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The Windrider Saga #2
A Greater Strength
Loner though he may be, Captain Vinyanel Ecleriast knows he cannot hope to accomplish his newest mission on his own. He and his comrades have managed to avert the disaster of their king’s abduction, but all is not well in the elven capital of Delsinon. Six precious Talismans of Passage slip farther from the elves’ grasp with each moment they contemplate a solution. Vinyanel’s superiors send him to reclaim what enemies have stolen.
He assembles an unlikely squadron and leads them from the back of his silver dragon mount and friend, Majestrin. Their a rogue who once attempted Vinyanel’s assassination. A stealthy marksman, a bookish warrior who fights with grace, and a prophetess for wise (though sometimes annoying) spiritual guidance fill out the ranks.
The journey to the far reaches of the continent confronts Vinyanel with temptation, betrayal, and his own frailties, and all these threaten to unravel the mission. Acting as a vessel of justice is easy--but mercy? That requires a far greater strength.
He assembles an unlikely squadron and leads them from the back of his silver dragon mount and friend, Majestrin. Their a rogue who once attempted Vinyanel’s assassination. A stealthy marksman, a bookish warrior who fights with grace, and a prophetess for wise (though sometimes annoying) spiritual guidance fill out the ranks.
The journey to the far reaches of the continent confronts Vinyanel with temptation, betrayal, and his own frailties, and all these threaten to unravel the mission. Acting as a vessel of justice is easy--but mercy? That requires a far greater strength.
- GenresFantasy
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 11, 2020
What an epic adventure of a story!! I loved this from cover to cover, and never wanted it to end!
I love the new characters, and seeing the original characters growing and learning more. They’re all so realistic and relatable. I had some great laughs over Hridayesh and Vinyanel’s endless banter.
This whole story is so epic! I couldn’t stop reading. Plot twists kept coming and wrenching my heart in all directions. The action is so well written! The world building is stunning! It’s utterly page-turning and I loved it immensely.
I desperately need book three!! This was a masterpiece of a sequel, and I think I enjoyed it even more than the first!
I love the new characters, and seeing the original characters growing and learning more. They’re all so realistic and relatable. I had some great laughs over Hridayesh and Vinyanel’s endless banter.
This whole story is so epic! I couldn’t stop reading. Plot twists kept coming and wrenching my heart in all directions. The action is so well written! The world building is stunning! It’s utterly page-turning and I loved it immensely.
I desperately need book three!! This was a masterpiece of a sequel, and I think I enjoyed it even more than the first!
January 14, 2020
In this second book in the Windrider series, author Rebecca Minor delves deeper into both Vinyanel’s world and his soul. As the pages turn it becomes more and more evident that the main character has been shaped by past events that are hinted at but never disclosed. This increased my interest as a reader because I love complicated, flawed characters with “secrets.” It appears that Vinyanel has secrets he doesn’t even realize he has. And his world is in greater peril than he ever dreamed.
A Greater Strength is somewhat more sophisticated and confidently written than Divine Summons (a book which I thoroughly enjoyed). The pace is slightly slower (and some of the fight scenes go on awfully long), but it is no less readable and allows the author opportunity to expand on themes set up in the first book as well as develop characters and introduce new ones. The reader experiences Vinyanel’s discomfort dealing with, well, just about everyone—and their difficulty dealing with him. Once again the author employs some lovely descriptive language, wry humor, and pithy dialogue. A hint of romance was a nice, unexpected twist. If I’m to quibble at all I think it would be in regards to the multiple points of view, not all of which I felt moved the narrative forward. I was always relieved to go back to the MC. I was also a tad impatient with what seemed to be an unnecessary (and silly) subplot, but I now know that it sets up a major plot element in the third book.
Like many middle fantasy books, A Greater Strength features a good deal of traveling, but new places in this world are welcome and the story possesses internal structure and enough of a plot that it is satisfying. The end definitely drives the narrative forward and I was eager to read on.
A Greater Strength is somewhat more sophisticated and confidently written than Divine Summons (a book which I thoroughly enjoyed). The pace is slightly slower (and some of the fight scenes go on awfully long), but it is no less readable and allows the author opportunity to expand on themes set up in the first book as well as develop characters and introduce new ones. The reader experiences Vinyanel’s discomfort dealing with, well, just about everyone—and their difficulty dealing with him. Once again the author employs some lovely descriptive language, wry humor, and pithy dialogue. A hint of romance was a nice, unexpected twist. If I’m to quibble at all I think it would be in regards to the multiple points of view, not all of which I felt moved the narrative forward. I was always relieved to go back to the MC. I was also a tad impatient with what seemed to be an unnecessary (and silly) subplot, but I now know that it sets up a major plot element in the third book.
Like many middle fantasy books, A Greater Strength features a good deal of traveling, but new places in this world are welcome and the story possesses internal structure and enough of a plot that it is satisfying. The end definitely drives the narrative forward and I was eager to read on.
