Reviewed by Chris*
TITLE: Taste of Air
SERIES: Alchemists and Elementals #2
AUTHOR: Cassie Sweet
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 230 pages
BLURB:
The reappearance of necromancers to the Dominincál city-states worries Sadonia prolate Estobán Medovin. Ever since Masters Nico and Theodyne drove the necromancers from his mind three years before, he’s suffered an odd affliction—painting while asleep. It is a secret that, if discovered by his enemies, could bring his rule to an untimely and violent end. On the eve of the demigogal elections in the holy city of Gusan, fearing the new candidate might be under the necromancers’ direct influence, Estobán requests an alchemist well-versed in ferreting out death dancers to join his mission to seek out conspirators.
Evil floods the streets of the holy city, and the elementals are anxious. Master alchemist Jolen Meripen should know; as an aerothant—hybrid of a human and air elemental—he can hear their voices in his head, telling him of the corruption festering under the pristine edifices.
When Jolen discovers a piece of the ruby tablet known as the Elementica in Estobán’s possession and the necromancers bid to collect them all and thus rule over the elements, he knows he must do everything he can—including sacrificing his life to bring peace to Dominicál and save the man he has come to love.
REVIEW:
This book picks up three years after the end of The Eye of Truth. Estobán is still haunted by the time he spent under the necromancer’s influence, and his nights are spent painting his dreams–that are hauntingly prophetic–while still sleeping. But his personal problems are nothing compared to the problems of the state. The leader of the Church has finally died and now the people of Dominicál, both religious and political, head to Gusan to help influence the new power up for grabs. Unfortunately that also means that the brief respite the alchemist–and their allies–have had is over.
Worried over the coming meetings, Estobán asks his old lover to send an alchemist with him to Gusan to help ferret out the necromancers and those doing their bidding. Little did he know that Jolen would be much more than another set of eyes. But even love is not enough to shield them from the dangers and darkness that awaits.
This was another great story in this series. I still very much love the world building, and the characters in this one seemed a lot more well rounded than in the first book. Not that I didn’t adore Theodyne and Nico, but there is something about how Jolen and Estobán had to claw themselves back from the brink that just really made you sympathize with them.
There was a lot more action and tension in this story, which I really enjoyed. I think the first book really set up the dangers of the necromancers, and this one just gave that danger depth and a human face. I will admit that there is a certain part of this book that kinda made me want to toss my kindle (not that I would ever harm my new shiny kindle), but even though it kinda sucked, it worked really well for the story. So I guess I can forgive the transgression.
The multiple climaxes–again–did however come back to haunt this story. By the time the first climax was over, I was emotionally exhausted…and then it kept going. It was a bit wearing on the nerves and it really made the last quarter of the book feel off-kilter. Having had experienced this with the first book, I was kinda hoping that it wouldn’t happen again since it made me feel less in love with the story the longer the ups and downs dragged out over those remaining chapters. The kicker is that all those scenes were needed for the story, but my emotional investment in them tended to wain the longer the roller-coaster went on.
Not that that is going to stop me from reading book three, but I will probably try to manage my expectations so that I don’t feel quite so wrung out by the end of the series. But, really, don’t let that stop you from reading this, and the other books in this series. It is such a well crafted world–in both magical and historical terms–and I did get invested in all these characters. They are definitely worth a read.
RATING:
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*I previously published my reviews under the name Carissa. As I work to update my profile on Love Bytes, please be aware that posts may be found under either my old name or my new name–depending on when they were originally posted. Hopefully the change-over will not take long and everything will be easier to find at the end of this all.