The Thousand Eyes (The Serpent Gates, #2)

by A. K. Larkwood

The sequel to A. K. Larkwood's stunning debut fantasy, The Unspoken Name. The Thousand Eyes continues The Serpent Gates series―perfect for fans of Jenn Lyons, Joe Abercrombie, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

Two years ago, Csorwe and Shuthmili risked the anger of the wizard Belthandros Sethennai to gain their freedom. Now, they make their living exploring relic worlds of the ancient serpent empire of Echentyr. They think they're prepared for anything―but when one of their expeditions releases an Echentyri soldier who has slept undisturbed since the fall of her homeland, they are thrown back into a conflict that has lain dormant for thousands of years. Shuthmili will give anything to protect the woman and the life that she loves, but as events spiral out of control, she is torn between clinging to her humanity and embracing her eldritch power.

Meanwhile, Tal Charossa returns to Tlaanthothe to find that Sethennai has gone missing. Tal wants nothing to do with his old boss and former lover, so when a magical catastrophe befalls the city, Tal tries to run rather than face his past―but he soon learns that something even worse may lurk in the future. Throughout the worlds of the Echo Maze, fragments of an undead goddess begin to awaken, and not all confrontations can be put off forever . . .

• ISBN10: 1250238943
• ISBN13: 9781250238948
• Publish Date: 15 February 2022
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

The Thousand Eyes is the second novel in A.K. Larkwood's The Serpent Gates series. I admit that I was pretty curious about how the sequel would go and thus couldn't pass up the opportunity to read it. Also, I love that cover.

Csorwe and Shuthmili survived the encounter two years ago – when they defied a wizard and stole his gauntlets. That should have been the end of their story. The gauntlets make Shuthmili stronger than ever, but they're also taking a toll on her. A toll she can't keep paying.

Then there's Tol Charossa. He has finally made it home, only to find his old boss is missing. He can't walk away from this news and will quickly find himself neck-deep in another dangerous situation.

Let me just start with this: if you enjoyed The Unspoken Name, you're going to love The Thousand Eyes. Larkwood perfectly carried on the vibes and stories developed in that first novel. As such, it felt like coming home. Readers will know what I mean.

I was surprised by the time jump, though I'll admit that it was also fairly essential. We needed to give everyone time to come to terms with what had happened. Not to mention, traveling isn't as quick or easy as we're used to in the modern world.

To me, the shining moments in The Thousand Eyes all stemmed from character development. This novel is delightfully character-driven, which I always love in fantasy novels. There's so much reason to care about these guys, especially as the stakes keep rising.

I'll admit that the pacing can lean towards the slower side, so potential readers should probably keep this in mind. However, I don't mind a slow-burning plot, especially when the characters are so strong and the world so fascinating.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks