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Bhinian Empire #2
Empire of Shadows
Cast out of her family three years ago, Mara turned to the only place that would take her—a school where students train to protect others. But Mara is stunned when guarding a noble girl in the Empire’s capital turns out to be more dangerous than she could’ve imagined. More shocking still, she finds the boy she thought she had lost forever outside the gates of her new home.
Mara knew her life in the dizzying Imperial city would hold dangers. How could she have known that her heart, as well as her life, would be at stake?
Empire of Shadows will take readers on a spellbinding journey into the world Miriam Forster first introduced in City of a Thousand Dolls—a world with a divided society, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and deeply laid conspiracies.
Mara knew her life in the dizzying Imperial city would hold dangers. How could she have known that her heart, as well as her life, would be at stake?
Empire of Shadows will take readers on a spellbinding journey into the world Miriam Forster first introduced in City of a Thousand Dolls—a world with a divided society, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and deeply laid conspiracies.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2014
38 people are currently reading
3592 people want to read
About the author
Miriam Forster
5 books299 followers(Hello friends and readers! I am not here, but you can contact me on my website)
Miriam Forster is an autistic author who loves science, history, and animals, especially the weird prehistoric ones. She’s been a waiter, a barista, a daycare worker, a bookseller, and she is currently an author of young adult fiction, and a fact checker for children’s books.
Forster lives in Oregon and is represented by Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Agency
Miriam Forster is an autistic author who loves science, history, and animals, especially the weird prehistoric ones. She’s been a waiter, a barista, a daycare worker, a bookseller, and she is currently an author of young adult fiction, and a fact checker for children’s books.
Forster lives in Oregon and is represented by Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Agency
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
October 2, 2015
If I had to pick one underrated series for everyone to read it would be this one. Miriam Forster is a seriously talented author, and her Bhinian Empire books, CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS and EMPIRE OF SHADOWS, deserve so much more love.
When I started EMPIRE OF SHADOWS I could only remember the vague basics of CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS, which I read as a 2013 debut. Thankfully, this one reads as a companion instead of a direct addition, so you can jump right into it. Perfect for people with extremely poor memories, like me!
Topics that were only touched on in CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS are much more developed more in this book. The world building in this series is absolutely fantastic, it is full of rich history and different cultures, plus more information about the shape-shifting race of the Sune (which are totally badass, by the way_. It is clear so much thought went into it and I would love to see more from this world. Plus pickpocketing grandmothers, enough said.
Despite its hefty size of almost five hundred pages, EMPIRE OF SHADOWS has pretty good pacing. However, it wasn’t until I was on page 120 when I realized not much had happened and a lot was still being developed. I want to emphasize that this was not a problem because the pages still flew by and, like I said, I barely even noticed.
What I wasn’t in love with was the romance. The couple meet each other once and it’s pretty much full speed ahead the next time they see each other. After said initial meeting, the two can’t stop thinking about each other. There was little development in the getting-to-know-you stage, which made it hard to really get behind this romance.
While EMPIRE OF SHADOWS may not have done romance well, it tackled friendship perfectly! The protagonist, Mara, and her charge, Revathi, start off on somewhat shaky grounds, building trust and friendship gradually. The dynamic between these two was just so great, and I had a ton of feels when it came to the ending-THAT EPILOGUE.
When I started EMPIRE OF SHADOWS I could only remember the vague basics of CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS, which I read as a 2013 debut. Thankfully, this one reads as a companion instead of a direct addition, so you can jump right into it. Perfect for people with extremely poor memories, like me!
Topics that were only touched on in CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS are much more developed more in this book. The world building in this series is absolutely fantastic, it is full of rich history and different cultures, plus more information about the shape-shifting race of the Sune (which are totally badass, by the way_. It is clear so much thought went into it and I would love to see more from this world. Plus pickpocketing grandmothers, enough said.
Despite its hefty size of almost five hundred pages, EMPIRE OF SHADOWS has pretty good pacing. However, it wasn’t until I was on page 120 when I realized not much had happened and a lot was still being developed. I want to emphasize that this was not a problem because the pages still flew by and, like I said, I barely even noticed.
What I wasn’t in love with was the romance. The couple meet each other once and it’s pretty much full speed ahead the next time they see each other. After said initial meeting, the two can’t stop thinking about each other. There was little development in the getting-to-know-you stage, which made it hard to really get behind this romance.
While EMPIRE OF SHADOWS may not have done romance well, it tackled friendship perfectly! The protagonist, Mara, and her charge, Revathi, start off on somewhat shaky grounds, building trust and friendship gradually. The dynamic between these two was just so great, and I had a ton of feels when it came to the ending-THAT EPILOGUE.
July 17, 2016
I knew going in that this was a companion novel and not an actual sequel. I was a little worried that it wouldn't be the same without Nisha and *coughs* JERRIT, but this book was still awesome. First of all, the setting was magnificent! Miriam is a pro at bringing a world to life. She has just the right amount of detail without making the story boring. There were also little snippets of history and teachings in between the chapters that I enjoyed!
Mara was pretty freaking awesome! I was intrigued by her from the start because she was Sune, but she earned my respect with her fierce loyalty and perseverance. She was damaged, but was a stronger lead because of it. I enjoyed her journey in earning her honor back!
I really enjoyed Mara and Revathi's relationship. At first Revathi seemed a bit condescending and cynical toward Mara, but as time passed they developed a very strong bond. It's the kind of friendship that you don't see very often in books anymore. They defended and protected each other no matter the cost. It was a beautiful relationship!
Okay, so...Mara and Emil. WTF?! Talk about instalove!! This was the one dark spot to this novel, and honestly it kind of ruined it a little bit for me. I like the idea of their romance, but the fact that they had had literally two interactions before the major turning point of their relationship (aka Mara getting injured and Emil holding her while she bled half to death and then kissing her) made it feel very forced. Mara saved his brother, he saw her for like 3 seconds; they saw each other again in the market and he gave her a carved tiger...then BAM! he loves her? WHAT?! I wanted to shake him and scream, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HER!!!! ARGH!! They were barely together at all; in fact, by halfway through I was wondering when their paths would cross so they could get to know one another because I knew from the beginning that they would fall for each other. Nope. Love at first sight, apparently. *sighs*
I do have to say that I love love LOOOOVED the way it ended! ALL THE FEELS!! The last word of the book floored me!
Sadly there was no Jerrit. My heart was broken a little bit :(
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
November 7, 2014
Why you should read it: I liked this first book in this series and had this on my TBR since I found out there was a sequel. I will say, though, that this is more of a companion/prequel. I felt like the writing in Empire of Shadows is even stronger than in City of a Thousand Dolls. The only thing that bothered me was that Mara and Emil fall into love/lust too quickly for me. That said, I did like Emil and enjoyed every scene with him in it. Since the romance is a bit too insta, the plot is weighted heavily in politics, intrigue and a lot of action. The secondary characters are also well developed, and I just adore Revathi and the interaction/reactions between Mara and Revathi. You don't have to read A City of a Thousand Dolls to enjoy this, but for those of you who did … just wait for the third book — it's going to be about Nisha's parents!
Head over to the HEA blog to see what Miriam is working on now
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
Head over to the HEA blog to see what Miriam is working on now
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
June 3, 2023
Stars: 3 out of 5
It would be a mistake to call this book the second in this series, because it's not a continuation of book one. More of a prequel, actually. But that's not explained until the epilogue, so I experienced a sense of confusion when I started reading this. In book 1, we were following Nisha who was heading for the capital. This books stars with a completely different character, and there is no mention of Nisha until, yet again, the epilogue. So I spent a good while wondering how the two books were related instead of just enjoying the story for what it was. I think if that was mentioned upfront, my satisfaction with this book would have been better.
Now, as far as the story itself goes, it's typical YA fare, but on the better side of the spectrum. At least we aren't tortured with the dreaded love triangle in this one. My problem is that I found the supporting characters more interesting than the two protagonists.
Let's be honest, for someone who trained for four years to be a bodyguard, and who is a weretiger to boot, Mara really sucks at her job. I can't remember even one instance when she successfully protected her charge in this book. The tiger to tiger confrontation at the end of the book doesn't count, because the author was leading towards it almost since the beginning. When I look back at Mara's actions in this book, all I can remember is her standing there in impotent rage when her charges are being endangered, or struggling with her tiger instincts and needing a rescue of her own. Honestly, she is more a damsel in distress in this book than a protector, and that's frustrating.
