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Percheron #2
Emissary
Odalisque Ana is resigned to life in Percheron's famed harem and has little more than a blood-soaked veil to remind her that Spur Lazar, the man she loves, is dead. She is closely watched by Grand Master Eunuch Salmeo, and by the cunning and cruel Valide Herezah. The Valide, unhappy at Ana's influence over the young Zar, schemes to bring about the beautiful young woman's demise.
But greater forces are at work. The demon Maliz has taken the guise of Percheron's Grand Vizier in order to stalk Iridor, the traditional accomplice of the Goddess. And a war is brewing. A long-time enemy intends to exact a vicious blood price for the death of its crown prince at the hands of the Percherese... and the only person in the Stone Palace who can negotiate for peace is about to die...
But greater forces are at work. The demon Maliz has taken the guise of Percheron's Grand Vizier in order to stalk Iridor, the traditional accomplice of the Goddess. And a war is brewing. A long-time enemy intends to exact a vicious blood price for the death of its crown prince at the hands of the Percherese... and the only person in the Stone Palace who can negotiate for peace is about to die...
576 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 11, 2011
Fiona McIntosh is a new favorite author P-E-R-I-O-D!
How do you classify a bad book from a good one? That was the one question I have asked after reading negative reviews of this series. And let me assure you, her books should sit right beside Robin Hobb just a step away from George RR Martin's.
So it still gets me to wondering, how could one rate this book so poorly when I have enjoyed this far better than Tolkien's The Two Towers. The comparison being that, both are book 2 of a trilogy. And you know how middle books are in a trilogy. Eh?
Anyway, two reviews for Emissary caught my attention while browsing on the web. Their words are so profound, that I decided to copy it here.
EMISSARY is not filled with daring feats or blood-pumping action, but to say it is wholly devoid of action would be misleading. In the overall arc of the story, EMISSARY is the chess game; it is the manipulation of the pieces with careful precision that sets up an endgame attack of fury that your opponent never saw coming.
And this:
It's not the perfect book, although it does come pretty close to it. As events take the characters away from the harem, it stops being about the political side of things and becomes a journey, which is a far more common fantasy theme. Whilst the progress of events picks up the further they go from the harem, so the pace of the story drops and it becomes easier to break from the story.
-- forgive me for using your words here..
You have got to check this series out! You won't be disappointed.
How do you classify a bad book from a good one? That was the one question I have asked after reading negative reviews of this series. And let me assure you, her books should sit right beside Robin Hobb just a step away from George RR Martin's.
So it still gets me to wondering, how could one rate this book so poorly when I have enjoyed this far better than Tolkien's The Two Towers. The comparison being that, both are book 2 of a trilogy. And you know how middle books are in a trilogy. Eh?
Anyway, two reviews for Emissary caught my attention while browsing on the web. Their words are so profound, that I decided to copy it here.
EMISSARY is not filled with daring feats or blood-pumping action, but to say it is wholly devoid of action would be misleading. In the overall arc of the story, EMISSARY is the chess game; it is the manipulation of the pieces with careful precision that sets up an endgame attack of fury that your opponent never saw coming.
And this:
It's not the perfect book, although it does come pretty close to it. As events take the characters away from the harem, it stops being about the political side of things and becomes a journey, which is a far more common fantasy theme. Whilst the progress of events picks up the further they go from the harem, so the pace of the story drops and it becomes easier to break from the story.
-- forgive me for using your words here..
You have got to check this series out! You won't be disappointed.
May 22, 2014
In a Nutshell:
So this book is the continuation of what happens in the first book. We have the Lyana subplot, especially with the characters like Pez and Lazar figuring out who is playing what role in this big "uprising" now that they have figured out who both Iridor and Maliz is. Ana basically tries to live an inconspicious life in the harem, but that is proving difficult because it is obvious that Boaz, the new Zar is just singling her out and not only that, but Herezah is out to get her for revenge of Lazar's death. And then there's threats of war from the enemy Galinseans which thankfully pushes the book forward and Boaz has all that to worry about.
What I liked:
There really isn't much to say for this book, to be quite honest. I guess I liked the return of the dynamic of Jumo/Lazar, and I guess bringing Lazar back into the picture also brings around the Lyana plotline (because it wasn't like THAT one was going to be important or something). But my thoughts are generally the same of what I felt about the first book. Most of the good guys are likable enough, you want them to succeeed, etc - but there really isn't anything new or exciting being brought up in this book.
What I didn't like:
Plot
I think my biggest problem with this book, like Betrayals was that it stood poorly as a stand alone and was just basically a filler book. There were very few interesting scenes, generally after the 200 page mark and especially the ending - which for me, always left the book off on a high note for final installment Goddess. However, what went in between all of this was just a lot of waffling and God was this book ridiculously slow paced.
