Ahoy there mateys! The entire time I was reading this book, I felt like I was missing something and had been tossed in over me 'ead.  Apparently this was the second book in the Mkalis Cycle.  This takes place in the "nine hundred and ninety-nine realms of Mkalis, the world of spirits, where gods and demons wage endless war" according to the blurb of the first book, the border keeper.  I wish I would have read that book first because this novella had no real descriptions about how and why this world worked the way it did and other reviews say this is a direct follow up to the events in the first book.  I did really enjoy the main character Tyn, a warrior, who finds herself at the center of trying to keep her realm safe.  I enjoyed the plot while I read this book because I wanted to know what was going on.  Upon finishing it, I will still scratching me noggin.  I don't plan on going to read book one.  Not sure if I would read more of the author's work. Arrrr!

The descriptions are intense and beautiful, the realms are strange and bound to odd rules. There's a section of horror in the middle that genuinely got me, its shift from the outright horror to the more subtle horror absolutely chilling. Second Spear deposits the reader a complex and rich world that continues to be built out as the novella continues. It's a little jarring at first with very little explanation, but over time more becomes clear as the story continues on. While this is presented as a story that does not require reading the other novella in this world, I do wonder if having read that first would have made things a little clearer early on.Kerstin Hall’s Second Spear is an excellent, imaginative story. It expands and deepens the worlds Hall created in The Border Keeper. Highly recommended.

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall returns to The Border Keeper’s wonderfully fantastical world where 999 different realms are governed by gods and demons who are all grappling for control.

In this particular story, Tyn sets out to track down a remaining god instrument to protect Res Lfae and her realm.

As much as I adore Tyn as a lead character, it’s the setting itself that is the highlight of the story for me. This is an richly imaginative world that you can truly get lost in (quite literally). There are bone flowers and a deadly forest that plays tricks on you, creating this almost darkly whimsical fairytale undercurrent that I absolutely loved.

Honestly, there really are so many possibilities with where this series could go and so many different realms that I’m excited to explore more of it.

"They seem nice, so I assume they are planning to murder us?"

In this sequel to The Border Keeper, we find a twisty plot and psychedelic realms worthy of its predecessor. It compounds the mysteries and confusion of the first book, so I recommend reading them back to back. While I liked the mental work in book one, it felt more of a burden in the sequel since no amount of rereading paragraphs or slowing down to sift for meaning was going to recover detailed memories of the previous book. It seems to closely follow the first in time and plot, so it's kind of a big deal if you remember what on earth is going on.

I did better with the story once it shifted into quest mode, taking us into the orbits of new gods and demons that serve as friends and foes on our journey. In each realm, the characters must learn its rules and break them at their peril. All of their stops have an otherworldly ambience of their own, one of the greatest strengths of the book. Furthermore, Tyn is an intriguing protagonist. While she serves faithfully as the Second Spear of her realm, she's also connecting with herself from a past life. That means we see her stubbornly protecting her ruler and compatriots at all costs, but we also see her visiting a magical college library that talks to itself as she wonders about the scholar she once was. Tyn is smart, fierce, and loyal, so I found it easy to root for her.

This was an enjoyable reading experience, but the thing holding me back from a higher rating is how frustrated and confused I felt at certain points, especially but not limited to the beginning. Thanks to Tordotcom for my copy to read and review!

Lush, descriptive writing, with a story line that is quite intriguing. It is full of secrets, betrayals, and a lot more adventure than the first. The book is a lot more heavy on gods and different worlds, and might be confusing on its own, if you haven't read the first. I will keep coming back to this author just for the writing alone - it is exquisite.

Kerstin Hall's newest fantasy novel follows the titular Second Spear, Tyn, a warrior and loyal subject of Res Lfae, the demon lord who cares deeply for those who dwell in his realm. When Res Lfae comes under threat of another unruly demon who is rumored to have dealt with forbidden god instruments, it falls to Tyn; Rion, a distraught new recruit to her tribe; and her ever disapproving First Spear, Vehn, to save the realm they serve.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I do think that it will click better with readers that have read the first novella in the series, but having read Second Spear as a standalone, I was still enthralled. Hall crafts a beautiful and lush underworld that any fantasy fan would love, and Tyn really stood out to me as a stellar main character, resilient and persevering, though not always understood by the people around her.

This is definitely a book for folks who want to lose themselves completely in a world that is nothing like our own.

