Dang! that was enthralling. I just read Peter V. Brett’s second novel “Desert spear” from the demon cycle. I’m still a little bit agitated. I’ve read the first book a while ago and found it very good. In my opinion the second book is even better than the first one. I couldn’t refrain from reading it for about 7 hours today…

I realy like how the author Peter V. Brett wove the plots with the different characters. It was sometimes a little bit confusing for me, when the next chapter played in another timeline. But this mostly depends on two things: a) I’m not a native speaker to english and b) I don’t realy remember the year in which played the current chapter. It’s marked a the beginning of a chapter but I’m too lazy to look it up :-) It’s like:“Ah, this chapter takes place in 333 AR Winter, better remember it!” And the number vanishes in that moment. On the other hand: If you one of your main character is introduced as a little boy, you know instantly, this has to be the past. Or some wicked dreams.

Also the main characters are like I like them: Very powerfull, in their way, but not without flaw

• Arlen excelled in hand-to-hand and weapon combat, warding and some other nifty techniques (I’ll call it misting). In fear to lose his humanity, he has cut almost all the bridges between him and the past.
• Leesha is simply the best herb gatherer, and one of the cleverest person regarding learning, including warding. And she learned to manipulate lead people. Her biggest draw-back was her discomfort of man. She managed that…
• Inevera grew with the book. At first the was simply a power-lusting bitch. At the end, she is still a power-lustig bitch but with the power to force demon bones to her will and maybe I like her. I dunno…
• Jadir is almost like Arlen, and I must admit it’s my least favorite character. Yes, he is maybe the deliverer and easily a better unifier than Arlen… But I doesn’t like him. I just can’t put the finger on it. That’s not to say that he doesn’t fit in role. It’s just perfect there. But I don’t like him :-)

And then there are the four “other” characters.

• Rojer. Soothes demons with his music. Not that interesting at first, but I think it’s one of the most promising characters in the books. He made an interesting development already in this book (from feared child at the beginning to an accepted valuable part of the group) and now with his two maybe-brides with the great voices… I’m very interested!
• Renna. Once victim to her father, now kind-of-apprentice to the warded man. Nice story arc. But I fear it goes too fast with her, because she is only 100 pages or so in the apprenticeship to the warded man and is already nearly as good as him. Also a very interesting character!
• Gared and Wonda… Bodyguards… Both loyal and boring. At least to me

But it’s a nice idea to have some parts of the chapters from the perspective of the demons.

I’m realy looking forward to the next book of Peter V. Brett

P.S.: I didn’t realy know if the author had it intended but I’m glad he had so: Arlen (and at some extend) Leesha act a lot in favour of open source! They booth want the knowledge of wards especial the battle wards free for every one. Arlen gave the grimoires with his wards to Elisa and Ragen who run the most thriving ward-business in Thesa so they can spread the knowledge. In the universe Peter V. Brett created, the fading of wisdom (again warding) only opened the door for the demons to enter our world!