I’ve been waiting for this sequel for so long and it’s finally here! If you were left sitting atop a rollercoaster, waiting for that inevitable rush of adrenaline and terror induced delight, you’ll be happy to know that this story delivers an amazing ending to its readers (in my opinion). There are a few surprises along the way that were completely unexpected, but it makes the story more fun overall. It’s fast paced, but still takes time to treasure important moments between characters. More importantly, it also looks at sexist and misogynistic tropes with a fine tooth comb. I highly encourage everyone to read this amazing retelling. If you haven’t picked up the first book, Once & Future, you should, and come back after you’ve read it. This review will likely contain spoilers, so I would avoid this review unless you like spoilers. You’ve been warned!
Ari Helix may have won the battle, but there’s still a larger war to be won against the Mercer corporation. Along with Merlin and crew, they travel back in time to the middle ages to try and steal King Arthur’s grail. It’s of utmost importance that they not mess up anything in the timeline to alter the course of history. However, when they come face to face with the original legend, they may not have any choice but to change everything forever…because Merlin forgot that the past can be more dangerous than the future.
This sequel begins very closely to where we left off in Once & Future. We keep that alternating perspective between Merlin and Ari. I will admit that I enjoyed Merlin’s perspective more than Ari’s, but they both have pretty significant character development. There’s so much that I want to talk about with these two but I don’t want to spoil anything! Just make sure to pay VERY close attention to what’s going on while they’re doing their time travel…you’ll see what I mean.
In terms of pace, the story moves quite quickly, but there’s definitely lots to keep track of. It got a little confusing at times because readers will have a lot to keep track of. I think that’s what tends to happen when you’re having to keep track of past and present timelines, as well as what’s going on with each character because of the timeline. There are a few time travel things that I am not completely sure that I understood, but maybe other readers will understand. There was also a reveal that happened in the story that I was not a fan of, but it was because I felt like there might have been a better way for it to be handled. Instead, it felt like it added unnecessary painful character development.
My favourite part of this book really boils down to the romances that continued to develop from the first book. They’re sweet and there’s so much love between them. I definitely did a little happy dance when I got to see a few of my favourite characters get to see each other again. I don’t want to spoil anything, but Ari and Gwen! *heart eyes*
One of the most fascinating things that I enjoyed exploring in this book was the fact that everyone was having to deal with the backwards, misogynistic, and sexist ideologies of a different time. Some of those scenarios aren’t handled in a great manner (depending how you feel about murder), but overall, I truly enjoyed seeing our characters handle these situations with power and grace.
Again, there were aspects of the time travel bits of the story that I didn’t understand, but I did love most everything else. I encourage everyone to read this, because it promotes a world of inclusivity, and taking down corporations that only seek to oppress and enslave. The Arthurian legend was creatively woven in the fibres of this story, and I couldn’t be happier with the way the story ended. I feel like most questions were answered, and readers are treated to a very special moment in the epilogue. I won’t say more, but I definitely encourage you to look out for it. I’m rating this a 7/10. Add it to your TBR, because you won’t want to miss it!
Sword in the Stars is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this epic sequel to Once & Future, to save the future, Ari and her Rainbow knights pull off a heist… thousands of years in the past.
Ari Helix may have won her battle against the tyrannical Mercer corporation, but the larger war has just begun. Ari and her cursed wizard Merlin must travel back in time to the unenlightened Middle Ages and steal the King Arthur’s Grail—the very definition of impossible.
It’s imperative that the time travelers not skew the timeline and alter the course of history. Coming face-to-face with the original Arthurian legend could produce a ripple effect that changes everything. Somehow Merlin forgot that the past can be even more dangerous than the future…
