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One Rose Trilogy #2
The Barbed Rose
The Barbed Rose by Gail Dayton released on Feb 28, 2006 is available now for purchase.
441 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2006
1 person is currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Gail Dayton
25 books216 followersI've been a fan of fantasy, science fiction, fairy tales and other "books of wonder" since I was young enough, I still thought kissing was icky. Then I grew up and decided I liked a strong dose of romance in the mix.
I live on the Texas coast with my fella of 30-plus years, our youngest son (who should be graduating college this semester) and the granddog Dolly, a princess wussy pitbull mix who lets the cockapoo down the street beat her up.
I live on the Texas coast with my fella of 30-plus years, our youngest son (who should be graduating college this semester) and the granddog Dolly, a princess wussy pitbull mix who lets the cockapoo down the street beat her up.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 4, 2016
ORIGINAL READ: 10/10 (17 July 2006 - 20 July 2006)
I really enjoyed this. I had throughly enjoyed the first book in the series, The Compass Rose and was looking forward to this one, atlhough I didn't have time to read it for a lot longer than I would have liked. This series uses the group marriage as the fundamental family basis of its society and Dayton does it beautifully, weavimg it into the story without using it as a shock tactic. Kallista and her ever-growing illian have problems, issues and lots of love which makes them a powerful force to do the job Kallista has been given by the One God. This book is the middle in a trilogy (as far as I am aware) and it does show. This is a book about consolidation - Kallista and her illian learn some important lessons (being far apart weakens the whole greatly while having everyone together creates something greater than the sum of its parts) and learn to weave their individual personalities together into a functioning whole. It seems that the god-marked are all together by the end of the book and they now need to make themselves ready for whatever happens in the next book. It'll be out next year and I'm already looking forward to it. This series really works for me. The group family - and yes some group sex - works beautifully. It's not over- or under-emphasised but simply is as part of the world and the tale being told. It was nice to see the the logistics of fitting eight adults (at the point of the book this scene occurred) into the same bed without people falling out or getting elbows in their ribs is not a simple thing.
[Copied across from Library Thing; 25 September 2012]
REREAD #1: 7/10 (7 Jan 2010 - 10 January 2010)
After rereading and really enjoying The Compass Rose, I moved straight along to the second book in the series.
I'll admit straight up that I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. It's a good read and the plot moves along very nicely, but I thought the interpersonal relationships of the main characters just got a bit too messy for me. I'm perfectly happy with Dayton's group marriage concept of an ilian that is a main part of the story (it's something that certainly wouldn't suit me in real life, but it works well as it is played out in these books). But it all got just a little too complicated.
Or maybe it's more that I didn't like Merinda, who managed to get herself added to the ilian and then went on to cause all sorts of problems. She was quite a realistic character in that she saw something she thought she really wanted, pulled strings and manipulated to get it and then found that it wasn't anything like what she had imagined after all. I guess many of us have done or seen something similar in our lives. So I could understand her, but I didn't like her. The others all had good and solid reasons for joining the ilian, for following Kallista and for, when called upon, opening themselves up to the call of the One. Merinda didn't. Everything was about her and because of that she totally messed up the balance of the ilian. Then it gets further changed at the end, and while I liked that part more, it still left me finished the book with a real sense of a lack of balance.
Of course, this is book 2 in a trilogy. These are the books that have a tendency to finish in a bad or difficult place, leaving everything to be worked out in the final book. Because I already knew that the last book, The Eternal Rose takes place six years later, even thought I'd read this book before, I still found myself expecting it to finish in a more settled place than it did.
(And now that I've started The Eternal Rose I find that in fact, that six years works well, but yes things have remained unbalanced all that time even if the characters have quite realised it. It's only now they are progressing towards a proper conclusion. All they had in that time was a breathing space.)
This is a good, solid book. The plot progresses well, the characters remain a pleasure to read and it moves us on towards the last book and the end of the story. But it certainly isn't a book for reading on its own. It works well in between the other two books, but it needs them to be complete.
I really enjoyed this. I had throughly enjoyed the first book in the series, The Compass Rose and was looking forward to this one, atlhough I didn't have time to read it for a lot longer than I would have liked. This series uses the group marriage as the fundamental family basis of its society and Dayton does it beautifully, weavimg it into the story without using it as a shock tactic. Kallista and her ever-growing illian have problems, issues and lots of love which makes them a powerful force to do the job Kallista has been given by the One God. This book is the middle in a trilogy (as far as I am aware) and it does show. This is a book about consolidation - Kallista and her illian learn some important lessons (being far apart weakens the whole greatly while having everyone together creates something greater than the sum of its parts) and learn to weave their individual personalities together into a functioning whole. It seems that the god-marked are all together by the end of the book and they now need to make themselves ready for whatever happens in the next book. It'll be out next year and I'm already looking forward to it. This series really works for me. The group family - and yes some group sex - works beautifully. It's not over- or under-emphasised but simply is as part of the world and the tale being told. It was nice to see the the logistics of fitting eight adults (at the point of the book this scene occurred) into the same bed without people falling out or getting elbows in their ribs is not a simple thing.
[Copied across from Library Thing; 25 September 2012]
REREAD #1: 7/10 (7 Jan 2010 - 10 January 2010)
After rereading and really enjoying The Compass Rose, I moved straight along to the second book in the series.
I'll admit straight up that I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. It's a good read and the plot moves along very nicely, but I thought the interpersonal relationships of the main characters just got a bit too messy for me. I'm perfectly happy with Dayton's group marriage concept of an ilian that is a main part of the story (it's something that certainly wouldn't suit me in real life, but it works well as it is played out in these books). But it all got just a little too complicated.
Or maybe it's more that I didn't like Merinda, who managed to get herself added to the ilian and then went on to cause all sorts of problems. She was quite a realistic character in that she saw something she thought she really wanted, pulled strings and manipulated to get it and then found that it wasn't anything like what she had imagined after all. I guess many of us have done or seen something similar in our lives. So I could understand her, but I didn't like her. The others all had good and solid reasons for joining the ilian, for following Kallista and for, when called upon, opening themselves up to the call of the One. Merinda didn't. Everything was about her and because of that she totally messed up the balance of the ilian. Then it gets further changed at the end, and while I liked that part more, it still left me finished the book with a real sense of a lack of balance.
Of course, this is book 2 in a trilogy. These are the books that have a tendency to finish in a bad or difficult place, leaving everything to be worked out in the final book. Because I already knew that the last book, The Eternal Rose takes place six years later, even thought I'd read this book before, I still found myself expecting it to finish in a more settled place than it did.
(And now that I've started The Eternal Rose I find that in fact, that six years works well, but yes things have remained unbalanced all that time even if the characters have quite realised it. It's only now they are progressing towards a proper conclusion. All they had in that time was a breathing space.)
This is a good, solid book. The plot progresses well, the characters remain a pleasure to read and it moves us on towards the last book and the end of the story. But it certainly isn't a book for reading on its own. It works well in between the other two books, but it needs them to be complete.
September 8, 2021
I rated this one a 4/5 because 3.5 wasn't available. This was definitely my favorite of the three books. I really liked getting the perspective of the other Ilian members, because in the third book Kallista dominates the narrative and we lose a lot of character development because of it.
September 6, 2018
So cheesy, but fun enough.
July 21, 2019
I LOVE this series! Well worth the time it takes to read!
September 26, 2019
This book was slightly better than the first.
May 8, 2024
Amazing
This sequel was even better than the first book. The characters really grew and were so impressive. What an ending!
This sequel was even better than the first book. The characters really grew and were so impressive. What an ending!
