Customer Reviews

Nor Iron Bars a Cage

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...and it cost me a good few sleepless nights. I'm usually not this keen on fantasy, but this time the author drew me in so strongly that I couldn't put the book down. It is a long book, and a deep read - one of those stories that takes you into another world and keeps you there until you turn the last page. And that lasted five days (or rather, nights) for me.

The curtains open at the point where the last episode ended. Having also read "The Duke's Handmaid" some time ago, I enjoyed the benefits of some familiarity with the world of Latoph and Byntar - customs of slavery and royalty, colourful peculiarities of language and grammar. In this second volume, we get to know the characters better - most of them were also in Book One, but now it goes deeper and we get a long look at their reactions under pressure of all kinds. Yes, there is cruelty, but the folks we're rooting for consistently deal with it in an honourable manner despite their suffering.

Duke Vahn's freewill slave Keedrina, known here by her slave-name "kee", undertakes a dangerous mission to recover the duke's young son, held captive in the dangerous neighbouring realm of Ganluc. This story, involving the cage in the title, takes up most of the first half of the book, but that is by no means all you will discover. During kee's absence, the duke himself accepts a hasty challenge and must deal with the unpleasant consequences, providing an insightful view of his behaviour in what is certainly a humiliating experience for him.

The storyline is at least as unusual as the title, and you can't tell from the back cover where it's going to end up. It's chock full of cliffhangers and climaxes, and also challenges for the characters we have come to love. They must endure a series of highly unusual and uncomfortable situations, which most accomplish with uncommon grace. In fact, kee is almost too good to be true, but it's clear she is motivated by her great love for the duke.

At first glance, things may seem very black and white. The good guys are exemplary in personality and behaviour, while the bad guys (and girls) are completely bound by their self-centred thinking. However, on reading further, the human weaknesses of heroes and heroines are also visible, and likewise a measure of true understanding on the part of their enemies. Of course, I mean "human" in the broader sense, since in Byntar the people are Elva and Itzi. Interactions between these complementary breeds make a fascinating level of dynamics within the tale.

The reason I don't usually go for fantasy is that most of it is set in a world largely resembling medieval Europe, and that can get predictable after a while. But here, that is not the case at all. Sure, there are similarities, and the level of technology is comparable with our own Middle Ages. Yet in every line we are made aware that these events are taking place on a different planet, and the action is upheld by two non-human species living under double suns and moons.

There's a delicious rhythm in the telling. You can tell that the writer has studied her craft and knows what she's doing. Each word is deliberate yet gentle, painstakingly carved out, a fragile thing of beauty indeed. The language is emotive and evocative, colourful and contoured, warm and tangible. I doff my hat to Caprice, in wonder at her authorly diligence while keeping up a household and homeschooling all those kids, too. That's what I call a hardworking mom.

You'll enjoy the breadth of situations in these pages, and the thorough exploration of deep questions and wonderings. How would a royal person deal with slavery and cruelty? It made me remember how the King of Heaven came down to earth to live as a lowly man. There is no word of reference to God or Christianity, but you will find richly-woven themes of sacrifice and humility, love and friendship, good versus evil, and the final victory of justice and hope, like a fairytale for grown-ups. Go ahead and dive into the intensity of this experience - take the journey, and come back changed.

Set in the land of Latoph, on the world of Byntar that has two suns, two races, and two classes (slave and free), the story addresses themes of justice and mercy, sacrifice and perseverance in a kingdom where birthright and bloodline determine one's status in a rigid social system. Daring to make slavery, and the characters' responses to the institution of slavery, the fulcrum of the story is a remarkable achievement by Ms. Hokstad. Creating an enjoyable story makes the achievement wonderful.

Ms. Hokstad's delightful prose draws the reader effortlessly into her scenes and through her story.

"Slices of suns' light pierced the morning fog. Captain Zinto paced the dock; his white cotton shirt and loose knee-pants billowed in the salty breeze. Deck-seasoned feet made too little sound for his mood, so he stomped to remedy the annoying silence."

The story is written to be savored, for here there be no monsters, no wizards, no clashing of swords - just the refreshing story of forbidden love, with characters who choose to lead lives of honorable passion rather than passionate expediency.

Though the book can stand on its own merits, the reader's understanding of the significance and meaning of the characters' actions would be deepened if the first book in the series, The Duke's Handmaid, is read first.

Recommended.

This is the sequel to The Duke's Handmaid, which is a fabulously written book. I recommend starting with that one so you can really appreciate the world Caprice Hokstad has created and better understand this book.

Caprice's writing is nothing less than smooth. The world she has created is rich and unique. Her characterization skills are wonderful.

The first book (The Duke's Handmaid) focused more on the character of Kee, but Nor Iron Bars a Cage leans more toward what is going on with Kee's master (yes, the culture in this book is one that utilizes slavery) Duke Vahn. The portrayal of Vahn is a conflicting one. On one hand, he is aristocracy and yet he treats his slaves far better than most. But he's arrogant, and at times rather immature. Even though he is not in any way the villain, he needs to do some serious growing up.

