BagEndBooks

This book was so good. I don't even know how to review it.

I love Corin. He is brave, strong and makes friends easily. He also experiences fear, uncertainty, self-doubt and a desire for vengeance. I really enjoyed his friendships both in the first half of the book and the second. I just wish that we could have seen more interaction of Corin's Calorin and Aredorian friends, because I didn't want to stop seeing Emeth, Ahmed, Ismail, Castimir, Nicar and Azrahil when the second half of the book started, but then I came to enjoy Corin's friendships with Martin, Trey, Tristan, and Liam.

The world had incredible depth. There is a map at the beginning of the book, and while I used the map, I didn't think it was detailed enough. I really, really want to learn more about this world.

I do have a few comments on where Claire M. Banschbach could improve her writing in the future, though most of them involve spoilers. I can't tell you how grateful I am that so few of these characters I've gotten attached to died, but there were times when it felt a bit like an action movie. Lot's of the bad guys die, but very few of the good guys, even though the bad guys had a much larger force. Again, I am grateful that I didn't have to mourn more than three or so characters (and a horse. I really liked Inzi) but at the same time, if one of Corin's really close friends had died, I probably would have cried because I was really, really invested in this world. Another thing that felt a bit unrealistic was that all of Corin's family survived the attack. Amaura and Queen Elain are understandable. They weren't present during the actual battles and they went into hiding. But both King Celyn and Darrin were held as prisoners for years, and still made it out alive and relatively unharmed. In [b: Mimus|333423|Mimus|Lilli Thal|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348990797s/333423.jpg|323951] by Lilli Thal the king was held prisoner for an extended length of time, and King Theodo, the villain, tortured and tormented him, whereas in [b: The Lost King|25704022|Lost King|H.B. Moore|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1439824300s/25704022.jpg|45501493] by Ursula Jones, the king and queen were killed in the invasion. I am very glad that we got to see Corin's reunions with his family, but I think it unlikely that all of them would have really survived the invasion. Even with these points that could be improved, I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this book.

I feel like the book could have been made longer and split into two volumes. Or maybe that's just me wishing it had been longer. At least there is [b: The Wildcat of Braeton|24892470|The Wildcat of Braeton|Claire M. Banschbach|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424530627s/24892470.jpg|44541002] for me to read as soon as I can get it.