The second book in the Demon Cycle series, Desert Spear takes us away from Thesa and into Krasia, the country whose warrior culture has seen them become the only people to have taken up demon fighting and whose leader, Jardir, has taken the Spear of Kaji from Arlen and pronounced himself Deliverer.
As well as being warriors, the Krasian’s are also deeply religious and believe that before they can end demonkind in a Battle Royale, first they must conquer the known world, putting them on a collision course with the people of Thesa. But Jardir has a plan to avoid bloodshed in Deliverer’s Hollow – making Leesha Paper his fifteenth wife to mingle their bloodlines, though his first and most powerful wife, Inevera, is not a fan and will do anything necessary to get rid of her.
Meanwhile, Arlen is finding that he has more power than just his warded skin, while a visit to his home village sees him leaving with far more than he bargained for having rescued the brutalised Renna Tanner from being staked out by her neighbours to be eaten by demons.
I enjoyed how the world was opened up in this instalment, spending time in Krasia to learn of Jardir’s background and understanding the culture which produced him. And I especially loved Renna finding her strength, transforming from a beaten and abused young girl into a fierce woman determined to kill everyone before she lets someone lay unwanted hands on her again.
Daylight War, here I come.