Spell Games

Spell Games (2009) T.A. Pratt

I am annoyed.

One of my least favorite things in the world is when a book ends with a major story arc unresolved, where you are left hanging to wait for the next book in the series.

Guess what Tim Pratt did?

Did I mention how much I hate it when books end and leaving you hanging?

The most frustrating thing is that until the last two pages I was quite happy with Spell Games and thought it was one of the best books yet in the series. The story kept going in unexpected directions, and I liked the fact that there was great difficulty and some unhappiness. OK, I wasn’t sad, because this series doesn’t have that kind of hook in me, but things were rough and I like it when authors are willing to take chances. But, this was not to be.

SPOILERS (rot 13)

Jung znqr zr znq jnf V jnf irel rkpvgrq sbe jurer vg ybbxrq yvxr gur frevrf jnf tbvat. Zneyn naq Ebaqrnh jrer obgu tbvat gb unir gb qrny jvgu gurve thvyg bire O’f qrngu, naq frr vs gurl pbhyq yrnea gb yvir jvgu rnpu bgure nsgre rirelguvat gung unq unccrarq. Naq Ebaqrnh jnf npghnyyl tbvat gb unir gb yrnea ubj gb jbex zntvp naq or zber guna Zneyn’f fvqrxvpx naq snvgushy pbzcnavba.

Ohg ab. Abj gurl’er tbvat gb tb naq gel naq oevat O onpx, abg gung oevat O onpx vfa’g n jbegul pnhfr, ubjrire, vg frrzf irel haernyvfgvp, naq V’z sne yrff rkpvgrq nobhg jurer gung vf tbvat gb gnxr gur fgbel.

END SPOILERS

As we discovered at the end of the last book (I should have seen it coming I suppose), Marla’s long lost brother has appeared and wants to get to know his sister again. He’s still a grifter, and is in town to pull a grift, but while he is in town he wants to spend time with Marla. And Marla doesn’t know what to think.

Meanwhile, B has come back with Marla to be her new apprentice, so she’s sending him around to all the local sorcerers to see what they can teach him–apparently B has a lot more going for him than he had realized (having a narcoleptic instructor didn’t help.)

So although this was a good story and a nice addition to the series, I am extremely unhappy with the ending.
Rating: 6/10 (would have been higher if not for the last two pages.)

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