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Paladin's Legacy #2
Kings of the North
Elizabeth Moon returns to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter - Paks for short - in this second volume of a new series filled with all the bold imaginative flights, meticulous world-building, realistic military action, and deft characterization that readers have come to expect from this award-winning author. In Kings of the North, Moon is working at the very height of her storytelling powers.
Peace and order have been restored to the kingdoms of Tsaia and Lyonya, thanks to the crowning of two kings: Mikeli of Tsaia and, in Lyonya, Kieri Phelan, a mercenary captain whose royal blood and half-elven heritage are resented by elves and humans alike. On the surface, all is hope and promise. But underneath, trouble is brewing. Mikeli cannot sit safely on his throne as long as remnants of the evil Verrakaien magelords are at large. Kieri is being hounded to marry and provide the kingdom with an heir - but that is the least of his concerns. A strange rift has developed between him and his grandmother and co-ruler, the immortal elven queen known as the Lady. More problematic is the ex-pirate Alured, who schemes to seize Kieri’s throne for himself - and Mikeli’s, too, while he’s at it. Meanwhile, to the north, the aggressive kingdom of Pargun seems poised to invade.Now, as war threatens to erupt from without and within, the two kings are dangerously divided. Old alliances and the bonds of friendship are about to be tested as never before. And a shocking discovery will change everything.
©2011 Elizabeth Moon (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
Peace and order have been restored to the kingdoms of Tsaia and Lyonya, thanks to the crowning of two kings: Mikeli of Tsaia and, in Lyonya, Kieri Phelan, a mercenary captain whose royal blood and half-elven heritage are resented by elves and humans alike. On the surface, all is hope and promise. But underneath, trouble is brewing. Mikeli cannot sit safely on his throne as long as remnants of the evil Verrakaien magelords are at large. Kieri is being hounded to marry and provide the kingdom with an heir - but that is the least of his concerns. A strange rift has developed between him and his grandmother and co-ruler, the immortal elven queen known as the Lady. More problematic is the ex-pirate Alured, who schemes to seize Kieri’s throne for himself - and Mikeli’s, too, while he’s at it. Meanwhile, to the north, the aggressive kingdom of Pargun seems poised to invade.Now, as war threatens to erupt from without and within, the two kings are dangerously divided. Old alliances and the bonds of friendship are about to be tested as never before. And a shocking discovery will change everything.
©2011 Elizabeth Moon (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
20 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2011
225 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Moon
138 books2,632 followersElizabeth Moon was born March 7, 1945, and grew up in McAllen, Texas, graduating from McAllen High School in 1963. She has a B.A. in History from Rice University (1968) and another in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin (1975) with graduate work in Biology at the University of Texas, San Antonio.
She served in the USMC from 1968 to 1971, first at MCB Quantico and then at HQMC. She married Richard Moon, a Rice classmate and Army officer, in 1969; they moved to the small central Texas town where they still live in 1979. They have one son, born in 1983.
She started writing stories and poems as a small child; attempted first book (an illustrated biography of the family dog) at age six. Started writing science fiction in high school, but considered writing merely a sideline. First got serious about writing (as in, submitting things and actually getting money...) in the 1980s. Made first fiction sale at age forty--"Bargains" to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword & Sorceress III and "ABCs in Zero G" to Analog. Her first novel, Sheepfarmer's Daughter, sold in 1987 and came out in 1988; it won the Compton Crook Award in 1989. Remnant Population was a Hugo nominee in 1997, and The Speed of Dark was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and won the Nebula in 2004.
She served in the USMC from 1968 to 1971, first at MCB Quantico and then at HQMC. She married Richard Moon, a Rice classmate and Army officer, in 1969; they moved to the small central Texas town where they still live in 1979. They have one son, born in 1983.
She started writing stories and poems as a small child; attempted first book (an illustrated biography of the family dog) at age six. Started writing science fiction in high school, but considered writing merely a sideline. First got serious about writing (as in, submitting things and actually getting money...) in the 1980s. Made first fiction sale at age forty--"Bargains" to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword & Sorceress III and "ABCs in Zero G" to Analog. Her first novel, Sheepfarmer's Daughter, sold in 1987 and came out in 1988; it won the Compton Crook Award in 1989. Remnant Population was a Hugo nominee in 1997, and The Speed of Dark was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and won the Nebula in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
April 7, 2011
The Deed of Paksenarrion series continued into book five with Kings of the North. It was definitely a bridge book, from Oath of Fealty to... wherever we are going from here. I enjoyed it mightily. I am enjoying the evolution of Duke-now-King Phelan, and the maturation of all of the characters that we are revisiting from the young adventure novels published twenty-cough years ago.
The odd thing about this book was that it felt like Elizabeth Moon had finally gotten back into playing the game with Oath of Fealty, and now wanted to incorporate the entire deck from Deed of Paks, Expansion Set 1 into Kings of the North. The new character cards got shuffled in and then dealt out with precision towards emphasizing how much the king has changed. (He's a super-powered half-elf now!) Happily, it wasn't just Dorrin who got to glow in the dark; everyone leveled up this time around. Everyone gained a new relationship, skill, magical power, insight, or possession. And sometimes, major characters gained more than one of the above.
In order to keep up with all of that character development, the plot bounced all over the continent. Princesses dashed around on horseback in the dark. Sailors ran through the treetops. Nice guys got slaughtered for effect. The gnomes showed back up - twice - and played their Girdish law word games in the second appearance. Even the Level 20 Plutonium Dragon card got played. And no, I'm NOT KIDDING.
It was great. I definitely recommend it. I can't wait for where Moon is taking this next.
The odd thing about this book was that it felt like Elizabeth Moon had finally gotten back into playing the game with Oath of Fealty, and now wanted to incorporate the entire deck from Deed of Paks, Expansion Set 1 into Kings of the North. The new character cards got shuffled in and then dealt out with precision towards emphasizing how much the king has changed. (He's a super-powered half-elf now!) Happily, it wasn't just Dorrin who got to glow in the dark; everyone leveled up this time around. Everyone gained a new relationship, skill, magical power, insight, or possession. And sometimes, major characters gained more than one of the above.
In order to keep up with all of that character development, the plot bounced all over the continent. Princesses dashed around on horseback in the dark. Sailors ran through the treetops. Nice guys got slaughtered for effect. The gnomes showed back up - twice - and played their Girdish law word games in the second appearance. Even the Level 20 Plutonium Dragon card got played. And no, I'm NOT KIDDING.
It was great. I definitely recommend it. I can't wait for where Moon is taking this next.
November 23, 2015
First of all I would like to commend the author and give her a freaking massive hug for dealing with blindness the way she did! Thank you Elizabeth Moon! Yes, just because you cannot see does not mean you are helpless.
On another note, this book was seriously disorganised. I am used to these books being perfectly laid out. But, this...it was just all over the show. A bit here, a bit there. Some extremely unnecessary chapters that added nothing to the plot. Then the ending, it felt like a knife was taken up and just cut the book off in the middle of a sentence. Usually, yes the books end abruptly, but a certain plot comes to an end. I don't know what went wrong here. The story was there, but ugh it was a mess. :(
On another note, this book was seriously disorganised. I am used to these books being perfectly laid out. But, this...it was just all over the show. A bit here, a bit there. Some extremely unnecessary chapters that added nothing to the plot. Then the ending, it felt like a knife was taken up and just cut the book off in the middle of a sentence. Usually, yes the books end abruptly, but a certain plot comes to an end. I don't know what went wrong here. The story was there, but ugh it was a mess. :(
January 14, 2021
This is a generous three stars. In all honesty, it was quite boring and it’s only because I’ve stuck with the characters for so long that I kept reading. That said, it did introduce a dragon and I do love dragons. Full review to come.
December 16, 2021
Truly enjoyable, I did not want it to end! 2018 reread: Elizabeth Moon is truly gifted, this universe, characters, and stories, are all superb.
April 28, 2011
Book two(of a projected 5 book series) picks right up where Oath of Fealty ended. So we get to accompany Arcolin and the cohort back from the South, we get to watch Dorrin settle into her new status as Duke Verrakai, and, best of all, we get to watch Kieri Phelen's continuing growth from Duke and mercenary leader to King of Lyonya.
And that's just for starters!
But life is not proving to be easy for any of our main characters. There is big, big trouble brewing in the south (Alured has ideas of world conquest now!) and Lyonya's northern neighbor Pargun is proving to be not so neighborly.
The one major plot thread that does get wrapped up in this book is Kieri's choice of a bride. I was very pleased at who he chose. But the disconnect between Kieri and his elven grandmother(The Lady) is a major source of conflict in this book and his choice of bride is part of the problem. And it doesn't help that the shade of his sister keeps muttering about 'treachery' in connection with The Lady and the death of Kieri's mother.
Kieri also starts to manifest more of his elvish powers, to the delight of some and the consternation of others.
And looming over all is signs that the current troubles may have their roots in the distant past. Decisions made then are bearing unexpected results now. We see it most (in this book) in what is happening with the Pargunese. But we are also given a glimpse that this is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
As a nice bonus, we have a lovely cameo appearance from Paks.
As always, the world-building is super, the military action scenes are easy to follow; everything in the writing is clean and crisp.
It is not necessary to have read Moon's Deeds of Paksennarion and Legacy of Gird to understand this new series, but it does add to the enjoyment.
However, one should read Oath of Fealty before reading this one.
And that's just for starters!
But life is not proving to be easy for any of our main characters. There is big, big trouble brewing in the south (Alured has ideas of world conquest now!) and Lyonya's northern neighbor Pargun is proving to be not so neighborly.
The one major plot thread that does get wrapped up in this book is Kieri's choice of a bride. I was very pleased at who he chose. But the disconnect between Kieri and his elven grandmother(The Lady) is a major source of conflict in this book and his choice of bride is part of the problem. And it doesn't help that the shade of his sister keeps muttering about 'treachery' in connection with The Lady and the death of Kieri's mother.
Kieri also starts to manifest more of his elvish powers, to the delight of some and the consternation of others.
