Review of Dagger's Destiny
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MinhDoan
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Review of Dagger's Destiny
[Following is a volunteer review of "Dagger's Destiny" by Linnea Tanner.]
Dagger’s Destiny is the second book in the Apollo’s Raven trilogy, a sequel to Apollo’s Raven. The story takes place in a neolithic age when violence and witchcraft are common, an era of monarchs vying for the crown. The story centers on the illicit romance between Marcellus, a Roman, and Catrin, a Celtic princess. Every time she has to choose between putting her family and her love first, Catrin finds it hard to accept the effects of her actions. Catrin struggles to accept her fate and constantly looks for ways to alter what the fates reveal, even attempting to reconfigure her father's curse.
Catrin is labeled a traitor for deciding to spare Marcellus' life. King Amren decides to train Catrin as a brute warrior to remove the curse that has been placed upon the realm rather than condemning his daughter to death or exile. Meanwhile, wounded and dishonored Marcellus makes his way back to the Roman camp. There, he makes an attempt to persuade the Romans to flee Britannia and break their relationship with Catrin's wicked half-brother. War comes near despite his best efforts. Being pulled in different directions, Catrin and Marcellus must choose whether it is possible to be faithful to one's family and one's heart simultaneously.
The cultural and historical details that are woven throughout the plot are my favorite aspect of this book. It seems that the author has done a lot of research to provide details that would fit the purposes of the plot while also being as authentic as possible, from the ceremonies to the war tactics to even descriptions of dress styles. A number of writers try to include these historical details in their work, but often when they do, the story comes across as forced, as if they are making an effort that isn't needed and doesn't fit organically into the narrative. Linnea Tanner, however, has no issue not only incorporating such information but also exploiting it to advance the plot and inform the reader.
I love how the author infuses suspense into this book at several points. This book is not a typically formulaic story. The story unfolds in a way that I cannot anticipate, increasing my desire to go through the entire book. I also note Linnea Tanner's great skill in crafting narratives from several points of view. She deserves praise for pulling off this amazing achievement that can be done by only a select few authors.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because I do not find any negative aspect to it, and because the book has been well-edited. It is imaginative and creative to the brim. In truth, the book contains many components of a sophisticated fairy tale. The story moves along smoothly with few breaks. Fans of Game of Thrones or of the Historical Fiction genre should read this book.
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Dagger's Destiny
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Dagger’s Destiny is the second book in the Apollo’s Raven trilogy, a sequel to Apollo’s Raven. The story takes place in a neolithic age when violence and witchcraft are common, an era of monarchs vying for the crown. The story centers on the illicit romance between Marcellus, a Roman, and Catrin, a Celtic princess. Every time she has to choose between putting her family and her love first, Catrin finds it hard to accept the effects of her actions. Catrin struggles to accept her fate and constantly looks for ways to alter what the fates reveal, even attempting to reconfigure her father's curse.
Catrin is labeled a traitor for deciding to spare Marcellus' life. King Amren decides to train Catrin as a brute warrior to remove the curse that has been placed upon the realm rather than condemning his daughter to death or exile. Meanwhile, wounded and dishonored Marcellus makes his way back to the Roman camp. There, he makes an attempt to persuade the Romans to flee Britannia and break their relationship with Catrin's wicked half-brother. War comes near despite his best efforts. Being pulled in different directions, Catrin and Marcellus must choose whether it is possible to be faithful to one's family and one's heart simultaneously.
The cultural and historical details that are woven throughout the plot are my favorite aspect of this book. It seems that the author has done a lot of research to provide details that would fit the purposes of the plot while also being as authentic as possible, from the ceremonies to the war tactics to even descriptions of dress styles. A number of writers try to include these historical details in their work, but often when they do, the story comes across as forced, as if they are making an effort that isn't needed and doesn't fit organically into the narrative. Linnea Tanner, however, has no issue not only incorporating such information but also exploiting it to advance the plot and inform the reader.
I love how the author infuses suspense into this book at several points. This book is not a typically formulaic story. The story unfolds in a way that I cannot anticipate, increasing my desire to go through the entire book. I also note Linnea Tanner's great skill in crafting narratives from several points of view. She deserves praise for pulling off this amazing achievement that can be done by only a select few authors.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because I do not find any negative aspect to it, and because the book has been well-edited. It is imaginative and creative to the brim. In truth, the book contains many components of a sophisticated fairy tale. The story moves along smoothly with few breaks. Fans of Game of Thrones or of the Historical Fiction genre should read this book.
******
Dagger's Destiny
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Three loves and other stories by Lata Gullapalli
