{Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review The World of the White Rat: Daggerbound, Book 2 of Swordheart by T. Kingfisher by Karen S. Wiesner

 

{Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review

The World of the White Rat: Daggerbound, Book 2 of Swordheart

by T. Kingfisher

by Karen S. Wiesner

 

It's always a treat to return to T. Kingfisher's The World of the White Rat, an umbrella that covers many connected series. Do a search here on the Alien Romances blog to find reviews associated with this universe. Given that there's a lot already written and available, you might be wondering where to get started. I'll point out that, prior to this new release, the author suggested that the best order to read these books in was the same as the publication order. That may or may not remain the case, but it's easy to assume the story here takes place not too long after the events of Swordheart. For convenience, here's my list of The World of the White Rat universe offerings: 

Clocktaur War

Clockwork Boys, Book 1 (November 2017)

The Wonder Engine, Book 2 (July 2018)      

 

Swordheart

Swordheart, Book 1 (November 2018)

Daggerbound, Book 2 (August 2026 and this tale may actually take place later--after The Saint of Steel books, but there's no way to be sure)

Shieldborn, Book 3 (coming August 2027 and again it's hard to know what order it will fit in with the other series books)

 

The Saint of Steel

Paladin's Grace, Book 1 (February 2020)   

Paladin's Strength, Book 2 (February 2021)            

Paladin's Hope, Book 3 (October 2021)       

Paladin's Faith, Book 4 (December 2023) 

 

On her Red Wombat Studio website, the author stated that "there are seven books planned in the Saint of Steel series!" but the fact that Daggerbound (among other new and upcoming releases) aren't listed on it at all tells me it's not kept especially up-to-date. As such, Saint of Steel may or may not be getting anything new in the future. 

Kingfisher's medieval romances are anything but ordinary. While I had a few minor issues with Swordheart, for the most part I enjoyed it immensely, so I was eager to read whatever followed. At the time of my previous review for the first book in the series, the fate of the last two weren't decided yet. The author spoke about wanting to write the stories of the others cursed to be bound to a weapon but that she "had a lot of trouble getting the Dervish's story to come out". She clearly did figure it out, but I believe she originally intended Daggerbound to be the third in the trilogy instead of the second. No matter. 

In the newest installment, we revisit the enchanting medieval world all the other stories are set in and find Learned Edmund--featured in the Clockwork stories--tasked to transport another sword relic from one temple to another. Little does anyone realize that he's decided to be done with this frustrating profession. He intends to take the stubborn mule he's given for transport, drop off the relic, and forever wave sayonara to the order he's given his life to up to this point. Along the way, he's attacked by bandits. Unthinkingly, he grabs the sword to protect it from harm, and, lo and behold, out pops what he believes to be a hunky angel. In actuality, the Dervish is anything but. He's an immortal warrior trapped in the sword, and he is not happy about it one bit. He's never felt anything but outright scorn for the previous wielders of the sword. Edmund is vastly different than any of them. As a result, the Dervish finds a protective side of himself he never realized he had. 

This story is, at turns, hilarious, suspenseful, poignant, and compelling. Populated with a host of new and old, complex characters that are human, insect, and animal (including another lovable gnole!), the world expands and contracts accordingly as the gang travels nonstop through plenty of adventures and unexpected high jinks. Beware! There's a menacing dragon lurking on these pages. Huzzah! I loved that the author brought us back around to meet up with the previous group of characters--Halla and Sarkis and their equally unusual troupe--so we can see what's become of them and their happily ever after. In the process, Kingfisher also dropped a few hints about Sarkis and the Dervish's female companion, Angharad Shieldborn, bound in the third cursed sword, getting us eager for the final volume in the trilogy. 

An insightful Goodreads reviewer perfectly summed up how satisfying this story is with the words, "smart, character-driven, emotionally grounded, and just a little bit weird". What's not to love? T. Kingfisher usually delivers a rollicking good tale, and Daggerbound is no exception. If you haven't read anything in this universe, or something else by this author, it's long past time to jump in and join the fun. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of 156 titles and 16 series. Visit her website here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/