Skirmish

The House War, Book 4

By: Michelle West

Narrated by: Eva Wilhelm

Length: 28 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

At long last, Jewel is preparing to announce her candidacy to become the next Terafin and claim the House Seat. But it is a decision that has her targeted by demons who will stop at nothing to destroy Jewel and her allies as the House War begins....

©2012 Michelle Sagara (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Insert Sun Sword Series here....

What you should know is that, between this book and the previous one, 16 years has passed. That segment of Jewel's life is covered in the Sun Sword Series. Unfortunately, that series isn't on Audible. Here's the short of it- the first chapter will throw you a bit because it starts in the heart of action with some characters that were brought in from the other series. If you've reading THIS series up till now then just hold on for the first 2-3 chapters and you'll get the hang of it. The majority of the book focuses on the same characters and places you already know and the new characters are explained well enough. I found myself enjoying this one as much as the first book I the series.

Dilemmas...

So, this book takes place after the Sunsword series, which I haven't read yet. I started with this. And while it is not strictly necessary to read the series, there is a huge jump in time and events between book 3 and book 4. The series still stands on its own, but there is too much that happened in the other series that would add extra context and flavor to these books. I may have to track them down before getting Books 5 & 6 now just for my own sanity.

House War - Missing Middle of Series

As Susan noted in her review, the House War series of 6 books actually has a completely different series where events occur between the 1st three books of House War and the 2nd three books. This middle series is another 6 books called The Sun Sword. They are not on Audible. I've not read the Sun Sword and I did find a few instances in Skirmish where knowing specifics from the middle series would have helped reduce the number of huh? moments. The middle series does not appear to occur in the same location/geography as House War. Skirmish apparently picks up where that middle series ends and resumes use of original series characters 16 years in the future.

I've found over the course of more than 100 hours of listening so far that the style of writing the author uses produces those huh? moments occasionally regardless of having missed a middle 6 books. It almost feels like explanatory sentences are paragraphs were edited out or maybe they just never existed.

Like other books in House War, Skirmish is actually relatively compact in plot. Events occur only over a few days. Jewel, the lead character, emerges with new abilities that seem almost omniscient in scope, but not used much in this book.

Skirmish

I am hooked on this series. I really like the story line. Sometimes the facial expressions do not vary much "Her/his brows rose" but I still enjoy it!

I love this book.

I really really really really really really really really really like, love this book. Tuesday next to the point of view 5, and I can see the folder I just can't figure out how to put anything in the folder. sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S, and I can see the folder I just can't figure