't wait to read the final one!
March 5, 2018
This is the second book in this fantasy trilogy called Shards of a Broken Sword. The first two books are about different characters. They are set in the same world and both about shards from a broken sword that hold a great deal of magic. The books are short (from about 130 to 220 pages), but the stories are satisfying and complete.
This story about a prince, a dragon, a maid and a sleeping princess in a tower is humorous and exciting as the prince along with his dragon try to complete challenges in seven circles to find the princess. And there is even a little romance!
This story about a prince, a dragon, a maid and a sleeping princess in a tower is humorous and exciting as the prince along with his dragon try to complete challenges in seven circles to find the princess. And there is even a little romance!
December 13, 2022
Better than the first
This book was much more flushed out than the first one, and I like that the author revealed things almost as quickly as I figured them out. There were a couple things that lasted until the end, but I was pleased that Gingell didn’t treat me as an idiot.
Content warning: There is some violence at the end (someone getting stabbed through the throat).
This book was much more flushed out than the first one, and I like that the author revealed things almost as quickly as I figured them out. There were a couple things that lasted until the end, but I was pleased that Gingell didn’t treat me as an idiot.
Content warning: There is some violence at the end (someone getting stabbed through the throat).
October 24, 2017
Intriguing
This story was both simple and complex at the same time. The characters were likeable, the plot twisted and turned and while I saw some of it coming, I didn't see other parts. Very fun story.
This story was both simple and complex at the same time. The characters were likeable, the plot twisted and turned and while I saw some of it coming, I didn't see other parts. Very fun story.
March 15, 2018
I was surprised that this is a stand alone book. The characters were all new, but there is a recurring theme from the first book that continues into the second book.
I didn't think I would like this book as much as book 1, but it was just as exciting.
I didn't think I would like this book as much as book 1, but it was just as exciting.
April 4, 2020
Quick and easy read. A great follow up to the first book Twelve Days in Faery. But both can be read alone which is nice. Since I have the third book, I'll be reading it to finish up the series and find out what's up with the broken sword.
Recommended? Sure
Buy/Borrow? Either or.
Recommended? Sure
Buy/Borrow? Either or.
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