I actually struggled a lot to get into this book, after trying several times and giving up, which is mostly the reasoning for my rating of the book. I think this is predominantly due to a disparity between author/reader writing enjoyment and isn’t necessarily a reflection of the authors ability to tell a story. I didn’t manage to finish this book.

“But, this entire mess came of you and the former Winter prince breaking the laws, so I suppose it is to be expected. Now you see why there are rules and Faery law. You’ll just have to live with the consequences.”

My thanks to HQ Young Adult for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Iron Sword’ by Julie Kagawa. It was published in February 2022 and I subsequently bought its ebook and unabridged audiobook editions. My apologies for the late feedback.

This is the second in Kagawa’s new Evenfall trilogy set in the Iron Fey universe. For it the narrative voice switches from Robin Goodfellow to Prince Ash. While I didn’t mind Robin’s snarky perspective, I welcomed the shift to the more serious-minded Ash.

Years before Ash had been banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love with Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey. Now their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Ash, Meghan, and their allies are determined to find him as well as to stop the phenomenon known as Evenfall.

Chaos is growing as something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything that Ash has faced in a millennium is rising. As Evenfall nears, the stakes grow ever higher for those in Faery…

I have read enough of the Iron Fey books to be familiar with its characters and world. However, I appreciated that Julie Kagawa had Ash provide a bit of a summary of what had gone before in the opening chapter.

Again, ‘The Iron Sword’ proved a fun fantasy adventure that also had some incursions into the modern world. Of course, Robin Goodfellow and the Cheshire Cat-like, Grimalkin (aka Furball), bring their own brand of humour. There are also a number of fairy tale characters including a version of Baba Yaga with her chicken-legged cottage and the Big Bad Wolf. There are also darker elements to the story as the threat of Evenfall and the Nightmare King becomes closer.

The final book in the Evenfall Trilogy, ‘The Iron Vow’ will be published in May 2023.

I didn’t realise when I first got this book that it was part way through a series. Nevertheless i powered on. Unfortunately it was a dnf. The pace was too slow for me. I can see some people loving this book, it just wasn’t for me I’m sorry!

"The Iron Sword" by Julie Kagawa is a fantastic read that captivates its audience with its fast-paced plot and richly developed characters. The author's writing style is immersive and transports the reader into a world of magic, action, and adventure. The world-building is well thought out and the twists and turns of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. The character development is superb, and I found myself becoming attached to the characters and their struggles. This is a must-read for fans of the fantasy genre and I highly recommend it with a full five-star rating.

Julie Kagawa does it again! Another great book about my favourite characters. It is from Ash's point of view, which I prefer to Puck's if I am honest. I assume there will be another book - it would be great to have it in Meghan's point of view to round things off nicely. I look forward to read it when it comes out

I’ve been reading this (extended) series since I was a teenager so getting to finish out the year with another adventure with Meghan, Ash, Puck and Grim was a treat.

I really love how Julie Kagawa continues to expand the mythology and history of the world with each instalment. I especially loved the way that the current situation in our world with the rise of the right and the vitriol, fear and hatred that comes from that is reflected in the mortal world of The Iron Fey and the consequences of that in Faery too. Really clever.

The Iron Vow is going to be a heck of a finale and I’m really looking forward to it.

A fairly decent read, I would’ve liked more in the way of world and character development however what was written was good. The story at times lacked depth which I found a little boring but in parts was quite an intriguing read

This was book 2 in the fae wars series. I really enjoyed the iron sword it brought you on an epic adventure with an alliance of unlikely realms and creatures all looking for the king of the forgotten. What they face is something they least expect. Ash faces his inner demons to protect the ones he loves before be loses himself forever.

I didn't realise when I requested this that it was the second in a trilogy, so I DNF-d it when I realised that I wouldn't be able to catch up. But it's an interesting and lyrically written book with deep lore, and I will definitely come back to it once I've caught up on the iron fey!

