The Ikessar Falcon by KS Villoso

Book two of The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen. In something rare in the last many years, I read this right after The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, and I loved it. 

Disclaimer – I read this in May 2021, so forgive me if I’m a little hazy on some of the details. Will I ever get on top of my reviews?

So, what’s it all about?

I reviewed TWOOY a while back and professed my undying love for it, boldly referring to the entire series as one of my favourites of the last few years. Unlike many middle books, this – in my amateur opinion – actually raised the stakes instead of just providing a stepping stone. On with the story. Having spent much of the first book in the city of Anzhao, Talyien learns she must return home as her son is in danger. However, as everyone and their mother is looking for Talyien, she has to travel the hard way, through the wilds. Having seen in the first book how out of her depth she was in a foreign city, one can imagine how she is in the jungle. Along for the ride is the trusty Khine although, despite his wily nature, he is a city boy at heart and just as, if not more so, in unfamiliar territory. Through this, we see more of the world they live in, learn more about the magic system, and meet more friends and foes. In addition, we discover that the plot thread we had been following through book one is only beginning to scratch the tip of the iceberg. 

Is it any good?

It’s great. It’s hard not to root for Tayien, who attempts to balance her duty to her country with her devotion to her son. She knows her plight is partly her own doing, but also understands her place in the world. As the first woman to rule Oren-Yaro, she knows she has an uphill battle to win over her kingdom and save her son. The only person she feels can trust Khine, has his motivations and we always wonder how loyal he really is. In fact, this lack of trust can be applied to every character. Even those we initially perceive as enemies of Talyien moment make us doubt their true colours. The one thing we can take for granted from reading The Ikessar Falcon is that we have no idea how this will all fare out. Ah, the joys of a well-written unreliable narrator.

Verdict

• Format: Trade Paperback
• Obtained from: Library (support your public library people)
• Print length: 640 pages
• Publisher: Orbit
• ISBN: 978-0316532716