Heroes Return

I really like these characters. But their inability to communicate with one another is starting to drive me crazy. I know that Taro is emotional and easily wounded, and I know that Lee is extremely reserved and easily confused by people, but at this point in the series, I don't really buy that the emotional intimacy they each feel with the other isn't translating into some kind of spoken intimacy. Sure, they might not be great at talking with other people, but they ought to be getting the hang of speaking with each other. Instead, their lack of communication feels like a plot device, not a genuine outgrowth of their characters. I'm hoping this changes in the next book or two, because otherwise, no matter how much I really, really like show more these characters, I don't think I'll be able to continue reading the series. show less

I think the reason fans of this series get so upset about the cover art is because the characters Lee and Taro are so well realized in the stories -- not just in terms of Lee's red hair and Taro's black, but also in the tone and nuances of their body language -- that the cover art creates a sort of unsettling disconnect between our internal view of those characters and what we see on the outside of the book. (It's weird, too -- Ace usually does some pretty fabulous cover art, so it's hard to understand how it's so consistently off for this series, despite the many different artists who've worked on it.)

Anyway, the characters, that's the main draw for this series. The world building has improved and the stories are generally pretty show more interesting, but it's the characters that keep me coming back. When they're happy, I want to smile with them; when they're sad, I want to offer them a hug; when they keep repeating the same mistakes, I want to smack them in the head.

I enjoyed several scenes (particularly after Lee accidentally turned her hair green and when Taro confronts the place he was confined as a child) but I think the one below is my favorite. It might not seem like much if you're unfamiliar with the series, but in the context of Lee and Taro's individual trust and self-confidence issues, and compared to their first interactions, it's kind of squeeful:


"He's so smart," he complained. "You have so much more to talk about with him than you do with me."
"I do enjoy talking with him. There's nothing wrong with that. Just because you and I love each other doesn't mean we have to be all things to each other."
His eyebrows rose. "You've never said you loved me."
I frowned. "I must have."
Looking amused, he shook his head.
"Oh. Well. I do. Love you."
"Be still my heart, you romantic, you."
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This book develops the unexpectedly fascinating background of the hero, Shintaro. It also brings in a third main character, who I really liked.

What was good about this book: the new main character; the continuing development of the relationship between the previous hero and heroine; the hints we get of the rich background of this interesting world.

With this book, the series starts to veer off in a quite different direction, toward more traditional spell-magic, with witches/wizards, etc. I personally don't usually like that (Harry Potter was good, but I've had enough, thank you). So I didn't relish this aspect of the book. Nevertheless, the author has done a good job bringing this in. The heroine rather than the hero is now the special show more one, and the wrinkles this throws into their relationship are interesting. In general, her characters and their difficulties are sufficiently fascinating that I can forgive the intrusion of more tiresome traditional magic into this world. show less

I used to really enjoy this series, but about 50 pages into this book I just gave up. The main characters seem to have taken a step backwards in terms of resolving the issues that have faced them throughout. Although circumstances are tricky and could make for an intriguing story, the characters unwillingness to talk about what is going on with them, and general dumbassery were just too much. Lee started veering into "too stupid to live" territory and that's when I had to put the book down. In earlier books she was overly focused, didn't understand other people's actions or emotions, and stubborn, but she was never dumb. Once that changed, I couldn't keep reading.

Everybody knows Sources aren't supposed to be stationed in their home territories. And everybody also knows the Emperor isn't supposed to dictate where Source and Shield get posted. Unfortunately, no one appears to have informed the Emperor.

For Lee and Taro, the posting to Flown Raven couldn't have come at a more inopportune moment. Only recently settled back into High Scape, the order is a shock in more ways than one. It's far from a peaceful homecoming - intrigue, treachery, jealousy, earthquakes, gale-force wind, and a witch-hunt by the Emperor's guard.... never a dull moment with these two!

The upside: Lee's character is finally not quite so woodenly written.
The downside: Taro's jealousy is so transparent that it's practically show more impossible to believe Lee doesn't get it. And what's with Spoiler Alert killing off a semi-main - to this installment - character with barely a tear shed on the part of anyone?

Obviously things are heating up to a showdown between Triple S and the Emperor - any bets as to who gets caught up in the action? show less

When you read a book in an established series you really, really like (and I really like this series) reviews are hard.

Interesting are the further intimations that this is going to be a fantasy series with a nod to SF underpinnings. That this is a world that people came to from another one.

If I had a complaint about this book, it would be that it's another chapter in what is clearly going to be a fairly long series. It isn't that the current immediate plot isn't set up and resolved. It is, and very nicely. But I want to know what is really going on!

I also sometimes am a little exasperated with our heroine's role as the unreliable narrator, but she's getting a little more of a clue and I end up loving both of the main characters, and show more wanting the next book RIGHT NOW! show less

At the end of the last book, the Emperor has stepped in and assigned Lee and Taro to serve in Westsea, Taro’s ancestral home. Pairs are never assigned to their home area, supposedly because they have a harder time channeling events. Lee and Taro do find channeling much harder in Westsea. On top of that, the tenants resent the new duchess and would like to see Taro as Duke, even though he renounced his title. The dowager duchess is still scheming as well and Lee dreads having to deal with her. Then more and more accidents start to happen and Lee begins to wonder if someone is trying to kill them.

In this series, I have always enjoyed the characters more than the mysteries. Yet as the stories progress there is more and more focus on the show more politics and intrigue than on Lee and Taro and their skills as a Pair. Unfortunately, they are getting dumber and more two dimensional. They continue to snap at each other and assume things instead of communicating with each other. They have been paired together long enough that this is getting old. I would much rather that by now they are united against all odds than this bickering.

There are so many pieces in play…spell casting, the emperor, their additional abilities, controversy over the Westsea title, bickering about their relationship, and so on that I’m starting to loose interest. I’m sure all the pieces will fit together eventually but it just feels like a mess to me. I pretty on the fence about continuing this series. show less