The Tempering of Men

If you are the sort of reader who enjoys slice-of-life stories and don't need “save the world” quests in your fantasy, do not be afraid by the low stars and angry reviews of others who decry this book as a middle book that middles. This second book is quieter, and I understand why some people may dislike it because of that. However, there are those of us who like – and wish to find more of – stories that are more about the day-to-day lives and adventures of characters we have grown fond of. This story is like the wolfish, gay fantasy equivalent of Becky Chambers' science fiction book [b:The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet 22733729 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) Becky Chambers https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405532474l/22733729.SY75.jpg 42270825] – a simple telling of all the happenings that befall the people we've read about in the first book (yes, the first book is more fantastical/heroic once it got going into wars and such). I'm not saying the second book doesn't have exciting moments – it does – but you shouldn't go into it expecting the same world-changing adventures as the first. Isolfr isn't a viewpoint character this time, and you may miss him (as I did at the start), but I find that the more nuanced views of other characters to more than make up for it. I enjoyed reading things from others' perspectives and feelings, and reading about their days, their trips, their ‘quieter' adventures (and misadventures). So, fellow fans of slice-of-life stories, don't be afraid to pick this one up, especially if you enjoyed the secondary characters in the first book.