In a world where single combat determines the fate of nations, the Grievar fight in the Circles so that the rest can remain at peace. But given the stakes, things are never so simple. The Daimyo govern from the shadows and plot to gain an edge by unnaturally enhancing their Grievar Knights.
Cego and his team enter year two at the world’s most prestigious combat school, the Lyceum. Though he’d like to focus on his martial studies, Cego feels the pull of his mysterious past and two missing brothers.
Solara Halberd, daughter of the fighting legend, embarks on her own quest to bury the past. She must utilize every lesson her father taught her to explore unknown lands where evil lurks in the shadows.
My thoughts: as Cego and his friends continue their training under the elite Grievar masters of the Lyceum, and Solara goes to claim her father’s remains, we are drawn into a much more complex and darker conspiracy.
There are those who seek to disrupt the way of life that has kept the grievar subservient, fighting for the Daimyo and settling matters of state hand to hand. Tired of being seen as disposable, they decide to use their strength to rise up.
Cego’s brother Silas, having appeared briefly in the first book, is working his way across the Kyrothian empire, winning his fights, but he seems to be a little…odd and his new squire is somewhat scared of him. Possibly with good reason.
Solara uncovers all manner of things on her solo adventure – undercover as a member of an island lord’s stable of fighters but are her new friends who they seem to be?
As events begin to coalesce and various paths head to intersect, we learn more about the history and the world these elite fighters inhabit and how the Codes they live by came to be.
Cego is in realy trouble and Murray isn’t back from his own quest in time to save his protégé, how crucial are Cego and his brothers to the future of their world?
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 