SO! That's correct! I'm part of the Blog Tour for Shattered Honor and I am thrilled to be here!
Shattered Honor is the third book in the Shadows of War series, and wow. Just wow. One of the things that I loved about Asrian Skies and Unbroken Fire was how nuanced the so called ‘villains’ were written. And this book really leans into that feature. It takes places alongside the events of Asrian Skies and leads right up to Unbroken Fire. And most of all it’s told mainly from the perspective of the enemies.
So, stay tuned for my review! And a giveaway organized by Anne at the end!
Summary:
Gareth Chase might be a model Haederan officer, but even his unshakable loyalty to his emperor can’t assuage his constant misgivings. Certain his past deeds have destined him to a hellish afterlife, he’s not happy to be ordered to his empire’s newly conquered planet of Asria to keep watch on their princess. He’s even less thrilled to find that his new charge is insolent, reckless, and defiant—and almost certainly an enemy spy.
Katryn Holt is also headed for Asria—as a hostage. But hostages aren’t usually treated like this, are they? She’s got her own cabin on the long-range starship, pleasant company—even if he is Haederan—and black-market Commonwealth coffee. But as she wrestles with her strange attraction to Rhys Linden, one thought remains—how will things change once they reach their destination?
Torn between his obligations and conscience, Chase will fight his imperial duty, no matter the cost. Trapped between her brother’s mistake and her own emotions, Katryn will fight for what seems to be a hopeless escape. But by the time the two finally meet on this foreign, war-torn planet, setting things right again may be impossible.
SIDE NOTE. If you haven't read the first two (seriously, you should) Links to those reviews can be found below:
With that covered, onto my review!
Honestly, this is the type of book that I love most. It’s evocative, thoughtful, and most of all raises questions about the reality of war, and how every person is the hero of their own story, while also being extraordinarily entertaining. And in a book where there are seemingly no good choices to be made, it’s impossible not to root for the characters as they do their best with the hand they’ve been dealt.
Gareth Chase is a character that I hated to love in the first two books—then the big reveal of his motivations happened and holy shit. My heart absolutely broke for him. This book takes it one step further. The thing that really works about this book, is that it’s written from the other perspective and it’s believable. If I had never read the other two books, and someone gave this one to me, it would make perfect sense, and I love that. There’s some serious talent behind writing characters like that.
As for Katryn's story, I really liked her. She was intelligent and resourceful, and it was good to see the war from the point of view of another victim, while also examining the ways in which human relations get complicated when two people are on opposing sides. I wasn’t super into the romance (y’all know I never am), but yeah, I bought it. It’s the kind of romance that some people will hate, but also at it’s core, I think it’s the type of romance that makes you wish that two characters met in far different circumstances and were given the chance to live a happy life. It’s complicated, inappropriate and messed up in it’s own ways, but also a little bitter sweet, and I’ll admit that it got me in the feels a little at the end (yes. Even my heart of ice can be be unfrozen sometimes).
All in all, another a great book, and I will forever recommend the Shadows of War series to anyone who wants character driven science fiction. The characters are written so well, and it’s so easy to get lost in the world.
Shattered Honor comes out tomorrow! So, hurry up and preorder it!
Now, as promised! A link to the Shattered Honor giveaway
And if you've made it to the end, here's a reminder that I have a review newsletter that goes out every month, and features more great books like this!