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River of Souls #2
Queen's Hunt
Queen's Hunt is the second title in Beth Bernobich's River of Souls novels, following her startling debut, Passion Play. Filled with dark magic and sensual images, this is fantasy writing at its best.
Ilse Zhalina has left to start a new life in a garrisoned fort, leagues from her estranged lover, Raul Kosenmark. The violent quarrel that ended Ilse and Raul's relationship was quite public. And also, quite fake. They hope to mislead Kosenmark's enemies so that he can continue to influence the politics of the kingdom in an attempt to stave off an ill-advised war, while keeping Ilse safe from royal assassins who would kill anyone Raul is close to. Ilse longs for Raul, but is set on her own quest to find one of the three fabled jewels of Lir. One of the jewels is held by King Dzavek, sworn enemy of Veraene, who has used the jewel's power to live for centuries. Ilse seeks one of the other stones to counterbalance Dzavek's efforts to destroy her country.
In her search, she encounters a shipwrecked prisoner from another land, a woman who has a secret of her own...and the second jewel in her keeping. The two women become allies in their quest for the third jewel, because finding and controlling these stones could mean salvation for both of their nations. And their failure the ruin of their peoples.
Ilse Zhalina has left to start a new life in a garrisoned fort, leagues from her estranged lover, Raul Kosenmark. The violent quarrel that ended Ilse and Raul's relationship was quite public. And also, quite fake. They hope to mislead Kosenmark's enemies so that he can continue to influence the politics of the kingdom in an attempt to stave off an ill-advised war, while keeping Ilse safe from royal assassins who would kill anyone Raul is close to. Ilse longs for Raul, but is set on her own quest to find one of the three fabled jewels of Lir. One of the jewels is held by King Dzavek, sworn enemy of Veraene, who has used the jewel's power to live for centuries. Ilse seeks one of the other stones to counterbalance Dzavek's efforts to destroy her country.
In her search, she encounters a shipwrecked prisoner from another land, a woman who has a secret of her own...and the second jewel in her keeping. The two women become allies in their quest for the third jewel, because finding and controlling these stones could mean salvation for both of their nations. And their failure the ruin of their peoples.
332 pages, Hardcover
First published July 17, 2012
4 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Beth Bernobich
20 books135 followersBeth Bernobich is a writer, reader, mother, and geek. She loves to tell stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 20, 2013
Death and rebirth. The eternal contradiction of magic.
Where book 1 of the River of Souls series was an introduction to the world of Ilse Zhalina, Queen's Hunt has spread out to encompass the three warring kingdoms, complete with a number of shiny new perspectives (Raul included). Tensions are higher, there is much more action, and we see reincarnation become much more central to the plot. It's interesting to see how characters' dealings with one another in a past life can affect their dealings in the next. Even more interesting to me was the effect it has on their society in terms of equality and tolerance. When your serving girl in one life could be your king in the next, you treat everyone that much more graciously, and when your wife in one life could be your castrato lover in the next, you come to understand that human sexuality can be a fluid thing.
This remembrance of past lives makes for some epic love stories, and some very long grudges. I look forward to the installment.
Where book 1 of the River of Souls series was an introduction to the world of Ilse Zhalina, Queen's Hunt has spread out to encompass the three warring kingdoms, complete with a number of shiny new perspectives (Raul included). Tensions are higher, there is much more action, and we see reincarnation become much more central to the plot. It's interesting to see how characters' dealings with one another in a past life can affect their dealings in the next. Even more interesting to me was the effect it has on their society in terms of equality and tolerance. When your serving girl in one life could be your king in the next, you treat everyone that much more graciously, and when your wife in one life could be your castrato lover in the next, you come to understand that human sexuality can be a fluid thing.
This remembrance of past lives makes for some epic love stories, and some very long grudges. I look forward to the installment.
July 9, 2012
In Queen's Hunt, Beth Bernobich creates a riveting secondary world inhabited by fully realized characters who wield magic and weapons with equal facility. I was fascinated by the magic system and the world she created. And as a language lover, I was absolutely delighted by the language used to invoke the powers of the magical other world, a Germanic analogue that rivaled Tolkien's created languages. The incantations just beg to be intoned.
Ilse Zhalina, Bernobich's heroine from her first book, Passion Play, takes a while to come on stage, but when she does she steals the show. A strong, self-willed hero, Ilse has sacrificed much for the good of the realm. She is suspicious (for good reason) of the queen Valara, who is searching for the fabled jewels of Lir, but the two join forces on their quest. They don't ever lose their suspicion, either, a la the mismatched buddy trope. They stay wary, in a way that is true to both characters.
I do think that readers will benefit from reading Passion Play first, but Bernobich sets the stage well and newcomers will quickly find their footing.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Ilse Zhalina, Bernobich's heroine from her first book, Passion Play, takes a while to come on stage, but when she does she steals the show. A strong, self-willed hero, Ilse has sacrificed much for the good of the realm. She is suspicious (for good reason) of the queen Valara, who is searching for the fabled jewels of Lir, but the two join forces on their quest. They don't ever lose their suspicion, either, a la the mismatched buddy trope. They stay wary, in a way that is true to both characters.
I do think that readers will benefit from reading Passion Play first, but Bernobich sets the stage well and newcomers will quickly find their footing.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 16, 2012
This is the second book of the Series and I always have issues with second books. All too often, they suffer from what I call the Bridge Problem, existing only to connect Book One and Book Three. Nonetheless, I waited with great impatience and anxiety for this book to come into my hands, because the first book was so compelling. But to my intense delight this bridge has a story fit to stand alone! It also has several sassy, savvy, feisty female characters at the center of the plot, which just warms my old flabby heart.
It continues the complex political, magical maneuvers of the first book, and adds a quest for three potent magical gems, a Queen on the run from dire enemies, regression to past lives, an appealing new sub-hero who stutters and stumbles and of course our angelically handsome hero. It also boasts a truly chilling evil magical villain and a conflicted villain who might just turn out to be a hero. This book is as full of goodies as my Aunt Mae's fruitcake. The Gods of fiction love us and have sent us a wonderful present!
It continues the complex political, magical maneuvers of the first book, and adds a quest for three potent magical gems, a Queen on the run from dire enemies, regression to past lives, an appealing new sub-hero who stutters and stumbles and of course our angelically handsome hero. It also boasts a truly chilling evil magical villain and a conflicted villain who might just turn out to be a hero. This book is as full of goodies as my Aunt Mae's fruitcake. The Gods of fiction love us and have sent us a wonderful present!
February 10, 2013
Ilse Zhalina's tale continues in Queen's Hunt, and the second River of Souls book lives up to the promise of Passion Play. The tale is expanded to introduce more characters (and more POV), but the author manages to keep juggling all the narrative balls without dropping any.
One of the best parts of the book for me was the development of strong female secondary characters, especially in the scenes where three women are traveling together, depending on each other and their own skills rather than on a man's assistance. It's a fantasy trope we don't see often enough.
My favorite line from the novel regards Ilse and her lover, Raul: "He does not come to rescue me. He comes to deliver me weapons."
Hunky, and not clueless. Now, that's a hero!
One of the best parts of the book for me was the development of strong female secondary characters, especially in the scenes where three women are traveling together, depending on each other and their own skills rather than on a man's assistance. It's a fantasy trope we don't see often enough.
My favorite line from the novel regards Ilse and her lover, Raul: "He does not come to rescue me. He comes to deliver me weapons."
Hunky, and not clueless. Now, that's a hero!
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March 3, 2013Ahhhhh no! I need the next book stat.
August 17, 2020
My two favorite quotes from this book are:
"There were a thousand descriptions of how magic tasted and smelled. None of them were right, all of them were true."
"I love him, she thought. All over again. He does not come to rescue me. He comes to deliver me weapons."
Yes, this is not a full review, but these two quotes should give you an idea why I like this book.
"There were a thousand descriptions of how magic tasted and smelled. None of them were right, all of them were true."
"I love him, she thought. All over again. He does not come to rescue me. He comes to deliver me weapons."
Yes, this is not a full review, but these two quotes should give you an idea why I like this book.
February 19, 2014
Beth Bernobich is one of those authors for whom I’ve developed a serious case of instaluv – so I’m compulsively working my way through her books as and when my reading schedule allows. What I adore about her writing is that she’s unhurried, focusing on the relationships between people and also developing whole characters who not only love, but also maintain interests and aspirations. These elements, of course, get derailed by events not always under their control, which keeps me turning those pages.
In book #1, Passion Play, we are introduced to Ilse, who has run away from an arranged marriage and by happy fortune ended up in the employ of Raul Kosenmark, who is unofficially a noble spymaster who rules a shadow court behind the respectable façade of his pleasure house.
In the first book, we are only privy to Ilse’s perspective as she falls in love with Raul, explores her latent magical talent, and becomes deeply involved in political intrigue. By book #2 we follow the tale from multiple points of view which, although took a little getting used to at first, definitely broadens the perspective and in hindsight was quite necessary.
The story as it stands, tells us that war loom between nations, and a despotic ruler, Leos Dzavek, who has had an unnaturally long lifespan, seeks to find the missing Lir’s jewels in order to re-establish his power. This plot element recalls a little Tolkienesque buzz with the Silmarils, if anything, for those of you familiar with that particular McGuffin. Standing against Leos, we have three young people: Ilse, Valara and Miro, who discover a shared history in their past lives related to the jewels and their historical theft and their relationship with Leos.
Okay, that is the underlying spine of Queen’s Hunt – the search for the jewels and the eventual outcome that I’ll not share because, yeah. SPOILERS.
Valara is a queen in exile, who through a quirk of fate ends up in the company of Ilse, who’s gone into self-imposed exile in order to protect Raul, and then a cast of secondary viewpoint characters who all play integral parts to the plot. We even pop into Raul’s head a few times, which is lovely.
Each character has his or her smaller story arc, so I can best describe this saga as a gradual unfolding or unravelling of a massive tapestry, of which we, as readers, only see small parts of the larger pattern.
Bernobich is concerned with texture, sensation and colour. Her writing is visceral and rewards the patient reader. What I especially love is that she doesn’t explain everything, all at once, for which I am very grateful. There’s nothing worse than plodding through reams of exposition – a sometimes unavoidable aspect of fantasy.
Granted, there were a few key moments in Queen’s Hunt where the pacing went a bit quick for my liking, and I felt as if Bernobich glossed over the action in important sequences where I personally needed a little depth in the layering department, but these were few. It would have helped then to have a better understanding of the characters’ motivations, but this is a minor quibble on my part and could possibly also be written off to individual taste.
More than anything, I’d like to underscore how real the characters and the setting feels to me. People don’t achieve what they want. Things go wrong, sometimes catastrophically so. They then have to deal with the repercussions of their actions – and they pay for it, sometimes with their lives.
Bernobich effortlessly sweeps me away into her setting where myth, magic and courtly intrigue are the order of the day, with refreshingly non-Eurocentric set dressing. (There are no blond, blue-eyed gallant knights, in other words.) I can’t wait to pick up book #3, Allegiance, and I’m certain there are many more surprises in store.
In book #1, Passion Play, we are introduced to Ilse, who has run away from an arranged marriage and by happy fortune ended up in the employ of Raul Kosenmark, who is unofficially a noble spymaster who rules a shadow court behind the respectable façade of his pleasure house.
In the first book, we are only privy to Ilse’s perspective as she falls in love with Raul, explores her latent magical talent, and becomes deeply involved in political intrigue. By book #2 we follow the tale from multiple points of view which, although took a little getting used to at first, definitely broadens the perspective and in hindsight was quite necessary.
The story as it stands, tells us that war loom between nations, and a despotic ruler, Leos Dzavek, who has had an unnaturally long lifespan, seeks to find the missing Lir’s jewels in order to re-establish his power. This plot element recalls a little Tolkienesque buzz with the Silmarils, if anything, for those of you familiar with that particular McGuffin. Standing against Leos, we have three young people: Ilse, Valara and Miro, who discover a shared history in their past lives related to the jewels and their historical theft and their relationship with Leos.
Okay, that is the underlying spine of Queen’s Hunt – the search for the jewels and the eventual outcome that I’ll not share because, yeah. SPOILERS.
Valara is a queen in exile, who through a quirk of fate ends up in the company of Ilse, who’s gone into self-imposed exile in order to protect Raul, and then a cast of secondary viewpoint characters who all play integral parts to the plot. We even pop into Raul’s head a few times, which is lovely.
Each character has his or her smaller story arc, so I can best describe this saga as a gradual unfolding or unravelling of a massive tapestry, of which we, as readers, only see small parts of the larger pattern.
Bernobich is concerned with texture, sensation and colour. Her writing is visceral and rewards the patient reader. What I especially love is that she doesn’t explain everything, all at once, for which I am very grateful. There’s nothing worse than plodding through reams of exposition – a sometimes unavoidable aspect of fantasy.
Granted, there were a few key moments in Queen’s Hunt where the pacing went a bit quick for my liking, and I felt as if Bernobich glossed over the action in important sequences where I personally needed a little depth in the layering department, but these were few. It would have helped then to have a better understanding of the characters’ motivations, but this is a minor quibble on my part and could possibly also be written off to individual taste.
More than anything, I’d like to underscore how real the characters and the setting feels to me. People don’t achieve what they want. Things go wrong, sometimes catastrophically so. They then have to deal with the repercussions of their actions – and they pay for it, sometimes with their lives.
Bernobich effortlessly sweeps me away into her setting where myth, magic and courtly intrigue are the order of the day, with refreshingly non-Eurocentric set dressing. (There are no blond, blue-eyed gallant knights, in other words.) I can’t wait to pick up book #3, Allegiance, and I’m certain there are many more surprises in store.
October 20, 2013
I received this free through Goodreads first reads. I was so excited when I won. I have been waiting for the second book to come out for a while. I loved the first one. This picks up a few months after the first one ended. Ilse and Raul are seperated so she can not be used against him by his enemies. While he is trying to find a way to bring about peace, Ilse is looking for the fabled jewels of Lir, three of the most powerful objects in the world. She hopes to use these to bring about peace as well as keep an evil mage at bay. She ends up going on the run with a queen who had been captured by a rival kingdom. This queen may actually be able to help Ilse find what she is looking for.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the last one. The characters are interesting and plot thrilling. I'm glad the author included other character POVs besides Ilse's. There was a lot more magic, more action, and plenty of romance. I love how Ilse is coming out of her shell and gaining more confidence in who she is and her powers. Raul, while having the voice of a woman, is still very manly. I like how the characters can remember past lives and can draw from the knowledge they learned before.
There were a couple things I think could have been changed. The story did not seem long enough. There could have been a lot more to this plot line. Also, I am finding it a bit hard to understand the world between worlds where magic resides. I would like to have seen more of King Leos. He is mentioned a lot, but we don't see much of him. The biggest problem I had is there is still no happy ending for Raul and Ilse. I know that would be too simple for a novel, but I would like to see them have a little happiness. All in all, I love this series and can't wait for the next one.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the last one. The characters are interesting and plot thrilling. I'm glad the author included other character POVs besides Ilse's. There was a lot more magic, more action, and plenty of romance. I love how Ilse is coming out of her shell and gaining more confidence in who she is and her powers. Raul, while having the voice of a woman, is still very manly. I like how the characters can remember past lives and can draw from the knowledge they learned before.
There were a couple things I think could have been changed. The story did not seem long enough. There could have been a lot more to this plot line. Also, I am finding it a bit hard to understand the world between worlds where magic resides. I would like to have seen more of King Leos. He is mentioned a lot, but we don't see much of him. The biggest problem I had is there is still no happy ending for Raul and Ilse. I know that would be too simple for a novel, but I would like to see them have a little happiness. All in all, I love this series and can't wait for the next one.
October 3, 2012
I was eager to read Beth Bernobich's second book in her River of Souls series, Queen's Hunt. The first one, Passion Play, introduced the reader to the world of Ilse Zhalina and Raul Kosenmark, a world rife with politics and magic. It was one of those books that you find yourself reading in one sitting, because it is just that good, but also trying to slow down as you reach the last pages, to make it last.
Queen's Hunt picks up right where Passion Play left off. There's been a horrible fight (or has there?), and Ilse has escaped the wrath of Raul by taking a post at a faraway brothel.
Set some time aside and stock up on snacks, because you're not going to put this book down until the oh-my-goodness-how-did-that-happen ending. It is all melded seamlessly into a tale that will leaving you regretfully turning the last page, hoping for more.
