Two millennia have passed since Skasloi was defeated by the Born Queen. Humans were liberated from the harsh bondage of slavery. However, the god-like creatures are currently roaming the land as destinies are unexplainably entangled in the drama of seduction and power. At the center of all these different layered tales is Anne Dare, the royal family’s youngest daughter. Interestingly, the fate of her generation and the entire world may lie solely on her.
The first 30 minutes of the audiobook may seem 2-dimensional and battle-gory. But it was deliberate from the part of author Greg Keyes. After the first few minutes, the rest of the story follows a three-dimensional character representation where you get to see the roles of each of the main characters in equal proportion. Greg Keyes, Just as he did in his previous book The Infernal City, provides a fascinating plot with humor, action, and mystery.
There are good plot and characterization in this one. For those who do not like much graphic violence will love the entire scenes in the novel. The narrator Patrick Michael does not seem too dramatic. He represented the characters suitably, as each character (both male and female) were represented convincingly. He also did an excellent job going between male and female voices.
Most of the characters were given their right diction and their voices match their personality perfectly. Yes, the story is slow at the beginning, but it picks up at an alarming pace. The scurvy swordsman, the priest, and the queen all have lovable personalities in their respective roles. Overall, this book is a suspense-filled package with a lot of drama. It is fascinating and engrossing to read and listen to.
