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After pitched battle, betrayal, and escape, Kaia Steelflower has enough gold to feed her troupe of outcasts through the winter. She can settle them in a small villa in Antai, that queen of maritime cities, and look forward to welcome boredom.

Unfortunately, there’s a pirate-infested sea to cross, her difficult new talents to corral, her traveling companions’ problems to solve, a princeling’s attentions to manage, and once in Antai, people keep trying to kill her. Or, more precisely, assassinate the barbarian Redfist, and Kaia keeps getting in the way.

Even the Steelflower can’t kill every assassin in the city. It’s going to take all her sharp wits—and sharper blades—to even try…

190 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2017

42 people are currently reading
209 people want to read

About the author

Lilith Saintcrow

132 books4,513 followers
Lilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.

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5 stars
90 (30%)
4 stars
114 (38%)
3 stars
79 (26%)
2 stars
15 (5%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Mara.
2,537 reviews270 followers
January 16, 2018
I gobbled down in bit and pieces while writing that damn dissertation. Waited too long for it. :)
I really must read it again for a review.
But it's her voice, people. No doubt. Kaia is finally back with her self doubts and her luck :)

Just one warning. This isn't book 2, this is book 2, part one. At exactly 160 pages it's not a novella, but it is a short novel that has no resolution. It's Kaia at the city where she meets a problem that will be dealt in next book. Imagine Steelflower ending at Volfertown without the final trip and battles.

It is not a cliffhanger, but it feel unresolved, as the story isn't finished. (Or maybe after so long, I did wish for a stronger story with more meat on its bones :D)

Given this is an unpaid project she's self publishing I'm really hoping there will be book 3 (and then 4 and 5 can't forget her homeland....).

[update 2018]

...or maybe not :/

There is a third Steelflower book in my production schedule this year, and hopefully I’ll be able to work on it between other projects. I would at least like to get through the Highlands War; after that, I think I can let the further tale of Kaia and D’ri’s eventual journey back to G’maihallan remain unwritten.

A lot will depend on if Steelflower 2 & 3 sell in paper, frankly. But I love Kaia, and eventually, the Highlands War will have its tale told.

http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/2018/0...


So basically we might eventually get part 2 of book 2, aka book 3, but we will never be able to read the full trilogy and its conclusion. Get that readers, and by the way if you complain about the lack of ebook edition you are an entitled pirate. *shakes head*
Kettle meet pot...
Profile Image for Linda.
1,593 reviews
August 6, 2019
3.5 stars

I’m really glad Saintcrow has continued Kaia’s story. The first book was so good it begged for a sequel. This one begins shortly after the first book ended, and I really enjoyed how Kaia has started to accept that she is adai and that Darik is her twin. I still have been frustrated, though, by how stubbornly she clings to her denials and to her belief that her people kicked her out despite others’ stories that refuted this. But I suppose her pig-headedness is an integral part of her character, so I will try to remain as patient as Darik.

I found I had a little less patience with the sometimes flowery and too often (in my opinion) clunky descriptions of setting and action. All too frequently, I had to stop and reread paragraphs, not because they were so wonderful but because I couldn’t tell what they were trying to say. I don’t recall having this same issue with the first book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story and definitely will read the next book of Kaia and her friends’ adventures.
Profile Image for DemetraP.
5,848 reviews
November 13, 2017
I've been waiting for this sequel for a long time, I think 8 years. It was worth the wait.

I enjoyed Kai'a and her companions. Kai'a is learning how to use her magic and developing her relationship with her s'tarei (life mate) I liked all the action scenes.

I took off 1 star because I'm getting a little tired of Steelflower constantly comparing herself to Janiere and her "perfect dress" and "perfect features" and "perfect picture of what an adai (elvish woman) should be" Steelflower even thinks to herself I said I wasn't going to compare myself to her anymore and she is still doing it.

Also, the author has a habit of hinting at something, leaving it vague, and then a few pages later explaining what happened. This is awkward, and I had to flip back and forth a few times. For example, she meets an innkeeper who is an old friend of hers and we're told he's not wearing his bracelets that used to cover his scars. So I thought as a reader he had tried to commit suicide or something. Instead, a few pages later we find out he was in slave chains before.

The author does the same thing when it comes to her relationship with D'rik (her elvish life mate) at one point she opens her door to him and says he can sleep on the floor. Later on in the book, she opens her door and you find out a few pages later what happened, in passing. I thought the change in their relationship deserved a little more page time and maybe they could have TALKED more. It feels like she is constantly making assumptions. "I'm not good enough for him because I'm a sellsword and not very feminine." He has told her over and over she's perfect for him. Eh.

Also, the constant histories of words in different fictional languages got confusing. Kai'a would think about a word for death, or being stabbed in the death, and spend 4 sentences explaining how in G'mai (Elvish) or Pesh or trade tongue there is not an equivalent word. I felt like I was getting language lessons throughout the book. It kept distracting me from the plot.

And some words that it would have been very important to learn, like when Redfist says Kai'a is his skalndir? spelling? the meaning is very explained to us. But whatever the word means, he beat up his friend for insulting Kai'a.

Overall, I really enjoyed this sequel. I like all the characters and secondary characters. I eagerly await the 3rd book, Steelflower in Snow. The author's blog says she is hoping for late 2018 for book 3. The excerpt of book 3 looks really good. It looks like Redfist and Kai'a and D'rik all go to Redfist's homeland to face his evil half brother.

Note: right now this book, Steelflower at Sea, is only available in paperback. The author has not mentioned a release date for an ebook.

Also, her blog says she is hoping for a late 2018 release for book 3, Steelflower in Snow.
Profile Image for Debrac2014.
2,335 reviews20 followers
December 8, 2017
Good but with a "to be continued" ending. I'm so glad the author decided to continue the series!
26 reviews
December 15, 2017
I was so scared that I would read this, and just be disillusioned with the steelflower, I read the first book about 4, 4.5 years ago, and I was one of those die hard fans who loved it, and re-read it every once in while. That being said, it had been a while since my last read, and I wasn't sure who the second book would be with more adultish eyes.

Overall, I liked the book- It gave me more kaia which I wanted, but there were definitely some things i noted:

- the first sentence in the book.. I spent like 10 minutes (kid you not) trying to understand it. eventually I just gave it up as a bad job, and moved on- but the book was filled with these overly decriptive sentences that I couldn't make heads or tails off. It didn't bother me too much, because I sort of got the gist of things, but it was annoying trying to understand the sentence syntax, and repeating it in my head multiple times to try to understand the words.

- the lack of details regarding kaia, and darik's relationship- she invites him to her room, and that's it. Like it doesn't get personal, and i don't get that because it's 2017, sex is normal, and a part of the relationship, and it's really weird when authors just brush over that. I've seen that in older books, like 80- 90's circa, or kid's books, but in 2017 it's weird.

- There were also a lot of times where they stopped talking, or had misunderstandings even though they had the opportunity to talk, but did not use it. But I don't really begrudge them that, because maybe it's the usual for their relationship, and neither of them open up easily. That said, that fact especially made me want some of darik's perspective, and I really wanted to know more of his side of the story.

- the length, oh god the length. I knew going in that it was a short book, i did. but then I started reading it, and as it went by, I was praying there would be more stuff to read before it ended (does that make sense?). it was just too short- I think especially because of the publishing struggles, and the 4 year wait I would have appreciated a longer book, and one that resolved the current issues- i.e. redfist's story, and then maybe a third book about them going back to gmaihallan. (probably just dreams at this point). Again that said, the book ended well, and thankfully not on cliffhanger (or else i would have killed somebody).

It was a really good book, and a fast read, and it gave you so much of paranoid, suspicious kaia that you felt content, but I can't rate it more than a 3.5 because so much of it (the events, character, and relationship development) hinges on the second part of it.

Here's hoping it comes out in less than 4 years.
Profile Image for Eileen.
5 reviews3 followers
January 1, 2018
Great book! I loved stepping back into Kaia's world. Kaia is a an awesome flawed-but-honorable heroine, just the right combination of strong and vulnerable. The world building in this series is excellent, the story line continues to be interesting and the additional characters subtly intriguing. Many thanks to Lilith Saintcrow for returning to this series and not missing a beat.
Profile Image for Debby Tiner.
508 reviews8 followers
September 29, 2024
It’s been too long since I read book 1 in this series, but that did not deter me from reading book 2 when I found it. At my old library, it was impossible to get.

I have always liked Saintcrow (and her numerous pseudonyms) and this series is no exception. I love the bond between characters and how she does a good job writing strong female characters who nevertheless still have to depend on others at times.

I’m also massively impressed at the level of commitment it took to invent SO MANY languages for this series.

Also the covers are gorgeous.

And who doesn’t like fantasy about thieves and assassins with a slow-burn romance with a prince who thinks the MC is perfect as she is?
Profile Image for Bob.
66 reviews
March 14, 2019
I played the following character through this adventure. Risus the Anything RPG. Skills: Beastmaster 4, Shapechanger 4, Healer 2. I did acquire daggers, poisons, lockpicks, flint, and steel. I did roll for advancement . . . did not happen.
Profile Image for leslie r orr.
82 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2018
The continuing adventures of Steelflower this time at sea and to winter at her Guild. Sounds boring but it's Steelflower
Nothing is boring around her, dangerous and deadly but not boring. Well written as always; my only complaint is it ended
too soon, too quickly and continued......hopefully it we beg nicely # 3 will appear. Please please.......
Profile Image for Kate.
113 reviews44 followers
December 11, 2017
Waited forever for this to come out, and now get to wait again (hopefully not as long) for the next installation.

A good read.
335 reviews24 followers
August 18, 2018
The best opening paragraphs I've ever read!!
The rest is the usual excellence, but that start! All the senses,
wow!
Profile Image for Matt.
166 reviews
October 30, 2018
I really enjoyed the original Steelflower and to hear it was finally getting a sequel some ten years after the first book was published was pretty exciting.

I enjoyed a return to the universe of the book seeing more of the characters but it wasn't really a full complete story more of a bridge tale a mechanism to take where the story ended in steelflower remove some of the characters and then reorient it so the next book could happen.

It was still a fun ride but not as fulfilling as a full story would have been. It also felt like Kaia was in parts falling back on behaviours she seemed to have moved past in the previous book freaking out and thinking everyone hated her and she isn't worthy then sulking alone without saying anything. Still this seems like a prelude to more books in the series so that's not a bad thing I just hope the author gets back in the groove for these stories and the next books are more complete.
Profile Image for Allie S..
3 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2023
Kaia’s adventures continue in Steelflower in Sea. I love this follow up to Steelflower, and just finished another re-read of it, to even greater enjoyment. In this story we follow Kaia as she leads her group to safety in new lands, while she attempts to adjust to the many changes and shocks in her life. She thought she had been shunned by her people, lacking both Power, the gifts of female adai, as well as a s’tarei, her twin. She has been wandering alone for the past twelve years, but all of sudden, her s’tarei finds her, she discovers that she did have Power all along, and she has a whole group of people who have attached themselves to her, whom she feels responsible for. Here, we see her having to confront the uncomfortable realization that what she thought were certain truths about herself for years were wrong, and how she has to learn how to be a part of a group again, after she has spent so long holding herself apart from others. In addition, she has to navigate her own relationship with Darik, which is complicated by nature of the twinbond. Kaia deals with the world with an avoidant style, by carefully keeping people at a distance. She learns she cannot shut Darik out, although we see her taking refuge in going back to old ways at the beginning of the novel when she was overwhelmed, and at the same time she feels shakily unworthy of him. And then it turns out that there is danger in Antai as well, and Kaia must see her group safely through it. I think the author does a wonderful job showing Kaia’s emotional journey in this one, and the world building is fantastic as always. Kaia is trying her best, and she takes on the mantle of protecting and leading her group, but she is still lonely because despite her good intentions she comes across as cold and abrasive to her companions. It’s naturally understandable why they don’t yet understand Kaia, and I’m hoping so much that she learns to trust them and open herself to them. I’d love to learn more about the other characters, this book has hinted at hidden depths and it would be great to learn their stories too. Overall, this was a wonderful continuation of Kaia’s story, and I highly recommend giving the series a try! P.S. Ms. Saintcrow is currently writing the fourth Steelflower novel through Patreon. The series was paused for a long time because of e-book piracy and theft, but she recently returned to this series to the surprise and delight of many readers. If you’d like to support the author and read the latest steelflower novel, please consider subscribing to her Patreon to receive weekly updates.
Profile Image for Sarani Rangarajan.
370 reviews4 followers
November 27, 2018
The sequel is not as good as Steelflower.
For one thing, it feels like there was a longer book, and the author decided to chop this one where it was for reasons that make no sense while reading this book, but will probably make sense if there ever was a third.
Second, I always assumed that Kaia was not serious about never going back to G'maihallan. Or at least, that circumstances would force her back. But in this one... her choices make far less sense to me than they did in Steelflower. I don't know why. Perhaps the description of the debt and the motivation was clearer in Steelflower.
Third, it's still very good. I just hope that the story resolves in a circle (instead of drifting away), in the third book.
Profile Image for Mindi.
326 reviews
March 20, 2019
Wow, this was hardly worth the wait. After the first books 700 pages of interesting yet tedious emotional turmoil, suddenly we're right back where we started. With an uncertain heroine who can't get over herself and a bunch of side characters who can't do anything on their own. And 160 pages??!?? That's it?! Way to write a quarter of the story and give up. I love this world and the idea of Kaia and Darik, but come on, make some progress already. And not this confusing silence where no one talks, the weird are-they-having-sex-or-aren't-they bullshit, and the sentences that make no sense type of progress. This sequel was a bit weird and more than a bit confusing, and it would have been nice if it was an actual novel, and not a longish novella.
Profile Image for John A. Sillasen.
359 reviews4 followers
October 22, 2020
The Steelflower Chronicles Continuing Saga - Directly Following Steelflower

