Review: Hammer of God - Karen Miller

In Ethrea, Rhian sits upon a precarious throne. Defiant dukes who won't accept her rule threaten the stability of her kingdom. Dexterity has been banished from her court in disgrace. The blue-haired slave Zandakar, the man she thought was her friend, has been revealed as the son of a woman sworn to destroy her world. And Rhian's husband, King Alasdair, is unsure of her love.

The trading nations refuse to believe Mijak is a threat, and promise reprisals if she dares protect her realm. Only Emperor Han of mysterious Tzhung-tzhungchai knows that the danger from Mijak is real.

But is he an ally, or an enemy in disguise? As she struggles to learn the truth, and keep her embattled crown, the murderous warhost of Mijak advances ...

My thoughts:

Yay the end...in a good way ;) Yay that it was good to the end, but of course I am sad it did end. But trilogies are the best, not too long and not to short. The perfect fantasy formula.

We finally learn what it is that Mijak is hearing. The thing that tells Hekat to go forth and slaughter. Can't really be God when after having met Dex I get that his God is a good one. While the people of Mijak talk about demons and then go and kill everyone. Now who is listening to demons? It's a battle of god and bad.

OK so while all that religious stuff is going down Queen Rhian is trying to convince the Dukes that she will be a good queen. And meanwhile across the seas a bloodthirsty people is waiting to conquer the rest of the world. Most of the book is Rhian trying to convince idiots that she is good, or that darkness is coming. But idiots are idiots and do not listen. I did feel at one point that the book could have been 100 pages shorter but it was still a good end to the story.

Conclusion:

There is death, darkness, war, politic and characters to love and hate. I enjoyed this series and I must read more by her.

Would I read more?

Yes, definitely. 

Cover

Eh, ok

Paperback, 816 pages
Published January 1st 2009 by Orbit (first published 2008)
Godspeaker Trilogy #3
Fantasy
Own

Review: Empress - Karen Miller

Her name is Hekat--

And she will be slave to no man.

In a family torn apart by poverty and violence, Hekat is no more than an unwanted mouth to feed, worth only a few coins from a passing slave trader.

But Hekat was not born to be a slave. For her, a different path has been chosen. It is a path that will take her from stinking back alleys to the house of her god, from blood-drenched battlefields to the glittering palaces of Mijak.

My thoughts:

Wow, this book has no heroine, instead it has a cold insane bloodthirsty bitch. She would cut you down for just looking at her. She puts the B in bitch. If I had read this book from another POV I would have hated her and hoped scorpions would feast on her heart, but as it was ..it worked. She was strong, ruthless, and the end, I mean omg, what a fucking bitch! A true anti-heroine. I hope she dies.

The world is harsh, women are less than dirt in some places and priest rule and cast down sinners. Warlords rule districts and the land is cold and bloody. The religion is God and Demons and I do wonder sometimes who is talking to Hekat, demons or God? Because someone sure is. And it's not making her any saner.

The book is also bloody and raw. She is sold as a slave and soon learns a lesson, which seems to make her even more insane. But then she did grow up without a name, often chained to the wall, never spoken too and only referred to as a she-brat. As girls in her part of the worlds were nothing. Also I never get that, the same is true about our crazy world. What are they thinking? You are just gonna end up with men and no women, yeah real clever thinking there.

At the end I want more. Because this world is going to hell. War is tearing the world apart, blood is flowing like rivers and no one is spared. Kids are killed, women are killed, everyone is killed. I must know how it all will end. And I do hope Hekat gets what is coming to her. Because even if she is interesting to read about the final straw did come and I hope God will smite her wicked soul.

Conclusion:

A dark and interesting start to this series.

Cover

Creepy

Godspeaker trilogy #1
Fantasy
Paperback, 717 pages
Published April 1st 2008 by Orbit (first published June 1st 2007)
Own