Oria's Gambit—a Compelling Read

Janus. Two aspects of the same face. Oria's Gambit is the second aspect of Jeffe Kennedy's Sorcerous Moon series. And what an aspect it is! The first novel, Lonen's War, wrestles with battles and blood, death and destruction. Oria's Gambit is a quieter book—the war having been won—quiet in the way of a volcano just before it explodes. The novel bubbles with intensity. Dialogue, negotiation, and politics all ratchet up the stakes, but the novel’s heart and soul rests in the power of Oria's and Lonen's relationship. To say that association starts off fractious is an understatement, given that their two nations are at each other's throats. I hate spoilers, so I won't elaborate, but know that the tension spirals ever higher, tornado-like, into a funnel of incredible power and emotion. I adore these two characters, not to mention the ever-wry and fierce dragonlet, Chuffta. Kennedy's writing is always exceptional, her world building deep and her characters complex. She soars with this exotic and compelling series of two kingdoms, two ways of life, and two lovers who seem as disparate as Jekyll and Hyde, yet are anything but. And once again I'm left drooling for the next novel in the series. Ms. Kennedy, please write fast.