Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Nalini Singh - Allegiance of Honor

The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.
But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.
To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?


Comment: This is the latest installment in the Psy/Changeling series by author Nalini Singh, probably one of the best PNR authors of today. This book has been received positively but for some readers it was repetitive. I was simply hoping to be amazed by the story and the possibility of seeing beloved characters consolidate their wonderful HEAs we've read before.

This book is a sort of extended epilogue to all the books we've had before. The book follows several known characters and their actions not only in showing us how they are in their lives, in terms of domestic routines, but also when trying to solve some situations, including the finally here story of father Xavier, a character we've know since book #3...
Trying to help a water changeling and protecting the interests of the friends they have as well as protecting Naya from anyone who might want to hurt her are also plots to follow here.
All the plots have a sort of connection and the best thing is to see how happy our couples have been.

One of the biggest critics this book has is how repetitive the information. It's also too sugary and clearly a fixing of ideas before the next arc begins.
Any fan would have known this prior reading, the author has made it clear this would not be a book like we were used to and would fall more into positive and happiness mode. I can understand how some readers could have still hoped for more advances in the general plots, but the author has explained where this would fit. Personally, I knew what to expect and loved it!
Yes, the story has repetitive moments, especially when we are shown many times how happy everyone is but that's precisely the idea. The fact the author spend hours writing about things most only include at the end of books and for one or two ages was/is incredible. For me, it rocked because there's a purpose in romances for the characters and this just confirmed us all that what we've seen and read is solid. So many times, after a while, things change in fictional world, but this is the assurance we used our time well before. I liked this one a lot.

There are several sub plots going on and a new "enemy" whose identity we don't know (but who will be of importance in the future for sure) along with some issues related to where things are after the fall of Silence for the Psy.
A new reader or a sporadic reader who hasn't been in love with the series so far won't certainly enjoy all the details and nuances of the plot. But I'm a devoted fan and I think that colors my perspective. Things just make sense to me and even the constant switch in POV or sub plots didn't bother me at all.

In the end, I didn't mind the repetition of ideas and how wonderful life was for hose in love, even with little challenges along the way. I can understand how that might have bothered some readers and they thought this book would explain more things but thee are more stories to come. This is full circle for some things but the ideas to further develop are here as well. Of course we wouldn't have everything explained and solved! Then why keeping up with it?

Again, to em this worked out quite well. It's not perfect, I would always change or say some things differently, some parts seemed less interesting as it always happen, but I feel so happy with this. My time as a fan and a reader of the series mattered and this is my reward. I just simply see things this way!
And I'll look for the next book with novellas and a new book (hopefully) next year. I think this series is officially my favorite ever in PNR!!
Grade: 9/10

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