This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I do think that it will click better with readers that have read the first novella in the series, but having read Second Spear as a standalone, it was still a fun ride. Hall crafts a beautiful and lush underworld that any fantasy fan would love, and Tyn really stood out to me as a stellar main character, resilient and persevering, though not always understood by the people around her.

Kerstin Hall has improved a lot in their writing between book 1 and book 2. I felt more engaged with the story and characters than the first one. However, I wish this was a much longer book because I felt like we were missing part of the story and the world because it was constrained to a shorter page count.

I would pick up another book from this author again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an e-arc from the Publisher via Netgalley though all thoughts are my own.

This was a very anticipated read and it was well worth the wait. I enjoyed being back in this world and how some of the characters from the first book make brief appearances.

This follows from the perspective of Second Spear Tyn as she journeys with her First Spear Vehn and Rion who are trying to stop realms including her own being taken over by a Demon Lord.

These three are in for the adventure of their lives full of twists, danger and a plot to sabotage their determination to save all of the Realms before it's too late.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly from Tyn's perspective who wants to do what is right, protect her First Spear and figure put how to bring the Demon Lord down with time ticking down quickly.

Highly recommend and I hope there will be more in this series.

Trigger warnings: death, murder, violence, drugging, body horror, descriptions of parasites

Interesting follow up to Border Keeper, with different main protagonist. Was hoping to see some of the questions from the end of Border Keeper answered, but no luck.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for my arc copy and for being patient with me while I read everything else before this lol.

This book was a little difficult for me to get into, mainly because this was the second book in a series and honestly, you kinda do need to read the first book to understand a LOT of what is happening. Anyways, the book follows Tyn, who is the legendary Second Spear and loyal subject of demon lord Res Lfae. When Lfae's reign is threatened by another demon who has unusual instruments, he enlists Tyn to fight, along with First Spear Vehn and new recruit Rion to help her fight.

What I liked about this book: worldbuilding and Tyn. I'm a sucker for strong, female leads who are willing to fight and fight hard for what they want and believe in. On the worldbuilding, I'll just say that while I did enjoy it, you must read the first book to get the full story. If not, things feel a little...light lol.

What I didn't like: Vein's character. Just going to leave it at that and go on about my fuzzy business.

I HIGHLY, HIGHLY suggest reading Border Keeper and then moving on to this book and then the third book whenever it comes out. One of the reasons why I was so slow in reading this was because I was trying to read Border Keeper at the same time to figure some stuff out. (Don't do what I did; read Border Keeper first and then move on to Second Spear.)

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. Enjoy!!

I gave this a three out of five stars. It’s a interesting but sometimes I got uninterested in what I was reading.

Kerstin Hall's Second Spear is a thrilling and captivating fantasy novel that will take readers on an unforgettable journey through a world of demons, magic, and gods. Set in a beautiful and lush underworld, the story follows Tyn, the titular Second Spear, a loyal warrior and subject of Res Lfae, the demon lord who cares deeply for those who dwell in his realm.
When Res Lfae's realm comes under threat from an unruly demon who is rumored to have dealt with forbidden god instruments, Tyn, along with Rion, a distraught new recruit to her tribe, and her ever-disapproving First Spear, Vehn, must embark on a dangerous mission to save the realm they serve. As they journey through the underworld, they encounter a series of challenges, from dangerous creatures to treacherous terrain, and must rely on their wits and skills to overcome them.
Hall's writing is exquisite, and her attention to detail is superb. She masterfully paints a vivid picture of the world and its characters, immersing the reader in the story from the very first page. Tyn, in particular, is a standout character, resilient and persevering, even when the people around her do not always understand her. Her loyalty to Res Lfae is unwavering, and her determination to protect his realm is admirable.
While Second Spear is a sequel to Hall's first book, readers can easily pick up the story and enjoy it as a standalone. Even though readers who have read the first book may appreciate the continuity and background information, new readers can easily follow the plot and enjoy the story on its own.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves to get lost in a fantasy world that is nothing like our own. The underworld that Hall has created is mesmerizing and immersive, and readers will find themselves fully engrossed in the story. Second Spear is a thrilling and enjoyable read that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.
In conclusion, Kerstin Hall's Second Spear is a beautifully written book that will take readers on a captivating journey through a magical world. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and exquisite writing, it is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy novels.

This was slightly more enjoyable than the first novella in the series. This one focused on Tyn and the aftermath of the first book. It was slower and a little confusing, but staying in 1 POV was better.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Unfortunately this became a DNF. Gave to nearly page 100 and it just wasnt clicking. The writing was rough and characters bland.

Unruly gods, goddesses, demons and more abound in this novel. I highly recommend reading The Border Keeper before this one. It's stunning with captivating world building, history and setup for this narrative. There are many realms that are journeyed through and a search for self by the main character, Tyn.

There are tons of reviews with intricate details on the complexities of this book. I adored both books and my advice is to start with The Border Keeper and read both books slowly. There is so much stunning world building, character depth and chaos that it's meant to be absorbed slowly in my opinion.

This was a great and exciting return to this bizarre and twisted world of Demonic realms. It took me a bit to get back into knowing who the characters were from The Border Keeper, but the story is lathered in action and strange and deadly oddities. It just feels bit like Pan's Labyrinth within Josiah Bancroft's Tower of Babel, each 'realm' has it's own ruler and rules, creatures that lurk in the shadows.
This time we follow 'Second Spear' Tyn as she seeks legendary artifacts in order to stop a tyrannical demon seeking to end their world.
I enjoyed the pacing and the cruel and unusual world. This has been a great short-fantasy that seems greater than the sum of it's parts.

4/5 stars.

Second Spear has a lot going for it, a great and relatable MC, a well-paced plot and great villains. For the vast majority of reading this one I was sure it would be 5 stars but then the ending fell really flat for me. I do still think that the Mkalis Cycle is worth picking up if you're looking for a quick read that straddles that line between fantasy and sci-fi.

Having previously read Border Keeper, the first book in the series, I can confidently say that Kerstin Hall's writing improved in Second Spear. In this installment we follow Tyn, Second Spear to the Demon Lfae who rules over one of the realms of Mkalis, the underworld. Tyn was just a side character in the first book and I am very happy to have gotten to know her further in this book.

I do hope that Hall continues writing stories from Mkalis. It is a very expansive and complex world that I would love to see more stories told from. Each realm has it's own unique rules and inhabitants, the possibilities are really endless for what can be done there.

By way of introductory remarks, I'd like to remind you that when I read Hall's first Mkalis book, The Border Keeper, I was both over- and underwhelmed. Yet here I am back with Second Spear, hoping all the good remained good and the lacklustre got shined up.

That sort of happened.

For those who don't know Kerstin Hall's Mkalis Cycle, it takes place in an otherworld of gods and demons, in which souls from our world go after death to live in the many bizarre realms there. Life can be happy there, but the profusion of ambitious gods and demons can also make it profoundly unsafe. So it is that Tyn, Second Spear of the Realm of Res Lfae, finds herself going on a hair-raising adventure to stop her ruler and friends getting absolutely shafted.

I have to shamefacedly admit that, after wishing for more conventional story after drifting in the sea of weirdness in The Border Keeper, I then complained about there being a lot of character set up and not enough weirdness at the start of Second Spear. A disturbingly good example of just-right readerdom at play. That said, it's right for you or it isn't, and it wasn't. The reason why it wasn't, and something that plagued me throughout my read, was not really liking the characters very much.

I liked Tyn. Tyn is a pleasantly uncomplicated hero with a wry outlook on the world. I almost always like such characters. It's the main characters around her that bugged me. Sion's sole purpose seems to be to do nothing but whine and ask questions. I get it's meant to be a growing arc, but I need to see something I want to grow early. Also he was up for killing cats at one point, fuck that guy. Yeah, I know he was in a creepy demonic realm and the cat was suspicious, so I'd like to qualify my statement by saying: fuck that guy. Vehn, Tyn's superior, is a hardass with a stick lodged so far up there you can see the leaves growing out of her nostrils. She has her moments but I spent most of the book rooting for Tyn to slip on out on them and forget they ever existed, not show how great she is by caring for them anyway.

Ignoring the greater character depth and complexity that mostly ground my gears, Second Spear is a lot like The Border Keeper. The atmosphere is thick with weirdness, from out and out spooky to blatantly creepy cult. Sometimes that resulted in me and my friends asking each other in confusion what just happened and why, but I'm not sure any of us were that bothered. The plot once again drifts along for most of the book as the characters explore, before kicking into turbo mode as the end approaches. The chapters where turbo mode happens are fantastic by the way; hugely enjoyed one of the twists.

I did also enjoy some of the character arcs' resolutions too. Just not enough not to complain about the majority of the arc.

All in all, Second Spear is a good recommendation for anyone who wants some adventure fantasy in very weird places. I am a little frustrated it's not more than good, but it is what it is, and I look forwards to the next installment in the Mkalis Cycle. More power to Hall's spear.

With gorgeous and lyrical language, Kerstin Hall’s second book in The Mkalis Cycle is as rich and beautiful as The Border Keeper. Switching point of view to Tyn, Second Spear of and protector of her ruler, Tyn grapples with the truth of her former life but even surviving the schemes of a vengeful goddess does not prepare her for the enemy that sweeps up Tyn and her ruler into a path of destruction. Tyn faces hard choices, a hard path and the story tells that beautifully, exploring the character and her journey, fraught with danger and loss. 

What makes this story so profoundly good is the emotions of the characters and the danger they face in a world built like no other, filled with rulers, both gods and demons, and each domain completely different from the next and rules bound by each ruler. The world building is complex and layered, the words gorgeous and lyrical but most of all, the story is rich and beautiful. While the story does feel like there may be more to be told, perhaps different characters or a return to the previous ones, I loved Tyn’s story.

With such beautiful language and complex characters, most readers will enjoy this gorgeous novella. I do think it helps if you have read the first book, The Border Keeper but this novel does an excellent job of continuing and explains more of the world. If you love fantasy with rich world building, this novella is an excellent choice. It left me wanting more.

I really enjoyed this novella to the point that I wish it were a much longer story or even a multi book series. The world building was subtle, but more than enough to understand the structure of each realm visited. Characters seemed well connected and crafted. I especially enjoyed how well they interacted with each other. What I really loved most was how engaging the plot was. I wanted to just dig deeper and deeper into it and that's ultimately why I wish there was more to consume. Definitely something I would recommend

When I selected this book I hadn't realised it was the second in a series. I read it as a stand alone and there is sufficient context in the text for the story to be coherent and engaging without reading the first book Border Keeper. That being said I will now be off to read the first book and re-read Second spear as I am sure this will deepen my experience of the story.
The Second Spear of the title is Tyn a warrior living in Lfae's realm of Mikalis, who is sworn to protect her ruler the demon Lfae. We start with day to day life as experienced by Tyn, her loves, interactions with fellow warriors and new arrivals to the afterlife that are the realms of Mikalis.
We learn that Tyn must attend a tribunal to defend her killing of the goddess Fanieq, ruler of another realm. In theory a simple enough judgement but not all is as it seems and foul play is afoot. We learn of the forbidden God Instruments which it seems are the only tool that can save her ruler and the realm.
I would recommend this novella but to enjoy it to its fullest reading the Border Keeper, the first book, would be best. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Kerstin Hall is back! Second Spear is the second novel in her Mkalis Cycle series, and I have to tell you – I've been SO curious to see where the story was going to go. So I'm thrilled to have this novel in my hands.

Tyn has been tasked with guarding her ruler – a task she has succeeded in, despite all the danger of recent events (including a vengeful goddess, mind you). But those events left Tyn questioning her role in all of this. More specifically, it makes her feel estranged and isolated from the very ruler she's been assigned to protect.

Naturally, another enemy will rise and strike before Tyn can come to terms with everything that has already occurred. She will be thrown from one danger to the next, all in the name of following her duty.

I think I've already said this, but I was looking forward to Second Spear. Some series just get stuck in your mind, you know? Mkalis Cycle happened to be one of those series for me.

Tyn is by far one of my favorite fantasy characters (at the moment, it changes too much for me not to add this caveat). She's strong, determined, and probably a dozen other adjectives I could throw into the mix if I felt so inclined.

I am pleased that my expectations were met, even if they were perhaps a little unfairly high (anticipation does that). Second Spear was a delightful read and is the perfect second novel to this series.

This series has done an outstanding job of driving home Tyn's purpose in life. Or, more accurately, how everyone in the world (especially those she is sworn to protect) seems to take that (and thus her) for granted. It made my teeth grind at points, but that further proves how invested I got in this tale.

Long story short, Second Spear is a fantastic novella, and I can't wait to see what else Kerstin Hall comes up with!

3.5*

When I first requested Second Spear from NetGalley, I didn’t know it was actually the second in a series. Luckily, Tordotcom provided the first one, The Border Keeper, as their free eBook of the month, so I was able to catch up pretty quickly. I wasn’t the biggest fan of The Border Keeper. I felt that there wasn’t much of a plot, and the whole book was just vibes. They were cool vibes, though, so I decided to keep going with Second Spear.

Second Spear seemed to have more of an actual plot than The Border Keeper. It follows Tyn, the second spear to Res Lfae, a ruling demon. Tyn was a minor character in TBK, and I was glad to follow more of her storyline in Second Spear.

The world of this series is very interesting: there’s multiple realms run by either gods or demons, after they’ve come to an agreement that one will not rule over the other. While The Border Keeper vaguely goes through how the realms work, Second Spear delves more into the politics that goes on between realms. Second Spear also has a more clear villain than TBK. This world is very interesting, and I enjoy seeing these little slices of each realm. I hope there are more stories in this world, as I’d love to continue on with the series.

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

CW for blood, murder, and death