And yes, this book *can* stand on its own, you don't need to have already read Passion Play. But, if you have not read the first book yet, you are very lucky. You will have something to occupy your time while the rest of us are whining and begging for the next book in the series. Though, now I think on it, mayhaps I will indulge in a re-reading of both books while waiting for Ms. Bernobich's next masterpiece in the River of Souls series.
Queen's Hunt picks up right where Passion Play left off. There's been a horrible fight (or has there?), and Ilse has escaped the wrath of Raul by taking a post at a faraway brothel.
Set some time aside and stock up on snacks, because you're not going to put this book down until the oh-my-goodness-how-did-that-happen ending. It is all melded seamlessly into a tale that will leaving you regretfully turning the last page, hoping for more.
And yes, this book *can* stand on its own, you don't need to have already read Passion Play. But, if you have not read the first book yet, you are very lucky. You will have something to occupy your time while the rest of us are whining and begging for the next book in the series. Though, now I think on it, mayhaps I will indulge in a re-reading of both books while waiting for Ms. Bernobich's next masterpiece in the River of Souls series.
July 2, 2012
I received this as an ARC from Tor Books. I hadn't read the first book in the series, and was concerned that I'd be lost - but I needn't have worried.
This struck me as a good, old-fashioned sword-and-sorcery saga - lots of inter-and-intra-kingdom politics, a great deal of magic, intrigue, soldiers, pointy things, and magical jewels that can make you live forever.
And it's old-fashioned, too, in the way that the sex and violence is never terribly explicit, and the language is never coarse, so you focus on the plot, not the pron.
While I thought the end was a bit tentative, I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I'm looking forward to reading the first book as well. :)
This struck me as a good, old-fashioned sword-and-sorcery saga - lots of inter-and-intra-kingdom politics, a great deal of magic, intrigue, soldiers, pointy things, and magical jewels that can make you live forever.
And it's old-fashioned, too, in the way that the sex and violence is never terribly explicit, and the language is never coarse, so you focus on the plot, not the pron.
While I thought the end was a bit tentative, I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I'm looking forward to reading the first book as well. :)
April 18, 2015
The second part of the “River of Souls” trilogy. This one was plottier, more of an action-adventure story than the romance of the first one. The use of magic, and the all the various political shenanigans, seemed to make more sense. The creation and reincarnation mythos was still a bit beyond me, though. I would give a B+ for effort, but a C for execution.
I had checked the third book out from the library, but I looked at my To-Read List, had a little talk with myself, and brought it back. You know how when you're reading a great trilogy, and you just can't wait to move on to the next book? I never had that feeling for these; no emotional investment at all. So sad.
I had checked the third book out from the library, but I looked at my To-Read List, had a little talk with myself, and brought it back. You know how when you're reading a great trilogy, and you just can't wait to move on to the next book? I never had that feeling for these; no emotional investment at all. So sad.
December 8, 2013
Although I do not like books with multiple points of view, the flow of Bernobich's story kept them from being annoying. Knowing that at least 4 books are planned, I wait eagerly for #3 (Allegiance) and hope that Ilse and Raul will not have to suffer apart for too much longer.
Allegiance is here, so I am reading Queen's Hunt again. I forgot how easily I lost track of time while visiting with Ilse and Raul.
I also forgot that Queen's Hunt is a story of treachery, joy and grief.
Allegiance is here, so I am reading Queen's Hunt again. I forgot how easily I lost track of time while visiting with Ilse and Raul.
I also forgot that Queen's Hunt is a story of treachery, joy and grief.
June 30, 2012
I liked it. It's a very fast read, almost like a short story or novella. The story is exciting and the characters are interesting, I look forward to the next book. I won this book via Goodreads First-reads.
October 18, 2012
Did not go where I expected. It went better! Plot is deliciously complex yet logical. Have not ever seen reincarnation used in such a clever way. It reminds me somewhat of the Fionavar Tapestry with the interesting use of reincarnation, not as a modern retelling/remix of Tolkein.
October 28, 2015
A foggy, hard-to-follow plot and list of characters.
Not much character development.
A nice side romance could have been better developed.
Not much character development.
A nice side romance could have been better developed.
June 27, 2019
Okay... I didn't realize it was part of a series until I added it to my shelf in Goodreads. I spent a while looking for book 1 and have never found it. I gave into temptation and read it anyways. What? Look at that cover and that summary! It looks and sounds good!
Soooo the story follows Ilse and Raul. Ilse is on the run I suppose from events of the last book. Her and her lover had a huge fight. She decides to go on a quest to find the three fabled jewels of Lir because they can possibly help in saving her people and Raul's people.
This started out fantastic. I didn't feel like I was missing anything at all. It was going good and then...it fell apart. I started missing things and not understanding things. There were things about the world and characters I was scratching my head about. I think reading book 1 is the way to go...but I can't find the blasted thing.
I honestly put the book down for a couple of weeks in frustration and annoyance. I picked it back up and pushed my way through it.
Honest time? I TOTALLY skimmed the last 80 pages. I just wanted to be done and know what happened at the end. I had really and truly stopped caring to understand. I just wanted to know what happened to the two and the people.
The ending was eh...okay. Not really intrigued to read book 3 tho...
Overall...I may have to return back to this one day after I read book 1 and maybe I'll love it. We shall see. I got my answers and I am content. I'll give this 2 stars.
Soooo the story follows Ilse and Raul. Ilse is on the run I suppose from events of the last book. Her and her lover had a huge fight. She decides to go on a quest to find the three fabled jewels of Lir because they can possibly help in saving her people and Raul's people.
