I love a series just as much as I can complete one. If I come across a book in a store and it’s part of a series, I never buy a copy until I see all the other books there- and this bugs me a lot especially when I go to Text Book Center and there is either book two but no book three or one, or four in stock.

That said, allow me to tell you the overaching theme in this second book of #TheGuildedOnes, and it is as White Hands calls it, “When gods dance, humanity trembles.”

Deka, now does everything in her power to awaken the Mothers, but along the way she comes to learn that there is more to the story- there is more to be uncovered about the gods, the alaki and the endless wars and what if the mothers lied to them? To Deka she’s learned the hard way and if there is anything about her upbringing that she knows for certain it’s that: A woman who cannot earn for herself is a woman without choices or recourse.

There are some scenes that I couldn’t shake for example when Melanis goes at Deka for being caught up in memories of her torture. “Burn for a thousand years, Deka. Become so familiar with the odour of your flesh that it is a constant perfume. Know intimately how each part of your body crumbles, then heals. Then you can tell me of foolish things like battle fatigue and torture.”

“One last thing Deka: be sure to put names to things.” She explains, “Names are what gives things power. Even gods.” She walks closer. “For instance, if I call you a god, then you are one. Never forget that.”

I wonder what next for Deka, she is growing into her powers and each betrayal sends her spiralling into a search for answers and I think the final book has her going back to where it all began- facing the past that the gods kept hidden and choosing what path to take, but I can’t help but wonder will she become a god too?

What I truly want is to be a blade- the blade that strikes down all the gods. The Gilded Ones, the Idugu- all the beings that wish to lay claim to the people of Otera.