Traitor of Redwinter: The Redwinter Chronicles Book Two

Product Information

First of all, the first book was absolutely amazing, I've loved it with my whole heart and the audiobook for it is the best thing that exists. Traitor of Redwinter is the second in Ed McDonald’s Redwinter Chronicles, full of shady politics, militant monks, ancient powers... and a young woman navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem. The thing about both of books in this series is that despite the fact they go dark places they feel like a comfy blanket I can wrap around myself because I genuinely get lost in this story and characters without feeling beaten to the ground. There is a nice balance between serious and grave scenes and scenes of just Raine and her friends being young and everything that comes with that: emotional, fun and stupid, moody, self-absorbed and sweet. One of the big assets of this series is that the side characters are just as nuanced and interesting as our main character. Ulovar (who reminds me greatly of Vesemir from the Witcher) plays less of a part in this book and instead we get the quirky and interesting friends of Raine - from two heirs to Lairdoms to eager recruits. Raine is still grappling with her attractions to two different people and we get to see them take a much more prominent place in the storyline. The last quarter of Traitor of Redwinter had me in a choke-hold that would not let me put the book down. I read until 4 AM just to see how it all ended. There were so many payoffs for small things from throughout the first two books, and the author's attention to detail and ability to build an intricate narrative shined through in those moments. The ending was both tragic and hopeful, and it had me wanting to scream in rage at certain characters.

Ed McDonald has followed up last year’s Daughter of Redwinter with a roller coaster of a second volume. This is a brilliant epic fantasy and has everything that a lover of fantasy novels could possibly need. Ed McDonald continues to cement himself as one of the best fantasy writers out there with every new book that he publishes. TRAITOR OF REDWINTER is yet another shining example of this as the second book in the Redwinter Chronicles expands on this amazing story and elevates it in so many astonishing ways. Seeing Robin Hobb's blurb on the front cover of this book is quite fitting and I can see why she would want to attach her name to this series. It has all of the hallmarks of her style of brilliant storytelling which is in itself very character-based and thoughtful with unforgettable moments of sheer magical brilliance. The first 60% of this book is character development and world building, which is nice to have the world fleshed out a little and I think will come good in book 3 for sure. Suffice to say the worldbuilding continues to be second to none here and TRAITOR OF REDWINTER dives even deeper into the history and tumultuous past events that have shaped the present. There's also a deeply hidden mystery that cannot be denied and I found myself wanting to know more with each enticing (although infrequent) revelation. Hey, we can't give everything away in the second book am I right? So as it happens that excellent worldbuilding and an interesting history are my two favorite elements in a fantasy book, I'd say yeah this one hit all of the right notes for me.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. Grandmaster Robilar was an interesting character in the first book. McDonald gave a good teaser about her, and in this book, readers get to know more about her. I loved it. She is, of course, powerful, knowledgeable, and cunning. When reading, I did the feeling that she was so much more capable than Raine. There is definitely a reason she’s the grandmaster. Her addition to the book was great.

I only got a few moments. A glimpse of the young man’s last few breaths. He’d struggled at the end. Shouted, just one shout among many. A distinctive accent. And then there was a face, stark and porcelain white in front of his, so thin she could have lived through famine. And then she opened her mouth, and her teeth were jagged yellow points. Most of his last moments were fear, and terrible pain, but he thought of a woman before he died. Resentment that he’d not get a chance to live out his life with her. And that was it. Done. Raine is a now an apprentice at Redwinter and has pledged her loyalty to the crown. However, things are going wrong. Her mentor Ulovar, is mysteriously ill and although Raine is making progress in her studies, her personal relationships go from bad to worse. She seems to have a self destruct button whenever anyone appears to care for her. I loved the additions to the world-building in Traitor of Redwinter. There was so much cool history exposed. The magic system is still one of my favorites ever, and I enjoyed getting to see it in action again, especially some of the more esoteric powers that came into play. Grandmaster Robilar was a key figure in the story, and it was fascinating to see how her history intertwined with the current conflict in so many ways. There was clan drama, as well, with plenty of political intrigue. I think my one complaint would be that for most of the first half all of the interesting political maneuvering was happening around the characters without actually involving them.They had been dead long enough to reek, not long enough to rot. I should have felt a little more—“poor bastards” wasn’t much to offer them. I suppose I didn’t think of these folk so much as people, as people-who-had-been. Since I’d been a small child, I’d seen the souls of the dead. I’d risen from a death of my own, then another, first throttled, then drowned. But there were no ghosts here. Only the insects, billowing clouds of flies, and the silent, graveless bodies. Without a ghost, without a soul, it’s all just so much spoiled meat.

Amidst threats old and new, Raine must learn the secrets promised by the book, magic promised by a queen with a crown of feathers. A queen to whom Raine has promised more than she can afford to give…

Customer reviews

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Tor Publishing for an advance copy of the second book in a a very promising fantasy series dealing with growing up, politics dark magic, love, relationships, and secret enemies who want to tear it all down. Overall, I've decided to rate it 4⭐ as honestly there were times I thought it's a 3⭐ read and also some moments I'd give 5⭐.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone. This book definitely has a more oppressive feel, even though Daughter of the Redwinter was already quite dark with emotions when it delivered that representation of depression, and did it well. Traitor has a different kind of gloominess to it. There is a representation of illness, of withering away that delivers emotion so well. The feeling of being caged up, of having no control... That's hard! I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you. Raine, Sanvaunt, Liara, and Castus all return from the failed diplomatic mission. All are traumatized by the loss of their fellow apprentice. Raine and Castus deal with the deaths they’ve caused by self-medicating. Raine likes her rose-thistle, and Castus prefers wine. On the other hand, Sanvaunt and Liara are rehearsing a play. And we know from the first book that Sanvaunt writes as well. I can’t help but see the contrast between the four returning characters as commentary. Sanvaunt and Liara’s art helps them cope as much as Raine and Castus’s self-medication. It's so immersive and, because I'm literally inside their heads as the story unfolds, I'm privy to their most private thoughts and emotions as things progress. I might not agree with decisions they make, which could be foolish or even idiotic, but I understand and accept those choices, even support them because I understand how they came to those decisions.Daughter of Redwinter is so good…I was hooked from the brilliant opening line.”—James Barclay, author of The Chronicles of the Raven series Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the eARC. It's a little late because I just HAD to get the audiobook. I adore the narrator. This is an honest review. While this novel, unlike the first, occasionally grapples with the portrayal of the female experience, particularly in Raine's depiction, McDonald's exploration of her youth and emotional vulnerability lends insight into her often tumultuous decision-making process. The complexity of her character, though frustrating, ultimately adds a layer of authenticity to her portrayal, contributing to the overall depth of the narrative. I didn’t want to be pitied. What I needed was to feel that some part of me, any part of me, was normal. That I fit in among them. I couldn’t bear to be broken anymore.' But others have plans for Raine too, and as the king's health fails, rebellious lords begin to vie for power. Her former friend Ovitus seeks Raine's support as his clan turns to him for leadership, while the grandmaster seeks to harness Raine's potential as a deadly weapon to be launched right into her enemy's heart as even Redwinter scrambles to hold onto power.