Review by Glory Ben -- Dagger's Destiny by Linnea Tanner
Posted: 30 May 2021, 19:42
[Following is a volunteer review of "Dagger's Destiny" by Linnea Tanner.]
King Amren of Cantiacci was cursed by his late wife (whom he beheaded for treason) that he would suffer the same fate as she. To make things worse, the act will be carried out by Marrock, his son. It also foretold that said son will take over his throne and his kingdom. This curse is not the only thing that Amren has to deal with. He also has to deal with the reality that his daughter, Princess Catrin, betrayed him and his people by literally sleeping with the enemy. She must suffer the same fate that befell his late wife, except she can find a way to change his mind. Catrin must try, even if it means single-handedly finding out a way to break the curse and restore peace to her kingdom.
Dagger’s Destiny by Linnea Tanner is a book that fits right into the historical fiction genre like socks would on feet. Set in 24 AD, the story showcases the belief and traditions of Rome and Britannia then. The way their way of life was accurately portrayed proves how much research work went into the writing of the novel (and the whole Curse of Clansmen and Kings series).
This novel is so perfect that I have made up my mind to give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The reasons for this decision will be made known to you below.
First is the pace at which the characters and the plot were developed. I have read many books, but have rarely seen a book whose characters seem to be developing nonstop. Every new page brought out a new piece of information about key characters like Senator Lucius, Princess Catrin, King Amren, Agrona, Marcellus and the list goes on and on. For instance, the fact that Princess Catrin may be able to shapeshift just like her brother halfway into the book came as a shock to me. I never would have guessed that she was capable of doing that.
Second (which happens to be my favorite feature) is the fact that this epic fantasy novel does not depict women as mere damsels in need of saving. The women in this book are strong, courageous, and capable leaders. For example, Mor, the half-sister of Princess Catrin is an able spearwoman who will gladly die for her king and her people. Princess Catrin herself was not just a woman blessed with magical abilities but was also made to undergo training as a warrior by her father. When King Amren was indisposed, his queen, Queen Rhiannon, took charge of the reins of power and she was accorded the respect that she deserved by her people. I am grateful that all these women were given these qualities because I am tired of reading about weak women whose only job is to tend to the needs of male characters and to help them inflate their ready big ego.
The third is the fact that the book was exceptionally well-edited. This book that has 350 pages was edited so well that not a single spelling, grammatical, and/or typographical error was noticed by me.
The fourth is the list of characters and the author’s notes on certain people and events found at the end of the story. Although the author was under no obligation to insert this information in her book, she did so anyway. The note helped answer questions on the research process employed in writing this book. The list of characters also helped outline what role(s) each of the characters mentioned therein played in the story.
There is so much more than these to love about the story, but I will just stop by saying that I disliked nothing in the story or book. Lastly, this book which contains a lot of violence and some sexual depictions is suitable for a mature group of readers that loves historical fiction novels.
******
Dagger's Destiny
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
King Amren of Cantiacci was cursed by his late wife (whom he beheaded for treason) that he would suffer the same fate as she. To make things worse, the act will be carried out by Marrock, his son. It also foretold that said son will take over his throne and his kingdom. This curse is not the only thing that Amren has to deal with. He also has to deal with the reality that his daughter, Princess Catrin, betrayed him and his people by literally sleeping with the enemy. She must suffer the same fate that befell his late wife, except she can find a way to change his mind. Catrin must try, even if it means single-handedly finding out a way to break the curse and restore peace to her kingdom.
Dagger’s Destiny by Linnea Tanner is a book that fits right into the historical fiction genre like socks would on feet. Set in 24 AD, the story showcases the belief and traditions of Rome and Britannia then. The way their way of life was accurately portrayed proves how much research work went into the writing of the novel (and the whole Curse of Clansmen and Kings series).
This novel is so perfect that I have made up my mind to give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The reasons for this decision will be made known to you below.
First is the pace at which the characters and the plot were developed. I have read many books, but have rarely seen a book whose characters seem to be developing nonstop. Every new page brought out a new piece of information about key characters like Senator Lucius, Princess Catrin, King Amren, Agrona, Marcellus and the list goes on and on. For instance, the fact that Princess Catrin may be able to shapeshift just like her brother halfway into the book came as a shock to me. I never would have guessed that she was capable of doing that.
Second (which happens to be my favorite feature) is the fact that this epic fantasy novel does not depict women as mere damsels in need of saving. The women in this book are strong, courageous, and capable leaders. For example, Mor, the half-sister of Princess Catrin is an able spearwoman who will gladly die for her king and her people. Princess Catrin herself was not just a woman blessed with magical abilities but was also made to undergo training as a warrior by her father. When King Amren was indisposed, his queen, Queen Rhiannon, took charge of the reins of power and she was accorded the respect that she deserved by her people. I am grateful that all these women were given these qualities because I am tired of reading about weak women whose only job is to tend to the needs of male characters and to help them inflate their ready big ego.
The third is the fact that the book was exceptionally well-edited. This book that has 350 pages was edited so well that not a single spelling, grammatical, and/or typographical error was noticed by me.
The fourth is the list of characters and the author’s notes on certain people and events found at the end of the story. Although the author was under no obligation to insert this information in her book, she did so anyway. The note helped answer questions on the research process employed in writing this book. The list of characters also helped outline what role(s) each of the characters mentioned therein played in the story.
There is so much more than these to love about the story, but I will just stop by saying that I disliked nothing in the story or book. Lastly, this book which contains a lot of violence and some sexual depictions is suitable for a mature group of readers that loves historical fiction novels.
******
Dagger's Destiny
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes