Book 2 in a progression fantasy series perfect for fans of Dishonored, The Blacktongue Thief,The Lies of Locke Lamora, and Baldur’s Gate!
About the A slow-burn progression fantasy focused on an Anti-hero MC with a code rising through the criminal underworld of a city-state using newfound powers and quick wits. MC's powers will develop slowly, but he will use them in creative ways to get ahead—and in the meantime, he'll do whatever it takes.
This is a solid high-urban fantasy. We know little about the magic systems other than Druidry... but that's what the protagonist practices so it's enough for now.
Dante is a relatable protagonist and his search for vengeance is sufficient to power the narrative. There's something missing though. It all seems too predictable and vanilla. Perhaps a dash of mystery could enliven things.
I'll be happy to continue the series, but won't be panting as I wait.
Dantes is out of the prison and spoiling to kill the members of his old crew. They have been busy and two members of the gang are essentially running Dante's old city now.
In this installment, he goes after them one by one, in highly creative ways. He also meets the rest of the druids and becomes a member of the druid-hood. There's other prisoners who managed to escape the same way he did, and some of them don't hate Dantes, so that's a plus. And since this is a progressive fantasy, his powers keep leveling up--not just his but Jacopo's too.
Before too long, though, Dantes realizes he doesn't just want to live--or die--for revenge. And that means planning ahead for living in the city he calls home.
Thoughts on this Series
Dante was in a small time gang of thieves when his crew betrayed him and he had to do 5 years in prison. When he discovers his druidic powers, he goes from a nobody to a will-kill-you-and-take-over-the-city entity. Assisting him in his endeavors is Jacopo, formerly a rat and now much more!
Ohhhh myyy! Soooooooo frigginawesome! Dantes and Jacopo are hard at work getting stronger with the soul goal of getting revenge! Revenge on the people that betrayed them, and now that they've escaped the Pit, it's time to get even! But first they need to grow their garden. As all good Druids should and gaining even more favor from the Mother of all and hopefully they'll also earn favor from the Pigeon God. Wow, Jacopo the Rat 🐀 he's just som'min else! I ❤ Jacopo! Yeah grab the book and join the Green Team!
The second of the Downtown Druid series, this one sees Dantes start to accomplish his plan for revenge on those who wronged him. The writing takes a notable dip in quality compared to the first one, with grammatical errors, continuity mistakes, and typos getting more frequent throughout the book. All of the setup for the various revenge plots are actually more interesting than the revenge itself, which generally turns into a standard fight to the death. Overall, an adequate sequel, but not spectacular.
This was a great continuation from the first book. I liked that there was less sex and drug use in this one. I think that there's enough drama and intrigue that most of it isn't needed. I really loved seeing more characters from the the Pitt in this book, and I'm glad that Million got what was coming to him. Im hoping that we'll see more of the Collared in book 3, as well as Godfrey, and the druidess.
The only thing that dismayed me about this book is how much of a criminal Dantes turned out to be. For some reason, I was hoping he would turn towards being legitimate after he got his revenge. Still recommend this series.
Love this series. A Druid who lives in a massive urban sprawl and finds a way to thrive there is a fantastic flip on the tree hugging hermit trope. Can't wait to see where this author takes me next!
I enjoyed reading about Dante rising to power and starting to get on his feet as a druid. Lots of action and fun progression. I hope the third book will keep it up.
I think every reader needs to start doing this to force authors to write a quick Recap chapter, which readers can skip if they remember, and those who don't won't stop reading the series.
It was a gritty finish to a gritty book. The bad guys are really bad and the good guys aren't much different. It's very clever, but it wasn't very fun for me to spend all my time in a world where everybody is selfish and brutal.
The sequel builds on an already intriguing story instead of retreading old ground. It deepens what made the original work and pulls you further into the world without ever feeling like filler. If you loved the first one, this delivers just as much, and it leaves you wanting more.
I really wonder what the 3rd book will be about, ah the druid that is not a part of the enclave obvious.. I will need to read the new Reborn as a Demonic Tree before finishing the series!
It wasn’t until after I finished this book and was listening to a summary of the Count of Monte Cristo, that I realized all of the connections! I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call this book a retelling, but definitely a lot of fascinating connections.