After reading the first book in the Renshai series, The Last of the Renshai, I knew I’d be diving into the second book in short order. I was no longer cowed by the enormous size of the books (600+ paperbacks? Sure.. I didn’t need those hand muscles), and anxious to see what the world held in store for characters like Colbey, Mitrian, Garn, and more. I needed to know – plus I knew at this point that Reichert wouldn’t disappoint me in the action sequences.

I wasn’t wrong.

I wasn’t sure where the story would go after the deaths that occurred in the end of The Last of the Renshai, but what I began to appreciate as I read this book is just how much ground the “grey” area between good and evil covers. Reichert moves her story away from a prominent good and evil bent and throws in chaos and law – just for the fun of it. All I have to say is.. WOW.

I think this is the first series I’ve read that deals actively with chaos and law in addition to good and evil. (When I say evil, by the way, don’t be thinking “evil” as in evil bad guy – there’s a difference in this series.)

I really have come to respect this series. It’s a solid story, solid characters, interesting lore (even though Mickey borrows quite liberally from Norse mythology) and the world is one that immediately gives the reader an awe-inspiring sense of just how vast it is.

The third book blew me away even more… but more on that when I write and publish my review of it.

I cannot stress how much I recommend checking this series out. The descriptions of sword-fighting alone make it a series worth looking at, but there is oh-so-much-more than that. ( )