“Well, let’s have it. Where do you think we should go?”
“Saoleord.”
Siobhan and Conli both froze. Saoleord? The city that no one ever visited and only natives could find? “Why?” Conli asked slowly, blue eyes studying Fei’s face.
Fei seemed to take a breath before admitting quietly, “Because I think we’ll need help very soon.”
“Fei, I’m lost. Why would you want to go home?”
“I have seen this pattern before. The last time that one country was pushed into an economical depression by another country, it led to war.”
Siobhan’s blood froze. “War?”
“Can a war even be possible?” Conli objected. “A skirmish I can see, one guild or one city attacking another is very possible. But to have a war, an actual war as you mean it, you’d have to get several main guilds to cooperate enough to fight in a united front. We can barely get them to agree on trade agreements.”
Fei shook his head, mouth set in a grim line. “Orin is desperate. They will band together to pillage and loot, if nothing else. I tell you, the history that I learned showed this exact set of events happening over and over again. We are primed for war but we are not ready for it. If Orin pulls together an army and marches against us, they can destroy us city by city without anyone being able to stop them.”
Ever since I was a toddler, I have been making up stories. I’d entertain anyone willing to listen to my wild fantasies about unicorns and gargoyles and amazing people. At 13, I started writing the stories down. At 23, I finished the first book that was, in my opinion, good enough to publish.
I spent three years trying to publish my book, Jaunten, the old fashioned way. The problem was my story was outside of the norm for young adult fantasy – it didn’t have vampires or the supernatural in it, it was clean enough to earn a PG rating, and there wasn’t any dark overlord to defeat. No literary agent would pick it up because it didn’t fit the “fantasy formula” that all of the popular books did.
I put the idea of having my book published off to the side for a while as I finished a Bachelors in English at Middle Tennessee State University. But as I worked on my third degree, the idea of being published came back to me. This time, while working as a paralegal, I had a better grasp of the laws involved of doing self-publishing. For six months, I did a great deal of research in how to do self-publishing the debt-free way.
It was hard. I was working full time, going to school full time, and living on my own. I never really had a break. I was always working on something. At times I felt like my brain would just go into meltdown from having to learn so many different things to make my idea work.
After six months, I thought I knew enough to publish myself. I put Jaunten out as an ebook, created a website and forum so that fans could communicate with me, and spread the word as best I could. Within three months, I was selling internationally. Within six months, I was making enough to quit my day job and sit at home, writing full time.
After six months of writing, publishing, and building up a reputation, I started to be approached by other people wanting to emulate what I did. I soon realized that there was a niche out there waiting for me to fill it—a place where original fiction could be published and released into the world. As of February 2012, I started my own publishing house, called Raconteur House. Since that point I have signed on four additional authors (not including yours truly) and am attracting more in a steady stream.
I have continued to write and publish the rest of the series through my House. When I’m not writing or editing, I like to go out into the community and give presentations of how to be an author. It’s actually really fun to talk to all of these people who want to be authors. Most people think that you can’t make any money being an author—actually, you can. And you can do quite well. It’s just a matter of working really hard, having a little talent, and knowing how to market your books. All I’m doing with these presentations is giving people the know-how to make their dreams come true.
While it’s true that you don’t need a college education to be an author, I encourage everyone to be as educated as possible. I have a lot of experience and education that most people don’t, and that’s what gives me an edge in writing. I’ve lived in places as obscure as Tehachapi, California and other places as large as Salt Lake City, Utah. I hold three different college degrees. I practice two different martial arts. I think I’ve tried every life experience that came my direction. All of that is incorporated into my books, and that’s what gives reality to my worlds and characters.
Even if I abruptly stop selling books tomorrow—which I don’t see happening—I would still continue to write. Creating characters and worlds is that much fun. Once you start, you become quickly addicted.
There was some good and bad for this one. This is a continuation of sorts to the previous book. It's a little weird, though, how the action and such stopped for 6 months between the last book and this one. Just... stopped. Took a break that it was clear in book one there wasn't time for.
Then, surprise, events that were promised in the previous book start happening.
The stilted nature of 6 months of nothing happening, when we know with certainty that the characters IN THESE BOOKS knew they didn't have time for that, still took time for that bothered me. The 'everyone is pairing off into couples, but are EXTREMELY PG about it' thing is also weird. Why does everyone need to be pairing off in this group? That part feels a little forced. And the other thing that bothered me *spoiler*
Once we get to the part where we are fighting actual city decimating battles, we aren't taking seriously the fact that war leads to deaths. We have action scenes, in these city defending moments, of people who it's been a big thing in all of these to detail how skilled they are in combat... but the author weirdly makes a point of no one really dying. The battle and the ramifications of that battle, in terms of human lives was SUPER glossed over and felt weird for that. Even in the ruined cities where the battles have already happened, the dead were all buried. Humans aren't that neat and respectful about such things. Especially when everything in the story beats about WHY this fighting is happening suggests that the army scourge wouldn't care enough to take the time to do that. They are on a time crunch to loot as much and as quickly as possible and move on. The loot is supposed to be their interest, and yet they take ALL THIS TIME TO BURY EVERYONE? The timeline for when all this happens (it's on an actual clock because the party passes a ruined town as a 'before and after') doesn't seem to have enough time to bury everyone who dies taking these places, looting the place, and being completely gone before the party discovers it. But also, somehow lots of people escape these towns that are violently taken, even though these places were completely taken unawares... And in the big battle that our party is in, after the battle is won, the author makes a big thing of giving medical care to the enemy. And it backfires? And they do it some more anyway. Like... the priorities of the author seemed a bit weird here. War is messy and people who are desperate enough for war to be their 'only option' are even more so. And yet, the author tried to PG it so much that it felt strange to read about.
After my first introduction to Honor's writing, The Artifactor series, I went to the Advent Mage books. And although I did not enjoy them as much as I did the artifactor, I enjoyed them. So after finishing her final book in that series, I dug into the human familiar books and enjoyed them as well. Now what to do?
I've read everything up to this point. (I won't go into the kingslayer books because those wasn't a good fit for me..the colloquial language just took me out of the story), but the rest of her series were spot on. So I decided to go into the Deep Woods books. And I was not disappointed. These seem to be a little more geared toward adults because we are dealing with characters that are adults. I like that. And the writing is a lot more mature, in my opinion. Not to say that her previous books were written immaturely it's just that they were written for a different audience I believe. These had more of a mature flavor to them. What I really enjoyed was the character interactions and world building. I was extremely interested in the relationships between the guild members. And selfishly I want to see a Wolf and Siobhan ship. That would just do my heart good.
So in summary, a great series and a wonderful set of characters who are my age, and I'm looking forward to the next book. But if Honor writes the next artifactor book, of course everything drops while I read that 100 times. :)
The Deepwoods trilogy (am reviewing all 3.5 books here as they all fit into one story) was a wonderful book of friendship, camaraderie, the sense of family and belonging and being human. Set in a world that is still a little barbaric (probably the most so of Honour Raconteur's worlds that I have read so far), often sexist, and very judgemental, where slavery exists, good people still win out, the good wins the battle and learning, dignity and honour always come through. The world is thrown into turmoil by a few actions where all is not always as it seems and we steadily find out more as they books progress. In the meantime Deepwoods grows as a guild and play an ever more important part in the worlds politics and the well being of the population as a whole. It took me a while to wrap my head around the people in the first book but eventually they became as family to me too. I loved the addition of the sketch drawings throughout the books, especially in Deepwoods, of the characters themselves. A wonderful read!
I thought it was good, but it got really slow near the middle when the characters traveled to Fei’s homeland. I think it’s cool how the author has different cultures with the different countries, but the cultural niceties of Fei’s homeland seemed a little excessive. The point of view shifts to Wolf’s perspective surprised me but it was nice getting to see more of him. At the end of the book is a little snippet detailing Wolf’s story. While it was nice learning his story, I wish it went into more detail. I would also like more detail about the Pathmaking ability. The author made it very clear that sunlight and water and a specific amount of rocks are needed to construct and use the paths. Multiple times throughout these books, the characters have to make a new path. How do they do that? Do they build the path as they go to their destination? Do they have to bury the rocks? How does the path work? It’s never explained.
This is a quieter series by this author. Even though there is a glimpse of danger on the horizon, only Deepwoods guild sees it clearly. Seeking permission to travel to gain more knowledge, Marley takes her guild to the country that kept the knowledge and history of war alive.
