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I am disappointed that _Cast in Silence_ is the next and last book that is in publication. I still would like to see more development of Kaylin's character, and I must admit that Severn is starting to get on my nerves. His character, though present throughout the entirety of this book, might as well not have been since it seems he lost character development in his role as the silent, but unfailingly right, guide. This one is my absolute favorite of the series so far. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the new books of this series in the future. And, honestly, I think it was the most informative of the whole series, too. It was so exciting and emotionally tense. I loved learning more about the Leontines and I am very curious about what direction the next book will take.
I enjoy Michelle Sagara's writing style. I read this book in 7hrs, mostly in one sitting. This is an excellent follow-on to the previous books in the series. I can only hope my prose is just as good when I get published. The writing is smooth, characters well developed, and plot line engaging. The world-building is equally well-done.
To make matters worse, Marcus, her trusted sergeant, gets stripped of his command, leaving Kaylin vulnerable. Each book gets more and more exciting, with the characters growing and becoming more powerful in a very believable way.
There's no way to accurately describe the five main races that are featured in each of Sagara's books, suffice it to say that each one is created as an entity in and of itself and getting to know each society is part of why I love these booksOverall Feeling - Thumbs up. No brand new powers jumping in and saving the day, but a natural progression of the abilities Sagara wrote into the first book help Kaylin navigate the delicate interracial situations that she often finds herself in.
When a minority race of telepaths is suspected of causing a near-devastating tidal wave, Private Kaylin Neya is summoned to Court--and into a PR nightmare. But then nobody ever said life in the theater was easy.I love this series.
Great book in a great fantasy series.Series - 1) Cast in Shadow 2) Cast in Courtlight 3) Cast in Secret 4) Cast in FuryReading Amidst the Chaos - [.]. To ease racial tensions, the emperor has commissioned a play, and the playwright has his own ideas about who should be the focus.But Kaylin works her best magic behind the scenes, and though she tries to stay neutral, she is again drawn into a world of politics.and murder.
Now she's juggling two troubling cases, and even magic's looking good by comparison.
That's why I'll buy the next book. The magic and climax in this book were weak, but I'm no longer reading these books for dialogue or plot or even characters. I find it fascinating that this author could come up with so many different races/species and give such in depth thought to the cultural differences between them, all the while having them live in relative harmony. Kaylin is annoying. The background is fascinating. This is annoying.But.I can understand why the author makes sure that Kaylin knows nothing. She knows nothing about anyone or anything and only solves any situation by instinct.though she has no common sense. If Kaylin understood the different cultures that these books are exploring, it would make it much more difficult to explain all the little mores and taboos to the reader.
I'm also glad that the mystical aspects aren't as central as in other volumes. This is book 4 in the Chronicles of Elantra and I would recommend reading Cast in Shadow, Cast in Courtlight and Cast in Secret first, especially because book 4 is directly connected to events in the former books.Kaylin has to deal with several problems in this novel: After what happened in 'Cast in Secret', an angry and frightened mob threatens the mind-reading Tha'alani, whom they blame for the floodwave they actually protected the city against. If only the man weren't so rude - and afraid of the Tha'alani himself.As if having to deal with the Imperial Court weren't enough, Kaylin's superior, the Leontine Marcus, is arrested for murder. Let's hope that the publisher reverts back to the original style.
And the character of Kaylin is suddenly a copy of Holly Marie Combs in Charmed. Add to that a clingy dress and the writing on her body in the wrong colour. While the first three titles show a woman who fits the way Kaylin is presented in the books and are pretty neutral when it comes to events in the books, this one shows a scene from book 3, not from the book it actually covers. There's a lot of life yet in this series.The only (relatively minor) problem I have is the awful cover illustration.
But in the Leontine quarters she is confronted with dangerous shapeshifters and an ancient evil. I hope that the series will last a good long while and, in contrast to another reviewer, I'm not urgently waiting for the end. Since Kaylin knows them well and knows what really happened, the Dragon Emperor decides that she's the right person to advise the imperial playwriter, who is supposed to show the people what the Tha'alani are really like. It's definitely a keeper and worth recommending.
A good plot, well-developed characters, a sense of humour, interesting cultures, and a lot of suspense make for a great book that's hard to put down. His replacement would love to get rid of Marcus and Kaylin, so he forbids her to try and solve the case to help Marcus - naturally, that doesn't stop her. In the end, a lot more than Marcus' fate depends on her success.Along with 'Cast in Shadow' this is the best in the series, in my opinion.
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