"Second Spear" is a novella follow up to "The Border Keeper" by Kerstin Hall. Thank you Tor Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC! My long suffering assistant stuck around for the reading too.

OK, this is a strange book, different realms, each with their own rules of conduct and existence. Gods and Demons are just there and interact with the Dwellers of their realms, in totally peaceable or yikes ways. And some have nightmare fuel ecosystems.

But we follow Tyn, a women who recently got information on things from her past in the previous book. Just dealing with all that and now an enemy has one of the most op weapons I can think of. Also haunted cats.

Reasons to read:
-Esoteric rules on conduct and behavior that limit beings of immense power
-The cover is a badass lady with a spear, if that isn't an instant mark for me by now I dunno what I'm not conveying accurately
-Sometimes it's a real good idea to take a step back and quit a job, and that's ok
-Never could predict what the next realm would be like

Cons:
-Literally my nightmare in one of the realms

THIS BOOK WAS FANTASTIC! Tyn was my favourite character in The Border Keeper so I was so excited to hear that she was the protagonist in the second book. Throwing us right back into this portal-fantasy and it's twisty worlds and rules, Tyn was a breath of fresh air to guide us. This series is a fast favourite.

I’ve honestly never read a sequel that vastly improved upon the first book the way that second spear did.

I struggled with the border keeper, despite my love of the world building and rich storytelling. But second spear took the criticisms of the first book and just wildly improved upon them.

I loved every single character. Seeing our big characters through Tyns eyes was illuminating. The new demons and rulers introduced were phenomenal.

I won’t easily forget the incredible lore and world built by this book.

Once again, as with the Border Keeper, this is a beautifully-written poem of a novella. The descriptions are intense and beautiful, the realms are strange and bound to odd rules. There's a section of horror in the middle that genuinely got me, its shift from the outright horror to the more subtle horror absolutely chilling. Really good stuff.

The characters were realistic and believable; I cried near the end at one character point, and I could genuinely believe how all their flaws lead to the way the story came out. There's a lot of it that didn't feel fair for the characters because I wanted things to be better for them, but even if they weren't fair, they were right.

It felt very much like a middle book; a lot of the events in this novella were clearly written to set up how things will play out in later books, so quite a bit of it felt unresolved; it was a way of getting the overarching story from a to b. It did have its own plot, of course, and an important one (Lfae's life and realm being at stake!) but in terms of the greater plot we've been told so far, it was about moving pieces into place more than about resolving the major issues that this story raised. (I did wish we got to spend more time with Lfae -- by far my favorite character -- than we actually did! Not a flaw with the writing, just something I missed).

I did occasionally feel like I didn't understand the reasonings behind the God Instrument-related rules. You're not allowed to make new ones, but finding, stealing, and using existing ones appears to be just fine? I assume there's reasoning behind it, but I wish those details had gone into the extensive text of God Instruments and their Makers so I'd have had some grounding in what was and wasn't allowed, since that tied heavily into the plot. <spoiler>It's not just a question of the wrong questions being asked at the trial and no tools allowed at all, because obviously Tyn ends up using one and that was a-ok, and it doesn't seem like Buyak would have actually got into any trouble if he'd found an existing one (which is what I'd assumed he'd done).</spoiler>

An enjoyable read -- I'm looking forward to the next book in the cycle.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Tor for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to read and review this book because the promotional material I received indicated it would work fine as an entry point to the series, but I don't recommend reading this one until you've read the first book. The plot of this story doesn't really hinge on anything that came before, and it is actually pretty straightforward and easy to follow. However, a great deal of the first part of the book is just the characters talking about the events of the previous book and dealing with their aftermath. Some of the parts of the book with the heaviest emotional resonance also fell a bit flat for me because it seemed they relied on relationship development that occurred in the previous story.

Now on to my thoughts about this particular story. As I mentioned above, the plot was fairly straightforward and mostly focused on finding a particular MacGuffin that the protagonists needed to protect their realm from an invader. There were plenty of interesting characters, and they all had distinct arcs of growth that reached satisfying conclusions. The world-building was the biggest strength in this story. There were so many cool dimensions with fascinating and frightening features, and the descriptions brought them to life in a way that sucked me into the worlds. Unfortunately, the vast world-building came at the expense of the story and much of the journey felt pointless by the end. Therefore, I rate this one 3 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed quite a few aspects of it, especially the cool worlds, but I was never really gripped by the story or characters in a way that made me NEED to keep reading. Although, I do wonder if maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the first book prior to this one... So, this could totally be on me rather than the book.

Kerstin Hall is great at writing sharp, dark fantasy stories. This one was not my usual kind of read, but nonetheless, I found myself engaged by the plot and by Hall's writing and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Great for fantasy fans.

I was expecting a similar book to The Border Keeper, but this wasn’t it. I actually found this one to be easier to follow because you could kind of see where the plot was going and it wasn’t quite as lyrical and flowy. This follows Second Spear Tyn as she is swept up in machinations of gods, goddesses and demons. Still enjoyable, just different from book 1.

Tyn survived a vengeful goddess and learning truths that left her estranged from her role as guard. Now that she knows who she is, her frustration erupts in all the wrong ways. It's when an old enemy returns with a weapon able to destroy an entire realm, Tyn must decide what her future will be.

This is a sequel to "Border Keeper," which I hadn't read. Even so, this novel starts off with Tyn recovering from events in the first book and explaining some things to a brand new recruit causing problems. On top of that is a trial for the bad guy, so we're brought up to speed pretty quickly. Of course, the trial doesn't go according to plan, and Kan Buyak is s exonerated. This truly kicks off the plot for this novel, which is fascinating. Gods and demons in different realms, God killer weapons and a quest for allies are all major things for Tyn to deal with, especially when the allies she's working with on her journey don't exactly like her. She hasn't been especially likable so far, but the deaths from the first book were traumatizing. Even for a hardened warrior, seeing friends and healers killed as a way to draw her attention is still something to shake her spirits.

The book is a complicated journey through different realms with the purpose of finding allies. The Mkalis system is fascinating, with gods, demons, and different realms that have their own rules and realities. Tyr is a warrior, and her last life was that of a scholar. The two aspects are expected to be diametrically opposite, but it's her study that ultimately leads her to find a way to combat her enemy. Tyr holds her ruler and superior officer in high esteem, but she's usually called Upstart. I can see why, because she doesn't always do the expected thing, and questions tradition. This and her need for the approval of those she cares about drives her forward. It's a thrilling fantasy system and one that will be wonderful to explore as the series continues.

Well, I accidentally read a book two before a book one…. It’s an odd universe. There are numerous pocket realms, each ruled by a god or demon. There are passages between these universes if a ruler has made a deal with the head of another realm in the past. They make me think of realms of the fae all separate worlds even if they hold just a single village. It’s an odd world but it’s so well written that despite not having the background of book one I could follow the story easily. I’m going to go back and read book one…

This is the story of Tyn, who is the Second Spear in the realm of her ruler, which is one of, as I understand it, 999 realms, all ruled by different gods and demons. Throughout the course of this story, Tyn is swept up into some serious realm-on-realm fighting, and has to make some hard choices.

Now, to start, this novella seems to be a sequel to a previous novel, and I got the feeling often that I was missing some important information, not so much as to what was happening, but on things that had happened before. It read well enough that I could follow what was happening to Tyn in this story alone, but there was definitely a whole bunch of shenanigans that were alluded to from a story set in a previous time than this one. Characters she already knows, events that happened before this story, etc. I don't think it's 100% necessary to read that first, especially if you're hoping to just try out the story/writing, but keep in mind that stuff like that is present.

The world sounded really interesting, in that everyone who dwells in it, aside from the rulers (though, perhaps them as well) had a previous life... somewhere? I don't know if this is a died-and-came-to-heaven/hell situation or if they just lived somewhere previously. The best thing I can compare this to is an anime named Haibane Renmei, in that the characters seem to die or something similar and are reborn as dwellers of these realms.

All told, I really liked the writing and I thought that the story was interesting. It made me want to read the first book, and at the same time, made me worried that this story will have now spoiled the ending of that one for myself. I suppose I'll find out? Perhaps if I wait long enough between them, I'll forget some of the details! ^_^

TL;DR

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall cements the Mkalis Cycle as an imaginative fantasy series worth reading. Highly recommended.

Review: Second Spear by Kerstin Hall

Fantasy drew me in as a reader because of the possibilities. It is a genre that allows the imagination to run free to its wildest edges. Some authors choose to stick close to reality with small changes made here and there. Others choose to invent worlds wholly out of the depths of their minds. It is this variety that keeps the genre diverse and enticing. As a reader, this variety gives me plenty of worlds for my own imagination to take respite. I love fictional worldbuidling because of the possibilities. In the Mkalis Cycle, Kerstin Hall’s imagination builds many worlds to tell her tale. Hall began the story in The Border Keeper and continues in Second Spear. This tale of worlds within worlds lets Hall tell a weird, wonderful story about devotion. Second Spear takes readers on a journey through realms and tickles the imagination with possibilities.

Tyn made a mistake. Second Spear opens in the wake of that mistake. Because of her, her ruler, Res Lfae, angered the powerful ruler of a different realm in Mkalis. She is recovering under the care of the healer tribe. Soon the First Spear suspends Tyn for her actions that put Res Lfae in danger in The Border Keeper. But Tyn is needed to testify against the ruler of a different realm in an important Tribunal of Buyak, a trial that has the potential to shake up the 999 realms of Mkalis.

Second Spear is a third person story focused on Tyn. She learned some important secrets in The Border Keeper, and she’s dealing with them in this story. She’s questioning who she is and if her place in Res Lfae’s community is the correct one. For a novella, there’s a lot of characters in Second Sister. Tyn, Vehn (First Spear), and Rion (a new arrival to Mkalis) get the most screen time here. Vehn and Rion are complementary to Tyn. Though the three are often at odds, they make a good trio. Their social dynamic kept me glued to the book.

The Mkalis Cycle

Second Spear is the second novella in the Mkalis Cycle. Before I requested this, I hadn’t read the first book, The Border Keeper. But since these were short works, I requested book one from the library. I read through it quickly. The story impressed me, and I wanted to see what more Hall could dream up. I would also highly recommend The Border Keeper. As soon as I finished the first book, I immediately began Second Spear. I wanted to be back in Hall’s weird world.

The setting of the Mkalis Cycle consists of two worlds: Ahri and Mkalis. When a person dies in Ahri, they are reborn in Mkalis. And vice versa, I think. It was less clear if those who die in Mkalis return to Ahri. The border between those two worlds is guarded by…the Border Keeper. “She lived where the railway tracks met the saltpan, on the Ahri side of the shadowline. In the old days, when people still talked about her, she was known as the end-of-the-line woman.” Vasethe seeks her out because he wishes to find someone in Mkalis, and only the Border Keeper can let a living person pass from Ahri into Mkalis. His adventures with the Border Keeper throw both of their lives into chaos.

That chaos forms the basis for Second Spear. Both Vasethe and the Border Keeper appear in this novella, but it’s very much Tyn’s story. She’s living through the consequences of Vasethe’s and the Border Keeper’s actions. And like any good guard, Tyn’s first duty is to protect the ruler of her realm. Like any good fictional hero, she rises above and beyond that call of duty to become a legend of her own.

I’m a fan of the Mkalis Cycle. I hope we get a lot more installments. Second Spear kept the story moving while introducing a new point of view. I wonder if future installments will follow this pattern. Regardless, I’ll be reading.

The Realms of Mkalis

As I said in the introduction, I love worldbuilding. Hall has created something special here. The nine hundred and ninety-nine realms of Mkalis offer her so many possibilities as an author. Since Mkalis is the afterlife, the realms don’t have to conform to reality. Each realm is as its ruler wishes it to be. In addition, the ruler of the realm can create rules that all within must abide. For example, in Buyak’s realm the truth must be told. Falsehoods result in pain. There’s a realm in which the inhabitants cannot step backwards; they must travel forwards. The Tribunal takes place in the air over a city described as a burning coal. Another realm is described as having sheets of fungi growing everywhere.

Both The Border Keeper and Second Spear are excellent books with a lot to like about each book. I keep coming back to the worlds Hall has made because they’re fascinating. Though each book is slim by the standards of fantasy publishing, the worlds within are expansive, imaginative, and yet believable. I think what makes them work is that each realm is internally consistent, and Hall’s character treat them as such. Each realm reveals bits and pieces about the characters in how they act within.

Journey, Not Destination

Second Spear is Tyn’s book. But here she’s continuing a journey that began in The Border Keeper. She’s a warrior and a damn good one. We know that she rose quickly through the ranks to become Second Spear. Her ascension through the ranks earned her the nickname of ‘Upstart’ because she is young and yet so capable. We see this throughout the story. Yet, in this story, she begins to question her place as a guard. For the realm of Res Lfae, this means questioning her tribal identity as well. It seems that in their realm the tribe determines the occupation. While this isn’t a hard and fast rule, it’s one that most stick to. So, her questioning has larger implications for her.

Complicating her questioning is her devotion to her ruler. Tyn is a protector, and she’s very concerned protecting Res Lfae. This is because whoever kills a realm’s ruler can claim the realm. Lfae is a good ruler, and Tyn wishes to keep them. Tyn’s devotion to Lfae and need to make amends for her mistake drive much of her action here. It’s this devotion to Lfae and her people that make Tyn so interesting to read about. She dedicates herself to protecting others, and she’s very good at it. But it may not be what she wants. I look forward to seeing how this develops in future installments of the Mkalis Cycle.

Conclusion

Kerstin Hall’s Second Spear is an excellent, imaginative story. It expands and deepens the worlds Hall created in The Border Keeper. Highly recommended.

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall is available from Tor.com on August 16th, 2022.

Second Spear is the fantastic sequel to The Border Keeper. In this latest installment, an enemy returns to challenge Tyn and her chosen family. As Tyn grapples with the revelations about herself that were unveiled in The Border Keeper, she must decide what family means and whether she still holds the same convictions. Tyn must choose what she will fight for and who she wants to be.

I devoured Second Spear; I couldn’t put it down! Kerstin Hall beautifully draws readers into a world where vengeful gods and goddesses exist and political tensions are sky high. I loved learning more about Tyn and getting to see her point of view. She is a fiercely loyal and devoted character with strong convictions, which are tested throughout her journey. The world-building is extensive for a relatively short book. The magic and secrets of Mkalis are fascinating and I look forward to seeing what Kerstin Hall writes next! Readers who enjoy Seanan McGuire (Every Heart A Doorway) and Neil Gaiman (Neverwhere) should check out this series!

Thank you to Kerstin Hall, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc

This is the second book in the Mkalis Cycle; in some areas I thought it was better than the first, and in other areas I thought it struggled with some of the same things.

Synopsis: The trial against Kan Buyak has failed, there’s at least one God Instrument out there, The Border Keeper is struggling, and the realms are in danger. Tyn, the Second Spear of Res Lfae’s realm, is our POV for this book and she sets out to save her realm. In the process she learns more about herself, grows into a better leader, deciphers treason, takes on some truly wild enemies, visits many realms (and this aspect of these books I think is hands down the strongest), and is a certifiable badass.

The best part of these books is the world building. Each realm is crafted with such care and beauty or danger and the world truly feels alive.

However, I found myself unsatisfied with certain aspects that I don’t entirely know how to communicate. While this book had a fairly clear goal, the understanding of that goal continually morphs, reshapes, and redirects itself many times throughout the book, which left me feeling like the stakes were underdeveloped and that parts of the story just came out of nowhere. And I may have just forgotten about details from the first book, but I feel like we’re still waiting for resolution - or even follow up - on the first page of the first book.

Ultimately, these are interesting and entertaining books with masterful world building. There is plenty to find and enjoy within them and, while they're not for everyone, if you enjoyed the first one I think you'd enjoy the second!

3.5 Stars

Second Spear deposits the reader a complex and rich world that continues to be built out as the novella continues. It's a little jarring at first with very little explanation, but over time more becomes clear as the story continues on. While this is presented as a story that does not require reading the other novella in this world, I do wonder if having read that first would have made things a little clearer early on.

We're introduced to a world that is compromised of hundreds of realms each ruled by a god or demon, each with its own unique elements, and each with its own rules. A lot of terms are thrown out with little explanation, but patience will get you more answers as the story continues. Hall utilizes a very much "show, don't tell" approach for most of the book (barring some more in depth explanation on God Instruments which are an important part of the plot) which means many answers are not handed to you, but have to be inferred from other details in the story.

My biggest complaint overall is the lack of explanation on the motivation of the characters on a large scale. The main character, Tyn, and other characters as well do have fairly clear motivations in regards to their personal struggle, but I felt an overall look at the broader implications was a bit lacking. That said, while this was a slow start for me, I found myself very engaged by the end, and the ending itself to be quite satisfying.

Reading this story feels like just scratching the surface of what the world has to offer, and certainly has me curiosus to read more stories in this setting and start to uncover more of the mysteries it hides.