And looming over all is signs that the current troubles may have their roots in the distant past. Decisions made then are bearing unexpected results now. We see it most (in this book) in what is happening with the Pargunese. But we are also given a glimpse that this is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
As a nice bonus, we have a lovely cameo appearance from Paks.
As always, the world-building is super, the military action scenes are easy to follow; everything in the writing is clean and crisp.
It is not necessary to have read Moon's Deeds of Paksennarion and Legacy of Gird to understand this new series, but it does add to the enjoyment.
However, one should read Oath of Fealty before reading this one.
December 10, 2012
I'm a huge fan of Moon's Deed of Paksenarrion, and reading the first book in this series, Oath of Fealty, was like hanging out with an old friend, one that I had missed immensely. I was extremely excited to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and my only regret is that I didn't like it as well as I wanted to.
To be sure, I still love Elizabeth Moon's writing style. Some might find her work overly pedantic, with its discussion of trade agreements, military maneuvers, and the like, but I think her detailed descriptions lend a gritty realism to the world she has created. Moon's military background serves her well in this form.
And yet, this book had some flaws that were hard to overlook, and I found myself yearning for a little bit more. First of all, I don't feel like romance is one of Moon's strengths, and the relationship in this book felt contrived and forced. In order to make it a surprise to the reader, Moon held back a lot on its development, and I think the end product suffered as a result.
As far as the action sequences went, this book felt like it was mostly setting up for later developments. There were hints of greater things to come, but ultimately the storyline was not as satisfying as I'd hoped. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, but I hope it proves more satisfying.
And I have to agree with one reader's assessment: the cover looks like it belongs on a cheesy romance novel, and I can't see any of the characters in the faces depicted there. I suppose one of them is supposed to be King Phelani, but he doesn't look like my Phelani, and I have no idea who the supermodel in the background is supposed to be!
To be sure, I still love Elizabeth Moon's writing style. Some might find her work overly pedantic, with its discussion of trade agreements, military maneuvers, and the like, but I think her detailed descriptions lend a gritty realism to the world she has created. Moon's military background serves her well in this form.
And yet, this book had some flaws that were hard to overlook, and I found myself yearning for a little bit more. First of all, I don't feel like romance is one of Moon's strengths, and the relationship in this book felt contrived and forced. In order to make it a surprise to the reader, Moon held back a lot on its development, and I think the end product suffered as a result.
As far as the action sequences went, this book felt like it was mostly setting up for later developments. There were hints of greater things to come, but ultimately the storyline was not as satisfying as I'd hoped. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, but I hope it proves more satisfying.
And I have to agree with one reader's assessment: the cover looks like it belongs on a cheesy romance novel, and I can't see any of the characters in the faces depicted there. I suppose one of them is supposed to be King Phelani, but he doesn't look like my Phelani, and I have no idea who the supermodel in the background is supposed to be!
April 30, 2011
I wanted to like this book more than I did. But the plot felt much more heavy-handed than Oath of Fealty - it feels like there's too much going on, and that the story wants to accomplish too much. But...a dragon? The love interest between the king and his squire? The Lady of the Ladysforest returning to the site of the banast taig? They just seemed to be plonked down...no feeling of natural progression.
Book three will tie up the many, many thread, I suppose, but the way things happen in the story just feels all too convenient.
Book three will tie up the many, many thread, I suppose, but the way things happen in the story just feels all too convenient.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2024
The slow pace I struggled with in the previous book is gone! This one is more fast-paced and I have gotten used to follow more than one main character. And I am also not missing Paks as much. Plus, there are dragons! Yup. There is! I really enjoyed reading this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2012
It looks like this book that I won through FirstReads is going to cost me a lot of money. It's the second installment of a series and does not stand on its own. Therefore, I had to get the first book before I could read this. (Fortunately, it is independent of the earlier Paksennarion series and you don't have to read that first.) That first book, Oath of Fealty, didn't really end. It just stopped. The same applies to this one. My dilemma now is, do I go ahead and get the third book now? Or, do I wait for it to be released in paperback? Or, do I hope to grab a copy at the library if it's checked in when I go?
Elizabeth Moon has a way of taking subgenres that I don't particularly like and making them completely engrossing. What she did for me with military space fiction in the Vatta's War series, she's done with the massive medieval fantasy subgenre in Paladin's Legacy. Now, I thought that this series was just going to be a trilogy. However, I read a review on Audible that said it was going to be 4-5 books long. That's a bit upsetting because one of the reasons I don't get involved in a lot of series is because a trilogy is about as much as I can handle unless each book is fairly self-contained.
I give this book four stars because it is a good story and well-told. I really cared about the characters and what was happening to them. The character development was excellent. It was easy to follow what was happening and to differentiate the characters and locations. It only lost a star because it didn't have a real beginning or a real ending.
Elizabeth Moon has a way of taking subgenres that I don't particularly like and making them completely engrossing. What she did for me with military space fiction in the Vatta's War series, she's done with the massive medieval fantasy subgenre in Paladin's Legacy. Now, I thought that this series was just going to be a trilogy. However, I read a review on Audible that said it was going to be 4-5 books long. That's a bit upsetting because one of the reasons I don't get involved in a lot of series is because a trilogy is about as much as I can handle unless each book is fairly self-contained.
