I can finally admit to myself that I didn't like this book as much as I had hoped. 

The first book ended on a high note, and I had expected the sequel to guide us gently down from that peak, but instead, it felt like an unending rollercoaster. Just rising and falling with no signs of eventually slowing down. And then we were eventually brought to an unsatisfactory stop. 

The pacing was all over the place, and the narrative felt cluttered with an onslaught of new characters and an abundance of clans to comprehend all at once, leaving the storyline feeling a bit scattered.

In the first book, I really Serapio and Xiala, both individually and together. But in this one, we barely see them together, or even at all. While I liked Serapio's character, I wished he'd taken a different approach. But it’s understandable that he finds it hard and he can’t help it. And It’s tough, I get it plus she’s eager to find Serapio, but Xiala just didn’t do it for me this time. Similarly, my feelings toward Iktan mirrored this; it’s like they both started positively in the first book, but my sentiments changed as the narrative in this one progressed. 

Strangely enough, Naranpa, who irritated me a bit in the first book, turned out to be my favorite character here. Unfortunately, Okoa left me somewhat disappointed. I had hoped for more from hi , but I guess it's understandable that loyalties can be difficult to navigate. Now, I’m mostly rooting for Serapio and Naranpa, whether they rule together or separately. And I find this shift in focus on my part both conflicting and disappointing. And I'm unsure if this outcome is what the author se out to achieve.

Nevertheless, I known I will undoubtedly read the next book in the series. My curiosity about Serapio's reign and the potential return of Naranpa to join forces with him is just too strong to resist.