Strong sequel with interesting characters and explores the world from book one a little more. I really enjoyed this one and while I saw some twists they were still enjoyable.

You do not need to read the first book to understand this one. It’s a whole new set of characters but I would still recommend it because it’s just a fun series overall. Generally loved this one the most, though.

The second in the Chronicles of Ghalid trilogy, set around a desert city where water is a precious, rationed currency and a family guild of assassins help to keep the peace by removing morally inconvenient folks from the equation, picks up soon after the first book leaves off, although it could easily stand alone if you don't mind endstate spoilers for the previous book, The Perfect Assassin. It follows a new protagonist, Thana, as she takes on a contract to kill a man who has come from the powerful empire across the desert, claiming that said empire now has jurisdiction over the city. Working for an expansionist foreign power is bad enough, but Heru also appears to be in control of some very dodgy dark magic, and he's also very rude to serving staff; unfortunately, when Thana's first attempt to kill him goes wrong, she ends up having to travel with him and with a very lovely healer called Mo back to the Empire's heart, where she becomes integral in unravelling the mystery of a rival dark mage who might be out to kill them all.

Perhaps it shouldn't have surprised me given the premise of the book - and the previous volume in the series - but The Impossible Contract relies on its reader accepting the morality of its assassin characters: that there might be something valuable to society in having a secret group of people who can accept contracts to kill, and that society as a whole is capable of regulating how that mechanism is used for something other than political gain of the wealthy. The narrative doesn't present this as entirely unproblematic (for example, Thana tries to keep this a secret from her love interest Mo, because a healer probably wouldn't approve of killing, you know?) but it's never explicitly challenged either, and Thana never has any doubts about whether killing Heru would be the right thing to do until the circumstances of her contract change rather radically in the third act. On the other hand, Thana is perfectly willing to judge Heru for his use of magic to reanimate the dead or bind people to his will by controlling their jaan (spirit), and without giving too much away there are plenty of deaths that are certainly not seen as necessary for societal order. The result is a book whose premise itches, like a contact lens with a grain of dust underneath it. The Impossible Contract might have a lot to offer the right reader but I couldn't get it to work out for me.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The main character Thana is a super strong female lead, and I loved the f/f romance. It felt super natural. The characters also have great personalities that are different from each other. The plot was also really well drawn out, and I thought the imagery was great as well. Overall, this is a great fantasy read.

Unfortunately, I was not hooked enough with book one to continue with the Impossible contract...
I will not be reading this book.

Content warnings: blood magic (involving self-harm), and a lot of blood in general.

KA Doore has done it again with a fun, fast-paced fantasy that grabs you from the first page! We get a few glimpses of Amastan, the main character from the first book, but this is more of a companion novel, following Thana, his cousin, who is a great character - she's a highly-trained assassin, but also a bit of a bad luck magnet, so her contracts don't often go to plan. I think it does help hugely to have the backstory of the first book, so I would recommend reading in series order, but this isn't a straightforward continuation of Amastan's story (which initially disappointed me, as I loved him so much, but I fell equally in love with Thana!), and interestingly, Doore says that this book was actually written first.

I really enjoy the slightly madcap style of these books - there's always a lot going on, and the characters don't necessarily know what they're doing... Thana is a disaster for sure, but so is Heru, the magical scholar she is contracted to murder but ends up tentatively allied to (yep, it's complicated). The most stable member of their party is Mo, a healer, and Thana's love interest, but even she spends quite a lot of the book exasperated with the escalating craziness around them, which adds a fun dynamic to the group. Reading this feels like playing a DnD party that's accidentally walked into a way-too-high-level area - they're scrambling, but it's so much fun to watch! 

I love this style of action-packed fantasy adventure, and I think it's the great character work that makes this work so well. There's a strong thread of wry humour that makes the characters feel really believable in their reactions even when yet another thing is thrown on their plate. Add fun sibling-like bickering between Heru and Thana, and some cute f/f romance, and it just ticks a lot of boxes for me! Perfect for those looking for a light-hearted, fast-paced read with a great setting, and they'd make a great crossover for someone looking for a step up from YA fantasy. Five stars!

The Impossible Contract was a great book! I haven't read the first book in the series, The Perfect Assassin, so my understanding of the world is only based on this book -- and I feel like it's definitely a standalone even as part of a series.

The Impossible Contract follows Thana who has to kill Heru. the Empress's necromancer, but she doesn't succeed as she soon finds out that things the stakes are higher than she imagined. Along with a pretty cute healer and the guy she was supposed to kill, Thana goes on a journey which feats zombies, magic, guuls, and three dead camels.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Thana, Mo and Heru -- they were funny and entertaining and felt like a found family. Heru is a nerd with sarcasm; Thana wants to prove herself as a great assassin; and Mo has an inner strength that is also super nerdy.

I really enjoyed this book and am excited to pick up the first book. Definitely pick up this f/f romance set in a frightening desert world with hilarious characters who adore each other.

While The Perfect Assassin was all about Amastan and the moral dilemma of being an assassin, The Impossible Contract gives us a totally different kind of hero(in). Thana takes pride in her profession and more than anything, wants to be remembered for her work. It’s so refreshing to read in a world where we’re used to only male characters being allowed to have an ego this size. (Also in her case it’s justified…)

We’re introduced to more of the world we already came to love, this time around learning about other aspects of it. In fact, it can almost feel less like coming to familiar land & more like discovering a whole new one, only with a few rituals we recognise. The change in perspective does wonders for the worldbuilding (not that it was bad before, the opposite really, but that it allows for further exploration).

That change also brings Thana to the spotlight and she’s a great main character. While Amastan questioned his every step and thought about all possible consequences of each, Thana just does. No fear, no doubt in her, only the burning need to fulfil her plans. Especially when someone she holds dear is in danger.

And that brings me to the romance part of the book and it’s probably not a surprise to anyone, if I say it was my favourite one. Thana’s lesbianism was the more relatable thing I have ever read and the whole love plot line was done in such a beautiful, slow way!

All in all, The Impossible Contract is a fast-paced fantasy adventure in a cool setting, with a group of very endearing characters to lead the reader through all the ups and downs. If you enjoyed the first installment, you definitely want to discover more of the world thanks to this one.

Wow. This book. Now, I solidly enjoyed the Perfect Assassin, but this one. DAMN. I had so much trouble putting it down. From the dynamic between Thana, Mo and Heru, to the expansion of the world-building in this well, everything was wonderful and I am absolutely excited for the third book!

I especially loved Thana, now she is a deeply flawed character (my favourite kind!) and definitely made some predictable mistakes, but honestly, that was part of what I loved about her. And I was so into her relationship with Mo (yeah y’all, you found my weakness, it's F/F hahaha). I also really enjoyed Heru, cause he’s just so wonderfully unlikeable and it’s frustrating how much you know he’s needed!

The expanded magic in this book really got me, it was terrifying and fascinating and OMG undead camels. I loved it. This book was definitely not as whodunnit as the Perfect Assassin, but it still had all the wonderful adventure of the first book, and of course Amastan was also in this which one, which I love. Honestly, I found shift worked really well with the change of MC.

Anyway, this one is great if you’re looking for heart-pounding chase scenes, high stakes magic, and undead camels! It’s also got that F/F rep that I love! Also, never fear if you haven’t read the first one, this one does work as a stand-alone (though I would definitely recommend reading the first one as well, just cause it’s also excellent!)

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I somehow missed that this wasn’t a direct follow on from the first book, and I did spend some time missing Amastan 💙💙 I just loved him, okay? But Thana is a great main character and I ended up really enjoying this story too!

It was great to see some of the world outside the town, and venture further afield. And I really felt for poor Thana - she’s not a poor assassin, just had unfortunate circumstances! Plus her failing in the face of Mo’s beauty is super cute.

Plus the overarching story is so excellent - I realised literally right before we were told what was up and kicked myself for not getting it earlier - it’s so easy to get caught in the glorious mystery of it all.

Doore’s writing continues to be engaging and beautiful. I challenge you to read this book and not fall in love with this universe. 4.5 stars.

After getting to know (and getting attached) to Amastan in book one, we now get the chance to get to know one of his cousins, Thana. Now I loved Amastan and wasn’t sure if I’d like this book without him as the main character, but I was wrong, I fell for Thana pretty darn quickly. Being the Serpents daughter means everyone has really high expectations for her, and I feel so sorry for her that she has to try and live up to her mother’s reputation.

I liked that we got to see outside of Ghadid; The Perfect Assassin centered around their town, but in this book we get to see their journey to another city, one that is worlds apart from theirs. Thana finding ways to blend in to a city where she stands out is absolutely genius, especially where she has to put herself completely out of her comfort zone, her versatility is amazing.

I had an inkling on the ending but was a little unsure, but I was right about it. It does not happen often, usually I’m terrible at figuring out endings and plot twists.

Book 2 in the Chronicles of Ghadid series, it takes place a few years after the events of the first book, The Perfect Assassin. This time, the story is centered on Thana, cousin to the assassin introduced in the first book. As the Serpent's Daughter, she has a lot to live up to, which is also why she was chosen for a special contract: to kill Heru Sametket, second marabi advisory to the Empress. It seemed simple enough, until the dead became reanimated, and bent on destruction and death. Seeking to complete her contract, Thana ends up traveling across the desert to the Empress's palace alongside Heru and a healer named Mo, but Heru manages to thwart her every time, to the point where the two reach an uneasy truce as a larger, more dangerous, game comes to light.

I loved the first book, so I was eager to read the second. Fortunately, it holds up well to the first. Unfortunately, it didn't seem quite as flawless, but perhaps it's an interesting reflection of the different narrators. In the first book, Amastan was careful, precise, and thoughtful. In the second book, Thana is a bit more reckless, a bit less thoughtful, and very reliant on Amastan's wisdom. She has a lot of live up to, so I imagine the strain and stress to be incredible.

The Characters

The characterizations in these books are amazing. The characters are unique, consistent, and flawed. They feel like real people.

Heru annoyed me to no end, but I still loved his character. He had a strong sense of self-preservation, but was extremely adept at playing a dangerous game. He sometimes felt like a fool, a bit too lost in his research, but always managed to find the upper hand and play his roles to perfection. I wanted to love Thana. She was an interesting character from the first book that I would have liked to see more of, so I was glad to see this book was about her. I expected someone just as skilled as Amastan, but she proved to be very different. She had a lot to live up to and I think it made her flawed in a way that felt a little dangerous and a little thoughtless. She wasn't quite as perfect as Amastan, not quite as brilliant, and little too likely to pass on the details. She felt young, younger than Amastan had. Still, she was strong and capable and an amazing female character. Mo, the healer, was incredible. Dedicated to her profession, she felt deeply, trusted easily, and felt betrayal the hardest. I think she was the deepest feeling character and it helped soften Heru and Thana. She was a beautiful addition, and I really felt for her character at the end of the book.

The Setting

I expected that the setting would remain unchanged for this second book. I expected to be further plunged into Ghadid. While more of the city was explored, it also went well beyond that.

The characters explored the desert, the mostly unmapped Wastes, and the capital city of the empire. The world expanded at a quickly escalating rate. It felt like it should be difficult to comprehend, as though adding so much to the world in one book should be too much, but I was relieved it wasn't. I suppose there just isn't much to a desert beyond sand. Seriously, though, the city and the desert came to life. Both were well-described without being overboard and they each played their own roles before the author moved on to the next locale.

I loved that the world building went beyond Ghadid, but I'm a bit nervous about the next book. I don't want to say too much, but something devastating happened to Ghadid and it kind of hurts that so many of the people and places I had gotten to know won't be coming back. I'm apprehensive about what will happen to Ghadid. At the same time, I was worried about book after book taking place in the exact same city. It looks like that won't be an issue and I look forward to what the author offers next.

The Plot

The title says it all: Thana's contract will be impossible. I was dying of curiosity to see how that would happen, and wasn't disappointed. This was truly a greater game than merely completing a contract as the first book had been. Couched within a greater, deadlier game, it was a breathtaking adventure.

I didn't like that it was so easy to spot why it was impossible, but I appreciated the layers of complexity that kept being added to it. Heru's character was really quite exceptional as it was usually him that added the next layer. Thana felt a bit reactive to the plot while Heru felt like the plot-driver, but it worked in a harmony that the characters themselves had a hard time establishing, which was actually a lot of fun.

My only real complaint here is that the first half was so darn slow. Information was revealed at a snail's pace and the story felt like it was meandering a little. One thing would happen and then another path would be taken and then another layer was added and suddenly they're in the Empress's palace. I was so happy when the second half really took off. That's where most of the action was. That's when the plot really picked up, when the game was well and truly deadly and afoot. It was fast-paced and I found I didn't want to stop reading. At the same time, I wasn't ready for the story to end.

Overall

This was a good follow-up to the first book. I don't think it quite matched it's predecessor, but it wasn't a bad successor. It added to the world and the character bank while also nodding to the characters of the first book. The story wasn't quite as strong, but I also went into it with high expectations as I rated the first book a 5. While disappointing, I did appreciate the many twists and turns. I was definitely surprised, and was very pleased when the last quarter of the book really got my heart thudding. That second half really was quite wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Link to post: https://thelilycafe.com/book-review-the-impossible-contract-by-k-a-doore/

Well, this story certainly didn't suffer from middle book syndrome.

The setting is just as gorgeous as before. I love the descriptions and how real it all feels; such the constant focus on water or realistic travel times. The story builds upon the prior knowledge we have on the assassin business and the magic, the jaani, and the healers in an even more interesting way and never lets it get boring.
I am still in awe of the world Doore has created.

We widen our horizon from the city of Ghadid to the wider empire and its political climate. We meet plenty of new characters who are just as vibrant and passionate as our protagonist and make for exciting conversations.
Thana is the protagonist in this story, giving her the spotlight she deserved to expand our knowledge of what we saw of her in book one. I truly enjoyed following her deductions and decisions as she plunges into a world entirely new to her. And we are offered an exciting antagonist in Heru who I was never too sure if he was one of the bad or the good guys, and isn't that the greatest character?
Not in this case, because Mo wins that price. Taught to be a healer, she is the perfect balance for her other two companions, calm with clear morals and a strong need to help others.

I don't think the book built up to that world-shattering ending strongly enough - it felt a bit out of blue to be entirely honest, but I still enjoyed my time reading it.

Doore knocks it out of the desert once again with another captivating mystery that takes us beyond the pylons of Ghadid, out into a desert, and to some new locations, featuring the undead, very good camels, a snarky healer, and a jackass.

Thana gets assigned to take out a marab who instead of decoupling jaan from their bodies, he couples them to other bodies. The attempt goes disastrously. The mark, Heru, takes the curmudgeonly healer, Mo, with him across the desert back to the Empress and Thana follows along. As to be expected, things continue to spiral from there.

The intrigue in this book is captivating. It's both political and interpolitical, and it was really good to see more of the world beyond Ghadid. Na Tay Khet is such a cool location. The level of detail that went into the customs is truly immersive.

Moreover the book features two of my favorite character archetypes: the Badass Idiot and the Angry Medic. Thana and Mo play off each other fantastically, with Thana being more smitten the snarkier Mo gets. They're allowed moments of tenderness, but ugh I just love the f/f love in this one.

2019 has been a very good year for lesbians and necromancers is all I'm saying.

I read the first book in this series and found it excellent, the second one is even better.
It's fast paced, action packed and an engrossing and entertaining read.
I loved to meet again old characters and get to know new ones, all are realistic and well thought and I like the character development and their relationship.
The world building is amazing and I was happy to get to know about it.
The plot is well crafted and I read it as I could.
It was an excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Impossible Contract is the second book in Doore’s Chronicles of Ghadid trilogy, a series following a family of assassins in a desert world where water is not only currency, but magic. Contract reads perfectly well as a standalone, but you’re missing out if you skip over book one, The Perfect Assassin, with its homoromantic-asexual, certified cinnamon roll of a lead, Amastan.

Amastan features as a brief side-character in this book, but Contract is squarely centred on Thana, and as much as I loved Amastan, I’m so glad Thana got to star in her own novel! Although at first glance she seems to be a reasonably typical character – daughter of the (in)famous Serpent, an assassin who prevented a war, with a chip on her shoulder about proving herself and a weakness for pretty girls – I actually ended up reading the book twice so I could devote an entire reading just to analysing her, highlighting and making notes on all the skilfully subtle ways Doore reveals that she’s actually far more complicated than she looks at first glance.

And to be honest, the entire book is like that: on one level, it reads a bit like an action film, in that it’s a ton of fun, the plot moves along at an excellent pace, and it’s pure entertainment – you’re not required to think too hard about anything, you can just sit back and enjoy. And that’s not meant as any kind of insult; I devoured Impossible both times. It’s addictive and blissfully readable, with just the right balance of description and action in the writing. On a superficial level, the plot is simple enough to not require much of the reader – which is such a relief when you’re tired and just want something fun to read! – while still having enough twisty bits to be genuinely interesting.

But if you do decide to pay that extra bit of attention…then so much depth is added to the story, the characters, and the worldbuilding, that to be honest I’m kind of in awe. Impossible Contract somehow manages to be two books in one: one catering to readers looking for something fresh and fun, and another for readers who want intricate worldbuilding, fantasy politics, and morally complex characters.

Suffice to say, I’m bloody impressed.

Let’s take a look at the set-up: if you’re unfamiliar with the series, Ghadid is a city on the edge of the desert Wastes, raised hundreds of feet in the air on platforms suspended above the sands. Thana’s family – or a select few of them, anyway, hidden amongst the rest of their more mundane cousins – are assassins who deal out justice when the legal system fails, or when going through the courts would do more harm than good for the victims. One of their responsibilities is making sure the bodies of those they kill are found quickly, as a person’s jaan – a wild, elemental spirit released after death – must be swiftly bound by a marab (a kind of priest) lest it cause blasphemous havoc. The economy is based upon water – Ghadid’s currency is literally made up of water-tokens – which healers can use to magically treat injuries and illness.

This is all sketched out for us in Perfect Assassin, but Impossible goes into much more depth on all of it. For example, the magical healers are only glimpsed in book one, but here, Mo, one of the main characters and Thana’s love interest, is a healer herself, so we get a much closer look at the magic and the ethics surrounding it. When Thana is forced to leave Ghadid in order to complete her contract, we also get to see more of the world Doore’s created, not just Ghadid itself but the caravans and tribes who traverse or live in the Wastes, all the way to the Empress’s court. We’re not drowned in Wheel of Time-esque levels of detail, but everything is so beautifully fleshed-out that you can all but feel the desert heat rising off the pages.

I felt like we also learn a lot more about Thana’s family in this book, even though most of the story takes place outside Ghadid and far away from Thana’s relatives. Writing about assassins is always a bit tricky – while fantasy readers are experts at allowing a story to set the rules, it’s a little hard to get away from ‘people who kill for money’. I don’t tend to read books about assassins, because in my experience writers either lean into the grimdark-awfulness of it, or handwave the ethics. Perfect Assassin kind of sidestepped the issue by presenting us with assassins-in-training who might never be allowed to use their skills, and a main character who was deeply conflicted over the actual killing part. But in Impossible Contract, the question of ‘how am I supposed to be okay with any of this?’ is much more immediate. And Doore gives us an answer – the book opens with Thana and Amastan working together to assassinate a rapist whose social status would earn him a slap on the wrist if the case become public, while ruining his victim’s reputation and life. For anyone who wasn’t already aware, the #MeToo movement of the last few years has everybody clear on how this situation can occur, and why legal channels might not be the best ones for the victim. It’s up to the individual reader whether or not they approve, but I suspect everyone should be able to understand the role a family like Thana’s could play in ensuring justice for all.

And we can leave it there and not think about it any further. But for anyone who takes a closer look, Doore makes it clear that it’s not exactly that simple. There’s a surprising amount of hypocrisy or double-standards thinking going on with Thana and her family; for example, at one point, Thana’s inner monologue mentions that G-d does not approve of murder, even when done for the greater good. That throwaway, blithe thought stopped me cold, because it shows that Thana’s family…what? Believes themselves to be outside G-d’s rules? Outside His authority? Better than Him? Or maybe even at odds with Him; just a chapter or two later, we learn that Thana wears charms to protect her from G-d. At first I thought that meant something like, protection from ‘acts of God’, which is how we refer to impossible-to-predict scenarios like being struck by lightning. But rereading the passage, Thana wears other charms to protect against bad luck, which suggests that protection from G-d is something separate to random awfulness like lightning strikes or sandstorms.

Which makes it…almost infuriatingly hypocritical, actually, when Thana then accepts a contract on a man whose supposed crimes (which are not actually detailed to her) are described as ‘crimes against G-d’. It’s difficult to understand how Thana can think that justification for a hit when her entire career is built on spitting on G-d’s laws, but she does. And I don’t think that’s poor writing – lots of people don’t analyse their own actions or beliefs closely enough to catch that kind of contradiction, so it’s perfectly believable that Thana doesn’t either. But it did make me like her a whole lot less, even if it made her more interesting.

So to summarise: Thana’s family of assassins knowingly operate outside the law, and acknowledge that they do so in direct contradiction of G-d’s law, to the point where they potentially need supernatural protection to dodge G-d’s ire. And although they claim to deal out justice, they seem to hold themselves to very different standards than they do their contracts. There’s also never been any mention, that I could catch, of the family doing their own investigation into the people they’re hired to kill. The person who brings them the contracts supposedly vets them, but given how vague he was in describing the crimes justifying the impossible contract of the title, and how little convincing Thana took, I’m not at all convinced it’s a good system. Also, their work isn’t any kind of deterrent to future evil – many of their contracts are arranged to look like natural deaths or accidents, which might bring some peace to the victims of the people who are killed, but won’t deter other people from committing the same crimes. I’m not even sure if it can be called justice at that point. You raped her, so we kill you, but everyone will think you died a natural death, so the next guy to come along won’t know there’s a punishment for rape, and won’t hesitate to commit the crime. Um. That reads a lot more like very useless revenge than any kind of justice???

Then there’s the fact that Thana casually decides to throw Ghadid into open war with the Empress, after approximately three seconds consideration, after discussing it with absolutely no one. Not even with the rest of her family. Because this is a political hit – the contract has been taken out on the Empress’s ambassador – and Thana’s aware of the repercussions, and just…goes ahead with it.

She’s an interesting main character and I’m still glad she got her own book. But it’s kind of difficult to like her.

And the thing is, I do think all of this is absolutely intentional. Doore sowed these ethical question marks in book one, and Impossible Contract is very much the harvest. It’s an entire arc or plotline you can completely miss if you’re not looking for it or don’t really care about it, but how is this okay? and who gave you the right? and even how dare you? all come to a pretty perfect (if painful) conclusion by the end of the book, so thoroughly that it’s impossible not to think it’s deliberate, that Doore has been considering these questions from day one and always planned for it to go this way. It’s subtle and clever and brilliant, and way more nuanced than I was expecting.

Other reviewers have talked about how brilliant the character dynamics and relationships are, and also gleefully (and rightly) praised the more central plot of Thana’s journey from Ghadid and the ensuing shenanigans, so I don’t feel the need to do the same. (Although don’t get me wrong: I’m a major fan of both those aspects of the book too!) But it’s the depths beneath the action-film fun that makes Impossible Contract an even better and much stronger book than Perfect Assassin, and guarantees Doore a spot on my auto-buy list of authors from now on.

Impossible Contract comes out in two days, and I strongly urge you to nab a copy asap!

What an outstanding sequel this was to The Perfect Assassin! I was so happy to follow Thana's story and I was not disappointed. The characters and world K. A. Doore has created feel so visceral that I just want more! I am very excited for the next book.

I read Doore’s first in The Ghadid series and I liked it, especially the setting. Ghadid is harsh city in the middle of the desert filled with warring politicians and a clan of assassins. The POV shifts to Thana in this book; she is the daughter of Serpent, the famed leader of the killers. After a successful mission at the beginning of the book, Thana procures her first job as the lead assassin. And she finds out quickly that this is a mark and a situation that could have world-changing ramifications. Heru Sametket is an ambassador from the Emperess who is sent to Ghadid to further relations since the empire folded the desert city up into itself several years ago.

Three conflicts stand in the way of Thana’s success. 1) A powerful entity has created an army of the undead who are pursuing Thana and any others who stand in its way. 2) Heru has dark powers himself that he will use to fend off Thana. 3) Something I loved. The action will leave the heights of Ghadid and the Thana will be forces to hunt her mark across the sands to the capital.

A Couple Minor Spoilers Below…

The Impossible Contract hums along nicely for the first half of the story. There’s so many good actions scenes and Thana’s inner monologue is used well to help the reader get at her true motivation. I love the way Doore has set up the clan of assassins, the hierarchy and the planning that goes into each job is described perfectly. And as good a job as Doore did in describing the Ghadid in The Perfect Assassin, she really makes the desert a place I want to/ don’t want to visit.

Ok, the other shoe: my criticism. After the crew gets across the desert to the capital there are a couple coincidences that I just couldn’t let go of. And I think there could have been some very easy ways to have written them out of the book. I just had three or four of those, “Ugh, really?” moments that I really dislike, which sucked because I was liking this one so much.

An awesome setting and a near perfect set of characters, yet The Impossible Contract is marred by some too easy coincidences in its plot.

3 out of 5 stars.

The Impossible Contract is the second novel in K.A. Doore’s Chronicles of Ghadid series. And it is just as bright and brilliant as the first novel – if not more so. Set in a fantasy world full of assassins, lose spirits, and magic, this series is one to spark your imagination.
Thana is the daughter of the Serpent, though she wants to become known for something more than her parentage. So when she is given the opportunity to take upon a contract of her own – her very first – she doesn’t even hesitate. Even though it is going to be the most difficult contract known to her guild.
One thing is for certain, whether she completes or fails this contract, she’s going to become a legend. And that is worth all the risk in the world to Thana. Now she can pave her own path and create a name for herself.
The Chronicles of Ghadid is described as being perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, Sarah J. Maas, and S.A. Chakraborty. Being a particular fan of the latter, I can’t agree with this recommendation enough. It is a lush and brilliant world – one that gives ample time for us to fall in love with its characters.

“In the next few moments, they'd either become legends in her family's history or cautionary tales of future. Despite the tension of the moment, she couldn't help but feel a spark of jealousy. If they succeeded – and they would, they had to – all the credit would go to Amastan.”

The Impossible Contract was nothing like what I expected – it was a hundred times better. When I’m reading the next novel in a series, I tend to avoid the description of the novel – weird, I know. Because of that, I was sort of expecting this tale to be more about Amastan. So I was delighted to learn that it was going to be about Thana and her first contract ever.
I immediately latched on to Thana and her dominant personality. This is a girl who knew what she wanted out of life, and she wasn’t afraid to take the risks required to get there. Yet her determination only made her read as more human, rather than less. It’s clear that K.A. Doore excels at writing dynamic characters.
Speaking of, there are two other characters of interest in this novel. First, there’s the obvious: Thana’s contract. The man she’s been hired to kill. He was also nothing like what I expected, but I imagine I’m not the only one in that boat.
Then there was the love interest. Oh, how I adored her character. She was everything that Thana was not, and was the perfect complement to her character. I would happily read about these two all day, every day, given the opportunity.
Okay, now it’s time to talk about the plot. Wow. The Impossible Contract left me shook. I knew that it was probably going to up the ante from The Perfect Assassin, but there was no way I could predict everything that K.A. Doore through at us in this novel. It was amazing, breathtaking, and harrowing to read it as it all unfolded.
If I could have one wish; it’d be that I could read The Impossible Contract for the first time all over again. I wish I had savored it more, for it was as intense as it was brilliant. I actively enjoyed trying to read between the lines; trying to see what K.A. Doore was just shy of telling us. That made the read much more exciting, for obvious reasons.
While I am sad that I’ve already finished The Impossible Contract, I do have some good news! There’s already a title and cover for the next book in The Chronicles of Ghadid. The Unconquered City. And wow, that title is giving me the chills. Anyone else?

Review copy provided by the publisher. Also, the author is a friend of mine, and we share the same agent.
This is the sequel to The Perfect Assassin. It's not as crucial as some series to read the first one first, but there's a lot of chewy worldbuilding grounding going on, so there's a lot to be gained from reading them in order, and the first one is still perfectly well in print, so why not?
What it is not, however, is a series where you follow the same protagonist throughout. Frankly, I love that about it. I love having a different perspective, a completely different protagonist--although Amastan is still a character in this one, he's no longer center stage. His cousin Thana is trying to make and keep her own reputation as an assassin in Ghadid. She's fond of Amastan but sometimes frustrated with him, and always full of her own concerns, her own ideas--her own love life.
And Thana's problems only start in the city of Ghadid. They take her into the desert, on caravan trips, into empires, and beyond. Ghadid is Thana's heart, but the larger world is her canvas. She and acerbic healer Mo are sometimes working together, sometimes at cross purposes, but with a far larger stage than either of them ever expected--and knowing Ghadid well from the first book helps make the rest of it feel even more vivid and urgent. I had so much fun with this, and I highly recommend it.