February 2, 2014
Rebecca Minor is a gifted author, but her two books that I've read so far puzzle me. I say this because A Greater Strength, the second book of The Windrider Saga, has almost the exact opposite strengths and weaknesses of the first book, whose review you can see here.
First for a brief description of the plot. It turns out that when the dragon-kin infiltrated the Elven kingdom of Delsin (as told in the first book), they stole some critical talismans. These talismans are mystical artifacts that together channel the magic (obviously from the Creator-God of the story, Creo) and make a field that hides and helps defend the people of the kingdom.
The heroes of the first tale, former Captain, now Lieutenant-Commander, Vinyanel Ecleriast, the half-Elven prophetess Veranna, Major Galdurith, and the Dragon Majestrin (along with the rest of the party of flying creatures and Elven warriors that Vinyanel organizes for this quest) are sent to search out the lost talismans in order protect Delsin from further attack.
This story did not have the elegant prose of the first tale. It seemed at first as if Minor had not taken the same time and care with this tale that she had with crafting the episodes (it was also a serialized story) in the first tale. But this wasn't the case at all. She gave the reader a much more expansive view of the world in which this story occurs, as well as about the characters themselves. We learn much more of the geography, the various peoples, laws, customs, religions, etc., of this intriguing world. What the story lost in it's beautiful choices of words, it gained in deeper background information and world-building, so it sort of evened out, if you think about it.
Also, the magic that at first seemed to essentially be an act of “praying or chanting the power forth” was given at least some greater nuance. We also learned that there are many other flying creatures other than dragons. Some are clearly sentient and talking, such as flying lions and gryphons, while others (such as pegasi) can't speak, but seem to have intelligence somewhere between regular animals and the talking animals/elves/humans, so on.
I was kinda bummed by the ending. A character I really liked found release, but in death. I really was sympathetic to this character, and I didn't like that they died. But it sort of worked, in a way, to add a touch of melancholy to the happy ending. So-called “bitter-sweet endings” are tricky to do correctly. They can be really bad, or really good, depending on the skill of the author. Minor managed to make it work, to her credit.
The final area I will comment on, and that I really appreciated, was the way that Minor didn't engage in having everyone become instantly better, or get over trauma quickly. The website tvtropes.com calls this plot device “epiphany therapy”. There was no “epiphany therapy” in this novel. The symptoms, similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, that Vinyanel experiences, are very true to what combat veterans experience in real life. This touched a chord with me.
Minor turned out another great tale, but again, with the opposite strengths and weaknesses. It's ironic, and (like the first story) well worth the read.
First for a brief description of the plot. It turns out that when the dragon-kin infiltrated the Elven kingdom of Delsin (as told in the first book), they stole some critical talismans. These talismans are mystical artifacts that together channel the magic (obviously from the Creator-God of the story, Creo) and make a field that hides and helps defend the people of the kingdom.
The heroes of the first tale, former Captain, now Lieutenant-Commander, Vinyanel Ecleriast, the half-Elven prophetess Veranna, Major Galdurith, and the Dragon Majestrin (along with the rest of the party of flying creatures and Elven warriors that Vinyanel organizes for this quest) are sent to search out the lost talismans in order protect Delsin from further attack.
This story did not have the elegant prose of the first tale. It seemed at first as if Minor had not taken the same time and care with this tale that she had with crafting the episodes (it was also a serialized story) in the first tale. But this wasn't the case at all. She gave the reader a much more expansive view of the world in which this story occurs, as well as about the characters themselves. We learn much more of the geography, the various peoples, laws, customs, religions, etc., of this intriguing world. What the story lost in it's beautiful choices of words, it gained in deeper background information and world-building, so it sort of evened out, if you think about it.
Also, the magic that at first seemed to essentially be an act of “praying or chanting the power forth” was given at least some greater nuance. We also learned that there are many other flying creatures other than dragons. Some are clearly sentient and talking, such as flying lions and gryphons, while others (such as pegasi) can't speak, but seem to have intelligence somewhere between regular animals and the talking animals/elves/humans, so on.
I was kinda bummed by the ending. A character I really liked found release, but in death. I really was sympathetic to this character, and I didn't like that they died. But it sort of worked, in a way, to add a touch of melancholy to the happy ending. So-called “bitter-sweet endings” are tricky to do correctly. They can be really bad, or really good, depending on the skill of the author. Minor managed to make it work, to her credit.
The final area I will comment on, and that I really appreciated, was the way that Minor didn't engage in having everyone become instantly better, or get over trauma quickly. The website tvtropes.com calls this plot device “epiphany therapy”. There was no “epiphany therapy” in this novel. The symptoms, similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, that Vinyanel experiences, are very true to what combat veterans experience in real life. This touched a chord with me.
Minor turned out another great tale, but again, with the opposite strengths and weaknesses. It's ironic, and (like the first story) well worth the read.