I give this book four stars because it is a good story and well-told. I really cared about the characters and what was happening to them. The character development was excellent. It was easy to follow what was happening and to differentiate the characters and locations. It only lost a star because it didn't have a real beginning or a real ending.
August 27, 2013
Starts too slow, rushes the ending to the point where I wondered if I'd missed out a hundred pages. Every character has become interchangeable and unfortunately that character isn't very interesting.
June 21, 2022
Fantasy the way it should be. Logical, well-told, strong characters (but who make mistakes every now and again), treachery, betrayal, loyalty, and honor. All good!
didn-t-finish
April 2, 2024Was only really enjoying one of the POVs, not enough to continue it.
April 28, 2014
Elizabeth Moon returns to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter "Paks for short" in this second volume of a new series filled with all the bold imaginative flights, meticulous world-building, realistic military action, and deft characterization that readers have come to expect from this award-winning author. In Kings of the North, Moon is working at the very height of her storytelling powers.
Peace and order have been restored to the kingdoms of Tsaia and Lyonya, thanks to the crowning of two kings: Mikeli of Tsaia and, in Lyonya, Kieri Phelan, a mercenary captain whose royal blood and half-elven heritage are resented by elves and humans alike.
On the surface, all is hope and promise. But underneath, trouble is brewing. Mikeli cannot sit safely on his throne as long as remnants of the evil Verrakaien magelords are at large. Kieri is being hounded to marry and provide the kingdom with an heir, but that is the least of his concerns. A strange rift has developed between him and his grandmother and co-ruler, the immortal elven queen known as the Lady. More problematic is the ex-pirate Alured, who schemes to seize Kieri’s throne for himself, and Mikeli’s, too, while he’s at it. Meanwhile, to the north, the aggressive kingdom of Pargun seems poised to invade.
Now, as war threatens to erupt from without and within, the two kings are dangerously divided. Old alliances and the bonds of friendship are about to be tested as never before. And a shocking discovery will change everything.
A continuation of the story begun in Oath of Fealty, with the epic tale focusing on Kieri, King of Lyonya, Duke Verrakai, and Arcolin, new Count of the North Marches. Each of the former companions and continuing friends have their own problems and challenges to face.
While Dorrin has managed to clear the Verrakai holdings and remove the traps and all taints of evil she can find, she still faces an insurmountable task. Not only must she heal the people and the Verrakai lands, she must also track down all the magelords that escaped - including those that have taken over the bodies of innocents, using them to house their evil spirits. As if that weren't enough the king of Tsaia has made her his military commander. Her real test will be the three squires she accepted, all from good families and all with far more knowledge of courtly manners than she's got thus far.
Arcolin must finish his campaign in the south, which is against a much more perilous situation than he and his cohort signed on for. Sergeant Stammel fights off a possession that ends up leaving him in dire straits for a lifelong military man, and everyone questions his ability to return to the cohort or the Company. It proves to be beneficial in numerous way to both Arcolin and Stammel to visit Dorrin before the Fall Court and Arcolin's investiture. Like Dorrin before him, Arcolin also must attend court for the first time, the he has the benefit of Dorrin actings as his sponsor and guiding him through everything she had to learn on the fly.
Meanwhile in Lyonya Kieri has his own issues: a problem with Aliam Halveric, being besieged by uninvited princesses, attempted assassinations, threats from other Kingdoms, attempted attacks, and many other things both large and small. Just staying alive is getting more challenging, without considering keeping his people alive, safe, healthy, and happy. There is also the ongoing issue of his grandmother and establishing a working relationship with her that is not solely at her discretion. He clearly has his work cut out for him, and throughout it all must learn to master his temper if he is to keep the taine whole and happy.
Once again there are smaller stories woven throughout these larger stories, each necessary in order to create the exquisite tapestry that is this epic fantasy thus far. I for one have no doubt that Ms. Moon will create a rich, vibrant fabric by the time she has finished with each of the tales she's begun with the first two books.
January 27, 2019
1/4/14 ** Re-reading the set as I get ready to read the 4th (out of 5) in this companion series in the Paksenarion world. This is my first book for the new year. :)
9/15/12 ** Still wanted comfort food for the beginning of the school year. Picked this up from my shelf even though it is the 2nd in the series. Must buy the first. Then, I discovered that the third in this trilogy cam out this year and there are copies available at the library. Guess where I'll be at 10:00 Saturday (tomorrow) morning?! Writing, cooking, cleaning, grading papers??? Hmmm - perhaps those are all overrated.
4/10/11 ** This volume is the 2nd in an anticipated trilogy set in Paksenarion's world; it follows the lives of those who shaped and guided Paksenarion on her journey from being a sheepfarmer's daughter to being a paladin.
As the first book, Oath of Fealty, Kings of the North contains an ensemble cast, changing perspectives every few chapters. I did find myself cheating on this first reading of the book, flipping ahead to follow one story-line, because I wanted to know immediately what had happened with a particular character. The downside to this is that the various story-lines are interwoven so carefully that I found I was missing key details that had been revealed in someone else's story line.
This book, more than the first seemed to explore the theme of unintended consequences and the pitfalls that can come when trying to judge others on the basis of one's own cultural norms. The long-time enmity between those from Tsaia & Lyonya with those from Pargun was explored in more depth. Parallels could be drawn between Moon's world and our own regarding the West's beliefs about the Middle East, and vice versa. Moon seems to be giving a clear warning about making assumptions about others.
9/15/12 ** Still wanted comfort food for the beginning of the school year. Picked this up from my shelf even though it is the 2nd in the series. Must buy the first. Then, I discovered that the third in this trilogy cam out this year and there are copies available at the library. Guess where I'll be at 10:00 Saturday (tomorrow) morning?! Writing, cooking, cleaning, grading papers??? Hmmm - perhaps those are all overrated.
4/10/11 ** This volume is the 2nd in an anticipated trilogy set in Paksenarion's world; it follows the lives of those who shaped and guided Paksenarion on her journey from being a sheepfarmer's daughter to being a paladin.
As the first book, Oath of Fealty, Kings of the North contains an ensemble cast, changing perspectives every few chapters. I did find myself cheating on this first reading of the book, flipping ahead to follow one story-line, because I wanted to know immediately what had happened with a particular character. The downside to this is that the various story-lines are interwoven so carefully that I found I was missing key details that had been revealed in someone else's story line.
This book, more than the first seemed to explore the theme of unintended consequences and the pitfalls that can come when trying to judge others on the basis of one's own cultural norms. The long-time enmity between those from Tsaia & Lyonya with those from Pargun was explored in more depth. Parallels could be drawn between Moon's world and our own regarding the West's beliefs about the Middle East, and vice versa. Moon seems to be giving a clear warning about making assumptions about others.
July 6, 2011
Let's see the ratio of problems solved vs raised/unsolved going on in this middle book...
In Aarenis, Alured is still acting evilly. The mercenaries are still trooping, Stammel rejoins them despite blindness, Burek breaks an arm. Count Andressat overcomes his elitism.
In Lyonya, Kieri finds his second true love (foreshadowed fairly heavily), the 'betrayal' by his grandmother is still unclear, the Lady is made to realize she's a doofus, there are unknown plotters in the elves.
In Fintha, the necklace is stolen. Arvid picks up a gnome. He's still trying to process Paks' sacrifice.
In Tsaia, during mopping up Dorrin finds evidence of another evil priest on the loose. And another piece of regalia. She takes a few squires, and is running both her own land and overseeing the realm's military.
In Pargun, a truce is established between their king and Kieri. The princesses are settled away. But another fight breaks out at the climax.
So by my count, four things settled (Kieri's consort, Stammel's fate, Andressat's attitude, the princesses) and four new unresolved problems.
Paks is there, but mysteriously called away before she can answer questions. And doesn't show up again! Followup on the elves taking her memories of the elfane taig (and the Lady affecting the memories of the Halverics). A prophecy/analysis that she changed a lot of things between the elfane taig and the dark elves/Kolobia.
A secret gnomish trail through the mountains.
Evil characters being very evil, with one dumb Girdish guardsman (mark him for possible evil) and one learns-better grumpy old count.
In Aarenis, Alured is still acting evilly. The mercenaries are still trooping, Stammel rejoins them despite blindness, Burek breaks an arm. Count Andressat overcomes his elitism.
In Lyonya, Kieri finds his second true love (foreshadowed fairly heavily), the 'betrayal' by his grandmother is still unclear, the Lady is made to realize she's a doofus, there are unknown plotters in the elves.
In Fintha, the necklace is stolen. Arvid picks up a gnome. He's still trying to process Paks' sacrifice.
In Tsaia, during mopping up Dorrin finds evidence of another evil priest on the loose. And another piece of regalia. She takes a few squires, and is running both her own land and overseeing the realm's military.
In Pargun, a truce is established between their king and Kieri. The princesses are settled away. But another fight breaks out at the climax.
So by my count, four things settled (Kieri's consort, Stammel's fate, Andressat's attitude, the princesses) and four new unresolved problems.
Paks is there, but mysteriously called away before she can answer questions. And doesn't show up again! Followup on the elves taking her memories of the elfane taig (and the Lady affecting the memories of the Halverics). A prophecy/analysis that she changed a lot of things between the elfane taig and the dark elves/Kolobia.
A secret gnomish trail through the mountains.
Evil characters being very evil, with one dumb Girdish guardsman (mark him for possible evil) and one learns-better grumpy old count.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2014
Finished this a couple of days ago... This one came close to getting a 4 star rating from me. It's definitely not quite as good (my opinion throughout of course) as The Deed of Paksenarrion and possibly slipped a little from the book that preceded it, Oath of Fealty. Still it falls in the 4.5 range so, I wanted to rate it above 4 stars... in the end, 5 stars, by the skin of it's teeth.
The story moves along and continues the interest level I found in the book it follows. There is a bit of a drag in the story at a couple of points. We get some more details from the king's (duke's) past and how it all ties in. The details we picked up along the way in the Paks world saga continue to fit neatly into place and the story has a good balance of action, plot and characterization.
For those wished for it, we finally pickup a bit of romance here and I admit that it wasn't something I was enthralled by, still it's been coming and is an integral part of the story. Here we are also filling in more of the story we started back in the Paksenarrion trilogy and finding out more about "the Lady".
So, while I may not think this volume as good as the preceding trilogy or lead in volume, I still like it greatly and rate it 5 stars. All these books (The Deed of Paksenarrion, Oath of Fealty and this one, Kings of the North) are highly recommended.
The story moves along and continues the interest level I found in the book it follows. There is a bit of a drag in the story at a couple of points. We get some more details from the king's (duke's) past and how it all ties in. The details we picked up along the way in the Paks world saga continue to fit neatly into place and the story has a good balance of action, plot and characterization.
For those wished for it, we finally pickup a bit of romance here and I admit that it wasn't something I was enthralled by, still it's been coming and is an integral part of the story. Here we are also filling in more of the story we started back in the Paksenarrion trilogy and finding out more about "the Lady".
So, while I may not think this volume as good as the preceding trilogy or lead in volume, I still like it greatly and rate it 5 stars. All these books (The Deed of Paksenarrion, Oath of Fealty and this one, Kings of the North) are highly recommended.
March 9, 2012
I read this because I was vaguely interested in what happens after Oath of Fealty (and we were running short on books). It's alright, but I find I have many of the same complaints. It feels like Generic Fantasy World. There is none of the humor I liked so much in the Ky Vatta books (to be fair, there is one joke at the very end, but it feels out of place in a book that is otherwise unfailingly serious). It never felt that the stakes were raised from the first book (something else that I appreciated in the Ky Vatta series).
October 14, 2011
Found a copy for $5 at a Border's clearance sale, a fairly weak 3 stars. Second in a new trilogy.
I don't want to be too harsh. Like her "Deeds of Paksennarion" series (and set in the same world) it's fairly well written high fantasy escapism. There are moments that are inspired, but honestly a chunks of filler too. An awful lot of scenes consisted of one character reporting to another character what had happened in some far off place, two chapters earlier.
If it were a bit crisper it would be a good substitute for wasting an hour watching an episode of Camelot or something, as it is I would probably only pick up the prequel or sequel if I found it in some used book store and nothing else caught my eye.
I don't want to be too harsh. Like her "Deeds of Paksennarion" series (and set in the same world) it's fairly well written high fantasy escapism. There are moments that are inspired, but honestly a chunks of filler too. An awful lot of scenes consisted of one character reporting to another character what had happened in some far off place, two chapters earlier.
If it were a bit crisper it would be a good substitute for wasting an hour watching an episode of Camelot or something, as it is I would probably only pick up the prequel or sequel if I found it in some used book store and nothing else caught my eye.
April 24, 2011
Mmmmm ... disappointing, I'm afraid. After Oath of Fealty was so effortlessly good, this second book exchanges political and economic complexities for a overreliance on obscure magical incident. Not coincidentally, the story of Luap is frequently invoked (mostly with people saying "Does this have anything to do with Luap?" and "I don't know if this has anything to do with that fortress Paks found ..."), and that's by far the weakest fantasy book Moon has ever written, mostly because there's no practical real-world problems to solve, just a bunch of incantations to mutter. Here's hoping book three returns to form.
December 18, 2025
A good read, but it didn't engage me quite as much as Oath of Fealty did. A couple of the plot devices were a bit odd, and the foreshadowing with the elves became slightly irritating when it just kept on happening.
June 16, 2011
Arrrrrrrrrrraggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh.
Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit.
I finished it.
Worst part? Third volume is a year away.
*sigh*
Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit.
I finished it.
Worst part? Third volume is a year away.
*sigh*
Read
December 28, 2020Kings of the North is the second of the books which return us to Moon's world of the Deed of Paksennarion. I certainly hope she decides to let us all hang out there for a while. In Lyonya, King Kieri has entered a rough patch in his relationship with his elven grandmother, The Lady, who won't cooperate with him in the way he'd expected she would to help the elves and men of the kingdom grow closer and work together to defend it against external threats. All of the people around Kieri are urging him to marry and beget an heir, but he's finding it difficult to marry for merely political reasons. The rulers of Pargun and Kostandan have also sent two headstrong princesses for Kieri to "inspect", hoping for an alliance to be formed.
In Tsaia, the new Duke Verrakai, Dorrin, enlists the aid of the Girdish Marshalls to help her cleanse her townhome of evil left behind by its former occupants. Then she must return to her estates with some of her old mercenary cohort and get things in order there. There are still some of the old Verrakien magelords at large, and Dorrin is also charged by King Mikeli to find and neutralize them.
