Book Review: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

#2 in the His Fair Assassin series
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 
Pages: 385
Received: Bought
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Review

I am super disappointed with Dark Triumph.

Grave Mercy made my Special Shelf and I've loved everything I've ever read by Robin (three Theodosia books, all four of the Nathaniel Fludd books, and GM), so I thought I was safe to buy Dark Triumph before I read it.

Apparently not. 

If I hadn't read Grave Mercy first, I probably would have enjoyed DT more. Most of my complaints come from DT not stacking up to GM in some way. Such as...

WHAT happened to Sybella?!

I first met Sybella in GM and she was a mess. There's no nice way to say it, the girl was wild, crazed, and erratic in that remove-sharp-objects kind of way.

Flash forward to DT, and Sybella is insufferably normal. I guess that made for an easier narrative (lucidity is always a bonus when it comes to first-person narratives!) but I'm disappointed. GM Sybella was so intriguing! She was unpredictable, exciting, and different.  

DT Sybella was effectively Ismae (minus the early trust in the convent) to the point where I had trouble distinguishing their voices. Sure, Sybella talked a big game about being so unstable and worrying that she's BAAAAD. *YAWN* Nothing she did, thought, or said backed up any of these fears. They felt thin and grew real old after hearing them repeated a few times with absolutely no evidence to back them up.

So, I got gypped on experiencing her off-beat narrative that I'd been looking forward to for over a year. Fine. I'll get over it.

What I can't get over is how inconsistent this makes her characterization. Not only is she totally different from the woman present in GM, but her psychological development doesn't make sense within the context of her story. I found out all kinds of backstory on what happened to Sybella, and while that makes perfect sense for the woman I saw in GM, it makes NO sense for Sybella in DT.

Robin LaFevers is more than capable of writing consistent characters with depth and growth across multiple books, so this just feels sloppy.

And the historical background?? The intrigue??

This is going to be a love it or hate it kind of thing, but for me, I LOVED the historical detail in Grave Mercy and I was really looking forward to continuing the story in Dark Triumph.

Anne of Brittany's story is tragic, but it is also filled with danger, deceit, intrigue, secret alliances, and war. All good things, at least in novels. GM touched on all of this, and I was totally caught up in all the court secrets and backstabbing.

So where was the intrigue in DT? Where was anything even remotely historical?? Sure, fine, I got to see Anne for a few brief scenes (in which she was bland and gag-me angelic), and the French were mentioned a time or two, but for all intents and purposes this story could have taken place anywhere.

What does actually happen is just fine, and if it weren't for my GM expectations I probably would have been fine with most of it. Mostly.

DT never really finds its stride though, pacing in fits and starts, dragging in the beginning, then racing with excitement, only to flounder again. Some parts were excellent (on the road, fighting) and others seemed predictably contrived. Overall it lacked a cohesive story progression and so, again, this felt sloppily thrown together. 

Do I even want to get started on the romance?

I'll say this, some parts were perfection. There were a few choice scenes and bits of banter that are totally worth re-reading and the mental images Robin LaFevers created of those two going back to back fighting together against their enemies were fist-pump amazing.

And that's the positive.

The rest of this romance came off like a thin copy of every other insta-love romance that felt especially out of place for someone with a past like Sybella. Beast is unwavering in his love, and yet I'm not convinced why. Sybella clearly thinks he's ugly (she mentions his ugly face more times than a Dalmatian has spots), but outside of a clingy need for acceptance, I don't understand why she loves him either.

Sybella's relationship with her brother, while icky, had MUCH more emotional depth and nuance.   

Bottom line

I could go on, but I'm tired of complaining about a book I still want to be able to love. Dark Triumph was unexpectedly rough. If I had to pick one word to describe it, I'd have to go with "sloppy."

On its own, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more. In comparison to the skill with which Grave Mercy was written and the premise set in that book, I just can't help but feel Dark Triumph falls flat.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about Dark Triumph that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

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Discussion & List: The Joy of Book Two

I have a love/hate relationship with series, but today I'm going to focus on the positive and gush about my explosive love for series, particularly book two.

Starting a series is great with all of its first-date suspense, hope, and possibilities. Few things come close to the delicious anticipation of wondering if I'll fall head over heels for this book and open a brand new chapter of awesomeness in my life.

Life was never the same

And then, if the stars align and everything comes together perfectly, then there's the wait for the second book. And, yeah, it's excruciating. But it's also kind of fun because even though I have to wait, I KNOW there will be a big payoff when the time comes due.

Plus, since it's only the second book, so I know I can read the book without all the sadness that comes along with reading the last book in the series when you know it's really The End.

It's like Christmas, or my birthday. Sure they only come once a year, but when they DO come, they're filled with piles of presents and tons of tasty food and general wonderfulness. And the best part is, I know these things are coming. I can rely on that guaranteed happiness, even if I have to wait a whole year for it.