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

This was book was really great!! I enjoyed it a lot, loved the characters and the world building. The cover is also so lovely. I love Julie Kagawa's writing so much, and I adore the worlds she creates with every new series.

Amazing a great addition to the Iron Fey books.

This story explores the between and the effects a new threat has on the mortal world and the never never alike. I have loved Ash and Meaghan since book one and always routed for them, The Evenfall series explores a new threat and looks at how their Son will react to as the King of the Never Never,

Absolutely Enthralling!

These books are always amazing and I never tire of them!

I was a massive fan of the first book in this trilogy, 'The Iron Raven' and was ecstatic to get my hands on 'The Iron Sword' to read. I was amazed to see this book was written in a different POV. The adventure and comedy was absolutely perfect I would love to go in depth into the plot but I don't want to spoil even the smallest detail! All I can say is that you NEED to read this book and get involved in the Kagawa's Iron Fey series!

So far I'm enjoying this new series in the Iron Fey world!

I will admit, this book was a little slow going. There was a fair bit of repetition as Meghan, Puck and Chase search for Kierran. I didn't properly engage with the story until over halfway through, but once it got going I was hooked and couldn't finish the book fast enough. I'm looking forward to the next book!

Grim honestly makes these books for me. His commentary is perfect and he is easily my favourite.

So this is the sequel to The Iron Raven which I recently wrote a review of. These books are part of Kagawa's Iron Fey series, but in their own trilogy: Evenfall. This is good for me as I didn't read any of the Iron Fey novels before The Iron Raven, and luckily you don't need to. However, as I mentioned in my review of the first Evenfall book, there were probably a lot of elements and details I missed because I'd skipped the other books.
Unlike the previous book, this is told from Ash's POV, not Puck's/Robin Goodfellow's. Ash is the husband of Meghan, father of Kierran, and son of the Winter Queen. I've gathered through these two books that Ash featured rather heavily in the previous novels, having fought hard to gain a soul in order to be with the woman he loves. We're given enough details on this history to follow along with the story even without reading all the other books beforehand, which is great. (I think it would be beneficial to read the others, though, and I hope to do so!)
From the previous book, I found Keirran and Nyx to be great characters - and was really pleased by how much we see of them in this book. Meghan and Ash are devoted parents, which is lovely to see, yet they also care a great deal for their kingdom. Puck is mischievous and outwardly brusque, but we definitely see some of his emotion coming through at times. And Nyx... It's so exciting to learn more about her, about her complicated, twisted history! I really liked that aspect of this story.
Naturally, this involves a huge amount of magic and glamour and mystery and adventure - everything you could want from a fantasy novel, right? It's also modern, with elements of our mortal world, technology and all, being key to the plot. The characters are pitted against their worst fears and nightmares (possibly a little cliche, but oh well) and face unbeatable odds in order to save the entire Never Never - and the mortal realm, too.
I think I liked this one a bit more than The Iron Raven. It was exciting, adventurous, clever, and funny at times. I love the characters, even if Ash's Unseely side is a bit of a jerk. 4.5 stars!

I didn't realise that there was a book before this one and so some things were slightly confusing, however, I did enjoy reading it. I thought the writing was good, it had an engaging storyline and well developed characters. I just wish I had read the previous book before, I will be looking for more from this author.

Julie Kagawa books remind me of my childhood, and this book doesn't disapoint. Each book starts a new chapter for Megan and Ash. I love that this book is from Ash's point of view, and wanted him to go that little bit dark. I now need the next installment, I need to know what happens in Evenfall!

Unfortunately I did not like it as much as I liked The Iron Raven.
Probably because Ash is not even as half amusing narrator as Puck is. As I said in my review of the previous book I haven't read The Iron Fey series, i didn't even realise that The Iron Fey series was a thing. I read this book with zero expectations, zero nostalgia, zero love to the characters.
Idk if Ash was a compelling character in that series, but getting into this universe with a fresh look, I have to say that I doubt it. He's a bore and he doesn't deserve to be a narrator.

