Defy the court. Find the cure. Win the war.After their grueling, death-filled journey to the land of the bloodthirsty Cirisian elves, Mercy and Tamriel have returned to the capital with their two desperate hopes for curing the plague: Niamh, an immortal with ties to the Old Gods; and the Cedikra, a rare medicinal flower which could save Tamriel’s people—if they can figure out how to use it before … how to use it before the king’s court tears them apart.
Meanwhile, war is brewing in the Cirisor Islands. Under the thrall of his cruel, cunning father, Calum can do nothing but watch as Firesse assembles an army unlike any before. Armed with unnatural magic, deadly Assassins, and world-class weaponry, the Cirisians will stop at nothing to make the humans pay for the mistreatment of their ancestors. Unable to speak, unable to act, Calum must find a way to break free of his captors’ grasp before Firesse destroys everyone and everything he loves.
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There is nothing I like better than an action and emotion filled epic fantasy. And this series is a whopper.
From the very beginning, in Merciless, I have loved the characters that have been portrayed in Born Assassin. Mercy, the obvious star of the storyline, is one of the most complex characters I could ask to be created. Watching her go from a vicious young girl, raised by assassins, taught to be an assassin herself, yet left all on her own with no parental figures, no real friends and no real support, to a full-bodied character as diverse as can be, who develops feelings she never knew existed, like love, devotion, loyalty and friendship. It wasn’t an easy journey for her, and getting her here, to Ruthless, was a wild and dangerous ride.
But she’s here. As are Tamriel, Calum, the Daughters, King Ghyslain, and, of course, Firesse. The cast of characters is large, and completely fleshed out, each and every one. There’s no doubt with any character as to who they are and what place they have in the story. With as many characters as are in this series, that’s really hard to do, but Jacqueline has done it in spades.
The storyline itself is complex. As I’ve said, it starts with a young girl brutally being molded into an exceptional assassin. We go through the trials and tribulations with her, and when we get here, to Ruthless, we are completely engaged, and feeling everything she is, along with everyone who’s path she crosses. There are high emotions in this volume. There is a huge amount of action. And there is a love story in there that will just break your heart. Actually, more than one love story, to be honest.
So, my advice is to read this. After you’ve read Merciless and Heartless, I don’t think I’ll even need to tell you to read this. You’ll be chomping at the bit to read it. What a wonderful storyteller, Jacqueline Pawl has turned out to be!
Excellently done, Jackie! Excellently done indeed! I’d give this 10 stars if I could. You’ve done an amazing job with this series and I’m holding my breath until Fearless comes out!
I received this as an ARC, and have given this review of my own volition, and of course, in my own words. As always. But, frankly, I love it enough that I will be purchasing it the moment it goes live.
Ruthless with my heart
I had to take a step away when I finished this book in the series that is still pending a final resolution next year. There was tragedy, adventure, romance and deception rolled into another fascinating delve into this fantasy world of humans and elves and the fight for survival.
Featuring POV switches between Mercy, Tamriel and Calum in the alternating chapters we live the story with them. I was so sad when this book finished as some of my favorite characters are no more… and many things are left unanswered.
While it still has the weird issues with tense in the writing style, as you read, at least my brain adjusts it from present tense to something that is easier to read and I fall into the story.
Example “keep looking nags the voice in Mercy’s head. It’s not the same voice she had heard before, it’s not Liselle. Or “Desperate to take her mind off her troubled thoughts, she plucks the top book off the pile and hands it to Tamriel, then takes the next one for herself.” It reads more smoothly in my opinion as observing it after. Desperate to avoid troubling thoughts, Mercy plucked the book…”
I am on the fence if I can continue reading the series, all the loss is troubling to my heart.
Recommended for those with sturdier hearts than me.
A fantastic addition to the series. This read is a real page turner that had me on the edge of my seat. This is a fantastic read. The Author has done a fantastic job at world building as well as the Characters. Its like while reading the characters seem so real its like you can see the scenes in your minds eye. The scenes are epic and very well written. I definitely recommend this read.
Shauna Joesten.