Cast in Secret (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 3)
by Michelle Sagara
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michelle SagaraEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-08-01
ISBN: 0373802838
Number of pages: 528
Publisher: Luna
Book Reviews of Cast in Secret (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 3)
Book Review: Worth reading
Summary: 3 Stars
CAST IN SECRET has not garnered the most positive reviews from Michelle Sagara's (or West's) fans, and it is not the best book she has written, but it is still a solid addition to this series. True, it doesn't advance the romantic relationship between Kaylin and Severn or elucidate at all the relationship between Kaylin and Nightshade, nor does it demonstrate that Kaylin's recent travails have upped her maturity by much. It does, however, tell us much more about the nature of Elantra than we knew before, and this series is "The Chronicles of Elantra," not "The Chronicles of Kaylin Neya." We learn more about the history of the world, about the social and psychic life of the Tha'alani, about the inclinations and politics of dragons, and about how thoroughly magic rules this world. It's a big and complicated world, and it's clear Sagara has a lot more she wants to tell us about it. I don't get any sense at all that this series is stalled or that Sagara is out of ideas, and I don't even feel all that impatient about the rate at which Elantra's secrets are dribbling out.
My biggest criticism of the book is that, behind their forbidding, tentacled exteriors, Tha'alani are jarringly nice, all sweetness and light--not something you'd expect in this world. There's a rationale for this niceness, which has to do with the way people develop when their minds are completely open to all of their peers. Still, I didn't expect to encounter cuddly Ewoks in nasty Elantra.
In response to all of the people who are complaining about Kaylin's impulsiveness and alleged immaturity, I'd like to point out that (1) the first three novels take place over a period of around two months, total, so she hasn't had a lot of time to mellow; (2) she's roughly 20, which means that she shouldn't be acting like a 12-year-old, but most of the U.S. thinks that she's still too young to handle alcohol responsibly; (3) her impulsive, stubborn, propriety-tweaking style is meant (I would argue) to show that she resists the strictures of a social order that is unfair, very hierarchical, and only nominally just; and (4) this style helps drive the plot and provide a foil for the nose-in-the-air types she deals with on a day-to-day basis. None of this is very subtle, of course; it could be more artfully done, but while Sagara can be subtle, a lot of the time she chooses not to be.
In any event, if all you liked about the first two books was the hints of romance, I would understand if you didn't like this book. If, however, you are a fan of fantasy world-building, I think you will find this book worth reading. By the way, my score of 3 stars is really a 3.5 stars rating, signifying an OK but not outstanding novel.
Summary of Cast in Secret (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 3)
Still avoiding magic whenever possible, Private Kaylin Neya relished investigating a run-of-the-mill theft. Until she found out the mysterious stolen box had been taken from Elani Street, where the mages and charlatans mingled, and it was sometimes hard to tell the difference between the two. And since the box was ancient, without a keyhole, and held tremendous darkness inside, Kaylin knew unknown forces were again playing with her destiny-and her life..Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost Books
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