Wednesday, April 27, 2022

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Tear Down the Throne by Jennifer Estep

 




Full Disclosure:  This book was read as an e-ARC (Advance Reader Copy) obtained via Netgalley from the publisher in advance of the book's release on May 3 2022 in exchange for a potential review.  I give my word that this did not affect my review in any way - if I felt conflicted in any way, I would simply have declined to review the book.

Tear Down the Throne is the second book in Jennifer Estep's Gargoyle Queen trilogy, which began last year with Capture the Crown (my review here).  The trilogy takes place in the same world (and with some shared characters) as Estep's earlier Crown of Stars trilogy, albeit about a decade and a half later - such that its main character Gemma is now all grown up from when she was but a child in the first trilogy.  Something about Estep's writing in this series has really appealed to me - the series is not anything I would call special, or would highly recommend, but it reads incredibly well, is highly fun and enjoyable in its characters and plots, and well, I tend to devour them extremely fast.  So I was very happy to get an advance copy of this.  

And Tear Down the Throne is more of the same, with perhaps one minor difference from the other four books I've read in this world.  That difference being that while book 1 was very much a slow burn in its romantic relationship - an enemies to lovers type plot arc - this book is very much not, with the story even including what I think is the first explicit sex scene in the series.  And then there's still the question of spies and conspiracies and what the various bad guys are planning and scheming, which is still a lot of fun....along with some really cute moments.  Again, this is hardly anything special, but if you're looking for enjoyable very easily readable fantasy, this continues to be that.  

----------------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------------
Gemma Ripley has spent her time since escaping from Morta - where she suffered from torture at the hands of the evil Queen Maeven, thwarted the attempted coup and monstrous grab for power of Maeven's son Milo, and fell dangerously close to being in love with Maeven's other son Leonidas - searching for answers.  In particular, Gemma has searched for answers as to what Milo intends to do with the magical tearstone weapons he's been developing, hunting down leads with her good friend (and fellow spy) Reiko.  Even if those leads turn into deadly traps.  

Anything for Gemma to not only find answers, but to avoid dealing with her feelings for Leonidas - the prince she feels desperately attracted to, whose mind magic matches her own, and who betrayed her to his mother back in Morta.  But when they both attend a trade summit between the various neighboring kingdoms, Gemma finds herself caught in a dangerous game invoked by Maeven herself - a game which threatens to push Leonidas and Gemma together....permanently.  

It's a fate that Gemma both desperately wants to avoid and yet might deep down want for herself, but Gemma can't forget that the possibility is dangled by her enemy, a woman who always has ulterior motives in mind.  And then there's Milo and his equally malicious fiance, who have their own agenda at hand, and may be completely willing to destroy everyone at the trade summit to achieve it.  
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Tear Down the Throne continues the story of Gemma as she tries to balance her competing interests - her wish to be a spy and an aid to Andvari rather than merely a pampered princess; her need to stop Morta, the country that tortured her and caused her family such tragedy as a child; and her attraction to Leonidas, despite her feeling like she can't trust him due to his prior betrayal and his Mortan background.  Unlike last book, Gemma's role in thwarting Milo is now somewhat known, so she's no longer merely considered a silly spoiled princess, but now is treated as an asset and a threat by various parties....even if she still is underestimated a little.  And Gemma now has more allies to start, like her fellow spy for her allied nation in Reiko, in addition to the gargoyles like her beloved Grimley and the younger more exuberant gargoyle Fern.  

Which doesn't stop this novel from giving Gemma plenty of new obstacles and challenges.  Once again she's sneaking away in fun intriguing spy missions to try and figure out what's going on.  Once again she's getting herself and her friends into trouble on those missions, and having to use her strengthening telepathy and telekinesis to get herself out of it.  And once again you have the antagonists scheming both openly and behind the scenes, and this time you also have uncertain allies in the leaders of neighboring nations with their own agendas also getting in the way, and putting Gemma and her people in danger.  

And most of all you have Gemma and Leonidas, whose romance comes to the forefront with the "Gauntlet" challenge Maeven throws them into, as Gemma tries desperately - and naturally fails - to suppress her attraction to the Mortan prince.  The book keeps them apart just long enough for you to yell "Go Fuck Already!" before it finally gives you what you want, and the culmination of this is just great, with a sex scene that might not be special in the grand scheme of sex scenes, but is well done and is immensely satisfying in context.  

Really that's the best way to sum up this book and this series (this trilogy and the prior one) - Not special in the grand scheme of things, but executed really well, very easy to read, and extremely satisfying.  Its not a series I'd recommend still to someone very highly, but if you decide to pick it up in search of something fun, you will not be too disappointed.*

*I guess the one thing that might disappoint is the fact that this series features absolutely zero Queer Representation, with every character seemingly being Cis and Straight.  Fair Warning*  

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