This was one of my most anticipated sequels for 2021, having fallen in love with the Ranger of Marzanna when I read it last year and I was not disappointed. I did find that this one took a little longer to find its stride than the last one, but at the same time Skovron certainly turned the dial up with this one across the board and I loved it.

The Queen of Izmoroz is a book of growth. We get to see more of the fabulous world that had started to be established in the first book, and expands on that exponentially, both in geographical terms with opening up regions that had previously just been names of the page and letting us see more of the Empire and how it relates to its various parts, but also in terms of the culture. Mythology has always played a central role in this series – and the ending of the first book highlighted that, but before there were lots of hints and glimpses, but it was limited in scope. In this book Skovron delves deeper into the mythology and shows us more tantalising glimpses of the goddesses that give the series its name – while still maintaining that mystery and sense of increasing stakes and tension, drawing us towards the next book in the series. (I want to know more, but I also want to see what he is going to do with it). With this also comes more variety and deeper diving into the various religious pantheons, beliefs and related magical practices between the different cultures and nations, and the diversity and division that brings – so the world feels as though it has grown exponentially here and I honestly love how Skovron has brought it on.

There is also character growth, both in terms of experience and skills as many of the characters we followed in the first book, especially Sonya and Sebastian were still learning, and finding their feet in the roles they had found themselves in – and while there was a lot of growth there, their development feels a lot more impactful in the Queen of Izmoroz. This is largely because the confidence (often over-confidence – looking at Sonya) and almost naïve natures of the characters have been shattered. It creates an interesting situation where the characters almost feel as though they have shrunk in on themselves, no longer shouting for the world to see them and applaud them – reeling from the consequences of their choices, and their experiences from the Ranger of Marzanna – on both sides of the conflict.

Yet, within this almost ‘retreat’ we see some of the most impactful growth, and Skovron is skilful in his deflation of everything these characters thought they were (again highlighting that naïvety, and almost childlike innocence – because they were young), and turning it into very real and believable experience, and it really brings the characters to life and it is wonderful to see them coming into their own – not cleanly, but messily and in shades of grey and so very human. It’s great to see the consequences of what happened in the first book playing out so vividly on the page, and for it to have such a real impact, and I like how the author takes that from the personal changes with the individual character, and up through the different parties in the conflict, and it just ties so much of it together.

As with the Ranger of Marzanna, there were some places where the writing didn’t quite live up to what Skovron was doing with the world and characters, and the pacing again throws off the ending a little, although ultimately it was a satisfying ending. Yet, it certainly does not detract from the progression of the plot, and those stronger aspects, and I loved this book despite those flaws.

The Queen of Izmoroz more than lived up to my hopes, and I really do love this series (and its covers) and I will eagerly be waiting for the next instalment.

I loved seeing how the events from the first one would be continued in this sequel. I actually enjoyed it more than the first one and it was certainly a great read.

I loved the characters' development and the plot's progression and I can't wait to read more.

I absolutely loved book one of this series ("The Ranger of Marzanna"), but this has blown me away. The humour is still there, the shocks keep coming, and the characters pop off the page. But what really makes "The Queen of Izmoroz" an outstanding book is the quality of Jon Skovron's writing and his ability to bring characters (and a plot!) to life. Book 3 can't come soon enough.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

The hallmark of a good sequel is an expansion of the universe. A escalation – geographically, magically, in terms of character development… and even spiritually, in terms of the message the book aspires to send.

The Queen of Izmoroz follows Sonya, Sebastian, Jorge, Galina and other familiar characters from The Ranger of Marzanna as they recover from and react to the aftermath of the battle that led to the expulsion of the Aureumian Empire from Izmoroz at the end of the first book.

We are taken to regions that were only hinted at in ROM, such as Kante and Raiz, and even newer regions are mentioned by name, adding to the mystique around the political machinations of the Empire. The mythology is also expanded as we get more glimpses of the mysterious goddesses of this land – Marzanna, Zivena and more. However, these interludes remain tantalizing tidbits, keeping the reader on the hook until the final book in the trilogy.

For almost all the characters, this book represents a departure from the confidence and carefree natures they exhibited in ROM. They are subdued and humbled – regardless of which side of the conflict they were on – by the horrors of war and the unexpected twists of fate and politics that followed. The growth that comes as a result is measured and impactful, rather than dramatic without serving any purpose.

Skovron’s characters occupy grey areas as they question their own actions while still doing their best with the information available to them. Their positions are fluid and the roles they play in the plot flexible – a protagonist might pivot towards villainy, and vice versa, with great ease. I always enjoy reading about characters that have just the right hint of moral flexibility – whether it’s due to ignorance, youth, great emotion, profit, or for the heck of it.

It is also easy to see that the majority of these characters are – despite the magnitude and impact of their actions – still children. They display innocence and vulnerability as often as they do ferocity and bravery.

The universe of The Goddess War series is fascinating – not just in terms of the actual religious pantheons in it, or the magical practices, but also in terms of the various nations and their differing cultural backgrounds. The action scenes are well-paced and extremely well written, making it easy to mentally picture these fantastic scenes of violence and magic.

The plot itself develops smoothly – despite hiccups with the tone and structure of the dialogue that persist in this book. It is difficult to guess at the ending even as the book is almost finished, and every scene is written with great care and precision, maximizing their impact and setting up for an exciting finish in The Wizard of Eventide (which I am greatly looking forward to).