Book Review: Winter of Ice and Iron

Winter of Ice and Iron

By:  Rachel Neumeier

Publish Date:  November 21, 2017

Format:  576 pgs

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  Stand-alone

First Impression:  Where the land has power, and works with it's people. Most of the time.

Synopsis:
In this gorgeous, dark fantasy in the spirit of Jacqueline Carey, a princess and a duke must protect the people of their nations when a terrible threat leaves everyone in danger.

With the Mad King of Emmer in the north and the vicious King of Pohorir in the east, Kehara Raehema knows her country is in a vulnerable position. She never expected to give up everything she loves to save her people, but when the Mad King’s fury leaves her land in danger, she has no choice but to try any stratagem that might buy time for her people to prepare for war—no matter the personal cost.

Hundreds of miles away, the pitiless Wolf Duke of Pohorir, Innisth Eanete, dreams of breaking his people and his province free of the king he despises. But he has no way to make that happen—until chance unexpectedly leaves Kehara on his doorstep and at his mercy.

Yet in a land where immanent spirits inhabit the earth, political disaster is not the greatest peril one can face. Now, as the year rushes toward the dangerous midwinter, Kehera and Innisth find themselves unwilling allies, and their joined strength is all that stands between the peoples of the Four Kingdoms and utter catastrophe.

First Sentence:
Jeneil ine Suon was a beautiful girl.

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My Thoughts and Summary:
*I read this book for my own enjoyment.

We get the story from Innisth and Kehera along with Tiro. These story lines venture to different lands and are very important characters in the lands. And also becoming even more valuable to the survival of the land as they know it. We see how things are in these places, and what draws them together. Or apart. The lives of the characters cross in unexpected ways.

This is a fantasy, and written as such. We get great details that describe the world. The Immanent Powers of the earth are connected to the ruler in specific areas. The connection and power is very interesting. And when one is corrupted... Oh how things get complicated and ugly.

The books beginning felt slower as we meet the characters, but I found I was drawn to Innisth Eanete from first meeting. He can be harsh and even cruel, but he doesn't want to be this way all the time. He wants his kingdom to live and thrive. To do that, he does need to be harsh but there is more to ruling than cruelty. Innisth seems to know this. Before long, Innisth becomes my favorite character in the book. He sees a difference in his Immanent Power when Kehera is around, and how the two powers work together. Kehera lives through hard times, and knows the truth in the way things go. She's not a dumb character. No. She's smart and knows how things work and will work. She acts as a rulers daughter should and I appreciate her for this. Kehera grows through the book, becoming a strong female character.

There is a character that's not a main character, but he's one that helps. When I first meet him I thought he was interesting. The second time I saw him on the page, I was drawn to him. I felt he knew more that what he was saying. In the third extensive meeting, we learn he does have a tie to something and knows more than we thought. He almost feels like a premonition type.

This book has a magic to it that is different. There are Immanent Powers that are born of the land and tie bonds with rulers and the family of. The person tied has to master the power to keep it in balance, but there are times when the power grows beyond the ruling person. This is dangerous when it happens. The story that goes with the Immanent Powers also leads to Fortunate and Unfortunate Gods. There is a different tie used in the book as well. One to make a sorcerer.

When all come together and we see Kehera and Innisth interact, I'm drawn into them. They balance each other well and give each other a spark that I enjoyed. I like that Kehera is NOT afraid to stand up to Innisth, and I think Innisth likes this as well. Their story together vastly grows and moves the book along. The troubles they cross and what they fight for. Even how they grow founder of each other. This is what I enjoyed seeing.

I love the growth of their relationship and how they are there for each other. This is how I like my love interests and relationships to go, naturally from the characters and events around them drawing them together.

Rachel takes characters and gracefully glides them into positions they are perfect for, but don't want or think they are right for. There are hard moments they live through that brings out their inner selves, and these are the people they truly are and where they should be.



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