Where the first tail leaves off, this one begins and so on. The battle rages on through a sea journey to what Kai'a expects to be a sage haven for wintering. Armed with a chest of gold from her services in the first salvo of an uprising, a debt paid as she walks away from more war. Fool me once shame on you, thrice and all blood debts are paid in full. Her battle lead decries she is his luck. And it will leave with her. Mayhap as the slang may go but one too many assassins paid for by her leader is two too many.
So why are so many assassins attacking her in her Winter safe haven? You will have to read that for yourself! Me? I'm on to the next in the saga!
2,323 reviews2 followers
October 11, 2020
Novella that proceeds almost immediately from the first. The crew head overseas and meet with both adventure and politics. The major problem is an unexplained time problem that has to be viewed as a major plot hole. They sale for weeks overseas. Yet somehow news has reached folks in the new town about what happened with the end of the revolt that was just starting at the end of the last book. That's too big a problem to ignore, but other than that it's a good follow up.
1,084 reviews
November 22, 2018
Not worth the wait

After waiting this was incredibly frustrating. We still have a petulant child hurting those who care about her. The constant self doubt and lack of movement in their relationship is beyond frustrating. Narrative arcs need to progress. This wasn’t a story but a novella and not a very good one. Skip it.
Profile Image for Nicole Luiken.
Author 20 books169 followers
June 13, 2023
I knew I wouldn't be able to resist book two for long. Kaia Steelflower is a great character, tough and competent but with vulnerabilities and blind spots. (Kaia has what I'll call outcast trauma, similar to Moon in Martha Wells much beloved Raksura books) Lovely found family and a fast-paced, high action read.
10 reviews
March 7, 2019
Love the Series

Love the Steelflower series. This book was fast paced, with a lot of action. Less character development, but it was so fun to get right back in to the story. I can't wait for the third book!
Profile Image for William Howe.
1,801 reviews88 followers
July 24, 2019
No movement

The plot advanced by a hair. The characters are largely the same as before. Nothing really happened.

The world building is top notch, the writing is complex, and the characters are deep. And nothing really happened.
1 review
November 29, 2018
Disappointing

Loved the first. Struggled to finish this one. There was no fun, no humor and it read pretty much as a setup for the next
Profile Image for Michelle David.
2,554 reviews14 followers
December 18, 2018
Another voyage

Kaia Steelflower’s journeys continue as do her troubles and enemies abound. This is a good book and I enjoyed it but I hate when books end on a cliffhanger.
5 reviews
June 20, 2019
Did not disappoint

Fascinated by this series. Love how no one is perfect, but all are loveable. I need the minstrel to survive-- he is my favorite.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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