hardcover, 438 pages
Published Feb. 27, 2021 by Argyll Productions.
He’s a paladin of a dead god, tracking a supernatural killer across a continent. She’s a nun from a secretive order, on the trail of the raiders who burned her convent and kidnapped her sisters.
When their paths cross at the point of a sword, Istvhan and Clara will be pitched headlong into each other’s quests, facing off against enemies both living and dead. But Clara has a secret that could jeopardize the growing trust between them, a secret that will lead them to the gladiatorial pits of a corrupt city, and beyond...
Read book 3 first which I should not have done but what can I say. then read book 1 which was good and where I should have started. Book 2 here was really enjoyable. So many interesting characters and the author seemed to take some time letting the story roll out. sorry to see it end.
Content warning Plot details
Probably one of the darkest books, the captured nuns have a pretty rough time of it. My favourite idea though is that Clara and all the nuns of St Ursa are werebears. WEREBEARS! And it's a romance, so I guess I've accidentally read a paranormal fantasy book and there's no hope for me.
I thought the first book was a bit fantasy-autobiography with the nerdy heroine a stand-in for the author. That was probably silly (and maybe a bit condescending) of me. The characters in this are quite different, and I doubt that both heroines (or some combination of protagonists from both books) can be autobiographical.
Kingfisher's writing oozes cleverness, but in a fairly undemanding way. The romance tropes occasionally verge on the self parody, but I can't swear that isn't intentional.
As a fantasy (in the non-romantic sense), the world building and characterization are rather good.