December 2, 2010
Magical mage and captain in the palace military, Kallista just wants to spend time with her family, but demons threaten the land and only her powers can save the queen and all her subjects. Split apart from several of her family members, Kallista must seek out the powerful demons and destroy them while gathering intelligence on rebel forces. Will she be strong enough to defeat the enemy? This second book in the author’s Rose trilogy (The Compass Rose is first) drew me in with its sympathetic heroine. Once I got past the notion of a woman having several husbands and them all sharing a bed, I became engrossed in the world Dayton has created. I’m now anxious to read book three and have already ordered it.
June 8, 2009
Kallista Varyl has been forced to break up her ilian (family unit) to respond to the Reinine's request for her presence. The fledgling family has been blessed with twins and is expecting another child to increase their number even though the entire land is unsettled and dealing with the rebellious factions that are working in concert with Demons and attempting to destroy the entire Adaran Society. Kallista's ilian is still in flux as they try to adapt to each other and the One does not seem to be finished with adding to their number and to their responsibilities. An enjoyable addition to the series.
August 19, 2021
While I found the relationships interesting I did have issues with the fated mate trope and I find it difficult to believe in consent in a situation where there is relucatnce with some of the parties that is overridden by "the Goddess wills it." I could also almost do with a chart to graph the different love/lust/support or primary/secondary/whatever relationships between characters. It's the second book in a series and it is setting things up for the end-game. It would possibly have been better if I had re-read the first book before reading this one.
Not a bad read but I felt a little uneasy about consent.
Not a bad read but I felt a little uneasy about consent.
March 8, 2011
I read these out of order but this is still may fav of the series. Kalista torn by her duty but still accepting. Its truly a case of being careful what you wish for because when you get it you don't know what form it will come in.
Over all a good read and its stood up over the three different reads I've given it. The over all premise is good too, waring faction united by the gods for a common purpose. This of the series though really seems the strongest of the stories.
Over all a good read and its stood up over the three different reads I've given it. The over all premise is good too, waring faction united by the gods for a common purpose. This of the series though really seems the strongest of the stories.
August 26, 2016
Gail Dayton continues her story began in The Compass Rose, of Major Kallista Varyl, now a mother of twins and head of a large family or 'ilian.' She is also a 'naitan,' or wielder of magic, in a world where rebel forces assisted by demons are threatening world order. I was less intrigued by the major plot events involving this threat than I was by the unusual social organization and concept of family introduced by the author. Not as good as the first, but worth a read.
December 4, 2008
Just as good as the first! Includes list of characters, pro-nunciation guide and glossary. Can't wait to finish the trilogy. This is up there with "The Bone Doll's Twin" for well written strong female characters.
June 8, 2012
Moins bien que le précédent. Kallista est plus énervante que dans le premier tome et les nouveaux Elus se pressent un peu trop au portillon... Le pire étant la fin qui donne horriblement envie de lire le 3e tome... qui n'est jamais sorti en France!
March 28, 2016
I was slightly disappointed with this book. I expected to be more engaged but the story seemed to drag on. I read this book because the compass rose was stellar. Sadly, this book is less than stellar because there is less of a plot and too many sex scenes.
June 21, 2007
fantasy - 2nd in series. 3rd in series was supposed to be out a couple of months ago - no sign.
not a bad read. will update y'all later.
Update: meh
not a bad read. will update y'all later.
Update: meh
January 20, 2009
I really liked the whole idea of family in this story. I think everyone would benefit from love like that.
Want to read
February 25, 2010The orgy sex magic is getting a little strange. Still like the book, it just happens that I got on a horror book kick and put this down for a while. I will come back.
August 11, 2010
An enjoyable second book to the series with more great characters added to the iliasti. I'm excited to read the third book next!
December 20, 2012
re-read 2012 December
May 10, 2017
Still like it.
January 11, 2016
Not as good as the first one but it was nice to see the characters evolve. Except for Obed, I don't like him... :(
May 21, 2016
I read this book because of the very interesting culture in which it is set. To be honest, the magic doesn't really impress me.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews