Nightwatch over Windscar
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Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
Set in the universe of Rory Thorne, the second book in this sci-fi series follows unlikely allies who must discover the secrets of ancient ruins. Iari is good at killing monsters. As a templar in the Aedis, a multi-species religious organization committed to protecting the Confederation, eliminating extra-dimensional horrors is her job. But after she helped stop separatists from sabotaging the entire Confederation, she discovered a new sort of monster: the rogue-arithmancer, political kind. Promoted and sent north to the tundra of Windscar, Iari leads a team of templars to investigate ancient, subterranean ruins, which local legend claims are haunted, and which have mysterious connections to the dangerous arithmancy used by the wichu separatists. Iari isn’t worried about ghosts. She’s worried about surviving separatists and a fresh attempt to upend the Confederation. Included in Iari’s team are Char, a decommissioned battle-mecha and newly-joined templar, and Gaer, ostensible ambassador and talented arithmancer. As they delve into the ruins, they find remnants of long-ago battles, bits of broken armor and mechas—which unexpectedly reanimate and attack. It seems there is still dangerous arithmancy in Windscar--but the source isn’t who Iari expected, and they’re far worse than the separatists….
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This book suffers from "book-2-itis", I think. I really liked the first book and thought the pacing, setting, and story were all really well done, but this book 2 seems to just not hit the same high notes with me.
Iari and Friends are exploring ruins looking for the separatists that plagued the first book. Things go sideways in the ruins, and suddenly our cast of characters is split between Iari and Corso on a Templar rescue mission and Gaer, Winter Bite, and Char in Windscar trying to make the Important People care about the fact that Iari's on a potential suicide mission in the heart of unfriendly territory.
Lots of action happens. So much action! And banter! Great, engaging banter! Basically all the reasons I loved the first book are here again in the second. But maybe it was the setting (not quite a murder mystery, not quite a thriller) or the fact that there was an incredible amount of exposition shoehorned in amongst the action that I found my attention drifting in parts. Still a great book, just not quite the same high highs as the first.
I hope there's a book three to tie up some loose threads (hello Iari x Gaer), but I saw a mention that this is only supposed to be a duology, in which case I'm left deeply unsatisfied.