What amazes me about this book is that Caprice took me from having mixed feelings about Vahn to cheering for him wholeheartedly.

I fully recommend this series and am anxiously awaiting the third book!

On a different world, yet much like our own, Keedrina has lost her family and come under the protector ship of Duke Vahn. That's THE DUKE'S HANDMAID. For more read the reviews about that 1st book of The Ascendancy Trilogy. In NOR IRON BARS A CAGE, we continue the sage of Duke Vahn and his secret wife kee. She is a freewill slave. You'll find that slavery factors in quite a lot in her trilogy, but it's not like slavery was in the U.S., at least not at Rebono Keep. Keedrina was actually a free woman who chose to become a slave for the Duke, that she might enjoy the richness of his household, and the his personal appreciation. Now that the Duke's wife Saerula has run away with one of the male servants, taking their infant son with her back to Ganluc, much of his focus is on retrieving his son to him.

This sets the stage for NOR IRON BARS A CAGE. Early on kee comes up with a valiant idea. She will pose as a runaway slave being brought back to the Duke by Captain Shil. The plan is a good one, but unfortunately not without its dangers. Additionally, this means she must be separated from Duke Vahn for an extended period of time. She take solace in the fact that the same is true of Capt. Shil, who must leave his pregnant wife behind to take charge of the mission. Iimmilina, once simply timna to kee, is kee's closest friend. She is now Lady Shil, wife of the captain of the guard. After they leave things between Countess Delorae and the Duke get even more out of control. His comfort is that she doesn't have to see him like this.

Caprice Hokstad makes the world of Byntar come to life just as surely as J.R.R. Tolkien brought to life Middle Earth. Although there is no magic, no dragons, and the sword play is limited to what would be acceptable in a time when swords were the optimum weapon, her story still has that fairytale quality to it. It is a story about a beautiful princess who is not always seen as beautiful, and a Prince Charming, who is not always as charming, nor wise as he once thought. More than that, it is a great love story, not the hot romances we've become accustomed to, but a story of unquenchable love in the face of all adversity. Yet, it is woven in and around enough action, drama, and humor so that even us guys can get into it. Her characters seem to leap off the pages and challenge you to question their mortality. They are that real, from the loving kee and noble Prince Vahn, to the ignoble Countess Delorae and Princess Saerula.

You will find yourselves steeped in an epic tale that grips you, forces you to take part in the story, and leaves you with one sad point...and that is when you turn the last page. One can only await her 3rd installment of this beautiful tale that we may again join Prince Vahn, kee and the others in Latoph of Byntar.

(Just for those who may not be aware, this is a short review. I wrote SEVEN others when the Christian Fiction Review Blog toured her book this February, and I still could have said much more. [...])

David Brollier
author of THE 3RD COVENANT
[...]

In the second book of the Ascendance trilogy, events take up right where they left off in The Duke's Handmaid. In case you haven't read the first book, there are enough details that you can easily follow the story, although it would be preferable to read both books. More to enjoy! The tensions between twin brothers King Arx and Duke Vahn are evident from the start, with Arx completely distrustful and haughty towards Vahn, and Vahn barely able to contain the resentment and bitterness he feels. Vahn Rebono is planning a parade in honor of kee for saving all their lives. First, however, kee wants to have an Owner's Mark tattooed on her skin, to signify that she will never leave the Duke. This is a symbol of her secret marriage to the Duke, but others see it as part of her desire to be his freewill slave forever.

The Duke is constantly mourning the abduction of his son, Dauntère. He has tried countless ways to discover where his former wife Saerula had hidden him in Ganluc, to no avail. Finally, kee devises a plan to go into Ganluc as a runaway, with Captain Shil and the healer Patkus beside her. The plan is dangerous for all of them, but especially kee, who must be kept locked in a cage as they transport her through the country. There are some very serious misadventures; the only one who is able to keep them all alive is the healer. Unfortunately, they return with no better leads on the whereabouts of Dauntère than before.
Meanwhile, while they are gone, the Duke finds himself in hot water due to a hasty bet with an angry woman who had hoped to marry him. As the saying goes, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." It's kind of funny, but not for the Duke! A bit serious for the kingdom aw well.

There are some very deep issues in this novel, much deeper than they appear on the surface. Quite honestly, I had to come to terms with the slavery. I realized this was nothing like the type of slavery that existed in the United States, but there is a natural repulsion to the whole idea. The deep text, however, takes us to what true freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ actually means for a Christian once we understand that concept.

By and large, this was a very entertaining and insightful book. Caprice Hokstad has laid out a new world with painstaking details, from the topography and weather to the racial and cultural differences. The duality theme is carried out in so many levels. Her descriptions made me wince with pain, smile at the sweetness of kee, and feel the thirst in the desert. It was not a book with action packing every paragraph, since a great deal of the action was internal. Nevertheless, there were plenty of exciting scenes along the way. And quite a few truths to ponder as we impatiently wait for the third book in the series.