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The Desert Spear (Demon Cycle, #2)

Peter V. Brett

Start date: September 6, 2025

Finish date: September 27, 2025

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May 29, 2017 Gavin rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This is a super tough book to review because I still managed to enjoy it despite the fact that I hated a lot of things about it. The biggest plus for this series is Brett's writing style. I just find it super engaging. It is easy to get caught up in the happenings even when they are driving you mad!

The worst bit of this second Demon Cycle instalment was that the first third of the book was told from an entirely new POV. That was a problem as the new POV character, Jardir, is super unlikeable. A This is a super tough book to review because I still managed to enjoy it despite the fact that I hated a lot of things about it. The biggest plus for this series is Brett's writing style. I just find it super engaging. It is easy to get caught up in the happenings even when they are driving you mad!

The worst bit of this second Demon Cycle instalment was that the first third of the book was told from an entirely new POV. That was a problem as the new POV character, Jardir, is super unlikeable. After the events at the end of The Warded Man Jardir has proclaimed himself the Deliverer and has united the Krasians and sets about the Daylight War. He seeks to subjugate all of humanity before he turns the combined force on the demons! A lot of his story was actually flashbacks to his life as a child and his rise to the position he found himself in when Arlen met him in The Warded Man. I found this a real struggle early on as Jardir and the Krasians are total scum. I need someone to root for in a story like this! I did eventually get sucked into Jardir's tale but my early lack of enthusiasm for it has definitely cost this book a star in the ratings.

Luckily the last two thirds of the book bounced between character POV's and was a lot more enjoyable. We got some more Krasians like Jardir and Abban but we also got the stars of the first book Arlen, Rojer, and Leesha. Then we got a few new POV's like Rena and a new demon! Pretty much all the characters had interesting and engaging story arcs but the only characters I really felt had good books were Arlen, Leesha and Rena and even they had their annoying moments. No wonder this series reminds me of a dark WoT so much!

My biggest moan about The Desert Spear is the fact that I felt like Brett was trying to make the reader sympathize with Jardir and the Krasians in general. The whole lot of them are bigoted, murderous, rapists! The only thing I'm hoping for when they are around is that everyone gets cored by the demons!

My second biggest moan is the the general misogyny that taints the series. Any scene involving sex or Brett's version of "romance" is totally cringeworthy. If it is not the books main POV character lamenting the fact that some annoying religious law forbids him from beating and raping his main wife whenever the mood takes him it is another character blaming herself for nearly being raped and then thinking about giving the rapist a second chance. Unfortunately that stuff is just the tip of the iceberg.

That said, despite all my moaning, I did still enjoy this one. Brett has an engaging writing style and it is easy to get caught up in the story.

I know this instalment is titled the Desert Spear but I shall forever think of it as All the Guys Love Leesha!

Rating: 4 stars.

Audio Note: Pete Bradbury does a good job with the audio. ...more

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