Dread Pirate Arcanist (Frith Chronicles Book 2)

I hate and despise authors that overuse angst. And sadly Shami takes a great character and a wonderful idea and then injects angst until I started to hate the main character here.To a point it could be argued that it makes sense. After all the main character is a fifteen year old birl. (Birl - male character written by a woman so that he acts like a girl from a bad teen romance novel.) And he is extremely consistent in his absolute zero self-esteem, his inability to talk to the opposite sex if he feels any attraction, his inability to realize that someone of the opposite sex is flirting with him, his..... Let's just say he's got more inabilities in social situations than abilities.I know, I'm bashing hard on the main character. What's sad is I want to like him. He's got an interesting background (a bit Gary Stuish, with the orphan from bad parents and becoming a try-hard). He's got a great mystical partner in Luthair. The world itself is a good idea with a surprisingly solid foundation.But I do HATE angst, and I hate characters that seem to rely on angst to drive the story, and this one has that in spades.I'm going to read book 3, but the warning must be stated. This tale definitely reads more like someone tried to reverse sex an urban fantasy tale for teens than a solid adventure tale. I give it 3 stars (on the high side since the plot is good even if the angst turns me off.)

I read Knightmare Arcanist (Firth Chronicles #1) by Shami Stovall, enjoyed it, and gave it a 5 Star review. I also added Dread Pirate Arcanist (Firth Chronicles #2) to my TBR. Read on for my thoughts!Synopsis (from the author):Pirates. Griffins. A lost treasure worth killing for.While protecting the newborn griffins on the Isle of Landin, Volke Savan and his adopted sister, Illia, run afoul of the Dread Pirate Calisto, the same cutthroat who carved out Illia’s right eye. As a master manticore arcanist, Calisto’s strength and brutality are unrivaled, so when Illia suggests they bring him to justice, Volke wonders if they’ll have what it takes to fight the corsairs on the high seas.What I liked about Dread Pirate Arcanist:I liked the way Volke and Illia’s characters grew both within the story and with each other. I also liked Luthair and how he and Volke continued to meld. The plot of the story made it read almost like a standalone, but it had enough threads to carry the story forward into the next book. The encounter and pursuit of Calisto adds a nice revenge theme to the story as well. Overall, an excellent second installment of the series.What I didn’t like about Dread Pirate Arcanist:Despite all the good aspects of the book, I thought Volke, at times, came across a little whiny and it was a bit of a distraction. In addition, Addy still is a little bit one-dimensional to me.Overall impression of Dread Pirate Arcanist:Good characters, a nice balance of action, and a good story make Dread Pirate Arcanist a great second book of the series. If you like fantasy, give this one a try!My rating:4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 stars)

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t believe in spoilers, or even plot summaries, during a review so I won’t even try. My sons and I read the first book in the series together, “Knightmare Arcanist,” and we may, or may not, have stayed up WAY too late on a school night to finish DPA (I should say my daughter also loved this book, she just reads much faster than the rest of us, and she went on ahead). Start with KA. You’ll like it. DPA was a very emotionally satisfying read. #HighlyRecommend

Like the first book, this one has a definite story with a satisfying end, but leaves plenty of plot threads open for the future. It is distinguished from most YA fiction by the fact it eschews the adults-are-useless trope. The protagonists are real teenagers with real teenage flaws and problems, and they learn real teenage lessons. The action is slow to start, but once it takes off, the book is impossible to put down. The battles are real and exciting, with just the right combination of surprises, dangers, and victories. Here is hoping the series keeps going for a long long time!

This book continues on from the exciting adventure of the previous novel (Knightmare Arcanist). The main characters fight an evil pirate and his crew. One character seeks revenge, while the others struggle with how to help her.This installment presents classic and new mythical creatures with powerful and sometimes bizarre powers.

Was glad to rejoin the adventures, but disappointed the main character is still so characterized as being "broken" and at a disadvantage compared to his friends who seem to be getting vastly overpowered. Would like to see him channel his magics just as good as the others and not have a broken connection to Luthair. Also disappointed that when he made his first magical item it was constantly harped upon that it was sub par and not what it could have been because of his connection to his familiar

Another awesome adventure that kept me glued to the story. The characters are great and watching them grow makes the storyline. I really like this book and I highly recommend it.

This series keeps getting better and better. I think Traces is my favorite mystical creature she is more than she appears and is unique.

I read the first book on recommendation from bookwormsanonymous.blog, and felt that it had so much missed potential. There were 6-10 chapters missing from the book.Well! guess what, all 10 of those chapters are here and then some. this makes for a spectacular read and I have enjoyed the length and flowing nature of the writing. The author has imagination and skills in transferring those imaginings to the page.I thought the book had potential but the expectation was out standing and the adventure spectacular. The next needs to be better - will it?Thank you Shami Stovall, the next Harry Potter has arrived!