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The Songs of the Drowned #2
The Jaguar Path
The Empire of Songs reigns supreme. Across all the lands of Ixachipan, its hypnotic, magical music sounds. Those who battled against the Empire have been enslaved and dispersed, taken far from their friends and their homes.
In the Singing City, Xessa must fight for the entertainment of her captors. Lilla and thousands of warriors are trained to serve as weapons for their enemies. And Tayan is trapped at the heart of the Empire’s power and magic, where the ruthless Enet’s ambition is ever growing.
Each of them harbours a secret hope, waiting for a chance to strike at the Empire from within.
But first they must overcome their own desires. Power can seduce as well as crush. And, in exchange for their loyalty, the Empire promises much.
In the Singing City, Xessa must fight for the entertainment of her captors. Lilla and thousands of warriors are trained to serve as weapons for their enemies. And Tayan is trapped at the heart of the Empire’s power and magic, where the ruthless Enet’s ambition is ever growing.
Each of them harbours a secret hope, waiting for a chance to strike at the Empire from within.
But first they must overcome their own desires. Power can seduce as well as crush. And, in exchange for their loyalty, the Empire promises much.
626 pages, Hardcover
First published February 16, 2023
64 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Anna Stephens
30 books697 followersAnna Stephens is the UK-based author of the Godblind trilogy - Goblind, Darksoul, Bloodchild - and The Songs of the Drowned trilogy - The Stone Knife, The Jaguar Path, The Dark Feather. Anna also writes for Black Library and Marvel Comics.
You can sign up to Anna's newsletter here: https://anna-stephens.com/get-in-touch/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 17, 2024
2024: After reread, fuck that ending
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2023: Fuck that ending
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2023: Fuck that ending
February 20, 2023
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.
The Jaguar Path is book two in Anna Stephens unique and gripping series The Songs of the Drowned. Where book one set the scene this moves forward and builds upon a new fantasy world which is both frightening and exciting.The book starts two years after where book one ended, and many of the main characters are not faring well. Xessa is now a slave, forced to fight in the fighting pits for entertainment. Lilla is training to become a fighter in the biggest most deadly army known to man and his husband Tayan is not only stuck within the midst of the enemy and their lives but is drawn to the music and melody of the Singers song. powers are brewing within him and he must learn how to use this to his advantage. I loved how the characters were built upon in this book and each one has grown, changed and developed since book one. Pilos and Enet are still battling to out-menover each other and the book keeps you gripped to see who, if either, will win within their own private battle. This book was more gorey in places than book one and the fighting scenes were intense, well plotted and executed from start to finish. You definitely don't want to miss this new and unique series with monsters and enemies at every twist and turn. I can't wait for book three!!
The Jaguar Path is book two in Anna Stephens unique and gripping series The Songs of the Drowned. Where book one set the scene this moves forward and builds upon a new fantasy world which is both frightening and exciting.The book starts two years after where book one ended, and many of the main characters are not faring well. Xessa is now a slave, forced to fight in the fighting pits for entertainment. Lilla is training to become a fighter in the biggest most deadly army known to man and his husband Tayan is not only stuck within the midst of the enemy and their lives but is drawn to the music and melody of the Singers song. powers are brewing within him and he must learn how to use this to his advantage. I loved how the characters were built upon in this book and each one has grown, changed and developed since book one. Pilos and Enet are still battling to out-menover each other and the book keeps you gripped to see who, if either, will win within their own private battle. This book was more gorey in places than book one and the fighting scenes were intense, well plotted and executed from start to finish. You definitely don't want to miss this new and unique series with monsters and enemies at every twist and turn. I can't wait for book three!!
January 29, 2024
Set two years following the events of The Stone Knife it follows Xessa, Lilla, Tayan and Enet. Xessa has been put in the fighting pits, Lilla into training as a slave fighter, Tayan as a slave and Enet seeks to become the singer.
War is on the precipice as the song becomes unhinged. Uprising is inevitable when the suppressed are trodden into the dirt and told they are less than the Pechaqueh.
‘The Pechaqueh had sown this crop in arrogance and over-confidence. Now it was time they harvested their bloody fruit.’
The character development in this book is epic. The book is so intense I swear I couldn’t take a full breath. Every chapter had me hooked. I read it in days. There was goosebumps, tears, shock. The battle scenes were long and brutal and grim. I loved it. I think this book does not get the hype it absolutely deserves!
‘War makes monsters of us all.’
War is on the precipice as the song becomes unhinged. Uprising is inevitable when the suppressed are trodden into the dirt and told they are less than the Pechaqueh.
‘The Pechaqueh had sown this crop in arrogance and over-confidence. Now it was time they harvested their bloody fruit.’
The character development in this book is epic. The book is so intense I swear I couldn’t take a full breath. Every chapter had me hooked. I read it in days. There was goosebumps, tears, shock. The battle scenes were long and brutal and grim. I loved it. I think this book does not get the hype it absolutely deserves!
‘War makes monsters of us all.’
January 27, 2023
Whereas this will be a spoiler-free review, there will naturally be spoilers for book one, The Stone Knife, so if you haven't read that, y'know, what are you even doing with your life.
Yep, here we go again. Anna Stephens, that serial heartbreaker, is back once again with the good stuff. Trauma and emotional heartbreak.
The Jaguar Path is the second book in Stephen's The Songs of the Drowned trilogy, and picks up two years after the tumultuous and world-rending events of the first book, The Stone Knife. Events are, for the most part, focused on the Singing City; the cloying Source, the burning training yard, the close and heavy fighting pit. It's a much more claustrophobic read, these spaces pressing on the reader as the pressures of this world do our characters. We've shifted from the widespread events of the first book, to this gathering in one place as Stephens brings her players together ready for what will be the final play. But don't worry, we'll have plenty to face before we get there.
As ever with Stephens, this is not a straight-forward story of good versus bad. The heroes against the villains. Life is not so black and white, and Stephens gleefully mirrors that in her world, forcing the reader to question well, who is the hero here? This person is obviously a villain, but wait I feel kind of sorry for them now. And this absolute tool of a person is doing something actually kind of good? And why are you doing that, you were so good in the last book!! And before you know it you're shouting out loud at fictional characters. People change. People are moulded by their environment and their experiences, and sometimes people will break if they cannot change. Amongst many things, The Jaguar Path is certainly an exploration of that liminal space in a person's psyche; how much am I able to bend and flex to this new world without utterly shattering and losing everything I thought I was. Some people aren't as flexible as they think.