This started out fantastic. I didn't feel like I was missing anything at all. It was going good and then...it fell apart. I started missing things and not understanding things. There were things about the world and characters I was scratching my head about. I think reading book 1 is the way to go...but I can't find the blasted thing.
I honestly put the book down for a couple of weeks in frustration and annoyance. I picked it back up and pushed my way through it.
Honest time? I TOTALLY skimmed the last 80 pages. I just wanted to be done and know what happened at the end. I had really and truly stopped caring to understand. I just wanted to know what happened to the two and the people.
The ending was eh...okay. Not really intrigued to read book 3 tho...
Overall...I may have to return back to this one day after I read book 1 and maybe I'll love it. We shall see. I got my answers and I am content. I'll give this 2 stars.
February 4, 2019
3 1/2. I really did enjoy the story, but I found the ending rather unsatisfying (even though there is a third book, which I'm very excited to read!) The way some things were resolved just seemed a little too neat for me. However, I do appreciate this author's view on life, death, and reincarnation. It has been making me think a lot lately, and that is always a wonderful thing for an author to do.
I've heard good things about the third and final book in this series, so I am looking forward to moving on.
I've heard good things about the third and final book in this series, so I am looking forward to moving on.
May 8, 2019
Only realized it was the 2nd in the series upon completing it... so that might be part of why I felt so confused throughout (i.e. how to travel through the otherworlds) :P otherwise, in fairness, I think the storyline was interesting enough but my confusion hindered me from enjoying it further
March 13, 2019
This book had a creative storyline, a little hard to follow with all the characters but other wise a good read.
August 16, 2012
I really didn’t have any words to describe how I felt when I finished QUEEN’S HUNT, and I mean this a good way. This series so smart and emotional. It has everything I want in a good fantasy book, including a well developed fantasy world and just enough magic to keep things interesting. Where the first book of the series, PASSION PLAY, was an introduction to the fantasy world and to the main character Ilse, this sequel is more about the war brewing between three major kingdoms and the political battles within each of these kingdoms. There’s so much more tension in this sequel and its faster pace made me devour the book very quickly.
However, a fair warning to everyone. The writing differs from the previous installment, since book one was written mostly from Ilse’s point of view while this second book was written from multiple point of views. Though I understand this switch was necessary to incorporate many characters into the story, I felt it changed the flow of the series. Mind you, I read one book right after the other so this small detail might not be as obvious if I would have read the first book a year ago. I fell in love with Ilse’s story in book one and I would have liked to read more about her and her lover Raul. They spent to much time apart in the first half of QUEEN’S HUNT, that their brief reunion wasn’t satisfying enough for the romantic in me. This just proves how the series is truly evolving past their love story into a great epic fantasy. Tensions between parties is brewing war and conflict which, in turn, is adding layers upon layers to the story.
So many new characters are introduced in this sequel and it would be very difficult to names and describe them all. Valara Baussay and Leos Dzavek are two major ones, and although enemies, they have very similar goals. They’re both on the hunt for three magical ring and want what’s best for their kingdom, yet both have very different views and abilities. I don’t want to go into too many details of the war that’s brewing and I don’t want to name all the characters (there’s a lot!), but I will suggest jotting down the names of every characters you meet, because it will get overwhelming as the story progresses.
Despite all the new characters, Ilse remains my favorite. I admire her so much and I think it’s because of her perseverance and her ability to adapt to every new situation. And you can’t not love Raul and his dedication to peace. It’s through him that we see the political unfairness of his court and he seems to be two steps ahead of everyone in the game of deceit and power. And of course, as a combo, Ilse and Raul are perfect for each other since their love is built on so many past lives together.
The River of Souls series is so much more than a fantasy series. It’s a story of politics, war, romance and magic. In my opinion, this series has a lot of potential. Although I enjoyed QUEEN’S HUNT, I felt the first book was much better. Personally, I’m very critical of sequels. I always expect too much from them and I always end up being a little unsatisfied. However, I have a strong feeling book three will be great since Beth Bernobich has set us up for a great conclusion to the trilogy. The cliffhanger leaves us with so many unanswered questions, and I really hope the anticipation will be worth it.
FTC Advisory: The publisher provided me with a copy of Queen's Hunt. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Also reviewed on Tynga's Reviews
However, a fair warning to everyone. The writing differs from the previous installment, since book one was written mostly from Ilse’s point of view while this second book was written from multiple point of views. Though I understand this switch was necessary to incorporate many characters into the story, I felt it changed the flow of the series. Mind you, I read one book right after the other so this small detail might not be as obvious if I would have read the first book a year ago. I fell in love with Ilse’s story in book one and I would have liked to read more about her and her lover Raul. They spent to much time apart in the first half of QUEEN’S HUNT, that their brief reunion wasn’t satisfying enough for the romantic in me. This just proves how the series is truly evolving past their love story into a great epic fantasy. Tensions between parties is brewing war and conflict which, in turn, is adding layers upon layers to the story.
So many new characters are introduced in this sequel and it would be very difficult to names and describe them all. Valara Baussay and Leos Dzavek are two major ones, and although enemies, they have very similar goals. They’re both on the hunt for three magical ring and want what’s best for their kingdom, yet both have very different views and abilities. I don’t want to go into too many details of the war that’s brewing and I don’t want to name all the characters (there’s a lot!), but I will suggest jotting down the names of every characters you meet, because it will get overwhelming as the story progresses.
Despite all the new characters, Ilse remains my favorite. I admire her so much and I think it’s because of her perseverance and her ability to adapt to every new situation. And you can’t not love Raul and his dedication to peace. It’s through him that we see the political unfairness of his court and he seems to be two steps ahead of everyone in the game of deceit and power. And of course, as a combo, Ilse and Raul are perfect for each other since their love is built on so many past lives together.
The River of Souls series is so much more than a fantasy series. It’s a story of politics, war, romance and magic. In my opinion, this series has a lot of potential. Although I enjoyed QUEEN’S HUNT, I felt the first book was much better. Personally, I’m very critical of sequels. I always expect too much from them and I always end up being a little unsatisfied. However, I have a strong feeling book three will be great since Beth Bernobich has set us up for a great conclusion to the trilogy. The cliffhanger leaves us with so many unanswered questions, and I really hope the anticipation will be worth it.
FTC Advisory: The publisher provided me with a copy of Queen's Hunt. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Also reviewed on Tynga's Reviews
December 12, 2015
This is the second book in the River of Souls series and is very much a “middle book”. Not in any negative sort of sense. In the same sense that the "set" in volleyball is the middle step in a pass-set-spike sequence. Queen's Hunt takes the plot-ball that has been put in motion in the previous book and positions it ideally for the conclusion.
In a secondary world that evokes but does not mirror certain cultures of Europe’s past, magic and politics drive the plot in a setting where memories and souls—and the relationships they’ve developed in life—can carry over across many lifetimes. The first volume, Passion Play, introduced our two central characters, Ilse and Raul, and plunged the reader into the intricate politics both within and between kingdoms that are spinning the setting toward inevitable war. Magic is the key, and especially a powerful magic that was distilled into a gemstone that gave its wielder a nearly ageless existence. But in ages past the gem was split into three parts which were lost in Anderswar, the liminal space between worlds. Now one of the gems has been reclaimed by the ageless wizard-king and the hunt for the other two will determine the balance of power. Except that the gems themselves have their own goals and desires.
This story is broader in scope than the first volume, adding several new viewpoint characters and a great deal more geography, but in pacing is more…I don’t know, leisurely? That’s not quite right. The events are much more focused on the hunt of the title. The world is already built for us. The characters and their concerns have already been laid out. And the historic stakes of the events are already clear. This leaves Queen’s Hunt the space and time to develop other aspects of the setting, and in particular I came to understand more about how reincarnation works in this world and just what the extent of carryover from previous lives can be.
I love the detailed world-building of this series and the way it’s been enriched by drawing on historical source material, in particular language. The only aspect I had a little trouble with was following the large-scale geographic layout. I kept realizing that I’d gotten certain relative positions and compass directions mixed up in my head and eventually gave up on trying to visualize any sort of map. Another thing I love about the setting is the way that the inherited connections between past lives aren’t played out in a simplistic “one true soul-mate” fashion, but intertwine across genders and relationships to create a complicated and conflicted “spiritual family”.
The resolution of the quest for the gems sets the reader up for a grand final conflict in the third book (Allegiance), where the new alignments and power balances created in Queen’s Hunt will precipitate an entirely different struggle than the one hinted at in the first volume. This is not a stand-alone book, and the way in which it continues the story suggests that the series as a whole is probably best thought of as a single work, not a sequence of independent volumes.
In a secondary world that evokes but does not mirror certain cultures of Europe’s past, magic and politics drive the plot in a setting where memories and souls—and the relationships they’ve developed in life—can carry over across many lifetimes. The first volume, Passion Play, introduced our two central characters, Ilse and Raul, and plunged the reader into the intricate politics both within and between kingdoms that are spinning the setting toward inevitable war. Magic is the key, and especially a powerful magic that was distilled into a gemstone that gave its wielder a nearly ageless existence. But in ages past the gem was split into three parts which were lost in Anderswar, the liminal space between worlds. Now one of the gems has been reclaimed by the ageless wizard-king and the hunt for the other two will determine the balance of power. Except that the gems themselves have their own goals and desires.
This story is broader in scope than the first volume, adding several new viewpoint characters and a great deal more geography, but in pacing is more…I don’t know, leisurely? That’s not quite right. The events are much more focused on the hunt of the title. The world is already built for us. The characters and their concerns have already been laid out. And the historic stakes of the events are already clear. This leaves Queen’s Hunt the space and time to develop other aspects of the setting, and in particular I came to understand more about how reincarnation works in this world and just what the extent of carryover from previous lives can be.
I love the detailed world-building of this series and the way it’s been enriched by drawing on historical source material, in particular language. The only aspect I had a little trouble with was following the large-scale geographic layout. I kept realizing that I’d gotten certain relative positions and compass directions mixed up in my head and eventually gave up on trying to visualize any sort of map. Another thing I love about the setting is the way that the inherited connections between past lives aren’t played out in a simplistic “one true soul-mate” fashion, but intertwine across genders and relationships to create a complicated and conflicted “spiritual family”.
The resolution of the quest for the gems sets the reader up for a grand final conflict in the third book (Allegiance), where the new alignments and power balances created in Queen’s Hunt will precipitate an entirely different struggle than the one hinted at in the first volume. This is not a stand-alone book, and the way in which it continues the story suggests that the series as a whole is probably best thought of as a single work, not a sequence of independent volumes.
July 27, 2012
I received this through the GoodReads Giveaway.
I have not read the first book in this series, but it was easy to pick up the threads and start the adventure.
I haven't read a book this good in quite some time! It has all the elements that make a great story: love, betrayal, a quest, magic, spies & past lives!
Ilse and Raul have staged a public break up to throw off their enemies. While Raul tries to prevent war via his spy network and political influence, Ilse will try to find a magical stone to keep the immortal king from using it. They are helped and thwarted by a myriad of interesting characters.
Through a series of events, Ilse is forced to flee in the company of an escaped female prisoner and a female soldier that is desperate to redeem herself. Although Ilse can sense the magic from the prisoner, she is unaware that she is in the presence of one of the items she has been searching for until dire straits forces the prisoner to unveil it.
Meanwhile, Raul is racing to meet Ilse and keep her and the prisoner from the clutches of the man who would start a war.
The author has woven a fantastic tale of magic and intrigue. I appreciate the attention to the detail of the characters' surroundings and the food eaten, the miles journeyed. To me, these tidbits bring the story to life and draw me into the story even more.
Also, the battle scenes are not overly drawn out. There is just enough detail given so that you know how chaotic and violent the battles are, but we are not given blow by blow accounts of a zillion clashes.
The characters are filled out nicely and even the villains are interesting and I was eager to learn more about them. I was totally entranced with Ilse and I knew that this book was a winner when I imagined that she looked like me! :)
One of the best things about this book is that there is plenty of passion, but the author is so skilled with words that she does not need to resort to cheap explicit detailed scenes to try to convey the love, desire and urgency the characters feel. With a few fraught words, we are able to feel those same emotions and are further bound to these people. I would have no problem letting my teenaged grandson read this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am going to get the first one so I can have the entire set on my shelves.
The cover is absolutely beautiful!
I have not read the first book in this series, but it was easy to pick up the threads and start the adventure.
I haven't read a book this good in quite some time! It has all the elements that make a great story: love, betrayal, a quest, magic, spies & past lives!
Ilse and Raul have staged a public break up to throw off their enemies. While Raul tries to prevent war via his spy network and political influence, Ilse will try to find a magical stone to keep the immortal king from using it. They are helped and thwarted by a myriad of interesting characters.
Through a series of events, Ilse is forced to flee in the company of an escaped female prisoner and a female soldier that is desperate to redeem herself. Although Ilse can sense the magic from the prisoner, she is unaware that she is in the presence of one of the items she has been searching for until dire straits forces the prisoner to unveil it.
Meanwhile, Raul is racing to meet Ilse and keep her and the prisoner from the clutches of the man who would start a war.
The author has woven a fantastic tale of magic and intrigue. I appreciate the attention to the detail of the characters' surroundings and the food eaten, the miles journeyed. To me, these tidbits bring the story to life and draw me into the story even more.
Also, the battle scenes are not overly drawn out. There is just enough detail given so that you know how chaotic and violent the battles are, but we are not given blow by blow accounts of a zillion clashes.
The characters are filled out nicely and even the villains are interesting and I was eager to learn more about them. I was totally entranced with Ilse and I knew that this book was a winner when I imagined that she looked like me! :)
One of the best things about this book is that there is plenty of passion, but the author is so skilled with words that she does not need to resort to cheap explicit detailed scenes to try to convey the love, desire and urgency the characters feel. With a few fraught words, we are able to feel those same emotions and are further bound to these people. I would have no problem letting my teenaged grandson read this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am going to get the first one so I can have the entire set on my shelves.
The cover is absolutely beautiful!
February 14, 2014
This is the second book in what I think is a trilogy. I hadn't read the first book, but this sounded intriguing enough to give it a try anyway.
And I have to confess that at the start of the book I was confused a lot. Not knowing what happened in book one, who some of the characters were, and if they were good guys or bad guys, I felt adrift. This being a world where people also remember their earlier lives didn't make it easier. But slowly I learned more about the world, the characters and what their motives were, and I was drawn into the story.
There's a lot going on, and there are a couple of different viewpoint characters. Some I liked from the start, like Ilse, others I mistrusted. The intrigues, switching loyalties and politics in this story make that you have to keep paying attention to understand what's going on and who is to trust.
The world building and setting were very interesting. I already mentioned that people remember past lives. This made for interesting situations where people meet someone new, but remember them from a past life. It added extra intrigue to already tense situations.
The one thing that annoyed me was the language used for magic. It was a bastardized version of German, or maybe it was very old German, but close enough to the modern German I know that it grated on me. I kept wanting to correct it. Luckily the use of the language was limited, so I could mostly ignore it.
This book ends with some major plot points solved and others still wide open. It was an ending that was both satisfying and that left me curious for the next book. Luckily the next book was already in my tbr-pile, so expect a review of it soon.
And I have to confess that at the start of the book I was confused a lot. Not knowing what happened in book one, who some of the characters were, and if they were good guys or bad guys, I felt adrift. This being a world where people also remember their earlier lives didn't make it easier. But slowly I learned more about the world, the characters and what their motives were, and I was drawn into the story.
There's a lot going on, and there are a couple of different viewpoint characters. Some I liked from the start, like Ilse, others I mistrusted. The intrigues, switching loyalties and politics in this story make that you have to keep paying attention to understand what's going on and who is to trust.
The world building and setting were very interesting. I already mentioned that people remember past lives. This made for interesting situations where people meet someone new, but remember them from a past life. It added extra intrigue to already tense situations.
The one thing that annoyed me was the language used for magic. It was a bastardized version of German, or maybe it was very old German, but close enough to the modern German I know that it grated on me. I kept wanting to correct it. Luckily the use of the language was limited, so I could mostly ignore it.
This book ends with some major plot points solved and others still wide open. It was an ending that was both satisfying and that left me curious for the next book. Luckily the next book was already in my tbr-pile, so expect a review of it soon.
December 16, 2012
Very surprising. The author has broken free of the trilogy format, writing two closely-related books that will apparently be the beginning of an open-ended sequence of books set in the same fictional universe, but aren't necessarily a series. And after so many Tolkien clones that revolve around getting the Object of Power and using it (which completely misses the heart of Tolkien's epic, which is the rejection of power over others and the destruction of the artifact that grants it), this author transcends it. Here the jewels that are the focus of the quest are good rather than evil, except they're not Objects, but thinking entities in their own right -- and the heart of the story is rejecting the idea that one has the right to lay claim on them and use them as means to one's own ends. And thus the happy ending lies in the letting go, the releasing of that which must be returned to freedom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2013
Purchased myself - 3.75 stars
Too short.
I loved 'Passion Play,' it was an amazing book, but I feel a bit let down by Queen's Hunt. It was a good solid book but it could have easily been fleshed out and that while a good adventure took place, and the world building continued to be grand, it left me feeling like there should have been more. The character development was sorely lacking, Gerek was almost a wooden character, we did not learn nearly enough about him for him to have such a major role in the book, and I thought that Daya, and her sisters/brothers, also, should have had more personality than she was given. I think my final thoughts are that either the author felt pressure to finish the book or that it was a longer book the publisher cut too deeply. Would I recommend it - yes if you loved 'Passion Play,' you should read this book. But if you didn't really enjoy the first book then I would pass on the rest of the series.
Too short.
I loved 'Passion Play,' it was an amazing book, but I feel a bit let down by Queen's Hunt. It was a good solid book but it could have easily been fleshed out and that while a good adventure took place, and the world building continued to be grand, it left me feeling like there should have been more. The character development was sorely lacking, Gerek was almost a wooden character, we did not learn nearly enough about him for him to have such a major role in the book, and I thought that Daya, and her sisters/brothers, also, should have had more personality than she was given. I think my final thoughts are that either the author felt pressure to finish the book or that it was a longer book the publisher cut too deeply. Would I recommend it - yes if you loved 'Passion Play,' you should read this book. But if you didn't really enjoy the first book then I would pass on the rest of the series.
May 20, 2013
I admit the cover’s pretty cheesy, but “Queen’s Hunt” (Tor, $24.99, 332 pages) still deserves attention. It’s book two in a series that began with “Passion Play,” and it’s a typical pre-industrial fantasy with magic and paranormal powers – but just like “Passion Play,” Beth Bernobich takes the familiar and makes it interesting with a combination of strong characterizations, a complex plot and solid writing.
Also on the positive side, “Queen’s Hunt” is more or less a complete book, rather than the usual volume two that simply digs the protagonists into a deeper and deeper hole that the author won’t start climbing out of until midway through book three. There is some stretching of the suspension of disbelief, but Bernobich manages to mix romance, adventure and political maneuvering into a coherent and entertaining narrative – which, as fantasy readers are all too aware, is easier said than done.
Also on the positive side, “Queen’s Hunt” is more or less a complete book, rather than the usual volume two that simply digs the protagonists into a deeper and deeper hole that the author won’t start climbing out of until midway through book three. There is some stretching of the suspension of disbelief, but Bernobich manages to mix romance, adventure and political maneuvering into a coherent and entertaining narrative – which, as fantasy readers are all too aware, is easier said than done.
August 2, 2015
Ilse has settled in at Osterling Keep far from her lover Raul Kosenmark and is still searching for the jewel that might give her country balance in the struggle against the un-aging King Dzavek. When she meets escaped prisoner Queen Valara, who is also invested in keeping the jewel of Lir out of Dzavek’s hands, they join forces, both physically and magically. Can they trust each other is the question on each of their minds. Evading Lord Markus Khandarr is hard for both the girls and for Raul in Tiralien, who along with his new secretary, has Khandarr also on his trail. Each character relives some of their past lives which gives depth to the story of the characters and the jewels as they have been passed down through the centuries. While this one ended on a high note with a complete ending, the third one, “Allegiance,” came out in 2013, is on my list and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
March 3, 2013
This is a hard book to rate. It's just as good as the first book, really, but as it's carrying middle book weight, there are a lot more plot threads being started up and carried along than resolved, which ends up being more frustrating when I don't have the third book to read yet than it would otherwise. And much as I loved most of the characters who got PoV in this book, I was also a bit frustrated by there being so many of them. I just couldn't track all of the names and plots attached to each, and it felt like I never got the really fascinating depth of character as the first book did with any of them. Ultimately, it was just a bit too complex to engage me the way the first one did; I suppose that's a flaw in me as a reader, not in the text. But I'm still really looking forward to the next one.
November 21, 2013
This book broadens the focus of Passion Play, and introduces more POV characters. I wasn't sure that these characters added anything to the story. It's a good book, which wraps up an arc that I thought would take the whole trilogy, but the pacing was off. The characters spend a lot of time traveling about, meet each other in highly unlikely ways, and make a lot of plans which come to nothing.
Magic plays more of a role in this book, as do past life memories- I liked both these concepts. I'll read the last book to see what happens.
Magic plays more of a role in this book, as do past life memories- I liked both these concepts. I'll read the last book to see what happens.
June 20, 2013
Solid middle book, but if you were hoping for a lot of focus on Raul and Ilse's relationship, well...prepare for disappointment. The minor characters and the overall world issues dominate this story. Maybe the third one will have this focus? But all-in-all, solid plot, interesting places for this to go, some resolution of things brought up in the first book.
Fair warning - the romance here is of the gently-wafting-curtains kind, so if you are here for the steamy erotica, you will be sad.
Fair warning - the romance here is of the gently-wafting-curtains kind, so if you are here for the steamy erotica, you will be sad.
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