Customer Reviews

A Tremor in the Bitter Earth (Tielmaran Chronicles/Katya Reiman, Bk 2)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The second of Katya Reimann's books, this book starts off differently than the first, and takes us on a whole new journey.

The restless Gaultry Blass, serving as an honored guest in the court of the new Prince of Tielmark. She secretly hopes for something to do, and gets it when she and her sister foil an assassination attempt against the prince. However, one of the assassins from the Sha Muir nears death, and Gaultry saves his life. In doing so, she gets her wish for "something to do", as she must take the spy back to enemy soil in an attempt to save the life of her friend Martin Stalker.

Once again, we have a whole world to discover, and it is refreshing to read about the Bissantry Empire from their point of view. Unlike the typical (and simplistic) good and evil, we can see the way each country sees the other, and it is a theme that can apply to how we see other people and other nations. In the end, we wonder what influence both the huntress and the assassin have on each other, and will this new experience change the way the countries develop.

My only regret is that we still do not get a feel for Gaultry's twin sister, Mervion, who could and should be important in the development of the character. I believe that the twins were set up to explore the two personalities that women (and men) feel, and yet we only see the side of the independent Gaultry, not seeing the saavy Mervion, nor the relationship of the two sisters. I hope this is explored in future novels.

Overall, another enjoyable read.

Gualtry Blas is a woman, a sister, a lover, a daughter.....with real feelings that any person can relate to. She is neither made into a goddess, super warrior saving the world, nor the lowest sea-urchin, but Gualtry's view of herself is the most important of all because this is where the audience is able to connect with Gualtry and even switch places with her. Not only does Reinmann allow for you to understand one character, but she gives the audience several chances to act out other roles and experience dramatic irony. These novels are written at somewhat of an advanced level touching on stream of conciousness, dramatic irony, 1st person as well as 3rd person omiscenisent, so on so forth. These techniques combined inable the author to give the reader an accurate portrayal of events, and such occurences create a beautiful, well mastered story without knocking you off of your feet with pazzazz or glamour.

I liked this one even better than the first Tielmaran book. It begins by developing even further the court and political intrigues set up in "Wind From a Foreign Sky". Then it climaxes into a rousing adventure story replete with chases, fights, break-ins, and rescues- lots of action in a well-realized and detailed world. Gaultry is a strong but realistically-characterized female lead, it's great to see her in action!

i stayed up until four in the morning finishing this book :) it's the second in a series; a few things brought up in the first book are resolved. but in general both characters and situations grow more and more complex as the story evolves, and without giving away any of its secrets, i'll just say i still look forward to learning more about this world as the characters set in it do.

Engaging read - Enjoyable story with an unusual view of 'magic'. What the story lacked in character development in made up with a suspenseful, easy to read storyline that kept your interest until the end. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a pleasant way to pass a weekend. The second book in the series did seem superior to the first and having read the series backwards, I feel you could get away with skipping the first book in the series altogether.

Katya Reimann delivers a rousing adventure that is fresh and innovative without bogging down in trying to establish more details than the last epic fantasy series to hit the shelves.

Her world is sharp and well-defined without the clutter that others fall victim too. Her characters are interesting and complex. Engaging enough to make you anticipate the next adventure that awaits them.

With twenty or so series that seem like they will never end (not necessarily a bad thing), it is still nice to have a feeling of completeness when finishing a book. Something Reimann delivers in this and her previous book. While leaving the door open for further books, she still gives the reader the feeling that you have reached a destination and that something has actually been accomplished. As opposed to closing a 700 page novel knowing that you have only reached the next stage in an ongoing (and neverending?) journey.

Long treks can be exciting and fulfilling. But day trips or overnighters can be just as fun. Take the weekend off and enjoy what Reimann has to offer. You won't be disappointed.

This searies is proabaly one of the best i have ever read. The characters are deep and easy to beleave. I love how Reimann describes our heros outlook on things. She is very independant and strong. I really loved this book and if you really love good fantasy, you should give this a try.

Though a much darker book than the first (as is so often the case in trilogies), I enjoyed this book a lot more than _Wind From A Foreign Sky_. From its rather horrific first scene to its lip-biting conclusion, it just felt like a much stronger novel. I particularly enjoyed the introduction of Tullier's character - a fascinating addition! And Gaultry's often cranky character-traits made her seem even more realistic than before. There are still a lot of gaps that I hope to see closed in the last installment of these books, and I am really looking forward to seeing how it all ends. Reimann is a very talented writer, and I disappointed that this trio is all I can find. The world that she created here has a lot of depth and detail and could surely have been able to sustain more than one trilogy! Still, it is a strong series and I hope that the conclusion is as satisfying as this book!

An amazing, fresh, sf-fantasy novel, with a gut-wrenching beginning. Lots of terrific creative new ideas such as the "Sha Muira" assassin that figures so prominently in the story. I really enjoyed the tension between Gaultry during the slow transformation of the young assassin. I enjoyed this book the first time I read it and I am now re-reading it once again. It is just as good on the second reading, although, the surprise element is gone. Now I look forward to reading the earlier book in this series, as well as the newer sequels to this excellent book.

I greatly enjoyed reading the adventures of Gaultry and her companions.... once i had finished the two books in the series i just wanted to read more- there are so many questions i have about the characters. Katya really brought life to her book, to her story but i urge her to write the third book- i'm waiting with others to find out how Gaulrty lives the rest of her life