The eponymous path of the Jaguar is the Tokob path for warriors and The Jaguar Path is very much an exploration of the myriad different ways people can walk such a path. When your home has been forcibly taken from you an destroyed, when you've been violently removed and separated from your loved ones, when you've been enslaved into an entirely different culture and faith; do you fight against that? And how? Should the path of the Jaguar be an open, wide avenue down which you march with blade in hand? The commentary on Empire and colonisation that Stephens began in The Stone Knife is continued here as we explore the after-shocks. She handles it all with incredible nuance and respect, reflecting so many different sides to the issue that you perhaps may not even had considered previously. This is a story which will really make you stop and think, and I was grateful for the opportunity to do so.
The song hurts, Feather, did you know that? ... Every day and night I am within this pyramid, it is a physical pain, telling me I am lesser... And yet I do my duty regardless. With love of the Singer in my heart.
This is quite possibly Stephens' most political book so far, plot-wise. There's a great deal of politicking, power plays, backstabbing... literally. We are still very much in the realms of dark and gritty fantasy; there may not be as much gore and violence, but it is still present, more as an accompaniment to the main meal.
Yes that is an allusion to cannibalism, yes Anna this book has cannibalism in it too.
Despite that, Stephens once again immerses us in her worlds, leaving us feeling, not so much as we're being told a story, but that we're living in the life of these people. The Jaguar Path isn't a tale to be told, it's an experience. It clear that with each book under her belt, Stephens is simply going from strength to strength; I knew starting this book, that it was going to be good. Her nuanced, psychologically inspired characters, her distinct and instantly recognisable writing style and tone, her respectfully but thought-provoking commentaries. This is an author I can depend upon to be good, to not disappoint, and of course she doesn't.
If The Stone Knife was a dark and insidious read, The Jaguar Path is a heart-pounding pressure-cooker of a story of high-stakes and betrayal. Stephens is an author I will always be coming back to for more.
Yep, here we go again. Anna Stephens, that serial heartbreaker, is back once again with the good stuff. Trauma and emotional heartbreak.
The Jaguar Path is the second book in Stephen's The Songs of the Drowned trilogy, and picks up two years after the tumultuous and world-rending events of the first book, The Stone Knife. Events are, for the most part, focused on the Singing City; the cloying Source, the burning training yard, the close and heavy fighting pit. It's a much more claustrophobic read, these spaces pressing on the reader as the pressures of this world do our characters. We've shifted from the widespread events of the first book, to this gathering in one place as Stephens brings her players together ready for what will be the final play. But don't worry, we'll have plenty to face before we get there.
As ever with Stephens, this is not a straight-forward story of good versus bad. The heroes against the villains. Life is not so black and white, and Stephens gleefully mirrors that in her world, forcing the reader to question well, who is the hero here? This person is obviously a villain, but wait I feel kind of sorry for them now. And this absolute tool of a person is doing something actually kind of good? And why are you doing that, you were so good in the last book!! And before you know it you're shouting out loud at fictional characters. People change. People are moulded by their environment and their experiences, and sometimes people will break if they cannot change. Amongst many things, The Jaguar Path is certainly an exploration of that liminal space in a person's psyche; how much am I able to bend and flex to this new world without utterly shattering and losing everything I thought I was. Some people aren't as flexible as they think.
The eponymous path of the Jaguar is the Tokob path for warriors and The Jaguar Path is very much an exploration of the myriad different ways people can walk such a path. When your home has been forcibly taken from you an destroyed, when you've been violently removed and separated from your loved ones, when you've been enslaved into an entirely different culture and faith; do you fight against that? And how? Should the path of the Jaguar be an open, wide avenue down which you march with blade in hand? The commentary on Empire and colonisation that Stephens began in The Stone Knife is continued here as we explore the after-shocks. She handles it all with incredible nuance and respect, reflecting so many different sides to the issue that you perhaps may not even had considered previously. This is a story which will really make you stop and think, and I was grateful for the opportunity to do so.
The song hurts, Feather, did you know that? ... Every day and night I am within this pyramid, it is a physical pain, telling me I am lesser... And yet I do my duty regardless. With love of the Singer in my heart.
This is quite possibly Stephens' most political book so far, plot-wise. There's a great deal of politicking, power plays, backstabbing... literally. We are still very much in the realms of dark and gritty fantasy; there may not be as much gore and violence, but it is still present, more as an accompaniment to the main meal.
Yes that is an allusion to cannibalism, yes Anna this book has cannibalism in it too.
Despite that, Stephens once again immerses us in her worlds, leaving us feeling, not so much as we're being told a story, but that we're living in the life of these people. The Jaguar Path isn't a tale to be told, it's an experience. It clear that with each book under her belt, Stephens is simply going from strength to strength; I knew starting this book, that it was going to be good. Her nuanced, psychologically inspired characters, her distinct and instantly recognisable writing style and tone, her respectfully but thought-provoking commentaries. This is an author I can depend upon to be good, to not disappoint, and of course she doesn't.
If The Stone Knife was a dark and insidious read, The Jaguar Path is a heart-pounding pressure-cooker of a story of high-stakes and betrayal. Stephens is an author I will always be coming back to for more.
April 7, 2023
Anna Stephens - one of my favourite authors. And I hate her as much as I love her! My poor soul...
The first book in this series, especially the ending, was already grim and gritty. This one is a lot more traumatizing yet. Have comfort food ready!
When I started The Jaguar Path I was a bit afraid about having forgotten a lot from The Stone Knife as it's been so long. However that wasn't a problem at all. I quickly remembered all of these characters again and was sucked right back into it. There's was enough memory jogging to get you back on track, but it was done in such a seamless way you didn't even notice it.
The absolute strength in this book is two fold: the characters and the unpredictability that comes along with it!
And believe me, this book does NOT go where you expect it to go. The characters all go through so much, and it's adapt or die. How far can you adapt though, and still stay true to your core? How much can you take before you break? Once you're broken, can you be mended?
Stephens really doesn't coddle her characters, oh no. They go through the most horrendous things, and they are tested to their utter limits. However, she masterfully handles these situations. Instead of it being gratuitous, they all further the character depth and development, and are integral to the story. The trauma is written incredibly realistically and handled sensitively, which makes it all the more painful when reading, but it also makes you care for them even more. I loved how much this book made me think and ponder, and how I had to take breaks just to digest things.
(And I won't spoil what, but I can tell you we don't just get horrible news, there's a few bright moments of hope and light as well.)
From all these challenges they are changed beyond who they were, and this makes the story deviate from what you were expecting in the most surprising, but fascinating ways. Some people end up on the opposite side of where they started, some people get pitched against their former allies, some nemesis are suddenly on your side, and in all the chaos you completely lose sight of who's side your even on. The "good guys" do horrible things to survive, the villains are actually quite human, and in fact there's so much more than just two sides to this story. By the end I really couldn't say who I was rooting for. Everyone and no one at the same time - in the best of ways. I adore stories that don't give you an easy choice, or tell you what to think.
What else was amazing about this?
I loved the world building that seems inspired by Aztec society, and the deep ideas behind it.
The prose is smooth, easy to fall into, with some really nice turns of phrase that had me back track to really appreciate them.
I actually can't point to anything I did not like, outside of it being over...
The first book in this series, especially the ending, was already grim and gritty. This one is a lot more traumatizing yet. Have comfort food ready!
When I started The Jaguar Path I was a bit afraid about having forgotten a lot from The Stone Knife as it's been so long. However that wasn't a problem at all. I quickly remembered all of these characters again and was sucked right back into it. There's was enough memory jogging to get you back on track, but it was done in such a seamless way you didn't even notice it.
The absolute strength in this book is two fold: the characters and the unpredictability that comes along with it!
And believe me, this book does NOT go where you expect it to go. The characters all go through so much, and it's adapt or die. How far can you adapt though, and still stay true to your core? How much can you take before you break? Once you're broken, can you be mended?
Stephens really doesn't coddle her characters, oh no. They go through the most horrendous things, and they are tested to their utter limits. However, she masterfully handles these situations. Instead of it being gratuitous, they all further the character depth and development, and are integral to the story. The trauma is written incredibly realistically and handled sensitively, which makes it all the more painful when reading, but it also makes you care for them even more. I loved how much this book made me think and ponder, and how I had to take breaks just to digest things.
(And I won't spoil what, but I can tell you we don't just get horrible news, there's a few bright moments of hope and light as well.)
From all these challenges they are changed beyond who they were, and this makes the story deviate from what you were expecting in the most surprising, but fascinating ways. Some people end up on the opposite side of where they started, some people get pitched against their former allies, some nemesis are suddenly on your side, and in all the chaos you completely lose sight of who's side your even on. The "good guys" do horrible things to survive, the villains are actually quite human, and in fact there's so much more than just two sides to this story. By the end I really couldn't say who I was rooting for. Everyone and no one at the same time - in the best of ways. I adore stories that don't give you an easy choice, or tell you what to think.
What else was amazing about this?
I loved the world building that seems inspired by Aztec society, and the deep ideas behind it.
The prose is smooth, easy to fall into, with some really nice turns of phrase that had me back track to really appreciate them.
I actually can't point to anything I did not like, outside of it being over...
January 24, 2023
When I have pulled myself together, I will write a review!
February 16, 2023
Anna Stephens is back with the next installment in her brilliant Songs of the Drowned series and we pick up with our main characters two years after the events of The Stone Knife – Lilla is a slave warrior, training to be part of the biggest and most ruthless army the world has ever known. He secretly hopes to spark a rebellion amongst his fellow slaves, but how can they overcome the might of the Empire? Xessa is a slave in the fighting pits, tasked with providing entertainment to those she despises, she knows she will never get out alive, but can she help her fellow Tokob survive long enough to claim freedom? Tayan is stuck in the heart of the Empire, surrounded by the most ruthless and power hungry people, but the Singer’s magic speaks to him in a way no one thought possible – can he survive long enough to understand how to wield it? Meanwhile, on the other side of the conflict, Pilos and Enet are at each other’s throats, each one determined to outwit the other.
Anna Stephens is one of my favourite authors so this book was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023. It has all the things that I love about her books – incredible world building, an intriguing plot with some surprises I didn’t see coming, and brilliant, complex characters you can’t help but become attached to. Despite the book being over 600 pages I raced through this and I am already desperate for more. Stephens has created such an interesting world in this series. The magic is so fascinating and I loved learning more about the song and the world as the story progressed.
I would say that this is a bit more on the slower paced side compared to The Stone Knife, but if anything that gives the reader the chance to become even more attached to the characters. It was fascinating to see how things changed for the characters compared to book one and there was so much growth and evolution for them. I absolutely adore Xessa (and Ossa), she is one of my favourite characters and I am terrified of how things might go for her in book three. All of the POV characters are really fascinating and I really liked Enet’s chapters as she’s so ruthless and determined to make all her plans come to fruition.
Just like The Stone Knife, The Jaguar Path is dark, gritty and has more than a few gruesome moments. Stephens does a brilliant job writing dynamic fighting scenes, with moments that practically leap off the page. I enjoyed every second of this book and I cannot wait to see how the story ends.
Anna Stephens is one of my favourite authors so this book was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023. It has all the things that I love about her books – incredible world building, an intriguing plot with some surprises I didn’t see coming, and brilliant, complex characters you can’t help but become attached to. Despite the book being over 600 pages I raced through this and I am already desperate for more. Stephens has created such an interesting world in this series. The magic is so fascinating and I loved learning more about the song and the world as the story progressed.
I would say that this is a bit more on the slower paced side compared to The Stone Knife, but if anything that gives the reader the chance to become even more attached to the characters. It was fascinating to see how things changed for the characters compared to book one and there was so much growth and evolution for them. I absolutely adore Xessa (and Ossa), she is one of my favourite characters and I am terrified of how things might go for her in book three. All of the POV characters are really fascinating and I really liked Enet’s chapters as she’s so ruthless and determined to make all her plans come to fruition.
Just like The Stone Knife, The Jaguar Path is dark, gritty and has more than a few gruesome moments. Stephens does a brilliant job writing dynamic fighting scenes, with moments that practically leap off the page. I enjoyed every second of this book and I cannot wait to see how the story ends.
February 24, 2023
An intricate and character focused middle volume of an epic fantasy series is a thing to be treasured and this delivers a fascinating cast; a strange magical and intrigue ridden setting and by the end all is changed and no one feels safe. Powerful and highly recommended
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
May 22, 2023
I really enjoyed the first book in the Empire Of Songs trilogy, though noted quite how grim the scenario was. This is a Mesoamerican inspired fantasy, though there is a slab of magic, gods, and creatures transformed from humans which makes it very much its own thing beyond some spelling conventions and a light smattering of references. What I found a little daunting embarking on book two was the sheer number of characters and storylines to check in with. I had remembered the broad sweep of the first book and that our plucky independent tribe and warriors had been cheated and overcome by the evil empire, with its bloodthirsty song mage who can at a low-level influence and enslave the whole nation.
It did take a while to get up to speed, and what was interesting was the more villainous characters connected first. The power behind the throne who wants to seize power for herself, yes she I remembered. The mute gladiator slowly came to me too (particularly when she mentioned her dog). But a few others took a while to coalesce, not least because now enslaved their situation was very different. As mentioned, the first book ends on a massive downer - well let me tell you Stephens double downers here - the last third of this book being really quite jaw-dropping in its reversals of certain characters stories, how it messes with what felt like the natural flow of the book and creates even greater stakes for the final book. I had to stop a few times just because it was upsetting how the goal is in sight and then snatched away.And considering how breathless the ending is, that's pretty high praise.
There are a lot of ideas pinging around in this trilogy, though it is happy to revisit some classics about how power corrupts. Its central motif, which I haven't seen dealt with an awful lot, is looking at the workings and decline of a slave state, where you have generations of slaves, or even non-citizens, instrumental in running the military and other levers of state. Some of the twists in the narrative here make complete sense when you consider how this state runs, and despite the obvious influences in its setting there are also hints like the decline of Rome in there. This is the second book of a trilogy (though I wasn't sure of that when it ended and was quite taken aback that it could end like this!), and its often tricky to make them feel important. This is the best second book of a trilogy I have read in a long time, it takes the desperate straits of book one, develops the world and the characters, and leaves us in an even more desperate situation. Along the way Stephens has been willing to be ruthless with her cast, discarding some of her best characters because the story demands it. I am looking forward to the last volume, and cannot say I expect anything that looks like a happy ending.
It did take a while to get up to speed, and what was interesting was the more villainous characters connected first. The power behind the throne who wants to seize power for herself, yes she I remembered. The mute gladiator slowly came to me too (particularly when she mentioned her dog). But a few others took a while to coalesce, not least because now enslaved their situation was very different. As mentioned, the first book ends on a massive downer - well let me tell you Stephens double downers here - the last third of this book being really quite jaw-dropping in its reversals of certain characters stories, how it messes with what felt like the natural flow of the book and creates even greater stakes for the final book. I had to stop a few times just because it was upsetting how the goal is in sight and then snatched away.And considering how breathless the ending is, that's pretty high praise.
There are a lot of ideas pinging around in this trilogy, though it is happy to revisit some classics about how power corrupts. Its central motif, which I haven't seen dealt with an awful lot, is looking at the workings and decline of a slave state, where you have generations of slaves, or even non-citizens, instrumental in running the military and other levers of state. Some of the twists in the narrative here make complete sense when you consider how this state runs, and despite the obvious influences in its setting there are also hints like the decline of Rome in there. This is the second book of a trilogy (though I wasn't sure of that when it ended and was quite taken aback that it could end like this!), and its often tricky to make them feel important. This is the best second book of a trilogy I have read in a long time, it takes the desperate straits of book one, develops the world and the characters, and leaves us in an even more desperate situation. Along the way Stephens has been willing to be ruthless with her cast, discarding some of her best characters because the story demands it. I am looking forward to the last volume, and cannot say I expect anything that looks like a happy ending.
November 28, 2023
First impression is that I liked this book more than the first one but there are still significant questions that are not answered yet (the main ones are around the Drowned). I am curious about how this story will end.
April 21, 2024
OMG THAT FKN ENDING! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
March 20, 2023
No punches were pulled in this novel, but then again, I wasn't expecting anything of the sort. The Empire now reigns supreme, the last two free tribes finally conquered, subjugated and enslaved, and The Jaguar Path is very much a book about the aftermath of the war... and the resentment and rebellion quietly bubbling under the surface.
The quality of the prose remains high, and The Jaguar Path felt far more accessible to me than The Stone Knife initially did, because the lay of the land is familiar now, the reader is fully invested in the characters (or fully invested in wanting to burn them at the stake, as the case may be), the culture and the gods feel more familiar, and there's no doubt that pretty much everyone, from the lowest slave to the highest noble, is fighting for survival on more than one level.
What I loved most about this book was the way Anna Stephens worked the plot like a pro and threw a couple of curve balls that had my mind spinning. In The Stone Knife, I went from hating a certain character's guts to grudgingly understanding why they'd made their choices. Well, the same thing happened to me again in The Jaguar Path - I suddenly saw a character I'd hated since book one from a different perspective, went "Wait, WHAT?" and had to take a moment to think what the hell had actually been going on at the heart of the plot. And a favourite character of mine revealed things about themself that were a massive disappointment to me - not disappointment in the book, mind you, but in that character I'd been so sure was worthy of respect and admiration. And yet another character, who'd redeemed themself quite a bit after the first book, found out that you reap what you sow, betrayal is not so easily forgiven or forgotten, and sometimes "sorry" just doesn't cut it.
I'm really interested in finding out how all this is going to turn out in the third book. This series has been a very positive surprise to me so far, and I trust Anna Stephens to carry it to a satisfactory conclusion.
The quality of the prose remains high, and The Jaguar Path felt far more accessible to me than The Stone Knife initially did, because the lay of the land is familiar now, the reader is fully invested in the characters (or fully invested in wanting to burn them at the stake, as the case may be), the culture and the gods feel more familiar, and there's no doubt that pretty much everyone, from the lowest slave to the highest noble, is fighting for survival on more than one level.
What I loved most about this book was the way Anna Stephens worked the plot like a pro and threw a couple of curve balls that had my mind spinning. In The Stone Knife, I went from hating a certain character's guts to grudgingly understanding why they'd made their choices. Well, the same thing happened to me again in The Jaguar Path - I suddenly saw a character I'd hated since book one from a different perspective, went "Wait, WHAT?" and had to take a moment to think what the hell had actually been going on at the heart of the plot. And a favourite character of mine revealed things about themself that were a massive disappointment to me - not disappointment in the book, mind you, but in that character I'd been so sure was worthy of respect and admiration. And yet another character, who'd redeemed themself quite a bit after the first book, found out that you reap what you sow, betrayal is not so easily forgiven or forgotten, and sometimes "sorry" just doesn't cut it.
I'm really interested in finding out how all this is going to turn out in the third book. This series has been a very positive surprise to me so far, and I trust Anna Stephens to carry it to a satisfactory conclusion.
February 26, 2024
Anna Stephens has a deft hand at writing mad gods. Her Godblind trilogy definitely was focused on a psychopathic god, and in the Songs of the Drowned we are gifted with another insane god. The underlying madness that permeates her works gives them a visceral darkness, turning them into parables on the dangers of religion.
The Jaguar Path follows on from the events of The Stone Knife. Most of our MCs are now captives of empire and subject to its whims. This leads to an interesting study in the brainwashing effects of slavery, the normalization of abuse and violence. It also showcases the challenges of cultural assimilation. It asks some interesting questions of what happens once you have conquered the known world? How can you hold it together. And the motivations of the different characters become interesting - previously black and white characters gradually become more diverse shades of grey.
The setting in a type of Mesoamerican culture remains intriguing. This is an area where fantasy is relatively under-represented from a cultural standpoint so it is fascinating to see it and move away from the typical western European reference points.
The story here is also well driven, pulsing along at a steady rate. The positions of the characters gives a definite sense of hazard, through their exposure to death matches in the arena, army training or the madness of gods. Whilst a middle book in a trilogy, there is a lot that happens and the plot definitely moves forwards in these pages.
I loved the fever dream like nature of this. The story gripped me and I really cannot wait for the final book (coming very soon)!
The Jaguar Path follows on from the events of The Stone Knife. Most of our MCs are now captives of empire and subject to its whims. This leads to an interesting study in the brainwashing effects of slavery, the normalization of abuse and violence. It also showcases the challenges of cultural assimilation. It asks some interesting questions of what happens once you have conquered the known world? How can you hold it together. And the motivations of the different characters become interesting - previously black and white characters gradually become more diverse shades of grey.
The setting in a type of Mesoamerican culture remains intriguing. This is an area where fantasy is relatively under-represented from a cultural standpoint so it is fascinating to see it and move away from the typical western European reference points.
The story here is also well driven, pulsing along at a steady rate. The positions of the characters gives a definite sense of hazard, through their exposure to death matches in the arena, army training or the madness of gods. Whilst a middle book in a trilogy, there is a lot that happens and the plot definitely moves forwards in these pages.
I loved the fever dream like nature of this. The story gripped me and I really cannot wait for the final book (coming very soon)!
April 13, 2023
4.5/5 stars.
This book's pacing drastically improved over the first one. We start two years after the events of The Stone Knife so there's a bit of catching up but things fall into place quickly. There are a few POVs that dominate over others and are bigger players in the plot under the Singing Empire. You really got to know the inner workings of the Empire and the nuances of the Singers role a lot more in this one. Pilos and Enet both continue to be a part of political machinations.
The setting was less jungle and more urban this time, which was a change but the overall sense of the book still had that feel to it.
This book's pacing drastically improved over the first one. We start two years after the events of The Stone Knife so there's a bit of catching up but things fall into place quickly. There are a few POVs that dominate over others and are bigger players in the plot under the Singing Empire. You really got to know the inner workings of the Empire and the nuances of the Singers role a lot more in this one. Pilos and Enet both continue to be a part of political machinations.
The setting was less jungle and more urban this time, which was a change but the overall sense of the book still had that feel to it.
December 6, 2024
I didn't love this quite as much as the first one - but then that is a super high benchmark. It seemed to be kinda spinning its wheels for a long while, and perhaps didn't need to be quite as long as it seems the majority of fantasy books are these days. Most of the driving plot development happened near the end in a big burst, and some stuff really could've been tightened up or excised (especially with the Lilla and Xessa POVs).
I do feel like some things didn't completely land. There was one major character revelation, changing everything... which I didn't feel ultimately sold on - not when we'd spent most of two books experiencing this character's POV and yet left in the dark about their actual motivations. It seemed a bit of a bait and switch for the audience and doesn't really align with how their personality, attitudes and motivations were presented so far. This reveal would've worked so much better if this character had never had a POV (although that would've been a disservice to their chapters in the first book) and we'd only seem them from an outside perspective. Spoiler, it's .
There was another character evolution and endgame behaviour that I also don't quite understand despite the set-up and context it was given. I really hope this at least is explained/deconstructed in the next book. I feel I needed at least one more POV chapter near the end from this character (especially as it was the darkest and most compelling of the lot), but the author probably completely intended to keep us in the dark (and yelling into the void) until the next book, which may or may not make everything "okay". Spoiler, it's .
I don't know. What's going on? Why do we need these harrowing mysteries and cliffhangers, answers that are withheld from the audience despite us following the POVs of those with all the answers? And why do characters keep throwing each other under the bus, or shifting allegiances, or revealing obscured motivations- without more clarity to their new behaviours?
Don't mind me, if I didn't really enjoy the book I wouldn't be ranting about my frustrations!
There was only one thing in the book I actively disliked, though, and it made those POV chapters my least favourite. I can put up with, or even enjoy, reading many kinds of taboo relationships and sexualities, but a master/slave dynamic isn't one of them (a master that even has the slave whipped mercilessly, flaying the skin from their back), not when it's presented in such an impassioned, so-wrong-but-it-feels-so-good way that makes it seem like the author was... um, into it. And the master calling the slave "kitten"... ugh. Thankfully, at least, it is far from black and white... but it still left me feeling uncomfortable. I guess that was the point... but it also felt a little like the author having her cake and eating it.
Anyway, I realise that is all criticism so far, but that's all. It may not have reached the wonder of the first book, but it is still an amazing world/setting, excellent worldbuilding, really compelling storyline and characters. It straddles the line perfectly between grimdark/brutal tragedy and hope/love/goodness. This series is really being slept on and deserved so much more hype and acclaim. Me being frustrated to know what happens next and what the hell has been going on doesn't take away from that.
Which brings me to my final criticism of sorts. THAT ENDING. WHAT?! YOU CAN'T LEAVE IT THERE! Was this a case of just hitting the word limit and having to stop?!
4.5+
I do feel like some things didn't completely land. There was one major character revelation, changing everything... which I didn't feel ultimately sold on - not when we'd spent most of two books experiencing this character's POV and yet left in the dark about their actual motivations. It seemed a bit of a bait and switch for the audience and doesn't really align with how their personality, attitudes and motivations were presented so far. This reveal would've worked so much better if this character had never had a POV (although that would've been a disservice to their chapters in the first book) and we'd only seem them from an outside perspective. Spoiler, it's .
There was another character evolution and endgame behaviour that I also don't quite understand despite the set-up and context it was given. I really hope this at least is explained/deconstructed in the next book. I feel I needed at least one more POV chapter near the end from this character (especially as it was the darkest and most compelling of the lot), but the author probably completely intended to keep us in the dark (and yelling into the void) until the next book, which may or may not make everything "okay". Spoiler, it's .
I don't know. What's going on? Why do we need these harrowing mysteries and cliffhangers, answers that are withheld from the audience despite us following the POVs of those with all the answers? And why do characters keep throwing each other under the bus, or shifting allegiances, or revealing obscured motivations- without more clarity to their new behaviours?
Don't mind me, if I didn't really enjoy the book I wouldn't be ranting about my frustrations!