December 21, 2011
After defeating two impressively potent foes, Vinyanel Ecleriast is given a promotion that leapfrogs to a much higher level than even he expects, and the extra attention doesn't sit well with him. An assassin's attempt on his life puts him back into familiar ground and starts him on a quest to retrieve missing talismans that compromise the safety of the Elven homeland.
Windrider Part II: A Greater Strength continues the adventures of a Vinyanel, his dragon, and his mentor. They're joined by a former superior officer who doesn't much like Vinyanel, the assassin who tried to kill him twice, and a young officer who's as well educated as he is skilled with blades.
Unlike many sequels and Part IIs, A Greater Strength is not simply a rehash of old story elements from the first round. The fast-paced plot holds interest well, and the episodic, serial-type chapters end with tense cliff-hangers. The well-written climactic duel holds some surprises for the reader.
The characters have depth and complexity. They have strengths and weaknesses. They make mistakes and they learn.
Settings are more varied than in Part I as Vinyanel's squad travels the land in search of the talismans. In his travels, Vinyanel encounters a wild array of different kinds of creatures, sentient and otherwise.
The wide-ranging travel doesn't bog the story down, and not all problems are solved with the application of sharpened metal. Vinyanel doesn't always have the answer to the problem but learns to trust the others in his group and keep his faith squarely on his Creator.
Windrider Part II: A Greater Strength is a fascinating story full of betrayals, unexpected alliances, double-crosses, and redemption. I wonder, will there be a Part III?
Windrider Part II: A Greater Strength continues the adventures of a Vinyanel, his dragon, and his mentor. They're joined by a former superior officer who doesn't much like Vinyanel, the assassin who tried to kill him twice, and a young officer who's as well educated as he is skilled with blades.
Unlike many sequels and Part IIs, A Greater Strength is not simply a rehash of old story elements from the first round. The fast-paced plot holds interest well, and the episodic, serial-type chapters end with tense cliff-hangers. The well-written climactic duel holds some surprises for the reader.
The characters have depth and complexity. They have strengths and weaknesses. They make mistakes and they learn.
Settings are more varied than in Part I as Vinyanel's squad travels the land in search of the talismans. In his travels, Vinyanel encounters a wild array of different kinds of creatures, sentient and otherwise.
The wide-ranging travel doesn't bog the story down, and not all problems are solved with the application of sharpened metal. Vinyanel doesn't always have the answer to the problem but learns to trust the others in his group and keep his faith squarely on his Creator.
Windrider Part II: A Greater Strength is a fascinating story full of betrayals, unexpected alliances, double-crosses, and redemption. I wonder, will there be a Part III?
November 25, 2011
This volume continues the quest begun in book one. Here, the Windrider Squadron gains some new members, but Vinyanel and Majestrin are still, as far as I'm concerned, the stars of the show. Vinyanel's mentor/teammate Veranna has a key role to play, but some of the best bits are from Majestrin's point of view, showing that the dragon is a true partner with the elves.
For an experienced warrior, Vinyanel still has a lot to learn, and he grows a lot in the course of this story. We're often told every hero must have a flaw, but often our heroes are sort of blissfully unaware of their flaws until the bitter end. Not Vinyanel. His flaws were sharply revealed in book one, and in book two he learns to deal with them. We also see a heretofore unmentioned weakness for a woman. A whole new facet of his personality.
The woman, I think I can say without spoiling too much, is not Veranna. That the hero and heroine of this story are not also one another's romantic interests is one of the things I love about it. Veranna is enamored of another Windrider, and Vinyanel professes to be interested only in his weapons.
Other things I love about this story: the elves are like real flesh-and-blood beings with flaws and feelings, not just aloof, serene caricatures; there are words in it I have to look up; faith lessons are woven into the story without being plunked in awkwardly; and -- of course -- dragons.
For an experienced warrior, Vinyanel still has a lot to learn, and he grows a lot in the course of this story. We're often told every hero must have a flaw, but often our heroes are sort of blissfully unaware of their flaws until the bitter end. Not Vinyanel. His flaws were sharply revealed in book one, and in book two he learns to deal with them. We also see a heretofore unmentioned weakness for a woman. A whole new facet of his personality.
The woman, I think I can say without spoiling too much, is not Veranna. That the hero and heroine of this story are not also one another's romantic interests is one of the things I love about it. Veranna is enamored of another Windrider, and Vinyanel professes to be interested only in his weapons.
Other things I love about this story: the elves are like real flesh-and-blood beings with flaws and feelings, not just aloof, serene caricatures; there are words in it I have to look up; faith lessons are woven into the story without being plunked in awkwardly; and -- of course -- dragons.
October 9, 2019
Not as good...
as the first one but I shall probably read the next one if only to find out where this odd group is headed.
as the first one but I shall probably read the next one if only to find out where this odd group is headed.
July 3, 2023
Great continuation. The story pulled me in, even though it'd been years since I read book 1. I was able to fall right back into the world and the plot.
April 15, 2026
4.5⭐️
March 27, 2012
Beautiful and unpredictable. I loved it and can't wait for Windrider 3!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews