After writing over 140 books, Kevin J Anderson still has the ability to tell impressive stories. In fact, of all the KJA books I've read(which honestly isn't that many, maybe 20), I think that this is his best!

"Vengewar" takes place immediately after the events of "Spine of the Dragon" and advances the plotlines of all the main characters. What Anderson is impressive at is giving each and every character something interesting. Most of the time, I really latch onto one or two plotlines, but am uninterested in the other plotlines. However, each plotline was balanced in both time and in interest. The whole book had me captivated.

Obviously, my two main favorite characters in the book are King Adan and King Kollanan. They both are essentially the "Good guy" characters who are doing all the right things. In many ways, King Adan reminded me of King David from the Bible, as well as most fantasy protagonists. Adan desires to save his kingdom and protect his wife. He makes choices that are tough and yet seems to be doing the right thing. The audience really roots for him throughout the book.

King Kollanan really reminded me of Theoden from Lord of the Rings. He is such a noble person who feels like everyone is fighting him. I really got attached to his wife, Queen Tafira, and she had probably the most compelling story, and she isn't as much of a main protagonist as the others. She really skyrocketed in my estimation in this book.

Mandan is just a wimp. I tolerated him in the last book, but he just got on my nerves in this book. Before he was the older brother who really isn't fit to be king, but is still a good guy. Now, he's full on Joffrey(for all my GOT friends). Ugh. Even the minor plotline with his marriage, which gave me hope, ended with me angry at him. I hate Joffrey more, but Mandan is dispicable.

If I have some complaints, its the writing of Dragons in this. I'm still kind of confused on the lore, and am hoping that book three will clear up my confusion.

Also, Klovus and Utho are just dispicable. I look forward to seeing their resolution in the next book.

Probably the best part of this book is the detail that Anderson put into this. He's able to write these massive books in a matter of months, and yet every culture seems deep, every land feels different, every character feels unique, and every religion/mythology feels developed. Say what you will about authors who write 5+ books a year, but KJA isn't simply cranking them out without thought.

I feel so many things. I am happy for certain things, angry about certain things(in a good way), and really anxious about everything else. This book leaves on such a cliffhanger that I have to know what happens.

Overall, this is a magnificent book. Kevin J. Anderson outdid himself, and January 2022 can't get here quick enough. I LOVED this book. 9.7 out of 10! Amazing job Kevin!

P.S. Thank you for decreasing the sexual elements in this book. It's small but very much appreciated

Vengewar by Kevin J. Anderson

Spine of the Dragon was the first book in this series. This book picks up with increased conflict. The Sandwreths hate the Frostwreths, the three kings decide to hate each other, the Bravas hate the Isharans, the Hethrren barbarians are unpredictable, it appears that anger management is truly needed. Prejudice and blind fear fuel anger and hatred. Treachery is rampant.

It took a while to get back into the characters. That is the danger in starting a series before it is finished. Anderson writes a good story. A criticism that I just leveled against Greg Keyes, I also level here. Too many characters that I like get killed off. Obviously, I invest way too much in my reading.

I enjoyed the sequel.

Vengewar (Wake the Dragon, #2)

by Kevin J. Anderson

The world is caught between Vengewars, those whom wanted to repay their mortal enemies, and those gods whom wanted to fight between their sides. A Vengewar is a vendetta between two sides of the conflict, both listing offences, and barbaric atrocities they reap upon each other. The hinted mystery at the heart of the Wake the Dragon series may be the biggest lesson held within this amazing world. Theories abound, propaganda is at the heart of all sides of the conflict. The kings and empira are in danger because of their underlings. The conflict is heightened because of the schemes of the lords, vassals and priests, each trying to build their power, wealth and influence. This book lays the complicated weave of the series layer upon layer of conflict, and mystery.

Usually, hitting the right amount of action, character building, and stakes raising in the middle book of a trilogy can be difficult. However, Kevin Anderson handled this incredibly well and crafted a compelling sequel. The sheer amount of characters, well fleshed out characters, is a mark of the level of detail Anderson has put into this epic fantasy. The threat of the intimidating Wreths and their feud, the fearsome dragons, and the political battles all come together in a way that makes this book hard to put down.

This series is one of the best I've read lately. I can't stop thinking about the characters and I have been looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint!! The only problem now is that I have to wait for the final book.

This is one of my favorite authors. He never disappoints. I love his words and phrases, very important in a writer !!!!

Vengewar is the second release in Kevin J. Anderson’s Wake the Dragon series, a story for which I had high hopes coming in. If you read my review of book 1 (if you have not, you can do so HERE), you know that I was disappointed but ultimately decided the series had enough potential to continue with it. I am mostly happy about that decision, as I did enjoy book 2 more and the setup going into book 3 is very intriguing.

My biggest challenge with the first book was pacing. Everything was very dense and explain-y that I struggled getting through it. It was slow, and there was not enough intrigue creating by the plot. The narrative started in one place and was basically a plateau throughout most of the book.

Vengewar is similar in style, though I did think the pacing was improved by the advancement of a few big events that created some short-term drama while increasing long-term suspense. There were some decent action sequences, as well as incidents that spark movement in character arcs, which I thought had really come to a standstill and were being rehashed for a bit. Because of those aspects, I definitely did not feel quite as muddled down as I did reading the first book.

This being my first Kevin J. Anderson book, and after Spine of the Dragon I thought the issue might be that sometimes first books in series can sometimes get stuck in a rut with trying to set up characters, plot, setting, etc; but, the more I think on that fact the more I come to the realization that maybe it is just that the author’s writing style is not for me: relying the long game and getting deep into the details. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy both of these writing strategies, as long there are climactic events along the way. For me, that is the aspect this series has been missing. If you like that writing style, this series is probably exactly what you are looking for.

All in all, I did like Vengewar more than Spine of the Dragon. The pacing is improved, and I like the progress of some of the character arcs. I am going to go ahead and finish the Wake the Dragon series by reading God and Dragons next. I want to see how it all turns out.

Really good book read the series in 2 weeks

Excellent middle part of trilogy by KJA. Extremely recommended.

I’ve read one of his novels and I really enjoyed it I can’t wait to see what happens in this novel

Every thing brilliant from star to finish