I liked Emil slightly better, and he gets progressively better as the book goes on, once he finally stands up to his father and realizes what is important to him.
I didn't particularly like the instalove story between Mara and Emil either. They talked twice. He gave her a gift. Suddenly, they can't stop thinking about each other, and he is the only person who can prevent her from turning when she is hurt. Yeah, nope, not for me.
The side characters are a lot more interesting than those two! I would have loved to see more of Rhivati and her grandmother. Especially, her grandmother! And the tea vendors! What an amazing concept! I would love to read a book about them and their unofficial "king". As it stands, they are a woefully underutilized concept. Same goes for the Jade caste.
As it stands, I found that the story resolution was a little bit too easy and convenient. With the bad people one-dimensionally villainous, and the good people one-dimensionally good and forgiving. And it seems like a lot got glossed over in the end as well. Emil and his brother actively participated in a plot to overthrow the Emperor, yet they were not judged or tried for it. The main conspirator fled the city, yet there is no mention of anyone looking for him and bringing him to justice. It almost feels like the Emperor didn't care. "Ha-ha, my city got invaded and a lot of people died, oh, and I'm one heir short now, but no worries, life goes on." This was honestly unfulfilling.
Also, I don't agree with the ending. Having Rhivati conveniently die to release Mara from her oath so that she can go have a happy ever after with Emil is the worst copout I've seen in a while. Why even make her take that oath in the first place? I would have loved to see her struggle with her duties to Rhivati and her love for Emil, who can't remain in the city without renouncing his people and his way of life. How would they have maintained their relationship against these odds? That would have been a book worth reading.
PS: On the plus side, at least now we know who Nisha's parents are.
It would be a mistake to call this book the second in this series, because it's not a continuation of book one. More of a prequel, actually. But that's not explained until the epilogue, so I experienced a sense of confusion when I started reading this. In book 1, we were following Nisha who was heading for the capital. This books stars with a completely different character, and there is no mention of Nisha until, yet again, the epilogue. So I spent a good while wondering how the two books were related instead of just enjoying the story for what it was. I think if that was mentioned upfront, my satisfaction with this book would have been better.
Now, as far as the story itself goes, it's typical YA fare, but on the better side of the spectrum. At least we aren't tortured with the dreaded love triangle in this one. My problem is that I found the supporting characters more interesting than the two protagonists.
Let's be honest, for someone who trained for four years to be a bodyguard, and who is a weretiger to boot, Mara really sucks at her job. I can't remember even one instance when she successfully protected her charge in this book. The tiger to tiger confrontation at the end of the book doesn't count, because the author was leading towards it almost since the beginning. When I look back at Mara's actions in this book, all I can remember is her standing there in impotent rage when her charges are being endangered, or struggling with her tiger instincts and needing a rescue of her own. Honestly, she is more a damsel in distress in this book than a protector, and that's frustrating.
I liked Emil slightly better, and he gets progressively better as the book goes on, once he finally stands up to his father and realizes what is important to him.
I didn't particularly like the instalove story between Mara and Emil either. They talked twice. He gave her a gift. Suddenly, they can't stop thinking about each other, and he is the only person who can prevent her from turning when she is hurt. Yeah, nope, not for me.
The side characters are a lot more interesting than those two! I would have loved to see more of Rhivati and her grandmother. Especially, her grandmother! And the tea vendors! What an amazing concept! I would love to read a book about them and their unofficial "king". As it stands, they are a woefully underutilized concept. Same goes for the Jade caste.
As it stands, I found that the story resolution was a little bit too easy and convenient. With the bad people one-dimensionally villainous, and the good people one-dimensionally good and forgiving. And it seems like a lot got glossed over in the end as well. Emil and his brother actively participated in a plot to overthrow the Emperor, yet they were not judged or tried for it. The main conspirator fled the city, yet there is no mention of anyone looking for him and bringing him to justice. It almost feels like the Emperor didn't care. "Ha-ha, my city got invaded and a lot of people died, oh, and I'm one heir short now, but no worries, life goes on." This was honestly unfulfilling.
Also, I don't agree with the ending. Having Rhivati conveniently die to release Mara from her oath so that she can go have a happy ever after with Emil is the worst copout I've seen in a while. Why even make her take that oath in the first place? I would have loved to see her struggle with her duties to Rhivati and her love for Emil, who can't remain in the city without renouncing his people and his way of life. How would they have maintained their relationship against these odds? That would have been a book worth reading.
PS: On the plus side, at least now we know who Nisha's parents are.
November 6, 2016
I love this book
OMG
Like I am a critic
I criticize books a lot
because most books are the same
I like reading incomparable books
And that's why I like this one !!
OMG
Like I am a critic
I criticize books a lot
because most books are the same
I like reading incomparable books
And that's why I like this one !!
September 19, 2015
Okay.
Let's.
Get.
Dangerous.
If you're one of us, then roll with us....and by "roll with us" I mean ohmyglobs read this book.
I read City of a Thousand Dolls and LOVED it. This is the companion/prequel to that book. I wouldn't say that you need to read City of a Thousand Dolls before this one necessarily, because it stands on its own really well. BUT there are a few surprises and "ohemgee!" Moments that will definitely be spoiled if you read this book first.
Characters!
I love them, what more can I say? Mara is nice and brave. She did tend to lean towards beige on my personality gradient scale. (Can that just be a thing? Some people are just BLUE or PINK to me and I'm not sure why... Beige obviously conveys exactly what you imagined in your mind; kinda dull.) but I think that sometimes people just ARE beige and that's ok cause every character doesn't have to be wild and eccentric. I mean, even in real life, some people are beige. In fact, I think I might be beige. I like the calm, quiet, life. I'm not the free-spirit, restlessly searching for adventure to soothe her wild soul type person. I LIKE grocery shopping. I LIKE having a clean kitchen. I LIKE sitting on a freshly-vacuumed floor with the sunshine coming through the windows and making a warm spot on the carpet (all my felines out there know what I'm talkin' 'bout) and reading a book as the hours tick by. But then again, that's probably why there aren't a bunch of books starring Me: Contented Housewife.
Who was I talking about, again?
Oh, right. Mara. So, yeah, I actually didn't mind that she wasn't crazy dynamic. She seemed very lifelike to me in that aspect. Emil was a bit more well-rounded, I thought. His wants and feelings were all very clear and understandable to me.
The whole love thing happens pretty fast, but I don't really blame the author for that because this isn't really a love story. It's more intended as a fantasy-dystopia-friendship endures everything type story. So I think she sacrificed some of the romance so she could get to the important parts; the super sad back story, the world building, the regaining of ones honor, etc.
MARA CAN FLIPPING TURN INTO A TIGER. I mean, sacrifice all the romance you want, just tell me more about being a tiger! (You caught me, I'm a huge ANIMORPHS fan)
Storyline!
Super great! It flowed really well, too.
World Building!
Oh, man, I think the world building was my favorite part of this book. The empire, the Barrier (whatever THAT is), the "asars" that were obviously inspired by sarees, the caste system (which, obviously, in the real world I'm not a fan of. But in the book it was interesting), the Sune (people who can turn into animals), all of it was just so great and well painted and believable.
I suppose I will end on this note: I would give this book to any of my friends in a heartbeat and all I would say is, "oh my gosh you need to read this book! It gets a little magicy but not too much and it's amazing and you should also read City of a Thousand Dolls! K! Byeeeeeee!" Then I would run away like the majestic housewife I am.
Let's.
Get.
Dangerous.
If you're one of us, then roll with us....and by "roll with us" I mean ohmyglobs read this book.
I read City of a Thousand Dolls and LOVED it. This is the companion/prequel to that book. I wouldn't say that you need to read City of a Thousand Dolls before this one necessarily, because it stands on its own really well. BUT there are a few surprises and "ohemgee!" Moments that will definitely be spoiled if you read this book first.
Characters!
I love them, what more can I say? Mara is nice and brave. She did tend to lean towards beige on my personality gradient scale. (Can that just be a thing? Some people are just BLUE or PINK to me and I'm not sure why... Beige obviously conveys exactly what you imagined in your mind; kinda dull.) but I think that sometimes people just ARE beige and that's ok cause every character doesn't have to be wild and eccentric. I mean, even in real life, some people are beige. In fact, I think I might be beige. I like the calm, quiet, life. I'm not the free-spirit, restlessly searching for adventure to soothe her wild soul type person. I LIKE grocery shopping. I LIKE having a clean kitchen. I LIKE sitting on a freshly-vacuumed floor with the sunshine coming through the windows and making a warm spot on the carpet (all my felines out there know what I'm talkin' 'bout) and reading a book as the hours tick by. But then again, that's probably why there aren't a bunch of books starring Me: Contented Housewife.
Who was I talking about, again?
Oh, right. Mara. So, yeah, I actually didn't mind that she wasn't crazy dynamic. She seemed very lifelike to me in that aspect. Emil was a bit more well-rounded, I thought. His wants and feelings were all very clear and understandable to me.
The whole love thing happens pretty fast, but I don't really blame the author for that because this isn't really a love story. It's more intended as a fantasy-dystopia-friendship endures everything type story. So I think she sacrificed some of the romance so she could get to the important parts; the super sad back story, the world building, the regaining of ones honor, etc.
MARA CAN FLIPPING TURN INTO A TIGER. I mean, sacrifice all the romance you want, just tell me more about being a tiger! (You caught me, I'm a huge ANIMORPHS fan)
Storyline!
Super great! It flowed really well, too.
World Building!
Oh, man, I think the world building was my favorite part of this book. The empire, the Barrier (whatever THAT is), the "asars" that were obviously inspired by sarees, the caste system (which, obviously, in the real world I'm not a fan of. But in the book it was interesting), the Sune (people who can turn into animals), all of it was just so great and well painted and believable.
I suppose I will end on this note: I would give this book to any of my friends in a heartbeat and all I would say is, "oh my gosh you need to read this book! It gets a little magicy but not too much and it's amazing and you should also read City of a Thousand Dolls! K! Byeeeeeee!" Then I would run away like the majestic housewife I am.
May 10, 2016
I absolutely loved Empire of Shadows. I knew it would be set in the same world as City of a Thousand Dolls, but that it wouldn't be a sequel. I had no idea it was a prequel though. I thought the writing and story matured in this book. While City of a Thousand Dolls was more mystery with fantasy elements, this story and plot were more intricate, and this felt like full on fantasy. My only complaint is that the love story was too insta-love. Other than that, this was a great story that was hard to put down. I loved the epilogue. Because I did not bother to refresh my memory of some things from the first book I got a few surprises in this one. When I was done with this one I went back and flipped through City of a Thousand Dolls so I could reread some parts. I can't believe I had forgotten some of that, but it was nice to actually be surprised by some of the revelations in this book.
January 29, 2015
Honestly, a big reason why I wanted to read this book is because it's set in the world of City of a Thousand Dolls- and I was hoping that we'd get a bit of a cameo from a certain awesome cat from that book. Unfortunately, Jerrit was nowhere to be seen, but on the other hand, we did get a variety of fantastic new characters and a thrilling plot, so I suppose I can't complain too much.
Empire of Shadows was unexpectedly written in dual POV, but I feel like Forster actually did a pretty good job of this. It was third person, so there wasn't too much chance to get confused between the points of view. I definitely enjoyed Mara's POV more than Emil's, although both were engaging enough to keep me turning the pages pretty quickly.
Full disclosure: the romance was not the best. It was frankly, really underdeveloped, with it just nudging into instalove territory. Emil and Mara saw each other maybe two or three times before deciding they loved each other *facepalm*. Definitely would have liked there to have been a bit more conversation and development of their relationship before heading into "love". Although, of course, then the epilogue was revealed and honestly, I didn't give a crap about the romance being an instalove because THERE WERE JUST WAY TOO MANY FEELS.
My god, that epilogue. ALL THE FEELS FOR THE EPILOGUE. If you haven't read City of a Thousand Dolls and were thinking of going straight into this book: please don't. I highly, highly recommend that you read these books in order. Technically they are companion standalones, so if you don't want to read City of a Thousand Dolls, you can go straight onto this one, but there are little links here and there that you can pick up on, plus you won't get the feels in the epilogue unless you've read the first book in the series.
All in all, pretty damn fabulous. Do give this series a read.
Ratings
Overall: 9/10
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Empire of Shadows was unexpectedly written in dual POV, but I feel like Forster actually did a pretty good job of this. It was third person, so there wasn't too much chance to get confused between the points of view. I definitely enjoyed Mara's POV more than Emil's, although both were engaging enough to keep me turning the pages pretty quickly.
Full disclosure: the romance was not the best. It was frankly, really underdeveloped, with it just nudging into instalove territory. Emil and Mara saw each other maybe two or three times before deciding they loved each other *facepalm*. Definitely would have liked there to have been a bit more conversation and development of their relationship before heading into "love". Although, of course, then the epilogue was revealed and honestly, I didn't give a crap about the romance being an instalove because THERE WERE JUST WAY TOO MANY FEELS.
My god, that epilogue. ALL THE FEELS FOR THE EPILOGUE. If you haven't read City of a Thousand Dolls and were thinking of going straight into this book: please don't. I highly, highly recommend that you read these books in order. Technically they are companion standalones, so if you don't want to read City of a Thousand Dolls, you can go straight onto this one, but there are little links here and there that you can pick up on, plus you won't get the feels in the epilogue unless you've read the first book in the series.
All in all, pretty damn fabulous. Do give this series a read.
Ratings
Overall: 9/10
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
January 2, 2020
2,5 stars
WHAT I LIKED
🐅 The world-building.The world is so rich and intricate.
🐅 The magic which involves shape-shifting animals and the Sune
🐅 Revathi and her grandmother, Lady Eliska
🐅 Garen
🐅 The political intrigue, though there's very little of it.
🐅 The sibling dynamics between Emil and Stephan
WHAT I DISLIKED
🐅 While the main characters are likeable, I did not become attached to them.
🐅 The insta-love/insta lust. I could believe the connection between Emil and Mara, but their relationship progressed too fast.
Empire of Shadows is one of those enjoyable, but ultimately unforgettable reads.
"Rule number one in the Lotus Court? Everybody lies." (Revathi Sa'Hoi)
WHAT I LIKED
🐅 The world-building.The world is so rich and intricate.
🐅 The magic which involves shape-shifting animals and the Sune
🐅 Revathi and her grandmother, Lady Eliska
🐅 Garen
🐅 The political intrigue, though there's very little of it.
🐅 The sibling dynamics between Emil and Stephan
WHAT I DISLIKED
🐅 While the main characters are likeable, I did not become attached to them.
🐅 The insta-love/insta lust. I could believe the connection between Emil and Mara, but their relationship progressed too fast.
Empire of Shadows is one of those enjoyable, but ultimately unforgettable reads.
"Maybe that was why human were such emotional creatures. Maybe it was something that just happened when you lived without fur or feathers or armor of any kind. In a world so based around how things felt, maybe your heart became as sensitive as your skin." (Mara T'Riala)
Read
March 15, 2015Interesting but I never felt pulled into the world. Had the same problem with the first book, though.
September 7, 2015
Although chronologically a sequel to City of a Thousand Dolls, it really is a prequel as far as I can tell. I liked it a lot. However, now I feel the need to reread Thousand Dolls and I simply do NOT have time do so!
will-not-finish
December 30, 2014I'm sorry, I'm just so bored. Fare thee well book.
October 22, 2014
Originally posted here at Random Musings of Bibliophile.
Empire of Shadows by Miriam Forster was a highly anticipated read of mine. I really enjoyed City of a Thousand Dolls when I read it and could not wait for the companion novel which goes back about 20 years into the past of the Bihnian Empire and tells the story of an attempted with all sorts of intrigue.
Mara is a Tiger Sune (yes, A TIGER) who is trained as a highly elite bodyguard. As a way to redeem herself after she commits a tragic crime, Mara dedicates her life to the protection of others. She must pledge herself to one specific person and protect that person's life with her own. She makes her way to the capital and meets many people along the way including a charming fabric seller named Emil. She also meets Revathi, a noblewoman, and her fiancé. Mara agrees to be Revathi's bodyguard until she decides to whom she will pledge her life of protection. Mara never transfers into her tiger form anymore and is, indeed, afraid to. She suddenly finds herself in the palace where nothing is as it seems, and everyone lies. Emil, charming goat herder and fabric seller, is the other half of this story. He is bound for a life of leadership of his tribe, but does not want it. He longs to be in charge of the trade, like his uncle, not the leader like his father. When his brother decides to join a group of mercenaries and runs away, Emil defies his father and goes after him taking his friend Esmer (a spotted cat Sune) with him. Suddenly Emil and Esmer find themselves immersed in a conspiracy to overthrow the Emperor, one that has dragged Mara and Revathi as well as Emil's brother into serious danger.
Mara is amazing. I mean, she's a TIGER, so how could she not be? But she is also fiercely loyal and a wonderful friend. She is just a truly good person with high ideals and a powerful desire to do what is right. She fell far and hard once upon a time and is doing everything in her power to atone for it. Revathi is also a great character. Harsh and hardened by the life in the Emperor's court, it takes her time to warm to Mara, but it happens eventually. I just really liked the friendship that developed between these two. Mara was meant to protect Revathi, but they both end up protecting each other and it is great. Emil is also a character who it is easy to love. He has a firm opinion of what is right for him. He went along with his father for as long as he could, but when it came time to do what was right and reconcile with his brother, he never flinches from the hard perilous road he is traveling. Esmer is a wonderfully loyal friend as well, and one who knows Emil well enough for them to work perfectly together. Because she knows Mara's secret, she is also able to work with and help her. The friendship between Emil and Esmer was another favorite part of this book for me. It is just a friendship and those male/female friendships with absolutely no hint of romance are rare. I love that this book gave us so many wonderful relationships: the friendships, the brotherly love between Emil and Stefan, the relationship between Revathi and her grandmother, the two young princes' brotherly bond, and the love of the Emperor for his children. These were all shown so beautifully.
A relationship that didn't satisfy me at all in this was the romantic relationship. There really wasn't sufficient time to devote to its development with the way the plot was set up so it felt very rushed. There is very little actual page time where Emil and Mara are actually together yet it's true love. I almost had whiplash from how fast that happened. Romances like this are never satisfying for me. I would have preferred the hint at romantic potential with some development (the kissing scene was fine-liked that) without the LOVE part. The epilogue would take care of the rest.
Because this story isn't really a romance.
It's a story about politics, loyalty, honor, and knowing yourself as a person and where you stand. I appreciated how there were so many shades of gray in this too. There are several situations in which any decision could be construed as the "right" one. There are so many different ways things could have gone. Forster captured the chaos of battle and the affect of threats on a person's actions so well. I also liked that Forster was unafraid to let her villains be villains. They do stuff that will have you cringing. She never takes the easy way out of a situation and the effect is incredibly realistic.
I really liked this though I do like the first book slightly more. The romance part was just a little too much for me in this one. You can read this separate from City of a Thousand Dolls. You may be spoiled for some surprises in this if you read that first, but the opposite is also the case. Read this first, and you will have inside information going into City of a Thousand Dolls. Whichever order you decide to read them in, you should certainly read them if you're a fan of political intrigue fantasy.
I read an e-galley provided by the publisher, Harper Teen, via Edelweiss. Empire of Shadows is available for purchase on November 4th.
Empire of Shadows by Miriam Forster was a highly anticipated read of mine. I really enjoyed City of a Thousand Dolls when I read it and could not wait for the companion novel which goes back about 20 years into the past of the Bihnian Empire and tells the story of an attempted with all sorts of intrigue.
Mara is a Tiger Sune (yes, A TIGER) who is trained as a highly elite bodyguard. As a way to redeem herself after she commits a tragic crime, Mara dedicates her life to the protection of others. She must pledge herself to one specific person and protect that person's life with her own. She makes her way to the capital and meets many people along the way including a charming fabric seller named Emil. She also meets Revathi, a noblewoman, and her fiancé. Mara agrees to be Revathi's bodyguard until she decides to whom she will pledge her life of protection. Mara never transfers into her tiger form anymore and is, indeed, afraid to. She suddenly finds herself in the palace where nothing is as it seems, and everyone lies. Emil, charming goat herder and fabric seller, is the other half of this story. He is bound for a life of leadership of his tribe, but does not want it. He longs to be in charge of the trade, like his uncle, not the leader like his father. When his brother decides to join a group of mercenaries and runs away, Emil defies his father and goes after him taking his friend Esmer (a spotted cat Sune) with him. Suddenly Emil and Esmer find themselves immersed in a conspiracy to overthrow the Emperor, one that has dragged Mara and Revathi as well as Emil's brother into serious danger.
Mara is amazing. I mean, she's a TIGER, so how could she not be? But she is also fiercely loyal and a wonderful friend. She is just a truly good person with high ideals and a powerful desire to do what is right. She fell far and hard once upon a time and is doing everything in her power to atone for it. Revathi is also a great character. Harsh and hardened by the life in the Emperor's court, it takes her time to warm to Mara, but it happens eventually. I just really liked the friendship that developed between these two. Mara was meant to protect Revathi, but they both end up protecting each other and it is great. Emil is also a character who it is easy to love. He has a firm opinion of what is right for him. He went along with his father for as long as he could, but when it came time to do what was right and reconcile with his brother, he never flinches from the hard perilous road he is traveling. Esmer is a wonderfully loyal friend as well, and one who knows Emil well enough for them to work perfectly together. Because she knows Mara's secret, she is also able to work with and help her. The friendship between Emil and Esmer was another favorite part of this book for me. It is just a friendship and those male/female friendships with absolutely no hint of romance are rare. I love that this book gave us so many wonderful relationships: the friendships, the brotherly love between Emil and Stefan, the relationship between Revathi and her grandmother, the two young princes' brotherly bond, and the love of the Emperor for his children. These were all shown so beautifully.
A relationship that didn't satisfy me at all in this was the romantic relationship. There really wasn't sufficient time to devote to its development with the way the plot was set up so it felt very rushed. There is very little actual page time where Emil and Mara are actually together yet it's true love. I almost had whiplash from how fast that happened. Romances like this are never satisfying for me. I would have preferred the hint at romantic potential with some development (the kissing scene was fine-liked that) without the LOVE part. The epilogue would take care of the rest.
Because this story isn't really a romance.
It's a story about politics, loyalty, honor, and knowing yourself as a person and where you stand. I appreciated how there were so many shades of gray in this too. There are several situations in which any decision could be construed as the "right" one. There are so many different ways things could have gone. Forster captured the chaos of battle and the affect of threats on a person's actions so well. I also liked that Forster was unafraid to let her villains be villains. They do stuff that will have you cringing. She never takes the easy way out of a situation and the effect is incredibly realistic.
I really liked this though I do like the first book slightly more. The romance part was just a little too much for me in this one. You can read this separate from City of a Thousand Dolls. You may be spoiled for some surprises in this if you read that first, but the opposite is also the case. Read this first, and you will have inside information going into City of a Thousand Dolls. Whichever order you decide to read them in, you should certainly read them if you're a fan of political intrigue fantasy.
I read an e-galley provided by the publisher, Harper Teen, via Edelweiss. Empire of Shadows is available for purchase on November 4th.
January 25, 2018
I liked City of a Thousand Dolls… I love this book. It has a wonderful fantasy world, compelling characters, animal shifters, good friendship… ugh. It was so great I kept trying to pace myself reading it because I wanted to savor and enjoy it. I was not expecting to like it so much and I was pleasantly surprised and now all I want is another book in the series asap but I hear that might not happen anytime soon :(
April 1, 2015
Empire of Shadows is more of a prequel companion novel to City of a Thousand Dolls than a sequel. It follows Mara and Emil, who are Nisha's parents and how their separate stories got intertwined. To avoid some spoilers, Mara has blood on her hands and she joins the Order to atone for her actions. When she is released to find a charge to bond with till death, she heads for the Imperial City and meets Emil and his brother Stefan when they are facing an angry tiger Sune. Mara helps them escape being turned into a meal and they part ways, not knowing that they'll meet within the city walls soon enough.