For me, this is one of those really slow burning books that you have to be emotionally invested in the characters and plots in order to motivate yourself to trudge yourself through this book. For the most part, the plot dragged on about Ana's life in the harem, as a sort of penance even though all she longs for is freedom. I'll be honest, it got hard for me at some point to continue reading - because I didn't want to skim through pages, but it was just so tedious and boring that I couldn't help myself.
I think the only thing that kept me going was the prospect of finding more information about Lyana's uprising, and why this cycle of her "rebirth" would be so different than before and so forth. Although there was a painfully slow build-up to that, and like its predecessor - is mostly overlooked for the almost trivial political intrigue and whatnot.
Prose
Personally for me, this shall be the worst and my least favourite book out of the series - but the plot was just held stagnant for so long, it took a while before I could bring myself to read through all of it. It is also because this book was the worst perpetrator of the "telling rather than showing" mistake some authors fall trap to. But dear God did this book use that A LOT. Like to the point where I just wanted to hate the series so much that I can't even love it as a guilty pleasure anymore - it was just that godawful. Not only does this bog down the pacing, but I feel like Fiona McIntosh is really testing our patience to see how far she can just repeat the same, goddamn thing over and OVER again before we end up having some violent rage or something.
My biggest gripe regarding the whole "telling" aspect was the worst example is how, everytime we are thrown into either Lazar or Ana's point of review - we will NEVER switch to another without either one moping about how they loooove each other so much, but they can't ever be together, blah blah blah. And not only that, but other characters like Tariq, Pez, Jumo and Herezah constantly pointing it out to us and to the two romantic leads. Like, seriously - I personally have a hard time getting over the fact that they have one of the most undeveloped relationships ever, and yet it is portrayal as this tragically beautiful forbidden love story when it's not. But having Lazar tell me EVERY SINGLE TIME I have to read about him that he loves Ana like nothing else in this world but he cannot have her because she belongs to Boaz, and with Ana also just really got on my last nerve.
Portrayal of Main Romance: Lazar and Ana
As I've said in my previous review of Odalisque - they had one of those Disney-esque, instanteous and underdeveloped romancesbut is somewhat a step up from most YA PNR books nowadays that is portrayed otherwise. In this book, I found it was too early and too sudden for either party to suddenly profess how deeply in love they are with each other, and how it's obvious (especially with Lazar's case) that this is the case but they must accept their fates and only love each other from afar.
Lack of Character Depth/Development... still!
The characters are the same, two-dimensional and lacking any depth whatsoever. Lazar was pretty much almost the only character with some depth, and being sexy as always. I'll admit that I almost felt some pity for Herezah, because even if we are CONSTANTLY being told of her past snidely spat in her face by others - she is *almost* a sympathetic antagonist, who is really just a product of the harem. We know that she had always been a rather precocious child, highly intelligent and perceptive and had enough tact to survive through the almost cut throat secret society of the harem. We may disagree and shake our heads upon her actions throughout this book, we may j0ust dismiss her as a power hungry manipulative woman who is not above just using her son for power and maintaining power in any possible in order to retain the self-indulgent, self-absorbed lifestyle she has always wanted. But considering what kind of life you have to go through, as an odalisque in the setting of this book - I found understandable why she did the things she did. I really think there is potential of development for this character, if she wasn't just shoved in the archetypical cruel ambitious mother and cockblocker to the Lazar/Ana romance!
Speaking of Ana, I was disappointed that she doesn't get as much development as she should, but she is really playing towards Mary Sue territory - well, more so playing out the Relationship Sue trope. I mean, yeah - she's still the same intelligent, defiant, beautiful and eerily perceptive Ana she was in the first book - but she is either just getting kidnapped, or near death or just being objectified to being the "one woman who has Lazar's heart and saves him from all hurt and never loving again, his one and only true love, etc etc". Also, she needs to talk less and stop giving us exposition to characters that we already KNOW.
Recommended for: no one, unless like me - you were a fan of Odalisque and want to desperate know about the Lyana plot and do like the characters
Rating: 1.5/5 stars because that was how awful and boring I found it to be.
So this book is the continuation of what happens in the first book. We have the Lyana subplot, especially with the characters like Pez and Lazar figuring out who is playing what role in this big "uprising" now that they have figured out who both Iridor and Maliz is. Ana basically tries to live an inconspicious life in the harem, but that is proving difficult because it is obvious that Boaz, the new Zar is just singling her out and not only that, but Herezah is out to get her for revenge of Lazar's death. And then there's threats of war from the enemy Galinseans which thankfully pushes the book forward and Boaz has all that to worry about.
