Time of Daughters II

Time of Daughters #2

by Sherwood Smith

In a time of rising danger, women go to war, and ghosts walk the walls...


In the second volume of TIME OF DAUGHTERS, a few years have passed since the bloody change of regime in a disintegrating kingdom.
Threats from the border become raids, led by an idle noble with an eye to kingship. The two princes, Noddy and Connar, newly emerged from the military academy, are dispatched to patrol the troubled area until they find themselves under attack.

Their loyalty to one another is strong, but what happens when one brother discovers a taste for war and the other a loathing for it?

Matters of love and marriage tangle up with the menace of war. But the greatest threat of all comes when the world’s strongest army faces enemies from within--watched by the ghosts who walk the walls.

This concludes the epic story of politics, war, family and magic in the beloved world of Sartorias-deles.

Genres: Fantasy

677 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2019

About the author

I am a writer,( Patreon here) but I'm on Goodreads to talk about books, as I've been a passionate reader as long as I've been a writer--since early childhood.

I'm not going to rate books--there are too many variables. I'd rather talk about the reading experience. My 'reviews' of my books are confined to the writing process.

Reviews

[Sherwood Smith]

This new release, TIME OF DAUGHTERS I (and yesterday, the second half) began as a flashback in the middle of an incident way up the timeline. The flashback kept opening trapdoors: a summary needed to be a scene, a scene led to arc. When I had a handful of these, I thought, make the flashback epistolary! No longer than novelette, novella length at most, spread over the entire project, that’ll work, right?

But. Being a visual writer, once I’d slid from writing the letters to the minds of the letter writers, I crashed into their lives, their world, and, uh, emerged a year and a half and two books later. * Kaff * long books. The characters I got involved with most were the ‘ordinary’ individuals—the ones whose names never make it into history books, but who still influence events. Whether they are aware of it or not.

The whole leading up to an ending that felt a lot like Shostakovich’s 11th.

My favorite white fire projects are the ones that completely write themselves. But other times a project can turn into a white fire. TIME OF DAUGHTERS did.

The problem with white fire projects is that the writer is so deeply invested they might assume automatic investment on the part of readers. I’ve found that white fire projects usually need a whole lot more redrafting, and tightening, than projects with more frontbrain involvement.

I had to redraft this one a lot. It’s up to readers to decide if it was enough.

[Francesca Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second half of Sherwood Smith’s novel set in the martial land of Marlovan Iasca, about a century after the time of the great hero Inda (a principal character in her teratology of that name).

Structurally, the novel takes you through a series of battles as the kingdom is threatened in different ways and directions: these are all brilliant—and harrowing. People act foolishly or thoughtlessly and have to face the full consequences. Sometimes people pull off amazing feats of survival and heroism—and sometimes these are celebrated, and sometimes they’re belittled or barely acknowledged. I was all in, emotionally. Although you continue to be involved with many characters, the through thread is most definitely Prince Connar. The story’s a battle for his soul, which in other hands might be reduced to a nature/nurture conflict or a good influences/bad influences conflict, but Sherwood’s not doing that: she’s showing **all** the things that go into making a person who they are. There’s your nature, there are the things that influence you, but there’s also when things happen, and the order in which things happen; there’s how other people reflect things back to you; there’s accident.

And other people are growing and changing too, in themselves and in their relationships with others. Nursing grudges or growing out of them is a theme. Two characters whose trajectories were interesting to watch were Fish Perenth, Connar’s personal runner, who started out his time back in Volume I as a sullen and unwilling sneak but grows quite a bit, and another is Cabbage Gannon, who starts out a bully but becomes someone who earns the love of the people he’s responsible for. Lineas remains a reliable delight whose approach to interacting with people I found myself trying to model at times. Her kindness to a deeply damaged (and terrifying) person near the end of the story brought me to tears. There are some very painful character deaths, too, which you feel particularly sharply for the pain their loss causes to others.

One thing that the book gets you thinking about is what makes a good king and how we feel about heroes. Although Connar is awful in many ways, he has the charisma that people love in a leader (he also works very hard at becoming one—he’s not a “natural,” though he has stunning good looks, and that always helps). His brother Noddy, by contrast, isn’t much at all to look at and gives an impression of being slow because he takes his time with stuff, but he’s much more the type of person most civilians would like to live under.

I hope more people I know will read this so I'll be able to talk to them about it!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me how much I love this author and how much I love the world she's created and shared with us. I love reading about this world because of the well-developed cultures and detailed history it has.

But the characters are even better than the world-building. The characters have such unique personalities and believable motivations, so I truly believe what I am reading. I never feel like the author has done something "just because" - though it may be layered and complex, there is always a reason.

This is a long book with a long arc, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it has me wanting to do a reread of all the other books set in this world (and hoping more will be published soon!) These two books are set about 100 years or so after the Inda books, and it's interesting to see how people understand and interpret their own history.

[Viva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book with substance

This is a follow up to the India series written with the same care in developing a character driven plot. The storytelling is excellent and the world building consistent. The two segments of Time of Daughters read as a single narrative (perhaps broken up to publish faster?). This duology is strong enough to stand alone.
An enjoyable read strongly recommended.

[Rebekah Conley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second half of a two-part series set in Marloven Hess, 100 years after the Inda series. The first book followed the current king & queen, Arrow and Danet, gaining the throne and attempting to restore peace and order to the kingdom after several bloody assassinations, and the birth and growing-up years of their three children. This book opens five years after the end of the first half, and primarily follows the two princes and their young commanders, now in their late twenties and early thirties, as the balance of power shifts from the aging parents to their children.

I enjoyed reading this series a great deal - Sherwood is at her best when she weaves together plots from the threads of many lives, and she certainly does that here. Though the cast is the typical large one with everyone sharing the same half-dozen names, her nicknames and excellent characterization meant that I never got too lost among the characters. I was particularly fond of Lineas, Quill, Braids Senelaec, and Fish Pereth among the supporting cast, and really enjoyed finding out a little more about favorite characters from the Inda series.

Something Sherwood also does quite well is frank discussions of love, sex, disability, and emotions. There is quite a bit of Deaf and transgender representation in this series that I thought was rather well-done, and sexual attraction and freedom is handled in a very relaxed, modern way that still seems very natural in her universe.

Despite loving the universe, characters, and a lot of the plot in this series, I was astonished and frankly rather upset by the way the story ended. One of the reasons I enjoy Sherwood so much is because she writes realistic characters in an idealistic fantasy world, and like Tolkien her plots always seem to point to higher ideals of truth, justice, and love. This ending felt like the conclusion of a George RR Martin or Joe Abercrombie novel, where everything is shades of dark grey and people will be awful just because they can. Others might enjoy this more, but I don't know that I'll read this again.

**Some spoilers below***

One of the primary characters is depicted as conflicted and proud, but good-hearted and trying to do their best, throughout the story. They make mistakes several times, and are shown to have less than perfect motivations, but work hard to overcome this. This characterization stays largely the same right up until about the last 200 pages of the story, when this character takes an abrupt left turn into being completely amoral and disturbingly evil. Several smaller plot threads I found very interesting were dropped entirely at this point, as the book then focuses sharply on the consequences of this character's actions. Once the consequences occur, the story is wrapped up in about two pages of summary "over the next thirty years..." and most of the interesting plot developments are either wiped out or reversed, except for the ones you just never hear any more about.

[Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m torn about a review on this book. On the one hand the world building and characterization were excellent. It felt real and alive and possible.

On the other hand- there was some book bloat going on, the same story could have been told in a neater, tighter story with less tangents. I’m not always against tangents in stories but some of these side stories were a bit of a snore and I found myself skimming to get back to the characters I was interested in.

But I think my biggest misgiving on this book is the message behind it. Spoiler alert! That no matter what happens to a person they can’t escape their genetic destiny. The main character was born to 2 selfish people who acted completely without conscience or morals. And even though he was raised by two good, strong examples and never met his birth parents he still ended up a psychopathic amoral individual. So free choice and good parenting seems to be irrelevant here.......I really can’t agree with the message here

[Erin DeLaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second half of this series, picks up right where the previous ended. Continuation of many of the same themes. As always Sherwood Smith is brilliant at writing an antagonist who is both reprehensible and extremely sympathetic.

[Ay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was only after I read Banner of the Damned that I understood what the reference it the title was about.

This duology is great. Recommend.

All these series within a series do not require reading the previous series. So far in my reading of them anyway. Smith is excellent at dropping in bits of information as needed.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always when I finish a Sherwood Smith book, I find myself at a loss for words and unsure of where to even begin unwrapping what happened and my feelings about it. Time of Daughters II is a long book. I had to chip away bit by bit, because, one, I knew something terrible was bound to happen to someone I cared about soon(there are so many characters to care about!) and two, because there is so much detail. Finishing it was in some ways a relief, because it's over, but also sadness because god only knows where Banner of the Damned will pick up the arc next.



I liked part II better than part I, mostly because I've had more time with the characters by then. I enjoyed seeing Danet come into her own as a steely-eyed queen, but was still ambivalent towards Arrow. He had his demons, but I really think he did the best he could. And thank god he had Danet.

I enjoyed following the younger generation more though. Right away, I thought Noddy would be a good king, if Connar would let him live. The sad thing about Connar is that he could have been a great shield arm, supporting his brother, if only Hauth had never gotten to him. But another part of me thinks he always had blood thirsty tendencies and it was always going to end poorly.

He encouraged the taking of scalps. He had no concerns about the loss of life involved in taking Adrani. He outright murdered two people (though there was a strange sort of justice in him killing Hauth, who had been trying to get Connar to kill his own family for years) and ordered the assassinations of countless others (all those Noth deaths!). Plus, he burned the drawing of his daughter just because Lineas, his former lover, drew it. Not a good look.

Ultimately, he became king without having to murder anyone. Try as I might, I could never bring myself to completely hate Connar. He was selfish and impulsive, but he loved his father, his mother and brother. He wasn't a good king though. He gave in to his worst impulses and there was no one to stop him. Well, except for Ranet. She stopped him. I knew it had to be done for the betterment of the kingdom, but it still hurt.

In typical Sherwood Smith fashion, the ending was bittersweet. I was so glad to see that Lineas and Quill have a happy ending. And Fish, if anyone deserved a happy ending it was him. On the other hand, more territories broke apart from the kingdom and Noddy’s heir essential rolled back sixty years of peace and progress. But, I guess you can’t think about history and politics that way. Those things can't be held in the same state indefinitely, they're fluid. There is nothing to hold onto. Connar tried to make things the way they’d been in Inda’s day, and look where that got him.

The simplification and rewriting of Inda's history was hard to read. It was also hard to realize how tormented he really was and the struggles passed on to future generations. Noren literally tricked Noddy by never becoming pregnant just to stop the mental illness in her family. Another example of the long thinking of women in this world. I won't lie, I almost had a heart attack when I thought about Bun using Noren's "gerda" and her and Rat never getting to have a child. Noren's deception was never found out, but Bun and Rat's happiness was short-lived.

Speaking of the role women play, I don’t think Braids would have ever ceded command to Niet, a woman, if he'd been raised as a man. Side note, I would have liked more Braids content.



The approach to gender fluidity and sexual orientation in this series is refreshing. It continues to be a shock to me that more people aren't talking about it.

Another common theme was the nature of orders - sometimes they are easy to follow, sometimes not. Sometimes they are a relief and sometimes they are a burden. And sometimes you have to know when to not follow them, even though you know the cost. Multiple characters made mention of orders.
Quill wrote of it in his letters to Lineas when his report never made it to the king. Ghost and Stick invoked it when they had doubts about Connar’s inclusion of Jeth in the chain of command. Lineas mentioned it while she was spying. And even Moonbeam was following orders.

Another theme was the idea civilization. To paraphrase Connar's and Quill's conversation outside the gates of Elsarion, "They think we’re stupid." "No, they think we’re barbarians. There’s a difference."
I can't remember who, but someone made the comment that wars set back civilizations. The Iascans mocked the Marlovans by stripping their castles bare before handing them over, and the Marlovans were totally unaware that the spare walls were intentional. Seonrei did come away with a different perception of civilization and barbarity after her visit to Marlovan Iasca; that the simulation of civility can be barbaric in nature, also, that where can be an air of civility in the simplicity of barbarity.



Final random thoughts:

I thought it was an interesting choice that nothing came of Andas. Jeth never tried to tried to kill him, but he did try to frame him for Arrow's death. Curious why he or his children (if there were any) were passed over as Noddy's heirs in favor of his cousin's child.

The removal of the family and name Yanavayir was shocking. More so considering Hawkeye’s sacrifice in the Inda series. It will be lost to history due to Pony's disgrace. Poor Manther. He demoted himself and fought at his lover's, side. Thank god he had Ghost, because I was really worried that he was going to do something stupid to get himself killed.



I keep trying to figure out who the narrator is. I almost wonder if Fox is writing this account, especially since mention of Norsunder was made? Maybe he found his way there after all? Joined Ramis? Speaking of Fox and his descendants, it's hard to believe that Quill is the eight generation and that the ten generation exile is almost over. I wonder if this will be a theme in the next book?

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
While re-reading the Inda quartet, I realized that one of the reasons I love those books so much is that nearly every character who changes over the course of the books does so for the better. It is why, despite the brutality of the world that the characters inhabit, the books ultimately feel optimistic. Witnessing Connor's downfall in Time of Daughters made it clear that this is not simply the path on which Sherwood Smith sets her characters. There is a reason why Inda's characters improve, while Connor and many of those around him become increasingly bloodthirsty and callous. I think what Sherwood Smith is showing through these books is the power of both nature and influence. Because of his mother, Inda is raised with unquestioning love and loyalty and his compassion and earnestness spread to nearly all who come into contact with him. Although Connor is also raised with love, he is poisoned by the ambitions of his mentor and his own deep insecurities. He has the opportunity to change through the influence of Noddy, Rat, and Lineas, but there is simply too much conspiring against him. Both book series are nuanced and truly take the time to explore the complexities of their characters. While I suspect the Inda books will always give me more joy, I loved Time of Daughters, too.

[Melody Haller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Massive, absorbing saga burdened with poor editing and naming

Good side: Loved the intriguing shifts in cultural perspectives and the world crafting. Downside: The author's naming conventions for the vast cast of characters is absolutely bizarre, with each character having multiple names which are frequently reused for other unrelated characters. Further, it appears to have been rushed to publication with dozens of word errors and the worst page formatting I've ever seen. In brief, it was interesting but exhausting.

That said, it feels horrible to be negative because I certainly couldn't have written a book this good.

[Thea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this one as much as I did the first part. Granted, it was 675 pages and I finished it in 4-5 days, so it wasn't a slog. I still really enjoy the setting and character development for the most part. But I did get quite frustrated with the villain. We spent a lot of time in his POV and I wanted other characters to wise up to him and check his power sooner. I think that's largely a taste thing. That said, now I do really wanna go back and re-read Crown Duel, Stranger to Command, and the Inda books again.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am amazed by how in depth Smith gets with her timelines, characters, and plots. I loved reading this. As with the first part this one contains mentions of sex, mild language, and quite a bit of violence.

[Siavahda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compulsively readable and deliciously LONG - I've missed big doorstopper books, and loved how there were so many things here that could have been the climax of other stories, but here came like waves on a shore.

Continue to absolutely adore this universe!

[aj · Rating 5 out of 5]

moonbeam come back lemme kiss your forehead

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely more earthy than Crown Duel! I appreciated the many inclusive relationships.



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(Contains violence and murder)

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I said it was difficult for me to get my hands on these books, I wasn't factoring in that I couldn't go the bookstore. Many, many thanks to my local indie for delivering this straight to my doorstep.

Time of the Daughters II is a continuation of Time of the Daughters I, which I read at Christmas. By now I'm fairly familiar with the families in Marlovan Hessa. I know a lot of people have complaints about trying to keep track of everyone, but I have not had that struggle with Sherwood Smith's books. Part of it, I think, is that there is always enough information when a character is introduced or re-introduced to connect them to plot events I remember happening.

It's a slow book, and this is not bad. Time is needed between readings to digest what happened, the ramifications, what happened to lead up to this event. Trying to read the whole book without digesting and seeing how the whole tangled web is effected will ruin some people's enjoyment of the book. But it's up to the reader to recognize what each book needs to be appreciated properly.

Time of Daughters I focuses very much on Danet although there are alternating perspectives telling the information that is needed. Time of Daughters II focuses very much on Connar, but it does so in such a subtle way that by the time I noticed it was focusing on Connar I a) could not figure out why and b) wanted to see more of Noddy and Noren (my heart kept on breaking for Noren) . I think because Danet focuses on all three of her children, the lack of focus on Noddy and Bunny felt off. I understand why, reading the ending, that the focus is on Connar, but everyone was so fleshed out in Time of Daughters I that it was like reaching into a cupboard to find something missing when Noddy and Bunny weren't dealt with as much.

I like how the afterword deals with a question I have been having for a while.

It was also really nice to learn about the Night of Knives, similar to learning about the Night of Four Kings. It's amazing to see, as we learned in Banner of the Damned, how history can be distorted and shifted into the purpose of the teller. I don't think the women did anything wrong in the Night of Knives, and I don't think that taking women out of the academy solved anything. It was not their academy training that trained them to do so, it was the fact that they had a conscience.

How my heart cried when they took Hawkeye's shield. It really is a lesson in humility to see how Hawkeye, who tried to prove himself so hard that he lead a ridiculous charge to save the day is simply removed from history because of the actions of one stupid brat.

[Commodore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think there’s a “moral lesson” in Connar’s character, just a very clear arc of one person poisoning him in childhood and other people being happy to continue that work (even if for different reasons), mingling with Connar’s own need to prove himself worthy and feelings of inadequacy, filtered through what his culture values. I think I liked Inda’s story more, but I enjoyed this as a waypoint in history, what’s changed in the 700 years since Inda’s time, what isn’t going to stay in a few hundred years for Shevraeth’s time.

Also in reading all these Sherwood Smith novels, I love that someone imagined a fantasy world and said, “actually, rape and general sexual menace are completely unheard of here. Women can’t even get pregnant if they don’t explicitly want to.” It’s such a relief after so many gritty dark fantasies that rely on the brutalization of women to prop up that this world is cruel (except it somehow never comes up at the all male Wall even though it’d definitely be happening there too, George) that Smith was like, “it’s my fantasy setting and I get to make the rules. No rape. Period.”