4.25/5 stars! This is the second book in the Kithamar series by Daniel Abraham. At times this story felt unbelievable and I STILL couldn't help but be pulled in. I read it in 2 sittings and need the final book to come out like ASAP.

A good sequel; the complexity and vividness of the entire story made it a stunning and exceptionally good sequel. I'm eagerly anticipating the final book.

Daniel Abraham kicks it out of the park EVERY SINGLE TIME. This book is amazing. I await eagerly for the final book in the trilogy.

Daniel Abraham can go ahead and start singing that ‘Oops, I did it again’ song because yes, you did it again. Blade of Dream was fantastic. I had high expectations after reading the first book of the series, Age of Ash, even though I had struggled to connect with the main character. This time it was very different in the best possible way.

Something that I found interesting is that I don’t think reading the first book is necessary at all to pick up the second one. Age of Ash, if I were to summarize it very simply, followed a girl from Longhill as she got involved with a political plot against the Prince of Kithamar. At some point, Allys (the girl), bumps into this couple - Garreth and Elaine (the daughter of the Prince himself) - at some point. Blade of Dream is set in the same period of time and the same location (Kithamar), only that this time we follow Garreth and Elaine’s story. And, wow. I struggled with Allys, but I could not get enough of Elaine and Garreth. The story starts slow, you get to know the characters, and then the intrigue and the action start picking up.

Abraham explores different themes in this book: mysteries, cravings, needs, identity, loyalty, love, secrets, divinity, etc. And it’s interesting how he introduces them quietly at first and they start getting louder and louder until they unravel. I don’t really know how to explain it, but it just felt like every step you took with these characters - be it in the wrong or right direction - paid off. It was either a kindness or a lesson.

My biggest highlights from this book are:
1) Seeing this story and comparing it with the first. Wow. The myriad of things that are going on. Allys doesn’t see one side; Garreth/Elaine don’t see the other one; but some people do. Some are involved in the game, and now we as readers are getting to know what this ‘game’ is (I mean, not really, but sort of) and I just need to know (and I swear, the Khahon better be involved in this because I have my own conspiracy theory about what is going on).
2) Theddan. Do I need to say anything else? I love her. Seeing her name on a page made me smile. She’s one of these characters that, if I met in real life, I’d go lesbian for in an instant. (Andomaka is also up there still. Bless her).
3) The writing. THE DIALOGUE. I got SO absorbed in the conversations when I read them. They feel so natural, and organic, and perfect. Like, I keep hearing Ty Franck point out how Abraham is the one to write speeches in The Expanse and, shit, yes. The number of times I said ‘writing this good should be illegal’ while I read this, seriously. Chef’s kiss.
4) Honestly, I know Abraham wanted this to be a series about a city that felt alive. I’ve read an interview where he says this is not about the characters per se but about Kithamar (hence the name of the series) and he is succeeding 100%. I felt it in this one more than in the first book (for obvious reasons) - Kithamar feels alive and it does come off as if it had a will. Same with the Khahon. I really wonder what will come up in the last book. It’s really cool to read.

I’ll just wrap this up by saying I’m obsessed with the series. I need more. And everybody knows the Khahon is hungry.