Stevie‘s review of Silverwolf (Rowankind, Book 2) by Jacey Bedford
Historical Fantasy published by DAW 03 Jan 17

I enjoy a fantasy world in which actions have wide-ranging consequences almost as much as I love historical fantasy that really takes the time to consider how the supernatural elements that the author introduces might influence, and be affected by, the course of actual history. In the world of the Rowankind, Jacey Bedford manages to fulfil both those needs for me, along with crafting a densely plotted adventure that’s bursting at the seams with complex characters and convoluted missions.

After the excitement of their previous adventures, Ross and Corwen are hoping to spend some quiet time together, just enjoying their new, deeper, relationship. Fates, friends, and family intervene, however. Wild magic is on the rise, and soon the pair are sent across the country to deal with the suspected kidnapping of a Rowankind child by a magical creature. No sooner have they (mostly) dealt with that problem, than they receive another summons: this time to Corwen’s family home, where one brother is dead, one is missing, and the family’s main source of revenue is in serious trouble. Ross is somewhat perplexed to find that Corwen’s family are more prestigious than she had assumed, but she is reassured by Corwen’s confidence in her ability to cope with her new in-laws and they set off to Yorkshire, stopping along the way to enact another daring rescue.

Of course neither the adventure, nor the journey, ends in Yorkshire. Ross is reunited with old friends and other allies and needs all their help in order to track down the missing brother and, hopefully, persuade him to return home. At the bottom of all their troubles are, once again, some very human enemies: displaying very human traits of greed and entitlement, while suppressing the magic of those they believe to be their inferiors. Fortunately Ross is able to forge new allegiances with some magical folk who had up until this point managed to keep themselves hidden from – and within – the human world, but are now forced to reveal themselves: to Ross and Corwen at any rate.

As in the previous book, we see that all actions have consequences and can cause far-reaching repercussions, and, once again, I’m keen to find out what will befall our heroes next. A worthy second instalment in the series that will particularly appeal to fans of the first book, but won’t be completely impenetrable to those readers who are new to Ross and Corwen’s version of Regency England.

Grade: B

Silverwolf, an adventure with lots of magic and mayhem on the side.

Its 1801, Ross and Corwen are trying to avoid the Mysterium, the organization that pursues and destroys the magical kind, while returning too Yorkshire. Dangerous creatures are appearing and attacking romankind and human alike. Ross's magic has caused some issues that have to be taken care of before the Fae get involved.

Silverwolf is an easy and quick read but contains a very active plot. I really enjoyed the storytelling but I wasn't directly attached to any of the characters.

I received this ARC copy of Silverwolf from Berkley Publishing Group - DAW in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Jan. 3, 2016.

My Rating: 4 Stars
Written by: Jacey Bedford
Series: Rowankind
Sequence in Series: Book 2
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: DAW
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
ISBN-10: 0756411912
ISBN-13: 978-0756411916
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

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The second book in Bedford's Rowankind series (after Winterwood) is more of the entertaining same--lots of action, magic, witches, shapeshifters, bad guys of the magical and non-magical variety, romance, etc. Not to mention the protagonist meeting her future mother-in-law and trying to hide her cross-dressing pirate past! I do think these books are a little too busy but they are definitely quick and fun reads. And LOTS of great badass women of various kinds. B+.

Second in a series, can be read as a standalone. Set in an alternate England, around the 1800's, this book deals with the aftermath of freeing one of the magic races. We learn more about Ross & Corwen, and quite a bit about woolen mills in the 1800's. Enjoyed the book, and will make sure to purchase it for my library.

The historical fantasy Silverwolf follows Winterwood in a very promising new series of fat fantasy novels. To me, it read like the kind of book that might have been published at any time in the past few decades—it’s not trying to do anything fancy, just tell a good solid fantasy story. In that it succeeds, in spades.

The world in Silverwolf is similar to ours, except that magic and magical creatures exist. In the first book in the series, privateer and witch Rossalinde freed the non-human rowankind from their status as unpaid bondservants to English masters. To do so, Ross had to return the magic that was stripped from them centuries before. She succeeded despite interference from a dangerous enemy called Walsingham, head of a secret government agency formed to deal with magical threats to England.

Now English society has been destabilized, both through the loss of rowankind’s unpaid labor and by their possession of magic. Human magic had been regulated and controlled by a government agency called the Mysterium, and unlicensed witches like Ross could be hung. The magic of the rowankind falls outside their remit—something they believe must be remedied. In addition, dangerous magical creatures like kelpies have started to appear and attack humans. Ross and her wolf shifter lover, Corwen, have to try to clean up some of the problems that her actions caused or risk having the imperious Fae (the creators of the rowankind) intervene in human affairs.

I recently finished the first book in the series, and having liked it a lot, I immediately dove into this one. It’s not quite as immediately gripping as Winterwood, since the first part of the story involves Corwen being called home to deal with problems in his family’s woolen mills that don’t really involve magic, just good old-fashioned human misdeeds. The action picks up throughout the book, though, as Corwen and Ross go to search in London for Corwen’s missing wolf shifter brother and get entangled with the attempts of the Mysterium to exert their control over the magical creatures newly abroad in England.

Ross and Corwen win this round, but it’s clear from the end of the novel that their adventures aren’t over yet. The Mysterium isn’t going to easily give up their control over magic, and Walsingham remains a threat. Then there are the Fae, who aren’t too pleased with the whole situation and want Ross to somehow change government policy toward the rowankind. I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the series to find out what happens next.

I’d recommend Silverwolf for readers who particularly enjoy historical fantasy or just like to get wrapped up in a good meaty fantasy novel. If you haven’t read Winterwood, go get that one first, and then settle in for some good reading!

An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.