Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews
Apr. 22nd, 2020 10:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaI really enjoyed it.
+ I wasn’t expecting the book to follow Maud but I liked getting to see more of the vampires and how their society works.
+ Maud’s great. I liked how her (and her siblings) being the children of innkeepers makes their diverse skills believable. Maud acting as Maven by being diplomatic with the other aliens long before that was even her position was great. In fact I really liked that Maud seems perfectly created to be the Maven House Krahr needed.
+ When it was quietly dropped that Maud wasn’t her father’s biological child I kept expecting for it to be revealed that she had a vampire bio-father, perhaps of ancient lineage, which would explain her ability to stand up to vampires so well. They even explained that half-breeds can be human or vampire to explain why she seems completely human. But it ends up not coming up again so it feels like a piece of foreshadowing being tossed out. It does make me wonder if her father isn’t vampire but a different alien?
+ It’s very interesting that Maud was able to access ad-hal powers to save Helen. I wonder if that has something to do with her heritage or if she would have been an ad-hal if her path had diverged and if you have the potential you always have it?
+ Another bit of interest dropped but left open - the attack of the Mukona, Maud's returned memory of the Mukama's attack on her and the question about why they are so compelled to eat (magical) children. Why is it vital to them? The fact that they still live as a species means we'll see them again and I'm definitely interested in learning more.
+ I loved the bit with the savoks. I kind of what to see Maud take Ilemina to task, very politely, for their treatment and school her a bit on how much an honour was meant by the Horde giving them as a gift. I hope the next book set with Maud gives us a scene of her riding one or teaching others to appreciate them.
+ I liked the surprise at the end with Klaus showing up as an Arbitrator.
+ I wasn’t expecting the book to follow Maud but I liked getting to see more of the vampires and how their society works.
+ Maud’s great. I liked how her (and her siblings) being the children of innkeepers makes their diverse skills believable. Maud acting as Maven by being diplomatic with the other aliens long before that was even her position was great. In fact I really liked that Maud seems perfectly created to be the Maven House Krahr needed.
+ When it was quietly dropped that Maud wasn’t her father’s biological child I kept expecting for it to be revealed that she had a vampire bio-father, perhaps of ancient lineage, which would explain her ability to stand up to vampires so well. They even explained that half-breeds can be human or vampire to explain why she seems completely human. But it ends up not coming up again so it feels like a piece of foreshadowing being tossed out. It does make me wonder if her father isn’t vampire but a different alien?
+ It’s very interesting that Maud was able to access ad-hal powers to save Helen. I wonder if that has something to do with her heritage or if she would have been an ad-hal if her path had diverged and if you have the potential you always have it?
+ Another bit of interest dropped but left open - the attack of the Mukona, Maud's returned memory of the Mukama's attack on her and the question about why they are so compelled to eat (magical) children. Why is it vital to them? The fact that they still live as a species means we'll see them again and I'm definitely interested in learning more.
+ I loved the bit with the savoks. I kind of what to see Maud take Ilemina to task, very politely, for their treatment and school her a bit on how much an honour was meant by the Horde giving them as a gift. I hope the next book set with Maud gives us a scene of her riding one or teaching others to appreciate them.
+ I liked the surprise at the end with Klaus showing up as an Arbitrator.
