It looks like this book is part of a series (which of course I started at the end). However, I think I picked up what was going on and the book was good enough that I'm interested in finding out the back stories of some of the other characters.
This book follows Razo, one of Bayern's own, on a diplomatic mission to try to prevent another war from breaking out between neighboring lands. Razo, although not a very good soldier, proves that he has just the skill set to help with this mission. Enna, has the power over fire, and when burned dead bodies start popping up all over town, it is soon clear that someone is trying to frame the fire witch as an excuse to rekindle the war. It's up to Razo to figure out what is happening. ( )

As different as Enna Burning was to The Goose Girl, the third in the Bayern series, River Secrets is different again. This time the point-of-view character is Razo, a friend of Isi and Enna from the capital who is known for his love of food and jokes and his ebullient personality, and no doubt the feel of the book derives from him. There isn't nearly as much time spent considering philosophical things like establishing one's own identity or the nature of friendship, and the plot moves along more quickly and with greater excitement - rather like the river of the title, actually.

I think I liked River Secrets much more than Enna Burning, though neither rank quite as high as The Goose Girl with me, likely because I identify so much with Isi in that book. River Secrets continues to have the great storytelling Hale has shown in her other books, with a rich, detailed setting, though some of the plot points were a bit heavy-handed (who wouldn't suspect that Pela, the pastry kitchen girl who never showed Razo anything but animosity to begin with, would turn out to be on the villains' side?).

In this book, three of the central characters from before (Razo, Enna, and Finn) go to Ingridan in neighboring Tira as part of the company of guards for Bayern's ambassador, who is sent in hopes of preventing a renewal of war between the two countries. Ingridan is quite foreign to the forest-born trio — not only is it in a different country with many differences in culture, but it is located on a delta near an ocean with hardly any trees and rather than a temperate climate, it's hot and humid. Razo and co must get used to being in such a strange place while also dealing with hostile citizens who are angry with the fire-witch who caused the end of the war, and then there's the matter of someone leaving charred bodies around, probably to make it look like the Bayern contingent are killing Tirans in their own city.

Just like the other two books, River Secrets has a theme to it, though I don't feel it's as heavy-handed. Mostly it has to do with Razo gaining true confidence in himself, which is symbolized in how at the beginning of the story, he compensates for his height by putting sap into his hair to make it stand on end and make him look taller. It's also about trust, particularly trusting friends and not being self-reliant out of pride, though this one is a very secondary theme.

As with Enna Burning, what I really didn't like about this book was the romance subplot with Enna and Finn. There is one with Razo, too, which evolves in the same way other things do which indicate that he is growing up, but it felt more natural to me and less forced. I do wish that the Enna and Finn romance plot had never come to be, though the way it plays out in River Secrets is at least the best option, if it had to happen at all.

My favorite part of the book is probably the prince of Tira, known only as His Radiance and whom Razo befriends. I love the character, though his entire story is rather melancholic and pitiful. For example, though he is adored by everyone in the country, he must pay people to be his companions and other than his title ("His Radiance" or "Radiance") he has no name to answer to — only the nursery name his mother used when he was a child and the house name his wife will give him when he eventually marries. He has absolutely no power, either, which contrasts strongly with Geric and Isi, who come from quite different royal families in Bayern and Kildenree.

I wasn't sure after reading Enna Burning whether I would want to eventually read Forest Born, the fourth in the series. I was a bit concerned that River Secrets would also disappoint my expectations. Happily, it was a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to the day Forest Born comes out in paperback to complete my set. ( )

This book was a pleasure to read...the words were so perfect--it was SO well-written! Razo's ability to blend in and his lack of special skills make an entertaining tale. Great read! Kids aren't going to read it; but, I enjoyed it. ( )

Hale continues her saga of Bayern in this third installment. Razo, Isi and Enna’s prankster friend from the earlier books, finally gets his own story! After the events of Enna Burning, Bayern and Tira are trying to coexist in an uneasy peace. To further diplomatic relations between the two countries, Isi and Genric decide to send an ambassador, along with a small contingent of the Bayern army, to Tira. When Razo is selected as one of the soldiers, he can’t believe it –he’s short, scrawny, and useless with a sword, so why would anyone choose him? He’s determined not to let anybody down, but he worries that he’ll just be a handicap to the rest of the soldiers. Once in Tira, though, Razo quickly realizes that somebody wants to thwart the peace effort: charred bodies start turning up near the Bayern camp in an effort to frame the soldiers. With the help of the beautiful Lady Dasha, as well as his old friends Enna and Finn, Razo will finally have the chance to prove himself – if he doesn’t die first.

This is another lovely addition to the Bayern series. Razo is an endearing character, and I really enjoyed reading about the events from his point of view. He’s so charmingly awkward! I thought Hale did a good job of revealing Razo’s insecurities, too – he feels useless because he’s not strong and he doesn’t have magical powers, not even realizing that he’s also an ace marksman with his sling and an unusually observant spy. The love story was sweet and tied in nicely with the main plot. I’m so glad Hale decided to continue with the series, and I’m eagerly awaiting Forest Born!

http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/o... ( )