My dreams have great meaning. A dream brought me to Baskrod when I was a small boy. A dream showed me the emperor’s mad ravings in his throne room. And a recurring dream reveals that I will someday ride a lion into the city of Tzoladia at the head of a grand procession.But prophecies, dreams, and signs are easy to misinterpret. Why else would the wise men of the Society of the Word hide in caves, … hide in caves, carry swords, and employ spies? I thought they would know where to find the other deliverers.
But I was wrong.
Nobody knows where they are. For all I know, the emperor may already have them in his trap.
more
I received a free copy of this book, this review posted was done so voluntarily.
Book Three in this exciting series is just as good if not the best in this series thus far.
In this book, everything centres around the city of Tzoladia – a city of weird noises, hatred, misunderstanding, slavery and strange ways. Our three main characters (with one minor twist) begin to intertwine with each other in a unique manner that leaves you craving for more.
Our story begins with Brina is sold into slavery, her peaceful people who do no harm to anyone are forced to watch and stand naked in front of the citizens of Tzoladia while they are sold off one by one. You can just imagine the shock and horror along with the sense of betrayal they are feeling at this point. Families are completely torn apart, children were murdered all for something none of them can understand in this foreign city. Brina is saved by an unlikely hero, one whose life she has saved herself and we can start to see something beginning to form between these two very different individuals, something which I am very excited to see how it unfolds!
Amanki is recovering emotionally from the horrors he saw and was part of in book two. He is sent to hide with a secret society while his teacher goes off to find the other characters to bring them together. He thought his life would be safe there but nothing is always as it seems as there is an evil plot underway for the complete annihilation of the webbie people and he is sent with his people to fight a war for a King who despises them.
Now Moshoi’s story seems to have taken a big turn as he is now assumed dead in the rock slide from Book Two. His younger brother has taken up his cause to deliver the jug to Amanki and save the world. He just never realized how dangerous the cause would be!
I fell in love with the plot development – we learned so much about our characters in this book and their stories began to intertwine in such a unique way that you can feel the height of the story beginning to start. I have become so invested in the characters and want to see them through their journey safe, especially Brina. I love her strength and courage, she has become my favourite character in this series with her vulnerability and strength.
Captives is a great book for young adults and adults alike.
Captives starts rather ominously, a prologue in the point of view of Moshoi sets the tone that the three have reached a true point of no return on their journeys. We find Brina and the gliders are being sold into slavery, Tuka taking the reigns from Moshoi, with a new ally, and Amanki being thrust into a war. They are all so far removed from their starting point. However I still find the parity between their journeys fascinating and the way the stories are being woven together is fantastic. You know that they are at times just touching distance from one another but circumstances conspire against them time and time again. The one thing that I am loving is that they are never alone – no matter what happens Adon is truly looking over them and making sure they are supported, even if the source of that support may be unlikely at first.
This book in the story really does convey dread at times and again the parity between them rings true, Amanki must be heart-stoppingly brave (this section is immense with tension!), Brina must endure becoming someone she has fought not to be and Tuka must learn to trust and think quickly. It also becomes very clear in this book why Metlan has had a voice throughout and his story starts to throw up real questions about the prophecy they are all following with what could potentially be a great twist in the tale in future books.
Whilst reading the first part though, I couldn’t help but think about what baskrod must be thinking about it all. He spent so long carefully laying plans only for them to be foiled right at the start with the webbies disbelief and not packing up when they should have! Everything has just gone downhill from there with missing his connection with Brina, not being there for Moshoi and generally everyone getting in a pickle – although he’ll probably just chalk it up to Adons plan
As I mentioned before the book feels like the darkest yet but it is also one which has an element of hope to it. Despite the lack of opportunity to mourn loss and separation, the bad situations our 3 find themselves in do often present with silver linings. Be it opportunities to learn and discover, or find new friendships which drive them forward – I feel that for the most part they are in a good place and I hope that book 4 gives their paths the opportunity to converge. One of the most poignant quotes of the book is “nothing unites people like hatred” which really struck a chord and shows that a book based in fantasy actually has quite the finger on the pulse when it comes down to any societies view of people that have differing beliefs.
A solid 4*