First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain

WARNING: I try to avoid spoilers, but they are possible (even probable), since this is the second book of the Green Rider series. Green Rider (review here) is the first. I recommend reading them in order.

Karigan is a Green Rider, one of the king's elite troop of messengers, each of whom is called as magic in the blood answers an ancient summons. Since the breaching of the D'Yer Wall, which protects Sacoridia from the malignant forces of the Blackveil Forest, however, all the magic in the land has become unpredictable, including that of the Riders. With tainted magic escaping into the world, and Karigan herself poisoned by it, the last thing she needs is to start having visions and hearing voices--visions of the First Rider, Lil Ambriodhe, long-dead founder of the troop, and voices whispering of an age-old, unbreakable link between Lil and Karigan. Lil has seen Karigan's future and that of Sacoridia, and the land will come to no good end if Karigan and Lil together are unable to overcome the great evil that is about to enter the world.

This book picks up about a year after the events of Green Rider. This book has always been my favorite of the first three (I'm working on the 4th now) because you find out so much about Sacordia. I love learning about the first rider and the history of Mornhavon the Black. The historical background helps the reader understand the "current" events better.

Once again, the relationships are sort of weird and sometimes feel contrived. Generally, I don't notice, but there are some conversations, especially between Karigan and Zachary that left me wondering how their relationship got to where it is in this book. Perhaps we missed something in that year that is in between the first and second books. There is an awkwardness in the romantic portion of this book, and indeed in the friendships sometimes, that is certainly not evident in the rest of it.

It's ok though. Really. This is one of my favorite books, and the plot is even better than the first Green Rider book was. As much as the characters stayed at their status quo for the most part, the plot became more intricate and the Green Rider universe became far more multidimensional.

Bottom Line

 To sum it up: More of the same, but in a really interesting un-put-down-able way.

Overall Rating: 4 / 5

Buy or Try? Buy

More? 2 / 4 so far. Unsure of how many there will be total...it was initially to be a trilogy.

Content

Plot: 4 / 5

Setting: 4 / 5

Characters: 3 / 5

Style
Pace: Fast
Descriptiveness: Prose

Fantasy factor: High Fantasy

Amazon.com link 

Challenges: 2011 Fantasy Reading Challenge, Read Me Baby One More Time