Eye of the Sword: A Novel

The Angelaeon Circle #2

by Karyn Henley

WHERE ANGELS WALK THE GROUND AND THE FUTURE IS TOLD IN SONG, DOES A MAN OF LOW RANK HAVE A CHANCE AT LOVE WITH A PRINCESS? In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin serves King Laetham, but his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the king sends Trevin on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains – captains in the king's army – he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince. Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest and undertakes a second mission for Melaia: Find the harps she seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest – even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin's time runs out, he is forced to face the shame and horror of his past and a nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Young Adult, Christian Fantasy, Christian, Fiction, Romance

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2012

About the author

I write young adult fiction about embracing uncertainty and discovering who you are. To me, life is story and story is life, and figuring out each is a process of exploring paths and seeing where they lead. In my novels, I explore losing what you thought was your path but finding another way, questioning taken-for-granted beliefs, and holding on when you think you can't. I love nature, travel, and pondering the mystery we call God.


More at http://karynhenleyfiction.com/
Follow Karyn on Twitter: @KarynHenley"

Reviews

[Leah Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the medieval fantasy setting. It reminded me of The Lord of the Rings. The aura colors around the angels was an intriguing concept that I wanted to know more about. I can't wait for book three to come out, so can find out how Trevin gets that final harp. Great characters, exciting quest, scary bad guys... what more could you want?

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I Loved: Eye of the Sword's story moved much more quickly than Breath of Angel did, quite to my liking. I also found that I got into this particular novel's story line easier than I did with the first novel in the series. For me there was less confusion, a stronger plot in place and more adventure to be had, with many new faces to get to know too.


You know, there's something about reading into the life of a character with a "lower station," a very stout heart and many questions that they must quest away to find their long awaited answers that excites me down through my core and keeps me turning pages faster and faster, instead of having to read all about a Princess the whole time. I guess I just love my under-dogs! That said, I think this is why I actually loved this book more so than the first, because it focused on Trevin and his journey to find not only the last two harps and the missing comains for King Laetham and Princess Melaia, but also himself, his heart and more about his dark history.


I don't usually read too many books with male leads very often, but I loved the quick manly dialogue and the chance to climb inside the mind of a "lower status knight", if you will. I also loved that there were two tasks at hand for Trevin (finding the two harps and searching for the lost comains) which seemingly stretched him (as the newly named comain of Camrithia) and grew him as a person most worthy of being loved by himself, his comrades and most importantly Princess Melaia by novel's end.


Some of my favorite scenes and characters were introduced outside the walls of Camrithia, leaving King Laetham and Princess Melaia behind. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Windwings (horses with wings), Windweaver, Seaspinner, Flametender, the gash trade (which involved child trafficking by the Dregmoorians [human trafficking is a serious thing and I loved that Ms. Henley thought to shed some light on it in Eye of the Sword in her own way]), a new way to house souls for ill fated intentions (I won't tell you how), the eye of the sword in Eldarra, new characters like Prince Resarian and the feisty sword maiden, Ollena, both of which I adored. I also love getting to know Pym and Jarrod more in this installment. I hadn't felt a real connection to them earlier on, but now I quite like their characters.


Oh, and I just must gush over the swaggering gash running, vomit inducing, Prince of the Dregmoorians. I thought his character was brilliantly vile and I savored reading through each scene where Trevin and him had to face each other. Varic totally made my skin crawl. He is the perfect villain, really. He's charming, deceitful, trying to steal the Princess away from a man of lower status, etc. ((spoiler alert)) I don't like how things went down with Varic. I really don't. Actually, I found it quite disappointing. I think he deserved something a bit more just and sinister, truth be told.


To wrap things up: I really felt like I got to know the characters on a much deeper level in this second book of the series than in the first one (Breath of Angel.) I enjoyed getting to know the new characters, seeing the story told through the eyes of Trevin and experiencing all of the plot twists that came about.


What I Didn't Like So Much: A few of the fight scenes in the book seemed a little too easy (especially one of the main ones towards the end of the novel) at times. I mean, it's not like I wanted to read about blood spewing and rampant brutality or anything, but I just felt that things worked out a little too easily for what should have been slightly more complex, wear-and-tear inducing brawl.


I really did like the whole idea of seeing the true reflection of your heart, character, and worth, within the eye of the sword, but there was a BIG hyped up "trial period" for Trevin while he was in Eldarra that took place before the sword came about and I kind of felt like things were, again, a little too easily fixed and remedied without much raucous uproar or a dynamic shift in the story as I would've loved to have seen.


I didn't like the unjustly manner in which Varic was dealt with. (That's all I'll say for fear of major spoilers.)


I'm Recommending This Book... While a few scenes seemed to come about a bit too easy for some of the characters along the way, the story of Trevin finding out more about himself and his heritage, while on his journey to find one of the harps for Melaia and King Laetham, quite excited me. It was refreshing to see the world of Camrithia through the eyes of a lowly comain who had much to learn about himself and a young princess' love to gain.


Also, I must applaud Karyn Henley for painting her scenes so vividly, and for not being afraid to write out-of-the-ordinary and very much so unique beings into the literary world (such as the Draks, Wingwings and Malevolents.) I'm really looking forward to seeing how this series continues on in the years to come. This one gets a 4 out of 5 stars from me.

[Jonathon Burns · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sequel to Breath of Angel, Karyn Henley continues the Angelaeon Circle series with Eye of the Sword. Last year, I reviewed Breath of Angel for Waterbrook Press and some of you may remember that I didn’t like it. One of the biggest things going against it (for me) was that its target audience seemed to be teenage girls and I had trouble connecting to the story. I had no intention of reading the following books. When I ordered this book, I failed to look beyond the title and the cover, and didn’t realize that this was the sequel. It looked more like a guy-oriented medieval fantasy story. It wasn’t until I received it that I realized the mistake I made. I kept my expectations quite low for this story.

Interestingly, many parts of Eye of the Sword felt much different than Breath of Angel. The story focuses on Trevin, instead of Melaia, as he aids her and the king in finding two of the three lost harps, which will allow them to bring back the stairway to heaven. He also needs to act soon. The king has pledged Melaia to the Dregmoorian prince, a rather unsavory character, and Trevin hopes his quest will help him prove the prince to be unfit for such an honor. There’s also the little matter that Trevin and Melaia obviously have feelings for each other.

The tonal shift was first big difference I noticed with Eye of the Sword. By having Trevin be the lead in this entry, Henley seems to be targeting the book more towards boys in their early teens. I’m sure many who enjoyed the first book will continue to enjoy this one, but retargeting the audience felt jarring. However, I also found Trevin easier to relate to than Melaia.

The world building is also furthered a bit more. In Breath of Angel I didn’t feel as if I got a good feel for the setting, and I think Eye of the Sword focuses this a bit more. Not a lot, but there did seem to be some improvement. However, there also seem to be some missteps in world building. In an attempt to create an expansive world, Henley has created a multitude of different types of being. The beginning of the book features descriptions of the different types of ‘heavenly beings.’ There are quite a few, and it can be rather hard to keep track of who’s who, especially when some of the characters do not regularly appear. Many times I had to flip back to the list of characters at the beginning to orient myself. I don’t mind grand world building, but so far this series hasn’t shown the depth to justify what’s been presented.

Also, there were times when plot points felt awkward. In one scene a character is charged in the death of a prince. This character’s fate is to be decided by a group of eight people. If guilty, he’ll be hung. However, the jury is split. It is then revealed that the King and Queen have a way of learning someone’s true character, and it’s not all that difficult. If his character is shown to be true, they’ll know he’s innocent. This revelation upset me. I just spent many pages watching the character grow nervous about his trial, especially since everything seemed stacked against him. I even began to wonder what would happen. When I discovered there was a foolproof way to determine his innocence, I couldn’t understand why the decision was ever put to a jury. Why not go straight to determining his character? What if the jury found him guilty, but he was innocent? They would’ve hung him? The prince is dead! Wouldn’t the king and queen want to completely sure the murderer was brought to justice? To know that, they’d have to one hundred percent sure they had the right person!

Other parts of the book seemed to be problematic, though to a lesser degree. Events happen in such rapid succession, that at times it was hard to remember which characters were present and which weren’t. Motivations seemed weak as well, and some characters made decisions which made little to no sense, and the only result was that it frustrated Trevin’s journey. Sure, the hero is going to face challenges, but many of the challenges seemed forced.

That said, Eye of the Sword does carry over some of the few positives I found in Breath of Angel. Once, the pace is fast. There weren’t many moments that lagged, and it always seemed to be building towards the end. Also, the story didn’t seem cheesy. Though from a Christian publisher, the spiritual elements in the story didn’t feel forced.

2/5 stars

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

[Cheryl Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know about you but I tend to be that reader that likes a little variety in genre in her reading. I like a good suspense book, love some historical fiction a funny contemporary and yes even a good fantasy book filled with swords, princes and even a bit of magic thrown in. Karen Henley’s offering Eye of the sword- Book two in the Angelaeon Circle definitely satisfied my hankering for a good fantasy story quite well, and even though I had not read Book one in this series, I was still able to follow along just fine and understand what was going on.

Our imperfect hero is Trevin who is revealed as being a “Nephili” or half angel, half human is on a quest.(There is always a good quest involved in a great fantasy book) to serve his King, King Laetham of Camrithia. His mission is to find the missing comains –the captains of the king’s army- and bring them back to Camrithia as they are needed because there is evil and rumblings happening in Camrithia. Another part of his quest is to find 2 missing harps and bring them back to the princess Melaia who needs them to restore the stairway to heaven. Trevin of course has an emotional attachment to Melaia and wants to prove his worth as well. It is a dangerous mission with a time limit of one season in which to complete it. Add in a dark and evil prince bent on wanting to marry Melaia to form an alliance between 2 kingdoms and you have an exciting fantasy book filled with angels, evil workings and interesting secrets that pop up to truly show the true worth of Trevin.

Strong points in this book really touched on Trevin’s identity, and struggling with his past decisions and mistakes and how that guilt impacted him now. It begged the character to explore the question- “Am I the sum of my mistakes or am I able to be redeemed, move beyond them, learn and become someone with noble character?” I thought that was very well done and even encouraging if the reader goes deeper and asks themselves the same question. I also have to say that I appreciated at the front of the book how the author had an easy referral guide, explaining each character and even the hierarchy of the different angels as it really helped me keep track. I enjoyed this book very much and am definitely going to read the first book as well.
4 stars

I was given a free copy of this book from the blogging for books program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

EYE OF THE SWORD
Angelaeon Circle Book 2
By Karyn Henley

Though Trevin is about to be named comain of Camrithia his past haunts him and makes him feel unworthy of any notice. The night before being named comain by King Laetham, the king gives him an assignment – to discover the fate of the King's missing comains, seek wisdom from the Oracle at Windsweep, and extend an offer of alliance to the Eldarrans. But to complete these tasks he must leave Melia behind with a possible betrothal to Varic, Prince of the Dregmoors. Melia asks Trevin to search for the missing Kyparis Harps.

Along the way to the Oracle at Windsweep Trevin comes upon a group of Eldarrans with Prince Resarian. When Trevin meets the Oracle, he tells the Oracle of the tasks he is to complete and asks how he may find what he seeks. But the Oracle instead asks Trevin what he himself seeks. When Trevin looks within himself he tells the Oracle that he seeks himself.

But when Trevin is accused of a crime against the thrones of Eldarra and Camrithia, can he survive long enough to complete his tasks?

As Trevin's danger increases can he discover the truth about himself that he seeks and restore what has been lost due to the treachery of Prince Varic and Lord Rejius. Can Trevin pass the trial by the eye of the sword or will his past doom him forever?

Eye of the Sword is an exciting addition to the Angelaeon Circle. In a world where good and evil are trapped together can that which was destroyed be restored before the world is lost to the gash plague that is slowly spreading across it?

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley is a book I received to review. It is the second in a series. I have not read the first book: Breath of Angel but after reading it’s sequel I may have to track it down. The story opens with the main character, Trevin departing on a quest. This adventure as all the great ingredients of a compelling fantasy novel: a nearly impossible mission, friendship, love, betrayal, evil, redemption, and an epic journey.

One of my favorite characters in the story is Princess Melaia. It is hard for her to watch her friend leave on a quest that she believes should be hers. Her task of remaining with her father and in her royal role feels harder to her than embarking on the dangerous quest to unite the three harps. One of the villains of the story, Prince Varic makes Melaia’s life difficult as she wrestles with feeling like a political pawn in a game she would rather mastermind. Ever sinister, Prince Varic also manages to make Trevin’s quest even harder.

I really enjoyed my visit to the land of Camrithia. I am hooked: I will probably find the first one and read the next ones as they come out. I think this series would be fantastic to share with my twelve year old brother. It has all the adventure he could want without having anything in it I wouldn’t want him to read. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

[Alexis Neal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trevin has been both a thief and a traitor--now he is pledging fealty to King Laetham of Camrithia, in an effort to atone for his past sins and protect the woman he loves: King Laetham's daughter Melaia. But someone else is also interested in Melaia--a swaggering, untrustworthy Dregmoorian prince who promises peace in exchange for marriage with the princess. Trevin is powerless to stop their marriage, as the king sends him off to look for the missing comains (knights) who disappeared without a trace years before. Trevin is determined to succeed in this quest, and in another: he wants to find the missing harps Melaia needs to restore the stairway to heaven. Along the way, Trevin battles false accusations, his own guilt and shame, and a variety of more substantial enemies as well, and eventually discovers truths about his past that could change his future forever . . .

If this all sounds kind of confusing, good. Because it is. This book is ridiculous. The whole thing is chock full of Henley's fantasy vocabulary--place names, magical races (including so many varieties of angels that she includes a chart in the opening pages to help the reader remember the difference between Ophanim, Kuriotes, Archae, Thronos, Exousia, Archangels, regular Angels, and Nephilim--many of whom do not even appear in this book), positions of power, magical substances, quests, mythology, and heaven (heh) only knows what all else. There are plotlines criss-crossing all over the place. Rejius wants to kill Benasin; Laetham wants to find his missing comains and restore peace to his lands; Stalia wants to take over Camrithia; Melaia wants to unite the three magic harps to restore the stairway to heaven and then maybe marry Trevin; Trevin wants to make up for his shadowy past and maybe marry Melaia; Varic wants to kill Trevin, take over Camrithia, and maybe marry Melaia . . . it's a mess, is what I am saying.

I realize that a certain amount of new vocabulary is a part of most fantasy literature. Made-up places and things require made-up names. But the vocabulary is presented quite ham-handedly; the new words are far too dense and are dumped on a reader without any sort of skill or nuance. And the names themselves are laughable. Of course the evil suitor is a 'Dregmoorian' prince. It just sounds evil. Of course the angel of fire is called 'Flametender'. Somehow, Henley has created a vocabulary both unfamiliar and cliche, and it takes a diligent and determined reader to wade through all the new words and make sense of it all.

Then, too, I realize that this is the second book in a series. A lot has happened (from what I could gather), and Henley is stuck trying to build on her earlier foundation while helping new readers (like me) catch up on all the events of the previous book. This is not an easy task. But it can be done well--it has been done well, by other authors in similar situations. The exposition fairy does not flit gently through the book, bestowing backstory as needed to fill in gaps here and there--she plops her 600-pound behind right in the middle of the story and flails around desperately, dumping dense and convoluted background information on the reader in fits and starts. Indeed, some of the information does not appear to be necessary to the plot of this book at all, so the reader has to sift through it all for the useful (as opposed to extraneous) data. This barrage of unorganized 'previouslies,' on top of the new vocabulary and the seemingly endless cast of characters, is quite dizzying to the new reader.

I will say this, though. Once you slog through all the new names and places and kinds of angels, and you get the general idea of what happened in the first book (so, once Henley stops bashing you over the head with vocab and exposition), the book starts to be quite enjoyable. It's still kind of ridiculous and cliche, but it actually becomes sort of fun toward the end.

I can't really recommend the book, but I have hope that Henley will develop into a decent fantasy author. This trilogy was, I think, a bit complex and large-scale for her. Perhaps she'll scale down the vastness of her stories, or maybe she will handle complicated, epic plots more skillfully. She's got quite an imagination, and the story itself was fairly interesting, if a bit convoluted. And who knows? Maybe I would like it better if I'd read the first book.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Info: Genre: Fantasy/Christian fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: People seeking family-friendly fantasy, those who enjoy epic fantasy
Trigger Warnings: Murder, violence

My Thoughts: I'm finding I'm very much enjoying this story, especially after how dark the last series I read was. While this is not exactly light—there are people being killed and enslaved after all—it is much lighter than the last, and the family-friendly nature of it means that the violence is not as bad, and the overall feeling is much more hopeful. Again, while this is labeled as Christian fiction, those who normally avoid such should still enjoy this book; there is no preachiness, and it is a remarkably tolerant and easygoing version of faith in this book. I'm really enjoying this series. I have one more book to go, Throat of the Night, but since I am scheduled on a blog tour for that one on Friday, the review for that one will be delayed until then. I'll be reading it next, however, so you'll just have to wait a couple days for the review. Recommended.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Series Information: Eye of the Sword is book 2 in the Angelaeon Circle, published in June 2012.
Book 1: Breath of Angel, published in June 2011 (review linked here where formatting allowed)
Book 3: Throat of the Night, published in March 2013 (to be reviewed soon)

Synopsis: In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince. 

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Impression: I really enjoyed reading the first novel in this series and couldn't wait to read another. This has to be the only series in which I like angels lately.

While Reading: I was surprised to find this book in the view of Trevin, whereas the first book was from Melaia's view. I love the way they plunge you straight into the action, where Trevin meets some vagabonds who have coerced his brother to lead them to the castle. Little does he know that one of them is prince of the Dregmoors and has come to try for peace between the two kings with a marriage proposal for Melaia's hand. Melaia holds Trevin's heart and he finds out that she has promised to only marry Trevin, if she is to wed at all.

But the king fears that they will need an ally and peace and is willing to compromise his only daughter to keep the kingdom safe. Trevin succeeds in persuading the king to leave off making a decision on the marriage while he embarks on a quest to see the Oracle, find the missing comains and also to hopefully find the remaining two harps, which Melaia is desperate to find. She believes it will aide in their efforts to stop the evil that is boiling forth from below the earth and connect their world once again to the Angels'.

And with any quest, there is so much adventure. I believe this is the reason I truly love quest-based novels. The Eye of the Sword is so heroic, romantic and full of action that I couldn't stop reading. I love the mix of mythology with angels and a high fantasy setting to top the book off. The characters are full of life and magical in their own ways. Trevin proves himself a worthy man through the course of the book. I love the way he has started to grow into his own skin and starts to shed the guilt he has felt for having worked for evil forces when he met Melaia in the first novel. And meeting the original characters in the myth that centers the book is just stunning and really captured the heart of the book.

Final Verdict:
I cannot wait to read the next novel. I love this series and am dying to see what will happen next. Pick these books up if you love high fantasy that is quest based and something a bit unusual in that realm.

[January · Rating 5 out of 5]

The land blight is spreading and the Camrithian comains, the kingdom’s protectors, have disappeared. If the three kyparis harps are not united by the time the stars align, they will have to wait another two hundred years to restore the Wisdom Tree. By then the blight will have destroyed the earth.

The king of Camrithia charges his newly appointed comain, Trevin, to make a journey to the north to consult the Oracle, find the missing comains, and return the two missing harps to the princess. But he’s working against the clock. If he is not back within the month, the princess will marry the evil prince Varic of the Dregmoors.

Varic would like nothing more to kill Trevin and end his quest before it starts. And Trevin has his own demons of guilt haunting him as well. With so much riding on his completion of the quest, Trevin has to discover who he truly is, and fast. What better place to find the answers than the Eye of the Sword.

The plot is seamless and engages the reader from the very beginning with an immediate life or death scene. I felt like the world the author created was well-developed, though since it is the second book in a series, and I didn’t read the first book, I think it took me a little longer to figure out all the nuances of the setting.

The writing style has a very Anne McCaffrey flavor, with angels and winged horses woven into the story line. The hero proves himself on a quest, finding out who he is in the process. The story wraps up nicely at the end, and although there is more to come in a third book for a complete resolution, I was satisfied with the ending. Well done, Karyn Henley!

I loved this book. It’s been awhile since I’ve read something with a medieval-like setting, with quests and oracles and sword-fights. I do recommend reading Breath of Angel, the first book in the Angelaeon Circle series, and then read through all the books in order. However, I read this book first and was not lost at all. But I would have liked to have a more in-depth understanding of the history of the characters. Honestly, I enjoyed this book so much, I intend to go back and read the first one and any others that follow in the series.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley was such a delightful read. High fantasy is my favorite thing to read, and Karyn Henley does a marvelous job with it. Eye of the Sword held an actionpacked plot and I just didn't want to put it down.

The world Karyn Henley has created with the Angelaeon Circle is so neat. It really is unlike anything I have read before, which makes for a fun time trying to figure out what everything means and what is going to happen. I had a little trouble jumping right back into the world with Eye of the Sword. It took me a few chapters before everything made perfect sense again.

I loved the plot of this one. I liked the focus towards Trevin in Eye of the Sword as I feel like he has a bit more interesting of a tale than Melaia. Trevin is such a conflicted character, so I just loved getting to know him a bit better. Karyn Henley throws quite a few twists and turns at readers in Eye of the Sword, I could never tell what was going to be coming next.

Getting to know all the characters from Breath of Angel better was great. Along with the old characters, a lot of new faces are introduced in Eye of the Sword and I am very excited to see more of them in book 3.

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley was a really fun read. While the leap back into the world was a bit jarring at first, I thought Eye of the Sword was everything I was hoping for in a sequel. I just love what Karyn Henley has done with the world and mythology, and cannot wait to see what is next for her.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year, I read the first book in the Angelaeon Series, Breath of Angel, and loved it. At least, apparently I did, because I put it on my "favorites" shelf. As I started this one, though, I was having a really hard time remembering what the book was about. As I read through Eye of the Sword, I started slowly putting together things that happened in the first book, but it was all still really vague.

I struggled through Eye of the Sword. I seem to remember Breath of Angel having more of a fantasy/paranormal feel to it, but this one seemed more of a science fiction/fantasy kind of story. Now I like a good bit of science fiction/fantasy, but I do have to be in the mood to read it, and apparently I just wasn't in the mood to read it right now.

Breath of Angel was narrated by Melaia, so maybe I connected with her more. Eye of the Sword is narrated by Trevin. I do think it is more gender neutral than the first book. Even the cover looks more targeted to guys. I definitely didn't hate it, but I didn't like it as much as I was expecting. It may have helped if I'd re-read Breath of Angel to refresh my memory before picking this one up.

*I was provided an Advance Reader's Copy through Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it 3.5 stars

EYE OF THE SWORD is about and narrated by Trevin. Trevin leaves Malaia to go on a journey to find more of the lost harps. While he is away Malaia is dealing with delaying her father from accepting a marriage proposal for her from the Prince of the Dregmoors, Varic. Both Malaia and Trevin love each other and that has always been apparent. I read another review on EYE OF THE SWORD where the reader said that book 2 had an entirely different feel then Book 1 BREATH OF ANGEL and I would have to agree. The book was more masculine feel which is to be expected from a male POV. I personally preferred Malaia's mind over Trevin's but it in no way took away from the great writing that Henley was able to get out.

Book 2 of The Angeleon Circle series continued to bring action, mystery and fantasy. I continued to enjoy the world that Camrithia is set in and the different allies and protectors that are always in the fray. Henley did a great job of giving us new information to let us get to know who Trevin is and where his loyalties and heart lie. Anyone who has read BREATH OF ANGEL and enjoyed it should pick up EYE OF THE SWORD.

[Georgann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed book 2 of the series. Lots of adventures and many disclosures about character's backgrounds and heritages. I got a little weary of our hero's unending guilt, but I know guilt will do that to you. Very satisfying ending. I think you could read it without having read the first one. I am looking forward to book 3.

[Alison Beechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

See quote
Also, Trevin is so swoon

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karyn Henley in her new book “Eye of the Sword” Book Two in the Angelaeon Circle series published by Waterbrook Press brings us the adventures of Trevin.

From the back cover: Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?

In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

I liked Tolkien’s, “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and I liked C. S. Lewis’ Narnia novels as well. Therefore it should go without saying that I liked “Eye of the Sword” as well. It used to be that I did not like allegory but when an author knows how to write as well as Ms. Henley it is not so difficult to follow. There is the Quest, no fantasy series should be exempt from the quest and this is done wonderfully. Then there is also the search for redemption as Trevin has had a tainted past that is now haunting him. “Eye of the Sword” is a fantasy adventure where the battle for good and evil has never been so important. This is a page turning thriller as Trevin battles to complete his missions and return home. I liked “Eye of the Sword” and am impatiently waiting for the next book in this series.

Tour Links

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Disclosure of Material Connection: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Title: Eye of the Sword (#2 in the Angelaeon Series series)
Author: Karyn Henley
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Length: 233 pages
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
My Rating Scale:
1 Star= I flat out hated it/terrible/I wanted to scratch my eyes out.
2 Stars= I didn’t like it
3 Stars= It was okay/I liked it
4 Stars= I really liked it, but it wasn’t totally perfect
5 Stars= Holy literary gods! I LOVED this book!

Favorite Quote from Book:
“Life was a dance. Light with darkness. Known with unknown. The possible with the impossible.”

Plot Summary:
WHERE ANGELS WALK THE GROUND
AND THE FUTURE IS TOLD IN SONG,
DOES A MAN OF LOW RANK
HAVE A CHANCE AT LOVE WITH A PRINCESS?

Plagued with serious guilt after serving the “enemy,” Trevin vows to King Laetham, Princess Melaia, and the kingdom of Camrithia that he will be forever loyal to their wishes. King Laetham desperately wants to find his missing comains (men like Trevin who also pledge faithfulness to the king and carry out his missions) and receive a message from the oracle that may hopefully save Camrithia from falling to the enemy, the Dregmoors. Additionally, Princess Melaia, whom Trevin admires, wants Trevin to find the missing harps which will rebuild the recently destructed stairway between heaven and earth. However, as opposing forces yearn to stop Trevin and his mission, it is up to his courage and bravery to not only complete the tasks at hand but also discover who he truly is.

Thumbs Up:
First, I’d like to say that this is my first Middle Ages inspired fantasy book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’m definitely going to keep reading this genre!

The thing that I most enjoyed about this novel was definitely the intensity and tension. It made you want to keep reading and find out what would happen.

Now, the things that assisted to these feelings of intensity and tension would definitely have to be the surprises throughout the novel. They definitely made the book interesting and totally unpredictable!

The characters all had extreme depth. I loved them. I definitely attached to many of the characters throughout the novel and found them so relatable.
I LOVE this world that Karyn Henley created! She was extremely descriptive in her language so I could definitely picture all the scenes in my head!

Thumbs Down:
*gasp!* I have nothing negative to say about this book!

Final Thoughts:
The only issue I had was that I have not read the first book, Breath of Angel. Therefore, when I started this book I was extremely confused. I basically had to figure out what happened in the first book, familiarize myself with the “old characters,” and learn the new characters. ALSO, a big issue I had throughout the first half of the book was getting accustomed to the language implored throughout the novel. Sometimes, I confused characters with locations (because quite frankly they sounded a lot alike to me), and oh I was just so confused! Eventually, I figured it all out! It was definitely nice the book provided a map and list of characters in the beginning of the book.

I’m unsure if more books will be made to this series. I hope there are more books in the series! I’d love to read more about this world.

Recommendations:
I’d recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy, action, adventure, and some paranormal (angels). Seriously, give this book series a chance! It was pretty awesome!

[Nikole Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye of The Sword brings us on an other-worldly adventure with one man, Trevin. Trevin has been promoted to serve the king and he loves the king’s daughter (who is half-angel), but a Dregmoorian prince with dubious motives tries to arrange a marriage with the princess. There is no love in the Dregmoorian’s heart for the princess. Trevin must find the harps and join them together to help the princess build the stairway to heaven so the angels can bring the dead home and return home themselves. In spite of a comment I read somewhere about the overabundance of novels exploring the half-angel, half-human race that once existed (Genesis?) and using the race in a fantasy novel, the book was excellent.

Different themes are explored in this book. One being the struggle to forgive oneself. The Eye of The Sword is actually a sword owned by a neighboring kingdom. When one looks into the shiny blade they see their true identity. Trevin sees his reflection in the sword as a stronger, wiser man and his conflict sparks as he struggles to resonate with that image. Trevin’s various trials help him believe that his past doesn’t matter; only his future. That thought is played over and over again as Trevin is encouraged by friend and stranger that if he continues to allow his past to dictate his future he will fail. The second theme that was explored was Trevin’s murky beginnings.

He doesn’t know where he came from and he keeps having the same reoccurring nightmare. It’s only later in the book that the truth of that nightmare and his missing finger is revealed. I loved how Henley linked all the characters in this book and brought the angels and half-angels to life as Trevin sought the other two harps while evil began to rip a part the land. I thought the clever use of a drug-like substance called gash (a mud-like substance that boils up from the underworld of hell) destroys not just crops, but people as the Dregmoors attempt to control the people of Trevin’s homeland by getting some addicted to gash. We later find out to make gash it requires the blood of children.

The only negative for me in this book was when I read these words: ‘”Tell me,” said Nevius, “where was the Most High when the Tree was destroyed? During the Angel Wars, where was our creator? Our father-mother left us abandoned. Orphaned.”’ I’m not sure if Nevius stated a fact when he described the god of this fictional world or a truth, but most Christian fantasy make God male. In this sentence, Nevius expresses doubt as fear of another war makes him and the other Archons nervous. I did not deduct a star for this because the work is a work of fiction. We can get away with most anything in fiction because the world is made up, and because I want to read book one and the book following two, I give this novel five stars for a riveting story.

*Book given by publisher to review.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Kingdoms sit on the threshold of an upcoming prophecy. There are those that are working hard to make sure that it comes true and those that will stop at nothing to prevent its fulfillment. Legend has it that every 200 years, the stars will come into a perfect alignment and as long as the three legendary harps are collected, the stairway to heaven will be restored. Once that happens the souls of those that have died on Earth that are supposed to be in heaven will be taken by the angels to their final resting place.

But since the First Born and Second Born interferred many years ago, that stairway has been sealed with no hope of reopening it except by the one the prophecy calls for that can complete this process, one born with the breath of angel and blood of man. Now Melaia has been searching to unite the harps if she can find them with the help of Trevin, a man who vows to serve her until the very last breath he has.

Only Melaia's father, King Laetham has promised her hand in marriage to Prince Varic of the Dregmoors in hopes of securing an alliance between the two kingdoms, but Melaia has given her heart to another along time ago. King Laetham will only allow a man of royal blood to marry his daughter Princess Melaia and with time running out, he sees no alternative but to allow the marriage between Varic and Melaia to take place. Will Trevin be able to locate the missing two harps before the marriage vows are complete or will he fall victim to the evil plots of the First Born who is set on making sure the stairway remains sealed forever?

I received Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah for my honest review. Karyn captured my heart in this incredible new series combining medieval fantasy along with some mythical creatures and an entire race of angels with her first book, Breath of Angel. When I saw that this book was finally available, I had to review this one. I was not disappointed. The quest for the harps continues in Eye of the Sword and we get a more in depth look at the character of Trevin and his family history as it's uncovered chapter by chapter. We also uncover a bit more of the legend of the Wisdom Tree and the restoration of the stairway to heaven that is nearly all possible signs towards the timing this possible prophecy to be fulfilled. As a reader, I am completely sold on the world that Karyn has so elaborately created and know I'll be waiting on pins and needles until the final book is complete and ready to read.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and those looking for an amazing Christian action-adventure story dealing with angels and the fight between evil and good, then this is a must read for you. I would recommend the first book in the Angelaeon Circle series first, Breath of Angel to get an understanding of Melaia's character and why the need for the quest.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Eye of the Sword" is book two in "The Angelaeon Circle" by Karyn Henley. I had a really hard time getting into this book at first because when I requested it, I did not realize it was part two in a series. However, once I got into it and pieced together the back story I really started to enjoy this book.



I think what drew me to this book was the front cover along with the quote on the back cover, "Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a Princess?"

Our book chronicles the tale of Trevin. A young man who had once been a thief and a spy but has now been been promoted to a position of standing in the kingdom and is trying to make atonement for his past sins. He is in love with a beautiful princess, Melaia who is a Nephili - half angel, half human. Though she is in love with Trevin, her father has promised her to a vile Dregmoorian in hopes for a treaty between the kingdoms of Camrithia and Dregmoor.

Trevin is sent on a quest to return two missing harps to princess Melaia to fulfill a prophesy that a Nephili would restore the stairway to heaven. He must find success before she is given to marriage to Varic, the Dregmoorian prince, or else all chance of love for them is gone and she will be trapped in a loveless marriage. When he is accused of killing a young prince from Eldarra he must face the shame and guilt of his past and in doing so must also face the truth of his heritage.

I really enjoyed this book. It read as a fantasy/sci-fi story and although it has angels, I really see no Christian element to it, nor do I see any reason for it to be classified as Christian fiction. If you aren't a Christian then you would still enjoy this book even though it reads of angels. The angels in this book are nothing but a mythical creature, not unlike any other mythical beings you might read about in a fantasy setting. The use of harps and music as a method of restoring pathways and a sword that sees the heart of a person greatly reminded me of The Legend of Zelda lore. Despite my original reservations about this book I really did enjoy it and I can't wait to go back and read the first book in the series.


I received Eye of the Sword as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

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[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trevin has had a hard life. As a young child, he lost both his parents, leaving him and his brother alone in the world. Left starving and homeless, they had to resort to stealing. Later, they worked for Lord Rejius (who was the main villain of the first book in this series, Breath of Angel). Trevin has now vowed to be on the side of good, and serves the King of Camrithia, who is the father of Melaia, the main character of book one. Still, Trevin struggles with guilt due to his past, and fears that he can never be worthy of Melaia, the only girl he has ever loved, because he is of low birth and has a terrible past.

When Varic, who is a prince from the Dregmoors (a nation that is an enemy of Camrithia) arrives at court, Trevin doesn't trust him. He soon learns Varic's motives - he offers a peace treaty, but the price is Melaia's hand in marriage. Trevin can't bear to see Melaia married to someone else, especially not a brute like Varic. He hates to leave her, but the king has ordered him to search for the missing Comains (men in the king's service that have all gone missing). Along the way, Trevin hopes to gain allies for Camrithia that would make the marriage alliance unneeded, and to prove his worth in hopes he can someday be worthy of Melaia.

Eye of the Sword is the sequel to Breath of Angel, the first book in the Angelaeon Circle series. The main character in the first book was Melaia, and when I saw she would not be the main character in the second book I was a bit disappointed. I don't read many books with male main characters, and it took me a little longer to get into this book, but once I got past the first fifty pages I finished the rest in a day (which is fast for me!). I think this book could be a bit confusing to readers who haven't read Breath of Angel yet, so I suggest reading the books in order. Unlike many series books, this book does not end on a cliffhanger - there's more to the story, and there definitely could be another book or two (and I hope there is!), but it doesn't leave the reader hanging. I recommend both these books to readers who are tired of the typical young adult paranormal/fantasy novels and who are looking to read something that's new and different.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard review for me to write, because there were so many things that I loved about this book yet there were other elements that bothered me greatly. But hopefully my review is helpful :)



Trevin is a Comain (Captain) in the service of King Laetham of Camrithia. Trevin also happens to be in love with the King's daughter, Melaia. To prove himself he takes on two difficult quests, one to find the lost Comains of Camrithia, and the other to find the two remaining harps of a mystical threesome. Will Trevin be able to succeed against the many odds?



While I haven't read the first book and was unfamiliar with what was going on, I found myself rapidly caught up in the story.

Ms. Henley did an outstanding job of creating engaging characters and the lush world in which they dwelled. I thought the plot was engaging and fast moving, making the book difficult to put down.



Now comes the tough part. While I thought that this book was well written and engaging, there were elements that I had trouble with, and dangerous ground was tread upon with the use of angels. This is my personal opinion, but I feel that it is dangerous to portray angels as walking the earth and intermarrying with humans. Also I had an especially hard time with the book's constant messages or reminders, if you will, to "Trust yourself" or to look inward to find your true identity. Those things made me take a step back.



So overall while this book was well written, with great characters--I really thought that Trevin was an excellent main character because he was noble, yet was flawed and knew it--and a well paced plot, there were things that I struggled with. I guess that for me, I would not classify this book as Christian. So as you can see I have rather mixed feelings about this book. But what really struck me about this book was how I could never see what was up ahead, definitely unpredictable! So in closing I would say that this book should be read with a healthy dose of discretion.



I received this book from the publisher through CSFF in return for an honest review. Thank you!

[tarawrawr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted http://hobbitsies.net/wordpress/2012/...

I read the first book in this series, Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley, and loved it. It’s an awesome and adventurous fantasy with angelic beings. And I’m not usually into angels, but it works really well for this series.

And because of how much I liked Breath of Angel and the protagonist, Melaia, I was scared to read Eye of the Sword because it switches to Trevin’s point of view – the love interest from the first. I loved Melaia and I especially love female protagonists in fantasyish books because they’re usually super awesome.

Luckily, I think I actually liked Eye of the Sword even more than Breath of Angel. We learn a lot more about Trevin and who he is as a person, and Melaia makes a lot of appearances throughout Eye of the Sword, but not enough to steal the spotlight from Trevin.

We also learn a lot more about the world Trevin and Melaia live in, and the lore that surrounds the story and the harps. Trevin goes on some serious adventures and there’s death and betrayal and all sorts of action-y goodness.

There’s also a huge bomb that get drops about Trevin that’s sort of brushed over at first, but I think it becomes more of a focus later on in Eye of the Sword, which is good. Because it’s kind of a huge thing and at first I was offput that no one really seemed to care.

And just as with Breath of Angel, there are some fabulously beautiful descriptions of the world Eye of the Sword takes place in – even when Karyn Henley is describing yucky pits full of foul smelling stuff, it was still so well described!

Guys, if you like fantasy, I definitely think you should check out The Angeleon Circle series by Karyn Henley – Breath of Angel and the sequel, Eye of the Sword. It has everything a good fantasy should have – quests and mystery and fighting and romance and traveling through distant lands. Eye of the Sword engaged me even more than Breath of Angel and I can’t wait to check out the third book in the series!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?

In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

This is the second book in the Angelaeon Circle. In this book the focus is on Trevin instead of the princess, Melaia, and his quest for both the harps and his own self worth.
As I mentioned in my review of the previous book, Breath of Angel, that I enjoyed the characters and back story. I enjoyed this book even more. Trevin is much easier to get a feel for and his search, not the one for the harps, but the one for himself and his own worth as a man are very real.
The action is fast-paced and there’s not much time for lagging throughout. The plot is advanced believably, with many questions and plot points left unresolved for future installments in the series.
A good read for the younger crowd, it is also entertaining for those of us in somewhat advanced age.
This one rates a five from me and as usual, I was provided my copy of the book by Waterbrook-Multnomah in return for an honest review.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary
In a world where humans intermingle with angels and half angels, you'd think that many things would be right in the world, but things are very wrong. Three ate seeds from the tree of wisdom, making themselves immortal. Over time, the immortals have grown sour, restless, and start playing their own games, dragging humans and angels alike in on their whim. The game has gotten out of control, and a man lost in his own regrets is the key to ending them.

Story

The world is unique, and quite interesting. The storyline is not as unique, but it is executed very well. Henley takes a few cliche areas of fantasy, religion and myth and glues them together seamlessly for part two of this tale. I can honestly say it's good as a stand alone. You don't feel like you're missing anything extremely important from the first book that makes you feel lost. The ending is a great cliffhanger, and it makes me want to get the third book sooner rather than later to find out how our hero(es) win the day. The story is what really makes this book.

Characters
I can't say I was attached to the characters in this book. If I was, it would have gone from 3 stars to 4 stars. I can't really place it, but none of the characters were overly memorable. As in, I'd read a few pages, put the book down to do other things, and not be rushed back to find out what was going on, or how my favourites were doing. I was easily able to put the book down for several days at a time without feeling any tension to find out what happens next. My guess is that the major part of the character development was in the first book, and this is like most second books that set up for a third book: lacklustre in some regard just to get the stage set. It's a shame the characters lost out this much, though.

**Disclaimer**
I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I won the 3rd book in the series on the Goodreads First-Reads Giveaways and I usually prefer to read the whole series instead of just part of it. Wasn't sure what to expect and even considered just reading the third book and not buying the first two. After finishing the second book I'm so glad that I did purchase the first two to read and so far the story is so much better than I could have ever hoped for. The author does an amazing job bringing Trevin's part in the story to life and building up the characters as well as the world they live in even more than she did in the first book.

"Eye of the Sword" is the second book in the Angelaeon Circle series and, just like the first book; it definitely makes you want to see what happens next. The author once again effortlessly builds a story about love, trust, friendship, mystery, tragedy, and intrigue. This book had everything and more. It has a great story line that beautifully blends together a growing romance, loads of action, adventure, mystery, and even a bit comedy. Another thing I really loved about this book is that the author wrote it from Trevin's point of view, whereas the first was done from Melaia's. It gives much more insight to the overall story and gives the reader a chance to experience this amazing adventure through Trevin's eyes and also to learn more about his role in the quest to unite the harps and restore the stairway.

I highly recommend this book and I already know everyone who reads it will fall in love with Trevin and his quest to not only help Melaia complete her destiny and his own, but his journey to find himself and become worthy of the woman he loves. I know I fell in love with Trevin and Melaia even more and I'm so excited to read the third book and see how the author continues their story. "Eye of the Sword" is another major page turner everyone will enjoy and once again you'll be dying to know what happens next at the end of the book just like I am.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the spirit of Megan Whalen Turner’s The Queen’s Thief series, the Eye of the Sword brings us Trevin: a young man of unknown birth and a questionable past working hard to find out who he is, restore his good name, and bring balance to the kingdoms. He is given quests by the king (among others) and while the path to find them is, of course, not clear, it is full of many surprising revelations, danger and intrigue.

One of the most refreshing points about this book is that it’s told in the viewpoint of not only a male character, but a character that is not a highborn prince or lord. It is interesting to follow the thought processes of someone who always feels guilty about one thing or another and knows that he is less than perfect. There are many supporting characters that are not as flushed out as one would hope, but they are interesting and do add flavor to the story.

Even though this is book two of a series, the author does a fantastic job of making her first-time readers feel comfortable in her world of kings, princesses, angels, evil immortals, lost lands, and hidden secrets. Events move fast in this novel, so be prepared for a quick ride. If you like ‘crisis and resolution’ in quick order, this is a good choice. The ending gives enough closure that you feel satisfied upon closing the book, but leaves many openings for the next installment. Eye of the Sword is a fantasy that is full of adventure and is easily accessible for any reader to thoroughly enjoy.

To see the full review including content, visit Compass Book Ratings!

This book was sent to me by Waterbrook Multnomah (the publisher) for my review.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably a bad way to start off a book review, but here I am again reading a book out of the middle of a series that I've never touched. Bit of a bad habit for me, yes? Anyway, Eye of the Sword is the sequel to Breath of Angel, and is the second book in the Angelaeon Circle series. Since, as previously mentioned, I haven't read the first book, I can't give a contrast to how it is compared to the first book. My apologies.

Probably mostly due to the fact that I jumped into the middle of this complex series, I had a hard time keeping up with what was going on and the significance of it all for about half the book. The unusual names tripped me up for a while but before too long I could keep them all straight. Due to all these conundrums - caused by my own silliness, more likely than not - I ended up enjoying the latter half more than the first.

I guess the only real problem I saw with this book (excluding my initial self-caused trip-ups) was the lack of engagement I felt. I found it kinda hard to get into the characters, which I think possibly was because of the fantasy nature of the characters - angels, creepy immortal bad guys, and the like. I had a hard time relating to any of the characters, making me feel kinda outside the story.

Nonetheless, once things got moving along and I started having a better understanding of the plot and settings, it was interesting to watch things play out. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley is the second book in the Angelaeon circle series. It picks up in the middle of the story and leaves you wanting to read more once you are done. Unfortunately, I have only read the second book, so I had some catching up to do on plot lines and new terminology that is unique to this fantasy world. So if you have a choice, start with the first book.
Trevin is the main character in this section of the story and is trying to overcome his past, filled with guilt and a lot of questions about his history and family. While he is madly in love with the princess, it seems his realm needs his help finding the missing comains (knights) and helping the angels unite the stairway to heaven again before he can even consider a relationship with her. (That sounds a little cheesy, but the book is really entertaining with lots of plot twist and surprises.) In fact, the only part that I found a little cliché was the love story between Trevin and Melaia. I think some boys would find the book overly mushy for their taste, despite it being written from the male perspective. There were a few too many things like “He could be in the most frigid wastes of the north without cloak of fire, and as long as Melaia was with him, he would be warm.” While it’s nice, I don’t think many younger male readers will identify with those passages, which seem to pop of as often as a sword fight does.
Overall, I am surprised at how interesting this book was and would definitely be interested in finding out where the story leads. This book was provided for review from the publisher.

[Patricia Kemp Blackmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Breath of Angel, book one in The Angeleon Circle not really expecting to be transported into a mystical world of Angels. I was pleasingly surprised.

In book two I was glad to continue this journey into The Angeleon Circle. The first couple of pages was fun to get into because Trevin's brother Dwin was acting like a total idiot and was laughing hysterically which drew me in right away.

Main Trevin is a hero on a quest to help Princess Melaia find the remaining magical harps that will restore the stairs to Heaven for the Angels. He is not only on a quest to find the magical harps but to save the Land of Camrithia from the Dregmoors and to save Princess Melaia from being bartered into marriage by her father, King Laetham with the Prince of the Dregmoors.

Plus the romance keeps building between Main Trevin and Princess Melaia. There is so much more I would like to say about this story but I would spoil the book for you.

There are many other characters in this book that hold this story together like connect a dots. Pay close attention some that claim to be friends may be foe.

Are you following the connect a dots that God has set before you or are you creating your own life lines?.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a five out of five.

Disclosure:
I was provided a copy of this book from Waterbrook Press for review. I was in no way compensated for this review it is my own opinion.

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