Our second outing with the Telfarian Prince Amir brings us to the northern lands of Sorvinka, the homeland of his beloved Princess Eva. If Telfar was much like an Arabian fantasy, then Sorvinka is very much like Russian fantasy.

Many many things go wrong at the beginning of the novel. We're thrown into the the tailend of their months long journey from Telfar to Sorvinka. During their time in Sorvinka their caravan has been set upon by numerous bands of brigands who have dwindled their guards from numerous to barely seven. To top it all off Princess Livia's promise of retribution towards Amir from ruining her plans to place Erik on the throne as the new Sorvinkian King nearly gets Amir killed as a traitor--before even stepping through the gates of the castle!

Apparently, much like Telfar, there is menace afoot with the ruling family of Sorvinka. The youngest princess Aurora has gone missing, presumably kidnapped by their hated enemies, and Eva's father's new edicts are not making him popular with anyone. The book is once more told through Amir's first person POV and we get a better sense of his discomfort because of it. Used to a life of gilded luxury, even if it was within a prison, the harsh traveling conditions and icy reception as well as the brutality of Sorvinka in general have made Amir very unhappy.

I found the fact he mentions his family's legendary 'flawless profile' so very much once again rather humorous. Its annoying, but its a character trait that I think is a small detail that's often overlooked. He's arrogant and arrogant people tend to like to talk about what they consider to be their 'greatest' asset. Amir, for all his other talents, is very proud of his family's flawless profiles.

We learn more about Amir's abilities as well. A new mystery of course presents itself, but more than that we meet Khuan and Lilloth--two emissaries from the Eastern Emperor who understand what exactly is happening to Amir. He is a shal-galt, or Sorcerer Hunter (amongst other titles), and the voices he hears in his head are not him going crazy. Along with being able to see/hear them, Amir also can sense magic. Lucky him right? This is apparently something that has affected his family for years, most notably in his late brother Jafar's case.

Baba Yaga (the Russian witch) makes an appearance as well, plus enchanted animals. The romance between Amir and Eva builds, but hits obstacles as Lars--heir apparent to the throne of Sorvinka--tries to woo her as well. Amir is more trusting in this book, which may or may not be a great thing by the end of it honestly.

The problems of the first book--plot threads that lead nowhere for chapters on end, pacing, repetitiveness--aren't as bad in this second book. The plot still takes a while to truly get under way, and plot threads begin that seem to go no where or serve no real purpose. The matter of the Princess Livia's duplicity is not really addressed either. The ending seems manufactured almost as well, to find a reason to continue the series and more angst for Amir (though he doesn't need any more).

The teaser for the third book, or what will be the third book, titled Death in the Traveling City is promising. The idea of a traveling city is intriguing and I want to learn more about Khuan and Lilloth. The theme seems more Asian-inspired, which falls in line with my interests much moreso then Arabian or Russian. Overall this was still an entertaining and different read. The blend of mystery, fantasy and romance, as well as alternate history, works fairly well for the book on a whole and kept me interested throughout. ( )

Following the events in The Princes of the Golden Cage, Prince Amir and Princess Eva venture north to Eva's kingdom to ask her father for permission to marry. But Sorvinka isn't the land Eva remembers. It has become war-torn and harsh. And Prince Amir has more to deal with than just trying to impress the king. One of his daughter's has been kidnapped. And magic seems to be involved.

I became engaged in this story even more than the last. Though the outcome was a bit predictable, it was nonetheless a very entertaining mystery. With colorful characters, strange magic, suspense, and deceit, Mallet has created an enchanting world. I love the character of Amir. While he is a prince and a bit spoiled and biased, he has a kind heart and can't stay away from a good mystery. With a climatic ending, the story is still left with promise of new adventures to come for Amir. And I, for one, can't wait. ( )

http://www.sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=8520 ( )