Traitor of Redwinter: The Redwinter Chronicles Book Two

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It’s not that it’s a bad book per se, it’s just that I didn’t get along with it at all, and for the first two thirds of the book it felt like I was wading through treacle trying to read it. I just lost all interest in it and there were more than quite a few times that I was contemplating not actually finishing the book. 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.

Damn, is this book GOOD. The first book in the series was good, and so I expected more of the same in book 2 - but I walked away much more impressed than I thought I would be with this one. It is GOOD.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. It suffered from middle book syndrome a little bit at times due to the pacing of the plot but the ending did take me by surprise leaving it on quite the open ended cliffhanger and I am ready for book 3! Meanwhile, Uvotis has been gone for months to the capitol, Ulovar has fallen gravely ill, rose thistle has become a little too good of a friend, and Raine can’t seem to decide whether to push or pull when it comes to Esher and Sanvaunt. But the grandmaster has her own plans for Raine, and the deadly training she has been given has not been conducted carelessly. In Raine she seeks to craft a weapon to launch right into her enemy’s heart, as Redwinter seeks to hold onto power. I was a grey-souled, dead thing on the inside. I was poison. And I hungered for it, all the time, I wanted to know more, to see more, to do more… I wanted to be strong, and I didn’t care who stood in my way. The rules didn’t apply to someone like me.”

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.

Read Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

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. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

It wasn’t war. Not yet, anyway, but it was the fronting of war, the way that two drunks square up to one another outside a bar that should have closed hours ago, that moment of posturing before the blows start to fall. Sanvaunt knew the truth about me, but he hadn’t turned me in for it. If our situations had been reversed, I hoped I would have been like him. I wasn’t sure I had his goodness, though. Especially in light of what I was about to attempt on these stinking bodies. 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. I've been interested to learn more about the magic and history with the main character. I also really appreciate the title of this book, it isn't clear for a long time who it refers to. 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!There were some great plot reveals that I never saw coming, and some of the magical and fantasy worldbuilding elements dazzled me and felt fresh even after reading hundreds of other modern fantasy books. But it is a rare act of kindness—rescuing an injured woman in the snow—that becomes the most dangerous decision Raine has ever made. Dangerous because the woman is fleeing from Redwinter, the fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, warrior magicians who answer to no king, and who will stop at nothing to reclaim what she’s stolen. A battle, a betrayal, and a horrific revelation force Raine to enter the citadel and live among the Draoihn. She soon finds that her secret ability could be the key to saving an entire nation. I am a series lover. I enjoy spending time in an author’s creation. I love it when author’s explore their worlds and show their imagination. While this is usually something I find in horror, fantasy, and science fiction, it’s not limited to those genres. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry was the first book that I wanted to never end. Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald is the latest book that brought that feeling out in me. I didn’t want to leave Redwinter. Though it’s a brutal world filled with danger, I’ve enjoyed all the time I’ve been there as a reader. I want to learn more about the world, its history, and its peoples. McDonald has done an amazing job building a world and filling it with interesting stories.