I was kind of sad when I found out that Empire of Shadows was a prequel novel rather than a sequel, but once I figured out who the story followed I was actually pretty excited. It follows how Nisha's parents meet and how Nisha came to be left at the City. I don't know if it's because I've read Miriam Forster's first book but Empire of Shadows grabbed my attention from the very beginning and it took me no time to get into the story and flipping the pages like a madwoman because I wanted to read everything in a second. It is so much easier to get to and everything weaves together a lot smoother. Also, the characters are really well developed which was amazing :)
I'm guessing it's no surprise to say that Mara reminded me of Nisha but she did. She's kind of the tougher version of Nisha since she is a Sune and a warrior. After she leaves the Order, she journeys to the Imperial City to find some sort of work until she can find a charge to bond with. The rules of the Order are that she must bond herself to a person worth fighting for until her death or the death of her charge. In the beginning, she's this very broken and scared person but as the story progresses and she realizes that her past sins are not the definition of who she is AND once she embraces her complete self, she really grows as a characters.
Emil and Stefan actually remind me a bit of my relationship with my sister. We bicker all the time and more times than not it turns into major silent treatments. Emil is the levelheaded one who is very strong and steady. He knows what's expected of him and tries to please his father even if it's not what he wants. I'm not really sure how to describe him, but he's just one of those really solid guys that you know you can depend on. Stefan is the hothead but it is very clear that he loves his family. He just want to do something worthwile and prove that he's not useless which his father definitely drills into his head. To me, the whole tension between Emil and Stefan is all caused by their father's praise of Emil and his scolding of Stefan.
Guess what? Esmer comes back and I loved her. Young Esmer is snarky, fun, and dependable. She's extremely loyal to Emil so it makes sense why she'd watch over his daughter in the City. Their relationship is one built on trust, loyalty, and support which makes is super strong and dependable. Another character is Revathi who Mara bodyguards when she enter the Imperial City. Revathi is the ultimate cunning noblewoman and it was really awesome to see her grow in combat skill to add to her already huge list of court manipulation. Seriously, can someone teach me how to use a fan to communicate?
If it isn't already obvious, I really really enjoyed this book, but it still left me feeling a bit empty at the end. While major plot twists occurred and I won't lie, it took me a while to align Sudev from City with Sudev from this book, there were still many things that were left unanswered. The epilogue of the book ends with Mara leaving Nisha at the City and asking a House Mistress to watch over Nisha for her. She doesn't say who is watching them, only that she fears that she and Emil will soon die and she wants to spare Nisha the same fate.
So...in conclusion: I want a third book! I read in an interview somewhere that Miriam Forster is taking a break from all this high fantasy writing and is exploring a different genre which I'm super excited for, but I want to know what happens next? Or another story, just something in this same fantastic world that I adore.
Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com
I was kind of sad when I found out that Empire of Shadows was a prequel novel rather than a sequel, but once I figured out who the story followed I was actually pretty excited. It follows how Nisha's parents meet and how Nisha came to be left at the City. I don't know if it's because I've read Miriam Forster's first book but Empire of Shadows grabbed my attention from the very beginning and it took me no time to get into the story and flipping the pages like a madwoman because I wanted to read everything in a second. It is so much easier to get to and everything weaves together a lot smoother. Also, the characters are really well developed which was amazing :)
I'm guessing it's no surprise to say that Mara reminded me of Nisha but she did. She's kind of the tougher version of Nisha since she is a Sune and a warrior. After she leaves the Order, she journeys to the Imperial City to find some sort of work until she can find a charge to bond with. The rules of the Order are that she must bond herself to a person worth fighting for until her death or the death of her charge. In the beginning, she's this very broken and scared person but as the story progresses and she realizes that her past sins are not the definition of who she is AND once she embraces her complete self, she really grows as a characters.
Emil and Stefan actually remind me a bit of my relationship with my sister. We bicker all the time and more times than not it turns into major silent treatments. Emil is the levelheaded one who is very strong and steady. He knows what's expected of him and tries to please his father even if it's not what he wants. I'm not really sure how to describe him, but he's just one of those really solid guys that you know you can depend on. Stefan is the hothead but it is very clear that he loves his family. He just want to do something worthwile and prove that he's not useless which his father definitely drills into his head. To me, the whole tension between Emil and Stefan is all caused by their father's praise of Emil and his scolding of Stefan.
Guess what? Esmer comes back and I loved her. Young Esmer is snarky, fun, and dependable. She's extremely loyal to Emil so it makes sense why she'd watch over his daughter in the City. Their relationship is one built on trust, loyalty, and support which makes is super strong and dependable. Another character is Revathi who Mara bodyguards when she enter the Imperial City. Revathi is the ultimate cunning noblewoman and it was really awesome to see her grow in combat skill to add to her already huge list of court manipulation. Seriously, can someone teach me how to use a fan to communicate?
If it isn't already obvious, I really really enjoyed this book, but it still left me feeling a bit empty at the end. While major plot twists occurred and I won't lie, it took me a while to align Sudev from City with Sudev from this book, there were still many things that were left unanswered. The epilogue of the book ends with Mara leaving Nisha at the City and asking a House Mistress to watch over Nisha for her. She doesn't say who is watching them, only that she fears that she and Emil will soon die and she wants to spare Nisha the same fate.
So...in conclusion: I want a third book! I read in an interview somewhere that Miriam Forster is taking a break from all this high fantasy writing and is exploring a different genre which I'm super excited for, but I want to know what happens next? Or another story, just something in this same fantastic world that I adore.
Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com
February 28, 2017
Okay, WHAT THE HELL? MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS! This book is criminally underrated. The best book I read this year so far!
I seriously do not understand why this book isn't more popular - it was published by Harper, it has great cover, it has a unique and rich fantasy settings way back before fantasy genre was 'the it genre'. I guess people might get put off by the lukewarm reception of the first book, City of Thousand Dolls (which btw was quite good in my opinion but it has nothing on Empire of Shadows).
Nothing.
This book just blew my mind. I tried to be critical and objective, people. I really tried. Throughout my reading experience, I kept asking myself 'do I like this so much because of the talking cat?',because well, I'm obsessed with cats. But no, the talking cat is not even my favorite character from this book.
Not the most fast-paced book, I admit but the politics, the romance, the mystery were all so very delicously intriguing, I didn't mind taking my time through it. And I felt for the characters so, so much - the delicate take on 'domestic violence' was so eye-opening because I always thought strong, outspoken women would never fall prey to an abusive relationship but the reasoning behind why she put up with it was understandable and realistic (which dishearten me because I know this do happen in real life).
If you thought City of Thousand Dolls read like a middle-grade, I would highly suggest that you try this one because while it's set in the same world, the writing and the characterisation were more matured and intricate. I don't even know if I would recommend reading CoTD before reading this because EoS is technically a companion novel but for me, reading CoTD prior definitely enchanced the mindf**k elements of this book.
I seriously do not understand why this book isn't more popular - it was published by Harper, it has great cover, it has a unique and rich fantasy settings way back before fantasy genre was 'the it genre'. I guess people might get put off by the lukewarm reception of the first book, City of Thousand Dolls (which btw was quite good in my opinion but it has nothing on Empire of Shadows).
Nothing.
This book just blew my mind. I tried to be critical and objective, people. I really tried. Throughout my reading experience, I kept asking myself 'do I like this so much because of the talking cat?',because well, I'm obsessed with cats. But no, the talking cat is not even my favorite character from this book.
Not the most fast-paced book, I admit but the politics, the romance, the mystery were all so very delicously intriguing, I didn't mind taking my time through it. And I felt for the characters so, so much - the delicate take on 'domestic violence' was so eye-opening because I always thought strong, outspoken women would never fall prey to an abusive relationship but the reasoning behind why she put up with it was understandable and realistic (which dishearten me because I know this do happen in real life).
If you thought City of Thousand Dolls read like a middle-grade, I would highly suggest that you try this one because while it's set in the same world, the writing and the characterisation were more matured and intricate. I don't even know if I would recommend reading CoTD before reading this because EoS is technically a companion novel but for me, reading CoTD prior definitely enchanced the mindf**k elements of this book.
November 9, 2014
When I found out that there was gonna be a second companion book to City of A Thousand Dolls I was really happy because I was so very much in love with the world that Miriam had created, and when I was approved for the ARC by Harper Teen via Edelweiss I was even happier!
As a companion novel you don't have to have read CoaTD to read Empire, but if you have the world will be more familiar and you can expect a few YES! moments here and there. This is the story of Mara, a Sune girl that was banished from her clan and joined an Order that trains its members to recover their honour and atone for their actions by dedicating their lives to protect others.
When the time comes to leave her order she finds herself having to face the questions that she avoided by being hidden safely inside the order and focusing on training only, and she needs to find someone to pledge herself to, to finally feel like she can atone for her previous actions. Mara's journey is a long and difficult one, of self discovery and self acceptance, and she has to go through it while dealing with bigger conflicts, like caste & social status, prejudice, political plotting and treacherous plans.
Emil is our other POV character and he is part of the Arvil family and clan of wanderers. He is torn between what he wants and what's expected of him and he has a tense relationship with both his twin Stefan and his father, and he finds himself in the middle of all arguments. He finds himself thrown into bigger events that he ever wanted to be involved with when he chooses to try and follow his heart to find his brother instead of doing his duty.
There are many other wonderful characters, like Revathi and her grandmother, two very strong women living in privilege but a reminder that gold cages aren't as shiny as they look. They were resourceful and determined characters and I loved how they were capable of appearing harmless while having a core of steel. There more Sune aside from Mara, Esmer a wonderful friend and ally of Emil (and Stefan), Garen a powerful protector of the Emperor and Aari a Sune too filled of hate and prejudice herself that doesn't stop to anything to get what she wants.
This book managed to weave together plot developtment and world building in a wonderful way, driving us to an ending that I didn't quite foresee while showing us more and more about this world the Bhinian Empire is set in, the customs, the politics, the religion, the history... all wonderfully woven. I enjoyed every moment I spent between the pages of this book and I cannot wait till I can get more books set in this wonderful world!
In any other book I would have probably had a problem with the way the romance between Emil and Mara progressed/happened but I was so caught up in the narrative and the story that I simply didn't mind the instantaneous shift from connection to love that happened there. I was rooting for them very early on, and even if the love word happened too soon but I loved how both of them continued with what they felt it was their duty and didn't put their fledging relationship before anything else.
One wonderful and immersive read, very much deserving of 4 to 4.5 stars!
As a companion novel you don't have to have read CoaTD to read Empire, but if you have the world will be more familiar and you can expect a few YES! moments here and there. This is the story of Mara, a Sune girl that was banished from her clan and joined an Order that trains its members to recover their honour and atone for their actions by dedicating their lives to protect others.
When the time comes to leave her order she finds herself having to face the questions that she avoided by being hidden safely inside the order and focusing on training only, and she needs to find someone to pledge herself to, to finally feel like she can atone for her previous actions. Mara's journey is a long and difficult one, of self discovery and self acceptance, and she has to go through it while dealing with bigger conflicts, like caste & social status, prejudice, political plotting and treacherous plans.
Emil is our other POV character and he is part of the Arvil family and clan of wanderers. He is torn between what he wants and what's expected of him and he has a tense relationship with both his twin Stefan and his father, and he finds himself in the middle of all arguments. He finds himself thrown into bigger events that he ever wanted to be involved with when he chooses to try and follow his heart to find his brother instead of doing his duty.
There are many other wonderful characters, like Revathi and her grandmother, two very strong women living in privilege but a reminder that gold cages aren't as shiny as they look. They were resourceful and determined characters and I loved how they were capable of appearing harmless while having a core of steel. There more Sune aside from Mara, Esmer a wonderful friend and ally of Emil (and Stefan), Garen a powerful protector of the Emperor and Aari a Sune too filled of hate and prejudice herself that doesn't stop to anything to get what she wants.
This book managed to weave together plot developtment and world building in a wonderful way, driving us to an ending that I didn't quite foresee while showing us more and more about this world the Bhinian Empire is set in, the customs, the politics, the religion, the history... all wonderfully woven. I enjoyed every moment I spent between the pages of this book and I cannot wait till I can get more books set in this wonderful world!
In any other book I would have probably had a problem with the way the romance between Emil and Mara progressed/happened but I was so caught up in the narrative and the story that I simply didn't mind the instantaneous shift from connection to love that happened there. I was rooting for them very early on, and even if the love word happened too soon but I loved how both of them continued with what they felt it was their duty and didn't put their fledging relationship before anything else.
One wonderful and immersive read, very much deserving of 4 to 4.5 stars!
November 14, 2014
This review is also on my blog, The Library Canary.
***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.***
So this isn’t really a sequel to City of Thousand Dolls. It’s actually a companion and it takes place before the first book which I wasn’t really expecting, but I really liked. That being said, you should definitely still read them in order (City of a Thousand Dolls and then Empire of Shadows). I think reading them in the correct order is more fun as details will be revealed and reading them out of order may make plot devices easier to figure out.
I liked the first one a tiny bit better than this one, but this was still a rich and wonderful story. It takes place in the capital city of Kamal. I loved being able to see the city that we heard bits and pieces about in the first book. Our main character, Mara, was amazing. She went through some brilliant character development. She harbors a lot of guilt and self-loathing and I loved that she didn’t heal overnight. It took a long time and a lot of different events for her to forgive herself and move on.
This book could have been really predictable and for a brief moment in time, I thought it was going to be. And I was so disappointed. But the author didn’t do it. She went another direction, a direction that I absolutely loved. I really loved all the subtle connections to the first book. We get to see a lot more Sune in this book (magical creatures that can shift between animal and human form). And we get to meet a couple different kinds of Sune. (Garren!!!)
The other main character, Emil, was okay. His storyline felt a little flat to me compared to Mara’s and I never fully connected to him. I did appreciate the sibling aspect and how determined he was to go after his brother and make things right. Emil was inherently a good guy and I think that’s maybe why I didn’t connect to him. He almost seemed too perfect. He was always trying to please everybody and he didn’t seem to make many mistakes.
Another thing I had an issue with was the romance. It was very under-developed to me and I didn’t believe in it at all. I never got the feels and I missed that. But overall, this was a great companion novel full of the same rich world-building and twists and turns that will leave you gaping. There was one part in particular that I knew would come eventually, but when it happened, I was still completely shocked. Pretty sure I gasped out loud on an airplane. People may have been staring. *shrugs*
***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.***
So this isn’t really a sequel to City of Thousand Dolls. It’s actually a companion and it takes place before the first book which I wasn’t really expecting, but I really liked. That being said, you should definitely still read them in order (City of a Thousand Dolls and then Empire of Shadows). I think reading them in the correct order is more fun as details will be revealed and reading them out of order may make plot devices easier to figure out.
I liked the first one a tiny bit better than this one, but this was still a rich and wonderful story. It takes place in the capital city of Kamal. I loved being able to see the city that we heard bits and pieces about in the first book. Our main character, Mara, was amazing. She went through some brilliant character development. She harbors a lot of guilt and self-loathing and I loved that she didn’t heal overnight. It took a long time and a lot of different events for her to forgive herself and move on.
This book could have been really predictable and for a brief moment in time, I thought it was going to be. And I was so disappointed. But the author didn’t do it. She went another direction, a direction that I absolutely loved. I really loved all the subtle connections to the first book. We get to see a lot more Sune in this book (magical creatures that can shift between animal and human form). And we get to meet a couple different kinds of Sune. (Garren!!!)
The other main character, Emil, was okay. His storyline felt a little flat to me compared to Mara’s and I never fully connected to him. I did appreciate the sibling aspect and how determined he was to go after his brother and make things right. Emil was inherently a good guy and I think that’s maybe why I didn’t connect to him. He almost seemed too perfect. He was always trying to please everybody and he didn’t seem to make many mistakes.
Another thing I had an issue with was the romance. It was very under-developed to me and I didn’t believe in it at all. I never got the feels and I missed that. But overall, this was a great companion novel full of the same rich world-building and twists and turns that will leave you gaping. There was one part in particular that I knew would come eventually, but when it happened, I was still completely shocked. Pretty sure I gasped out loud on an airplane. People may have been staring. *shrugs*
November 5, 2014
Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here
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After a vividly enriching experience with City of a Thousand Dolls, Miriam Forster returns with the next book in her Bhinian Empire series. And its a trip to the past as Nisha Arvi's parents Mara and Emil take center stage. This is their story. How they meet and what circumstances prompt them to leave Nisha at the estate and explain what we saw the first time round. And Forster did not disappoint.
Told in the oscillating perspectives of Mara and Emil, Empire of Shadows is just that. A standalone. A story unto its own and our lead pair made for great protagonists. One exiled from her Tiger-sune clan & working to regain her honor. The other, the elder heir to the Arvi clan, slated to be the leader but not at all in want of the position. "City of a Thousand Dolls" gave us an express view of its namesake and "Empire of Shadows" gives us the world outside from the evergreen forests to Kamal, the largest city, the capital of the Empire.
Simply speechless. A full fledged galvanizing-ly action-packed read. Empire of Shadows has everything you want in it. Danger, secrets, conspiracies, court politics, sweet sweet romance and teeny-tiny bit of magic involved. Mara & Emil were the perfect anchors and they shoulder the responsibility of carrying over the full burden of the plot extremely well. The cover of course compliments it all pretty, deserving the attention it garners. You just can't stop admiring it can you!
A strong and resilient heroine in Mara and an intensely loyal hero and love interest in Emil. Mara is a protector. She will go to great lengths to protect the entity she cares for. Bouts of guilt and grief but she is survivor and such hard lessons have only hardened her resolve to do whatever honor demands of her. Emil was just too sweet. He respected her and opted for Mara to make up her mind, for them to have a chance.
Without any lag, the plot ploughs forward, hooking us in its throws. Unexpected twists at every turns and traitors in highly unlikely places. We meet a lot of familiar faces and read more about the Empire at large. Finishing with an epic and thrilling conclusion, the connections between book 1 & 2 are realized. Of course there is much more left unsaid and we are all the more eager to read more stories about the Bhinian Empire.
"Epic & vividly exotic adventure that will keep you transfixed till the end"
February 16, 2015
Review copy: Purchased
Empire of Shadows, which is the second book in the Bhinian Empire series, is actually a prequel to City of a Thousand Dolls, the first book. Nevertheless, Empire of Shadows actually stands on its own, both in the reader’s ability to understand how this world works and in telling its own, complete story. (There were far fewer infodumps in book two, which I appreciated.) Once I finished Empire, I picked up my copy of City and skimmed through the last fifty or so pages, and it was a delight to see how the stories meshed.
Empire has two POVs: Mara and Emil. Both narrators are interesting on their own, and I particularly enjoyed that, after their chance encounter, they both continued on with their own plots. When those plots (two different vantage points on the same conspiracy) converged later in the book, it was satisfying to see them reunite and do their best to handle what was going on.
Both Mara and Emil were compelling characters, and I enjoyed their interactions and relationships with the people around them. Mara and Revathi’s slow-developing friendship is of particular note, and I really enjoyed Emil’s complicated relationship with his brother, Stefan, and their contentious relationship with their father. Esmer was a very fun character as well, and her friendship with Emil was a great addition to the story. The romance between Mara and Emil was all right, though I wish we had gotten more of them together before they were risking their lives for each other. Nevertheless, I do appreciate that they both trusted each other to take care of their own life-or-death problems.
I didn’t have many complaints with the book, though there were a few. As with City, I will note that I felt that some of the plot twists were telegraphed. While the villains’ motivations made sense, I didn’t find them particularly interesting. Aari was terrifying simply because she was a powerful threat, but Tamas was one-dimensional. They were both obviously trouble, and that made the discovery of the conspiracy less exciting than it could have been.
Recommendation: Get it soon if you are a fan of the series. While you can read Empire before City, it will spoil many parts of the mystery in City if you do. While some parts of the plot are predictable, the main characters and their relationships are really the highlight of this book. It’s a solid installment for the series, and I’ll be looking forward more in the future.
Review originally posted at Rich in Color http://richincolor.com/2014/11/review...
Empire of Shadows, which is the second book in the Bhinian Empire series, is actually a prequel to City of a Thousand Dolls, the first book. Nevertheless, Empire of Shadows actually stands on its own, both in the reader’s ability to understand how this world works and in telling its own, complete story. (There were far fewer infodumps in book two, which I appreciated.) Once I finished Empire, I picked up my copy of City and skimmed through the last fifty or so pages, and it was a delight to see how the stories meshed.
Empire has two POVs: Mara and Emil. Both narrators are interesting on their own, and I particularly enjoyed that, after their chance encounter, they both continued on with their own plots. When those plots (two different vantage points on the same conspiracy) converged later in the book, it was satisfying to see them reunite and do their best to handle what was going on.
Both Mara and Emil were compelling characters, and I enjoyed their interactions and relationships with the people around them. Mara and Revathi’s slow-developing friendship is of particular note, and I really enjoyed Emil’s complicated relationship with his brother, Stefan, and their contentious relationship with their father. Esmer was a very fun character as well, and her friendship with Emil was a great addition to the story. The romance between Mara and Emil was all right, though I wish we had gotten more of them together before they were risking their lives for each other. Nevertheless, I do appreciate that they both trusted each other to take care of their own life-or-death problems.
I didn’t have many complaints with the book, though there were a few. As with City, I will note that I felt that some of the plot twists were telegraphed. While the villains’ motivations made sense, I didn’t find them particularly interesting. Aari was terrifying simply because she was a powerful threat, but Tamas was one-dimensional. They were both obviously trouble, and that made the discovery of the conspiracy less exciting than it could have been.
Recommendation: Get it soon if you are a fan of the series. While you can read Empire before City, it will spoil many parts of the mystery in City if you do. While some parts of the plot are predictable, the main characters and their relationships are really the highlight of this book. It’s a solid installment for the series, and I’ll be looking forward more in the future.
Review originally posted at Rich in Color http://richincolor.com/2014/11/review...
November 13, 2015
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
There is something about Miriam’s writing-style that really works for me. I love the way she creates the world and how she slowly unfolds the plot.
Mara is thrown out of her Suri-clan. She decides to live in her human appearance and she joins the Order of Khatar – where she will be trained to become a bodyguard. We also get to see the story of Emir, whose father is the leader of the Kilrids and he want Emir to become the new leader. There is one problem: Emir’s brother Stefan. He feels undervalued and their father is harsh on him. When Stefan runs away, Emir fears for his brother's life and he goes after him.
I loved how the chapters switch between Mara/Emir and how their stories meet. It gives us the ability to connect with both characters and to understand their choices. I was fascinated by Mara’s background story and how we see glimpses of her life before she took the decision to live her life as a human. She was strong, mentally and physically, and I like her loyalty to Revathi. It’s clear these two grow to each other and their friendship was amazing. Emir was also a good character. I approve of his loyalty towards his family and that he finally stood up against his father.
It was a shame that the romance had a slight touch of insta-love. I really liked Emir and Mara together. They seem to complete each other flaws and he supports her when she needs him the most. At the same time I understand why Miriam choose to write the romance like this. The story is more focused on the plot and that's why the romance felt a bit rushed. At least there was enough chemistry to make it acceptable enough. I also appreciate that Mara never threw everything away. You often have stories where best friends disappear when a guy comes into view; Mara is still ready to give everything up for Revathi, even if that means she has to stay away from Emir.
It’s nice how this book ties in with City of a thousand dolls. Sometimes I dislike it when a prequel story is published as sequel, but it worked really well here. All the questions from City of a thousand dolls are finally answered and this creates a very strong connection between these books. I still feel a bit unsatisfied and that's why I hope this ends up being a trilogy instead of the planned duology. It's not that there is an open ending, but I have a feeling there is even more to the story.
There is something about Miriam’s writing-style that really works for me. I love the way she creates the world and how she slowly unfolds the plot.
Mara is thrown out of her Suri-clan. She decides to live in her human appearance and she joins the Order of Khatar – where she will be trained to become a bodyguard. We also get to see the story of Emir, whose father is the leader of the Kilrids and he want Emir to become the new leader. There is one problem: Emir’s brother Stefan. He feels undervalued and their father is harsh on him. When Stefan runs away, Emir fears for his brother's life and he goes after him.
I loved how the chapters switch between Mara/Emir and how their stories meet. It gives us the ability to connect with both characters and to understand their choices. I was fascinated by Mara’s background story and how we see glimpses of her life before she took the decision to live her life as a human. She was strong, mentally and physically, and I like her loyalty to Revathi. It’s clear these two grow to each other and their friendship was amazing. Emir was also a good character. I approve of his loyalty towards his family and that he finally stood up against his father.
It was a shame that the romance had a slight touch of insta-love. I really liked Emir and Mara together. They seem to complete each other flaws and he supports her when she needs him the most. At the same time I understand why Miriam choose to write the romance like this. The story is more focused on the plot and that's why the romance felt a bit rushed. At least there was enough chemistry to make it acceptable enough. I also appreciate that Mara never threw everything away. You often have stories where best friends disappear when a guy comes into view; Mara is still ready to give everything up for Revathi, even if that means she has to stay away from Emir.
It’s nice how this book ties in with City of a thousand dolls. Sometimes I dislike it when a prequel story is published as sequel, but it worked really well here. All the questions from City of a thousand dolls are finally answered and this creates a very strong connection between these books. I still feel a bit unsatisfied and that's why I hope this ends up being a trilogy instead of the planned duology. It's not that there is an open ending, but I have a feeling there is even more to the story.
June 10, 2014
A sweeping, action-packed, thrill-ride of a read, Empire of Shadows was a fantastic YA fantasy. With secrets, danger, and some very sweet romance, this book was brilliant!
First off, can I just say how gorgeous that cover is? It is just beautiful, as lovely as book 1's cover. Every time I look at it, I have to stare for a few seconds because it's just so pretty. But, moving on to the actual story...
Mara was a lovely heroine. She was strong and resilient, surviving through danger, guilt, and grief. And, she was very determined, extremely protective of those she cared about, and definitely a force to be reckoned with if you got on her bad side. I thought she was great.
Emil was the love interest and he was just amazing. So very sweet and intensely loyal to his loved ones. And I loved how he always respected Mara's wishes and was willing to wait for her to have the chance to be together. He was wonderful and I adored him.
The romance was light but so sweet. Mara and Emil were perfect together.
The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were tons of thrills, secrets, traitorous plots, and unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. And, near the end, I finally realized the connection this book had to book 1. Maybe I should have seen if coming, but it definitely took me by surprise and made the book that much more amazing. I really loved the story and the ending was fantastic. Can't wait to read more from this series!
Empire of Shadows was a brilliant YA fantasy read. This book was epic, from the thrilling danger, traitorous secrets, and sweet romance. I absolutely loved it all! YA lovers, this is definitely a book you won't want to miss.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
First off, can I just say how gorgeous that cover is? It is just beautiful, as lovely as book 1's cover. Every time I look at it, I have to stare for a few seconds because it's just so pretty. But, moving on to the actual story...
Mara was a lovely heroine. She was strong and resilient, surviving through danger, guilt, and grief. And, she was very determined, extremely protective of those she cared about, and definitely a force to be reckoned with if you got on her bad side. I thought she was great.
Emil was the love interest and he was just amazing. So very sweet and intensely loyal to his loved ones. And I loved how he always respected Mara's wishes and was willing to wait for her to have the chance to be together. He was wonderful and I adored him.
The romance was light but so sweet. Mara and Emil were perfect together.
The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were tons of thrills, secrets, traitorous plots, and unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. And, near the end, I finally realized the connection this book had to book 1. Maybe I should have seen if coming, but it definitely took me by surprise and made the book that much more amazing. I really loved the story and the ending was fantastic. Can't wait to read more from this series!
Empire of Shadows was a brilliant YA fantasy read. This book was epic, from the thrilling danger, traitorous secrets, and sweet romance. I absolutely loved it all! YA lovers, this is definitely a book you won't want to miss.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
September 18, 2014
I have mixed feelings regarding this story..
It is true that I didn't read the first book in the series, but this one was really easy to follow - the world was thoroughly explained and impressive on its own, the characters were strong and there was plenty of action to keep the reader more than entertained.
On the other side there was some sort of insta-love (which is not something that I appreciate), plenty misjudgements (there were things happening that seemed really out of character) and the dialog was not the strongest part (at times it felt.. forced somehow, it's hard to explain).
3 stars - an entertaining read overall, with a beautiful cover that I love :)
Full review to follow.
--
Pre-reading thoughts:
So this is the second book in a series.. Oh well, I will still give it a try.
I am wondering about the choice of names - Mihai, Stefan (though with Ș), Emil.. even Mara - these all are Romanian names. Interesting.
It is true that I didn't read the first book in the series, but this one was really easy to follow - the world was thoroughly explained and impressive on its own, the characters were strong and there was plenty of action to keep the reader more than entertained.
On the other side there was some sort of insta-love (which is not something that I appreciate), plenty misjudgements (there were things happening that seemed really out of character) and the dialog was not the strongest part (at times it felt.. forced somehow, it's hard to explain).
3 stars - an entertaining read overall, with a beautiful cover that I love :)
Full review to follow.
--
Pre-reading thoughts:
So this is the second book in a series.. Oh well, I will still give it a try.
I am wondering about the choice of names - Mihai, Stefan (though with Ș), Emil.. even Mara - these all are Romanian names. Interesting.
March 17, 2015
Read as digital arc.
I loved Empire of Shadows, because Miriam Forster is the bomb. There is no other explanation. I mean, I'm weary of long books, but when I saw this book was 500 pages, I thought, "I got this." I'm not super into things about cats, which is a fairly big part of the book... I loved and own City of a Thousand Dolls, but it's been long enough between reads that I don't remember if/how it relates to this book. Forster just hooked me with her world building--The Great Game, vows, status, codes--that's the stuff I care about, and she knows how to work in it just right. I would like more, please.
I loved Empire of Shadows, because Miriam Forster is the bomb. There is no other explanation. I mean, I'm weary of long books, but when I saw this book was 500 pages, I thought, "I got this." I'm not super into things about cats, which is a fairly big part of the book... I loved and own City of a Thousand Dolls, but it's been long enough between reads that I don't remember if/how it relates to this book. Forster just hooked me with her world building--The Great Game, vows, status, codes--that's the stuff I care about, and she knows how to work in it just right. I would like more, please.
November 24, 2014
Empire of Shadows has so much death...I understand part of the reason but wish things had gone differently. I did not reread City of a Thousand Dolls first, and I do not feel it is necessary to read City before Empire, but now I want to reread both books to look for the connections. Mara is a wonderful character, and I love Garen and Emil. The story was fantasy at its best, and my attention never wavered. Although I do not usually like 'instant love', the relationship between Mara and Emil did not feel forced or hurried. The epilogue blew me away; I did not see those events happening, and I do not think it was because I finished the book at 3am. I look forward to the next book set in the Bhinian Empire.
April 6, 2015
I enjoyed this even more than the first. I didn't give it 5 stars since I didn't turn around and reread it right away, but I would say at least a 4.5.
Really a prequel, this is Mara's story. Mara a tiger sune, who went rogue after seeing her family killed, is exiled. As penance she joins the order of Khatar, and trains to become a bodyguard. While looking for a person to pledge her life to, she is hired to guard a girl in the palace.
Really a prequel, this is Mara's story. Mara a tiger sune, who went rogue after seeing her family killed, is exiled. As penance she joins the order of Khatar, and trains to become a bodyguard. While looking for a person to pledge her life to, she is hired to guard a girl in the palace.
December 29, 2014
3.5 Stars. It took me awhile to get into it but overall very good story. Wish I would have done a re-read of the companion novel prior to it thought. Full review to come closer to publication date.
Full review can be found at Belle of the Literati
Full review can be found at Belle of the Literati
June 6, 2014
Oh, this was such a great book! I really enjoyed reading it, and the epilogue broke my heart. Great story, I hope Nisha gets another story!!! I didn't remember Esmer's name, so until the epilogue did everything come together!! Which makes me want a 3rd book even more, because I want to know the mystery behind it all, what happened to Nisha's parents!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2014
I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
Parts of it were interesting but it got worse near the end, and once again too many elements were trying to be included. Also the ending with the relation to the first book was trying to create suspense that just didn't exist.
Parts of it were interesting but it got worse near the end, and once again too many elements were trying to be included. Also the ending with the relation to the first book was trying to create suspense that just didn't exist.
February 21, 2015
Not that I didn't like it but I was hoping for a lot more, you know? There were so many things that had to have happened but none did and I'm still curious!
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