And we get to do this EVERY year!

The second book in a series is often a dangerous thing, fraught with all sorts of peril like series stretching and the introduction of the dreaded Secondary Love Interest. Usually, second books scare the life out of me.

This didn't work out well for anyone

BUT, every rare once in a while a first book is so incredible, so special, so perfect that I KNOW the next book will be nothing short of chocolate fudge levels of perfection.

(Of course I'm still a little afraid I'll experience a crushing blow if the book doesn't live up to my super high expectations, but shhh, I'm pretending that isn't even a fraction of a possibility. Because, I just, I cannot fathom that reality.)

I've had my heart crushed way too many times by book disappointment, so I don't let my heart run wild after just any old book. I'm picky and jaded and I don't want to be hurt again.

 So this is my teeny tiny list of sequels I've allowed myself to throw all caution to the wind and fall madly in love with the mere idea of their existence.

They'd better live up.

Fair warning: There be (tiny) spoilers for the first books here!

The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke
sequel to The Pirate's Curse

The first book hit pretty much all of my marks for a Special Shelf book with its sleepover friend paragon of a main character, sizzling hate-turned-love romance, and heaps of fantasy peril and action. The ending left off with the potential for an even more excitement-filled quest to come, and if the strength of the first book is any indication, The Pirate's Curse is going to set a new high in quest-fantasy.

I'm banking on The Pirate's Wish having all that, and more. Namely, I want more sizzle in the romance. Sure it was pretty close to perfect in the first book, but I felt like Naji was holding out in that department a little. He's a little too closed off and mysterious, so I'm hoping book two sheds a little more light on his, presumably, growing feelings for Ananna.

An 11th hour name change wouldn't hurt, either (I mean, Naji?? I'm still not over it).

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen
sequel to The False Prince

The idea of basking in Sage's presence is enough for me. I don't even care all that much what he's doing.

But, I'd prefer if he were scheming and manipulating and being cheeky about it all like he was in The False Prince. The blurb gives me hope that there will be a good dose of twistyness mixed with clever plotting and murder (always good for a book, I think).

I like that the blurb makes it sound like Sage has matured and gotten all responsible in The Runaway King (I always love a Capable Guy), but I'm hoping his signature sass hasn't been completely set aside. Also, a little more development of that barely-there distrustful romance would be fantastic. But just a smidgen.

The only thing I'm really not jumping for joy over is the name change. I read the blurb three times thinking, "Who the heck is Jaron?!" before I realized that, oh yeah, that's Sage's real name. But, pfft. He'll always be Sage to me.

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
sequel to The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

I can't stop recommending The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. Adults, kids, teens, tweens—I've even made the elderly whip out their magnifiers and read that book. My pitch is simple: Do you like to laugh? Well then, do I have a book for you!

I'm expecting nothing less out of Christopher Healy's follow up. The cover and blurb are certainly worthy and I have no doubt the author is up to the task. So, my expectations? Super high. But my fears the book might not fulfill those expectations? Practically zero. I have total confidence, Mr. Healy.

I don't really have doubts or hopes for this sequel. Not like the other books. In this case, I just hope The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is filled with all of the same characters (and maybe a few new ones, too. Evil villainS? Plural? Yessssss) and that they're acting exactly like themselves. And, ok, maybe it would be cute to see the rearranged couples pair up a little more solidly, but that isn't a requirement at all.

Biggest reason I'm crossing my fingers in hopeful anticipation? I desperately want Bronson Pinchot to record an audiobook version.

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
sequel to Grave Mercy

I know this book is following different characters from the main duo in Grave Mercy, but I'm kind of okay with that. Don't get me wrong, I loved Ismae and Duvall, but I'm all about the slow burn romance and that ship has sailed for them already. When the romance comes together in book one, all book two usually offers is conflict and third parties. Or sappy, spark-less tru wuv. Either way, no thank you!

So I'm all over the idea of keeping the awesome world of assassin nuns, gods of death, and courtly intrigue but turning the focus on two new love interests. Sybella is even more distrustful and prickly than Ismae, so I'm not expecting any kind of instalove nonsense out of her. In fact, the only instalove I'm pretty certain about is the love I have for Sybella, and I can't wait to get to know her even more.

My only fear? I wasn't IN LOVE with Sybella's soon-to-be-main-squeeze. So, yeah, I'm worried I won't be feeling this romance the way I was with Duvall. But I trust Robin, so I'm not too worried. Plus, I'm sure I'll be plenty distracted with all of the historical fantasy world building and political intrigue.

Also, Sybella. I really have fallen in instalove.

What about you?

What series are you SO in love with that you just KNOW the second book will be complete perfection for you?

Do you have any hopes or fears for them?

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