There was only one thing in the book I actively disliked, though, and it made those POV chapters my least favourite. I can put up with, or even enjoy, reading many kinds of taboo relationships and sexualities, but a master/slave dynamic isn't one of them (a master that even has the slave whipped mercilessly, flaying the skin from their back), not when it's presented in such an impassioned, so-wrong-but-it-feels-so-good way that makes it seem like the author was... um, into it. And the master calling the slave "kitten"... ugh. Thankfully, at least, it is far from black and white... but it still left me feeling uncomfortable. I guess that was the point... but it also felt a little like the author having her cake and eating it.
Anyway, I realise that is all criticism so far, but that's all. It may not have reached the wonder of the first book, but it is still an amazing world/setting, excellent worldbuilding, really compelling storyline and characters. It straddles the line perfectly between grimdark/brutal tragedy and hope/love/goodness. This series is really being slept on and deserved so much more hype and acclaim. Me being frustrated to know what happens next and what the hell has been going on doesn't take away from that.
Which brings me to my final criticism of sorts. THAT ENDING. WHAT?! YOU CAN'T LEAVE IT THERE! Was this a case of just hitting the word limit and having to stop?!
4.5+
January 30, 2023
Copy received from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I had to take a bit of time to decide what I was going to rate The Jaguar Path. It’s one of those books I just had to let sit and stew for a couple of days before I could write a review and, ultimately, I decided it did deserve five stars. For me anyway.
The reason was that, for quite a lot of the book, not a great deal happens in terms of pushing the plot forward but, on the other hand, it was exceptional for character development. The story skips ahead two years from the ending of the first book, meaning the characters are all firmly entrenched in their new circumstances. Lilla is being forced to be trained as a soldier, Xessa is being forced to fight in the pits and Tayan is at the heart of it all with The Singer. As the story progresses, we get a lot more insight into who the characters are and how they are surviving and I really liked that development. Every character is doing what they need to do to stay alive (although Xessa is also trying to do what she can to get herself killed on occasion as well) and, sometimes, certain characters certainly make some choices. Not saying if they are good or bad ones but they are definitely choices. Especially Tayan. Especially at the end.
The ending is a very strong one. It all kicks off in the last third of the book as the story races to its conclusion and it very definitely sets up the next book in a big way. The end made my jaw drop and I am now wondering how the characters are going to get back from that moment. It was very well written.
If you’re into a quick moving plot with lots of action, then The Jaguar Path may disappoint you, however, the characters are all excellently realised and I feel that makes up for the slow plot. I also love the worldbuilding Stephens has done for the series and the magic system is very interesting. I am looking forward to seeing how the story ends even though, going from her previous trilogy, it’s probably going to be a little bit heart breaking
I had to take a bit of time to decide what I was going to rate The Jaguar Path. It’s one of those books I just had to let sit and stew for a couple of days before I could write a review and, ultimately, I decided it did deserve five stars. For me anyway.
The reason was that, for quite a lot of the book, not a great deal happens in terms of pushing the plot forward but, on the other hand, it was exceptional for character development. The story skips ahead two years from the ending of the first book, meaning the characters are all firmly entrenched in their new circumstances. Lilla is being forced to be trained as a soldier, Xessa is being forced to fight in the pits and Tayan is at the heart of it all with The Singer. As the story progresses, we get a lot more insight into who the characters are and how they are surviving and I really liked that development. Every character is doing what they need to do to stay alive (although Xessa is also trying to do what she can to get herself killed on occasion as well) and, sometimes, certain characters certainly make some choices. Not saying if they are good or bad ones but they are definitely choices. Especially Tayan. Especially at the end.
The ending is a very strong one. It all kicks off in the last third of the book as the story races to its conclusion and it very definitely sets up the next book in a big way. The end made my jaw drop and I am now wondering how the characters are going to get back from that moment. It was very well written.
If you’re into a quick moving plot with lots of action, then The Jaguar Path may disappoint you, however, the characters are all excellently realised and I feel that makes up for the slow plot. I also love the worldbuilding Stephens has done for the series and the magic system is very interesting. I am looking forward to seeing how the story ends even though, going from her previous trilogy, it’s probably going to be a little bit heart breaking
December 1, 2024
4.5
I'll preface this with saying that the first book in this trilogy, The Stone Knife, is one of the best books I have read this year. I was so excited to read the next episode in the story, as I'd come to feel alot of affection for the characters, and really love the setting and integration of mythology into the environment. I read the book whilst in Mexico, which felt extra special, and it was the first of my holiday books that I took out of my suitcase. It was a brilliant read, of course, very engaging, lots of twists and unexpected turns, and a continuation of the stories of some of my favourite characters. However, it didn't quite reach the echelons of the first instalment for me. Some of the relationships felt more forced, and I didn't always feel like the motivations for certain decisions were made clear, which could feel jarring. That being said, I await the next book with baited breath.
I'll preface this with saying that the first book in this trilogy, The Stone Knife, is one of the best books I have read this year. I was so excited to read the next episode in the story, as I'd come to feel alot of affection for the characters, and really love the setting and integration of mythology into the environment. I read the book whilst in Mexico, which felt extra special, and it was the first of my holiday books that I took out of my suitcase. It was a brilliant read, of course, very engaging, lots of twists and unexpected turns, and a continuation of the stories of some of my favourite characters. However, it didn't quite reach the echelons of the first instalment for me. Some of the relationships felt more forced, and I didn't always feel like the motivations for certain decisions were made clear, which could feel jarring. That being said, I await the next book with baited breath.
April 10, 2023
My rating : 4.5 of 5 stars
Damn, there are so many emotional twists and turns in this book. It's definitely more of a roller-coaster than the first one, with highs and lows and laughs and growls aplenty. Oh, and the hot, steamy, horny queer sex. What more do you need?
Anna Stephens keeps going from strength to strength, and I seriously cannot wait for book three.
Damn, there are so many emotional twists and turns in this book. It's definitely more of a roller-coaster than the first one, with highs and lows and laughs and growls aplenty. Oh, and the hot, steamy, horny queer sex. What more do you need?
Anna Stephens keeps going from strength to strength, and I seriously cannot wait for book three.
January 30, 2023
Absolute banger of a book! This will destroy you and make you love every second of that destruction.
read the full review here
https://www.fullofabook.co.uk/jaguar-...
read the full review here
https://www.fullofabook.co.uk/jaguar-...
