The Daughters' War

Series Info/Source: This is the prequel to the first Blacktongue Thief book . I borrowed this on ebook from the library.

Thoughts: I really struggled with this book, but admittedly, a lot of that was personal. I was hoping when I picked up this book to have the same darkly funny witty high action type of tale that we got in "The Blacktongue Thief". However, this is the backstory for Galva. This story is dark, really dark, and really sad. This is more of a military fantasy, and even though we go through a few major battles, this is more about the pain war leaves behind than the action of battle. On a personal note, I was dealing with the sudden death of my young cat who has been my constant companion for the last five years in the midst show more of reading this. I was definitely not in the right mindset to be reading something so darkly depressing and disturbing, especially when you consider the way Galva's military unit is bonded to their ravens.

This is the back story of Galva (who was in The Blacktongue Thief). She has trained with an experimental unit in the army that uses giant war corvids to battle. This is a battle against the viscous goblins that threaten to send the kynd (humans) to extinction. Galva is bonded to two war corvids. Given that the goblins are strangely scared of birds, the kynd armies are hoping that these giants birds will give humanity the edge it needs against the goblin horde. Glava heads into war green as can be, a celebrated swordswoman but with little to no actual battle experience. She quickly learns the pain of war, as she goes through towns of tortured kynd, destroyed beauty, and general misery. This is the story of how Galva and her unit help to turn the tide of war and the cost it takes.

Galva is a tough woman coming in to war but throughout the book she learns the true meaning of pain and struggle. She looses friends, family, is grievously wounded and watches her beloved corvids die in battle after battle.

This is well written in a very distinctive style that is different but easy to read. The horror of war, along with the small joys found in misery, are very well described and really come alive for the reader. Although the story does end on a hopeful note, the path there is painful. If you don't like gore in your novels, this is most definitely not the book for you (although the same can be said for The Blacktongue Thief). There is a lot of irony in how often conflicts between the kynd cause more misery than the goblins themselves do.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I appreciate that this is a well done fantasy but I didn't really enjoy reading it at the time. This doesn't have the fun and wit that "The Blacktongue Thief" does and dealt more with the horrors that war leaves in its wake and the horrors or battle itself. I will definitely be keeping an eye on future books by Buehlman and hope that future books have a bit more fun in them. show less

I loved almost everything about this book. What held it back is the way it was told in certain parts; because the story was relayed to the reader by the narrator, it seemed to give away certain plot points and spoil any tension building.

Other than that, Buehlman's writing is superb, and the characters and their voices are just amazing.

The Daughter's War is a fantastic work of military fantasy which shares a setting and a character with The Blacktongue Thief, but stands entirely independently. Galva dom Braga is the daughter of a powerful noble who has chosen the path of the warrior, first training in the traditional arts of the sword, and then joining the ranks of the Ravens Knights, an experimental unit of women and human-sized war corvids bred to utterly destroy goblins. Her story takes her through the heart of all consuming war, a tale of terror and danger perfectly balanced against the bonds of familial and romantic love.

Human relationships make up the heart of any story, and though Galva is a stoic killer, she's bound deeply to her fellow Raven Knights and her show more two birds Bellu and Dolgatha, her three brothers who are also part of the army, and eventually to Queen Mireia (my best guess at the spelling, I listened to the audiobook).

This book triumphs in its description of combat, and the escalating threat that the goblin's pose. Buehlman's goblins are true monsters, man-eaters who conquer to fill their bellies and to reduce human beings to the status of cattle, as kin are kept in the goblin cities. Goblins are completely indifferent to human suffering, except as it is tactically useful. They're living weapons who bite off fingers in battle, fire poison bolts that kill with a scratch, deploy psychosis causing mushroom spores as a weapon, and use human skin, hair, and faces to decorate their standards and ships. Dead goblins don't even have the decency to rot. The goblin's war aims are simple: kin are food, and food should stop fighting back.

The action escalations with perfect tension: First the aftermath of a sea battle, then witnessing a sea battle, then a skirmish, a field battle, the fall of a great city, and a desperate last stand. Each battle is unique, truly horrifying, written without cliches about honor and glory. This war is about survival. Death cannot be prevented, but it can be put off for a bit.

Between the battles, Galva finds time to meet refugees and learn a little about what civilians go through in this kind of war, fall in love with a Queen, become a devotee of the Goddess of Death, experience the wonder of magic, discover the true worth of her brothers, and learn how there are some men worse than goblins.

The Blacktongue Thief was funny, and this book is not funny. It's horrifying, romantic, and flat out grim. For all that, it is wonderfully written, just masterfully crafted on every level. I read the audiobook version, which was perfectly narrated by Spanish musician and voice actor Nikki Garcia, but any way you read this book is good. Paper will let you know how everything is spelled. show less

Loved it!

It's a prequel to the (even better) Blacktongue Thief. It's got a lot of humor, nice and believable interactions between people and real good pacing. The story itself is not that memorable maybe, but it pulls you along nicely, there's a lot of action, too.

I didn't like the letters and citations that were chosen to show different parts of the story.

But overall still a great read.

A prequel to The Blacktongue Thief, telling the backstory of one of its characters as she navigates a war against a goblin army, fighting alongside trained, horse-sized crows. I liked it almost as much as the first book, and it's probably better written, with more substance and a sharper point. My only complaint is that it doesn’t advance the larger plot—understandable for a prequel, but I really want to know what happens next.

If you are partial to bloody battles this is the book for you. The book centers on four siblings (three men and a woman). The narrative is done primarily from the woman's (Galva) perspective however there are excerpts from the youngest brother who is considered a poet. The are all part of a campaigning military who are primarily fighting goblins who are their arch enemies. Though the beginning of a series I get no sense that the author is setting up the second book which is refreshing.

I absolutely loved this prequel to Blacktongue Thief, and I adore the protagonist. Buehlman’s world building, easy and non pretentious erudition, and his empathy for the human condition make his writing special. I spent good money on this book - mostly I read from the library and Everand - but I simply had to pre order this one - and I know I’ll come back to it often. Outstanding. Please try these books.