“‘And the Challenge?’ I said. ‘The Challenge will destroy you only you if you lose. Win, and I will walk away from the galaxy forever and leave your family in peace. It’s your choice. Sacrifice yourself for the ones you love, or live and watch them be sacrificed. What will it be?’”
Ian Quicksilver, heir to the Bankhirian throne, has two weeks to get Princess Arianna to fall for him in order to break the curse the magician Silivus has cast over Ian and Ari’s worlds. In the meantime, he still has to go to school, where he is all but invisible, and practice fighting tactics with his guardian, Corbin.
But something is wrong with Ari, and the closer she gets to Ian, the sicker she becomes. After a disastrous dinner that seals Ian as the worst date in the universe, Silivus hits him with a proposal: a winner-take-all challenge that would overrule his quest for Ari’s heart and free them from the curse for good—that is, if Ian can win.
When tragedy strikes Ian’s family and Ari’s illness worsens, Ian must find a way to rise to the challenge, stop a rampaging dragon, and save the day before time runs out for both of them.
Alyson Peterson is the youngest of eight kids, shared one bathroom with six sisters and grew up with no television. She spent the majority of her life climbing rocks, riding horses, chasing cattle, hiking, biking, chucking snowballs at cars and making grass whistles. Alyson received a Bachelor of Fine Art from Utah State University and never put to use four years of art school. Instead, she turned to writing full time. She and her husband have two teenage boys, a neurotic dog and go through a lot of aspirin. Alyson is also an enthusiastic martial artist, specializing in sword form and hand-to-hand combat.
I loved the first book in this series so was excited to read more! When this book came in the mail, my daughter immediately put it in our TBR pile. So I read this one with my children and it was a hit! Ian needs to get Arianna to fall in love with him quickly but there are many obstacles to overcome.
Ian has come a long way since the first book. He's gaining more confidence in himself but is still awkward at times. He learns more about who he is and how that knowledge can help him in his quest. Arianna is also learning more about herself and has a decision to make, which will have a huge impact on both of their planets. The evil magician Silivus is back and willing to do whatever he has to in order to win. There are other great characters as well, like Bob, Marvin and Corbin and there's plenty of humor to keep their serious situation light!
This book was full of action and didn't slow down. There were some scenes that I would have preferred to be shorter, but my kids loved it all and were engrossed in the story. There were several times that we had to read one more chapter before putting it down. If you haven't read the first book, there's enough information given that you can easily pick up on what's happening. Like the first book, there were lots of twists and turns and I wasn't sure how it would end. There's still more story to be told and my children and I are already looking forward to the next book!
I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.
I didn't realize when I agreed to review this book that it was book #2. At first I was a little lost in the story. The characters pick up from where they probably left off in the first book and continue. If I have read the first book, I love this option. The author did a good job at giving some of the back story while moving this story forward. It didn't take long for me to feel like I had a good feel for the backstory and the characters.
I would like to read the first book,The Warrior's Return. It will not be able to get to it for a while though....sigh.
I liked the action and mild romance of this book. Ian has problems when it comes to courting a girl. His experiences are unique, partly because he is from another planet. There is sword wielding, warrior training, magic, and a whole bunch of other things that young readers will enjoy.
I really enjoyed the author's voice. She has a great writing style and does a great job at description and moving the story. Again, I look forward to getting a proper introduction to her fantasy world and the characters who inhabit it.
This book had me on the edge of my seat! I still am reeling from the close calls and escapes that Ian encounters. I love the depth of personality and humor the characters in this series have. It is an enjoyable escape to fall into their world and enjoy their adventures.
The Cursed Dagger Ian Quicksilver #2 By Alyson Peterson
Ian Quicksilver has made a mess of it. Not intentionally mind you, but he's in a mess none the less. He's finally regained his memory of who he really is - the Prince of Bankhirian and heir to the throne and the Quicksilver bloodline. The problem is it took nearly 16 years to remember and he only has until his 16th birthday to win the heart of Arianna, the Princess of Garfel. And Arianna doesn't remember who she is yet.
The curse that Silivus has placed them and their two planets under is about to cost them everything. And Silivus is determined to thwart any and all of Ian's attempts at winning Ari's heart. Not that he needs much help in that department with Ian's lack of skills and Corbin hanging around to provide protection.
But when Ari contracts a strange illness and time down to days, Ian has no choice but to accept Silivus's challenge in order to save the girl, his family, their worlds and the galaxy. But how do you win a challenge without knowing the rules? Ian is about to find out.
Fast paced adventure that picks up where Ian Quicksilver ended. This book has a lot to keep you turning the pages - a quest, a challenge, evil magician, wise protector, death, a cursed dagger, and a dragon. Yes, a dragon and it's caught up in that challenge that Ian agreed to before knowing the rules. And if Ian loses so do the rest of us - goodbye galaxy!
Fans of YA fantasy will inhale this second book on the Ian Quicksilver series and I'm personally hoping for a third book - it could happen with how the story ends. Hint evil has a way of coming back and Silivus certainly falls into the evil category bending the rules just enough to work them to his favor.
And always remember Never accept a challenge without knowing the rules...
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this page turning book. There were so many twists and turns, so many unexpected things, I couldn't stay on one emotion for long. I like the book because in the end, everything turned out alright. The ending really makes me want to read the next book. It puts you on the edge of your seat. I still didn't like the bad guy. Silivus. He makes me really mad and frustrated. How he makes a sea and you have to accept it or something bad will happen. He cheats on everything, and is not fair. He's the common bad guy and wants to rule over the galaxy, but he has a different type of evil to him. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fighting, a bit of romance, and friendship.
This was an excellent sequel, it did not disappoint. The fight with the dragon was super epic, and the characters were just as fun as the first book. I loved how this book felt like it belonged, like it had to be written to make this story what it needed to be. I quite literally yelled at both corbin and Ian, "Just tell her you bone heads!" Honestly they were both getting on my nerves. I loved how the romance was natural and still not forced. The magic was fun and the danger was real!
This was such a fun read. Silivus definitely got more dangerous and evil. My biggest complaint about the first book is that he was kind of a sissy villain, not so much anymore. I enjoyed the evolution of our three main characters and Bob is always great humor to add to the story. I'm looking forward to the third book.
I like JF but I was really not into this book. It was a fast read, but the dragon was in 1/2 of the book. That to me is far too long to drag on. I think my kids would have liked the series. It just didn't have enough for me.