What I liked:
There really isn't much to say for this book, to be quite honest. I guess I liked the return of the dynamic of Jumo/Lazar, and I guess bringing Lazar back into the picture also brings around the Lyana plotline (because it wasn't like THAT one was going to be important or something). But my thoughts are generally the same of what I felt about the first book. Most of the good guys are likable enough, you want them to succeeed, etc - but there really isn't anything new or exciting being brought up in this book.
What I didn't like:
Plot
I think my biggest problem with this book, like Betrayals was that it stood poorly as a stand alone and was just basically a filler book. There were very few interesting scenes, generally after the 200 page mark and especially the ending - which for me, always left the book off on a high note for final installment Goddess. However, what went in between all of this was just a lot of waffling and God was this book ridiculously slow paced.
For me, this is one of those really slow burning books that you have to be emotionally invested in the characters and plots in order to motivate yourself to trudge yourself through this book. For the most part, the plot dragged on about Ana's life in the harem, as a sort of penance even though all she longs for is freedom. I'll be honest, it got hard for me at some point to continue reading - because I didn't want to skim through pages, but it was just so tedious and boring that I couldn't help myself.
I think the only thing that kept me going was the prospect of finding more information about Lyana's uprising, and why this cycle of her "rebirth" would be so different than before and so forth. Although there was a painfully slow build-up to that, and like its predecessor - is mostly overlooked for the almost trivial political intrigue and whatnot.
Prose
Personally for me, this shall be the worst and my least favourite book out of the series - but the plot was just held stagnant for so long, it took a while before I could bring myself to read through all of it. It is also because this book was the worst perpetrator of the "telling rather than showing" mistake some authors fall trap to. But dear God did this book use that A LOT. Like to the point where I just wanted to hate the series so much that I can't even love it as a guilty pleasure anymore - it was just that godawful. Not only does this bog down the pacing, but I feel like Fiona McIntosh is really testing our patience to see how far she can just repeat the same, goddamn thing over and OVER again before we end up having some violent rage or something.
My biggest gripe regarding the whole "telling" aspect was the worst example is how, everytime we are thrown into either Lazar or Ana's point of review - we will NEVER switch to another without either one moping about how they loooove each other so much, but they can't ever be together, blah blah blah. And not only that, but other characters like Tariq, Pez, Jumo and Herezah constantly pointing it out to us and to the two romantic leads. Like, seriously - I personally have a hard time getting over the fact that they have one of the most undeveloped relationships ever, and yet it is portrayal as this tragically beautiful forbidden love story when it's not. But having Lazar tell me EVERY SINGLE TIME I have to read about him that he loves Ana like nothing else in this world but he cannot have her because she belongs to Boaz, and with Ana also just really got on my last nerve.
Portrayal of Main Romance: Lazar and Ana
As I've said in my previous review of Odalisque - they had one of those Disney-esque, instanteous and underdeveloped romances
Lack of Character Depth/Development... still!
The characters are the same, two-dimensional and lacking any depth whatsoever. Lazar was pretty much almost the only character with some depth, and being sexy as always. I'll admit that I almost felt some pity for Herezah, because even if we are CONSTANTLY being told of her past snidely spat in her face by others - she is *almost* a sympathetic antagonist, who is really just a product of the harem. We know that she had always been a rather precocious child, highly intelligent and perceptive and had enough tact to survive through the almost cut throat secret society of the harem. We may disagree and shake our heads upon her actions throughout this book, we may j0ust dismiss her as a power hungry manipulative woman who is not above just using her son for power and maintaining power in any possible in order to retain the self-indulgent, self-absorbed lifestyle she has always wanted. But considering what kind of life you have to go through, as an odalisque in the setting of this book - I found understandable why she did the things she did. I really think there is potential of development for this character, if she wasn't just shoved in the archetypical cruel ambitious mother and cockblocker to the Lazar/Ana romance!
Speaking of Ana, I was disappointed that she doesn't get as much development as she should, but she is really playing towards Mary Sue territory - well, more so playing out the Relationship Sue trope. I mean, yeah - she's still the same intelligent, defiant, beautiful and eerily perceptive Ana she was in the first book - but she is either just getting kidnapped, or near death or just being objectified to being the "one woman who has Lazar's heart and saves him from all hurt and never loving again, his one and only true love, etc etc". Also, she needs to talk less and stop giving us exposition to characters that we already KNOW.
Recommended for: no one, unless like me - you were a fan of Odalisque and want to desperate know about the Lyana plot and do like the characters
Rating: 1.5/5 stars because that was how awful and boring I found it to be.
January 15, 2018
I wasn't as keen on the pacing of this book. You could read the first book in the series and stop but after the second you have to read the third to find answers to the major questions running through the trilogy. I found the ending rather abrupt and unfulfilling but will seek out the third book soon.
July 9, 2018
While I didn't find this quite as compelling as the first one, I am still deeply immersed in this world and its people. There is more intrigue in this book, and a few even darker turns of plot. Fascinating.
September 11, 2013
I had the same issues with book two as I had with the first book - I hate the whole harem thing and the way the girls are treated as well as the unnecessary brutality of this way of life. That aside, I really like this series. Of course, Lazar is my favorite character and what he has gone through is heartbreaking and unfortunately unending. And poor Ana, stuck in the harem, enslaved by the Zar and in love with Lazar. Will she ever catch a break?
I found myself screaming and wanting to slap the heck out of Valide, what bitch! I'm not a religious person but I like the whole Lyana vs Zabar thing. I find it interesting how Ms. McIntosh is drawing out the suspense as to who and when though we clearly know the why. I like that it isn't obvious who are the main players in this though knowing the main characters of the book, it's sort of clear who will be involved just not how exactly.
Like all fantasy books, this is a slow read that takes time to digest what is actually happening, as well as what is being put in motion by the various factions - good, bad and otherwise. I loved how this one ended and can't wait to get my hands on the conclusion.
I found myself screaming and wanting to slap the heck out of Valide, what bitch! I'm not a religious person but I like the whole Lyana vs Zabar thing. I find it interesting how Ms. McIntosh is drawing out the suspense as to who and when though we clearly know the why. I like that it isn't obvious who are the main players in this though knowing the main characters of the book, it's sort of clear who will be involved just not how exactly.
Like all fantasy books, this is a slow read that takes time to digest what is actually happening, as well as what is being put in motion by the various factions - good, bad and otherwise. I loved how this one ended and can't wait to get my hands on the conclusion.
November 25, 2007
My goodness, the Orientalism. I am just reading these to see what happens, although if I get any more offended than I already am, I am just going to stop. or continue on for mocking purposes (I do that a lot.) Sadly, this is going to color my reactions to her previous works.
February 13, 2008
It was a carbon copy of the first book. The only reason I kept reading it is because I liked the setting of the story. The characters were too stuck in their roles. Too predictable, and even though book 3 promises some kind of ending, I probably won't bother to read it.
March 10, 2017
Alright, I tried to give these books a chance, but I am out without even trying the last book in this series.
May 13, 2017
Oy. Okay. So this was an effort to read. I still love this series and I am definitely going to finish it because I've enjoyed both books immensely and I need to know what happens.
I have an inkling of who Lyana is but I won't share my thoughts on it here. I'm going to hold on to it and just hope I'm right.
So this series cops a lot of bad reviews for not being fantasy enough. I think it's great ENTRY LEVEL fantasy. This probably wasn't written with the high fantasy reader in mind. And as I'm.an entry level fantasy reader, I think they're an excellent beginner series. They do take me a long time to get through, not because they're slow or boring. But because the details in the story are vast and somewhat crucial to the progression of the discovery of Maliz and Lyana.
The writing and sentence structure are at times a little clumsy and passive but I put that down to McIntosh being a relative beginner in this period of her career.
Book three now please, I need to know who prevails!
I have an inkling of who Lyana is but I won't share my thoughts on it here. I'm going to hold on to it and just hope I'm right.
So this series cops a lot of bad reviews for not being fantasy enough. I think it's great ENTRY LEVEL fantasy. This probably wasn't written with the high fantasy reader in mind. And as I'm.an entry level fantasy reader, I think they're an excellent beginner series. They do take me a long time to get through, not because they're slow or boring. But because the details in the story are vast and somewhat crucial to the progression of the discovery of Maliz and Lyana.
The writing and sentence structure are at times a little clumsy and passive but I put that down to McIntosh being a relative beginner in this period of her career.
Book three now please, I need to know who prevails!
May 13, 2018
Lots more evil eunuch. I blogged about Salmeo's stereotypical character with spoilers for all three books in this series. The story overall was entertaining. There were a few pieces that didn't make sense, as in, if Salmeo and Herezah are soooo super evil, why do they give Ana the opportunity to engineer her own downfall and rely on her to do it, and why do they not have any Plan B in case that doesn't work?
February 12, 2025
4 Stars
Emissary is the second book in the Percheron in series by Fiona McIntosh. This series has a bit of a 'middle eastern' vibe to it- the setting and world building is richly woven, coming to life in vivid detail. It is an action-packed fantasy adventure with all the 'touches' I have come to expect from Ms. McIntosh. Her cleverly woven a story made for a fantastic read.
One of my go-to authors as I am always guaranteed of a great read.
Well worth the read!
Buddy Read - 2025
Happy Reading...
Thank you, Fiona McIntosh!
Emissary is the second book in the Percheron in series by Fiona McIntosh. This series has a bit of a 'middle eastern' vibe to it- the setting and world building is richly woven, coming to life in vivid detail. It is an action-packed fantasy adventure with all the 'touches' I have come to expect from Ms. McIntosh. Her cleverly woven a story made for a fantastic read.
One of my go-to authors as I am always guaranteed of a great read.
Well worth the read!
Buddy Read - 2025
Happy Reading...
Thank you, Fiona McIntosh!
July 30, 2022
The plot is engaging and the characters are well rounded. However, as this story has unfolded, it has gotten to the place of being almost laughable. Too many plot twists and too many "just happened to be in the right place at the right time" situations to be realistic.
November 3, 2023
If you like fantasy, you will love this author's work! I find her to be very entertaining. She is adept at world building and character development, not to mention her plot twists will give you a heart attack! lol. A joy to read.
September 22, 2025
The second book in the series definitely kept my interest and moved the story along at a good pace. I didn't know what I thought I knew from the first book, which is great! On to the last book in the series!
January 4, 2017
Emotional and engaging
I greatly have enjoyed this series. I am excited to finish the final book!!!! Colorful and emotional it never lets you go.
I greatly have enjoyed this series. I am excited to finish the final book!!!! Colorful and emotional it never lets you go.
September 26, 2017
I loved this book, great plot and a great continuation from the first book, ODALISQUE, I totally loved it it was simply unputdownable!
July 27, 2019
*review to be posted soon *
December 8, 2019
I read the 3 Percheron books quickly one after another, and this was my least favourite, slower paced. Still good though!
May 26, 2022
I really love the writing of this author!
April 16, 2023
Really enjoyed the second one in the series. Good and evil is played out really well and often we don't see evil even though it is under our nose. Looking forward to the last one in the series
February 10, 2015
Starting with the second book in a trilogy is always dangerous. Frequently it's just a holding book, between the setting up of the first book and the climax in the third and you struggle to follow what's going on, especially if there is no explanation.
That was the situation I found myself in early into reading "Emissary". There is clearly quite a lot has happened in the first book, affecting the lives of major characters and causing the deaths of others. These were referred to, but the story behind it was lost to me which was, in this case, even more of a disappointment than usual as it seemed so fascinating.
The story follows the members of the harem in Percheron, which is controlled by the Chief Eunuch and the Valide - the mother of the Zar who rules Percheron. Ana, who is an odalisque, or member of the harem, rebels against their authority as she hates what the harem stands for and what may happen to her. This rebellion has already caused the death of Spur Lazar, the head of the Zar's military.
However, all is not as it seems. Pez, the Zar's dwarf clown believes that Ana is the human incarnation of the Goddess Lyana, who appears every now and again to fight the demon Maliz. The demon has taken up residence in the body of the Grand Vizier Tariq and both he and the Valide are out to cause harm to odalisque Ana, one to maintain the power of the Gods and one to maintain her own power within the harem. Yet there is more, as the neighbouring province of Galinsea is out to declare war, as Spur Lazar was important to them for reasons that are only now becoming clear.
It is to McIntosh's credit that every time I tried to think how I could explain the story I got confused, but on reading it that never happened. Her major characters are so individual that there is never any danger of getting them confused, even though they all interact with each other on many different levels, both professionally and personally and their relationships are constantly shifting as their place in the hierarchy of the Zar's palace or the harem changes.
McIntosh surprised me in a couple of other ways. The first was in that thorny issue of what had happened in the first book; for a while, it confused me a little when an event I'd missed was referred to, but the more I read, the less it bothered me. The current story was so gripping that I completely forgot I'd come to the story part way through as a stranger and was completely entranced by it. I can't remember the last time I read a middle part of a trilogy and felt involved, rather than an outsider.
The other aspect that shocked me was that involvement. Stories where characters are jostling for position often bore me, as does politics generally. But McIntosh writes it as if politics is a game of chess. The characters never jostled for position, but skilfully laid plans that would improve their position later on. I found myself taking sides, which is something that rarely happens to me when reading this kind of story.
It's not the perfect book, although it does come pretty close to it. As events take the characters away from the harem, it stops being about the political side of things and becomes a journey, which is a far more common fantasy theme. Whilst the progress of events picks up the further they go from the harem, so the pace of the story drops and it becomes easier to break from the story. I found the ending a little disappointing as well, as I thought the book was good enough to not have to resort to a cliff hanger to persuade me to buy the final part.
These minor concerns aside, however, if you like character driven fantasy of the likes of Kate Elliott or Karen Miller, then Fiona McIntosh is someone not to be missed. Despite my early misgivings, I am already eager to know how things will continue and I know I am going to have to buy the first of the trilogy for the back story. Now I'm up to speed with events, I don't need to know the back story at this point in proceedings, but I have a deep desire to read it regardless.
Fiona McIntosh has taken me from worrying whether I would keep up with events to being caught up in the whirlwind of them. She's taken someone who didn't think they would enjoy the politics of her tale and turned me into someone who cannot wait for the next twist. I've been reading fantasy for many years, but I don't recall being quite this consumed by a tale in quite some time.
This is a series I can see me reading over and over, the way I have with the works of Eddings and Feist. There aren't really any hidden depths to be discovered upon re-reading, but it's such an entrancing story that I am sure I will want to go back to it in much the same way I want to see my friends again. If you've ever enjoyed a fantasy novel, I have a feeling you will enjoy Fiona McIntosh.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
That was the situation I found myself in early into reading "Emissary". There is clearly quite a lot has happened in the first book, affecting the lives of major characters and causing the deaths of others. These were referred to, but the story behind it was lost to me which was, in this case, even more of a disappointment than usual as it seemed so fascinating.
The story follows the members of the harem in Percheron, which is controlled by the Chief Eunuch and the Valide - the mother of the Zar who rules Percheron. Ana, who is an odalisque, or member of the harem, rebels against their authority as she hates what the harem stands for and what may happen to her. This rebellion has already caused the death of Spur Lazar, the head of the Zar's military.
However, all is not as it seems. Pez, the Zar's dwarf clown believes that Ana is the human incarnation of the Goddess Lyana, who appears every now and again to fight the demon Maliz. The demon has taken up residence in the body of the Grand Vizier Tariq and both he and the Valide are out to cause harm to odalisque Ana, one to maintain the power of the Gods and one to maintain her own power within the harem. Yet there is more, as the neighbouring province of Galinsea is out to declare war, as Spur Lazar was important to them for reasons that are only now becoming clear.
It is to McIntosh's credit that every time I tried to think how I could explain the story I got confused, but on reading it that never happened. Her major characters are so individual that there is never any danger of getting them confused, even though they all interact with each other on many different levels, both professionally and personally and their relationships are constantly shifting as their place in the hierarchy of the Zar's palace or the harem changes.
McIntosh surprised me in a couple of other ways. The first was in that thorny issue of what had happened in the first book; for a while, it confused me a little when an event I'd missed was referred to, but the more I read, the less it bothered me. The current story was so gripping that I completely forgot I'd come to the story part way through as a stranger and was completely entranced by it. I can't remember the last time I read a middle part of a trilogy and felt involved, rather than an outsider.
The other aspect that shocked me was that involvement. Stories where characters are jostling for position often bore me, as does politics generally. But McIntosh writes it as if politics is a game of chess. The characters never jostled for position, but skilfully laid plans that would improve their position later on. I found myself taking sides, which is something that rarely happens to me when reading this kind of story.
It's not the perfect book, although it does come pretty close to it. As events take the characters away from the harem, it stops being about the political side of things and becomes a journey, which is a far more common fantasy theme. Whilst the progress of events picks up the further they go from the harem, so the pace of the story drops and it becomes easier to break from the story. I found the ending a little disappointing as well, as I thought the book was good enough to not have to resort to a cliff hanger to persuade me to buy the final part.
These minor concerns aside, however, if you like character driven fantasy of the likes of Kate Elliott or Karen Miller, then Fiona McIntosh is someone not to be missed. Despite my early misgivings, I am already eager to know how things will continue and I know I am going to have to buy the first of the trilogy for the back story. Now I'm up to speed with events, I don't need to know the back story at this point in proceedings, but I have a deep desire to read it regardless.
Fiona McIntosh has taken me from worrying whether I would keep up with events to being caught up in the whirlwind of them. She's taken someone who didn't think they would enjoy the politics of her tale and turned me into someone who cannot wait for the next twist. I've been reading fantasy for many years, but I don't recall being quite this consumed by a tale in quite some time.
This is a series I can see me reading over and over, the way I have with the works of Eddings and Feist. There aren't really any hidden depths to be discovered upon re-reading, but it's such an entrancing story that I am sure I will want to go back to it in much the same way I want to see my friends again. If you've ever enjoyed a fantasy novel, I have a feeling you will enjoy Fiona McIntosh.
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March 8, 2017
A brilliant follow on to Odalisque, a rich tale with intriguing characters and plenty of action.
December 8, 2023
I read the 3 books with hope it will get better, but it didn't. It is overall a sad story, but I really disliked the fact that the whole story is mentally twisted and sadistic. And in my opinion, the end had nothing to do with the whole story, like it was from another story.
January 12, 2011
I absolutely loved Odalisque and couldn't wait to read Emissary. I was a little disappointed upon finishing to realize that not much had really happened. I wasn't expecting sword fights and tons of action though, I was expecting intriguing characters, and in that aspect I was not disappointed. The characters in this trilogy are dynamic and strong. Some may be unlikable, but they are meant to be. More than anything, I felt that they are realistic. Boaz is strong and comes off as harsh and rude at times, but he has to be that way. I understand why each character behaves the way they do, and I enjoy that about these books. Emissary does fall into a trap that many second books in a trilogy fall into, in that not too much is revealed, and nothing is solved. I guess I expected that, and I read the book just as fast as I read the first one. The one thing I did not enjoy was the traveling through the desert. I got bored pretty quickly with the relationship that was being explored and the amount of progression. I didn't learn anything new about any characters while they were traveling through the desert page after page. The twist that came at the end was unexpected, and I didn't really enjoy it, but I will certainly continue the series. I love the characters enough to deal with anything the author wants to throw at them, so my dislike of the last part of the book was not a deal breaker for me at all. If you enjoyed the first book in the series, I think you will enjoy the second book, and I can't wait to read the third.
May 5, 2011
Fiona McIntosh really has a way of making a book so engrossing that you never want to put it down. Emissary, the second book in the Percheron Series, is no exception.
Following on from the previous story, Lazar the Spur is believed to be dead and so Ana is in mourning for him. With no glimmer of hope left in her harem life she is resound to live out her days with no chance of happiness, awaiting death, and in fact welcoming it. The Valide and Grand Master Eunuch Salmeo have plans that will aid in speeding such an end, to help rid Zar Boaz of the girl that has such influence over him.
When the threat of war is brought to the peaceful nation of Percheron, over no less than the Spur's death, it brings everyone's scheming plans to a holt. Who will be able to save the nation and will they be able to convince their enemies against such action in time?
I could not put this book down. Just as Odalisque engrossed me when reading it, Emissary made me regret sleeping and having to go about my every day life, regretting not being unable to read the whole book in one sitting.
The writing is so fluent which makes for a flawless read. Fiona McIntosh has such a way of drawing you into the story and making you love the characters that you feel their elation, despair, indifference and hatred along with them.
This book ends in a big cliffhanger, so do not finish this book unless you have Goddess, the third in the series, available to you.
Following on from the previous story, Lazar the Spur is believed to be dead and so Ana is in mourning for him. With no glimmer of hope left in her harem life she is resound to live out her days with no chance of happiness, awaiting death, and in fact welcoming it. The Valide and Grand Master Eunuch Salmeo have plans that will aid in speeding such an end, to help rid Zar Boaz of the girl that has such influence over him.
When the threat of war is brought to the peaceful nation of Percheron, over no less than the Spur's death, it brings everyone's scheming plans to a holt. Who will be able to save the nation and will they be able to convince their enemies against such action in time?
I could not put this book down. Just as Odalisque engrossed me when reading it, Emissary made me regret sleeping and having to go about my every day life, regretting not being unable to read the whole book in one sitting.
The writing is so fluent which makes for a flawless read. Fiona McIntosh has such a way of drawing you into the story and making you love the characters that you feel their elation, despair, indifference and hatred along with them.
This book ends in a big cliffhanger, so do not finish this book unless you have Goddess, the third in the series, available to you.
January 17, 2016
The second book in the Percheron series, and while it continued the events of the first book but also continued the pros and cons of the first book as well.
My main criticism of the book lies in the romance triangle between Boaz, Lazar, and Ana. There was so much pining on Lazar and Ana's part! I think if the author left out all of that, the book would be half the page count. I am all for a bit of romance, but reading through 5 solid pages of pining and despair got old after about the third time. I am not a fan of the age difference between Lazar and Ana either, but I can overlook that if it is done well.
I wanted more of the fantasy elements to be revealed. Some progress is made, but I feel like we are right back at the end of the first book with our knowledge of who is who and how things are supposed to progress. There is a bit more political intrigue in this book and coupled with the romance it puts the fantasy to the back, and I wish it were the other way around.
I will still be reading the last book, as the fantasy piece and political goings on keeps me intrigued and I do want to know more. As before her writing style is surprisingly easy to read and I find it a quick read even through the parts I am not excited about.
My main criticism of the book lies in the romance triangle between Boaz, Lazar, and Ana. There was so much pining on Lazar and Ana's part! I think if the author left out all of that, the book would be half the page count. I am all for a bit of romance, but reading through 5 solid pages of pining and despair got old after about the third time. I am not a fan of the age difference between Lazar and Ana either, but I can overlook that if it is done well.
I wanted more of the fantasy elements to be revealed. Some progress is made, but I feel like we are right back at the end of the first book with our knowledge of who is who and how things are supposed to progress. There is a bit more political intrigue in this book and coupled with the romance it puts the fantasy to the back, and I wish it were the other way around.
I will still be reading the last book, as the fantasy piece and political goings on keeps me intrigued and I do want to know more. As before her writing style is surprisingly easy to read and I find it a quick read even through the parts I am not excited about.
December 31, 2012
I've read some other reviews and I think I understand the problem that other readers have with this book. I understand, but I don't necessarily agree.
The second installment of the Percheron Saga is relatively tame in comparison to the first book. Other readers have said nothing happens, but that's untrue. This book is more of a political struggle than the first, both within Percheron and with the gods. It's a game of wits between characters and deities, but some big things happen. The goddess is revealed and then unrevealed, Maliz concocts a diabolical plan for after the cycle is complete, power in the harem shifts, Lazar returns, several beloved characters die, and an heir is created, but to which throne?
It's buildup pure and simple, because this thing is about to get crazy. Anyone who has ever read Fiona McIntosh knows that there are no straightforward endings. One minute, you think you know what's going on and the next minute, a main character is transported through time to present day, or someone has magical powers that come out of nowhere and defeat everyone. No, it doesn't fit, but it is fantasy and it's her style. And I like her style.
The second installment of the Percheron Saga is relatively tame in comparison to the first book. Other readers have said nothing happens, but that's untrue. This book is more of a political struggle than the first, both within Percheron and with the gods. It's a game of wits between characters and deities, but some big things happen. The goddess is revealed and then unrevealed, Maliz concocts a diabolical plan for after the cycle is complete, power in the harem shifts, Lazar returns, several beloved characters die, and an heir is created, but to which throne?
It's buildup pure and simple, because this thing is about to get crazy. Anyone who has ever read Fiona McIntosh knows that there are no straightforward endings. One minute, you think you know what's going on and the next minute, a main character is transported through time to present day, or someone has magical powers that come out of nowhere and defeat everyone. No, it doesn't fit, but it is fantasy and it's her style. And I like her style.
October 18, 2009
Fiona McIntosh has a really bad habit of ending with a cliff-hanger, which gets rather tedious once you realise that all her books are like that. It's a shame too, because if it hadn't been for that, I would probably have rated this book higher than I did. The writing has improved from the first book in the series, and the characters are becoming much more complex. I enjoy Ana's no-nonsense way of handling Herezah, and found myself almost liking Maliz, now that he's abandoned all of Tariq's most annoying traits.
Fiona McIntosh isn't afraid of killing off her characters, but there was one death in this book that seemed completely pointless. I hope this will prove to be an "interesting assumption" and that the reasons will become apparent in the next book in the series. If not, then it was just plain cruel.
I still by far prefer the Valisar trilogy, but I will be keeping my eye out for the next (and perhaps last? I can't seem to get any certain answer) book in the Pecheron saga.
Fiona McIntosh isn't afraid of killing off her characters, but there was one death in this book that seemed completely pointless. I hope this will prove to be an "interesting assumption" and that the reasons will become apparent in the next book in the series. If not, then it was just plain cruel.
I still by far prefer the Valisar trilogy, but I will be keeping my eye out for the next (and perhaps last? I can't seem to get any certain answer) book in the Pecheron saga.
July 10, 2023
This is the second book in the Percheron series. I have to say that I couldn't put the book down, even though there were numerous grammatical errors--though far less than the first book.
If you haven't read the first book in the trilogy, Odalisque, stop right now and go read it. Otherwise, you will be lost. Both the first book and this one spend the last 50-100 pages bringing the reader to a cliffhanger that cannot be resolved without the next book in the trilogy.
This book continues the story of Ana, the Odalisque, who seems to become stronger as the story progresses. She is a slave in a harem who wishes for her freedom, but things keep going from bad to worse.
Be prepared to have more questions at the end of the.last 6 chapters than you started out with. Hopefully, these will be answered in the final trilogy, Goddess.
If you haven't read the first book in the trilogy, Odalisque, stop right now and go read it. Otherwise, you will be lost. Both the first book and this one spend the last 50-100 pages bringing the reader to a cliffhanger that cannot be resolved without the next book in the trilogy.
This book continues the story of Ana, the Odalisque, who seems to become stronger as the story progresses. She is a slave in a harem who wishes for her freedom, but things keep going from bad to worse.
Be prepared to have more questions at the end of the.last 6 chapters than you started out with. Hopefully, these will be answered in the final trilogy, Goddess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2009
Definitely a mid-series read, this tells the story of Odalisque Ana and her finding a place in the Harem of Boaz. She has to watch herself as there are forces who can see that she has charisma and intend to ensure that she is controled.
She thinks her true love is dead but he isn't he's recovering from the dreadful punishment he has. His past is coming to reap it's revenge and he has to do what he can to survive.
Meanwhile the demon is finding his place, and trying to discover who has reincarnated as Lysana this time.
This was quite a slow starter for me and it's more about character growth than much happening, still I found it interesting.
She thinks her true love is dead but he isn't he's recovering from the dreadful punishment he has. His past is coming to reap it's revenge and he has to do what he can to survive.
Meanwhile the demon is finding his place, and trying to discover who has reincarnated as Lysana this time.
This was quite a slow starter for me and it's more about character growth than much happening, still I found it interesting.
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