Arcolin wraps up his contract in the South, patrolling for bandits which he suspects are actually a covert army in the pay of Alured the ex-pirate, who intends to rule the world some day. He brings his cohort back to the North, where he is confirmed as the new Count, replacing Kieri. Sergeant Stammel has been left blind by his encounter with one of the body-switching magelords, but Arcolin is loath to discharge his veteran, so he keeps him with the cohort, where he finds tasks that don't require sight to keep him busy. Stammel, however, turns out to be a bit more than anyone bargained for.
When a perceived offense to the Pargunese princess sends its king on a mission of vengeance towards Kieri and his kingdom, things start to get twisty. Kieri has a brief window of opportunity to convince the princess' father that there was no insult, and to stop the invading army. The Parguns have a supernatural ally that has given them weapons of fire which could set the whole of Lyonya on fire, and it will take some supernatural intervention to stop it.
As this is all swirling around, Kieri finds his true love in an unexpected place, and his grandmother's disapproval of his choice may deprive him of his alliance with the elves when things are at their darkest. Paksennarion has followed the paladin's call and is completely missing from this part of the story.
The only thing wrong with this book was that it was over far too soon. Paksennarion fans will flat out love it.
In Tsaia, the new Duke Verrakai, Dorrin, enlists the aid of the Girdish Marshalls to help her cleanse her townhome of evil left behind by its former occupants. Then she must return to her estates with some of her old mercenary cohort and get things in order there. There are still some of the old Verrakien magelords at large, and Dorrin is also charged by King Mikeli to find and neutralize them.
Arcolin wraps up his contract in the South, patrolling for bandits which he suspects are actually a covert army in the pay of Alured the ex-pirate, who intends to rule the world some day. He brings his cohort back to the North, where he is confirmed as the new Count, replacing Kieri. Sergeant Stammel has been left blind by his encounter with one of the body-switching magelords, but Arcolin is loath to discharge his veteran, so he keeps him with the cohort, where he finds tasks that don't require sight to keep him busy. Stammel, however, turns out to be a bit more than anyone bargained for.
When a perceived offense to the Pargunese princess sends its king on a mission of vengeance towards Kieri and his kingdom, things start to get twisty. Kieri has a brief window of opportunity to convince the princess' father that there was no insult, and to stop the invading army. The Parguns have a supernatural ally that has given them weapons of fire which could set the whole of Lyonya on fire, and it will take some supernatural intervention to stop it.
As this is all swirling around, Kieri finds his true love in an unexpected place, and his grandmother's disapproval of his choice may deprive him of his alliance with the elves when things are at their darkest. Paksennarion has followed the paladin's call and is completely missing from this part of the story.
The only thing wrong with this book was that it was over far too soon. Paksennarion fans will flat out love it.
November 27, 2017
This is the second book in the Paladin’s Legacy series in the Paksenarrion universe and picks up right after Oath of Fealty. In this book the story focuses on new king Kieri Phelan and his efforts to prevent the invasion of Pargun and the attempts of the former pirate Alured to usurp both his throne and the new king of Tsaia.
There are plots and subplots, plenty of action and magic plus a number of surprises in the last several chapters. I saw a few of these twists coming but two of them were totally unexpected which set the stage for the next book very well.
Often times these “middle” novels are dull and mostly setup for the final book in the trilogy but in this case I actually liked this one better than the previous novel. I anticipate the third one - Echoes of Betrayal will be a race to the climax and I am anxious to read it now.
One of the talents that Moon has is the ability to write fantasy with the grit and realism that much fantasy leaves out. The world she has created here is very believable even when the fantasy elements appear. I am not saying high fantasy, where you know none of this is real, aren't fine when that is what you want but like good science fiction, I like my fantasy to be mostly believable and that is what you get in this series.
There are plots and subplots, plenty of action and magic plus a number of surprises in the last several chapters. I saw a few of these twists coming but two of them were totally unexpected which set the stage for the next book very well.
Often times these “middle” novels are dull and mostly setup for the final book in the trilogy but in this case I actually liked this one better than the previous novel. I anticipate the third one - Echoes of Betrayal will be a race to the climax and I am anxious to read it now.
One of the talents that Moon has is the ability to write fantasy with the grit and realism that much fantasy leaves out. The world she has created here is very believable even when the fantasy elements appear. I am not saying high fantasy, where you know none of this is real, aren't fine when that is what you want but like good science fiction, I like my fantasy to be mostly believable and that is what you get in this series.
April 24, 2023
After listening to many hours of the first book of the Paladin's Legacy by Elizabeth Moon, I went straight into listening to the many hours of the second book!
It took a little while for me to get into it, since the narrator was different and I didn't like her as much as the previous one - but that issue faded long before the audiobook was over.
It's a great world with great characters - I was particularly pleased by the continuation of Sergeant Stammel's arc, and I loved the way the disparate storylines started to come together by the end.
My only problem with the series is that there's an awful lot of characters travelling around, having adventures, then meeting up with different characters and telling them the stories of their adventures. The stories are generally summarised and compressed quite a lot, but it's still a fair amount of characters telling each other things the reader already knows.
There's also a bit of a deus ex machina in the climax, but that's mitigated by one of my favourite characters getting to be awesome at the same time.
