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Imperial Assassin #2
Valley of Lies
An enemy who’ll destroy every hope she’s ever had…
Expelled from the Imperial Assassins for a murder she didn’t commit, Dhani Karim is granted one shot at redemption: spend two years as a lowly covert operative in the Empire’s Secret Service whilst she tries to clear her name.
Partnered with Parvan Gorshayik, a former spy with a mysterious and brutal past, Dhani is sent to a far-flung mountain town on a routine intelligence gathering mission. But when Parvan’s obsession for revenge leads to an artifact with the power to unleash an ancient evil, Dhani faces a devastating choice.
Captured and savagely tortured, she’ll need to sacrifice her one chance to rejoin the Assassins just to stay alive.
And though brutally injured, the take-no-prisoners assassin uses her old skills to escape… only to run headlong into an uneasy alliance with the enemy of her enemy - the Yargans.
Agents from the Yarga—a powerful military nation—are also seeking the artifact, and will stop at nothing to secure it for themselves. Yet, without the Yargans’ help neither Dhani nor Parvan will be able to hunt down the group who’s stolen the artifact…or defeat the powerful magic the group possesses – a magic that shouldn’t exist.
Filled with intricate world-building, snarky banter and epic battles, this second book in the Imperial series is perfect for fans of fast-paced, epic fantasy adventure. Pre-order today to read Valley of Lies first.
Expelled from the Imperial Assassins for a murder she didn’t commit, Dhani Karim is granted one shot at redemption: spend two years as a lowly covert operative in the Empire’s Secret Service whilst she tries to clear her name.
Partnered with Parvan Gorshayik, a former spy with a mysterious and brutal past, Dhani is sent to a far-flung mountain town on a routine intelligence gathering mission. But when Parvan’s obsession for revenge leads to an artifact with the power to unleash an ancient evil, Dhani faces a devastating choice.
Captured and savagely tortured, she’ll need to sacrifice her one chance to rejoin the Assassins just to stay alive.
And though brutally injured, the take-no-prisoners assassin uses her old skills to escape… only to run headlong into an uneasy alliance with the enemy of her enemy - the Yargans.
Agents from the Yarga—a powerful military nation—are also seeking the artifact, and will stop at nothing to secure it for themselves. Yet, without the Yargans’ help neither Dhani nor Parvan will be able to hunt down the group who’s stolen the artifact…or defeat the powerful magic the group possesses – a magic that shouldn’t exist.
Filled with intricate world-building, snarky banter and epic battles, this second book in the Imperial series is perfect for fans of fast-paced, epic fantasy adventure. Pre-order today to read Valley of Lies first.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2023
3 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 24, 2023
5 starsImperial Assassin series reviews:★★★★★
#1 City of Whispers: ★★★★☆
#2 Valley of Lies: ★★★★★
#3 The Night Lily: early 2024 release
review to come
⋆☾⋆ initial thoughts ⋆☾⋆
I loved this book more than City of Whispers.
I accidently read back-to-back books that are just down right depressing and this one did not help. I was so upset by the actions of the men around Dhani. Parvan and the General. They can both kick rocks. Parvan really thought enemies-to-lovers a little too seriously and decided to become Dhani's biggest opp. F*ck that man. The General in on this conspiracy of keeping things from Dhani with Parvan. What disrespect. I hope she cold shoulders them both. I want grovelling. I want favours owed and gifts bestowed. She needs real friends. I hope the monk and her become good friends. Girlie needs a few people she can trust. I just want her to have love, safety and to be the bestest at being an assassin outside the Empire's control and hierarchy. Just a freelance assassin who has friends in high places.
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November 30, 2023
Review to come soon.
November 19, 2023
She has been kicked out of the guild after being accused of a murder she did not commit. Now she needs to find a way to get by but she is captured and things get worse. What is going on? Will she prove her innocence? Will she get her old life back? See how she gets on
January 22, 2025
This is a book to inhale in one sitting if you can, seriously, make the time. It was so hard to put down between reads. Powers set us up superbly in City of Whispers (Imperial Assassin #1) to follow the tangled disasters of Dhani Karim, ex-assassin of the Ta'Hafiq. While Book 1 had action aplenty, and some of the best snarky banter I've read in a long time, Book 2 - Valley of Lies - is next level. Dhani's internal banter is fantastic. Her acerbic thoughts and sometimes out loud snark makes her a wonderfully memorable character - and a not so easy companion for everyone else.
This is absolutely action packed fantasy at its best. No sooner has Dhani crawled out of one mess, she's cornered, forced or chased into another. Luckily she's got plenty of skills: sharp knives and a sharp tongue being only two of her tool kit. She's in a mess of trouble in Valley of Lies. Her so-called-captain, Parvan Gorshayik, is not doing her any favours and becomes the target of much of Dhani's frustration and disdain. Some of her temper and strife she leaves for the rest of the less-than-salubrious people she meets and places she visits.
Fear not, Powers brings on a raft of other characters to mess with your head and to lead you through the twisted and tortuous plot. I rather fancy the monk Cho-Tonglen Soegyal as a good foil, though he's not to be trusted fully, of course. So many betrayals and conspiracies, and that's without Dhani finding out who framed her and got her booted from the Ta'Hafiq.
The world building is mulitlayed, complex and brilliant. Bold prose and deep lore spin you into the amazing magic system, the intricate politics, country, racial and social tensions. Plus a slew of history and spiritual mores that plant you in the thick of the plot's chaos. Even the weather and terrain were the perfect (tumultuous) characters to force Dhani to courageous action, dodgy decisions, and terrible events.
Fantastic follow up, great series, and I can't wait for Book 3, The Night Lily.
An excellent read.
This is absolutely action packed fantasy at its best. No sooner has Dhani crawled out of one mess, she's cornered, forced or chased into another. Luckily she's got plenty of skills: sharp knives and a sharp tongue being only two of her tool kit. She's in a mess of trouble in Valley of Lies. Her so-called-captain, Parvan Gorshayik, is not doing her any favours and becomes the target of much of Dhani's frustration and disdain. Some of her temper and strife she leaves for the rest of the less-than-salubrious people she meets and places she visits.
Fear not, Powers brings on a raft of other characters to mess with your head and to lead you through the twisted and tortuous plot. I rather fancy the monk Cho-Tonglen Soegyal as a good foil, though he's not to be trusted fully, of course. So many betrayals and conspiracies, and that's without Dhani finding out who framed her and got her booted from the Ta'Hafiq.
The world building is mulitlayed, complex and brilliant. Bold prose and deep lore spin you into the amazing magic system, the intricate politics, country, racial and social tensions. Plus a slew of history and spiritual mores that plant you in the thick of the plot's chaos. Even the weather and terrain were the perfect (tumultuous) characters to force Dhani to courageous action, dodgy decisions, and terrible events.
Fantastic follow up, great series, and I can't wait for Book 3, The Night Lily.
An excellent read.
November 27, 2023
When Valley of Lies by indie author Katt Powers popped up as an e-ARC in my email, I wish I could tell you I reacted calmly. But if you want the truth? I shrieked a garbled noise of excitement (startling my cats), & spent way too long admiring the cover before I ever even opened to the first page. Because, dear glitterbugs, this book is an EVENT.
Katt has blown my tiny mind. This epic adventure is a perfect mix of fantasy & steampunk factors, & I absolutely *love* it. The world has expanded, & Katt leads us down a twisting, turning path with such a deft & elegant touch. We are blessed, dear glitterbugs, with a tale featuring a harrowing storyline & a realm that just keeps throwing surprise after surprise at the reader.
I’ve long been a fan of strong heroines, & I don’t mean ‘strong’ as in they always have answers. I mean the heroines who are broken, the ones whom we would forgive if they remained shattered on the floor. But they get back up. They fight, & they don’t ever stop. Dhani may struggle with who she is, when she believes she can’t ever be an assassin again. But her sassy, sarcastic inner self rises to the occasion. And I wish I had a kernel of Dhani within me. I’m just going to say it: this incredible character is one of my all-time favourite heroines, *ever*…
*** Check out my FULL REVIEW on my blog via this link: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/valle... ***
Katt has blown my tiny mind. This epic adventure is a perfect mix of fantasy & steampunk factors, & I absolutely *love* it. The world has expanded, & Katt leads us down a twisting, turning path with such a deft & elegant touch. We are blessed, dear glitterbugs, with a tale featuring a harrowing storyline & a realm that just keeps throwing surprise after surprise at the reader.
I’ve long been a fan of strong heroines, & I don’t mean ‘strong’ as in they always have answers. I mean the heroines who are broken, the ones whom we would forgive if they remained shattered on the floor. But they get back up. They fight, & they don’t ever stop. Dhani may struggle with who she is, when she believes she can’t ever be an assassin again. But her sassy, sarcastic inner self rises to the occasion. And I wish I had a kernel of Dhani within me. I’m just going to say it: this incredible character is one of my all-time favourite heroines, *ever*…
*** Check out my FULL REVIEW on my blog via this link: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/valle... ***
May 1, 2024
This book sounded so good that I went ahead and bought the first book in the series so that I could read this one. I was not disappointed! The main character is one tough woman and I love how she handles herself. I love that at times she screws up just like the rest of us and that endeared me to her even more. I can't wait to see where she goes from here. Totally captivating and exciting.
April 4, 2024
A better 2nd I loved book 1 but this book was better I like character story and the way story was presented a great feeling action and way world set was interesting
December 3, 2023
[ARC]
This was exactly what I needed. I'd been waiting for book two in this series for so long, and when I heard it was finally coming out, I was ecstatic. And...?
Yep, it lived up to my expectations, despite a moment that made me a little uncomfortable (see content warnings below).
As with book one, we get all Dhani's snark, her assassin-on-the-rooftop-at-night vibes, her banter with several other characters, some good hate-to-...well....its complicated? relationships, and always with this author, some incredible eastern inspired worldbuilding but this time in a completely different part of this fantasy world.
In addition, book two brings really cool magic powered battles and street fights and one thing I loved about this story is how the author does not, I repeat, does NOT shy away from serious consequences for her characters actions. I love this, but...you've been warned!
I literally cannot wait for book 3!
Content warnings: (minor spoilers)
Coarse language: severe; a lot of F's going around, and a good amount of crude comments (something I personally don't really enjoy normally, but for this series, apparently, I can put up with a lot of it)
Violence & gore: medium - severe (severed limbs, torture, killing of children)
Sexual content: a fade to black, vaguely described romantic memory & a very short, but very disturbing memory of seeing a woman being violently taken in an alley. The latter, i assume, is important for the plot of the overal series, but I wouldn't have minded if I'd just been told about the experience VS having to picture it so vividly. If you're like me in that regard, this is your warning: as soon as the FMC gets flashbacks about her childhood past and the reason she ran, you may want to be ready to skip a few sentences.
*I received a free arc. This did not influence my rating or review of the book.
This was exactly what I needed. I'd been waiting for book two in this series for so long, and when I heard it was finally coming out, I was ecstatic. And...?
Yep, it lived up to my expectations, despite a moment that made me a little uncomfortable (see content warnings below).
As with book one, we get all Dhani's snark, her assassin-on-the-rooftop-at-night vibes, her banter with several other characters, some good hate-to-...well....its complicated? relationships, and always with this author, some incredible eastern inspired worldbuilding but this time in a completely different part of this fantasy world.
In addition, book two brings really cool magic powered battles and street fights and one thing I loved about this story is how the author does not, I repeat, does NOT shy away from serious consequences for her characters actions. I love this, but...you've been warned!
I literally cannot wait for book 3!
Content warnings: (minor spoilers)
Coarse language: severe; a lot of F's going around, and a good amount of crude comments (something I personally don't really enjoy normally, but for this series, apparently, I can put up with a lot of it)
Violence & gore: medium - severe (severed limbs, torture, killing of children)
Sexual content: a fade to black, vaguely described romantic memory & a very short, but very disturbing memory of seeing a woman being violently taken in an alley. The latter, i assume, is important for the plot of the overal series, but I wouldn't have minded if I'd just been told about the experience VS having to picture it so vividly. If you're like me in that regard, this is your warning: as soon as the FMC gets flashbacks about her childhood past and the reason she ran, you may want to be ready to skip a few sentences.
*I received a free arc. This did not influence my rating or review of the book.
December 28, 2023
This book is an action movie. Lots of people will love that, but it's not my thing. I found the detail re: the world building fascinating, but I didn't get enough to really understand the world as well as I'd have liked. Names of places and races were thrown around and I had a hard time keeping them sorted. The characters are somewhat stereotypical rather than fully fleshed out. Lots of action, lots of drama, people chasing and being chased, violence. As I said, an action movie.
I received an ARC of this book for my review.
I received an ARC of this book for my review.
April 4, 2024
The concept and the world were good and i waited for the second book(this book) but so many details were just placed around and there was so much lost. It needs some focus. Some emotional connection to the character.
November 26, 2023
Dhani has the best line in funny insults. Read this book for that alone! But also read it for the detailed world building and the non-stop action. Valley of Lies is a well written epic fantasy.
January 1, 2025
A good read
Twists and turns keep pulling you in. The storyline is always evolving, in a good way. Well worth the read!
Twists and turns keep pulling you in. The storyline is always evolving, in a good way. Well worth the read!
December 31, 2025
Good series
If you like to read about adventure and good? evil? Give this series a try. The characters are well written, and interesting to follow.
If you like to read about adventure and good? evil? Give this series a try. The characters are well written, and interesting to follow.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews