What do you think?
Rate this book
Hero #2
The Hero Strikes Back
In a realm beset by natural disasters, only the magical abilities of the bonded Pairs—Source and Shield—make the land habitable and keep the citizenry safe. The ties that bind them are far beyond the relationships between lovers or kin—and last their entire lives… Whether they like it or not. The weather in the city of High Scape is off the charts. It’s snowing in the middle of summer, and the townsfolk are desperate for Shield Lee Mallorough and Source Shintaro Karish to fix it—which they can’t do. But try explaining that to an angry mob… Meanwhile, there’s a crazed killer targeting aristocrats. Karish has forfeited the Dukedom of Westsea to continue working as a Source, but Lee fears that technicality won’t matter to the murderer. It certainly doesn’t matter to Karish’s mother, who’s bound and determined that he take the title. Only by working together will Lee and Karish be able to figure out the weather, catch the killer before it’s too late, and most importantly…get rid of Karish’s mother.
308 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
14 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Moira J. Moore
11 books233 followersI started writing my first book when I was fourteen. I was sitting in class, bored out of my mind, and I started writing a story about a girl sitting in class, bored out of her mind. Except her class was in a school of wizardry. That story turned into a book. An awful book that I tried and failed to get published. I'm grateful the internet wasn't a thing back then, because I surely would have put it online and it would be out there forever.
Since then I've continued to write books and continued to put life experiences in them. My frustration with alpha male characters, the extreme weather I experienced while living in Japan, and contract law have all shown up in my fantasy novels.
The first six books in my Heroes series were published by ACE. ACE didn't want to finish the series, so I did, by self-publishing Heroes Reward. I fell so in love with the self-publishing experience that I have no inclination to seek a traditional publisher again.
My most recent book, The CEO Can Drop Dead, is a contemporary novel that portrays common romance tropes as the abusive behaviour that they are. I mean no disrespect to the romance genre as a whole, I don't believe it's any less worthy than any other genre, but the prevalence of abusive behaviour disturbs me, so I wrote a book about it. 25% of my royalties is donated to the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres.
Since then I've continued to write books and continued to put life experiences in them. My frustration with alpha male characters, the extreme weather I experienced while living in Japan, and contract law have all shown up in my fantasy novels.
The first six books in my Heroes series were published by ACE. ACE didn't want to finish the series, so I did, by self-publishing Heroes Reward. I fell so in love with the self-publishing experience that I have no inclination to seek a traditional publisher again.
My most recent book, The CEO Can Drop Dead, is a contemporary novel that portrays common romance tropes as the abusive behaviour that they are. I mean no disrespect to the romance genre as a whole, I don't believe it's any less worthy than any other genre, but the prevalence of abusive behaviour disturbs me, so I wrote a book about it. 25% of my royalties is donated to the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
February 2, 2012
Again, whoever did these covers (or approved them or paid someone to create them) is a malignant toad and should be mocked out of polite society. Seriously, this is beyond antagonistic to the author, everybody who read the books despite the cover, and, more importantly, to everybody put off by them who didn't get to enjoy an otherwise solid read with interesting characters and good stories.
Everything I liked about the first book is there in this one as well, and stronger. Yeah, I wanted to smack Lee's mother and I was afraid Erin would be a repeat of Aiden, but both turned out to be interesting characters with great depth revealed through the natural course of the story. And meeting Taro's mother and getting to know his history was both touching and revelatory of why he is the man he turned out to be. Well done.
So why not the four stars I gave Resenting the Hero? Because the author did, in my opinion, break faith with Lee's character near the end of the book. At some point, even someone as withdrawn as Lee is has to notice that things just are not right. She ignores fifteen blatant clues to what is going on and I can't say any more without spoilers. Suffice it to say that running on pages past the point where any reasonable person would have copped to the situation was frustrating and felt manipulative. It dropped my enjoyment of the book down a full star.
Everything I liked about the first book is there in this one as well, and stronger. Yeah, I wanted to smack Lee's mother and I was afraid Erin would be a repeat of Aiden, but both turned out to be interesting characters with great depth revealed through the natural course of the story. And meeting Taro's mother and getting to know his history was both touching and revelatory of why he is the man he turned out to be. Well done.
So why not the four stars I gave Resenting the Hero? Because the author did, in my opinion, break faith with Lee's character near the end of the book. At some point, even someone as withdrawn as Lee is has to notice that things just are not right. She ignores fifteen blatant clues to what is going on and I can't say any more without spoilers. Suffice it to say that running on pages past the point where any reasonable person would have copped to the situation was frustrating and felt manipulative. It dropped my enjoyment of the book down a full star.
August 16, 2010
The series really warms up with this book. BIG improvement over the first in the series, the characters are more comfortable, there's witty banter, an interesting plot line and great progress in the main relationship. Total page turner!
October 5, 2014
4 1/2 stars (I normally try to pick one direction, but I couldn't this time!)
A lot stronger than the first one! I love the way the relationship between Lee and Taro is deepening. And it was so great to get a glimpse of both of their mothers.
I also appreciate that, for all that these are light books, serious questions are raised about the world they live in.
Anyway. I can't seem to write very in depth reviews of these books, but GOOD.
Re-read August 2014
A lot stronger than the first one! I love the way the relationship between Lee and Taro is deepening. And it was so great to get a glimpse of both of their mothers.
