Traitor of Redwinter: The Redwinter Chronicles Book Two

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In the second book, I feel like we've taken some strange turns. It takes place eight months after the first book. The characters started acting a bit differently, the pacing was a bit halting and overall it's been a weird experience. The second in Ed McDonald’s Chronicles of Redwinter, full of shady politics, militant monks, ancient powers… and a young woman navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem. Daughter of Redwinter has it all: enigmatic characters, shady politics, secret cults, ancient evils, and a young woman grappling with her own shattered identity while navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem.”—Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld Unfortunately, this book was a bit of a disappointment for me and I wanted to like it more than I actually did. Mainly due to the fact that I enjoyed the first book so much. Amidst threats old and new, Raine must find her path, weaving her way between a twisted friendship, a dangerous mentor, the dark secrets of the book, and the queen with a crown of feathers to whom Raine has already promised more than she can afford to give . . .

Second book syndrome Traitor of Redwinter does not suffer from. It does have shady politics and dirty bastards to throw a spanner in the works. I love that Raine is still utterly flawed character. Yes, she's the main character, but being the star of the show hasn't made her 'one that cannot do wrong' .. in fact, she does a lot wrong. Like, everything?! Ha... The first 60% of this book is character development and world building, which is nice to have the world fleshed out a little and I think will come good in book 3 for sure. How many, do you think?’ Castus asked. He sat high, a slender figure atop a tall horse. I’d got down in the mud; I wanted a closer look.Raine, Sanvaunt, Liara, and Castus all return from the failed diplomatic mission. All are traumatized by the loss of their fellow apprentice. Raine and Castus deal with the deaths they’ve caused by self-medicating. Raine likes her rose-thistle, and Castus prefers wine. On the other hand, Sanvaunt and Liara are rehearsing a play. And we know from the first book that Sanvaunt writes as well. I can’t help but see the contrast between the four returning characters as commentary. Sanvaunt and Liara’s art helps them cope as much as Raine and Castus’s self-medication.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.Where the first book was a journey, this was about the politics of the world. I enjoyed this aspect greatly and as written the worldbuilding made sense and was nicely detailed. Instead of introducing new characters and making them the plot (aka 'monster of the week'), we have the side characters from the first book doing most of the work of the storyline. It made the book much more grounded and solid as a result. In writing TRAITOR OF REDWINTER it felt like author McDonald took DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER and exploded it. The storyline was absolutely thrilling. I am going to highlight two of my favorite aspects of the book. Again, I don’t know if McDonald intended that or not. I could be reading way too deeply and putting my own thing on the text. His assessment didn’t sit right with me. I looked up and down the ditch at the poor, dead, trussed-up people. No, they weren’t a town council. They were too young. None of them looked past thirty. They’d been helpless, slaughtered like swine, and there were rules in conflict, even for the likes of Arrowhead who was doing his best to foment unrest and was stopping short of outright rebellion against the king, and Redwinter, by a hair’s breadth. I am a series lover. I enjoy spending time in an author’s creation. I love it when author’s explore their worlds and show their imagination. While this is usually something I find in horror, fantasy, and science fiction, it’s not limited to those genres. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry was the first book that I wanted to never end. Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald is the latest book that brought that feeling out in me. I didn’t want to leave Redwinter. Though it’s a brutal world filled with danger, I’ve enjoyed all the time I’ve been there as a reader. I want to learn more about the world, its history, and its peoples. McDonald has done an amazing job building a world and filling it with interesting stories.