So, since the third book in the series is back to being read by my preferred narrator - I'm going straight into the next one!
It took a little while for me to get into it, since the narrator was different and I didn't like her as much as the previous one - but that issue faded long before the audiobook was over.
It's a great world with great characters - I was particularly pleased by the continuation of Sergeant Stammel's arc, and I loved the way the disparate storylines started to come together by the end.
My only problem with the series is that there's an awful lot of characters travelling around, having adventures, then meeting up with different characters and telling them the stories of their adventures. The stories are generally summarised and compressed quite a lot, but it's still a fair amount of characters telling each other things the reader already knows.
There's also a bit of a deus ex machina in the climax, but that's mitigated by one of my favourite characters getting to be awesome at the same time.
So, since the third book in the series is back to being read by my preferred narrator - I'm going straight into the next one!
December 12, 2024
Audio, narrated by Susan Ericksen
At first I was pretty bummed by the change in narrator, but by the end of the book I had gotten over my initial irrational and came to appreciate her even cadences. (Though it was annoying to have names and places pronounced completely differently to the first one.)
This picks up almost immediately after the events in book one, continuing the three different stories of Dorrin, Arcolin, and Keiri. It was still a lot of day to day/logistics stuff, but there was more movement of the story and more action, which I appreciated.
I really enjoyed the world and the three main characters and the intrigue swirling around each of them. I have a feeling they are interconnected, though it still hasn’t come together yet. Looking forward to the next book.
At first I was pretty bummed by the change in narrator, but by the end of the book I had gotten over my initial irrational and came to appreciate her even cadences. (Though it was annoying to have names and places pronounced completely differently to the first one.)
This picks up almost immediately after the events in book one, continuing the three different stories of Dorrin, Arcolin, and Keiri. It was still a lot of day to day/logistics stuff, but there was more movement of the story and more action, which I appreciated.
I really enjoyed the world and the three main characters and the intrigue swirling around each of them. I have a feeling they are interconnected, though it still hasn’t come together yet. Looking forward to the next book.
July 12, 2019
Fine adventure
Great comrade-in-arms doings continue in this fantasy/feudal adventure series. We follow the new King Falkieri, Duke Kieri Phelan that was; ex-Captain Dorrin as she takes her New position as Duke; and Captain Arcolin, who now leads the Phelani cohorts. Can Dorrin find and destroy all the disguised, evil remnants of her family? How will Arcolin grow into his new role? The most challenges face the new King, including mysterious Elvish behaviors, sulky princesses, treachery, war, and love. My only complaint is the continued large role of literal dei-ex-machina.
Great comrade-in-arms doings continue in this fantasy/feudal adventure series. We follow the new King Falkieri, Duke Kieri Phelan that was; ex-Captain Dorrin as she takes her New position as Duke; and Captain Arcolin, who now leads the Phelani cohorts. Can Dorrin find and destroy all the disguised, evil remnants of her family? How will Arcolin grow into his new role? The most challenges face the new King, including mysterious Elvish behaviors, sulky princesses, treachery, war, and love. My only complaint is the continued large role of literal dei-ex-machina.
August 27, 2021
While this was a solid installment in the series, I didn’t think it was as well written as its predecessor. The romance aspect kind of came out of nowhere and felt a bit forced. I have to admit I raised my eyebrows at it. I also felt like we didn’t get enough of Dorrin and Arcolin’s viewpoints. I did, however, enjoy Count Andressat and Arvid’s narratives. I would have been very interested to read more from their perspectives. Overall though I enjoyed it and will be continuing on to the next book.
In addition, I have to question the horrible cover art. I don’t understand why the cover illustration features a Fabio lookalike as Phelan.
In addition, I have to question the horrible cover art. I don’t understand why the cover illustration features a Fabio lookalike as Phelan.
May 17, 2023
Repetitive and slow-paced with one of the least romantic "romances" ever.
King has to marry but can't find a wife...
You know, if they had had a single conversation in the months they worked together before this exchange, I would have been more willing to accept them as a couple in love, but then the author wouldn't have had time for a side character to tell the same story to everyone in the book. Priorities, people!
King has to marry but can't find a wife...
You know, if they had had a single conversation in the months they worked together before this exchange, I would have been more willing to accept them as a couple in love, but then the author wouldn't have had time for a side character to tell the same story to everyone in the book. Priorities, people!
July 23, 2023
As with Oath of Fealty, it's incredibly hard to score Kings of the North. It was by no means bad but didn't quite hold the same suspense as the previous book so I'm gonna leave it at 4 stars. The story expands on the multi-storyline seeds planted before it and truly roots the characters in the new roles in the world they have landed themselves in, with some new intrigue building up the third book of Paladin's Legacy. Like before, there's a very good balance of politics, duty and personal relationships, this time with an expanded focus on foreign relations.
March 9, 2018
I am a big fan of fantasy novels especially if they are long and have several books in the series. I really enjoy a series of books that I can immerse myself in and this series allows me to do that. The story has many fascinating twists and turns and I find the characters to be very engaging. I first discovered these books years ago in a used book shop in Edinburgh and I have re-read them several times since.
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