Kestrel's Dance

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.

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What Happened Before Kestral’s Dance?

This is the second book in the series, but don’t let that stop you from reading it first (although, I’m sure Massey wouldn’t mind you buying both before you do). Here’s some of what I picked up that will help you understand what this book is about before you decide.

Obviously, this is going to involve a spoiler or two for Mad Kestral, so read at your own risk, I guess.

Kestral was orphaned when she was pretty young and lived life on the streets with similar children before she found herself being taken in by a pirate. She grew up amongst them, eventually becoming rather skilled. So much so that she’s named captain when the previous one retires. She also helps that captain save the life of the king and is named privateer (perhaps The Privateer—I’m a little vague on that).*

* I think the chronology of those events is intertwined and different from the way I laid it out.

Kestral also has a bit of magic ability, tied to her whistling. She really doesn’t understand it and has learned to keep it under control and only uses it rarely (frequently tied to filling the sails with wind). During, or just before, that last adventure one of the King’s spies helped her establish a bit more control over her abilities. Now, I’m not particularly sure (even after reading Kestral’s Dance) how McAvery knew how to help her, but it doesn’t matter. Also, helping her in this way is just one of the several reasons that Kestral is attracted to him and can’t stop thinking about him as the sequel opens.

Oh, there’s also the Danisobans. They are the official league of wizards. Kestral has tried to keep her abilities (and her person in general) off of their radar since before she lived on the streets. There’s a harshness and a cruelty to them evident right from the get-go in Kestral’s Dance and it takes the reader only a sentence or two to adopt Kestral’s prejudice against them.

There’s a little more I could probably say, but that’s enough to get you going. Maybe more than I need to say, really, but I don’t have time to edit today—so you get a stream of consciousness.

What’s Kestral’s Dance About?

The Danisoban that Kestral knows best and likes least, comes to her with a message from the King. She’s to head out to a certain area and retrieve an animal she’s never heard of or seen for the King’s menagerie. This is the time of year that her ship should be in the dock, the men on leave, because of the stormy season. The neck of the woods that this creature lives in is particularly dangerous now. However, this is not a negotiation, it’s an order, so Kestral takes off with whatever crew that will go along with her.

Underway, she learns that McAvery is in some sort of trouble in a different direction than their goal. She wants to go to his aid, but has no time and is unwilling to make her men face the king’s wrath (and isn’t that keen on facing it herself). Her quartermaster and closest friend assures her that McAvery can look out for himself and she tries to find comfort in that.

While she’s struggling with the decision, they come across another (smaller) ship than hers that Kestral believes is tied to McAvery’s predicament. Privateers do what privateers do and that ship is soon under her control—they find a woman, a dancer who was supposed to be sold as a slave, who tells them that McAvery is about to be sold in an illegal slave market. She can help Kestral get there in time.

This dancer has magic that seems to work similarly to Kestral’s, except she doesn’t whistle, she dances. This blows the pirate’s mind. She’s not alone? In fact, the dancer seems to know a lot about Kestral’s abilities and promises to teach her how to use them for a lot more than just filling the sails for a price. Her home is a year’s journey away, if Kestral will sail her there, she will instruct her. This will strain the crew and definitely put them out of the King’s good graces, but it might be worth it.

But first, they have to rescue McAvery.

Kestral

She is a great character, and I’m annoyed that I didn’t get to know her in Mad Kestral. At this point in her life she’s confident (occasionally cocky—or at least acts as if she is), capable, and loyal (and loyalty-inspiring). She knows her limits—she’s not afraid of pushing them—but is clever enough to find ways around them.

It can take me a while to warm to a character who’s a professional criminal, but I liked her straight off. There was something about her that clicked right away and I grew in my appreciation for her. Yes, it’s somewhat overdone to have the strong, confident, capable woman being a disaster when it comes to her love life. But (like with most overdone things) when it’s done well, I like it. Massey pulls it off here, and it adds to Kestral’s charm.

The Magic System(s)

I want to say I’ve encountered a magic system like Kestral’s before—tied to music and rhythm—but beyond zombie-control in The Dresden Files—I can’t remember where.* This is a great idea, it’s distinctive, and I’d love to hear more about it. Using the rhythms and sounds of life, of the world around us, to shape, mold and direct energy just makes sense.

* Just before publishing it hit me—some of the Earth magic in the Jane Yellowrock books is shaped by music, but I think that was one particular practitioner, not the whole system. There are likely other examples, but they’re not coming to mind.

On the other hand, the Danisoban’s magic is about blood, entrails, suffering, and power. There’s a sacrifice involved (whether or not is actual deities that empower them in response to the sacrifice I’m not sure). And really, it’s as off-putting as their personalities are. I’m not sure which comes first, but in the end, keep me away from those guys.

So, what did I think about Kestral’s Dance?

I can sum up the reason to buy this book with one phrase: Pirate Battles with Magic Users. Sure, there are more (and possibly deeper) reasons to read this book, but come on…a good Pirate Battle at sea is enough justification to spend a few hours with a book, but Massey includes magic users with hers. I could only post this paragraph with a link or two directing you to a place to buy the book and that’d be enough.

But we all know I can’t stop talking after only a paragraph, right?

This book features some great writing—yeah, there are a couple of sentences that are clunkers. But for every one of those, there are four or five sentences/passages that are just dynamite (and the rest of the book is simply good). Massey is particularly strong when she’s describing Kestral’s view of/appreciation of the sea, sailing, or her ship. I guess you could say it’s the romance of the sea, or something like that. I cannot relate to it—I can get violently seasick almost as fast as a fish can get wet. But after reading Massey for a bit? I can almost imagine enjoying being on an old sailing vessel.

The romantic/love triangle subplot tried my patience for a bit (as triangles do 99.4% of the time), but it did eventually win me over. And people who don’t have a triangle-aversion will probably enjoy all of it.

I thought Kestral’s crew were great and my only real complaint about the book is that we didn’t get more interaction with them—I’d like to say we just needed a couple of more scenes with them at work or at play, but I’m pretty sure that if we had those, I’d ask for a little bit more. I’m really drawn to characters like that interacting the way they do, and would eagerly read a few chapters of daily life at sea without the drama.

It didn’t take me long to figure out that I was going to really enjoy Kestral’s Dance, but I figured I’d just read this for the Book Tour and move on, but somewhere along the way, I decided that I needed to read more about her, this world, and the rest of the crew. I don’t know that I’m convinced to go back to Mad Kestral to see how we got to this point (but I might just to see more of the pirates in action), but I’m definitely keeping an eye out for the next volume in this series.

For swashbuckling adventure, a dash of romance, a great magic system, and some compelling characters—you’d do well to grab Kestral’s Dance at your first opportunity.