Django Wexler

The King of Vordan is dying, and his daughter, Raesinia, is destined to become the first Queen in centuries. But politics knows no loyalties, especially for Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information and spymaster of the empire. The most feared man in the Vordan will bow his knee to no Queen, unless she is firmly under his influence. Freshly returned from their recent victories in the colonies, Colonel Janus, Marcus and Winter must play a new and far deadlier game than the open warfare of the front, using all their talents, earthly or supernatural.

The Shadow Campaign

The Shadow Throne

“An immensely entertaining novel” (Tor.com) from the author of The Thousand Names... The King of the Vordan is on his deathbed. Soon his daughter, Raesinia will be the first Queen Regnant in centuries—and a target for those who seek to control her. The most dangerous is Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information, and master of the secret police. He is the most feared man in the kingdom, and he knows an arcane secret that puts Raesinia completely at his mercy. But Raesinia has found unlikely allies in the returning war hero Janus bet Vhalnich, and his loyal deputies, Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Lieutenant Winter Ihernglass. As Marcus and Winter struggle to find their places in the home they never thought they would see again, they help Janus and Raesinia set in motion events that could shatter Orlanko’s powers, but perhaps at the price of throwing the nation into chaos. But with the people suffering under the Duke’s tyranny, they intend to protect the kingdom with every power they can command, earthly or otherwise.

Sheila

** spoiler alert **
           This book didn't feature the Colonial Army like the first book & I missed them so much. :'( Of course, this was done on purpose so we could feel just how 'out of place' both Marcus d'Ivoire & Winter felt back in Vordan - in completely different roles too! What we DO get is some intrigue, a lot of backstory for both Marcus & Winter, side characters triggering many flashbacks of memories about how irritating that ONE pretentious asshole in your university [insert any humanities course here] class was, & new main characters in "Mad" Jane & Princess Queen Raesinia. 

I have to say, I'm not the hugest fan of Jane x Winter a little bit because I don't think a relationship with Jane is the healthiest thing for Winter, but mostly because I missed the vibe of Winter x Bobby. Then again, the end of the book more or less killed that dead (though not literally (yet)) *sobs*

I DID like how upfront Janus was to Marcus about including Jane & her all-lady Leatherbacks as soldiers in the Volunteer Army; it's one thing to be "chivalrous" & believe women are only for protecting, but it's another to believe in the mettle of women that have lived their lives on the streets & you need all the people you can get firing muskets whether or not they have boobs. We don't get enough of that kind of "why NOT have ladies in the military, what's so different about sending them out to die than just young men???" discussion in fantasy (tho ngl, it's even better when the women are incorporated into the military in the story & it's treated as entirely normal)

WOW I got real rambly with this...tl;dr I liked this & can't wait for book 3 to continue the intrigue! eeeee

Includes an excerpt from The price of valor.

Jenna Kathleen

Reminiscent of the French Revolution, apart from the monarch being guillotined. There's still plenty of fighting and violence even if the guillotine doesn't make an appearance.

The Shadow Throne had a bit of a slower start than The Thousand Names, but it's to be expected when you have to introduce a whole new setting and evolve the roles of the characters as well as introduce new ones.

I liked Raesinia. I didn't love her, but I am definitely curious about her and looking forward to reading more about her.

When Janus gave Winter her new assignment, I expected her to infiltrate Raesinia's group so it was a surprise for me when (view spoiler)[she met Jane. I expected her to meet Jane again in this one, but I didn't think it would be so soon. I honestly didn't like Jane that much, but I grew to tolerate her; however, I sort of hope she dies before the end of the series. Winter has enough weaknesses - I liked her with Bobby and her other soldiers and I think Jane will hold her back from what she wants to do with her life. On the other hand, it was a storyline that needed to be dealt with after all the build up of the first one and Jane's army of girls was pretty awesome at the end (hide spoiler)].

I loved the character of Danton. When you think of a public figure, he is quite unusual and it made for an interesting twist.

The best part of this novel that I am still laughing about is (view spoiler)[Marcus when he sees Winter as a girl.  (hide spoiler)] He is just so....I can't even put it into words, but it was one of the funniest twists I've read recently.

The Shadow Throne The Shadow Campaign

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