Dangerous Gifts

Babylon Steel returns in a second adventure this time travelling to a country on the verge of a civil war as a bodyguard to a candidate for the ruling council who is a prime target for assassination. Her gut tells her that it’s a job she’d be better off avoiding as she is joined by the morally ambiguous Darask Fain (who is not happy to be along for the ride at all) and a barely competent scholar/mage. This time round Sebold doesn’t tell two stories and the book is better for it, as well as the fact that Sebold has obviously improved her craft. I enjoyed Babylon Steel, I loved this sequel even unto staying up late to finish it when the second half of the book got gripping. The world building is deft and enough is revealed to show show more that there is a lot more to it than meets the eye and I hope to find out more in subsequent books. Steel is a good protagonist, she has an interesting backstory (revealed in the first book so no spoilers here) is a sell sword when circumstances dictate and the owner of the Scarlet Lantern brothel with a vigorously healthy attitude to sex. Scalentine is a place where many portals to other worlds occur and is therefore an interesting place. Many characters recur from the first book and there are hints of an ongoing plot which will no doubt be explored in further books. I for one am looking forward to exploring Scalentine in the company of Babylon Steel again in the future.

Overall – Fun fantasy series, well written and recommended show less

This book follows on perfectly from 'Babylon Steel', with all the usual characters we were introduced to in that book. And it's much the same kind of fantasy stuff that really isn't for children as there's a fair amount of sex and some quite graphic descriptions of interspecies relationships - Babylon is a whore house madam after all is said an done.

I have to say, Gaie has created a really interesting universe with The Planes and there's obviously a much bigger story going on in the background concerning the rifts between The Planes, which i seriously hope Gaie is going to slowly uncover in further books in this series.

Please, please, please, Gaie, get writing more about Babylon and Co'.

So if you're not offended by adult stuff mixed in show more with your fantasy stories the 'Babylon Steel' series is definitely a place to visit on your reading list. Enjoy! show less

A fine sequel to the first book; if you liked that one, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. It pretty much assumes the reader is familiar with the world, characters, and events of the previous story, but improves on that book by narrowing the focus down to a (more or less) single storyline (which itself is a continuation of a single plotline from the first.) It still has the awkward sex scenes, but they're shorter and fewer here. And though the story is more focused than before, I never found it quite as gripping as Ebi's "Avatar" story (the best part of last book, I thought.) I do like these characters, though, and wish there was at least another entry in the series.

Rollicking good fantasy

Babylon Steel, tough ex-mercenary and owner of the exclusive Scarlet Lantern brothel is tempted away to a city on the verge of civil war to act as a bodyguard/spy for the most explosive local candidate who is just trying to being peace.

Sequel in the fantastic fantasy adventure series with the hugely engaging, refreshingly modern, kick-ass Babylon Steel whose money troubles drag her into fun adventure, this time outside her home portal city of Scalatine. The pacing is spot on and this time round the plot fits together very nicely and since Sebold's characters are superb I had a lot of fun.

It does take place away so lack of the old cast but the world of portals is fun to explore and nicely linked to the previous show more book, whilst managing to standalone. I do recommend you read them in order though, for full effect.

I am really looking forward to next one, future plots have been teasingly displayed and I love spending time there. Recommended to all lovers of fantasy and adventure. show less