Bridge of Valor

The Cloak and Dagger #2

by Anne Lesley Groell

Taking on their first assignment as full-fledged operatives of the Assassins Guild, comrades Jennifleur and Thibault must investigate some magical mishaps at the castle Valor's Rest. But the two quickly discover a deadly web of political intrigue and sorcery that may make this first mission their last!

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1997

About the author

Editor and author Anne Lesley Groell is a native New Yorker who grew up on the Upper West Side. She received a B.A. in Biology from Yale University and a M.S. in Developmental Biology from the University of California at Irvine, specializing in limb regeneration in salamanders. Eventually, missing seasons, she returned to the Upper West Side, where she still resides, to become an editor and writer. She worked for two and a half years at Avon Books, then moved on to Bantam, where she is a SF/Fantasy editor for Bantam Spectra , editing such authors as George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb, Connie Willis, Lynn Flewelling, Mark Anthony, Catherine Asaro, Kay Kenyon and John Marco. In addition to being an editor, she is also a popular fantasy author. Her first published novel, Anvil of the Sun, was released from Penguin/Roc in 1996; Bridge of Valor, the sequel, in 1997; and Cauldron of Iniquity, in 1999. The three novels follow the adventures of the fledgling assassins, Jenifleur and Thibault, as they strive to become full members of the legendary Assassin's Guild. Her books are a blend of fantasy, adventure and romance which have been highly praised by publications such as Locus, Starlog and Romantic Times. In addition to her vivid characters, her stories are also known for their inventive settings and their wonderful sense of humor.

Reviews

[Amber DiTullio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bridge of Valor is the second book in the Cloak and Dagger series by Anne Lesley Groell. Jen & Thib are officially in training for the Guild and have been sent on their first assignment - to help an aristocrat figure out who has put a curse on his castle, Valor's Rest. Jen pretends to be Ruary (the aristocrat)'s fiancée, who he hasn't seen in 17 years and she had recently become friends with. It takes Jen and Thib awhile to really get on the case and find out who is at the bottom of all of it. Vera and Absolom both return, though they aren't as much an integral part of the middle of the book.

I didn't care as much for Bridge of Valor as I did either Anvil of the Sun or The Cauldron of Iniquity. The book didn't seem to hang together as well as the other two. For all of Jen's flightiness, I have a hard time believing that she would so completely ignore what she was there for. The Guild has been too important a part of her life for her to get so caught up in Society. And Thib has always been too practical to let her get away with ignoring their responsibilities for that long. Still, it was a somewhat good mystery and a bit of fun seeing a bit of society that Jen wouldn't mind getting into.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

this trilogy is in a good category in that they can be enjoyed by teens and adults (i think!) alike. the characters are fun, the dialogue snappy, and the plots interesting, even if the reader can be absolutely certain that everything will turn out alright. always wished the author had done more with the protagonists' romance, but you can't have everything. :)

[T J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cloak and Dagger are off on their first official assignment to break a curse that is plaguing Valor's Rest. There are ghost and magic in the air and it is up to Jen and Thibault to find the cause and put a stop to it. It was good 2nd book and am looking forward to reading Cauldron of Iniquity to see what their next assignment will be.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

So the beginning was good--middle eh and ending well done

I really enjoyed the book--good characters
Making the classes of people more and less glamorous--it was awesome
Liked seeing old characters come back and circle around (Jason's story extended throughout, the Mage ect)

[Steph Goose]

From Dorri