No Safe Haven (Malitu #2), by James L. Dulin
The Book
Synopsis:
Anger will not be quenched by blood alone.
The Missing, a rebel army that is little more than a rumor, may be Kaylo’s only path to exact his vengeance against the empire that claimed his home and killed his family. If it means a chance to balance the blood he owes, he will steal spirits and become the Missing’s tool, as long as they aim him in the right direction.
Eighteen years later, a war is raging between factions for control of Ennea. With Tayen, Kaylo, and Nix caught in the middle of a power struggle—Kaylo will have to find a way to fulfill the promise he made to Tayen, Nix must face the consequences of her betrayal, and Tayen will have to choose between vengeance and her spirit. When blood is owed, virtues will be challenged.
My Review
No Safe Haven is the second book in the Malitu series, a direct sequel to No Heart for a Thief, written by James L. Dulin. It continues developing the characters we loved in the first book, changing gears a bit as in this case the present story takes more importance over Kaylo's one, adding a third POV which helps in this labour; but if you liked first book, you are going to love this even more.
After being captured and forced to join the ranks of the Lost Nation, Kaylo and Tayen are separated, having Tayen to deal with the training to join the army; while Kaylo will be tasked with preparing other spirit thiefs against his will. For Kaylo, keeping Tayen safe is his priority, as he really loves her and wants to teach her that anger is not the path; you can't let anger consume you and become the only reason to live.
With this in mind, Kaylo continues telling her story to Tayen, revealing more about his past and the legendary Missing; Dulin uses it as a vehicle to further develop the relationships between Kaylo and his old partners. At the same time, the real reasons of why Kaylo wants to avoid fighting.
Tayen is struggling heavily during the training. She's slowly discovering that even if she's angry with Kaylo, he might be the only real protector she has; and during the training, in many moments, anger will take control of her actions. However, after really traumatic moments, she finally realises that revenge can't take all of you.
Dulin adds the point of view of Nyx as a way to give us a further look into the secrets of the Citadel; becoming one of the few allies Kaylo might have, despite being in a precarius balance of power. While it's not as charismatic as our main characters, the fight done for keeping others safe is laudable.
Personally, I loved how the world on this sequel continues being enhanced and expanded, and especially, how it shows that both sides of the conflict have their own problems and disadvantages, showing how the Lost Nation just wants to become another figure that would practically substitute the colonizers, taking power over the whole Ennea.
No Safe Haven is a enhancement over No Heart For A Thief, a great anticolonialist fantasy that in this instalment becomes much more powerful in the emotional plane. If you liked the narration on The Name of the Wind, and are in the look for a dark fantasy with compelling characters, you should give a try to Malitu.
The Author/s
James L. Dulin
James is a nerd with a head full of stories and limited time to put them on the page.
He grew up in Grand Rapids, MI, spending an excessive amount of time at a local community theater where he developed his affinity for storytelling. This affinity grew into a deep admiration for language and spoken word poetry while studying mathematics and education at the University of Michigan. A few hundred mediocre poems and lackluster performances later, he decided his dream of writing a novel might not be as ridiculous as he once thought. He firmly believes that art—even silly books about magic, or maybe especially silly books about magic—has the ability to tell stories that sink beneath the surface.