This whole book is pretty decent, there's quest again, some new characters (new to me), some new drama, some stupid ideas of self-sacrifice etc etc.

Again, it's a decent book ruined by Ice Boy Ash.

I really liked being in Ash’s head for this book in the series, we’re normally in Puck’s and I wanted to get another POV so my wishes have come true. This is a really good YA book for anyone that just wants to read a fantasy adventure fun time instead of anything with violence, swearing or smut. I feel like if you’re not really a reader of YA anymore then you might not enjoy this one as much compared to your usual reads, but I found it to be a great read between other books. There was a fair bit of repetition in it, but then that can be the curse of YA/MG books where they have to fill the void of violence and smut with SOMETHING, and there’s only so much you can throw in a storyline without making it irrelevant.

Definitely one I would recommend reading to readers of all ages! Thanks HQ for sending me an e-arc in exchange for my review.

At the end of The Iron Raven we found out that Touchstone, the capital of the Forgotten had vanished and Prince Keirran, Meghan and Ash’s son and King of the Forgotten, along with it. Those were quite literally the final words of the book. There are mere seconds that pass between the events of book one and book two, that and a change of narrator. Unlike book one, The Iron Sword is from Ash’s perspective, suggesting that this series is going to be a mixture of perspectives. After reading this one, I think what Kagawa is doing is taking each character through a mini-trial in each book. In this one we learn the nature of Evenfall and once you’ve read it for yourselves you’ll understand what I mean. While it would have been nice to have more Puck, this is an event that affects every one of the Iron Fey heroes and as the tag line says it’s five legends against an unstoppable evil to save their world. Each of them are going to have to dive deep and overcome things they’ve long buried or tried to hide before they’re ready to stop Evenfall. It also makes much more sense to have swapped to Ash or Meghan for this book as the majority of it is about finding Keirran and what happened to Tombstone. While Puck cares about the Prince, he’s not as heavily invested as either of his parents.

While we’ve had a book from Ash’s perspective before (The Iron Knight), The Iron Sword is from a much older and wiser Ash. He’s a husband, a parent, a ruler alongside Meghan. While love and loyalty still drive him, we get a very different perspective in this book, a much more mature one. He’s still dealing with the same old demons though, and while time has given him perspective and a bit more patience, he has to face them just as Puck did in The Iron Raven.

When we learn the nature of Evenfall and the ancient power that is rising it makes much more sense why Kagawa is putting her characters through these personal challenges. I wonder who will be next; Meghan, Kierran or possibly the new character Nyx? The first Iron Fey series was four books long, the second was a trilogy, so it’s possible we could get one or two more books. I think it would make more sense to have one from Nyx if there’s only one more book.

I liked the way Kagawa involved events of modern society and technology, recreating what drew me to The Iron Fey series many years ago. Unlike other Fey series, The Iron Fey series merges the modern and the magic, instead of shying away from all things modern. Kagawa does so again in The Iron Sword, this time engaging the topic of online toxicity and trolling, an issue that has grown to be a huge issue in the Western world over the last decade. By doing so there’s the underlying suggestion that we look at what influences us as we all have the capability to be toxic, as seen in several scenes when fights break out among minor characters. While there’s something magical afoot in The Iron Sword, it’s confirmed that the negativity already existed. It’s just being taken advantage of, and manipulated and therefore, it has become elevated beyond normal levels.

As more of the storyline is revealed links to previous books appear, with some wonderful appearances from other characters. There’s also a fantastic look back at the past which shows us what two characters used to look like in their prime, and I know I’ll never be looking at someone the same way again. Everything has led to this event, to Evenfall, and I’m sure there will be even more nods to previous books before the series is finished. One thing is for sure, the Nevernever will never be the same again…