I also appreciate that, for all that these are light books, serious questions are raised about the world they live in.
Anyway. I can't seem to write very in depth reviews of these books, but GOOD.
Re-read August 2014
August 9, 2017
2.5 stars
We got more background from Taro in this one which was good, but the plot was boring and I did skim a little because of that.
Hopefully the next book is better.
We got more background from Taro in this one which was good, but the plot was boring and I did skim a little because of that.
Hopefully the next book is better.
April 10, 2008
The Hero Strikes Back is the second book in Moira J. Moore's Hero series and it is, as promised (you were dead on, Ann), even better than the first book. Thankfully, Moore doesn't spend a lot of time trying to catch new readers up, but plunges right into the new plot with wonderful abandon. Lee and Taro are still stationed in High Scape, but conditions are rather eerie. Instead of its usual string of natural disasters, the city is languishing under unprecedented weather anomalies. Snowstorms in summer, followed by unending heat waves. Farmers are losing their crops, disease and discontent are running rampant, and people are blaming the Sources and their Shields for not adequately protecting them.
In a desperate attempt to deescalate the general unrest, the Pairs promise they will work on fixing the weather, despite having no actual ability or training to do so. Lee, true to form, insists she and Taro actually try to come through on their promise and their fumbling attempts to manipulate the weather produce some rather interesting, unexpected results.
Meanwhile, both Lee and Taro's mothers come to town, insinuating themselves into their childrens' lives, causing irritability on Lee's part and outright fury on Taro's. There is some real emotional wrangling in this second volume, and I was so pleased to see these two friends and partners grow independently and together, come to each other's defense when the situation warranted it, and accept the other's help for what it was. These emotionally charged scenes were at times delightful and at others excruciatingly painful to read and, as I watched Lee and Taro try to navigate it all, I found myself so proud of them. And exceedingly anxious to find out what happens next!
In a desperate attempt to deescalate the general unrest, the Pairs promise they will work on fixing the weather, despite having no actual ability or training to do so. Lee, true to form, insists she and Taro actually try to come through on their promise and their fumbling attempts to manipulate the weather produce some rather interesting, unexpected results.
Meanwhile, both Lee and Taro's mothers come to town, insinuating themselves into their childrens' lives, causing irritability on Lee's part and outright fury on Taro's. There is some real emotional wrangling in this second volume, and I was so pleased to see these two friends and partners grow independently and together, come to each other's defense when the situation warranted it, and accept the other's help for what it was. These emotionally charged scenes were at times delightful and at others excruciatingly painful to read and, as I watched Lee and Taro try to navigate it all, I found myself so proud of them. And exceedingly anxious to find out what happens next!
December 28, 2023
the character work in this is actually SO incredible. dunleavy and taro's relationship makes me SING especially because the author does such a great job making them both fleshed-out people with MANY unlikable traits. dunleavy can be truly insufferable and even taro is very frustrating and dramatic sometimes, but it's just so well done. they balance each other out so well. and every time they touch (and that kiss!!!) i kick my feet like a fangirl, which is something i haven't been inclined to do in a long time.
like??? "you'd forgive me anything" and "you're always welcome here taro" when i tell you i SWOONED
i'm also very impressed by the mystery in this one and how it all came to a head.
i already bought the next book lmao despite the horrific covers; like seriously when will this series get the special edition treatment and get the attention it deserves???
like??? "you'd forgive me anything" and "you're always welcome here taro" when i tell you i SWOONED
i'm also very impressed by the mystery in this one and how it all came to a head.
i already bought the next book lmao despite the horrific covers; like seriously when will this series get the special edition treatment and get the attention it deserves???
December 8, 2013
Overall, I enjoy these fluffy books, and have sped through the first two. I really am enjoying the characters and the world, but I have one major problem: no one is doing anything. In the first book, Lee kind of takes on the challenge of finding her Source but then doesn't actually achieve anything on purpose/on her own. In this book, she vaguely speculates about things and happens to be right but doesn't actually solve the mystery. Her lack of real action/success makes the plot pretty thin - but I'm hooked on the world building part of the series. The characters are interesting and are evolving with each book, and I think the side politics and intrigue is promising. Unfortunately, I didn't expect it to take so many books to see where it is all going - well, at least that's how I feel now, after two books. I'm still assuming the next books further the overall plot/address some of the overall problems and, thus, I'm pretty hooked. I'll definitely read the next book and hope the individual stories get deeper/more complex - or at least Lee gets better at solving mysteries.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2011
Most people seem to like this book more than the first book, but I actually enjoyed this less. I think the plot of this book is weaker than the first, and not only that, it is a bit messier, with several subplots that border on family melodrama.
I think one of the worst things about first person pov is being stuck in the head of someone you don't really like. Ok, I do like Lee, but there is an immaturity to her inner thoughts that seems incongruous with the supposedly stoic and rational nature of the Shields. All the inner dialog gets really annoying very quickly.
However, the best part of this book and series continues to be the incredible chemistry between Taro and Lee. And come on, are they ever going to get together? Somehow I didn't exactly enjoy this book but am still left wanting to read on in the series.
I think one of the worst things about first person pov is being stuck in the head of someone you don't really like. Ok, I do like Lee, but there is an immaturity to her inner thoughts that seems incongruous with the supposedly stoic and rational nature of the Shields. All the inner dialog gets really annoying very quickly.
However, the best part of this book and series continues to be the incredible chemistry between Taro and Lee. And come on, are they ever going to get together? Somehow I didn't exactly enjoy this book but am still left wanting to read on in the series.
July 11, 2011
Another fun installment. I still don't really get exactly what all was going on, though. Taro was incredibly moody, as were the people of High Scape in general. Lee's bit of speculation as to why (at the end) was nice, but it would be great to get some real detail on that.
It was great (though heart-breaking) to get to know both Lee and Taro's families, as well as all the added insight that gives us into their personalities.
And I assume that we'll get more information on these expanding abilities as the series goes on...
It was great (though heart-breaking) to get to know both Lee and Taro's families, as well as all the added insight that gives us into their personalities.
And I assume that we'll get more information on these expanding abilities as the series goes on...
October 23, 2017
Ever since I read the first book in this series, I've been taunting myself with the second, reading the first page or two, and then ultimately putting it down in favor of something else. This time, however, I finally decided to finish it up. And now I'm struggling with what to say about it.
Here's my conundrum. I'm in a reading slump, in a general life slump, with not much being able to hold my interest. So I struggled with the beginning of this book much more than I had expected I might. I felt like not much happened for the first quarter or so, which probably isn't really true. There was a lot of emotional set-up done, and scene-setting after the first book, and whatnot. I usually really enjoy that kind of thing, to be honest, but I struggled with it here. I honestly think that it's a symptom of the slump, more than anything else.
On the other hand, once I got into it a bit more, I read the majority of the book in two sittings. It's fun and flows smoothly. More importantly, there's a lot more emotional depth than the first book. Instead of relying on the misconceptions that Dunleavy harbors regarding Karish for its emotional arc, it deals with a variety of different relationships. There's Lee's relationship with her mother, Karish's relationship with his mother, Lee's friendships with a variety of people, including potential love interests, and of course, Lee and Karish's relationship, which will always be an interesting thing.
Unfortunately, I did feel like the plot was a little disjointed. Things happen, but for a long time, we don't really know why, and when there are revelations, the hints are just a bit too heavy-handed, making future twists a bit predictable. I felt like Lee and Karish didn't get a ton of agency, which stinks because they're great characters.
On the front of things I want more of: Can we learn more about Sources and Shields soon? The magic system is one of the draws to this series for me, so I'd really love for the books to delve more deeply into Lee and Karish's powers. This book gave a bit more depth, but I'm still itching for more information.
Anyway, I will certainly read the next book, and I hope that I'll be able to approach it from a slightly better headspace so that I can give it a more coherent review. :)
Here's my conundrum. I'm in a reading slump, in a general life slump, with not much being able to hold my interest. So I struggled with the beginning of this book much more than I had expected I might. I felt like not much happened for the first quarter or so, which probably isn't really true. There was a lot of emotional set-up done, and scene-setting after the first book, and whatnot. I usually really enjoy that kind of thing, to be honest, but I struggled with it here. I honestly think that it's a symptom of the slump, more than anything else.
On the other hand, once I got into it a bit more, I read the majority of the book in two sittings. It's fun and flows smoothly. More importantly, there's a lot more emotional depth than the first book. Instead of relying on the misconceptions that Dunleavy harbors regarding Karish for its emotional arc, it deals with a variety of different relationships. There's Lee's relationship with her mother, Karish's relationship with his mother, Lee's friendships with a variety of people, including potential love interests, and of course, Lee and Karish's relationship, which will always be an interesting thing.
Unfortunately, I did feel like the plot was a little disjointed. Things happen, but for a long time, we don't really know why, and when there are revelations, the hints are just a bit too heavy-handed, making future twists a bit predictable. I felt like Lee and Karish didn't get a ton of agency, which stinks because they're great characters.
On the front of things I want more of: Can we learn more about Sources and Shields soon? The magic system is one of the draws to this series for me, so I'd really love for the books to delve more deeply into Lee and Karish's powers. This book gave a bit more depth, but I'm still itching for more information.
Anyway, I will certainly read the next book, and I hope that I'll be able to approach it from a slightly better headspace so that I can give it a more coherent review. :)
July 5, 2017
This was really good. I found it to be just as enchanting as the first book and can't wait for the third now!
I really love Karish and Dunleavy's relationship. They are perfect for each other and I hope that they become an item soon!
I'm still learning all their is to know about about a Source and Shield. The added factor of the villains of this book the religious fanatics and how Dunleavy thinks that their ritual sacrifice might have actually worked was amusing and bit disturbing.
The fact that Dunleavy can now also manipulate the weather is making me thing that author is going for a bit of a special snowflake effect. Karish is already different and now Dunleavy as well? :/
I really hate the mothers in this book. I liked Dunleavy's mother at first but then at the end she abandoned Dunleavy in the same way Karish's mother did because she didn't understand her. She might have been nicer about it but it still obviously hurt Dunleavy.
I really love Karish and Dunleavy's relationship. They are perfect for each other and I hope that they become an item soon!
I'm still learning all their is to know about about a Source and Shield. The added factor of the villains of this book the religious fanatics and how Dunleavy thinks that their ritual sacrifice might have actually worked was amusing and bit disturbing.
The fact that Dunleavy can now also manipulate the weather is making me thing that author is going for a bit of a special snowflake effect. Karish is already different and now Dunleavy as well? :/
I really hate the mothers in this book. I liked Dunleavy's mother at first but then at the end she abandoned Dunleavy in the same way Karish's mother did because she didn't understand her. She might have been nicer about it but it still obviously hurt Dunleavy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2019
Love the characters and the series <3
April 23, 2012
I really enjoyed this one. The world building was as well done as in the first novel in the series. Also, one aspect I particularly enjoyed was the character development: I truly enjoyed the fact that the characters seemed to mature and evolve as individuals. I also loved the fact that the main characters were fleshed out in this novel -we learned a lot about what made them the way they are. The adventure in the novel was truly gripping and quite suitably creepy and frightening (especially towards the end). The main story was once more resolved, while leaving room for continuing the underlying arc of the book series.
The only negative aspect (and it is very very slight) I could point to would be the main character: so far the author has succeeded in making her likeable, but I can see how this might not be the case for everyone (in particular as she can be occasionally be quite oblivious to the feelings of others and somewhat inappropriately judgemental as regards others, IMHO). I personally feel that the author has managed to make her likeable despite this, but I will admit that this may not be the case for all readers. I also feel that this character will need to have a 'breakthrough' of sorts, in the following novels. In other words, she needs to be 'smacked over the head' with a few things in order to realize her errors, IMHO (for example where her partner and her family are concerned). As an example, her mother came to see her during this second novel and eventually left because she didn't feel that she was succeeding in building a relationship with her daughter. Some of what the mother said was wrong, in that I agree with her daughter that there is nothing she can do about being fundamentally different from her siblings. However I do feel that some of what her mother was trying to get at was the fact that they essentially didn't have any kind of relationship: there was no particular warmth in their interactions. This was mostly the daughter's doing (apparently even when small, she was distant when her family came to visit her). This is admittedly partly a 'personality' issue (i.e. that this is simply her personality), however she did not seem to understand that her mother regretted this lack of closeness with her daughter. I think one further thing this character needs to learn is how to be *close* to other people (although she has made great strides in this where her partner is concerned). This does make her a bit difficult to like as a main character, on occasion. I do however have confidence that the author will make the characters continue to evolve (given the fact that she has done such a good job with regards to this aspect so far), which makes me hopeful that this will be resolved in further installments of this series.
So all in all, this was a fine sequel to the first novel.
The only negative aspect (and it is very very slight) I could point to would be the main character: so far the author has succeeded in making her likeable, but I can see how this might not be the case for everyone (in particular as she can be occasionally be quite oblivious to the feelings of others and somewhat inappropriately judgemental as regards others, IMHO). I personally feel that the author has managed to make her likeable despite this, but I will admit that this may not be the case for all readers. I also feel that this character will need to have a 'breakthrough' of sorts, in the following novels. In other words, she needs to be 'smacked over the head' with a few things in order to realize her errors, IMHO (for example where her partner and her family are concerned). As an example, her mother came to see her during this second novel and eventually left because she didn't feel that she was succeeding in building a relationship with her daughter. Some of what the mother said was wrong, in that I agree with her daughter that there is nothing she can do about being fundamentally different from her siblings. However I do feel that some of what her mother was trying to get at was the fact that they essentially didn't have any kind of relationship: there was no particular warmth in their interactions. This was mostly the daughter's doing (apparently even when small, she was distant when her family came to visit her). This is admittedly partly a 'personality' issue (i.e. that this is simply her personality), however she did not seem to understand that her mother regretted this lack of closeness with her daughter. I think one further thing this character needs to learn is how to be *close* to other people (although she has made great strides in this where her partner is concerned). This does make her a bit difficult to like as a main character, on occasion. I do however have confidence that the author will make the characters continue to evolve (given the fact that she has done such a good job with regards to this aspect so far), which makes me hopeful that this will be resolved in further installments of this series.
So all in all, this was a fine sequel to the first novel.
November 29, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Like really, REALLY enjoyed it. :) This is steadily becoming one of my favourite series, which I so didn't expect. Ugh! I need the next book immediately!
The characters just make the book – and I absolutely love their interactions. There was some really interesting ones in this second book and tons of character development. I didn't think it was possible for me to love Karish/Taro (though I STILL don't know what I should be calling him...) even more, but this book proved it possible. We got to see more of his character in this book too, especially as it dove into his (messed up) family history.
And it was especially interesting to see Dunleavy “Lee”'s own family interaction too. And though we saw the story from her point of view, I could also sympathize with her mother. Lee is a Shield and, as a result, she's a bit more serious and logical about most things and this was the case even when she was a child. She was also forced to join the Shield academy when she was only four, which meant that growing up she rarely saw her family. As a result, her mother feels extremely distanced from her daughter and she just doesn't quite understand her. It was plainly obvious to the reader that her mother wanted Lee to be able to go to her for comfort and talk to her about things she normally wouldn't talk to anyone else about, yet as a practical Shield, Lee just did not understand this. Their interactions were so interesting to read about – and I really did love Lee's mother. I hope she comes back into the series in the future!
Taro and Lee faced new obstacles in this book, but a part of me thinks that's just beginning. Their relationship is also great to read about. I love how they balance each other out and are there to support each other a lot more in this book.
