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Tiger and Del #7

Sword-Bound

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For the first time in years, life seems settled for Tiger and Del. They run a school for sword-dancers in the South. They're raising a two-year-old daughter. They collect income from their interest in a thriving cantina. Occasionally Tiger must dance against sword-dancers bent on killing him for forsaking the oaths and vows of the circle, but for the most part it's an idyllic life. Until Tiger's twenty-five-year-old son accuses him of being "domesticated."

Thus challenged by his own flesh-and-blood to reclaim his legendary status, Tiger, accompanied by Del and his son, embarks on a journey northwards that will test his sword skill and resolve, and lead him and Del into danger from an old enemy. Though Tiger had forsaken his magic years before, he now faces the choice to reclaim it, and to wield it, in order to save those he loves.

343 pages, Hardcover

First published February 5, 2013

34 people are currently reading
714 people want to read

About the author

Jennifer Roberson

123 books802 followers
Over a 40-year career (so far), Jennifer Roberson has published four fantasy series, including the Sword-Dancer Saga, Chronicles of the Cheysuli, the Karavans universe, and urban fantasy series Blood & Bone. Other novels include historicals LADY OF THE GLEN, plus two Robin Hood novels, LADY OF THE FOREST, and LADY OF SHERWOOD.

New novels are percolating in her always-active imagination.

Hobbies include showing dogs, and creating mosaic and resin artwork and jewelry.  She lives in Arizona with a collection of cats and Cardigan Welsh Corgis.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
Profile Image for Choko.
1,457 reviews2,680 followers
March 21, 2018
*** 4.25 ***

It is sooo sad to say goodbye to a series which has become a favorite in the amount of time it took to read it. As far as I know, this is the last book and as such, things were well rounded up and all plot lines resolved. To a degree, the series could have been considered ended in the previous volume, thus making this book 7 a bit of an afterthought, but I would take the opportunity to spend time with these beloved characters anytime and for whatever reason. Tiger and Del and the world they inhabit are written in such a way, that they have burrowed a very special place into my heart and I feel lucky to have stumbled onto this Fantasy, but mostly old-school Adventure series. The battle of the cultures, the sexes, and even humanity and nature, are the fuel that gives the story a reason to keep on going, but it is the personalities and the masterful way they have been flashed-out, that make the reader fall in love. Tiger is all things male and comes from a Southern culture which is all things macho. Delilah is the representation of the independent spirit of her Northern culture. They are so different and seem to repel each-other in the beginning with their differences, but through their adventures, the two find a middle ground and not only do not hinder one another, but build each-other up, creating a love match, a fictional couple to cherish for the ages.

At the end of the previous book, Tiger and Del settled in a beautiful place, rich in water, shade and people who accept them as part of their community. They have never thought they would find love or ever find a place they could call home. The lives that had forged them into who they are never let them plan on a time of peace or happiness, they had never expected the joy they find in each-other... Now it is their time to see what other people take for granted. But being who they are, the quiet life can also make them crave for travel once more, and encouraged by his adult son, Tiger and Dell take the rode North once again. Just temporary, of course, kind of like a vacation... If a vacation came with constant sword-challenges to the death, a bounty on your head, attacks from bandits, kidnappings, and facing death to the almost permanent state of acquaintance... Yes, we have seen our heroes deal with any or all of similar situations before, and it did seem a bit repetitive with previous books, but I would not have missed a second of it for the world! After all, there are certain things we expect from our Tiger and he keeps on delivering, while Del is just a rock- she never, ever disappoints!!!

I would recommend this series to all newer readers and all those who love a well told Adventure with the sword duels, desert survival, bad guys, magicians, a very stubborn and bad-tempered Stud horse, and most of all, a very light and smart romantic banter. To me, this was a leisurely way to spend with a very satisfying book! Give it a try:)

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a good Book!!
Profile Image for Mayim de Vries.
590 reviews1,145 followers
March 20, 2018
"My shodo once told me it's better to keep potential enemies close, rather than distant. So you know what they may be planning."
"Ah. My an-kaidin just told us to kill them."


This series has a certain sitcom quality to it. It is very much like Xena the Warrior Princess on paper.

Taking into consideration that #6 was supposed to be the grand finale, adding one book more inevitably falls flat. Sword-Bound is partly forced, partly rehashed and partly pointless (in the sense that it leads the readers back where we started).

I am not able to add anything substantial to the previous six reviews I have already written.

Overall, you can try book #1 and, if you liked it, jump straight to #6. #7 would be next in my recommended reading order. And if you find yourself hungry for more of the same, only then you can fill in the gaps.

(the cover though... Shaitarn called it a whacky tartan bathrobe combo)

PS. Apparently, there is another book planned. Don't count me in.
___
Also in the series:

1. Sword-Dancer
2. Sword-Singer
3. Sword-Maker
4. Sword-Breaker
5. Sword-Born
6. Sword-Sworn
Profile Image for Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller.
789 reviews1,633 followers
September 12, 2018
[3.5/5 stars] Mini Review: I wouldn’t call anything in this series groundbreaking for the genre, but for the pure fun-factor, it gets an “A” from me. Sword-Bound is a bonus book of sorts, published over 10 years after what I thought was the final book in the series. I really liked how the story arc in the first 6 books ended, so that’s probably why it took me a while to pick this one up. It read a bit like an extended epilogue (and I hear the author is working on yet another continuation), but I found a ton of enjoyment in the familiar banter between Tiger and Del, the infamous sword fights, and the setting and culture that makes these books so memorable. If you’re interested in a light fantasy read, this series is a great pick.

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com
Profile Image for Cathy.
2,010 reviews51 followers
May 10, 2013
Yay for authors changing their minds, she was right, there was more story to tell. This world and these characters feel so completely true, it's like a window into a real world. I know that the author labored over the sentences and paragraphs and plot choices and all of that writer stuff, but it ends up feeling like watching people I've known for years living out their adventures in a world that's 3D and as real as the room I'm sitting in. And it will be very interesting to see what happens next now that Tiger...well, you'll see when you read it.
Profile Image for Solseit.
429 reviews104 followers
March 10, 2018
It is great to be able to finish a series. It is great to see beloved characters making their way through adventures and difficulties.
It is not the best installment but I do not think there could have been much more.
Profile Image for Michelle.
651 reviews55 followers
September 4, 2023
I'd have to give this one 3.5 stars, and round down to 3 for Goodreads purposes.

It's hard to pinpoint the reasons for the lower rating. On the one hand, the series is fun, and Tiger's point of view continues to be entertaining. He's a great character! But on the flipside we have a couple of demerits.

Let me begin with my biggest complaint. Holy crap the author likes to shove feminism down a reader's throat! It's. In. Every. Book. Long drawn-out pontificating conversations in every single book. Actually, several different times within a given book. Sometimes I actually feel insulted by the heavy-handedness of it, and I am a female for Pete's sake! I wish that she had adopted the "show, don't tell" style of writing, but nope. That would be too easy on a reader.

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, the next problem would be the story itself. The tale more or less is this: Tiger and Del are bored and get ants in their pants. They decide to leave home and adventure. Ok. What? Anyone that has made it this far in the series knows how stupid this decision is. Tiger still has people looking for him to take him out, so they're just going to go traipsing about until his executioners find him? That's so nonsensical that I could just spit. But they go galivanting anyway. And I'll bet you can guess what happens even without a crystal ball!

Aside from this stupid excuse to get her characters out and about, (boredom- ugh!), things happen in a very haphazard way. Or maybe it would be more precise to say that many things happen just to happen. To sum up the plot in one sentence: The characters are bored so things happen.

I guess by now it's clear that this one is fair at best. I still like the characters, and the dialogue, (with the exception of author- preaching), is terrific. There's another due to be published this year, and I'm planning to read it. But truly, I could have skipped this one and not missed anything of note. I hope the next book goes back to the fun story it has been at times!
Profile Image for Tim Bowie.
35 reviews3 followers
April 2, 2013
Another outstanding tale from the mind of Jennifer Roberson. I have been addicted to the Sword Dancer stories of Del and Sandtiger for several years. This book is full of adventures and excitement from the beginning! I definitely recommend this adventure tale (tales?) for a romp in an unforgiving environment where death can lie in wait for anyone.
Profile Image for Laura.
1,040 reviews86 followers
March 13, 2018
3.5 stars

Shaitarn called it "Tiger & Del GREATEST HITS"!
I completely agree.
Profile Image for Rindis.
513 reviews74 followers
November 18, 2019
Roberson's latest Tiger & Del novel keeps up the high quality of the series. The pair are finally settled down and going off into ever-after land, when Neesha decides he wants more adventure. This doesn't turn it into Neesha's story. The viewpoint is still very solidly Tiger's, and he is still the center that events move around.

Tiger is getting older, and certainly the tone is a lot different than where it began, but he truly has things he wants past his own ego now. It doesn't seem like Tiger is slowing down, but the story itself is a bit slower than previous books, perhaps showing through plot that he is, just a bit mind you, past his prime.

The plot itself rambles a bit more than normal, with it going through several important bits that don't necessarily tie directly to each other. But the beginning and end tie together very directly, and the middle does tie the various threads together.

Of course, this has always been a character-driven series, and the characters, as ever, make the book. I recommend the entire series, and while it actually wouldn't be too bad to start here, the other books are well worth reading, so go and read them.
Profile Image for Brian.
119 reviews
February 19, 2013
It is hard to begin this review. I will try to remain as objective as I can, but I will undoubtedly fail miserably. In short, I love this book. To be a bit more clear, I love this story, because I love the characters.
I was a bit worried when I began "Sword-Bound" the 7th book in the "Sword-Dancer Saga" by Jennifer Roberson because the previous novel ("Sword- Sworn" the 6th and presumed LAST book in the series, written over a decade ago)wrapped Tiger and Del's story up nicely. It was not definitive, but it allowed the reader to believe that Tiger and Del had achieved some happiness and stability they needed, and greatly deserved.
"Sword-Bound" picks up two years later, Tiger and Del are still, Tiger and Del (readers of the series will know what I mean by that)albeit a bit older (especially in Tiger's case). They are rousted back into adventure when someone close to Tiger teases that he has been "domesticated". Seeing that as a challenge, Tiger and Del set out to "bring luster back to the Sandtiger legend." Needless to they get more than they bargined for: Sword dances, raiders, bounty hunters, kidnappings, and mages. Tiger and Del are not the same by books end, marred by tragedies,and forced choices with uncertain consequences.
If I were to level any criticism at the book, I would say that it does have too much recap. Even with the 7th book in the series a lot of it is recounting what has happened in previous books. I understand that recap is necessary to keep readers invested, to remind them of events (especially after a ten year hiatus) and to intrigue new readers to go back and read the previous books. However, at some point, as an author can't you assume that people who are reading the 7th book in a series MAY ALREADY know what you're talking about!
Do not let this one criticism keep anyone from this brilliant, and much deserved addition to the series. We see SOME of our favorite secondary characters again(others are mentioned). The witty dialogue and batter between Tiger and Del is as crisp as ever ( there are places where I laughed out loud) this book has more action, and sword dances than several of the other books combined. I also welled up with tears towards the end, both because of the aforementioned tragedies and how it will effect Tiger and Del. With desperate choices made, it is uncertain what will happen next. Luckily, we won't have to wait too long. Ms. Roberson is currently working on the 8th book in the series "Sword-Bearer". I for one can't wait...hoping against hope that there MAY even be more books after that. Who knows my prayers were answered not once, but twice ( with the 7th and 8th volume), perhaps they will be again.
Profile Image for Daria Chenowith.
69 reviews7 followers
January 31, 2014
I have a terrible time rating this book. Tiger and Del are two of my all time favorite characters, and they were as wonderful as ever! I love the world, which was as vibrant as it always is. But the book seemed a little choppy in its transitions, and a theme of repetitiveness (considering the entire series) lurked around the corner. A must read for fans, no question, but I hope that the next book will go down a little more smoothly. That being said, I was ecstatic to find out the book had been published, and there will be more!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Shaitarn.
599 reviews50 followers
March 11, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a buddy read with the FBR sword-dancer group.

After settling down to run a sword-school and bring up their daughter, Tiger and Del are spurred back into adventure by an accusation of being domesticated. Of course, once they’re out of their canyon/valley Things Happen and they find the adventure they’re young companion Neesha was hoping for.

It’s a decent enough read – Jennifer Roberson is an experienced writer, and it shows – but having read all of the previous novels recently, I did find it slightly repetitious of their earlier adventures and the ending is clearly a set up for the next book, whenever that’s due to be released.

I enjoyed it, but not as much as the previous books. It’s a pleasant read, but, if you enjoyed the ending of the previous novel, but no need a necessary one.
Profile Image for Bonnie McDaniel.
852 reviews35 followers
December 23, 2022
This book is the latest in a series that has been around for almost thirty years. I've been buying them for all that time, starting with Sword-Dancer, published in 1986. In that book, a unique fantasy world was introduced, and two unforgettable characters in Tiger and Del. The author has done a marvelous job with Tiger's voice; the rhythms and cadences, and snarky humor, are unmistakably his. It's a credit to her that his voice remains unchanged after all these years.

Tiger has grown considerably throughout the series, however, as has Del. In the beginning, Tiger is quite frankly a male chauvinist pig, the usual type for a desert fantasy world. Del successfully changes his mind and makes him view and treat women as people, a process that is still ongoing. There's a strong feminist streak that runs throughout the series, especially in the fifth book, Sword-Born, where Tiger tells Del to “go where you wish to go, be who you wish to be,” even if that means leaving him. Del replies that being with him is where she wishes to be, and in this, the seventh book of the series, they are still together. Two talented, damaged people, who have been through hell and back, each nearly killing the other; and here they are, their loyalty, partnership and love still going strong.

Things have changed, though. They have a daughter now (Del miscarries another child in this book), and both have matured. Tiger is content with his life and his family, and Del is no longer so bent on revenge. These characters have a rare depth, and they are absolutely on target. I couldn't say the same about the plot, unfortunately; it tended to flail and meander for the first two-thirds of the book, although my fascination with the characters more than made up for that. The climax came quite suddenly, almost out of the blue, although I'm sure when I reread the book I'll see where the clues were planted. Nevertheless, this does seem like a rather unpleasant reversal to the overall storyline. Tiger was finally able to live his life, free from wizards and magic, and now he's being sucked back into it again?

Well, I guess I'll have to read the next book to find out, won't I?

One note about the covers. I know authors usually have no say in the covers and cover models, but good heavens, I wish Jennifer Roberson could have done something about this cover model. He is spectacularly unattractive, with a peculiar cube-shaped face. Not how I see Tiger at all. The series' second book, Sword-Singer, shows what I consider to be the real Tiger (who happens to look a lot like Patrick Swayze). Never mind, ignore this cover, and revel in these characters and this world.
Profile Image for Sarah.
631 reviews
April 14, 2015
4.5 stars! *mild spoilers*

I'm sooo happy this series is continuing! I wasn't around when it was first published but just recently discovered it and I'm so glad I did! I ended up reading all the books in a couple months. I can certainly understand why so many people are happy to see Tiger and Del again doing what they do best! It literally felt like no time had passed at all, this author knows her characters and knows how to write! And I LOVE the way she reminds her readers about things from previous books without going overboard. Even though I read these close together, it was still helpful because you really do find yourself forgetting some things in an eventful series such as this.

The first half started out a little slower than I was used to with these books, however it was sooo nice to see the domestic side to Tiger and how he and Del have settled into a happy home and life together. And Sula is just adorable! I was glad we got to see more of Neesha and look forward to seeing HIS future unfold as well. Things pick up in the second half, and the ending was where I was biting my lip the most!

