The drumbeat of war pursues Kira as she sends the House along forgotten Reality paths searching for the grimoire that Carlene believes can stop the conflict. Or rather, the Spell of Amber within the grimoire that she hopes can preserve the Reality paths against the Emperor's siphoning of their power.
Not everyone in the House agrees with Kira's choice, or trusts Carlene.
However, Evander is still hoarding his secrets, so why should Kira trust the cyborg elf over Carlene's well-reasoned arguments?
Australian author of strangely hopeful fantasy & science fiction. Independently published for over a decade.
Storyteller. Creator of Caldryn Parliament - Golden Age Mysteries in the Realm of Science Fiction & Fantasy
Jenny Schwartz has a degree in sociology and history, and a lifelong fascination with understanding people. Her character-driven science fiction and fantasy novels explore other worlds and how people navigate strange situations and complicated emotions, while retaining their sense of self. Her plots are twisty and unexpected.
*** I've curated my bookshelf to share books which I hope readers of Caldryn Parliament will enjoy. With the older books, please be aware that they are a product of their times and read with care.
Still thoroughly enjoying the overall story and absolutely love the FMC and her cohorts. I just wish the author went a bit more on story and a bit less on all the in-depth explanations of magic and how it works, exists, interacts, develops, culminates, responds… you get the picture.
This makes the third series of stories I’ve read by Jenny Schwartz, and each time I read one of her books I am lost in wonder, and hopeless with [benign] envy for the talent she has to create such wonderfully consuming worlds!
One of the things I most enjoy about her writing is her understanding that likable/sympathetic characters are crucial to long term reader engagement! I’ve read [and Do read] the occasional book that lack them, and the rare dip into that kind of story is — ok, but it leaves me with no desire for a repeat experience.
Kira, Evander, Madra, Gale, etc. are such rich characters, and I absolutely love reading about them and their adventures!
As always with Ms. Schwart’z stories, I can’t wait to start the next book!
The House continues to expand its abilities as Kira learns how to be a Sorcerer and her companions/advisors grow into their places in the House and Kira’s circle. The most fascinating of her circle, to me, are Kira, herself, the House, Evander, Kira’s Elven Ranger Cyborg security head and Madra, her Elven feline apex predator/protector/pack mate. Evandor is responsible for Madra’s care, feeding and training. Every housemate has to be recognized and accepted by Madra. One of the group, Carlene, is a feathered dinosaur, and Madra must learn her avian feathers don’t make her prey. Another house resident, Lennu, is a Naga, a humanoid creature of snake descent. He and Madra are natural enemies, but Evander ensures that Madra and Lennu accept one another. Two others in the house, Gale, a Kobold whisper, and Silvestri, are also important parts of the whole.
I loved this series n devoured all three books. I would be delighted to have more books in the series to read!
Tweede deel in de serie in de 'Uncertain Sanctuary' serie en het was bijna net zo goed en onderhoudend als deel 1. Hier zit wat meer info over de werking van het huis en van de planeten en werelden waar het naar toe kan reizen. Technische informatie waar ik meestal niet zoveel mee kan, zeker niet omdat ik het boek in het Engels heb gelezen. Maar het verhaal van Kira en Evander, Madra en alle andere bewoners van het huis was net zo heerlijk als in deel 1. Door in deel 3. Een 7 maar hier een 8
Since each of these books are more like a "chunk" of a single story, as opposed to books within a trilogy, this one would represent the middle chapters of a typical novel. And as such, not much happens.
Of course there are events, but they're all just along the way to set up the next "chunk" of the story. So we have added a few characters, been to a few more places, and understand magic a bit more. But more importantly, the pieces have been set up for the last part.
Not a fan of cliffhanger endings. They always feel a cheap trick. If you engage with characters and the narrative you return to see what happens next in their lives and worlds. This story remains engrossing and the characters unique. There is enough keep you wanting to read. Betrayed at the end of a novel left a sour note, not the feeling I read for.
I did enjoy this one a great deal more than the 1st. The first was overwhelming, and at times confusing.
This one was slightly better on some of that. But it also finally fixed into a storyline and more or less stuck with it. It has its backstories that relate as well, which ask still continue.
I’m not really sure how the author intends to wrap up a rather tall order in only 171 pages.
Again though she uses words or phrase that make no sense and leaves the reader struggling to figure out what she’s referring to. Like WTF is an imbee???
I think both books could’ve been greatly expanded on, with more detail given in certain areas. It’s a very busy read with all the different “races” of characters, and the many different worlds she courageously takes on to explain.
And as per the norm anymore, and not meant in a good way, in this genre in particular, as well as trilogies, there always has to be a major cliffhanger. Why authors think this is an excellent addition to the ending is beyond me. If the book is well written, your readers will continue to follow you, and pick up the next one to see how it all turns out.
This is the main reason I now wait for all the books to be released before even attempting to read and series.
Kira is trying to adjust to her role as the almighty Sorceror, but her friends aren’t letting it go to her head.
Evander receives an invitation from his brother to come to the Harvest Feast, but is convinced that it is political move for his brother to use Kira’s presence. Elven society has a hatred of augmented people, even if that augmentation was forced upon them, so Evander is anathema to his family.
Meanwhile magic is not working as it should, and the Emperor asks Kira to investigate. Sorcerors can travel outside of reality, where normal magic users cannot.
Evander’s “reunion” with his family goes … (oops, no spoilers).
A call from Saka, a witch Kira hired to investigate what is going on with Earth, highlights the magical problem and … (nope, sorry.)
This second book in the series, brings together the group, creating a family. Mostly.
The characters are likable, and diverse. (I mean how much more diverse can you get with a human Sorceress, an augmented ex-military elf, a Neanderthal martial arts scholar (I’m not really sure I trust him still, but we’ll see), a three foot tall kobold PR/Social media manager, a Naga (half snake, half human) alchemist, a feathered Dinosaurian magic user, and a giant kitten…) oh, and the House itself.
The title gives the wrong idea about this part of the trilogy. There's no hiding, quite the opposite. Kira and her friends get involved in a couple of different conflicts. That doesn't mean there's a lot of action, though. Again, quite the opposite.
While this part of the trilogy had some interesting character development, and forward movement of the overarching plot, it was very slow, and didn't pick up until the second half of the book. There was just a lot of rambling.
The problem for me is that this book, and the first, could easily have been combined into one novel. Some tightening up, eliminating some of the slower parts, and this could have been one book - I suspect once I read the third part, I'll find out that the last book could have been squeezed in too.
I don't know why this was stretched into a trilogy. I'm glad I got the whole thing free with KU because if I'd paid for the whole series, I'd be upset.
Inching ever closer to a blossoming love story, this second novel in the Uncertain Sanctuary series now also takes aim at our fraying society and isn't squeamish about calling a spade a spade about the sources of our cultural disease. “For instance, a ploy of the powerful, of those benefiting from the current system, was to mislabel or even demonize dissenting voices...They could be a political group, a faith group, homesteaders, the list was endless. But the cult label appealed to those who protected the status quo—the lobbyists, media, and business interests. Cults fascinated and distracted the general public."
And this is the most important reminder of real world issues in the entire series: "A society that doesn't protect its children is a dying one." After Uvalde, these words seem prescient, but the fact is that mass school shootings have become increasingly common since Columbine in 1999.
I liked this better than the first book. I liked the first book but was irritated with the ending. This one has a cliffhanger too…probably more of a nail biter, really than the last book had, but this one didn’t irritate me and that one did. This one had a plot line that built and concluded by the end-at least one piece of plot concluded, while what was clearly part of a larger plot arc continued to pick up. I didn’t expect that to conclude. The cliffhanger that ends this book is also built toward throughout the book. It definitely helped that I had the third book on hand and ready to start, but even if I hadn’t, even with the twist at the end that leaves you hanging, there was enough that concluded that I felt satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
While this was good, I feel like it moved a bit slower than the previous book. I love Kira and Evander. Their intelligence is a breath of fresh air from what I usually read. Their budding relationship as they heal and grow together despite the events around them is refreshing. That out of the way, I feel like the main conflict of this book was a bit drawn out. Kira and her crew are very thorough, as they should be, but I think the mechanics of everything kind of bored me a little bit during the way. I don't slight the author for this as it's probably just a me issue. I think I just needed more action to balance it out.
Overall: 4.6/5 - Love the MCs and the House. Excited for the conclusion.
31/2 stars I liked the premise, the characters and the originality of the story but some parts were really slow and over explained and I everything was too … orderly and analyzed. I think that kind of took away from the action and of the ascending of scenes. To me it felt the whole book was “yeah we are all in this house escaping and hanging out and a few things happen here and there but we have to analyze every little action” The characters are likable and interesting. So it was good but it could have had some stronger action or the action it had could have been more I don’t know intense maybe.
During the first book I had some problems with the author’s ”Universe”, it was quite ‘sketchy’, but I hoped it would firm up during this book. Unfortunately it becomes even more vague as each new incidence and idea seems to ‘muddy the water’. Also the author spends a lot of time trying to explain things without actually making any difference.
As for the story, this was very much the ‘middle book’, setting up the final book in the trilogy, but there were enough things happening to keep me interested.
If possible I would have given 2.5 stars. I might have made this three, but I was a bit annoyed by the ending.
I love the characters, but the action is all pretty dry and impersonal seeming. I am not a fan of pages of politics and social/government structure having to be explained to make sense of the plot. Dry because there's no tension or convincing struggle by the almost omnipotent mc. So, a bit of a disappointment with some good features seems to define the first two books of this series for me. Neither first nor second are stand alones. I'm not sure I will bother with volume 3.
The second installment in this series, this was excellent. It finishes on a cliffhanger again, which was expected this time after it happened last time. I really think the three episodes should be made into one book. They are short, only 14 chapters, and the second continued from exactly the place where the first one left off. If they became one book, that would save the repetition of explaining things that happened in the previous one, and also might save buyers some money! However they are well written and gripping and easy to read.
This is a complicated universe/reality. In the first book the author did a great job of trying to set the scene without sacrificing story. I found this book with lots of Reiteration of explanations that were frustrating because I wanted to get on with the story but we’re also very necessary for me to remember the details necessary. However after the first couple of chapters it’s settled back in to the story and did not disappoint. I am looking forward to the next book.
This book was a little more interesting than the first one in the series. It definitely seem to have a little more action and wasn’t quite as boring. The sorceress is finally learning a little bit more about her magic and how it works. Apparently sorceress magic can do anything that the sorceress wants it to do. I like the ending better than the first one it didn’t seem to be as open ended. Unfortunately this sorceress is finding out who she can trust and who she can’t. I will read the next book in the series maybe it will even be better.
I have enjoyed these books. The world building is interesting and for once the main character actually uses the brain she was given... too much sometimes, lol. I don't know exactly how to describe it but these books are a bit "heavier" to read due to real content. The story isn't just "see man, jump man, be dominated, thwart an evil, get preggo and end scene." Don't get me wrong, I like those books sometimes too, but this one has more issues that the mc has to learn about and work through. I am looking forward to reading the 3rd book.
Kira has she's been asked by the Emperor to travel new paths of Reality where only sorcerers can go and investigate why magic isn't working right. She gets a number of other calls for help and one of them sends her to the rescue of a whole orphanage of children.
I liked this book is more than the first, but agree with others that this trilogy could have been just one book. The characters are more evolved in this book and I started to feel invested in the outcome, but there is still a lot of "magic technobabble" that feels excessive.
This is another book that ends in a cliffhanger. Or more accurately, it's a single book split into three. It's still a good read, although a rather easy one. It's got a found family, adventure, and entertainment. On the surface, it does have some deep concepts, but it doesn't feel that way when you read it.
All in all, I enjoyed it in spite of the "cliffhangers" but it's a surface enjoyment. An easy read, rather than an emotional or thought provoking read. Still entertaining when you are looking for a quick and easy bit of a read
Kira’s chief of security, the elven Evander, was augmented against his will and now is shunned by his family and planet. Nevertheless, he receives an invitation to return home for the harvest festival. The reason being that they, like the emperor whose telephone call left the ending of the first book hanging, want to recruit Kira to their political persuasion. These books are barely stand-alones and, although time travel is possible, should be read in chronological order
If we had any illusions that Kira is a powerful sorcerer, being courted by the most powerful people in Reality spells it out to us. But they’re so respectful you have to wonder what they’re really up to. Kira goes on doing her own thing - which is amazing. And the slow burn romance? The hot coals finally light a flame. And another frustrating cliffhanger so have book three handy.
Repeat of the same issues from the first book — an uncompelling protagonist and nonsensical decision-making, with the added detractor of a murky, barely-there plot. I still find Evander to be the most interesting character in this series, but he's not around enough to warrant spending more time reading something I feel "meh" about.
I hope other people enjoy their journey with this series, but this is curtains for me.
I'm truly enjoying this series. The MC is more confident and her interactions with house and occupants is a pleasure with potential for mystery as they learn about one another. I am delighted about her protectors in particular. Looking forward greatly to next book.
There is something special about a magic house on chicken legs and Jenny Schwartz has crafted a series of stories that appeal to my sense of wonder and warm my heart with stories that emphasize the good that can be found by courageous people.
Kira and Evander tie up some loose ends from Evander 's past and make some decisions about what they want to happen. Now they begin to focus on the disappearing magic. A great middle of the trilogy , advancing the story while Kira continues to learn about her abilities and what she wants to do in Reality.
Another page turner, although I did feel that this was not as good as the 1st in the trilogy. I felt there was less detail in the book and that the story of Sorcerer Kira had a long way to go before it was finished. The title was a bit misleading as the house didn't do that much hiding. Still on with the third.