I guess would have liked to hear more about the Shield/Source relationship/politics, which was an issue brought up repeatedly in the first book, yet not really mentioned in this one. Perhaps that was because the characters were working with other Pairs that did not suffer from the problems mentioned in the first book.
But anyway. I ADORE these characters. I actually felt like I could relate to Lee a lot, which never happens to me with main female characters! And I really like that. And Taro is just amazing. Can't wait for the next one!
The characters just make the book – and I absolutely love their interactions. There was some really interesting ones in this second book and tons of character development. I didn't think it was possible for me to love Karish/Taro (though I STILL don't know what I should be calling him...) even more, but this book proved it possible. We got to see more of his character in this book too, especially as it dove into his (messed up) family history.
And it was especially interesting to see Dunleavy “Lee”'s own family interaction too. And though we saw the story from her point of view, I could also sympathize with her mother. Lee is a Shield and, as a result, she's a bit more serious and logical about most things and this was the case even when she was a child. She was also forced to join the Shield academy when she was only four, which meant that growing up she rarely saw her family. As a result, her mother feels extremely distanced from her daughter and she just doesn't quite understand her. It was plainly obvious to the reader that her mother wanted Lee to be able to go to her for comfort and talk to her about things she normally wouldn't talk to anyone else about, yet as a practical Shield, Lee just did not understand this. Their interactions were so interesting to read about – and I really did love Lee's mother. I hope she comes back into the series in the future!
Taro and Lee faced new obstacles in this book, but a part of me thinks that's just beginning. Their relationship is also great to read about. I love how they balance each other out and are there to support each other a lot more in this book.
I guess would have liked to hear more about the Shield/Source relationship/politics, which was an issue brought up repeatedly in the first book, yet not really mentioned in this one. Perhaps that was because the characters were working with other Pairs that did not suffer from the problems mentioned in the first book.
But anyway. I ADORE these characters. I actually felt like I could relate to Lee a lot, which never happens to me with main female characters! And I really like that. And Taro is just amazing. Can't wait for the next one!
March 15, 2010
Book number two in Moira J. Moore's Hero Series, "The Hero Strikes Back," finds Source Karish, Shield Lee, and all of the other Pairs in High Scape bearing the brunt of the regulars' anger regarding the weather. Blizzard conditions in the middle of summer ruined crops and livelihoods, leaving many people destitute and/or dead. Regulars couldn't understand why the Pairs were not doing anything to rectify the weather and grew increasingly angry about having to financially support Pairs while not getting anything in return.
Of course this isn't the only issue going on in the book. Author Moira J. Moore manages to create an in depth story with a few smaller side stories that play into and expand upon the main story. By the end of the book, all of the pieces of the puzzle are in place for the reader, yet without making the reader feel like the ending was packaged up just so and tied up with a bow. I like and admire that about Moore's writing style.
Shield Lee's negative attitude still grated on my nerves like it did in the first book of the series. I wasn't sure if her side comments and inner monologues full of negativity and snide remarks were meant to be funny or to give the reader inside information he/she needed to keep up with the fast pace of the story. Lee's narrative consistently fell more to the "tell" side of "show, don't tell," and I was often bored by the redundancy of information. This book could have easily been 75 pages shorter or the story packed full of more action and details if the telling was cut from the narrative.
I did enjoy Lee's revelations about society and how different things were for her compared to everyone else - most notably about money. Shopkeepers were obligated to provide her with whatever she needed; she never had to go without something she needed or wanted because of a lack of money, unlike her friend Risa who was constantly in debt for her high society tastes on a Runner salary.
Overall, a quick and mildly entertaining read for those out there just venturing into the realm of science fiction or for those who like their science fiction a little more realistic.
Of course this isn't the only issue going on in the book. Author Moira J. Moore manages to create an in depth story with a few smaller side stories that play into and expand upon the main story. By the end of the book, all of the pieces of the puzzle are in place for the reader, yet without making the reader feel like the ending was packaged up just so and tied up with a bow. I like and admire that about Moore's writing style.
Shield Lee's negative attitude still grated on my nerves like it did in the first book of the series. I wasn't sure if her side comments and inner monologues full of negativity and snide remarks were meant to be funny or to give the reader inside information he/she needed to keep up with the fast pace of the story. Lee's narrative consistently fell more to the "tell" side of "show, don't tell," and I was often bored by the redundancy of information. This book could have easily been 75 pages shorter or the story packed full of more action and details if the telling was cut from the narrative.
I did enjoy Lee's revelations about society and how different things were for her compared to everyone else - most notably about money. Shopkeepers were obligated to provide her with whatever she needed; she never had to go without something she needed or wanted because of a lack of money, unlike her friend Risa who was constantly in debt for her high society tastes on a Runner salary.
Overall, a quick and mildly entertaining read for those out there just venturing into the realm of science fiction or for those who like their science fiction a little more realistic.
June 29, 2011
Blogged at: http://sunhibooks.blogspot.com/2011/0...
I'm still amazed at how much I'm enjoying this series. While I definitely did not enjoy the continuation of Lee and Karish's story as much as the first book, this story gives us some great insight into why both Lee and Karish are the way they are (with conversations with both mothers), and it gives a good plot involving High Scape (the weather and its relationship to a bunch of aristocrat hate killings).
Lee frustrates a bit more in this book than she did previously. While in Resenting the Hero her inability to understand emotions or even feel them to the same extent others do is frustrating, in The Hero Strikes Back she comes across as obtuse or purposely ignorant, which is much worse. Still, this is only highlighted in her relationship with Karish. In other instances, her emotional decisions and responses seem more natural. Obviously this is to prevent Lee from realizing that Karish is madly infatuated with her, but it makes their scenes stilted occasionally.
On the other hand, I liked the mystery/action plot of The Hero Strikes Back just a bit more. First, we're kept in High Scape for the entirety of the book, which is nice since High Scape is supposedly an important city in the world. Second, both Karish and Lee feature in the majority of the book as opposed to Karish's disappearance for a good portion of the first book.
I hope Lee and Karish both get a better feel for their powers in the third book and that we find out more about what Lee is capable of after this second novel. I also hope that Lee gets involved with her new aristocratic friend since I doubt the author will be putting Lee and Karish together anytime soon!
I'm still amazed at how much I'm enjoying this series. While I definitely did not enjoy the continuation of Lee and Karish's story as much as the first book, this story gives us some great insight into why both Lee and Karish are the way they are (with conversations with both mothers), and it gives a good plot involving High Scape (the weather and its relationship to a bunch of aristocrat hate killings).
Lee frustrates a bit more in this book than she did previously. While in Resenting the Hero her inability to understand emotions or even feel them to the same extent others do is frustrating, in The Hero Strikes Back she comes across as obtuse or purposely ignorant, which is much worse. Still, this is only highlighted in her relationship with Karish. In other instances, her emotional decisions and responses seem more natural. Obviously this is to prevent Lee from realizing that Karish is madly infatuated with her, but it makes their scenes stilted occasionally.
On the other hand, I liked the mystery/action plot of The Hero Strikes Back just a bit more. First, we're kept in High Scape for the entirety of the book, which is nice since High Scape is supposedly an important city in the world. Second, both Karish and Lee feature in the majority of the book as opposed to Karish's disappearance for a good portion of the first book.
I hope Lee and Karish both get a better feel for their powers in the third book and that we find out more about what Lee is capable of after this second novel. I also hope that Lee gets involved with her new aristocratic friend since I doubt the author will be putting Lee and Karish together anytime soon!
August 23, 2008
After their last adventures, the Pair is back in the city of High Scape, normally a hotbed of disasters which the Pairs must avert. Now there are odd climate changes, but not disasters, and on top of that Lee is afraid for Taro because minor nobles have been disappearing. Again Lee is the narrator of this story so we see everything from her perspective. I get the feeling that although she's supposed to be an observant and quiet Shield, she misses a lot about other people and how they perceive her. So far this series is light fantasy - easy reading, not too taxing, but there is an underlying layer of more serious subjects. Unfortunately the books point out these underlying layers and then frustratingly nothing really gets resolved about them. In book one, it's pointed out how terribly some Shields (steadfast, dependable) are treated by their Sources (flightly, dramatic), but while Lee is shocked and dismayed by this, she doesn't act. In book two we learn of how both Sources and Shields are resented by the population for getting everything for free, and there seems to be a mistaken notion that they do hardly anything for it, but if the Pairs are doing their jobs, the normal population should never know what disasters they have avoided. Basically - an ongoing series, that has a lot of things I'm interested in seeing resolved so I'm pretty much sucked into seeing what happens. I also like how flawed the characters are, even though they can drive me nuts (of course Lee) so that's sucking me in too.
More detailed review here - http://janicu.livejournal.com/14106.html
More detailed review here - http://janicu.livejournal.com/14106.html
August 14, 2022
Well it took me almost a year and a half to pick up this book - yay me 🤦♀️🤦♀️
And I am not sure why I didn’t continue faster (well I know but I am still an idiot). This was a great book with a fun sense of humour and character dynamics between the leads.
The macro plot is a bit weak and comes out of no where but the charm of this book is the characters so I wasn’t too annoyed at the rushed plotting.
Lee remains are first person POV character and she continues to have this deadpan and kind of confused perspective which makes me smile. Plus - I can see a romance brewing which makes me happy.
I would like to see a little more focus on the macro plot and world building as we don’t get much explanation for the magic or really what is happening. I think some of it is because we are in a first person limited POV throughout so I am willing to give the series rope. I think it reflect a degree of control here that the author manages to avoid info dumps even if it leaves the reader in the dark.
There is enough happening on the character end and with the side characters that I was never really frustrated with this lack of understanding except near the end where everything was wrapped up in a flash.
Looking forward to the next book in the series - hopefully it doesn’t take me another year to get to it.
——————-
Jan 2021:
Just finished book 1 and I liked it enough to continue. I’m going to read book 2 and then decide to read the entire series.
(Even though the completionist in me wants to just admit I’ll probably read the rest)
And I am not sure why I didn’t continue faster (well I know but I am still an idiot). This was a great book with a fun sense of humour and character dynamics between the leads.
The macro plot is a bit weak and comes out of no where but the charm of this book is the characters so I wasn’t too annoyed at the rushed plotting.
Lee remains are first person POV character and she continues to have this deadpan and kind of confused perspective which makes me smile. Plus - I can see a romance brewing which makes me happy.
I would like to see a little more focus on the macro plot and world building as we don’t get much explanation for the magic or really what is happening. I think some of it is because we are in a first person limited POV throughout so I am willing to give the series rope. I think it reflect a degree of control here that the author manages to avoid info dumps even if it leaves the reader in the dark.