The only thing I'm unsure of is Tiger and his newfound magic... I have so many questions.. does he now have only 10 years to live again? Does the book inside him somehow counteract that? And did he heal Del so she can possibly have kids again? And where the heck is Samiel now? I just thought some things could have been made more clear.. and maybe he could have talked to Del about it, so something just felt missing there and that was my one quibble. I can't help wanting him to pour all his magic back OUT because its just rubbing me the wrong way and I don't have a good feeling about it. PLUS I have no idea when the next book is expected to come out and that is definitely NOT a good thing. But Knowing we will at least have a book 8 is good enough for now. Can't wait to continue and I will definitely be re-reading this one!
Profile Image for Marsha Huddleston.
6 reviews
August 5, 2013
Tiger and Del leave their home to have "adventures," at the behest of Tiger's son Neesha. They decide to go north to visit Neesha's home. Along the way they hire on as caravan guards, but have to contend with a new bounty put on Tiger's head by his old enemy, Umir.

Along the way they save Neesha's sister from vicious raiders, encounter multiple challenges from other sword dancers and make some new friends.

Roberson writes in a clean, uncomplicated style that moves the story along, and in the end, Tiger comes to a deeper understanding of his new life and a new appreciation of family.
Profile Image for Kristy Halseth.
469 reviews2 followers
January 17, 2015
I really like this book. A lot. It didn't feel as if there was a great gap between the early books and this one. It felt like a natural progression. Anyone who loved the early books should really pick this up and read it too. I thought I read something about an possible 8th book. I can't wait to read it.
Profile Image for Anne Osterlund.
Author 5 books5,394 followers
October 8, 2019
What a lovely surprise! Browsing Goodreads this summer, I thought I would check up on Jennifer Roberson to see if she had written any new books. Wonder of wonders, not only did she have a new novel but a new Tiger and Del novel. My favorite series by this author and one that the author, herself, had believed concluded with book #6.

Sometimes characters have lives & opinions of their own. This latest offering, Sword Bound features the same action and romantic repartee that I have always loved about the books in the series. Tiger's son challenges our hero into setting out on an adventure. Naturally, Tiger cannot resist; and soon he and Del are off across the desert, saving his son's hide, and risking their lives.

Another day in a magical realm I had thought I would never have the chance to travel in again!
Profile Image for Alyssa Nelson.
518 reviews154 followers
March 28, 2019
I feel like this book is very much a sort of afterthought to the Tiger and Del series proper (which it sort of was, I think publishing-wise). It takes place after Tiger and Del have mostly settled into a routine lifestyle; Tiger’s son wants to go on an adventure, so they oblige and have themselves an adventure.

There’s not a whole lot to say about it. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing familiar characters–Tiger and Del are just as fierce as they’ve always been; parenthood hasn’t slowed them down very much. I really liked getting to meet new characters and seeing how people react to Tiger as a legend and an aging, maimed man. If you haven’t read the first six books, I don’t think this would hold very much appeal for you. While the story is fairly solid, not much time is spent on character development and I just don’t think you’ll be able to connect with the characters very well without the background knowledge of the first books. The plot also probably makes much more sense if you have that backstory.

I will say that I don’t remember Tiger being so horribly chauvinistic. He must have been even more so in the earlier books, but I was younger and it didn’t bother me quite so much. This personality trait grated on me at first, but once the story got going it became less frustrating to me; I’m not sure if that’s because I got used to it or because there was less machismo (though it’s probably the former).

Overall, I was happy to have another adventure with the characters, but it’s not necessary to the series as a whole. I’m always game for another Tiger and Del novel, but the series is fine where it stands.

Also posted on Purple People Readers.
Profile Image for Jaclyn.
808 reviews191 followers
January 4, 2014
I'm not usually a fan of series, but there's something about Tiger and Del that I really enjoy. I didn't even think that we needed another book in this series, but I loved this latest edition. It's been so interesting watching these characters change over subsequent books.

In Sword-Bound we pick up 2 years after the last book. Tiger and Del have settled into domestic life with their young daughter, Sula, and Tiger's grown son, Neesha. Of course, we wouldn't have an entire book if it was a picture of domesticity. After setting out on an adventure, Tiger suddenly finds much more adventure than he bargains for.