October 3, 2023
The Jaguar Path picks up the story about 2 years after the events of The Stone Knife. Let me tell you, when I say this world is beyond screwed when this book starts, I mean beyond. Anna Stephens pretty much took grimdark to a whole new level. It was really hard to root for any of the characters because they are all morally grey or just plain evil. Even the characters who were inherently good in the Stone Knife have been completely stripped of any hope or faith. I did struggle with this book quite a bit. I did feel like this book dragged a lot. Like the plot felt at times, stagnant, with no real goal. Also, character motivations were all over the place. Now I know the situations they were in are grueling, but again, they all seemed so defeated. Towards the end of the book though, things started to get really interesting and intense. The setup for book three has been laid out and honestly I have no clue where this is going to ultimately end. Although I didn't quite enjoy this as much as the Stone Knife, I cannot deny that Anna Stephens is a force to watch when it comes to Grimdark fantasy.
April 20, 2024
Too many plot twists that don't make any sense. You can't present character as cunning and selfish and then then tell us they really are honest and kind they just were fighting for the greater good. It doesn't work that way.
Also solving problem by dragging piano out of the bushes and telling us it's always been there you just never mentioned it? Isn't good writing.
I am still curious what's up with the Drowned though.
Also solving problem by dragging piano out of the bushes and telling us it's always been there you just never mentioned it? Isn't good writing.
I am still curious what's up with the Drowned though.
May 2, 2023
3.5 star review ⭐️
So I hadn’t read the first one in this series of fantasy novels but I felt I was able to pick this one up quite easily and didn’t feel as though I missed out on anything action wise apart from all the details about the characters.
Sadly for me this one felt at times as though it could be quite tough too get through, even though there’s action and the story progresses really well. But is struggle sometimes with pacing so if like me and you struggle with pacing in books too then you may feel the struggle a little with this one too. It wasn’t until the last hundred pages or so that I felt myself get really excited as there’s loads of action at that point and plenty of fighting. It might be that it’s very character driven and not very action packed to begin with in top of that I may have been missing out on possible important details from the first one which is why I may have struggled a little.
There is an absolute ton to take in with this one. It’s a world filled with wild spirits, gods, shadows, octaves, feathers and singers and more. Each playing an important part in the world but not as much as the those who are the singers, they play a massive part in this book. I loved reading about how their songs was interconnected with magic. But the songs ain’t just connected to magic, the songs come with a lot of power and abilities which I found really intriguing.
There are also warriors with axes and spears, fighting pits and slaves which reminded me a lot of how the world was centuries ago. The characters felt very tribe like and sometimes quite savage. The book is filled with strong characters willing to do whatever it takes to survive. It’s those characters I felt that really made the book. The author has gone and taken something old and familiar and created something new, making it her own.
If you’re looking for something epic filled with lots of detailed world-building to really sink your teeth into then this might be the book for you.
So I hadn’t read the first one in this series of fantasy novels but I felt I was able to pick this one up quite easily and didn’t feel as though I missed out on anything action wise apart from all the details about the characters.
Sadly for me this one felt at times as though it could be quite tough too get through, even though there’s action and the story progresses really well. But is struggle sometimes with pacing so if like me and you struggle with pacing in books too then you may feel the struggle a little with this one too. It wasn’t until the last hundred pages or so that I felt myself get really excited as there’s loads of action at that point and plenty of fighting. It might be that it’s very character driven and not very action packed to begin with in top of that I may have been missing out on possible important details from the first one which is why I may have struggled a little.
There is an absolute ton to take in with this one. It’s a world filled with wild spirits, gods, shadows, octaves, feathers and singers and more. Each playing an important part in the world but not as much as the those who are the singers, they play a massive part in this book. I loved reading about how their songs was interconnected with magic. But the songs ain’t just connected to magic, the songs come with a lot of power and abilities which I found really intriguing.
There are also warriors with axes and spears, fighting pits and slaves which reminded me a lot of how the world was centuries ago. The characters felt very tribe like and sometimes quite savage. The book is filled with strong characters willing to do whatever it takes to survive. It’s those characters I felt that really made the book. The author has gone and taken something old and familiar and created something new, making it her own.
If you’re looking for something epic filled with lots of detailed world-building to really sink your teeth into then this might be the book for you.
December 24, 2025
Great book, loved the characters, but I felt it had the same problem of book one : no main character really had any agency on the plot (well, Tayan did, but inadvertly, so I still felt the objective was stagnant until the very end, and then all happened at once). The only main character that did shape the plot used the trope "oh but this very hateble character was good all along! Don't you love them now??" Well, no, because I've spent two books reading from their own pov nothing but dickness, almost like in an effort to trick the reader. Which makes sense in-universe and was well made, make no mistake, a major kudor for the author, almost a meta commentary! I'm just not a fan of that.
Again, much like book 1, it felt like most of the character's actions were irrelevant to the events that unfolded - with the addition of this time around their goals to be unclear at best.
I like the characters, I really do, so much so that I almost gave it a 4-stars just because I enjoyed spending time with them... but I don't know if I'll have the drive to finish book 3.
P. S. No kidding, I deducted a whole star because the event I was anticipating the most - the reunion between a woman and her dog - happened offscreen, almost as an afterthought.
Again, much like book 1, it felt like most of the character's actions were irrelevant to the events that unfolded - with the addition of this time around their goals to be unclear at best.
I like the characters, I really do, so much so that I almost gave it a 4-stars just because I enjoyed spending time with them... but I don't know if I'll have the drive to finish book 3.
P. S. No kidding, I deducted a whole star because the event I was anticipating the most - the reunion between a woman and her dog - happened offscreen, almost as an afterthought.
March 5, 2023
Aside from the amazingly beautiful cover I was hooked as soon as I opened the book and saw a map. I don't know what it is about maps in books but as soon as I see one I am drawn straight away into the fantasy world the author is creating in your imagination.
The Jaguar Path is the second book in The Songs of the Drowned fantasy trilogy, following on two years from The Stone Knife. As a lover of fantasy books this trilogy , so far, is on a par with, and will appeal to, fans of Melanie Rawn and Trudi Canavan.
From my perspective the story does not move on at the same frenetic pace as The Stone Knife and it feels as though Anna is developing her main characters ready for a final push in the last book of the trilogy. A lot of the excellent, descriptive writing which we have come to expect from Anna is used to develop the characters, and the positions they now find themselves in , two years after we last read about them. Lilla, Tayan and Xessa are all in different situations fighting to stay alive. Lilla is undergoing rigorous and gruelling training as a soldier, Tayan is being treated as the plaything of The Singer when her life can be snuffed out on a whim, and Xessa is fighting in the pits for the entertainment of her captors.
Anna develops the characters, their survival strategies and how they are thinking in great depth and , as a reader you fell that you are being drawn into their minds, how they work and what they are thinking and planning. For me this character development is a huge bonus and I felt that in The Jaguar Path I now had the time to get to know them without being taken up by, what at times to me seemed like a whirlwind of events in The Stone Knife.
The ending of the book is mind blowing and leaves you wondering , and in suspense as to how Lilla, Tayan and Xessa are going to be abler to come back from it for the third, and final, book.
I recommend The Jaguar Book wholeheartedly as a 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read, however in my opinion, you do need to read The Stone Knife first.
The Jaguar Path is the second book in The Songs of the Drowned fantasy trilogy, following on two years from The Stone Knife. As a lover of fantasy books this trilogy , so far, is on a par with, and will appeal to, fans of Melanie Rawn and Trudi Canavan.
From my perspective the story does not move on at the same frenetic pace as The Stone Knife and it feels as though Anna is developing her main characters ready for a final push in the last book of the trilogy. A lot of the excellent, descriptive writing which we have come to expect from Anna is used to develop the characters, and the positions they now find themselves in , two years after we last read about them. Lilla, Tayan and Xessa are all in different situations fighting to stay alive. Lilla is undergoing rigorous and gruelling training as a soldier, Tayan is being treated as the plaything of The Singer when her life can be snuffed out on a whim, and Xessa is fighting in the pits for the entertainment of her captors.
Anna develops the characters, their survival strategies and how they are thinking in great depth and , as a reader you fell that you are being drawn into their minds, how they work and what they are thinking and planning. For me this character development is a huge bonus and I felt that in The Jaguar Path I now had the time to get to know them without being taken up by, what at times to me seemed like a whirlwind of events in The Stone Knife.
The ending of the book is mind blowing and leaves you wondering , and in suspense as to how Lilla, Tayan and Xessa are going to be abler to come back from it for the third, and final, book.
I recommend The Jaguar Book wholeheartedly as a 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read, however in my opinion, you do need to read The Stone Knife first.
June 16, 2024
Book 2 in the (grim) dark fantasy series The Songs of the Drowned, The Jaguar Path returns to a Mesoamerican inspired world as characters from the previous novel deal with the aftermath of what happened two years before.
As with the previous book, the author does a great job creating and expanding an original world building, full of violence and complex characters. The plot moved less at the beginning but picked up midway, yet remained interesting with some good twists. Focusing more on the characters in their new situation, the author did a great job showing them each as truly realistic being with their own flaws and qualities, sometimes touching sometimes irritating but always compelling. The overall themes of colonialism, sacrifice, survival, racism, religion and acculturation present in the previous was still touched upon throughout the book.
The writing is sharp and engaging with some truly gruesome sequences and great fighting scenes. The diversity with disability and queerness representation was again the cherry on top.
I can’t wait to read the next book in this story.
February 23, 2023
I knew I'd be missing out by deciding to read this first before book one, but I was so intrigued by the blurb and the gorgeous cover that I just HAD to pick this up. Naturally it took me a few chapters to find my footing and get used to all the names and terms and lore, but holy, it was beautiful. It's such a rich world filled with magic and political intrigue, with complex characters that you just can't help getting invested in or attached to in some way. Those two points are the book's real strengths, imo, and the character development is particularly solid. Though if you're looking for something more action-packed, you might be disappointed.
This book is gritty and heartbreaking, definitely on brand with Anna's works. I'm excited for book three, but first I have to get a copy of book one and just torture myself all over again. I'm sure I've missed moments that would've hit me had I read the first book already, but hey, I enjoyed this read despite that 🤪
This book is gritty and heartbreaking, definitely on brand with Anna's works. I'm excited for book three, but first I have to get a copy of book one and just torture myself all over again. I'm sure I've missed moments that would've hit me had I read the first book already, but hey, I enjoyed this read despite that 🤪
March 9, 2023
This is the second in The Songs of the Drowned trilogy and the book picks up 2 years after the end of the first book.
I only read book one last summer, but I know many have been waiting more than 2 years for this sequel. Even with that short delay, I found the volume of characters and plots hard to pick back up and it took a while to remember who everyone was but once I did, I was immediately invested again in everyone.
This book is a delicious mix of magic, politics, power, corruption and betrayal and I found it hard to put down.
The ending had me shouting out loud “What…..you cannot end it there….what the hell!!!”
Needless to say I am praying that the final book is not years away as I need to find out what happens next.
I only read book one last summer, but I know many have been waiting more than 2 years for this sequel. Even with that short delay, I found the volume of characters and plots hard to pick back up and it took a while to remember who everyone was but once I did, I was immediately invested again in everyone.
This book is a delicious mix of magic, politics, power, corruption and betrayal and I found it hard to put down.
The ending had me shouting out loud “What…..you cannot end it there….what the hell!!!”
Needless to say I am praying that the final book is not years away as I need to find out what happens next.
March 16, 2024
Another good instalment to the series that I overall enjoyed.
It was interesting to witness where everyone ended up, how they coped with and/or resisted the new reality.
Some characters I’d had hopes for after book one disappointed me, some surprised me (hats off to the author for that twist)
Know this isn’t down as fantasy romance but I couldn’t resist shipping Ekon and Lilla… the author made me pay for it in the later part of the book 💔 (still holding onto hope 😤 even if it’s probably futile XD)
I was so excited to get to the end and discovered book 3 comes out this month :praise: but $22.99 for an ebook O_O — that’s physical book price T_T
It was interesting to witness where everyone ended up, how they coped with and/or resisted the new reality.
Some characters I’d had hopes for after book one disappointed me, some surprised me (hats off to the author for that twist)
Know this isn’t down as fantasy romance but I couldn’t resist shipping Ekon and Lilla… the author made me pay for it in the later part of the book 💔 (still holding onto hope 😤 even if it’s probably futile XD)
I was so excited to get to the end and discovered book 3 comes out this month :praise: but $22.99 for an ebook O_O — that’s physical book price T_T
February 9, 2023
How do you match the brilliance of "The Stone Knife"? Can any follow up do it justice? Anna Stephens lobs us another gem in "The Jaguar Path" that fully lives up to the expectations planted in the first book. I love this book for the same reasons...and maybe a few more. Characters, plot, setting - it all just feels so solid, so real! And, of course, there's awesome writing!!
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
September 3, 2024
Book was surprisingly and agonisingly slow compared to the first one. If you were to remove all the unnecessary, repetitive, and overly long descriptions, the full story could easily be told in half the pages.
However, the last few chapters did pick up the pace and were the only sections that seemed to contain actual story development. I’m hoping that the third and final book maintains this momentum.
However, the last few chapters did pick up the pace and were the only sections that seemed to contain actual story development. I’m hoping that the third and final book maintains this momentum.
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