SYNOPSIS
Anger will not be quenched by blood alone.
The Missing, a rebel army that is little more than a rumor, may be Kaylo’s only path to exact his vengeance against the empire that claimed his home and killed his family. If it means a chance to balance the blood he owes, he will steal spirits and become the Missing’s tool, as long as they aim him in the right direction.
Eighteen years later, a war is raging between factions for control of Ennea. With Tayen, Kaylo, and Nix caught in the middle of a power struggle—Kaylo will have to find a way to fulfill the promise he made to Tayen, Nix must face the consequences of her betrayal, and Tayen will have to choose between vengeance and her spirit. When blood is owed, virtues will be challenged.
REVIEW
I received an advanced reader copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone. A huge thank you to Escapist Book Company for putting this tour together.
No heart for a thief. No safe haven. Only a grave will do. While these words may not feature in the novel much, their sentiment echoes through the pages of this fantastic novel.
Picking up where we left off in both timelines, Dulin wastes no time throwing our beloved characters into the thick of it. Stuck in unfamiliar territory and surrounded by enemies, tension drips from the pages as Kaylo, Tayen and company find themselves jumping out of the frying pan and right into the fire. No safe haven indeed.
Like No Heart for a Thief, we split our time between present day and “Kaylo’s story” where is tells us his backstory. This time around, we spend a lot more time in the present, meeting some new POV’s along the way. What follows is a triumphant and tragic story of loss and moving on and people change, for better and for worse.
No Safe Haven expands the world Dulin set up beautifully in No Heart for a Thief, while also managing to tell a very personal and character driven story. We meet new characters and are reintroduced to some old, seeing a few in two different timelines. Getting to know them this way makes it impossible not to empathize with them, no matter how villainous they may become.
We also get to explore the lore and magic of the world a lot more that adds context to everything that’s been happening in the two books. Having already met the characters in the previous book, there is a lot more time to expand on ideas hinted at in No Heart for a Thief.
We get to see a lot more from some of the villains, seeing how they live and getting to understand why they do what they do. Dulin handles this perfectly, making them sympathetic at times but never shying away from the wrongs they are committing. This add layers and depth to the story, providing some great twists and revelations.
No Safe Haven takes everything that was great about No Heart for a Thief and builds off of it. Beautiful character moments, intense and bloody action scenes, magic galore and plenty of heart break. Dulin’s prose flies off the pages, painting a vivid picture and telling an incredible story. I cannot wait for Only a Grave Will Do, which is one of the coolest titles I’ve ever heard.
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