The beauty of the mountains and valleys is only offset, by the information they exchange with each other. As her guild members learn how to fight as a team, blending their techniques, they are also attracting the help they need.
But, it proves too late to fully stave off disaster. But, they have the skills to get out warnings and shape the mindset of those defending their homes.
The scope of this novel is surprisingly sweeping, from the initiation of a new magic-user to seeking lost lore in a hidden society bearing a strong resemblance to historical Japan to a sudden world war, with Deepwoods Guild right smack in the middle of the entire mess. Boy, does this author give her characters reasons to prove just how capable and heroic they can be, even as they deny that (when they stop long enough to catch a breath). This is one of those books (series) I cannot put down until I finish at least one more chapter (which ends when the omnibus ends).
I'm enjoying the characters and world building. For me, a relaxing and imaginative series. This one is not as slow-paced as the first (more introductory) book in the series. It feels like this series could go on for another 3 books but there is only 1 left. I'll have to check for short stories and/or crossovers. The team is starting to "partner up" with very slow and G-rated romances. Not really necessary in my book but still can be sweet. More action in this one but very PG rated. Looking forward to book 3 - the finale.
Love the characters. Love the world building. Love the different cultures. And I love how Deepwoods guild is a family❤️.
I also enjoyed the dual point of view used for book 2. It gave me more insight into the characters and was a great way to keep the story strong when the Deepwoods guild had to split up.
This reads well, never flags, and despite all the fighting, it retains the human interest of ordinary people, finding time to sleep, eat and treat the wounded. Ends with a degree of resolution, but you need to read book 3 to find out what it’s all really about!
A definitive book, standing alone yet continues with potential, awaiting the context that will breathe life into its singular form. best of the best great series
Violence: high mild. The main conflict in this book is war. Most of it is siege stuff, and there is little to no blood depicted. There are mentions of bodies in the street but nothing is graphically detailed.
Sexual: Mild. The only thing in this series is there is a cultural understanding that 'half-blood' women are prostitutes. Usually this is only brought up if the group is protecting a woman.
This heavily deals with strategy and how the group is trying to prevent the ransacking of their country by the desperate people of Coravine. While at first intrigued, the continuous siege, protect, run, plan, siege plot got a bit tired by the end.
The best parts of the book was the interactions between the Deepwoods guilds and the people around them. The trip to Saoleord was fun the first bit of the book. After that it was all, save the country, protect the cities.
The most fun is watching Rune and Fei for me, hanging out in their high perches and grinning down at anyone who knows they're up in the rafters. It was adorable to see Rune come out of his shell this book. And to see the beginnings of a few relationships within Deepwoods starting.
I enjoyed the story, no question of me reading the rest of the books in the series.
The characters and the world creation here are very well done. I would have given this a four or five star on that alone. Rather I am giving this 3 1/2 stars. The reason is that the plot line is moving along very quickly. It is hard to see how this could be turned into an epic series which is what is being built for the characters and what this world would allow. The series may go one or two more books but after that some other arc would have to be created and there is little given in the first two books that would suggest how this would be done.
The 1st in the series was rather a slow read to me. This one seems to pick up a bit, but there ate a lot of characters and worlds to try and understand. I’m not even sure how to rate this or even what to say about it. Probably not one of my top reads for the year, as far as series go. I’m rather surprised there’s only 1 book left in the series. It seems as if there’s a lot to try and wrap up. The ending seemed rather abrupt, even knowing there’s another book following this.
I am very late getting to this one as I usually devour her stuff within 72 hours of release, but like the title says Raconteur simply doesn't disappoint. As long as you like her style.
That said, I really dislike the flashback at the end. Well, flashbacks in general. Would have much rather found out what happens next rather than get more details to a story we already know.
Deepwoods is finding themselves in danger of facing a war. The first one to be seen on their world in centuries, and no one is ready for it. Fortunately, Fei's people remember their history.
This is a wonderful series, for anyone who likes to read Fantasy. Much like all of Honor's stories. Definitely worth the read.
Curiously delightful and feel-good, for a book mostly about war. Camaraderie, travel, learning, relationships…
One truly egregious close-to-homonym mistaken word choice, another run-of-the mill one…otherwise, pretty clean copy. (But the egregious one was a doozy.)