This was another action-packed book and with it's ending it looks like fans will be getting another book in the series. I for one, will be tuning in and I highly recommend that everyone take a chance on the series.
Profile Image for David Teachout.
Author 2 books25 followers
September 20, 2013
The essential simplicity and character-driven story of Tiger and Del is like coming back to a well-worn trail, there's comfort at old voices and yet still find a few new things along the way. The relationship now with family brings up a host of new issues though in no way removing the martial prowess and while considerations of family pervade the interactions the story loses very little time getting down to some good sword swinging action. In some ways it is Tiger that takes a back-seat to the rest of the characters, particularly his son and Del, but given the nature of the story this makes sense and truly enriches the tale just having him there doing what he does best.
Profile Image for Kara.
Author 27 books94 followers
December 6, 2014

The Sandtiger, world’s best swordfighter, and, for years, wanderer and womanizer, has, much to his own surprise, found himself settled down with a baby and a house and running a school and in a monogamous relationship.

So, to stay sharp, he and Del give the kid to some friends to babysit for a while and head to seek adventure.

They find it, but things go from light hearted to very serious quite quickly.

As usual, Robinson left things open ended. This may be the last of Tiger and Del, or we may see more one day…
Profile Image for Jon.
983 reviews15 followers
Read
November 11, 2020
Eagerly anticipated, completely unexpected, so exciting to finally get a chance to read more adventures with Tiger & Del. I have often reflected on how, in order to catch and keep my interest, an author has to create characters that "hook" me right from the beginning, and it was that way for me with the SandTiger and Delilah long, long ago. I read Sword Dancer first and eagerly jumped upon subsequent books in the series as they came along, enjoying the reunion with old friends. I'm not entirely certain that someone trying to jump in on the seventh book in the series would immediately feel that sort of bond, so I'd recommend starting at the beginning, they're all in print on Amazon these days. I may have to go back and re-read and review them for the site at some point, too. One wouldn't have to twist my arm very hard to make me do so.

The Sandtiger has become "domesticated". He and Del have a permanent residence, where Tiger teaches sword dancing, without the oaths and formality which he was schooled in. He is still an outlaw, and any sword dancer can demand a dance to the death. It turns out that the tanzeer, Umit, has also placed a bounty on his head, and wants Tiger to come remove the spell he placed on the grimoire that Tiger traded for his son, Neesha. The problem is that Tiger gave up all his magic, poured it into his jivatma, and then broke and buried the sword, so he can't give Umit what he wants even should he want to - he doesn't.

When Tiger is made aware of his domesticity, he and Del and his son decide to go adventuring once more, leaving their daughter, Sula, in the loving care of their friends and neighbors, Amit and Lena.

On their journey, Tiger is constantly made to confront other sword dancers who are either lured by the possibility of defeating the legend, offended by his apostasy and willing to kill him, or hoping to capture him for Umit's bounty. He also has to confront something he hasn't had to deal with very often before, the aches and pains that come with old age, and the long recovery time for injuries, and he just can't handle the aquiva hangovers any more.

The three of them hire on as caravan guards for a while, to help pay for their journey to visit Neesha's mother and stepfather, who raise horses in the Borderlands between the deserts of the South and the Forests of the North. Neesha is a third level sword dancer, but he also struggles with a new experience, killing a man, when a battle with borjuni raiders turns deadly.

When they arrive at his family's, they find the house burned down, the horses missing, his stepfather unconscious from a head injury, his mother raped, and his sister kidnapped by the borjuni. So Tiger and Del take on a whole new mission, rescuing the damsel in distress, recovering the stolen horses, and killing the men who are responsible. Just another day in the life for these two, aside from a few odd wrinkles that keep things amusing. Tiger proves the old adage about age and treachery beating youth and skill most days.

This is a good return to the story, and best of all, Roberson says she's writing another already. I can't wait.
2 reviews
November 2, 2022
Something is missing

I want to preface this review by saying I read the first 6 books in the Tiger and Del series when they first came out, and am in the process of listening to them on Audible right now.

**some spoilers**
This book felt ‘off’ to me, it just didn’t flow. Perhaps the author had a hard time getting back in to Tiger’s mindset, or something. Both Tiger and Del felt flat. (Neesha, Tiger’s son was an unnecessary add on, and I thought he was a huge whiner….)
It also had some contradictions..in the first 1/2, when Tiger and Del get hired to find the missing son of the khemi leader…that’s right out the from the first book. Then, near the end, when Tiger retrieved his sword, and made it whole, how did the bad guys touch Samiel? It’s a blooding blade and they didn’t know his name. They shouldn’t have been able to touch it, even w/out Chosa Dei being present. Plus, the stud…he was a bay in the first 6 books, now he’s a line back dun??
I also had problems with how the author kept going on about how bad women have it the south. Yes, we get it. Women are second class citizens in the south. Stop harping on it.
Here’s to hoping the next book has Tiger and Del getting their mojo back, and also hoping Neesha goes back to the horse farm he grew up on.
Profile Image for annapi.
1,941 reviews13 followers
March 11, 2023
This seventh book of the series was published 14 years after the last one, so I can't remember much of the previous books. But Tiger and Del are such wonderful characters, it was a pleasure to come back to this world, and Roberson does not disappoint her fans in this new adventure.

Tiger and Del are settled, raising a two-year-old daughter and running a school to teach sword-dancing. But Tiger's grown son Neesha craves adventure, and persuades his father to go out into the world once more. Which naturally leads to trouble as the Sandtiger's legend lives far and wide, and sword-dancers everywhere are eager to challenge him, especially now that there is a new bounty on his head.

I'm very glad Roberson has started this series up again, and I look forward to more adventures with Tiger and Del. I might even go back to the first six books and re-read them to refresh my memory, although if a new reader chanced upon this I believe they would have no problem following the story, and would likely want to go back to acquaint themselves with their origins.
Profile Image for Juniper Allen.
135 reviews3 followers
February 21, 2023
This is the 7th book in the saga of Tiger and Del, which started with Sword Dancer. Our world weary sword dancers have been settled in their desert home with their young daughter for two years, teaching students as well as Tiger’s long lost son. The books follows them as they must leave their home on a journey, and as they navigate the complicated political landscape of South and North.

I wouldn’t call this a particularly riveting or stunning novel, but I love Tiger and Del, and enjoyed revisiting them and seeing them in the context of a (more) peaceful life.
Profile Image for Freyja.
298 reviews
June 16, 2023
I read this out of order, thinking the other book was the last one. Oops. This one has Tiger and Del settled with a child, and Tiger teaching sword dancing. A child he didn't know he had is one of his students. Tiger has a bounty on his head, but it's for getting him alive to a nemesis to open a book he locked magically.

The action is well-paced, and doesn't drag. It makes sense considering prior events for both of them.
Profile Image for Rosemary Shannon.
104 reviews2 followers
June 8, 2022
I am very glad that Tiger and Del refused to go softly into the night and even if it took approximately ten years for this one to come out after the 6th one and the next one is going to be available on Dec 6, 2022 after another 10 years. Now that I have reread all of them including no. 7 which I had not known about. I am ready for the eighth for which I am counting the days until it is released.
Profile Image for Roig Maldonado.
5 reviews
September 14, 2018
I believe this was the best book thus far. (Besides maybe book 2.) It wrapped most things up and left it open for another one. I just hope I don't have to see Tiger die by the end. Either way I loved this series and recommend it to anyone!
Profile Image for Cait.
494 reviews16 followers
August 29, 2022
Ok, but WHY are they adventuring? Because Neesha wants to? This is a bad reason. Also, a lot of the plot is rape as a motivation for people who aren't the survivor, which is shitty.
Overall this is a fun book, but the premise is dumb.
22 reviews
January 2, 2023
Just awesome series, reread too many times to count!

I just love this series. The characters and plot are just so enjoyable. I was very glad to see the series continue. Thank you Jennifer Roberson!
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