Forging the Sword

by Hilari Bell

Reviewed by Coral

With the year deadline fast approaching, the Hrum army is making a final push to conquer Mazad, the last free city in Farsala, and end Sorahb’s rebellion once and for all.

Meanwhile Kavi, Jiann and Soraya struggle with the betrayal and hatred that lies between them as they face not only the enemy army, but traitors from within as well.

I won’t lie, this book was a struggle to get through. After enjoying book 1, I though book 2 had some plot choices I didn’t understand, so I wasn’t as excited to read the conclusion as I could have been. I actually picked up the book twice and put it down before finally coming back to it and getting through it the third time.

I was just unable to get over my dislike of Jiann and Soraya’s characters, which made their chapters a chore to read.

Actually, the entire first half of the book was a chore to get through. It does finally pick up, closer to the end than not, with some twists that I didn’t see coming, but it was too little too late in terms of enjoying the story.

Considering that Soraya’s main goal in joining the rebellion had been earning her mother and younger brother’s freedom, it was maddening not to have a reunion scene between them at the end.

Grade: D