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Wake the Dragon #2
Vengewar
Kevin J. Anderson's sequel to Spine of The Dragon brings bitter rivalry and blood feud—that might be the downfall of the human kingdoms.
Two continents at war, the Three Kingdoms and Ishara, have been in conflict for a thousand years. But when an outside threat arises—the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world—the two warring nations must somehow set aside generations of hatred to form an alliance against a far more deadly enemy. Book One awakened the great dragon, and set the kingdoms at each other’s throats.
In Book Two, Vengewar, the Three Kingdoms are shattering under pressure from an inexperienced new King who is being led by an ambitious regent to ignore the threat of the Wreths, in favor of a Vengewar with Ishara. His brother and uncle can see only the danger of the Older Race.
In Ishara, the queen lies in a coma, while an ambitious priest seizes power. But he has neither the training nor the talent to rule a nation— or even a city. Ishara is in deadly peril, and the Wreths have not even appeared on their continent.
Two continents at war, the Three Kingdoms and Ishara, have been in conflict for a thousand years. But when an outside threat arises—the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world—the two warring nations must somehow set aside generations of hatred to form an alliance against a far more deadly enemy. Book One awakened the great dragon, and set the kingdoms at each other’s throats.
In Book Two, Vengewar, the Three Kingdoms are shattering under pressure from an inexperienced new King who is being led by an ambitious regent to ignore the threat of the Wreths, in favor of a Vengewar with Ishara. His brother and uncle can see only the danger of the Older Race.
In Ishara, the queen lies in a coma, while an ambitious priest seizes power. But he has neither the training nor the talent to rule a nation— or even a city. Ishara is in deadly peril, and the Wreths have not even appeared on their continent.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published January 19, 2021
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
916 books2,945 followersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 18, 2021
Vengewar is a spectacular sequel. There was action, action and more action. I loved every moment of the novel and book 3 is a must-read.
May 27, 2022
I give this 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Storylines are very impressive in the second book to the series. As chaos rises in the battle between the Wreths : Sand ( desert panorama)or Frost (the child’s white expanse) where there’s a New Frost Wreth queen and the humans get more political and downright dastardly in the second book.
The world building is awesome each of these characters have huge twist and turns… full of psychological mayhem!!
Oh and the dragon had risen
Some people say that the pacing is slow , but with the chapters are short .
I don’t see that too much of a hindrance in my opinion .
the world is awesome ,the characters ,are great! the different species in this world are left to the imagination of the author and what an imagination he has and the rest is just war and DEATH!
The Storylines are very impressive in the second book to the series. As chaos rises in the battle between the Wreths : Sand ( desert panorama)or Frost (the child’s white expanse) where there’s a New Frost Wreth queen and the humans get more political and downright dastardly in the second book.
The world building is awesome each of these characters have huge twist and turns… full of psychological mayhem!!
Oh and the dragon had risen
Some people say that the pacing is slow , but with the chapters are short .
I don’t see that too much of a hindrance in my opinion .
the world is awesome ,the characters ,are great! the different species in this world are left to the imagination of the author and what an imagination he has and the rest is just war and DEATH!
March 30, 2021
This was the second book in the series, which is an epic fantasy with some dark elements. While many books of this genre suffer from being a bridge between the worldbuilding first book and the concluding book of the trilogy, this one builds on the story, fleshes out characters, and contains enough action to keep the reader engaged. The setting is novel, yet the feel is familiar, as the author expertly deploys some tropes I've seen elsewhere. I believe there will be more subversion to come, but there are mysterious characters whose origin is unknown. One of whom recovers her origin in the first book, one who remains a mystery. There are some elder races who do not get along...and sprinkle in some encounters with jerk dragons. There are, however, family dynamics at play here that I think are working out well, and bad things do happen. Not enough that I'd call this grimdark, but enough that one feels that the stakes are real. There are tragedies and betrayals, and despite the seeming familiarity of some elements, there are things that surprised me. Tad Williams readers should give this book a shot, as should people who like Terry Brooks and Ray Feist.
May 18, 2022
4 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a fantastic second book in the Wake the Dragon series. All hell has broken loose, and the Three Kingdoms and Ishara are in chaos. Meanwhile, more and more wreths awaken and they continue plotting to wake the dragon Ossus and re-make the world.
Mandan is now Konag and is his usual wimpy, whiny self, but now he has power. He blindly follows the manipulative direction of Utho and plummets the Three Kingdoms into serious danger. King Adan and Killanan are trying their best to ebb the tide of the wreths takeover of the Three Kingdoms, but face roadblock after roadblock in their path. Thon, the mysterious wreth, still doesn't know or understand what he is, however he discovers more about his powers. The Frost wreth and Sun wreth leaders continue to underestimate humans and arrogantly plot their revenge against each other.
Meanwhile in Isahara, Key Priestlord Klovus is all feeling his power and stuff, but may find out just how limited it really is. The Empress is still in a coma and her protege and guard watch over her. They create an informational campaign to spread rumors about the Empress so the public will continue to pray for her. They will eventually need to figure out a plan to wrest back public favor and the Empress' seat from Klovus.
There are a lot of characters and plotlines in this book to keep track of so you need to pay close attention. The author does a better job with pacing in this book, and several of the characters make strides in their development, while others still lag a bit behind. Just as some side arcs come to a close, others are opened. If the author is going to close all of the plot gaps in the next book, he will really need to hit the ground running. I have faith that he is up to the task.
I love that there are such good villains in this book to hate and great heroes to root for. There is plenty of action in this book and we finally see big dragons in action! I look forward to seeing how this series ends.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a fantastic second book in the Wake the Dragon series. All hell has broken loose, and the Three Kingdoms and Ishara are in chaos. Meanwhile, more and more wreths awaken and they continue plotting to wake the dragon Ossus and re-make the world.
Mandan is now Konag and is his usual wimpy, whiny self, but now he has power. He blindly follows the manipulative direction of Utho and plummets the Three Kingdoms into serious danger. King Adan and Killanan are trying their best to ebb the tide of the wreths takeover of the Three Kingdoms, but face roadblock after roadblock in their path. Thon, the mysterious wreth, still doesn't know or understand what he is, however he discovers more about his powers. The Frost wreth and Sun wreth leaders continue to underestimate humans and arrogantly plot their revenge against each other.
Meanwhile in Isahara, Key Priestlord Klovus is all feeling his power and stuff, but may find out just how limited it really is. The Empress is still in a coma and her protege and guard watch over her. They create an informational campaign to spread rumors about the Empress so the public will continue to pray for her. They will eventually need to figure out a plan to wrest back public favor and the Empress' seat from Klovus.
There are a lot of characters and plotlines in this book to keep track of so you need to pay close attention. The author does a better job with pacing in this book, and several of the characters make strides in their development, while others still lag a bit behind. Just as some side arcs come to a close, others are opened. If the author is going to close all of the plot gaps in the next book, he will really need to hit the ground running. I have faith that he is up to the task.
I love that there are such good villains in this book to hate and great heroes to root for. There is plenty of action in this book and we finally see big dragons in action! I look forward to seeing how this series ends.
April 12, 2023
While the book moved well and intertwined the stories well, I wasn’t as excited as the first book. It’s more on me as there are some elements in the story that I don’t enjoy reading. There are several series with interesting stories which I stopped reading for similar elements.
I’ll probably read the next (last) book in this series.
I’ll probably read the next (last) book in this series.
September 12, 2023
What a great second book to a great series.
April 24, 2022
I tried reading this. I'm putting this as a DNF, but marking that I read it because I got to page 200. I stopped caring about the characters.
February 24, 2021
Holy cow this series is good. The plot is incredible, the characters so diverse and intense, the lore so compelling. Picking up right from where book 1 ended, Vengewar fleshes out the grand scheme of the story Anderson is telling, and it's a story that makes you crave the next book.
January 24, 2021
After writing over 140 books, Kevin J Anderson still has the ability to tell impressive stories. In fact, of all the KJA books I've read(which honestly isn't that many, maybe 20), I think that this is his best!
"Vengewar" takes place immediately after the events of "Spine of the Dragon" and advances the plotlines of all the main characters. What Anderson is impressive at is giving each and every character something interesting. Most of the time, I really latch onto one or two plotlines, but am uninterested in the other plotlines. However, each plotline was balanced in both time and in interest. The whole book had me captivated.
Obviously, my two main favorite characters in the book are King Adan and King Kollanan. They both are essentially the "Good guy" characters who are doing all the right things. In many ways, King Adan reminded me of King David from the Bible, as well as most fantasy protagonists. Adan desires to save his kingdom and protect his wife. He makes choices that are tough and yet seems to be doing the right thing. The audience really roots for him throughout the book.
King Kollanan really reminded me of Theoden from Lord of the Rings. He is such a noble person who feels like everyone is fighting him. I really got attached to his wife, Queen Tafira, and she had probably the most compelling story, and she isn't as much of a main protagonist as the others. She really skyrocketed in my estimation in this book.
Mandan is just a wimp. I tolerated him in the last book, but he just got on my nerves in this book. Before he was the older brother who really isn't fit to be king, but is still a good guy. Now, he's full on Joffrey(for all my GOT friends). Ugh. Even the minor plotline with his marriage, which gave me hope, ended with me angry at him. I hate Joffrey more, but Mandan is dispicable.
If I have some complaints, its the writing of Dragons in this. I'm still kind of confused on the lore, and am hoping that book three will clear up my confusion.
Also, Klovus and Utho are just dispicable. I look forward to seeing their resolution in the next book.
Probably the best part of this book is the detail that Anderson put into this. He's able to write these massive books in a matter of months, and yet every culture seems deep, every land feels different, every character feels unique, and every religion/mythology feels developed. Say what you will about authors who write 5+ books a year, but KJA isn't simply cranking them out without thought.
I feel so many things. I am happy for certain things, angry about certain things(in a good way), and really anxious about everything else. This book leaves on such a cliffhanger that I have to know what happens.
Overall, this is a magnificent book. Kevin J. Anderson outdid himself, and January 2022 can't get here quick enough. I LOVED this book. 9.7 out of 10! Amazing job Kevin!
P.S. Thank you for decreasing the sexual elements in this book. It's small but very much appreciated
"Vengewar" takes place immediately after the events of "Spine of the Dragon" and advances the plotlines of all the main characters. What Anderson is impressive at is giving each and every character something interesting. Most of the time, I really latch onto one or two plotlines, but am uninterested in the other plotlines. However, each plotline was balanced in both time and in interest. The whole book had me captivated.
Obviously, my two main favorite characters in the book are King Adan and King Kollanan. They both are essentially the "Good guy" characters who are doing all the right things. In many ways, King Adan reminded me of King David from the Bible, as well as most fantasy protagonists. Adan desires to save his kingdom and protect his wife. He makes choices that are tough and yet seems to be doing the right thing. The audience really roots for him throughout the book.
King Kollanan really reminded me of Theoden from Lord of the Rings. He is such a noble person who feels like everyone is fighting him. I really got attached to his wife, Queen Tafira, and she had probably the most compelling story, and she isn't as much of a main protagonist as the others. She really skyrocketed in my estimation in this book.
Mandan is just a wimp. I tolerated him in the last book, but he just got on my nerves in this book. Before he was the older brother who really isn't fit to be king, but is still a good guy. Now, he's full on Joffrey(for all my GOT friends). Ugh. Even the minor plotline with his marriage, which gave me hope, ended with me angry at him. I hate Joffrey more, but Mandan is dispicable.
If I have some complaints, its the writing of Dragons in this. I'm still kind of confused on the lore, and am hoping that book three will clear up my confusion.
Also, Klovus and Utho are just dispicable. I look forward to seeing their resolution in the next book.
Probably the best part of this book is the detail that Anderson put into this. He's able to write these massive books in a matter of months, and yet every culture seems deep, every land feels different, every character feels unique, and every religion/mythology feels developed. Say what you will about authors who write 5+ books a year, but KJA isn't simply cranking them out without thought.
I feel so many things. I am happy for certain things, angry about certain things(in a good way), and really anxious about everything else. This book leaves on such a cliffhanger that I have to know what happens.
Overall, this is a magnificent book. Kevin J. Anderson outdid himself, and January 2022 can't get here quick enough. I LOVED this book. 9.7 out of 10! Amazing job Kevin!
P.S. Thank you for decreasing the sexual elements in this book. It's small but very much appreciated
February 21, 2022
Vengewar is the second release in Kevin J. Anderson’s Wake the Dragon series, a story for which I had high hopes coming in. If you read my review of book 1 (if you have not, you can do so HERE), you know that I was disappointed but ultimately decided the series had enough potential to continue with it. I am mostly happy about that decision, as I did enjoy book 2 more and the setup going into book 3 is very intriguing.
My biggest challenge with the first book was pacing. Everything was very dense and explain-y that I struggled getting through it. It was slow, and there was not enough intrigue creating by the plot. The narrative started in one place and was basically a plateau throughout most of the book.
Vengewar is similar in style, though I did think the pacing was improved by the advancement of a few big events that created some short-term drama while increasing long-term suspense. There were some decent action sequences, as well as incidents that spark movement in character arcs, which I thought had really come to a standstill and were being rehashed for a bit. Because of those aspects, I definitely did not feel quite as muddled down as I did reading the first book.
This being my first Kevin J. Anderson book, and after Spine of the Dragon I thought the issue might be that sometimes first books in series can sometimes get stuck in a rut with trying to set up characters, plot, setting, etc; but, the more I think on that fact the more I come to the realization that maybe it is just that the author’s writing style is not for me: relying the long game and getting deep into the details. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy both of these writing strategies, as long there are climactic events along the way. For me, that is the aspect this series has been missing. If you like that writing style, this series is probably exactly what you are looking for.
All in all, I did like Vengewar more than Spine of the Dragon. The pacing is improved, and I like the progress of some of the character arcs. I am going to go ahead and finish the Wake the Dragon series by reading God and Dragons next. I want to see how it all turns out.
My biggest challenge with the first book was pacing. Everything was very dense and explain-y that I struggled getting through it. It was slow, and there was not enough intrigue creating by the plot. The narrative started in one place and was basically a plateau throughout most of the book.
Vengewar is similar in style, though I did think the pacing was improved by the advancement of a few big events that created some short-term drama while increasing long-term suspense. There were some decent action sequences, as well as incidents that spark movement in character arcs, which I thought had really come to a standstill and were being rehashed for a bit. Because of those aspects, I definitely did not feel quite as muddled down as I did reading the first book.
This being my first Kevin J. Anderson book, and after Spine of the Dragon I thought the issue might be that sometimes first books in series can sometimes get stuck in a rut with trying to set up characters, plot, setting, etc; but, the more I think on that fact the more I come to the realization that maybe it is just that the author’s writing style is not for me: relying the long game and getting deep into the details. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy both of these writing strategies, as long there are climactic events along the way. For me, that is the aspect this series has been missing. If you like that writing style, this series is probably exactly what you are looking for.
All in all, I did like Vengewar more than Spine of the Dragon. The pacing is improved, and I like the progress of some of the character arcs. I am going to go ahead and finish the Wake the Dragon series by reading God and Dragons next. I want to see how it all turns out.
June 9, 2021
I loved this one. Better than the first and one of Brian's best!
June 28, 2021
Vengewar (Wake The Dragon book 2) is the follow-up volume to ‘Spine Of The Dragon’ and the second part of Kevin J. Anderson’s latest epic fantasy trilogy. ‘Spine Of The Dragon’ introduced the vast cast of characters and set the story in motion. ‘Vengewar’ moves it along.
The background is rich in possibilities. Long ago, the god Kur created the world and the wreths to rule over it, powerful humanoid beings with magical abilities. Beneath a mountain chain sleeps the great dragon Ossus, who is meant to contain all the evil in the world, though he clearly doesn’t. The wreths created humans to be their slaves. The wreths fell out with each other in a sort of religious schism about Kur, had a great war which used up much of the magic in the world and then disappeared or so it seemed. The humans left behind, masterless, spent the next 2000 years building their own civilisations. The Commonwealth is an alliance of three nations on the old continent. Ages ago, human settlers went to a new continent across the sea and founded Ishara. The magic on the new continent wasn’t used up in the wreth war and is manifested in godlings who took form when the people prayed to them, and persist now.
Now the wreths have returned to the old continent. From the desert to the south came sandwreths to threaten Suderra. From the frozen wastes of the north came frostwreths to threaten Norterra. The Commonwealth must unite against this great danger. Unfortunately, Mangan, the Konag or chief king of the Commonwealth is a spoiled brat, a coward, a sadist and under the control of his advisor Utho. In turn, Utho hates Ishara and is obsessed with making war there. He ignores the threat of the wreths.
This beginning of ‘Vengewar’ is slow and frustrating with kings sending messages and sallying forth to see each other. Eventually, the story gets going. There are so many characters and events that it would be tedious and spoiling to try and summarise the plot or even to name the main personnel. Suffice to say that there are a number of surprising twists near the end which make it entertaining. Anderson writes in modern thriller mode with short chapters of about five pages with a new viewpoint character every time. Each chapter ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger and you come back to it a while later to find out what happened. The individual stories are all part of the big picture. As ever, this works well.
There are intriguing hints about the nature of the world and its magic. The godlings of Ishara are maintained by faith and blood donations and are mostly under human control but what if they became too powerful? The ska, reptile birds that have a heart link to Utauks, a nomad tribe, may be important in some way. The wreths hate them. Large, dangerous dragons which emerge from volcanoes seem to be fragments of Ossus. Thon, the powerful wreth-like being found at the heart of a mountain, appears to be a decent sort but may have dark secrets of his own. All this keeps the reader guessing.
It’s a strong story, clearly told. As in Anderson’s ‘Dune’ sequels, the villains are one-dimensional fanatics who will do anything to sate their obsession but the heroes are more rounded and sympathetic characters. After a hundred pages or so, one is caught up in the yarn and happily rolls along with it. Pure escapism but well-wrought. I liked it and look forward to book three.
The background is rich in possibilities. Long ago, the god Kur created the world and the wreths to rule over it, powerful humanoid beings with magical abilities. Beneath a mountain chain sleeps the great dragon Ossus, who is meant to contain all the evil in the world, though he clearly doesn’t. The wreths created humans to be their slaves. The wreths fell out with each other in a sort of religious schism about Kur, had a great war which used up much of the magic in the world and then disappeared or so it seemed. The humans left behind, masterless, spent the next 2000 years building their own civilisations. The Commonwealth is an alliance of three nations on the old continent. Ages ago, human settlers went to a new continent across the sea and founded Ishara. The magic on the new continent wasn’t used up in the wreth war and is manifested in godlings who took form when the people prayed to them, and persist now.
Now the wreths have returned to the old continent. From the desert to the south came sandwreths to threaten Suderra. From the frozen wastes of the north came frostwreths to threaten Norterra. The Commonwealth must unite against this great danger. Unfortunately, Mangan, the Konag or chief king of the Commonwealth is a spoiled brat, a coward, a sadist and under the control of his advisor Utho. In turn, Utho hates Ishara and is obsessed with making war there. He ignores the threat of the wreths.
This beginning of ‘Vengewar’ is slow and frustrating with kings sending messages and sallying forth to see each other. Eventually, the story gets going. There are so many characters and events that it would be tedious and spoiling to try and summarise the plot or even to name the main personnel. Suffice to say that there are a number of surprising twists near the end which make it entertaining. Anderson writes in modern thriller mode with short chapters of about five pages with a new viewpoint character every time. Each chapter ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger and you come back to it a while later to find out what happened. The individual stories are all part of the big picture. As ever, this works well.
There are intriguing hints about the nature of the world and its magic. The godlings of Ishara are maintained by faith and blood donations and are mostly under human control but what if they became too powerful? The ska, reptile birds that have a heart link to Utauks, a nomad tribe, may be important in some way. The wreths hate them. Large, dangerous dragons which emerge from volcanoes seem to be fragments of Ossus. Thon, the powerful wreth-like being found at the heart of a mountain, appears to be a decent sort but may have dark secrets of his own. All this keeps the reader guessing.
It’s a strong story, clearly told. As in Anderson’s ‘Dune’ sequels, the villains are one-dimensional fanatics who will do anything to sate their obsession but the heroes are more rounded and sympathetic characters. After a hundred pages or so, one is caught up in the yarn and happily rolls along with it. Pure escapism but well-wrought. I liked it and look forward to book three.
January 19, 2021
Check out a video of my review, right here:
https://youtu.be/QAMWqBxmDGU
I have been a fan of Kevin J Anderson since I was in middle school.
From his Star Wars books, to the Dune books, to Saga of a 1000 suns, I have eaten up his Epic Sci Fi Space Operas.
I have never read his fantasy work, however, and I didn't even the first book in this series - SPINE OF THE WORLD
I started reading VENGEWAR on a whim. I said, "Sure, why not?" and hopped into book two, knowing that even though I was starting in the middle of a trilogy, I would get into it.
I was right. This book has everything you could ask for -
A well thought out mythology for a wholly original fantasy world
Chapter upon chapter following the perspectives of various characters that you want to learn more about.
Political intrigue among the various kingdoms of the world, while a magical war is ramping up, beyond it.
I have to go read book one now!
https://youtu.be/QAMWqBxmDGU
I have been a fan of Kevin J Anderson since I was in middle school.
From his Star Wars books, to the Dune books, to Saga of a 1000 suns, I have eaten up his Epic Sci Fi Space Operas.
I have never read his fantasy work, however, and I didn't even the first book in this series - SPINE OF THE WORLD
I started reading VENGEWAR on a whim. I said, "Sure, why not?" and hopped into book two, knowing that even though I was starting in the middle of a trilogy, I would get into it.
I was right. This book has everything you could ask for -
A well thought out mythology for a wholly original fantasy world
Chapter upon chapter following the perspectives of various characters that you want to learn more about.
Political intrigue among the various kingdoms of the world, while a magical war is ramping up, beyond it.
I have to go read book one now!
September 29, 2022
Human kingdom political turmoil, ancient race rising up to dominant, ethereal and lovecraftean entities controlled by human priests, a neutral nomadic tribe of people that have bonded intelligent creatures, and some dragons that are manifestations of evil.
I truley love the plot but there was far too much character perspective swapping. Every single chapter is a new perspective and nearly all the chapters end of cliff hangers. I think all of the characters are very interesting, but I simply couldn't invest myself in them as the chapters on average were four pages long.
There was one chapter that set up summoning and fighting a dragon, and just when combat was going to begin the chapter ends! I had to flip through five more chapters just to get back to dragon combat, and at that point I had lost the excitement for it.
I may get the third book so I can know the ending of this story but honestly I have no desire to torment myself with another 450ish pages of perspective swaps.
I truley love the plot but there was far too much character perspective swapping. Every single chapter is a new perspective and nearly all the chapters end of cliff hangers. I think all of the characters are very interesting, but I simply couldn't invest myself in them as the chapters on average were four pages long.
There was one chapter that set up summoning and fighting a dragon, and just when combat was going to begin the chapter ends! I had to flip through five more chapters just to get back to dragon combat, and at that point I had lost the excitement for it.
I may get the third book so I can know the ending of this story but honestly I have no desire to torment myself with another 450ish pages of perspective swaps.
January 1, 2022
Vengewar (Wake the Dragon, #2)
by Kevin J. Anderson
The world is caught between Vengewars, those whom wanted to repay their mortal enemies, and those gods whom wanted to fight between their sides. A Vengewar is a vendetta between two sides of the conflict, both listing offences, and barbaric atrocities they reap upon each other. The hinted mystery at the heart of the Wake the Dragon series may be the biggest lesson held within this amazing world. Theories abound, propaganda is at the heart of all sides of the conflict. The kings and empira are in danger because of their underlings. The conflict is heightened because of the schemes of the lords, vassals and priests, each trying to build their power, wealth and influence. This book lays the complicated weave of the series layer upon layer of conflict, and mystery.
by Kevin J. Anderson
The world is caught between Vengewars, those whom wanted to repay their mortal enemies, and those gods whom wanted to fight between their sides. A Vengewar is a vendetta between two sides of the conflict, both listing offences, and barbaric atrocities they reap upon each other. The hinted mystery at the heart of the Wake the Dragon series may be the biggest lesson held within this amazing world. Theories abound, propaganda is at the heart of all sides of the conflict. The kings and empira are in danger because of their underlings. The conflict is heightened because of the schemes of the lords, vassals and priests, each trying to build their power, wealth and influence. This book lays the complicated weave of the series layer upon layer of conflict, and mystery.
January 19, 2021
"A vengewar is not a quick thing, but it is necessary," Konag Mandon of the Colors. Kevin J. Anderson's Vengewar is filled with death, destruction, and mayhem! It's an epic continuation of KJA's first book of the series, Spine of the Dragon, and further expands upon the adventures of those living in the Three Kingdoms, Ishara, and among the ancient wreths. No one is safe ANYWHERE with lies, deceit, and treachery waiting around every corner. There are still those who hold honor and loyalty dear, though, and do everything they can to fight the inherent evil of their land. Vengewar is an intense buildup to the final war, with an ending that has left me anxiously waiting for the last book of the trilogy.
March 8, 2021
Vengewar by Kevin J. Anderson
Spine of the Dragon was the first book in this series. This book picks up with increased conflict. The Sandwreths hate the Frostwreths, the three kings decide to hate each other, the Bravas hate the Isharans, the Hethrren barbarians are unpredictable, it appears that anger management is truly needed. Prejudice and blind fear fuel anger and hatred. Treachery is rampant.
It took a while to get back into the characters. That is the danger in starting a series before it is finished. Anderson writes a good story. A criticism that I just leveled against Greg Keyes, I also level here. Too many characters that I like get killed off. Obviously, I invest way too much in my reading.
I enjoyed the sequel.
Spine of the Dragon was the first book in this series. This book picks up with increased conflict. The Sandwreths hate the Frostwreths, the three kings decide to hate each other, the Bravas hate the Isharans, the Hethrren barbarians are unpredictable, it appears that anger management is truly needed. Prejudice and blind fear fuel anger and hatred. Treachery is rampant.
It took a while to get back into the characters. That is the danger in starting a series before it is finished. Anderson writes a good story. A criticism that I just leveled against Greg Keyes, I also level here. Too many characters that I like get killed off. Obviously, I invest way too much in my reading.
I enjoyed the sequel.
January 26, 2021
Usually, hitting the right amount of action, character building, and stakes raising in the middle book of a trilogy can be difficult. However, Kevin Anderson handled this incredibly well and crafted a compelling sequel. The sheer amount of characters, well fleshed out characters, is a mark of the level of detail Anderson has put into this epic fantasy. The threat of the intimidating Wreths and their feud, the fearsome dragons, and the political battles all come together in a way that makes this book hard to put down.
April 8, 2021
It took me a bit to get into book 2 because a bit of time had passed since reading book one. I wasn't sure I was going to read book 2, but I saw it and thought why not. Now I'm into it. The story progresses and there is more treachery, tragedy and some truths that start to come out. Book 3 must be some kind of wonder to continue the saga, there is a LOT of stuff going on in this series. No character is really "safe" in this book, you aren't really sure who is going to survive, which I like as it keeps you on the edge. I'm glad to be reading this story.
October 4, 2021
Unlike the first book, in this one the first 100 pages or so are VERY slow. I almost put the book down, but decided to keep going. Glad I did as it got quite a bit better once past that.
Some of the major characters are killed off, which surprised me - not used to that in these types of books, although that seems to be thing now. I like the ending - some of characters get what's coming to them and a few were regulated to back burner status and were poised to retake the spotlight in book 3. I'm curious how those will turn out.
Some of the major characters are killed off, which surprised me - not used to that in these types of books, although that seems to be thing now. I like the ending - some of characters get what's coming to them and a few were regulated to back burner status and were poised to retake the spotlight in book 3. I'm curious how those will turn out.
November 12, 2023
Part 2 of an epic fantasy series with magic, gods, and dragons has two nations brought to war because of lies told by a vengeful warrior in one and a religious lunatic in the other. Each sees the other nation as abhorrent ("animals" for the first, "godless" for the second), which blinds them to real and immediate problems each of them may be facing. The characters aren't complicated or overly deep, but it's a fast paced fantasy adventure and an engaging read.
January 17, 2021
I really enjoy trilogies. The story can develop a bit longer than in just one book, but it still provides some closure. Sometimes though the second book feels like just a means to get from the first to the third book. Not so here. The book is suspenseful, building on what was introduced in the first book. It is a fun series so far, and I can’t wait for the third book next year.
August 22, 2022
This was a really great follow-up to the first book and the patience with the worldbuilding paid off in a big way. Things flowed much quickly this time out and moved the action along, with some genuine surprises along the way. It's not going to knock Tolkien, Martin or Jordan off their fantasy peaks, but this is a fun universe to visit.
July 11, 2023
Personally I think it’s more of a 3, but I acknowledge the intensity of the story lines and multiple character accounts. I went between being bored and really loving the book, and that’s due to whichever character I was reading about. Off to read the third one because I’m invested in Elliel and Adan.
June 22, 2022
Epic! A bit too wordy. 🫣 Memorable characters! Yay for Birch! Heartbreak for Kor the Hammer, Aiden - hang in there. Empress - WAKE UP! Thong… 🤫 Ultho - pay back is a 🤬 and you are gonna get it, Mandan - Ugh! Your a baby. Glick - you’re my favorite!
April 8, 2023
Very similar to the first book. Very short chapters, but a lot of characters. the book was kind of a slow burn for me. It took a bit to get in to it, but then in the last third it really started to cook. I'm on board for the next book.
June 17, 2021
Great follow-up to the first book. Can't wait for book 3!
July 11, 2021
Good (complicated) second in the series.
December 17, 2021
This was exciting and engaging. I am relieved by the ending. I will be able to sleep at night as I wait for the next book.
March 9, 2022
2.9 - You would think the leaders would be a drop smarter...
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
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