A Warrior's Knowledge, Book 2

The Castes and the OutCastes

By: Davis Ashura

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

With A Warrior's Path, Davis Ashura introduced fans to Arisa, an ancient world rich with history and myth where humanity struggles to survive the never-ending battle with the demon Suwraith and her hordes of Chimeras. Now Ashura's best-selling epic continues with A Warrior's Knowledge.

Rukh Shektan and Jessira Grey struggle to reach the OutCaste city of Stronghold before winter's snow bars all passages. Their travels test Rukh's will and hope as Chimeras hound their footsteps, but the most difficult challenge proves to be Stronghold itself. The city is not as Jessira described.

Rector Bryce and Mira Terrell form a reluctant alliance. Rector is forced to do the bidding of Dar'El Shektan - the man he betrayed - and works with Mira. They seek a means to bring down House Shektan's most bitter rival, Hal'El Wrestiva, the man responsible for Rukh's banishment. Meanwhile, Bree and Jaresh continue their search for the Sil Lor Kum. Danger lurks, and the withering knife murders continue as Hal'El Wrestiva, the SuDin of the Sil Lor Kum, furthers his own intentions.

And high in the heavens and watching over the world is Suwraith. Her clouded mind is clear for the first time in millennia, and she makes her own plans. The sorrow bringer has learned of Stronghold's existence.

©2014 Davis Ashura (P)2015 Davis Ashura

I've tried to like this series, but I'm done.

The premise is interesting, and the characters are almost compelling. They should be, but they're hampered by the lackluster editing and dreary internal dialogue. I'd be willing to bet that there are literally hours of wasted words of monotonous, redundant internal dialogue in this book. The characters' struggle with puritanism, morals and prejudices are extremely important to the story. I get that. But after being repeatedly hammered with it, I find that I'm simply wishing I could skip ahead to ANY type of action or substance. The author is so obsessed with the internal struggles of ALL of the characters that he often chops up the story, interrupts the time line, sidelines the plot and hijacks his own story just to get a few more licks in about how awkward everyone feels about everything ever. Perhaps early in book one this might've been useful. A reminder or three in book two would have sufficed. However, if you were to cut out all the internal struggle from this book it would be about half its length. I'm tired of swimming through mundane monologues of thought just to reach some type of story arc.

The Enemy of My Enemy is my Brother!

A warrior's Knowledge, Book 2 is an uplifting sequel!!
It begins where Book 1 left off. In this book plot ties made in the first book are strengthened. We get to know the characters more: some come through tribulation stronger and wiser while others completely give over to their darkest nature even knowing it leads to insanity.
I really grew to care for the characters especially Rukh and Ida.
Character development all throughout the book is strong. The chosen few that have accepted old enemies as "friends" and shared their mind with powerful wild beast slowly- through their actions and choices- begin to spread hope for a new more unified world. More and more people are asking themselves hard questions which begin opening up their heart for new ideas to take root.
I really enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud, cheered for those in peril and cried for those whom faced the end with courage.
Well worth a credit!

drama drama drama

characters just keep getting dumber and dumber. not even interested in reading another book to listen to them get dumber

90% filler

A promising story that turns into a teenage romance novel. Boring and poorly written aswell

The Tough Questions

Do you enjoy obsessing over an issue, turning it over and over again inside your head until your brain becomes nothing more than a quivering mass of self loathing? If the answer is yes, The Castes and the OutCastes is the series for you! In book two we get thrown right back into the action as our heroes, Rook and Jazeera, continue their quest to find the answer to the ultimate question, is racism and bigotry wrong? All your favorite parts from the first book are here except they take place in a different city. You'll see Rook battle with the question,"Are the people of my city closed minded and harsh towards the outcasts?" As he makes his way to the outcast city because he has been exiled by his own people for spending time with an outcast. You'll also see Jezeera asking herself the tough questions as well, like, "are my own people slightly bigoted?" After they keep insulting and assaulting Rook because of his heritage. But if you think you'll get bored listening to only these two's inner thoughts have no fear, there are inner monologues from every character mentioned in the book! You'll get to hear from Rook's sister, Jezeera's father, Rook's cousin, Jezeera's cousin, Rook's brother, Rook's father, Mira a family friend and a guy named Rector as they all struggle with the question you've probably asked yourself, is being a bigot wrong? I think there's also something about an insane goddess trying to exterminate humanity in there too.

Fun, but flawed

For the most part, I enjoyed this second installment, but it did have some serious flaws. My main problem is that the first 2/3 of the book has Jessira's fiance as one of the main villains. He causes Rukh all sorts of problems, physically, socially, and emotionally. Then Rukh wins a fighting competition, and you never hear about the fiance again. Everyone suddenly treats Rukh better, and decides to distrust the man who has lived in Stronghold his whole life. It was like Ashura was bored with that story arc, and decided to just end it without bothering to write a satisfying or rational resolution. I kept thinking the fiance would rear his ugly head at the wedding or redeem himself when the city fell, but nope. Not a word.

Also, the endings of both volumes have been abrupt. Not so much in a cliffhanger kind of way, but in a way that made them seem more like chapter endings than volume endings. The splits seem arbitrary and unsatisfying, and I suspect they won't work well with a break between volumes.

Regardless, I'm enjoying this world and its characters, and the narration is quite good, so I'm sure I'll listen to the third book

I need the next one now!!!!!!!

I just can't get enough. It's mesmerising absolutely captivating. I can only equate this story to George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. One you start you just don't want to stop. Also Nick Podehl narration is fantstic. he one the best narrators out their you should also have a listen to some of the other books he has done.

Good Good Good

I liked the building story. Hopefully this will not be a 10 book series. I really want to see how the queen is beaten down. The narrator grew on me throughout this book. I still have a problem with his voice performance of some of the women characters. In trying to sound feminine, it just sounds like a "flaming" homosexual instead of a lady, but on everything else I really think he does a better job than most I've heard. I also respect this author for creating a strong attraction between two characters without going to deep into details.

Too much teen angst

This book droned on too much about inner struggle/ angst. Could have been way better if it was half as long.

Poor

Too much time is wasted on everyone looking at each other through "hooded eyes". A sad follow on from the first in the series.

At a pace

Great story telling with characters you can relate to. Getting book three straight away loved it

Exhausting

Rukh has lost everything; his home, standing, his future; so he and Jessira leave for the Outcasts Home, the Stronghold, but the Challenges Rukh will face will stretch even his patience.

Rector Bryce seems to regret his actions. The face of the Su Din of the Sil Lor Kum is unmasked: Dar El Shektan fights on to have his son's, banishment overturned: Rukh travels to the city of Hammer with Jessira: the Bringer of Sorrows has learnt the location of the Stronghold and it will not end well. However, the Baels, some of the Tigons and a few Shylows come to the aid of the Outcastes.

This is one busy book, so no time for taking a breath.

A worrior,s knowledge

This is the second book in the series and has continued on with the story an excellent endever only over to quickly. As the story builds it keep you on the edge of your seat waiting for more can t wait to start book three but I suppose I should get some sleep as it has been a long couple of nights following the story keeping me awake till. Early hours most enjoyable read