Tau continues to be fantastic as a protagonist. He’s still angry with a physical strength that can literally take down demons. But I think he mellows out in that way where he gains so much perspective. He’s also put in his place by his own restraint. Throughout this book, he grows exponentially. Strength, murder, and revenge aren’t the solutions to his problems. And it’s nice that he finds other things to live and fight for. Plus, we get to meet his mother, and we definitely see where he gets it from.

The volume of incredible women in this sequel adds complexity. Some of them are Gifted, others are wise. My personal favorite was the healer. The development of all these relationships, including the struggles and tensions at a macro level, are superb here. It’s not just Tau having to navigate court, but also his fellow soldiers. In addition, court has to work with them. The political structure has layers on layers on layers. It’s not just about being Gifted or being noble. There’s some humor in it, but mostly just stress and tension pulled off incredibly.

At the end of each mini-arc, this book definitely rides the ebb and flow of actions having consequences. Several things happen at the end of the book that are dealt with to varying degrees of success. Some of those solutions cause more problems.

I understand that books take time and the world is what it is, but wow was it rude for this audiobook to end. I cannot wait to see what comes next, especially with the fraught note this volume ends on.