There is enough happening on the character end and with the side characters that I was never really frustrated with this lack of understanding except near the end where everything was wrapped up in a flash.
Looking forward to the next book in the series - hopefully it doesn’t take me another year to get to it.
——————-
Jan 2021:
Just finished book 1 and I liked it enough to continue. I’m going to read book 2 and then decide to read the entire series.
(Even though the completionist in me wants to just admit I’ll probably read the rest)
March 28, 2016
Lee and Taro are back on duty in High Scape, where once again things are not quite normal. Rather than an unusually high number of catastrophic events, it is the weather that is going crazy this time, with a sudden cold snap and deep snow in the middle of summer. The populace is not at all thrilled to hear that there's nothing the Sources and Shields can do about the strange phenomenon, and aggressive behaviour against anyone belonging to the Triple S service begins to mount. Meanwhile, both our heroes' mothers are in town - Lee's, to properly get to know her daughter after their long separation and show her how to live in the "real world" by means of matchmaking attempts and criticising her wardrobe choices, much to Lee's consternation; and Taro's, to register her extreme displeasure at the fact that he dared turn down the title of Duke of Westsea and bully him into changing his mind, never mind that so much as stating he might be inclined to take the title after all could get him imprisoned or executed. And like that's not enough trouble to be dealing with, members of the aristocracy are disappearing, prompting rumours of a serial killer at work in the city...
Another fun, fast-paced fantasy adventure romp - even better than the first book in the series. Looking forward to seeing what fate has in store next for these characters I'm already very much in love with.
Another fun, fast-paced fantasy adventure romp - even better than the first book in the series. Looking forward to seeing what fate has in store next for these characters I'm already very much in love with.
July 31, 2014
I liked this a lot. Seriously enjoying this series. Mostly for the banter.
I was intrigued by the family stuff in this one. Karish's mother is just plain awful - no surprise there. Lee's is more complicated though. It's interesting.
I did find the resolution of the mystery a little less than spectacular. I don't know; it just felt rushed, or something. Or anticlimatic.
Still, I continue to enjoy this series a fair bit.
I was intrigued by the family stuff in this one. Karish's mother is just plain awful - no surprise there. Lee's is more complicated though. It's interesting.
I did find the resolution of the mystery a little less than spectacular. I don't know; it just felt rushed, or something. Or anticlimatic.
Still, I continue to enjoy this series a fair bit.
December 12, 2010
This series is just plain old fun. The concept is different than anything I've encountered before (granted I don't read much straight fantasy, usually leaning more toward the romance end of the spectrum). There was a good mystery mixed into the story, and Lee wasn't too slow on the uptake, which was a plus.
The one annoying this is that Lee's personality grates on me a bit. Her inner dialogue sometimes comes off as trying too hard to be witty/sarcastic. And she has these high-and-mighty morals (such as not lying to the regulars) that I could very well respect in real life, but that bother me in fiction. I don't want to read about your inner confusion about lying, just do it so we can get on with the story!!
I'm hoping something develops between Lee and Taro soon. He's clearly smitten with her, and she's remarkably dense for not noticing.
The one annoying this is that Lee's personality grates on me a bit. Her inner dialogue sometimes comes off as trying too hard to be witty/sarcastic. And she has these high-and-mighty morals (such as not lying to the regulars) that I could very well respect in real life, but that bother me in fiction. I don't want to read about your inner confusion about lying, just do it so we can get on with the story!!
I'm hoping something develops between Lee and Taro soon. He's clearly smitten with her, and she's remarkably dense for not noticing.
June 10, 2015
Not sure how to put this, but let's try.
This book is really, really obvious. Solutions are not subtle and you'll be yelling at the book over the obviousness of things characters are overlooking. By keeping the books short it's hard to hide anything; you have a limited pool of information to infer from. But the author is fair and writes with a good voice, so it's forgivable.
This book also overdoes the Shield-Source stuff from the first book. It could be a system of magic based on Autism+ADHD pairings. Maybe that's the point, but it mostly feels uncomfortable.
However, there is something there underneath all that. The characters are fun, the world hinted at just enough that you want to know more.
This book is really, really obvious. Solutions are not subtle and you'll be yelling at the book over the obviousness of things characters are overlooking. By keeping the books short it's hard to hide anything; you have a limited pool of information to infer from. But the author is fair and writes with a good voice, so it's forgivable.
This book also overdoes the Shield-Source stuff from the first book. It could be a system of magic based on Autism+ADHD pairings. Maybe that's the point, but it mostly feels uncomfortable.
However, there is something there underneath all that. The characters are fun, the world hinted at just enough that you want to know more.
June 15, 2011
Super disappointed with this book as I like the first one quite a bit.
All the characters are super irritable and irrational almost the entire book and its never really resolved. But then there are quite a few gaping plot holes and unresolved story lines.
My biggest gripe though is with the main character and her inconsistency. She is bummed because she feels like she is lying, but then she is doing something about 'things' and isn't lying, but then is she really lying. UGH!! The whining really got to me.
Will read the next one, but it better be an improvement.
All the characters are super irritable and irrational almost the entire book and its never really resolved. But then there are quite a few gaping plot holes and unresolved story lines.
My biggest gripe though is with the main character and her inconsistency. She is bummed because she feels like she is lying, but then she is doing something about 'things' and isn't lying, but then is she really lying. UGH!! The whining really got to me.
Will read the next one, but it better be an improvement.
January 10, 2012
These are books that have a decent foundation character wise, but man is this plot a mess as both a standalone, and as a greater series. Sigh, if I end up reading any of the other books it's because I'm a completest rather than I suddenly expect them to become great.
July 7, 2012
There's something about this series that grabs me and makes me want to read but at the same time, there's something that turns me off of it. I think it's the characters but I can't say what it is exactly that rubs me the wrong way, just that it does.
September 12, 2015
Surprisingly intelligent and interesting despite the ridiculous cover. I really liked Lee's mother. I hated that she left when she did. 3.5 stars for me, rounded up to 4.
January 5, 2018
Moore has accomplished some solid world building and character development with this series. Lee and Taro are unique individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses that are exploited well by the plot, and there's always great banter and a good amount of humor in Lee's sometimes sardonic commentary. However, these solid elements are hampered by a too predictable plot and a main character whose faults frustrated me more than entertained me.
As a Shield, Lee has muted sensibilities. She doesn't feel as much physical pain as others do, and I think she's also less adept at picking up on others' emotions. The narrative commits to these flaws, which should be commended, but I wind up feeling sympathy for every character BUT Lee, because she's just so bad at being empathetic or seeing things from another's point of view (except for Taro, though she's still pretty clueless about his obvious devotion to her). It could be this obstinance that prevents her from seeing the glaringly obvious solution to the novel's central mystery as well. Again, on the one hand it's admirable to commit so fully to a character's flaws, but as a reader this quality can make for a frustrating reading experience.
I am unsure whether I'll continue, as I do enjoy the setting but I'm not sure I can deal with another book where Lee ignores every glaring red flag and neon sign of foreshadowing.
As a Shield, Lee has muted sensibilities. She doesn't feel as much physical pain as others do, and I think she's also less adept at picking up on others' emotions. The narrative commits to these flaws, which should be commended, but I wind up feeling sympathy for every character BUT Lee, because she's just so bad at being empathetic or seeing things from another's point of view (except for Taro, though she's still pretty clueless about his obvious devotion to her). It could be this obstinance that prevents her from seeing the glaringly obvious solution to the novel's central mystery as well. Again, on the one hand it's admirable to commit so fully to a character's flaws, but as a reader this quality can make for a frustrating reading experience.
I am unsure whether I'll continue, as I do enjoy the setting but I'm not sure I can deal with another book where Lee ignores every glaring red flag and neon sign of foreshadowing.
November 19, 2024
Flowers and Nails
The flowers:
The story was entertaining and left me wanting more. I love the banter, especially between the main characters. I found it interesting how often the descriptions of “Lee” and how she related to the people in her life sounded like my wife.
The nails:
There are several errors in the writing and grammar that should have been caught before the book was published. If there wasn’t a proofreader, there should have been one. If there was a proofreader, there probably needed to have been more. The errors I saw were so glaringly obvious that a child would probably have been able to correct them. Using “then” when you should be using “than” is like nails on a chalkboard.
Overlooking the lapse in effective proofreading, it’s still a fun story that I highly recommend. I give the story five stars. The proofreading errors make me only want to give three stars, so I split the difference by giving four stars.
The flowers:
The story was entertaining and left me wanting more. I love the banter, especially between the main characters. I found it interesting how often the descriptions of “Lee” and how she related to the people in her life sounded like my wife.
The nails:
There are several errors in the writing and grammar that should have been caught before the book was published. If there wasn’t a proofreader, there should have been one. If there was a proofreader, there probably needed to have been more. The errors I saw were so glaringly obvious that a child would probably have been able to correct them. Using “then” when you should be using “than” is like nails on a chalkboard.
Overlooking the lapse in effective proofreading, it’s still a fun story that I highly recommend. I give the story five stars. The proofreading errors make me only want to give three stars, so I split the difference by giving four stars.
February 7, 2025
The covers of these books are horrible! Why would they do this? The book is good however.
It was far better than the previous one. I enjoyed their bantering and jabs and there was less antagonism between Taro and Lee. I could see the ending climax as they entered, so it was a little predictable, but would get it I guess.
I think the chapters were disjointed as scenes changed drastically between chapters.
I am interested in reading more about Taro and Lee. Especially what more she can do with her Shield powers. I can see them having problems with the soon to be king and the counsel in the next book which will be fun.
It was far better than the previous one. I enjoyed their bantering and jabs and there was less antagonism between Taro and Lee. I could see the ending climax as they entered, so it was a little predictable, but would get it I guess.
I think the chapters were disjointed as scenes changed drastically between chapters.
I am interested in reading more about Taro and Lee. Especially what more she can do with her Shield powers. I can see them having problems with the soon to be king and the counsel in the next book which will be fun.
May 4, 2017
Loved it!!! I liked it more than the first book. Knowing the world and the characters already, I was excited to see their development, and I was not disappointed. The main obstacle added to the fantasy and it was fun to watch them develop their powers. We also got to see the characters interact with their mothers, which allowed us to see more of who the characters are themselves. I actually really liked Lee and Karish's friendship in this book; they trust each other and they have a closeness that allows them to be honest, relaxed, and protective with one another. Read it!!! It was so good, and I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews